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Sydney waited for Adam’s response.

His mouth came open, but for a second, he didn’t say anything. Then he shook his head. “No, it’s a woman named Birdie. She has blue hair. That’s about all I know about her. Oh, and one of her nephews is the sheriff, and the other one’s the fire chief.”

Sydney smiled, but she could feel her lower lip quivering from nerves. She smiled broader, hoping to hide it. “That’s Birdie all right. But she’s not your date. I am. I’m the one who…” Come on, just say it. Tell him the truth. “I was the high bidder.”

His mouth came open again. “You? But that was a lot of—twenty-five thousand—you mean?—?”

She nodded. “Yes.” She had her little black clutch tucked under one arm, and she was aware that she was squeezing her fingers together so hard they were going white, but she couldn’t stop. His reaction would set the tone for the rest of the evening.

If there was a rest of the evening.

He still hadn’t said anything. He ran a hand over his head. “You spent that much money on me?”

“I did.” Her throat wasn’t really closing up, but it sort of felt that way. “I hope you’re not mad.”

“Mad? I’m … I’m … why did you do that?”

“Because you’d told me about getting out of that relationship and not wanting to be with anyone after that, and I just thought maybe if I was your date, it wouldn’t be so bad.” The part she wasn’t going to tell him was that she hadn’t been able to bear the thought of another woman winning him.

She’d been jealous of an unknown person over a man she’d only just met. She sighed and stared at the floor. “I’m sorry. It was crazy behavior. I should go.”

He caught her arm as she started to turn. “Syd, don’t go.”

She bit her lip and snuck a glance at him. He was smiling. The tiniest spark of hope flared to life within her. “You don’t think I’m crazy?”

“Oh, I think you’re completely nuts.” He laughed. “To spend that kind of money on me?” He shook his head. “I wish I could tell you it was a good investment, but?—”

“I think it was.” She was in for a penny. Might as well spend the whole dollar. “I think you’re a great guy. I like you a lot. You’re kind and sweet and you love animals and you’re always there when I need you and you know how to cook.”

“You … like me?”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you.”

“But twenty-five thousand…” He frowned. “I’ll never be able to pay you back.”

She snorted softly. “I don’t need you to pay it back.”

That seemed to confuse him. “You don’t? But I can’t let you do that.”

“Why not? I can afford it.”

“You can?”

She nodded. “Maybe we should sit.”

“Oh, right, yes.” He came around and pulled out her chair.

She sat, then he took his seat across from her. Before either of them could say another word, a server appeared, a middle- aged man with a ready smile. “Good evening, folks. I’m Elberto, and I’ll be taking care of you this evening. Can I get you something to drink?”

“I’d like a glass of red wine,” Sydney answered. “Whatever you recommend.”

“Very good.” He looked at Adam. “And for you, sir?”

“Same thing.”

“I’ll be right back with those.”

As soon as he left, Adam leaned in. “What do you mean you can afford it? I know you were a very successful model?—”

“You do?” That surprised her. He’d never acted like he’d had a clue who she was.

He nodded, kind of sheepishly. “I looked you up.”

“Then you must have also seen that I sold my cosmetics company.”

“No, I didn’t. I was, uh … just looking at photos.”

“Oh.” She smiled. “Well, like I said, I sold my cosmetics company, and I did all right with that, so I’m in good shape financially. It’s what allowed me to quit modeling and make the move here.”

“Why would you do that? Didn’t you like life in the city? All the attention?”

“It had its moments, and I won’t say it wasn’t fun at times, but it was also grueling and not really the life I’d always dreamed about.”

“Which was what?”

She looked around, lifting her hands. “This. Small-town life.” Did she dare tell him the rest? The core of it? She had to. “I wanted a more … traditional life. A husband, kids, the white picket fence. The whole dream.”

He got an odd look on his face. “And you … like … me.”

It was time for her to accept that the outcome of this night was not going to be what she wanted.

“I do, yes, but listen, it’s okay if you don’t reciprocate my feelings.

I acknowledge that this is all happening really fast and that the sound of my biological clock ticking is something only I can hear. ”

Elberto returned with their wine and a basket of bread.

Adam looked at him. “Could we have a few minutes? We’re not ready to order yet.”

“Certainly, sir. Take your time.”

He left them alone again.

“Syd, I like you a lot. I can’t believe someone like you is interested in someone like me. But…” He hesitated.

Here it comes , she thought. The big letdown. He’s going to do it as easily as he can, but he’s struggling to find the words.

The sinking feeling inside her made it hard to keep smiling, so she accepted what was about to happen and didn’t try to make it into anything else. He’d understand if she couldn’t smile through being told I’m just not that into you.

She sipped her wine. It was good. That was something.

“The thing is,” he started, “I’m only here temporarily.”

She looked up. “What?”

“I’m going back to Chicago in five months.” The exhale that followed made it sound as though his return was inevitable. Set in stone.

“Oh,” she said quietly. “Chicago is a nice city. Been there a few times.”

He touched his glass of wine but didn’t pick it up. “I’ve lived there a long time. Besides that, my job here is over in five months. I’m just filling in for a guy whose wife had a baby. And I have a job waiting for me when I get back.”

A sense of defeat, because there was no other word that did it justice, swept through her. “That’s nice of you, to fill in like that. And great that you have a job waiting on you.”

He smiled, but somehow it looked sad. “I really like being your neighbor.”

She understood he was trying to make her feel better. She gave him a quick, tight smile, then drank more wine. “I like that you’re my neighbor, too. Mackie is really going to miss Sugarbelle.”

“Yeah,” Adam breathed out. “She’s really going to miss him, too.”

They sat without saying anything more for a couple of minutes.

An odd numbness drifted through Sydney. A sense of acceptance came with it.

This had been a long shot to start with.

She’d taken a chance and lost. What was it that she’d told herself?

She’d just look at it as not being right for his campaign.

Except she hadn’t really believed that would be the outcome. She had definitely thought she’d book this one.

She did her best to snap out of the funk that had settled over her. “We should order.”

“Right,” Adam said, seemingly relieved that the conversation had shifted. He lifted his hand, and Elberto returned.

“Would you like to hear about our specials?”

“Sure,” Sydney said, happy to hear about anything that wasn’t the abyss of her romantic life.

“We have linguine with white clam sauce, very good, very garlicky.” He smiled. “Also, there is a veal chop Milanese.”

She hadn’t looked at her menu, but there was great comfort in carbs, and as she clearly wasn’t going to be kissing anyone tonight, she knew exactly what she was getting. “I’ll have the linguine with clams.”

Adam, who had opened his menu, closed it. “I’ll have the lasagna.”

“Wonderful. I’ll be right back with salads for you both.” He took the menus and left.

Adam looked slightly uncomfortable. She was fine with that. “I’m sorry if I led you on when I kissed you.”

Had he been thinking about kissing, too? She shrugged. “It happened. It’s fine.” She managed a smile that was a teensy bit more genuine than the last one. “We’re just friends, and that’s all right.”

To prove how all right it was, she lifted her glass. “To being friends. And neighbors. For the next five months.”

He touched his glass to hers, the soft ping of the glass almost lost in the bubbling of the fountain.

“I really am sorry we can’t be more than that,” he said. “I think you’re amazing. And not just because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in person or pictures. You’re … really nice. Funny. Smart.”

“I can’t cook.” She picked out a small piece of bread from the basket, ripped off a piece, and ate it.

“Yet,” he said, smiling.

“Does that mean you’re still going to teach me to make bread?” She set the rest of the bread on the small plate in front of her. “That’s not nearly as good as yours, by the way.”

“I’ll teach you to make anything you want. So long as I know how to make it myself.”

For some reason, that seemed to lift her mood. “I’d like that.”

“Good.” It felt like he wanted to say more. Like he was holding something back. She had no idea what that was. Unless it had to do with his ex.

They weren’t getting back together, were they? That felt unlikely.

He laughed softly. “I still can’t believe you spent that much money on me. No one’s ever done anything like that for me before. I’m flattered and humbled.” He caught her gaze. “And I really wish things were different.”

Why couldn’t they be , she wondered. Was there no way he could stay here? She wanted to ask that more than anything, but she wasn’t sure she could take another rejection tonight.

For all the tough skin she’d developed over the years of casting calls and go-sees, it wasn’t doing much to protect her heart.