Chapter 2

2

WALKER

I don't mind doing my bit to help the town, but duty calling just before I could ask Jocelyn out yesterday was terrible timing.

As I drive downtown, it occurs to me that my life is often arranged for the benefit of others more than for myself. My schedule is dependent on what's around me. Whether it's a call for a fast drive to West Stoneburg, maintaining the volunteer firefighter trucks, or keeping on top of the backlog of cars in the shop, I've always put the needs of family and friends ahead of my own.

Well, not today. I left Carson and Griffin to deal with the last few steps of an engine tuneup and told them I was taking a real lunch break. Still chuckling as I recall the beyond shocked looks on their faces, I peer into every window as I drive slowly along Main Street.

My heart does a clumsy backflip when I see Jocelyn in the window at Fran's Diner. She's so beautiful. The sun kisses her bright auburn hair, and that deep green sweater looks perfect against her pale skin.

I park out front and walk in, smiling when I see her look up toward me. "Hello again. Mind if I join you for lunch?"

"Not at all." She shoves some notebooks out of the way and I slide in to sit across from her in the booth. Staring into her bright blue eyes, I actually feel flustered. What the… I've never felt this way around a woman before. It's kind of uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry I had to take off like that earlier. I didn't mean to be rude."

She shakes her head slightly as she sips her coffee. Her short, rounded fingernails are the light baby pink of a ballerina's tutu. Jesus, have I ever noticed a woman's nails before in my life? My mind is trying to take in every single detail about her. Studying her so that… I don't know. So that I have all possible information to assist in my attempts to make her like me.

"It really was an emergency call. I'm kind of the unofficial ambulance driver around here."

Her lovely eyes fly wide, accenting every single long lash. "Really?"

"Yeah. I have the fastest cars, and I've been driving the route to West Stoneburg for so long that I make the best time. If anyone has to get to the hospital in a situation where every minute counts, the whole town knows that I'm just a phone call away."

"Wow." She's quiet as Myrna brings over two menus, and a coffee for me without asking. "I don't think I've seen you here for lunch before." Jocelyn's soft voice is sweetly feminine.

"I rarely take a long enough lunch break. But I had to come find you."

Her perfect pink lips fall open for a second. "You… You came here looking for me ?"

"Of course. I mean, I was in the middle of asking you out earlier."

Her graceful fingers flutter to her mouth. "Oh…I didn't think…I mean, I wasn't sure…"

I hate that she seems so flustered. Glancing down at her books, I smile. "I keep hearing about the three girls who always have their noses in their books and notes. So I guess that makes you a logical, studious kind of woman?"

She nods. "Yes."

"Okay. Let's do the rundown logically to see if I'm qualified to date you." Her adorable grin says she's happy to play along. "I'm thirty-three. You're…?"

"Twenty-one."

My head tips back and forth. "Okay. Not such a bad age difference." Her mouth contorts into something between a smirk and a giggle. "I own Valley Auto along with my brothers. I own my house, which has a large garage, where I putter away on my own cars on the weekends."

Jocelyn is nodding along, as if checking off mental boxes.

"My hobbies include trying to figure out what to do with the backyard and shooting pool every few weeks in Josh Wolfe's basement. I'm a three-beer max kind of guy. Red wine with fancy dinners. White wine is…" My nose crinkles. "Well, I'd rather have a soda, to be honest."

"Employed, not a big drinker, a couple of hobbies." Her fingers tap lightly on the table. "I feel like I should be taking notes on this," she murmurs, half to herself.

"Please, go ahead, if you want." I clear my throat. "I have a pretty great life, but I've never found a good woman that I felt a real connection with." Her look is quizzical and intrigued, not creeped out, thank goodness. So I go for broke. "May I try something, purely for scientific purposes?"

She nods, amused. I take her hand and look deep into her eyes. "Do you feel that?"

Her breath hitches slightly, and her tongue darts across her plush bottom lip. "Um. Yeah…but I don't know the precise word for it."

"It's a spark, sweetheart. A real spark. So how about we order lunch so that I can find out all about you, okay?"

"Just like that?"

"Why not? This is a pre-date, then we can go out very soon on an actual date-date." From the startled look in her eyes, I would bet my truck that she's never gone out on an official date. I'm not sure why that pleases me so much, but it does.

"If at any time you decide that the spark is gone, or you realize I'm not the one for you, just tell me. No hard feelings. Okay?"

Her eyes light up. Proof that I've said the right thing. Thank goodness for that psychology article I read years ago saying that anxious people feel better if they can see a doorway out.

We both order sandwiches, then I pepper Jocelyn with questions about her work.

"I can't tell you the details of the project the three of us are working on, but I can tell you about some of my evening jobs," she says, tucking into a turkey on rye. "I've always loved doing proofreading work. When it's already been edited, and they need someone to look through for missing or misplaced commas and other silly typos. I don't know… It satisfies some deep need for perfection in me. Is that weird?"

"Not at all. It's like when an engine has been rebuilt, but you still have to start it up and really listen, putting your hand on the car to make sure there are no extra vibrations. The final final check."

"Yes! It gives you that deep satisfaction, like the big checkmark on the last item of your to-do list." She beams. "I also love copywriting for various clients. And occasionally editing small corporate jobs."

"You're quite the busy little bee." We laugh together, then I stop. "Wait – so you work all day with your friends, then you do other jobs at night? When do you rest?"

Jocelyn's head drops. "Oh. Um. I actually find writing copy for product manuals pretty chill. It's not like I'm running a marathon or anything."

"Sweetheart, you need to rest your mind as well as your body. You're obviously smart, so I'm sure you must know that, right?"

Her nose crinkles and she smirks at me. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. As soon as I get my student loans repaid, I'll take a weekend off, okay?"

This precious girl absolutely radiates sweetness and light, but she has to work day and night to pay off her education? Forcing myself to take a deep breath, I stare down at the table for a moment. It's not any of my business – yet – but I already know I'm going to fix Jocelyn's finances so that she can relax a bit and enjoy life.

We chat about movies, music and books while we eat. Then we toss observations about Old Hemlock Valley back and forth.

"The bakery uses more butter than sugar," Jocelyn says as she pushes her plate to the side. "That's one of the little details I adore."

She adores my town already. "In summer we burn off all the butter walking the trails, and then come winter we need the extra padding against the cold." I pat my perfectly flat stomach while I chuckle, not missing the way her gaze wanders across my chest.

"And the giant trucks." Her light laugh makes me grin. "Some of the trucks in Kingsville, Cincinnati, Columbus – they're too shiny. Like they're just for driving to the mall on a big grocery trip. The trucks here are filled with lumber and tools and stuff."

"Well, we don't have a mall here. There's a small one in Spring Grove, an hour and a bit away."

"An hour and a bit for normal people, or a speed demon like you?"

I love that she's comfortable enough to tease me. "For anyone driving the posted limits, which I usually do."

Checking my phone, I see there's a text from Carson that a rush job just came in. "I'm sorry, I have to get back to work." Reaching across the table, I hold out my hand, grinning when she takes it. "Just checking: spark still there?"

It looks like she's fighting to hold in a laugh. "Yeah."

I desperately want to take her out tonight, but don't want to rush things. "May I please take you out tomorrow evening?"

"Yes." Her answer comes at lightning speed, which I take as a great sign.

"Shall I pick you up at your place at six?"

"Sure – wait, how do you know where I live?"

"Please. Everyone in town knows that Riggs rented out his house to three student girls for at least a month. News travels fast in a small town."

Her free hand darts over to scribble something in the margin of her notebook. "Yeah… That's what I've heard."

Standing, I kiss the back of her hand, making her blush. "See you tomorrow, gorgeous."

I pay our bill, and realize I feel taller while walking out of the diner. My shoulders feel broader on my way to my truck, too. Like I take up more space.

Giving Jocelyn a wave as I drive away, I'm aware of a shift deep within me.

I'm ready.

To be her date, and then…her man.