Prologue

PROLOGUE

She waits near the water, under the moonlight, her heart racing as she clutches her small bag, wondering if she's sprayed enough honeysuckle body spray to offset the intense smell of the kitchen.

The catering vans are hidden behind a set of bushes because God forbid the rich people at the dinner party accept the fact that their food is cooked and that it just doesn't appear from thin air.

Whatever.

This isn't a story about catering and kitchens and people with money.

Or the drunk husbands who look at the catering waitresses like they're going to go home with the men.

Gross.

Except…

She bites her lip. Then stops. She reminds herself she can't have him showing up and her lip is bleeding from being so nervous she nibbled it open.

She wiggles her fingertips.

She looks out at the water.

It's okay to be nervous, but this is kind of intense.

She reminds herself… he's just a guy. A regular guy.

That's all.

This isn't some intense love story or summer romance movie.

It's two people who talked, flirted, and agreed to meet at the edge of the lake.

She wants him to kiss her.

She wants him to… touch her…

Yeah, she can't help it, wondering if this could turn into something else. They don't live in different states or on different planets.

She touches her hair and smells it.

Her heart sinks a little.

Her hair stinks.

Smells like a greasy kitchen.

And he smells like heaven.

His cologne is strong yet subtle. His smell matches his eyes, his face, the perfect line of his jaw. He belongs with the rest of the people there yet he doesn't act the way they do. Sure, he's not in his mid-forties or fifties, drinking expensive booze, laughing too loud, secretly wanting to fuck one of the caterers.

He's her age.

She's his age.

Everything matches.

Under other circumstances they may not have met. Talked. Flirted. Shared a beer together.

She keeps waiting, but can't do it forever.

There's still a lot of work to do.

Once the fancy event is over, all the guests get to leave.

She doesn't get to leave. She has to stay. Clean up. She has to make the place look as clean as it did before everyone arrived. And that's just the beginning - once they get back to the main catering office, they have to unpack and clean and…

She chases away all thoughts.

Nothing matters but waiting for him to show up right now.

Butterflies dance in her stomach.

Her toes curl.

She allows herself to get a little giddy for a moment.

What if this is love at first sight? What if this becomes something?

What if they get together, stay together, then live together?

What if they get engaged, get married, and she carries his baby?

Is that possible?

From just one smile from the cutest and hottest guy she's ever seen?