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“I think we’re two people who’re fairly bad at dating and don’t like to talk about ourselves,” Alex said
His directness char, which led to desire, which equaled vulnerability Her nerves stretched tighter and tighter “Then why’re we here?”
A shrug “I was curious about you And Tracker likes you He’s a good judge of character”
Secrets, sadness, and shaed on the wall so carefully built She sipped her beer, which now tasted flat and lifeless “Ah”
“So what about you?”
“I’htforward Raised in Nashville Both ree in Knoxville at the University of Tennessee Enjoying the single life”
He leaned forward, as if a bullshit et the scars on your hands?”
Cut to the chase This guy didn’t waste time or mince words No need to look down to see the deep slashes that crossed both palms “Are you this nosy on most first dates?”
“No” No apology “They look like defensive wounds”
“Nothing so dramatic,” she lied
No adult had ever asked about the scars on her palht have stared, but they hadn’t asked Once a little girl in a grocery store had asked her about them She’d looked as if she’d believed in fairy tales, Santa Claus, and the tooth fairy Monsters under her bed could be chased aith a irl realthem “It was an accident”
“Okay” Alex tapped a finger on the table, as if forcing back more questions that, eventually, he’d ask “I didn’t mean to upset you”
She kept her hand on her beer glass, refusing to tuck it in her lap “I’m not upset”
“You’re pale now”
Sheday”
“It’s ain “Sometimes it’s hard to shut off”
“No worries”
Alex Morgan was the kind of guy who’d unearth all her carefully buried secrets And when he did, ould he think of her? What kind of woly lay doith a monster? The idea that he’d see her as less or weak scraped the underside of her scars
Her phone buzzed, startling her With a grateful heart she dug her phone froot to go by the kennel to check on one of the dogs”
Alex looked more curious and disappointed If his job was to sniff out lies, then he surely knew this was no fib Their clinic took eht on call “You can’t eat first?”
“No” She gathered her coat, anxious to step into the cold and slide behind the wheel of her car
He tossed a couple of twenties on the table and rose “I’ll walk you to your car”
She gathered up her purse and coat “You don’t have to I’ht across the street”
“I’ll walk you” He helped her on with her coat, opened the front door, and waited for her to pass through before allowing it to swing closed behind them Across the street, the door to Rudy’s opened and closed In a rush of ht, Deidre and her date sauntered out arm in arm
Leah envied the couple’s easy manner Her back stiff, she started toward her car, her pace brisk as she fished her keys from her pocket and pushed the unlock button on the key fob She opened the door, and he lingered back an extra half step For a tense ht kiss her Norht? A kiss, a touch, vulnerability, pain, and death
Alex held back a couple of steps He watched her Seemed to see fear and accept it as a fact to be filed away under Leah Carson “Drive safe”
“I’m sorry”
“For what?”
“I’ve been a real lousy date, Alex I’m sorry I’m way out of practice”
A s “No worries, Leah See you soon?”
“You don’t have to check up on Tracker every day”