“Where’s Gracie?” Charlotte asked, looking around.
“She’s at a friend’s house today. Sleepover.”
Her shoulders sank, but she nodded.
“You look disappointed.”
“I am. She’s my only friend here and probably the coolest girl I’ve met in my life.”
Tripp smiled. He loved that Charlotte loved Gracie. It came off her naturally. But then he registered all of her words and frowned. “Hey, I’m your friend.”
She laughed. Honest to God laughed, and Tripp wasn’t sure he got the joke. Surely she thought of him in a similar regard…right?
“I’d call you a lot of things, but ‘friend’ never crossed my mind,” she said, making it to the tent.
“Then what would you call me?” Tripp asked, grabbing a case of pears and setting it on the table for her.
“Not sure you want to hear those names in public,” she said with a wink. Oh, so she was flirting. Good sign. He could play this game. His dick stirred, gearing up for another round of sparring with her.
“That right? Well if memory serves, you were calling me God last week.”
Her cheeks flushed just a little, and she bit back a smile. “I believe the line was, ‘oh God.’ How do you know I was calling you a god? I may have been praying.”
“Oh darlin’, I’ve been to my fair share of church, and if women prayed like that, I would have had my ass in a pew every Sunday.”
She smiled. So did he. Damn it, this felt good. Light. Easy. Fun. Several things he hadn’t felt in a long time. Charlotte brought out his lighter side, and he liked it. Wanted it for even the short while she was around. Yes, he could figure this out. Be with her without being with her.
Whatever the hell that meant.
Maybe it just meant he didn’t want to be without her while she was within arm’s reach?
“I’ve thought of you,” he said, helping her rearrange the cans and set up a pleasing display while putting the reserves behind the table.
“Oh? What have you thought of?” she asked.
“Several things. Your eyes, for starters.” He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and whispered, “The way they get stormy right before you come.”
She shivered and he saw it.
“Well, I’ve thought of you, too,” she said.
“And?” he asked.
“I prefer your Stetson over your baseball cap,” she said casually, knowing she was getting to him. And it was working. He wanted to hear her admit she wanted him. Just as bad as he wanted her.
But before he could pursue, a familiar voice said, “Tripp Montgomery, I’ve been meaning to thank you.”
Mrs. Gram moved slowly toward him, using a walker to help steady her and the massive cast on her foot. He guided her to the seat by the table of pears.
“Oh, you stop fussing, I’m fine. I’ve got my dancing cast on,” she said. “Now then, I heard what a big help you were to Charlie with these pears, and I appreciate it.”
“It was my pleasure, ma’am,” he said. And it literally was.
“You got the table all right, honey?” Mrs. Gram called to Charlotte.
“Yep. You go have fun.”
Mrs. Gram waved, ble