by Jenny Rabe
“Typical,” he said with a sneer. He stood and stretched, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. “I’ll come over when I get off work.”
Satisfied, Laura Lee handed over the bag. “Right. I’ll see you later with the goods.”
He chuckled and placed a teasing finger under her chin. “I can’t believe you’re asking me for ingredients.”
His unexpected touch caused her to stumble into the counter. She righted herself before he teased her about it then dragged him by the shirt to the side door. “You said it yourself. Time for work. I don’t think The Waffle Spot likes their employees to be late. I should stop by and make sure you’re doing your job.”
Aiden paused at the entryway. “Why should you when you have an unlimited supply of waffles? I may be a whiz with a hammer and some nails, but I don’t like others to see me burn their food. Melba gets after me on a regular basis.”
She laughed and folded her arms across her chest. “That makes me want to come.” He looked so worried she added, “All right, fine. If you don’t start bringing home syrup, I’ll have to stop by the restaurant and get my own.” As he opened his mouth to speak, she opened the door and pushed him out onto the strip of road in between their houses.
“I’m spoiling you with too many waffles. You can go a few days without seeing me, right?”
What a joke. She laughed at the hilarity of the thought. “I doubt you’d last a day without me. Sure, go ahead. Cut yourself off from my supply of ingredients. You won’t make it a day without my trades.” She placed her hand on the back of the door, preparing to swing it shut.
“Uh, you don’t mean that. You’d miss me.” His usual confident demeanor seemed to slip. Had she found a chink in his armor? His long bangs fell into his face, hiding his eyes. “I’ll remember the syrup.”
Her lips twitched. Was that what she really wanted or was it the man carrying the syrup? “Are you ever going to let me cut your hair? It’s so long, it’s touching your nose. Your work doesn’t ask a lot from their employees, but it seems you should have a higher standard.”
He raised his chin in defiance, his confidence returning in an instant. “What’s wrong with my hair? I like it long.”
Despite his frequent visits and occasional teasing, he’d never shown much interest in her as a woman. He treated her like . . . a pesky older sister. It bothered her, but she also hadn’t flirted in years. “By the way, make sure you water the plants. The Kangs sent me a message to remind you.”
Aiden whipped around, interest growing in his eyes. “Have you talked to them about watching the house?”
“Uh, no. Did you want me to tell them you’re doing a good job and that you eat at my house more than theirs?”
“No, don’t bother them on vacation.” His voice was a little too loud for the quiet morning. He looked around and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Supposedly, this is their first vacation in years. They said unless the house is burning down, not to call them. I’m sticking with that plan.”
Laura Lee shrugged. “If you say so.”
“See you tonight.” He flashed her an impish smile, then headed toward the Kangs’ house, long hair flopping as he walked.
“Unbelievable.” She shook her head as his mismatched socks poked out from the bottom of his work pants. That man . . . he had some charms. But he also needed a clue. Or some help. Or maybe both.
Also by Jenny Rabe
Romance Novels
Something Old: Book 1 in the Fake Engagement Collection
Man of my Dreams
Love from Left Field
Diving for Love
Romance Anthologies with a featured story from Jenny Rabe
Unspoken Words
About the Author
After going on over 150 first dates, Jenny has a wealth of dating experience. She lives with her husband and three kids near the mountains, drawing inspiration from the constant ups and downs of relationships. When she's not writing clean, swoony romances, she's following some other dream to make a difference in the world.
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