“Feel free to lean this way as much as you need to.” Her eyes met his for a moment before she turned to answer something Dan was saying.
Mitch turned and stared at the screen; his mouth completely dry. Maybe Lucas was right. Maybe he wasn’t the only one who felt this insane attraction—maybe Leah felt something too. It was crazy to hope, but the way she’d looked at him just now got his heart racing so fast it was in danger of hitting light speed.
Chapter Eleven
“What did you think of the movie, Lucas?” Leah asked, making sure to face him so he could read her lips. The four of them sat in a booth at a popular ice cream parlor close to the theaters. She was glad Lucas had removed his mask so she could more easily read his expression. He held up his hand and made a so-so motion.
“It was good,” he said. “But nothing beats the classics.” He spoke at a little louder than normal volume, and the teens at the table beside them looked over.
Leah smiled, hoping he wouldn’t notice. “I agree. Those are untouchable. But I still liked this one.”
Lucas glanced at the nearby table, the crease between his eyebrows showing that he’d definitely noticed.
Mitch nudged him, drawing his attention back to the table. “How did the glasses work this time?” he asked, looking at Lucas. “Were the batteries charged well enough?”
Leah loved the way Mitch treated his brother. He was caring and protective—maybe even a little overprotective. But the affection between them was undeniable. At first glance they had enough similarities to be distinguished as brothers, though Mitch’s hair was a few shades darker. And Lucas had green eyes as opposed to the piercing blue of Mitch’s—those expressive eyes that held so much mystery.
Lucas signed something to Mitch and he shook his head, signing back. Leah was fascinated by the exchange. She tried to follow as they continued their conversation in sign language, wishing she knew what they were talking about.
“So, when is your next trip?” Dan asked beside her.
She turned to face him, realizing with a guilty twinge that she hadn’t been the most attentive date. “I’m home until Tuesday,” she said, forcing herself to focus on Dan and not Mitch and Lucas’ silent conversation. “Tell me about your work. It was nice of your company to get those tickets for everyone.”
He smiled. “It’s a pretty good gig. Accounting isn’t the most exciting field, so my firm tries to throw in perks every once in a while. The goal is to start my own firm someday, which is why I’ve got to keep the big clients happy.”
Leah nodded. “That makes sense.”
“Order number twelve,” the girl behind the counter called.
“That’s us.” Dan grabbed the plastic number at the table. “I’ll be right back.”
“Thirteen,” the girl called again.
Mitch reached for his own number but Lucas beat him to it, giving Mitch a sly look before climbing out of the booth.
Leah pretended not to notice the look, but her traitorous heart stuttered anyway. She didn’t know sign language, but she had a feeling that look between them had something to do with her. Mitch stared after Lucas with a slight scowl, his profile showcasing his strong jawline. Leah’s stomach fluttered. The young Harrison Ford had nothing on Mitch. In that moment, he made the perfect, brooding Han Solo. She smiled. “It makes sense that you would pick that costume.”
Mitch turned to her and cocked an eyebrow. “It does?”
She nodded. “Considering how much you love to fly; Han Solo would be the natural choice.”
One corner of his mouth twitched. “I didn’t even think of that, but you’re right. Maybe that’s why he was always my favorite character.”
“It suits you.”
He met her eyes and she quickly looked away, hoping that hadn’t sounded flirtatious—while at the same time wanting it to be. Ugh. What was going on? She couldn’t seem to make sense of anything when Mitch was near. She’d even avoided holding Dan’s hand during the movie when he’d let it rest, palm up, on the armrest between them. It was a universal invitation, but all she could think about was Mitch on her other side.
She’d been agonizingly aware of him during the entire movie, every shift in his seat and movement he made. She needed to snap out of it. She was on a date with Dan. And Mitch had made it very clear to the group of college girls that the two of them were just friends. She was reading way too much into this. Dan was nice. And more than that—he was safe. She liked him as a friend, so there was no danger of losing her heart. That was critical.
Mitch, however, was a different story. He was getting to her. Making her drop her guard and creating sparks she couldn’t seem to control. It was time to change that.
She looked up, her heartbeat accelerating when she found him studying her, his blue eyes holding an expression she couldn’t define. She cleared her throat, grasping for a safe topic. “Lucas is really great,” she said, resting her elbows on the table.
Mitch leaned back in his seat. “Yeah. He really is. I hope you didn’t mind having the two of us tag along on your date tonight.”
“Not at all,” she answered, maybe a touch too quickly. She lowered her gaze to the table, tracing the pattern in the fake marble. “But I admit I was a little surprised you didn’t ask Candice.” Her eyes flicked to his.
He shifted, but before he could answer, Dan set a tray down in front of her. “Here you go,” he said cheerfully. “I grabbed extra napkins, but can I get you anything else while I’m up?”
Leah smiled. “No thanks, this looks great.” She forced herself not to look at Mitch again, though it took effort. Why was he so mysterious when it came to Candice? Was it because they worked together and he didn’t want people to know? And more importantly—why did she care so much?
Lucas appeared with another tray and the four of them made companionable small talk as they ate. Leah kept her focus on Dan as much as possible, but at one point, Mitch’s foot accidentally bumped hers under the table. Her eyes flew to his and he offered a brief apology, holding her gaze a second before returning his attention to Dan’s story about his recent racquetball tournament.
Leah’s heart hammered, still feeling the contact where Mitch had accidentally touched her. She took another bite of the rich, warm fudge that made the vanilla slightly melty. Oh yes—she needed to stay away from Mitch Harrison. As far away as she could get.
Chapter Twelve
“Thanks again for the invite, man,” Mitch said, nodding at Dan. The four of them stood outside of the ice cream parlor, preparing to go their separate ways for the night.
“Glad you could make it,” Dan answered with a smile. “We’ll have to double with you and Chewy again sometime.” He gave Lucas a salute.
Mitch fought to keep his smile in place, hating the way Dan said, “we,” like he and Leah were a thing now. He glanced at Leah, who seemed to be studiously avoiding his gaze.
“Yeah . . . maybe,” he answered with a non-committal shrug. Had he done something to offend her? Why wouldn’t she look at him?
A car drove by and honked, and a busty college-aged girl stuck her head out the window. “I love you, Han Solo!” she yelled before laughing and ducking back inside the car.
Mitch waved, and Dan laughed, but Leah didn’t look amused. Lucas pulled on Mitch’s arm, wanting an explanation. Mitch quickly answered in sign language, earning a laugh from his brother.
“Next time, I wear the Han Solo costume,” he joked.
Mitch told Dan and Leah what he’d said, and when Leah laughed, his heart climbed into his throat. She had a gorgeous laugh—it lit her eyes and warmed him clear to the center. She caught him smiling at her and her face straightened.
Yeah, something was definitely up.
She checked her phone. “I should probably get back soon. My mom’s friend is staying with her right now, but I don’t want to keep her too late.”
“No problem.” Dan touched the small of her back. “We’ll see you guys later,” he said to Mi
tch and Lucas.
“See you.” Mitch’s stomach twisted at seeing Dan’s hand on Leah. She gave him a small wave before the two of them walked toward the parking lot, Dan’s hand moving from the small of her back to her shoulders. Mitch looked away.
Lucas caught his eye. “Don’t worry. She’s not into him,” he signed.
Mitch didn’t answer. He scuffed the toe of his shoe along the pavement before putting his arm around his brother. “Let’s go.”
They made their way to Mitch’s truck, waving at Dan and Leah as they drove past in Dan’s car. The headlights were too bright for Mitch to see Leah’s face behind the windshield, but it was just as well. If she was smiling and talking to Dan, he didn’t want to see it.
They’d almost reached the truck when a girl came running out of the ice cream shop. “Hey!” she called, waving a jacket. “I think you left this at your table.”
Mitch turned and went to meet her. He recognized Leah’s navy jacket. “Thanks, I’ll get it to her.”
“No problem.” She nodded and jogged back inside.
Mitch turned the jacket over in his hands as he walked back to the truck. Lucas was waiting in the passenger seat. He raised an eyebrow when he saw the jacket. “Leah’s?”
Mitch nodded, setting the jacket on the armrest and starting up the engine. The subtle scent of her perfume wafted up to him. “I’ll text Dan and ask him to get it to her.”
Lucas touched his arm. “No way,” he signed. “You don’t mess with fate when it hands you something like this.” He sat back in his seat. “Besides, I think it’s supposed to be chilly tomorrow.” He paused, a mischievous glint filling his eyes. “She’ll probably need her jacket.”
Mitch regarded his brother, unable to keep the smile from tugging at his lips. “You know what?” He lifted the jacket again, his insides buzzing at touching something that belonged to her. “Maybe you’re right.”
***
“This is it, boy,” Mitch said to Lando, who sat beside him in the passenger seat with his ears perked forward. They pulled up to 817 Chambers Street. Mitch double-checked the address he’d found online before turning off the ignition. He stared at the small but charming red brick house which looked like it had been built half a century ago. Although it was an older home, the freshly painted black shutters and window box flowers showed attentive care.
He hadn’t spent much time in Pine Ridge. It was a postcard pretty, touristy town bordered by the towering Colorado Rockies. Leah had mentioned she had a small graduating class, and he wondered if she’d liked growing up here. There were so many things about her that he wanted to know.
Mitch glanced at his watch. It was just after four o’clock. He’d purposefully aimed for a time in the day that he hoped wouldn’t be inconvenient—and when Leah would likely be home. He could have texted and let her know he was coming, but he was afraid she’d tell him not to worry about it. And he didn’t want to wait until they worked again to talk to her.
Mostly, he wanted to know how her date had gone. Had Dan asked her out again? Had he kissed her goodnight? The thought soured his stomach. Obviously, he wouldn’t ask her such a personal question, but he hoped that by seeing her again he could get some clue as to her feelings for Dan. If she liked him, Mitch would bow out and stop obsessing over her. Maybe he would even be able to get a good nights’ sleep. On the other hand, if she didn’t plan to date Dan . . . well, he wouldn’t let his heart get carried away with hope just yet.
“Stay here, buddy. I’ll be right back,” he told Lando after lowering the windows on the truck. Lando obediently stayed in the seat, watching Mitch as he got out and walked toward the house. Cheerful flowerbeds bordered the walkway—though he couldn’t help but notice that the grass was a bit long. He wondered if Leah mowed the lawn herself, and when she found time to do it while caring for her mom.
His throat felt dry as he approached the front door, clutching her jacket in his hand like a lifeline as he knocked twice. What would she think when she saw him standing on her front porch? A wave of panic almost made him bolt back down the steps when the door opened. He straightened and offered a smile to the woman who shared the same brown eyes as Leah’s.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
“I’m a friend of Leah’s, and I came to return her jacket,” he said, holding up the jacket as proof. “Is she home, by chance?”
Confusion clouded her expression for a moment before she smiled. “Oh! You must be the young man she went out with last night.” She stepped back, opening the door wider. “Please, come in.”
Mitch twisted the jacket in his hands, explaining as he stepped inside. “Actually, I’m the friend of the guy she went out with last night. She left her jacket at the ice cream place, so I thought I’d get it back to her.”
The woman raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Leah didn’t tell me it was a group date.”
Ouch. She hadn’t even mentioned him. That’s how much of an impression he’d made. He should have just given the jacket to Dan. Awkwardness poured through him, but before he could respond to the comment, she stepped forward, holding out her hand. “I’m Carol, Leah’s mom,” she said with a warm smile.
He returned the handshake. “Mitch Harrison. It’s nice to meet you.”
“And you,” she answered, dropping her hand to glance over her shoulder. “I think Leah is out back in the shed. She’s been trying to get the lawn mower going. If you want to wait here, I’ll go find her.”
“Thanks.” Mitch shifted his weight, considering whether he should leave the jacket and take off, but he heard a door close at the back of the house.
“Mom, I think I’m going to have to take the mower in to the shop,” Leah called. “I can’t figure out what’s wrong with it.”
“Leah, there’s someone here to see you,” Carol answered, casting a sideways wink at Mitch.
He swallowed as he heard Leah’s footsteps coming down the hall, and gripped the jacket tighter. She appeared around the corner, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw him standing there.
“Hey,” he said, doing his best to act casual and pretend his heart wasn’t thumping like a bass drum. “You left your jacket behind last night, and I thought I’d get it back to you. In case you needed it.” He shrugged and held up the jacket.
“Thanks.” She bit her lip and brushed at a strand of blonde hair that had escaped her high ponytail. “I wondered where I left it.” She took the jacket from him and then sheepishly gestured to her denim overalls and fitted T-shirt. “Sorry, I was about to mow the lawn, so that’s why I’m dressed like this.”
“You look great.” He swallowed, afraid the flush at his neck would betray just how much of an understatement that was. Leah was downright sexy with the tight top accentuating her curves and the little smudge of grease on her left cheekbone. It was all he could do to keep his thoughts straight enough to form a coherent sentence. “You’re having trouble with the lawn mower?”
She nodded. “It’s been iffy for a while now, but I’ve always been able to get it started.” She gave a helpless shrug. “Until today. I was just about to head to a repair shop to see what they can do.” She glanced at her mom. “How would you feel about taking a trip into town?”
Carol frowned. “Do you think you could manage without me? Patty said she might stop by to bring me some gardening magazines.”
Leah’s eyes tightened and Mitch followed her gaze to the stack of gardening magazines on the entry table beside him. “She stopped by this morning, Mom,” she said without any hint of condescension. “The magazines are right here.”
Carol blinked, a confused look clouding her expression again as she stared at the magazines. “Oh . . . so they are.”
Mitch bit the inside of his cheek, his heart twisting at the pained look on Leah’s face. He stepped forward, anxious to do something to help. “Maybe I can save you the trip. Mind if I have a look at the mower?”
Leah’s mouth softened as she turned to him, her eyes sear
ching his. “That would be great. Are you sure you don’t mind? I don’t want to keep you.” She looked past him through the open door, as if wondering if he had someone waiting in the truck.
He shook his head. “I’ve got plenty of time. I brought my dog along for the ride, but his window is down and it’s cool enough that he’ll be fine.”
Leah’s face broke into the first real smile he’d seen on her since the movie theater last night. “Oh no, please let him out. The back yard is fenced, so he’s free to roam.”
He cast her a questioning glance. “You sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all. I love dogs.” She turned to her mom. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Why don’t you relax and look through those magazines?”
Carol nodded. “Thanks, sweetie. I think I will.” She turned to Mitch. “It was nice to meet you, Matt.”
“You too,” he answered without missing a beat.
She smiled and took the stack of magazines into the living room. Leah watched her go before motioning for Mitch to follow her outside. “Sorry about that,” she said, closing the front door behind them. “She’s been doing really well today, but it sounds like she’s starting to slip again.”
Mitch would have given anything to reach out and smooth the worried wrinkle between Leah’s perfect brows. He slid his hands into his back pockets instead. “Don’t worry about it. She’s really charming.” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “I’m glad I got to meet her on a good day. How often does she have those?” He didn’t want to be nosy, but he could only imagine how taxing the ups and downs were for Leah.
She lifted a shoulder. “She used to only have setbacks every once in a while. But they’re becoming more and more frequent.” She stared hard at the truck, blinking a few times.
When Sparks Fly (Pine Ridge Romance Book 2) Page 6
