directly. He said why should he tell me when it could be with my cousin or my sister.”
“And you immediately thought he’d slept with Lori instead of me?” she asked indignantly. “You don’t think a guy would want to pick me up at a party?”
Ash frowned at her in surprise. “Hey! It’s just unthinkable that you’d have a one-night stand with some stranger you just met. That’s not your thing.”
Amanda stayed silent, not knowing how to respond to that.
“Or was it really you he slept with?” Ash asked ominously.
Oops. “You just said it’s unthinkable that I’d do something like that. So why are you asking me that now?” she dodged.
“Well—”
“You’re such a gossip, Ash,” Brenna interrupted. “Anyway, looks like we’re here. I wonder if they’re gonna serve olives for dinner.”
Ash laughed. “Haven’t you had enough, Bren?” he asked as he turned the car into a driveway, following the vehicles in front.
Amanda breathed a sigh of relief as the topic changed to food. She must remember to thank Brenna for that diversion.
*****
O ne by one, guests of the Reids expressed their thanks as each got ready to leave. The tasty dinner, friendly bantering and interesting conversation were a wonderful way to end a fantastic weekend.
Amanda certainly enjoyed the night, but not as fully as she’d wanted to. She’d been far too conscious of Connor—what he ate, who he talked to, what he talked about. She’d tried to hide it, of course. Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed that she kept glancing in his direction.
She shook her head at herself. She was being downright insane. Connor didn’t want her . He’d stood her up on what was supposed to be their first date to spend the night with someone else. Unless of course she'd been wrong about that...
Annoyance at herself bubbled up within her. She shouldn’t even entertain possibilities of a misunderstanding until she’d gotten the whole set of facts out of Connor. Until then, there was no point hoping that things weren’t what they seemed.
Hadn't she done brave but stupid things in the past when she had hoped against hope? And for what? All she’d gotten for doing that was get thrown back down to earth with a heart-shattering thud.
Anyway, she was glad it was time to go home. She needed to restore her equilibrium and she couldn’t do it around Connor.
She said her goodbyes, hugging each of the Carmichaels and letting them know what a wonderful time she’d had at Magda’s Place. Then she turned to Jean and Charlie, warmly thanking them for their generosity.
She was walking out the door when she noticed Ash and Connor man-hugging. She rolled her eyes, amused that the two had gotten along like a house on fire.
Well, although she was also grateful for Connor’s hospitality, she most definitely didn’t plan on giving him a hug. Who knew how her traitorous body would behave if she did?
“Bye, Connor. Thanks for tonight,” she said with small smile, keeping her distance.
“My pleasure, Amanda,” Connor responded, smiling back. “I’ll see you again soon.”
She nodded, knowing what he meant. She wondered when they’d get the chance to talk. It filled her with both dread and anticipation.
She hurried to the row of parked vehicles, eager to get away, lest she made her feelings obvious. She spotted Ash’s car immediately. Fortunately, the doors were already unlocked and the front windows wound down. She got in the passenger side and slumped on the seat.
“Come on already, Ash,” she muttered under her breath, sending an impatient look to her brother, who was still busy sharing a laugh with Connor. Now what could they be cackling about? And where on earth were Gemma and Brenna? Hadn’t they finished saying their goodbyes?
Finally, Ash made his way towards the car, with Connor following. Her heart started galloping, and she put on an impassive face.
Ash leaned down and poked his head inside her window. “Comfortable
“And you immediately thought he’d slept with Lori instead of me?” she asked indignantly. “You don’t think a guy would want to pick me up at a party?”
Ash frowned at her in surprise. “Hey! It’s just unthinkable that you’d have a one-night stand with some stranger you just met. That’s not your thing.”
Amanda stayed silent, not knowing how to respond to that.
“Or was it really you he slept with?” Ash asked ominously.
Oops. “You just said it’s unthinkable that I’d do something like that. So why are you asking me that now?” she dodged.
“Well—”
“You’re such a gossip, Ash,” Brenna interrupted. “Anyway, looks like we’re here. I wonder if they’re gonna serve olives for dinner.”
Ash laughed. “Haven’t you had enough, Bren?” he asked as he turned the car into a driveway, following the vehicles in front.
Amanda breathed a sigh of relief as the topic changed to food. She must remember to thank Brenna for that diversion.
*****
O ne by one, guests of the Reids expressed their thanks as each got ready to leave. The tasty dinner, friendly bantering and interesting conversation were a wonderful way to end a fantastic weekend.
Amanda certainly enjoyed the night, but not as fully as she’d wanted to. She’d been far too conscious of Connor—what he ate, who he talked to, what he talked about. She’d tried to hide it, of course. Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed that she kept glancing in his direction.
She shook her head at herself. She was being downright insane. Connor didn’t want her . He’d stood her up on what was supposed to be their first date to spend the night with someone else. Unless of course she'd been wrong about that...
Annoyance at herself bubbled up within her. She shouldn’t even entertain possibilities of a misunderstanding until she’d gotten the whole set of facts out of Connor. Until then, there was no point hoping that things weren’t what they seemed.
Hadn't she done brave but stupid things in the past when she had hoped against hope? And for what? All she’d gotten for doing that was get thrown back down to earth with a heart-shattering thud.
Anyway, she was glad it was time to go home. She needed to restore her equilibrium and she couldn’t do it around Connor.
She said her goodbyes, hugging each of the Carmichaels and letting them know what a wonderful time she’d had at Magda’s Place. Then she turned to Jean and Charlie, warmly thanking them for their generosity.
She was walking out the door when she noticed Ash and Connor man-hugging. She rolled her eyes, amused that the two had gotten along like a house on fire.
Well, although she was also grateful for Connor’s hospitality, she most definitely didn’t plan on giving him a hug. Who knew how her traitorous body would behave if she did?
“Bye, Connor. Thanks for tonight,” she said with small smile, keeping her distance.
“My pleasure, Amanda,” Connor responded, smiling back. “I’ll see you again soon.”
She nodded, knowing what he meant. She wondered when they’d get the chance to talk. It filled her with both dread and anticipation.
She hurried to the row of parked vehicles, eager to get away, lest she made her feelings obvious. She spotted Ash’s car immediately. Fortunately, the doors were already unlocked and the front windows wound down. She got in the passenger side and slumped on the seat.
“Come on already, Ash,” she muttered under her breath, sending an impatient look to her brother, who was still busy sharing a laugh with Connor. Now what could they be cackling about? And where on earth were Gemma and Brenna? Hadn’t they finished saying their goodbyes?
Finally, Ash made his way towards the car, with Connor following. Her heart started galloping, and she put on an impassive face.
Ash leaned down and poked his head inside her window. “Comfortable
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