one.”
“What?”
“Um,” he said, pretending to consider other motives, “maybe because I’ve never been very subtle.
And I wanted you to know I’m interested in you.”
She stared at him, hardly believing he’d just said that.
When she didn’t speak after several seconds, he added, “Or I could have just thought you seemed like a Cheap Trick fan.”
Still she didn’t speak. Did he really mean what he’d said? He was interested in her?
“Really, you decide which one you’re comfortable with,” he said, looking decidedly awkward. “I’m okay with whichever one will get you back in the bar.”
She studied him, trying to read whether he was toying with her. All she could see was sincerity.
“Please,” he said as if to reinforce her thoughts. He gestured back to the bar.
He’d sung that song in honesty? The irritation, the humiliation, drained from her. She’d known what to do with those emotions, but what she was feeling now…she had no idea.
“Why?” she finally asked.
“Why? Because I feel bad that I embarrassed you. And I’d like you to hang around.”
“No. Why are you interested in me?”
He frowned as if the question made no sense to him. “Why wouldn’t I be? You’re pretty. You seem nice and intelligent and interesting.”
“But you don’t know me.”
“Ah, but that’s why I want you to come back to the bar. So I can get the chance to know you.”
Maggie realized she wanted that too. Very much. And frankly, the desire scared her. She shouldn’t be interested in a guy like this. Maybe it wasn’t an invitation to heartbreak, but it was definitely an invitation to more than she could handle.
Ren moved his hand from her arm, only to catch her fingers. “Come on back. I won’t dedicate any more songs to you. I promise. I’ll even admit that the sentiment of that one was a little presumptuous.” His grin widened to full Cheshire cat glory. “Although sincere.”
Maggie felt her cheeks burn even more, if possible.
“Okay,” she heard herself say, and that seemed to be all the encouragement he needed as he began to tug her down the street. His abruptness stunned her for a second, but she managed to gather her wits and dig in her heels.
He halted, turning to give her an inquiring look.
“I am going back with you,” she said. “But only because I left my friends there, and I don’t want to be rude.”
Ren’s eyebrow raised, stating without words that he didn’t totally buy that, but then he said, “Like I said, whatever will get you back there works for me.”
Again she found herself being towed toward the bar. As they got closer, she noticed that Erika and Jo waited in the doorway. Jo started forward, but Erika stopped her with a hand on her arm.
Maggie looked at her own arm where Ren had touched her. The skin there still tingled, but the sensation was nothing when compared to how her fingers felt surrounded by his longer ones.
“Hey, Erika and Jo,” Ren greeted her friends before Maggie could speak to them or they to her.
“I really need to make up for upsetting Maggie here,” he said offering them an endearing smile.
“Could you please make sure she stays so she can see that I’ll be on my best behavior?”
Erika smiled back. “Sure.”
“If she wants to stay,” Jo added. She wasn’t as impressed with his easy charm.
Maggie appreciated both her friends’ attitudes. It was nice to be both defended and supported.
And since her brain still wasn’t functioning properly, she could possibly need either one.
They all entered the bar, and as soon as some of the patrons saw Maggie and Ren, they began to applaud.
Heat burned Maggie’s cheeks once again, but Ren simply lifted a hand in greeting. He leaned toward her. “See, you’ve got to stay or everybody’s going to think I’m some kind of monster, driving away a sweet person like you.”
Maggie didn’t respond, but the word sweet resonated with her. The fortune-teller, Hattie,
“What?”
“Um,” he said, pretending to consider other motives, “maybe because I’ve never been very subtle.
And I wanted you to know I’m interested in you.”
She stared at him, hardly believing he’d just said that.
When she didn’t speak after several seconds, he added, “Or I could have just thought you seemed like a Cheap Trick fan.”
Still she didn’t speak. Did he really mean what he’d said? He was interested in her?
“Really, you decide which one you’re comfortable with,” he said, looking decidedly awkward. “I’m okay with whichever one will get you back in the bar.”
She studied him, trying to read whether he was toying with her. All she could see was sincerity.
“Please,” he said as if to reinforce her thoughts. He gestured back to the bar.
He’d sung that song in honesty? The irritation, the humiliation, drained from her. She’d known what to do with those emotions, but what she was feeling now…she had no idea.
“Why?” she finally asked.
“Why? Because I feel bad that I embarrassed you. And I’d like you to hang around.”
“No. Why are you interested in me?”
He frowned as if the question made no sense to him. “Why wouldn’t I be? You’re pretty. You seem nice and intelligent and interesting.”
“But you don’t know me.”
“Ah, but that’s why I want you to come back to the bar. So I can get the chance to know you.”
Maggie realized she wanted that too. Very much. And frankly, the desire scared her. She shouldn’t be interested in a guy like this. Maybe it wasn’t an invitation to heartbreak, but it was definitely an invitation to more than she could handle.
Ren moved his hand from her arm, only to catch her fingers. “Come on back. I won’t dedicate any more songs to you. I promise. I’ll even admit that the sentiment of that one was a little presumptuous.” His grin widened to full Cheshire cat glory. “Although sincere.”
Maggie felt her cheeks burn even more, if possible.
“Okay,” she heard herself say, and that seemed to be all the encouragement he needed as he began to tug her down the street. His abruptness stunned her for a second, but she managed to gather her wits and dig in her heels.
He halted, turning to give her an inquiring look.
“I am going back with you,” she said. “But only because I left my friends there, and I don’t want to be rude.”
Ren’s eyebrow raised, stating without words that he didn’t totally buy that, but then he said, “Like I said, whatever will get you back there works for me.”
Again she found herself being towed toward the bar. As they got closer, she noticed that Erika and Jo waited in the doorway. Jo started forward, but Erika stopped her with a hand on her arm.
Maggie looked at her own arm where Ren had touched her. The skin there still tingled, but the sensation was nothing when compared to how her fingers felt surrounded by his longer ones.
“Hey, Erika and Jo,” Ren greeted her friends before Maggie could speak to them or they to her.
“I really need to make up for upsetting Maggie here,” he said offering them an endearing smile.
“Could you please make sure she stays so she can see that I’ll be on my best behavior?”
Erika smiled back. “Sure.”
“If she wants to stay,” Jo added. She wasn’t as impressed with his easy charm.
Maggie appreciated both her friends’ attitudes. It was nice to be both defended and supported.
And since her brain still wasn’t functioning properly, she could possibly need either one.
They all entered the bar, and as soon as some of the patrons saw Maggie and Ren, they began to applaud.
Heat burned Maggie’s cheeks once again, but Ren simply lifted a hand in greeting. He leaned toward her. “See, you’ve got to stay or everybody’s going to think I’m some kind of monster, driving away a sweet person like you.”
Maggie didn’t respond, but the word sweet resonated with her. The fortune-teller, Hattie,