Apple-Y Ever After (The Way To A Man's Heart Book 12)

reply. "Just a couple of days, for the festival..."
"Just one date," he replies, cocking his head to the side and hitting me with the kind of devastating grin that makes it impossible to think straight.
Even though I am well aware that I should know better… "Just one date," I echo, and he nods.
"So that’s a yes?"
"I guess it is," I reply, and I can’t keep the smile off my face. Even though I know that I am going to be out of town in a matter of days, there’s something about the confidence with which he looks at me that makes me feel a little more grounded.

Chapter Three


Hank
I approach the house, and find that my stomach is turning with nerves.
Nerves? When was the last time that I ever felt nervous about anything? I sure as hell can’t remember. Not about taking a girl out, at least. But there’s something about Honey, the girl who runs the apple pie van, and her smile as sweet as a Pink Lady, that makes it hard to think straight.
She’s staying with a friend while she’s in town, so she told me, and that’s where I am right now to pick her up. I grabbed a bunch of roses before I came down here, changed into my best linen suit, and booked out a spot for us at a fancy French bistro just past the town limits.
And I’m not going to let it go to waste. I lift my hand and knock on the door, and a moment later, she answers.
Fuck – she looks gorgeous. Long hair flowing over her shoulders, a knit dress that is so soft and delicate that I can almost see the outline of her gorgeous body underneath it. She smiles at me, eyes lighting up as I hand her the roses.
"Well, thank you," she murmurs, and she leans forward to give me a kiss on the cheek. She smells like vanilla ice cream and cinnamon, and it takes everything I have not to turn to meet her mouth with mine.
"You ready to go?" I ask. I can see her friend lurking just behind her – I recognize her, probably from seeing her around town. She eyes the two of us with something like surprise, as though she can’t believe that I am really here and really taking this girl out.
But I am. And I am determined that we are going to have the most perfect night ever.
The bistro is close enough that we can walk there, and Honey links her arm through mine as we go; she asks me about the cidery, and I tell her everything that she wants to hear.
"It’s been in my family for about a hundred years now," I explain. "My father passed it down to me and I’ve been trying to keep it afloat ever since."
"Do you have a hard time with that?” she asks. "I can’t imagine how much time and effort you must have to put into it..."
"No, you’d be surprised how easy it is to talk people into getting drunk in a pretty spot," I reply, and she laughs.
"And what about Finn Creek?” she asks. "Do you like it here?"
"Of course," I reply. "It’s slow, it suits me. I’ve never been one for the city, going out there and rushing around all the time. I like it here. I know most everyone around and it makes for an easy life. Besides, this is where my roots are, this is where they’ve always been. I don’t want to unearth them after all this time."
"I can imagine," she replies, and she brushes a curl back from her face and shakes her head. "I’ve been on the road for so long now – years, actually. Just never found a place that felt like home enough for me to stop."
"You just drive around, selling those pies?”
"And sleeping on the floor of the van sometimes, yeah," she replies, shaking her head. "I know it’s not for everyone, but I’ve gotten to see so much of this country, and I love that. I would never want to trade those experiences.”
"First time you’ve been here, though?" I wonder. She nods.
"First time," she agrees, and she smiles at me.
"I’ll have to make it a good one," I tell her, and I see a little shiver rush through her body. Good. That’s how I want her. Responding to me, to this, to the chemistry that is here between us. I can feel it and I know that she can too. I don’t want to let this go...
We talk a little more before we arrive at the bistro, and when we get there, she gasps.
"This place looks perfect," she tells me as we head inside. I grin. I made the right choice.
But when I approach the waitress and let her know my name and that we have a reservation, her face drops, and she shakes her head.
"I’m so sorry, but there’s been a mistake," she blurts out. "Your table isn’t going to be ready for another two hours. I can get you a drink, on the house..."
I feel my stomach drop. This isn’t what I wanted. I had this whole night planned out perfectly, and now it’s going to fall apart right in front of me. I shake my head.
"No, that can’t be right," I reply. "Check again. Right now–"
But before I can get mad, I feel Honey’s hand slip down my arm and our fingers link. I turn to her, surprised at how soothing her touch is to me right now, and she smiles.
"We can find something else to do," she murmurs to me softly, and she tilts her head towards the door. "Come on."
And, before I know what I am doing, I find myself following her. And wondering just what the rest of this night will bring.


Chapter Four


Honey
With the grocery bag in his hand, Hank seems to finally be calming down a little. I know that he must have planned this night especially, but I want