Part 14 (1/2)
On the other hand, given what he was considering, maybe he should redouble his efforts to discover what she was hiding.
What was best? How should he play this? She was beginning to trust him. If he pushed her, he might blow it. Maybe if he asked around the question, eventually he could get to the core.
Colt was still wrestling with the question when Sage came out of her bedroom looking like a million dollars in black slacks and a purple sweater. ”Sorry to keep you waiting. I hate being late.”
”Not a problem,” he said, rising. He tried to regain his earlier, casual att.i.tude. ”You look great, Sage.”
”Thank you. I feel great.” Her smile was carefree, the look in her eyes warm. ”You've been good for me, Rafferty. All the exercise has worked wonders. I'll need to be sure to keep it up once you're not around to make me do it.”
Colt considered taking the opening she'd inadvertently offered, then decided to keep it light for now. Instinct told him not to push. Besides, he really was hungry, and he didn't want the conversation taking an appet.i.te-spoiling turn. ”I'll call you and remind you to go throw s...o...b..a.l.l.s at somebody.”
”You're such a friend.”
”I am,” he responded, meaning it.
The Bristlecone was surprisingly busy for a winter evening, with only two available tables upon their arrival. Colt ordered the pork chops he'd been craving while she selected chicken, and the dinner conversation revolved around normal date topics such as favorite movies and books. They were halfway through their meal when the front door opened and Nic and Gabe Callahan walked in.
”Oh, dear,” Sage murmured.
Colt watched as, upon spying Sage, Nic hesitated. Gabe touched her on the shoulder and said something, then Nic nodded and veered toward their table. Sage wiped her lips with her napkin, then squared her shoulders. ”h.e.l.lo, Nic.”
”h.e.l.lo.” Nic nodded at Colt, who stood and gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek. As he and Gabe shook hands, Nic continued, ”I'm glad to see you out and about, Sage.”
Colt wondered if anyone else noticed that his dinner date subtly relaxed. ”I'm feeling better.”
”Good.”
”Would you two like to join us?” Colt offered, gesturing toward their table, which could easily accommodate four.
Gabe placed his hand at Nic's back and said, ”Thanks, but my bride and I are out on a date. Nic's mom and aunt are visiting for a few days and they're babysitting.”
”That's nice.” Sage drew a deep breath, then met Nic's gaze. ”I'd like to babysit for you sometime, Nic.”
Nic's eyes widened in surprise. ”Really?”
”Yes.” Sage's smile turned a little wobbly as she added, ”Although probably the first time out I should try it one baby at a time. Or maybe ask Sarah or Celeste to team up with me to watch them both.”
Colt was surprised to see tears pool in Nic's eyes as she responded, ”We could try that. Thanks.”
”Good.” Sage cleared her throat. ”I'll look forward to it.”
Colt thought he spied a sheen in Sage's eyes, too. He waited until the Callahans took their seats at a table across the room to ask, ”Want to tell me what just happened here?”
Sage picked up her fork and pushed a green bean around on her plate. ”Nic gave me a chance to apologize for a hurt I caused her, I did so, and she accepted it.”
Colt frowned, then topped off her winegla.s.s and his. ”Women are the most fascinating creatures. So are the two of you okay?”
”Well ...” Sage glanced across the restaurant toward the table where the Callahans sat. ”We're better. It's complicated.”
”Men would throw a punch or two and the trouble would be over.”
”Women are more civilized,” she said, shrugging. Then after a moment's hesitation, she added, ”But they carry grudges longer. Sarah might like to go the punch-throwing route.”
”You had a dust-up with her, too?”
”Like I said, it's complicated. Are we going to order dessert?”
He might be a man, but he was smart enough to recognize that she'd changed the subject. ”Absolutely. What do you suggest?”
As they rose to leave after dinner, they waved to the Callahans and walked out into the cold. ”So, are we still on to watch a video?”
”I'm counting on it.”
”Thinking about Gerard Butler, huh?”
”Maybe.”
She smiled a cat-and-cream smile that sparked heat in his belly-a good thing, since it was cold enough outside to turn his b.a.l.l.s blue beneath three layers of clothes. ”All right, but since the temperature is hovering somewhere around ten degrees, why don't we drive to the video store rather than walk?”
”No need to do either,” Sage said as he helped her into her coat. ”I have a DVD at home for us to watch.”
”Oh?” Great. He'd hoped to influence the choice. ”Let me guess-it's P.S. I Love You?”
A wicked smile flirted at her lips. ”You'll see.”
The ride back to Hummingbird Lake was made primarily in a comfortable silence. Under other circ.u.mstances, Colt's thoughts would have been centered on seduction, but tonight his mind kept returning to the paintings he'd seen in Sage's studio. He couldn't decide if he should ask her about them or not.
He was an old-timer here in Eternity Springs. He didn't have much time to ferret out her secrets-if ferreting was what he wanted to do. He wasn't so sure anymore.
At some point during the past week-maybe when they played hockey or when she lit up like a schoolgirl over the Slinky-Sage had become more than a puzzle for him to solve. She was no longer a beautiful woman who intrigued him, or fun company on days when solitude held no allure. She was more than a woman he wanted-rather badly-to sleep with. Sage Anderson meant more to him than that. She'd become important to him. He cared for her.
Which made his hesitation all the more confusing. Since he cared for her, shouldn't he want to know everything about her? Shouldn't discovering her secrets be of even greater concern to him now than when curiosity alone guided him?
This indecision wasn't like him at all. Seeing those paintings had truly thrown him off his game.
So ask her. Be blunt. Be direct. You'd better get the details before you go back to Was.h.i.+ngton and burn bridges.
He sucked in a breath, then blew it out harshly. He would ask her. He'd pick his time and bring up the paintings and see what he could glean from her response.
”Something wrong?” she asked.
”No. Not at all.” Having reached the turnoff to Reflection Point, he glanced to his right, where Sage sat in shadow, and added, ”Today has been a nice day.”
”Yes, it has. It truly has.” She turned her head, and he could just make out her smile. ”I'm glad you asked to borrow that cup of sugar, Rafferty.”
”Yeah?” He arched a brow. ”Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe you came across with any sugar.”