“So, what do you need from me?”
“Well—”
I’m interrupted as our food is delivered.
“Thanks,” Rune and I say at the same time.
“Enjoy.”The server smiles and returns to the counter.
Rune nudges my burger and fries toward me.
“Thanks for dinner,” I say as I unwrap my burger and take a bite.
“Anytime, shortcake.”
I pause at the nickname, and warmth climbs my face.
“So, what do you need from me?”he asks again.
I blink, then clear my throat.“Right, so I need you to go to the wedding with me.I’m the maid of honor and have some duties, but it’s going to be a casual, intimate event, so I’ll be able to spend most of the time with you.”
“Okay.”
“We should probably get to know each other a little better.I mean, I want us to have fun at the event and…” I trail off, not sure where I was going with that, but I’m so curious about this grumpy recluse.
“Okay, you go first,” he says, taking a bite of his burger.
“Um, well, I was born here in Wolf Valley.I started my shop a few years ago, and?—”
“What shop?”
“Oh, I own the wedding and dress shop in town.It’s just a block over.”
“I’ve seen it.”He grins.“Yes I do Boutique.”
“That’s the one!”
“Do you like it?”
“I love it.I love weddings, love the drama and pageantry of it all.I get to spend every day helping people feel beautiful on one of the best days of their lives.”
“Sounds like a great way to make a living,” he observes.
“It is.What about you?You work at the lumberyard?”
“Yeah.I manage it.It’s a good job.”
“How does one get into that line of work?”
“Uh, I actually started when I was sixteen.I worked there after school and on weekends, all summer long.”
“Ah, and you loved it, so you never did anything else?”
Rune shakes his head.“No, I was in the Marines for ten years.I joined when I was eighteen.”
“Wow, that’s amazing.Did you get to see some cool places?”
“Kind of, but it’s not what you think.I was never anywhere as a tourist, you know what I mean?”