Free California Homecoming by Casey Dawes

court her.
    Court her? He was getting way too ahead of himself. “Shall we go?”
    “I’ll get my coat.” She walked back out of the kitchen, putting ample distance between them when she walked by him.
    Maybe it was a bit more than pre-date nerves.
    Once they were settled in the Jeep, he asked, “When do you think you’ll open?”
    “Oh, God.” She groaned. “I’d hoped to do a slow open in April. You know, rent out one or two rooms and get the kinks out. Make an arrangement with Gayle’s or something to deliver breakfast. Then maybe do a full open in July or August or … ” She became silent.
    He glanced over. Her lips were pinched in a frown.
    What’s up with her?
    “But now Annie wants to have her wedding here in June,” she added.
    “Can’t you tell her that’s not possible?”
    “She’s my mother’s best friend.”
    “Oh.” He understood her problem.
    “Oh, indeed.” She laughed, a more relaxed laugh this time.
    He pulled the Jeep onto Highway 1 northbound, grateful the car handled well on the rain-slicked roads.
    “How long were you over there?” she asked. “If you don’t mind telling me.”
    “No.” He set his jaw. “One tour. I was about to come home for some rest before I re-upped when … ” He gestured to his leg and forced the image of Lauren being blown to bits from his mind.
    “What happened?”
    Everyone always wanted to know, but few people asked. Of course, Sarah had to be one of them. How little could he get away with saying? Their relationship was too new for gory details.
    “IED — mine — exploded.”
    She was silent. Would she let it go? Or want more.
    “I’m ready for spring,” she said. “Of course that will mean a whole lot more gardening.”
    The tension left his body. “Do you need to do it all yourself?”
    “I have to watch the funds. But gardening may be beyond me. Just like cooking.” Her laugh was rueful. “My friend, Mandy, may know someone. I’ll definitely need someone from August on when I — ”
    “When you — ?” he prompted.
    “Um … when I … um … need to prepare for the wedding.” She finished in a rush.
    They pulled up next to the restaurant. Hunter got out and went to the passenger side of the Jeep to help her out. He reached up to place his hands on her waist to help her jump down.
    “Don’t!” Her words were harsh and he pulled away so fast she almost fell out of the vehicle. She grabbed his arm to steady herself. Panic was scrawled across her face.
    “It’s okay.” He tried to reassure her. “I didn’t mean anything. I was trying to help.”
    She took a deep breath. “I know.”
    “Then why? What’s the problem?”
    She shook her head and rewarded him with a dim smile. “I … um … I pulled a muscle yesterday and it’s very sore, that’s all.”
    She couldn’t look him in the eye.
    This was becoming one of the weirdest dates he’d ever been on.
    “Sure.” He offered an arm. “This okay?”
    She let her breath out. “Yes. Thanks.”
    He led her from the dark rain to the pale yellow warmth of the small restaurant. The polished wooden floor creaked under his feet as he followed the hostess and Sarah to a small table in the corner. The hostess seated them, handed them menus, and cleared the extraneous table setting from the white tablecloth.
    “Thank you for coming with me,” he said. “For giving me a chance.”
    She smiled and picked up her menu. “The food’s really good here.”
    “Oh. Come here often?”
    Her hands gripped the menu, but she managed a tinkle of a laugh that merged well with her pixie features. “Not hardly. It’s way beyond my budget.”
    Mine, too.
He looked at the prices on the menu and rapidly calculated how much was left on his credit card.
    “What do you suggest?” he asked.
    “My name is Kathy.” A young, bright voice interrupted before Sarah could answer. “I’ll be your server this evening. We have some specials … ”
    Hunter watched Sarah as the waitress rattled