Free The Drifter by Kate Hoffmann Page B

recognized him and gave him a wave, then leaned over to Eve and informed her of his arrival. She turned and smiled, then slid off the bar stool to greet him. “Hi,” she said. “What are you doing here?”
    “I promised these two an ice cream sundae,” he said, pointing to Garrett and Brenna. “Can you fix us up?”
    “Sure,” she said.
    “Hi,” Jack said, holding out his hand. “They be long to me. I’m Jack Finnegan and this is Garrett and Brenna. I’m an old friend of Charlie’s.”
    “This is Eve,” Charlie said. “Eve Keller. Jack is my college roommate.”
    “It’s nice to meet you,” she said. “You’re the first friend of Charlie’s I’ve met.”
    “I could say the same for you,” Jack replied. “Charlie’s been telling me all about you.”
    Her eyebrow went up and she glanced back and forth between the two of them. “Really?”
    “About your cooking,” Jack said. “And…other things.”
    “Well, why don’t I take the kids back into the kitchen and we’ll get started on the sundaes? You guys look like you could use something to drink. Kenny, get these boys a cold beer, would you? And finish up the wine order with Ed.”
    Charlie watched as she escorted the kids throughthe bar and into the kitchen. Unlike him, she didn’t seem to be nervous around children.
    “She’s nice,” Jack said.
    “She is. And beautiful. And smart. And talented.” He looked over at Jack. “And I’d be a fool to let her go, wouldn’t I?”
    “Yeah, you would. She runs a restaurant. You could have all the free food and beer you wanted. I should bring Jenny here for dinner. She’d like this place.”
    “They only serve vegetables,” Charlie murmured, watching Eve through the open door of the kitchen.
    “Jenny is crazy about salad. That’s all she ever eats. You two should come over for a barbeque some night this week.”
    “Only if you barbeque vegetables,” Charlie said. “That’s all Eve eats.
    “I can do that,” Jack said.
    Charlie smiled. This was a big step, finding mutual friends, socializing with other couples. It’s what normal people did when they were involved in a relationship. And wasn’t that what Charlie had been looking to experience—a normal relationship?
    “I’ll bring the beer,” Charlie said.

4
    “D O WE HAVE TO DO THIS NOW? ” Eve asked. She dipped her spoon into the pint of ice cream she was eating and took a bite, savoring the creamy taste. After the sundaes that afternoon, Charlie had insisted she bring home a variety of the homemade ice creams she served in the restaurant. He’d finished the chocolate truffle after dinner and she was working on the butter pecan. “Thinking about redesigning your kitchen is too much like work.”
    They’d spent the past four hours in bed and it was now nearly three in the morning. Eve sat on the counter next to the sink in Charlie’s kitchen and Charlie was sprawled in a kitchen chair dressed only in his boxer shorts, eating a bowl of cereal. “I was just thinking since you like to cook so much, I’d make this kitchen a bit nicer.”
    “Oh,” she said, feigning shock. “It’s not enoughthat you use me for sex. Now you want me to cook for you as well?”
    Though her words were meant to tease, she felt a certain sense of pride that she could satisfy both his stomach and his libido. Men were so simple. Sex and food. That’s all they really required to be happy.
    “No!” Charlie said. “I just want you to be comfort able here. And I know decent appliances are what you’re used to.” He stood up and crossed to where she was perched, setting his bowl in the sink. “I have a surprise for you.” He pulled the drawer open next to her legs and withdrew a kitchen knife, still resting in its store package.
    Eve stared at it for a moment. First, the hiking boots and now this. It was an odd gift, but she knew the brand and the price tag that came along with it. “You bought this for me?”
    “Yeah. It’s kind of like