Sparing the Heart (Pastime Pursuits #3) by Tracy Krimmer Page A

thanks. I’m not a beer drinker.” I point to my empty wine glass.
    “No? Why not?”
    “I’m just not. I prefer wine.” Every time I need to rehash this topic. I should invest in a sign I can wear around my neck announcing my distaste for beer.
    “Stepping out of your comfort zone is a good thing.”
    He’s staring at me and for some reason, I don’t think he’s talking about my drink. “I did that moving here. I lived in a tiny town and decided to start over here.”
    “See…that takes guts. I couldn’t do that. I’ve lived here my entire life. I went to grade school, high school, and college here. Now, if my band hits the big time and we tour or something, fine, but otherwise, I’m not leaving this place.”
    “Seems a little too safe if you ask me.”
    “No. It’s not that.” He takes a drink of his beer and runs his hand up and down his tattooed arm. “I just like to be comfortable and know everyone around me.”
    I understand being comfortable. Leaving my old home took quite some convincing on my own, but I finally realized how important the change was to my future. I couldn’t sit around anymore on my butt all day at the bed and breakfast. My being there served no purpose. If I waited much longer I’m convinced I would have ended up in a deep depression.
    “I used to fear change. Now I embrace it.” I have to. There’s no other way.
    “Not me. I like everything to stay pretty much the same.”
    “You just told me I should take chances, followed by the fact that everything should stay the same. Which is it?” I don’t like wishy-washy.
    He keeps an eye on me while he takes a drink of his beer. “Ah, that hits the spot.” He pulls his pick back out of his pocket and slams it down. “This pick changed my life. I love playing music and never had the balls to leave my friend’s garage and perform in front of people. I’m so glad I did because I love it. Music saved my life. I stepped out of what was familiar and created a better life for myself.” He sets the pick on its end and flicks it so it twirls. “I like change. I like trying new things. I don’t like chance.” He slaps the pick, stopping it on the table. “Never leave anything up to chance.”
    I’m watching this man, who’s attractive and nice and a talented singer, and wondering how he can live his life this way. What has he been through in his life to have these views?  
    “If you don’t leave anything up to chance, you may miss out on some things.”
    He shakes his head. “No. Take this date, for example. We didn’t end up here by chance. The first day we met I wanted to ask you out.”
    “Why didn’t you?”
    “Would you have said yes?”
    He’s right. That day I entered the bowling alley, meeting a guy was the furthest thing from my mind. “No.”
    “Exactly. I didn’t want to take the chance and be shot down. I put a bug in Gretchen’s ear.”
    “You what?”
    “Do you really think you’re here on a date with me on accident?”
    I can’t believe this. So her stopping by at the open house wasn’t to get out and have some time away? What a scammer!
    “Gretchen and I go way back. She’ll do anything for me.”
    I wonder how tight this group of friends is. Am I okay coming in and becoming friends with them? Am I intruding on some territory I shouldn’t be in? “I don’t have any friends like that.”  
    “No? None back home?”
    I never gave myself the chance to remain friends with anyone. After college, I focused so much time on work and after Mom died, Dad became my life. And then … well, now it’s me. “No. No one.”
    “Tell you what,” Ned says as he hands the pick to me. “I’ll be that friend.”
    I wrap the pick in my hand and squeeze tight. I think maybe I’ll be all right.

Chapter
  Thirteen

    Well, my night with Ned doesn’t go down in history as the worst date in the world. The evening didn’t end in a kiss or an invitation to go out again, but I enjoyed a few glasses of