Where Azaleas Bloom by Sherryl Woods Page A

do, don’t they? They’ll catch on eventually.
My boys did.” He met her gaze. “And I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. Nate
and Luke are terrific young men. Amy saw to that.”
    “I imagine you were a big influence, too,” Lynn told him. “How
could you not be? You’re an admirable man.”
    Mitch couldn’t help being flattered and a little startled by
her open declaration. “You sound as if you mean that.”
    “I do. I told you before that I’ve never heard a bad word about
you around town, but I’ve seen it for myself recently. You’ve taken me under
your wing, given me a job.” She flushed as if she felt she’d said too much. “And
speaking of that, we should probably get to work. I’m sure you’re anxious to get
home and have dinner. You didn’t plan on staying to have dinner at Raylene’s
tonight, did you?”
    He shook his head. “Nah, I figured they deserved a night off
from having me underfoot. I wasn’t such good company anyway.”
    “Your company’s just fine,” Lynn said.
    Mitch hesitated. “But I am starving,” he said. “How about I
order some food from Rosalina’s? We can eat while we go over these bills.”
    She looked as if she were about to refuse, so he held her gaze.
“You have anything against pepperoni or jalapeños on your pizza?”
    Her eyes widened. “Jalapeños?”
    “Trust me. It’s worth staying awake half the night for that
combination. You’ll never want a plain old cheese pizza again.”
    “If you say so.”
    “Is that a yes? I can give Rosalina’s a call?”
    “Sure, why not?” she said.
    “I’ll order a salad, too. We can pretend we’re being healthy.
How about soda? You want a bottle of soda to go with that?” he asked, already
hitting speed dial on his cell phone.
    “You have their number programmed into your phone?” she
teased.
    “And the entire menu memorized,” he said unrepentantly. “Now,
about that soda?”
    “Sure. Diet soda, if that’s okay.”
    “Suits me.” He placed the order, then sat back and took a good
long look at the woman seated across the table. She looked different
somehow.
    “Why are you staring at me like that?” she asked, squirming
uncomfortably.
    “You look different.”
    “Different how?”
    “More rested, I guess. Did you take a nap this afternoon?”
    She shook her head, but there was an odd smile tugging at her
lips.
    “Well, your eyes are brighter. It looks good.”
    To his surprise, she actually laughed the way he’d remembered.
“What?” he demanded.
    “It’s eye makeup. Raylene swore to me that men never noticed
things like that, so I put some on for the first time in ages.”
    Mitch could see it, then, the thin stroke of liner on her lids,
the hint of pale blue shadow, the darkened lashes.
    “Was that for my benefit?” he asked, oddly pleased to think it
might be.
    She blushed furiously at the question. “Maybe it was just a
test. Maybe I was trying to prove her wrong, to show her that some men are
observant.”
    He grinned at the deliberate evasion. So she wasn’t totally
immune, after all. Now he just needed to figure out what he wanted to do with
that information.

6
    W hen Lynn saw the enormous amount of food
Mitch had ordered, she blinked. “Were you planning on feeding an army?”
    “What can I say? I like pizza and salad, and leftovers are
always good, right? The kids will gobble this right up.”
    She saw the ploy for what it was, a face-saving way to put a
little extra food on her table. Before she could call him on it, he frowned at
her.
    “Do not make a fuss over this, Lynnie,” he said, resorting to
the nickname only he had ever dared to use. “It’s pizza. I’m not having steaks
and champagne delivered, along with boxes of fresh produce.”
    “You should take the leftovers home with you,” she insisted
with a touch of defiance. She wasn’t about to tolerate his pity.
    “Nate’s coming home this weekend. We’ll be going out to eat,
more than likely.”
    “But