“See you tomorrow, Bobbi.” Natalie waved and started for the door, which Paddy now held open for her.

“I don’t like getting up early. Also, I don’t eat breakfast very often.”

He took up beside her, and she didn’t stop him. “You have a muffin in that bag.”

“That’s not breakfast. Bacon and eggs with toast and maybe hash browns, that’s breakfast.”

“You’re serious about breakfast.”

“Not really. If I was, that’s what I’d be eating. Mainly I have doughnuts or muffins or a toaster-pastry thing.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Really? Those are like cardboard. Also, you don’t look like you eat doughnuts all the time.”

“I’m serious about doughnuts. But my favorite kind I have to go to Portland for. Which is why I don’t eat them all the time. And my housemate is sporty. She drags me to hike and bike and windsurf. It’s gross, but it enables me to keep my doughnut habit.”

“You cut your hair. It was long before.”

“You’re good at the non sequiturs.”

He snorted. “I’m not sure when you’re going to run off, so I’m trying to get in as much chitchat as I can before that happens.”

She stopped, turning toward him. “Why are you so persistent? I’m not even that nice to you!” It was hard for her not to be friendly to him. She liked him, for heaven’s sake.

“You don’t want me for my status.”

She shook her head, trying to understand. “Status?”

“The celebrity thing.”

She rolled her eyes. “You didn’t have any status when I met you.”

He grinned. “Nope. Just a shitty van that broke down a lot and some instruments my brothers and I played.”

She paused for long moments and then started walking again. “I cut my hair years ago. Tuesday, that’s my housemate, she went through a phase when she wanted to be a hairdresser. It lasted half a quarter. But she cut my hair, and I liked it short. Plus, I look great in hats, and short hair works that way.”

“Did that hurt? You sharing that little fact with me?” He winked, and it was cute, and she ruthlessly tried not to show how amused she was but probably failed.

“So you two have been roommates since college?”

“No. We shared an apartment in college, and then she got married and I went to grad school. But three years ago, she came to visit and wanted to set up a business here, so I offered her a place to live for a while. She never moved out. Which is good because I can’t cook, and she does and thinks it’s fun.”

“Like hiking?”

Natalie curled her lip. “Yes. Ugh.”

“No husband?”

“I would not be allowing you to walk me to my job if I had a husband, Patrick Hurley.”

Paddy’s laugh made her tingle a little. It was a bawdy laugh. “You said that like you were going to paddle me or slap my hand with a ruler. You should know that’ll only encourage me.”

She pressed her lips together and then gave up, laughing.

He kept pace, but she noted his smile from the corner of her eye. “I meant your friend.”

Duh. Of course he did. “She’s a widow.”

“Oh, damn. That sucks. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah.” They approached the library, and she handed him her coffee. “Hold that, please.” She rustled through her bag until she found her keys. “Thanks.” She took the coffee back and tucked the pastry bag into her purse.

* * *

PADDY REALLY DIDN’T want that moment between them to end, but he’d enjoyed a victory nonetheless, so he’d take that small step forward and get more next time. “Wow, I feel like we’ve turned a corner here, Natalie.” He bowed. “Thank you for letting me walk you to work.”

She appeared to be looking for something to say, and he didn’t want her to say something about him not doing it again.

“Will you let me take you to dinner?”

She sighed, but it was a sigh of longing, so he pushed ahead.

“I mean, I was aiming for breakfast since it’s the least datelike of the meals—unless you slept over, of course—and if that happens, I’ll make you bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast. Maybe even biscuits. But since we’re not at that stage yet, and you don’t eat breakfast, dinner is a good alternative.”

“Not lunch?”

Was she teasing him? That was a good sign. “I’ll take what I can get. But usually during the days when I’m here in Hood River, I’m working. Either on music or on the ranch. Summer is a crazy busy time and my brother does so much when we’re on tour, I like helping him out.”

Natalie sighed long and then shook her head as she looked him over. “Why you gotta be so human, Patrick Hurley?”

“Is that good or bad? I don’t know with you.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know for sure yet, either. You can pick me up from here tomorrow night. I’m off at six.”

With that, she unlocked the door and went inside. “Have a good day, Paddy.” She waved one last time, locked the door once more and disappeared into the building, leaving him standing there with a dumb smile on his face.

CHAPTER FOUR

“I HAVE NO IDEA why I said yes. I should call him and cancel.” Natalie paced in front of her closet, still only half-dressed.

Tuesday just rolled her eyes. “You don’t even have his number.”