Page 39 of Sundown Somewhere

“You look fabulous.”

Heat pricks at my cheeks. You’d think this was the first time he’d ever complimented me. Shit, why is this suddenly so weird? I need to stop this. This is Hux.

“You clean up pretty okay yourself.”

Hux chuckles. “Shall we?”

He holds out his elbow, same as he did the other night, all gentleman-like. I take it, following his lead. Including acting like this is normal.

Warm spring air welcomes us as we walk out onto the large veranda, tables scattered across it, with plenty of room in between them giving everyone plenty of privacy. A small string quartet plays over in the corner, a melody I partially recognize gently floating through the air, adding an extra layer of softness to the dimly lit ambiance.

“Do you mind being under the tree?” Hux whispers, nodding to the massive live oak off to the side as the hostess guides us to our table.

I shake my head, still taking it all in. The Spanish moss hanging from the tree branches, backlit by tiny lanterns strategically placed throughout, looks like something out of a storybook. My stomach flips, my insides twinkling right along with the lights.

“Hux…” I murmur, not sure I even finish saying his name. I’m too overcome with all of this. “It’s…it’s…”

“It’s what?” He stops short of the table, taking my hand, concern taking over his face. Squeezing my hand, he lets me know he’s here, and that I can tell him whatever I’m thinking.

Perfect…it’s perfect…

“Nothing.”

“Doll…”

I inhale deeply. How do I find the words to express that it’s everything? Everything that I fantasized about being treated to. What I’d been secretly hoping my ex would magically know I wanted. The stuff my daydreams have been made of.

And somehow, I don’t know how to act.

“Wonderful, it’s wonderful.”

Wonderful, but…weird.

We sit, settling into our table and placing our drink orders. I’m sticking with the mocktail menu tonight. I want to make sure I have a clear head for whatever is about to happen. That, and I want to avoid another hangover like the one I had this morning.

Still, I have so many questions I want to ask. If my heart is caught up in a ping-pong game, then my head has been doing its best Tasmanian Devil impression, spinning around and whirring up dust as I cycle through all the things Hux said. And if he meant it.

I need to ask him. I need to woman-up and find the ovaries to put it out there. He did. And if he was being honest, that he’s willing to…then…

“Why do you feel you’ve settled?”

“What?”

His question catches me off guard, not only cutting off my thoughts, but stopping them completely in their tracks. My mind goes blank, my pulse skittering as I watch him, watching me, that simple black button-down looking a lot better than it has any business looking.

Seriously, this is Hux. I need to remember that.

“This morning you said you were willing to settle for an okay-ish life with Jeff.” He bristles as he repeats my words. “Because you had already settled. But what makes you think that?”

Oh, that…

“Maybe settled isn’t the right way of putting it. Please don’t think that I hate my life or anything. But…” I trail off, trying to think of a way to put this where it doesn’t come off completely insulting.

I love what I do and where we live. And I know that Hux knows that. But sometimes it’s also a lot. Add on top of that, Hux and his family are Hickory Hills. I would never want him to think that any of my disillusionments are because of him.

“But,” I continue, “I took over Dolly’s without thinking after Grandma Dolly died. And while I love having my own business, sometimes I wonder if there’s more out there. If I could have done something else.”

“You still can.”