“I’ve been doing it for a long time,” she replies. “But I’m so glad you took the job. You’re a natural. The customers like you, plus you’re efficient and smart. Please don’t quit.”
“I don’t plan to quit,” I reply with a laugh. “I liked it. Also? It’s good exercise.”
“Hell, yes, it is. You’re on your feet, reaching and pulling, bouncing around back and forth. It’s hard work.”
“It’s a good thing I’m not afraid of hard work.”
She grins again. “I like you a lot, Remi.”
“How was your day?” Seth asks after I’m settled in his truck, and we’re driving into town to meet his friends for dinner.
“Busy,” I reply. “I like it there. The job is fun. It’s a lot of work, but that’s okay because I could use the exercise. Also, I think I met most of your family today.”
His head whips over in surprise. “What?”
I tell him about his parents, his aunt and uncle, and Lauren coming to the deli today.
“Hell. I’m sorry, Remi. I mentioned that you were starting your job, but I didn’t intend for them to all show up and give you the third degree.”
His cheeks have reddened, and he looks…embarrassed.
“They didn’t hurt anything. I was surprised. Annie thought it was hilarious. But it was funny more than anything.”
He sighs, so I reach over to take his hand. “Honest, Seth. It’s no biggie.”
Seth just shakes his head and parks his truck in front of a little Italian restaurant called Ciao.
“I hope you like pasta,” he says.
“Are there people who don’t like pasta?” I ask, making him laugh before he exits his truck and walks around to open the door for me. “It’s a cute place.”
“And usually busy,” he replies. “But we have reservations.”
He escorts me inside, and we’re shown to a table where Gage and who I assume is Tate are already seated. After the introductions, and once we’re settled in with wine and our orders placed, Tate leans on the table and smiles over at me.
“I’m a reality show junkie,” she says. “I’ve seen you on TV. Is all of that real, or is it staged?”
I grin and sip my wine. “Well, it’s real. Trust me. When I dislocated my shoulder while climbing El Capitan on Death Defy, it felt very real. They don’t dictate who wins. But they do make us wear certain clothes or wear makeup, and that’s a pain in the ass, especially when you sweat so much.”
“No kidding,” Tate says. “I saw that fall in Yosemite. It looked horrible.”
“Not my finest day,” I agree. “What do you do, Tate?”
“I work in interior design.”
“Oh, that’s fun,” I reply as I hear Gage and Seth talk about something going on in the park. “I bet you get to see some beautiful homes.”
“I do. I’ve designed some amazing spaces. Are you renting while you’re in town?”
“No, I have a travel van.”
She blinks at me for a moment. “You live in your van?”
“Yep. I know it sounds weird, but it works for me.”
“It’s not weird, just surprising. You really are an adventurer. I love it. Some of those travel vans are gorgeous.”
“What do you do, Gage?” I ask when there’s a lull in the conversation.
“I was in the Army for a while. Now, I do private training and rehab. That’s how I met Tate.”
“Really?” I look between the two and then at the cane resting against the table.
“I had a stroke,” Tate says. “And because of it, I couldn’t walk or do anything really. I had to relearn. And Gage has been the one to teach me. I’ve been out of the wheelchair for a couple of weeks.”
“That’s amazing.” I shake my head and then lean back so the waitress can set my pasta in front of me. After she tops our dishes with fresh cheese and promises to return with more of the delicious garlic bread, I turn back to Tate. “You can’t be thirty.”
“Just over.”
“And you had a stroke?”
She nods and carefully puts a bite of food in her mouth. “I did. But I’m doing much better now.”
The four of us fall into an easy conversation, and before I know it, we’re finishing dessert. Seth was right. I like his friends.
I like them a lot.
And I respect the hell out of them.
“We should do this again,” I say as we walk out of the restaurant. Tate walks with the cane, but she’s not slow. “I had a great time.”
“I’m game,” Gage says. “Welcome to Cunningham Falls, Remi. It was nice to see you again.”
I watch as Gage puts his hand on the small of Tate’s back and patiently walks with her to his SUV. He’s gentle, but he doesn’t baby her. He lets her do all of the work.
When we’re in Seth’s truck, driving back to my van, I turn to him. “Jesus, Seth, she’s coming back from a major stroke, and she’s so young.”