More Than a Touch (Snowberry Creek #2) (8 page)

Nick did as ordered as Leif pulled away slowly to avoid sending up a spray of gravel. At the top of the driveway, he turned left toward town. Isaac had told him the Creek Café was the best place to eat. He cruised down Main Street until he spotted the diner just past city hall.

The place looked packed. Clearly he wasn’t the only one in town who needed to get out of the house tonight. Luckily a spot opened up near the front just as he pulled into the parking lot. On his way in, he paused to read the menu posted in the window by the door.

Home-style cooking and fresh pie. Definitely his kind of place. He stepped inside and met a solid wall of noise. The sign said to seat himself, but as far as he could tell there wasn’t an empty table or booth in sight. Should he wait or give up and look for some other place to eat?

The question was answered for him when he spotted a familiar face across the crowded room. His mood brightened immediately. Zoe was sitting at a small booth tucked in the back corner. It was designed for two people, and the other seat was empty. She was already looking at a menu, so maybe that meant she wasn’t meeting anyone else for dinner.

As if sensing his gaze, she looked up. When she spotted him, she smiled and waved. Never let it be said that Leif was slow to react when an opportunity presented itself. He started right for her, weaving his way through the crowded room.

By the time he reached her booth, she’d put the menu down and sat back with a slightly puzzled look on her face. She angled her head as if looking to see if he was dragging anyone along in his wake.

Leif coasted to a stop by her table. “Hi, Zoe. I see I’m not the only one who didn’t feel like cooking.”

“Yeah, I couldn’t face slaving over the microwave again tonight. Seems like half the town had the same idea.”

Once again she looked beyond him. “Are you by yourself, too?”

He shrugged. “I thought I’d give Nick and Callie a break from my company tonight. He has to report back in a few days, not to mention that her parents are coming home soon. That will definitely interfere with any quality alone time they might have left.”

Zoe grinned. “Yeah, parental units can put a real damper on things sometimes.”

“So true.”

He needed to make his move before another table opened up. “Look, I don’t mean to intrude on your privacy, Zoe, and if you’d rather eat alone, that’s fine. I was wondering if you would mind if I shared your booth? The place is full right now.”

Her expressive eyes filled with sympathy as she stared at his cane. “Of course, Leif. I should’ve realized. Please have a seat.”

Damn it, he wanted to sit with her because she was an attractive woman, not because she felt sorry for him.

“Never mind. I can wait until something opens up.”

Or, better yet, he could just leave.

Zoe caught his wrist before he could move. “No, don’t go. To tell the truth, I’d appreciate the company.”

He still hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am. Although don’t expect much in the way of conversation when the food comes. Frannie, the owner, gets testy if people don’t pay the proper respect to her cooking.”

She winked at him and offered him the menu when he finally got settled in the booth. After he read over it, he asked, “What do you recommend?”

“Personally, I stick with the classics: a Creekburger and sweet potato fries, but everything here is good. Just make sure you save room for pie. I’ve been dreaming about her banana cream all day long.”

His sweet tooth kicked into action. “It’s that good?”

“Way better than good.” Her expression turned deadly serious. “And just so we’re clear up front, I don’t share, so order your own if you want some.”

Before he could respond, an older woman with a halo of red hair in a color that couldn’t possibly be natural appeared at the table. She gave Leif a heated look that had him blushing. “Zoe, who’s your handsome friend here?”

“His name is Corporal Leif Brevik.” Zoe’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “He’s handsome enough, but a bit on the young side, Frannie. I’m guessing he might be able to keep up with you, with an emphasis on
might
.”

The redhead wiggled her eyebrows and slapped Leif on the back hard enough to rattle his teeth. “Think so, Corporal? I’ve always had a weakness for a man in a uniform, or better yet, out of one.”

Okay, if that’s how they wanted to play this, it was time to join in. He grabbed Frannie’s fingers and pressed a soft kiss on the back of her age-spotted hand. “And I’ve always had a weakness for wicked redheads who can bake a mean pie.”

Frannie threw back her head and laughed loud enough to draw the attention of all the people seated around them. She patted him on the shoulder this time.

“You’ll do, Corporal, you’ll do. In fact, you remind me of a few soldiers I’ve known in the past, and for that the pie is on me tonight. Zoe, take good care of our friend here.”

“Don’t worry. I will.”

Frannie pulled out her order pad. “So what will it be?”

Zoe handed her the menu. “I’ll have a Creekburger, sweet potato fries, and banana cream pie. Iced tea to drink.”

“And you, Leif?”

“I’ll have the same.”

“Sounds good. It shouldn’t be long.”

After she walked away, Leif let out a deep breath and wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. “Whew, for a minute there I thought I might be on her own personal menu for tonight.”

Zoe waited until Frannie was out of hearing before speaking again. “Heart of gold and all of that, but there’s no telling what that woman will say or do. Frannie is definitely a law unto herself. I hope we didn’t embarrass you too much.”

“I’m a combat-hardened veteran, Zoe. I’m pretty sure I can handle whatever you want to dish out.”

Then he let a little heat show in the look he gave her as he leaned closer over the small table. “Especially if you’re going to go around telling people you think I’m handsome.”

He sat back feeling smug and grinning big-time as Zoe’s cheeks flushed a nice rosy red.

Chap
ter 8

I
t was definitely time to turn the discussion to a more neutral subject. She was curious about what had caused the confrontation between Leif and Mitch earlier, but that was hardly suitable dinnertime conversation.

She settled for the one thing she and Leif had in common. “So why choose the army?”

Leif immediately looked away, staring past her at something only he could see. “It seemed like the logical choice after I finished two years at the community college. I was never that great of a student, so any more college didn’t make sense at the time. However, for the past couple of years, I’ve been taking classes as time allows, hoping eventually to finish a degree in business.”

His stark gaze shifted back to her. “I also grew up listening to both of my grandfathers talk about what it was like fighting in the Big One.”

He held up two fingers on each hand as if they were quotation marks as he repeated the last few words. “Yep, the Big One. That’s what they always called World War II, as if the words were capitalized to show that what they did back then really counted for something. Guess I soaked up some of that same desire to serve our country, because once I donned the uniform it felt as if I was part of something bigger than myself, something I could be proud of.”

He gave her a lopsided grin. “Okay, that sounds like a recruiting poster. That doesn’t mean it isn’t true, though.” Then Leif lobbed the ball back into her court. “And you? How did you end up as an army nurse?”

“In my case, it was my grandmother. She served as a nurse during the Big One.” The memory made her smile. “By the way, that’s what she called it, too. She was stationed in North Africa and then Italy, which is where she met my grandfather. He was one of her patients. Grandpa always showed off the bullet scar on his shoulder with pride, saying he would’ve taken a dozen just like it to be with her. I guess it all sounded romantic to me.”

But combat medicine was anything but romantic. Luckily, she was saved from having to say any more by the arrival of their food. Leif’s eyes widened at the sight, and he gave a low whistle.

“Damn, Zoe, you didn’t tell me the burger was half a cow, and we’d each get half a bushel of sweet potatoes on the side.”

She cut her own burger in half. “I never come here unless I’ve worked up a big appetite. Wait until you see the size of the piece of pie, especially since Frannie has taken a liking to you. For now, I’d concentrate on eating before she gets the idea you’d rather just look at your food.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He meant no disrespect, but being called “ma’am” by Leif made Zoe feel like she and Frannie were contemporaries. That was so not true. She knew for a fact that she was only three years older than Leif; that was hardly any difference at all, despite what she’d told Brandi that first day. Not that she was interested in him except as a patient, no matter how good-looking he was or how much she liked his smile. Maybe she’d even believe that if she kept repeating it often enough, but memories of the good time they’d had at the potluck together didn’t help.

“Do I have mustard on my chin or something?”

She blinked and then frowned at her dinner companion. “Pardon?”

“I asked if I had mustard on my face,” Leif repeated, that twinkle back in his eyes. “After all the talk about chowing down on our food, I couldn’t help but notice you’ve yet to take a single bite.”

He looked as if he was fighting the urge to grin when he added, “Not to mention you’ve been staring at me with this big frown on your face.”

Great. This must be her night for blushing. “Sorry. I was trying to remember if I signed off on a couple of charts before I left work today. I didn’t mean to stare.”

To prevent the need to say more, she took a big bite of her hamburger. She suspected that Leif didn’t completely buy her explanation, but at least he didn’t call her on it. She’d never been any good at lying anyway, but she wasn’t about to admit the truth.

At least the food kept the two of them busy for the next few minutes. She was making serious inroads in the enormous pile of fries on her plate when Frannie reappeared with their pie. The expression on Leif’s face was priceless when he caught sight of the huge wedge of pie with several inches of whipped cream piled on top.

Leif dropped the fry he’d just picked up. The look he gave the older woman was positively reverent. “Frannie, my love, if this damn boot didn’t prevent me from getting down on my knees, I swear I’d be bowing at your feet right this second.”

The older woman’s expression softened when she stared down at the device that protected Leif’s leg. “No need to go to that extreme, Corporal. I just want to do my part to fatten you up a bit.”

She set the pieces of pie down on the table and then slapped the bill down next to them. “I’ll bring refills on your tea in a minute, but just holler if there’s anything else you need.”

She left in a cloud of perfume and smiles for her other customers. Leif watched her walk away. “Like I said earlier, there’s just something about a redhead—”

“Who makes a mean pie,” Zoe finished for him.

Leif scooped up a bite of whipped cream with his finger. Before popping it in his mouth, he gave Zoe a hot look and said, “What can I say? I’m easy.”

There was nothing safe she could say to that, so she settled for issuing an order. “Get busy eating, soldier. Frannie’s headed this way, and she won’t be happy if you don’t do that dessert justice.”

•   •   •

The crowd in the diner had started to thin out, but the line at the register was still pretty long. Zoe and Leif made small talk as they shuffled along, and she waved and nodded at several acquaintances and patients she recognized from the clinic.

The chief of police walked into the diner with his daughter, Sydney, in tow. He stopped to talk to Leif while Syd skipped on by to take a seat at the counter. By the time Gage walked away, Zoe and Leif were at the counter. When she reached for her wallet, Leif stopped her.

“No, it’s my treat. You were nice enough to share your booth.” Then he leaned in closer to whisper, “Not to mention saving me from Frannie.”

He handed the high school girl who was manning the register several bills and turned away without waiting for the change. Zoe considered protesting, but figured it would be a losing battle.

“Thank you, Leif. This is the second time you’ve bought me dinner. The next time will be on me.”

The offer surprised her as much as it did him. When had she decided that there would even be a next time?

When they were outside, Leif looked around. “Where’s your car?”

She pointed down the street. “At home. I knew I’d never be able to resist that pie, so I staged a preventive attack and worked off some of the calories in advance by walking here.”

“A smart way to get ahead of the curve.” He shifted his weight off his injured leg. “Would you like a ride home? I’ve got my truck right over there.”

Part of her wanted to accept, but the strength of that desire had her refusing. The more time she spent in Leif’s company, the harder it was to remember that he was a patient, nothing more.

“No, that’s all right. It’s not all that far, and the walk will do me good. Thanks again for dinner. I enjoyed it.”

When she started to walk away, Leif fell into step beside her. “Leif, I thought you said your truck was that way.”

He kept walking. “It is, but I thought I might keep you company. I don’t have any place I need to be, and it’s a nice night for a stroll.”

Yes, it was, but it wasn’t the weather she was concerned about. “Look, while I don’t mind the company, I live over a mile from here. Are you sure your leg is up to walking that far and then all the way back here?”

Nothing like throwing a match on a puddle of gas. He went from affable companion to pissed-off soldier in a heartbeat.

“Damn it, Zoe, I have a mother and I don’t want or need another one. Why don’t you let me decide what I can handle?”

He crowded close to her and spoke in a cold monotone but with absolute fury coating every word he uttered. Her first reaction was to apologize, but her concern was legitimate. If she backed down now, he might never respect her opinion again. With her hands on her hips, she crowded him right back.

“Back off, soldier! If you want to walk me home, fine. I won’t stop you. But you know, I’m surprised you can walk at all considering the weight of that boulder-sized chip you’ve got parked on your shoulder.”

She threw her hands up in the air. “I just wanted to make sure you knew how far it was to my place. But God knows, if you want to risk screwing your leg up even worse, who am I to stop you?”

Then she slapped her forehead. “Oh, yeah, I’m the one who’s supposed to help you heal.”

Rather than wait for him to respond, she spun around and marched off down the sidewalk. When she’d gone a short distance, she stopped to look back. “Well, are you coming or not?”

Leif was already back at his truck and climbing in. She guessed she had her answer. Well, crap, that was a rotten end to what had been a pleasant evening. There was nothing to be done about it now, though, so she started walking again and counted the minutes until she would reach the sanctuary of her apartment and that bottle of wine in the fridge.

About three blocks later, a familiar red pickup cruised past her. It slowed at the next corner, where it hung a U-turn and headed back in her direction. He stopped a short distance ahead of her, where she’d have to go right past him. What did Leif want now?

In no mood for more theatrics, she wanted to keep walking and ignore the idiot. Obviously, however, Leif couldn’t take a hint, leaving her no choice but to deal with him now. Putting off the confrontation wouldn’t make it any easier. She kept walking at a steady pace despite being painfully aware of those dark eyes watching her every move. She slowed to a stop when she reached the side of the truck.

The passenger-side window slid down, and Leif leaned over from the driver’s side to look down at her. Zoe took the initiative and spoke first.

“What is it now, Leif?” Crossing her arms over her chest, she added, “And make it quick. It’s getting late and I have to work tomorrow.”

“Can I give you a ride the rest of the way to your place?” He added “please” almost as an afterthought.

In no mood to make it easy for him, she shook her head. “I can get there on my own.”

“I know you can, and if you’d rather I get out of the truck to do my groveling, I will.”

As if to prove he meant it, he straightened up and opened his door. She took pity on him. “Fine, I’ll get in.”

Even after she was inside the cab, he sat staring out the front window. Finally, he sighed and turned to face her. She hated the defeat she saw etched in his handsome face.

Angling herself in the seat to see him better, she offered him a chance to explain. “No groveling required. Just lay it all out there and tell me how I can help.”

He leaned his head back against the headrest and gripped the steering wheel with both hands. “Look, my temper is pretty unpredictable these days, especially when it comes to my leg. I get that people are only trying to help, but all that attention gets old pretty damn quick. I’m not helpless.”

Leif shot a quick glance in her direction but then looked away again. “Hell, somehow even my hard-ass sergeant has turned into an effing nursemaid. I swear Nick constantly frets about what I eat, how much I sleep, if I’ve taken my pills or if I take too many. He wants to do my laundry for me and hates me doing anything more strenuous than washing the dishes.”

He paused to pound his fist softly on the steering wheel. “Earlier tonight, when I was leaving, the big jerk chased me all the way to my truck, wanting to come with me. It was like he thought I couldn’t even find my way into town and back, much less eat a meal on my own.”

All of that came out on one breath as if he’d been piling up all those words and all that frustration until the dam finally broke. It was probably a relief to get it all out. She chose her next words carefully.

“I know it’s hard, Leif, and you’ve got a lot going on right now. Have you told Nick how you feel about all the fussing?”

Leif drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Not in so many words, because I know a large part of it is due to the fact that he holds himself responsible for what happened to me and our friend Spence. That’s bullshit, but there’s no convincing him any different. Nick was in charge that day, and Spence died on his watch. There’s no changing that, but it doesn’t mean Nick was at fault. That honor belongs to the bastards who planted the IED and then lobbed in a couple of mortars just for grins.”

Then he patted his injured leg. “It doesn’t help that every time he sees me limping or downing a pill, it all comes rushing back. I don’t have the heart to tear him a new one for trying to make it up to me. Then there’s the fact that if he had helped Spence first, I would’ve been the one to die. We’re both sort of feeling our way through all of this.”

Zoe couldn’t resist the need to connect with him in some small way. She put her hand on his arm and said, “Yeah, I get that, Leif. In some ways it’s harder on our loved ones when they see us hurting and can’t wave a magic wand to make the pain go away. Even so, bottling it all up inside and not telling him how you feel isn’t helping either one of you.”