“Trust me, it is.” He reached for her bag.
And his cologne wafted over her.
Wow. Bold and fresh, it reminded her of leather and fresh rain. He smelled amazing. She took a step back because it was that or launch herself at him. That wouldn’t be good.
He paused as he put the shoulder strap on his shoulder. “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”
“Oh no, no. Not at all.” She blushed and her skin heated. “Sorry. I’m just nervous.” That wasn’t a lie. She wasn’t comfortable with people breaking her personal space.
“Look, no need to be with me. Now let’s go get some breakfast. Dixie’s is a little café on the corner—we can eat breakfast there and talk. I have a plan that I think you might be interested in.”
The man sounded all too happy this morning. It was just weird. Did having billions of dollars at your disposal make you a happy person like that? Or was he just losing it? Or was he just a nice guy trying to help her out? She felt so cynical, thinking the worst about everybody. That question hit a little too close for comfort. When had she lost so much faith in everybody around her? It was just the wrong way to go through life, and it certainly wasn’t the way she wanted to raise Toby. She wanted Toby to grow up knowing that there was good in this world. Yes, there were bad people and people with differing views but it was still a good place.
She smiled at Levi. “That sounds great. And, honestly, I’m surprised that you really turned back up here this morning. But since I realized I didn’t even have a car this morning and I was kind of stuck, I’m grateful that you showed up. And if your idea sounds at all promising, then I’m willing to listen.”
His smile was dazzling, and she told her insides, where the butterflies were doing flip-flops: Calm down and stop being silly. He’s not interested in you like that. He’s just being nice. He’s just a super nice man.
He led the way to the truck and opened the door for her. “After you.”
A gentleman, too.
“Thank you.” She sucked in another breath of his great cologne as she stepped past him and slid into the seat. He closed the door. It creaked with age as he rammed it shut. Why did this billionaire drive this heap of a truck?
He set her bag in the truck’s bed then jogged back around to his side. His door creaked too as he opened it. She noticed the seat was so old it had an indentation where his butt went, where the springs had been worn down. And there was duct tape holding the aged leather look-a-like material together where he sat down.
“Are you into fixing up old vehicles?” she asked.
He slid a hand onto the steering wheel and pulled the gearshift into drive as he looked at her. “No. Why do you ask?”
Okay, that was weird. “Well, you’re driving this…” How did she say this dump?
He grinned before she could answer. “You think my truck is a wreck?”
Her mouth went dry. “A little.”
He laughed. “You are insulting my truck. I am hurt. Stunned.”
“Sorry, but it is, kind of. It squeaks and your seat looks uncomfortable. You’re sitting in a hole over there with tape to hold it together.”
His eyes danced. “Yep, this was my granddaddy’s ranch truck. It’s a good one. And when I pull this wide-brimmed hat down over my eyes, I can drive right through the middle of a bunch of nosey photographers and they don’t give me a second glance. Not even a first glance.”
She stared at him, her mouth dropping open, and then she busted out laughing.
* * *
He pulled up to the diner and parked in the slanted parking space. “It doesn’t look like much, but I promise you once you taste her pancakes, you’ll never be satisfied with anything but Dixie’s pancakes. She’s known far and wide for how good they are. Not sure what her secret ingredient is but it’s magical.”
She laughed and he liked the sound of it.
“I can’t wait. And I was going to be good and have some protein, but now my mouth is watering for carbs.”
He held up his hands and shrugged. “You can eat protein all you want but some mornings are just pancake mornings. This is one of those mornings. Come on. Here, I’ll get the door for you.”
“I can get my own door.” She pushed on her door but it wouldn’t open.
He knew it wouldn’t. It always got stuck. “You’re denying me the privilege of opening your door for you and making my mama proud.”
She hesitated and stopped trying to open the door. “Okay. I’ll wait.”
He hopped out of the truck, slammed his door, and jogged around to her side, then yanked the door for her. She smiled at him as she slid out of the truck.
There were a lot of trucks outside as this was a favorite breakfast spot for local cowboys and those from surrounding counties. When they entered the diner, it was pretty full since it was still mid-breakfast morning time.
Dixie, a plump little lady, bristled by, grinning. She had hair stacked up high on top of her head and carried two plates of pancakes stacked almost as high as her hair. “Good morning, Levi. You, too, young lady. Y’all have a seat wherever you want. Sheri will be over to take your order. That little seat over there by the window is a nice one.”
Levi grinned at Dixie. “Thanks, Dixie. This is Rita, and we’ve come for pancakes.”
Dixie laughed. “I should have known. Nice to meet you, Rita. Levi’s one of my best customers. Everybody’s about to wear me out with these pancakes.”
They went to the table next to the window. It was a table for two and it wasn’t very big. Therefore, when they sat down across from each other, they were fairly close. He didn’t mind at all.
“Those do look delicious.”
“I told you, they’re fantastic. So buttery. And I think there’s vanilla in there and maybe some almond. There’s something in there—they almost taste like a cake.”
Soon they’d made their order, and both sat drinking their coffee while they waited.
“You said you have a little boy. How old is he?”
“Four. His name is Toby, and he’s an awesome little kid. Even if he is mine.”
He liked the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about little Toby. “Does he like being outdoors?”
“He loves it. He’d rather be outside than inside, which isn’t always easy to do. He’s a busy boy and very curious. I adore him and love him to the moon and back.”
“He’s a very lucky kid.”
She smiled at him. “Thank you.”
The pancakes showed up about that time. Stacked high, the buttery, golden pancakes were so fluffy they looked as if they might float. There were five plate-sized pancakes on each of their plates. Her eyes widened because it was obvious that she hadn’t fully absorbed what a stack of pancakes from Dixie’s looked like up close.
He chuckled. “A bit overwhelming up close, aren’t they?”
She laughed. “Just a little.” She looked from him to the smiling waitress. “You should have warned me,” she said as the scent of warm pancakes, vanilla, and a touch of almond filled the air. “My mouth is watering just smelling these.” She leaned forward, closed her eyes, and breathed in the scents. “Heavenly.”