A Wedding Worth Waiting For by Katie Meyer Read Free Book Online

officer—he must be very proud of you.”
    Sam nodded politely, but he could see the tension in her shoulders, tension hadn’t been there before. Wanting to shift the focus to something more palatable, he tapped her menu. “Still want the lobster grilled cheese?”
    Her smile returned. “Definitely. With a bowl of the conch chowder.”
    Sally scribbled on her pad. “Anything else? An appetizer, maybe?”
    Chewing her lip, Sam scrutinized the menu. “Are the conch fritters as good as I remember?”
    Sally winked. “Better.”
    Dylan took the menu from her and returned it to the side of the table. “Well, then, by all means, bring the lady some conch fritters.”
    â€œI’ll get the order in right away. And Sam, it’s good to have you back in town.”
    â€œThanks, Sally. It’s good to be back.”
    Sally headed to the kitchen, leaving them alone again.
    â€œThere. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
    Sam shrugged. “No, but she remembers me. That helped.”
    â€œI think you are going to find a lot more people remember you than you think.”
    A hint of worry furrowed her brow. “If so, then why doesn’t anyone else mention it?”
    â€œDid you ever think they might be waiting for you to say something? You’re the one that left—maybe they think you’re too good for them now.”
    â€œThat’s crazy. I’m the same person I always was.”
    â€œYou grew up into a beautiful woman. That can be intimidating to some people. And for all they know, you liked the girls at your fancy prep school better than the people here.”
    She shook her head, her dark hair mussing with the movement. “No way. I hated being away from here. And I never fit in at St. Anne’s. I was too shy, from the wrong place, with the wrong accent. I was the odd girl out, complete with mousy hair and thick glasses.”
    He reached out and smoothed a strand of hair back behind her ear. Soft as silk, just as he’d imagined. “Well, I have a hard time believing that, but if you ever were an ugly duckling you’re certainly not now. Although I would like to see you in those glasses sometime.”
    â€œSo you can tease me, too?”
    â€œLet’s just say I like the sexy librarian look.”
    Sam’s mouth opened, then closed, her cheeks flushing at his innuendo. She really was as innocent as she seemed if something that mild could embarrass her. It was refreshing to know he could make a woman blush. But also a reminder to watch his step. He wanted to get to know her better, not scare her off. Luckily, Sally chose that moment to return with a plastic basket heaped with piping hot fritters, defusing the tension with the scent of fried food.
    â€œHere you go, but be careful. They’re a bit hot.”
    Sam was already reaching for one, nodding at the warning. “Thanks, I remember.” She took a bite and then immediately dropped the steaming fritter into her lap. “Ouch!”
    Dylan handed her a napkin from the dispenser on the edge of the table. “She did warn you.”
    Sam brushed the crumbs off of her shirt and shook her head. “I thought she meant spicy hot, not hot-hot.”
    â€œIt seems in this case they’re both.” He nudged one of the glasses of ice water the waitress had left toward Sam. “Here, drink this. It will help.”
    She nodded and gulped down a few big swallows. “Better, thanks.”
    â€œGood.” He broke open one of the steaming fritters and handed her half. “They cool faster this way.”
    â€œNow you tell me. Where were you a minute ago?”
    Fantasizing about you in nothing but a pair of glasses probably wasn’t the right answer, so he just shrugged and bit into the rapidly cooling appetizer. The slightly sweet and chewy conch contrasted perfectly with the spicy peppers and crisp batter. “Do you know, there are