Once Upon a Proposal by Allison Leigh Read Free Book Online

my favorite people, too,” she said truthfully.
    He looked at her over the cup, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Then we have something in common.”
    She suddenly felt a little breathless and she quickly began reorganizing the collection of stirrers and coffee cup lids sitting on the counter. “Do you always pick up your son from school?”
    The smile lines around his eyes disappeared so instantly that she almost wondered if she’d imagined them in the first place. “No.”
    That was all. Just no . Which left her feeling like she’d awkwardly put her foot in her mouth, without even knowing why. Nothing new there. Saying the wrong thing was her specialty. Always had been.
    She moistened her lips and pulled a fresh sleeve of small coffee lids from beneath the counter. “Thanks for the work you did in the bathroom. The tile looks great.”
    â€œI still need to grout it. I’ll come by Saturday morning if that works for you.”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œDad.” Todd had left the video game and stopped next to Gabe. “Can I get more whipped cream?” He held up his cup.
    â€œOne helping was enough.”
    The boy’s brows drew together, and Bobbie realized that Gabe’s son did share more than just the color of his father’s eyes. He had the same expressions. “It’s, um, no big deal,” Bobbie offered softly. She pulled the can from its refrigerated slot behind her and held it up.
    Gabe’s gaze went from Bobbie to his son and back again. “Okay.” He took Todd’s cup and handed it over to Bobbie. “But just this once.”
    Todd’s expression went straight to shock, giving Bobbie the sense that Gabe didn’t often give in once he’d made a decision. She added the extra helping of cream and slid the drink back to Gabe, wishing that her interest in the man wasn’t increasing with every encounter they had. She had no desireto change the zero status of her love life. Not when she still felt the bruises from Lawrence’s defection.
    â€œWhat do you say?” Gabe prompted his son and the boy gave Bobbie a brilliant, grinning “thanks,” before carrying his drink with him back to the video game.
    Doreen had disappeared into the back storeroom and the rest of the shop was still unoccupied. Yet there was no earthly reason for Bobbie to feel as if she and Gabe were suddenly the last two people on earth. Alone, together.
    She couldn’t help but smile a little at her own nonsensical thought.
    â€œWhat?”
    She shook her head. “Nothing.” She pushed the sleeve of lids back beneath the counter—the holders were already full. She pushed her hands into the patch pockets of her apron to keep from fidgeting. He had his iced tea. His son had his mo cha with extra, extra cream. So why wasn’t he going on his way? “Is there anything else I can get for you?”
    It wasn’t often that Gabe found himself struggling for words. Unfortunately, that day, it had happened twice. The first time had been when he’d heard his attorney’s thoroughly crazy and unwelcome advice that he find himself a wife—and fast. And the second time—now—when he was faced with the young woman he realized could possibly help him get around the attorney.
    He glanced over his shoulder. Todd was completely occupied with the game in the corner. He looked back at Bobbie, who was watching him with those changeable gray eyes of hers. “Would you like to have dinner tonight?”
    Her lips parted softly. “I…can’t. I’m sorry.” Her silky lashes swept down for a moment. “I’m helping to cover a shift at my sister’s bistro this week.” She looked up at him again and a hint of pink crept into her cheeks. “Maybe another time?”
    He couldn’t afford to wait a week. “What time are you finished at the bistro?”
    â€œBetween ten and