She frowned. “Home.”
“It’s a beautiful night, you tortured me for hours, and I’m due a reward.” Kennedy jumped off the curb. No way was she going through another stolen-kiss routine. The first one had almost ruined her. Nate laughed. “Relax. I’m not going to jump you. We’re getting ice cream.” He snagged her hand and led her down the sidewalk.
Shock kept her immobile for a while. “Ice cream? It’s March. Ice cream is one of the most fattening treats a person can indulge in. Absolutely not. I’m avoiding dairy lately at all costs.”
“And you’re probably miserable. It’s the last week in March and officially spring. Eating ice cream alone is a crime—you’re coming with me. Consider it babysitting duty. You can watch me eat and make sure I don’t get into any trouble.”
A dozen protests fluttered through her mind, but he allowed her no time to voice them. The sun hung suspended over the line of the Hudson River, caught between day and evening, and threw the world into a rosy light that shimmered off the water. Her heels clicked on the pavement as he settled into a comfortable walking pace and began his way up Main Street. Shops began to turn on their silvery lights and displayed their wares proudly, ranging from pottery and sculpture to an array of cafés promising baked goods, fresh breads, and designer coffees. Kennedy relaxed and waved to Julia, the local librarian, and chatted a few seconds with old man Charlie, who sat on the same park bench beginning at five o’clock until his buddy Frank got off work and they marched to Mugs for their daily Coors Light cocktail. Emma stopped them to give Kennedy a special gluten-free dog treat for Kate’s dog, Robert, to help test out the new samples from the Barking Dog Bakery. Nate seemed comfortable to hang out while she chatted. Emma shot them a curious look. She tried to tug her hand from his grip, but he held firm, so she gave up. When was the last time she strolled down the street hand in hand with a man? His fingers were warm and strong, and it was nice to pretend for a little while that she had a normal relationship like everyone else.
A group of boys flew past them on skateboards, chased by giggling girls. She suddenly realized he seemed to know the town well.
“I didn’t know you were familiar with Verily.”
“I’m not.”
She swung her head around. His profile was strong and graceful in the dying sun, even marred by the horrible frames of his glasses. “Then how do you know there’s an ice cream place open?”
“A quaint, artistic river town in New York on Main Street. Are you kidding? They always have ice cream.”
She shook her head. “You didn’t even have dinner yet.”
“I’m a rebel.”
Kennedy smiled.
They reached the small café, Xpressions, which boasted gourmet treats and homemade ice cream chock full of calories, fat, and deliciousness. Nate took his time picking out the flavor, requesting samples of the Raspberry Razzle and Chocolate Truffle. She thought about getting a fat-free frozen yogurt, but it was just too pathetic even to bother with. He turned to her with a serious frown. “If it was up to you, what flavor would you get?”
A bit of grumpiness overtook her. “Why get fruit in an ice cream? It’s pointless.”
He tapped the small plastic spoon against his mouth. “Brilliant theory. I’ll take a double scoop, please. Chocolate Truffle and the Peanut Butter Bash.”
Her stomach growled. She tried to remind herself that she had a perfectly proportioned piece of poached salmon and unbuttered green beans at home waiting for her. “Peanut butter is also high in fat. You just picked the two worst flavors to guarantee the clogging of arteries.”
He gasped in mock horror. “Worse than the Cake Batter or Cookie Dough?”
“Fine. It’s your funeral.”
“Oh and on one of those homemade waffle cones, please. Sure you don’t want one? They have frozen yogurt.”
She glared. “No, thanks.”
His face relaxed into the joy of a child as he attacked the ice cream cone, a bunch of napkins wrapped around the base. “Let’s sit for a few minutes.”
“I have to get home.”
“Just a minute.”
She huffed but led him to the carved bench by the dog park. They watched the dogs run and play in wild abandon, while they sat under a twisted elm tree. A man wrapped his arms around his lover and stole a kiss by the wire fence. Ken relaxed. She hadn’t come out for a walk in a while. It was kind of nice to just sit and enjoy the sights of Verily.
“I love New York. Always amazed me you can hike the mountains, ride a horse, and see a Broadway play all within an hour of each other. Have you lived in Verily your whole life?” he asked.
“No, we all attended NYU and lived in Manhattan. Then Arilyn, Kate, and I visited for a weekend and fell in love. We decided to open Kinnections and settle here. How about you?”
He snorted around his ice cream. “I ended up in California at the Dryden Flight Research Center. My goal was always NASA, I just wasn’t sure what base I’d end up with, but I’m a numbers guy. Always been fascinated by physics and the challenge of manipulating information and equations to increase efficiency. My teachers couldn’t keep up with me, so it was only a matter of time before NASA came knocking. When it dismantled, the private sector exploded. I was able to come back to New York and enjoy working for a reclusive techno billionaire who wants to fiddle with space travel. But trust me, the astronauts and pilots are the ones who get the glory. And the girls.”
She watched a trail of chocolate ice cream drip onto his spotless lab coat and smothered a laugh. He looked down and muttered a curse. “Damn, I almost got through the day without a stain. I’m running out of coats. Here, hold this.”
He shoved the cone into her hands and tried to mop up the mess with the napkins. Kennedy stared at the gorgeous, shiny, drippy ice cream cone in front of her. Pieces of chocolate truffle peeked out from beneath. A chunk of peanut butter whispered her name. Sanity tugged at the fringes of her mind until a moan from Nate caught her off guard.
“What’s the matter?”
“Stomachache,” he said.
She raised a brow. “You think? Look at this monster. I warned you about dinner.”
“You gotta finish it.”
Her heart pounded and her palms began to sweat. “No! I can’t eat this. I’ll cut off five years of my life and gain ten pounds.”
“Don’t be so dramatic. I refuse to waste a good cone. I ate most of it, just have a little so I don’t feel guilty.”