The burgers were sizzling on the grill when I heard my phone ring. I glanced down at the unknown caller.

“Hello?” I snapped, expecting it to be another telemarketer. These obnoxious calls were getting out of hand, and it’s all I could do was block their number after each one.

“Hey, Chloe, it’s Jack.”

My hand tightened over the phone. This definitely wasn’t the call I was expecting. I’d expected another offer for diabetic supplies from Medicaid or a sales pitch for another home warranty protection on my appliances.

“Jack?” I questioned, pretending like I didn’t know who it was. “Jack who?”

He laughed. “Jack, your future husband.”

A goofy grin spread across my face. “Oh, that Jack. How have you been? It’s been a while.”

His deep chuckle vibrated all the way to my chest. “I’ve been thinking about you.”

I looked over to where Tanner was chasing our two-year-old golden retriever Smuckers through our newly-fenced-in yard. “Have you? I wouldn’t know. I gave you my number over a week ago and not a peep.”

I was playing around with him, but of course, he didn’t miss a beat.

“I’m sorry.” He sighed, making me feel guilty for taunting him. I...”

“Jack, it’s fine. You don’t owe me an explanation. I’m just surprised you called, that’s all. I wasn’t expecting it.”

I also wasn’t expecting his charm to wear me down either, yet here I was.

“Ouch! You really think little of me, don’t you?”

“I don’t judge, I swear. This call just came out of the blue.”

“I would have called sooner if I could. I’ve had a lot going on.” I closed my eyes, feeling like an idiot. Of course, he has.

He just buried his father a few weeks ago, you nitwit.

“No explanation needed,” I reassured him, thinking of my own father and how I would feel if something happened to him.

Tanner’s laughter floated throughout the yard. I looked to my son who now had our poor dog cornered against the back, assaulting him with an arsenal of nerf gun darts. Smuckers didn’t seem to mind, as he tried to catch the foam projectiles that came near his mouth.

I covered the receiver with the palm of my hand and spoke loud enough to get his attention. “Tanner! That’s enough. Leave him alone and wash up before dinner.”

Tanner looked up at me through his shaggy brown hair covering his eyes and his laughter instantly faded. I placed my hand on my hip long enough to get his attention. The same brown eyes and mischievous smile stared back at me, reminding me of his father. The resemblance was so strong, sometimes it hurt to look at him.

“His name is Tanner? Cool name,” Jack said, as I watched my boy drop to his knees and ruffle the fur on top of the dog’s head. He loved that furball and judging by the way Smuckers’ tail wagged, the feeling was mutual.

“Yes, and I apologize if I ruptured an eardrum when I scolded him.”

He chuckled. “I promise not to complain as long as you don’t make fun of the hearing aid I’ll need due to the nerve damage you just caused.”

“Does that mean I’m going to see you again?”

“If I didn’t know any better, I would say that you missed me.”

“And I would say your confidence is as strong as I remembered,” I teased, feeling a smile come to my lips.

“Why don’t you go out with me when I’m in town next week, so I can refresh your memory about my confidence.”

I took a sip of my water and looked down at my feet. Would it really be so bad if I went out with him?

It’s been a long time since I’ve been on a date. I’ve gone out with friends and hung out with guys plenty of times, but an actual date? No. I convinced myself a long time ago that I was better off on my own. One big, major heartbreak was enough to last me a lifetime.

“You’re taking an awfully long time to give me an answer. In my business world, that’s not a good sign.” The hum in my veins had me feeling excited, but I still felt apprehensive.

“I just need to look at the calendar and make sure I can get a sitter,” I lied, thankful that he wasn’t here to see the truth in my eyes. Finding someone to watch Tanner wouldn’t be a problem; it was having the courage to actually go through with it.

“I understand. I’ve got a meeting next Friday morning in Manhattan that I’m hoping to have wrapped up by noon. With any luck, I’ll catch a late afternoon flight out of JFK and be at the beach before sunset.”

“What exactly is it that you do?” For the first time, I wished I had paid better attention to the chitchat of my coworkers and customers around the diner. I might be better informed.

“I work in real estate development. We buy existing commercial properties like malls, hotels, and office buildings. We also do some residential business, that focuses on apartment buildings, condos, etc.”

“Do you enjoy it?” I asked fumbling with the hem of my T-shirt. It sounded like a big job for a man his age.

He let out a long sigh. “I liked it better when I wasn’t running the entire company. I used to just chase opportunities and pull the deal together, and that was fun. Believe it or not, there really isn’t much time left over to screw around when you’re the guy signing the paychecks.”

“You mean the rumors of corporate executives having three-martini lunches and golfing their afternoons away aren’t true?”

He laughed. “Truthfully, some of the best deals I’ve ever made have been over a game of golf. But personally, I’d rather drink a couple of cold beers at Yankees Stadium or watch the Nicks play at the Garden than chase a little white ball around the grass.”

“I’ll file that little piece of information away for future reference.” Talking to Jack made me smile. It’s been a long time since I’ve had these fluttering feelings for a man. I guess going over seven years without any type of intimacy would do that to a girl.

“Have you always lived in New York?” I asked, taking a sip of my lemonade. There was something about Jack that had me wanting to learn more and devour every little detail about his life. Which was ironic, because up to this point, I’d done everything I could to learn as little about the man as possible.

“Yes. Growing up we spent the school year here in Manhattan, and were down in the Carolinas during the summer and holiday breaks.”

I perked up at that. “Do you like living in the city?”

“It’s a little intense, but it’s all I know. The traffic, the people, the pace. There is always something going on. We are, after all, the city that never sleeps. I find the frenetic pace very enjoyable.”

“Unlike down here where a sale at the Piggly Wiggly might be front page news? Compared to New York, this place must seem slow and boring.”

Jack and I could not be more different. It was almost a cruel joke that the one man to strike an interest in me was the polar opposite of everything I was. Aside from our physical attraction to one another and our obvious chemistry, what did we have in common?

“I don’t know if I’d call it slow and boring.” He paused like he was thinking it over. “I would call it relaxing and restful. The people seem to be more genuine; they slow down long enough to look you in the eye when you’re having a conversation with them. They pay attention. That doesn’t always happen here in NYC.”

“I’m sure having a little bit of both worlds makes for a nice balance.”

“Have you ever visited the Big Apple before?”

I was there once a long time ago. I remember thinking it was a great place to visit, but I would never want to live there. Now here I was, talking to a man who was born and bred in the chaos. Sure, he had a little Carolina country in him, but his body language was all city. What the hell was I doing?

“I have, actually. It was a long time ago. It was during spring break my junior year of college.”

Right before my whole life got turned upside down, I thought silently in my head.

“Wait a minute.” I heard the scraping of the chair sliding across the floor. “You went to college? How did you end up working for Ree and Dave at the diner? Not that there is anything wrong with hard work and making an honest living, I’m just curious.”

“What is that saying? Man plans and God laughs.” When he didn’t laugh at my joke, I cleared my throat. “I dropped out when I found out I was pregnant with Tanner. I had every intention of finishing my degree, but life and bills kind of got in the way.”

“What was your major?”

“Nursing. My mom is a cardiac nurse. I always wanted to specialize in that field, especially since both sets of my grandparents suffered from heart disease.”

“You know my dad died of a heart attack, right?” His voice turned somber, and I wanted to kick myself.

“I didn’t. I’m sorry. Was he sick or was it sudden?”

“He had high cholesterol and ate like shit. Honestly, I think it was just a combination of his lifestyle and stress. They said he had a few blockages, but by the time they found them, it was too late.”

“That’s so sad, but it happens all the time. I hope your father’s actions have served as a warning to take good care of yourself.” I cringed. He probably thought I sounded like a nagging mother.

My eyes flickered over to the grill, which was now smoking, fire was spilling from the grates.

Shit. I forgot all about my dinner.

I walked over and turned the gas off and tried to wave the smoke away with my hands. I coughed into the phone and choked a bit, as I got closer.

“Everything okay over there? Should I call 9-1-1?” Jack asked with a concerned voice and a touch of sarcasm.

“Everything’s okay. I’m just burning my dinner.”

“I should probably let you go.” I could hear him moving around and the faint conversations in the background. “I have a conference call starting in a couple minutes. I just wanted to give you a quick call before things got too hectic.”

I picked the platter off the table and loaded it up with the burgers and burned vegetables that I just rescued from the flames. I looked at my phone and noticed that it was a little after five o’clock and he was still knee deep in work. It was another sign of how different our worlds were.

Tanner walked over and frowned when he saw his plate. I held my finger up letting him know I needed one more minute to finish up my conversation.

“I’m glad you called.”

I really was, and the thought of talking to him again filled me with excitement. I looked at Tanner who was feeding the dog his overcooked hamburger. I laughed. “I should probably get going too. I have a very hungry seven-year-old who needs to eat before it gets too late, and a dog that needs to be rescued before he throws up all over the place.”

He chuckled. “Your night sounds a lot more interesting than mine. I’ll be in touch. It was great talking to you, Chloe.” His voice turned low, almost a whisper. “I’m really looking forward to seeing you next week.”

He hung up before I could respond. The thought of seeing him again had me grinning from ear to ear. But I still couldn’t stop that nagging question that kept popping up in my head.

Could I really allow myself to get wrapped up in a man like Jack Jenson? Was I really ready to put myself out there again?

The dog started barking, causing me to snap out of my thoughts.

I picked up the burned food and threw it all in the trash. I turned to Tanner. “How does McDonald’s sound?”

He perked right up and dashed toward the door.

I wanted to laugh. One call and my life was already up in smoke.

What the hell was this man doing to me?

My cell phone vibrated in my hand with an incoming text. I looked down at the screen.

Go out with me next Friday night?

I hesitated for a second. This was all so new to me. I blew out a deep breath and felt a crease tighten in my forehead. This man had me feeling off balance.

It might be a little tough for me to find a sitter on Friday. How about Saturday?

I bit down on my bottom lip while he typed away on his phone. Tanner had a sleepover on Saturday night, so that would work out perfectly.

How about I come to your place on Friday? I’ll bring dinner and a bottle of wine that I’ve been itching to try?

My face fell. I didn’t bring men around my son. Ever. Not that I’ve had men to bring around. Another text came through before I could respond.

If you’re not comfortable with that plan, I understand.

He was giving me an out. So why was I stalling? I wished I had more time to think this over. It felt like I was being put on the spot, and it surprised me that I was warming up to the idea.

As long as you don’t mind coming over a little later? Tanner goes to bed at 9. I’ll order some takeout; so don’t eat before you come over.

I looked up at the sky and prayed I wasn’t making a mistake.

I can be at your door at 9:05 and we can discuss our plans for Saturday. Don’t worry, we’ll keep Friday night casual, but on Saturday, I can’t make any promises

My eyebrows rose up in surprise.

You’re already thinking about your second date, and you haven’t even had your first?

His response caught me off guard.

I’m always thinking about you lately.

My smile was so wide he could probably see it all the way from Park Avenue.