Jax pulled his truck into a narrow alley behind some stores on Ardensville’s east side. Stacey watched him drive. He was calm, confident, completely at ease with the silence between them. Everything about him seemed measured, controlled and peaceful – nothing like how she felt most of the time. Where did he get it from? Likely from his folks – she’d noticed that about them as well. Every time she’d stepped into their house as a kid or an adult, that same peace had encircled her instantly.

In contrast, a visit with Momma felt like a trip into the heart of chaos. That atmosphere enveloped her the moment she entered the trailer. Instead of the quiet balm of the Green household, Momma’s house suffocated her, and made her nerves frazzle.

“Here we are,” said Jax as he parked the truck and unlatched his seatbelt.

Stacey looked around. “Where exactly are we?” She knew Ardensville like the back of her hand, but her whirling thoughts had kept her occupied most of the drive and she’d lost her bearings. Besides, she’d never been here before. It was tucked in away from everything, a narrow lot with uneven tarmac. Only a small bent streetlamp lit their way.

Jax didn’t answer, but went around the truck and opened her door with a smile.

She thanked him and climbed out, her heart pounding. “Are you sure this mystery restaurant is still open? It’s kinda late and very dark.”

“I’m sure.”

She shook her head. He wasn’t about to give anything away, it seemed.

When his hand enclosed hers, heat traveled up her arm and across her neck. She kept telling herself it was nothing, just friendship, but was it? He was acting as though they were on a date, and her heart seemed to have the same idea. Still, her mind fought against it. Why get hurt again? There was no other way for this to go. Jax was a famous football star who lived in another state. He’d leave and she’d stay behind, her heart shattered. She wasn’t strong enough to withstand that, not with Jax – she’d loved him too long. Her throat ached even thinking about it.

Jax led her to a black-painted steel door and knocked.

“If you’re taking me someplace to kill me, could you please do it quick before the suspense gives me a heart attack?” Stacey muttered.

Jax laughed, his eyes sparkling. “Just be patient. If I was going to kill you, I’d have done it at the cabin. No one around there for miles.”

With a head shake, she shuddered. “Gee, thanks – it makes me feel so much better that you’ve thought my murder through.”

He leaned closer and whispered, “Stacey Murphy, you make me laugh.” His eyes twinkled with laughter, but the rest of his face reflected an intensity she hadn’t seen in him before. He stepped closer, and set both hands on her arms. She was filled with a longing that made her head spin.

“Jax, uh … there’s something I should say …”

The door opened and a round, dark face with a pencil mustache peered out into the darkness at them. “Jax Green! Come on in, my man!”

Jax motioned Stacey inside. Reluctantly she released his hand and followed the man inside. He wore a white long-sleeved shirt, black-and-white checked pants and a hairnet with a few tight curls protruding from beneath it. They walked down a long dimly-lit hall as the steel door clanged shut behind them. Stacey’s heels click-clacked on the hard surface, and she squinted to try and see what was ahead.

The man glanced over his shoulder and grinned, then stopped when the hallway opened up into a small restaurant. He offered his hand. “You must be Stacey. I’ve heard a lot about you. Don’t let this guy out of your sight – he’s trouble through and through.” He winked and chuckled, his rotund belly shaking.

She couldn’t help smiling – his laughter was contagious. “Pleased to meet you, um …”

“This is Aaron Frank,” replied Jax, coming up beside Stacey and putting his hand in hers again. “He owns the restaurant.”

She looked around. The restaurant was filled with empty tables, chairs turned upside down on top of them. Lighting came from sconces along the walls, between which were hung framed black and white photographs. Soft music and glorious scents drifted from the kitchen, an open counter giving diners an opportunity to watch their food being prepared. “Aaron Frank … Is this Debonair?”

Aaron’s eyes glinted. “That it is. I opened this place back in ’97, my dream come true. This guy bussed tables for me while he was in high school with my son – Jules used to block for him.”

“Best tackle I ever ran behind outside of the NFL. How is Jules these days?”

“Got his Master’s in social work from A&T. He’s a counselor at a high school in New Bern – and coaches the linemen.” Aaron slapped Jax on the back. “I always knew this fella’d make somethin’ of himself. He was a hard worker even back then.”

Jax’s cheeks flushed and he shook his head. “You were a great boss. You always overlooked the things I did wrong.”

“Pfft – what are you talkin’ about? You never stepped wrong in your life, boy.” He chuckled and set his hands on his wide hips. “I’ve got a table set up over there. Go on and sit down and I’ll get you your first course.”

“Are we the only ones here?” asked Stacey, her eyes widening.

“You sure are – my honored guests. I had to shut the restaurant down for renovations – this building’s old, and the wiring ain’t quite up to code. We’re almost done, and when Jax came back to town, I thought he’d be just the person to try out my new menu on.” Aaron chuckled. “You’re really doin’ me a favor.”

Jax laughed. “Well, then, sign us up for a favor anytime.” He let go of Stacey’s hand to take Aaron’s in between his.

The two men embraced briefly, patting each other on the back before stepping away. “I’ll be back shortly,” said Aaron, lumbering off to the kitchen.

“After you,” said Jax, his hand on the small of her back. He guided her toward the one table that was set and pulled out her chair.

She felt just for a moment as if it were all real – Jax was her date, he loved her the same way she’d always cared for him – and her throat tightened. “Thank you,” she squeaked.

He nodded, slid into his own chair and poured her a glass of water from the carafe in the center of the table. “Aaron makes the best Southern dishes around,” he said as he poured another for himself.

She nodded. She’d heard of Aaron Frank, of course – everyone in Ardensville had. He was a local celebrity and had even appeared once on a national cooking show. His fusion of modern cuisine and Southern tradition was in demand with professionals from as far away as Chapel Hill, and there was often a line around the corner of diners waiting to get in. But she’d never been there before – it was too expensive. “This is really great. It’s my first time. Thanks for bringing me here.”

“Never been here? And you’re an Ardensville native.”

Her cheeks warmed. “I know. It’s just … never mind. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it tonight.” Why tell him it was out of her price range? He couldn’t understand what it was like to live the life she’d lived. Even though he was raised in town, he’d never gone without, never gone to bed on an empty stomach. It wasn’t his fault, just the way things were.

He reached across the table and took her hand again, his eyes trained on their fingers. “I’m really glad you decided to come.”

She nodded. “Me too.” Whatever was happening between them was like a freight train headed her way, and she was powerless to step out of its path. “I know I seem thick-skinned, but I’m not.”

His eyes narrowed. “Oh?”

“It’s crazy, after everything that’s happened in my life. I should be tough, but I’m soft. A big ol’ softie.”

“I know,” he murmured, smiling. “I know you better than you think I do.”

Stacey raised an eyebrow and met his gaze, her heart flooding with warmth. Was it possible he saw through her, saw the person she was inside, the way no one else ever had?

Jax studied Stacey’s face as she ate. Her eyes drifted shut and she moaned as the slow-cooked pork hit her tongue. “Good?” She nodded in response, and he laughed. “I thought you might like it.”

There was no way to describe the joy it brought him to see Stacey Murphy happy. Too often her face was shadowed by fear, doubt or sorrow. He loved bringing out her smile, and would work to do it anyway he could. There was something about her he couldn’t shake – when he wasn’t with her, he was thinking about her, wishing she was there. And when he was with her, he couldn’t think clearly.

He grinned and offered her a thick-cut sweet potato fry from his plate, a sampler of Aaron’s work. “You have to try this. I don’t know how he does it, but they’re the best sweet potato fries I’ve ever tasted.”

She bit into it and giggled. “I think I’ll ask for a job bussing tables just so I can eat here again.”

He reached out and tucked a curl of her hair behind her ear. The touch of her skin against his fingertips gave his pulse a jolt and he drew a rapid breath. She was different from the women he’d dated in Atlanta – not that he’d dated much; his mind had been on the team and the next game. He hadn’t wanted to lose his focus. But if he was honest, none of the women he’d met had ever turned his head the way Stacey did.

Stacey felt like home. He’d known her his whole life, yet ever since he came back to town it felt as though he didn’t know her at all. She was familiar, yet an enigma, a mystery that called and drew him in as though she were a siren and he a ship bound for shore.

Did it make sense? No. And he worried how Brad would react to his growing feelings for her. Still, that wouldn’t deter him if he was certain she felt anything for him other than friendship. He wished he knew, but he couldn’t read her, couldn’t see beyond the perfect complexion, bouncing curls, sparkling blue eyes and dry wit. Only a glimpse of sadness every now and then, the same sadness he’d seen in the child she’d been.

“You know, Dad used to bring me here. Actually, he brought us all here, every year on his birthday. The bill was a little bigger than he usually liked, but he said it was his one little luxury, to eat like a king. I loved those days.” Jax crunched another fry and eyed the mound of macaroni and cheese on his plate, with a crisp topping he was dying to dig into.

“What a wonderful memory,” replied Stacey, eyes glistening.

“Yeah. I just thought of it – Dad always loved the Mac and cheese here. Though I see Aaron has done something new with the topping.”

She took a forkful of it, chewed and swallowed, and her eyes bulged. “Wow, that is heavenly. Can I ask you something?”

He nodded and took a bite himself. She was right – it was terrific.

“Why did you go all the way to UGA? You must’ve gotten offers from some of the local colleges. I know a few folks were upset you didn’t choose UNC or State or Duke.” She stopped.

“Dad went to UGA, so I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Though my major was business admin, not divinity.”

“That makes sense.”

“Try this.” Jax cut off a piece of chicken-fried steak, leaned across the table and offered it to Stacey. He watched her full pink lips envelop it and wondered what it would be like to kiss them. His pulse raced and he set the fork back on the table.

She swallowed with a smile. “Yum! So what else did your Dad love to eat here?”

A pang of regret stabbed him. He should’ve been here last year on his birthday, but he’d been too busy to make it back to North Carolina. “Dad loved the shrimp and grits. Said Aaron made the best grits in the South.”

“You know, now that I have a fancy new real estate job, I’m going to come here again. Maybe not just yet, since my car needs work and I’m still technically homeless, but soon.”

“You’re not homeless.”

“You know what I mean. I’m crashing at your place.”

“What exactly would make you feel more at home? Do you want me to draw up a lease saying you’re legally allowed to live there?” He wanted her to feel as though his house was her home.

She laughed, and the sound loosened the ball of grief in his chest. “You’d do that?”

“Sure. I don’t want you to think of my place as a temporary stopping point. It’s your home until you want to move on.”

Her gaze met his. “Are you sure? You don’t really know me well enough yet, but I’ve got quirks. I’m not sunshine and roses all the time.”

“I think I can handle it,” he replied with a laugh.

Aaron interrupted them with two more plates of his creations, and Jax watched Stacey delight over each item and Aaron’s eyes sparkle with pride at her encouragement. She continued to surprise him. Gone was the timid girl with the braces and freckles. Before him sat a strong, confident woman who knew just how to say what people needed to hear to help them feel better about themselves. Where had she learned that? Certainly not from her mother – he’d been around her family enough to discern that.

Truth was, he was falling for her. He’d dodged the issue at first, arguing with himself that it was a bad time to fall in love, he was in mourning, it didn’t make sense to develop feelings for someone while you were still in that dark place, he couldn’t stick around Ardensville, Brad’s feelings on the subject were abundantly clear … but he was tired of fighting it.

He wouldn’t say anything to her, of course. If he did, she might insist on moving out, and he couldn’t deal with that right now. Couldn’t face living without her. And besides, she didn’t have anywhere else to go. It wouldn’t be fair to her.

They continued to talk while they ate, and Stacey became more engrossed in their conversation and more animated with each passing moment. Sitting across from her, discussing the deeply personal issues of his life, he realized just how shallow most of his relationships in Atlanta truly were. Other than Wallace and Coach, no one from that part of his life had even called to check on him since the funeral. It was as if he’d disappeared from their lives in a moment and they’d forgotten him just as fast.

After the meal was over, Jax set down his dessert spoon with a grunt of satisfaction. “We should go for a walk.”

Stacey chuckled. “I’m not sure I could. Perhaps a waddle … oh my goodness, I haven’t eaten that much, or that well, since Thanksgiving at your house seven years ago. Before you left for college – do you remember?”

He nodded. He’d often thought of that Thanksgiving. Especially lying alone in his dorm room at night as he fell asleep, homesickness gnawing at his semi-conscious mind. “I remember. You wore a green dress with little flowers on it and a cream sweater.”

Her eyes widened. “I can’t believe you remember that.”

“Sure I do.” He took her hand, her eyes still full of wonder, and led her back to the truck.

Jax drove them up to Mulligan’s Lookout, a small hilltop clearing that overlooked Ardensville, with the glittering lights of Raleigh in the distance behind it. They stepped from the truck and he took her hand again, enjoying the way their touch had taken on a familiarity that filled him with a desire for more. More of Stacey, more time with her, more conversations that flowed smooth as honey.

“You know, this is still the most popular make-out spot in town?” she teased with a grin.

He feigned innocence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She gave him a shove and he stumbled sideways laughing. “Hey!”

“Did you bring me up here to make out, Jax Green? Now my entire opinion of you has changed – the preacher’s boy from the nice neighborhood has another side.”

He laughed and pulled her close. “You think you’ve got me all figured out.”

They sat on a large boulder perched on the edge of the hill, rubbed smooth by thousands of other couples that had done the same. Stacey sighed. “You know, when we were teenagers I wanted so badly to come here with you. I used to daydream that you’d ask me out and we’d walk up here …”

He gaped in surprise. “Really?”

“Yes, but you didn’t even notice me. I was just Brad’s kid sister.” She laughed, but the sound was forced.

His brow furrowed. What was going on behind that smile of hers? “I noticed you.”

She arched an eyebrow skeptically. “You did?”

“Of course. You were beautiful, even back then. But yeah, you were Brad’s kid sister – off limits. We had some great conversations – not many, you were pretty quiet – but I still remember them. You always seemed to see past the football stuff. And you were nice to me.”

“Everyone was nice to you.”

“No, everyone wanted to be near me, or wanted something from me. But you cared about me, not just the number on my jersey.”

“I did. I do …” Her gaze met his, then darted away.

But Jax had seen something there behind her eyes. Did she care for him the way he was beginning to care for her? He knew she wasn’t impressed by his position on the Falcons, so if she felt anything for him it’d be real. He studied their linked hands. Was she ready for something more than friendship? Was he?