“You’ll have to save the answer to that for another day, because it’s time for us to go home,” Delaney says, as she hands Damon his coffee.

No.

“Noooooo.” Amelia makes me smile.

“You’re lucky you had dinner here, miss.”

“But I want to know if Josh can eat all that food.”

Delaney leans over. “I’ll tell you what. Pania’s coming out here to take over until closing. How about I ask her to keep an eye on things?”

Amelia nods.

“Before you disappear.” I swallow despite the huge lump in my throat. “Can I see you again?”

“You know where I am.”

I nod. “Guess I do. Can I get your number?”

She hesitates. “I’m not sure I want to do that yet.”

Yet. She said yet.

“Hey, dude. Leave her alone. What makes you think you can just ask her for her number like that?” Damon speaks up, and I turn my head to look at him.

“Six years of waiting to catch up with her.”

I don’t miss Delaney’s gasp. I’m not giving this guy a minute of my time. I meet Delaney’s gaze. “Okay, then. You know I’m coming back. We need to talk.”

Her demeanour shifts, and she seems to withdraw into herself. “I know we do.”

Amelia waves at me. “Bye, Josh.”

I smile at the miniature Delaney as she jumps down and ducks around the counter. She’s so much like her mother.

Delaney’s a mother.

In my head, she’s always been frozen in time. I guess I never thought of how her life might have changed in the past few years. At least she fulfilled her dream of becoming a chef, if her business is anything to go by. I’m happy for her.

But seeing her hasn’t quenched the thirst I had for knowledge.

I want more.

And as Amelia disappears into the kitchen with her mother, I smile at the realisation that she didn’t wave goodbye to the guy down the counter.

She only waved goodbye to me.

* * *

After eating my meal, my stomach is finally satisfied, and I head back out toward the car.

I know he’s behind me. I can feel eyes burning a hole in my back.

When I reach the car, I turn. Damon’s standing right behind me.

“Sorry. Did you want something?” I ask.

“Delaney’s not that kind of woman.”

I raise my eyebrows. “How do you know what type of woman she is?”

“Someone who’s not interested in some fancy pants actor swanning into town.”

Smacking my lips together, I take a breath. There’s no point getting upset about a guy who’s pissing around a woman who’s clearly not interested. Amelia didn’t even acknowledge him.