The moment the invitation was issued her stomach growled. She was hungry. Standing, she stretched and was about to walk out of the room when something prompted her to move toward the photo of her. She remembered the day she had taken it on the college campus and buying this particular frame and mailing it off to him. It had been her senior year, just three months before they’d broken up. Why had he kept it for the past ten years? Given the way he’d felt about her, she would have thought he’d tossed out every single thing that reminded him of her. But then, didn’t she still have a lot of the things he’d given her? Yes, but they were stored in a trunk in her attic and not out in plain view.

Did he expect her to question him about why he still had it? If he did then he would be disappointed because she wouldn’t. Walking out of his bedroom, she decided that she was going to pretend she hadn’t seen it.

* * *

KAEGAN GLANCED OVER at Bryce. They were sitting out on his back porch enjoying the view of the bayou while enjoying the fried fish, salad and hush puppies that he’d prepared. One thing he’d always appreciated about her was that she was not a finicky eater. She’d always loved food and it appeared she still did. He recalled those days when she ate too much, she would talk him into running around the track after school to work it off. He knew she was still an avid runner. More than once, he’d seen her jogging around the cove.

He recalled what Ray had said earlier in the week. Bryce was a beautiful woman and he couldn’t go around getting mad at every man who found her gorgeous, as well. After breaking up they’d both moved on, but here it was ten years later and neither had found someone else. Yes, they’d dated and had been in relationships they might have thought were serious, but in the end here they were, in their thirties, single and not seriously involved with anyone.

He thought she looked pretty today. Hell, he would admit to thinking that she looked pretty every day. But especially today. There was just something about a woman with gorgeous legs and curves in a pencil skirt. And she smelled good, too. She’d tied her hair back from her face, which showcased the cutest pair of ears. He liked her loop earrings—they made her appear sexy.

She glanced up and caught him staring, and he quickly asked, “Food’s okay?”

She smiled over at him. “It’s better than okay, Kaegan. Everything is delicious. I’m all but licking my fingers. Whatever seasoning you used on the fish is to die for and tastes better than the fish served at my parents’ café. But you better not tell them I told you that.”

“I won’t. Scout’s honor,” he said, holding up his hand.

“You never were a Scout.”