She wondered where he intended to put all that food. “I won’t forget the corn bread.” And knowing her parents, they would send extra.

“And for starters I’d like a bowl of she-crab soup.”

“Fine.” She turned to walk off when he said her name. She whirled back around. “What, Kaegan?”

“I’ll be wanting dessert later.”

Then as she watched him, he picked up his beer mug and took a sip while she was held captive by his dark brown eyes. Was he using code words on her? Code words they’d created years ago? Words only the two of them knew the true meaning of? She’d known exactly what he’d meant when he said he wanted dessert later. Those were the times when she’d been his dessert.

She lifted her chin and, without saying anything, turned and walked off.

* * *

“I THINK IT’S time we have a good talk, don’t you think?”

Kaegan lifted his gaze to find Chester Witherspoon sliding into the seat across from him. “It’s about time for you to close the café, isn’t it, Mr. Chester?”

“Already done. Duke’s dropping his mom off home. Bryce just left and Ry took the evening off.”

“Oh.” Kaegan had finished eating but was hanging around, hoping he would get a chance to talk to Bryce, maybe even walk her to her car. He hadn’t known she’d left already. With everyone gone and Kaegan the only customer, it seemed that Mr. Witherspoon had planned the perfect opportunity for them to have a private talk.

Chester Witherspoon was a big hulk of a man, but for some reason Kaegan had never feared him. Probably because he had such a friendly attitude and liked giving huge bear hugs.

“You hurt my daughter,” Chester said bluntly.

Kaegan hadn’t expected that. There was no accusation in the words. There wasn’t even a question. It was a matter-of-fact statement, which demanded a matter-of-fact answer. So he gave one. “Yes, sir, I did. I was wrong to think at some point she betrayed me. I only found out the truth a few weeks ago.”

The older man nodded. “I never knew the reason the two of you broke up, Kaegan. Bryce never said and her mother and I weren’t ones to pry. We figured sooner or later she would tell us everything, but she never did. I guess for her it was better to keep it to herself. All we knew was that whatever happened between the two of you had left her crushed. At one point her brothers wanted to come find you and demand to know what happened, but Debbie and I convinced them to leave it alone and not take sides...especially when Bryce wasn’t telling us anything.”

The older man shifted in his seat and then said, “I would admit that when you moved back to town I was tempted to do just what I’m doing now. Have a man-to-man conversation with you and find out what the hell happened when I knew just how much you had loved Bryce. Debbie felt since you and Bryce were adults that we shouldn’t pry. I’ve seen what could happen when parents stick their noses into their grown children’s affairs. Had I listened to Debbie’s parents, we would never have married. Debbie and I believed you truly loved our daughter and whatever was keeping you apart was a huge misunderstanding.”