“One, it’s big. Two, it’s deep. And three, it’s full of sharks.”
“And you?”
She shook her head wryly. “No. That would be a rational fear. I prefer hyperventilating over Chihuahuas.”
“All right then. How about this, you me and dinner on the boat tonight? We can grill, watch the sun set. A date, Miss Knight. I want to take you on an official date.”
“You do?” She stilled, a softness coming into her eyes. “That sounds nice. Really nice. Oh, and they’ll be releasing the next clue at four so we can decipher it over dinner.”
“It’s a date.” Although the real riddle was convincing a big-city girl to give a small-town guy a real shot.
After she left, he punched in Beau’s number.
“What?” his friend barked.
“Is there a mayoral congeniality training program? I’d like to set up a crowd-sourced fund-raising page.”
“Sorry, man.” Beau heaved a sigh. “It’s been a shitty day. Ever hear of Discount-Mart?”
“The big box store?”
“They sent their people over to make contact this morning. These guys were barnacles in my ass but still, it might be worth the hassle. Turns out Everland’s on their short list for a new site. A hell of a lot of local job creation potential.”
“You’re in favor?”
“Don’t know. They’re being cagey on the locations. Need to hear more. But what’s up? That’s not why you called.”
He rocked on his heels. “You using the boat later?”
“No. Why?” Beau went from work mode to suspicious.
Fuck. He didn’t have a story lined up. Oversight. “Just checking.”
“Liar. Who’s the lucky lady, Cupid?”
Rhett gritted his teeth. He loved Beau like the brother he never had, but that nickname made him nuts. What the hell, though, why not tell Beau what was going on between him and Pepper? He could even offer up advice.
“It’s complicated,” he began.
“This about you and a certain brown-haired dog walker? What was her name again, Miss Ida May?” There was a muffled response. “That’s right—Pepper. What’s in the water over there on Love Street? I’ll have to talk to the water department.”
Rhett’s internal axis flipped its magnetic poles. “Miss Ida May’s with you?” If Everland was a hurricane of gossip, Miss Ida May was the eye at the center.
“Doing a piece on me for the Back Fence. You’re on speaker, by the way.” An implicit warning not to say anything too offensive about his favorite love-to-hate neighbor.
“Hey, there, Cupid,” Miss Ida May cooed. “I’m doing a sweet and sexy mayor profile. You’re the next profile, sugar. Date or no, we at the Quilt Guild have our hearts set on you being Mr. Scallywag this year. Would you be amenable to a shirt-off photo shoot? Or no, I can do better. A tight T-shirt spritzed in the front with enough water to show off all those washboard muscles. Why it’s enough to inspire me to do laundry.”
“Maybe some other time.” Rhett’s tone saidwhen pigs fly. “Hey, man, can you watch my dogs tonight?”
“Sure thing.”
“Rhett Valentine, you’re up to something aren’t you?” Miss Ida May butted in. “Might as well come clean, sugar. You can run, but you can’t hide. It’s my mission in life to see you two fine boys properly paired off.”
“If there’s no smoke, don’t go starting fires,” Rhett replied blandly. “Sorry to be disturbing you at work, mayor.” He clicked off the phone and shoved it in his back pocket before smoothing a hand over his tight jaw.
That wasn’t anyone’s business but his own and Pepper’s. No one else had any part. They might dare to differ.
He wanted Pepper for more than a fling. But what sort of date would knock the strappy sandals right off her feet?
