Grant nearly dropped his mug. "How did you?—"
"Mrs. Henderson." Thomas finally looked up, grinning. "She posted seven photos. You two look very cozy."
Grant's face went hot. "It's not—we're just?—"
"Just what?"
"Taking it slow."
Thomas studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Your mom would be thrilled."
Grant's chest tightened. "Yeah. She would."
"Just don't screw it up. She’s a nice girl."
"I won't."
"Good." Thomas went back to his newspaper, and Grant escaped to the barn before his dad could ask any more questions.
He threw himself into work—feeding animals, checking fences, fixing things that didn't need fixing. Anything to keep his mind off Riley and the way her hand had felt in his and the fact that this was all pretend.
Except it hadn't felt pretend last night.
It had felt real.
Too real.
By midday, he'd nearly convinced himself he was fine.
And then Hannah showed up.
She appeared in the barn doorway, arms crossed, wearing a smile that promised trouble. "Grant Lawson."
Grant set down the wrench he was holding. "Hannah."
"We need to talk."
"About?"
"About the fact you're dating my best friend and didn't tell me."
"It's new."
"So everyone keeps saying." Hannah stepped closer, studying him like he was a puzzle she was trying to solve. "You really like her."
It wasn't a question.
Grant's throat went tight. "Yeah. I do."
The lie came easier than it should have. Or maybe it wasn't a lie at all.
"Good. Because if you hurt her, I will personally feed you to your own goats."
"Noted."
"I'm serious, Grant. Riley's been through enough. She doesn't need another heartbreak."
Grant wanted to tell her that he wasn't going to break Riley's heart. That this was all fake. That in two weeks they'd go back to normal and no one would get hurt. Except maybe him.
