“You didn’t say anything more about the fiancé?”
“Not really. Things got kind of sidetracked when I noticed a promise ring she was wearing on her wedding finger, by the way, from Trevor, who happens to be a guy I liked back in high school.”
“This is like a movie,” Burke said.
“Right? Who ever said small town life is boring?”
They were pulling into the crowded parking lot already. “If I ever said it, I officially take it back now.”
Another small laugh snuck up her throat as she shook her head. “I can’t believe how good it feels to talk to someone about this,” she said.
Burke shut off the car engine and angled toward her in the seat. “I can’t believe how good it feels to know there’s not a fiancé. Well, besidesme, that is.” He narrowed his gaze then, shooting her a smoldering look while lifting one brow.
Justine felt the tingly heat from that flirtatious look clear down to her toes. She’d almost forgotten that he’d volunteered to play the role. Long enough to satisfy Gramps, anyway.
Burke’s hand moved to the door latch, but rather than open it and let himself out, he glanced back at her over his shoulder once more.
“If you wanted me to go to the other stuff, I would…if it would help.”
Her eyes went wide. “What other stuff?”
“Your festival. Wilfred said you helped plan it, right?”
Justine forced herself to nod that she had, in fact, helped plan the upcoming events. “It’s part of my job.”
“So if you’d like me to come to the other events, you know, to show your granddad that I care,andto quiet the mean girl for a while…I could.”
“You could? You would?”
He shrugged. “I’m kind of laying low for a while. And I’ll be here anyway.”
A sense of satisfaction swept through her as she considered showing up to the Piney Falls autumn festival with Burke on her arm. Brittany and the rest of her crew would freak out. But just as the lure of temptation nearly fastened its grip on her, Justine’s rational side rushed to the rescue.
“No,” she said with the shake of her head. “I couldn’t ask you to do that. We’ll just say you’re planning on coming, but then you can get called out on an emergency or something. Like your mom got sick.”
Burke held her gaze for a blink before nodding. “Right.” He opened his door and stepped out. Silence took over after his door closed, and soon he was prying hers open. He extended a hand toward her.
This really was a date, wasn’t it? He’d said it was his treat, he’d picked her up at her place, and he was opening doors for her.
“Thank you,” she said while taking his hand.
A small beep sounded as Burke locked up the door with the key fob. He offered his elbow after tucking the keys into his pocket, and Justine looped a hand around the bend in his muscled arm. She couldn’t help but notice how easy it felt to do that with him. And it came with the added bonus of the heavenly scent of his cologne.
Justine caught herself leaning into him as they walked, inhaling an extra dose of the masculine, woodsy scent.
Bright light beamed from every window of the two-story Steakhouse. The stars danced above it in the night sky, echoing the yellow glow.
“We’d have to come up with a different excuse,” Burke said, breaking into the sounds of chirping crickets.
It took Justine a moment to recall what they’d been talking about in the car. “What was that?”
“My mother died over a year ago. If we’re going to make up an excuse, we may as well keep it work related.”
“Oh. I’m so sorry about your mom. That’s awful.”
“It was cancer,” he said. “And yes, awful is right.”
She wanted to ask more about him. Where his family was from. Why he was in Piney Falls. Where the rest of his family lived. She looked forward to doing so over dinner.
