Ella tried very hard not to laugh.
“If Dalton is your boyfriend, then you go on dates,” Dove said. “Because you’re a grownup.”
“So, you wouldn’t mind if I went on one date with him?” Ella asked, trying to find the thread of what she’d set out to talk about.
“Of course not,” Dove said. “He’s nice to you. He’ll make a good boyfriend.”
“We’ll see,” Ella said. “But let’s not talk about it too much in front of Grandma and Grandpa.”
“Will you get in trouble?” Dove asked quietly.
“No,” Ella said, holding back another laugh. “I just don’t want them thinking too much about it. Dalton and I are just going to go out one time. Mostly we’re friends.”
“That’s the right type of person to pick for a boyfriend,” Dove said, nodding sagely. “A good friend.”
“You know what?” Ella asked.
“What?” Dove said.
“You give pretty good advice for a six-year-old,” Ella said. “Thank you for talking to me about this.”
Dove didn’t reply, but when Ella looked in the rearview mirror, her daughter was looking out the window with a pleased expression on her face.
That went better than expected.
Am I really going on a date?
13
DALTON
Dalton studied himself in the mirror the following evening, and wondered if he passed muster.
After a day of prepping and priming the barn, he’d been a mess until an hour ago. Now, he was showered and wearing the only button-down shirt he owned with a pair of dark jeans, and he’d even managed to get all the paint off his hands.
He didn’t own a jacket or a pair of nice trousers. He only hoped that the nicest restaurant in Trinity Falls didn’t have a dress code, or he’d be thrown out on his ear and his big date would be over before it even began.
It’s a farming town, not Manhattan,he reminded himself. But he would have felt better if he had someone to ask about it.
Suddenly, he remembered the group chat.
Captain Erik Anderson had caught him in town at the farmers market one weekend and taken his number. Thecaptain had started a foundation for returning veterans right here in town, and he wanted Dalton to be part of it.
Dalton hadn’t had the heart to refuse him, even though he knew he wouldn’t be in Trinity Falls for long.
There wasn’t a whole lot of chatter in the group—it was mostly guys who already knew each other finding reasons to get together here and there.
But since most of them were local, surely they would know more about The Village Green.
He pulled his phone from his pocket, opened up the chat, took a deep breath, and then tapped out a message with his thumbs.
anyone know if The Village Green has a dress code?
Instantly, three different icons popped up to show they were typing.
Wolf Cassidy
I’d like to know myself.
