“Fine, don’t believe me.See if I care.”Sam stands.“I have about four horses to ride before my afternoon tour, so I’ll be going.”She turns back just before she walks through the door.“But I bet he’s the jock, and if he is, all you have to do is look pretty and be nice.”She winks.“Good luck, and text me if you need me to call with a fake emergency.I’m great at pretending to pull a hamstring.”
I’m pretty sure Natalie’s right—humans are more nuanced than Samantha’s making them out to be—but I appreciate that Sam wants to help.Having brothers gives her a unique perspective, and maybe something she said will help.Stereotypes exist for a reason, and while assumptions can be dangerous, they can also help us predict behavior in patterns that our brains can recognize.She’s right about me needing to take my cues from Jack and how he behaves around his friends.
But none of that helps me decide what to wear.
After trying on and then discarding three outfits, I finally settle on a plain navy sheath dress with conservative matching heels that have little buckles to make them a little more fun.
It’s boring, but maybe that’s fine.
I am a little boring, when you get down to it.I have three kids.I run a hotel with my friends.I live with my former mother-in-law.I’m certainly not a hot party girl so acting like one won’t help win anyone over.I snap a photo and text it to Jack.
Sorry.
“For what?”“Looking hotter than anyone else effortlessly?”
Somehow, he always says the right thing.
Yes, that’s what I’m apologizing for.
Then you nailed it.
When he shows up to pick me up five minutes later, he’s wearing dark jeans and a chunky-knit pullover sweater, which here they call a jumper.
“You didn’t wait for my photo to get dressed,” I say as I wave to Bryce and close the door.“You didn’t have enough time.”
Jack doesn’t come around to open the door, but he climbs out and watches as I walk to the car.“I know you well enough that I didn’t have to wait.”He’s ridiculously hot when he shrugs, even if he’s saying I’m so boring that he knew a pair of jeans and a sweater would match without a photo.
We’ve just left our long driveway, turning onto the main road, when Jack slides his hand over mine.
“What?”I snap my head toward his.
“Your hand was going to tap a hole in the console,” he says.“You don’t need to worry.This is going to be fun, and if it’s not, I pick you, not them.”
“What?”
He’s smiling when he says, “I’ll cut them off so fast, I’ll get a speed citation.”
He’s not going to dump his friends for me.That’s ridiculous.I know it is.But somehow, hearing him say that, well, again, it’s just what I needed to hear.“Stop.”
“I mean it.I need to see you every day.These guys?I can barely stand them already.”The way his lip’s twitching tells me that’s a joke, but it’s a kind one.
“Well, I’m the opposite.If my friends hate you, you’re out.”
“Well, that’s just rude.”He drops my hand.“You couldn’t lie to me?”
“I’m too old for lying.”I smile.
“You aren’t close to old.”He sighs.“But I knew that about you the moment we met.You three ladies were clearly thick as thieves, even then.Don’t worry.I’ve been preparing to wow them.”He clears his throat.“How’s this?Sam likes horses more than people, and she’s sassy.She stands up for you, and as long as I’m good to you, she won’t eviscerate me.Natalie’s the one who runs everything, even though she seems nicer at first.If she doesn’t like me, she’ll just schedule me out of your life, but I can win her over with baked goods and jam, as long as they’re really delicious.”
“She can eat her own weight in crumpets.”
“We don’t really like those here, but I’ll forgive her British tastes.You can’t all be perfect.”Jack parks the car and kills the engine.“And now, it’s go time.”
I was feeling pretty good, but now my stomach ties in another knot.
When we walk into the restaurant, they usher us through the dining room and into the Blue Garden so fast that there’s no time to fret.Everyone’s already here, crammed around a blue picnic table in the corner.
“Jack.”A tall man stands.
