“Thanks, boss.” I chug my coffee, now that it’s cooled, then place my mug in the sink. “I’m off to finish a greenhouse,” I say it just as Jackson is walking in and notice his eyes light up.
“Oh yeah? Did Serial-killer Hottie decide he’ll let you bring me along yet?”
Oakley snorts a laugh. “Serial-killer Hottie.”
Is Dakota hot?I think about his sweet but still only really a half smile and his high cheekbones. His dark unruly hair and full lips...
Hmm . . . maybe he is.
“Wait.” I turn to look at Oakley, who’s for sure intrigued now that his brain has caught up. “You didn’t tell us he was hot.”
My cheeks flush just slightly as I look over at Jackson. “I don’t think I ever said he was hot.”
He just shrugs. “Good-looking. Hot. Same thing.”
Travis and Oakley are for sure locked in on this conversation now. Their curiosities heightened as they look at me expectantly. Oakley is grinning from ear to ear. “You switching teams?”
“Are there really teams?” I ask, not really annoyed but uncomfortable with the conversation. I meant what I said to Dakota yesterday. These are my best friends in the world, and I don’t have any problem at all with them being gay, bi, pan, or anything else. But when it comes to talking about me?
I don’t know. I always just assumed I was straight. Married to a woman at a young age. Never cheated on her. Never interested romantically in anyone else. I had no reason to question it.
But Dakota... Yeah, he seems to make me question a whole lot.
“Yes,” Oakley answers my question at the same time his husband answers the opposite.
“No.”
Jackson laughs at them and slaps a hand on my shoulder. “Welcome to the team.”
I shake my head and snort. “I have no idea what you people are talking about. I’m heading to work.”
“Suuuure,” Oakley taunts.
I ignore it and look at Jackson. “And no, Dakota doesn’t want anyone else there. And stop calling him Serial-killer Hottie.”
I can still hear the laughter behind me as I walk out of the shop to the work truck. I know it’s all in good fun, and not one of them would care in the slightest if I did start dating a man—other than some good-natured ribbing, of course. But I don’t know how I feel about it.
Not that Dakota is even interested in me that way. And the fact that he’s a man doesn’t bother me either.
It’s the fact that he’s not my wife. That I still feel married, which is beyond ridiculous since myex-wife is remarried and having a baby. I’m a mess.
Dakota should run far, far away from me.
Thinking about the shy little half smile he gave me when he said he might join me for trivia though... It lights me up inside. Makes me excited at the possibility. Something I haven’t felt for a really, really long time.
Okay, so I hope with all my heart he doesn’t want to run away from me. I think I actually want to see where this could go.
Even if it just leads to a friendship.
I want to find a way to keep Dakota in my life.
11
DAKOTA
He’s here.
I try to ignore that giddy, bubbly feeling in my chest as I watch his truck pull up into the drive. This is ridiculous.
