Mark and Greg have been with their wives since they were in high school. Casie died when Lennox was five, and Dennis’s wife left him out of the blue a few years ago, saying she no longer loved him and needed a different life than this small town.
“Is she a good person?” Greg asks. “You need a nice woman.”
“So far she is. But it’s still early,” Dennis says. “What about you?” Dennis nods at me and I stare back at him.
“What about me?”
“You interested in anybody?”
I pop a piece of steak into my mouth to give myself a chance to think about an answer.
Am I seeing anyone? No.
Do I want to be seeing someone? Yes.
Is there a potential someone? Maybe.
But I can’t tell any of them this. Because Greg would serve my head on a platter if he knew I had any interest in his daughter.
If he found out I kissed her, he’d castrate me.
“No.”
“You can’t give any more detail than that?” Mark asks. “Justno?”
I shrug, knife and fork in hand. “What else am I supposed to say? The ranch takes up the majority of my day. It’s not like I have time to meet anyone. And if I do, it’s a guest, and that’s a line I won’t cross.”
“Give him a break,” Greg says, sipping his beer. “Not everyone needs someone. Besides, he’s a womanizer. Can’t tie him down.”
I roll my eyes at him. If he wants to think that, he can go right ahead. But that’s as far from who I am as possible. I haven’t been a womanizer in at least a decade. Sure, I had my fair share of woman to try and soothe the sting of being alone, but it hasn’t been like that in a long time.
Now, only one woman has captured my eye. The very last person I need to be thinking about.
“Although I am hoping Joey finds a nice guy.”
“What?” I choke over the gulp of beer I just downed.
“She doesn’t have it easy being on her own and raising that little hellion.”
“That’s why she has you.” I tip my beer toward him.
“If only she could find a nice guy her age,” he says.
“Maybe Sam could date her,” Mark snickers.
“What?” My gaze snaps to his as Greg flips him off.
“Really? Not going to happen. Sam is not appropriate for her.”
“Ouch,” Dennis says. “Good to know what he thinks of you.”
I flip him off this time.
“Relax.” Greg claps me on the shoulder. “Sam knows I love him. But he’s too old for Joey. She needs someone her age to take care of her.”
This is not the discussion I was planning on having tonight. Talking about work is always easy, but my dating life is dangerous. I don’t want my face giving away how much I want Joey.
As far as these guys are concerned, for the past few years, I’ve had no love life. It’s not an outright lie. But it’s better than telling them I’m interested in my best friend’s daughter.
