I held his gaze, considering his question.
Nick was hot. There was a very real part of me that wondered what it would be like to share Evie.
“I think we could be friends,” I finally said.
“Well, friends help friends. So buy this.” He took a bottle off the shelf and tucked it in my grocery basket. “Go get some fruit you can feed her. And thank me later.”
“By wining and dining you next?”
Nick smirked. “Maybe. Did . . . I’m assuming she mentioned me.”
“She did.”
He sucked in a breath. “Okay, well that’s good.”
It wasn’t as bad as I worried it could be. There was that. “Do you have any family or friends in town?” I asked.
Nick pressed his lips together as he became unreadable. “Not really. I wasn’t exactly loved in high school. I was a troublemaker.”
“Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me. I have some friends here,” I said. “But I know what it’s like to be alone in a small town. Do you want my number?”
“Is this just an excuse to see my cat?”
“Obviously.” I handed him my phone. “Also, in case my date goes completely wrong tonight, I’ll need someone to blame.”
“I’m good at that.” He tapped in his number and I snorted when I saw he put his name asLucky’s Father.“I’ll see you around, Matthew.”
“See you.” My cheeks burned as he pushed his cart away, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he went.
No wonder Evie liked him.
And no wonder Austin hated him.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Evie
The one-night stand with Nick ruined me.
It wasn’t the most romantic date I’d ever been on. We’d been at a road stop food truck and he chased off a bad date. But we clicked in a way that was impossible to explain. The sex had been perfect. I’d never been with someone who wasn’t slightly intimidated by me, and it’d been refreshing.
But then I ran away. After four orgasms, I’d snuggled in his arms, then laid awake wondering if I’d made a mistake. Wondering if I’d ruined my chances of going on a good date again, because I didn’t think Nick would ever come to Whynot. And why would he?
I couldn’t leave my bakery, and I couldn’t ask him to give up his plans just because we had one magical night.
So I left.
Since then, the idea of even trying to date someone else just didn't work for me. Didn’t excite me. I had a thousand failed dates, then thebestdate of my life.
Over the last two months, I dreamed countless times that he would show up on my doorstep, like I was a princess and he was a prince, and we’d run off together.
But now I was going on a date with Matthew.
And somehow going on a date with him felt just as right as the night with Nick.
I put the last curl in my hair, turned off the iron, and looked myself over in the mirror. Sleeveless sundress, sandals with a little bit of a heel, a red lip, and brown smoky eyes. Not over the top, smoky but subtle and sexy. Even with the ghastly burn on my arm and the dressing around it, I felt hot.
I wasn't sure where we were going tonight, so there was a very real chance I’d be overdressed. But I didn’t care. I loved dresses. I probably owned too many—I had a closet and a half full of them. And you know what? I'd yet to have an occasion where I didn't have a dress that worked. Plus, there were worse ways to spend money.
