The kind of person people naturally trusted without thinking too hard about it, the kind of person people would believe.
Or maybe I'd already been noticing him more than I should have long before any of this started. I didn't let myself stay with that thought for long.
Either way, I'd asked, and Dane had agreed so quickly it had almost thrown me.
Janine certainly thought it was suspicious. After I'd told her what happened, she'd insisted there was only one plausible explanation. He'd panicked and said yes without thinking.
I thought the same, which was why I'd assumed he'd texted me, that he'd finally come to his senses.
Dane took another sip of his coffee. A few small birds hopped around an empty table nearby, pecking at crumbs someone had left behind.
He watched them for a moment before looking back at me, and for some reason, that made my stomach tighten.
Because whatever he was about to say, it was obvious he'd finally given this some thought.
Dane leaned back in his chair and looked at me like I'd just spent ten minutes explaining something painfully obvious.
“Seth, I understand everything you're saying.” He started counting points off on his fingers. "Three days. Out of town. Fancy wedding. Lots of people. Pretending to be your boyfriend."
I winced at hearing it summarized so neatly.
Dane simply shrugged. "I really don't mind it.”
"You don't?"
“No.”
I stared at him. He stared right back.
Then he added, "And unless you've got a secret list of backup boyfriends somewhere, isn't the wedding only a few weeks away?"
"...Yes."
"Then I'd say your options are probably limited." That stupid smile appeared again.
Dane leaned back even farther, hands hooked behind his head as he stretched out his legs beneath the table.
"Besides, you offered to cover everything."
"I did.”
“Travel, food. And if we end up driving, gas.”
“Yes, Dane.”
“Sounds like a pretty good deal,” he nodded thoughtfully. “You also offered free drinks at your café.”
“Oh my God.”
Dane lifted his cup in a small toast. “And I never say no to free drinks.”
I groaned. The worst part was how relaxed he looked while saying it. The afternoon sun caught the side of his face, turning his skin warm gold.
His shirt collar sat open at the throat, and when he shifted in his chair, the fabric stretched slightly across his chest.
I looked away on instinct. Then, against my better judgment, looked right back, which was a mistake.
Dane was annoyingly good-looking and unfairly easy to look at. Someone who could smile and somehow convince everyone around him to smile too.
