Page 28 of A Farmer’s Guide To Gamers

“You didn’t?” I asked, utterly confused. “Then who would have?”

Dean carefully placed the gaudy arrangement on a nearby table and I picked through it looking for a card.

Finally, I found one tucked in the middle. I plucked it out and read over the words, the confusion turning into shock, then uncertainty.

Nothing like getting flowers from your old hookup in front of a potential new pack.

“Tillie?” My name had me glancing up as all four of my dates stood nearby.

“It’s from a guy I was seeing on and off. It was never serious, just casual, but I didn’t respond to his last message because I didn’t want to. You were in the picture and to be frank, I stopped responding last month. Things started to feel uneven, like he wanted more, and I didn’t.”

“What does it say?” Kai asked, as blunt as ever.

“Kai,” Aiden groaned. “This is date number one, can you try to keep it together? She doesn’t owe us answers.”

Kai shrugged, stroking the cat cautiously as he looked right at me. “So, sue me. I’m curious and if she’s willing to share there’s no harm in asking. I’m not pushing.”

I honestly appreciated that he spoke what was on his mind. No guessing games.

“It says ‘Dear Tillie, I’ve been thinking about you lately and would love to see you again. Our last date was too long ago and my pillow no longer smells like you.”

Bile rose in my throat at the implications but I wasn’t about to hide it. I had a life before them and I wasn’t going to hide anything from them.

Jonathan was fine for a night, but the last date felt a bit too intense. If not for the shots I probably would have never even gone to his bed.

The fact I ignored his text so he went this route only solidified that it was the right choice to make a clean break.

Now I just needed to respond to his text and tell him as much.

I was almost afraid to check their reactions, since not one of the guys said a word.

Taking a deep breath I looked up to find Jack and Kai nodding while Aiden and Dean were watching me closely. A hint of possessiveness filled Dean’s face before he managed to push it down.

“You didn’t mention the guy’s name.”

“Dean!” Jack reprimanded him, sounding shocked. “That’s not our business.”

“Look, I think everyone here has a past of some sort and we don’t need details. You said it’s over with, then it’s over,” Kai spoke up.

“I’ll message him later and tell him, clearly, that it’s over and I’m not interested in our situationship continuing,” I told them all genuinely. “I’m not interested in him at all like that.”

Dean took a deep breath, apparently, needing to calm down while Kai kept petting Earl who purred into him.

“Let’s not let this ruin dinner,” Aiden broke the remaining tension. “Because I’m too hungry for us to fuck this up with the food from the grill smelling this good.”

“Oh shit! The food!”

I ran over to the grill with Dean not too far behind.

The others started talking behind us as a tense silence built between Dean and myself as we checked the food. Thankfully, nothing had burned before we got here.

“Just tell me this,” Dean asked, his deep voice quiet so this was just between him and I. “Is it anyone I know?”

I swallowed hard, “No.”

“Good.”

For some reason that comment had me losing it. My laughter was loud and bright, almost a release as if I couldn’t hold onto the tension a second longer.