Page 40 of From Rivals to I Do

“Darla,” I reply.

“Man, I told you, she’s crazy,” Mitch says with a groan. “It’s just a coincidence. He didn’t even say anything about her or know that she was here ‘til you said something.”

“I don’t think she is”,” I reply. “Maybe you’re just too close to him to see it, but he’s obviously scaring the crap out of her.”

“Or maybe you’re too infatuated with her to see her for who she really is,” Mitch snips back, and I heave a heavy sigh.

“No, I don’t think so,” I reply. “It’s just too much of a coincidence for him to be here. Especially after what he said to her.”

“And what was that?” Mitch asks.

“That if she turned him away, she’d regret it,” I say, and Mitch shakes his head and groans.

“He could have said that out of anger,” Mitch agrees finally. “I could see that.”

“So, let me go over there and set the guy straight!”

“Eli, calm down,” Mitch says. “Listen, there’s no need to start a fight. I’ll talk to him for you.”

“Really?” I ask.

“It’s better than making a scene at the bar, isn’t it?” Mitch replies, and I have to admit, he’s probably right—even if I do want to punch him in his ugly little pointed nose and teach him a lesson.

“I suppose,” I say. “But make sure he knows that if he doesn’t leave Darla alone, next time I won’t just let you handle it.”

“Ten-four good buddy,” Mitch says as he pats my shoulder. “Now, go find her and figure out how to salvage the night, alright?”

“Yeah, you know what, I think I will,” I say with a nod. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Mitch says as he tips his hat. “We are basically kin now, I got to have your back,” he says and heads back to the bar, returning to his seat next to Joseph.

Confident that Mitch has it handled, I head back outside and find Darla still sitting in her car. She looks terrified, and she scrambles out of the car and begins to look me over as soon as I get to her.

“Are you okay?”

“Right as rain,” I say. “My ranch hand, Mitch, he’s in there. He’s actually talking to him right now.”

“Oh boy,” Darla says, sounding a bit panicked.

“It’s okay, we got your back, Darla,” I reply.

“I really appreciate it,” Darla says with a sniffle as she wipes gently at her eyes. “Thank you for sticking up for me.”

“Of course,” I reply, but her face is still affixed with a frown. “You know. . . why don’t we take this date somewhere else.”

“Like where?” she asks.

“Do you like bowling?”

“Actually, I do,” she says with a nod as her smile returns to her face, warming my heart.

“Well then, I know a place if you want to hop in my truck,” I say, and she nods as she grabs my hand, squeezing it tightly as I lead her to it. As we drive, one of my hands in hers, I feel this sense of exhilaration I haven’t felt in a long time. I really am falling hard for her, and I’d keep doing anything to see her smile.

***

After the hiccup at Moonshine and Music, I’m surprised that he would want to continue the date at all. Another man may have ended the night after all the drama, but not Eli. He’s a different breed. A real man.

When we walk into the bowling alley, it’s honestly a lot nicer than I expected. And since it was later in the night, the whole place was lit up with black lights, and anything close by glowed neon everywhere you looked.

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