Page 69 of About That Night

“Everyone has seeing you two all around town hanging out,” George says.

“That doesn’t mean we’re together. We’re friends.” No one is getting it. I can’t say I blame them. At this point, I don’t really get it either.

“How exactly did you wind up besties with Chastity DuBois, but you’re not dating her?” George asks. “Fill me in on this. I can’t wait to hear it.”

“Well. She wanted to practice dating because she’s never had a chance to do all that, what with being a single mom and all. So she asked me to show her the ropes.”

“But then why are y’all acting like it’s real?” Toby asks slowly. “I heard you tell Ricky earlier today that if he looks at Chastity’s chest one more time, you’ll lay him out.”

The memory makes me hot. “Because Ricky is a weasel. He’s aiming way too high with Chastity. She’s totally out of his league. We’re not acting like it's real, so much as we’re not telling people anything one way or the other. We’re not outright lying. We like spending time together. I guess people can reach their own conclusions.”

“I think everyone here today concluded y’all are a couple,” Conway says.

That makes me stupid happy.

“I still don’t get any of it,” Toby says.

Toby obviously isn’t grasping the concept, and repeating it out loud, it’s easy to see why. It’s a brain-teaser on the daily for myself. “I guess people would think it was strange to fake date.”

“It is,” George says.

I ignore that. “If folks think we’re dating, other men will figure she’s a good catch. I’m not exactly known around here for settling down, so if it appears like she’s settling me, she must have a whole lot of something. Which she does. But now I hate that other men want to date her.”

Conway shakes his head. “I told you this was going to get messy. You’re monopolizing her time. When is she possibly going to date other men?”

My brothers are all eyeing me like I’ve lost my mind. “But…” Toby trails off, trying to gather his thoughts. “You’re not settling down, though, so what does she have? Besides a waste of her time?”

That shocks me into silence. “I don’t want that.” Nor do I want her to actually move on from me.

“Are you all fooling around?” George asks.

“No, of course not.” Much to my increasing frustration. “Because it’s not dating. We’re just friends.”

“Let me get this straight,” George says. “You have to act like her boyfriend, taking her all around town, you’re cutting her grass, cooking for her, but you don’t get to touch her?”

When you put it that way…

“I don’t have to do anything. Like I’ve said multiple times—we’re friends. I want to do all of those things for her. She’s had a really hard time, and I like helping her out.”

My brothers start laughing.

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” George says, pointing his cigar at me.

I have to agree, it isn’t the smartest thing ever, but I have certainly heard stupider shit. Probably. “Hey. Like I said, I want to do this. I like spending time with her.”

They’re not helping me at all. I want advice, not three guys harassing me.

“If you think you can fight it, you’re a damn fool,” Conway says.

“Fight what?”

Toby’s shaking his head and grinning. “I’ll give her credit, she’s obviously brilliant. She’s got you snowed.”

That makes me angry. “Don’t talk about her like that. She’s not conning me. She’s the sweetest, most selfless woman I’ve ever met. She’s done everything by herself for years, and it’s about damn time someone helped her. She has a heart of gold, and everyone around here has treated her poorly, and it’s bullshit. Straight-up bullshit.”

I want to crack their heads together for even suggesting Chastity has some kind of ulterior motive.

“Oh, man,” Toby says, and he eyes me like he feels sorry for me.

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