Page 190 of Charming Deception

She can’t even hold back her smile at my total confusion. “Go put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I’m taking you out on the town tonight.”

“This town?”

“Yes. Your best friend’s hometown. My hometown.”

“I didn’t bring any jeans.”

“Well, what do you have that’s casual?”

“Uh, I threw some sweats in my bag in case I had a chance to work out. You know… after I rushed in with the cavalry and saved you.”

“Why am I not surprised?” She laughs softly. “So wear those.”

I get to my feet, eying her cotton eyelet dress. It’s cute, white and summery. “Won’t I be underdressed?”

She pats my chest. “Oh, Jameson. You have no idea where you are.”

Chapter 42

Jameson

I drop off my things in Megan’s old bedroom, which is now a guest room/sewing room/junk storage, and get changed as requested.

Then we have dinner with her mom, who is weirdly not much at all like Megan, other than kind, and somehow a lot like Cole. Donna seems delighted to meet me in person, thrilled that I’m engaged to her daughter, and I’m not sure she even cares about my money.

The fact that I’m Cole’s best friend seems to have more currency with her. He must’ve said good things about me.

I’ll have to thank him.

She also doesn’t seem to have a clue about my arrangement with Megan. Which means, presumably, she thinks her daughter really fell in love with me, just like that.

I wonder if Megan told her it was love at first sight.

The entire time we eat, Daisy sits at my feet, staring up at me, like she’s deciding how much she likes me, while I sneak her food. I’m not above trying to win her loyalty with treats.

After dinner, we do the dishes together, me and Megan, while her mom plays Neil Young on her ancient stereo and Megan tells her all about our trip to Europe. Daisy sits at Megan’s feet while still staring at me.

When we say good night to Donna and leave the house, Daisy comes with us, happily trotting along at Megan’s side, on her leash. I follow Megan’s lead as we walk along the sad little roads past the sad little houses, Locke and Rurik trailing behind. The sky is dark and the mosquitos have come out, buzzing around my ears.

How is it dusty and yet muggy in the air at the same time? It’s hot and swampy, claustrophobic, even though the sky above us is wide open. There are no mountains, no massive, ancient green trees.

I already hate it here.

No wonder Cole and Megan left.

“Well, this is it,” Megan announces.

I look around the dreary landscape. It’s flat in every direction. The buildings sag, depressed and starved of funds. I can hear music playing faintly somewhere.

“Uh, what are we talking about?”

“You, Jameson Vance, are in for a real treat.” She waves a hand at some sad commercial buildings that are maybe some kind of storage facility and whatever else. A library? There’s a faded sign with a book on it. “Ta-da! Bet you didn’t know this one-horse town has a bar!”

In the direction she’s indicating, the same direction the faint music seems to be coming from, there’s an old building with a faded old sign that I can’t read in the dark. And a small, harsh spotlight shining over the door. I blink at the side wall, which faces a dumpster. “There’s a painting of Cole on the side of the building.”

“Yes, there is.”

We cross the street, where there’s zero traffic. We’ve seen no one on the short walk here from her mom’s house.

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