Page 7 of Kept By The Mountain Man

“And where did we go on our first date?”

He pauses, then answers with surprising certainty. “The steakhouse over in Dillon. MacArthur’s. They have pumpkin soufflé and garlic mashed potatoes.”

I blink. “My favorite.”

“I know.” His voice is quieter, almost too soft, and I find myself staring at him, wondering how much he really notices about me.

“That should be enough to start,” I say, my voice a little shaky. “If anything else comes up, just try to stick as close to the truth as possible.”

“Got it.” He gives me a nod, and I finish my sandwich, tossing the wrapper.

“Thanks for lunch.”

“Anytime.”

We lock eyes again, and for a second, everything else fades. There’s something between us, something unspoken, but it lingers in the air, thick and electric. I can’t name it, but I can feel it, and it sends a strange thrill through me.

Maybe, just maybe, this fake relationship might not be so fake after all.

As I turn and head back to my desk, I can’t help but wonder what I’ve gotten myself into.

FOUR

Hendrix

I feel completelyout of my depth as I pull up in front of Evie’s rundown apartment building. Every time I drive by this place, anger flares up inside me. This is no place for her to live—not in this part of town, with peeling paint and broken windows. She deserves better than this.She deserves the best.

My jaw tightens as I park next to her beat-up old car. I don’t know how much longer that thing will hold up. I glance at the building again, my fists clenching at my sides. Evie is too good, too kind-hearted to be living somewhere like this.

I’m about to head inside when the door creaks open, and there she is, walking out of the building like a breath of fresh air in the midst of all this decay. She freezes when she sees me, her big eyes wide with surprise.

“Did something happen?” she asks, hurrying toward me, concern flashing across her face.

“What? No, why?” I ask, frowning.

“Well… why would you be here otherwise?” She looks genuinely puzzled, and it takes me a second to realize why. In her mind, we’re still playing pretend.

“We’re dating,” I say simply, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Her frown deepens.

“So? You’re going to come pick me up for work every day now? Don’t you think that’s a bit much?”

“You’re my girl. Isn’t this what boyfriends do?” I tilt my head, watching her closely. Her cheeks flush, and she seems to be mulling over my words.

“I… I don’t know. I’ve never had a boyfriend before,” she admits, her voice soft and almost hesitant. There’s something vulnerable about her in this moment that tugs at my heart.

I swallow hard. “I’ve never had a girlfriend before either,” I admit, the words surprising even me. “But I wanted to pick you up.”

Her eyes search my face for a moment, and then she nods, rocking back slightly as if the statement knocked her off balance. “Okay,” she says finally.

Relief floods me, and I nod in return. Without another word, I turn and lead her to my car. I open the passenger door for her, and my hand finds her hip as I help her up into the seat. Her breath catches, and her face turns pink again.

“Thanks,” she mumbles, her voice barely above a whisper. There’s something in her expression that makes my chest tighten. I give her a short nod before closing her door and heading around to the driver’s side.

As I start the car, I glance over at her. “Have you had breakfast?” I ask, not convinced by the small, tense smile she’s wearing.

“Yeah,” she says, but her tone doesn’t sound convincing.

“Yeah? What did you eat?”

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