Page 29 of Faking It With the Grumpy Single Dad

Either that, or I’m hearing things.

Up at the cottage, Joe and his staff are tearing down my staircase. I was nervous when he arrived this morning, worried that he might tell me he wants to call it off and take everything back, but he just smiled softly at me and offered me a simplegood morning, Poppy.

In the sand, my phone buzzes to life with another text. I pick it up, thinking it’s Sabrina, only to see the cockroach emoji front and center.

Yesterday, a mere twenty minutes after I posted the picture, Percy reached out. I knew he would.

Nice pic, he had written.You posted that right after I left, didn't you? Trying to make me jealous, Pop?

I didn’t respond.

Now, he’s sent a follow-up.

Are you free tomorrow night? Come to dinner with me. I made reservations at a restaurant in Dennis Port.

He made reservations before even confirming that I actually want to share a meal with him. Typical.

I’m tempted to ignore him again, but I know that I need to follow the plan I came up with yesterday if I’m going to get rid of Percy once and for all.

Can’t. I already have plans with Joe,I text back.

Percy’s response comes so quickly that I wonder if he was waiting for my reply with his thumbs eagerly hovering over the keyboard.

Bring him with you. I’d like to get to know the lucky guy who’s trying to steal your heart.

“Ew,” I mutter out loud.

You want to third-wheel our date night?I reply.

Once again, his answer comes in rapidly.I’ll take any chance to spend time with you, babe.

“Ugh.”

Fine,I write back.Text me the details.

See you tomorrow, beautiful. Xoxo.

With a resigned sigh, I stand up and brush off the sand sticking to my thighs. I make my way up the beach and then head inside in search of Joe.

I find him outside in the driveway, hauling a massive ladder out of his truck. One of his guys is rummaging around in a van at the end of the driveway, but we’re otherwise alone.

“Hey,” I greet him, feeling a little awkward. Which is weird for me. I’m never awkward.

With a grunt, Joe sets the feet of the ladder down in the grass and holds it up with one hand. It looks heavy, but he handles it like it’s made of feathers.

I’m trying really hard not to openly admire his biceps.

“Hi,” he replies. “What’s up?”

“Um, well… are you free tomorrow night?”

The ladder makes a dullclunkas he stiffens in surprise. “Tomorrow? After work, you mean? I’m not sure. Why?”

“I need you to go to dinner with me.”

“You… what?”

I fidget with one of my bracelets. “Percy invited me to dinner, so I told him that I already had plans with you, and then he told me to just bring you along, and I figured it was a good opportunity to show him how smitten we are with each other. Fake smitten, that is.”

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