Page 18 of Dark Horse

“I can’t tell the girls. I can’t tell anyone. It’s…” I look out the big picture window to see a pair of couples walking by. “It’s embarrassing and awkward.”

“But?”

“But I need perspective.”

“All right. Then I’m here. Spill.” She insists.

“Okay. I’m sparing details about the whos and the hows in order to simplify this and keep you out of the mud.”

She nods and sips her drink while she lets me continue.

“Say someone needed extra money, and instead of joking about that whole selling pictures of their feet thing, they actually did it.” I look up at her to check her reaction, but she’s unmoved, simply waiting for me to continue. “And then one ofthe people who saw those pictures of her cute feet decided that he wanted to be the only one seeing them.”

“A subscriber who wants to date you?” She tilts her head and drops the pretense of this being about my friend. She knows me too well. Well enough to know I’d be exactly the friend who would try something like this for shits and giggles.

“Not date me but be an exclusive subscriber. I’d still be selling pictures of my feet, but he’d be the only one buying them.”

“But he’d make up for the lost revenue?” She’s all business while she considers this.

“Yes, and then some.”

“Is he a creep?” Her brow arches up in concern.

“No. He’s… Well, he’s not boyfriend material or anything like that, but he’s not a creep.”

“Not going to cause you any sort of trouble or harm?”

“Not in the way you’re thinking.”

“But there’s a problem.” She looks at me thoughtfully, tearing off a piece of croissant and taking a nibble.

“I know him outside the subscription website.” I run my finger over the edge of my nail as I explain.

“A regular at the bar?” Her brow creases.

“Yes.” It was technically true, and I was running with it.

“Okay… so you’re worried he’ll say something to other people you know?”

“No. I don’t think he would. It wouldn’t do him any good to do that.”

“Is he married?” She looks up from her glass, and her eyebrow climbs a little higher.

“No. Nothing like that just… if you were selling pictures of your feet and a guy who came into the bakery every day was suddenly the only one buying them. But then he was still coming into the bakery, getting his bread and muffins. Wouldn’t that be weird for you?”

“I suppose it would be an odd arrangement, but if he’s not creepy and not married or anything. I don’t see the problem.” She shrugs but then blinks and gives me a curious look. “Unless I liked him as something more than a customer.”

“I…” Don’t know about the word like. I’d had a crush on Grant when I was younger. The same way every other girl in this town grew up having a crush on at least one of the Stockton brothers. But the older I got and the more we clashed, the less it was a crush and more of a complication. A weird echo of a feeling that I couldn’t put words to.

“Let me guess. It’s complicated.” She knows me well.

“Something like that.”

“Wait… is he hot?” She pauses mid-sip to ask the question.

“Yes. Very.” That’s one I can be honest in answering because it’s ridiculous to lie about, even if I do hate him most of the time. She grins brightly, and I feel like she’s about to do a little dance on my behalf.

“Dakota!! Oh my god. Okay then. I don’t get it—what’s the problem, or I mean… what’s your question that has you worried?”

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