Page 90 of Blindly Yours

I furrow my brow at a small slice of carrot. Who is he to think he knows what kind of grace I have to give? Because even if I do, he doesn’t deserve any of it.

“I want to start over with you, Rose.” He reaches his hand across the table like he wants to take mine, but I pull it back.

“I’m seeing someone,” I blurt out quickly.

He retracts his hand slowly. “You are?”

I finally meet his gaze again and nod.

The gentleness in his expression vanishes as irritated confusion replaces it. “Who?”

“It doesn’t matter.” I sit perfectly still, carefully gauging his reaction.

He feigns indifference and straightens his lapels with raised brows. “Do I know him?”

I recall the day they met briefly right here in this office, but that hardly matters. “No.”

He presses his lips together and eyes me closely. “Is it serious?”

My mind travels to the moment just days ago when Nate asked me to be his girlfriend. We have a label, so yes, this is serious. And I suddenly realize if I take a bite, I’m going to have to tell Nate I agreed to lunch with Malcolm today, which might just ruin our weekend at his cabin. And that’s the last thing I want because I’m pretty sure we’re about to make things even more serious.

So, that’s when I decide I need to stop this lunch before it continues. I should have never sat down in the first place.

I press my hands to the table and rise with a deep breath. “That’ll be all, Malcolm,” I say, like he’s a client who I’ve just finished a meeting with. “Thank you for lunch, but I have work to do.”

He doesn’t move. He just nods and raises his brows. “Wow.”

I step back from my desk and gesture toward the door.

Malcolm chews on his lip and stands slowly. “Do your parents know?”

“Please leave me to get my work done,” I reply simply.

He actually has the audacity to laugh. “Ah, got it.Well, don’t worry. I won’t tattle.” He winks at me. “Give me a call once you’ve gotten that out of your system and you’re ready for a real man again.”

A real man.

I almost laugh in return, because he has no idea how ironic he is.

“Have a good afternoon.” I lift my chin.

He leaves his half-eaten soup on the table and retreats to the door as he glances at me one last time. “Have a little fun, Rose. You deserve it. I’ll wait.”

“Goodbye, Malcolm,” I reply firmly.

TWENTY

Nate

On Friday afternoon, I head into the city to deposit a handful of client payments at the bank. Usually, it’s all done online, but since I’m coming into town to pick up Rose anyway, I figure I should stop in. Call me old fashioned, but sometimes it’s nice to have some facetime with someone at the company that’s guarding my hard-earned finances. Rose probably understands completely.

The building is right in the heart of downtown, and it’s bustling with businessmen and women filtering quickly in and out. After I make the deposits and move some funds around, I find my way back through the lobby toward the front doors, but I stop abruptly when I see Rod Nelson exiting one of the offices holding a folder printed with the bank’s logo.

“Rod!” I wave as he spots me too. “I didn’t know you banked here.”

Rod shakes his head, looking a little solemn as he straightens his plaid collared shirt. “No, I’m with a local place back in Silver Creek.” He peers at me and presses his lips firmly together, then he grabs my shirt sleeve and pulls me to the side. “I’m taking out a loan. Couldn’t get one back home.”

I tilt my head. “Do you and Mary need—”

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