Page 90 of Mr. Picture Perfect
“Oh, you’re so much darned sexier than your photo!” she says to him in her deep, syrupy drawl. “Whoever took them photos of you for the paper didn’t do you any justice.”
I frown.
Cole takes a step in front of me, which I realize is a protective gesture. “Thank you for that. But I happen to like the photos.Lovethem, actually. In fact …” He slaps a hand to my shoulder, startling me. “This is the photographer right here, who I think captured me in a far better light than I see myself. He’s also the guy who wrote that awesome article you read.”
Her eyes grow. “Oh, shit, I didn’t mean no offense! I just—”
“None taken,” I mutter quietly.
“I just meant you look so much better in person. You look … You look better inmotion, movin’ around, all in the natural. Shit, I just made it sound worse, didn’t I? Look, I’m not hittin’ on you,” she adds rather suddenly, lifting a hand. “I am well aware you’re exclusively for themenwith no wiggle room. It’s my brother who’s the gay one, actually, my younger brother. He’s been called a hunk before. His ex broke his heart and he swore off love. Rough around the edges in all the best ways. Gets his hands dirty on the land. I think you guys would be sopicture perfecttogether.” She flicks her fingers in the air upon saying those words—picture perfect—to cite the article. “I’ll make sure he’s at the event and puts in top dollar at that big ol’ auction to win a date with you. Just wait. You’ll lose your breath when you see him. You’llchoke, I swear. Is that weird to say about my own brother? I’m a little buzzed.”
Cole parts his lips to speak, doesn’t, then swallows with visible discomfort, appearing at a surprising loss of how to respond.
I realize that my presence might be partially responsible for his paralysis, so I decide to rescue him: “It’s appreciated. The more he bids, the better, ma’am. Every dollar helps out the town.”
Cole peers at me, surprised.
The woman chuckles at me. “Well, if that ain’t the truth,” she says rather spiritedly. “And please, don’t ever call mema’amagain. Every time I’m called that, I get a gray.”
A husky man in a plaid shirt appears from behind her without warning. “What’re you doin’ harrassin’ these young men, Mae?” He slides an arm around her waist and pulls her against him. He’s hairy, but all his hair is on his arms and face, not a strand of it on top of his head. “Leave them alone. They’re obviously together.”
The woman, Mae, nudges him back. “No, they ain’t. Shut it.”
“They are. It’s obvious. Look at ‘em.”
“Ever since you found out about my brother, you thinkeverypair a’ guys in town are a couple. This is Cole, one of the bachelors. You saw the article, too. That means he’s single.”
“No, it don’t.”
Mae shoots him a look. “How ‘bout you just shut it and let me work my magic, babe?” A thought strikes her then. She turns her widened eyes to me and Cole. “You guysaren’tan item, right …?”
I feel Cole’s body tighten up by my side. I watch the emotion swirl across his face like an unforecasted windstorm.
He’s wanting to honor my wishes.
But he’s also not wanting me to feel hurt by denying it.
It’s on me once again to be the voice. Considering everything Cole’s done this evening to put me at ease, it’s the least I can do to return the favor somehow.
I throw a hand onto Cole’s shoulder in an uncharacteristically buddy-like fashion and give him a firm, manly patting. “We’re … just, uh, pals,” I tell them in a voice that’s totally not mine. “I’m whipping his butt at pool. Yep. Whipping itrealgood.”
Cole throws me a stunned look over his shoulder.
I smirk, proud of myself.
Okay, I could’ve probably worked on my delivery a little better.
“Y’see?” Mae barks back at the man, who I presume to be her boyfriend or husband. He squints skeptically at us. “You’re always seein’ things when there ain’t nothin’ to see.”
“Mm-hmm,” he grunts, unconvinced.
“Well, I’ll let you boys get back to your game,” she says. “You are gonnalovemy brother, I’m tellin’ ya. Hey, stop lookin’ at me like that,” she gripes to the man as they walk away together.
Cole and I say nothing for a while, just staring at their backs as they stroll off. Then Cole turns to me and chuckles, belatedly amused by all of it. He seems happy to be alone with me again.
But all I can think about now is some hunky younger brother on a farm somewhere, whose eyes are set on Cole. A hunk who has a wallet full of love dollars, ready to pour it all out to win Cole all to himself.
Mae’s hunky younger brother, my sudden nemesis.
