Page 16 of Bitten By Desire
“You two sit,” Zoey said. “I’ll grab us some drinks. Do you want anything else, Bennett?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks, Zoey.” He kept his eyes trained on me, even though he was speaking to her. Guys didn’t usually look at me like this when Zoey and I were in a room together. Usually their focus was all on her.
He finally dropped my hand and pulled out my chair for me.
Handsome and a proper gentleman?
He sat down across from me. “Zoey tells me you’re only visiting for a couple of weeks. Do you have anything fun planned?”
“Really just hanging out with her. Is there anything in particular I should see while I’m in Crooked Point?”
“Well, the annual Fall Festival is this weekend. They decorate all of Main Street in cobwebs and the park at the end of the road will have pop-up shops and carnival games. Every year there’s one stand that has the world’sbest hot apple cider. Maybe I can buy you a cup of that, since Zoey is buying your coffee?”
That was forward. I thought about how Callum always ran away from me. This guy was sitting here already asking me on another date. “That sounds really fun. Although I should warn you, I’m terrible at carnival games.”
“Well…theyarerigged.”
I laughed. “I think that’s just what people who are bad at them say.”
“Oh, I bet at the end of the night I’ll have won you the biggest stuffed animal on display.”
Okay, this guy was really charming. And it was easy to get lost in his blue eyes. Almost as easy as it was to get lost in Callum’s golden eyes. I tried to shake away the thought, but I couldn’t dismiss it. I always compared everyone to Callum. What was I even doing here? I needed to go find him.
“Here you go,” Zoey said and plopped down next to me. “What are you guys talking about?”
“The Fall Festival,” Bennett said. “I owe Emma a cup of hot apple cider.”
Zoey smiled at me. “Sounds like a date.” She blew on her cup. “Emma, it is seriously the best hot apple cider in the world. You’re in for a real treat.”
“Well, you should come with us,” I said. As charming as Bennett was, I couldn’t go on a date with him. Not when I was in love with Callum. No,obsessedwith Callum.No.Why couldn’t I think of a better word? I thought about the way Callum had just stared at me, with zero ounce of recognition. Why was I so hung up on a guy who didn’t even remember me?
Zoey glared at me.
She just said she wanted some cider too. Was that not what she was asking? Besides, I couldn’t be alone with Bennett. I didn’t want to give him the wrong impression.
“Oh, yeah, of course,” Bennett said. “The more the merrier, Zoey.”
Zoey shook her head, but she smiled at Bennett. “Sounds great. Maybe you can pick us up at 7 on Saturday?”
“Sounds like a plan,” he said. “I was just asking Emma what else the two of you have planned for her vacation.”
“Anything and everything I can think of to get her to move in with me,” Zoey said.
Bennett laughed.
“I really can’t stay,” I said. “You know that.”
“I think I can change your mind,” she said. “I can be very persuasive. I mean…I got you both to show up today.”
Wait, Bennett didn’t want to meet me either? I stared at him. I knew thatIdidn’t want to meethim. But now that it was the other way around I was a little offended.
“I didn’t take that much convincing,” Bennett said.
Zoey laughed. “Oh, please.” She turned to me. “He was convinced you were a troll.”
Bennett spit out the sip he’d just taken. “I did not say that.”
“It was implied by his general refusal to meet you.”
