Page 30 of Keep My Heart
‘Her husband’s been dead for 25 years,’ I say. ‘I think he’d be okay with her dating.’
‘Gertie might be right,’ Sawyer says, going around to the other side of the bar. ‘You’re not getting any younger, Nick. You need to start dating again.’ He leans back against the counter. ‘What’s it been .?.?. like over a year since you’ve been on a date?’
‘It hasn’t been that long. And I have a date tonight, not that it’s any of your business.’
‘Who’s your date?’
‘Me,’ Lyndsay says, smiling as she wraps her arm around mine.
Sawyer looks at me to confirm it, thinking she’s kidding.
‘It’s a practice date,’ I explain. ‘It’s not real. I’m just doing her a favor.’
Sawyer looks confused.
Lyndsay lets go of me and steps up to the bar to talk to Sawyer. ‘I’ve been with Chris for so long that I’m not sure I know how to date. Obviously I know the basics, but it’s been so long since I’ve actually done it that I’m not sure I can anymore without feeling awkward and unsure of myself. So Nick offered to let me practice on him.’
‘How generous of him,’ Sawyer says, glancing at me.
‘I know, right? He was always such a nice guy. Still is.’
The nice guy who never gets the girl, at least not in high school. If Lyndsay likes nice guys, why didn’t she pick me instead of an asshole like Chris?
‘So where are you going?’ Sawyer asks.
‘I’m not sure.’ Lyndsay looks back at me. ‘Where are you taking me?’
‘Harley’s on Main,’ I say, deciding to take charge and just pick a place. I’m not the kid I was in high school, afraid to speak up. I’m bolder now, and a hell of a lot more confident.
‘Is that new?’ Lyndsay asks. ‘I don’t think I’ve been there.’
‘It used to be Don’s,’ Sawyer says. ‘His son took it over a few months ago.’
‘It’s a country bar,’ I tell her. ‘Nothing fancy, but it’s a good time. Sawyer and I went there last time I was in town.’
‘Since when are you a country boy?’ Lyndsay asks in a tone that sounds kind of flirty. She’s sounded that way more than once tonight, but it could be because she was drinking.
‘I’ve always been a country boy,’ I tell her. ‘I grew up on an orchard.’
‘But you live in New York now. I thought the city would’ve made you all fancy and sophisticated. I was thinking you’d suggest we go to a wine bar.’
‘There aren’t any wine bars here, and even if there were, I get enough of those in New York. When I come home, I like to kick back and hang out at places like Harley’s. But if you want to go someplace nicer—’
‘I don’t. The country place sounds fun!’ She walks up to me. ‘I’m up for anything.’
Sawyer clears his throat. I look over at him and see him trying to hide a smile. By ‘anything’ she didn’t mean what he’s thinking. His mind always goes straight to sex.
‘You two have fun,’ he says.
‘See ya later,’ I tell him. I motion Lyndsay to go ahead of me. ‘Ladies first.’
‘Such a gentleman,’ she says, giving me a smile before heading to the door.
‘Nick,’ Sawyer says under his breath.
I look back at him. ‘What?’
He mouths the words,What the fuck?He points to Lyndsay.
