Page 32 of Keep My Heart
‘Want to go sit down?’ he asks.
I nod and step back. Nick takes my hand and walks us to ourtable. I glance at the table next to ours and see two women staring at us. I don’t know them, but they seem to know me, or maybe they know Nick and they’re trying to figure out who I am. Looking behind them, I see an older man with a young guy. They’re also staring at us, and the young guy is saying something to the old man.
‘Gary Stanton,’ Nick says, noticing me looking at the table with the two men. ‘He owns the gas station on Main. Bought it a few years ago from Whitfield.’
I look back at Nick. ‘My mom mentioned someone bought it, but she didn’t say who.’
‘Gary grew up here, then moved away and came back after his kids were grown. That’s his son, Jared. He helps him run the place.’
‘I think they were talking about us.’
‘Everyone is.’ Nick laughs a little. ‘You know how it is here, how people talk.’
‘But I don’t even know them.’
‘They know me, and know my family. Brody goes to their gas station to fill up his equipment. They give him a discount because he spends so much.’
I turn to Nick. ‘What equipment?’
He answers me, but it’s so loud I can’t hear him. Something about snow?
‘I’m sorry, but I didn’t hear you.’
‘Brody has a lawn care and snow removal company,’ Nick says, having to yell for me to hear him. ‘You want to get out of here and go somewhere quieter?’
‘Yes,’ I say, happy he suggested it. I don’t mind the music, but it’s so loud we can’t talk, and I really want to talk to him.
He pays for our drinks, then takes my hand and leads me through the packed bar to the outside.
This really does feel like a date, the way Nick keeps holding my hand and talking close. And that slow dance was definitely not something you’d do with a friend. The way Nick was holding me, the way we moved together, I almost felt like we were an actual couple. He’s doing a great job playing along with this fake date idea. If he hadn’t called it fake, I’d swear it was real. But I know Nick doesn’t think of me that way, or he didn’t when we were younger. If he had, maybe things would’ve turned out differently. Maybe we would’ve dated and I would’ve chosen him over Chris.
‘Everything’s closing soon,’ Nick says, checking the time on his phone. ‘We could head back to Sawyer’s place. He should be up in his apartment by now. We’d have the brewery to ourselves.’
‘Thanks, but I should probably get home,’ I say, not wanting to go but thinking Nick must be tired after working all morning and traveling here.
‘Oh,’ he says, sounding surprised. ‘I guess it is getting late. I’ll take you home.’
We walk to the car and as he opens my door, I turn to him. ‘I don’t really want to go.’
‘You don’t want to go home?’
‘No. Not yet. I just said that because I thought it’s whatyouwanted. You had to work this morning and then make the trip here. I thought you might be tired and want to get some sleep.’
‘Do I look tired?’
‘No.’ I gaze at his incredibly handsome face. The rounded jaw he had as a boy is now sharper, more pronounced, and his face seems longer and leaner. It’s a man’s face, a very good-looking man. ‘It’s just that you said how you had all that work to catch up on and I’m sure you’ll be busy tomorrow with your family and the party.’
He leans closer, resting his hand on the roof of the car. ‘We’re on a date, right?’
‘Yes, well, kind of,’ I say, sounding breathless. My pulse sped up when he moved closer.
‘And how’s it going?’ he asks, calmly and assuredly. This new confident Nick really turns me on.
‘It’s going great,’ I say, glancing away.
‘You’re having a good time?’
‘More than good.’ My eyes return to his. ‘Tonight’s been really fun.’
