Page 13 of Small Town Best Friend

“You’d better pour me a big glass. They guys who work there always laugh at me whenever I call in your order. It’s just so gross.”

Dropping his hand, Asher smiled and got up, just as Willow pulled her cellphone out of her pocket. He’d go get that wine, Willow would choose the movie, and they’d have a great evening together, like they’d done before so many times. He just had to put her date with the surgeon completely out of his head.

5

He’s not here.Willow’s heart began to thrum furiously in her chest.I’ve been stood up already.

Heat poured into her cheeks, and she had to forcibly resist the urge to pick up the menu and hide her face with it by clasping her hands together under the table.

Or, what if he took one look at me and then decided to go home?

The restaurant was gorgeous. The lavish decor of dark red and black made it feel stylish and opulent. When she’d first walked in, Willow had struggled to give her name to the hostess; she’d been much too busy taking in the place. After being shown to her table, she’d been sitting alone for the last ten minutes, with her eyes continually flitting to the door, waiting for her date to arrive.

“Can I get you another drink, Madame? Perhaps another glass of wine?”

Willow glanced up at the server. “Oh, no, thank you.” Her wine glass was only half empty, and she didn’t want to drink more than one knowing she’d have to drive later. “Perhaps a glass of water?”

The server nodded and disappeared without a word. Taking in a long, slow, surreptitious breath, Willow shook her hair back gently and kept her hands folded in her lap.

I can’t give myself away.What if people know I was stood up?

Worried that the other guests were already watching her, she shot a furtive glance around the room.

“I guess you must be Willow. I’m so sorry I’m late!”

A deep voice jerked her back out of her thoughts. “Oh, no problem, I…” Blinking rapidly, Willow took in the large man who stood in front of her.

He didn’t look anything like his profile picture.

Gone was the mop of brown hair, the slim build and the broad shoulders a thing of the past. He was tall, a little overweight, and balding. Frustration burned inside her, and she clenched her hands into fists as she held them under the table. This guy had clearly used a different photo for his profile and now just expected her to carry on with her date, like everything was fine.

Her chin lifted, and her jaw tightened.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?”

The man laughed, but the sound set her teeth on edge. She didn’t find anything funny here.

“Okay, so I used an old photo on my profile picture, but I can’t have changed that much! I’m Neil. The surgeon? We’re having dinner tonight.”

Willow didn’t smile and kept her voice cool. “Neil. Hi.”Looks like everything Hadley said was true.“Like you guessed, I’m Willow.”

“You definitely didn’t cheat on your profile picture!” He grinned at her, but Willow turned her eyes away.

Neil looked nothing like his profile picture, and he definitely wasn’t in his mid-thirties. If she had to guess, she would put him at least ten years older than that, and that was too old for her.

But what am I going to do? It’s not like I can just walk out because he used an old photo on his profile.

“Already started on the wine, I see. I hope you’ve made a good choice.”

“I only ordered a glass,” Willow replied, a little primly. “I wasn’t sure if anyone was coming at all, so it didn’t seem wise to order the bottle.”

“Really? That’s an evenbetterreason to order the bottle.” Everything Neil said seemed to make him laugh, as if he thought he was hilarious and expected her to find him hilarious as well. Willow gave him a tight-lipped smile, then turned her head away again.

I can do this. I can enjoy a nice dinner in a nice restaurant and then go home without ever having to see him again. I’m sure we can be civil for an hour.

“Have as much wine as you like!” Neil thrust the drinks menu toward her. “I’m paying, and I’ll definitely be having more than one bottle.”

I should just leave.Her body didn’t react to what her head told her to do, though. She didn’t owe him anything, but she was a people pleaser to a fault, and she didn’t want to be rude.Although, lying about his age and looks was rude.

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