Page 22 of Fake Dating in Half Moon Bay

“Saved by the bell,” Quinn quipped. “Get going. Don’t shut yourself off from the possibility of building something real with Zander. The heart wants what the heart wants.”

“Fine.” She tied her second shoe, grabbed her small backpack style purse and after hitting the speaker to let Zander know she was on her way, she raced downstairs. He stood beside the truck looking handsome and happy in his black jeans and pale green button-down shirt.

“Where are we headed?” she asked as she climbed into the truck through the door he had opened for her.

He closed the door and got in on his side before answering. “Well, I’ve already checked out Buried Treasures, they’re a great antique shop, but they didn’t have what I wanted. I thought we’d head to The Rusty Anchor. It’s an antique market housed in an old canning factory just up the highway. A couple dozen vendors have stalls. It’s like a cooperative. I’m hoping my friend will have what I need. It’s only a twenty-minute drive right along the coast. Does that work for you?”

“Sure. I haven’t explored much since I arrived. Work keeps me busy.” Work, and the fact that she avoided driving whenever she could to save gas, kept her close to home.

“Excellent. I grabbed you a coffee and a croissant.” He waved to the cupholder. A small bakery bag sat atop two coffee cups. “French vanilla latte, right?”

“Perfect. Thank you.” He knew her coffee order. He must have taken note when they got coffee after her run. How sweet that he remembered.

He put the truck in gear and pulled away from the curb.

The morning sun warmed her through her window as they headed north. “It’s a glorious day.” She flipped open her coffee and inhaled the scent. “Why does coffee smell so delicious? Especially before the first cup.”

“One of life’s mysteries, I guess. I’m on my third coffee. I’ve been up since four. I had an emergency. A dog was hit by a semi. Luckily, he’s going to be okay, it just nicked him.”

“Speaking of dogs, where is yours?”

“I left King at the inn. Derrick’s going to watch him.”

“Cool.”Thank heaven. The dog seemed nice, but he made her nervous. He was too big and too enthusiastic. “Are you sure you want to do this today? You aren’t too tired? Maybe it would be better to wait until you’re more rested.”

“I’m about as rested as I get. I don’t need much sleep.” He flashed her a grin. “We’re both off today and my friend Eric called to tell me he just got in a shipment of bed frames. I don’t want to miss my chance to snag the right one. Besides, I don’t want to cancel our date on short notice.”

Date? He thought this was an actual date. What happened to friends who were faking it?

Quinn’s voice popped up in her head whispering, “Take a chance. The heart wants what the heart wants.”

There were five million things that could go wrong if she were dating Zander. Her mind skipped like a scratched record listing reasons not to date him. She could get her heart broken. They could have a huge fight. They might not be compatible. She could lose her job.

Her optimist side chimed in. She could fall in love. They could be happy together. He wasn’t a lying cheat like Marv. It might be her chance to find true love.

Stop overthinking, Heather. Let it go for today and enjoy yourself.

“I’m happy we’re still going, as long as you’re not too tired to drive. If you are, I’m also good with rescheduling.” She studied him while pretending to watch the scenery go past. He didn’t look too tired. He seemed awake and alert.

“I promise, if I get tired, I’ll ask you to drive.”

“What? You’d let a woman drive your precious truck?” She clutched her chest in mock surprise. “Say it ain’t so.”

“Funny. Very funny.” He chuckled. “Don’t tell my brother, but I let Ella drive my truck on the back roads. She’s pretty good. Of course, this truck’s an automatic. She might have more trouble with a standard. She’s not very tall.”

“Jacob would have a fit if he knew.”

“Probably. He tends to be overprotective of Ella. I’m helping her grow and learn new things.” He sounded proud of himself, and of his niece.

Funny that he was going against his brother’s wishes. From what she’d seen, Zander wasn’t a rule breaker and overprotective of his family. She decided not to worry about it. It wasn’t any of her business and Jacob would find out eventually.

She looked past him. A rock-strewn beach raced past the window. Sun glinted off tiny ocean waves making it shimmer as if diamonds floated on the surface. She slid her partially empty cup back into the holder and opened her window a few inches. She inhaled deeply.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of fresh ocean air. It’s not just the salt, it’s the seaweed, the fish. I swear I can smell the damp sand.” She sighed happily. “It’s so different from the city. While I lived in Toronto, I never realized how much the air stunk. I’d go for walks and runs thinking I was getting fresh air.”

“Are you liking Half Moon Bay?” he asked, slowing behind a semi, waiting for an opportunity to pass safely.

“I think so. I can’t get used to people I don’t know calling me by name. I was in The Whale and Oyster a couple days ago. Quinn and I went for dinner because she had a gift certificate to use up. The waitress knew who I was. I was stunned.”

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