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My little family went inside, and I spent the rest of the evening solely focused on my kids, knowing they were my purpose. I couldn’t get sidelined or distracted.
None of us were ready for that.
And I went to bed pretending I wasn’t thinking about the woman who I was afraid had already gotten under my skin.
FIFTEEN
SAVANNAH
I glanced at the text that pinged my phone where it sat on the small bed in my hotel room.
Dakota
Are you ready? Get your cute butt downstairs. It’s time for you to have some fun—Time River style.
Yep, I’d done it.
Saturday night had rolled around, and I’d let myself be wrangled into going out with Beth, Dakota, and the rest of their friends.
Anxiety tumbled through me as I stared at Dakota’s message.
I couldn’t shake the worry that I was making a huge mistake agreeing to this.
Not the going out part since I needed to scope out every place that I could, but the real reason I was doing it.
Because I knew by the shiver of excitement that slicked down my spine that I wasn’t doing this as a task, but rather because I wanted to.
Because I’d put myself in the precarious position of really liking Dakota, Beth, and Chloe.
Because I really did need to unwind after a long week at the café, exactly like Beth had said.
Because I’d spent the rest of the week after Ezra had caught me trying to break into that apartment hidden in my motel room in the times that I wasn’t working, realizing I needed to figure out how to actually handle this before I did something stupid and got myself into real trouble.
Slinking around in the night wasn’t cutting it.
Especially since Hot Cop had a knack of sniffing me out every time that I attempted it.
My stomach twisted again.
I refused to even consider my decision to go out had anything to do with the idea that the surly teddy bear who had come into the café the last two mornings might be there, even though I hadn’t dared asked Dakota if he would be.
Each time, he’d give me a sly grin as he sipped at his coffee, his tease so light as he’d tell me he was only there to keep an eye on me.
He’d treated me almost casually during that time, straying away from the questions I could see looming in his thoughts about Tuesday night.
Instead of pushing me on what I’d been doing there, he’d asked me each day how I was. How I liked work. If I’d found a place to stay yet and telling me the offer still stood for his guest house.
Each time, I reiterated that it was a bad idea.
A bad, terrible idea because I liked him too much, and those hard places inside me had begun to soften toward him.
Just like they were softening toward this group who were so kind and wonderful that my stupid heart kept trying to convince me they were genuine.
Another text blipped through.
Dakota
Hello? Are you there? Don’t make me come upstairs and drag you down here because you know I will.
Clearing the emotion from my throat, I tapped out a reply.
Me
Apparently, you’ve been hanging out with Beth too much with those threats ;) On my way down.
I took a second to peer at myself in the full-length mirror. I had on a tight, red dress that fit me in all the best ways, and I’d paired it with thick-heeled black slides.
Affection bound my chest as I thought of the way Jessica would have narrated my getting ready. Telling me to try this or that before she would have finally found my choices lacking and would have dug through my closet to find the perfect accessories.
Shoes and jewelry and bags.
“I think you would approve, Jess, even though I’m not sure how well I’m going to fit in at a country bar,” I whispered as I leaned close to the mirror and swiped some pink gloss onto my lips. I tucked a rogue lock of hair that I’d curled into fat waves back into order, then I grabbed my little black bag and made sure I had my keycard.
Then I slipped out the door into the brisk night air and hurried downstairs, walking beneath the canopy of stars slung low across the heavens as I strode for the muscle car sitting at the curb, its brake lights lit as the powerful engine grumbled where it idled.
The passenger door swung open, and Dakota climbed out. Her lush curves were hugged in the cutest black and pink polka dot dress, and her long brown hair was in the same high ponytail she loved to wear. Throwing her arms over her head, she shimmied her hips. “Savannah! Are you ready to get your party on?”
I couldn’t help the giggle that got free. The anticipation. The way this place just felt…different.
