Luke doesn’t seem to be paying attention to our conversation anymore. He’s standing with his hands slipped into his pockets, staring at the man who’s currently flipping through one of the books he pulled down. I’m half tempted to snap my fingers in front of his face to bring his attention back to me, but I resist.
“Hey,” I say softly, closing the slight distance between us as I step up beside him. “Who’s that?” I nudge his arm in an attempt to get his attention. Luke has always been open with me about his sexuality, but I can’t recall ever seeing him show a true interest in dating.
His head whips toward me like he suddenly remembers I’m still standing here. “Nobody.” He winces slightly as the word slips free, but he seems to shake it off as he asks, “What are you going to do about the woman from the bar?”
I let his question mull over in my mind for a minute, not sure how to answer. I have no fucking clue what to do for an early afternoon date. Spending the evening at a nice restaurant has always been my go-to. This is outside of my wheelhouse. I pull in a deep lungful of air before I blow out a breath and say, “Not sure. What the hell do I plan for an afternoon date?”
“You think I know?” Luke asks.
“C’mon, man. I know you read romance books. What do those guys do?”
His cheeks turn a light shade of red at my question.
“I don’t want to fuck this up. You gotta help me,” I plead.
He sighs, glancing toward the man who has since moved to a different bookshelf. “What about a picnic?”
“A picnic? Really?” I can’t help the disdain lacing my words. A picnic sounds so… boring.
He lifts one shoulder in a half-assed shrug. “Going to see a movie doesn’t give you a chance to talk. Find out what her favorite food is and plan a picnic. Find a parkor—”
“What about the botanical gardens?” I ask. I’ve never been, but when I looked up things to do in Hartridge and nearby towns, the garden was one of the top things listed. I didn’t give it much thought at the time, because again, it sounds kind of boring, but between the two of us, Luke is the romantic one. He at least reads enough to know a thing or two about romance. I also found a winery not too far away from town, but planning a small day trip doesn’t seem like something you do on a first date. From the pictures, the botanical garden seems pretty big, with several different trails that wind through various areas.
“Exactly. Take a blanket to sit on and pack her favorites if you can. It’ll be quiet enough that you can talk, and it shouldn’t be too busy.”
Smiling, I clap a hand on his shoulder. “Who knew reading smutty romance would come in handy someday?”
He brushes my hand off and steps away from me. “Ha ha,” he deadpans. “I’m sure you have better things to do than hang around here all day.”
He’s really trying to get rid of me. Or he’s hoping I’ve forgotten about the guy who seems to keep pulling his attention away from our conversation, which only makes me want to bug him about it that much more.
“You gonna tell me who the guy is?” I nod my head toward where he’s standing, pretending to read. Unless he knows how to read upside down, I highly doubt he’s actually reading the book in his hands.
“Nope. I’ll see you later.” He says it so matter-of-factly, I know the conversation is over. Luke turns away from me and crosses the room toward the register, glancing over his shoulder with a frown when he sees I’m still standing here.
Message received. I’m leaving. I’ve got a date to plan.
Chapter fourteen
Tessa
I’vechangedmyoutfitat least six times, and I’m still not sure if I like what I’m wearing. A nervous energy has been swirling in my stomach since I agreed to a date with Logan, and the feeling has only gotten stronger with each passing day. He’s been in the diner as much as his schedule has allowed this week, and the couple of days he didn’t make it in, he sent “good morning” texts instead. It’s crazy how the simplest thing stirs up a swarm of butterflies in my stomach, something that seems to happen every time I see him.
When I asked Liv if she would come over and spend the day with Jake, she responded by telling me to “get some” and said she would happily steal my kid. She’s always been my best friend, and she’s an amazing aunt to him. Knowing her, she’ll take him to the park to burn off some energy before they come back to the house to watch movies and play a few board games.
“Tell me you’re ready to go and not changing for the millionth time,” she calls as she walks into my bedroom and throws herself down on the bed.
Each time Logan came by the diner this week, he asked about my favorite things—flowers, food, and drinks. He probably thinks he’s being sly, but I know what he’s up to. That man is determined to plan theperfect first date, but if our immediate chemistry from the night we met is anything to go by, there’s no way it will be anything less.
I’ve been so focused on how I look in what I’m wearing, I didn’t stop to consider whether or not it’ll work for whatever it is we’re doing. This is why it would be helpful to at least know some of the details, but he’s been firm in his decision not to give anything away.
Hopefully, the outfit I chose works.
Most days, I keep it simple and wear jeans and a T-shirt. But if he’s going through the trouble of planning something special, the least I can do is put in a little effort too. I can’t begin to describe how good it feels to be dressing up for a change, even though I told him I wanted to keep our date casual. When I started going through my closet, I realized how little I actually have for a date, even a casual one. Liv helped me shop and pick out something new to wear.
It’s nothing fancy, but it’s definitely a step above casual. The light purple dress is made of a soft, stretchy material and hits mid-thigh. The skirt is just flowy enough that it sways a little when I walk without being so lightweight that a breeze will send it flying up, and the sweetheart neckline shows a hint of cleavage without making me feel like my breasts are going to fall out if I bend over too far. Plus, I feel confident with the way it hides my lower stomach instead of clinging to every curve and roll. I know my body is nothing to be ashamed of, and he has already seen me completely naked and exposed, but the last thing I want is to spend the entire date worried about the way I look. I’m wearing a pair of plain white shoes, just in case we do something that involves a bunch of walking. My hair, which I typically keep up in a messy ponytail or bun, falls in loose waves over my shoulders the same way it did the night we met. I’ve neverbeen the type to wear a full face of makeup, but for this, I put on a few coats of mascara and some neutral eye shadow, just enough to make my eyes stand out a bit more.
“That’s it. You’re not allowed to change. I knew that dress would be perfect,” Liv declares. “He’s going to lose his shit when he sees you.”
