I frown at that.
Bliss continues, “I’d rather decide what man I share a roof with.”
“And you’d be okay sharing a roof with me?” I ask quietly.
“I’d feel safer sharing a bed with you than sharing a house with some of the randoms my mom has brought home.” She snorts.
I gulp at the mental image that conjures up—Bliss and me sharing a bed. Her snuggled against me as we fall asleep. But she said she feels safe with me. It’s a compliment I can’t shake. I won’t take that responsibility lightly.
“I’ve been thinking … we should probably pretend to date for a while,” I say. “Everyone would probably think it’s strange if we simply got married next week.”
Bliss shrugs. “Maybe if we sit in this truck long enough together, someone will spread a rumor.”
As if on cue, a diesel engine rumbles as a truck pulls into the parking lot and parks next to me.
I chuckle when I see who it is. “Well, you’re not wrong. News is about to travel fast.”
Bliss whips her head around, and we both stare at my dad climbing out of his truck. He walks toward us and opens the passenger door.
“Well, hello, Bliss. How are you today?” He smiles up at her.
“I’m doing great, Mr. Madden.”
Dad waves a hand through the air. “No more of this Mr. Madden stuff. You’re going to make me feel old if you’re not careful.”
Bliss laughs along with him. “What are you up to today?”
“Up to no good—that’s for sure.”
And then Bliss laughs at his little joke, and I know there will be no living with him after this. Dad loves it when people laugh at his cheesy jokes. It makes him incorrigible.
“Now, what are you doing in Zane’s pickup?”
“I, er, um … I—he was …” Bliss fumbles for words, and I can see that lying is not going to come easily to her, so I’d better make it as easy as possible for her to tell the truth.
“We were just talking about where we were going to go for a date,” I say as I spot the missing lid to my brake cleaner fluid. I pick up the cap from the passenger floorboard and set it on the dashboard.
“Date?” Dad asks with a shamelessly hopeful look in his eyes. “You’re not taking Bliss on a date, are you?”
“Of course I am.”
“You should know it would be smarter to just propose already. Don’t let her get away!” Dad teases, the glee evident in his tone.
“I already proposed, but she said we had to go on a date first.”
Dad laughs like I told the best joke of the year.
“Well then, I’ll leave you two kids alone.” He leans past Bliss as though that will keep her from overhearing. “Good choice. I couldn’t have picked anyone better myself.” Then he steps away from the truck and shuts the door.
She turns to look at me. “Does this make us official?”
“Dad’s walking into the store right now. The news will be all over town in the next five minutes. He’s taking Mom to eat at the grill tonight. It will definitely be everywhere by tomorrow.”
Small towns are notorious for word traveling fast. And the fastest news spreaders are ranchers and farmers. They put tabloids to shame with how fast they can spread gossip.
“Should we just get married right now? Might be less dramatic,” Bliss says with a laugh.
“They’ll probably already be making the invitations.”
