Page 32 of Lucky Haven

Not that I would have stopped Zane from doing what needed to be done.

I turn my wrist so Haven’s fingers slide onto my palm. So I can close my big fist around her hand and return the public claim. “We’d invite you to join us but we’re on a date.”

“Is that so?” He rocks back on his heels. Then he nods again to Haven, his gaze lingering on her face a little too long. “In that case, Cash is a lucky man. Have a good evening.”

“Don’t growl,” Haven whispers as he retreats to the counter.

“I was just clearing my throat.”

“You’re going to be a very committed fake boyfriend.”

“Told you,” I say. “Fearlessly terrifying.”

“You don’t need to scare off Jasper. He didn’t write those emails.”

“But he might happen to mention how cozy we look to the person who did.” I squeeze her hand as Mercy approaches, giving her brother a playful hip bump on the way. “Enough about that.”

“Hey friends,” Mercy says, looking back and forth between us.

We’re still holding hands on the table, and when Haven goes to slide her fingers out of my grip, I tighten my hold on her.

“Here for dinner?”

“Sure are. We’ll both have the special,” I say.

Mercy’s eyebrow lifts when I order for both of us, but other than wordlessly glancing at Haven for confirmation, she takes our order and swiftly departs.

“Two down, a thousand good citizens of Dragonfly Creek to go,” I tease.

“About that.” Haven frees her hand and reaches for her notebook. “I realize that I made this very complicated from the start, and I want to undo that mistake.”

I don’t think it was a mistake that she launched herself across the street and glued her mouth to mine in front of Jeb Martin. But I have to agree that it has made everything else more complicated. “What are you thinking?”

She flips the notebook open and turns it around so I can read her tidy handwriting.

Relationship Rules, she’s written at the top of the page.

This has to be mutually beneficial

We need a compelling reason why

We have to plan the breakup

Well, at least she sees this as a thing we’re doing together.

“Do you have a pen on you?”

She pulls one from her purse.

I take it, making sure my fingers brush hers. I hope she gets a little jolt of pleasure from the contact, too.

This has to be fun

The reason why is right in front of us

Everything is negotiable, including the end date

I don’t look up at her as I scrawl my additions to the list, but I can feel her reacting across the table. Hear her little intake of air, the way she holds that breath. And then lets it go in a carefully controlled exhale.