Page 45 of Good Directions

“You need to ring the doorbell. I’ll answer, give you the third degree…”

“Oh boy…” Miss Belle mutters from behind me.

Oh boy is right…

“No, Dad, I’m just going to grab Sawyer and⁠—”

“The hell you are, Son.”

I reel back, almost stepping on Miss Belle in the process. The sternness in Auggie’s voice catches me by surprise, seeming so out of character for someone who is such a teddy bear.

“We’re gonna do this right. Need to make sure you’re treatin’ our girl right, you know. Out you go…”

“This isn’t happening…” Anton mutters, following his father’s directions.

I glance over my shoulder at Miss Belle. She huffs out a small laugh, shaking her head as she rolls her eyes.

The doorbell rings, and Auggie opens it up, making a big show about how Anton must be here to pick me up. True to his word, he starts in on making sure that I’m treated properly, having me home on time, and every other stereotypical dad lecture.

All the ones my own dad would never have given anyone.

Nonetheless, I want to dig myself a hole right here and crawl into it. This isn’t happening is right. This isn’t even a real date. We’re faking it. Using each other so that he can win a bet and I can get a job promotion. Not that admitting that in the moment is going to make anything better.

“And no funny business. I expect you to keep your hands to yourself⁠—”

What?!

“Okay, we gotta go!” I exclaim, my cheeks feeling like they must be the color of the newly painted pink walls by now. Sweet Lord, we need to get out of here.

I push past the group, heading out the door and straight for Anton’s truck. Behind me, I hear him tell his parents we’ll be back later, but I tune out any of the details, focusing on trying to calm my racing pulse.

We’re halfway out of town by the time my heart rate is back to normal and I can do anything but stare straight out of the passenger side window. Shifting on the bench seat, I glance over at Anton, who doesn’t seem to be bothered, his muscular arm draped over the wheel so casually you’d think he was posing for a photo. The line of his farmer’s tan peeks out from the sleeve of his T-shirt, flirting with the idea of coming out to play, making the knots in my tummy turn into butterflies.

“Sorry ’bout that back there,” Anton says. “Auggie is nothing if not a dad’s dad. And he loves being a dad to everyone.”

“I can tell.” I sigh, relaxing a little more. “And it’s okay. I…I…”

I pause, debating how much I want to share. How much I trust that whatever is said between us in this truck is going to stay here. But then Anton looks over at me, his perfect blue eyes as soft as the blanket the Snuggle Bear used to fall into on the old TV commercials, and somewhere deep down, I know that I can tell him anything.

“I kinda liked it, actually. It’s not something that my dad would have ever done. So, I dunno, it made me feel special.”

Anton doesn’t say anything, just nods his head as he turns onto the state highway. For a split second, I wonder if I’ve said too much. Revealed more than I should have. After all, this isn’t a real date. We aren’t actually getting to know each other. He probably didn’t want that kind of knowledge about me or my family.

“We’re just getting started making you feel special, Sawyer.”

Holy shit…

I realize that’s probably a line, but damn, it’s working.

“Ready to dine and dash?” he asks, pulling into a crowded dirt parking lot.

“No! That’s illegal!”

Anton chuckles, whipping into an open spot at the far end of the lot and slipping the truck into park. Before I can continue, he’s out of the car, rounding the front and opening my door. The smile on his face is more disarming than a trained army, my resolve melting the second he takes my hand.

“Not here,” he tells me with a wink.

He doesn’t let go of my hand, sending my pulse skyrocketing again. I don’t know what has me more on edge—the feel of his palm against mine, the roughness from the callouses sending shivers across my skin, or the fact that he’s so nonchalant about skipping out on the tab.