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I pick up the phone and am greeted by an energetic voice. “Hello! I was wondering ’bout that male model you posted online.”
My brows furrow as I wait for her to elaborate. “Yes, what ’bout him?”
“Is he single? There were lots of comments on his pictures, but I never saw a clear answer.”
Annoyance races through me, but I try to remain professional. “Sorry, but I’m not running a matchmaking service. If you have any questions ’bout the clothes or items for sale in my store, then I’d be happy to help.”
“I was just askin’.” She huffs, and I grind my teeth.
“Alright, do you need any help with anything else?” I’m being overly nice at this point.
“No, but—”
“Hope you have a lovely day,” I force out, then hang up.
“Do I even wanna know what that was ’bout?” Heidi asks with humor in her voice.
“Someone asking ’bout Archer’s relationship status again. Completely inappropriate if you ask me,” I say.
“Honestly, what’d you expect by putting him on your pages? A new man in town…a young, single man at that. I’m shocked they haven’t flocked to the shop waving their bare ring fingers.”
“At least ten women have stopped me since last weekend to ask the same thing,” Dana says as she makes her way to the counter. “And half of them were married!”
That has me laughing because it doesn’t surprise me. “They were probably trying to set their granddaughters up with him,” I say.
“Mindy Biltmore bought three hundred dollars' worth of men’s clothes yesterday, and I damn well know she’s not dating anyone. She claimed it was for her brother, but I have a feeling she was just trying to get information out of me. She just kept talking ’bout Archer, and outside of having his name, I dunno shit ’bout him.”
There’s no way I’m telling anyone about Archer’s past, and it’s no one's business anyway. I want him to trust me and feel comfortable sharing his past or secrets without worrying that it will spread around town. My employees know that he’s Tyler’s friend who needed a place to live until he could find his own, and that’s it. He’ll remain a mystery to everyone until he chooses to share more about himself.
“People are too damn nosy in this town,” I grumble.
“True,” Heidi says. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t stay single for long. If you’re hoping to get a piece of that, you better act quick.”
She and Dana chuckle softly as I give them both the evil eye. Archer’s way more than eye candy, and what’s even worse is he’s off-limits. He’s basically a carrot being dangled right in front of me—close enough to want him but just out of reach. He’s been here less than two weeks, and we only see each other between our work schedules, but it’s a fun time when we're together. There’s way more to him than what meets the eye. I hope to dig deeper and uncover who he truly is.
The day passes quickly, and by five, I’m saying goodbye to the girls. I’m ready to take a bath, drink some wine, and lay low for the night. Hopefully with Archer.
As soon as I walk into my house, delicious aromas hit my senses. Sassy greets me, wagging her tail and licking my hand.
“Hey, sweet girl.”
“You’re home,” Archer says from the kitchen.
“Yeah. Smells great in here,” I tell him, then notice the table is set for two with wine glasses and a small vase of flowers.
Oh my God. Is he bringing a woman over?
I mean, of course he’s allowed to. This is his home now too, but I’m going to awkwardly feel like a third wheel if I don’t get out of here soon.
“I’ll be out of your hair in less than ten minutes.” I rush toward my room, but Archer comes out from behind the breakfast bar and stops me.
“Oh, you’re leaving?” His brows pinch together, and when I lower my gaze, I notice his relaxed attire—a black pair of Nike shorts and a sleeveless tee. Looks like he just got home from the gym.
“Yeah, I don’t wanna interrupt your date night. I’ll just change and come back later. Midnight okay? Otherwise, I can—”
“Wait.” Archer grabs my elbow before I can walk away and hide the heat spreading across my cheeks. “I made dinner for you. For us.”
I meet his brown eyes and feel stupid for assuming.
