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“But you would have one?”
“Yeah. I grew up with dogs. Had one when I was married too. But I worked so much that he became my wife’s dog, not mine.”
He’d lost everything in such a short period of time. His marriage, his home, his job, his friend, his dog.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Cain said as we made it back into the kitchen where, sure enough, there were several bakery boxes set up on the counter, some with the twine still attached.
“What am I thinking?”
“That my life before the club sounded like one of those old country songs.”
“Alright, yeah, I might have been thinking that.”
“It was a hard period. But I’m grateful for it all.”
“You’re happier now?”
“Yeah. I think sometimes… shit that doesn’t suit you all has to fall apart around you. Then you can rebuild the life you want.”
I picked a cruller and took a bite, barely resisting the urge to moan at the sweetness on my tongue.
“That’s kind of what I am hoping,” I agreed. “Even on the hard days now, at least they are what I am choosing.”
“Exactly. And it will all get better. The divorce process is hell, even if it is all amicable. But once that is all behind you, you’re going to feel so much better.”
“I am putting my faith to rest in that.”
I finished up my donut and was washing my hands when Cain asked, “So what do you think about you and me going back to The Hollows and taking that tour of the haunted woods we talked about?”
“Tonight?”
“Well, it’s closed now. But any night when you’re free?” He reached up, rubbing the back of his neck, almost looking a little shy. “And maybe getting some food afterward?”
Was he… asking me on a date?
Was I considering the offer?
My lips answered before my mind got a chance to think of all the reasons it was a terrible idea.
“I’d love that.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Georgie
I fought with every drop of my self-control not to buy a brand-new outfit for the sort-of-maybe date.
The problem was that I left Perry’s house with literally nothing but the clothes on my back. And those clothes had been a pair of tan linen, high-waisted pants and a creamy silk blouse. Both of which had been chosen by Perry. Even if they’d been appropriate for a date that involved walking through haunted woods, wearing an outfit picked out by my controlling ex while on a date with a man who was nothing like him just felt weird. Besides, they were still splattered in red from my bloody nose that night.
And while I’d pawned the earrings and watch I’d been wearing that night to get me off my feet, it left precious little for a new wardrobe budget. Which meant I’d become the master clearance rack shopper. And thrift store browser.
I’d gotten myself a few nice pieces. But nice for going out and living my everyday life. Not necessarily nice for a date.
That said, I’d never seen Cain in anything dressier than a Henley. There was no reason to assume he’d show up to The Hollows in a three-piece suit.
So my black jeans and cream-colored, ribbed, long-sleeve tee with the three buttons would be perfectly fine.
I forced myself to turn away from the bathroom mirror before I started hearing Perry’s voice in my ear pointing out everything that was wrong with me: my lips were too wide, my eyes went to small slits when I smiled, my one tooth was a little too pointy, and my ears weren’t close enough to my skull. And because I refused to get said ears pinned, I was forbidden from tucking my hair behind my ears or wearing it up.
