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“Right.” There was no point telling her the truth when she would find out and be pissed at me soon enough. “Pick you up in thirty.”
It was almost eight o’clock—plenty of time to figure out where we were going. We had a date to crash.
“I cannot believe you, Cal.” Hannah glared at me, hands fisted at her hips and fire blazing in her eyes. “This is despicable, even for you.”
I shrugged, knowing I should feel guilty, but feeling nothing but smug satisfaction that I was about to ruin Teddy’s date.
“I’m doing what I have to.”
Hannah arched a brow at me. “You’re doing what you have to do to make sure you get what you want, regardless of what she wants. Good job. You have become a total asshole.”
My sister’s words rolled off my shoulders when I laid eyes on Teddy and Rusty, smiling at each other and talking like old friends. “Maybe. Maybe not.”
“Definitely,” she mumbled behind me, following me to Teddy’s table.
“Wow, what a coincidence to run into you guys here!” I smiled wide at Teddy, noting how beautiful she looked in a short red halter dress. “What are the odds?”
Teddy’s brown eyes narrowed to slits. “Cal,” she practically purred. “Green is not your color.”
I looked down and Rusty laughed, which only pissed me off. “I look much better in nothing at all,” I told her and snagged a chair from the empty table beside them. “Mind if Hannah and I join you?”
“Yes,” she answered immediately.
“Even for an old friend?” I was playing with fire, I knew it, but I couldn’t seem to help myself.
Teddy sighed. “You and I aren’t friends, and Hannah understands that friends don’t interrupt other friends’ dates.”
“Hey, I didn’t know we were crashing your date until I saw you here.” She turned with a smile for my soon-to-be boss. “You must be Rusty. I’ve heard… some about you.”
Rusty laughed and I hated the sound instinctively. “And you’re Hannah, the best friend. Teddy told me you built a smoker?”
“I did, and best of all, it worked.” She produced a card and handed it over. “I have step-by-step instructions on my YouTube channel and my blog, if you find the free time to give it try.”
“Thanks.” Rusty turned to Teddy and they seemed to have some unspoken conversation that ended with him turning to Hannah. “Join us, please.”
“Perfect.” I pulled my chair a little closer to Teddy, making sure Rusty saw me stake my claim. “What are we ordering?”
“Cal, this isn’t funny and it’s not going to work.” Teddy wasn’t nearly as amused as Hannah and Rusty.
I frowned. “What isn’t? Dinner? Or you and Rusty?” I flashed a smile at her, and she let out a low growl.
“This. You and your stupid, childish games. I’m on a date, what in the hell do you think you’re going to accomplish by crashing it?”
Good question. “It’s just a coincidence.”
“Bullshit. You’re acting like a jealous boyfriend when we both know you don’t want to be anyone’s boyfriend. Ever.”
Rusty cleared his throat and held his hands up. “I don’t want to get in the middle of anything here.”
“You’re not,” Teddy assured him with a smile that was soft and gentle and welcoming. “Cal’s ego is bruised because there’s another handsome ER doctor in town and he might not have his pick of the ladies when you move here.”
Rusty laughed and his gaze heated as he looked at Teddy. “You think I’m handsome?”
“Sure, I do. It’s the beard and the slightly rough patches on your hands. Says you’re a brainiac but you also enjoy the outdoors.”
Rusty blinked at her assessment, pleased. “I love to hike, but climbing is my main hobby. This area has some great climbing and plenty of great trails.”
“Yeah? Maybe you can show me some next time you’re in town.”
Rusty slid a glance to me, sensing my glare in his direction, and grinned at Teddy. “I’d love to. If you’re sure?”
“I am. Cal and I aren’t dating. In fact, I’m not dating anyone. How about you, Rusty, will there be someone crying if you take the job in Jackson’s Ridge?”
“Besides my grateful patients? No.”
“Good. Now, on to the important questions.” Teddy sat a little taller, her expression serious. “Steak or seafood?”
Rusty’s head fell back and he laughed, clearly charmed by Teddy. I couldn’t say I blamed him; she was smart and funny, charming and witty. And best of all, she was completely authentic. “Surf and turf, obviously.”
Her eyes lit with satisfaction and something else, something that looked a hell of a lot like arousal. “Good answer.”
My plan had failed miserably. Instead of getting a rise out of Teddy by crashing her date, I was forced to sit there with a front-row seat to their flirting and banter.
“Ready to go,” I asked Hannah before the entrees arrived.
“No way. You started this, so now we stay and eat.” Hannah’s arched brows told me she knew exactly how painful this was for me. “You brought it on yourself,” she mouthed to me with a devious smile.
