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CATHERINE
I can’t believehe’s done this. “You’re going to have to help me with this, I’m stuffed.” I push the straw into the massive strawberry shake that Hunter somehow convinced the kitchen to prepare. Madison Cafe doesn’t carry shakes on their menu but that didn’t stop Hunter from negotiating this surprise. The waitress was more than pleased to comply when Hunter stretched the truth somehow convincing them that today is my birthday.
I take a long pull on the straw, the sugary goodness rushing to my head, and I close my eyes and enjoy the ride. “Oh my god, that is so good.” A satisfying hum rumbles from my chest out my mouth as I savor the treat. It’s been too long. When I open my eyes, Hunter is leaning forward, elbows pressed on the top of the table and a silly smirk on his face. The sunlight catches his dark eyes, revealing a hidden swirl of deep brown goodness. His gaze is focused on my lips and I reward him by swiping my tongue across them. This close, I catch the quiver of his brow, the slight part of his lips, the flicker in his eye. I press my luck. “What?”
His sexy laugh rumbles across the table and swirls the butterflies in my stomach. Over the last hour as we’ve opened up to each other, Hunter has proven to be the gentle kind soul my instinct told me to follow. “A gentleman wouldn’t say,” he teases as his grin widens.
“How about a boyfriend?” I tease back. I can’t believe how quickly I’ve grown comfortable with a man I met less than two hours ago. Shannon and the girls back in Abbott would be shocked to see me flirting openly with a stranger. They would lose their minds if they found out their reserved serious friend had a very public make-out session in front of her ex.
Then I catch myself - this isn’t real. I can’t tell Shannon about this because she would jump in both barrels blazing with two dozen questions and at least two invites to meet the mystery man. A Zoom session to prove he’s real, followed by an invitation down to the inn she runs in North Carolina. An open invitation that has remained unfilled since I moved from Mesa - a room in her most romantic suite on the property. There hasn’t been anyone in the last three years, so I hadn’t even remotely considered taking Shannon up on the offer.
And, yet.
Hunter’s long lashes bat in my direction as if he can read my mind. I can’t read his, so I urge him on. His tongue peeks out, and he swipes it across his lower lip, leaning closer. I match his movement, our foreheads inches apart. “That look you just gave after sipping the shake….”
Shock races through me and I feel my eyes widen. I already know what he’s thinking. “I’m so…”
“Don’t be.” He snickers. “I now know what I’m going to be dreaming about this evening.”
If he expects his line to cause embarrassment, he’s got a lot to learn. At my age I can discern a man’s overused pickup line versus a sincere compliment. The latter rarer and more appreciated. Hunter’s words land squarely in the second type. Two can play this game. “I blame you.”
“Me?” He presses a palm to his chest, feigning innocence.
“You put something this appetizing and sweet in front of me and don’t expect me to indulge.” It’s only after the words escape that I realize what I’ve said.
“I’m discovering I’m loving watching… you … indulge.” The line is delivered with a sexy confidence that eases my worries. Something I’m discovering Hunter to be an expert at doing. Reading a situation and finding the right words.
I push the second unopened straw at him. “It’s better with two.” I shoot him a challenging gaze and his eyes remain on mine even as his fingers find the straw. He pushes it into the glass, his straw sliding down the side of mine until it disappears in the bottom of the glass.
“Most things are,” he whispers as his eyes flicker to the top of my straw, message received.
I lean forward, just as he does. This time the tops of our heads touch, both our lips on the ends of the straws and we take a pull together. Almost as if we rehearsed it, we both tilt our chins up, our noses an inch apart. I don’t dare close my eyes this time. I ride the sugar rush through my veins, barely feeling it over the pounding in my chest. It takes a concerted effort not to hum.
We remain like this, eyes locked on one another, silly grins on our faces for a few glorious beats. “How are you two liking the shake?” I turn to face the approaching waitress.
“Best thing I’ve had in ages,” I sing song my response as she drops the check on the table and disappears. I reach toward the bill and Hunter’s hand lands on top of mine.
“Don’t you dare,” he whispers. “I got this. It's a date after all.”
The way he says date reminds me that it's not. Despite the warmth that continues to swirl in my chest, despite the battle that my head is waging with my heart, this is all fake. This is just a kind man taking pity on me. “You are doing me the favor. It’s the least I can do.”
Hunter tugs on the leather case until it slips out from underneath my hand. “And you saved me from eating alone.” His words remind me how small his circle is. I remember my first days in Destiny Falls, the only people I knew were my co-workers.
I can’t imagine starting over in a new town far from home not knowing a soul. Hunter shouldn’t be the only one in a relationship, fake or not, to perform favors.
“Are you up for a detour?” I ask.
Hunter pulls out a small wallet of cards, he tugs on a platinum American Express card, his eyes widening for a split second before he lowers his wallet beneath the tabletop. When his hand appears again, it holds a Mastercard with the Atlanta Falcons logo. “I’m yours all afternoon.”
He says the words with an ease that fails to match mine. I’m glad I joined him for lunch. He’s proven to be kind, gentle, smart and we have a chemistry that is easy and natural.
However, if we’re going to fool the world, it’s going to take more than this. If we’re going to move forward with the fake relationship, I need to show him it's not going to be as easy as he thinks. It’s time to test this relationship with someone who knows me.
