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I walked away from her and took my phone out from my pocket, pulling up the place’s website. Simply Cook It was a hands-on cooking class. It was the perfect date night spot, and I had yet to have a date there. Which made me a little nervous to take Kat.
A few years back, when Kate came to town, I’d asked her out. We’d planned to go to Simply Cook It, but the class got canceled because the class before ours started a fire in one of the kitchens. After that, I decided I’d only take someone I was serious with since it was in town and it seemed like an intimate setting. Which was all the more reason not to go with Kat.
They did have a class this evening, but it was booked. Not surprising since the town was overrun with tourists. Tourist season for Oak Springs started toward the end of summer and continued through the holidays.
“Booked tonight,” I said, pocketing my phone.
“Darn.” She snapped her fingers together. “Guess you’ll have to take a rain check.”
I got the feeling she was relieved that we weren’t going out. Part of me was as well, but another part was disappointed. I liked our conversation and had a strange desire to know more about the woman behind the fancy clothes and makeup.
“We could still grab a bite to eat if you’re free.” I wanted to kick myself. Why couldn’t I control my mouth?
Kat stared at me for a beat, then a smile spread across her face. “Actually, that’s a great idea with the gala coming up. Getting to know each other would make faking it easier. I have the perfect place for us to go tonight so we can look like a couple.”
“What?” That wasn’t what I had in mind.
“It’ll be fine. I’m going to grab my things.”
“If you wait a minute, I can drive you up there. I just have to wash up.”
She nodded, and I handed her my keys. I wanted to kick my own ass for suggesting dinner, and her idea of pretending to be a couple now scared the hell out of me. I had been on plenty of dates lately, but this felt different, and my stomach churned, causing me to feel a little sick. This wasn’t a date. We were friends pretending to date. I was helping her out. That’s what I told myself the entire time I washed up until I finally believed it.
Chapter 8
KAT
NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS did I think I would go on a date with Sidney Lewis, and I never expected to be nervous. Sid was grumpy and quiet, the complete opposite of the guys I normally dated. I was used to musicians and men I’d meet at clubs. Sid was nothing like them, and honestly, we weren’t a match.
Sid climbed into the driver’s side of his truck and started it. He turned the wheel and drove up the gravel path toward the house. I glanced over at him. He was focused on driving, so I took the time to admire him. He was a gorgeous man with long, thick, wavy hair. The hair was apparently my kryptonite since that was what had first attracted me to Alessandro too.
His fingers drummed on his pants in time with the country music that softly filled the cab of the truck. His jeans had a hole in the knee, which surprised me. Sid seemed like the type of guy who would prefer to be clean cut instead of rugged, but the dirty boots paired with a gray Henley that stretched tight across his chest were really working for him and doing all sorts of crazy things to my insides. I’d never been a fan of the cowboy look, but Sid wore it well.
Before I could look away, he glanced at me and smiled. I felt like I was melting into the seat. He had never smiled around me before. And damn, he should really do it more often. His teeth were perfectly straight and bright white against his brown beard. He kept the beard a little long, but it was well manicured. I’d never really been a beard kind of girl, but I liked it on Sid.
His eyes were the most beautiful shade of brown I’d ever seen, like a rich caramel. But it was what I saw behind them that drew me in. They were soulful and honest, which made him appear extremely down to earth and trustworthy. I was usually excited by a hint of mischief or trouble in a man’s eyes, but Sid’s calmed me in a way I’d never experienced before.
He parked the truck and turned to face me, pushing up his long sleeves to expose his forearms. My eyes were glued to them as they flexed. The corded muscle coupled with the leather bracelet around his wrist made my insides clench. Holy hotness.
“Where did you want to eat?” he asked.
“Let me grab my things and make a phone call. I’ll be right back.”
He looked confused and rubbed a hand over the hair on his jaw. That move turned me on, and I immediately leaped from the truck like it was on fire, running for the house. I came to a stop at the front door and slowly crept inside to grab my things in case everyone was still asleep.
The house was quiet, so I dug my cell phone out of my purse and walked into the screened-in porch to call my sister. She answered on the second ring.
“Hey.”
“Hi. Do you have room for two? Sid and I are looking for somewhere to eat,” I blurted.
“You and Sid?”
I knew it was coming, yet I still couldn’t hold back my eye roll. “Yes. We both finished up here at the same time, and he asked if I wanted to grab a bite to eat. Do you have anything, or should we go somewhere else?”
“We actually finished three dishes today for the menu, and I was going to call and ask if you wanted to stop by and eat with me. I’ll set the table for you guys.”
“Thanks.”
