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“That’s okay. I can go by myself if you wanted to go for a run before work.” I shifted the box of donuts in my arms. He took the drink carrier off the top of the box and held his coffee and muffins in the hand that held Shiloh’s leash.
“I guess we should have thought about this before we left,” he grumbled.
I laughed. “I don’t always think before I do things.”
He groaned, and I bit my lip to keep from laughing again. Sid held the door open for me. The sun was bright, and it warmed my insides despite the cold. I wanted to sip my seasonal latte and read a book on a bench in the park, but that would have to wait.
“We should probably go out on a date,” Sid said, surprising me.
The way he said it made it sound like an obligation. It hurt that he was doing this to keep up the charade and not because he wanted to. I’d caught feelings, and it was clear he didn’t feel the same.
“Kat?”
“Yes. Sorry. That’s a good idea.”
“Great. Simply Cook It has a class tonight. I’ll book a spot.”
Sid helped me get everything in my car before seeing me off. He waved as I pulled out of the driveway, and for a second, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Like we did it all the time. Warmth spread through my chest, and I quickly tamped it down, reminding myself that this was fake.
We weren’t going on an actual date. It was to sell our relationship to the town. To make sure that the damn gossip hens and whoever was writing the gossip blog didn’t find out we were faking. An overwhelming sadness washed over me, and I had to tamp down the tears.
I was getting too wrapped up in this relationship already, and if I wasn’t careful, I was going to end up hurt. Was it too late? My head and my heart were confused.
There was a lot of commotion in front of the house when I pulled up, and I looked at the time and realized it had been an hour and a half since Mindy had called. I unloaded the car quickly and walked to the door. The screen opened, and Mindy pulled me inside.
“Where the hell have you been?” she asked.
“I’m sorry. I lost track of time.”
“Mm-hmm. I remember those days.”
“What?” I asked and saw the glint in her eye. She wiggled a brow at me, and I cringed. “No. Sid and I walked to Grateful Cup and then realized we had to walk all the way back with our arms full. It took longer than expected.”
“Boo. I thought you guys finally got it on.”
“What do you mean, finally? He’s my fiancé. Don’t you think that’s already happened?”
Mindy narrowed her eyes at me, and I stared right back at her.
“What are you guys doing?” Frank asked. “Give me these. We have to get to the barn.” He took the coffee and donuts from my arms and walked into the kitchen.
Mindy crossed her arms over her chest. I put my hands on my hips. I would not break first. Mindy was feisty and stubborn, and she had yet to meet her match. But that was before I arrived in town.
“Okay. You win,” she said, standing up straight. “You’re either telling the truth, or you’re a damn good liar.”
Mindy walked away toward the stairs. I sighed. That was close.
I walked into the kitchen and laughed. Frank was standing at the island scarfing down a donut while feeding Ava as she sat in her bouncy seat.
“That better not be the chocolate glazed one,” I joked. His wife would kill him.
He looked at it and then lifted it up. “Nope. Glazed.”
I laughed. “How’s it going here?”
“Crazy,” he said.
“Well, I’m here to help, and if you guys need me for some overnights, I can do that too.”
