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I reach up and place my hand over his and give it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s a little late for that, don’t ya think?” I quickly slip out of his grasp and avoid the knowing look.
“You look beautiful, by the way,” Austin shouts before following me down the stairs.
I’m gathering up my things when I hear tires coming up the gravel driveway. Moments later, my phone dings with a text message.
Tripp:Here.
“Well, I gotta go.” I slip my phone into my purse, not bothering with a response text back.
“What?” Austin screeches. “He can’t walk his ass up to the front door? Didn’t his mama teach him manners? I think I need to go have a talk with Mrs. Briggs to let her know how much of a dick he is.”
I roll my eyes at his dramatics. “Good night, Austin.”
“Don’t be out too late.”
I glance over my shoulder as I open the door. “Yes, Daddy,” I tease, smiling playfully at him. I would say the way he is currently acting, all protective and such, is a great example of why I’m glad Tripp didn’t walk up to the front door to get me.
In a flash, Austin is behind me, moving the door out of my grasp, opening it just slightly more to allow room for him, but I shove him back inside before he can make a scene.
“Hey, watch it, young lady. Also, don’t call me Daddy.” He winks. “I might like it.”
I pretend to gag and groan. “Stay out of trouble.”
“Neva,” his loud voice echoes the front porch, and I bet if I were to turn around, I would see him in a Superman stance. His laughter only stops once I hear the click of the front door.
I make my way down the steps to Tripp’s truck. Pausing for a moment, I wonder if he’ll look over to see me almost to his truck and hop out to run around and open the door.Nope.He doesn’t notice me. Tripp is too busy focusing on himself in the rearview mirror, adjusting his hair.
My heart races with every step, beating harder the closer I get. Austin’s words play on repeat in my mind, but I shake them away. This has nothing to do with Cooper—it’s just a date.
I take some calming breaths as I open the passenger door. At least it was unlocked, and I’m not going to have to wait. As I slip into the truck, Tripp lets out a loud, low whistle. His gaze takes me in as if he wishes he had X-ray vision. Who knows, maybe he does.
“Damn, girl.” He runs his hand over his clean-shaven jaw. “You’re fine as fuck. You’re going to look like a dime hanging on my arm. I’ll be the envy of the whole damn town.”
I swallow down the sour taste that enters my mouth at Tripp’s words. I’m not a damn prize you can show off at the county fair. When he says the town will be envious, does he mean one man in particular?
What the fuck, brain?That’s twice Cooper Graham has appeared at the forefront of my mind.
“Maybe we should just skip dinner and go straight for dessert.” The hunger in his eyes has nothing to do with food.
An awkward laugh slips from my lips as I tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear.Maybe I should just jump ship now.I glance over at the closed front door and wonder how badly Austin would make fun of me if I walked back in there right now.
No, fuck this. I can do this. Going out on a date is the first step in taking my heart back.
“Ready to go?” Tripp asks as he starts his truck up.
I press my lips together to keep from saying “no” and just nod.
I might not be an expert on first dates—I mean, I’ve literally only ever been on one before when I was fifteen years old—but I’m pretty sure it’s not proper first-date—or really, any date—etiquette to not give your date a chance to talk once in a while, but also, maybe don’t check out the server’s ass every time she walks away.
Tripp Briggs is attractive. All you have to do is ask him, or don’t because he will tell you all about it. I spent all of dinner listening to how he beat his personal best record weightlifting at the firehouse and how all the women fawned over him at the Guns and Hoses Charity Event last month.
“Want to go in?” Tripp tips his head toward the sign for the Pint.
It appears Tripp has already decided because before I can even answer him, his hand on my lower back—which has slid lower and lower on our walk from the restaurant—is already leading me toward the entrance.
“Sure, why not?” I respond just for the hell of it.
As soon as we walk through the door, the stale stench of beer and peanuts, along with the oldies playing, is oddly comforting. However, the loud laughter coming from the opposite end of the bar has my spine straightening and my breath hitching. I close my eyes and see if I imagined it. But when I open them, I hear it again and follow the sound to find none other than Cooper and Austin, along with a few friends from high school, sitting at the corner booth.
