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Luckily, I don’t. “I told Sammy I’d take her shopping tomorrow and help her pick out some school clothes if you’re okay with it.”
He turns his focus to his daughter. “I thought we were paddleboarding tomorrow.”
She shrugs her shoulders slightly. “It’s just that Melissa is a redhead, and I’m a redhead, and she has some idea of what I might look good in. Please, Dad.” She bats her green eyes at him.
“Where are you planning to shop?” he asks me.
“I thought we could hit a mall in Milwaukee,” I tell him. “They have a much bigger selection than we have in Elk Lake.”
“Milwaukee?” He doesn’t seem overly comfortable with the idea.
“I’ve never so much as had a speeding ticket,” I assure him.
He shakes his head. “Yes, but ...”
“Dad, please,” Sammy begs.
“On one condition,” he finally decides. “I drive.”
A cold sweat breaks out on my forehead.He wants to come with us?Sammy quickly sticks out her hand for him to shake. “It’s a deal.” Then she smiles at me. “That’s okay with you, isn’t it?”
Um, no. But of course, I don’t say that. Instead, I go with, “Sure. It’ll be fun.” As soon as my gaze meets Jamie’s, I know it will be anything but.
Before he can say anything else, I feel a hand on my elbow. Turning around, I stare right at Tim Ferris. “Missy?” he asks like he’s not sure I’m the same person in my profile picture.
“Tim, how are you?”
I try to lead him away, but he doesn’t budge. He seems intent on meeting Sammy and Jamie. “Hi there, I’m Tim. Missy and I went to school together.”
Jamie’s eyebrows lift in unison. “So, you’re old friends?” He shoots me a look that suggests he’s not buying it.
Tim shakes his sandy head. His hairline isn’t quite as receding as it was in his profile picture. “We barely knew each other in school. We reconnected last night on Catch.com.”
Sweet Jesus, take me now because I’m about to die from embarrassment. Who tells a stranger they’re on a dating app date? It’s akin to announcing an itchy rash on your nether regions.
Jamie looks at me questioningly, but not unkindly. Which makes my response come off as a little rude. “Is there something wrong with that?” I demand a little too hotly.
“No, not at all. In fact, I hope you have a nice lunch.”
His eyes linger on me long enough to make me squirm. How is it this man is perfectly delightful to everyone from his daughter to my mother, to a guy I went to high school with, and yet he treats me like I’m of no consequence at all? In spite of my lack of importance, I find that I still have to force myself not to throw myself into his arms. I’m so embarrassed.
CHAPTERTWELVE
MELISSA
The diner is busy, so Tim and I are lucky to get a window table. He pulls out a chair for me on the side that will unfortunately keep Jamie Riordan in my direct line of sight. Good times.
As soon as Tim pushes in my chair, he sits down across from me. “You look gorgeous.” Before I can thank him for the compliment, he adds, “I always thought so when we were kids, but I didn’t have the courage to ask you out.”
He didn’t have the courage to askmeout? Not likely, as he dated every cheerleader at our school. Unless, of course, he means he didn’t have the guts to defy the social order and ask out someone so low on the popularity ladder. Nowthat’sa depressing thought.
“You look very nice yourself,” I tell him as the waitress drops off our water and our menus. “What brings you back to Elk Lake?”Also, where were you before, for how long, with whom, and do you have an arrest record?
“My dad wants to retire. The plan was always for me to move home and take over the country club for him when he did.”
I have no idea what Tim’s dad does at the country club, so I ask, “Does he manage the place?”
“Owns it. Terry Filipo is the manager.”
