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“Trust me. I know women.”
“Gross,” Forrest says.
I snort. “You mean like how you know Rebel?”
The question comes out before I realize what I’ve done. The air around me turns to ice. Rhys’s loose posture freezes, his stare baleful. I look back at him apologetically, and out of the corner of my eye, I can see Forrest pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Sorry, man. I shouldn’t have said that.”
Rhys’s shoulders relax. “It’s okay. I’m no longer letting a girl I met at a convention one time…”
“And who talked you into getting a tattoo,” Forrest puts in.
Rhys grits his teeth and continues, “…have power over me.”
“I’m glad,” I say, though I don’t believe him. Forrest and I exchange a look, and Rhys catches it.
“Guys, it’s over. Rebel may have broke my heart into a million pieces, but I acknowledge the role I also played in it.”
Forrest points out, “Dude, you dated her for three days, five years ago, while dressed as an orc, and you haven’t dated anyone since. You’re not over her.”
Rhys’s jaw tics, and he crosses his arms over his chest. “It was four days. We were both VIP guests with early access to GenCon.Get it right.”
“Oh sorry. Four days,” Forrest says, holding up his hands.
“Since we’re now spouting data, how about your track record, Forrest?” Rhys says. “Have you bought anything from an estate sale just so you could stalk a woman today?”
Forrest puffs out his chest, proud of his behavior as of late. “Yeah, a bunch. All tax deductible ’cause it’s all shit we can use at the shop. You’re welcome.”
“Boys, can we call a truce on pointing out each other’s pathetic dating histories now?” I say.
There’s no need to call a truce because the sweet, dusky voice of my future wife cuts across the bickering. “Hi, boss! Anything else you need me to do right now?”
All three pairs of eyes shift as Dakota enters the chat.
I look down at her hopeful face and notice the warm feeling in my belly. Just having her eyes on me feels like the equivalent of being handed a warm chocolate chip cookie.
I must have stood there staring at her for a beat too long because she follows up with, “It’s just that I need to clock out for a few minutes to look for an apartment…that is, if I still have a job here.”
What Rhys said about sensing that Dakota is a runner sticks in my mind. The thought of her leaving town as quickly as she breezed in sends my imagination reeling. I can’t let that happen.
I grab her hand. “Come on. No need to clock out.”
“No?”
“Nah,” I say, shooting her my most winning smile over my shoulder. “We’re going upstairs to brainstorm new name ideas for the store.”
Dakota beams at me. “Now you’re talking.”
“Can we come too? We have ideas,” Forrest calls after us from the gaming table, where he sits folding T-shirts.
Dakota and I shout, “No!” at the same time. We’re still laughing as we race up the stairs to the apartment.
7
Dakota
Dean has me backed against the door of his walk-up apartment, his mouth on mine.
