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July, Present Day
Maple Ridge
* * *
Zara places two plates full of appetizers on her coffee table. She’s hosting Game Night this week, which means she’s trying out new foods on us that she wants to introduce at Picnic & Treats. We’re her guinea pigs.
Except I’m not exactly hungry after eating dinner with Katelyn an hour ago.
“What’s this about you now dating Katelyn Bell?” Zara gives me the evil eye she’s been perfecting since we were kids.
Everyone else stares at me from the couch and armchairs, their expressions exhibiting a host of emotions. Shock, disbelief, and anger being the most prominent ones. Even Butterscotch seems pissed at the news.
“I’m not dating Katelyn.” I reach for my cola on the coffee table.
“That’s not the news going around Maple Ridge.” Zara drops her ass into the chair opposite mine. “You were with her last night at Barside. You were also spotted leaving with her.”
“That’s right. She drove me home because I didn’t want a DUI.”
“Which would be fine if she hadn’t spent the night. Five people on the Maple Ridge Gossip Grapevine reported spotting her doing the walk of shame this morning. After you’d left for work.”
“People need to get a life,” I mutter into my drink. “And why exactly are you up-to-date with the latest gossip? I thought you hated that stuff.”
“I do. And I couldn’t agree with you more about them needing to get a life. But that doesn’t change the fact that you had dinner with her before coming here.”
Everyone else continues staring at me. Not one of them tries to put an end to the interrogation.
“As friends,” I clarify. “We had dinner only as friends. We needed to discuss something.”
“True or false? You’re going to her sister’s wedding on Sunday as her date.”
Christ. How the hell does Zara even know any of this? “I’m going as her friend. Nothing more. We’re not dating.” I put the glass down without taking a drink and lean back in the armchair.
“Then why were her friends talking about how you two are now dating?” Zara grunts, trying to laser a hole between my eyes. “You and Jess just broke up, and you’re already dating other women. And having sex with them. Well, one woman. Katelyn.”
“What difference does it make if I’m dating other women?” I demand, my rough tone scraping the air. “Jess. Broke up. With. Me.” Just saying the words out loud feels like a chisel is being hammered into my chest.
Kellan glares at me like I’ve stolen the software he’s been working on and sold it to the highest bidder.
“She might have broken up with you, but that doesn’t mean she’s over you.” The fine grit to Simone’s words doesn’t remove my thick layer of guilt. Guilt because I screwed up and had sex with Katelyn. But not because I had dinner with her before coming here. I’m allowed to have dinner with friends, regardless of whether I’m dating anyone or not.
“Doesn’t matter if she’s not over me. She doesn’t trust me enough to try to make our relationship work. Anyway, like I said, I’m not dating Katelyn. Her father, Anthony Bell, was going to give a large donation for the With Hope festival. But after what happened between Chief Wilson and me during the Fourth of July celebrations, Anthony changed his mind about the money. The festival needs that money. Every dime of it. I didn’t have much luck changing his mind. I’m hoping Katelyn does.”
“You’ve lost me,” Garrett says, frowning. “What does that have to do with you going to the wedding with her?”
Emily groans. “She told you she would convince her father to change his mind, but you have to be her date first? You could’ve asked Theresa. She would have done it without any strings attached.”
“She tried.” The words heave out on my frustrated sigh.
“And you think Katelyn will succeed when her sister didn’t?” Lucas shakes his head with the same disbelief that’s in his tone.
“Who knows? But it was a chance I was willing to take. For the sake of the festival.”
“What happened between you and Jess?” Emily asks after a moment, looking like her heart is the one broken instead of mine. “You guys were perfect together.”
I shrug because hell if I know. “Guess we weren’t perfect enough.”
“Do you love her?”
