Chapter 5
FIVE
Jem
Well, I’m running late for my very first date.
I was so distracted setting up some new inventory that I lost track of time, and now here I am, running down the sidewalk to my little apartment.
I had such big plans, too. I was going to come home early, take a shower, and maybe even put on some makeup so I’d be all polished and put together by the time Rune came to pick me up. Instead, I’ll be lucky if I’m not a sweaty mess by the time he arrives.
I rush around the corner and curse when I see Rune standing outside my place. He’s frowning up at my apartment, and I brush my hair back as I hurry to his side.
“Hey! Hi, sorry,” I pant as I skid to a stop in front of him.
“Hey, I was starting to think that I had the wrong place,” he says.
“Nope! I’m just running late. Do you mind if I just run upstairs to freshen up? I’m so sorry about this.”
“It’s no problem,” he assures me. “Take your time.”
I jog upstairs and let myself into my place, making a beeline for my bedroom as I tug my shirt over my head. I hop in the shower, rinse off quickly, then speed through drying off and getting dressed. Ten minutes later, I’m headed back downstairs and out to Rune.
He’s leaning against his truck, and he looks like a freaking model. My body heats as I take him in. He’s wearing dark-washed jeans that cling to his thick thighs. The dark green Henley shirt clings to his arms and chest.
He opens the passenger door for me. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah. Where are we going?” I ask as I hop into his truck.
“I thought we could grab some dinner. Are you hungry?”
“Starved.”
I smile as he closes the door, walks around, and climbs behind the wheel.
“You look beautiful,” he says as he buckles up.
“Thanks,” Heat floods my cheeks.
We turn around and drive toward Main Street.
“Tacos or burgers?” Rune asks.
“Burgers.”
He nods, smiling slightly as he pulls into the parking lot of Toasty Buns. We park, and I go to hop out, but he stops me with a hand on my arm.
“I’ll get your door,” he says, already climbing out.
I wait, biting back a smile as he comes around and opens the passenger door. He offers me his hand. I gasp as a shock sizzles over my skin when I slip my hand into his.
“I’ve got you,” Rune rumbles.
I look up, meeting his dark blue eyes. “Thanks.”
He nods, helping me out of the truck. Closing the door, he keeps my hand in his as we walk toward the front doors.
“Do you know what you want?” he asks as we approach the counter to order.
“Yep! I always get the same thing here. Cheeseburger with extra pickles.”
He nods, and we step up to the cashier.
“Two cheeseburgers, please. One with extra pickles. Two large fries and”—he turns to me—“do you want a milkshake or a pop?”
“Coke, please.”
Rune nods and finishes our order.
I love how he takes control. It’s nice to have someone else worry about the details. I spend all day doing that for other people and could use a break sometimes.
“Thank you,” Rune says after he pays and is handed the receipt.
He squeezes my hand, and I follow him to a table in the back corner, where he pulls out my chair.
I smile as I sit down. “Thanks.”
He nods as he takes his own seat. He seems to dwarf the thing, and I bite back a grin at how cute he looks.
“So, you said we need to talk about details?”
Rune nods. “I thought we should go over expectations and dates. You said the wedding was soon?”
“Yeah, April 16th.”
“That’s coming up fast.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“So, what do you need from me?”
“Well—”
I’m interrupted as our food is delivered.
“Thanks,” Rune and I say at the same time.
“Enjoy.” The server smiles and returns to the counter.
Rune nudges my burger and fries toward me.
“Thanks for dinner,” I say as I unwrap my burger and take a bite.
“Anytime, shortcake.”
I pause at the nickname, and warmth climbs my face.
“So, what do you need from me?” he asks again.
I blink, then clear my throat. “Right, so I need you to go to the wedding with me. I’m the maid of honor and have some duties, but it’s going to be a casual, intimate event, so I’ll be able to spend most of the time with you.”
“Okay.”
“We should probably get to know each other a little better. I mean, I want us to have fun at the event and…” I trail off, not sure where I was going with that, but I’m so curious about this grumpy recluse.
“Okay, you go first,” he says, taking a bite of his burger.
“Um, well, I was born here in Wolf Valley. I started my shop a few years ago, and—”
“What shop?”
“Oh, I own the wedding and dress shop in town. It’s just a block over.”
“I’ve seen it.” He grins. “Yes I do Boutique.”
“That’s the one!”
“Do you like it?”
“I love it. I love weddings, love the drama and pageantry of it all. I get to spend every day helping people feel beautiful on one of the best days of their lives.”
“Sounds like a great way to make a living,” he observes.
“It is. What about you? You work at the lumberyard?”
“Yeah. I manage it. It’s a good job.”
“How does one get into that line of work?”
“Uh, I actually started when I was sixteen. I worked there after school and on weekends, all summer long.”
“Ah, and you loved it, so you never did anything else?”
Rune shakes his head. “No, I was in the Marines for ten years. I joined when I was eighteen.”
“Wow, that’s amazing. Did you get to see some cool places?”
“Kind of, but it’s not what you think. I was never anywhere as a tourist, you know what I mean?”
“Yeah, it must be hard to enjoy the sights and relax when you’re there for work.”
“Exactly.”
I pop my last fry into my mouth. “Did you miss the lumberyard? Is that why you got out of the Marines?”
“No. Well, kind of.” He sighs heavily. “I got sick of watching my friends get hurt or killed. It started to eat at me. I was becoming someone I didn’t like—angry and on edge all the time, constantly looking for danger or threats. That’s no way to live.”
“No, it isn’t,” I say softly.
I’m surprised by how open he’s being. I figure a guy who’s spent most of his time avoiding people won’t be so forthcoming with information.
Rune pushes his fries toward me, and I take one, chewing it thoughtfully.
“Did you know people here in Wolf Valley? Or what made you choose to move here?”
“I do know some people here in town, old military buddies, but that’s not why I moved here. I was looking for jobs and stumbled upon the manager role at the lumberyard. I applied, got the job, and moved here.”
“And how do you like our small town?” I ask with a wide grin.
“It’s growing on me,” he says softly, his eyes locked on mine.
We finish our food and both stand to throw away our trash. Rune takes mine from me, and I smile as I follow him over to the door. He takes my hand as we head outside to his truck, and it feels so easy, so natural to be with him like this.
“We should do this again,” he says as he opens the passenger door.
“Yeah.”
He stares at me for a beat, and I look away first, climbing into his truck. He shuts the door, and I busy myself with my seatbelt as he climbs into the driver’s seat and starts the truck.
I want to tell him then that it doesn’t have to be fake, that I don’t want it to be fake, but I’m not sure how to bring it up. It would come out of nowhere, and if he’s not into the idea, it would be so embarrassing.
We make the short drive back to my apartment in comfortable silence, and he parks out front. I pause when Rune reaches for his seatbelt. He unbuckles and hops out before he goes around to open my door for me.
“Careful,” Rune says, offering his hand as I step down from the truck.
“I’m good,” I murmur, even though I take his hand anyway.
Another spark shoots up my arm the moment our skin touches. My stomach flips, and I’m suddenly very aware of how close we’re standing.
Too close.
Not nearly close enough.
Rune shuts the truck door behind me, but he doesn’t let go of my hand.
“Thanks again for dinner,” I say.
“Anytime.”
The way he says it makes it sound like a promise.
For a second, we stand there, neither of us moving. My heart is beating way too fast, and I can feel the weight of his gaze on me.
I look up and immediately regret it. His dark blue eyes are locked on my face, intense and focused in a way that makes my breath catch.
Oh. Oh. This is happening.
My fingers tighten around his.
“Well,” I say, suddenly very aware of the quiet street around us. “I should probably—” I gesture toward the stairs, but my words trail off when Rune takes a small step closer.
He’s so tall that I have to tilt my head back to look at him properly.
“You had a good time?” he asks.
“I did,” I confirm.
“Good.” His voice drops a little lower. “I did too.”
The words make my chest feel warm. We stand there, that same charged silence stretching between us. I swear I can hear my own heartbeat.
Rune lifts his free hand, hesitates for a second, then gently brushes a strand of my strawberry-blonde hair away from my face. The touch is so soft that it almost doesn’t feel real.
My breath catches as he stares down at me.
“You’re beautiful,” he says quietly.
My cheeks heat instantly. “Rune—”
I don’t even know what I’m about to say. Luckily, I don’t have to because the next thing I know, he leans down and presses a quick kiss to my lips.
It’s soft, gentle, and over almost as soon as it begins, but it still steals the air right out of my lungs.
His lips are warm and firm, and the brief contact sends a rush of heat straight through me. Then he pulls back, just like that, like it were no big deal. Meanwhile, I stand there staring at him like my brain has short-circuited.
“Goodnight, Jem,” he says.
My mouth opens, but nothing comes out. I blink a few times, trying to remember how words work.
“Goodnight,” I finally manage.
Rune squeezes my hand once before letting it go. Turning, he walks back to his truck as if he hasn’t just completely scrambled my entire nervous system.
I stand on the sidewalk, watching him climb inside and start the engine. When his headlights flash on, I finally snap out of it enough to climb the stairs to my apartment.
My lips still tingle, my heart is still racing, and as I unlock my door and step inside, one thought keeps repeating in my head.
This fake boyfriend thing might be a bad idea because if that kiss was any indication, I’m already in trouble.