7. Matty
Chapter 7
Matty
O N MONDAY, I go to the Dash In Diner for lunch. Not a week goes by that I’m not here at least once, but if I’m being honest, it’s more like three or four times.
What can I say? When the cook is your best friend, and she’s talented as hell, you belly up to the counter a little more than might be good for you.
Besides, if I come during the work week, I always bring Liv something back. That counts…for something.
As always, Tom and Jerry are still there. Those guys are here every day, nearly open to close, without fail. They’re as much a part of the diner as Willa, Barbara, Dean, and Goldie. Although now that Goldie’s got her job at the paper, I see her less than before. I can’t stop myself from looking for her, though.
Reid and Ox are also at the counter, and as fate would have it, there’s an empty stool between the two sets of men.
“Happy Monday, guys.”
“Is it, though?” Ox groans.
Reid chuckles. “He’s just mad because this whole Chief thing is a lot harder than Uncle Jack made it out to be.”
Jerry snorts. “Chief Mac never said it was a cakewalk.”
“Just made it look that way,” Tom finishes with a smirk.
Ox leans over to glare at them. “You two are the rabble rousers that are causing me all the trouble, so I’d appreciate it if you simmered down.”
I smile gratefully at Barbara as she pours me a cup of coffee, then tip the cup at Ox. “Do tell us of all your troubles, Great Chief Hall.”
Reid laughs, and Ox grumbles. “They want a new clock tower.”
“Damn thing ain’t kept proper time since the fifties!” Jerry exclaims.
“You’d know, you old geezer,” Ox shoots back.
“I’m gonna get Goldie on this—it’s a scoop,” Tom declares.
“None of this is your lane, Chief ,” I remind him.
He raises a thick eyebrow. “You clearly haven’t been attending the town halls, or you’d know that these two”—he flicks a dismissive hand at the old men to my right— “have made it my lane.”
“Okay, let’s change topics,” Reid says, patting Ox on the shoulder. “Before Chief Hall comes up with a reason to arrest you two. I need a handyman. Who do you recommend?”
“Probably Jim down at the hardware shop,” Ox says.
“His daughter’s better than he is.” Heads swivel to me. “What? It’s true. Darcy is an actual carpenter. She knows her way around a house. Assuming that’s the kind of handyman you’re after.”
“Ooh, Darcy,” Ox muses, then grins. “She and my brother hate each other.”
“Which one?” Reid asks.
“Anthony.”
“Why?”
Ox shrugs. “Have you met my brother? Bigger than me, grumpy as hell, grunts more than he speaks?”
Reid chuckles. “Fair.”
“Didn’t they date?” I venture.
“Speaking of dating.” Tom waggles his eyebrows.
Barbara slides the patty melt and fries I didn’t have to order in front of me. I look up and smile a thanks at Willa. She tips her head in response. Then I look back at Tom. “What are you babbling about now?”
“When are you gonna settle down?” Jerry asks. “Have some babies?”
“See?” Tom says proudly. “We don’t just ask the women.”
“No, you’re equal-opportunity inconsiderate asses,” I joke.
Reid quirks a grin. “Ignore them.”
“Easy for you to say—you’re locked in.”
His smile broadens and softens at the same time as he steals a glance at Willa. “Yeah.”
I chuckle and take a bite of my sandwich. “You’re so gone for her it’s not even funny.”
“Without a doubt,” Reid agrees. “And it’s the fucking best. Just you wait.” He levels a meaningful look at me, and I shove fries in my mouth so I don’t have to think about what that look could possibly mean.
My phone dings when I’m finishing lunch, and while I hate to do it, I am on break, so I pull it out of my pocket to see if it’s Liv at the clinic.
It’s not. It’s an alert from the Blinding Love app, telling me I’ve got a photo to look at.
The way my heart rate speeds up should concern me. But I really like this girl. We chat so easily every day, and even though we’ve kept who we are pretty much hidden from each other, we’ve started to wade into deeper territory. And I have to hand it to the app—we really do have a lot in common.
The guys are all distracted talking to each other, so I open the app to see the photo. It’s a shiny copper penny, heads-up on a street.
DAWN
Today’s good luck charm
I smile and start to write back, when Reid leans over. “What’s that?”
I blacken the screen. “Nothing.”
“Oh, that’s way more than nothing . Ox, I think our boy might be chatting it up with someone.”
Ox perks up. “Ooh, who are we talking to?”
I try to will away the heat creeping up my neck and repeat, “It’s nothing. I’m not talking to anyone.”
Reid and Ox look at each other, then stand. Before I can process what they’re doing, they’ve each hooked my arm in theirs and are walking me out of the diner.
Tom and Jerry hoot behind me. “Get him, boys!”
I barely have to walk for as tight a grip the guys have on me. “Remind me never to actually get in trouble with you two.”
Reid opens the door. As we go outside, I ask, “Is this legal?”
Ox laughs. “We’re not arresting you.”
“But we are getting the story out of you.”
They let me go and I straighten myself, then point at Reid. “You were never this nosy when you first got here.”
Reid smirks. “Consider it payback for your meddling, then.”
“Fine,” I sigh, running a hand over my face. “But you two need to keep this between us. No one else. Not even Willa.”
“Wow, keeping something from your best friend?” Ox says. “This I gotta hear.”
“I joined a dating app.”
They both look at me, waiting. “And?” Reid prompts.
Oh. Maybe this isn’t the big deal I’m making it out to be. “It’s called Blinding Love. They match you based on a big profile you fill out, and you don’t get to see pictures of the person until you’re a certain number of messages and time in.”
“I’ve heard of that,” Ox says. “Honestly thought of using it myself. It’s not easy trying to find someone.”
“Exactly.”
“But I thought I saw a picture,” Reid notes.
“You did. The app won’t allow photos of faces yet, but we can post pictures of other things. I’ve been talking to someone for a week.”
“What’s their name?” Ox asks.
“Dawn.”
Ox looks at Reid. “You hear how he said it?”
Reid smirks at me. “You like her.”
I groan. “Are you two twelve? Yes, I like her. It’s only been a week, but so far, yeah. She’s…she’s pretty great.”
“What are the odds that I have two people in my world who are doing dating things?” Ox muses. “First, my brother in that wild twenty-four-hour business, and now you in the Blinding Love app. I think I’ll do it.”
I start. “Seriously?”
“Why not? I have nothing to lose. And you seem pretty happy.”
“This isn’t a big deal, Matty. It’s a dating app. Why don’t you want to tell Willa again?” Reid asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. I just…don’t. I’m invoking bro code. You two have to keep it to yourselves—even if you sign up, Ox.”
“Bro code? Now who’s the twelve-year-old?”
Ox shrugs. “Doesn’t bother me any, but for the record, I think it’s weird you’re being secretive about it.”
“Fine,” Reid agrees. “It’s nice to see you getting out there. Though, I gotta admit, I thought you and Goldie had a thing when I first got here.”
I nearly choke. “Goldie? And me?” He’s far too close to the desire I’ll never let myself fully explore. Because something about it feels…not wrong , exactly, but…forbidden? She’s beautiful—stunning, if we’re being honest. Long, sun-kissed blond hair and a smile that is tailor-made to get her whatever she wants. She makes me feel like a troll in comparison. But we grew up together, and she’s my best friend’s little sister. And again: far too adventurous and fun to be interested in a boring guy like me.
“Yep. Something about you two. But maybe I was seeing things.”
“Nah. There’s something,” Ox states.
“What? No there isn’t.”
Reid puts his hands up. “Whatever you say, Matty.”
I shake my head. “You two are buying my lunch after all this. I gotta get back to work.”
Laughing, Reid and Ox head back inside. I hop in my truck and start the engine, but don’t leave until I respond to Dawn.