Chapter 7
Operation “Fake” Dating
Birdie taps a finger to her chin. “If we do this, the truth stays between us. Briar would be disappointed in us both, Wren would try to talk me out of it, and Charlie can’t keep a secret to save her life.”
I should put a stop to this immediately. Hell, I should’ve shut the door on our conversation last night instead of going along with the harebrained idea to pretend we’re a couple.
The problem is that spending the night here has opened my mind to the possibility of having more with her, even if it’s just a temporary facade of what could be. I can’t shake the memory of her in my lap, how her body naturally molded to mine as if she’d always belonged there.
The reality is, if I don’t step in, Birdie will eventually find someone else to experiment with, and there’s no guarantee they’ll treat her right.
I’d never be able to live with myself if she got hurt when I had the chance to help her navigate her desires safely and show her that she’s a treasure worth protecting.
Someone who’s deserving of love and respect.
“Can I tell Heath?” I ask.
Birdie shakes her head. “I’d prefer you don’t. He’d judge me with that permanent scowl of his, and his grumpy attitude is intimidating enough as it is.” She’s got him pegged perfectly.
I snicker. “He’s not so bad if you look past his grouchy exterior.”
“You only say that because he’s your brother. Putting up with each other is part of the gig.” Birdie winks.
There’s more truth to that statement than she realizes.
Heath and I have always been close. We shared a bedroom growing up and have worked on the ranch together since we could walk.
But that doesn’t take away his frustrations with me for not fully embracing my responsibilities.
Even now, I suspect he’s still bitter that I took the deputy job instead of putting in more hours at the ranch, to help him expand it to its full potential.
Now that I think about it, he’d probably argue that faking a relationship with Birdie is a terrible idea, using my past mistakes to lecture me. Best to keep him in the dark for now.
“You’re right. We shouldn’t tell Heath,” I agree.
I scoop up a generous portion of eggs, searching for anything to focus on besides Birdie’s big blue eyes and the way they draw me in.
She shifts in her seat, twisting her hands together in her lap. “What about my dad?”
I stiffen, my gaze snapping to hers with my fork halfway to my mouth. Holy shit.
I forgot that if we go through with this, I’ll have to tell the sheriff that I’m “dating” his daughter.
He’s the type to glare you into submission while packing a gun at his hip.
It’s no secret how protective he is of Birdie, and I’m betting he’ll lose his shit.
The worst part? I promised Birdie she could pin the breakup on me.
I can only imagine how much her dad will hate me then.
It would be equally bad if he found out it was all pretend.
He’d probably accuse me of using Birdie, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
“Maybe we should steer clear of your dad for a while,” I suggest, giving Birdie a sideways glance.
“Oh sure, he’s totally not going to ask questions if his best deputy goes off the grid,” she says with a straight face.
The corner of my mouth quirks up. “I’m the best, huh?”
She rolls her eyes, holding her coffee mug against her chest. “It’s not that impressive when there’s not much competition.
Eli falls asleep at his desk when he’s supposed to be doing paperwork, Cole hides behind the diner eating donuts for hours instead of patrolling, and Mason’s a total suck-up with no common sense. ”
Yeah, Sheriff Matterson’s options are limited. That’s probably why he was excited when I showed interest. The ranch is thriving under Heath’s leadership, and with my share of the profits, money isn’t a concern, making it possible to volunteer my time.
I put my fork down and push my plate away, deciding breakfast should wait until I’ve gotten an answer from Birdie.
“You’d better be prepared to have my mom invite you to family dinner more often. She’s going to be over the moon when she finds out we’re together… At least that she’ll think we are,” I stammer out quickly.
Suddenly, I’m the one tongue-tied, struggling to keep my cool, knowing that the future hinges on Birdie’s decision.
“I’d never say no to one of your mom’s home-cooked meals,” she says, taking a sip of coffee. “My only other condition is that we keep our PDA to a minimum.” She tugs her bottom lip between her teeth, watching me expectantly.
I shake my head. “Not a chance. The whole idea is teaching you how to interact with someone you’re interested in, and that includes PDA.
Besides, if we were really an item, I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off you.
” I take the mug from her hands, setting it on the table.
“No one would buy our act if we looked uncomfortable whenever we got close to each other.”
I take her hands in mine, brushing my thumbs along her palms, the soft hitch of her breath anchoring me. I’m beginning to think she’s more affected by me than she lets on, sparking a glimmer of hope that this attraction might not be entirely one-sided.
Her throat bobs as she swallows, eyes darting between my face and the floor. “Fine, but I’m warning you—my friends will tease us mercilessly for every little public display. They’ve been waiting ages for me to have a boyfriend and won’t miss a chance to make a fuss about it.”
I bite back a grin. “You used the present tense. Does that mean you’re in?” I hold her gaze, gauging every reaction. “If you don’t want this, we stop now.”
I’ll walk away if that’s what she wants, but that doesn’t mean it won’t hurt like hell.
Birdie studies me silently, her expression unreadable. The only noise is from the grandfather clock ticking in the hallway, each beat stretching the space between hope and disappointment.
When she finally speaks, my chest tightens with anticipation.
“It’s a sweet gesture to offer me an out, but there’s no need.” She holds out her hand. “I’m in. Let’s do this.”
I take her hand, lifting it to my mouth, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. “Can’t wait to start pretend dating you, troublemaker.”
More than you know.
I’m eager to take her out and spoil her the way she deserves, but more than anything, I’m looking forward to the quiet moments when it’ll be just the two of us—laughing, talking, and getting to know each other beyond friendship.
I’ve spent so long imagining what it’d be like to call her mine, and now that I’m one step closer to making that a reality, I have to do everything in my power to get this right.
Birdie lets out a soft laugh. “Careful now. You might regret saying that.”
“Never,” I vow.
Birdie and I agreed she’d have her first official lesson after work tomorrow.
In the meantime, she’ll be busy fielding questions from her friends, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Briar stopped by the ranch house later for an interrogation.
She loves Birdie like a sister and wouldn’t let anyone hurt her—including me.
Pulling up to the house now, I spot Ma on the front porch, knitting on her favorite rocking chair.
She’s the principal at Willow Creek Elementary, and her weekends are her chance to decompress after a week full of staff meetings, wrangling kids, and dealing with parental demands—making her knitting all the more puzzling.
She despises it, dismissing it as a tedious hobby.
So the only reason she’d be out here with her needles on a Sunday morning instead of curled up with one of her romance novels is that she’s waiting for someone—and judging by the gossip currently spreading like wildfire through Bluebell, that someone has to be me.
Looks like Birdie won’t be the only one busy fielding questions today.
I park and step out of the truck, tucking the keys in my back pocket. Sure enough, Ma comes down the porch to meet me.
“Where have you been? You never came home last night,” she chides, stopping me with a stern look.
“Funny, I don’t recall you fussing this much all the other times I’ve stayed out,” I say, leaning against one of the porch columns.
That’s only half true. Even with her kids grown, she still keeps tabs on us and isn’t above using the town grapevine to stay informed of our whereabouts.
Which is why I’m proud that I’ve managed to keep a particular semiweekly routine under wraps for so long. For now, it has to stay a secret, though it’s tricky explaining why I’m coming home late or slipping away from the ranch after work without anyone knowing where I go.
Ma plants her hands on her hips. She may be a foot shorter, but her stance radiates authority.
“Enough with the games, Walker. Are you seeing Birdie Matterson or not?” Guess we’re cutting right to the chase.
“Yeah, I am,” I reply, not missing a beat.
This woman is a human lie detector, and if she catches even a hint of hesitation, she’ll call me out.
I’m not sure what I expected, but a broad smile immediately crossing her face wasn’t it.
I figured she’d start with a set of rapid-fire questions followed by a reprimand for keeping her in the dark.
“This is the best news,” Ma exclaims.
“Glad you think so.”
Her expression tightens, the corners of her mouth pulling into a frown. Looks like I was too quick to judge the situation.
“How could you keep something this important from your own mother? How do you think I felt when I went by the general store early this morning to drop off supplies for Ethel, and she asked me how I felt about my son dating the sheriff’s daughter?
I had no answers because you never tell me anything. ” She huffs in irritation.
Looks like she’s kicking things off with a scolding, served with a side of guilt to make me squirm. Arguing now would be a losing game.
“I’m sorry, Ma.” I stare down at the dirt, nudging a loose rock with my boot. “Birdie and I wanted to be certain before making things official. If it makes you feel better, everyone else will be equally as surprised when they hear the news.”
Birdie and I made sure we had our story straight before I left her place. In a town where everyone talks, we didn’t want anyone to catch any inconsistencies in our narrative.
“No, Walker, it doesn’t.” Ma sighs, a frown creasing her forehead. “You know how much I hate it when you keep secrets from me.”
I push down the sting of guilt, knowing I’m doing exactly that right now, and it doesn’t appear that she suspects a thing.
“What if I told you that you’re the first person I’ve shared the news with?” I toss it out there, hoping it’ll appease her.
Ma’s eyes brighten, and I know I’ve struck a chord. “Am I?”
“You are.”
Not that I intend to broadcast it later—everyone will know soon enough if they don’t already. Heath will definitely give me shit about it, and Pops will act interested only because it’s important to Ma. He’s never been as invested in our love lives as she has.
I let out a grunt as Ma throws her arms around me, drawing me in for a hug. “I’m so proud of you. It was exhausting having a rake for a son.” She steps back slightly, placing her hands firmly on my shoulders.
I chuckle. A rake? That must have come straight from one of her historical romances. I’ve read plenty of those lately, and it never fails to amuse me how much women swoon over a dashing lord with a reputation for scandal.
“You don’t have to worry about that anymore,” I tell her.
I have no interest in anyone but Birdie, and as long as our arrangement stands, she’s off-limits to other men. I won’t hesitate to make sure everyone gets the memo that she’s taken.
Ma wipes her brow with exaggerated flair. “Thank the Lord. It’s about time you settled down and gave me some grandbabies.”
I lift a hand to stop her from going on about fictional children. “Whoa, you’re jumping the gun, don’t you think? Birdie and I just started seeing each other.”
“Can’t come soon enough,” she counters with a mischievous grin.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, saving me from having to answer.
Looks like Heath texted.
Heath: You’re late.
Shit. I was supposed to meet him in the south pasture half an hour ago, and he’s not the type to be kept waiting.
Walker: Sorry. Be there soon.
Ma clicks her tongue in disapproval. “What’s more important than talking with your mother?”
“It’s Heath,” I explain. “He’s waiting for me, and I still need to shower and change.” I’m still wearing my good jeans and a button-down—hardly practical for a day in the fields. “We’ll finish our conversation later, I promise.”
I turn to leave, but she catches my arm, stopping me short. “We most certainly will. And make sure Birdie is at the next family dinner. No arguments.”
“She’ll be there,” I promise, thinking back to my conversation warning Birdie about this very thing.
She’s been to more than a few, but this one will be different. This time, she’ll be there as my girlfriend, not just Briar’s friend.
Fuck, I love the sound of that. I’m already feeling territorial, even though our relationship is supposed to be pretend. Hard not to when I’m about to do everything I can to prove it’s real.
“We should have Birdie’s family over soon too,” Ma says with a smile. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen Elizabeth, and I’d love to catch up.”
Birdie’s mom taught at Willow Creek Elementary but retired early, nearly a decade ago. She never comes to town anymore and though Birdie talks about her often, she keeps details of her mom’s life private.
All I know is that Birdie is going through a lot, and I wish I could help more.
For now, all I can do is offer my support from a distance and hope that she eventually realizes she isn’t alone.
Fake relationship or not, I’ll be there for her, even if it means helping her navigate complicated family dynamics.
Every family has them, even if things look picture-perfect on the surface.
“We’ll see. I’ll have to run it by Birdie first.”
Honestly, I’d rather skip dinner with her dad. Things could go sideways fast, and we’ll already have plenty of awkwardness at work as is.
“Okay, but if Birdie has any concerns, I’ll talk to her. I’m persuasive when I want to be,” Ma says, clearly pleased with herself.
“Oh, trust me, I’m well aware,” I tease, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek.
She can get intense about things that matter to her, but it comes from a good place, and she’d do anything for our family.
Too bad her excitement over my dating life won’t last. I can already picture her disappointment when Birdie ends things.
We haven’t even started this pretend relationship, and I’m already dreading that part.