Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
DALLAS
I can’t put off telling Aunt Tandy about my fake engagement any longer. It needs to be done before she sees Rose with me at the wedding this weekend. Plus, Rose needs a more permanent place to live, and I think my aunt might be the solution to that problem.
Knee bouncing, I wait in the mess hall alone. The guys are in the game room, and it makes me question my choice of meeting location. I don’t doubt that my aunt can keep a confidence. She’s held onto my other secrets so far. Because of her connection to my mom, there is a lot she knows about me.
After a short wait, Tandy sashays in with Matthew beside her. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say my aunt had gotten herself a sweetheart. But that’s their news to share. Not mine.
Matthew nods, then heads toward the game room. “Hey. Dallas. Good to see you.”
After sucking in a deep breath, I launch into what I need to say. “Aunt Tandy, you’ve probably heard about my engagement.” I wait until the game room door closes before continuing. The look of absolute delight etched on her face makes me feel guilty for telling her the next part. But I need her to know the truth. All of it. “Before you go getting all excited, it’s fake.”
She blinks, then opens her mouth and closes it again. “You did plan to say more than that in this little meet-up, didn’t you? I sure hope so because I need details. I’m your aunt, so if you’re faking, I will be too. She’ll be my pretend soon-to-be niece. Tell me about her. How did this come to be?” Arms crossed, she leans forward, riveted.
“Saturday night?—”
“Like, just a few days ago Saturday?”
“Yes. The guys all met for dinner, and I arrived first to snag a table.”
She grins. “Serendipity.”
“It’s all pretend. It’s not serendipitous.”
Eyebrows lifted, she points at me. “I bet your fiancée would agree with me. But I’m not going to get the story if I keep talking. Please continue.”
I drag fingers through my hair. “Some guy dropped a rose on my table and walked out. And apparently that was a signal to his blind date. So when Rose arrived, she approached me, thinking I was her date.”
“Rose. What a sweet name. And perfect for you, Mr. Busch.”
I shake my head. “Not you too.”
“I guess the meant-to-be is obvious to everyone, but I’ll behave. Now, who brought up the engagement?”
“She did. Her parents are controlling, and she needed a reason to avoid dating their friends’ son.”
“Ooh. A fake engagement is an extreme solution, but I like the way she thinks. We’ll get along just peachy. I can feel it in my bones. Tell me more.”
My aunt questions every detail, and I spend thirty minutes telling her about Rose’s request, the dropped ring, and the current state of my relationship.
“So because of the cat, she needs a new place to live. She’s staying in her apartment, which is over her parents’ garage and coming to my house in the evenings to see her cat.”
“And you.” Aunt Tandy grins.
“While I could get a bed for my guest room, which I should look into just because it would be good to have, I don’t think it’s a good idea if Rose and I live in the same house. We’ve only known each other a few days.” I nervously tap on the table. “I know you’re building a house on the ranch, and you mentioned that you’d be renting out the place in town. Any idea when the house will be completed?”
“I’ll be out of my place by the end of the month.”
I’ve been by her house, and that seems like an optimistic date for completion. “Really? The house will be done by then?”
She waves her hand. “Probably not, but I’ll figure that out myself.”
“I’m not asking you to?—”
“Rose can move in at the beginning of the month.” My aunt reaches across the table and takes my hand.
She’s either emotional even though the engagement is fake or she’s trying to silence my tapping.
I don’t pull away. “Thank you. About the rent?—”
“What rent?” She winks. “The house is paid for. She can just live there.”
“While that’s very sweet, I know Rose won’t go for that. I want you to tell me what you were planning to ask in rent. Anything above what Rose can afford, I’ll cover.”
Head tilted, she eyes me. “You want to pay the difference?”
“Yes, and I won’t take no for an answer. It isn’t hard to figure out what places in town rent for. If you don’t tell me, I’ll just find the average amount and double it.” I’m laying it on thick so that I get my aunt to shift closer to my side.
“Okay. I’ll let you pay. I don’t have the details on cost worked out yet, but I’ll text you after running numbers. When I move on to the great library in the sky, you’ll get everything. That’s the only reason I’m okay with this plan.” She holds up a hand. “Scratch that. It’s one of the reasons. It’s telling that you want to spend your money—even though we both know you have plenty of it—on a near-stranger. Makes me wonder if maybe—” She pinches her lips and shakes her head. “You know what, I think I’m going to keep my trap closed about that.”
“If you were going to talk about how this might become real, then thank you for not saying it. Six months. That’s what we agreed to. After her brother’s wedding, we’ll break up and go our separate ways.”
Still holding my hand, she gives me a look that reminds me of my mom. The one she gave me when I graduated from high school and from college. A wave of grief sparks a sharp inhale.
“Dallas, I’m proud of you. Your parents would be too. It doesn’t surprise me that you are helping a complete stranger. You’re doing a good thing. And I can’t wait to meet her.”
Choked up, I nod. After a second, I clear the lump out of my throat. “The guys don’t know that the engagement isn’t real, so if you could please not tell a soul.”
She pats my hand. “I won’t say a word to anyone. Except Matthew. But he’s good with secrets. Seriously, you have no idea.”
Her wink shuts down any inkling of curiosity about what secrets Matthew is keeping.
“I’ll have to trust you on that one. But this only works if people think it’s true.”
My aunt claps, then rubs her hands together. “When do I get to meet her?”
“At the wedding.” I stand, eager to tell Rose about the house. “Rose is probably at my place by now. So I’m going to run.”
Tandy dangles keys in front of me. “Take these. Take her on a tour of the house. But be careful of the cats. Don’t let them out.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.” I hug her before hurrying out the door.
I managed to get through telling my aunt without letting on that I’m seriously attracted to Rose, which feels like a massive accomplishment.
Driving back to the ranch, I turn up the radio and sing along, eager to tell Rose the good news. And even more eager to see her smile when she learns there is a place in Stadtburg for her to rent.