Chapter 28
PETE
Pete couldn’t take his eyes off Shelby. Her polka-dot dress fluttered in the slight breeze.
She kept having to brush her curls from her face every time a little gust would ripple through the farm.
But she already looked cold. He noticed her rubbing her shoulders twice.
She had to be freezing. Despite her insistence that she was impervious to the weather, fall got chilly in Half Moon Bay.
Very chilly. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and shield her from the wind.
The bluegrass band had taken the makeshift stage. Guests were starting to arrive. Music wafted through the salty air as staff began circulating with bottles of wine and strawberry-basil lemonade served in mason jars. Candles were lit, and people searched the tables for their name cards.
Elise and Shelby were chatting with the organizers about moving Pete’s seat so that he and Shelby could sit at the end of a table.
That would make filming much easier. He used the opportunity to run to the car.
He always kept a beach blanket and an extra sweatshirt in the trunk.
Growing up on the coast had taught him to be prepared for a freak storm or a cold fog to roll in.
This was great. He and Shelby were going to get to spend more time together.
It wouldn’t be hard to flirt with her. He wasn’t going to need to fake interest or pretend to be into her.
He had a feeling Elise suspected as much, but that was fine.
He could deal with his cousin, especially if it meant getting to hang out with Shelby tonight.
He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Thinking about her little giggle or how she scrunched her nose like a wild rabbit when she was concentrating on something.
He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her either.
She looked radiant in the sundress with her soft red curls cascading to her shoulders.
He returned to the table a few minutes later with the blanket and hoodie.
Shelby stood at the end of the table, sipping a glass of white wine and taking everything in.
He wondered if she was painting an image in her brain of how she wanted to capture the dinner for social media.
“Here, in case you need them.” He held the blanket in one hand and the hoodie in the other for her to choose.
Shelby shivered, raising her wine in a toast. “Thank you. That’s so sweet. Do I seem cold-blooded?”
He shook his head. “Nah. I just happen to have had enough experience with Mother Nature to overprepare.”
She set her glass on the table and folded the sweatshirt and blanket over her chair.
“I’m glad I’m hanging out with someone in the know tonight.
” She tucked her cardigan tighter. “You and Elise are right. I already had to put this on. And here I’ve been talking a big Seattle game.
I might have packed wrong for this trip. ”
“California cold hits different,” he said with a wink.
Then he pointed to his place card. “So this is us? Any notes for me? How should we play this? Should I lean in and give you my best smoldering look?” He pretended to give her his sexiest gaze.
It wasn’t hard, and it wasn’t pretending.
His breath caught in his chest as he stared into her eyes. God, she was gorgeous.
Shelby laughed and patted his arm, making his stomach drop. “I think just be yourself.”
Great.
She isn’t into this.
This was a one-way flirtation.
He needed to chill—now.
A staff member passed by with a tray of drinks. He reached for a glass of red wine and took a long, slow drink, trying to regain control of his emotions. No one had made him feel like this for a long time. He was seriously crushing.
Maybe pretending to be on a date was a bad idea after all.
Thank goodness Mom was a theater junkie and had encouraged him to take acting classes in high school. He needed to tap into his days in the high school gym, where they rehearsed Our Town, because they had to share the stage with the orchestra and band.
Pete, she’s not into you.
This is her job.
Stop trying to make something happen.
“Everyone, we’re going to be getting started with the first course in just a few minutes,” the organizer said on the microphone.
“Feel free to mingle, grab a drink, and then find your seats. Our chef will share notes about each of the courses, and then we have some fun fall surprises in store for you tonight.” She paused and swept her hand toward the sky.
“As you can see, the weather couldn’t be better.
We’re in for a stunning sunset. Once the sun does go down, we’ll light the portable heaters, and we have extra blankets on hand.
For those of you visiting Half Moon Bay for the first time, it can get chilly, so please let us know if you need anything.
We want you to be comfortable and enjoy a delectable farm meal with us. Cheers.”
People clapped and raised their glasses. “See, it’s not just me,” Pete said to Shelby.
“I never doubted your weather prowess.” She reached for her phone. “Turn around. Let’s take a pre-dinner selfie.”
Pete’s muscles stiffened as Shelby leaned in close enough that he could smell her lotion—it was coconutty and almost tropical. She pressed her cheek toward his and clicked a photo. He didn’t want to pull away. If they could just stay like this all night that would be fine with him.
“Perfect.” Shelby pulled away from him, completely unfazed.
It was obviously just him, feeling an internal swirl of dizziness.
“Should we sit?” Shelby gestured to their chairs.
Pete was about to pull out her chair for her. Mom had taught him that, among about a million other things, from how to sew a button or hem a pant leg to the best way to boil pasta, and the importance of showing up for himself and those around him.
Elise interrupted them. “Hey, hold up, you two. We’ve got a plot twist!”
“What kind of twist?” Shelby frowned.
Pete could already tell from spending the day with her that she was the kind of person who liked and expected everything to go according to her plan. It was cute. Mom had always encouraged Pete, in her words, to “go with the flow” and stay flexible.
He did for the most part, but he also appreciated that Shelby knew what she wanted and went after it without being even the slightest bit apologetic.
Maybe that’s one of the reasons he had agreed to this whole “Find Pete a Date” thing.
It wasn’t that he didn’t love his life. He did.
He was happy, but something had been missing for a while. Or maybe, someone.
Shelby had sparked an internal desire. It was like she’d ignited a flame inside him and now he couldn’t put it out.
“I found you a real date, Pete!” Elise held her phone in her left hand and tapped the screen with her right finger. “Remember Lacy? The woman who keeps coming into the store whenever you’re not there?”
“Isn’t Lacy the woman from the FaceTime call?” Shelby asked.
“That’s right.” Elise beamed. “She slid into my DMs. She’s seen the video, and she totally wants to meet you.”
“Great,” Pete muttered through a clenched smile.
“The best part is, she already had a ticket for tonight.” Elise pointed to the table with her hand. Her many rings caught the candlelight and reflected it out from their gemstones. “We’ve been exchanging messages. She’s parking right now and is all in for being your date.”
A look that Pete couldn’t read flashed across Shelby’s face.
Pete tried to hide his disappointment. So much for spending the next few hours getting to know Shelby better. This hadn’t gone to plan. No, not at all. He had wanted to get to know her better. Now he was stuck having dinner with a stranger.