Chapter 9 #2
Dallas perks up at my words. “Speaking of, I ran into a guy in Hornville I used to know a while back. A friend of a friend kind of thing. We got to chatting, and I think he might be perfect for you. He was wearing fancy-ass clothes and was on his way to donate blood, if that says anything.”
“Oh yeah? What’s his name?”
“Elias Keller.”
“Okay.” I nod. “I can work with that. “What does he do?”
“Don’t know. But we’ll find out on Thursday when we meet him for dinner at Pound Town. Figured keeping it low-key with burgers would be a good move.”
The reality of the situation settles in, and I put a hand over my stomach. “I can’t decide if what I’m feeling right now is anticipation, terror, or indigestion.”
“Better put a trash can next to the bed just in case.”
“Stop fidgeting.”
“I’m not.” I absolutely am. I’m twisting my new ring on my finger like I’m trying to draw milk from it.
“You are,” Dallas insists.
“What if this guy is a serial killer?”
It’s Thursday evening, and we’re seated beside one another in a window booth at Pound Town, Big Knob’s burger joint. Buck Silver, the seventy-five-year-old owner, is obsessed with Christmas and keeps the place decorated year-round. You’d think it would be obnoxious, but it’s a town favorite.
I woke up the morning after movie night to find the ring box and two antacids laid out on the bedside table—though I thankfully didn’t need the latter—as well as a note from Dallas that he was taking Ryder back to his mom’s.
They share custody during the summer in a casual arrangement that seems to work well for everyone.
It’s been a week since I moved in, and Dallas keeps insisting on taking the couch.
I offered to clean out his spare room and put a blow-up mattress in there for myself, but he’s having none of it.
The sooner I move back to my place, the better.
Besides, I hate feeling like Shane is in any way controlling my life.
But, to Dallas’s point, if I move out now, rumors of our split will blaze across town within the hour. People are becoming seriously invested.
I spent way too long in bed that morning staring at the engagement ring—correction…
fake engagement ring—that I almost missed my first appointment of the day.
When I got back to Dallas’s after work, he plonked the box on the kitchen table and gave me the stink eye.
I took that as my cue that he wanted me to wear the thing.
“A serial killer who donates blood and wears dress shoes?” Dallas asks. He’s wearing one of his signature band T-shirts and a backward baseball cap that looks way better than it should on him.
I shrug. And fidget. Dallas reaches over and covers my wringing hands with one of his large, calloused ones.
“How is it you’ve had a dozen boyfriends but never been on a date before?”
That earns him a glare. “Of course I have. Just never with my fake fiancé in tow.”
“Dallas,” a deep voice greets my bestie, and I look up to see a very handsome man who looks to be in his early forties, with neatly styled dark hair and bone structure that tells me he’s likely a descendant of Zeus. Gotta love those Greeks.
When his eyes shift to me, his smile turns even warmer, as does my belly. Why have I never asked Dallas to find me dates before?
“Elias, meet Shelby Sweet, my fiancée.” I do my best not to start at his words, and we all shake hands as Elias ducks to avoid a huge swath of tinsel garland and settles into the bench seat across from us.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Shelby,” Elias says as he carefully unfolds a reindeer napkin and lays it across his lap like a perfect gentleman.
“You too.” I smile.
“Interesting place you’ve got here.” Elias gestures to the surroundings that could double as a North Pole storage unit on January 1st.
“A popular spot for families who like to get a head start on Christmas card photos,” Dallas quips. “But the burgers are phenomenal.”
I nod in agreement. “Dallas tells me you two know each other from the old days. I’m surprised we’ve never met before.”
Dallas nudges me. “Well, if you hadn’t gone off to school for all those years, maybe you would have, Dr. Sweet.”
“We’ve got a couple of mutual friends, that’s all,” Elias shares. “So, you’re a doctor?” He leans in with interest, and I notice he has a dimple. Be still my heart.
“Yes.” His warmth makes it easier to still my hands. “I’m a veterinarian.”
His responding smile is nothing short of dazzling. “I’m jealous. You get to hang out with dogs.” Good lord, he’s an animal person.
“Not so much, I’m afraid. I’m actually a large animal vet, so I mostly hang out with livestock. Still cute, just bigger.” I take a sip of my water while enjoying his hearty chuckle. This guy definitely has potential. Good job, bestie!
“Wow.”
The waitress, a local high school student, stops by to take our order. Her Santa hat headband is flashing green and red. I consider getting a salad but then decide I don’t feel like it and order an avocado turkey burger instead.
“And what do you do, Elias?” I ask once she leaves.
“I’m a college professor, but I’m on sabbatical at the moment while I’m writing a book.”
“Now it’s my turn to ‘wow.’ What do you teach?”
“Poetry.”
My eyes flash to Dallas, and it takes everything I have to not choke on my drink. “Where have you been hiding Elias all this time, Dallas?”
His jaw looks a little tight when he responds, “Oh, I don’t know.”
Elias and I go back to chatting, enjoying ourselves throughout the meal. Dallas is awfully silent, but I figure he’s just trying to give me time to get to know Elias to decide if he’s our prince charming candidate.
Because the sooner we find the prince, the sooner this fake engagement can be over with, and our lives can go back to normal. And there’s nothing Dallas wants more than that. I’m sure of it.