Page 36 of Big Dix

I can’t help but smile; he really is trying.

“I’ll be here.”

A big smile spreads across his lips, and he leans in to place a soft kiss against my cheek. “Thanks for toughing this out.”

He walks over to the valet and gets the car brought around before heading in to pay the bill.

The car arrives at the curb, and I slide into the passenger seat and can’t help but laugh when I see Atticus walking out of this fancy restaurant a few minutes later with one of those tinfoil swans tucked under his arm. I didn’t even know that was a real thing. He opens his door and tucks his tin foil creation into the tiny back seat before climbing in behind the wheel.

“Buckle up, sweetheart. We’re going on an adventure.”

I grab my seat belt and strap myself in. The mood is lifted, and I can’t wait for what Atticus is about to show me. But really, I want to know if there’s any bread in that damn swan.

TWENTY-ONE

Evelyn

“It’s breathtaking! I can’t believe this view.”

When Atticus drove me up this gravel road, I was sure he was going to kill me. Blame my paranoia on my love for all things murder; podcasts, documentaries, I love it all. I didn’t expect this view to be the killer.

The city marches on below us, the noise just a faint background to the glow of the lights. A dark outline of the mountains that nestle around our town just barely visible.

“I come up here sometimes when I need to get away. I bought this property a few years ago. The view was too amazing to pass up. I don’t have anything planned for the property. Not really. I just figured it’d be a good investment.”

We sit on the hood of his car, our backs leaning on the windshield. The city in all its beauty is spread out below, and the tinfoil swan rests between us.

Atticus smiles at me as he begins to unfold the swan. “Got you something.”

“What you got for me, country boy?”

He chuckles, his fingers continuing to work. He stops and gazes at me so intently that my breath catches in my throat. “An apology.”

Atticus pulls a piece of bread from the foil. I can’t help but laugh as he hands it to me. He also stopped at a gas station on the way up and grabbed us a couple of bottles of water.

“I accept your apology.” I snatch the bread from his hand and take a bite. I swear this bread was made in heaven. “Thank you,” I mumble, very unladylike around the mouthful of carbs. I’m pretty sure crumbs fly, but with only the faint light from the inside of the car where the radio plays and the parking lights, I’m sure he can’t see my bad manners.

He takes a bite of bread and hums. “Damn, that is good bread!”

“Right? Like what the heck is in this shit?” I take another bite, wiping the crumbs off my boobs. “So, you want to tell me what Annie’s deal is?”

I have to ask. I need to know if they still have something going on. I can’t be the woman to get involved with a man stringing along another woman.

He sighs, grabs the bottle of water, and takes a long pull. “Honestly, nothing. I ended things with Annie a while ago, as everyone knows. She just seems to keep forgetting her part in the demise of our relationship. I care about her because I’ve known her forever, but there is nothing romantic there for me anymore. She ruined that.”

“So, the rumors were true, then?”

He plays with the lid on the bottle of water. I don’t want to overstep, but when your only information about your crush comes from online interviews and gossip rags, it’s hard to tell if any of it is factual. I take a sip of water and wait for his reply.

His head bobs a moment before he speaks. “Yeah. It was brutal.”

I can’t imagine. A breakup is bad enough, let alone having the entire world wanting every detail. I touch Atticus’s hand, and his fingers entwine with mine. “I’m sorry that happened to you.” I give his fingers a gentle squeeze of assurance.

“Ancient history.” He smiles at me and squeezes in return before he gently tugs it up toward his lips and places a kiss on the back of my hand. That little jolt to my system follows it, and I can’t help the smile that reaches my lips, however short-lived it may be.

“It wasn’t so ancient earlier tonight.” I can’t stop the mumbled words that spill unfiltered from my lips. There’s that little part of me that wonders how serious things between us could ever be with Anastasia lurking around the corner. They have history, and as much as I’d like to believe itistruly ancient, I’m not too sure she is aware of that fact.

“What did you say?” Atticus asks, his brows raised.

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