Page 9 of Make You Mine

“Thank you.” His eyes shifted to mine, with his eyebrows raised in amusement.

“Great,” I muttered. Paige’s ideas werenotalways the best.

“You know your thing, Ren?” She slid into the booth beside me, nudging me over with her hip. “The matchmaking? Neither one of you is interested in dating right now. You should start taking Piper as your date when you have to go out hobnobbing for charity. It’d be perfect. And look at what happened with Dick tonight. He’s gone; got one look at the two of you together, and bye-bye, bitch-boy. You can fake date each other. Piper can keep the eligible bachelorettes away from you, and you can protect her from Dick and whatever plans he’s cooking up in that stupid head of his. You can go with her to her bakery grand opening hoopla—” She shot me a look. “—what? You know you don’t want to go by yourself. Then you can both stay lonely and sad just the way you want, and no one will bother you. Moving on? Finding happiness with someone? Who? Not the two of you.”

Ren burst out laughing, and I perked up. This idea was neither harebrained nor dangerous. I was impressed. I was also a little bit offended, but I shrugged it off.

“This is really not a bad idea.” I smiled at her. “Who’s trying to set you up, Ren? Is it Violet? She’s determined to matchmake everyone from Sweetbriar to Honeybrook Hollow and all the way up to Mt. Hood. That woman doesn’t know when to give up.”

“No, she hasn’t tried anything yet. Probably too busy with the baby.” He grabbed a fry and popped it into his mouth.

“It doesn’t matter. If you’re into this, then I am, too. I like how Richard turned tail and ran off. I’m tired of dealing with him. But I can’t keep Cody away from him. He loves us both too much, damn it.”

“Isn’t doggy custody drop-off coming up? Do you want me to be there when he shows up?” Paige had three kids: Noah, her oldest, and two daughters: Lark, who was sixteen, and Briar, who was thirteen.

I hesitated because I wanted her to drop by, but didn’t want to put her out. I hated asking for help. “No, I’ll be okay.” He had finally agreed to let me see Cody, and I couldn’t wait. I didn’t want to do anything to ruin it.

“I’m coming.” She side-eyed me and grabbed a fry. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Best sister ever.” I dipped one in ranch and held it up for a cheers. “But also, be cool. Please?”

“Pfft, I know, and I’ll be cold as ice, I promise. Now, make plans with Ren. I have to get back to work.” She touched her fry to mine and then stuffed it into her mouth.

Ren and I stared at each other. His mouth opened to speak, but he didn’t say anything.

With inward cringe, I imagined what he thought of me.

Between Richard showing up, Paige blabbing that I wasn’t interested in dating anymore, and me forcing him to play along with my attempt to save face, he must think I was a desperate weirdo.

And freaking Paige. Was she trying to set me up with him? Hopefully, she knew better than that. Too exhausted to protest and kind of not really wanting to fight it, I kept quiet.

Ugh, I was not a mess. Emotionally exhausted, is what I was. Not to mention perpetually pissed off, and sick of dealing with Richard’s shit. Could a girl get a freaking moment to breathe? To get her shit together in peace? Apparently not. Damn.

“He has another dinner for Lyla’s Place coming up soon,” Paige interrupted my thoughts with an amused eye roll. “And I know you don’t have any plans. He schmoozes with the bored and wealthy to raise funds. Free food, free drinks, and an evening in a swanky hotel—your job would be to keep the ladies off him so he can do his job. Right, Ren?”

“Yeah, something like that.” He cleared his throat. “I’d love it if you came with me. I think it’s a great idea. It could even be fun.”

“Sounds intriguing.” I held my hand out to shake. “I’d love it too. You have yourself a date.” He took my hand, and I tried not to stare as his broad palm enveloped mine. His thumb brushed over the pulse point on my wrist, but his gaze was unreadable.

Paige clapped her hands together and then stood. “Yay! Look at me being helpful, and no one had to get arrested!”

Ren’s expression softened, and he leaned forward slightly. “I guess we’re all set then,” he murmured, his eyes holding mine for a moment longer.

Paige shot me a wink and a mischievous grin before returning to the bar.

“I’ll take this as my cue to go home.” Struck with a sudden wave of nervous energy, I slid out of the booth to leave. “I’m pooped, and my bed is calling me. Goodnight, Ren.”

“I’ll get your number from Paige and text you sometime next week. But I’m walking you to your car.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Ren walked closely beside me, hands tucked casually in his pockets, as we made our way to my car. The warmth of his presence was both comforting and nerve-wracking, and I did my best to appear nonchalant. We stopped by my car, and he waited patiently as I unlocked the door and got in.

“Make sure to lock the doors,” he said, his voice gentle but firm.

“Will do. Thank you, Ren,” I replied, glancing up at him. My eyes were drawn to the slightly open collar of his shirt again, and I felt a flutter of attraction mixed with a twinge of nervousness.

“Goodnight,” he added, stepping back and giving me a small wave.

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