Page 44 of In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes

“It was awkward. I didn’t know what to talk about with her. I could tell she wasn’t having fun.”

She tapped her lip, thinking. “Some people aren’t a good fit.”

Maybe there wasn’t a person out there for me. I blew a long breath out before I squashed those thoughts.

Spending time with Sadie was giving me hope, and I didn’t like that.

“What’s wrong, Sasquatch?” Sadie took another bite of food and studied me.

“It’s hard. This dating thing.”

She laughed. “Yeah, it’s hard. People search for decades for the perfect partner and you’re trying to find one in six months.”

When she said it like that, it sounded impossible.

“Everyone struggles, except Aiden,” she said before taking another bite. “He was at the bar last night. Jeeze, his smile is like—” She made a shocked face. “—high watt.”

That fucking guy. His eyes were all over every inch of her skin that day on the boat. I could see him itching to touch the thin straps of her dress.

So was I, but that was different.

Jesus, she was hot in that dress.

He was there last night at the bar and I wasn’t there to run interference. My jaw tensed.

“I thought you said you weren’t dating,” I bit out, harsher than I meant.

She raised an eyebrow and gave me a slow blink. “I’m not.”

“So why are you talking about him?”

She wiggled her eyebrows at me in a teasing way. “Jealous,” she said in a singsong voice.

“I’m not jealous.” My chest and shoulders strained tight.

She frowned. “What’s wrong with him?”

I gritted my teeth. “Nothing. He’s a nice guy.” Aiden was always in a good mood, always honest and careful on job sites, and I bet he would never have problems on dates.

I didn’t like the idea of him and Sadie together. Even if she wasn’t dating. Even if she didn’t like me.

“Not as nice as your new toy.” I shot her a glance and a laugh scraped out of her throat.

“Gross. You are gross,” she told me. “Okay, are you ready for your practice date? She’s here.”

My eyebrows shot up in alarm. “What? No.”

After how badly I had done on my date with Liya, I had no interest in a repeat.

She moved to standing. “Close your eyes.”

“Sadie,” I started, but she had already disappeared into the hall. I could hear rustling.

“Are you closing your eyes?” she called.

I sighed and closed them. “Yes.”

Her footsteps echoed around the empty room along with a strange rustling noise, like a balloon brushing against something.

---