Page 14 of New in Town

He nods and writes down the rule.

“Then finally, I was thinking we wouldn’t see anyone else while we were pretending to see each other. Wait, you are single right?” she asks in a panic. Why hadn’t she thought to ask before?

“I am,” he replies with a smile. “And that won’t be a problem for me.” He writes the last rule down and looks over at her. “Are you seeing anyone already?”

“Definitely not. I wouldn’t be sitting here if I was,” she replies, looking at the list before them. “Anything you want to add?” she asks.

Grey sits back and stretches his arms across the back of the booth. He is imposing in the best way, and she can’t help but take him in. With a tilt of his head, he asks, “How long do we get to do this for?”

She doesn’t miss the thrill she feels when he says ‘get to’,instead of‘have to.’ “As long as you think it would be good.”

He drums his fingers on the booth. “My best friend, the guy who owns the ranch, is getting married in just over two months. You could be my guest and that could be our last date. We can say I got too focused on the ranch while he’s off on the honeymoon and we fizzled out or something. Besides, I wouldn’t have to worry about finding a date for the wedding this way.”

Two months. She hadn’t expected it to last that long. But he is right, it would be a good way to end it neutrally for the town. And Maddie does like the idea of not being so alone as she settles in. She takes the pen and napkin.

“What’s his name? Your friend getting married?”

“Brett,” he says, watching her curiously.

Maddie writes, ‘goes until Brett’s honeymoon’ and slides it over to him. He reads her addition and holds his hand out for the pen.

“And honestly, I don’t think you ever have to worry about finding a date,” she points out. He gives her a self-depreciating look and signs below the five rules.

“Doesn’t matter now. I have you,” he says with a smile that causes warmth to spread through her insides.

He hands back the contract as their waitress approaches again. Accepting it, she quickly folds up the napkin and shoves it in her purse hurriedly before Annabelle sees.Two months, she thinks again. This is one way to make sure she’ll see all the places Henry mentions in his letters.

8

GREY

At the end of breakfast, they had decided their first fake date would be the farmer’s market. Today is the first market of the year, the start of the summer season. Main Street fills with canvas tents and wooden stands, selling everything from locally grown food and fresh flowers to hand knit goods.

And there will be so many people. The whole town will come out this afternoon. “What am Idoing?” he mutters to himself in the steam filled bathroom mirror.

He had spent the morning in his head, cycling through the same thoughts. Like, had he really offered to put himself in the center of the town’s focus all over again? This is everything he worked hard to avoid. But then he thinks of Maddie, and suddenly feels ashamed for being hung up on the past.

He runs his hand through his damp hair, training it back after his shower, and throws on a plain black tee. Buckling the belt on his jeans and sliding his feet into his leather boots, he gives Pippa a pet before heading to the door.

Hand poised over his key hooks, he hesitates. Does he need to pick her up for the date in his truck? They will probably just walk to the market from her place. He hadn’t needed to look at the address she texted, he knew from Lou and Lilith that she lives above the bakery.

Then there is the fact that he feels calmer on the motorcycle. And right now, he needs to do something to manage his nerves. It is the obvious choice. Grabbing the key for his bike, Grey leaves before he can get caught in his head again.

The ride into town helps, like he knew it would. The feel of the engine reverberates beneath him, a steady constant. It’s not that he’s nervous to see Maddie. In fact, she is the motivation propelling him forward.

The problem is that he’ll have to be ‘on’ and social with everyone at the vendor stands. It’s draining to stay relaxed and outgoing with people that treated him poorly as a kid. Brett and everyone at the ranch had taken him as he was, but most of the people in town didn’t accept him until he had Hayes Ranch behind him.

He parks outside the bakery and follows the path around to the side door of the building. Knocking, he leans in the brick alcove and takes a deep breath. They’ll be outside, Grey reminds himself, roaming between booths on their own whims. There will be no reason for him to feel trapped today.

It doesn’t take long for him to hear the patter of feet on the stairs and then the door opens. Maddie is standing before him in blue jeans that sit high on her waist and hug her hips in a way that makes him work hard to tear his gaze away. She’s wearing a white henley tank top that glows in contrast against her warm brown hair falling in waves, cascading over her shoulders.

She’s simply lovely. And she’s looking up at him through those thick lashes of hers. He rubs the heel of his palm against his chest.“Ready?” he manages, holding out his arm to her. Physical touch is on the list, that’s the only reason for this, he reminds himself.

She wraps her fingers around his bicep and Grey desperately tries to ignore the tingle in his skin from where her hand is on him. When she smiles sweetly at him, he knows ignoring how she makes him feel is a hopeless cause.

“I feel bad, you don’t benefit from this arrangement at all,” she says as they make their way towards Main.

“Says who?” he replies.

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