Page 69 of Wedding Season
“This is a date,” he continued, the quiet words delivered with a force that would have made a Southern matron proud. “I asked you out on a date tonight, Mariella. I’m picking you up here because you just got off work. We’re going to go to the farmers market and then to dinner with my friends. After, I’m going to drive you home. At the very least I’m going to walk you to your front door and kiss the heck out of you.”
“I told you I don’t want a big public spectacle. Your chivalry is wasted on me.” Her thundering heart told a different story. Her heart was all about chivalry.
“I don’t know another way to be, and I haven’t even started wooing you. Your expectations need some work, sweetheart. I get that you have a history with men who don’t treat you well. I’m not one of them. Don’t put me into that category.”
She bit down on her lower lip, hating that he’d called her out and the truth of his words. She was being unfair. “Taylor said you were supposed to go on a date with her.”
A blush colored his cheeks, utterly charming her. “This might sound conceited but there have been a lot of women since I’ve moved to Magnolia who want to date me.”
“Hashtag facts,” she muttered.
“I haven’t gone out with most of them. I haven’t cared about going out with anyone until you. Which is bizarre, but I’m getting used to it.”
“Well, that just gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling all over. You’re getting used to me.”
“I think I’m doing better at it than you.”
She smiled despite herself. “I’m an emotional train wreck.”
“Then it’s a good thing you pulled into my station.”
“Oh, no. You pulled into my station. I was here first.”
“Now we’re both here, and make no mistake about it, you are the person I want to be with. Not just behind closed doors. So if you want to argue about something real—”
“Fine. I’ll stop arguing about the legions of women in this town who would throw themselves at your feet. Your ego doesn’t need any help from me.”
He clutched a hand to his chest in mock surprise. “I’m not sure I’d recognize you if you weren’t being contrary.”
She thought about telling him that she’d agreed to consider Luann’s job offer as a real option for the future. They’d need his approval, and she couldn’t imagine a world where he’d give that. Or how she could spin his refusal into something that didn’t feel like rejection.
As much as she enjoyed sparring with Alex, she wanted more of the peace she often felt when she was with him. Mariella was still becoming accustomed to enjoying calm in her life instead of the spinning madness she’d grown so used to.
“You just don’t want to admit that you like me most of all,” she said then sucked in a breath at the thought he might like her less than she did him. Which was barreling quickly past most of all and morphing from like into a far more powerful emotion.
She should have known better. Alex wasn’t one for playing games. He drew her closer and brushed a tender kiss over her mouth. “I’m happy to admit that to anyone who will listen.”
He made her feel like a cat in a bowl of cream, luxuriating in the rich warmth of him.
When a car drove by and honked, she quickly pulled away. “But no one can know,” she said.
He frowned. “You said you didn’t want a billboard in town but—”
“No one can know there’s anything more than friendship between us. Heather said it would be weird.”
His frown returned, but he fell into step next to her as she started toward the town square.
“What does Heather have to do with you and me?”
“I don’t want to upset her.”
“You think lying is a good idea?”
“It’s not a big deal.” She nudged him playfully. “It’s the modern times. We don’t need labels anyway and neither of us is going to post cringey selfies on social media.”
“I don’t like it.”
She wanted to take his hand, but that would defeat the purpose of what she’d just asked him to do. “Please, Alex. I’ll talk to her but for now can we keep this between us? I just got to the point where things feel okay with her. I don’t want to mess it up.”
