Page 76 of This Baby Business
“Yes, youare.” With that she pushed her shopping cart past him, nearly shoulder checking him when she did.
He had no idea why she would be this upset since it had been one date. There had been zero chemistry between them, and he was pretty sure she’d sensed that, too. But he’d meant to call. He’d just been a little busy with life and his…engagement.
The thought pissed him off more than the huge sandwich order. He’d been bamboozled into an engagement with a woman who drove him crazy in all the good ways but happened to have a little problem with lying. Secret engagement, his ass. There were no secrets in a town like Fortune, and he knew that better than most.
Levi threw the bag of sandwiches and one chicken salad onto the passenger side seat.
“Well. That was awkward.”
Jill stood just behind him, holding a bag from the market.
“Heard that, huh?”
“I did. I will say that I’m impressed you’ve been loyal to your fake fiancée, by the looks of that encounter.”
“Secret fake fiancée.”
“Yeah. Sure.” She shifted the bag’s weight in her arms.
“Can I help you with that?” Sue him, it was the way he’d been raised.
“No.”
“Then I’ll be on my way. I’m the lunch delivery guy.”
“Wait.”
Seconds away from a clean getaway. No such luck. “Yeah?”
“You and Carly.”
“Me and Carly.”
There was more, much more, so why wouldn’t she just come out and say it?
She eyed him, suspicion and distrust heavy in her eyes. “I’m not sure I should say anything.”
“That makes two of us.”
“Ok, look.” She sighed and shifted the bag again.
He desperately wanted her to put it down, because it made him look like a chump to let her stand there and struggle with it. “You sure I can’t help you with that bag?”
By the grace of God, she set it down and put both hands on her hips. “I realize you don’t know me. And I don’t know you. But I know my friend. And I trust Carly.”
And not him. He understood. “I’m not going to hurt her, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Her squinty-eyed look gave him pause. She didn’t appear at all convinced. “Carly is sweet. And kind. And she’s…had a rough time.”
“I know.” It wasn’t as though he’d exactly had the smoothest few weeks of his life, but he recognized something fragile and a little lost in Carly. He also saw a steely strength in her that maybe her friends were discounting. She was stronger than even she realized. “I see that.”
“She’s weak now and maybe a little vulnerable. So go easy on her.”
“You realize we’re not actually engaged.”
“Don’t even try that with me, mister. I saw the way you kissed her. The way you look at her. I saw you drag her into that office on pet wash day.”
“Guilty.” He liked Carly. Liked her a lot. There was nothing wrong or illegal about it.
