Page 17 of Cowboy of Convenience
"So?" Grady's commitment to remaining unbothered was really starting to get irritating.
"Everyone you know will think you're dating me. They’ll think I'm dating you." Panic started to claw at her insides, forcing her to drop the plastic fork.
Dating had always represented the first stage of hell for her. It was expected to lead to marriage, which revolved around engagement parties and bridal showers and a disgustingly huge wedding, designed to focus on connecting families and displaying wealth.
Because it sure as hell wasn’t about love.
Nobody really gave a shit about whether the bride and groom could stand each other. Only how it looked. What it could offer businesses and bank accounts. Somehow the elite remained locked in the past, treating marriage as a business dealing that required strategy and sacrifice.
And she was expected to fall in line. Pretend it wouldn’t crush her soul to lead a pointlessly shallow and loveless life.
To marry someone like Sasha.
And then she would be trapped forever. Bound to yet another person who only cared about how she looked. How she acted. What she said and what she did.
"Are you upset because you wish someone else was sitting here at the table with you?" Grady's question didn't sound accusatory, but it did sound curious. And maybe hinted at an edge of jealousy. Like the thought of her wishing there was another man here with her grated.
The question was still amusing. Funny enough to make her laugh. She shook her head. "I promise you there is no one else I'm interested in having here with me." She wasn't even supposed to be interested in having him there.
Grady leaned closer, gaze holding hers. "Good, because I’d hate to have to break the news to him that you're mine now."
CHAPTER SIX
GRADY
HE SHOULDN’T HAVE said that but couldn’t find it in him to care.
He probably also shouldn't have come here tonight. Not when he was dangerously close to forgetting that none of this was real. He should have gone back to his house on the mountain, watched a little television, and gone to bed alone. Just like he did every other night.
But today was miserable—exhausting in just about every way—and the last thing he wanted was time to sit and think about the hand he’d been dealt. He needed a distraction. That prick from New York had served one up to him on a silver platter, and he intended to take full advantage.
Grady shot her a wink and a grin, hoping to smooth the moment over without having to take back the words.
Evelyn seemed to relax a little at his smile, offering one of her own. "Luckily, that won't be necessary." She went back into the box of enchiladas for another bite. "The only men who’ve hit on me since coming here are old enough to be my grandpas, and I'm pretty sure they were kidding."
Grady crossed both arms over his chest, continuing to smile. "I'm pretty sure they weren't."
Evelyn wrinkled her nose as she chewed through her bite. "Now I'm just grossed out."
"Can't say I blame you there. Muriel grabbed my ass once and I still have nightmares about it." He drank a little more of his beer, polishing it off before pointing at Evelyn's. "Drink’s getting warm."
Evelyn eyed the bottle. "It sounded really good at first, but I've been trying to limit my alcohol consumption."
“Right. You accidentally quit drinking. Is that why you’re always the designated driver?" He’d been wondering how she made it through a night with the girls sober. It only took them five minutes to make him need a drink.
"They might be taking advantage of my current sobriety, but I don't mind." Evelyn eyed the tray of tacos like she was debating having another. "They all got married and had kids super young, so they’re just trying to do everything they missed out on."
He nudged the tacos closer, inching it in until she reached over to take one. "And you don't mind missing out because you've had all your fun?"
He wasn't fishing. Technically. It was just a simple conversation. If he happened to learn more about the mysterious woman he'd been hard-pressed to ignore, then it was only a happy accident.
Evelyn picked up her beer and set it in front of him as she dug into her second taco. "Some people would tell you I've had all my fun plus everyone else's."
It was a little bit of a surprise. Evelyn didn't strike him as the typical party girl. She had a certain level of reservation about her. She had a business that started early in the morning. Her rental house was perfectly kept, all the way down to the pristine flower beds and immaculate kitchen.
"Does that surprise you?" Evelyn's eyes moved over his face. "Because you look like you weren’t expecting that."
"I’ve known a few party girls in my day, and I don't see many similarities." While his availability was currently nonexistent, it hadn’t always been limited. In his twenties he'd packed as much fun into his free time as possible, which led to a handful of flings, but nothing of any substance.
