Page 45 of Ten Rules for Faking It
Everly’s stomach dipped like she’d just fallen flat on her ass on a hard surface. She stretched her lips wider and hoped she looked like she was smiling and not panicking as she looked at the pictures.
Oh, the pictures. There were so many pictures. By the time she’d seen his Lhasa apso in a pumpkin costume, a dog-size Green Bay Packers jersey, and Christmas pajamas, she needed a refill for her drink.
“He sleeps on my bed. My last girlfriend didn’t like sharing her pillow, so I’ve trained him only to use mine,” Corbin said, setting his phone down and winking at Everly. “So that’ll never be an issue if you don’t like to share.”
I’m guessing that wouldn’t be my issue, dude.If she smiled any wider, her lips would crack. Glancing around, she saw their waiter. “Our food!”
Thank goodness she’d switched seats because she justknewpeople were looking their way. Her cheeks burned when she realized how loud she’d been. Corbin let loose a deep chuckle.
“Hungry girl.”
They were partway through their meals when he committed the cardinal sin. Sharing was fine if you were both on board with it. It was a deal breaker, in Everly’s world, on a first date. Sure enough, he reached across with no warning and scooped up a potato, popped it in his mouth.
“Delicious. You want an onion ring?”
“No, thank you.”Don’t be so uptight. He’s comfortable in his own skin. You can’t say the same. I mean, he’s a lumberjack of a man who dresses up his dog. He has to feel pretty confident to show those pictures… wait. What if he and the dog have matching costumes?Her brain flashed to Scooter and Corbin in matching pumpkin outfits, and she choked on her bite of salmon.
“You okay?”
She nodded, her eyes watering. Taking a long sip of water, she forced herself to think of something else, but matching costumes kept coming to mind. Corbin in a Santa outfit, Scooter as an elf.
“You’ve got a great smile,” he said, reaching across the table to cover her hand with his.
His phone rang, and though he looked sorry, he answered it. Everly used the moment to regain her focus so she wouldn’t get a case of the giggles.
“He probably just misses me. Put him up to the phone,” Corbin said in a loud whisper.
Everly’s eyes widened.No way. He wouldn’t.
Corbin’s shoulders curled forward as he pushed his plate away and spoke into the phone. “I’ll be home soon, buddy. You miss me? Aren’t you having fun with Grandma?”
Everly glanced around. No one was staring at them.
“Who’s a good dog? I love you, buddy. I’ll be home soon.”
Keeping her eyes on her plate, Everly picked at her salmon.
“Sorry about that,” Corbin said.
She looked up again, hoping her eyes were judgment-free.Focus on the good. He loves his dog.
“No problem. Everything okay?”
The happy light in Corbin’s eyes had dimmed. “It is. We’re not apart often. I spoil him a bit, I guess. My mom says hi.”
Everly had no words. She shoveled the salmon into her mouth and nodded as she chewed.
“Might have to cut it short,” Corbin said a few minutes later, glancing at his phone again.
Everly said a silent thank-you. “Sure. If you need to.”
Because she definitely wanted to.
“You’re lying,” Stacey said into the phone as Everly crawled into bed that night.
Part of her had wondered if Chris would be waiting for her on her stoop again, but he wasn’t.
You’re not disappointed,she’d told herself as she let herself into her home. When Stacey phoned, just as she was heading to bed, she lied to herself again and said she hadn’t wanted it to be him. She wasn’t quite sure what was going on in her head and her heart where he was concerned, but it felt like they were dangerously close to establishing a friendship.
