Page 20 of Fast Currents
I squinted. “At least they recognize you as worth the expensive apples.”
“Not helping, Robertson.”
“Let me make it up to you with dinner.”
“If we eat at the brewery for a second time, rumors are going to fly that we’re dating.”
“Aren’t we?” I asked.
“There you go again, asking questions.”
Chapter 10 – Lucy
I’d promised myself I wouldn’t get tangled up again. Not like this.
He looked at me with those puppy dog eyes, and I couldn’t deny him. Or myself.
“I’m a sucker for cheese curds.”
Or just a sucker.
“Not an answer, Lucifer.”
“If you’re paying attention, it is.”
“Am I cheese curds in this scenario?”
“You should be so lucky.”
He grinned. “Iam. Good thing I am not offended in the least, being compared to hot cheese.”
I opened my mouth to refute him, but he held up a palm. “Let me have this, Lucy. Let me be your cheesy, hot boyfriend, if just for tonight.”
Something in me went liquid, a streak of lightning running through my chest, hearing him call himself my boyfriend. It was followed by a surge of cold that twisted my gut in a strongjerk. Two dates did not make a boyfriend. And braving a new relationship wouldn’t make me weak. It didn’t have to be like last time.
Maybe he read the apprehension on my face. He flexed both palms as if gentling a horse. “Whoa. Pretend I said man-friend instead.”
“Because you’re not a boy?”
“Because I’m into you, but your face says we’re moving too fast.”
“Youwishyou were in me.”
Shutting up was free, and yet I kept digging a deeper hole. My damned mouth. It acted like it knew things my heart wasn’t ready for. And maybe it did. Clay seemed utterly unbothered that he’d admitted to feelings for me and I’d turned it into a joke.
“I saidintoyou. But also, yes.” His grin was charming enough to make me forget what we were arguing about. And why were we arguing? The man wanted to buy me dinner.
“Fine. I’m hungry. I’ll meet you there.”
I needed a second alone to breathe. To pretend this wasn’t spiraling into something I couldn’t stop. Keeping that sliver of independence shouldn’t have mattered so much, but driving myself was also practical.
We’d just sat down at the brewery with our menus when Clay’s radio squawked. “Ranger Robertson, Dispatch.”
Clay frowned and reached for his radio. “Dispatch, go ahead.”
“We have report of lost hikers near Young Hill. Ranger Chen is asking you to join her at British Camp and help coordinate Search and Rescue.”
The name was familiar. I was pretty sure she was another one of Rae’s cousins. It was impossible to pretend like I wasn’t eavesdropping.
