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Not the most romantic of scenarios, either way.
The other possibility was also a no-go. If they rented a by-the-hour hotel room anywhere within a fifty-mile radius, she had no doubt there’d be someone there who knew Mike’s face. He was that much larger than life; cop, SWAT-man, and everybody’s friend.
Soooo…
It seemed like she had just agreed to be his girlfriend in name, only. For now, and because logistics were working against them. But if she could finagle an opening, an opportunity to get him naked sometime in the near future, she’d jump on it. Actually jump. On top of that man. Because, drang, Mike was fine.
He picked up her hand and turned them back toward camp.
When she looked down at their intertwined fingers, he grinned. “There’s no time like the present to start our relationship.”
“Which relationship?” she questioned pointedly. “The act we’ll put on for your family and your ex, or the one where we’re really getting to know each other?” She meant in the bodily sense, and she hoped he picked up on it.
“Is there a difference?” His eyebrow challenged.
He got it.
Joe smirked. “I was just thinking about your kids. We have to play this just right if we don’t want them grossing out or distrusting what we’re selling. They know you too well, and if what you’ve told me is true, they’ll wonder about us getting together so quickly. Especially because I’m the first woman you’ve dated since Melanie.”
“So, you’re saying we need a backstory that puts the inception of our relationship,”—he emphasized the word and made her snort—“back a few weeks or months,” Mike speculated, as they rounded the corner to see the entire team seated on various rocks, logs, and blankets.
“We’ll help you make up something good,” Cisco grinned, obviously having heard Mike.
Everyone else cradling their bowls nodded their agreement.
Amazing. They barely knew her, but were ready to start placing crucial pieces into her and Mike’s puzzle.
Everlee, the chief’s wife, laughed. Going to her knees next to the campfire she dished up two more bowls of soup, which she handed to Mike. “Uh, guys? I wouldn’t listen to Cisco. If you let him make things up, he’ll have you meeting at a bar, and everyone knows full-out, that’s not Mike’s MO.”
“I know that,” Cisco defended himself with a pout. “And bar was only my first choice. I was going to suggest second, that they met at the grocery store.”
“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Mike approved, nodding as he took the proffered bowls and indicated to Joe that they should sit on an available rock.
Joe couldn’t help her snicker.
“What?” Mike asked, handing her stew over while Ever approached them with several slices of bread on a paper plate.
Joelle reached for the bread, thanked Everlee, then rolled her eyes. “You really don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?” Mike asked.
“Does this ring a bell?” She carefully placed her food down beside her, stood up and slouched over, keeping her chin tucked. She didn’t have a hat, or her clown shoes, but… “Gooooo, Red Riot!” she cheered.
Mike blinked, then groaned. “Dammit. That was you at the store?”
“Yup. Good disguise, huh?”
Mike blinked. “Uh. Yeah. We might have to…use it later.”
There was a collective “Ooooh” from his friends which Joelle ignored while continuing to tease Mike.
“And about your eating habits. Might I say that even though I approve of your salty snack choices, your sugar decisions leave a little to be desired. Seriously? Goat’s milk ice cream and dum-dums?” Joe snorted.
“Hey. I put the goat stuff back.” He narrowed his eyes. “I grabbed it by mistake because I was sure there was someone watching me.”
“Points for awareness,” Joe allowed. “But a big fat zero for follow-through.”
His teammates gave him more jeers, laughing uproariously before speaking in a rote chorus. “If your gut tells you something’s wrong, trust it.”