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Not you, I wanted to retort. But I drained what was left in my glass instead and turned to look at her.

She was pretty in all the conventional ways. Button nose, full lips, doe eyes. But when I looked at her, I felt nothing but a tinge of annoyance because she was ruining my chance at a buzz.

“What’s wrong, honey? Cat got your tongue?” Thick lashes fluttered against her made up cheeks and I had to bite back a smile. Hearing the word cat threw my mind back to the resort and Duchess.

And thinking about Duchess made me think about Noah.

And thinking about Noah made me think about True.

So, yea, the cat did have my tongue because it wasn’t one of the two people I cared about who wanted my attention.

It would be easy enough to go home with Treasure. I could sleep with her and relieve some of the tension that had been mounting for weeks. But I couldn’t even think about it without guilt stamping out the possibility before a flame could form.

If she wasn’t True, I didn’t want her. True had never even verbally expressed her interest in me, yet she held the reins on what I would entertain.

“I’m getting outta here, Treasure. Long day tomorrow,” I lied, pulling two crisp bills from my wallet. “But let me cover your drinks for the night.”

I slid the money over the counter when Trinity walked up to ask if I needed a refill. When I told her no and to put the money towards Treasure’s tab and her tip, she walked away with a smile.

I got off the barstool and adjusted my tie, giving Treasure a smile I didn’t feel. “Have a good night, sweetheart.”

On the sidewalk outside of the bar, I rolled some of the tightness out of my shoulders and pulled out my phone to see if the group chat had any new messages. Nobody had said anything since 10AM and it was going on 8 now.

That shouldn’t have left me feeling so deflated. I stuck a stick of gum in my mouth and got back in my truck, deciding that a drive around town would be the cure for my restlessness.

I passed Main Street and saw that some of it was already blocked off for the Fall Festival that was happening tomorrow through Sunday. It was a yearly thing and brought farmer’s market season to a close in Bliss Peak. Because the street I needed was blocked off, I detoured down a busier road and slowed to a stop in front of Noir.

Noah loved the truffle mac and cheese there.

Without thinking, I pulled into the last parking spot big enough for my truck and got down, hoping they would let me pick up something for takeout.

I made it inside the dimly lit restaurant and smiled at the hostess, only for that smile to falter when I saw the couple being seated across the dining room.

Black dress.

Red lips.

Red shoes.

True St. John.

She looked fucking incredible.

Her hair was straight and falling around her shoulders and that dress fit her full frame like a glove.

The only problem was the man with his hand on her bare lower back.

Who the fuck was he?

As far as first dates went, this one was already at a five out of ten before we were ever seated at our table. I might have been out of practice when it came to dating, but I knew him showing up an hour late in a baggy suit with Crocs on his feet because his “dog ate his good shoes” was not a promising start.

Him being late was negative three points. And his outfit choice was negative two.

I was beinggenerous, even by my standards, but I refused to believe I’d spent all day getting fine just for this night to be ruined before it could ever begin.

“Can I get you two something to drink while you look over your menus?” The waitress asked in a silky sweet voice.

My date, Keenan Longbriar, cheesed up at her and spoke over me before I could request a glass of wine.