Page 24 of Break My Heart (The Haydon Falls #2)

‘I just don’t want to deal with all the questions. They’re going to assume we’re dating.’

‘Then let them assume.’

‘You don’t know my family. If they think we’re dating, it won’t be long before they’re planning the wedding.’

She laughs. ‘I’m sure you’ve brought girls to dinner in the past.’

‘Yeah. Kendall. The girl I was engaged to.’

Gina’s eyes widen. ‘You were engaged?’

‘In my early twenties. She decided she didn’t want to live in a small town so we broke up.’

‘Do you still talk to her?’

‘No. I don’t even know where she lives. ’

‘She was the only girl you brought home to meet your family?’

‘No, but she’s the only one I brought to a family dinner. I don’t usually have to introduce a girl to my parents because in a town this size, there’s a good chance they already know her.’

‘Why do you think your mom invited me?’

‘Because you’re new here. My mom feels the need to welcome people to town.’

It’s true, but only part of the reason. My mom’s good at reading me.

She can tell I have feelings for Gina. This dinner invite is her not-so-subtle attempt to play matchmaker.

Like Nick said, Mom’s going to try harder to find me a wife now that Nick has Lyndsay.

I keep telling my mom I’m not ready for that, but she doesn’t listen.

‘My cousin will be there with his fiancé,’ I say. ‘They’re driving back to Chicago tonight so dinner’s at four.’

‘Good. We’ll be done before the bar gets busy.’

‘I was thinking the same thing. Speaking of the brewery, I should get going.’ I go out the door to the hall. ‘I’ll see you at dinner.’

‘Yeah. Bye.’ She closes the door as I leave.

That was awkward. I didn’t know how to end it.

Should I have kissed her goodbye? It kind of seemed like she wanted me to, but that’s something you do when you’re dating, and Gina and I aren’t dating.

I considered offering to pick her up for dinner, but again, that would make it seem like we’re dating.

I have no idea what we’re doing here. We spent the morning together, had great sex, but now what? Where do we go from here?

*?*?*

‘There you are,’ Wade says as I walk into the brewery. I forgot he was coming in early today. ‘I thought you were upstairs, but I went up there and nobody answered. ’

‘Did you need something?’

‘I had a problem with one of the taps, but I was able to fix it.’

‘I’m going upstairs to change. I’ll be down in a few minutes.’

‘Sawyer!’ Wade yells before I reach the stairs.

I walk back to the bar. ‘What do you need?’

He smiles. ‘Who was she? Anyone I know?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘The girl you were with. Who was she?’

‘How do you know I was with a girl?’

‘Because you got that look on your face.’

‘What look?’

‘The look that says you just had sex.’

I can’t hold back my smile. ‘Okay, you caught me. How do you know this shit?’

‘I’m a bartender. I see that look all the time. So who was she?’

‘You don’t know her. I need to go clean up. I’ve got a lot of work to do.’ I take off and go up to my apartment. I should be thinking about all the stuff I need to get done, but instead I’m thinking about Gina. I almost text her, but then don’t, remembering that we’re not dating.

*?*?*

After three hours of working in my office, I come out to the bar and find Wade talking to Milo.

‘You just get here?’ I say to Milo.

‘Yeah, I’m a little early.’ He glances at Wade, then back at me. ‘Hey, I um, had a question for you. A personal question, but it’s also kind of work-related.’

‘What is it?’

He walks up to me. ‘That girl. The one who helped fix the register last night? ’

‘Yeah. What about her?’

‘You said she’s just a friend, right?’ Milo seems nervous. He’s never nervous. He’s one of the most laid back people I know.

‘Yeah. Why?’

‘I just wanted to make sure. When you had her at your place last night I didn’t know if it was because—’

‘We’re just friends. What’s this about?’

‘I want to ask her out. But I wanted to make sure you were cool with it since she’s kind of our competitor.’

‘She isn’t kind of our competitor,’ I say, raising my voice. ‘She IS our competitor.’ I go past him to the end of the bar. ‘The answer is no, you can’t go out with her.’

‘Why? I’m not going to tell her anything. I just want to take her to dinner, get to know her.’

I storm over to him. ‘She’s not going to date you. Gina’s not looking for a boyfriend. She doesn’t have time for one. And even if she did, you’re too young for her.’

‘I’m 25. That’s not too young.’

‘Then go ahead. Ask her out. See what she says.’ I go around him. ‘I’ll be in the back.’

Going in my office, I slam the door and take a breath, trying to calm down. I totally overreacted just now. Milo’s probably out there wondering what the hell happened. I never yell at him like that, and I shouldn’t have done it. I lost control hearing him talk about Gina, wanting to ask her out.

I’m not even dating her and I’m acting like she’s mine.

But she can’t be. I’d be stupid to get involved with her.

I’m not risking my business for a girl, even if it’s a girl I really like and could see myself being in a relationship with.

I want a relationship, but not now, and not with a girl I’m not sure I can trust.

‘Sawyer.’ Wade knocks on the door .

I open it. ‘Hey, tell Milo I’m sorry about how I acted out there. I’m just tired.’

‘Don’t worry about it. He’s good.’ Wade leans against the door frame. ‘So about that girl. I didn’t know.’

‘Didn’t know what?’

‘That you and her are a thing.’

‘We’re not.’

He laughs a little as he rubs his beard.

‘What’s so funny?’

‘You, trying to deny it.’

‘There’s nothing to deny. I’m not dating her.’

‘Maybe not, but you’re sleeping with her.’

I glance away.

‘Hey, man, I don’t care what you do. It’s none of my business. But you don’t need to lie to me.’

‘It was one time, and it’s not happening again.’

‘Yeah, right.’ He chuckles.

‘Okay, maybe it’ll happen again, but it’s just sex. We’re not going to date. How did you even know?’

‘You wouldn’t get that pissed at Milo if you didn’t want her for yourself.’

I sigh. ‘Yeah, I was worried that might give it away.’

He half smiles. ‘You really like this girl.’

‘It doesn’t matter if I like her. It can’t go anywhere. If I got involved with her, I might tell her something I shouldn’t.’

He nods. ‘I get that.’

‘Don’t tell anyone about this. I know you’re new to town, but I’m sure you’ve figured out how people gossip around here. I don’t want some rumor starting that I’m with Gina.’

He nods again. ‘Understood. I’ll let you get back to work.’

I try to work, but can’t. Every time I start to, my thoughts go back to Gina.

I keep imagining her with some other guy.

It’s not often a hot girl moves to town, and when it happens, every guy wants to date her.

If Gina wants a boyfriend, she’d have plenty of guys to choose from.

She can go out with whoever she wants. I need to be okay with that and accept that she’s not mine. But damn, I wish she was.