Page 46 of The Fake Date (Brides of Beaufort 4)

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LYNDI

“Uh, past relationships?” I repeated, a cold sweat forming on my palms.

Why in the world would that be relevant to him?

He shrugged, one corner of his mouth twitching up, almost like he was enjoying this. “Yeah. Your past relationships.”

“What about them? And why does it matter?”

“Well, it helps to know why it didn’t work out for guys in the past. Also helps because it clues me in on what I’m up against, as far as your family’s perceptions.”

“Why?”

He lowered the lid of the laptop slightly, staring directly into my eyes. “Lyndi, this whole thing may be fake, but I aim to please.”

Did he mean for that to sound so… inviting?

“Okay… well,” I started, reaching into my bag to pull out a retractable pen. I needed something to do with my hands short of sitting on them. “I don’t really have a lot of relationship experience. I’ve gone on plenty of dates only to end things before they really start, I guess.”

He looked genuinely surprised, his mouth opening slightly like he hadn’t expected that. “Really? Why’s that?”

“Well, I don’t know, none of them were what I was looking for. Or maybeIwasn’t whattheywere looking for. It’s obvious right away, for the most part.”

He raised his screen again and sat back. “Interesting. So, what kinds of things should I make surenotto do, so I’m not a bad match for you?”

“Are you going to write it down? On the thingy, I mean?” I tapped my pen on the edge of the laptop.

“Well, that depends. Is it a long list?”

Fuming at the way his eyes seemed to hold laughter when he’d asked it, I straightened my shoulders. “Not that long. For starters, don’t chew with your mouth open.”

“I have impeccable table manners, thank you very much. Professional wedding date, remember?”

“Right. Okay, don’t be annoyed with how much time I spend reading.”

His head tilted like a dog hearing a whistle. “Why would I be?”

“I don’t know, but apparently it’s a thing.”

“What else?”

I thought about it for a second, then held up a finger. “Don’t take me to see scary movies.”

Beau grinned. “Ah, that old move?” When my brow furrowed, he continued, “You know, like, ‘If I take her to a scary movie, she’ll hold onto me, and I can comfort her.’ That move.”

“Yes, only it turned into the girl-runs-out-of-the-theatre-because-she’s-spinning-out move.”

He pursed his lips with a short nod. “Noted. Rom-coms only. Anything else?”

Well, sure. I could tell him about how one guy didn’t like that I didn’t like to listen to music in the car. It distracted me.

Another guy wasn’t a fan of my preference to order my drinks in their original bottle or can at restaurants, since hello, the cups they used were probably disgusting.

And then there was the guy who didn’t think it mattered that he used the wrong homophone while texting me. It mattered. A lot.Learn the difference betweenyou’reandyourandthey’re,their,andthere,dude!

But no, I didn’t really want to get into all of that with Beau, lest he feel the same way. Something told me it was best not to shatter the illusion I’d been carrying that he was the perfect guy. Plus, a poor reaction fromhimwould be nothing but embarrassing forme.