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“Nice to meet you, Libby.” The smile he gave her was so genuine it instantly made her feel at ease. Zach was right, he was a gentle giant.
“And this miserable bastard is Luke.” Zach smacked the man next to him on the back. Unlike the others, Luke’s brown hair was a little longer and the stubble on his face was just a few days away from becoming a full-blown beard.
“Don’t listen to this asshole, I’m a ray of sunshine.” He grinned and picked up her hand, pulling it up to his lips and lightly kissing it. When he lowered it again, he didn’t let go. He just kind of held her. “Pleasure to meet you, Libby. You ever get sick of this guy, you look me up, yeah?”
She didn’t really know what to say to that. Luckily, a reply wasn’t necessary, as Zach yanked her hand out of his friend’s and pulled her into his side. Libby had to admit, she wasn’t hating being so close to him, especially when he wrapped his arm around her waist and gently squeezed.
Danger! Danger!
“Find your own woman, asswipe.”
Your own woman. Okay, now she could literally hear the alarm bells ringing in her ears.
She swallowed down the lump in her throat as she turned to face the only man who hadn’t been introduced yet. There was no doubt he was the youngest of the group with that baby face. He also had that whole boyish charm thing going on.
“You must be Benny?” she asked, putting her hand out, ready for a shake. But to her surprise, Benny tugged on her hand, untangling her from Zach and pulling her into an embrace. Once he’d brushed his lips on her cheek, he released her, but not before directing a mischievous smile her way.
“Pleasure to meet you, Libby. You look even better ... dressed.”
Damnit. Now she was blushing. Of course he’d been front and center to her humiliation. She was toaster girl. Disney pajamas girl.
“Uh, thanks.” She could feel her cheeks getting warmer by the second.
Zach came to her rescue though, announcing they were going to eat. He then suggested the guys go grab some food too and join them. That meant she had a few minutes to compose herself and convince her cheeks to return to their normal color.
“Your friends seem nice.” She took her seat again and watched as Zach took one opposite her.
“Usually they are.” He chuckled. “But right now? Well, right now they’re being assholes and trying to wind me up.”
“Why?”
“’Cause they know I like you.” Did he really just throw that out there? And so casually, too. This is a freaking date, isn’t it? “They also know the last thing I want is to do or say anything that might scare you off. Which means they’re probably gonna spend the next twenty minutes tryin’ to press my buttons to see if I crack.”
“Oh.” That was all she had. She needed to process.
“Yeah, oh.”
He likes me, but this isn’t a date. He never even pushed for this to be a date. And not once has he asked for my number. That’s strange, right?
The man was confusing, that was for sure. She hadn’t forgotten the way he’d made it abundantly clear he wasn’t hitting on her when they’d first met. What was his game? Did he want to be her friend, or did he want to date her? God, she wished she was better at deciphering all this stuff. Thirty-one years on this planet and she still had no idea what she was doing when it came to the opposite sex.
She didn’t miss Zach studying her as she wrestled with her thoughts. His gaze flicked from her eyes to her lips. Then back to her eyes again. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Benny sidled up beside him and wasted no time making himself comfortable on the bench.
His friend had returned empty handed, something Zach was quick to point out.
“Luke’s gonna grab me something.” He grinned, quickly turning his attention to Libby. “So, Libby ... what brings you to Woodvalley?”
And so it began.
***
Libby was in trouble. A superficial attraction she could handle. That was easy. But an actual connection was just damn cruel. He had to be nice, didn’t he? And funny as well. Not to mention easy to talk to. Oh and his friends. She had to go and get along with them too, didn’t she?
Damnit. Damnit. Damnit.
There was a reason Libby didn’t date. A good one. Not that this was a date. It wasn’t. It didn’t matter that he said he liked her, that didn’t mean anything. He could just like her as a friend. And him checking her out, well, he’s a guy. Guys do that. That’s just genetics. She just needed to keep reminding herself of these very valid points. Again. And again. And she really needed to stop wondering if and when she was going to see Zach again as he walked her to the front door.
It had been a good day. Too good. This was not how her week in a new town was supposed to go. Toaster fires. Hot firemen. Non-dates that felt a lot like dates.
