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He flashes me a grin, and I want to burst into tears because I’m sure that grin will turn to a leer once he hears what I did.
“What am I going to find out about?” He leans his hip against the other side of the counter as his intense gaze holds mine.
“Uh—” He’s so damn sexy and having his full attention on me makes my head fuzzy. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. I have to confess my sins. “I did something,” I say, my eyes still closed.
“Open your eyes, Court.”
The sound of him shortening my name does something to me. The only other person who calls me Court is my sister. My mom claims if she wanted to call me Court, she would have named me Court, not Courtney, and well, you already know my dad is even-keeled and just goes along with it. Instead, he calls me and my sister both sweetheart. That’s his workaround, and Mom lets him get away with it.
Slowly, I open my eyes as he requested. “I’m sorry.”
Merrick tilts his head to the side. “What are you sorry for?”
I quickly rush through my explanation of my call with my mother, making sure to hit on the backstory of her hounding me for a date. I’m not even sure I take a breath the entire time. I’m talking so fast. I’m making an even bigger fool of myself in front of him, but I can’t seem to stop this train from racing off the tracks.
“So, you told your mom that we’re dating?” he asks. His tone of voice hasn’t changed, so I can’t get a read on him.
“Yes.” I nod because maybe he needs a visual to my answer as well.
“She’s worried her mom is going to tell the entire town,” Jordyn explains helpfully.
“I know she will. I’m so sorry, Merrick.”
He shrugs. “So, I’ll be your date.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket. “When is the wedding?”
My mouth falls open in shock. He glances up at me and winks. My stomach twists. Is this really happening? “It’s more than just a date to the wedding. I told her we were dating.” I hang my head in shame. “I’m sorry. I was looking at the picture, and your name is the first one I thought of. I’m going to tell her the truth tonight, but it might be too late. I’d be happy to talk to your family or your girlfriend and tell them it was all me.” I’m talking to the counter because I can’t make myself look at him.
His hand appears in my line of vision, and with his index finger beneath my chin, he lifts my head so that I’m looking at him. “I don’t have a girlfriend. I’m unattached. This isn’t a big deal. We’ll hang out a few times, go to the wedding together, and all is good.”
“Yes!” Jordyn says, clapping her hands in excitement, breaking through the Merrick Kincaid haze I seem to have found myself in. He drops his hand and how is it that I miss his touch?
“It’s a win-win. No harm, no foul.” Merrick shrugs.
“I can’t ask you to do that,” I say, finding my voice.
“You didn’t ask me to. I volunteered. It’s not a big deal, Courtney. Just tell me the date of the wedding. We’ll exchange numbers and hang out a few times. It’s all going to be fine.”
Hope and gratitude well in my chest. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say thank you, Merrick,” Jordyn teases.
I nod. “Thank you, Merrick. Truly. You’re saving me, and you don’t have to.”
He waves me off. “It’s all good. Now, about that date.”
I rattle off my sister’s wedding date, and we exchange numbers just as a customer walks in. I stand to my full height, plaster a smile on my face that feels less forced than a few seconds ago, and the heavy weight sitting on my chest eases.
It’s all going to be okay.
Merrick Kincaid just saved my ass.
CHAPTER
TWO
Merrick
Courtney greets the customer while I step away from the counter, sliding my phone back into my pocket. “Where do you want the table?” I ask Jordyn. I pretend her cheesy smile is because she’s happy about the table, not about my offer to help Courtney.
