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“Haven’t you heard?” she called out, ignoring me. “He’s my new boyfriend. Come meet him!”
My jaw dropped.Boyfriend?
Was she messing with me just for kicks?
I shot her a look, but she only responded with a wink—one so unintentionally alluring it made my mouth go dry.
“Why?” I hissed under my breath, my unease growing by the second.
“Trust me,” she whispered back, her tone far too innocent.
Trust her? After this little stunt? I glared at her, fully ready to list all the reasons why this charade was ridiculous. What did she think she was doing? But before I could get a word out, a flash of movement caught my eye.
A man stepped out from behind a rusted refrigerator, a pitchfork clutched in his hands. His eyes, sharp and beady, darted between Dakota and me, sizing me up with a wary look.
“Boyfriend, huh?” he asked as he continued to size me up from head to toe.
“Yep. Boyfriend,” Dakota replied smoothly, sauntering over to me with an easy confidence that made the whole thing seem far too believable. She slipped her hand into mine and leaned into the role. “I’m sure you’ve heard all about it,” she added, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. “You know, the way he saved me from the stray bullets in town square? It was love at first sight.”
I glanced down at her, ready to scoff at how ridiculous she sounded, but the exaggerated flutter of her eyelashes and thatplayful glint in her eye made it impossible to do anything but stare.
And then—it got worse. An actual, genuine smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, and before I could stop myself, I was grinning like a fool.
“Love at first sight, huh?” Shifty repeated, raising a skeptical brow as he took a step closer, the pitchfork still in hand.
I forced my smile to disappear, clearing my throat as I straightened. “Something like that,” I muttered, my voice gruffer than usual.
Dakota’s hand squeezed mine ever so slightly, and when I looked down, I saw her biting back a smile, enjoying every second of this.
Cold sweat prickled the back of my neck. What was I getting myself into?
“Uh-huh,” Shifty replied, adjusting his grip on his pitchfork. “Your boyfriend got a name?”
“Sorry, yes. Shifty, meet Tucker,” Dakota supplied before I could even open my mouth. “Tucker, this is Shifty.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, extending my free hand—the one not currently being slow-roasted between Dakota’s firm grip—to shake his. Shifty might’ve been a slight guy, but his handshake was firm, and there was no mistaking the added pressure he threw in, like he was sending me a message.
I met his grip with equal firmness, careful not to crack his bones. This guy was definitely testing me.
“What has you bringin’ him around here?” Shifty asked, his pitchfork still hanging loosely in his grip.
“The thing is, we heard you might know a little somethin’ about some pirate treasure—” Dakota started, her tone light, almost casual.
“Syd Wharton’s pirate treasure?” Shifty cut in, his eyes lighting up with recognition.
“Uh… Who’s Syd Wharton?” Dakota asked, glancing up at me as if I had the answers.
I didn’t, so I shrugged.
Shifty frowned. “He’s the one who found it.”
“But I thought—” Dakota began, but I squeezed her hand, silently telling her to stop talking.
Thankfully, she caught on and clamped her mouth shut.
Shifty raised an eyebrow, still eyeing us both with suspicion. “You thought what?”
Before Dakota could answer, a voice called out from inside the house. “Shifty! Phone’s for you!”
