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Immediately, I recognized the voice. I tensed and glanced up to see Johnny standing beside the table.
“Johnny,” I said, my voice sounding a bit breathless and giving away just how surprised I was to see him there.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“Leaving, actually,” I told him.
His eyes shifted to the table before he looked back at me and said, “But you haven’t had anything to eat.”
Shaking my head, I confirmed, “No, I haven’t. I was stood up.”
His brows shot up, silently questioning me. When I didn’t speak or make an attempt to elaborate, he asked, “Are you telling me that someone had a dinner date planned with you, and they didn’t show up?”
“They didn’t leave me completely hanging, since I did just get a phone call about it,” I informed him.
“Honestly, I’m shocked to hear that. I’m sorry you were let down, but I can’t say I’m upset about it.”
Nodding, even though I thought it was strange he said he wasn’t upset about it, I confessed, “You might not be bothered by it, but I’m a bit bummed. I was looking forward to the three d’s tonight.”
He tipped his head to the side and shot me a horrified look. “The three d’s?”
“Dinner, drinks, and dancing,” I clarified. “My friend, Thea, was supposed to meet me here tonight, but she just got a call that her son is sick, so she had to turn around and head back to Dogwood.”
It was then I noticed Johnny had been holding some tension in his frame, because the moment I told him about Thea and our plans for the evening, his shoulders relaxed.
“Since I also got stood up, would you like to have dinner and drinks with me?” he asked. “If so, I’ll take you dancing afterward, too.”
I chewed on the inside of my cheek. Johnny had been stood up, too. I wanted to ask if it was another girl who’d stood him up, but I didn’t. It wasn’t any of my business, and unless he was going to share willingly, I didn’t have any right to that information. Of course, now that I was thinking about it, I wasn’t even sure I wanted it.
So, I said, “I’d love to have dinner with you tonight.”
Johnny sat down in the seat across from mine and declared, “Maybe I’ll have to thank my brother for forgetting we had plans tonight. This worked out in my favor.”
His brother.
I wasn’t sure if he knew I was struggling a bit with not knowing who he had planned to meet here, but I appreciated the reassurance he gave me that it wasn’t another woman.
Offering a smile, I asked, “You have only one brother?”
“Yep. And a sister.”
“Do they also live in Doveport?” I pressed.
He shook his head. “My sister is actually in Dogwood, and my brother lives halfway between here and there.”
My eyes narrowed, and I assessed him.
Johnny must have easily noticed my confusion and grew concerned, because almost immediately, he asked, “Is everything alright?”
“Yes, but I was wondering if that means you’re the youngest sibling,” I returned.
“I am. I’m twenty-three. My brother is the oldest, and my sister is the middle child,” he shared. “What about you? Do you have any siblings?”
I shook my head. “I’m an only child, and I’m twenty-one.”
At that moment, our server returned. “Oh, it looks like your guest has arrived. Are you two ready to order, or did you still need some time?”
My eyes went to Johnny’s. “I’m ready, but I’m guessing you might need a minute.”
