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“Go out with me,” she blurted. It wasn’t even a question. It was a statement, and one that she really wished she hadn’t practically shouted. She blushed again and looked away. “I mean, I would love it if you’d… if we… could go on a date.”
He didn’t speak right away. In fact, he waited so long that she was forced to lift her eyes to meet his. And she wished she hadn’t done that either.
If the surprise on his face wasn’t enough, she could have sworn she saw a flicker of guilt, or perhaps it was pity. Both looked the same right about now. “Agatha—”
Agatha held up her hands, stopping him from speaking. “Just think about it, okay? And if the answer is no. I totally understand.” Without waiting for a response, she rushed toward the cabin. That had to be the most embarrassing moment she’d had since she was a teenager.
But at least she’d done it. No regrets.
13
Zeke
It was all Zeke could do to keep himself from going after Agatha when she escaped into the cabin. There were so many things wrong with what had just happened. He sat frozen in his seat, swinging his gaze to the cabin, then back to the road in front of him.
He really should just go knock on her door and tell her that he was going on a date with another woman tonight. That would be the proper thing to do.
While it was a first date and there were no plans for it to go further than just tonight, he didn’t want to make any assumptions. If he were to hit it off with this woman, then Agatha was bound to find out.
Zeke removed the hat on his head and ran a hand through his hair. As much as he was ready for this date, he couldn’t ignore the fact that he wished it was with a different person—the very one who was in that cabin a few yards away.
He stood, the intention to tell her everything a driving force, but then thought better of it. Zeke settled back into his seat. What was wrong with him? He had always been so sure of himself. He’d always known what he wanted and where his life was headed.
The man he was today wasn’t the man he wanted to be.
His face scrunched into a scowl and he leaned forward as he gave the vehicle some gas. This was the right thing to do. He’d been over it and over it in his head. Agatha wasn’t the kind of woman he could see himself with long-term, mostly because they had a tendency to butt heads. Lately it had been good-natured, but to spend the rest of his life with her? No, that wasn’t going to work.
The woman Brielle had sworn would be a good fit had better be exactly that because he needed to get his mind off Agatha once and for all.
* * *
Once out of the shower, Zeke got dressed and ready for his date. He still had an hour before he’d need to pick her up, and those sixty minutes stretched out before him like a tightrope with no net beneath it.
Tonight, he’d take a step he had never seen himself taking. And if nothing came of it? Then his daughters couldn’t say a thing about him getting back out in the world. Some people only meet their perfect match once.
Armed with this personal breakthrough, Zeke headed toward the kitchen to get himself a drink but was stopped by Brielle in the living room.
“Well, don’t you look handsome.” Brielle moved away from a small group that was visiting. Her husband didn’t meet Zeke’s gaze. Wade appeared to prefer staying out of Zeke’s line of focus.
Shane and Eloise were also visiting, and Zeke couldn’t help but feel he was the topic of conversation. His eyes narrowed as he took in the conspirators. “And you four look guilty as could be.”
Brielle laughed as she straightened his bolo tie. “You really ought to wear one of your fancier ties tonight.”
“Those ties are for weddings and funerals. I’m not going out in public wearing something like that,” he said.
She looked up at him with a smile that had always been able to melt his heart, even when she’d been a little girl. “I’m glad you’re going out either way. I know you’re going to have fun.”
“Don’t get your hopes up. I don’t even know the woman.”
“Charlotte is a lovely lady, and I bet you’ll hit it off.”
Shane coughed, choking on something before he got it under control.
Zeke shot a dark look toward his soon-to-be son-in-law. “You have something to say?”
He straightened, shaking his head, though his easy smile appeared all the same. “No, sir. I’m sure Brielle has found the perfect match for you.”
Why did it feel like Shane wasn’t being entirely honest with him? Zeke studied the man who coincidently had his finger in nearly everything in town. It had happened slowly at first, but now he was married to Zeke’s daughter, ran the most profitable businesses, and even hired the woman Zeke couldn’t get out of his mind.
