“Hey you, you're all dressed up,” Cody said.
“Not really.” I glanced down at my black jeans and dark blue button-up.
Cody rolled his eyes at me. “You got plans with Miller?”
“I do. He sold a big property today, so we’re celebrating. What are you and Eli doing?”
“I don't know. We don't have any plans or anything. He’s been trying to take the weekends off, but he's a small-town sheriff so that's hard.”
“Well, we’re going to The Watering Hole if you want to come. I wouldn't mind a friendly face.”
“Aren't Ripley and Cap going? Those three are usually always together.”
“Probably, but still, I’d like to have one of my friends there. They're Miller's friends, and they don't approve of us seeing each other.”
“They're your friends too, and my guess is they’re just trying to look out for you. Personally, I think you two fit pretty good together.”
I hadn't known Cody all that long, but in the time that I’d known him, we’d become good friends. Not only did I not want to lie to him, but I needed someone I could talk to. “Hey, Cody, can I tell you something honestly, but it stays just between us?”
“Of course,” he said. “Always.” His ready agreement was part of why I liked him so much. He was a genuinely nice guy. But so was his boyfriend, Eli.
“Miller and I aren't actually dating. Well, I mean, we are dating, but we're just dating so we won't be lying about dating.”
“Huh?”
“What I mean is, he agreed to go with me to my family's for the holidays and then he told his friends we’re seeing each other. Which wasn't the plan. It was just supposed to be only my family. But anyway, I suck at lying, so he said we should date for real except not, just so I wouldn't have to lie.”
“Okay, I think I followed. You just mean you aren't really boyfriends or anything. You're just going out on dates that are more like hanging out or something?”
“Exactly. But I kind of like him. Which is why we never hung out before, to be honest. He isn't a forever kind of guy, and while I don't expect forever with every guy I hook-up with, it’s still the end goal, you know. Like you and Eli, that's what I want.”
“And you deserve someone to love you the way Eli loves me. But how do you know Miller isn't that guy?”
“I know you haven't been here long, but surely you've heard all the talk about him not doing relationships. He does hook-ups. Period.”
“That’s what I've heard, and while I think it's smart to be careful, you should also be open to the possibility that he could be different with you.”
“Maybe, but I don't think so. I don't think I'm his type. He’s made it pretty clear that he plans to keep this whole dating thing strictly platonic.”
“Really? But you said you like him, so at least you can have fun hanging out with him until this runs its course. I'll check with Eli, though, and as long as we don't have anything going on tonight, we’ll come by.”
“Thanks. Now I guess I need to head on over. I'm supposed to meet him there.”
11
Miller
Normally I celebrated big sales with the guys, but when Landon said how about tonight, I realized that he was really the only one I cared to celebrate with. I also knew that going to The Water Hole meant the others were likely to show up. Cap and Frankie, and Reed and Ripley anyway. Donovan and Maverick were in Austin this weekend to see a play Maverick's sister was in.
It wouldn't be a bad thing if they were there. It would give me a chance to not only apologize to Ripley for my behavior this morning, but it would also give them a chance to see that I could be a good boyfriend. I couldn't honestly say I would’ve known where to begin just a couple of years ago. My parents’ relationships had been a disaster, and all my friends had been single, but things had changed. I was surrounded by couples who loved each other, and if I wanted to see how that looked, all I had to do was look around. Cap and Frankie, in particular, had a relationship that was enviable. Not that the other guys didn't, they just had a different dynamic than the kind I was interested in.
But Cap and Frankie fit for me. They ran their business together seamlessly, and while they were always professional around their customers, they didn't shy away from each other. It was almost like they were drawn to each other. I think if there was any one thing that had prompted my dissatisfaction with my life, it was watching those two. I swear, when one of them walked into a room, the other could sense it. I'd never seen two people so in tune with each other, and the way they were with Annie…I never would have thought they hadn't been a family all along.
I arrived early enough to get us a table, but to my surprise, Landon was already there waiting. I watched him for a moment as he sat there picking at the label on his beer. “You got here early,” I said, taking my seat.
“Oh, hey. Yeah, I stopped by the garage to talk to Cody before I came. I figured I'd might as well just come on over.” He looked nervous, nothing like the laid back at ease man I had dinner with last night.
“What's wrong, Landon?” I asked.
“Wrong?”
“You seem nervous.”
“I guess I'm just not sure how to act around the guys. You know they’re going to show up here tonight.”
“Landon, you should act like yourself. I had fun last night, didn't you?”
He nodded his head and smiled at me. “I did have a good time.”
“Then, tonight will be no different.”
“But they’re going to expect us to be together.”
“And we’re here together, right?” He nodded but rolled his eyes. “I told you I could be a good boyfriend, just you watch. Now let's eat. My treat since I’m in the money today.”
“Okay, big spender, I'll take a cheeseburger and fries.”
By the time we'd finished eating, he’d relaxed, and things were starting to feel like they had last night. “When do we need to leave for Oklahoma?” I asked.
“It's a six-hour drive, so I was thinking we could leave early Wednesday morning if you can take Wednesday off, that is.”
“I can. Are we staying until Sunday?”
“I was actually thinking we would come home Saturday. You know how it goes. You need a day off to recover from your days off.”
“That sounds good to me. I'm going to grab another beer. Do you want one?” I asked.
“Sure, I could do with another.”
It took longer than I had expected to grab two beers, and by the time I came back, the table was full, and Cap was about to sit in my seat. Landon said something to him, and Cap rolled his eyes and sat on the other side of Frankie. I knew he only did it to keep up appearances, but still, I appreciated him not letting anyone take my seat. I handed him his beer and slid back into my chair, then made a show of sliding it closer to his so everyone saw me.
He just chuckled and shook his head at me. “You’re crazy,” he said quietly enough that only I heard him.