nodded and said nothing more. He liked that. Didn’t have to fill the void with chatter that meant nothing. Another point in her column.
Wait, why was he keeping score?
They pulled off the exit and made a beeline for the bakery. When he parked, she opened her door and jumped down before he could help her. She looked up at him with a smile. “A girl could break an ankle getting down from there.”
“Most females wait for help.” He led the way into the shop, a little silver bell chiming as he opened the door for her and followed her in.
Veronica stopped so fast he almost bumped into her and breathed deeply. “Mmm. Oh man, that smells like heaven.”
The look on her face said she’d just gotten her first taste of ambrosia and couldn’t wait to get back in line for more. Dammit, now he was going to be fighting a boner through the rest of this little errand. Thanks a lot, smell of donuts . Though, really, when he stopped to take a breath, she was right. Oh man, that was good. Like warm sugar and vanilla and a little hint of chocolate.
A short, grandmotherly woman with graying brown hair and flour on her cheek stepped out from the back of the shop, wiping her hands on an apron. “Can I help you?”
“We’re here to pick up a cake,” Dwayne said, nodding between himself and Veronica. “Should be under the last name O’Shay.” Okay. He should just focus on the baker lady and think of grandmothers. That should help keep the boner at bay.
The woman smiled sweetly. “Oh, and you two are just the cutest couple we’ve had in here in ages.”
He took an automatic step back, as if her words were actually a swinging punch coming for his nose. “Oh, no, we—”
“Thank you.” Veronica cut him off and wrapped a hand around his wrist… or around what of his wrist she could reach with her tiny hand. “I happen to think he’s a keeper.”
The bakery worker tittered and walked back toward the other room, calling, “I’ll be right out,” behind her as the double doors swung shut.
“What was that?” He glanced down and saw her biting the inside of her lips. He couldn’t stop his own from twitching a little.
“Oh, come on. She was cute and really excited for us. No harm done.” She patted him on the arm, but then started to look nervous and let go. “Sorry it’s such a trial to pretend to be my fiancé.”
“That’s not what I—oh, hell. Never mind.” This was what most men would call a no-win situation. “It’s not a trial. I just didn’t understand where you were going with that.”
Veronica shrugged, her back to him as she inspected the baked goods on display. “She thinks we’re a couple, she said we were cute together. It might have embarrassed her to be corrected, and she was nice. It’s not like we’ll see her again, so why not?”
Why not, indeed? He really didn’t need to react so fast to the whole thing. She was right—no harm done. He might have tried the same thing if it were Madison with him. Someone who he had no plans or hopes of ever dating. Why did it seem so much more denial-worthy with Veronica?
“Here we are.” The woman backed through the doors and swung around with the cake in hand. “I have to say, I think it’s just so interesting how couples are doing their bachelor and bachelorette parties together now. Whose idea was that?”
“Hers.”
“His,” Veronica said at the same time. They both turned and locked eyes on each other, then started laughing. The worker just looked confused as she handed over the cake.
“Have fun then, you two. And many blessings on your marriage.”
“Thanks,” Veronica said brightly, holding the cake out as they left the shop.
Once he helped her settle the dessert in the backseat of the extended cab, he lifted her up once more. But she didn’t stare down at him, just looked straight ahead.
“Are you angry with me?”
Her head turned, confusion written all over her face. “No. Should I be?”
“You just looked… never
Wait, why was he keeping score?
They pulled off the exit and made a beeline for the bakery. When he parked, she opened her door and jumped down before he could help her. She looked up at him with a smile. “A girl could break an ankle getting down from there.”
“Most females wait for help.” He led the way into the shop, a little silver bell chiming as he opened the door for her and followed her in.
Veronica stopped so fast he almost bumped into her and breathed deeply. “Mmm. Oh man, that smells like heaven.”
The look on her face said she’d just gotten her first taste of ambrosia and couldn’t wait to get back in line for more. Dammit, now he was going to be fighting a boner through the rest of this little errand. Thanks a lot, smell of donuts . Though, really, when he stopped to take a breath, she was right. Oh man, that was good. Like warm sugar and vanilla and a little hint of chocolate.
A short, grandmotherly woman with graying brown hair and flour on her cheek stepped out from the back of the shop, wiping her hands on an apron. “Can I help you?”
“We’re here to pick up a cake,” Dwayne said, nodding between himself and Veronica. “Should be under the last name O’Shay.” Okay. He should just focus on the baker lady and think of grandmothers. That should help keep the boner at bay.
The woman smiled sweetly. “Oh, and you two are just the cutest couple we’ve had in here in ages.”
He took an automatic step back, as if her words were actually a swinging punch coming for his nose. “Oh, no, we—”
“Thank you.” Veronica cut him off and wrapped a hand around his wrist… or around what of his wrist she could reach with her tiny hand. “I happen to think he’s a keeper.”
The bakery worker tittered and walked back toward the other room, calling, “I’ll be right out,” behind her as the double doors swung shut.
“What was that?” He glanced down and saw her biting the inside of her lips. He couldn’t stop his own from twitching a little.
“Oh, come on. She was cute and really excited for us. No harm done.” She patted him on the arm, but then started to look nervous and let go. “Sorry it’s such a trial to pretend to be my fiancé.”
“That’s not what I—oh, hell. Never mind.” This was what most men would call a no-win situation. “It’s not a trial. I just didn’t understand where you were going with that.”
Veronica shrugged, her back to him as she inspected the baked goods on display. “She thinks we’re a couple, she said we were cute together. It might have embarrassed her to be corrected, and she was nice. It’s not like we’ll see her again, so why not?”
Why not, indeed? He really didn’t need to react so fast to the whole thing. She was right—no harm done. He might have tried the same thing if it were Madison with him. Someone who he had no plans or hopes of ever dating. Why did it seem so much more denial-worthy with Veronica?
“Here we are.” The woman backed through the doors and swung around with the cake in hand. “I have to say, I think it’s just so interesting how couples are doing their bachelor and bachelorette parties together now. Whose idea was that?”
“Hers.”
“His,” Veronica said at the same time. They both turned and locked eyes on each other, then started laughing. The worker just looked confused as she handed over the cake.
“Have fun then, you two. And many blessings on your marriage.”
“Thanks,” Veronica said brightly, holding the cake out as they left the shop.
Once he helped her settle the dessert in the backseat of the extended cab, he lifted her up once more. But she didn’t stare down at him, just looked straight ahead.
“Are you angry with me?”
Her head turned, confusion written all over her face. “No. Should I be?”
“You just looked… never
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