“Okay, Josh, I see the wheels spinning in your head. You can stop over-thinking what I just said. I only meant that I like you… a lot..um, as a friend only.”

“Well that deflated my hopes a bit. Why only as a friend Heather? You have to know that I’m interested in more than friendship.”

Heather let out a laugh and looked at me. “You? Interested in something more than friendship? What like fuck buddies or something? Not gonna happen with me, Josh. Ever!”

“Jesus, Heather, I would never think of you like that. I can’t even believe you just said that.”

“Please, Josh, don’t act all shocked that I said that. I know how you are, and I know about all the woman you’ve been with. Well, no, thank you. I don’t intend on being another notch in your belt. So, I think we need to keep this strictly friendship only. That’s all I’m interested in.”

I sat there, stunned. I’d never heard Heather utter a hurtful word to anyone in the last year that I’d known her. When I looked over at her, I was pretty sure that I saw her quickly wipe away a tear. Fuck me.

“I’m not really sure what to say after your declaration of what you really think about me, but I would never think of you in such a disrespectful way. I mean, I haven’t even had sex in….anyway, it’s been awhile since I was even out on a date. I know that I’ve made some bad choices, but really, none of those girls…”

“Josh, please. Can we just talk about something else or just not talk at all?” She looked out the passenger window, sighning loudly.

Son of a bitch, I think things just got worse between us. I leaned over and turned up the music just a little louder. The silence in the truck was almost unbearable. The sick feeling taking over my stomach had me wishing that I had just driven Lynda instead of Heather back to Austin.

***

After driving for almost an hour, I got an idea. “Are you in a rush to get back to Austin?”

Heather turned to look at me, and I had to catch my breath at the sight of her beautiful blue eyes.

“Well, no, I’m not really in a big hurry. Why?”

I smiled at her, and she slowly let a smile come across her face.

“I thought that maybe we could take a small ten-minute detour and head into Marble Falls for lunch. Maybe we could grab a bite to eat at the Bluebonnet Café?”

Heather’s smile faded for a quick second, and but then it appeared again. Her eyes seemed to fill with tears before she let out a small laugh.

“I love the Bluebonnet Café. My parents used to take me there all the time, especially when I was younger. My dad loved their coconut cream pie. I can practically smell it, just thinking about it. He always wanted to retire in Marble Falls. They both loved it there. They were…, well, they were actually heading to Marble Falls to look at land when they had their accident.”

Heather’s voice trailed off before she attempted to smile again at me.

Oh God, I just brought up all those bad memories for her. I am such an asshole.

“Shit, Heather, I’m so sorry. I had no idea. I just thought that since we were so close, we could stop there. I used to love going to Marble Falls when I was a kid. I haven’t been in so long. I thought that a Chocolate Meringue pie sounded pretty damn good, but, I completely understand if you want to pass.”

“No! I would love to go. I think it’ll be good for me. I’ve been trying so hard to push away memories of my parents, but I really think this is just what I need to help me move on. I love the idea of stopping in Marble Falls.”

I was pretty sure that Heather saw the breath I was holding in as I slowly let it out. I thought for sure that I’d really fucked it up with her after she’d mentioned that her parents had been killed on their way to Marble Falls.

***

I turned onto Highway 281, making our way into Marble Falls.Traffic was a bitch and I quickly saw why. It looked like there was a street fair on the main street of the town. I was lucky enough to find a parking spot right behind the restaurant. I jumped out of the truck and jogged over to Heather’s side. I think I caught her off guard when I opened her door and helped her out of the truck.

She let a small smile spread across her face, and I swore that it felt like my knees were going to buckle out from underneath my ass. This shit was weird. No girl had ever had this type of effect on me.

The moment I reached down to take her hand in mine, I felt a jolt run from my fingertips to my toes. I was shocked that she let me hold her hand as we started to walk into the restaurant. I glanced down at her, and as she looked up at me, she smiled the sweetest goddamn smile. Even if nothing ever came out of this whole thing with Heather, I knew that I would forever remember this moment, walking into one of my favorite restaurants while holding hands with the girl of my dreams.

The girl of my dreams. Where the hell did that come from?

CHAPTER EIGHT

HEATHER

Sweet Jesus…. I thought just coming to Marble Falls was going to make me nervous, but, the moment Josh took my hand in his, I knew that I was beyond nervous. I was scared to death. He looked down at me with his beautiful green eyes, and my heart just melted. I couldn’t help myself. I had to smile at him. Why did he have to take my hand? I’d been fighting my attraction to him for a year now. I couldn’t let him into my heart. I can’t, and I won’t.

Once we stepped inside the Blue Bonnet Café, the memories came flooding back. I could almost hear my dad saying he couldn’t wait to have a piece of pie as my mother laughed that sweet and gentle laugh of hers.

I miss them.

Josh must have sensed how I was feeling because he squeezed my hand a little tighter as we waited to be seated. When I looked up at him, I had to catch my breath. His smile was just amazing. He had a single dimple on the right side of his cheek. Even if he barely smiled, you could still see it. In Ari and Ellie’s words, he had a panty-melting smile. Yep, he sure does. His laugh sent tingles throughout my whole body while I felt butterflies in my stomach. I’d never been this attracted to a guy before.

Why does he have to be such a man whore?

“You hungry?” Josh asked.

I didn’t think I was up until this moment. “Yes, actually, I’m starving.”

Josh looked up to the hostess as she walked toward us. Her face lit up like a Christmas tree when she got a good look at Josh. Is she blushing? Oh, for Pete’s sake, he’s just another guy, lady.

Okay, well, another guy with an amazing build, a beautiful smile, green eyes you could get lost in, and light brown hair that you just want to run your hands through.

Oh my god, what the hell is wrong with me? I’d been around Ari too long these last few weeks. She’d gotten me drunk three times, and one of those times resulted in me dancing and flirting with Josh. I was still embarrassed as hell thinking about that night.

“Hey there, y’all. Welcome to the Blue Bonnet Café! Will it just be the two of y’all today?” the hostess asked, her voice purring as she stared at Josh the whole time.

Ugh, Josh turned to look at me and let out a small laugh.

“Yep, just me and my friend here,” he said giving me a wink.

Bastard.

“Well then, follow me, and I’ll show y’all to your seat.”

She turned, leading us to our table, and I swore that she couldn’t have shaken her ass more if she tried. I glanced up at Josh, who was looking everywhere but at her ass.

Once we sat down, our waitress came over, and it was a repeat of what the hostess just did. She stared, she flirted, and he ignored while he just looked at me. Oh brother. What would it be like to go on an actual date with him? I’m sure he has girls all over him no matter where he goes. Every time we had ever gone to Rebels, he had usually danced the night away with fifty different girls. During the last few times though, he had pretty much turned down every girl while he just sat at the table talking to me.

“Hey y’all. What can I get ya to drink?”

Josh just smiled at me and then turned to the waitress. Good Lord. The smile he flashed her caused my panties to melt, and from the look her face, she was having the same reaction. Bastard!

“I’ll just have a glass of water, please. Heather?”

“Diet Coke, please.”

The waitress asked if we were ready to order but, Josh asked for a few more minutes.

We sat there in silence while we each looked over the menu. My heart was beating like crazy. Damn it, why does he have to be so gosh darn cute?

Man whore. Just remember he’s a player, Heather.

I glanced up and saw him staring at me. Oh dear Lord. His eyes were so beautiful, I could get lost in them. I smiled at him, and he smiled back at me with the sweetest smile I’d ever seen. Yep, I’m so screwed.

“You ready to order princess?” Josh asked.

Princess?

“Ah, yep. I mean if you’re ready, then I’m ready.”

Josh smiled and I couldn’t help but smile back.

Our waitress came walking back up and turned to face Josh. “So what will it be, handsome?”

What the hell? Oh. My. God. What a bitch. I peeked over at Josh and noticed he was, yet again, looking at me. This time his smile…oh, holy shit. I’d never noticed he had a crooked smile. Deep breaths, Heather. This was a mistake. Breathe in…..breathe out….do not look at him.

I looked down at my menu as Josh began to talk to the waitress.

“I’ll have the catfish plate two fillets with okra, mashed potatoes, and a side salad with ranch.”

She slowly smiled at him. Practically purring, she said, “Perfect choice, handsome.”

Oh, gag me. I had to clear my throat just to remind her that I was sitting here. I honestly believed that she would’ve walked away, never even bothering to take my order. Josh laughed a little, and that just pissed me off even more.

“And for you?” the waitress asked, barely glancing at me.

I rolled my eyes at Josh and looked up at her. I really wanted to pull an Ari and tell her to back the fuck off, but I did what I always did. I kept quiet.

“Yes, um…I’ll have the grilled chicken breast sandwich.”

“You want fries?”

“No, thank you. I’ll take a side salad with ranch, too.”

With that, she gave Josh one last smile and walked away. Jesus, is this how it is everywhere he goes? Girls just falling all over him trying to get his attention. Another reason it could never work.

Good Lord, that was a joke,” I mumbled.

Josh was still smiling at me as he shook his head. “What’s a joke, princess?”

That was twice he had called me princess, and each time, it sent my stomach into a nose dive. What the hell, Heather? Pull it together. Damn Ari for not letting me drive back with her and Jeff.

“The way she was flirting with you, I’m sorry but we could actually be on a date. It was just rude. That’s all.”

Josh laughed again, running his hand through his hair.

Oh my god, it’s getting hot in here. Look away, Heather. Look. Away.

“Can I ask you something, Josh?”

“You want to make this a date?” he asked with a smirk.