54. Skyler

I only agreed to the date with Eliana as a favor to Reese.

And as messed up as this request is, I’d probably do damn near whatever Reese asked of me.

I’m not in love with Reese.

But I’m not not in love with her, either.

My head’s a damn mess. I’ve never been good at knowing what I want. It’s always been easier to come up with excuses for why I don’t deserve it, or why it would never work out.

I don’t need to come up with an excuse for why I can’t have Reese. She’s supplied me with one.

Boulder.

A big fucking boulder.

I’m not really in the headspace to be dating. My dress shirt feels too stiff and the quiet restaurant is too intimate. I’d rather be at home. Or better yet, I’d rather be at Tia’s Place in Silver Bend, yelling at the basketball game with Reese beside me.

It’s not fair to Eliana, though she gets extra points for her valiant effort. Because no matter how hard she tries to drag the conversation along, my thoughts circle back to Reese.

And how much I liked driving up those mountain roads, Reese riding shotgun.

“What do you think?”

I shake myself, turning my attention back to Eliana. She’s holding the dessert menu and both she and the waitress are looking at me with varying degrees of pity.

At least, I think that’s pity.

It could be revulsion.

I clear my throat, smiling sheepishly. “Whatever you want, Darlin’.”

Her smile softens into something more genuine as she orders us a slice of cake to share and some coffee.

Reese said Eliana was just my type. I hate how accurate she was. Eliana is long-legged and slim. She’s got one of those elegant faces and hair that hangs over her shoulders like a glass waterfall.

She’s interesting and well-traveled. On paper, we make a great match. It’s entirely possible that it could work out.

And that kind of bothers me.

The other issue is that my ideal type has shifted. It’s become very, very specific.

As in, there is literally one of them in the entire world. Which means my quest to find someone to settle down with is more or less doomed.

While I’m admittedly still hung up on Reese, she’s not only moving on, but she’s ready to pass me off.

It kills me to think of her dating one of those crunchy hiker-types that we met out in Boulder, makes me want to knock their heads together like coconuts. It would be mollifying if Reese felt even a fraction of that jealousy. But no, she’s facilitating this arrangement.

The waitress drops off a piece of cake and slides a cup of coffee in front of us. Eliana fiddles with her coffee mug. “So, how long have you and Reese known each other?”

“Since we were kids.”

She nods, and an awkward silence descends. I clear my throat. “How long have you known Reese?”

“We were in the same graduate program.”

She smiles to herself. “I never really had time for dating during school. But I guess I’m trying to prioritize now. These things don’t just happen, you know? And Reese is hard to say no to.”

I smile. “Yeah. She’s pretty feisty.”

“So, when are you going to tell her?”

I tilt my head. “Tell her…”

“That you love her.”

My ears grow warm, and I adjust my glasses. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

Eliana smiles, not unkindly, but she does look like a woman who’s been put through a trial. “You’re clearly in love with Reese.”

“I am?”

Eliana laughs. “Head over heels is my guess.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Probably the fact that you called me Reese twice in the last fifteen minutes.”

I grimace. “I did?”

“The server, too.”

Oh, god. That explains the funny looks they were giving me.

Eliana rests her chin in her palm, elbow braced on the table. “So, when are you going to tell her?”

I sigh, sitting back. “I don’t know about love… but I might have some feelings for her.”

Eliana narrows her eyes at me.

I huff a laugh. “Okay, strong feelings. But not strong enough to get in her way.”

“With the move? She told me about the new job.”

“Yeah.”

Eliana sips her coffee. “And you’d never consider moving?”

“I’m a farmer.”

I shrug. “Unless we can figure out a way to pick up land and move it, I’m stuck in Silver Bend.”

“That’s kind of sad.”

I spin my mug in a slow circle. “Is it?”

“Yes. It is.”

She nibbles at her lower lip. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“Are you legitimately looking for a partner right now?”

I force myself to meet her gaze. “Probably not.”

“Too soon. I figured.”

She shrugs. “The good ones are always either taken or gay.”

“I’m not taken.”

She laughs. “Right.”