Candy
Weagreedtomeetat the park on the lake, but I didn't expect North to cook dinner. I thought maybe he'd grab something from the diner, but he set out a blanket on the ground for a picnic by the lake.
"So, tell me about yourself," I say as I bite into a piece of the fried chicken he’s made.
"It's me, my mom and dad, and Jake, who's marrying my ex. My grandparents don't live in town, but they’ll be here for the wedding. It’s possibly the last time they’ll be able to make this trip here."
North has a wistful look as he talks about his grandparents. It’s easy to see how much he loves them.
"So, your ex cheated on you with your brother?" I’m eager to know the whole story because I'm sure it'll be expected if his family thinks we've been dating for a while.
"Yes. I was about to propose when I discovered Vikki was cheating on me with Jake. I stopped going to family events if they were there. My parents acted like nothing was wrong, and I think it's because they didn't know how to handle it. They didn't want to lose their son, but they pushed me away in the process."
I can tell this is a difficult topic for him, so I change the subject. "What do you do for a living, North?"
He offers me a grateful smile like he's thankful for the change of subject. "I worked on the oil rigs for a while, saved a bunch of money, and bought a ranch here in town. It's small compared to some, but plenty big to keep me well entertained. What about you? What's your story?"
I take a moment to think about what would be important for him to know, especially if we were dating for real. "I was raised by my dad, the most amazing man in the world, and I have a little sister in school. I started working as soon as possible to help my dad out and studied hard to get my master's degree in the amount of time it takes most people to get their bachelor's. I worked my way through school, and every extra penny I have helps put my sister through school."
We talk a bit more before North walks me back to my house behind the downtown library.
"I'd like to take you out a few more times to get to know you better, so I'm not truly lying to my mom," North says as he drops me off at my place.
I agree and then head inside.
The following day on my lunch break, I head to the diner to see my friend, Austin, who runs the place. She’s talking to her sister, Natalie, which is perfect because I could use their opinions.
Austin puts in our food order, and we grab a table while I spill the details of helping out North.
"I think you need to be careful and remember this isn't real. You're not dating for real," Austin advises.
Natalie agrees, and I know they're right. I'm the chubby friend helping him out, and I'm okay with that.
We talk about Natalie's son, Nate, and how her husband is doing. She glows when she talks about her husband and son. Having that kind of love is something I hope to find someday.
As we finish up, North walks in.
"Ladies," he greets us with a tilt of his hat.
Austin and Natalie make their excuses, leaving us alone with winks and knowing smiles.
"I didn't mean to chase your friends off." North smiles and takes a seat across from me.
"We were finishing up lunch. It's okay."
"So, you've already eaten. Can I convince you to stick around while I have lunch?" he asks with a flirty grin.
I remind myself this isn't real. He's putting on a show for the town in case it gets back to his parents.
"I could go for a milkshake, but I can't stay too long."
That seems to make him happy, and he places our order. We talk easily about siblings and parents and what he does on the ranch. I share what an average workday looks like for me, and we talk about all the basic stuff we need to know each other, trying to cover all the bases.
After lunch, North walks me back to the library, and I give him a quick tour until a group of people walks in.
He gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, tips his hat, and leaves.
Too bad none of this is real. It would be the best relationship of my life so far.