Page 64 of Perfect Guy
Canaan: Lol…
I was expecting more than that as a reply. Maybe it’s too soon to be talking about taking vacations together, even if it was in the sense of a joke. I really wouldn’t mind that, though, so there’s truth to the statement.
I give Dakota a carrot and fill her water trough in the stall before locking up and going to take a shower. I’m hoping dinner with Canaan is still on the table. The longer his silence prolongs, the more anxious I get. My heart races as I get dressed just in case he does show up.
After twenty minutes, my phone pings with a message from Canaan.
Canaan: I’ll pick you up in ten. Is that okay?
Madelyn: Yeah I’m ready
I shake off the awkwardness I’m feeling and grab my purse, heading down the stairs and find my mom in the kitchen.
“I’m going to have dinner with Canaan,” I tell her as I fill a glass with water.
“Okay, have fun,” she smiles.
“Oh, and I have a meeting tomorrow morning at ten. I need to let Wilder know I won’t be around until the afternoon.” I almost forgot to tell him.
“A meeting?” She glances over at me with her eyebrows slightly raised in curiosity.
“I’m not exactly sure what it’s all about, but Bill, the owner of the construction company, wants to talk. He said it was about future possibilities,” I squeal toward the end.
“That’s fantastic, honey.” My mom smiles genuinely, patting my arm before hugging me. “I’m so happy to hear that. I hope it goes well.”
“Thanks. I’ll let you know when I’m back tomorrow. I’m hoping he has more projects to offer me, but I don’t want to get too excited.” I step back and drink my water.
While I wait for Canaan to arrive, I step on the porch and call Wilder. As I’m telling him about my meeting tomorrow, Canaan pulls up to the driveway. I smile, listen to what Wilder has to say, and hang up.
Canaan’s waiting for me by his truck, leaning against the hood.
”Is everything okay?” He eyes me.
“Yeah, I was talking to Wilder for a minute.” I smile.
“Okay, good.” He leans forward and drops a chaste kiss on my lips. “Ready to go?” His smile is wide. He seems okay, but doubts are plaguing my mind.
“Yeah.”
Canaan opens my door and holds my hand as I step into his truck though I don’t need help. His fingers skim along my arm once I’m seated. I shiver at the contact, goosebumps breaking out on my skin. Everything seems okay with him, so I’m probably reading too much into it. Maybe I’m getting my period, and my emotions are all over the place. That could definitely be it.
“Dinner date with my girl, coming right up.” His smirk is crooked, making him look younger.
“I can’t wait.”
He reaches for my hand and kisses the top of it before pulling out of the driveway. The car ride is quiet, music filling the silence. I hum along to the different country songs, relaxing into the seat. We get to town and Canaan parks near the restaurant.
He’s at my side, opening the door and helping me out of his truck. Our fingers remain laced as we walk over to Sauce It Up. Canaan opens the door, being the perfect gentleman. I’m falling for him faster than I can say giddy-up.
“Thanks,” I whisper.
“You don’t need to thank me.” He kisses my temple and leads us into the restaurant, his hand on the small of my back.
A few people smile at us, but they’ve already gotten used to seeing us together. The gossip stopped a couple of weeks ago when someone suspected one of our neighbors was pregnant and started talking about that. Small town living…it’s a curse and a blessing.
We take a seat at the empty table the waitress pointed to and wait for her to come by with menus. I’ve eaten here enough times to know what they have, but I’m torn between pizza and pasta, so seeing it on the menu will help me decide. It’s an odd quirk when I’m indecisive in a restaurant. For some reason, when I read it, it clears my decision.
“How did you see the site? A lot of progress, huh?” Canaan smiles at me, his hands clasped over his menu on the table.