“Have fun, you two,” Lilah said with a bright smile.
“Thank you, Lilah. We will.”
“Shall we?” Zach nodded toward the door, then slipped his cowboy hat on his head with a subtle confidence that reminded her how good things had been between them just a few nights ago.
“Let’s.” Evie took his hand and followed him out to his pickup truck. “Such a gentleman,” she teased as he opened her door for her. He kept a gentle grip on her hand as he helped her into the high cab.
“Gentleman is my middle name.” The wink he tossed her way did nothing to calm the warmth radiating through her body. She knew what she’d promised Miss Leona. Still, as she watched Zach walk around the front of his truck with that stride that yelledyou know you want this, Evie wondered just how long she’d be able to hold out.
“So what do you have planned for us tonight?”
Evie glanced at the large gate at the end of Pleasant Lane, before she looked back at Zach’s handsome profile. The gate swung open and they pulled out onto the main road. In the distance she could see the moon rising over the horizon. A perfect night with even better company. Zach reached over and took her hand. Their fingers laced together on top of his thigh. She tried not to think about how close she was to the impressive bulge hiding behind the worn dark denim.
“I was thinking a little dinner and little dancing. On the ranch, of course.”
“I can’t wait.”
Zach gave her hand a soft squeeze. “I’m sorry I can’t take you into town. Not that Charming has a whole lot to offer in the way of nightlife.”
“Where would you take me if you could?”
“This shitty bar called Claim Jumpers. You and Britnay tried to sneak in senior year, but Sheriff Ortega caught you in the parking lot and called Nana. She almost beat your ass to Sunday and back.”
Evie laughed. “Did I ever get to go?”
“I don’t think so, but Britnay drags us there every year on her birthday. Terrible beer and some garbage food, but the jukebox selection? Tops,” he said with a slow chuckle.
“You know what I want to do, when Miss Leona and Jesse think it’s okay?”
“What’s that?”
“Drive around and see if I remember anything from my dreams. I’ve only been out to the storage place, and there’s not much else over there. I’ve had a few dreams about a high school.”
“Charming High, maybe.”
“Maybe. I wonder if it’s the same place from my dreams.”
“You have any dreams about me lately?”
Evie knew he was only half joking, and she only half hated how much he wanted to occupy her thoughts, whether she was asleep or awake.
“You were in my dream last night, but it wasn’taboutyou.”
“What were we doing in your dream?”
Evie had to pause a moment and see if she could actually remember the details. Odd images of standing on a fence suddenly came back to her.
“We were at a rodeo, I think, and your dad was there, but there wasn’t—oh God, now I remember!” She didn’t mean to yell, but the weirdest part of it all came flooding back.
“What is it?”
“We were at a rodeo and we were waiting for your dad to finish because you and I were going to be in some dance competition. God, Corie told me aboutDancing with the Starsand she made me watch a bunch of clips with that guy Troy, who’s onThe Dishwith me. I think she has the hots for him. He is pretty cute.”
Zach made a disgusted grunting noise as they neared the entrance of the ranch.
“What?”
“I mean, he’s a’ight if you’re into that sort of thing.”