Jenna Mindel - A Temporary Courtship

“I’ll give it a try.”

That answer threw him. She must be serious about trying new things. Only Darren didn’t want to be one of those new things. It wasn’t as though Bree flirted. Every time he’d looked at her, she’d looked away. And she wasn’t shy. Bree had talked her fair share over dinner.

“So, where is this river?”

He glanced at Stella, and it dawned on him that it’d waste time for him to backtrack into town to pick up Bree. He didn’t want her getting lost on the way, either, driving by herself. “It’s north, nearly to Mackinaw City. We could meet somewhere in between.”

Stella paused in sopping up the last of her marsala sauce with a crust of bread. “Why don’t you two meet at your house? It’s not hard to find and on the way.”

Stella had been to his house with Raleigh only once, and yet she remembered the location. Her suggestion made sense, but something about Bree in his home made him squirm.

Bree didn’t appear bothered by any of it. She waited for him to respond like it didn’t matter to her one way or another. Bree was moving away in a month. Far away, too. Of course it didn’t matter where she met him. She wasn’t interested in him. He was crazy to think she’d be interested in hanging out with him for some temporary connection before leaving.

“Do you have a piece of paper?” he finally asked.

Stella jumped up and grabbed a notepad and pen, handing it over with a victorious grin.

Darren looked at Bree. She’d finished the last of her salad and then drained her water glass. When she wiped her full-lipped mouth with a napkin, he swallowed hard. A lot could happen in a month.

He concentrated on the paper. “I’ll draw you a map. I’m right off the main road, but back in the woods a few miles.”

“Okay.” Bree tipped her head and watched him. She listened close as he explained when and where to look for his turn off.

He handed her the paper. “My cell is listed there, too.”

“Looks easy enough. Thanks.” Bree reached across and took the pen, then scribbled a number down and ripped it off. “Here’s my number, just in case something comes up between now and then.”

Darren pocketed the note and stood with plate in hand. “Stel, I’m going to take off.”

“Thanks for fixing my faucet.” Stella took the plate from him. “And you don’t need to clean up, I got it.”

“Thanks for dinner.” Then he faced Bree. “See you Friday.”

“Friday. I’ll meet you at your place by eight-fifteen.” She sounded so professional, like they’d scheduled a business meeting. Not a date.

“Sounds good.” Ignoring the twist in his gut, Darren justified showing Bree around as an extension of his job.

A good word from Bree or her mom into the right ears might go a long way in upping his chances for the supervisor position. He’d take all the help he could to make sure he got the job this time.

He’d simply showcase the great up north outdoors and be done with it. When Bree left, he’d be done with her, too.

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