“Really, Violet?” James scoffed. “The firefighter who saved you? Is that why you two looked sofriendly?” The way he said friendly didn’t match what the word meant. “Because you’re banging him?”
Seth growled and took a step forward, but I grabbed him by the hand and squeezed. This wasn’t his battle to fight, and I wouldn’t give this asshole any more of our time.
“At least I waited until we were broken up tobangsomeone else. Can’t say the same for you, unfortunately.” Showing up at his apartment earlier than I was supposed to and catching him with Evelyn—the young twenty-year-old wearing nothing but a towel and a smirk—was still etched in my brain. I looked up at Seth. “Come on babe, let’s go.”
He stared at me for a beat before nodding and placing his hand on my lower back, ushering me forward.
As we passed James, Seth slowed. “Don’t ever talk to her like that again.”
He didn’t even need to outline the consequences a repeat performance would result in. Between how much taller Seth was compared to James, and the way he said the words, it was intimidating enough.
Once in the car, I forced my shoulders to relax. Seth climbed in the driver’s seat and turned to me. “You dated that tool?”
“Try not to remind me.” It definitely wasn’t the best decision I’d ever made. But he was sweet when we’d first started dating last fall. As time went on, though, I realized how self-centered and unreliable he could be. Apparently untrustworthy too.
“Let me know if he bothers you again. I can have a chat with him if you want me to.”
I smiled over at the big burly man who was nothing like I’d imagined him to be. “Thanks.”
Seth nodded and started the car. “Hopefully people seeing us around town together will help relay the message to fuck off.”
I angled my head to the side. “Is that your way of asking me out again?”
He scoffed. “Well, people aren’t going to believe we’re really dating if we’re only seen together once. If we’re really going to sell it, we have to go out again. Right?”
I laughed at the absurdity of this conversation. And to think, every time I’d read a fake dating romance, I never once thought it was realistic. Now, here I was, living one.
“Or not,” he added.
Heavens. The dejection in his voice was too much. I would have never guessed that beneath the surface, Mountain Man had so many layers.
“You’re right. We should definitely do this again.”
If I was being honest, he wasn’t horrible to be around. I’d actually enjoyed our “date.” And iffakedating him kept James away from me, then why not? I just needed to make sure we were both on the same page.
“I’m not ready toactuallydate again, but this way I can show James I’ve moved on.”
This would benefit both of us in the long run. I just had to ignore the flutter that had raced up my arm and down my spine as he’d brushed his thumb across the back of my hand at the table. Or the way I felt protected when his hand landed on my lower back. And how he stood up for me, growling at my ex.
That was all. Easy peasy.
Chapter Seven
SETH
Monday 9:12 a.m.
Me: How does lunch sound?
Violet: Today?
Me: Yeah, if you’re free.
Me: I’m on night shifts for the next 3 nights.
Violet: Okay. That should be fine. Where do you want to meet?
Me: I’ll pick you up. At work?
