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That doesn’tatme up I stand and follow her away froet rid of the stupid feeling that’s choking me I want to crawl under a table and hide I feel Hot Guy’s eyes on me as I walk away I don’t look over my shoulder I can’t, but God, I want to He’s so perfect Why does this stuff happen to me?

CHAPTER 2

I’ve never been in this restaurant before When I caht I’d circled the entire floor, and seen every table, but I hadn’t This section is behind the wall that connects to the bar I didn’t realize there were tables over here, and apparently this is where Mille and the guys have been sitting

Millie has been talking, but I’ She finally stops at a booth on the other side of the fireplace and scoots in next to Brent My date pats the spot beside him Oh God He looks like my ex My nerves are frayed as it is, and the si that I flinch Old meh they just happened I don’t want to sit down I want to run My fingers graze the scar hidden under my necklace I’m frantic, and uy didn’t hurt you Sit down I chant sit down over and over again insideenough I’ht There have been tooto hot guy a few irl I was before I s hard and sit down Millie spares me and doesn’tup a hot guy

I try to shake off what just happened so I can focus on my real date When I see him, dread tries to crawl up my throat

Millie introduces us after I sit down "Sydney, this is Brent and his friend, Dusty"

Dusty’s a pretty cowboy He’s got his hair slicked back and parted on the side He’s wearing a starched white Western shirt I bet he’s got fancy cowboy boots under the table, too--the kind that cost h and say, "Hello" I try not to think that tonight just got a million times worse, but I can’t help it I’ve been on this date before – at least I think I have The choking sensation returns My spine stiffens Being this close to hie Mentally, I scold myself to calm down, but it doesn’t work I can’t Every ht, ready to run

Nervously, I sain and take my napkin off the table I spread it acrosshas a scoop neck that dips low in front The bodice clings to my curves and the skirt flares at the waist I feel pretty, but the way his eyes rove over lance at Millie She’s already gushing, batting her eyelashes at Brent It’s a that she can sit so close to me and be in her own little world Brent is wrapped up in her, too

"So," Dusty says--his eyes overtly drifting to ood enough, "it’s a good thing it’s not raining tonight"

"And why’s that?"

He grins at ar melts in the rain" Dusty pours on the country accent and srin

My eyebrows lift I feel thes I s that Millie won’t killfroh my body Maybe the kitchen will catch fire and I can leave I glance in that direction, hopeful

Millie and Brent are talking They’re both leaning into one another, as if they can’t get enough of each other Millie giggles at so Brent says, and then looks at me I smile at her for a second, before her attention returns to Brent

I pressI was somewhere else But I’ a deep breath, I try to reign in et the better of me

I feel Dusty’s eyes on the side ofataway froe of the booth