Distinguished Service

“Seven.”

“Okay. I’ll pick you up at 7:15 at the diner for our first date.”

“Okay. Sure. Date?”

“Pretend date. I’ll take you somewhere I’m sure to run into Janine. And, I’m guessing, Dustin will be at the diner when I pick you up?”

“Probably.” Most likely.

“Well, then … a win-win all the way around.”

She heard voices on his side of the phone.

“Look, I’ve got to run. I hate to rush you, but, well … what do you say?”

She found herself incapable of saying anything.

The idea of spending time with Mace? For any reason? Phenomenal.

“By the way,” he said, “if this is to work, we can’t say anything to anybody about it. The fake part, that is.”

“Of course.” Funny he should say that. She’d been considering asking for a little time so she could call Trudy and ask her advice. But he was right. If this was to work, they couldn’t tell anybody. If Trudy knew, well, then so would Mel, then Tiffany … and within five minutes the news would reach Dustin’s ears.

“So, is that a yes?” Mace asked.

She found herself smiling, imagining the possibilities. “Yes. I guess it is.”

She swore she could hear him smiling. And her body reacted the same way it would have if he’d been standing in front of her—with a rush of heat.

“Good,” he said. “See you tonight then.”

He ended the call, leaving Geneva to remain standing at the counter, smiling stupidly at the opposite wall without complete comprehension of where she was or what she was doing.