Remy scoots away from me. "What? You should have called me. Why were you going to have coffee by yourself? I would have come to get you and we could've gone together."
"That's not an answer to my question. Which means you were with her. And by the way, you're not the boss of me." I fold my arms across my chest.
"I'm aware I'm not the boss of you. I wanted to see you today. I even called you earlier. I don't understand."
"See how you're diverting away from the real issue?"
"What is the real issue?" he asks, blinking fast.
Instinctively, I shrink my body back, but I can't help but unleash verbally. I unfold my arms and wave them in the air. "So you took out another woman instead, because I wasn't available. Great. You couldn't have me, so you trolled around and found someone else. Do you have women on speed dial in case your convenient option isn't around? Am I even your convenient option?" Now I'm furious. Spoiling for a fight.
"What? Is that what you think I feel about you? That you're just my convenient option?" He sits up straight.
I shrug. "Who knows?"
He takes a big gulp of air. "I didn't troll around. I don't have a string of women on speed dial. And I don't want anyone else. Don't diminish what we have by calling yourself that. Honestly." He shakes his head. "I was there with Nat, and then her friend Sadie came over and we got to talking. You probably saw us together when Nat was inside, playing pinball. Sadie was tellingme all about some drunk tourists who'd been on her riverboat. Then my brother called."
I scowl at him. I'd gotten used to Brent lying to me about various things and I'm unsure if Remy's telling the truth. That's a problem when you've been the target of gaslighting. You never know when to believe someone.
Orhowto believe someone.
"Hmm. I don't know. You looked pretty cozy with her."
"Oh, babe," Remy groans. "I wasn't cozy at all. I was thinking of you the entire time. You gotta believe me. Please don't be jealous."
He reaches for my hand and squeezes.
"I'm not jealous." I pause. "Okay, I'm a little jealous."
Remy chuckles and pulls me into his body, maneuvering me onto his lap. "You have nothing to be jealous about. Sadie also has a massive crush on the mayor of Cypress Grove."
My brows knit together. "The guy who owns the hot dog cart? What's the name of his business again? Am I thinking of the same guy?"
"Yep. That one. It's called I Dream of Weenie."
An unexpected laugh bubbles up in my throat. Remy chuckles, too. He says the hot dog cart's name again, in a low, playful voice. While kissing my cheek. So freaking adorable. I let out a sigh.
"Look, Sadie's a pistol, except when it comes to him. Nat tells me she's totally smitten with the guy. There's absolutely nothing between us. Never has been. Never will be."
I nod. "She was quite cute."
"I guess. Not as cute as you."
I press my forehead into the soft fabric of his T-shirt, feeling his muscles underneath. I shrug.
"I thought you and Sadie knew each other. Thought Nat introduced you." He strokes my hair.
"No, not yet. Nat wants me to go out on her riverboat some afternoon."
"Yep. That's her gig. She's cool. You'll love her."
I sit up and face him. "I'm sure I will. I'm not jealous of her. I don't dislike her. I'm not trying to forbid you from seeing her, or want you to gouge your eyes out so you can't look at other women."
He grins. "Are you sure?"
"I'm not like that. I just felt weird when I saw you together. Honestly, Remy. I don't know what we're doing here. We're supposed to have our arrangement and be friends and all that. And I don't know if you're seeing other people, and I can't stop you because you're not mine and?—"
His hands work into my hair as he silences me with a kiss.