Savage in a Stetson (Crossroads #4) - Em Petrova Page 0,43

Once this woman started spreading rumors, the entirety of Crossroads Manor would believe they were engaged, and then it was only a matter of time before all of Crossroads did too.

She inwardly groaned but something about Dom’s warm, solid presence at her side, and his hand on her, kept her upright. She could set them all straight by raising her voice over their excited mumblings and the ukulele music. But seeing all those disappointed faces was not an option.

“Congratulations, guys!” A nurse that Jada hadn’t seen since she stopped working here ran up and threw her arms around her and then Dom. “I’m not surprised! I knew you’d end up together. We were all rooting for you.”

“Oh. Thanks.” Jada didn’t know what else to say. She felt like a total loser for allowing this farce to continue, but by now Irene and Hal had broken open the chips and someone found some dip, so the party was in full swing.

People shoved furniture up against walls, making more space in the room. Jada felt herself being nudged, and then Dom swept her up into his arms. To an old Elvis Presley love song on the ukulele, Dom swayed her back and forth in an engagement party dance.

“This is insane.” She stole a look at Dom.

“Yup.” The corner of his lips tipped in that sexy way that sucked her in from the first time she ever set eyes on him. She allowed him to shuffle her to and fro on the smallest of all dance floors crowded with elderly patients also swaying with canes, and one lady had her walker parked in the middle of the floor and was bobbing up and down on her arthritic knees.

“How do we tell them?” she whispered to Dom.

He simply shrugged as if letting the whole town believe they were to be married was no big deal.

“You’re going to make beautiful babies!” an old lady called out across the room.

“What? This is going too far!” Jada started to break away from Dom, but he held her, reining her closer so her cheek pressed against his chiseled pec.

“Just go with it, sweetheart. We’ll figure it out in the morning. This is the most fun these people have experienced in a long time.”

She looked around at the smiles she never saw down in the rec room on bingo night. Her heart settled. “You’re right. I can’t break it up.”

“No, you can’t.” He gave her one final twirl to the strains of the Elvis tune and applause broke out as they stepped apart.

After that, Dom was scooped up by an older lady eager for a dance, and Jada stood eating a handful of barbecue chips on a paper napkin. People came and went. New ones arrived. Pretty soon, an hour had passed at the impromptu party, and then visiting hours were called to a close.

A nurse came by to shoo patients back to their rooms, immediately freeing up a lot of space. Jada looked over to find Grandpa settled in his armchair, grinning.

She met his eyes, and something about the twinkle there made her question whether he was really having a lucid moment and had hoodwinked her and Dom into going along with his crazy celebration.

She dipped her head and looked closer, but he only smiled at her. Her heart exploded with affection for the man. Even if he’d pulled one over on them, they all had a pretty fun evening.

While Dom moved furniture back into place, Jada walked over to Grandpa and gave him a hug. “Thanks for the great party.”

He patted her shoulder. “Thank you too. Both of you.” He swung his gaze between her and Dom.

Suddenly, she felt the reason for the party weighing on her. Pretending to be engaged to Dom had tricked even her for a few minutes, but now reality set in.

They were still adversaries, just living their separate lives with a prime route running through Crossroads separating them. But were they really so at odds?

She watched him hug Grandpa goodbye and ask if he needed anything before they left. When he declared that he would sleep like a baby tonight, Dom gave Jada a pointed nod.

She followed him out of the room, through the corridor and past the nurse’s desk. Walking out this way with Dom at her side reminded her of countless other times they’d done the same. Back when things were easier…simpler.

He opened the door for her, and she passed by him, inhaling his scent that never fully seemed to