“Trust us; we know,” I offered with a small smile.

“Okay, well, I’ll show you to your table,” she said before grabbing two menus and leading us through the restaurant where literally everyone stopped what they were doing to watch us.

A few people pulled out their phones, and I knew that they were either firing off text messages or taking pictures to send around. I suddenly wished I could hide.

What had I gotten myself into? Had I lost my mind after the fire?

“Don’t you dare,” James said as he pulled out my seat for me and waited for me to sit.

“Don’t I dare what?” I asked as I sat slowly, as if I might change my mind at any time.

“Think about leaving.”

I gave him an incredulous look. “I’m not.”

He grinned as he sat down across from me, his stupid blue eyes sparkling in the light. “You are. I don’t blame you. But don’t give in to them. Please. Just be here with me.” He sounded so sweet and sincere; I wondered how any woman ever ignored his pleas. “You promised me one date.”

“I know I did,” I said, trying to wrap my head around the fact that I’d agreed to it in the first place.

Maybe this hadn’t been the best idea. If my parents had been in town, I definitely would have said no. Them being halfway around the world had given me the confidence and freedom to say yes to James even though I knew there would still be repercussions.

“Well, well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise?” Ginny Stevens sauntered up to our table and placed a glass of water in front of each of us. She pushed her glasses up her nose and tucked her short gray curls behind her ear.

Ginny owned this restaurant with her husband, and I’d known them both for as long as I could remember. If I was right, her husband, Hank, was probably cooking tonight’s meals in the back.

“Is it?” James asked her with a sweet smile.

She reached for his cheek and pinched. “Of course it is. We’ve all been betting on this for years.” She winked before tapping the pad with her pen.

“Betting on what?” I hoped I sounded as confused as I currently felt.

She turned her attention toward me. “Betting on the two of you. We might be a small town, but we’re not blind or stupid. We all knew that your parents’ plan to keep you two apart would eventually backfire.” She pulled out the seat between us and sat down. “To be honest, we didn’t think it would take this long. We’ve had to start the bet over three times already. It’s about time you finally showed up”—she glanced between the two of us—“together.”