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couple centimeters.
    “Good morning, Erik. What can I get you?” Sheryl suddenly appeared at the table.
    “I’ll have the works,” he declared. “I seem to be extra hungry this morning.”
    While Sheryl filled his coffee cup, Analise studied the man next to her. Dark denim clung to the hard thigh pressed against hers. A light blue t-shirt stretched across his chest, the color highlighting his eyes. Her heart fluttered a moment before a glint off her diamond ring reminded her that it was all a charade.
    “Did you sleep well?” Erik’s deep voice set the flutter off again. Her body was already betraying her. Heaven help her if they were alone for long.
    “Yes, thanks. And you?” She sounded more like a distant relative than a lover. She’d have to work on her fiancée skills.
    “Not really, I missed you,” Erik said.
    The implication heated her cheeks.
God, when was the last time I blushed? This past meets present thing is really getting to me.
    “I went by the stables,” he continued. “But as neither vehicle was there, I figured you’d come here. You should have called me.”
    “Sorry. I thought your mother would keep you tied to her all day. I was going to stop by on my way back to Granddad’s,” she said.
    Sheryl appeared with Erik’s breakfast accompanied by a hot, lingering gaze. Analise couldn’t really blame her. He was gorgeous. Even if he didn’t want to fend off his relatives’ comments on his continual bachelorhood, he probably needed a fake fiancée for protection. All the single sharks in town were circling the waters at the sniff of fresh meat. Analise shot Sheryl a “back off, he’s taken” glare. Might as well start practicing her fiancée skills on her former nemesis.
    Catching the interaction, her grandfather chuckled from his seat across the table. “What do you two have planned for the day?” He’d already finished his breakfast and drained the last of his coffee.
    “Analise and I are going to set up a joint bank account,” Erik replied before she could.
    “Here?” A huge smile lit her grandfather’s face.
    “Yes. Even if we don’t end up living here full-time, we’ll visit often enough that having a local account will make sense.” Erik’s smooth explanation made it sound like they’d discussed all those mundane things a couple who had spent a lot of time together would have covered. Had he done this before with some other woman? After all, he’d had an engagement ring in his pocket; he must have been near a proposal with someone. But she couldn’t really ask with her grandfather across the table and big-ears Sheryl hovering at a nearby booth. Another mystery to solve. Now all she had to do was not get caught up in the feel of his arms around her next time they were alone and remember to ask.
    Two hours later, Analise wondered if they’d ever be alone again. After breakfast, they walked over to the bank, but with no line, Erik’s cousin who worked there had assisted them quickly. Rather than set up an account, however, Erik had paid off her grandfather’s debts and arranged for a small line of credit, with him acting as guarantor. The bank manager had then called her granddad to let him know that because he’d been such a good customer in the past, they were going to hold off the foreclosure and provide some capital to help him get back on his feet again. On Erik’s insistence, his generosity was kept secret.
    But she knew.
    As soon as that was done, they’d run into virtually everyone from Erik’s family who wanted to say hello. Then his phone rang, and his mother had pleaded with him to come home. Not ready for another meeting with Susan so soon, Analise had begged off and driven her rental SUV back to her grandfather’s. But not before Erik had kissed her a lingering good-bye in full view of half the town. So, that was the engagement publicly announced. There was definitely no backing out now.
    • • •
    Analise slammed the phone down on the hook,