Declan returned his gaze toRose.“Isthat right?Coach.Twin.Whatother interesting things shouldIknow about you?Forexample, do you need a sponsor for your team?”
And just like that, for the first time in a very long time,AcenWheelerwasn’t the only man in town who made her feel like something was about to happen.
An hourlater the group stood in the hot parking lot where heat waves shimmied off the asphalt like wavy ghosts.
“I’ll be in touch about that sponsorship.”Declansaid toRose, taking her hand.
“I appreciate it.”Rosesaid, letting her hand linger in his grip.“We’realways in need of funds to keep us going.TheSouthernSipsCoffeeShopis mine andI’mthere six days a week till five.Stopby any time.”
Declan said his goodbyes to the others and sauntered to his car.Fivepairs of eyes glued to the ass of his nicely fitting jeans.
“Whoo-ee!”Tashasaid, expressing everyone’s thoughts.“Thatis one fine piece of maleness.Smoothmoves.Andhe has an eye for youRose.Unfortunatelyfor me.”
CHAPTERFIVE
The afternoon heat had started to burn off, but the air at theWheelergarage was thick enough to cut with a socket wrench.Thesmell of grease and oil mingled with other less identifiable smells.Allof them woven throughout his growing up so that anytime, anywhere he smelled them he was transported instantly back here to his dad’s garage no matter his physical location at the time.
JoeWheelerhad made a life and a living fixing friends, and strangers, cars for fifty years.Acenhad been his father’s right-hand man during his teen years.Beforethe big baseball scholarship that had changed his life.Heheld back a bitter laugh about that.Onewrong move.Onemoment in time.That’sall it took for his career to go down the drain in a heartbeat.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he ducked out from under the lifted hood of a dustySilverado.Hecould feel someone staring.Sureenough,Rileyleaned against the workbench, arms crossed, grinning like a man who’d just caught his brother in a lie.
“So,”Rileysaid, cracking open a soda he held.“Youhear aboutDeclanRoweyet?”
Acen gave him a flat look.“Whatabout him?”
“New guy in town.Handsome.Polite.Realfriendly.Hadsupper withRoseand some of the girls atFintoForkyesterday.Thecatfish special.OrsoIheard.Youknow how that goes around here.Mightbe one hundred percent true.Mightbe less than one hundred percent.Ijust thought you should know.Incase you aren’t tuned back into the local grapevine yet.”
Acen’s jaw clenched.“Thatso?”
“Sat next to her, too,”Rileyadded, clearly enjoying himself.“Wordis he askedDianefor her name specifically.Toldher he liked team sports and charming company.”
Acen grunted, reaching for a wrench.“Soundslike a line.”
“Maybe.ButRosesmiled.”
He didn’t mean for it to get under his skin.Really, he didn’t.
It wasn’t like he had any claim to her.Notanymore.
Still, the thought of some shiny stranger sliding into her life, making her laugh the way he used to—it made something low in his chest twist like a pulled muscle.
Riley smirked.“Youjealous?”
He hid his face from his friend by applying the wrench to a trouble spot under the hood.Itgave unexpectedly and he grunted a bit, then answered.“Notmy business who she eats supper with.”
“That’s not a no.”
Acen didn’t answer.Heslammed the hood shut harder than necessary.
Riley let him stew for a second before adding, “He’sbought theLangleyhouse.”
“So you are the realtor forMr.Handsomeand didn’t see fit to tell me this information before now?”
Riley squinted.“Isell real estate to handsome men all the time.Beautifulwomen too.Butnone of them have made a play for my sister.I’mjust keeping you in the loop, so to speak.He’sa veterinarian.Mostlikely planning to stay around full time for a long time.”
“A vet?”Acensnorted.“Mustbe some kind of specialty vet that doesn’t get dirty.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
