"I didn't think anyone would see me! I'm in the middle of nowhere."
"And what did he do?"
We continue talking in a high-pitched back and forth whisper as I detail my reaction and the cheek of the man who caught me. Mariah makes shocked noises and asks questions while she suffers from second-hand embarrassment, and when I get to the part where he pocketed my novel and left, she lets out a gasp and then starts to giggle.
"If this had happened to any one of our friends, I'd never believe it. But with you..." Her giggle turns into a deep throaty laugh, and I have to admit that I'm starting to see the funny side to it too.
"I'm mortified, Mariah. I'm going to have to move again."
"Oh, come on, Reggie. You can't upend your life again just because some hot guy caught you doing a little self-fondling while reading erotic romance."
A smile takes over my lips. "I never said he was hot."
"You didn't have to. I could tell by the way you described him—chocolate brown hair, ocean-blue eyes, tall and broad.” She lists off his assets with a throaty drawl. “And I think we've bothread enough romance novels to know that a man with the balls to take your book and tell you he enjoyed the show is no ugly duckling. And since he's a farmer, I'm guessing he's the strong and virile type. He's probably been waiting for a little filly like you to come wandering into his life, and here you are. Meet-cute achieved."
"Except this isn't a romance novel, and we're not going to end up together. For all I know, he's a creeper who purposefully goes around looking in women's windows and pretends he lost his sheep as a cover."
"That sounds pretty risky. Besides, creepers aren't hot."
"I never said he was hot!" I repeat, laughing now.
"I don't hear you saying he'snothot."
I bite my lip as I try to fight a smile, remembering the way he looked at me with those intense blue eyes of his. He was the vision of masculine perfection—strongly built but not overly muscular, a straight nose that flared slightly at the tip, and shiny brown hair that curled ever so slightly on his forehead. But it was his cheeky, dimpled grin that really got me. He seemed so playful yet determined all at once. It was a look I'd never seen before, and despite my absolute humiliation over the situation, I could feel myself getting lost in him almost instantly.
"OK, fine," I admit finally. "He's hot."
Mariah lets out a throaty giggle. "I knew it! I knew it! So, what are you going to do now? Are you going to see him again?"
I groan as my face heats up once more at the thought of what happened. "I don't know if I can," I admit sheepishly. "This isn't a book plot where that was our beginning, and all that's left is for us to fall into each other and race toward our happily ever after."
"But what if it is?" Mariah says, her voice soft and dreamy sounding. "What if you and this sexy, cocky farmer are meant to be, and what comes next is the thing that makes everything you've been through worth it?"
"Mariah," I start with a sigh, but she stops me.
"I mean it, Reg. What if this really is your meet-cute? He could be the guy who licks your wounds—and other places—before you go riding off into the sunset together. This embarrassment will just be a funny story you tell at parties."
I let out a bark of laughter. "The story of the bean flicker?"
"Hey, I'd read it."
"This is silly. I've tried living my happily ever after before, and all it got me was left at the altar. I've had enough embarrassment and disappointment to last me a lifetime. I just...I don't think I'm ready to put myself out there again. Hot farmer or not."
"I get it," she says softly. "But you can't let that asshole of an ex ruin your views on love for the rest of your life. And hey, it doesn't even have to be love. Maybe that hot farmer guy will just be an amazing bang, help you get your mojo back."
"Maybe," I admit, looking out the window in the direction he left in yesterday. "He did have a bit of a swagger about him."
Mariah lets out a laugh. "There you go. There's hope for you yet, my friend."
"Let's just hold off on making any further judgements until we see what condition he returns my book in. If there are dog ears, or he breaks that spine..."
"Say no more. Those there are deal breakers no matter how hot a guy is."
"Exactly."
There's a short pause where I swear I can hear her smiling. "I'm glad you're finally doing OK again, Reggie. He didn't deserve you," she murmurs, making my eyes prick with emotion as I nod and try to keep the lump from forming in my throat.
"I should get back to unpacking," I say, adding on a quick goodbye before disconnecting and blinking back the threateningtears. I've already cried enough over my failed wedding to last me a lifetime. I refuse to shed anymore.
