Claire smirks. “I don’t need to. My fantasy and reality are one and the same.”
“How nice for you.”
“I know, right? I feel bad for the people who are out there actively looking for love. I was never looking. I was always running in the opposite direction, but that man came in, hammer wielded, a backwards cap on his head, and shook me up in the best kinda way.” Claire gets a wistful look in her eyes as she looks around her salon.
“That’s life.” I shrug.
“Yep. Nothing but your best girls, a pocket full of ambition, and a man to ride through every sunrise.”
“You mean a man to ride off into the sunset with?”
“I said what I said.” Claire winks as I laugh. “Mark my words, you’ll have all three checked off by the end of the year.”
“I’m good with the first two. I’ll leave the riding to you.”
6
My throat feels raw as I heave in lungfuls of air. Sweat drips down my forehead and chest as Patch and I reach the end of the driveway and slow our pace.
I reach for the shirt tucked behind my back, towelling myself off as we walk down the drive leading up to our townhouse. I’m vaguely aware of other voices as my pulse continues to thud through my head, and I get my breathing back under control. Patch runs ahead, noticing someone new standing at the end of their open garage door.
A young girl, headphones covering her ears, and an off-key song being belted from her lips, reaches into the back of a Jeep just as Patch sidles up beside her, his tail wagging a mile a minute.
“Hello,” she says, crouching down to his level with a smile. She looks up at me once I’m a few steps away and pulls her headphones down to hang around her neck. “Can I pat him?”
“He’d be more than happy if you did,” I say, still catching my breath.
With my okay, the girl turns to Patch, scratching behind his ears. He shuffles his butt closer to her, never one to turn down love. I’m guessing this is Maevyn’s daughter. For the little thought I’d given to the fact that Maevyn’s a mum, for some reason, I was expecting her daughter to be younger. This kid looks at least eleven or twelve. Maevyn herself doesn’t look much older than her late twenties. Not that it means anything against her abilityto be a mum, it just makes my own curiosity to know more grow tenfold.
“Patch,” she says to herself as she holds the tag on his collar, before looking at me. “I’m Aurora.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Aurora. I’m Westley.”
“Ahh, that’s your real name.”
My brows pinch together. “My real name?” I ask.
“Mum calls you Thief,” she says, as if that’s completely normal.
“I can assure you, I’ve not stolen anything.” I’m a little offended by the suggestion. I’m sure I haven’t interacted enough with the woman to merit such a reputation, not even by accident.
“I don’t think she meant it seriously. She was muttering it to herself. She probably wasn’t even talking about you.” She chuckles. “My mistake.”
“Aurora?” Maevyn calls from inside. I look past her car to an open door at the back of the garage. She stands in the middle of her kitchen, back to me, and my eyes slowly trace the curves of her figure. Her tight waist, the flash of soft skin between the hem of her top and the waistband of her jeans. Damn, the woman wears the hell out of denim. “Are you bringing the rest of the bags in?”
“Whoops.” Aurora gives a final pat to Patch’s head, but I quickly close the distance, reaching into the back of their car before she can.
“Allow me.” I quickly move around her, scooping up the last three bags.
“Thanks,” Aurora says, just as Maevyn steps into the garage.
Maevyn freezes, looking between me and her daughter. In the blink of an eye, she switches, popping a hip and folding her arms over her chest. I swear, her skin’s glowing today—there’s some kind of shimmer set over her chest and arms. The moon and stars inked over her shoulder and bicep look ethereal. Maybe it’s my mind playing tricks on me again. This woman should comewith a warning label. Likely to tempt and bewitch men out of their ever-loving minds.
“Dog Daddy. To what do we owe the pleasure?”
A nervous chuckle escapes me as my heart thumps, trying to recalibrate from the way her mere presence seems to disrupt my senses. “Ah… just helping Aurora with the last of the bags,” I say, stepping closer to her.
Maevyn slowly reaches for one of the bags, but I shift them from her reach, arching an eyebrow in challenge. She purses her lips, but I can see the smile trying to fight its way through.
