He stares at me, and I get lost in the varying shades of blue that encompass his gorgeous eyes. They’re mesmerizing. It takes me a second, but I’m finally able to regain my ability to speak.
“Nana. I’m here looking for my Nana.”
His smile broadens. “Is that why you’re speeding through town like your car’s on fire?”
“I couldn’t have been going that fast. What’s the limit anyway? Fifty-five?”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “Sweetheart, this ain’t Atlanta. It’s Thirty-five.”
“Oh shit! Are you giving me a ticket?” My brow wrinkles as I peer up at him, nervously biting the corner of my mouth.
“You know, honey, I really should.” He laughs as he reaches for a pad of paper in his back pocket, like he’s about to write me an actual citation.
“Jace Stevens, you’re serious? I haven’t seen you in forever. Don’t you think a warning would be fair?”
He rubs his chin with his pen as if he’s considering it, and I notice the movement causes his bicep to bulge, the black fabric of his shirt pulling taut across his sun-kissed skin. I can’t take my eyes off the delicious veins cascading along his sinewy forearm.Damn, time sure has been good to him.
“I’ll tell you what. You’re looking for Miss Hattie, right?”
“Yes, I need to find her. It’s kinda urgent. That’s why I was speeding,” I reply sheepishly.
“I see.” He taps his perfect pink lips with his pen, drawing attention to his mouth. Does he have any idea what he’s doing to me? “Alright, lead-foot. I need to get your NASCAR-driving ass off my streets, and you need to get to Miss Hattie. You’re in luck because I know exactly where she is.”
“You do?”
He opens my car door and reaches across to unbuckle my seat belt. The fresh ocean scent of his cologne envelops my senses, and I want to bury my face in his skin and breathe him in for days.
“Did you just sniff me?”
My eyes widen at the horror of being caught. “No, no, I didn’t.” He cocks an eyebrow in disbelief as the corner of his mouth lifts in a smirk. “Uh, what are you doing anyway?”
He offers me his hand and helps me out of my vehicle. “You’re riding with me, Dale Earnhardt. I don’t trust you not to speed.”
I roll my eyes at him. “Where are we going? Are you sure my car is safe here?” I glance towards my Mercedes. I wouldn’t dare leave my baby parked on the side of the road back home in Atlanta.
He laces our fingers together, and shockingly, it feels like the most natural thing in the world. As he leads me to his cruiser, he says, “Honey, this is Maple Ridge. It’ll be fine right where it is.”
“Okay, then where are we going?”
“I guess you’ve forgotten our claim to fame? It's the last Friday in May.” He looks at me like he’s waiting for me to catch on, but I have no idea what he’s talking about. He shakes his head and smiles. “You gotta come around more often, girl. It's the world’s largest fish fry. The whole town’s there, including Miss Hattie.” I shrug because I have no clue what he’s talking about. “Well then, you’re in for a special treat if this is your first Maple Ridge fish fry. C’mon. I’ll show you around.”
As long as I get to be with Jace Stevens, he can show me anything he wants.
2
JACE
After dropping off a box of canned goods at The HOPE Kitchen food drive, I introduce Mia to Carter Jensen. “Nice to meet you, Mia. Thanks for the donation.”
She blushes as she glances at me. “I wish I could take credit, but this was Jace’s doing. I’m just in town to visit my Nana.”
Carter gives me a curious look, so I explain. “This is Miss Hattie’s granddaughter.”
“Miss Hattie, huh?” Carter snickers. “If this girl’s anything like her grandma, then you’ve got your hands full.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” I mutter, then Mia gives me a slight jab to the ribs with her elbow. “We’ll catch up with you later, man. Have a good one.”
With a hand on the small of her back, I escort Mia through the rows of tables and tents. I’m just about to suggest grabbing a frozen lemonade when Mia hears something that stops her in her tracks.
