Mateo’s mustache moved as the corner of his mouth twisted with amusement. “And Avery, really? You’re going to letthemhandle fire in a closed space?”
I stiffened. Fumage was an art technique I loved and wanted to share with more people. I’d learned about it in college and had been experimenting with it recently. To make a piece of art, you lit a candle and used the smoke to create impressions on paper or canvas. It was challenging and exciting, and you’re damn right I was going to be teaching it.
“It’s a beautiful art form and this class is for adults, hotshot. Some of the people in there wiped our asses when we were babies,” I argued.
“Not mine. And now we all get to wipe theirs.”
My expression pinched.
Levi cleared his throat and we looked up. He was staring at us awkwardly, his sunglasses reflecting the two of us. I sawhow close we stood and immediately stepped away, my heart lurching.
Mateo offered a smile as he balanced his elbow on my shoulder. “Hi. Don’t think we’ve met. I’m Mateo.”
“This is Levi,” I said as they shook hands. “He’s also one of Austin’s friends.”
“Oh,” Mateo said. “Wait, you’reLevi? Sport Levi?”
Levi didn’t smile. “I’m assuming so. Haven’t seen him in person in years, though. Um, Avery?—”
The door to the Whynot Paint swung open and I moved back before I got bumped.
“Miss Whynot! Some of us have bingo to get to in an hour.” Sure enough, Ms. Carlson poked her head out. She looked like a snake about to bite me, but then her expression changed when she laid eyes on Levi and Mateo. “Oh, I see. We have new students. Of course, of course. Well, don’t leave them in the heat, child, or else they’ll get hot and sweaty.”
Before I could run interference, she grabbed hold of Levi’s bulky forearm and tugged him through the front door. His head turned and he looked like he was about to flee, but there was no escaping the Carlson claws once she had them on you, even if you were a buff hockey player. God help him now, Levi was going to be in this class, whether he wanted to or not.
Mateo hummed under his breath. His gaze landed on me and my skin prickled beneath the warmth of it.
“So that’s the sports star friend?”
“Yeah.” I put my hands behind my back, grabbing hold of my wrist out of sight and squeezing it. The motion had always grounded me. “He and Austin go way back. Looks like you got competition in town.”
Mateo winked at me. “No competition, Blue. You know I’m good at sharing.”
My cheeks turned hotter than asphalt at noon from the implication. “Youcannotcall me Blue.”
His gaze lingered for a moment, and then he smirked as he slid past me. “I gotta after seeing you like this. Also, I definitely just texted the group chat.”
I groaned and followed him inside.
At least I’d have two new students today. That was something good, right?
CHAPTER THREE
Levi
The last time I’d seen Avery Whynot, she was a pimpled teenager with stars in her eyes, pigtails, and a nasty sunburn.
When she called out my name, I’d thoughtdammit, someone recognized me, or someone had followed me all the way out here to this dusty shithole—but no.
Even worse.
Avery-fucking-Whynot had turned into a gorgeous woman with a tangle of silky brown waves, freckles dusting her smooth skin, and big brown eyes. The overalls she wore were a soft baby blue denim with paint splatters on them, her hips filling them out in a way that got my blood pumping.
Certainly not the thoughts I should have had about my best friend’s little sister.
The good news was that I’d clearly annoyed her. That was good. It had to be good, because the other option was that she liked me, and I liked her—and again, after the hot flash of sexual thoughts that launched to the front of my mind upon seeing her, I couldn’t take that risk.
The little old lady guiding me through the gallery had the grip of a goddamn defenseman. All my words failed me as I was dragged to the classroom inside.
