Page 14 of Working For Her Attention

Perfect.

Sure, he probably had his faults, but for me, in that short amount of time, he was everything. Protective and sweet. Funny and caring. Not that I said that or aid his name in case they somehow knew him. I might not have lived in a small town before, but I’d seen enough Hallmark movies to know everyone mostly knew everyone. Sam would have had the ability to obliterate my heart, and that was just after one single day of kinda hanging out together.

“You were trying to protect yourself,” Windy observed quietly, in a more than vulnerable tone I recognized. “We’ve all been there.”

“Oh my god, remember how Stella was with Luigi?”

“Walls built very high!”

“Skyscraper high!”

“What happened?” I asked, completely intrigued.

“He got through anyways, and they fell so hard in love,” Rainy shared.

“And then, their senior year, his family moved across the country, and they never saw one another again,” Stormy added.

“Life happens,” Windy and I said at the exact same time, and we gave one another a knowing look.

“Look, there will always be a reason not to do something. Our brother says that all the time and usually, I think he’s full of shit because it’s when he’s trying to talk one of us into one of his run club marathon things.” My lips twitched. “But honestly, he’s right. There will always be a reason not to do something, to stay in your comfort zone and try to protect yourself from getting hurt but⁠—“

“Sometimes, it happens anyhow,” Windy added, and I nodded.

I knew they were right. “Shit, I think I messed up by not giving him a chance.” I’d known this the minute he’d shut his door behind him but hadn’t been brave enough to admit it out loud. Guess I needed two strangers to help me out with that.

“Bright side, it’s not like you won’t ever be able to see him again. I mean, you could totally walk up to his place, knock on his door, and say you’re sorry.”

“She’s totally right,” Rainy added.

“Thanks.” I smiled, and they gave me one back.

We ended up exchanging numbers, and they even invited me to join in their local book club, writing down the name of the book they were going to talk about in two weeks. I packed up after they left, buying two more cinnamon rolls and an assortment of cookies before leaving the bakery.

I walked down the main area of town, watching the people and noticing just how well everyone knew one another. And took a chance, slipping into the small bookstore to buy that book the girls were talking about, determined to try and make friends. Real ones. Because Forge Creek was going to be the place where I finally set down roots.

The next chance I would take would be when I got home.

If a certain truck was parked across the street.

CHAPTER 6

SAM

The day was brutal.

With summer on full blast, this was the kind of thing that was to be expected. AC systems glitching or breaking down. People needing their units serviced. It was the bread and butter of my business.

I should have been happy.

Don’t get me wrong, I was grateful. But mix that in with the long sleepless nights as I sat on my recliner facing Avery’s house for a mere late-night glimpse I was ninety-nine percent certain wasn’t going to happen, I was exhausted.

Yet yesterday after work, I did what any sane man trying to get the attention of his pretty little neighbor would do. I mowed my lawn. Shirtless. And Mrs. Whitfield’s lawn after Avery went for her run just to have a reason to stay out there a little longer to make sure she got back safe and sound.

The day before that, I washed my truck. If I kept this up, I would end up with a great tan by the time fall rolled around, but no girl. And the girl was the most important thing. Anytime Avery saw me, she’d wave and give me a polite smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes and was filled with the same kind of longing I felt deep in my chest. I had no idea where these intense feelings were coming from, but I wasn’t going to question it.

In my book, it was what made it real.

I scratched the back of my head as I drank water while facing out my window then rolled my neck.