Page 42 of Twins for Three Bad Boys

That damn spark.

She doesn’t look away immediately. Instead, she holds my stare, and I want to scream at her to break the silence, to say anything, to acknowledge what happened.

But she doesn’t.

Nor do I.

By the time I grab my keys and head out the door, I’m wound so tight I’m about to snap.

I don’t want to leave the house. I don’t want to leave them there. I don’t want to let this thing between June and me fester like some open wound that’ll never heal.

But I don’t have a choice.

I’m a grown man. I’ve been through worse shit than this. I can handle it.

The truck rumbles beneath me as I drive to work, trying to shake off the thoughts that keep swirling in my mind. The road ahead looks long and empty, but it doesn’t seem like I’m going anywhere.

I pull into the parking lot of Last Mile, the garage as familiar to me as my own skin. The guys are already there, leaning against the walls, doing their usual pre-work banter with one of our best customers.

Briggs Purnell is standing by one of the work benches, a wide grin plastered across his face. “Well, well. If it isn’t Mr. Calder, the man who thinks he doesn’t need a vacation.”

I glance over at him, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice. “What’s up, Briggs?”

“You hear about the bonfire next week?”

I groan, hands on my hips. “Not another one.”

Briggs cackles. “Oh yeah. Friday night. Big event. Gonna be one hell of a time. Everyone’s gonna be there. You’re going, right?”

I turn back to the truck, trying to hide my frustration. “Not happening.”

Briggs voice rises an octave. “You’re practically a legend around here for avoiding town events. You know that, right? What’s the deal? You scared of bonfires?”

I look over my shoulder, my expression deadpan look. “No, I’m not scared of bonfires.”

“Right,” he grins. “Scared of the people who attend them, then?”

I sigh. “I just don’t enjoy that sort of get-together.”

Briggs laughs, clapping me on the back. “Come on, Wayne. It’ll be fun. You have to go. They’ll all be asking about the new nanny. I know how much you like answering questions about your personal life.”

I give him a hard look. “I don’t like it. Which is why I stay out of those events.”

Briggs shrugs. “Well, it’s not a party if you don’t show up. What is the name of your new nanny?”

My blood runs cold. “June.”

He grins. “Right. June. She’s a real hit around here, huh?”

“I wouldn’t know. It’s not really my business,” I mutter.

“Of course not,” Briggs says, with a knowing grin. “But it is everyone else’s. Everyone’s looking to know who she is, what she’s like. You should bring her with you.”

I scowl at the thought. I can’t. I can’t ever let that happen. Not after everything that happened between her and me.

“I’ll think about it,” I mutter, annoyed with myself for even considering it for letting him get to me.

Briggs laughs again. “That’s a lie, and you know it.”