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“Hey, I’ll have you know you could eat off this floor, it’s so clean. It’s just old.”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever. I need to go. When will the car be ready?”
He rubs his chin. “It should be ready later this afternoon.” His eyes hold mine. “Are you going to be the one to pick it up?”
I look out the garage to where cars and people move about as Madison Ridge wakes up for the day. “Um, I don’t know.” I look back at him with a brow raised. “Why?”
He shrugs a broad shoulder. Against my will, memories of laying my head on that shoulder barrel their way to the forefront of my mind. “Just wondering.”
I shuffle my feet, ready to bolt, but after my rude behavior before, my manners won’t let me. Even if it will save my sanity. “Okay, well, I need to go.”
Those dimples appear again. “So you said and yet you still stand here.”
I huff out a breath before spinning on my heel and stalking away. “Bastard,” I mutter just loud enough for him to hear.
And bastard that he is, he just laughs.
I walk faster, trying to outrun the sound that lights up my insides.
TWO
Jake
The bell ringsover my head as I step into Maggie’s Diner. The sounds and smells of breakfast hit me, making my stomach growl on cue.
“Mornin’, sugar.” Maggie waves at me from behind the long bar while she pours coffee with the other hand.
“Hey, beautiful. How’s it going?”
She grins, her lips covered in her trademark coral-colored lipstick, shaking her head at me. How does that beehive hairdo not move?
“Always the sweet talker. Your mama isn’t here yet, but her favorite booth is open.”
I blow her a kiss. “Maggie, always taking care of me.”
She waves me off as she moves to the pickup window. “Go on, you.”
I chuckle and head to the back corner booth, where I slide in the side so I can see the entire diner.
It’ll drive my mom nuts that I took her side.
I smile, pulling out my phone to kill some time. I haven’t needed a menu at Maggie’s in years.
But before I can pull up my email, I hear my name.
“How’s it going, Henderson?”
When I look up, I find Landon Gray dressed in his sheriff’s gear, heading toward me.
Seeing Landon makes me think of Lia. Being her brother, they have the same hair color and smile. The image of her face from yesterday floats through my mind. I blink to block the thought and focus on the man in front of me.
“Hey, there.” I stand from the booth and we exchange guy handshakes. “Headed in or coming off shift?”
“Headed in,” he says. “I plan to stop by later today. Aidan wants a couple of the cruisers in for service.”
I nod, crossing my arms over my chest. “Sure, no problem. I’ll pull the service records and get them squared away.”
“Thanks, man.”
