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Moving up would also mean being responsible for an entire shift crew of guys.
Including Bryce Horton.
That same hot, ready-to-fight instinct flared inside him, followed right after by the icy reminder to push it down. He smiled tightly. “Not a problem.”
“All righty, then.” The matter seemed settled as Joe stood. “I’ll get the paperwork sorted. You start training on Monday.”
Devin rose. “Thank you. Really.”
Joe gestured with his head toward the door. “Go on. Have a beer or three to celebrate, you hear?”
Devin had no doubt he’d do exactly that—eventually.
With a spring in his step, he headed for the parking lot. He smacked the steering wheel of his beat-up bucket of bolts as he got in and slammed the door behind him. As the old truck lurched to life, he cranked the stereo and peeled out, triumph bursting inside him.
This was it. The break he hadn’t dared to hope for but that he needed, the thing that was going to get him on the fast track to his goals.
And there was only one place he wanted to go.
The Harvest Home food bank and soup kitchen stood in a converted mill on the north end of town. Business in Blue Cedar Falls was generally good, and it had only been getting better since tourism had picked up on Main Street.
Main Street’s cute little tourist district felt a long way away, though. Devin’s wasn’t the only rust bucket truck parked outside Harvest Home. On his way in, he held the door for a woman and her four kids who were coming out, each armed with a bag. He didn’t need to peek inside to know they were filled with not just cans but fresh food, too. The kind of stuff that filled your bellyandyour heart.
Goodness knew Devin’d had to rely on that enough times when he was a kid.
He ran his hand along the yellow painted concrete wall of the entry hallway, his throat tight. He couldn’t wait to tell Arthur.
But when he turned the corner, it wasn’t Arthur standing behind the desk. Oh no. Of course it wasn’t.
Devin’s blood flashed hot. For one fraction of a second, he let his gaze wander, taking in soft curves and softer-looking lips. Dark eyes and long, silky, ink-black hair.
A throat cleared. A brow arched.
Like he’d been slapped upside the head, he jerked his gaze back to meet hers. She smiled at him mischievously, and he bit back a swear.
“Hey, Zoe,” he managed to grit out. Silently, he said the rest of her name, too.
ZoeLeung. Devin’s best friend Han Leung’s little sister. Arthur Chao’s beloved niece.
The one person on this earth he shouldnotbe getting caught checking out. Especially by her.
“Hey, Dev.” The curl of her full lips made his heart feel like a puppy tugging at its leash to go run off into traffic. Only a semi was barreling down the road.
The past few months since Zoe had moved back home after college had been torture. Fortunately, he had lots of practice keeping himself from doing anything stupid around her. He’d been holding himself in check for years, after all. Since she was eighteen and he was twenty-two.
Because if he ever let go of that leash on his control? Gave in to the invitation in her eyes?
Well.
It’d probably be a whole lot easier if he just got run over by a truck.
Chapter Two
Zoe Leung’s heart pounded as heat flared in Devin’s eyes.
Only for it to flicker and then fizzle in about two seconds flat.
The whole thing made her want to tear her hair out.
