Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79621 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79621 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
His lips quirked in amusement. “Not so happy to see me, eh?”
Pleasant and cordial were my default. No one wanted to buy a house from a dickwad with a bad attitude, but I wasn’t interested in selling him anything. So…truth time.
“Not really.” I darted my gaze around the bar and leaned forward. “Look, I don’t mean to be a jerk about this, but I’m surprised. Riley mentioned that you were thinking of taking the coaching job and he wants me to show you housing options, but…why? You said you had a job. You said this town sounded like a bad episode of The Twilight Zone. You said—”
“I didn’t say a bad episode,” he interrupted. “And don’t get your panties in a twist. I’m not staying for long.”
“Oh.” I picked up my glass and set it down again. “Why not?”
Smitty’s eyes crinkled at the corners, giving him a downright wolfish vibe. “So…you are a teensy bit happy to see me?”
“Yes. No! I mean…” I opened my mouth and closed it. “That night would never have happened if I’d thought for one second you’d take Riley’s offer. I specifically asked you and—”
He held his hands up in mock surrender. “I get it, and it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay,” I snapped. “What’s going on? Did your job fall through?”
Smitty shook his head. “No, but they don’t need me till October, so—”
“Does Riley know about that other job? You have to be honest with him. He’s trying to fill positions at the high school and—”
“Whoa, steamroller, give me a fuckin’ breather,” he huffed. “Relax.”
“Relax. Right.” I sipped my beer and furrowed my brow. “Christ, you didn’t come here for sex, did you?”
His grin was instant and meteoric. The kind of megawatt smile that could power a grid for a day. “I don’t think I should answer that one. Only a real creep admits to traversing state lines for a booty call after four months, and a real liar claims it’s the last thing on his mind. The truth is always somewhere in between.”
“What does that mean?”
“I’m just sayin’…if you’re interested, I’m down to clown. If not, that’s cool too.” Smitty raised his glass in a toast and winked.
I sputtered indignantly, spilling beer on the sticky surface. I wiped it as best I could with the thin cocktail napkin Bill had given me, then scowled.
“Down to clown,” I repeated derisively. “Are you a fucking college student?”
He chuckled softly. “You’re funny when you’re wound up.”
“I’m glad you think so, because I don’t find any of this amusing,” I hissed. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“So, are you saying that if you were the sheriff, you’d run my ass out of town? If so, please tell me you’d be wearing a cowboy hat, ’cause that would be fuckin’ hot. And your glasses too.”
I fixed him with my fiercest glare. “I’m not laughing.”
“Okay, okay, sorry. Hey, the truth is…I don’t know why I’m here either,” he admitted with a sigh. “I was on my way to Toronto and it occurred to me that I didn’t have to be anywhere in particular, so why not check Elmwood out? And yeah, knowing you live here and that there was a chance I’d see you was kind of a bonus. If you were interested.”
“I’m not.”
“Got it.” Smitty pulled a comical face and gulped theatrically. “Man, you’re scary when you’re mad.”
“I’m not mad. I just…don’t like surprises.”
“I’ll remember that,” he said, draping his arm over the back of the booth.
We held eye contact for so long, it became a staring contest. He won.
“I’m guessing that looking at real estate was a ruse to meet with me, but since you have no intention of taking that coaching job, you need to let Riley know so he can find someone.”
“Huh, good suggestion, but—ow. Fuck.” He shifted his legs and winced in pain. “They’re gonna have to surgically remove me from this table if I don’t get up now.”
I stood and waited for him to unfold himself like a paper accordion. “Uh…okay. I’ll, um…pay the tab.”
“No need. I already told Bill to put it on my card.”
I inclined my head and followed him outside, preparing for the world’s most awkward second good-bye. I felt another twinge of anger toward him for showing up here and ruining that night with an unwelcome dose of reality, but it couldn’t be undone now.
“Thanks for the beer.” I set my sunglasses on my nose like a shield and pulled my keys out.
“No prob and no worries. Pretend I was never here.” Smitty made a fade-away motion like a magician preparing an exit behind a curtain, then crouched to grab a bucket lying next to the ice machine. He inhaled sharply and froze for a beat.
“You okay?”
He looked perfectly fine. Even better in daylight, honestly. He was a muscular handsome god and—
“Yeah, but uh…my back is fucked up from the drive. Would you mind filling the bucket with ice?” he asked, biting his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood.