“Um, yeah,” I answered, standing and smoothing the dirt from my knees.
“Is that your car?” He pointed down the causeway to the hunk of junk dead on the side of the road.
Even though I didn’t want to admit it was mine, I nodded. “Yeah. It’s mine. It just stopped.”
“I’m surprised it ever started.” He snorted and eyed the broken metal heap with disdain.
Horrified at his observation of the state of my beast, I cracked a shy smile. “Yeah, it’s not in the best shape.”
“Why are you in the weeds?”
I started out of them, climbing up the small incline back onto the road. “I thought you were a kidnapper or a serial killer, so I hid.”
“A serial killer? In Door County?” He chuckled, shaking his head.
“You never know,” I argued, finally making it back onto the road. “Haven’t you seen any horror movies?”
“It’s Door County. I do know.” The laughter hovered just under his words. “There’s no serial killer here.”
“Well I didn’t know that. I’m from the city.”
“Well, I’m from a small town. When people in small towns stop to offer you a ride, they aren’t serial killers. They’re just, you know, nice people.”
Feeling embarrassed for my irrational thinking, I shrugged. His eyes dropped to the little pink cylinder in my hand. My thumb still hovered over the button at the top.
“Were you going to mace me?” he asked, and a smile played on his lips.
“Sorry.” I gave him a close-lipped grin while I snapped it shut and put it back in my purse. The smile starting on his lips faded, and he shook his head.
“Come on, I’ll give you a ride.” With the nod of his head, he gestured to the passenger side of his shiny black truck.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother.”
“We’re neighbors. It’s fine.”
Neighbors? I thought while I walked to the truck. That would explain why he was in my yard. Opening the door to the truck, I paused for a moment while I tried to figure out how to get in. It was so high off the ground the seat came up to my boobs. Jake hopped in with ease and looked over to see me hanging on the seat trying to pull myself up.
“There’s a step-side you can stand on.”
Looking down I saw the metal bar that had been banging my shin while I tried to scramble up. I stepped on it and grabbed ahold of the handle above the door and pulled myself in. Landing with a grunt, I blew out an exasperated breath while I settled and took in the contents of the truck. Piles of camouflage clothing, tackle boxes, and a giant plastic deer head littered the black upholstered back seats. “This thing is huge!”
“Yep,” he answered as he put it in drive.
“It’s nice,” I kept on.
“Yep.”
“You okay after that fight? It was pretty crazy.”
Silence was his only answer and the sullen look that seemed to be his permanent expression only deepened. Not a man of many words, I thought to myself when he started driving. I realized I shouldn’t have asked about the fight, so changed the subject. “So, we’re neighbors?”
“Yep.”
“How long have you lived here?”
“My whole life.”
“Oh yeah? I just moved here.”
“I figured,” he said, and I saw his lip quiver like he wanted to smile but it stiffened again. Betrayal had stolen his smiles. That thought sent a ripple of sadness through me.
“Yeah, I suppose you would have noticed having a neighbor sooner.” I had to stop myself from slapping my forehead. It had been a long time since a man had me so unglued and I was unraveling by the second while we drove down the road. “You’re Jake, right?”
“Yep.”
He’d already said that when he got out of the truck and I felt even dumber. “I’m Cassie.” It wasn’t so much a lie, since my nickname was Cassie, but it felt wrong introducing myself to him with a name I hadn’t used in a decade.
“I know,” he answered, and I fought my inward groan. Of course, he did. He’d said that when he pulled up as well.
“I’m up for the summer just trying to make some money. Jo gave me the job at the Ox. It was my first time bartending.”
“I figured,” he said, and that lip lifted just a hair again. But no smile formed while we turned onto my road.
The more I talked, the quieter he got, which made me nervous, so I talked more. “You said we’re neighbors? Where do you live? Like right next door?”
“Yep.”
“Cool. It’s pretty on the lake. My cabin leaves a lot to be desired, but I’m trying to fix it up. Hey, thanks for the save from the snake and the porch, by the way. That was you, wasn’t it?”
“Yep.”
“Well, thanks. If you hadn’t come, I was sure it was going to strangle me while I was stuck in that step.”
He snorted. “It was a pine snake, not a boa constrictor. It was just trying to get out. You weren’t in any danger.”
“Oh,” I answered, and wished that I could say something right. Why was he so intimidating? I mean he was hot, like stupid hot, but I’d spent a lot of time with celebrities, models, and other hot guys and none of them had gotten me this flustered. However, none of them had been mutes, so there was that.
He turned the truck down my driveway, and we wound through the trees until his lights shined on my little cabin.
“I really appreciate the ride. My feet hurt, but I really had to get home to Poppy, so I was walking.”
“Poppy?”
“My dog. You saw her the other day.”
He snorted again and something resembling a chuckle slipped out. “I don’t think you can call that thing a dog. It looks more like a squirrel mated with a bat.”
“Hey!” I laughed and crossed my arms as we pulled to a stop. “She’s beautiful! I tell her that every day.”
“Looks more like Musky bait than a dog.”
“Musky bait? What’s that?”
“A Musky is a fish and some people use small animals as bait to catch them. She looks like she’d be the perfect size.”
My mouth dropped open, and I struggled to respond. But then I saw a glimmer of mirth flashing in those blue eyes lit up from the dashboard lights. “You’re a dick. She’s not Musky bait! And what kind of person fishes with live animals? Disgusting!”
“I’m teasing. I never would, and I think it’s just an old wives’ tale that people do, but she certainly would fit the bill.”
“That’s beyond awful.”
“Yep.”
After getting a few full sentences out of him we were back to one syllable again. Damn it. I found I enjoyed multiple-syllable Jake much better.
“Well, thanks again for the ride. I appreciate it. Now I need to figure out what to do with my car tomorrow. I don’t even know how this works. I’ve never had a car break down before.”
“Never?” His brows snapped together.
“No. What do I do?”
“Kiehnau’s in Baileys Harbor can probably grab it for you. Otherwise call Kenny at Sister Bay Automotive. They’re both honest and no one will rip you off. Just tell them you’re on the Kangaroo Lake causeway and they’ll grab you with the tow truck and give you an estimate to fix it.”
An estimate to fix it? As he said it, I realized I didn’t have any money to pay for a tow truck or the repair. I’d made almost a hundred dollars in tips tonight, but that probably wasn’t enough to get much fixed, and I needed to buy more food. “Do you think it will be a lot? I don’t have much money right now.” I chewed on my lip.
“I’m not sure. They won’t rip you off, though.”
“Okay,” I answered, but even if they didn’t rip me off, I still had no money to pay. “Well, thanks again for the ride.”
“Yep.”
I opened the door to the truck and looked at the sizeable drop to the ground. Trying to maneuver my feet to the step, I hung on the handle above my head. When I let go an
d stepped on the metal sidestep, the pain in my feet from the pressure hit me like a bolt of lightning. I shrieked as I tumbled out of the truck, landing with a grunt.
“Ouch.” I groaned as I pulled myself up out of the gravel and used the open door to haul myself to standing.
“Are you okay?” he asked when I made it into view.
“Oops,” I said with a bashful shrug of my shoulders. I prayed it was dark enough he couldn’t see the crimson blazing heat across my cheeks.
After a moment of staring at me his lips twitched, but this time, instead of stiffing into a frown again, they drew into a huge grin. He did have teeth. Nice ones, too, I noticed while he flashed a smile so charming, I could almost feel my panties drop. The smile widened as he burst into laughter. It started as a soft chuckle just shaking his shoulders and then grew into a deep belly laugh that shook his whole body. Palming my face, I couldn’t help but join in on his contagious laughter. The brooding, quiet man had a laugh that made me dissolve into hysterics.
“That was so embarrassing!” I said between laughs.
“Not as embarrassing as asking what’s in a whiskey and coke!” he added, his own laughter rumbling as loud as his big truck’s engine.
“Shut up, Jake!” I said and laughed even harder.
“Or getting stuck in your porch when you thought a harmless pine snake was going to kill you!”
The shroud of sadness that had been wrapped around him slipped down even further. I stood in the truck’s doorway struggling to breathe while we laughed together, memories of all the embarrassing things he’d already witnessed me do flooding back into me and fueling the laughter. “I’m just gonna go inside and die of embarrassment now if you don’t mind.”
“Try not to get stuck in your stairs,” he added, then choked on his laughter.
“Good night!” I laughed and slammed the door, sealing him and his laughter inside.
While I hobbled to my cabin on painful feet, he idled in the driveway and kept his lights on until I made it safely over my broken stair into the front door. After opening the door, I turned around and gave a wave into the bright lights. I couldn’t see him in there, but I imagined he was still laughing at me. As soon as I closed the door, I heard the truck drive off and I peeked out between the plaid curtains and watched his taillights disappear around the trees.
Poppy barked, and I ran over and opened the bathroom door I’d sealed her behind.
“Hi, Princess Poppy! Mommy worked a job tonight! Can you believe it?”
She launched into my arms and covered me with kisses. While I enjoyed her kisses immensely, I wondered what kind of kisses could come from the man with a smile that still had my stomach doing cartwheels.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Jake
I maneuvered Cassie’s car into her driveway and stopped before I got to the cabin.
“What the hell am I doing?” I asked myself while I sat there with the engine rumbling louder than my truck. Considering I had special pipes put in for sound, that was saying something. It had taken a little more than an hour to get the thing running again, but now that I’d done it, I wondered why I had.
“You’re just being nice, Jake. Doesn’t mean anything,” I reminded myself, remembering the worry in her eyes when she’d said she didn’t have any money to fix it. After getting up early and taking a drive to the causeway, I’d popped the hood to see if I could fix it and save her a few bucks.
But now that I sat here in her car, my lies to myself that it meant nothing, and I’d have done it for anyone wore thin. Everyone didn’t have eyes like that. Everyone couldn’t make me laugh for the first time in months. Everyone didn’t have a smile that flooded me with a warmth I never thought I’d feel again or had felt that intensely before for that matter. She certainly wasn’t just anyone, but it’s what I kept telling myself and intended to keep doing so.
Because lying to yourself is safe.
When I pulled in after fixing her car, she was going to think I was nuts. Probably rip out her city girl mace again. Who drops everything to help a stranger? Considering backing out of the driveway and leaving it where I found it miraculously fixed, I decided to just drop the car in the driveway and hike back to my truck on the causeway. She’d find it here and just think some good Samaritan had brought it to her. Perfect, I thought while I started forward.
The loud engine shook, and I cringed, letting off on the gas while trying to keep it quiet so I didn’t wake her. It was only seven in the morning, and if I wanted to get out of here undetected, I’d need to quiet this death-mobile down. But even at a crawl, the engine was probably waking the entire neighborhood. Hell, at least this thing would scare all those damn coyotes off.
Pulling up around the corner, I saw her little shack ahead. Still trying to keep my approach a secret, I rolled to a stop and put it in park. When I turned off the key a loud backfire exploded and echoed through the woods.
“Shit.” I closed my eyes, hoping it would make me and this hideous car disappear. When I opened them again, I saw her face appear in the window. Busted.
The front door opened, and she stepped out. Pink satin pajamas hung loose off her figure, but even from here I could see she wasn’t wearing a bra. The sight of her in a messy ponytail and cute outfit brought back that infuriating feeling that shot my racing pulse out of the starting gate.
“Jake?” she asked from the doorway, folding her arms across her chest and covering her breasts.
There wasn’t any escaping unnoticed now. With a deep sigh I opened the door and stepped out. “Hey, Cassie. Sorry I woke you. I was just going to drop this off.”
“Did you fix my car?” she asked while she stepped onto the porch and started down the stairs, careful this time not to fall through.
“Um, yeah,” I said, sliding my hand behind my neck. Was I sweating? If it weren’t for the dew still on the cold ground, I would have tried harder to pretend it was the heat causing me to perspire.
“Oh, my God. I can’t believe you fixed it.”
“Oh, it’s not a big deal. I just figured I’d take a look.”
“Not a big deal? Are you serious? You fixed my car! You’re my hero!” She launched herself forward and threw her arms around my neck.
The feeling of her body against mine startled me, and I froze while she pressed into me. That racing pulse she induced took off like there was a Formula One car flying through my veins. With my breath trapped in my lungs, I stood unmoving while she squeezed me tight.
“Thank you. Thank you so much,” she said, and her breath brushed across my neck. Goosebumps pricked on my skin and I closed my eyes while a surge moved through my whole body. For a moment I let myself sink into her embrace and my arms started closing around her without my permission. But then my brain turned back on and I dropped them to my sides and pulled back out of her arms.
“It’s nothing. No biggie. Easy fix.”
She stared at me and I saw the hurt flash in her eyes. Damn it, I hadn’t meant to make her feel bad.
“Sorry. I just got excited.”
“No, it’s fine. I just... not a big hugger.”
“Of course. My bad. Didn’t mean to attack you.” A sweet smile tugged up her lips.
“Don’t apologize. It’s me. And I’m covered in grease.” I lifted my hands, blackened from working on her car, grateful for the extra excuse why I didn’t dare hug her back. We stood together in the awkward silence until I shrugged. “Should be working now. Spark plugs and battery needed a little work. I wouldn’t go too long without getting into a mechanic for new ones, but this should tide you over for a while.”
“Thank you, Jake. Seriously. You’re a lifesaver. You have no idea.”
“No problem. I’ll see you around.” I turned and started down the driveway.
“Are you walking back?”
“Yeah. My trucks on the causeway.”
“No way. You are not walking after fixing my car! Let me grab Poppy and I’ll drive you back.”
<
br /> “It’s fine. I like walking.” Really, I just didn’t want to be near her any longer. It was getting harder by the second to keep those feelings she elicited at bay.
“I’m driving. Stay. Put. Give me one second!”
Before I could argue she spun around and ran up the stairs. The way her ass looked in those pajamas had me biting my lip and tugging at my hair while I spun in circles debating running off down the driveway. But not wanting to look like even more of an asshole than I already did after hug-gate, I waited. A minute later she popped back out still wearing her pink pajamas and holding a dog in her arms. She’d added fuzzy brown boots to her wardrobe, and I was disappointed when I noticed she’d also added a bra. Didn’t matter, I reminded myself. I wasn’t interested in her that way, no matter how good she looked both in and out of that bra.
“Come on!” Her cheery voice called from the car before she climbed in the driver seat.
With a deep breath I walked around it and climbed inside. A little brown dog, smaller than most cats, trotted across the bench seat and climbed into my lap. Giant googly eyes stared up at me, and erect ears folded at the top stood a little taller while she examined my face.
“That’s Princess Poppy.”
“Well good morning, Muskybait,” I said to the strange little creature staring me down.
“She’s not Musky bait!” Cassie scolded then laughed. “She’s a princess. Aren’t you, Poppy?”
Hearing her name had the little dog wiggling in my lap. “What happened to her face? She looks like she ran into a wall at full tilt.”
“It’s supposed to look like that!” she said while she started the car. “She’s a smooth-coated Brussels Griffon. That’s what they look like. And I think she’s beautiful. Aren’t you, Poppy?”
The engine roared, and I exhaled a breath that my repairs still held steady. “I still think it looks like a bat and a squirrel had a baby.”
Poppy did a little circle then curled up on my lap. Furrowing my brows, I looked down at her then over to Cassie, who appraised the sight of us with a wide grin.
“She likes you.”
“It would seem she does,” I answered, then gave Poppy a little scratch behind the ears.
The Other Half (Door Peninsula Passions Book 1) Page 8