by C. A. Harms
“Oh yeah, like what?”
“Jillian’s dance recital, had I not read it on the column I would have forgotten about it, or the town bake-off.” He seemed pleased with himself. “That right there is useful information.”
“Anyone ever tell you that your strange?”
Grady chuckled, pulled open the door to Java and looked back at me with a smirk. “Strange, I’ve been referred to as worse, but from what I hear we should be calling you, Wyatt the Creeper.” And with that he let the door shut behind him and I am left alone on the street. The reminder that I tiptoed around my yard listening in on Sadie’s conversation lingering in my mind.
Damn gossip column and small town living.
Chapter Twelve
Sadie
* * *
“Is this a thing now?” I fought the urge to smile.
A girl gets a little drunk, says a lot of things she wouldn’t have said had she not finished off half a bottle of wine. The next thing you know she has caramel macchiatos and a charming smile served to her daily.
“I was going there anyway.” Wyatt held out the yummy drink and I took it. “Besides I’m being neighborly. There’s nothing wrong with that. Taking a step back I see him look passed me and dip his head slightly. “Morning Miley, had I known you were already here I would have brought you your vanilla latte.”
I tried to hide my disappointment knowing I wasn’t special being the only one Wyatt brought coffee to. I was a mess, a week ago I wanted nothing to do with him or his gifted sweetness, now here I was feeling a sense of possessiveness I didn’t have the right to feel.
“No problem Wyatt.” Miley moved on, organizing the coolers with fresh arrangements in prep for opening.
“Well, you ladies have a good day.” Again he tipped his head in a kind, gentlemanly gesture and then he was out the door. I watched through the front picture window as he crossed the street and walked toward the driver’s side of his police cruiser parked a few spots down from the main entrance of Java Jitters.
As people walked the sidewalk, they’d wave at him, and he’d quickly return a kind hello. The townspeople seemed to love him, respect him even.
“Wyatt’s a nice guy,” Miley said as she stepped up to my side. “I remember he was on sight when your mom had fallen, and he was so gentle with her. Never left her side until they loaded her up in the ambulance and shipped her off. Even after that he’d drive out to your parents’ house, checking on things when he knew your father was at the hospital with your mom. It was sweet actually.”
My chest felt tight, for so many reasons, but mainly because I had been wrong about him.
Truth was that I wasn’t the same person that I was in high school. We all change, we all grow up and we all have regrets.
I busied myself throughout the day, visiting with those customers who stopped by. Most just browsing, but others genuinely interested in purchasing something.
I was working on the small vases I’d deliver first thing the next day to Wren’s Cafe. They placed an individual vase on the center of each table daily. Fresh cut flowers in a variety of colors. It really brightened up the place.
I had my back to the lobby, knowing that Miley would tend to any new customers I was completely focused on the task at hand.
When I felt a set of hands grip my waist I jumped and screamed out in surprise. Spinning around I dropped the vase in my hand and due to Levi’s fast reflexes he caught it just before it hit the floor. “Levi,” I slapped at his shoulder making him chuckle and step back to shield himself. “You scared me half to death.”
He was holding his stomach laughing at my expense, with tears in his eyes. I noticed Miley standing at the counter her eyes widened in surprise, but her lips tilted up in a smile. She was so quiet and so hard to read. Maybe it was due to the fact that we barely knew one another, but I could never figure out what she was truly thinking.
“You need to lighten up Sadie.” Levi regained my attention. My heart was still racing fast. “You’re too wound up, relax.”
“Well, maybe if you didn’t sneak up on me when I was focused, I wouldn’t be so wound up.”
“I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t matter.” Challenging me, he waited for me to argue. One day when there was a girl brave enough to venture into Levi Land he was going to drive her mad, I just knew it.
“Ass,” I mumbled and grabbed the vase from his hand, placing it back onto the table before me.
“And to think I showed up here to offer to take you to lunch.” Levi and his charm. “I was even gonna pay too.”
Leaning my hip against the large wooden table I peeked over at Levi, fighting my own smile. One could never truly stay mad at him, it was his smile, it warmed one almost instantly. “Will there be desert?”
“Please, do you know who you’re talking to? There is always desert.” For years, every day at school Levi would bring me a snack cake, matching his own. His mom just automatically packed two, knowing that he’d need one for me too. We equally had a loving relationship with sugar.
Choosing to forgive him, because like I said staying mad at him was impossible, I said a quick goodbye to Miley. Assuring her I would be back in about an hour, I linked my arm through his and he led me outside. Everything in Mason Creek was within walking distance, which was the opposite of the city. I loved that if I wanted to go grab an ice cream I could just walk outside take a left and after a few hundred feet I would find Twisted Sisters Ice Cream Shack. Hattie and Hazel Jackson and their wonderful creations, they had a flavor for every season. Weather never seemed to phase those two ladies, come hell or high water they were there serving sweet goodness and cackling the entire time. Loved those ladies, and time hadn’t changed them one bit.
“Italian?”
“You know it.” The pizza at Sauce It Up was amazing, but then again everything was. I’d never ordered something there I didn’t fall in love with.
I ignored the curious stares of those we’d passed. I already knew what most were thinking, and this time tomorrow there will be rumors of some love affair between Levi and me. We’d gotten used to brushing off that idea long ago; Levi was like the brother I’d never had.
Tucked back in a corner booth, him digging into his huge pile of spaghetti and me enjoying my personal pizza he surprised me with a question. “What’s going on with you and Wyatt?” Practically choking on my food, I took a drink and when I felt like I could clearly breath again I made eye contact. Of course, he was smirking and thought he’d had me on something, which he did not.
“Absolutely nothing, he’s my landlord.”
“And Cole?”
“Again nothing.” Apparently my old friend was a busy body too. “He helped me find a house, and yes he stopped by to offer me a housewarming basket but nothing more.”
“Lunch, dinner, or even a cup of coffee.” The way he said those words reminded me of Cole. Levi was attempting to imitate him with a slow purr. Rolling my eyes at him I tossed my napkin, hitting him in the forehead. “I heard you shot the guy down before he even got to finish the sentence.”
“It wasn’t like that.” Okay fine, it was. Cole was nice, but he wasn’t my type. Apparently, my type are those men that break my heart and humiliate me. Ugh, why do girls always want the guys they shouldn’t. Another bit of information I would keep to myself.
“Do landlords generally lurk around in the shadows, listening in on conversation of their tenants?” Leaning back against the tall back of his bench seat he didn’t look away from me, which made me nervous. “I’d say there’s something there, something maybe you both are too scared to talk about or explore.”
“Nothing but old memories I’d like to forget.”
“Sadie,” Levi moved forward, getting closer as he looked around to ensure no one was close. The thing was in Mason Creek even the booths seem to have ears so whatever he’d had to say would be front page news tomorrow. “He made a choice, the wrong one. He knows that, we all know that. Hell, we all saw his
life fall apart because of that wrong choice.” What happened that I was missing? I was too stubborn to ask, because then it meant I was interested. And I couldn’t be. That would be like jumping into a burning building knowing that I was going to get burned.
“Did you bring me to lunch just so you could be a Nosy Nelly and gossip like a girl?”
We faced off, him staring at me, me staring right back refusing to give in. Then without warning, we both broke out in laughter and the seriousness of our lunch date had quickly passed.
After that, the conversation flowed nicely. We talked about his family, and mine. Talked about his job and the shop. I told him about my interest in photography and he pushed me to pursue that interest.
But right now, with everything that was going on, I knew that would have to wait. But maybe one day, we’d see.
Chapter Thirteen
Wyatt
* * *
“Damn, boy, hold on.” I tried to climb up off the couch, but Gus continued to jump over my lap onto the cushions and back again. Whining and whimpering, followed by a bark indicating that he’d needed to go outside.
I’d only been home long enough to take a shower and throw on some sweats, before getting a beer and sitting down when the show for attention started. It was a Saturday, a long one at that. I’d bitten off a little more than I could chew and was attempting to play catch up on all my side jobs. I was able to finish drywalling the small addition on the back of Water Morgan’s house and that was after I’d completed the last three steps off Harris Reeds deck and forming up the sidewalk that would be poured early next week.
Like I said, overbooked.
Finally able to get Gus off my lap, I stood and started to walk away from the couch. He didn’t let me get far before he started tugging on the pant legs of my sweats, practically tripping me over and over as we moved toward the back door. It was raining out and I knew whenever he’d come back, he’d be nothing but a muddy mess. Guess that meant it was bath night.
“Go.” I motioned while pushing open the back door and shacking my head. Playful shit, constantly tormenting whoever got in his path. He had a bigger personality than most people I knew.
Knowing that he’d paw at the door when he was ready to come back inside, I walked back to the kitchen and pulled a fresh beer out of the fridge. Pausing near the couch, I became invested in the current sports recap and sat down on the arm.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed but when I heard pounding on my back door I jumped up and hurried down the small hallway. Right outside the door, looking pissed and soaking wet stood Sadie. Her hair was plastered to her forehead, the thin material of her shirt fused to her chest. The cold, wet weather did absolutely nothing to hide her braless appearance.
Taking in a slow deep breath I opened the door and that is when I saw the rest of her. Muddy, the entire left side of her and what looked like the back as it wrapped around her. Trailing my eyes over her slowly I find Gus, sitting at her side, looking up at her and then at me. He was playing innocent but I had a bad feeling whatever took place, he caused.
“This looks bad.” Nothing like stating the obvious but what else was I supposed to say? Her nostrils flared as she stared at me.
“Really? What makes you say that?” Sarcasm oozing from her words and I laughed before I had the chance to consider my actions.
That backfired.
“Cujo is a menace.” Throwing her hands up in the air, in a huff, she looked down at Gus who was still playing innocent. Sitting on his ass, his head tilted to the side, one ear up and the other laying relaxed.
“Cujo.” I did my best to keep a straight face, but I was failing miserably.
“He has it out for me.”
Sadie twisted her body to the side, bringing the fact that yes, her entire backside was also caked with mud. Bending at the waist she gets closer to Gus. Again, his head tilted to the side as if he was thinking really hard while staring right back at her. “Bad dog!” She pointed at him to emphasis her annoyance. “Bad, bad dog!”
I snickered, I honestly tried not to, but I couldn’t control it. Gus looked so confused staring up at her with his big dopey dog eyes. The same eyes that have gotten him that second piece of turkey when I told him no more. He gets under your skin, easily, I’m a sucker when it comes to his soft side.
Repositioning her body, she once again faced me, and my gaze immediately dropped taking her in fully once more. Thankfully, she was still irritated and missed the part where my eyes landed on her chest and remained there for a little too long.
Damn she looked good soaked and covered in mud.
“He zoned in on me and lunged, he needs to be on a leash.” She pointed out to her side, but held my stare. “He’s insane, I tell you.” Gus barked, and jumped up wagging his tail. Nudging her hand with his head I could see her anger falter just a little.
“Yeah, he looks like he’s ready to attack.” Gus moved into her side, rubbing up on her leg and I’ll admit I was a little jealous of my dog at that point. “What’s his crime, chaffing your leg from rubbing against you too much?”
And the anger returned.
“This is all a ruse. He is not this way when you aren’t around. Ten minutes ago, he was chasing me around my house and barking at me.” I looked at Gus then back to Sadie, still unsure of exactly what took place and how she got so muddy. Wet most likely because she was standing out in the rain, but I didn’t picture her rolling around on the ground.
“Do you always go outside walking in the cool air in your pajamas?” Looking down her entire body I paused on her house slippers. Big purple fuzzy, house slippers.
“I locked myself out!” Stomping her feet like a child I dared to hassle her even more. Something about seeing her fired up, I admit was a turn on. I knew I was only poking the bear, but the humor in the entire situation I couldn’t get passed.
“And I suppose that you being locked out is also Gus’s fault?”
With narrowed eyes, glaring holes through me she held out her hand in front of her. “Never mind, can I just get the spare key?”
“Really I want to know,” I couldn’t wait to hear this story.
“Key.” The way she said that one word was like a sharp knife cutting through the amusement.
Without looking away from her I reached around to the hanging key ring and feel for the single key at the end of the holder. Holding it in my hand I dipped my head motioning for her to get going so I could follow.
“Just the key,” Sadie was a spitfire, who knew. “The two of you can stay right where you are.”
“Are you sure you don’t need any help?”
Without another word she moved her hand closer to my chest and I lifted my hand, placing the key in her palm. When she tried to pull away, I wrapped my hand around hers. “But I’m enjoying our time together, are you sure you have to go?”
And we were done.
Jerking her hand away she spun on her heels and practically marched off to the cottage. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
“Ridiculous,” she growled, “both of you!”
I dropped my gaze to Gus and he too was looking in the direction she stormed off to. Once again his head cocked to the side.
“I know buddy,” I roughed his fur behind his ears. “She’s got my full attention too.”
Just when I thought we were getting past all the pent up anger my dog had to go and piss her off once again. With Sadie and I it felt like it would always be one step forward three steps back.
But did I mention how good she looked wet?
Chapter Fourteen
Sadie
* * *
“You do realize how ridiculous this sounds, don’t you?” I refused to look back at Anna, instead I continued to stir the pot of chili I was making. My mother wasn’t able to cook so Granny Char and I had been taking turns filling the fridge with prepped meals. My father loved chili, he could eat on it for days.
“I’ve met Gus and he is nothing more
than a bear.”
“Exactly,” I mumbled. A big snarling grizzly bear.
“Sadie?” Ignoring the way Anna said my name I focused on the pot. After telling her out loud what had happened I admit it did sound a little insane. “Do you think that this pent up frustration might actually be related to something other than a little run in with a gentle giant?”
She thought she was so smart, analyzing me.
“He was pawing at my door. The second I opened it he came trotting in like he owned the place. I swear to it, he purposely herded me right out the door.” She laughed. “Anna!” Ignoring me, she shook her head and laughed harder. “It has everything to do with the dog and nothing to do with—”
“His hot, shirtless owner?”
“You are a brat.” Rolling my eyes, I looked away from her and toward Drew who was playing with his trucks in the middle of my floor. Smashing them into one another making crashing sounds over and over. I smiled, I’d already missed more than I want to of his life. He was such a sweet little guy, but I was biased.
There was no point in continuing to argue with Anna, sometimes I think she knew me better than anyone, even myself. I regretted the minute I’d said Wyatt opened the door wearing nothing but a pair of sweats and I couldn’t remember what I’d gone over to his house for the very second I saw his strong chest and abs. Yep, that was all Anna needed to know to figure out the truth of what I was feeling right then.
“You need to admit that you still feel something for him.” No, I didn’t, and I wouldn’t admit it. “Do you know that when you say his name you get this look in your eyes. Almost a little twinkle and you fidget, twisting your hands in front of you. And when you see him—”
“Okay, enough. You can stop now!”
“Not until you admit that you find him attractive.”