And if I had one thing to thank Julie for, it was teaching me to protect myself early. To everyone, I was the lighthearted, fun guy. The guy to sleep with and move on.
Some got attached and I had to turn them down, but I made it clear who I was from the get-go.
There would be no relationship. It was just fun.
That’s what kept me from getting my ass hurt, after all.
Some tried to fight it. Some heard no and thought it meant yes if they pushed hard enough. I knew I was just a game. A challenge.
Wren had seen a perfect example of it when the director of the show she used to work on tried to get me to date her. I’d said no, and drama had ensued. Wren didn’t want that here, and I didn’t blame her.
I fuckinghatedbeing a part of the small-town rumor mill.
But dammit, I wanted Grace. I saw her, and every logical thought I had flew out the window.
“I’ve got it,” I said with a laugh. “Contrary to popular belief, I can listen.”
“I’m waiting for confirmation on that one. Now getyour truck off the curb before it gets stolen. A beauty like that is catching eyes.”
“Is there even crime around here?”
“Most of it is committed by Hugh. But don’t test the waters.”
“I get it. No testing waters.” I put my hands up in mock defense. “I can be good.”
“Your truck, Dean.”
I turned, hoping that Grace would still be there, but she must have gone on with her day. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything anyway. I was being good.
After getting the truck into a parking spot, I was ready to get started for the day.
But I kept seeing Grace’s dark curls in my mind. They hung down her back, and I had a feeling they would look even better splayed across my hotel pillow.
When I got out of the truck, someone was waiting for me.
“Hugh?” I asked. “How the hell did you sneak up on me?”
“Your damn head was in the clouds. I was gonna ask you where you got the truck, but I don’t think you’re capable of thinking straight.”
I could’ve gotten offended, but I didn’t. He was right.
“Well, there’s no good coffee shop out here, so I’m running on empty.”
“We have all the main brands.”
Yeah, big brands that tasted like battery acid.
I knew better than to argue with Hugh. Though he looked frail, guys like him packed a punch. It took staying calm when they were cranky and listening to them when they talked.
Surprisingly, that was quite hard for some people.
“To answer your question, my mom passed the truck down to me. She got it a long time ago and kept it in good shape.”
His eyes narrowed. “I bet it needs a lot of work.”
“It does, but I do it myself. It’s what I’m up to on the weekends.” Even though people looked down on it, I loved working with my hands.
“Well, at least it’s not something you blew a lot of money on. It’s better than some of the yahoos that come through here.”