I blinked back into myself only to be faced with Dean. My stomach did a flip and my body heated. Even now, when everything was so messed up, I still had a reaction to him.
But it was drowned out by sheer terror. It looked like I was facing one of my fears early.
Shit.
8
DEAN
Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch
Kerry Winsor: @Wren Hackett, do you work with any other men that might come into town? Asking for a friend ...
Comments:
Jackie Anne:Following . . .
Wren Hackett:Sorry. Dean was the only one who I care to keep in contact with. I highly doubt he’ll be back. You’ll have to go back to getting your entertainment somewhere else.
Tammy Jane:Y’all need to read. I didn’t need the eye candy when I was deep in a book about Bigfoot.
Mollie Wilson:Like a history book about him?
Tammy Jane:No.
Mollie Wilson:Wait, what kind of book?
Mollie Wilson:TAMMY PLEASEANSWER
Grace wasas beautiful now as she had been all those months ago.
Just one look and I knew why she was stuck in my mind. She was ethereal, even in a T-shirt and leggings.
It wasn’t my plan to see her. It seemed fate had different plans.
“Y-you’re here.” Her voice sounded distant, cheeks pink as she tucked a curl behind her ear. “Why are you here? I thought you lived in Nashville.”
“What? Are you not happy to see me?” I was determined to seem normal in front of her. It didn’t matter that it felt like I’d been hit by a train just at the sight of her.
“I—well, it’s just unexpected.” She took a breath. “But maybe it’s not a bad thing.”
She seemed different this time. I couldn’t place it, but something was off.
“I’m here for a job. I travel sometimes.”
“Wow. Lucky me.”
“What are you doing here?” I parroted. “Do you often leave Strawberry Springs?”
“Oh, that.” Her voice was low. “I’m here for a d?—”
“A date?” The idea of her being with anyone else didn’t sound like something I wanted to know, but it would be good for me to hear.
“Not really.” She bit her lip and looked at me. “But I’m really glad you’re here. I need to talk to you about something.”
Now her voice was tight. Her insistence made me pause.
“What do we have to talk about?”