Tequila, Tequila

“Wednesday, during school hours.”

“Right, okay. Two seconds please.”

The damn window wouldn’t shut. Stupid old fixtures.

I yanked on it as hard as I could while also flipping the diary pages and trying desperately not to drop the phone. I finally got to Wednesday on the calendar, quietly thanking the powers that be that I knew this property because I was the one who’d put it on the website two days ago.

The powers that be obviously thought I was a fucking smug idiot because right then, the phone slipped.

Reflexively, I caught it, trying not to exhale with relief.

Unfortunately, I was no longer alone.

Cameron was here, complete with coffee and a white paper bag that smelled like heaven, and he was silently laughing his ass off at me.

I gritted my teeth and motioned to the window. “Mr. Reid has an opening at eleven o’clock. Does that work for you?”

“Absolutely,” said the voice on the end of the phone.

“I’ll just need your name and details, and your email address if you’d like me to send you directions to the property.”

Cameron set down the bag and coffees and slipped behind my desk. His fingers brushed my upper back as he scooted past me to handle the stupid window.

I busied myself by gathering their details and read their email address back to them before hanging up and dropping my head to the desk.

“What’s this? Hurricane Mallory blowing through the office?”

“Ha ha ha,” I muttered, sitting back up and spinning to look at the closed window. “How did you—what?”

“Shut the window? Yeah, that one’s awkward. I’m shocked Casey didn’t tell you. Open the one on the left instead. The hinges on the other one get stuck all the time, and I’ve just never gotten around to getting someone in to fix it.” He dropped his eyes to my hands. “Nice gloves.”

“I told you I’d wear them.” I got up and knelt to the floor to gather up the papers the wind had thrown everywhere.

Cameron stepped over me to get the ones out of my reach and put them on top of the pile. “And I got breakfast.” He pointed to the bag. “Here’s your coffee.”

“Thank you.” I took it from him and sipped as he emptied out the food.

“How did you get those gloves in here? Did you wear them all the way here?”

“Yes. I decided that was the final nail in the coffin of my sanity, and if I was lucky enough, I might just get picked up,” I said in a dry tone. “No. I put them in my purse and put them on when I got up here.”

“Damn. You strolling through Main Street wearing heels and rubber gloves was a sight I was hoping to see.”

My stomach fluttered at that even though I knew he was teasing me. “Yeah, well keep dreaming.”

He handed me a bagel and winked. “I will. Any messages?”

“Nope, but there was already a bite on the house on Canyon Close. They’re looking at it on Wednesday.”

“That’s the new one right?”

“Yeah. We listed it two days ago.” I turned on my computer as he set down a cinnamon roll. “It’s the one with the old brick façade and the double garage—”

“But only one drive.” He snorted. “I remember now. Can you check if there are any permissions needed to extend the driveway? I know everyone is going to ask.”

I nodded. “Where do I check that? The Mayor’s office?”

“I have the number somewhere. I’ll dig it out for you.” He pulled one of the waiting chairs over to my desk and sat down.

I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow as he pulled out a smoked salmon bagel and bit into it. “So now we share breakfast?”

He laughed, almost choking on his food. He banged his fist against his chest a couple of times, and a couple of crumbs spilled from his lower lip and over the dark stubble of his jaw to his lap.

He washed a cough away with a mouthful of coffee. “Yes. But, if you notice, I’m far enough away from the coffee in case Hurricane Mallory picks up again.”

I pursed my lips and shot him my best glare. “Hurricane Mallory? Really? Is that what we’re going with?”

“Do you have a preferred way to describe your…quirky…nature?”

“I don’t like it described any way, but if you ask Jade, I’m either a hot mess, a walking disaster, or a catastrophe queen.”

“Catastrophe queen.” His lips twitched. “Now there’s a way to describe you. Do you have a crown?”

“I think I need to look for a new job.”

Cameron laughed, dropping his head back.

Damn. His neck was sexy. Just enough muscle and there was a vein that went up the side that looked really kiss—

Wait. No.

Bad Mallory.

“I’m just teasing you. I think I’ll stick to Hurricane Mallory. It’s accurate enough.”

Sadly, it was. Where I went, disaster tended to follow.