She sighed. A big old, you’re-annoying-me-but-what-can-I-do-for-you kind of sigh and turned back to him, tugging up her scarf so that the lower half of her face was covered.
Another time and place would have seen Maverick walking away. He didn’t normally tolerate rude people. Didn’t see the need to clog up his time with that kind of crap. But there was something about this woman that pissed hi
m off just enough to stay in her face.
Probably because he knew she didn’t like it.
Probably because he wanted to know why.
Mostly because Maverick Simon hated losing and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let this cold, bitchy woman get the best of him.
“Look, uh—“
“The name’s Rick.”
Her eyes widened a bit and for a second he caught a glimpse of something in their depths. He didn’t know what it was, but it sure as hell made her all the more intriguing. Just what the hell was her game?
“My garage is on Landing’s Lane, last place on the right. It’s just around the corner. If you’ve got something you need fixed, bring it by and we’ll fit you in.”
She reached for the boy’s hand but the kid jerked back and slipped his fists into his pockets. A heartbeat passed and then she pointed toward the door. “Come on, Connor.”
The kid slid the rest of the way off the stool and they turned from him without another word. Maverick stared after them, watching them disappear into the swirling snow just outside the diner.
Son-of-a-bitch. He’d been dismissed.
“Don’t mind Charlie. She’s a little rough around the edges,” Jessie said, running a cloth over the counter where the boy had just been.
“You think?” he said, more to himself than to anyone.
“But she’s the sweetest girl.”
“That’s something I find hard to believe.”
“She really is. She’s had a tough time of it, being alone with Connor and all.” Jessie’s eyebrows rose in question. “Are you going to take your sled over? Don’t let her attitude scare you off. Charlie can pretty much fix anything and if she can’t, Davis can.”
Maverick zipped up his North Face jacket and pulled a hat out of his pocket. “I might,” he replied. It’s not like he had anything else on his schedule. “Maybe I’ll catch a glimpse of that there sweet side you just mentioned.”
Not that he was interested.
He turned and headed out into the cold winter, not hearing Jessie’s reply over the wind in his ear.
“I hope so.”
If he had, he might have decided to steer clear of Charlie Samuels because Jessie’s words carried not only a hint of sorrow, but there was some weight there—a bit of expectation and hope.
And really, what did expectation and hope have to do with a man only passing through?
Chapter Two
“So I heard there’s a new guy in town.”
Here we go.
Charlie sighed and glanced over at her girlfriend, Ava. It had taken her less than five minutes to bring up that particular subject, and really, for Ava that was some kind of record.
The brunette’s dark eyes glistened with excitement, her pretty face flush. Charlie got the interest. She really did. Fisherman’s Landing had a population that was inching toward two thousand. Being out in the middle of nowhere with the city of Boston over an hour away, the dating pool was limited.
The town made money from tourism in the summer, with their beaches, and lobster and boating. In the winter, things were leaner and it was the main reason that the population never increased by much.