“Good. I’ve got to finish up these oil changes or I’ll have customers screaming at me. Once I’m semi caught up, I’ll grab Connor and take everything out to Rick’s.”
“Holy. Rick’s brother is a hot Charlie Hunnam look alike.”
Charlie screwed up her face. “Who the hell is Charlie Hunnam?”
Ava laughed and grabbed her purse. “Never mind. I know the only TV you watch is that stupid car restoration show. So why in hell would you know who Charlie Hunnam is?”
Her friend scooped up the phone. “Get me the list while I put off Danielle.”
“What are you going to tell her?”
“I’m going to tell her that she’s out of her ever-lovin’ mind if she thinks anyone from the Simon family would move out to Fisherman’s Landing. Really. Who in their right mind would come out here if they didn’t have to? Especially in the dead of winter.”
“True.” Ava could be convincing when she needed to be.
“But Charlie?”
“Yes?”
“You better tell me right now if Beau Simon is coming, because I just might have to take a moment to deal with that.”
Jesus. She hoped not. Charlie might have been living under a rock the last few years, but even she had seen a couple of his movies. There was a reason he was one of the biggest names in Hollywood. “No, I don’t think so.”
Charlie needed to work. She needed to concentrate on something other than the fact that Rick was one of those Simons. And she sure as hell didn’t want to think about the fact that she was going to be meeting his family. You know, those Simons.
“ Whew,” Ava said with a wink. “Thank goodness he’s not coming because I don’t think this town could handle that.”
“What?” Distracted, Charlie frowned and earned a WTF look in return.
“Beau Simon?”
“Oh.” Charlie sighed. “Well, I guess you don’t have to worry about making an ass out of yourself.”
“Nope, I’m all good.”
“Awesome,” Charlie retorted as she headed back out to the garage.
I’m glad someone is.
She had a feeling that life had just thrown her another curveball, and dammit, she wasn’t good with curveballs. Charlie sighed, glancing around the empty shop. Where was Davis when she needed him? He would understand what was going on inside her.
She’d known all along that whatever-the-hell-it-was-she-was-doing with Rick wasn’t going to last. He was just passing through, and she was a townie for life. And now? Knowing who he was and the kind of life he was used to living only made the gap between their worlds that much bigger.
She’d known that.
Stupid girl.
Chapter Twenty-one
It was dark and the snow was just starting to fall when the Simons arrived in Maine from Florida. A large SUV was waiting for them and Maverick slid into the driver’s seat while Cooper and his Uncle Noah helped Teague into the back. Or rather attempted to. His cousin was stubborn as hell shrugged them off.
“Goodness, it’s almost as cold here as it is up north,” his aunt Eden said, rubbing her hands together as she took the passenger side. “Maybe colder.”
“We’re right on the Atlantic here, so yes, it can get nasty,” Cooper replied. “Let’s just hope the press thinks we’re up in Gravenhurst and don’t come sniffing around here.”
Maverick nodded, thinking that most of the paparazzi would assume they’d headed to the Simons’ Canadian retreat. He fired up the engine and waited for his uncle to get into the vehicle.
“Why did you buy this place?” Teague’s voice was rough, and he looked worse than he sounded. Maverick eyed him through the rearview mirror, jaw clenched tightly.