Betty stepped forward and put a hand on my shoulder. “Dr. Shannon McIntyre, she’s a pediatrician.”
Ah, Eddy’s first choice. “Nice to meet you Dr. McIntyre.” She had long blond hair and big blue eyes and pouty pink lips, all done to perfection. Absolute perfection. “I hope you’ve already gotten your calendar?”
“I did,” she said, the words coming out on a seductive purr. “Want to sign it for me?”
Betty patted my shoulder with a smile as she handed me a gold marker and I flashed a grateful smile. “It would be my pleasure, Dr. McIntyre.” I accepted the marker in one hand and the calendar with the other, smiling as I scribbled a grateful message, complete with a winky face. “There you are.”
Shannon smiled at me and stepped in close, too close, brushing her fingertips against my hand as she pulled the calendar free. “Thank you, Chief. What do you say we get outta here?” She leaned in even closer and pressed her chest against mine, completely oblivious to the fact that I was beyond not interested.
“Thanks for the offer but I’ll have to pass.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I spotted her. Janey. “Janey!”
She looked up at the sound of her name and smiled. It was a great smile, the kind of smile that made a man dream of things he shouldn’t. Things like seeing that same smile every day at the end of shit shift. Every morning when he woke up. All the times in between.
I drank in the sight of her in a short silky romper thing that could have been a dress or it could have been shorts, either way it was beautiful. She looked sexy and playful. Her eyes were lined dramatically and that only offset her sun kissed skin and pale pink lips. Janey.
Then her green gaze landed on Shannon. On how close Shannon was to me. It looked bad, I knew it and I knew the whole story. Her green gaze, widened but she quickly shielded her emotions from me and turned away, giving me no time to appreciate the way the fabric dipped into a low, sexy vee lower than the small of her back. “Janey, wait!” I extricated myself from Shannon as best as I could and went after her.
“Where are you going?” Shannon put a hand on my forearm, a dark frown on her face. “I came all this way to meet you.”
My southern bred manners warred with my need to set Janey straight and I let out a long, annoyed sigh. “Well I wasn’t expecting to meet you so it was nice to meet ya, but I need to go.” I flashed a defiant look at the meddling matchmakers and took off after my woman.
She could run, but Tulip was small which meant she couldn’t hide.
Not forever, anyway.JaneyLooking around the Black Thumb I couldn’t deny I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. One year ago when I approached the mayor, who is also my uncle, and the rest of the town council about a way to help pay for Tulip’s Tribute without letting Sabrina Worthington get her hands all over it, I had no idea how much it would take over my life. But now, twelve months later I couldn’t be prouder of what we all achieved.
Of course we wouldn’t know until later if we’d come close to reaching our goal, or if Uncle Leland would have to go to Sabrina Worthington, hat in hand, and ask for the balance. That would be awful. Unthinkable. That’s why I’d gone all out for the calendar release party. With the help of Buddy and The Black Thumb, Nina in hosting the Hometown Heroes trivia night and Ginger for blasting social media with images of the heroes, the night was shaping up to be a flat out success.
“Damn girl, you’re looking H-O-T tonight,” Ginger said with a wink and hip bump. “That romper is somehow cute and sexy at the same time. Rafe isn’t gonna know what hit him when he sees you.”
I rolled my eyes even as pleasure stole over me and wrapped me in warmth. I’d stopped at Mikki’s shop for a last minute outfit and this little clearance rack number had called to me like a siren, I only hoped tonight wouldn’t end in my death by drowning. Or heartache.
I spotted the matchmakers with several different women throughout the evening. Some had showed up to take photos and flirt with hot guys. Some had come for the story. Most had showed up however in hopes that not all the heroes had found their love match, and they would be right.
Not all of them had.
“Thanks, I guess.”
“Oh come on, honey! This isn’t the time to play coy, not when there are vipers all around looking to sink their fangs into your man.”