Breaking Even(63)

I give him an incredulous look. “And you think I know?”

He shrugs and turns to walk out. I’ve lived in Sterling Shore my whole life, but there’s one place I’ve never visited—the museum. They don’t need me here. I’m no good to them while I’m distracted.

I need to go speak to Brin. Maybe today things will be different and I won’t feel like I have to have her close to me.

Then again, I am going to the fucking museum to see her, so maybe my shit has just gotten worse.

***

BRIN

“Make sure that is packaged properly. If it arrives at the owner’s home with even one scratch, I can promise you that you won’t be buying your kids a Christmas present this year,” I say mildly to the men who start taking much better care of the artifacts they are packing up.

Ash is still standing beside me, pouting as she awaits my answer.

“No. I don’t want you setting me up. Ever. Again.”

I turn and start walking toward the next few crates, taking inventory and making sure everything is here.

“I said I’m sorry. I still feel like the biggest bitch in the world. I had no idea the guy was such a creep. I promise this one is different. His name is George and he has—”

“Whose name is George?” a familiar, deep, spine-tingling voice asks, and Ash turns as I do to see Rye gliding toward us, walking in a way that even has straight men turning their heads to watch. Does everything he does have to be so sexy?

He’s wearing a tight black shirt that has a skull and crossbones on it, along with Clanton Auto across the top. And I grin uncontrollably, uncaring about what an idiot I must look like. He stops when he reaches us, and my smile slowly fades. He’s not touching me or even looking at me. His expectant eyes are on Ash.

“George Carpenter. You know him. He’s friends with Billy, and he’s a really great guy. He wants to meet Brin. He saw her picture yesterday, and he begged me for a date.”

He saw my picture and begged for a date. That sounds... odd. Especially if he knows Ash. Standards are too high around here.

Rye frowns as he looks at me. “You’re planning on dating George?” he asks, his jaw ticking.

Is he jealous? Am I grinning again?

“No. I told Ash I refuse to be set up by her again.”

I try to look at the men who are still packing up the artifacts, but it’s hard to do when my eyes keep drifting back to the same man I was pretty much thoroughly explored by last night.

He looks as though relief has just washed over him, but Ash turns her attention back to me, so I don’t get to fully study the man on my right.

“I said I was sorry about the creep from hell. George isn’t like that. He’s nice, and funny, and he’s actually pretty good looking. I promise he’s not the same asshole the last prick was. Please let me do this. I feel horrible about what happened, and Rain’s party is tonight. It’s perfect.”

Rye bristles beside me and answers before I can. “She’s not going out with George.”

I bite back my grin as Ash turns a glare on him. “It’s not your decision. And she’s not someone you have to protect. Brin can take care of herself.”

“I said she’s not going with George,” he growls, and Ash glares at him that much harder.

“And I said it’s not your decision,” she hisses.

He rolls his eyes as he turns to me, and he pulls me to him, shocking the hell out of me when his lips crush mine. I drop the pen and clipboard in unison so that I can steady myself by holding onto his shoulders. His tongue sweeps in, and my knees buckle, forcing him to hold me up.

“You’re not going to Rain’s party with George,” he murmurs against my lips, nipping at my bottom lip playfully before pulling back.

“Wasn’t planning on it,” I say, admittedly a little breathless after that.

“Good.” He grins, and we both look up to see Ash with tears in her eyes and her mouth turned up in a painful smile.

Pregnancy hormones must be a bitch.

“You two are together now?”

Sheesh. Why does everyone want to push for some sort of promise of a relationship?

“We’re going to the party together,” Rye says, and then he shifts uncomfortably before turning to me. “Unless you don’t want to go with me.”

I fight so damn hard to contain the little girl scream that wants to escape me, but I can’t hold off my grin. “I want to.”

He nods and turns back to Ash. “Go away. And take George’s date proposal with you.”

She laughs while wiping a tear away, and then she sighs happily. She waves and walks off, seeming all too chipper.

“You came to ask me out?” I ask, turning toward him. “A phone call would have sufficed.”