by Paige Tyler
I can tell she’s trying to word the question as carefully as possible so she doesn’t hurt my feelings. That’s very typical of the kind and compassionate Kali. She’s always so aware of how other people are feeling.
I almost gush out every glorious detail of what Cash said, but instead, I pause and inhale deeply before letting it out in a heavy sigh. I lower my gaze to stare down at my clasped hands where they rest in my lap and bite my lower lip.
“We did,” I whisper grudgingly, forcing myself to sound morose.
If they’re going to taunt me about having a crush on Cash, the least I can do is mess with their heads a little.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Kali and Sutton share a concerned look. A moment later, Kali reaches out to place a consoling hand on my shoulder.
“That one business deal isn’t everything, Liv,” she assures me gently. “It’s not like we’ve never had a contract fall through. That’s part of the game. On to the next! Right, Sutton?”
“Right!” Sutton agrees cheerfully. “Besides, I bet Franco will come crawling back soon enough.”
“Actually, that won’t be necessary,” I say, lifting my head to give them a smile. “I was totally playing you guys! Cash said Franco loved the designs! He can’t wait to launch the collaboration. All that’s left to do is sign the contract.”
My two best friends stare back at me in stunned silence.
Sutton finally presses one hand over her heart and pretends to wipe away a tear with the other. “I have never been so proud of you, Liv. You really got me! I always knew there was a little actress in you.”
Kali squees with joy and drags me into a tight hug that almost sends both of us tumbling off the bed. “When can we sign the paperwork?”
“He actually said to give him a call when we were ready. I wanted to tell you guys the news first,” I say excitedly.
Before I can even blink, Kali digs in my purse for my cell phone and holds it out to me.
“Call now, girl!” she pleads. “Tell him we’re ready to sign ASAP!”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Sutton chants.
I stare at both of my friends and then down at the phone. They seriously want me to call Cash right now? My throat starts going tight again and I can feel heat suffusing my face.
“If you’re not sure you can do it, I’d be happy to handle it,” Kali says gently. She smiles at me and reaches out to take the phone. “I owe you after missing that meeting anyway.”
Biting my lip, I shake my head, my hand tightening around my cell. “No, I can do this. I’ve been in contact with Cash the most, so I should be the one to call him.”
The words make sense as I’m saying them, but I’d be lying if that was the only reason why my shy self is insisting on being the one to call Cash. The truth is, I kind of want to hear his voice again. I’d never admit it out loud, but when he says my name, my whole body goes all tingly in the best way possible.
I take Cash’s business card out of my purse, then slowly dial his number. The phone rings once, then twice, and just when I think I’m about to get his voicemail, there’s a click at the other end of the line.
“Cash,” he answers, his voice gruff.
I suck in a shuddering breath. “Hey, Cash! Um, it’s Liv. I’m here with Kali and Sutton. I just wanted to let you know that we’re ready to sign the contract anytime.”
“That’s great!” I can almost see him smile on the other end of the line. “I didn’t have any patients come in after you and Chanel, so I finished writing up the contract. I could bring it to you now if you want. The vet taking the night shift just got here and I was about to head to my dad’s burger shack. He mentioned you live nearby.”
My heart is beating so hard that I can hardly even hear Cash speaking.
“Sounds great! I’ll text you the address,” I manage to respond before saying goodbye and hanging up.
I gaze at the phone in my hands, realizing only then that my entire body is trembling with excitement. I know I shouldn’t be this thrilled to see the hunky bad-boy again, but I know I’m going to be holding my breath until the doorbell rings anyway.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Voices drift up from the kitchen downstairs, and I can hear Kali and Sutton and their boyfriends laughing about something. For a second, I almost wish that I had a man I could giggle with, too. One who knows me inside and out and can tell what I’m trying to say even when I can’t seem to figure out how to say it.
Will I ever meet a man that I click with like that?
Sighing, I shake my head and turn back toward the clothes in my walk-in closet. Cash is going to be here any second and I’m more nervous about it than I was before the business meeting at Franco’s.
I stare agonizingly at the racks of flowing skirts, flirty minis, and sleeveless dresses, wishing that I could throw on a cuter outfit than the simple shorts and tee I wore while working on our G&G video shoot this morning—and taking Chanel to the vet. But I know the moment I change that Kali and Sutton will pounce on me for getting all glammed up for Cash. I can’t give them any more reason to think that I have a crush on the bad-boy biker, especially because there’s no way I’m his type. If I were a wild-haired, buxom beauty, he’d probably have me on the back of his bike so fast my head would spin. Guys like him didn’t go for girls as shy and timid as me.
Headlights sweep below my window, sending my heart rate through the roof. I rush over to peer out of the glass pane, watching as a motorcycle loudly revs into the driveway.
Cash is here!
This is not a drill!
Swallowing a squeal, I whirl around and dash downstairs in time to see Boone curiously turn toward Grayson.
“Wait a minute. This new guy rides a hog?” Sutton’s boyfriend groans in his southern drawl. “That’s not fair.”
Grayson hangs his head sympathetically. “Buddy, I know. How are we supposed to compete with that?”
I skid across the kitchen, hoping to beat Kali and Sutton to the front door, but they’re already waiting there for Cash. The second he knocks, they swing open the door and greet him with matching, wide grins.
I cross my fingers, hoping they don’t embarrass me.
“You must be Cash!” Kali says excitedly.
“Come on in,” Sutton adds. “Welcome to our beachy abode!”
“Uh, thanks,” he responds with a soft chuckle, like he’s not quite sure what to make of my BFFs.
Cash steps into the entryway, towering over both their heads. He looks around and when he finally catches sight of me, a slow grin curves his mouth, sending butterflies swirling in my stomach.
I lift my hand and give him a shy wave, returning his smile.
Kali and Sutton are nearly as captivated by the green-eyed biker. Grayson is just as bad. He’s joined them and is staring out the door at Cash’s Harley. Grayson is so smitten with the bike that he’s practically drooling.
“How fast does your motorcycle go?” Sutton asks.
“What’s it like having Franco as a father?” Kali wants to know.
Neither of my friends even give him a chance to finish before bombarding him with even more crazy questions. At this rate, Cash is going to be stuck in our foyer all night. I start to feel hopeless that I’ll ever get a chance to talk to him when he politely interrupts them by holding up a small stack of papers.
“Here’s the contract if you want to read it over,” he says.
As Cash hands them to Kali, he glances into the kitchen where Boone is still cooking up a storm. “Hey, man, that smells good.”
“You’re welcome to have some,” Boone says with a grin. “I made enough to feed a horse. Three horses even.”
Cash chuckles and shakes his head. “I would’ve taken you up on that once upon a time, but I’m vegan these days.”
“That’s cool,” Boone says. “I’ve actually got some vegan grub already fried up for Liv. There’s plenty of that, too.”
When Sutton’s boyfriend mentions my name, Cash turns
back toward me curiously.
“I didn't know you were vegan,” he says as he crosses the living room to join me.
Every step closer he gets to me makes my breath catch.
“I made the change a few years ago,” I tell him. “Before that I was vegetarian for a few years.”
Even though I only saw the sexy, green-eyed Cash a few hours ago, I’m suddenly feeling shy all over around him again. I dig my hands into my pockets and shift from foot to foot.
He leans against the wall behind me. He’s so close that I can detect subtle notes of cologne. The alluring fragrance tickles my nose and makes a pleasant warmth settle in tummy.
“How’s Chanel?” he asks. “Is she feeling a little better now?”
“She is, thanks to you. Do you want to see her?” I offer before even thinking about it.
The moment he agrees, my pulse kicks into high gear. Did I just invite him up to my room? I can’t remember if it’s clean or not. But it’s too late to take back the offer now. Hesitantly, I lead him up the steps and down the hall past Kali’s and Sutton’s bedrooms.
Chanel is sleeping when we walk into my room, but the minute she hears us, her eyes open. Once she notices Cash beside me, she gives herself a rousing little shake and hops to her feet, then springs eagerly out of her hutch to greet him.
“What a social, little bunny,” Cash chuckles warmly, dropping to one knee to pet her.
I smile as I watch them together. Chanel doesn’t normally take to people this quickly, but she seems as intrigued by Cash as I am. And since she’s an excellent judge of character, that means Cash must be a pretty good guy.
He sits down on the carpeted floor with Chanel and I eagerly join him, laughing as Chanel bounces in happy circles between and around us. We finally wind up seated side by side and his knee occasionally brushes mine, sending shockwaves up my bare skin each time his pant leg connects with my thigh.
“How long have you been a veterinarian?” I ask after a few minutes of silence, surprising even myself.
I’m usually not the type to initiate a conversation, but when it comes to Cash, I want to know everything there is to know. I guess that’s because there’s simply something so fascinating about him. I want to know how it was growing up with Franco as his dad and when the son of a burger man became a vegan, but I don’t want to push Cash away by interrogating him. For now, asking about his career seems like a safe place to start. Maybe one day I’ll be brave enough to dive into those deeper subjects.
“Five years now,” he says after rubbing his scruff-covered chin and mulling the timeline for a moment. “It’s one of the best jobs in the world. I get to meet so many fascinating animals as well as their interesting owners. Every one of them has got a story, you know?”
“The animals or their owners?” I ask.
His mouth quirks. “Both.”
I nod, not sure what to say as I run my hand over Chanel’s fur where she’s since cuddled up on my lap.
Is that how Cash sees me? As something interesting? He’s always tossing that adjective around, and I don’t know how to take it. Biting my lip, I pick Chanel up and lightly boop her dark nose. She shakes her head and lifts her ears, playfully leaning forward to nuzzle my face.
Cash chuckles as he watches us play, the sound husky and warm.
“I actually have this great opportunity coming up in a few weeks,” he continues, reaching out to caress Chanel’s fur. “I’ll be leaving LA to refine my vet skills. It’s a once-in-a-career kind of thing.”
At Cash’s words, my heart starts to sink like a rock in water.
Cash is leaving?
I’d thought the gorgeous green-eyed man and I would have more time to get to know one another, but now he says he’s skipping town?
This is why you can’t ever fall for a guy, especially one with sexy tats, gorgeous green eyes and a motorcycle, I chastise myself. But the mental scolding does little to make me feel better.
When I don’t answer, Cash leans forward so that he can catch my gaze. “You don’t worry about your contract with my dad. He’s going to step in after I leave. He’s sure he’ll have some spare time by then.”
“That’s great,” I answer, forcing myself to muster up a smile.
Before I can say anything more, an excited lab mix bounds into the room. George woofs happily and charges at Cash, nearly tackling him as he licks at his face. Not to be left out, Coco prances in and sniffs at Cash’s button-down.
Cash chuckles and ruffles George’s ears while Kali’s dog lovingly climbs into his lap. I smile at them even as my heart gives a little pang.
The animals really like him—and so do I. Unfortunately for all of us, Cash isn’t going to stick around.
For the briefest moment, because Cash was coming all the way out here to drop off the contract, I’d let myself think he might possibly be interested in me. But now I realize he was simply acting with compassion at the vet’s office, and that he’d only asked to come up to my room to visit Chanel.
It’s yet another harsh reminder that Cash would definitely never be interested in a girl like me.
Not that it matters, because I’m not interested in dating anyone right now.
From here on out, I’m sticking to my guns.
No guys.
No dates.
No romance at all.
CHAPTER EIGHT
A gust of salty ocean air whips my auburn hair over my shoulders while I stare intently at the rack of clothes set up on the beach side pier. I run my fingers over the meticulously stitched tees, distressed jeans, and skirts that flutter in the warm breeze, contemplating each of them. Only when I’m completely satisfied do I step back, hands on hips, so I can proudly admire my handiwork.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working closely with one of the trendy little boutiques in LA to produce some more samples of Franco’s fashion line. It’s always a little tough for me to willingly pass the reins to someone else, but the boutique has done a stellar job crafting the clothes. Besides, it’s not as if I could launch an entire fashion line using my own sewing machine. The great work the boutique has done bodes well for the full launch of the limited line later on in the month. Every article of clothing that I’ve inspected has been sewn masterfully. The last thing I want is for anyone to buy the clothes and be disappointed with the quality, but everything looks fabulous.
This fashion line for Franco’s Burgers has been so different from any other pieces that I’ve designed, and I’ve loved every minute I spent pouring my heart into the stylishly laid-back clothing. I know Franco is going to go wild over every piece. Both his fans and our Glammers will go crazy, too.
I take my phone out and look at the time. Any minute now, the models Franco hired would be arriving to don the clothes and strike a pose for the beach side photo shoot. Between their skill, my camera work, and the gorgeous clothes, we should get some great photos to drum up a buzz about the upcoming launch. Franco has been posting quite a bit on his Facebook page lately, teasing the fashion line, and people are already going crazy trying to get their hands on it. After seeing how popular Franco’s posts were, Sutton set up an online waitlist for everyone who wants to be the first to know when the clothes are officially on sale. It’s already absolutely packed with names and we haven't even shown off all the clothes yet.
So, to say that life has been hectic as we all prepare for the launch is putting it mildly, but I don’t mind. The faster the days pass, the less likely I am to start daydreaming about the tatted, green-eyed biker of my dreams.
I slip my phone in the back pocket of my shorts with a sigh.
Ever since that night he brought the contract to the house and stayed for dinner, it seems like the harder I try to push thoughts of Cash to the back of my mind, the more I get distracted by him. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve looked myself in the eye in my bathroom mirror and told myself to stop drooling over a guy who has no interest in me.
What happened to not
wanting to date?
Attempting to concentrate on anything other than Cash is enough to give me a headache. It’s like a light switch flicked on in my head the moment he sat down across from me in that booth at Franco’s Burgers, and now all I can think about is him. Then again, he probably has that effect on women everywhere, so maybe I should cut myself some slack.
He’s texted me a few times about the business deal with Franco, but I’d purposefully kept my responses short and to the point. If I engaged him any more than that, he’d start showing up in my dreams even more than he already is. I can hardly close my eyes without seeing him. I can’t even talk to my besties about it either, because I’m trying so hard to convince Sutton and Kali that I am absolutely not crushing on the sinfully handsome bad-boy in any way whatsoever.
Maybe eventually, I’ll even be able to convince myself.
Shaking my head to try and clear my thoughts, I do my best to focus on arranging the clothes so they’ll be easy to pass out to the models. Luckily, the day is absolutely perfect for a photo shoot. The golden sun is high overhead, there isn’t a cloud in the sky, and the ocean’s waves are perfectly cresting. I’ll get the models to lounge around on the beach, romp in the sand, and dance across the pier to show off the clothes. I want this shoot to radiate fun but chill energy so people of all different lifestyles can relate. I want this launch to go well, not only for our Glossed & Glammed reputation, but because Franco has never done anything like this before. I want to prove to him that giving G&G a chance to collaborate is the best choice he’s ever made for his burger shack.
I’m so busy organizing the clothes, double checking my camera equipment, and setting up the scene, that nearly a whole hour ticks by before I know it.
I twirl my hair around my finger, anxiety simmering in my core as I look around for the models. They should have been here ages ago. If we don’t get this show on the road soon, we’re going to miss the fabulous lighting that’s gleaming across the coast. We’re already working against the clock as it is. We’re careening toward our deadline and we’ve got to get these pics up on social media ASAP.
