“Okay, but don’t open it all the way—” Dylan called after her as she rounded the corner at lightning speed, found the knob, and gave it a hard twist.
The sound of the cap blowing off the pipe was unmistakable as it ricocheted around the construction area with a thunk, thunk, thunk, and was followed by the sound of rushing water.
Hailey closed the valve and hung her head. Then she hurried toward the front of the shop to clean up the mess she’d just made.
She rounded the corner with her head still down. “Oof.” Her chest pressed flat against Dylan’s wrung every drop of air from her lungs. She placed both open palms against his shoulders to steady herself.
Instinctively, he dropped the towel, and his hands closed around her upper arms. “I’ve got you.”
No, he didn’t. She’d been managing on her own for years, and wasn’t about to start depending on a guy who’d left her all alone to deal with the consequences of their brief…thing. She tried to take a step back, but her double-crossing hands didn’t leave his shoulders. Instead, they slid down and molded to his chest.
“Sorry, I…” she stuttered.
“I’m not.” His hands closed over hers, and his thumbs caressed back and forth over the top of her fingers.
An electric current shot up her arms, down her spine, and tingled all the way to her curling toes.
“I should be sorry.” Dylan’s soft breaths brushed over her cheeks. “Joe’s has a lot at stake, and your plumbing has been allowed to deteriorate due to lack of use.”
He had no idea.
His gaze smoothed over her burning cheeks. “That’s a problem I’d like to remedy for you.” A dimple appeared as one corner of his mouth lifted into a hint of a smile. “I’d benefit from it, too.” The dimple deepened.
Time slowed.
A bone-deep ache of desire stirred in her chest. Before she could stop herself, she went up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.
His eyes flew wide, but then his arms circled her waist, and he took charge of the kiss. Swiped the tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips, and she parted for him. His warm tongue found hers and stroked until a soft sexy sound escaped from the back of her throat.
He chuckled.
Which knocked her back to reality.
She pulled away. “This is not happening.” She straightened her apron and smoothed her hair.
Dylan raked a hand over his face. “You’re right. I’ve got musicians from all over the country showing up here in a few weeks, and I’ve got to get my act together.” He folded his arms over his chest. “Starting with getting the water running so I can open for business. It’s too big of an opportunity to screw it up over a few faulty pipes. My future is at stake.”
Of course it was. Some things never changed.
So, his musical career had followed him to Red River. And the opportunities created from his musical career were still his biggest priority.
Hailey kept her expression neutral. “Then let’s figure out a solution until Brianna can find a professional who knows what they’re doing.” She glanced at her Apple watch, then took off her apron. “I’ve got a little over an hour before my next client. Let’s go.”
She didn’t wait for his answer. Didn’t try to pacify his questioning expression. Instead, she marched to the front of the shop. When she pushed through the door, she held it open for him before heading down Main Street.
Hailey was resourceful. She’d had to be, raising a child as a single mother and building a career at the same time. Dylan might not be able to fix her plumbing, but she sure as heck would figure out how to fix his water problem.
Then he could stay on one side of the brick wall that separated his establishment from hers, and she’d make damn sure to stay on the opposite side. If she saw him walking down the street, she’d cross to the other side. Anywhere Dylan McCoy was, she’d make sure to be someplace else. Anywhere else.
Because the way her skin still tingled from his touch, and her senses still buzzed from his kiss, being in the same space with him was out of the question. She’d been burned once. She wouldn’t dare play with fire again.
* * *
Instead of worrying about the bar like he should’ve, Dylan found himself wanting to take his time so he could find out more about Hailey and her life the past six years. Get answers to some of the questions that had been raised while he’d worked on her plumbing and she’d conversed with her clients.
A beautiful, sexy girl unexpectedly laying one on him after not seeing her for so long kinda made a guy curious to know more about her.
He whistled his new tune as he followed Hailey up Main Street.
She was enterprising, he’d give her that.
Not to mention clever, capable, and creative. Creative didn’t actually begin to describe the solution she was devising to temporarily fix his water problem so he could open Joe’s for business. When she’d explained her plan, he’d gone quiet. Amazed at her ingenuity.
All the way to the Red River fire station she’d sashayed down the street three steps ahead of him, confidence emanating in her quick, sure steps. When the fire chief sent her to Papa Bear’s Lodge, where she might be able to find what she was looking for, she’d started marching up Main Street like she owned the entire town.
Ms. Francine, sitting outside the station with a beach umbrella, a cooler filled with God only knew what, a sign that said Take It Off, and a frown because the firefighters still hadn’t pulled out the engine to wash it, hadn’t deterred Hailey from her mission.
He stuffed his hands in his pockets and shortened his strides. “Hey, you. Mind slowing your roll?”
The clicking of Hailey’s flat black dress shoes against the pavement stopped cold, and she turned. “We both need to get back to work.”
True, but the nice weather and window boxes filled with colorful flowers gave the beautiful historic buildings that lined Main Street a fresh look. He wanted to enjoy the outdoors for a change instead of staying cooped up behind the long bar at Joe’s.
She turned on a heel and walked faster.
“It’s a beautiful day. Might as well enjoy it.” He kept ambling along behind her.
Once upon a time, he’d hotfooted it out of Red River so fast he’d left tread marks on the road all the way to Los Angeles, and a beautiful girl sitting alone in a booth at Joe’s.
But his goals had changed. His priorities had changed. He’d changed. Red River was his home now, and Joe’s was his number one priority. Making amends with the new shop owner next door was imperative to the success of his business.
And while he did need to get the water turned on so he could open for the evening dinner crowd, enjoying an hour of great weather and fence mending with a woman he found fascinating…among other things…couldn’t hurt.
Better yet, a tiny bit of recreation time—something he didn’t allow himself much of—might get his creative juices flowing just in time for the songwriter’s festival.
Sure, his voice was good. His skills behind a keyboard or guitar, not to mention a myriad of other instruments, were even better. But putting emotional lyrics to beautiful melodies—that was his superpower. A superpower that might just put Joe’s on the map and secure his future at the helm if he could pull off the festival without a hitch and make it an annual event that attracted musicians from around the country.
So why not take an extra hour or so to smell the roses?
And if all of that didn’t already have his pulse revved and his excitement stirred, now there was an interesting woman with a really nice backside leading him through town. If it weren’t for his business having to shut down because there was no running water, it might even seem like the stars were aligning.
“You’ve lost a half day worth of business.” The click, click, click of her shoes got louder with each determined step. “I’d think you’d want to hurry even more instead of telling me to slow down.”
The locals were emerging from their winter cocoons to
stroll through town, just like he was doing, and he nodded to a few as they passed him going the opposite direction. “It takes a while to readjust to small town life. You’ve still got that frenzied gotta-keep-hustling way about you.” He squinted up at the clear sky. “I get it.”
He was one to talk. He worked longer hours at Joe’s than he ever had in L.A. or on tour with the band, but it was a different kind of hustle. The L.A. music scene had been artificial. Plastic. All about keeping up appearances and building a superficial image. In Red River, he worked hard, but it was more about putting in an honest day’s work so he could be proud of himself, not because he was trying to impress record execs, celebrities, or fans by pretending to be something he wasn’t.
“I’ve got a full schedule of clients this afternoon.” She tapped the face of her watch. “So, tick-tock.”
“You seem to love your job, even if the clients complain a lot.” Every woman Hailey had worked on had made a negative comment of some sort. Too short. Too long. Too curly. Too straight.
They’d all looked fine to him, but if the restaurant and bar business had taught him anything, it was that some people could never be satisfied. He figured the hairstyling business was no different. Probably even harder.
“I had a little case of first-day nerves. Complaints on my work are rare.” She stopped and turned around, her arms crossed just under her breasts.
He seriously had to stop himself from gawking. Or licking his lips.
Because he remembered the way her full breasts had pressed against his chest when they’d made out hot and heavy. The way they filled the palms of his hands when he’d undressed her. The way they bobbed and swayed when they’d made love.
She finally stayed put long enough for him to catch up to her, and they walked side by side. Luckily, she had no way of knowing his chest was growing tight, and so were his pants.
He drew another deep breath of crisp, clean, mountain air into his lungs, and tried to think of something less…interesting.
Ms. Francine waiting on the local firefighters to wash the engine outdoors, as though it were a private peep show, was much less interesting.
And yep. That did the trick. Crises averted. His pants felt normal again.
“The way people confided in you, talked about every detail of their lives, was fascinating. Almost like counseling sessions, and the haircuts and color jobs are a bonus.” He’d found himself hooked on the conversations with every one of her clients that morning while he accomplished absolutely squat with the plumbing. Especially after hearing her ringtone. He’d really like to know why, after six years, that was the song she’d picked.
“Can’t be that different in your profession,” she said.
He nodded. “Best part of my job. I call it life coaching.” He let one side of his mouth curve up as he angled a side look at her.
When she glanced at him, she did a double take, her gaze anchoring to his mouth.
He could swear the pulse beating at the base of her neck sped up.
He seemed to recall that a long time ago, she’d really, really liked his dimples. A lot. Maybe she still did. Hence the ringtone from his days as a professional musician.
So, he decided to wield those dimples like a weapon and ask her some of the personal questions that were burning at the back of his mind.
“Why didn’t Brianna tell anyone you were joining the business before today?” Every client had been surprised when they walked in to find Hailey there.
Not dishonest, but surprising to the clients. And definitely a strange way to run a business.
“You were eavesdropping,” she huffed.
“Maybe a little.” More like hanging on every word, every morsel of information she’d given out about herself. Which wasn’t much. “Kinda hard not to when I was working in your shop.” He shrugged and flashed another smile at her.
Score another point for his dimples, because the sexy brunette—who had once captured his heart, his mind, and his body before he’d gone and thrown it all away for a pipe dream—missed a step and stumbled.
His fingers closed around her upper arm, and he could swear she shivered.
“You okay?” he asked, dropping his hand to the small of her back.
“I’m…” Her voice came out croaky, and she cleared her throat. “I’m fine. The sidewalk wasn’t level, that’s all.”
He glanced behind them and bit the inside of his mouth to keep from doing a victory dance.
The sidewalk, where she’d tripped, was even and smooth as glass.
Chapter Four
“I’ll handle this,” Hailey said to Dylan as she approached Papa Bear’s Lodge. She was an independent woman. Had been for a long time. Hear me roar, and all that. She didn’t need Dylan stepping in to handle a situation that started inside her building. If anything, she was trying to help him.
She didn’t need to bother her cousin with it either. Brianna had brought Hailey in as a partner specifically to handle some of the workload so she could finally start taking some time off instead of working seven days a week. So handling the problem on her own was exactly what Hailey planned to do.
“You might want to let me do the talking,” Dylan offered. “Your request is somewhat…uh, unconventional.”
“It’s innovative,” she corrected.
He chuckled. “Definitely innovative. You’re obviously an out of the box thinker, but you haven’t been back in town long enough for the locals to get to know you.”
“Pfssst.” She waved a dismissive hand in the air. Was he kidding? She’d been born and raised in Red River. She was the very definition of a local hometown girl.
Hailey opened the door, strolling through first. “Hello.” She gave the clerk sitting behind the front desk a friendly smile. “I’m looking for the owner.”
The tall, lanky man behind the counter sized her up with a bland look. He gazed over her shoulder, notching his chin up at Dylan with a half-cocked smile. Then let the smile fall away as his stare landed on Hailey again. “Not in,” he said, totally expressionless.
She waited for him to elaborate.
He didn’t.
So much for small town charm.
“I really need to speak to the owner,” she said. “When will he be back?”
“Don’t know.” Captain Bland’s dull look didn’t waver.
Her frustration rose, and a hand went to her hip. “This is important, so—”
“Hey, Landon.” Dylan stepped up to stand beside her.
“Heard you got back from your trip.” The clerk finally held out his hand, and he and Dylan did some kind of intricate dude handshake. “What can I do for you?”
Hailey turned wide eyes on Dylan, coupled with a small scoff as if to say really?
He shrugged in a told you so gesture.
“Welp,” Dylan said. “We have something of an emergency down at Joe’s, and we really need to borrow the old antique fire engine that’s sitting out back. Do you know where your boss might be so I can ask him?”
“He’s next door at the mechanic’s shop,” said Landon.
Silently, Hailey vowed to always call him Captain Bland. Served him right for being so rude.
Captain Bland picked up the landline and punched a speed dial button. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”
While he called next door, Dylan leaned over to Hailey and whispered, “Remember Ross? He was a few years ahead of me in school. He owns both the lodge and the mechanic shop. Lots of people in Red River own multiple businesses.” He pointed to the clerk. “Landon, for example, also owns a snow plow to make extra money in the winter.”
“I’m aware of the culture here.” Hailey tapped a foot. “I grew up here, too.”
Humor twinkled in Dylan’s pirate eyes, and he leaned closer to speak in a low voice. “Anyone who uses the word culture to describe Red River, probably isn’t as aware of how things work around here as they might think.”
Captain Bland hung up the phone. “Ross said to go
on over.”
Hailey rolled her eyes as she marched out of the lodge’s reception area. “He wouldn’t so much as smile at me, but you can ask to borrow an antique fire engine and he doesn’t bat one of his beady eyes?”
Gravel crunched under their feet as they crossed the parking lot and headed toward the building next door. Blue and white lettering spelled out Ross’s Automotive on the front of the building.
“He knows me, so I figured it would be better if I asked,” Dylan said. “I doubt he would’ve been so agreeable if the question came from you, since you’re new in town.”
She stopped and faced him, and he did the same. “I’m not new.”
“To them, you are.” He nodded toward the lodge. “You haven’t been around in years. You were practically a kid the last time you lived here. Now you’re a grown woman with a kid of your own.”
Dylan mentioning her kid was like a blast of ice-cold air. Before she could stop herself, she drew in a sharp breath.
At her reaction, several creases appeared across his forehead. “Did I say something wrong?”
Heck yes. “No.” No way would she discuss Mel with him. Not after he’d made it clear six years ago that he didn’t want kids. Not after he’d left her without so much as a goodbye.
She started toward the mechanic shop again.
Dylan fell in beside her. “All I’m saying is you’ve been gone a long time. I was gone a lot less years than you, and I had to start over when I moved back. I had to build relationships with the locals and earn their trust. It’s just the way things are in a small town.”
“Let’s just get this done,” Hailey said. “Today hasn’t gone as smoothly as I imagined it would. I’ll be glad when this day is over.”
“How old is your daughter?” Dylan’s tone went soft.
Her stomach did a flippity flop. “Old enough to be a handful.” She stared straight ahead and kept walking. “She wants a puppy.” No idea why she chose to share that detail. “I keep telling her no because I work and can’t house-train it.”
Oy vey.
That was the very definition of too much information.
It’s In His Song: Book 6 Page 4
