“A dating emergency?” I asked. If I rolled my eyes again they were going to get stuck and I wasn’t sure if my health insurance would cover it. “How many of those happen on a regular basis?”
Shelby nodded over to Kyle Lewis, who was now charming the waitress just like he had the town council. “He might ask you out again.”
“And I’ll say no again. I’m not interested. If you like him so much, you date him.”
The less I saw of Kyle Lewis the better.
CHAPTER FOUR
Kyle
“Have you listened to a word I’ve said?”
With a sigh, I had to admit the answer was a resounding no. I hadn’t heard a word that George had said, my mind on other subjects.
Well…one in particular. Ashlyn Hill. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. She really and truly hated my guts. It gave me a chuckle when I remembered how she’d hid behind that menu at the barbecue place when I’d had the audacity to wave at her.
“I’m a little distracted right now. Maybe we could talk about this later.”
George reached for the coffee pot on my kitchen island. New to town, I still didn’t have an office space so I was working out of my new home.
“You don’t even know what this is. I could be telling you that I’ve decided to get rid of all of my worldly goods and join a monastery for all you know.”
An image of George with a shaved head drifted through my mind. It wasn’t a good look for the guy.
“Are you? Because if you do, I want your drum set.”
“I like wine, women, and song way too much do ever do that. But if I did, my drum set is going with me, asshole.”
George did love his parties, but I wasn’t sure how well the monks were going to like him whaling on his drums whenever he was stuck on a problem. Of course, he wouldn’t have any problems if he joined a monastery.
“Nice attitude for a monk. Seriously, what were we talking about?”
“We weren’t talking about anything. I was talking and you were daydreaming. The last time that happened you invented a rocket that didn’t need rocket fuel, so you have me intrigued.”
“I didn’t actually invent it. I have some preliminary schematics. It needs more work. Lots more.”
At the rate I was going, my grandchildren might figure out the issues.
“So what were you thinking about?”
I shrugged, pacing around the kitchen. I wasn’t in the mood to sit down and deal with the business side of Lewis Technology, Inc. Maybe I’d grab my sweats and running shoes and go work off some energy.
“Everything. There’s a lot going on if you haven’t noticed.”
Since the town council had voted in my favor three days ago it had been a whirlwind of activity, mostly garnering bids from architects. I wanted to break ground in the spring and I’d already been told – by several people – that the timeline was insane.
Okay, they’d said unreasonable but wasn’t that the same thing? That was the problem with society today. No one wanted to make the impossible possible. No one wanted to see what they could do if they put their mind to it. Everyone wanted to take the safe route.
The road constantly traveled and well-known.
“I had noticed.” My friend was giving me a strange look, his eyes narrow as if he were studying me which was ridiculous because other than my family, George knew me better than anyone. “You were thinking about that woman again.”
It wasn’t phrased as a question. But as I just said, George knew me well.
“A little,” I admitted. I wasn’t quite ready to cop to exactly how much I’d been thinking about her these last few days. There was just something about her that intrigued me. It wasn’t her looks, although she was beautiful. Beautiful women were everywhere. It was the strength and determination I’d seen inside of her as she’d stood up in front of that town council and presented her case. She’d known the odds were against her and she’d done it anyway, fully believing in her cause. And she’d done a damn good job, too. Hell, she’d almost convinced me. Almost. “She made a compelling argument. Did you have a team go look at that block of houses?”
“I did and am waiting on the report.” George stood from his seat at the island and walked over to where he’d tossed his briefcase on the couch, pulling out a sticky note. “I had a feeling you wouldn’t be able to put Ms. Ashlyn Hill out of your head. You don’t like to lose. It bugs the shit out of you.”
“That’s not why I’m thinking about her.”
Was it? I didn’t want to think that I was so shallow that I couldn’t take getting turned down for a date.
“Fine, that’s not why.” He slapped the sticky note on the marble island. “If you’re interested, that’s her place of business. She owns a retro shop in the downtown area, and damn successful, too. She has the largest inventory of vinyl records in the Midwest. You could also pick up a pet rock. I know you’ve been talking about getting a pet now that you’re settled into your new home and have a yard.”
“I was thinking about a dog, not a rock.”
He wagged his finger at me. “This is your problem. You’re too picky.”
“That is not my problem.”
“It is,” he declared, wearing a shit-eating grin. He was loving this. “You’re never satisfied. A pet rock would require none of your time or effort. Think of the advantages.”
“I am not going to Ashlyn Hill’s store to buy a pet rock.” He reached for the sticky note but I beat him to it, peeling it from the marble and holding it up. “But I would like to add to my collection of records. How about we go out and get a bite to eat and then swing by the store?”
Purely for research.
* * *
Ashlyn
I should have been doing the monthly paperwork for the store. There was always way too much to do and today was no exception. I had a small office set up in the back room, although I did most of it in my home office. I couldn’t seem to resist the allure of the sales floor, talking to customers and straightening the shelves. This was my store and I’d built it over the years. I was proud of it and I admit that I liked showing it off a little when people stopped in. Located in a university town, there was a fresh crop of newcomers every fall.
But I wasn’t doing my paperwork. I was sitting behind the counter with Katie reading Shelby’s manual on how to trap a man. Just as Mia had said, the beginning was more than a trifle old-fashioned. Not that I minded that. I’d always considered myself an old-fashioned type female. I really wasn’t the type to call a man or ask him out on a date. I also liked it when a man held the door for me or brought flowers. I believed in equality, but I liked the romantic touches. I was fully ready to return the favor with a nice shoulder massage or a good meal.
Katie peered over my shoulder as I turned the page to a new chapter. “There’s some good advice in this book. That one about not settling for less is pure gold.”
Mia would agree. It had been that particular passage in the book that had revolutionized her relationship with Josh and the entire world in general. She didn’t accept anything less than the best from him and wonder of wonders…she got it.
“Does Leo put effort into your relationship?”
Leo and Katie had been dating about six months and at first, he was all she could talk about. Lately, not so much.
“He did at the beginning but then it seemed like he started to get too comfortable. Like he’d caught me and that meant he didn’t have to do anything afterward. He never wanted to go out. He only wanted to stay home and watch Netflix, eating whatever I had cooked. In the end, he was too cheap to even spring for takeout. I kicked him to the curb a few weeks ago.”
Now I felt terrible bringing him up. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry I even said his name.”
The pretty brunette didn’t look especially heartbroken, though. “It happens. I’m just glad that I realized he wasn’t the one before I got in too deep.”
“You two had so much in common. It’s a shame it didn’t work ou
t. But onward and upward, right?”
“Right,” Katie agreed. “What about you? Who are you going to try these ninja dating moves on? How about the UPS man? He’s cute.”
“Married. Three kids.”
“Really? I’ll scratch him off the list. Wait…how about that guy that keeps coming in here to see you? The one that wears the Blue Oyster Cult t-shirts.”
I knew who she was referring to and she had to be out of her mind. Him? No. Never.
“I can tell you’ve never spoken to him. He lives with his mother.”
“Ouch,” Katie winced. “He’s off the list as well.”
“Before you go too far, there is no one on the list. I’m only reading this book because I promised Shelby I would. She’s been driving me and Emmy crazy, especially since Mia left for Scotland a few weeks ago.”
“So you’re not looking for a man.”
“Decidedly not. I have a very busy life. Now if one wants to come find me, that’s completely different. I don’t think the odds are in my favor, however.”
“You mean if Mr. Right just walked through the door?” Katie laughed. “Wouldn’t that be great? No bars or online apps. Just a terrific guy delivered directly to your front door. You know, this might be a great idea for a business.”
Sometimes Katie could be so innocent and naive but I absolutely adored her.
“It’s already been done and it’s also highly illegal.”
At first, she looked confused and then her eyes widened as understanding dawned. “I didn’t mean it like that. I was just thinking about a really cool dating service.”
“I bet that’s what they tell the judge.”
The bell over the door dinged, interrupting our conversation. I turned to smile and greet our customer but almost choked on my spit instead. This couldn’t be happening. I’d obviously pissed someone off, perhaps cutting them off in traffic, and they’d placed a curse on me. It was the only explanation for the last few days of my life. Did I need to sacrifice a chicken? I could pick up a bucket on my way home with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy.
“Hello, Ashlyn. We meet again.”
It was Kyle Lewis – my nemesis. Thanos to my Captain America. Joker to my Batman. Eddie Haskell to my Beaver.
Oh wait… I didn’t mean it like that.
He was standing there with a big smile on his face as if everything in the world was rainbows and kitten whiskers. I was sure he hadn’t wandered in to my store by accident. He had to be up to something.
What on earth did he want?
CHAPTER FIVE
Kyle
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting from Ashlyn Hill’s store but this…this wasn’t it.
It was utterly fantastic and I had to pick my jaw up from the floor. The entire twentieth century encapsulated in one building. I could have browsed in there for hours and never become bored. Organized by decade, the large space had anything and everything a retro lover could ever want and several things I hadn’t ever heard of. There were old calendars, copper pots and pans, glassware, flatware, dishes, furniture, magazines such as Life or Ladies’ Home Journal, old books, novelty items, toys, vintage clothing, and yes, there were even a few Pet Rocks.
But that wasn’t the most amazing part of the store. That distinction easily belonged to the large wall at the back which was filled floor to ceiling with racks of vinyl albums, some used and some brand new, still in the original packaging. I could happily spend the rest of my day rummaging through these shelves and I just might do that, work be damned.
“Impressive,” George murmured. He had to be as blown away as I was. “This is…something else.”
Ashlyn Hill stepped forward, her features calm but I could tell she was disturbed by my appearance.
“Welcome to Past Perfect. Can I help you find something today?”
Although she’d shown herself to be completely immune to my charm that didn’t stop me from trying it again. I smiled and tried to make myself seem as friendly as possible, not like the house-mowing-down-jerk that she seemed to think I was.
“This is amazing, absolutely amazing.” My fingers ran over the handlebars of a restored red, white and blue Schwinn bicycle with a banana seat and a basket in the front. I remembered seeing a picture of one of my older cousins riding a bike just like that, only it was green.
“Are you interested in the bicycle, Mr. Lewis? It’s an original from 1976 with a Bicentennial motif. I’ve been assured there are less than a dozen of these left in the United States.”
I believed it. I’d never seen anything like it. I wanted to buy it just to display it in my home.
“My mom and dad told me all about how crazy America went for the bicentennial celebration. Everything was red, white, and blue,” I replied, dragging my gaze from the bike to Ashlyn. She looked lovely today, even better than the other night. She was dressed far more casually in blue jeans and a soft pink sweater, her long blonde hair swept up in some sort of messy bun. Strands had escaped its confines and had fallen around her cheeks and I had the strangest urge to reach out and smooth them back. I didn’t do it, though. She’d probably take my arm off like a tiger. “And my name is Kyle. Mr. Lewis is my dad, and my grandpa.”
“If you’re looking for bicentennial items we have an entire section devoted to that.” I couldn’t seem to drag my gaze from her full lips that were shiny from gloss. It matched her fuzzy sweater. “Mr. Lewis?”
This was becoming a habit – checking out while people were talking to me. Normally I was more alert and focused than any ten human beings ought to be but this woman had me acting out of character. And I barely knew her.
“Kyle,” I said again, giving myself an internal smack on the head. Time to straighten up. She hated my guts so there was no point in mooning over her like she was the head cheerleader and I was the president of the chess club. And I had been the president of the chess club in high school. “I think I’d like to check out your vinyl collection.”
“Of course, follow me. Is there any particular type of music you’re interested in?”
I was avidly interested in the gentle sway of her hips as she led us to the back of the store. Her pert little bottom had my full attention, encased in that snug denim. I was reminded again just how petite Ashlyn Hill really was. I had a foot of height on her at the very least.
I’m a complete and total perv. Climb out of the gutter, Kyle.
George elbowing me in the ribs let me know that I hadn’t answered her question. I was a mess. Clearly, I had been too long between women. I made a mental note to call one of the ladies in my contacts list and set up a date.
“Classic rock.”
There were hundreds of albums and forty-fives. Ashlyn slipped away, leaving me and George in vinyl heaven. I was no hipster, but this was one item from the past that I enjoyed. My dad had a huge album collection and I’d grown up listening to it almost every day of my young life. Dad had never moved on to cassettes, CDs, or digital music. He wasn’t stubborn about it but when I’d suggested that I might buy him an iPod one year for Christmas he’d simply shook his head no.
Some things, son, don’t need to be improved. They’re fine just the way they are. Wisdom is knowing which is which.
Those words had stuck with me through the years and I’d hoped that I’d taken them to heart.
Ashlyn had disappeared back behind the counter, looking busy with a stack of papers, but every now and then I could feel her gaze resting on my back when she was sure I wasn’t looking. She might not like me much but I had her attention.
Or maybe she was afraid that I’d shoplift.
An hour later, both George and I each had a stack of albums, plus he had also picked out a Motley Crue tour t-shirt circa 1989.
“We need to come here every weekend,” George said, grinning from ear to ear. He placed his items on the counter next to mine. Ashlyn had disappeared and we were being waited on by a pretty girl named Katie, if her name tag was to be believed. “My parents wou
ld love that jukebox in their basement. I never know what to get them for Christmas.”
That was true. Last year after much debate and two trips to the mall, George had given them a cashier’s check. Luckily his parents didn’t seem to mind their son’s quirky ways and used the money for a vacation to Hawaii.
A door was open behind Katie and I could see back into a storeroom with boxes stacked everywhere. Ashlyn was holding a clipboard and checking off items on a shelf. I can only put it down to temporary insanity, but I abandoned my albums and slipped past Katie and through that door. I had an unrelenting urge to speak to Ashlyn even as a little voice whispered in my ear, This isn’t going to go well.
“Hey.”
Wow. I was so smooth with the ladies. I felt like I was in high school all over again. I’d thought I’d moved past the awkward stage but apparently not.
Clutching that clipboard against her chest as if for dear life, Ashlyn sighed and turned to face me. Yep, I really wasn’t this female’s favorite person. I wouldn’t go so far as to say she loathed me but…
What I was about to do was incredibly stupid. As in really dumb. I just couldn’t help myself.
“Hello. Did you need anything?”
There was a whole list of things I needed but I doubt that’s what she was referring to. I decided to ignore the question.
“Your store is fantastic. Really amazing. Both George and I could spend the day here.”
As stupid as I was about the human condition, I wasn’t totally brainless. People like compliments and Ashlyn was no exception. Her cheeks turned a becoming shade of pink and her grip on the clipboard lessened slightly.
“Thank you. We appreciate our customers.”
She sounded like a brochure, not the woman who had spoken so passionately at the town council meeting just a few days before. She was nervous and frankly so was I. There was sweat pooling on the back of my neck and I had to resist the urge to sniff my armpits. Had my deodorant given up the ghost at some point this morning? I couldn’t remember the last time I was this nervous around the female species.
Tease Him (ManTrap Book 2) Page 3
