I Think I Love You
Page 22
“Whatever, Carpenter. It looks exactly like it should, am I right?”
He wasn’t wrong. Jordan took in the square brick building, noting the shiny red truck, the American flag waving gently in the breeze. The only thing missing to make it officially like a 1950s postcard was a Dalmatian.
“Buff eye candy, here I come,” Simon said, climbing out of the car.
And Luke Elliott, here I come.
Neither of them got their wish.
While there was no shortage of good-looking men at the firehouse, none seemed inclined to take his shirt off.
And none of them was Luke Elliott.
“You sure I can’t help you with something, Miss . . .?”
“Carpenter,” Jordan said.
“I’m Simon Nash,” Simon butted in, even though he’d already introduced himself. Twice.
Jordan nearly rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t blame Simon for his crush. The firefighter in front of them held plenty of appeal. Square jaw, friendly smile, and the way his broad shoulders stretched the navy LHFD T-shirt across a sculpted chest didn’t hurt either.
Not that it mattered for Jordan or Simon. Ryan Henderson wore a simple gold wedding band.
“You know when Luke will be back?” she asked.
The man’s eyes narrowed just slightly, hands finding his hips as he studied her. “What’d you say you wanted him for?”
I didn’t.
Still, the man’s caution improved her impression of him. It signaled that he was a friend first, gossip second.
“I’d prefer to discuss my business with Mr. Elliott directly,” she said. “I can wait until he returns.”
Ryan gave her another once-over, his eyes lingering on the high heels that she already knew were out of place in a small town where cowboy boots and tennis shoes were more the norm.
He finally relented. “Might be a while,” he said. “He’s got a thing down at the school. Fire safety day.”
“Elementary school? High school?”
Ryan scratched his cheek and looked thoughtfully at both of them. “Luke’s a friend. Been a friend since we were kids. Can’t say I’ve ever been in the habit of selling him out to two fancy city slickers who won’t say what they want.”
“City slickers? Really?” Simon muttered under his breath.
“I get it,” Jordan said, meeting Ryan’s gaze. “I’m from a small town myself. We protect our own. But I’m going to find Luke Elliott with or without your help.”
Simon shot her a quick glance, probably surprised by her admission. He’d just found out about her small-town roots today, and here she was letting a stranger in on the secret. It had to be done, though. Small-town residents tended to instinctively distrust “city folk.” If she wanted to break in, she needed to establish herself as one of them, just for a while.
Her ploy didn’t work.
Ryan’s smile was wide and just slightly unfriendly. “It’ll have to be without my help, then.”
Fine.
Jordan smiled pleasantly at Ryan, even as she turned on her heel to head back to the rental. “No problem!”
She’d find Luke on her own. It couldn’t be hard to locate a school in a town this tiny.
Jordan was halfway to the car when she heard Simon open his big mouth. “We’re from CBC. We’re hoping for your boy to be the star of a new show.”
Jordan spun around. “Simon!”
Ryan gave an incredulous laugh, then stilled as he looked at the two of them again. “Wait, seriously?”
Jordan shrugged in confirmation. He’d find out eventually.
“Well, hell,” he muttered. “What kind of show?”
Simon glanced at Jordan expectantly, and she sighed. “We want Mr. Elliott to consider being a candidate on a show called Jilted. Basically, The Bachelor but for runaway grooms.”
“Runaway grooms,” Ryan repeated skeptically.
“Three failed weddings? I’d say he qualifies,” she said, daring him to argue with the facts.
Ryan’s arms were crossed, his expression intent, and she braced herself for a scathing get the hell out of my town lecture.
Instead, he surprised her with a wide and genuine smile. “Oh man, this I’ve got to see.”
She blinked. “You’ll tell us where he is?”
Ryan smiled wider. “Better. I’ll take you there myself.”
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