“Can we go inside now?”
“I thought you didn’t want to go,” I tease as I release him from my hug of death.
He scoffs. “Even seeing your boss and all his weirdo friends is better than getting mauled to death in a parking lot.”
To say my son is not a fan of my boss is a vast understatement. It’s a shame since my boss at McGraw’s Pub, where I’m currently working as a cleaner, is a sweetheart. Unfortunately, he calls all the women in his life darling, which my boy takes offense to. Ollie’s convinced my boss, aka Pops, is hitting on me all the time. As if I have time for a relationship.
“You ready?” I ask as I grasp the handle to the door of the pub.
The pub is closed to the public tonight so we can celebrate Suzie and Grayson’s surprise wedding. Suzie is the best friend of Pops’ daughter, Hailey. She and Grayson eloped this weekend to Las Vegas. Actually, Suzie didn’t know what Grayson had planned. The two weren’t engaged as far as I know, but he swept her off to Vegas for Labor Day weekend where he ambushed her with a completely planned wedding. Only a former soldier could possibly plan and execute a romantic elopement without crazy girl Suzie catching on.
“You’re doing it again,” Ollie whines.
“What?”
“Getting the mushy look on your face. Do you need another hug?” he asks despite his nose scrunching in distaste. I should probably hug him to tease him. Lucky for him, there’s no time as some of Suzie’s friends have arrived and are waiting to enter behind us.
“Hi, Faith!” Phoebe smiles in greeting. As usual, the woman looks like she just stepped off the runway in Paris. You would never guess she’s a private investigator at the PI firm Hailey and Suzie own together. I look at her wrap dress and high heels, and then down at the black slacks and blouse I’m wearing. I fiddle with the hem of my blouse. It’s one of my nicest, satin with a plunging neckline, but should I have worn a skirt?
“I love this shirt.” Phoebe fingers the sleeve of my blouse. “It looks great on your figure. I can’t wear a plunging neckline without worrying about giving people an unintended peep show.” She motions to her more than abundant breasts. Lucky her. I was apparently last in line when they were handing out curves.
Her fiancé, Ryker, puts his arm around her shoulders and tugs her near. “You look beautiful, Princess,” he whispers before kissing her forehead. She practically melts into his side.
It’s not hard to imagine Ryker is a big, badass bounty hunter. He’s at least six and a half feet tall and is built like a Mack truck. His entire body telegraphs menace. If it weren’t for the soft looks he shares with Phoebe, I’d be more than a little apprehensive of the man.
Behind them, Ollie feigns gagging at their display of affection. I roll my eyes at him, but secretly I’m relieved he’s not obsessed with girls yet. I know the phase will come when girls and teenage hormones will overtake him. And I’m not looking forward to the day.
“Pops is going to love this top,” Phoebe says with a wink as she strolls past us into the pub.
I ignore her comment. Pops’ daughter and all her friends have been pushing Pops and me together since my first day of work cleaning at the pub. No thanks. One teenage boy at a time is enough for me. Never mind how my skin erupts in goosebumps every time his bright blue eyes gaze at me.
“Come on.” I motion for Ollie to proceed me into the pub. “Let’s get this over with.”
Although we’re one of the last to arrive, the pub isn’t overly crowded when we walk in. Suzie and Grayson are standing in the middle of the room next to a table of gifts. Two older couples are standing with them. This must be the parents. Judging by the screeching, someone’s mom is not happy they eloped.
At a table to the right, Suzie’s uncles are congregating. Actually, Lenny, Barney, Wally, and Sid aren’t her uncles. In fact, they’re no one’s uncles as far as I can figure. From what I’ve gathered, the four men are former Army buddies of Pops who helped raise Hailey after her mom took off.
Pops is in his usual position behind the bar. He looks up as we walk in and aims a smile our way. “Spitfire, you made it.”
I nearly turn into a puddle of goo when he calls me spitfire. I know it’s stupid. I’m a forty-five-year old woman, I shouldn’t be going all gooey over a man calling me spitfire – especially not my boss. But he calls every other woman in the world darling. Not me. For me, he has a special nickname. Having a man who looks like Pops direct his attention my way causes parts of my body I thought had died off from lack of attention to wake up.
If you look silver fox up in the dictionary, you’ll find a picture of Pops. His hair may be silver, but it looks lush and soft. I can’t help but wonder what it would feel like if I ran my hands through it. His gray-tinged beard makes him look distinguished even in his standard uniform of jeans and a t-shirt with the logo for McGraw’s Pub on it. The t-shirt is stretched to the max over his shoulders and biceps. He may be in his mid-fifties, but he hasn’t let his tall physique go. My fingers itch to touch those hard muscles. But it’s his eyes that ensnare me. They’re bright blue and when he looks at you, you feel like you’re the only person in the world who exists for him.
I wave. “Hi!” Great. I sound like a total dork.
“Faith!” Suzie calls and draws my attention away from the silver fox.
The red-headed firecracker rushes to me and throws her arms around me. Or, I should say, she tries to throw her arms around me. I may not be tall at five-six, but Suzie barely passes the five-foot mark. I’m not sure why she’s clinging to me, though, it’s not like we’re close friends.
“Save me,” she whispers.
“In-law or parents?” I ask. I have some experience with judgmental in-laws. According to them, it’s all my fault Silas left me and my son. As if there’s ever an excuse to leave your child.
“Parents,” Suzie whispers. “My in-laws are the bomb.”
“Lucky you,” I mutter before clearing my throat. “I have a present for you.” And the dorkiness continues. Of course, I have a present for her. It’s her party.
“Grayson,” Suzie shouts and waves her brand-new husband over. “Come here.”
He grins at the two sets of parents before sauntering our way. He may only be an inch or two taller than me, but his broad physique screams soldier who can take care of business.
“Now I know where your crazy comes from,” he says as he takes Suzie’s hand in his.
She huffs. “Who are you calling crazy?”
Grayson opens his mouth, but I lift the gift bag and shove it in their faces before he can insert his foot. “Happy marriage!”
Suzie bounces on her toes and snatches the bag from me. “Thank you!”
“It’s no big deal.”
Despite working two jobs, I’m not exactly flush with cash. Things would be much easier if I could find a job as a paralegal. But law firms do background checks on their employees, and I can’t chance my name popping up on someone’s computer. Thus, a cleaning job and a filing job. Together I’m earning barely half of what my previous paralegal position paid.
Suzie removes the gift from the bag and her eyes widen. “These are way cool. Thank you!” She shoves the mugs at Grayson and hugs me again.
I pat her back. “Um, you’re welcome.”
When she releases me, it’s Grayson’s turn. “Awesome gift, Faith. Thanks.”
“It’s nothing.” I had two beer mugs engraved with the logo of Suzie’s microbrewery – Shorty’s Brewing Sensation. On top of owning the private investigator business with Hailey, Suzie brews beer. In fact, her beer is becoming quite popular with the local bars.
“Oh wow.” Hailey joins us and takes one of the mugs from Suzie’s hands. “These are cool. I wish I had thought of this.”
Hailey’s husband, Aiden, steps up behind her. “You want me to take our gift back?”
Hailey and Aiden look like they stepped off the pages of a high school yearbook. He’s the quintessential quarterback with his tal
l, fit body. While Hailey resembles the head cheerleader with her long, dancer body. Looks can be deceiving, though. He’s now a police detective, she’s a private investigator. From what I hear, they re-connected while Hailey was on a case and Aiden caught her snooping where she shouldn’t have been.
Suzie slaps Aiden’s chest. “No take backs, mister.”
I try to tamp down my jealousy as I watch the friends interact. It’s not their fault I had to abandon my friends when Ollie and I fled to Milwaukee. The police advised I cut all contact with them after we settled in, and, except for my best friend Valerie who I keep in touch with via social media, I’ve been a good girl and listened to their advice. I can only hope the people Ollie pissed off aren’t sophisticated enough to hack into my social media accounts.
I excuse myself and head toward the restrooms. I need a moment to myself before I let my jealousy consume me. When I exit the restroom, Pops is waiting on me.
He steps toward me with a predatory gleam in his eyes, and I freeze. His hand lifts, and he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. I inhale and his crispy, woodsy scent fills my lungs. I want to roll around in it.
“Thanks for coming, Spitfire.”
His breath on my skin causes my hormones to go wild. Calm down, hormones. I’m not a lovesick teenager. My hormones don’t care. My belly warms, and my breasts swell. Uh oh. Danger. I step back, but there’s nowhere to go. I’m cornered in the hallway with my back up against the wall – literally.
“Of course, we came, Pops,” I manage to say without sounding too breathy.
He growls. “You don’t call me Pops.”
I wrinkle my brow in confusion. “But everyone calls you Pops.” Oh shit. I slap my palm against my forehead when I realize what I’ve done wrong. He’s my boss. Of course, I shouldn’t act familiar with him. “I’m sorry, Mr. McGraw.”
His growl intensifies, and he takes a step closer until his chest is barely an inch from mine. My fingers itch to touch him, and I’m tempted to arch my back and rub my breasts against him. What is wrong with me? I’m not a hussy. Hell, since my ex Silas left, I’ve barely dated let alone touched a man. Why is this one causing me to act like someone I am most definitely not?
“I am not Mr. McGraw or Pops to you. You call me Max.”
“M-m-max?” I hate how my voice stutters, but I can’t catch my breath when he’s this close.
“Or darling or sweetheart or baby. I’ll answer to any of those names as long as you’re the one doing the calling.”
My eyes widen. “I thought we agreed we weren’t going to date.” Because, despite what I told Ollie, Pops has asked me out. I’m not exactly lying to my son. Asking someone out is not the same thing as hitting on them. I am a master at treading a fine line between the truth and a lie.
It’s a non-issue anyway. I’m not stupid. I’m not dating my boss. Besides, I’m in Milwaukee temporarily.
“Fair warning. I’m done waiting.”
“Ma!” Ollie shouts, and I tear my eyes away from Max’s blue gaze. “What are you doing?”
Lord save me from fifteen-year-old sons. “I’m fine. I’ll be there in a minute.”
He glares at Max who returns his glare with one of his own. While he’s distracted, I shove him and catch him enough off guard that I’m able to duck under his arm.
“I’m ready to go,” I tell Ollie, although we arrived less than an hour ago.
Before I can make my escape, Max yells, “See you tomorrow, Spitfire.”
As if I need the reminder.
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Thanks!
This was a super fun book to write. Writing characters like Suzie are way too much fun to write. I giggled myself silly while writing.
I may be super-proud to call myself an indie writer – even when people I meet say in a somewhat snooty voice ‘Oh, you’re self-published’ as if I have a communicable disease. But ‘independent’ is a major misnomer because it takes more than little ‘ole me to turn an idea into a published book. Let’s name those helpers!
First and foremost, thanks to my friends and family who allow me to bounce ideas off of them at the most random and sometimes inappropriate of times and locations. There is a point to my questions – I promise! A special thanks to all my acquaintances who inspire me with their stories and funny antics. Names have been changed to protect the innocent.
The hubby deserves special mention for designing my book covers, being a beta reader, and just being all-around Mr. Supportive. Sometimes I worry he’s going to figure out that my characters feel more genuine to me than real life, but he still puts up with me after some twenty-odd years, so I guess he isn’t totally turned off by me not being entirely normal.
And then there’s my editor. Thanks, Carol for continuing to make time for me when you have a gazillion other things going on in your life.
I also want to throw a general thank you out into the digital universe to thank all the book bloggers who have helped me promote my books and especially those who take the time to read and review one or more of my books. You can’t believe how thankful I am there are bloggers out there who not only read my emails begging them for a review but also actually take the time to answer. Thank you!!!
Of course, I can’t forget to thank you, the reader, for buying the book and reading it. I would be extremely honored and thankful if you could write a review—even if it’s just a line or two. You can do that here.
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About the Author
D.E. Haggerty is actually just plain old Dena, but she thinks using initials makes her sound sophisticated and maybe even grown up. She was born and raised in the U.S. but considers herself a Dutchie and not only because it sounds way cooler. After a stint in the U.S. Army, she escaped the US to join her husband in Holland. She fled Holland over ten years ago when she couldn't stand the idea of being a lawyer for one single second more. Turns out Bed & Breakfast owner in Germany didn't do it for her either. When the hubby got a job in Istanbul, she jumped ship and decided to give this whole writer thing a go. She's now back in Holland, which she considers home. Sorry, Mom.
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Complete booklist
Buried Appearances
Murder, Mystery & Dating Mayhem (Book 1 of the Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives Series)
Jack Gets His Man (Book 2 of the Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives Series)
Love in the Time of Murder (Book 3 of the Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives Series)
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Arson (Book 4 of the Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives Series)
Hold the Coffee (Book 5 of the Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives Series)
The Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives Series (Books 1 – 3)
Molly’s Misadventures
Best Worst Date (FREE!)
Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker (Book 1 of the Death by Cupcake Series)
Bring Your Own Baker (Book 2 of the Death by Cupcake Series)
Self-Serve Murder (Book 3 of the Death by Cupcake Series)
Christmas Cupcakes & a Caper (Book 4 of the Death by Cupcake Series)
Fireworks, A Firecracker & Foul Play (Book 5 of the Death by Cupcake Series)
Trick or Thief (Book 6 of the Death by Cupcake Series)
Saint Vandal’s Day (Book 7 of the Death by Cupcake Series)
The Death by Cupcake Series (Books 1 – 3)
The Death by Cupcake Series ~ The Holiday Collection (Books 4 – 7)
Fat Girl Begone!
Not A Player (F
REE!)
Searching for Gertrude
Finders, Not Keepers (Book 1 of the Not So Reluctant Detective Series)
Picture Not Perfect (Book 2 of the Not So Reluctant Detective Series)
Hide Not Seek (Book 3 of the Not So Reluctant Detective Series)
The Not So Reluctant Detective Series
About Face (Book 1 of the Love in the Suburbs Series)
At Arm’s Length (Book 2 of the Love in the Suburbs Series)
Hands Off (Book 3 of the Love in the Suburbs Series)
Knee Deep (Book 4 of the Love in the Suburbs Series)
Christmas in the Suburbs (Book 5 of the Love in the Suburbs Series)
Fall in Love in the Suburbs (The Complete Love in the Suburbs Series)
A Hero for Hailey (Book 1 of the Love will OUT Series)
A Protector for Phoebe (Book 2 of the Love will OUT Series)
A Soldier for Suzie (Book 3 of the Love will OUT Series)
A Fox for Faith (Book 4 of the Love will OUT Series)
A Christmas for Chrissie (Book 5 of the Love will OUT Series) – Coming December 2021
A Soldier for Suzie: A Military Romantic Comedy (Love will OUT Book 3) Page 22
