Page 16 of Coming Up Roses

“A friend? Who?” I ask, trying to distract them from their bickering.

“Actually, you met him today. Name’s Cash. I sent him your way for a haircut.”

“Oh, okay . . . yeah. That’s great.” I choke on my words, sounding like a babbling thirteen-year-old who got caught passing a note in class. Lord, help me through this dinner.

“You okay, Myles?” Simon quirks a brow.

“Your buddy, Cash, has had her tied up in knots since he came in this morning,” Azalea tells the boys with a snicker.

“Have I now?” Cash’s voice asks softly in my ear as he claims the chair on my other side. His warm breath fanning my neck, combined with that slow Matthew McConaughey drawl of his, and I’m damn near a puddle in my chair. My brain is shouting for me to say something—anything—but my mouth won’t cooperate.

I’m so beyond mortified, I’m seriously considering abandoning dinner and crawling under the nearest rock.

Paying no attention to my lack of reply, he introduces himself to Azalea. Conversation carries on at the table. Everyone’s either oblivious to my embarrassment—or more likely, enjoying it.

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