Page 52 of The Charm of You

He waves me off. “I might forget we don’t need keys to open gas caps anymore, but I specifically recall you going on about some cheerleader in high school with long blonde hair, who wouldn’t grant you the time of day. You said she?—”

“You’re mistaken,” I insist, and my body tightens around the embarrassment flooding my veins. There’s nothing I’d love more than for the cement floor to crack open and swallow me whole.

“If you say so.” Judd shrugs and shuffles into his office as calmly as if he were headed for an afternoon nap.

I chance a glimpse at Caroline, and of course, she’s fucking smug. The twinkle in her eye taunts me. It dances as if she were staring at an array of lights, and the curl of her pink lips suggests she’s fighting a laugh.

“He’s wrong,” I say. “The guy doesn’t remember what he had for lunch five minutes ago, so you can stop looking at me like that.”

“What? I’m not looking at you in any other way than I look at… cars. Or plants.” A giggle escapes, giving way to her obvious lie.

“I need to get back to work,” I assert with a glare.

“Of course.” She holds her hands up, but the frustrating sparkle is still there. It’s spreading too, and her entire face is glowing. “But before I go, I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask the guy who so did not have a crush on me in high school to go fishing after his shift?”

I squint. What is she doing?

“We were talking about fishing last night, and I haven’t been since my dad took me. I was fifteen then, and much like you, I didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have.” She drops a fraction of her amusement. “I’d like to try again, but I have no clue what I’m doing, which is where you, my new friend who totally did not have a crush on me in high school, come in.”

“Not a chance,” I grumble.

She leaps in front of me, blocking my path to the car. “Okay, okay. Will you come with me if I stop bothering you about the crush you did not have?”

“No,” I clip. “I’m busy. It’s Tuesday, and I go to the Tap for beer and wings with Cole on Tuesday evenings.” I narrow my gaze at her, hot spurts of agitation burning through my veins. “You already disrupted my quiet Monday night, and I’m changing my plans for this weekend too, to drive you in the parade and attend the reunion, for Addie’s sake. That’s enough change for one week.”

Caroline sucks her top lip between her teeth and releases it, effectively torturing me to the hundredth degree. Not even an oil burn would hurt this badly.

I hate that she affects me this deeply.

“You really like your routine, don’t you?” she asks.

I nod.

Instead of stepping back and giving up, she inches closer. “When do you go fishing, then?”

“Sunday mornings.”

“That’s a shame.”

I tilt my head, standing my ground.

“You say you love to fish, but you don’t go whenever you feel like it. Doesn’t the water ever just… call to you?”

“I’m not one to chase feelings, Homecoming Queen,” I rasp. “Nothing good ever comes of it.”

“Are we still talking about fishing?” She gulps and traps me under her wide-eyed gaze.

Her perfume infiltrates my senses, and I’m fucking hard all over. I could sharpen a knife against my body—this is a damn disaster.

“I can’t go fishing with you,” I manage.

“You two should definitely go fishing.”

Our heads turn in sync toward the intrusion. Bo stands just inside the door, wearing a knowing grin.

He holds his hands out. “I’m happy to take over here and give you the afternoon off, even. You work so damn hard, Kyle. It’d be nice to take some time and hang out with this fine lady.”

“How very generous,” she gushes and clutches her chest, overselling her excitement, if she asked me.

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