Page 5 of Beards and Broken Hearts

Layton doesn’t say anything as he moves to inspect an alarm in the kitchen.

“May I?” He asks, pointing to a chair he wants.

“Sure.”

He climbs up and takes the face of the alarm off, and my eyes can’t help traveling down his body. The man has grown up to be a beast. The first thing I noticed was his beard, and then I recognized the scar over his nose he got from playing baseball. Those deep, dark eyes were just as stunned to see me. Now that the surprise is wearing off, I take the time to appreciate him. Thick arms stretch his black t-shirt. He’s still wearing his uniform firefighter pants and boots, but I can tell his lower half is just as muscular. His muscles contract as he works to put the alarm back together. His back ripples, and the sleeves of his t-shirt creep up to show off just how toned his biceps are. I spot black ink and stare, trying to figure out the design of the tattoo hiding, but then he catches me staring.

The sound of Layton clearing his throat makes me jump in surprise, and my cheeks flame in embarrassment. From the look on his face, he knows exactly what I was just doing, so I hurry over to the stairs and change the subject. “I think there should be another alarm upstairs. There are two bedrooms and a jack-and-jill bathroom between them if you want to check it out, but I do need to get back to work.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that and get out of your hair,” he says, and I swear there’s a faint smile on that grouch’s face as he passes me.

I decide to stay downstairs and away from a man I should avoid. Seeing Elenore the other night reminded me that their hometown was in South Carolina and was the name of a flower. For whatever reason, the name Magnolia Point faded from my memories over the years, and it didn’t even ring a bell when I came to live with my sister, taking up Maddison Leigh’s offer to share her workspace. I needed a fresh start, to stop living in the past, and now I’m face-to-face with it.

Minutes that seem like hours go by as I stew in my bad luck. Part of me has always wanted to see him again. Even if it was to give him a piece of my mind for being such a coward. For never calling or writing. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that another part of me still wanted him. My stupid heart hasn’t let go of the boy I once loved, and seeing him makes it ache all over again.

When he comes back downstairs, I’m fiddling with some fabric, unsure what to say or do. Lucky or unlucky for me, the grown Layton seems to be an asshole. He steps into the living room with his mouth open, making me believe he’s going to say something important. The lop-sided smile and puppy dog eyes make me swoon internally, even though that’s the last thing I should do. There is no room in my life for this kind of trouble.

“All good. Goodnight,” he says, turns, and leaves so fast you’d think his pants were on fire. The front door shuts with a loud thud behind him.

I let out a breath I don’t realize I’m holding as his footsteps on my porch disappear.

Suddenly, my life in Magnolia Point seems more complicated, and I make a mental note to meet my neighbors so they stop making ridiculous calls on my behalf. From here on out, I’ll avoid the fire station, which shouldn’t be too hard, and hope I never have to run into that man again. Despite my strong attraction to him, I haven’t forgotten the pain he caused me. He behaved like a coward, and I promised myself I would not allow myself to look foolish again because of any man. This is my fresh start, and I’m not about to let a ghost from my past ruin it. Maybe Holly’s right, and I should go out on a date. That would help clear the confusion and make my future path more realistic. Even if it’s just one regular date with a regular guy.

Just then, the sound of the big fire truck pulls away, and Handsome squawks.

“I know this place is different from the Keys, baby, but you still need to be careful who you make friends with,” I tell him in my stern Mom voice.

I am still in disbelief that the traitor would go to Layton while he was up in that tree. Attacking him at the door was a more believable scenario, and I will make sure to buy my bird a new toy for his performance. However, I can't let him get into the habit of flying off like that. It’s dangerous for him to do so in a new environment, and he shouldn’t develop any fondness towards Layton. I push that thought aside and convince myself that my Handsome boy only wanted to be rescued. That's all it was.

Although I am certain of my thoughts on the matter, a part of my mind continues to replay the incident for the next hour as my hands busy themselves stitching Elenore's dress.

Layton showed kindness towards my bird, despite hurting his butt and pride. Unfortunately, I can't ignore this fact. I just have to remind myself not to show any more interest towards him again. I need to stay indifferent, or I run the risk of losing my heart all over again.

CHAPTER FOUR

Layton

“Ball!” I hear a familiar voice yell before being pegged in the head by said object. The basketball hits me like a rock, but I keep my footing while my head feels split open. Turning to my left, I groan, catching the flinch of my best friend.

“Dude, I am so sorry,” Jenson says, walking up to get the ball from the ground.

Summer is holding on strong here in Magnolia Point, and with the sun beating down, I’ve already started sweating. Add a headache into the mix, and my mood gets sour, like my grandma’s lemonade when she forgets to add the sugar.

After a deep sigh, I check my gym bag in the grass, then jog over and steal the ball from his hands.

“You should be,” is all I mutter, then spin, giving Jenson my back as I turn and shoot the basketball. It hits the hoop, and I silently celebrate my small victory.

“Alight folks, step right up and marvel at the great, Layton. Damn, man, I didn’t realize all I had to do was hit you in the head to wake your ass up.”

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, man, but if you hit me again, I promise to pummel you to the ground.”

Jenson just laughs at my threat. He runs over, picks up the ball, dribbles until he’s lining up for the perfect shot, and takes it. I keep up with him with minimal effort.

“No man, but for real, it’s good to see you out. I can’t remember the last time you agreed to shoot some hoops.”

“I’ve been out. Maybe not for this, but I’ve been out.”

“Oh yeah, you mean to the fire station, the grocery store, and home? Sure, yeah, you’ve been out.”

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