Page 4 of Objection to Love

The expression brought out a dimple in one cheek. The enthusiasm he exuded was contagious, but she refrained from smiling back until she could be sure he wasn’t laughing at her. Or celebrating because he finally had her cornered.

She snuck a surreptitious glance at the car door. Still unlocked.

“Sorry, it’s not every day you meet someone this way. I’m Garrett.” He stuck his hand out, and she twisted in her seat to shake it over the console. Her other hand gripped her purse in case she needed the pepper spray. Sure, he’d been nothing but solicitous, but a girl couldn’t be too careful.

She employed her firm handshake, the one she used to let defense attorneys know she wasn’t just a member of theLegally Blondecast.Though, come to think of it, she’d never actually seen the movie. But she’d been compared enough to get the gist.

“I’m Em.”

“Is that short for anything?” He pulled his hand back, turned on the heat, and shifted the car out of park and back onto the road, glancing into his rearview, though the road was empty. How long would she have been stranded if he hadn’t come along? “Emily?”

“September.”

He shot her a confused glance. “That’s a nice month. But it’s actually June.”

Ha. Ha.

“No. My name is September. Em is short for September. Sept-em-ber.”

If she had a dollar for every time someone gave her the look he was giving her just now, as if he couldn’t decide if she was crazy or funny.

She was neither, for the record.

“My parents aren’t particularly creative. I was born on September fourteenth. Therefore, September.”

He watched the road as he drove, but she saw the twitch of his lips as he took that in and prepared his response. “So… do you have a sister named February, then?”

She gave him a flat look before choosing to stare out the windshield. “April.”

His bark of laughter didn’t catch her by surprise. There was something about him that told her he was the type of guy who spent more time laughing than not. She couldn’t decide if she was annoyed by it or not. Really, she envied the guy for his easy manner while she was wound tighter than the hair ties she used to pull her hair into a bun for court. Granted, he wasn’t in a stranger’s car driving away from his trusty vehicle—it made sense that he was a little more carefree than she was at the moment.

“I think it’s a great name,” he said, his wide smile still evident.

She gave him another dry look.

“I do. It’s unique. Everyone can spell it… unless…” He looked sideways at her, one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the console between them. “They don’t spell it with a silent ‘f’ or something, do they?”

She surprised herself by laughing, relaxing a bit for the first time since she’d realized she had a flat tire. That was a new one. She’d thought she’d heard all the quips there were to be had regarding her strange name.

“No.” Her laughter faded to a smile. “No ‘f.’”

“You have a great laugh.” His comment stilled her. Flirting already? And with her looking like a drowned rat? It was a little gratifying. Kinda made her want to sit up straighter. But she was already ramrod straight, the headrest of his stiff leather seats pushing her body forward an inch or two.

“But I can already tell it’s hard-won. I’ll consider this a monumental win, then.”

She frowned, some of the gratification leaking away. What did that even mean?

“Thanks?”

“You’re welcome. So. You’re a lawyer?”

At least this was a topic she could easily discuss. “Yep. Three years now. I’m a prosecutor for the county.”

“Wow. Must be a lot of work.”

“It is. But I enjoy it. What did you say you do?” Em glanced at her phone. Still no service.

“I’m in construction management. I’m managing a site here for the next few months, so the company sent me down temporarily.”

---