Page 35 of Faking I Do
“Hopefully it won’t be anything that drastic. But if Adeline gives you trouble, I’m only a phone call away.”
“Got it. I’ll make a list of things going on this weekend so you know what to check on. Do you want me to text it or e-mail?”
“Are you going to be at the warehouse at all in the next day or two?”
“Sure am. Since I can’t work on the house right now, I figured I’d get a few more things organized over there. Why?”
“Why don’t you jot it down and I’ll swing by to pick it up next time you’re over there.” Maybe I’d have a chance to snoop around and find the box of beavers. For some reason my dad and my pops were desperate to get their hands on them. There had to be a reason why.
“You sure you don’t want me to just text you?”
“Nah, that’s okay. I think I might have dropped something while I was over there for the sale. It’ll give me a chance to look for it.”
“Okay. I’ll be there tomorrow after my shift. Probably after eight.”
“I’ll stop by then.”
“Sounds good.”
I waited until the call disconnected then dropped my phone into my pocket. Tomorrow night. My pulse sped up when Ithought about seeing Lacey again. Either something was wrong with me or after the past few weeks I’d developed some sort of unnatural feelings for my gorgeous new mayor. I put my hands to my head. No, my best friend’s little sister. I kept trying, but I couldn’t seem to think of Lacey as the tagalong tween I’d known all those years ago anymore.
Now when I thought of her, which was way too often, I saw the swell of her breasts, the curve of her hips, and the fullness of that bottom lip she always seemed to have captured between her teeth.
The more I tried to not think of her as a woman, the more my brain latched on to visions of her wrapped in my arms, her tongue tangled with mine. Only one way to chase the impossible images out of my head. I needed to run.
I climbed into my truck, hell-bent on getting home, changing into my running gear, and hitting the road to pound out a few miles. Hopefully Shotgun was up for it. Because if I didn’t get my run in before I met up with Lacey again, I might be running into a hell of a lot more than I bargained for.
CHAPTER 18
LACEY
With the newkey I’d had made, I unlocked the front door leading into the office. I’d typically not worry about re-keying the locks, but with the onslaught of interest in the warehouse event space, the continued obsession of Bodie’s family with the beavers, and the pressure I’d been feeling from the past employees, playing it safe was better than playing it sorry.
Once inside, I flipped the lights and let the door close behind me. A quick glance around the front office assured me everything was in its proper place. What could Bodie be looking for? He’d helped out with the pet-rescue portion of the sale so if he dropped something it had to be in the front area.
I leaned down, searching under desks and chairs. Apart from a few dust bunnies that might be mistaken for tumbleweeds, nothing stood out. Bodie didn’t seem like the kind of man who needed a ploy. But I couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t just have me text him the information. Oh well. At least I’d have a chance to see him before I left town.
That intimate moment we’d shared a few weeks ago had left me reeling. I needed to set eyes on him and prove to myself that he was still the annoying bully he’d been since I moved back to town. Anything else might get in the way of my focusing all ofmy attention on transforming the Phillips House and I couldn’t have that. With so little time left before our first event, I still couldn’t believe I’d let Adeline talk me into going wedding dress shopping.
But I’d do just about anything to hold on to the hope that Ido would someday be a destination wedding site. It would work. It had to.
As I took a final look around, headlights swept through the window. Bodie.
His footsteps crunched on the gravel outside, and I heard him coming long before he knocked at the door.
“Hey.” I pushed open the door to the outside, then stepped back when I realized who he’d brought with him. “Shotgun! Hey, girl.”
The pup danced on her hind legs, trying to jump up and smother my face with kisses.
“Down.” At Bodie’s command, Shotgun stood on all fours, her tail wagging so hard the back half of her body whipped back and forth like a rag doll. “We’re working on manners.”
“I’m impressed.” I looked up at Bodie as I leaned down to pet the dog. “She seems to be doing great.”
Shotgun jumped up, cracking the top of her head against my chin. I stumbled back but a strong hand caught me before my tailbone hit the ground.
“You okay?” Bodie’s hands gripped my arms and pulled me back to a standing position. “Sorry about that. She’s a work in progress.”
“Aren’t we all?” I grinned even though the area under my chin throbbed from the impact. “Shotgun, your head seems to be as hard as a rock.”
