Page 10 of Take Me Now

“Do you happen to know how to get ahold of her? Should I just call the clinic?” I asked. My eyes bounced to the clock mounted above the door into the back hallway. “I’m guessing they’re closed.”

“I have Farrah’s number.” Maisie whipped her phone out. “I’m texting it to you right now. Just tell her I gave it to you. I’m sure it won’t be too weird. Be nice,” she ordered.

I held my palms up. “Of course, I’ll be nice. I promise. I’ll even be grateful.”

My phone vibrated with Maisie’s text. Maisie had shared her contact with me. Farrah was labeledGorgeous Farrah.

I was just about to open my mouth and agree with her when I thought better of it. Beck happened to glance down at my screen and snorted. “Maisie has nicknames for everyone.”

“What’s my name?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“Coopy Coop,” Maisie said with a grin.

I chuckled. “Okay. I wasn’t asking to be gorgeous, but…”

Maisie rolled her eyes. “This fire station is full of hotshot firefighters. Most of you are handsome. Beck is the only one who gets to me. Plus, most of my friends are crushing on or married to the others, so I can’t be using inappropriate names for the guys. I think everyone would agree that Farrah fits the gorgeous description.” She punctuated that with a firm nod.

Just then, Susannah, one of the female firefighters, came walking out of the back hallway and caught her last comment. “I completely concur. Farrah is totally gorgeous. None of the guys will say anything about it because they know better.”

Wes snorted. “I’d like to know my nickname.”

Maisie scrolled through her phone contacts, looking up. “Wessie Wes.”

“Is there a theme here?” I prompted. “Is Beck Becky Beck?”

Maisie burst out laughing. “Nope, he is Beck Action Hero Steele.”

Beck rolled his eyes, looking a little sheepish. “Because my name is Beck Steele, she says I sound like an action hero.”

“You do, but I got that from Carrie Dodge.” She winked. “Carrie said your name sounds like an action hero’s name. It totally does.”

“Wow, I even know who Carrie is,” I teased.

“It’s a training requirement to go with the town crew to rescue Carrie’s cat.” Beck grinned.

I cuffed Beck lightly on the shoulder. “Dude, I think the name fits. Plus, you’re a hotshot firefighter, so technically, you’re also an action hero.”

Amid a chorus of laughter, I departed. Maisie’s text with Farrah’s number burned a hole in my pocket where my phone was nestled as I walked out to my truck. I decided to stop by my apartment before I texted her.

It was a short drive down Main Street, and I pulled into the parking area behind Firehouse Café, which shared a parking lot with where I lived. My footsteps echoed as I jogged up the stairs. Cresting the landing, I turned down the hallway. I happened to be looking down when I heard my name.

I whipped my head up to see Farrah Taylor standing in the hallway with her keys. “Cooper?” she prompted again.

I came to an abrupt stop a few feet away from her in the hallway. “Hi. I was planning to text you. Maisie gave me your contact information. What are you doing here?”

She pointed toward the doorway across the hallway from my apartment. “I live here. I only found out you’d moved in while you were gone.”

My gaze traveled down the hallway before it returned to her. “I guess you’re my neighbor then.”

She nodded slowly. My eyes, greedy and hungry for a thorough look at her, took in the way her honey-blond hair was pulled up in a ponytail. Several locks had fallen loose along her neck. The glasses she had on today served to set off her green eyes. She wore a pair of overalls over a fitted T-shirt. Even though everything she wore was loose except the T-shirt, all it did was rev the engine of my curiosity. I felt like every cell in my body fired, sending heat sizzling through me.

“When did you move in?” Farrah prompted.

“A few weeks ago. I haven’t seen you or whoever’s downstairs yet. Actually, is there anyone downstairs?”

“Janet says that’s the fancy place. She rents it out to tourists, so it’s a rotating cast of characters. Up here, it’s just us. The last person moved out last month, and I wondered when Janet would rent it out again.”

“It’s good to have a neighbor I know. Maisie told me what happened. Thanks for taking care of Humpty.”

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