I've Got Summer

F I V E

S U M M E R

Working a shift at dad's store was usually my favorite time of the day. There were rarely customers in, but when there were, they knew what they were getting and got out quickly. None of them really dared spend more than five minutes in my presence, in fear of how I'd react if they brought up dad or August. Little did they know I'd be just fine, because when they left I'd be able to dive back into my book and forget they were there asking questions in the first place.

I was staring down at my book, reading an intense battle scene that had my breath heaving, leaning on the counter with my elbows, when someone cleared their throat over me. I jumped and gasped, nearly falling over. I hadn't heard anyone coming into the store; the bell usually tipped me off, but not this time. Apparently, I'd been way too engulfed in the story. When I looked into a pair of amused brown eyes, I crossed my arms and said, "Not funny, it's a matter of life and death!"

Before I could snatch the book up, Chris picked it up and lifted a brow as he started reading from the epic scene I was in the middle of. After a long minute, he lifted his eyes to me and said, "At least it wasn't anything embarrassing."

"Not until chapter fifty-five," I muttered under my breath as he handed the book back. I put on a smile and shoved my bookmark in, before I asked, "What can I help you with?"

"I came to pick up a power saw," he said with his deep and stomach-turning voice. The tiny hint of a smile that he had when he mentioned my book wasn't embarrassing was gone. I imagined he thought I was reading something spicy.

I shrugged with one shoulder, as if to show him how little interested I was, before I realized he told me that because I worked there, and I had to help him. The worst part was that I'd asked him what I could help with, and I'd forgotten. His eyes were pinned on me and I lost all focus.

"I noticed it was marked with a note this morning," I finally said, moving around the counter and away from him. It was like I could breathe again when I didn't have his eyes on me, but as soon as his heavy boots started thudding to the floor behind me, my mind blanked out.

August's handwriting was on the note attached to one of the big boxes with a saw inside. I didn't even know it was a saw until I looked closer and read the label. For a girl who'd been raised in this shop, I knew surprisingly little about the power tools we had. It didn't help that the man behind me made me practically squirm with his closeness either.

Everything about this stranger made me nervous, and I usually wasn't. His eyes were lingering—in a way that made my skin heat—and his demeanor was telling me to stay the hell away—like he'd definitely find a way to tell me off if I got too close—but all I really wanted was to get closer. I could tell he'd been burned by getting close to people before, and he preferred to be alone now.

Why else would he buy a house in the middle of nowhere?

Little did he know that this town was as nosy as a wine-drunk cougar in the suburbs. If he ever let anyone close enough for a casual chat, he'd know everything about everyone. Even me. Maybe that was what made me so nervous; maybe he'd already figured out I was a failure at everything I did and wanted nothing to do with me.

It wasn't that bad, of course. People just had a tendency to exaggerate. I chose to quit, and I chose to stay in River Hills. August wasn't the only one who didn't understand that wish, to say the least...

I was pulled back from the pit of my thoughts as Chris moved and picked up the huge, and probably heavy, box with ease. I was pretty sure my mouth was open when he looked at me, and raised a brow in question.

"Come on," I said, "I'll hold the door open and help you get it onto your truck."

"You trust me enough to walk out with it before paying?" His eyes gleamed for a second, and my stomach fluttered.