“That leaves C shift. Douglas and Conrad.”
Tapping my pen against my lower lip, I try to picture each of them. Douglas is a sexy silver fox. That will work just fine. And if I remember correctly, Conrad’s not bad. His physique isn’t going to bring all the ladies to the yard. However, his dimples might.
I drag my nail down each name. “That’s only nine.”
Layton lets out a heavy exhale. “Yeah. Welcome to my world. Mary’s currently in her second trimester. And Pete’s still recovering. I think he might even be wearing a back brace.” He winces.
“You think they’d be willing to take pictures for us? It’d be great to have a woman included. And we could surround Pete with pups.” I giggle.
“I don’t see why not. They’ve both been a part of this station for a long time. It’s not like they left on bad terms.”
Clasping my hands in front of me as if in prayer, I beam at Layton. “This just might work. We only need to find one more for the last month, and we’re set.”
“Yeah, not sure about how we do that. It’s not like I’m going to ask the Battalion Chief to pose.” He shakes his head with a look of sheer terror at the thought.
“Gosh. I hate to get this close and come up short for December.”
Knock, knock.
“Door’s open,” Layton belts out.
Looking down at my watch, I realize I’ve been here far longer than I’d planned. I gather my things and stand. Yet, as I turn for the door, my eyes blink rapidly as if I’m looking at a mirage. The same instant heat from the other night at Magnolia Market creeps up my neck, causing me to flush, as an electric current jolts in my direction, causing my pulse to pound in my ears.
“Ah, Jason. Come on in. Have you met Quinn Patterson?”
Oh. My. God. It is him.
Chapter 8
Jason
Quinn Patterson. I stand there motionless, blinking at the stunning woman in front of me.
Woman?
But Quinn isn’t a woman. She’s a shy, fresh-faced teenager with braces, her long dark hair in pigtails. When the hell did this happen?
“Short stuff?” I squeak out quietly, completely flabbergasted that this could be the same girl from all of those years ago. “You’re all grown up.”
“It happens,” she responds, shrugging in apparent nonchalance. Yet I don’t miss the way her eyes make a slow descent from my head to my toes. She’s tall. With those fuck hot black heels, Quinn stands confidently about four inches shorter than I am. She has a gorgeous figure with curves in all the right places. Her dark hair is still long, but now loose as it tumbles down her shoulders and back in soft waves. But her eyes… Have they always been this color? They’re a mix of blue and gray, hauntingly beautiful against dark lashes that seem to mock me with each slow blink.
There’s no disputing the instant attraction I feel. I can’t recall the last time anyone had this effect on me. Well, besides Corinne. That alone should make me run screaming in the other direction.
As I try to wrap my head around the fact this stunner is Ian’s little sister, she moves a few inches closer, and I’m engulfed in the most delicious sugary vanilla scent. It’s in this moment it hits me. She’s the ogler from Magnolia Market the other night. It makes me wish I’d taken the time to check her out in greater detail before I walked away.
Okay, ran away.
Hell, what are you saying, Jase?All womenfrom this town are off limits, particularly anyone with the last name Patterson.
“Quinn is working in PR and has been tasked with improving tourism in Magnolia Point. She’s also going to tackle trying to boost the reputation of the fire department, and hopefully our revenue. She was going over the details of a firefighter calendar that’ll be used to raise funds for the station as well as pets waiting adoption at the local shelter,” Layton explains.
Out of the blue, she spins on her heels and looks at Layton animatedly. “Oh, this is perfect.” As if they’re both in on the same secret, they simultaneously break out into a huge grin before turning to face me. “We were short our last month. Now you can?—”
“No!”
Quinn
Wow. Rude.
