Think about it? He couldn’t even begin to wrap his thoughts around the reality of being offered a promotion. Freaking manager of the warehouse routes. Man, Louise would love that. Gene would, too.
He laughed again, braking hard because hell, that was his driveway and he’d been so lost in musing he almost missed it.
Holly’s Ford SUV sat at an angle to the drive, leaving him his customary spot. She wasn’t on the steps, though, and her laugh sparkled on the river-laden breeze when he unfolded from the cab.
“You’re a nut.” Affection and glee lightened her voice, and he grinned, loping around the side of the cabin to let himself into the backyard. A flat of canned dogfood waited on the porch, Polo snoozing next to it. Laziest damn dog he’d ever seen, and Gene had had a couple of real sluggards. Holly stood in the middle of the grass that stretched down to the river, Ralph running in wild circles around her. She grinned at Colt when the gate clanked shut behind him. “Hey.”
“Hey.” At his voice, Ralph darted to him, jumping on his pants and rubbing all over his work boots. Colt hunched down, patting down the writhing dog. “Hey, buddy. Who’s a good dog? Huh? Sorry I’m late.”
He directed the apology at Holly, glancing up from Ralph’s gleeful appreciation.
“It’s okay.” She crouched, patting her thighs, and Ralph abandoned Colt to hurl himself into her embrace, leaving white hair all over her navy scrubs. He rolled over, presenting his pale pink underside for a tummy rub. Holly looked at Colt from under her lashes, her fingers, pretty and slender with short, clean nails, moving in gentle circles on Ralph’s belly. “What did you have going on? A bleach blunder? Or, ooh, a sanitizer snafu?”
Such a smartass, all the damn time, all the way back to when they’d been analysis partners in Mr. Davis’s AP classes.
“Actually, Herb called me in the office to offer me a promotion.” He shook his head, still trying to believe it himself. “Warehouse route manager since he’s going to the district level.”
“Really?” Glee lit Holly’s gaze into blue flames, and she slapped her thighs before launching to her feet. Colt rose, only to find himself engulfed in a hard hug, her shining blonde hair brushing his chin like finest silk. “That’s amazing! I’m so proud for you.”
“Thanks.” He closed his arms about her because what else was he supposed to do? Disinfectant clung to her, but something else, a scent like fresh air and summer sunshine lay under the harsh layer, tickling his nose.
She leaned back in his arms, holding his biceps with firm hands. “Are you excited?”
“I don’t know what I am yet.” A chuckle escaped his throat, and he scuffed a hand over his nape. She was warm along his thighs and belly, like holding sunshine. “Hell, I thought I was getting fired.”
“Pfft.” Holly rolled her eyes and smacked his arm, not having any of his nonsense. “You’re great at your job. I can see why they’d peg you for management.”
“Yeah, I don’t know about that whole office part.” He expelled a breath.
“You can worry about that later.” She waved the idea away, then wrapped herself around him again before she stepped back. “Right now, we’re going to dinner to celebrate.”
Such a damn juggernaut, all the time. How the hell was Lamar not married to her? Oh, yeah, he had a kid he didn’t know about from some anonymous one night stand. Pretty sure finding that out changed the trajectory of a guy’s life.
Colt lifted a brow. “We are?”
“Yes, we are.” She gave him a little shove toward the house. “Who else are you going to celebrate with? Not Wally. You get into trouble with him.”
“That was different. I was not celebrating.”
“Well, you should have been because she wasn’t good enough for you.” She leaned down to pat Ralph’s rump, scrubs stretching taut over the curve of her hips and thighs. “And it’s not like you’re going to call her to share, although you could call her to gloat. Besides, it’s Wednesday, so Chuck and Del are both at church along with your daddy and granddaddy, so you are stuck with me.”
“I’m not stuck with you.” He’d never consider dinner with her being stuck. Still, his pride demanded he take a stand. Being a relative loner by choice did not indicate a lack of social skill or connection on his part. Peace and solitude were good things. Ask Thoreau. He gestured at his chest with the blade of his hand. “I do have friends, Holly.”
“Yes, but they’re all married and at church supper with their spouses.” She waved her hands like a magician. “We’re obviously heathens, so we’re going to dinner to appreciate His blessings on your life in a secular social setting.”
Alliteration and hyperbole again. He rolled his eyes. Lamar had had to fight for that higher average in Mr. Davis’s class and the valedictorian medal for sure.
“Go take a shower, Colton.” Another light shove at his shoulder. “I smell like a vet’s office, and you reek of exhaust fumes. Wear something nice because I plan to clean up good. I’ll be ready by six-thirty. Come on, Polo.”
“You know it’s customary to ask a guy if he’ll pick you up,” he called after her.
She turned long enough to blow a kiss at him. “Hey, I really like that pale blue shirt under your navy blazer with jeans. Wear that.”
What the holy hell? “You are not telling me what to wear.”
“Better me than your mama.” With a laugh, she sauntered through the gate. “I saw that pink seersucker shirt she bought you for your birthday.”
“I’m putting it on just to spite you.” The shirt still hung in his closet with the tags on it, but damn if she had to know that.
