“You’re gonna knock ’em dead in that dress,” the seamstress says to me.“And I expect all the details before New Year’s!”
I swing the garment bag over my shoulder.“You bet!”
“But honey, you might want to ditch the antlers.”
“Huh?Oh.”
I reach for the felt-covered wires sticking from the top of my head and laugh, then look down at myself.I’m a crazy person, roaming the streets of Sweetbriar, Nevada, in a reindeer costume.“You might be right about that!Thank you, again!”
I walk to my car and carefully hang the dress on the rear seat’s suit hook.I put the car in reverse, put my foot on the gas, and back up.Just then I remember to take off my antlers.I reach up.
And the rear wheels of my car slide out from under me.I’m whipping around.My car ends up facing the opposite direction and sliding downhill.Right into the path of an oncoming SUV.
I stomp on the brakes.Big mistake.I miss the other car but bash into the curb.
CHAPTER 5
Evander
Anyone who drives like that has no business visiting Sweetbriar in December.Overflow tourists from Tahoe might be good for the local economy, but dealing with these idiots on the roads is a pain in my ass.
At least this driver wasn’t going fast enough to injure themselves.I didn’t even see the airbag deploy.
I get out from behind the wheel of my Genesis G460 and walk across the street.I open the driver’s side door and lean in.“Hey, are you—?”
It takes my brain a few seconds to register what I’m seeing.It’s Phoebe Travis.But she’s wearing antlers and what looks like a fake fur chipmunk onesie.
Also, she’s pretty shaken up.
“Come on out.Let me help you.Turn off the ignition first, okay?”I offer her my hand and she nods, sniffling, and climbs out of the car.The front left panel of her Ford is banged up, but she looks fine.Except for the tears.And the trembling.
And the antlers.
“Hey.You’re okay, Phoebe.It’s going to be all right.”
Only then does she look up at me.Those golden eyes of hers fly wide and her mouth opens.“Evander?”The antlers slide down her nose and hitch on her lips.
I can’t help myself.I laugh.I’ve always appreciated that the untouchable Phoebe Travis had a nice rack—because I’m a man with two functioning eyeballs—but notthiskind of rack.
I gently remove the headband from her face and toss it into the passenger seat.I run my hands along her furry upper arms.
This girl cracks me up.My guess is she was dressed up for something at the hospital.She’s always doing something extra for her patients, including me.
“Do you feel any pain?Did you bang your knee against the dash?”It might be days before she knows whether her neck or back got jolted.
Phoebe shakes her head and looks away.I think she’s embarrassed.But there’s no need to be.We’ve known each other since we were kids, though she’s a few years younger than me.
Besides, this is the same woman who sliced off my pants in the emergency room.She’s probably seen me naked more times than I realize.Maybe she’s worried that I’ll see her as less than professional.
“Hey, come on.It’s gonna be fine.”
I pull her into me and feel the weight of her soft body press against my chest.
“I hate it that someone had to rescue me, since I’m the one who’s usually doing the rescuing.”She mumbles this as she sniffs directly into the vest of my three-piece suit.I don’t mind.I plan to take it to the cleaners tomorrow, anyway.
“Shit happens, Phoebe.”
“I think black ice happened,” she says.
