I wave away her comment. “He’s nothing but a teddy bear.”
Silas returns with another man in tow, wiping sweat from his forehead. “It’s already brutal outside.”
They both walk to the register, the tall, dark, and handsome man smiling at me like he knows me. Silas holds his hand out and does the introductions. “Deuce, this is Betsy Mae Coldreign. Betsy, this is my best friend, Deuce. He owns Saint’s Suits across the square.”
Deuce holds out his hand and we shake. He doesn’t let me go though, instead bringing the back of my hand up to his mouth so he can kiss it. “Charmed to meet you, Betsy Mae. I’ve heard so much about you already, I feel like we’re best friends.”
My eyebrows lift toward my hairline. “Oh yeah? I haven’t heard a damn thing about you.”
Silas chuckles while Deuce’s eyes widen. He lets go of my hand finally, but the smile doesn’t falter. He’s quite the charmer, which is saying something because Silas is also a natural charmer. These two in high school must have done some major damage with the ladies.
“I’ll have to take that up with your boss. He’s a mean son of a bitch sometimes, isn’t he?” Deuce winks at me.
I glance at Silas, who’s giving his friend a weary look. I think about all the times I’ve flipped him off and how he just amps up his smile.
“Actually, Silas might just be the kindest person I’ve ever met.” The words slip out before I can evaluate them. I guess I’m embracing radical honesty today with everyone.
Deuce seems taken aback by that, whacking Silas on the arm. “Did you hear that? You’ve managed to con the lady and she’s only been here a week!”
Deuce doesn’t give Silas a chance to speak before he leans over the counter into my space. He’s dressed in just about the nicest suit I’ve ever seen on a man. I almost want to reach upand stroke the lapel just to test the fabric. I have a feeling Deuce wouldn’t mind.
“Don’t you go fallin’ for his aw-shucks attitude. I’m so much more fun.” Deuce winks again. “And far more handsome, if I do say so myself.”
From a bazillion years in customer service, I’m a pretty good judge of character. I can tell Deuce is harmless. He’s just a natural flirt, so I go ahead and reach up to stroke his lapel because his suit is just that fabulous. And when he purrs in response, I toss my head back and laugh.
“See that, Si? If you start wearing my suits, you too can have ladies stroking you.” Deuce’s voice is nothing but a deep growl now. He’s sexy as hell, and yet I’m not attracted to him at all. It’s a shame really.
I drop my hand. “The polos are actually starting to grow on me.”
Deuce’s mouth pops open as Silas crows next to me. He slings his arm over my shoulders good-naturedly. Like we’re a team. Anus. His cologne, though very light, smells like something I want to sink into.
“Did you hear that? The ladies like my polos.” Silas grins at his friend. “Double bonus, I’m not hot during the summer like you.”
Deuce doesn’t back down. “It’s not the suit making me hot. I was just born that way.” He smiles at me, clearly no issues in the self-confidence department. “When you’re done with frat boys, you call me, Betsy darlin’.”
Silas straightens up and pulls his arm away from me. I instantly miss the weight of it across my shoulders. My cheeks burn and it has nothing to do with Deuce’s flirting. “Go flirt somewhere else. Betsy Mae is off-limits.”
Deuce has a knowing grin. “Oh yeah? Says who?”
Silas leans his fists against the counter, forearms rippling with muscle. “Says me.”
I’m still thinking about Silas kicking his best friend out of the boutique after he flirted with me when I leave Nana’s to pick up some ice cream at the local Dollar General. She made grilled chicken and salad for dinner, both healthy and easy to eat in the grueling summer heat. My contribution is an ice cream run.
Heat is still pulsing off the blacktop parking lot even at seven o’clock at night. I get two flavors of ice cream and hop back in the car, cranking the engine over just for it to click at me instead. I try again with the same result. The car doesn’t start and both me and the ice cream are sitting in the heat melting.
“Shit, shit, shit.” I take out my cell phone to call Nana, but realize I didn’t charge it after I got home from work. It’s dead, same as my car. I lean my forehead against the steering wheel, cursing at myself for being so irresponsible. I’ll have to go back inside and see if they’ll let me use their phone to call Nana. Then I’ll have to pay for my car to get towed to a garage and then pay for whatever it’ll cost to get this clunker running again. The only silver lining is that it didn’t break down during my cross-country drive out to Mississippi.
“Betsy Mae?”
I jolt away from the steering wheel at the sound of Silas’s voice. He’s in workout shorts, a sweat-soaked T-shirt, and running shoes. He swipes sweat from his eyes and peers down atme, lungs heaving. I have to swipe sweat from my eyes too. How does this man run in the heat of the day like this?
“Everything okay?”
I nod, swallowing hard. Silas fills out a polo nicely, but there’s something about workout attire that highlights how in shape he is. I try to think of the last time I went running. Pretty sure it was that one night years ago I took the bus home from a night out and some weird guy was following me and I had to sprint to my apartment for safety.
“Car won’t start,” I mutter.
Silas doesn’t even blink. “Pop the hood.”
