They both notice me. Elodie’s eyes go wide, and the guy stiffens, but he takes a goddamn step back.
Not going to help, jackass.
There’s something about his power stance in front of Elodie that rubs me all the wrong ways. His side-slicked hairstyle and the polo and khaki shorts don’t help. It’s an absolutely normal look for the beginning of August—and it makes him seem like a giant prick.
Elodie turns to him and says something just as I climb out. His smirk gives me the urge to smear that smug grin all over the sidewalk.
The door isn’t locked. I step inside and give him a hard glare before focusing on my woman. “Hey, Elodie. Am I interrupting?”
“No.” The word is carefully controlled. “He was just leaving.”
“Everything all right?” I ask lightly, but I’m coiled tighter than a rattler ready to strike.
She shakes her head without looking at me and shoves her glasses up her nose.
“Sorry.” The man spins around and sticks his hand out. His smile is as fake as the gold watch on his wrist. “I’m Dean. I was just stopping in to ask for directions.”
I don’t take his hand, narrowing my gaze on him instead.
He drops his arm, and that fake smile of his falters. “I don’t come to this part of Montana enough to know where all the good restaurants are. She was nice enough to stay late and give me some recommendations.”
The flash in her eyes is enough to tell me he’s lying, but I’d know anyway. This motherfucker thinks he’s slick, but he’s not. He’s just like every loser my mom tried to date after my roughneck dad. She thought she was moving up in the world, finding men in suits and slacks instead of my blue-collar father. She assumed their appearance meant they were better men, but the clothes hid the rot. They could be more manipulative and underhanded. Some utterly lacked a conscience.
I get the same vibes from this motherfucker.
“Go to Billings,” I say, keeping my steady stare on him. “Plenty of good places to eat there.”
“That’s whatDeewas saying.”
Elodie’s cheek twitches and her nostrils flare.
I open the door. “Better get going, then. Don’t want to miss out.”
His brows lift like he can’t believe my audacity. I have it in spades. Just because I don’t use it doesn’t mean I won’t.
“All right, then.” He does a half bow toward Elodie and she gives him anare you serious?look. “Thank you for the help. I’ll be sure to stop here the next time I’m in town.”
“Sure,” she says, her tone flatter than cardboard.
I don’t get a nod when he passes me to leave. He walks down the sidewalk to the end of the block and turns so I can’t even see what vehicle the asshole drives.
I shut the door and throw the dead bolt. She needs a more robust security system. Turning back, I grip her shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, sorry I’m not changed yet. If you give me a few minutes, I’ll be right back.” She breaks out of my hold and tries to scurry away.
“Elodie.”
She stops and puffs a strand of hair that’s escaped her bun out of her face. “Yeah?”
“What was that all about?”
“That?” She scoffs like the stranger didn’t bother her. “You know how some guys get. Waste a girl’s time and not care.”
“You should tell your cousin.” Weird that I’m recommending contacting Deputy Palmer. I used to be the last guy to advise going to the police. I was on a first-name basis with them for a very different reason.
“I will.” She flashes a smile as false as Dean’s. “Sorry he made me late.”
She might want to forget about Dean, but I won’t. “You’ll tell me? If he becomes a problem?”
