Page 4 of Embers of You (Amity #1)
Jameson
“Did you see Mallory leaving Trish’s place? She’s looking good,” Parker says with a pointed look in my direction as I finish my last round of checking the truck.
“Go for it, bud. She’ll eat you alive.”
“I wouldn’t mind her mouth all over me.” He winks.
I shake my head. She’s ten years older than him and my ex. We dated for about a year when I was in my twenties. We broke up when I moved to Florida. It wasn’t that serious, and I never saw it going in that direction, so if Parker thinks he can handle her he can be my guest.
While Parker continues to talk about how good Mallory looks to anyone who will listen, my mind is stuck on the mysterious brunette that just moved into town. I can’t help but look out the one window that faces the little grooming shop and think about what she might be doing right now.
I want some sort of excuse to talk to her again, anything that will give me a reason to hear her voice one more time.
Maybe I’ll pretend as if I forgot to ask her something, or that I need her opinion on something ridiculous.
Obviously, our first meeting was completely by chance, and I want it to happen again.
I don’t have a dog, so the most obvious idea is out of the question.
I mean I could get a dog; I have been wanting one for a while.
“What do you think, Jameson?” Parker’s voice pulls me from my thoughts.
“About what?”
Parker and Dave chuckle, both clearly amused by how distracted I clearly was.
“How long until Mallory is throwing herself at you again?” Dave clarifies.
“Why are you two gossiping like teenagers?” I ask, not wanting to give into this useless conversation.
I zone out whatever they’re saying once again when movement in the window catches my eye. It’s Sutton, and it’s clear that she’s focused on whatever it is she’s doing at this moment. Without much more thought I’m moving toward the door of the firehouse.
“I’ll be right back, guys,” I call out to no one in particular.
“What are you doing?” Dave questions.
“Where are you going?” Parker presses.
“You can’t just leave in the middle of shift!” Jo hollers.
They call after me, but I ignore them. I’m just going next door for a second.
I step in the building I’ve never stepped foot in before, looking around for the new mysterious woman.
“Hi.” I look around for who greeted me, and see a white bird perched near the door.
“Hi?”
“One second,” another voice calls out. This one is certainly human.
I look back at the bird; he turns his head like he’s examining me before he barks.
“Sorry, how can I–” She cuts herself off as soon as I turn to look at her.
“Hi again.” I smile.
Sutton looks around like she’s expecting someone else to appear, but I think it’s just the two of us. And the bird.
“What—” She clears her throat. “What’re you doing here?”
“I’m actually here for professional matters,” I lie.
“Professional matters?”
I nod. “I have to do some fire safety checks; did Trish not tell you one of us would be by for this?”
She shakes her head.
“It shouldn’t take me long, unless you’d prefer I come back when Trish is here?” I offer, though I’m holding my breath.
“No, no, it’s fine. Do what you need to do.” She waves me off.
“ Shut up, Vern,” the bird squawks.
“What did he just say?” I ask Sutton who looks like she’s trying to hold back her laughter.
She just shrugs before turning and walking down a short hallway to another room.
I pretend to busy myself with checking things around the shop.
I have absolutely no real reason for being over here other than trying to talk to Sutton, so once I’ve spent a fair amount of time in the other rooms to not seem too obvious, I enter the room she’s in.
While I pretend to check outlets and lights around this room, I catch her subtly trying to look at me. I smother my smile before breaking the silence between us.
“So, how’re you liking it here so far?” I ask, glancing over at her as she brushes out a scruffy looking dog on the table.
“It’s fine. Quiet.”
“Do you like the quiet?”
She shrugs. “I guess.”
I walk a little closer to her and lean against the wall next to where she’s working. “Have you thought more about having a friend in town?”
She snorts out a small laugh, and it’s extremely adorable. “I’m not against friends here.”
“You just don’t want to be my friend,” I taunt.
She turns slightly to look at me, her green eyes locking on me with intensity. “I said I don’t think I could be friends with you, not that I don’t want to.”
“Sounds like the same thing to me.”
“It’s not.” She turns back to the dog, taking some scissors and cutting around the dog’s legs.
“Then why not give it a shot,” I try.
“Are you done with your check?” she asks, ignoring me.
“Almost. Can I see your keys?’
She furrows her brows at me. “Why?’
“It’s the last thing I need to check.”
She opens a drawer behind her and jingles her keys in front of me.
“Just had to make sure you weren’t going to need me to rescue you again.” I wink at her before she rolls her eyes.
“I’ll make sure to only lock keys in my car when you’re not around,” she sasses.
“Sounds like a good reason to have my number, then.”
“Goodbye, Jameson.” She shakes her head, going back to the dog she’s grooming.
“ Hot guy, Jameson,” the bird says from the perch in the room; I didn’t even notice when he flew in here.
Sutton’s face immediately flushes, and I bite back my smile.
“Talking about me?” I ask the flustered woman who’s avoiding eye contact.
“He said that before I started working here.”
“Sure, he did. Bye Sutton.” As I’m closing the door behind me, I hear her scolding the bird.
I hold back my laughter until I’m almost back at the firehouse where I’m greeted with curious stares, but I refuse to answer any of their questions as to what I was doing. It doesn’t matter, and besides, I don’t even think I would know how to answer.