Page 12 of Hello Trouble

DELLA

I clenched my desk as another memory of last night’s dream flashed through my mind.

Hayes Madigan, bending me over his motorcycle, gently knocking my legs apart with the toe of his boot. Running his hand over the exposed skin of my ass.

I blinked, hard, like that could erase the memory.

Never mind the fact that my heart was pounding, my breath ragged, and an ache pulsed between my thighs.

So I forced myself to remember reality .

In reality, I knew it would never work. He was a serial womanizer, didn’t believe in love or romance, and was grumpy more often than not. I should not be thinking about that torrid dream, especially while I was on the clock.

I was just reacting strongly to riding on the back of his motorcycle. My mind must be trying to process the adrenaline rush. Or possibly distract me from that date gone wrong with Matteo. Or better yet, make me forget altogether that when I invited Hayes into my house, he emphatically said no.

I tried not to let the rejection sting. But knowing he had a continuous parade of women in and out of his house didn’t help my confidence.

Another heavy sigh.

I wasn’t getting any work done with my mind spinning like this.

I got up from my desk and went to my boss’s office. She had Dolly Parton playing softly from her speakers and was bobbing her head side to side.

My lips pressed into a smile. I’d miss this in Dallas.

So I didn’t scare her, I knocked softly on the door. And when she looked up at me through her thick glasses, I said, “Hey, Edna, I’m running to get lunch from the diner. Want anything?”

She looked up from her computer, still typing on the keypad. “How about a Cobb salad?”

“Of course,” I said. That’s what she always ordered at the beginning of the week. Toward the end, there were more fried foods involved. “Anything to drink?”

She held up a giant jug of water that had times listed down the side with motivational quotes. “Got it covered.”

“Sure thing,” I replied, then gave her a wave and walked outside.

Spring was in full swing—sunny and warm. The trees were budding, and I couldn’t wait for all the flowering dogwoods along Main Street to start blooming. They added the most beautiful pop of color to our little town.

The fresh air and sunshine were already helping ease the tension in my shoulders. Going to the diner had been a great idea. If I weren’t busy looking both ways and crossing the street, I’d pat myself on the back.

Inside the diner, the sound of sizzling grease and people talking filled the air like the smell of French fries.

I couldn’t wait to take my sweet time eating lunch and get a fresh take on the day.

If you asked me, it was never too late in the day or week or year to turn over a new leaf and make it better.

But my hopes were soon dashed when I realized there wasn’t a single place available for me to sit. Woody’s was slammed . I frowned, thinking I’d have to take my order to go.

“This seat’s open,” a warm voice said nearby.

I turned to follow the sound and saw Bennett Smith sitting on one side of a table. He was a big boy, so a booth wouldn’t have worked for him. As I thanked him and sat across from him, I felt a heat creeping up my neck, knowing his name was the last one listed on my board at home.

Despite technically being my last resort, he was a genuinely good guy. He had short curly hair sticking out from under a worn and weathered Smith Welding hat that shaded soft blue eyes and a warm smile framed by perpetually rosy cheeks.

But I’d always seen him as a friend, and he’d never indicated a romantic interest in me either.

“It’s been a while. How have things been lately?” I asked him, trying not to stress too much about my list.

“Better now.” He smiled, and I felt a warmth flutter in my stomach. I was so out of practice with flirting, but this felt like a nice way to dip my toes in the water. “How about you?” he followed up.

I shrugged, picking a menu from the holder on the table. “I’ve been a little distracted today. Came here to clear my head.”

He nodded, taking a sip from the sweating glass of iced tea in front of him. “You know what I do to clear my head?”

I motioned that I didn’t.

“It’s kind of strange, but...” He leaned closer, whispering. “I gargle ice water.”

Surprised, I giggled a bit. “What?”

He nodded, sitting up straight again. “It resets the vagus nerve. Learned that on a podcast driving to one of my jobs. You should try it.”

As if she was listening to our conversation, Agatha came by our table and asked me what I’d like to order. She looked busy with the lunch rush, so I quickly told her what I’d like and asked for a glass of ice water.

As she walked away, Bennett winked at me.

I smiled to myself, shaking my head. “Do you listen to podcasts a lot?”

“Just when I get tired of hearing the same song over and over,” he tossed back. “You?”

I nodded, then leaned forward. “It’s a little embarrassing though.”

Amused, he said, “Tell me.”

“I listen to people rehash reality TV.”

That had him chuckling warmly. “ Real Housewives ? That’s my mom’s favorite show.”

“ Bake Off ,” I replied.

He laughed again, and I could feel people watching our exchange, but it didn’t bother me one bit. This was exactly what I needed—a nice conversation to distract me from thoughts of Hayes Madigan. Maybe I had underestimated Bennett all this time.

Agatha passed by, easily sliding a cup of ice water in front of me. The cubes rattled against the plastic for a second after it came to a stop.

“Try it,” Bennett said.

My cheeks warmed. “There’s no attractive way to gargle. Maybe I should take it to the bathroom.”

“Oh please,” he said. “Gargling’s sexy as hell.”

A laugh easily fell past my lips. “Okay, let’s put this theory to the test.” I picked up a glass of water and tossed back a mouthful. Then I tilted my head back and started to... gargle.

If my mom knew I was doing this, she’d faint, and when she came to, she’d give me a lecture on how a lady behaves.

But Mom wasn’t here.

After a few seconds, I tipped my head back up and swallowed. Bennett eyed me expectantly. “How do you feel?”

I studied my body for a moment. “Better,” I finally said. Although I didn’t know if that was because of the water or the company.

And that’s when I heard the all too familiar roar of a motorcycle outside, and any sense of ease I had was instantly gone.