Page 4

Raeann

S itting on the dressing room floor, I hug Athena around the neck. “I can’t believe you humped Micah Freeman!”

She licks my cheek, and it’s one of those moments where I wish I could understand what she’s thinking. I can’t even remember the rest of the interview because I was so mortified. She’s never done that before.

My phone rings, and I lunge to see who it is, nearly falling over Athena.

I just slip it off the edge of the vanity and cling to it with my fingers like it’s the claw machine game at Denny’s.

“It’s Tab,” I tell Athena as she makes herself comfortable next to me.

I take a deep breath, then answer the call.

“I’m going to die. I might actually be dead. ”

Tab bursts out laughing. “It isn’t as bad as you think.”

“Not as bad as I think? Bad enough that you knew exactly what I meant when I said it!”

“Well, I mean, who else humped Micah Freeman on live TV today?”

Athena rests her head on my calf, and I flare the skirt of my dress out so as not to embarrass myself in a different way.

I don’t answer, and Tab sighs. “It was fine. It was funny, even. Micah laughed it off, and so did Paula. It was like point three seconds of embarrassment, and then it was over.”

“Yeah, but it’ll be immortalized on the internet forever. What will people think of her?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. They’ll think she’s an animal, and she saw a very tall, very sexy-looking man. Her base instincts kicked in, and she thought, ‘I need to make sure this guy knows I’m the boss.’”

I sigh with relief into the phone. “I thought you were taking that in a different direction there for a second.”

“Oh good, because you’ll love what I’ve got in store for you.” She pauses for dramatic effect. “How was it? What did he look like in person? Did Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome make any of your base instincts kick in?”

I sigh. “He smells good.” There’s no point in trying to deny it. There’s a reason why Micah Freeman’s name came out of my mouth when I was high on those dental drugs. He’s the perfect male specimen.

She sighs back. “He looks like he would smell good. And he went right in for a hug!”

“I know! I nearly died!”

“I could tell.”

“What? Oh. My. God. Did I make an ass out of myself?”

“You did great. Really. I hope we get more TV spots in the future because you were on point. Joking with the host, using your winning personality like I said. You talked up Pet Threads. It was heartwarming. Really, Raeann, everyone loved you. And Athena only did what everyone else wants to do to that man. I bet you one hundred percent of the women who were watching that interview had the same idea.”

I chuckle. Tab always has a way of saying things that make everything better. “I’m glad I didn’t embarrass us or Pet Threads.”

“You could never embarrass Pet Threads. It’s your baby.”

A soft knock sounds on the door, and before I have a chance to call out or get up, it swings open. Startled, I peer up, but then my breath dies in my throat.

“Raeann?” Tab’s voice chirps in my ear, but she’s not seeing what I’m seeing.

Micah tilts his head as he takes me in, sitting on the floor, squished next to my vanity, with Athena using me as a pillow. Athena flops her tail around, the thwop , thwop of it hitting the ground the only sound until he walks forward. “Did you hurt yourself?”

“I— I’m…”

He pulls me up easily by my elbows. I stand there, comatose, before he pries my phone out of my hands. Tab’s voice rattles through the speakers while he brings it to his ear. “Hello?”

The sound that comes out of the phone speaker next startles me followed by “Hello? Who’s this?”

“Micah Freeman.”

“Micah fucking Freeman? No wonder she went mute.”

I inwardly sigh at Tab’s choice of words, but I’m still struck, unable to move.

“Is she okay?”

“Did you surprise her? She might need resuscitation.”

My jaw unhinges, and I scramble to free my phone from his grip. Turning, I whisper, “You bitch,” into the receiver, and then end the call. I check myself in the mirror. The more manicured version of me looks back, then I spin around slowly to find Micah petting Athena.

“I’m so sorry about earlier. I’ve never seen her hump anyone before. Really. No one. Not even another dog.”

“So I’m her first?” He kneels, massaging Athena behind the ears, then kisses her muzzle.

“She’s adorable, and it was funny. Everyone got a kick out of it.

” He pulls on Athena’s dress that I made just for the show.

It’s green, showing off her red color, with a little frill of tulle along the bottom.

I even sewed one of our logo patches onto the side.

She’s basically a walking billboard for Pet Threads.

“This is so pretty. You make the clothes, right?”

My dry mouth doesn’t recover miraculously, so my voice comes out thick.

“Yes. I have a business with my best friend. The one on the phone there a minute ago. We sell fashion for large dogs. Well, we sell to smaller dogs too, but the big dogs weren’t getting any of the love that the teacups were getting, so we started there. ”

“But you actually sew them, right?”

I can’t believe Micah is in my dressing room and asking me what I do for a living.

I take a deep breath. “I sewed every original design, and in the beginning, when we were just on Etsy, I sewed every single one, but now that we’ve expanded into a brick and mortar, we have a manufacturer that we work with.

But any new designs, I sew first and Athena is my model. ”

“Lucky dog.”

Athena moves to stand next to me again, pressing her body into my leg. “I think she sort of loves it, honestly.”

The kindest smile graces his face. “Where’s the accent from?”

Before this, I never understood the full force of a handsome male gaze, because right now, Micah is giving it to me, and I have to scramble to pull two brain cells together to answer. “Tennessee.”

“Hometown girl.”

I nod. I’ve never been any good on the spot. I like plans and to be prepared, so this is a test to see how I act as a normal, functioning human being. So far, I wouldn’t say I’m acing it, but I’m not completely off the rails either.

Tab would be proud.

“Whereabouts?” he asks.

“Eastern, but I live in Nashville now. That’s where the store is.”

“Have you ever been to one of my games?”

“Yours? No. I watch them on TV. But my grandfather took me to Wildcats’ games when I was a kid.”

Micah presses his hands to his chest. “You just broke my heart.”

“S-sorry.” Is it me or is he moving closer? I’m pressed against the vanity, and he may only be a few steps away, but his presence looms like an immovable force.

“Don’t be sorry. Say you’ll come to one.”

“I would love to.”

“I’ll make it happen.”

“That’s too much,” I tell him. “I didn’t send Athena out there to hump you so we’d get free football tickets.”

I was going for levity, but Micah doesn’t waver, which forces me to keep rambling to fill the void.

“I mean, I didn’t actually send Athena out there to hump you. I would never do that. And she really never does that. I was shocked. Don’t worry, I’ve spoken to her about it, and?—”

“Go out for drinks with me.”

“What, here? No.”

His eyebrows raise like he’s not used to being told no, and honestly, I can’t believe that foul word left my body.

“No, like not here in the studio? Or not here in New York? Or not here in this lifetime?” The corner of his mouth quirks up, and that dimple winks at me again.

I can’t tell if he’s flirting with me or making fun of me.

Flirting sounds ridiculous, so he must be making fun of me.

“I… just…” I peer away, trying to will the beat of my heart to slow.

Who cares if he is making fun of me? I won’t ever see Micah Freeman again.

He probably always comes to the dressing room of whoever he meets on shows like this and offers them tickets to a game.

It’s a show of goodwill. The team probably expects it.

“It’s Athena.” I clear my throat and push my shoulders back.

“She won’t be let into any bar or restaurant, and I can’t leave her in a hotel room by herself.

Well, I could—she’d be fine—but it explicitly states in the rules that pets aren’t to be left alone in the rooms. Did you know that?

Plus, I’m leaving to head home in the morning. ”

“I’m sure I could get a restaurant to make an exception for me.”

“Oh, well, I don’t like to make a fuss.” I turn to start gathering up my things so I can get out of here, my flight or fight kicking in. I run my hands over the things on the vanity. “And everyone would be looking at us if I showed up with a dog.”

Micah chuckles behind me.

My back stiffens. “What’s so funny?”

He takes my arm and nudges me until I face him. It’s not my imagination this time. He definitely is closer. I can smell the mint on his breath. “You don’t like to be looked at, but all I want to do is look at you.”

I brace myself against the vanity, my palms flat on the sleek surface while I search Micah’s intense brown eyes.

A swirl of gold circles his pupil, and I forget to answer at first. “That’s nice of you to say, but you don’t need to, you know, pretend.

The video was embarrassing enough. I was clearly…

well, for lack of a better word, high. I was just saying whatever came into my head. ”

He steps even closer. Reaching toward me, he traces the tip of his finger down my wrist and over the top of my hand. “I’m not pretending. I mean it.”

The soft stroke of his finger, his presence, the complete intensity in his eyes revs me up. My body fills with heat as I stand there, dumbstruck, like I’ve been put under a spell. Blood pulses lower until I feel needy and breathless.

Maybe Tab was right. It’s a natural female instinct to want to hump Micah Freeman. Or men who look like Micah Freeman, at least.

“I know you won’t believe this because you’re too sweet and have that country-like innocence—honestly, I think it’s the sweet and innocent that does it for me—but I want to take you out on a date.”

“You probably ask a lot of girls out.”

“I don’t, actually.”

A part of me wants to call him a liar, but when he’s looking at me with that steadfast, earnest gaze, the words stay imprisoned in my throat.

I take a deep breath, but it doesn’t help. My anxiety spikes, and Athena whines. “I’m feeling a little overwhelmed right now,” I tell Micah, my voice breathy.

“I like that I overwhelm you.”

“I…um…”

Athena pushes her way between us and then jumps up, her paws hitting my chest. I put my arms around her as she kisses my cheek.

During times like this, I don’t have to wonder what she’s thinking.

It’s as if I can hear her thoughts in my mind, which is basically just a mantra of “ You’re okay. You’re okay. You’re okay .”

“I’m okay,” I whisper.

Micah takes a step back. “Okay, I’m jealous of a dog.” He runs his hands through his hair. “Sorry. I didn’t realize you meant that kind of overwhelmed. The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable.”

It’s my turn to chuckle. “Honestly, it’s just my life now.

” Which might not be humorous to anyone but me, and usually, it’s not funny at all.

However, in this situation, I’m in a dark comedy where the universe decides to screw me…

A hot guy hits on me and, of course, my nerves go full-on agitation. Wonderful.

Micah nods, his gaze discerning. “We could have drinks in my room. Or yours,” he quickly adds.

“I’m not that type of woman.” Not that there’s anything wrong with it. I’m sure Tab would sense a discrepancy in the force and jump for joy.

“I wasn’t insinuating?—”

“Plus, again, I’m sure you’re staying in some fancy hotel room that doesn’t allow pets. I’m in a less fancy hotel room. Though still nice,” I tack on. Really nice, actually. I had to video chat Tab and show her around. It’s pretty much the nicest room I’ve ever been in.

“Then when we get back to Nashville?”

His words startle me. As if I forgot that he lives where I live. Why did that never dawn on me before? “Maybe.”

“Well, I’ll need your number. Even for a maybe.”

“My number?”

“A string of digits usually attached to a telephone so people can communicate. Speaking. Or text.”

My cell rings again, and I nearly jump, but Micah doesn’t. He goes right for my phone. “Is this Raeann’s friend?”

Voice tinny, Tab’s response is immediate. “Is this really Micah Freeman?”

“It is, and I’m asking for your friend’s number, but she’s doing that mute thing again. Any chance you’d give it to me? I’d really like to take her out when we get back to Nashville.”

I try to grab my phone, but all he really has to do is angle away. “Hold, please.”

I already know what Tab is doing. She’s going to the emergency phone number list on the fridge and is going to read my number off to him. “Don’t?—”

Micah presses his hand over my mouth, rendering me speechless. My stomach tugs. For a moment, fear douses me, but then it lifts when he smiles back and shushes me. “It’s inevitable, Raeann.”

Next, Tab’s voice says my number, followed by, “Will you remember that?”

“I have hundreds of plays memorized, and I would replace all of them with this girl’s number.”

Why did that sound so sinful coming from his mouth?