LITMIR.BIZ

       Chapter Two

      “Hello, Ty,” Jade said, astonishing him because she’d arrived at his booth with something on her mind, judging by the compelling grip she had on his sleeve. “Could I speak to you privately for a moment? Outside?”

      Ty glanced at Squint and Frog. “Fellows, I’m being called to duty.”

      They raised mugs of root beer to Jade. “When duty calls, a gentleman always answers,” Frog said.

      “If there was a gentleman around,” Jade replied, and Ty thought he heard a bit of an edge in the darling little lady’s voice. He followed her outside into the bright sunlight, having no choice, really, because she’d let go of him only once he’d left his booth.

      Following her was no hardship, since he got to surreptitiously watch that sweet, heart-shaped fanny of hers move ahead of him in a determined locomotion of female-on-a-mission.

      Sam must have dropped the ball somehow and upset his conquest. Ty couldn’t remember seeing Jade so steamed before, the results of her temper obvious by the lack of a smile on her face and the light frown pulling her brows together. Poor Sam. Nice guy, but a bit too beta male—gentle, sweet, bearlike—for a heart-stopper like Jade.

      It was known that women went for the alpha male, the bad boy in boots, which was something Justin Morant, Squint Mathison and sometimes Frog had in abundance. Okay, maybe not Frog; he was pretty beta as beta males went, somehow mellowing after life in the navy. Ty had worried about bringing Sam Barr along for The Plan, fearing he was too easygoing and nice and free-spirited—almost hippielike in his approach to life—then figured maybe BC had a librarian or a kindergarten teacher who might be looking for a plainspoken, existential bear of a man who wouldn’t raise her blood pressure.

      “Ty Spurlock,” Jade said, stopping so fast in the middle of the pavement that he had to reach out and grab her to keep from knocking her down, “who do you think you are?”

      He registered soft female and sweet perfume in his arms before he reluctantly released Jade. “What do you mean?”

      “I know all about your stupid Plan. And it really is stupid!”

      He grinned. “Sam has a big mouth.”

      “And you have a big head!”

      Ty laughed. “Aw, Red. Don’t worry.” He tugged her back into his arms for a hug disguised as brotherly, but which was just an excuse for him to hold her again. “I didn’t leave you out. There are plenty of men to go around.” He hesitated, lost for a moment in the scent of peachy shampoo, and the feel of soft curves wriggling against him, before he started to give her a good, brotherly knuckle-rubbing on her scalp. Then his hand suddenly arrested as he realized the knuckle-rub wasn’t as satisfying as he’d thought it would be.

      Holy crap, she felt good. And sexy as hell.

      Jade kicked his ankle, a smart blow he felt even through his jeans and boots. He released her, surprised. “What was that for?”

      “You think you’re so smart.”

      “Look, Jade. There aren’t enough men in this town, you know that. The ladies outnumber us four to one or something. Or ten to one. I’m just trying to do the right thing.”

      She gazed at him, and he could see disgust heavy in her eyes. “I don’t want you doing the right thing for me. Your right thing. Leave me out of The Plan.”

      He shrugged. “Sweetcake, if you don’t like the goods, don’t buy them. But it looked like you might like Sam a little bit, from where I was sitting. Pretty cozy lunch the two of you were having.”

      “So I should fall in with your plan and marry Sam? Is that how this is supposed to work?”

      A streak of pain lanced Ty’s heart, but just for a moment, and he ignored it for the greater good. “If you fall in love with one of the fine gentlemen I’ve brought to BC, I would call that a happy ending.”

      “You’re an ass, Ty Spurlock.”

      He was honestly mystified. “It’s no different than a blind date, if you think about it. You’ve been on a blind date before, haven’t you?”

      “Yes, but—”

      “You’d participate in a bachelorette auction for charity, right? We do those events here every year. The Best Man’s Fork run, the Bridesmaids Creek swim—”

      “Am I going to the highest bidder?” she asked, and Ty recognized a warning tone in her voice, which he actually didn’t want to hear. He moved quickly to soothe her and ameliorate any damage.

      “Now, Jade, as one of Bridesmaids Creek’s most generous supporters, you deserve nothing but the best. And I’ve brought my very best to BC. That being said, if you don’t like the fellows, don’t go out with them. Sam, Squint and Frog will find other ladies to chat with.” Ty tipped his hat, hoped he’d moved off the hot seat, and headed toward his truck with a sigh of relief.

      Jade got in the passenger side before he’d even situated himself in the driver’s seat. “And what about you? I noticed you left your name off the bachelor offerings.”

      “I’m not eligible.” He started his truck, backing up. “If you’re riding with me, buckle up. If not, advise me where I may drop you off. You wouldn’t want to keep Sam waiting, I would presume.”

      She gave him a decidedly annoyed eyeing. “You really are a jackass, aren’t you?”

      “So they say. You coming?”

      Jade leaned back, buckled her seat belt. “I’m not done telling you off.”

      “Fine by me. We ride together, but you may not like the destination.” He glanced at her, ridiculously happy to have Jade in his truck—and happy as hell that she wasn’t back at The Wedding Diner being romanced by Sam.

      Which was kind of bad, because Sam had only been doing what he’d come to BC to do: find a wife. Or at least that’s what Ty had told Sam and the guys they wanted: a wife, and a chance to have a family, become dads. Ty had promised them that BC was ripe, full-to-bursting ripe, with ladies who would leap at the chance to run to the altar.

      He sighed. “So what’s the topic?”

      “Topic?”

      He looked at her long, slim legs in Wranglers, the dangerous look in her eyes. Curves in all the right places. Was pretty certain his libido was starting to smoke. “The topic you’re in my truck to discuss.”

      “Let’s start with your Plan.”

      “Everybody has to have one, little lady. Otherwise nothing ever gets done.” He rolled down his window, happy to smell fresh country air, be driving a truck in the greatest little town on earth, and have the most dynamite sexy redhead he knew glaring at him from the safety

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