The door to the RV swung open, and four women hustled out. One had purple hair and was wearing a black sundress with a straw hat clutched in her hand.
“Well, hell,” Pam whispered. “You’re right. That’s Meg and her friends that just jumped off.”
“You know them?” How the hell did Pam know who those women were?
“Sugar, doesn’t everyone in this town know who Meg is? She’s basically an institution.” Pam turned to me. “That’s Cyn, Marley, and Gwen who just hopped off the RV with her.”
“Oh, I know Gwen.” She had cut my hair a couple times. I had recently tried to get in with her again, but she was booked up and then she was going on vacation. Obviously, in the huge RV that was blocking the road. Though I didn’t know she was part of the motorcycle club across the street.
Two more women hopped off the RV.
“And there are Paige and Fayth.”
I squinted at Pam. “How in the hell do you know all of these women?”
Pam tsked. “If you would get out a little bit, Reva, you would know a whole hell of a lot more people than the dogs you groom.”
Well, that was a little harsh, though it was pretty accurate. If you didn’t bring your dog in to be groomed, then I had no idea who you were.
“I work a lot, Pam. There isn’t any shame in that,” I mumbled defensively.
“There isn’t anything wrong with that if you manage to carve out a little time that doesn’t involve dogs.” Pam passed me the leash in her hand. “I think you prefer the company of dogs to people, Reva.”
Well, now that was another truth. Dogs were easy. Treat them well and they were loyal. Humans didn’t exactly work that way. You could treat someone perfectly and they could turn on you in an instant.
Dogs were better than most people.
“I’m going to ignore everything you just said and not charge you double for Mikey’s bath today.”
Pam laughed and patted me on the shoulder. “Even I know you don’t have it in you to do that, sugar. I’ll be back around five for Mikey.” She breezed out the front door and headed over to the group of women who were standing on the edge of the road next to the RV.
Mikey whined at his mom’s retreating back, and I crouched down next to him. “It’s okay, bud. Mom will be back in a couple of hours.”
It was almost noon, and I had three dogs left to groom today besides Mikey.
Even though I had work to do, I stayed crouched down in front of the door and stroked Mikey’s soft fur.
The women stayed on the edge of the road, and then four guys in club cuts came around the front of the RV.
“Oh boy,” I whispered. Hero was one of them. I would know that swagger anywhere. I had watched him walk away yesterday, and I hadn’t forgotten it at all.
Mikey whined, and I had to wonder if Hero had some type of magical powers over dogs. I didn’t know if Mikey was actually crying for Hero or his mom, but if I had to choose, I would say he was crying over the sexy biker.
My eyes shifted to Pam who was talking animatedly to the women and then swung her arm to my shop. I pulled Mikey to my side and shrunk to the edge of the door. I tipped my head just enough to still see out the window, and my eyes connected with Hero’s.
“Shit!” I gasped. He was more than fifty feet away, but I knew he was looking right at me. He said something to the guy to his left, and then, he moved toward my shop.
“Shit shit!”
What in the hell was he doing coming over here? I had nothing to do with the RV blocking the road. I didn’t have a problem with it, either. I assumed it would be moved shortly and the world would keep turning.
Hero did not need to come over here.
I shot up, pulled Mikey behind the counter, and put him in the cage by the sink. He was up next as soon as I finished with Oscar.
The bell dinged above the door, and I didn’t need to turn around to know who had walked in.
“Sunshine.”
Ugh. His voice was like honey, and it took everything I had to not melt into a puddle right then and there. Oscar stood and barked once.
“Uh, hey,” I called.
I moved to Oscar and patted him on the head. His eyes were trained on Hero, and his tail wagged excitedly. I swear to God, it was like Hero looked like a juicy pork chop to these dogs. Their eyes lit up when they saw him, and they wanted to be right next to that delicious piece of meat.
So did I.
“Sorry about the road.”
“Road?” I asked, feigning ignorance.
“Uh, the big ass RV blocking the road. The whole road.”
“Oh,” I gasped. “I didn’t even know.” Oh, my God. Why in the hell was I acting like a moron who couldn’t see a forty-foot RV in the road?
He tipped his head to the side and smiled. “Yeah, there’s an RV blocking the road. That lady that just came out of here said you knew about it.”
Fucking hell, Pam. “Oh, that RV.” As if a forty-foot RV blocking the road in front of my shop was a normal thing.
“Yeah. The guys will have it out of the way soon. They have to load the bikes onto the trailer and then they’re out of here,” Hero explained.
I nodded as if I actually knew what the heck he was talking about. “Sounds great.” Mikey barked from the cage at my feet and whined.
“Is that Barbara?” Hero called.
I glanced down at Mikey. “Nope. Barb went home yesterday. That’s Mikey raising a ruckus.”
Oscar whined, joining Mikey.
“You kind of got your hands full there, huh?” Hero asked. He moved to the front desk and leaned forward to look at Mikey. “Mind if I pet him?”
“I…uh…well…” I stumbled over my words, and Hero took them as an invitation to come around the counter and crouch down in front of Mikey's cage.
“Aren’t you a handsome guy,” he cooed to Mikey. Mikey pressed his face to the cage and stuck a paw out to Hero. Hero laughed and shook his paw.
Hero had to have a link of pepperoni in his pocket or something. That was about the only way these dogs would be so excited to see him.
“What’s in your pockets?” I blurted out. OH, MY GOD. I just said that. I JUST SAID THAT OUTLOUD.
Hero tipped his head back to me. “Uh, what?”
I shook my head. “It’s pepperoni, right?” As if me asking that was going to clarify why I asked him what was in his pockets? My God. I wished I had the ability to disappear because that would have been pretty handy dandy right now.
Hero stood, and I realized how close he was to me. He put his hands in his pockets and turned them inside out. “Nothing in my pockets, Sunshine. Especially not pepperoni.”
My cheeks heated, and I knew I was turning a bright shade of red. “I was trying to say you must have pepperoni in your pockets since every dog you meet loves you.” There, now I made some kind of sense. Sort of. A little.
Ugh. Hero needed to go because I only seemed to know how to make a fool of myself in front of him.
“I guess dogs just like me.” He reached around me and patted Oscar on the head. “I always had a dog growing up, and they loved me, too.”
“Lucky dogs,” I mumbled. I closed my eyes and prayed for the floor to open up and swallow me. Where in the hell had my filter gone? It was like I couldn’t keep a single thought inside of my head without blurting it out.