Page 64 of You Know You Wanna

“I’m a schoolteacher,” she said laughingly. “Nothing too glamorous about spending my days trying to herd seven-year-olds.”

“But you do it with such style,” I teased. “Besides, this has nothing to do with you being a schoolteacher. You’re still super popular in this town.”

“Obviously, you stayed local,” Declan said. “Why is that? The popular crowd usually can’t wait to get out. I know this because I was part of that crowd too.”

“Of course, you were,” she replied, sincere for once when speaking to him. “I already knew that. You’ve both got that look about you, but I still don’t understand why this is relevant to our lives today.”

“Why’d you stay?” he repeated, and I was impressed with the switch he’d made.

All of a sudden, he seemed genuinely interested in her story. She seemed to realize that, shrugging again but actually looking at him when she replied instead of it just being a dismissive glance this time. “I love my town and its people. I bought a little house, which I was able to afford around here but probably wouldn’t have been able to elsewhere. It’s a good life. Fulfilling and quiet. I’ve never needed skyscrapers and chaos to make me happy.”

“Skyscrapers and chaos could be the title of my autobiography,” Remington said, a puzzled look knitting his eyebrows together. I wondered why he seemed confused about it, but maybe it was more of an epiphany than confusion.

Gracie went to grab another drink for a customer and I glanced at him. “Gracie has a type, and Declan isn’t it. I was trying to help you help him, but I just realized it might be a lost cause.”

Sure, she’d been interested in him because he was hot, but he really wasn’t the type of hot she usually went for. Maybe that was why playing hard to get seemed so easy for her this time. She wasn’t actually playing.

It was possible she’d just realized that the slick city guy wasn’t for her, even as a quick fling. Just a minute ago, I’d been thinking that it meant something that she’d finally spoken to him properly, but now I was wondering if I’d simply set them on a course to a short friendship.

I wasn’t sure if Declan would be happy when he realized that. Remington broke me out of my cringey thoughts when he nudged me. “Birdie? Did you hear me? I asked what her type is.”

“Oh, right.” I cleared my throat, blinking fast. I tried to get my brain back on track. “She likes them manly, fixing cars and chopping wood. That kind of thing. Grease stains on their T-shirt or sweaty and holding a chainsaw.”

Declan glanced down at his designer button-up shirt and scratched his clean-shaven jaw. “How long did it take you to grow your beard out?”

“I haven’t shaved yet after the camping trip,” he replied. “I’m not sure facial hair is the issue here though, man. Maybe you should go buy some plaid shirts and motor oil tomorrow.”

“I guess I could buy a chainsaw,” he suggested.

Remington shook his head hard and fast. “Nope. That’s a truly fucking terrible idea. You’d lose a leg before you even found the power button.”

While they bantered back and forth about how Declan could make himself appear more rugged, I studied Remington’s profile. He really did look great with that bit of a beard on his jaw and his hair not perfectly done.

Gracie came back, and Declan turned to her. I wasn’t fast enough, still staring at Remington when he suddenly looked at me again. He caught me in the act, smirking as he moved his hand to the small of my back.

“Do you want to get out of here?” he asked as Declan and Gracie fell into conversation about something else they’d realized they had in common.

My eyes were suddenly glued to Remington’s. I could see the others from the corner of my eye, but I couldn’t bring myself to focus on them. Not while Remington was looking at me like I was his entire world.

“Sure,” I said. “Where are we going?”

33

REMINGTON

Before we did anything else, I led Birdie up to the suite to check on Laurene, who was still fast asleep and didn’t look like she’d be waking before morning. With her mouth agape and soft snores coming out of her, she was dead to the world.

Birdie hovered in the doorway, smiling softly at my daughter. I strode back across the room, offering her my arm. She took it, looking at Laurene for another moment before she turned and followed me out.

I pulled the bedroom door half shut, leaving it ajar with the light on in the hallway just in case. Knocked out cold, I doubted she would need it, but I didn’t want her to be scared if she did wake up. Birdie glanced at me when we reached the main door.

“Do you want to tell me yet where we’re going?” she murmured softly. “We could stay right here, if you’re worried she’ll wake up.”

“Let’s go for a walk,” I replied, pulling the door open slowly and leading her out. “She’ll be okay. I’m pretty sure she’s down for the night. Plus, I’ve got my phone with me and hers is never far from her hand. If she wakes up, she’ll call.”

Birdie’s grip on my arm firmed as she nodded. “As long as you know I’d be okay with staying here.”

I appreciated her understanding, but I really didn’t think it would be a problem. Wordlessly walking back to the elevator, we descended in comfortable silence and went for a stroll along the edge of the woods.