2. Saige
2
SAIGE
“ G ood morning, Beautiful,” a voice calls from behind me, his tone bright and cheery. “You’re looking especially lovely and kick-ass today.”
I shouldn’t be this aggravated at eight in the morning, but Bridger Cole always seems to bring it out in me.
Spinning on my heels, I turn and look at him, his ridiculously handsome face all smiles and his hands shoved into the front pockets of his jeans. The man has no right to look rumpled and sexy this early.
“Oh my God, I don’t have time for you this morning.” I scowl.
“What about later? I could take you to dinner. We can celebrate you selling a bunch of houses.” He grins, stroking my ego, the compliment turning me on even though it shouldn’t. It’s so damn tempting.
Because he had his chance and it’s been months .
So why hasn’t he given up yet?
“No.”
“Come on. Anywhere you want to go,” he says, turning up the charm.
“You had your chance, Band Camp,” I say icily before turning toward my car. “And stop putting my garbage can out.”
I don’t look at him as I turn the key and back out onto the road, passing the garbage can I already know will be returned to its spot by the house after the truck comes through.
The man is infuriating and, right now, the last thing I need. I’d already buried my band T-shirt in the back of my closet, which is a shame because I actually like the Tin Can Aficionados. I just liked them better when their bass player wasn’t living next to me.
Being charming.
And sexy.
He bailed on our date!
…with a good reason.
Ugh, I cannot let him get to me.
Especially when every day I’m in the office is already a test of my patience.
I’d been hired on at Love Beach Realty not long after getting my certification after college. Mrs. Rowe had hired me on the spot, the spry seventy-five-year-old powerhouse teaching me the ins and outs of Love Beach even though I’d grown up here. The experience she provided was priceless, and I still cherish the years I had with her until she retired.
When her son, Greg, took over, I hadn’t been too worried. We’re a small office with a handful of staff that’d been together for years, and we worked like a well-oiled machine.
That should have been the end of it.
But it wasn’t.
Because as a Hail Mary attempt, Greg brought his son into the office so he’d stop dicking around Love Beach causing trouble. He is a general nuisance and a waste of talent, instead choosing to do the least amount of work to keep his father off his back.
Recently, that’s included helping Bridger get settled in the house next to mine, and the lead guitarist, Corbin Fletcher, on the other side of Bridger.
One big happy family.
It’s obnoxious but nothing I can fix right now, and I need to be focused, I remind myself as I pull into the office parking lot and take several deep breaths.
Satisfied, I turn off my car and step out, my high heels clicking against the pavement as the sun shines overhead. Today is a great day, and I have no time for felonies.
brIDGER
“Why are you smiling like that?” Corbin asks as I walk back into the kitchen. He’s already got the coffee pot going and a pan of eggs on the stove.
“You know you have your own house, right?” I ask wryly.
“I do, but I was out of eggs.”
“And coffee apparently,” I remark as I pull two mugs from the cabinet and set them on the counter.
“No, that’s just a bonus.” Pointing with the spatula, he adds, “Grab some plates; these are done.”
“Unbelievable,” I mutter, handing him the ones my mom had sent as a housewarming gift because apparently it is no longer acceptable to have mismatched dinnerware at twenty-eight, go figure.
I don’t plan on hosting a whole lot—my party days long over—and honestly, if I need more of something, it’s probably for a disposable plates and utensils kind of event anyway. And all that’s if I even stay in Love Beach. We’ve lined up a decent number of gigs that will keep us well into the summer, but there is no telling after that.
This place would make a great rental even if the notion of moving again fills me with dread.
“You went to bother the neighbor lady again, didn’t you?” Corbin asks, pulling me from my thoughts and making me grin.
“I think she’s really warming up to me,” I say, and he snorts because it’s a lie and he knows it.
I should just leave Saige Reiser alone, but damn if she isn’t the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen. Her dark hair and killer body are what dreams are made of, but it’s the way she carries herself that has me acting like a fool.
She’s fierce as hell with a don’t fuck with me attitude that I can’t help but admire. I’d also bet my last dollar she’s bossy as hell in the bedroom, and what I wouldn’t give to be on the receiving end.
Unfortunately for me, she’s aggravated by my general presence, and while she wants it to be unappealing, I find her prickly attitude endearing. That probably says more about me than it does about her, but I can’t help it. I just want her to give me a chance.
Well, another one at least.
“I think she’s gonna get a restraining order if you’re not careful.”
“She has a TCA shirt.”
“How do you know that?”
“Wells told me.” I grin. “Technically his daughter told me, but he confirmed it. It’s currently buried in the back of her closet, but I can definitely work with that.” She could’ve thrown it out but she didn’t.
“Dude, you’re already half in love with her and she can’t stand your ass.” He chuckles and I shake my head because he’s not entirely wrong—about me anyway.
“I don’t know what it is about her, but I can’t give up just yet.” From the moment I saw her, she’s captivated my attention, and it’s been a long damn time since that’s happened.
“I think it’ll take a miracle.”
“I appreciate your confidence,” I say wryly, stabbing my eggs with a fork.
“Happy to help.” And despite the fact that he’ll never give up an opportunity to bust my balls, I know he will be there if I need him.
He just wants to get his punches in too.
I chuckle. “I have no doubt.”