Written in the Stars (28 page)

“Are you sleeping?” asked a whiskey-­smooth male voice that slid over her like the chocolate fudge she'd been daydreaming about. She smiled, thinking that this body-­painting thing might be the ticket after all. “Um, maybe I shouldn't interrupt,” the voice continued cutting through her chocolate-­coated fantasy.

Oh shit.

Sophia opened her eyes and looked at the sexy country boy who had been invading her thoughts and dreams over the past few months. “Avery!” She almost sighed, but then caught herself and cleared her throat instead. Foils sprung from her head and
oh dear God
the magazine in her lap was open to the twenty-­five ways to drive your man wild. She gripped the armrest, dearly wishing there was an eject button. “Hi.” Her smile probably looked like a wince.

“Hey, Sophia. Haven't seen you in a while.” He put his toolbox down and shrugged out of his jacket.

“I've been busy babysitting Lily a lot.”

“Oh well, I miss seeing you at breakfast,” he said, which created a vision of him sitting across a kitchen table in the morning, all sleep tousled and sexy.

She swallowed hard. “I miss you...I mean seeing you at the bistro too.” She glanced down at the nearly naked model. Her fingers itched to turn the page.

“Watcha readin'?” Panic set in when he angled his head at the glossy pages in her lap.

“I...um...” She felt heat creep into her cheeks. “I was just, you know, thumbing through a random magazine while my hair processed.” She looked over at Carrie Ann, who was chatting away on the phone. “What, um, brings you here?”

Avery jammed his thumb over his shoulder causing Sophia to notice the bulge of his biceps, which stretched the sleeve of his red T-­shirt. The Fisher and Dean logo printed inside of a toolbox rested above a nicely defined pectoral muscle. “I'm here to fix the washing machine that's been giving Carrie Ann fits. I would've been here sooner, but I was slammed with repairs all day.” He gave Sophia a grin that caused a dimple in his cheek. His dark hair, which he had usually worn short, had grown out a bit since she'd last seen him, while she'd still worked at the bistro. Dark tendrils curled around his ears and forehead. As though reading her thoughts, he shoved his fingers through his hair.

“I know. I need a haircut. Just been too busy to get it done.”

“I like it longer,” Sophia heard herself say and then lifted one shoulder.

“Well, then, maybe I should keep it that way.” He shot her a grin.

“As a stylist I'm always thinking about hair,” she responded quickly.

“Oh, I'd forgotten that was your career. If you ever decide to stay a cook, you'll never be broke either.” He flashed another grin that made her melt like the ice cube in “How to Drive Your Man Wild” number five. “I really do miss you at the bistro, Sophia.”

“Oh, I was getting pretty good, but Mattie is still the best cook around and is getting even better.”

“I was referring to the company,” Avery said in a sincere but slightly flirty tone. “Your sweet smile was a great way to start my day.”

“Why, thank you.” Sophia inclined her head but then was mortified at the tinny sound. “Sorry. I must look a fright.” She pointed to her head and caught her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Aw, you still manage to look pretty,” he said just as Carrie Ann hurried over.

“Hey there, Avery. You gonna take a look at my washing machine from hell?”

“Sure thing.” Avery nodded. “Sorry I'm late. Busy day.”

“Oh, that's okay.” Carrie Ann peeked beneath one of the foils. “You're just about ready to get rinsed,” she said to Sophia but then looked back at Avery. “We're thinkin' about heading up to Sully's Tavern later. Stop on in and I'll buy ya a beer.”

“Well, now, that's an offer I can't refuse,” Avery said, and then angled his head toward the back of the shop. “I'd better get working.” He picked up his toolbox, causing another delicious ripple of muscle. “See y'all tonight.”

“Let's get you back to the bowl, sugar.”

“Carrie Ann!” Sophia said in an urgent whisper. “Just what do you think you're doing?”

“Gettin' an early start on bein' your wingman,” she whispered back. “Avery Dean's got the hots for you, Sophia. And judging by the blush in your cheeks I think you're sweet on him too. Why are you not taking advantage of the situation?”

“Because when we first met at the bistro he was just getting over a broken engagement. I didn't want to be his rebound girl. And I never intended to stay here, so I didn't want to hurt him all over again either.”

“Well, now, I'd say enough time has passed since his breakup. And I'm hoping you'll take me up on my offer and move here. In other words, everything has changed, sweet pea.”

Sophia stood up and had to grin. “I think you're playing matchmaker to give me another reason to stay.”

“Would I do something like that?” Carrie Ann placed a hand over her ample chest. “Little ole me?”

“In a heartbeat.”

Carrie Ann laughed. “Ah, child, you already know me too well. That's why we're gonna make great business partners. You just wait and see.”

Sophia shook her head as she followed Carrie Ann back to the shampoo bowls to get rinsed. Through the open door to the laundry room she could see Avery bent over the washing machine. She couldn't help but admire his very fine denim-­clad butt.

Carrie Ann turned and caught her staring. “What?” Sophia sputtered with a lift of her chin, desperately trying to appear innocent, which of course only made her appear guilty.

Carrie Ann laughed. “Thought so...” She rubbed her hands together. “I do love it when a plan comes together.”

Sophia rolled her eyes, but when Carrie Ann turned around, Sophia angled her head to get another glimpse of Avery. Of course he picked that very moment to straighten up and look in her direction. She did one of those lightning-­quick look-­away moves, but she caught the blur of his smile in the corner of her vision. A warm tingle of awareness washed over her as she leaned her neck against the cool porcelain bowl. She and Avery had been tap-­dancing around their attraction for months and for very good reasons. She firmly reminded herself that nothing would change if he showed up at Sully's. No matter what matchmaking scheme Carrie Ann was cooking up, Sophia knew she needed to make her decisions with a clear head that wasn't clouded by the desire to know what it felt like to kiss Avery Dean.

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