Page 20 of Hungry Hearts

ME:I’m at work tonight but can swing by after. What’s your address?

MAIA:Nice try. I’m not able to come by the bar tonight.

Thank fuck for that. Not that I’m trying to keep my identity a secret from her. She’s not the type of woman to fawn over me because I’m featured in culinary magazines and websites across the globe.

She’s into me thinking I’m a bartender and courier. I like that. But there’s no need to keep secrets from her. My life’s an open book, and I’m not drawn to women who are mysterious. My mother kept her affair from my father for years and nearly tore our family apart.

If I didn’t have Nolan and his parents to keep me distracted and grounded, I probably would have gotten into some serious trouble in school. All throughout middle school my parents were on again, off again. Fighting. Separating. Yelling. Ignoring me.

It wasn’t until halfway through high school, after lots of therapy, that they worked things out, but I wouldn’t say their relationship is stronger because of it. My dad still has trust issues, and my mom still snaps at him when he questions her about where she’s been. For the most part, things are okay but not great.

But it’s also one of the reasons why I am so open with my life and the women I see. I don’t sneak around, and I don’t condone it. I read Maia’s text again and type out a response. I’m the one who pulled the dick move, even if unintentionally, and owe it to her.

ME:What time do you open? I can meet you at your salon.

MAIA:Are you sure? Won’t you be tired after working so late?

ME:You mean tired after not getting any sleep last night because my dick was buried so deep inside you?

Delete. Delete. Delete. We’re not there yet. Instead, I respond:

ME:Seeing your gorgeous face in the morning is better than a carafe of coffee. What time?

Those magic dots appear and disappear. Finally, she responds.

MAIA:Eight.

Shit. Two early mornings in a row. But that also means two days in a row I get to see Maia. Three if I count last night.

Suddenly, early mornings are my new favorite thing.

ME:See you in the morning, Angel. Sweet dreams.

CHAPTER SIX

It’s not a big deal. At least, it shouldn’t be a big deal. I’m a grown woman meeting a sexy man outside my salon at eight in the morning to pick up my keys. Did I need to set my alarm twenty minutes earlier than usual so I could spend more time with my hair and figure out what to wear? No.

But I did anyway.

Not like it mattered. Everything that could go wrong this morning, did. Between the hot water heater not working well and suffering through a cold shower, to the burnt toast that set off my smoke alarm, to the spilled juice all over my outfit which meant a quick wardrobe change and no time to do my hair, it was just another morning in the Remington house.

Instead of being outside my salon five minutes early as planned, I’m rushing down the sidewalk while diving my fingers through my hair and trying to make some semblance of a messy bun without it looking like I just rolled out of bed.

Crap. Did I even brush my teeth? It doesn’t matter, I tell myself. It’s not like I’m going to be locking lips with Ryder. A quick key exchange is all. I round the corner and spot Ryder looking sexy as sin leaning against the front door to Storybook Styles.

Wearing worn jeans, a long-sleeve gray T-shirt, and a backwards baseball cap, he could easily be posing for a magazine. When he spots me, I’m greeted with a slow, sexy grin as his baby blues take me in.

“Sorry I’m late. Crazy morning.” So busy checking him out, I skipped right over the two beverage carriers holding eight cups of coffee in his hands. “Thirsty?”

“Good morning, Maia. You look gorgeous.”

“Please.” I wave my hand through the air. “I didn’t have time to get ready and I look like I just rolled out of bed.”

A mischievous grin takes over his face. “I like this look on you.”

Geesh. I’ve been in his presence for less than a minute and he already has me blushing. “Sorry about making you get up so early. Thanks for meeting me,” I say, ignoring his compliment. “I won’t keep you since it looks like you have a slew of people waiting for their morning coffee.”

“They’re for you.”

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