Page 29 of Small Town Sizzle

“Not everything has to end in heartbreak,” she sighs. “Stop using the kids as an excuse. What would it hurt to go on a date with a hot man?”

“I don’t need to be dating anyone.”

Leti brushes me off, waving her hand dismissively as she mutters something under her breath and goes back to the kids. I watch her for a second, but then my eyes instinctively go towhere Garrett is sweeping and cleaning up the mess left behind from their work.

He’s not dressed like your typical construction worker, and that polo shirt clings to his muscles as if it’s a second skin. He moves with such grace and confidence that I’m mesmerized by his movements. He looks up and catches me staring. A small smirk tugs at the corner of his lips and my stomach flips.

Remember the words you just said to Leti, Maya. You do not need to be dating anyone…no matter how good they look in a tool belt.

Chapter Nine

Garrett

The next morning, I pour coffee into a mug while Ethan leans against the counter, scrolling on his phone.

“Hey,” I say, breaking the silence. “What’s the deal with Maya?”

He glances up, one brow raised. “Maya? Why are you asking about her?”

I shrug, feigning nonchalance. “I ran into her a couple of times at the youth center. I figure I should know something about her if we’re going to work together.”

“She’s Megan’s little sister. You should know everything about her as close as you and Megs used to be.” He sets his phone down while giving me a curious look. “Why do you care?”

“I don’t,” I say quickly, maybe a little too quickly. “I just don’t remember Megan having a sister.”

Ethan snorts, clearly not buying it. “You don’t remember a lot of things. She’s about five or six years younger than us. When we were in high school, she was still a kid, but she and Megan were inseparable once Maya got older.”

“Huh.” I sip my coffee, letting the information settle.

The door swings open, and Laura walks in, carrying a tote bag and looking frazzled but cheerful. “Morning, boys,” she says, dropping the bag on the table. Her gaze flicks to me. “What are you two chatting about?”

“Maya,” Ethan says, with a smirk. “Garrett wants to know more about her.”

I glare at him. “I didn’t say that.”

“Oh, Maya,” Laura says, her face lighting up. “She’s wonderful. A rare gem, really. Your mother adored her, Garrett.”

The mug in my hand feels suddenly heavier. “Mom did?”

She nods, taking a seat at the table. “Oh, yes. Maya is practically family. Chantelle and Jaz are best friends, but Maya and Mom worked together a lot with the youth center and the wetlands. Maya stepped up in a way most people wouldn’t, taking in Alex and raising him like her own. Your mom used to say Maya was made of stronger stuff than most people.”

I glance at Ethan, who’s watching me with a knowing grin.

“Wait, Alex isn’t Maya’s son? He’s Megan’s? Oh, I guess maybe he did call her Aunt Maya,” I ask.

The wheels in my head start turning. How old would a freshman in high school be? When was the last time I even saw Megan? Why didn’t I know she had a kid?

My heart squeezes a bit with sadness. Ethan was right; Megs and I used to be incredibly close. However, we both had addiction problems while Megan tried everything she could do to save me while drowning herself.

Ethan nods. “Yeah, Alex is Megan’s. He’s a good kid—a football player with solid grades. Maya’s done a hell of a job with him.”

“And his dad?” I ask, feigning casual interest.

Ethan’s expression darkens slightly. “No one knows. Megan said it was some guy she hooked up with after a night out in the city. She couldn’t remember his name.”

That doesn’t sit right with me. We were pretty wild when we were on a bender, but she never slept around, that I know of. A drunken one-night stand with someone she couldn’t even name? That didn’t really seem like the Megan I knew, but, at the same time, there were a lot of those years that I was blacked out for.

Laura breaks the silence, her voice softer now. “Megan’s death was sudden. A drunk driver ran a red light and T-boned her car. It was devastating for everyone but Maya…She really stepped up. She didn’t hesitate for a second to take in Alex, even though she was still trying to figure out her own life.”

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