Page 1 of Tilly's Tutus
Chapter One
“Get in there, you stupid piece of poop.” Tilly Smith wiggled the piece of pipe, but it refused to slip into the base like it was supposed to. Her plan was to put the clothes rack together, load the seven hanging bags on it and then roll everything into the convention center.
But she had to get the stupid thing put together first.
Banging the end of the pole on the ground, she growled at it, hoping a little abuse would be enough to get the metal to cooperate.
“Need some help, missy?” a gravelly and smoke-roughened voice asked a moment before the noxious odor of cigarette smoke, alcohol sweat and body odor choked her.
Looking up, she froze at the man who stood just a few feet in front of her. He looked the way he smelled. Rough. And kind of scary.
“I’ll fix it for you for twenty dollars,” he said as he began rubbing his hands together.
His expression sent a shiver of fear through her. She did not think he would use the money for a good meal.
For a moment, Tilly wished her sisters would return, but she knew better. She had assured them that she could put therack together and get the clothes into the convention center by herself.
“Um, no thank you. I’m afraid I don’t have any money,” she said softly.
“Bob? Are you bothering this lady?” Another male voice sounded. This one sent shiver of a different type through Tilly.
Turning her head, she relaxed a little when she saw a man in uniform standing behind her.
“Captain McGee, Is that you?” The man—Bob, apparently—no longer sounded threatening, but more like a child trying to convince his mother that he was not being naughty. “You’re wearing the wrong uniform.”
She watched as the officer took a step closer as he stared down the scary man. “Doesn’t matter what uniform I’m wearing, Bob. You know better than to bother people by asking for money. Now you need to head out. Go on now.”
Tilly watched as he looked from the officer to her and then turned away with a sigh. He muttered something to himself as he walked away, pushing an overly full grocery cart that she had not noticed before.
Once she was certain Bob would not be returning, Tilly turned her attention to the man standing behind her.
“Hello,” she said, scanning his body from shiny black boots, up long legs in black cargo pants to a gray Henley shirt with short sleeves and a badge embroidered over one impressive pectoral muscle. It didn’t look like a normal police uniform, but her gaze continued further north before she asked about it.
He had a strong, powerful face that had her breath faltering for a moment. She wondered if his body was as chiseled as his jaw, then shook her head at her fanciful thoughts.
“You’ll have to excuse Bob. He refuses to allow the proper agencies to help him, and thinks he can get along by helping people for tips.”
“Are you really a policeman?” she asked when he didn’t say anything.
“Yes, I really am a police officer. For the next few days, I’ll be representing the department for the convention. Are you having trouble assembling your… whatever?” He waved a hand over the metal pipe and parts that would turn into a clothes rack once she got the pieces to cooperate.
“It’s supposed to be a rolling clothes rack, but I can’t get the pieces to go together right.”
“Mind if I take a look?” he asked as he knelt down beside her.
She pushed to her feet. “Not at all. Have at it.”
Tilly stepped back and watched as the officer studied the pole she’d just been swearing at. He tried the end she’d been fussing over. When it didn’t go in. he flipped the pole and slipped the other end into the opening in the base without a problem. The other three poles slid in just as easily. He then rose and took the top part out of the back of her open SUV and fit it into place, so it held the four posts vertical while stabilizing everything.
“There you go,” he said with a smile that had Tilly’s stomach doing somersaults as parts further south grew damp. She felt a little ridiculous, getting so excited about a small kindness from a gorgeous man.
“Thank you so much,” she said as she reached into the SUV and pulled out the first clothing bag. With the officer’s help, she quickly had all the bags hanging on the rack.
“Do you need any help getting into the building?” he asked as she pulled the back of the SUV closed.
“Thanks, but I think I’ve got it,” she said with a smile.
“Then I’ll leave you to it. I’m sure I’ll see you at some point over the next few days.”
