Page 32 of Wreck Me
His sigh was deep and heavy as he closed his eyes, willing his brain—and his dick— to think about anything but the woman downstairs.
Nine
The Sweet Spot
Megan bent at the waist,reaching for her toes, groaning as her lower back protested. She’d spent the last few days training with Charley at the Silver Moon. And her body was reminding her that she wasn’t twenty-five anymore.
The day after Charley told her about the job, she’d gone in and met Marcus, the owner, who hired her on the spot. After the doctor cleared her to do something other than lie around like a slug all day, she’d started work over the weekend and had the pleasure of being trained by the little ball of energy that was Charlotte Reynolds.
Just as Aidan had said, Charley had a daredevil streak about her, willing to try anything and to push boundaries. Nothing that would hurt anyone, including Charley herself—she wasn’t totally reckless—but she did seem to have a habit of making Marcus shake his head with a frown more often than not. But Megan could see it was more like a father with his obstinate child.
Fortunately for Charley, she was also damn good at her job. As a Reynolds, she knew everyone in town and they all loved her. Between her three brothers and half the local boys in love with her, Charley never had to worry about anything when an out-of-towner got a little too frisky.
Unfortunately for Megan, Charley being damn good at her job meant that the younger woman had put her through her paces over the last few days. Megan couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so sore. But it was a welcome ache. Until she’d met her ex, she’d always been active, working and exploring new areas to photograph. She hated being bored, and her marriage had bored her to tears.
She dressed for the day and made coffee, pushing thoughts of her past away. What was done was done and she had a future to look forward to in the Sunshine State.
The aching sadness in her chest when she thought about leaving Madison Ridge was another thing she chose to ignore. Everything here was just temporary, and she’d do well to remember that.
As they had more times than she cared to admit, her thoughts turned to her hot-as-sin roommate. She hadn’t seen much of Aidan since their walk by the lake. They had opposite schedules, with her working more at night and Aidan working days. He’d offered to pick her up at night so she didn’t have to walk home alone so late, but since she and Charley worked the same shift, she’d hitched a ride with his sister each night.
It was for the best anyway. She missed him. And that wasn’t good.
She sat at the small table that faced the back of the house. The small cabin was quiet and still, which she expected but it didn’t stop disappointment from clenching her stomach.
The sun shone through the windows that faced the lake, the light glinting off the water just beyond the colorful tree line. It made a beautiful picture.
She grabbed her phone and took a few pictures from different angles. It amazed her what the phones could do these days with editing and all. She’d almost forgotten how good that dopamine hit felt when she took pictures.
Photography was a passion she’d let go when she’d gotten married. It wasn’t something she’d ever done professionally, only because she never had enough money to buy the equipment she wanted. And she never said anything to Nate because he’d have bought the best photography equipment known to man and sent it to her.
He already did so much, having his assistant send clothes, makeup, and other facial care products that she didn’t ask for, so she wasn’t taking anything else from him.
The man had more money than he knew what to do with, and she was his only family. Megan was never one for charity and she only accepted the gifts because it would break Nate’s heart if she didn’t. But she wasn’t asking him for anything else.
Now that she was back on her own without anyone telling her what to do, she was ready to find herself again. That girl she’d been missing over the last few years. The girl that had loved capturing moments in time forever.
When she finished her coffee, she dressed and gathered her things, excitement to capture the beauty around her on film—or her phone as it were—thrumming through her veins.
The day couldn’t get more beautiful if it tried. The sun shone brightly, bringing the colors of fall to life. The mix of reds, oranges, and yellows made the trees look like a ball of flames sat atop them against an incredibly blue, cloudless sky. The temperature was just perfect for the ten-minute walk into the town that was quickly setting up a soft spot in her heart.
It didn’t help that the blue skies reminded her of Aidan’s eyes.
She didn’t have a destination in mind, but took pictures along the way of things that caught her eye. By the time she’d reached the square, she’d worked up an appetite and decided to check out The Sweet Spot. Plus, another cup of coffee never hurt her feelings.
Megan opened the door to The Sweet Spot and could barely squeeze in due to the long line. But it moved quickly as two women worked behind the counter, taking orders and filling them. A couple of young guys made coffees, calling out names, and another girl ran things out to the floor, delivering orders here and there.
It appeared Aidan’s sister had quite the business. She looked around and found most of the patrons sitting with their caffeine and baked goods and their heads buried behind laptop screens or in girthy books. There were so many charming things to the town, at times she forgot there was a college a mile away.
As she moved closer to the front of the line, she watched the older of the two women and knew without a doubt that this was Aidan’s sister Amelia. Her hair was dark where his was lighter, her blue eyes darker where his were bright, but they had the same smile and the same tilt of the head when they were listening to someone talk.
Amelia and her crew were quick, and soon, the five-people-deep line she stood in disappeared and she was at the head of the line.
“Hey,” Amelia said, tapping on the screen in front of her, while moving out of the way of someone who walked behind her. She hadn’t even been looking in that direction. When she did look up, her smile widened. “You must be Megan.”
“How did you know?”
Amelia shrugged a slim shoulder. “I’m magic.” She held the straight face for just a second before she chuckled. “Charley told me about you. Pointed you out the other night when I came into the Silver Moon. She was going to introduce us, but you guys were pretty busy.”
