“Sure. What is it?”
“My manager, Craig, needs a day or two off,” her mother said. “Could you fill in for him?”
Immediately, Megan cycled back to Jamie’s comments the other night about Craig’s near-death accident on the slopes. If he needed time off, it probably had to be related to the accident. Besides, Megan’s instincts were to help her mom. “Of course. Anything I can do.”
“It won’t interfere with the photo shoot?”
“Not at all. There’s a lot of flexibility with when I can shoot, and I already have a few great shots of the guys, so it’s shaping up nicely. Besides, I want to help,” Megan said as she headed into the kitchen to root around for something to eat.
Her mother sighed gratefully. “Oh, thank God. Maybe you can stop by the store later this week just to go over everything with Craig? Get up to speed, you know.”
“Consider it done.”
“He’s a sweet guy, too, Megan,” her mom said. “You’d like him.”
“Are you trying to set me up?”
“He’s nice,” her mom said, letting her voice trail off suggestively.
Megan rolled her eyes. “Get back to working on your tan.”
She didn’t need another guy. She needed to figure out what the hell she was doing with one guy. The guy she was seeing tomorrow morning.
…
The National’s latest album played on the sound system as Becker delivered the bar tab to Cara, a well-known dog trainer in town who’d been working with Jamie’s new puppy.
“I hear Chance is a perfect pooch,” he said as Cara reached into her purse and fished out a few bills for her beer, handing them to Becker.
“He’s doing great. Such a fast learner,” she said with a bright smile as Jamie returned from the tables and joined them behind the bar.
“He’s the best pup in the universe.” Jamie beamed. “And Cara is one disciplined lady. She doesn’t let that boy get away with anything.”
Cara blushed and ran a hand through her blond hair.
“Don’t be shy. You’re the best,” Jamie said to Cara, wiping her hands on a towel, then scurrying around to wait on another table.
Cara said good-bye, and as she walked out the door, Travis and Smith strolled in. Travis’s eyes wandered to Cara, checking her out on his way in, then he snapped his eyes up once she was gone. Becker was tempted to bust him, but decided to keep that bit of intel to himself.
Both men were wearing their blue T-shirts and pants. They were on duty, and were likely here for dinner, which would be on the house as always. They grabbed some empty seats at the bar, and Becker shook hands with each of his men.
“You freeloaders looking for some grub?”
Smith nodded, and Travis flashed a grin. “Oh, please, sir. Can you serve us your best burgers?” Travis asked in a faux-pleading tone.
“Coming right up,” he said, and handed the order to Jamie to take to the small kitchen.
“I’ll join you,” Smith said, pointing his finger to the back of the bar. “Just need to make sure you can find your way back there,” he added with a wink.
“Yeah, it’s a pretty complicated route,” Jamie tossed back, as Smith followed her, leaving Travis alone at the bar, along with a few others.
“How are things on shift today?” Becker poured Travis a Diet Coke and slid it across the counter.
“Bitch of a car accident over on the highway earlier,” he answered, shaking his head and blowing out a long stream of air.
Becker’s shoulders tightened with worry. “Yeah?”
“Everyone will be fine, but the medics took them to the ER. A few minor broken bones here and there, but the cars took the worst of it.”
“The way it should be.”
“Absolutely,” Travis said, raising his soda in an imaginary toast. “We were there within two minutes. The driver was pretty shaken up but seemed to do better when we arrived.”
“Glad to hear,” Becker said, feeling a quick rush of warmth over the news that all would be well. That’s why they did what they did. To help.
“Hey! Check this out,” Travis said, grabbing his phone from his back pocket and sliding his finger across the screen. He scrolled quickly, then called up a picture. “Here’s my shot for the calendar.”
He took the phone and cracked the hell up. “Man, this is the best picture of you ever taken,” he said, admiring the ostrich head on Travis’s body.
His friend laughed. “My sister did it.”
Becker tensed immediately at the mention of Megan. Travis’s sister, his absolutely delicious, adorable, sexy, sweet, kind, and completely forbidden sister. Whom he’d kissed like his life depended on it this morning. And it had. He’d been sure of that at the time.
“You always said she was a hell of a photographer,” Becker said quickly, eager to act like all was cool with the situation and he wasn’t lusting like a fool over Megan. Besides, he needed to stop. His friendship with Travis meant too much to him, and if anything more happened with Megan, his buddy was not going to be happy. “Looks like she got your best side.”
“That she did, bro. That she did,” he said, and tucked the phone away. “You’re next, right?”
Becker nodded. “Yup. Tomorrow.”
“Maybe she’ll put a hyena head on you. You’d look mighty fine like that.”