Somebody Like You: A Small Town Single Mom Romance (The Heartbreak Brothers Book 4), Carrie Elks [free biff chip and kipper ebooks TXT] 📗

to Becca about the distillery, she found herself looking out of the corner of her eye at Cam. He was staring right at her, and he didn’t look embarrassed at all to be caught. Instead, he gave her a lazy smile that did something to her.

It took her a moment to remember to breathe.

“Definitely avoid the coffee machine,” Becca was saying. “A few of us get together and order in from a local place. I’ll add you to our message group, that way you won’t be poisoned during your first week.”

“Sounds good,” Mia agreed. Becca was a little ray of sunshine. She’d said she was the youngest of her siblings, which must put her in her mid to late twenties, probably ten years younger than Mia. But she could sense they would be friends.

There were some people you just clicked with.

“Will you be coming to Chairs on Friday?” Becca asked her.

“Chairs?” Mia’s brows knitted. “What’s that?”

As Becca attempted to explain the town tradition, Mia found her gaze wandering to the left again. Cam was talking to his aunt, but his face turned abruptly and he was staring right at her.

Busted. Mia bit her lip, and looked firmly away.

He was way too good looking. And according to the article she’d read about him, one of the best safeties the NFL had ever seen.

And way out of your league, Mia Devlin. Yeah, she knew that, but a little look didn’t hurt, did it?

She was going to be paying ten thousand dollars to the guy, for goodness sake. Or more, if you added the cost of the top end tire. So she’d look if she wanted to.

“So do you think you’ll come next week?” Becca asked her.

Mia dragged her eyes away from Cam’s. “I wish I could,” she told her. “But it’s Friday night football at school. I promised I’d take Michael and Josh.”

“Do your sons play?”

“Michael does. Josh tried pee wee last year and hated it. He likes going to games, though. For the snacks.” Mia laughed.

“I used to like those, too. I remember being dragged along to football at the high school for years. First for Gray, then for Cam and Logan. Even Tanner played, and he hates getting dirty.” She tipped her head to the side and looked over at Cam. “Hey, did you know Mia’s son plays football?”

“Oh yeah. I’ve seen him in action.”

It was getting stupid how often they were looking at each other. This time, there was a curl to his lips. A kind of half smile that made her legs feel weak. She grinned back at him, and he winked.

Damn it, how could a wink be sexy?

“My son dented Cam’s car,” she admitted to Becca.

“He’s the one?” Becca’s eyes widened. “I had no idea. Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked Cam.

“Because I haven’t seen you. Anyway, it’s none of your business, Miss Nosey.” He walked over and ruffled her hair. “Now can I steal Mia away from you for a minute? I want to talk to her about the car.”

“You can talk here,” Becca suggested. “I won’t listen.”

“Sure. And you didn’t rat me out every time I snuck in late at night when we were kids.” Cam shook his head. “You forget how well I know you.”

“I forgot how much you annoy me.” Becca shook her head. “Go on. Steal my new friend. See if I care.”

Mia smiled at her. “I’ll see you at the distillery.”

“Yep. Oh wait, can I have your number? To add you to our messenger group? And Courtney wanted it, too.”

“I’ll send it to you,” Cam told her, his voice impatient. “Okay?”

“You have Mia’s number?” Becca’s eyes widened. “Why?”

Ignoring her, he inclined his head at Mia. “Shall we go?”

She nodded.

“Bye, Mia. Bye, Cam. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.” Becca’s eyes sparkled, while Cam’s rolled as they walked over to an old oak tree, where nobody else was standing.

Finally alone, Mia looked up at him. The sun was shining through the branches, casting a dappled light onto them, making Cam’s eyes look almost bronze as they stared down at her.

“Thank you for the tire,” she said softly. “But you didn’t need to do that. I had it handled.”

“I know. But I was going to the dealership anyway.”

“Not the Honda dealership.”

He shrugged. “They’re all connected.”

“So you can add it to the invoice?”

“Add what?” Three tiny lines appeared between his brows.

“Add the cost of the tire to the money I owe you for the dent. The ten thousand dollars.”

Cam looked at her strangely. “I’m still waiting for the final total. It won’t be that much. They said it should be an easy fix. Maybe a couple of thousand. We’ll see.”

“But you were adamant it was going to cost at least ten thousand.” Why was she arguing? This was good news, wasn’t it? But she didn’t want to be blindsided, not when she still had no idea how to find the money. Better to be realistic than to have hope.

Life had taught her that much.

“I was wrong. And maybe a little hot headed.” He gave her that sexy half smile again. “I kind of like my car.”

“I got that impression.”

Cam bit down a grin at her sarcasm. “Maybe you’d like to come out with me in it once I have it back,” he suggested. “You might like it, too.”

She stared at him for a few long seconds. “You want me to come out in your car?”

“Only if you want to. It’ll be kind of part yours anyway, after you pay for the repairs.”

She felt the shudders run through her. It was a physical sensation. A little fear, a little excitement, and a whole lot of panic. “I don’t… I can’t…” She glanced to the side. Michael was talking to a kid his age. Was that actually a smile on his face? “I’m married,” she blurted out. Ugh, what an idiot she was. The divorce was almost completed in the courts.

“I heard you were separated.”

Her heart was pummeling against her chest. “Who told you that?”

“It’s a