“This is crazy!”

Molly’s wide-eyed smile across the counter was contagious as we both handled customers during the busier than usual lunch rush.

“No idea why this is happening, but I’m happy it’s happening,” I told her honestly. I would never complain, about being busy at work because more business was a constant reminder that I’d made the right decision to stay open later during the week, to add a quick lunch option, and to add fresh bread for other local businesses. “We’re getting low on sandwiches, can you handle the rest while I whip up some more?”

“Yep, no problem.” She flashed a quick grin and herded the two lines into submission in an orderly fashion.

The kitchen was quiet, peaceful. I took a deep breath before washing my hands and pulling out more deli meats and sandwich fixings to slice. The butcher always saved me the good stuff in exchange for keeping him in a steady supply of his wife’s favorite muffins. Which meant the sandwiches were always perfect. The different types of bread, including a gluten free option, meant that anyone could stop in for a quick sandwich that was in line with their dietary needs.

Like Aunt Becca always said, “Everybody is different, and they appreciate it when you acknowledge it.”

Her words of wisdom often rang in my ears just when I needed them, and they kept me going when exhaustion had me questioning if this was how I wanted to spend the rest of my life.

“What the hell else am I gonna do, anyway?” Given my lack of a love life, and my poor excuse for a sex life, the answer was a big fat nothing.

“Hey Boss, we need six vegan sandwiches.”

I froze and looked up at her. “Vegan?”

Molly nodded with a look that said she thought I was an idiot. “Yeah. No animal products, but anything else we can whip up. Two of those with the gluten free bread.”

Aunt Becca’s words played again and I grinned. “No problem. Coming right up.” It was a first for this small town in the deep south, but I had enough ingredients to make it work. I assembled the sandwiches using cucumbers, tomatoes, sprouts, avocado, bell peppers and pickles, adding mustard to some and pesto to others because all of my sandwiches were made to taste amazing. After wrapping each one and labeling the gluten free options, I pushed the door open with my hip and set them on the counter. “Six vegan sandwiches, two with gluten free bread, ready to go.”

I looked up and froze at the sight of my nemesis, I mean my neighbor. Mason stood with his trademark smirk, a gorgeous tattooed girl at his side.

She stepped forward, as bold as her appearance, and flashed a smile that softened her tough girl demeanor. “Thanks. Apparently, butthead is tongue tied in front of a pretty girl,” she said with a laugh, nodding in the direction of the brooding tattoo artist. “How much?”

I told her the total with a grin. “He is kind of a butthead, isn’t he?”

She laughed again, the sound husky and melodic. The kind of laugh that invited you to join in on the fun. “Totally. He has been a world class butthead since the day I met him.”

“You were literally like five hours old,” he grunted from behind her, giving a clue to their relationship. Why I cared that she was his sister and not his woman, I wouldn’t examine now. Or ever. “And don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” he told her, wrapping her in a headlock with one arm and putting money on the counter with his free hand, showing off strong, golden forearms that made my mouth water.

Or maybe it was the sandwiches. It was definitely the sandwiches. I added the sandwiches to a large box used mostly for donuts, along with a few napkins. “Enjoy your sandwiches,” I told her, ignoring her brother.

“Thanks. I’m Magenta, his younger, but oh so much wiser sister.”

“Yeah, Mags is a brat,” he added with a playful grin that, somehow, made him even hotter. Dammit.

“I’m Trish,” I told her and extended my hand to her. “I love that tattoo, it’s beautiful.” It really was, a colorful fantasy land covered her shoulder in exquisite detail. “It reminds me of that painting, Garden of Earthly Delights.”

Her face lit up at the compliment. “Thanks! That was my inspiration.”

“You never compliment my tattoos,” Mason said with a pout.

An actual pout.

It made me laugh, because I didn’t want to think about getting an up close and personal look at the ink on his body, mostly because I was certain his arm wasn’t the only inked part of him.

“You’re never nice long enough for me to get a good look at them.” Thank goodness.

He winked at me over Magenta’s head and I gripped the counter to avoid drawing attention to his affect on me. “You can have a good long look anytime you want, Trish.”

Yeah, right. “As soon as I do something with my hair to look hot, right?” Yeah, I hadn’t forgotten that little bit of unhelpful advice. I hadn’t forgiven it either.

“Nah, I decided I like the ponytail. It’s kinda cute.”

Cute. Exactly what a twenty-seven year old woman aspired to be. I rolled my eyes at that backhanded compliment, and handed the change to Magenta. “Have a good day Magenta, it was nice to meet you.”

“You too, we should hang out sometime. Butthead is the only person I know in town.”

I could use a new friend, particularly a single one, since both Maddie and Vivi were happily wed. “Sounds good. I’m usually here most days, so I’m not hard to find.”

She took the bag and headed for the door, leaving her brother to give me a long, intense look that held all kinds of promises. “Just let me know when you want that look, Trish.”

Right. Now. Please.

That’s what I wanted to say, instead I gave him a polite smile. “No thanks. Have a good day, now.”

With a smirk he walked away, and I may have given his long legs and perfectly shaped ass a good long look. I couldn’t help it, the man made jeans looks as sinful as a thong and oil slicked torso. He was singlehandedly responsible for my new fascination with denim.

The jerk.