CHAPTER 3

Julie

I hadn’t been in town long before I realized how much I needed a job. I longed to spend my days writing my book, but I knew that wasn’t realistic. My savings would only get me so far and, right now, I had to focus on being practical. At least for a while.

Early on Wednesday morning, I walked to the little coffee shop I’d raved about to Andrea. It was tiny. There were only a handful of chairs scattered throughout the place, and the counter was barely longer than my bathroom vanity. Still, I loved it. After the first time I stepped foot inside the café, I knew I’d chosen the right place to move.

“Good morning,” I said as I stepped up to the counter. “Could I get a triple espresso with a splash of milk? Thanks.”

“You got it.” The barista smiled and immediately went to work making my drink.

Within a minute, I was holding a white ceramic mug and making my way toward the window. I sat down at a table for two and gazed outside. My laptop was in my bag, but I wanted to wake up a little before I immersed myself in research.

I sipped my coffee and watched the early risers walk past the coffee shop. A few people stopped inside to pick up something to go, but most walked right past. Even fewer glanced at me as they passed my window. Of those who did, every single person smiled. From what I could tell, Ennis seemed to be a busy place full of kind people. Exactly the sort of town I wanted to be in.

“Can I get you a refill?” the barista asked from behind the counter. I was the only person in the café now.

“No,” I said with a smile. “Thank you, though.”

“What are you up to over there?” she asked.

“Well,” I said, bending down to pull my laptop from my bag, “hopefully, by the end of today, I’ll have a new job.”

“Are you new in town?” she asked. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”

I nodded. “Just moved here.”

“What kind of job are you looking for?” she asked. “We’re always hiring here.”

“Thanks.” I smiled again. “But I’m a journalist. I’m hoping to find an online job. Something that will provide a steady income, but still leaves me free to enjoy my time, you know?”

“Sounds like a dream,” she said, laughing softly.

“Sometimes, it is,” I said.

The barista returned to her work cleaning the espresso machine. The silence of the café pressed down around me, so I pulled my headphones from my bag and stuck them on my laptop. Soon, music filled my ears, and I sank into myself.

I spent what felt like hours researching online jobs. There were a million things out there, but I wanted to find the perfect position. Andrea was right. My book was too important to me. I’d let two years pass without any serious work on it. I couldn’t keep pushing it to the side, no matter what other things I had going on in my life.

When I checked the clock on my computer, I realized I’d only been at the café for an hour. It felt much longer and, yet, I still hadn’t found a job I wanted to apply for.

I took my headphones out of my ears and let the silent buzz overwhelm me again. Looking around, I saw that I was no longer alone in the café. A man was standing in front of the counter. I couldn’t see his face, just his dark hair, and strong build. He immediately caught my attention, but I looked away quickly.

Today wasn’t about men. I didn’t come to Ennis to find a new boyfriend. I came for a fresh start and for a little freedom.

“Thanks, Sarah.” The man’s deep voice rang out behind me, but I refused to turn around.

I stared at my computer screen, barely seeing it. My mind had already begun to wander, and when the man stepped up in front of my table, I felt my entire body react to his presence.

My shoulders tensed, and my forehead furrowed. I lifted my eyes to his face, prepared to politely tell him to go away. I was busy searching for jobs, and I didn’t need to be distracted.

“Hey there,” he said.

My breath caught in my throat when a handsome, well-built guy with dark brown hair stood before me with an air of confidence about him.

His muscles were outlined by the fitted shirt he wore, and I couldn’t help but notice the bulge in the front of his pants. It seemed like his arms weren’t the only thing he was working out. I wanted to snort at my joke but stopped myself.

His eyes were an ocean blue color. He was tall, and would easily tower over most people I knew. There was something both familiar and irresistible about him. I couldn’t pinpoint it besides that my stomach fluttered our eyes met.

There were small lines at the corner of each eye. He was older than me, but not by much. Just like that, my polite rejection faded away.

“Hi,” I said instead.

“Listen,” he said. “I know this is a little weird, but I saw you sitting here, and I just thought… Well, I thought maybe you’d like some company.”

“Sure,” I said without thinking. “That would be great.”

I gestured toward the empty chair across from me. The blue-eyed man lowered himself into it and smiled at me again. His eyes were enough to keep my attention, but that smile didn’t help matters. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a muscular build. His jaw was angular and strong, and his blue eyes held mine like some sort of tractor beam.

“I’m Julie,” I said.

Very smooth.

I stuck out my hand for him to shake. “Julie Black.”

“Michael Smart,” he said. “It’s nice to meet you, Julie.”

I smiled. “You too.”

“So,” Michael said. “I haven’t seen you in here before, which must mean you’re new in town. Or maybe just visiting?”

“Just moved here,” I said. “Do you use that line on all the girls?”

“What’s that?” Michael asked, frowning slightly.

“You must be new in town,” I mimicked.

“Was I wrong?” he teased.

“Not at all,” I said, and I could tell he was every bit the playboy he seemed to be. “Well, I’m here every day,” Michael said. “Just ask Sarah. She’ll vouch for me.”

“I don’t doubt it.” I laughed softly.

Michael was easy to talk to. Much easier than I would have anticipated. When he sat down, I immediately felt my nerves kick into overdrive, but once we started talking, the banter flowed easily.

“What are you up to?” Michael asked, nodding toward the computer.

I sighed. “Looking for a job.”

“No luck?” Michael asked.

I shrugged. “Not yet. I’ll find something. It’s just a matter of finding the right something.”

Michael looked at the computer closer and squinted. When he looked back up at me, I felt my stomach tighten.

“Journalism?” he asked simply.

I nodded. “I’m hoping to find an online position,” I said. “Maybe a weekly column or something.”

“You know,” he said. “Dallas isn’t that far. You could always commute up there. Find a job at a reputable paper.”

“I did that,” I said with a smile. “I actually just left Dallas.”

“Oh yeah?” Michael asked. His interest was flattering, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to get into the details of my life with a complete stranger. After all, we’d only known each other for ten minutes.

“I needed a change.” I shrugged. “This place seemed perfect. The only problem with Ennis is its lack of publications.”

“Yeah,” Michael said. “You won’t find a need for reporters around here. It’s a pretty quiet town.”

I nodded. “So, I’ve realized.”

Michael and I spent the rest of the morning talking. I asked what he did for a living, something about oil rigs or tools, and he asked more questions about my job search, what kind of column I wanted to write, where I went to school, my journalistic background.

With each minute that passed, it became easier and easier to talk to him. Michael didn’t feel like a stranger. There was something oddly familiar about him, something that put me at ease and made me feel like Ennis was really meant to be my new home. When he finally stood up to leave, a sense of disappointment settled in my chest, but I pushed it away and fixed him with my best smile.

“It was really nice to meet you,” I said.

“This doesn’t have to be goodbye,” Michael said. “I’m fairly confident I’ll see you around again, but just in case…”

He pulled a pen out of his pocket and grabbed a napkin off the table. Handing both to me, he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

I laughed and took the pen from him. Scribbling my number on the napkin, I felt his eyes on the back of my neck. Just his attention was enough to make my cheeks blush.

“Thank you,” he said as I handed him the napkin with my number written on it.

“I’ll see you around,” I said.

“You definitely will.”

Michael grinned at me one last time before waving goodbye to Sarah and stepping outside. I watched him until he disappeared around the corner, my cheeks still slightly warm.