No One Like You by Kate Angell

She saw them as an investment. The company guaranteed two-day delivery, which fell within her timeline.
    She jumped along with the dogs when a horn honked in the driveway. Someone leaned on it. Loud and insistent. The noise sent her to the front door with Atlas on her heels.
    Who in the world . . . ?
    Halo Todd stood beside his silver metallic Hummer H3T pickup. A beast of a truck. His arms were crossed over his chest. He faced her in a T-shirt scripted with To Be Continued, Babe, jeans ladder-ripped over his right thigh, and a big, old smirk. He appeared proud of himself.
    What had he done? she wondered.
    Atlas nearly knocked Beth over getting to Halo.
    The man greeted the Dane with the affection of the previous day.
    Beth approached Halo more slowly. “What’s up?”
    “I found a circular bench for the base of the banyan tree. Perfect for the picnic.”
    “You did?” She was stunned with the delivery.
    “The Cates name opened doors. I borrowed the bench from Porch and Patio. Rylan can buy or return it after the picnic.”
    “How many pieces are there?”
    “Six individual. It’s an easy set up. The redwood sections curve and lock. I’ll do it for you now.”
    Now? “You’re supposed to be at the stadium,” she reminded him. “Footprints and Media Day.” Rylan had left for the training facility an hour ago. Halo was late. “I don’t want you to get in trouble on my account.”
    He had the balls to laugh at her. “I appreciate your concern. Don’t worry. I’ll plant my footprints before the cement dries. Reporters always ask the same questions. I get bored.” He worked his jaw. “Fifteen minutes, and I’ll have your bench together.”
    Halo was procrastinating. Big time. She narrowed her gaze on him. Tapped her foot. “Talk to me, Halo.”
    “You’re sounding like Rylan.”
    “I’m waiting.”
    He kept her waiting while he dropped the tailgate on the Hummer and unloaded the bench section by section from the covered cargo area. He then hefted one curved piece onto his shoulder and headed down the driveway toward the backyard. She hurried to keep up with him. Atlas ran ahead of them both.
    Halo broke his silence at the corner of the cottage. “I picked up a woman last night at a hotel bar. She’d had a terrible date and I consoled her. We later got a room. It was a night of little sleep. The sun rose and so did I. No man denies his morning erection. Twice.”
    “Too much information.”
    “Even running late I did you a solid,” he insisted. “I located the bench.”
    His reasoning became clear to her. She wanted to punch him. “No way, Halo. I won’t be your excuse for being late.”
    “Come on, be a sport.”
    “No.”
    “Rylan won’t be nearly as mad at me if he knows I’ve helped you.”
    “No, tell him the truth.”
    “That sex with Ava—”
    “Ava?” Beth startled.
    “Ava Vonn. Do you know her?”
    “No, can’t say that I do.” She had, however, gotten an earful on the woman at breakfast. Ava had left Ry at the diner, only to hookup with Halo at the bar. However coincidentally.
    She didn’t want Rylan caught off guard in the locker room should Halo brag about his conquest. She needed to avert the conversation. But how? She finally came up with a solution. She’d give them something else to talk about.
    She waited until Halo connected the last wraparound section on the bench before she approached him. The spot looked comfortable and inviting. A conversation starter.
    He met her halfway with enough strut for six men. “Cover my ass?” he questioned her a second time.
    “I’ll have your back on one condition.”
    “Conditions are never good. What’s yours?”
    “I give you a haircut.”

Four
    “W e’re fuckin’ twins,” Halo Todd cursed as he entered the Rogues locker room.
    Not twins, Rylan thought. But they had the same haircut. Both were bad. Halo’s hair was worse than Ry’s . . . if that was even possible. Ry at least had short spikes. Halo had a visible