One Hot Summer by Melissa Cutler Page A

the twitch of his facial muscles and the way his eyes turned distant gave her the sinking suspicion that Micah fell into that third faction. “When was that?”
    â€œTwenty-four years ago.”
    â€œThat was a long time ago.”
    â€œNot so long, not to the people who were affected.”
    A jingle of keys distracted them both. They turned toward the sound.
    The key jingling was coming from the key ring hooked to the belt loop of a thin brunette of about fifty, give or take, wearing a long-sleeved black T-shirt with Petey the dog silk-screened on the front and with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows. She stopped at their table. “What can I get you, Chief? We’ve got your favorite tonight. Cherry pie.”
    â€œGood evening, Barbara. I’ll take a slice of that and a glass of milk, thanks.”
    A grown man ordering milk like he was wholesome incarnate. Unbelievable.
    Remedy opened her mouth to order, but Barbara had already turned away.
    â€œHey, Barbara. Just a sec,” Micah said. “My pie can wait until you take Ms. Lane’s order. She’s liable to blow a gasket if she doesn’t get taken care of like the special snowflake she is. California princesses don’t like to be kept waiting, or so the rumor goes.”
    Remedy raised her hands and wrung an invisible neck.
    In response, he had the audacity to wink at her, his cheek muscle tugging as though he was fighting a grin.
    This man was driving her crazy. She should get up and walk away. She should go to the grocery store and buy some ready-to-eat food and be done with Barbara’s lousy service and Micah’s teasing and this town that didn’t want her.
    â€œI’ll get to her after I serve your pie,” Barbara said, turning toward the kitchen again.
    â€œBarbara, please. Will you get the lady a chicken salad first? If she expires out of hunger, then I’d have to be the one to revive her, and I’m not keen on getting so close to such a prickly creature.”
    Did he really order for her? Exhibit A of why she didn’t mess with alpha men. “You haven’t seen prickly yet.”
    Heat and amusement warred in his eyes. “Something to look forward to,” he crooned in that drawl, low enough that Barbara couldn’t hear.
    â€œWhy did you order for me?”
    â€œI was trying to save you.”
    Oh, please. She shot her hand into the air, wiggling her fingers. “I’ve got to get Barbara back here. If you’re going to criticize my diet, then I’m going to make it a double cheeseburger, because my new favorite hobby is ticking you off.”
    â€œHow’s that, in any way, logical? You need me, and I’m not just talking about tonight.”
    He was right. She did need him—in a professional capacity. And she was going to keep on needing him on her side if she hoped to keep her job. A fire marshal with a vendetta could make a wedding planner’s life a living hell—Remedy had seen it happen a time or two—but having him flaunt his power over her like that made her see red. Mister Big Shot was about to learn that he might be king of Ravel County, but not every citizen there was his royal subject.
    â€œYou think there’s no way for me to do my job without your support? Challenge accepted,” she muttered from behind gritted teeth.
    Then Barbara was back, her pad of paper and a pen in hand. “You need something else, ma’am?”
    Ma’am? Ouch. “Barbara, would you please cancel that chicken salad. I’ll have a Double Spanky Burger, extra bacon.”
    Micah made a choking sound in his throat. And was that a discreet shake of his head?
    Barbara gave Remedy a long, quizzical look, then grinned. “If you say so.”
    What was with these people, judging her for ordering a burger instead of a salad? “It’s like I’m back home in Hollywood, where salad eating is practically a religion.”
    â€œI