The Mechanics of Mistletoe - Liz Isaacson Page 0,59
of you.”
She nodded, because while she didn’t need a man to take care of her, she sure would like one. “Thanks, guys. Okay, I really am going to go change. I need my phone, so I can text Jason to make sure he’s still good with getting my parents.” She held out her hand, and Jeff handed the phone to her.
“I’m going to go grab Carmen and the kids,” Logan said. “I’ll see you there in a bit.” He left, and Sammy went into the restroom out front, which had decidedly less grease than the employee one in the back.
When she came out, Jeff sat on one of the couches in the waiting area. He looked up from his phone and stood. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” Sammy said, still combing her fingers through her hair. She wore a cute flowery jumpsuit now, though, and her makeup had been touched up, and she’d undone the braids she’d put her hair in that morning, and it had a nice wave to it all the way to the tips.
Jeff tried to take a step back, but he met the couch and ended up stumbling sideways. “Trish and I are having some problems, and I, uh, I’m wondering if you might help me know what to do.”
Sammy froze, because she had no idea what to say. “I mean, I can try?”
“It’s just that you like Bear, and I would say he’s grumpier than me.”
Sammy just blinked. “He’s really sweet too. He works really hard, and he does little things that just tell me that he cares about me.” She took a deep breath. “And he’s really good with Lincoln.”
Jeff nodded, his fingers flying over his phone. “Sweet too. In what way?”
Was he seriously taking notes? Sammy glanced toward the door leading to the garage—and escape. “He brings me lunch from my favorite restaurant,” Sammy said. “He asks me about my parents. He knows which cars I’m working on or worried about, because he asks me questions and listens when I tell him.”
“Mm hm.” Jeff kept typing as he asked, “What kind of little things?”
“All those things I just said. Plus, stuff like—take the other night, for example. He knew I was coming, but dinner was ready at the homestead. He waited for me. He dished me a plate and had it waiting for me on the porch, and we had a little private dinner together. That’s sweet, and it’s just this little thing that doesn’t move the Earth and the moon. But it means a lot to me.”
“Would you say women like that kind of stuff?”
“Yes, Jeff,” Sammy said with a smile. “Women like that kind of stuff. Men do too, I’m willing to bet.” She shook her head at him. “Can we talk more about this tomorrow? I think I need to get to the bowling alley.”
“Sure, yeah.” Jeff put his phone away. “I’m good. We don’t need to talk about it, especially in front of Jason.”
Sammy sensed something there, but she just said, “All right,” and headed for her escape. “Will you make sure that front door is locked?”
“Sure thing,” Jeff said behind her.
As she drove the short distance to the bowling alley, she thought about Jeff. It was nice to talk to him on a more personal level, she decided. It made him more human, and as she waited to turn into the parking lot at the bowling alley, she said, “Bless him and Trish to work out their problems. He’s a good guy, even if he’s a little gruff.”
She knew, because Bear was exactly like that.
Inside the bowling alley, she found exactly what Jeff had described on the phone—emptiness. Harlan looked up from the counter, and he actually smiled at Sammy. “Thanks for letting me come a few minutes early. Turns out I don’t need to, but I thought I’d come say thank you anyway.”
“Sure thing,” he said. “People can start coming in whenever they get here.”
She nodded and turned toward the door as it opened. Bishop walked in, and he whistled at Sammy as he looked her up and down. “Look at you, Miss Thing.” He grinned as he sauntered forward, and it was easy to see why women liked him.
He brought several other Glovers with him, and Sammy hugged Bishop hello, and then she shook Cactus’s hand and then Judge and Mister. “You guys are early,” she said, giving them all a pointed look.
“But Bear’s not,” Bishop said. “This way, everyone can get here, and it’ll be