point, but Rain gave him space, both literal and figurative, which Garrick appreciated.
“I can stand to transfer.” Pulling up even with the passenger door, Garrick demonstrated. “Tall is actually easier. If you want to fold the chair and stow it, that would be great.”
“No problem.” Rain wheeled it around to the back of the SUV.
“It’s pretty sturdy,” Garrick called as he hefted himself into the passenger seat, suddenly weirdly on edge. “It collapses by pulling on the seat cushion, but don’t try to force anything.”
“I’ve got you. Not my first time folding a chair. You’re safe with me, promise.”
“Thanks.” Strangely, Garrick found himself nodding. He did feel comfortable with Rain, even though he was younger and a stranger and his car was old enough to not exactly inspire confidence. The gentle way that Rain loaded up the dog helped. He didn’t have the brashness Garrick associated with a lot of guys his age. And he seemed good-natured, the way he’d rolled with having his Saturday upended by Garrick and the dog. All in all, Garrick could have done a lot worse for an unexpected rescuer, and despite the seriousness of their task, he found himself almost eager to spend more time with him.
Danger. Abort. Bad idea. Nice as it was to remember what attraction felt like, he wasn’t up to flirting, let alone anything else, and Rain was the trifecta of probably straight, too young and way off-limits. Better he simply focus on the job at hand and not let himself get carried away with anything else.
* * *
Grandma’s neighbor was hot. Like distractingly so, with broad shoulders and biceps for days coupled with a movie-star-worthy face—chiseled features and piercing green eyes and shaggy hair that danced between dirty blond and light brown. But Rain was supposed to be focusing on the dog, not Garrick, and on driving through a town he’d only visited a couple of times since his grandmother moved. She refused to call it a retirement, but buying a house had been her admitting that maybe her years on the art festival circuit were coming to a halt, and providing her fabric crafts to a nearby touristy place was more her current speed.
“So you visiting for the weekend?” Garrick asked as Rain followed his phone’s GPS directions toward downtown.
“No, I’m supposed to be here for a couple of months. I took the spring term off college, thought I might see what seasonal work I could find around here, help Grandma out at the same time.”
“That sounds nice. I’m sure she could use the hand.”
“Eh. She’s like her dog—rather territorial about her place. It was my mom’s idea, so we’ll see if it sticks.” Rain did love Grandma, but so far she hadn’t let him anywhere near her sewing machine or dye buckets so he wasn’t sure how much help he was actually going to be. “I had an interview this morning for a bartender gig—that’s why I’m dressed up—but I don’t think I passed it.”
“Yeah. It’s the clubhouse at the golf course south of town. I didn’t know half the drinks they quizzed me on, and they asked how I felt about a haircut.”
“Ouch.” Garrick laughed. “Yeah, don’t do that. Keep looking. Plenty of other seasonal jobs.”
“You’d know, right? I thought Grandma said you were a smoke jumper?”
“Yep.” Garrick didn’t seem inclined to elaborate, instead looking out the window, and Rain couldn’t blame him—he’d get the scoop from Grandma about Garrick’s injuries rather than bug him for gory details he probably didn’t want to share.
“That’s cool. I’ve got some applications in with the forest service and other places since some of my classes were pre-fire academy. I didn’t get a slot for this year though, hence taking a term off.” He kept his voice casual. The Portland Fire Academy was notoriously competitive, so he was trying hard not to take it too personally, but man it had hurt to not even make the short list of applicants who would be considered for fall placements. Oh well. On to the next adventure.
“You can park up here.” Garrick pointed to a lot next to a brick building with a cheerful sign with dogs and cats on it. “And don’t let it get you down, kid. Don’t give up on the dream.”
Kid. Okay. So much for Hottie Neighbor. No one called him kid these days and got away with it. Quietly seething, he found the closest spot to the door. He might be irked,