“It’s the tavern maid costume. I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to wash it.”
Dixie shoved the packet right back. “Keep it, honey. No one else will be able to do for it what you did.”
“But I don’t want it.” Hailey held it out.
Dixie slipped Hailey’s bag off her shoulder, stuffed the bundle inside, and slid the strap back over her shoulder. Her smile never wavered. “Sure you do. Now you’re all set for Halloween.” She patted Hailey’s cheek. “I gotta get back to work before the boss catches me goofing off. You know what a slave driver he is.”
“Too late,” came Noah’s deep voice.
“Bye, now.” Dixie disappeared.
Noah rested a forearm on the wall above Hailey’s head and leaned in. Pulling in his familiar woodsy smell, she grew a bit woozy. Then came that deep, velvety voice that washed over her in warm waves. “What were you and Dixie passing back and forth?”
“Last night’s getup, but Dixie insists I keep it for Halloween. Ha!”
“Or … you could model it for me sometime.” The sexy man waggled his eyebrows, and heat ignited and spread from her core. “Is that guy really your boss?”
“He’s more of a supervisor, but I have to play nice even when I don’t want to.” She hefted the shoulder strap a little higher, putting distance between them.
He leaned in closer, taking away the space she’d just created. “Do you need me to run interference?”
“No, I’m good, but thanks for the offer.” She wriggled away from him. “How’s Chance?”
“What’s going on back here?” The Tom Brady-wannabe crammed himself into the narrow hallway, his gaze bouncing between them.
“I, um, got lost, so the owner here was just showing me where to go.” Hailey flapped her hand at Noah, who didn’t budge.
Cliff blinked. “You’re the owner?”
Noah straightened and extended his hand. He had about an inch in height on Cliff. “Noah Hunnicutt.”
Cliff took it and pumped hard. “Cliff Meissner. I’m Hailey’s … friend.”
“Colleague,” she corrected.
“Boss,” Cliff tossed back.
“Hailey’s bossy friend,” Noah offered dryly. The look he gave Cliff could have cut glass.
“More of a friendly boss.” Cliff laughed. He was the only one who did.
Hailey ducked between them. “If you gentlemen will excuse me …” Coward that she was, she dashed for the bathroom, with Kaylee’s warning about staying vigilant squawking in her head.
Several minutes after she’d barricaded herself inside, someone knocked softly.
Her voice came out as a squeak. “Y-yes?”
Noah’s baritone sounded from the other side of the door. “Hey, surfer girl, in case you’re hiding in there, the coast is clear.”
She cracked the door and looked up at Noah’s amused face. “I wasn’t hiding. I was … taking a potty break.”
“Well, the guy you’re eating with went back to the table. Dewey is speeding up your orders, and they’ll be out any minute.”
She puffed out a breath that ruffled her hairline. “Am I that obvious?”
“To me? Totally. To him? No, you’re safe. He doesn’t have a clue.”
“I forgot you have that bartender superpower where you can read people.” The fact that Noahgother warmed her everywhere.
