“Smart-ass.” Matt pulled his T-shirt over his head and tossed it onto a pile of boxes.
It took them almost twenty minutes just to get the safe secured on the dolly with ratchet straps to Matt’s satisfaction. During those twenty minutes, he lost count of the number of times he glanced toward his neighbor’s house. And two or three times, he was sure he saw her curtains twitch.
He wasn’t sure why he annoyed Hailey so much. It had to be more than the fact he’d witnessed her misguided attempt to go hiking, but he couldn’t quite wrap his head around it. There were glimpses, though, of humor and he was looking forward to getting to know her once she’d calmed down. Which, admittedly, she’d probably do faster if he didn’t push her buttons. He couldn’t seem to help himself.
When they took a breather before starting the process of getting the safe down the ramp, Matt was thankful he’d sent Bear home with his dad for the week. He missed his dog, but Bear was neither underfoot nor running loose in a new neighborhood, so it was worth it.
He wondered idly if Hailey liked dogs, or if Bear would be another entry in her list of reasons Matt annoyed the crap out of her.
“Hey, Casanova,” Jeff said. “You’re not getting any of her pie. Let’s go.”
Matt looked next door in time to see the curtain jerk and smiled. It was too early to tell how that was going to go. “Come on. Donny, you take the heavy end.”
Donny looked at the rectangular safe, then looked at them and back again. “Which end is that?”
Matt and Jeff laughed, and then Hailey was forgotten while Matt tried to keep himself and his friends from being crushed.
*
EVEN IN WHITFORD, there had to be something better to do than peek out her windows and watch a shirtless, sweaty Matt Barnett carry boxes.
Scrubbing her overactive hormones into submission hadn’t worked as well as she’d hoped. One, she had a strict housekeeping regime that meant there wasn’t very much to do beyond the floors, which she always did on her Saturdays off. And, two, she wasn’t going to accomplish anything while looking out her window every five minutes.
She thought about texting Tori, who wasn’t working this morning, but the last time she’d done that, her friend had shown up at the library. There was no way Tori showing up at her house to watch Matt move in would be anything but conspicuous and the last thing Hailey needed was more awkwardness.
Finally, she grabbed her purse and her keys. Even driving around in circles, listening to the radio, was better than mooning over a man she didn’t even like.
She ended up at the Trailside Diner simply because driving around Whitford was boring and not worth burning the gas. Tori wouldn’t be working, but Liz would be and Hailey had enjoyed getting to know her better. Liz Kowalski had moved to New Mexico with a guy after high school, but she’d moved back alone almost a year before. Now she was Liz Kowalski Miller, married to the chief of police, and the entire town was on pins and needles, waiting for baby news.
Hailey took a spot at the counter because it was easier to chat there, and nodded when Liz held up the coffeepot. Liz had the Kowalskis’ dark hair—hers long and pulled into a ponytail—and blue eyes, and she was wearing the new Trailside Diner tees that had the Northern Star ATV Club logo on the back.
“I hear the safety certification class at the library went well,” Liz said, setting a mug of coffee in front of Hailey.
“In other words, you want to hear about the hot game warden.”
“Of course.”
“At this very second, he’s moving in to the house next to mine.”
Liz’s jaw dropped. “You’re not serious.”
“Totally serious.” She added cream and sugar to her coffee, debating on whether or not to have a second breakfast. Although, it wasn’t like a microwaveable breakfast sandwich really counted as a first breakfast. More of a pre-breakfast snack. And it was heading toward lunch, so brunch would work.
“That’s really weird.”
Hailey looked up at her. “I accused him of stalking me.”
“That’s more weird.”
“He makes me crazy and I don’t know why.” There was just something about the man that set her on edge.
Liz grinned. “We know what that means.”
“I should have driven the hour to McDonald’s.” She glanced at the specials board, then wrinkled her nose. “I just want a side of fries, I think.”
“Awesome breakfast.”
“Brunch. And I’m not really that hungry.”
“Of course not. You’re only here to hide from your hunky neighbor.”
Before Hailey could come up with a response, Liz walked away to give her order to the kitchen and check on her other customers. Hailey drank her coffee and fumed. She wasn’t hiding.
It was only a few minutes before Liz brought her fries and Hailey drenched them in vinegar and salt before popping one in her mouth.
“Tori says you two have great chemistry,” Liz said.