Wasn’t it?
“Ember, over here.”
She looked up to see Janice Martin waving at her, summoning her to join everyone. There were fifteen or so people standing around the fountain in the middle of the park. Her lips twitched as she looked up at the statue emerging out of the ocean. An angel, of course, with her arm raised and her finger pointing inland.
Her phone buzzed again, just as she’d reached the rest of the committee. Sighing, she quickly flicked it to silent and shoved it into her pocket.
That’s when she realized Lucas Russell was standing right next to her. His eyes were staring at her pocket, where her left hand was still pushing down the phone. God, she hoped he hadn’t seen the Sizzle app come up on her screen, the thought of it was mortifying. Slowly he brought his eyes up until he was staring at her face. She felt a warm rush of blood heat her skin.
“Hey.” She smiled at him in spite of her embarrassment. He smiled back, and she felt a strange sensation in her chest. He had the best smile – on the rare occasions when he used it. It made little crinkles in the skin at the corner of his sparkling eyes. She couldn’t remember why she’d ever thought he was humorless. He was way too good looking for that.
And yes, if you were being really picky about it he could have taken the time to shave before he came out. But she liked the way his almost-beard shadowed his jaw. She wondered if it would feel soft or rough against her skin.
Oh God. Here she went again. She blamed Ally and Rachel. It was all their fault her heart was pounding like a herd of wildebeest.
She needed
to stop this right now before she made a fool out of herself.
“Everything okay?” Lucas asked her. He had his head tipped to the side and a strange expression on his face. She lifted her left hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear. His gaze landed back on her fingers.
“Yeah, it’s been a long day.” She glanced at her watch. It was ten after seven. “I had to come straight from school, that’s why I’m late. We’ve been making decorations for the fair, and a couple of kids got a little too slap-happy with the paint.” Ember grimaced, remembering the mess they’d caused. “It took us hours to clean up.”
“Let me guess. Carter?”
She shook her head. “Not this time, though it is definitely something he’d do.”
“Okay, I think we’re all here. Let’s get started.” Frank Megassey had set himself up on the steps leading up to the fountain, like a town crier making announcements. “I’ve drawn up the planned booths and locations – thanks to all of you for emailing your requirements. I want us to walk through it and check that everything’s covered. And our local Fire Station representative can check the health and safety requirements, too. We don’t want anything to go wrong.”
“Oh, you have a serious job.” Ember smiled at him, thankful for the interruption to her thoughts. “You should probably walk to the front next to Frank.”
“And be given another booklet to read through over the weekend? No thanks.”
“Did you read the last one he gave you?” she asked him. Frank always gave newcomers a booklet an inch thick full of information about the fair.
“If I tell you I didn’t, are you gonna snitch on me?”
“Not if you don’t snitch on me.” She bit down a smile. “I never read it when I first joined either.”
“You didn’t?” He gave her a lopsided grin that started the wildebeest up all over again. “Man, I thought you’d follow all the rules, being a teacher and all.”
“Maybe you don’t know me that well.”
“Maybe I don’t.” He was looking at her hand again. It was strange. Did she have some dirt on it? A few months ago she’d have been sure he could see the dent and tan line from where her engagement ring had once been, but thankfully the skin had evened out. The faint band of white skin was now blended in with the rest of her flesh. Golden, thanks to the California sun.
It was one less thing to worry about.
“Okay, this is where the entrance will be,” Frank shouted as they came to a stop at the corner of the park, next to the boardwalk. “Temporary fencing will be erected the day before the fair. The gates are to open at ten o’clock to let people in.”
Ember’s phone buzzed again, then let out a shrill ding. Damn, she must have switched it off silent when she slid it into her pocket. Another ding made everybody turn and look at her. She hastily pulled it out, ready to turn it off properly this time.
As soon as she lifted the screen up, she felt her whole face fire up with embarrassment. Whoever was messaging her on the Sizzle app had decided to cut to the chase and bare himself to her.
Literally.
Right there in the middle of the screen was an honest to God dick pic. Her mouth dropped open as she hastily tried to turn the screen off. But instead of unlocking it, she opened up the Sizzle app.
“Is that what I think it is?” Lucas asked, looking over her shoulder. He sounded as shocked as she felt.