1. Piper Purcell

Piper Purcell

Watching Winston drive off in a hurry kept a smile on my face the entire twenty-minute drive from my place to where I would be working for the next two weeks.

I was happy for Allie. My best friend deserved someone good who loved her with his whole heart.

Not only that, I was really dang glad that my gut instinct about something not adding up when it came to Winston Nash had been right. I had seen him around her, and it never really added up why from one minute to the next, he turned all cold and indifferent. Not that I knew all that much about relationships. I was hardly an expert. But I knew people. And I’d known Winston Nash was in love with my best friend. The whole sitting in a different car every day across the street thing also clued me in.

The smile I was sporting quickly disappeared the moment I walked toward my booth space at the Los Angeles Arts and Crafts Winter Market. Damn, he was back. Not only was he back, but he seemed to have restocked everything he had sold out of the day before. His booth was already set up and ready to go. I glanced at my watch to make sure I didn’t somehow arrive at the fair late. Nope. I still had an hour and a half to replenish what I’d sold, spiff up my booth, turn my twinkle lights on, and grab myself a coffee from one of the vendors at the market.

I stood straighter and as tall as I could, which wasn’t much when I was four ten, and made my way toward my booth. It wasn’t that the guy was competition or anything. We sold very different wares. Not that I thought a guy like him knew how to hold a crochet needle.

The tall, seriously gorgeous guy’s booth was all about natural bee wax and honey products. Bees. My brows bunched tighter. A man like him with bees? It still didn’t make sense. Not that I had a problem with bees or honey or wax. I loved natural products; that wasn’t what rubbed me the wrong way.

Hugo Gomez was seriously rude. I had my fair share of experiences with rude people and family, but he was on a whole other level.

From the moment I arrived that very first day, he had glared at me like I somehow offended him. On the third day of dirty looks, I tried to make a peace offering, bringing him coffee. One he didn’t accept. After that and still having no clue what I’d done to the guy, I was done trying. I only had a week left until I wouldn’t have to see his grouchy seriously hot face again. Liar , a little way to wise voice perked up before I frowned. Damn, why did the rude, mean ones always have to be my weak spot? My ex had been the king of rudeness, and it had been extremely hard for me to kick him like a bad habit. So much so, Allie and I no longer even mentioned his name anymore.

But Hugo Gomez? The tall, pissed-off-looking guy who looked like he belonged on a big gleaming Harley? He looked like he could demolish me with one kiss.

And nope, no way, no how was I going down that road again.