Page 29 of Second Time Around

Nine

When Jenna finally showed up at the pool, she got bombarded with questions and the usual accusation from her sister.

“You’re late,” Stacy said.

Stacy was a stickler for timeliness, while Jenna took a more lackadaisical approach, except for work, where she was always punctual.

“I had a flat tire.”

“Oh, so you had to wait for a tow truck,” Nick said.

“Not exactly.”

Stacy eyed her suspiciously, while Kelsey came up and greeted her with a warm smile.

Kelsey was Stacy’s best friend, but she and Jenna were also close. The three of them belonged to the Kiss & Tell Book Club, where they shared their love of romance novels, among other things. Kelsey was joined by her boyfriend, Hudson, who was hugging her close to his side like he was afraid to let go.

“Did I hear you say you had a flat tire?” Hudson said.

“Yes.”

“Change it yourself?”

Stacy and Kelsey looked at him like he was crazy.

“Guess not,” he said.

“Yet she didn’t call a tow truck,” Stacy said.

“A good Samaritan helped me out,” Jenna said dismissively.

“It’s nice to know there are still kind people in the world,” Kelsey said.

Jenna rolled her eyes. “If Beckett Montgomery can be called kind.” Oops. She hadn’t meant to say that aloud.

“Beck was the good Samaritan?” Stacy said enthusiastically.

“Is this the same guy who broke your heart in high school?” Kelsey asked.

The men looked back and forth at the women like they were following a tennis match.

“For the last time, he didn’t break my heart,” Jenna insisted.

“Okay, but he bruised it a little,” Stacy conceded.

Jenna had already told her friends that Beck was back in town and working in the same plaza as the hair salon. However, she hadn’t filled them in on every detail because she hadn’t wanted to waste her breath talking about him. Even though he’d moved back here, she preferred to keep him firmly rooted in her past. That seemed impossible now that Stacy and Kelsey were on the case.

“Is he the same guy you were complaining about at Stacy’s birthday party?” Nick asked.

Jenna nodded, feeling somewhat guilty. What did she have to complain about Beck now? He’d given her a slew of referrals and coupons to his restaurant. Plus, he’d invited her to a family dinner and changed her flat tire.

“Any guy who offers to change someone’s flat tire is okay in my book,” Hudson said, shooting Jenna an apologetic look.

“It was no big deal, okay? He saw me out in the parking lot and offered to help. Anyone else would have done the same.”

“Hmm,” Stacy said.

Nick and Hudson exchanged knowing glances.