“Hey,” Clarke called from the front, and he stepped back out. “You wanna run this for me? I have to change my clothes.”
Shane nodded, but his thoughts were still trying to catch up on the new information she'd shared already that morning. If Harrison was Garbo's brother and he was coming here with a friend... “Who's the friend he's bringing?” Please don't say Blake he added silently.
Clarke made a weird, disgusted sound in the back of her throat. “Mike, the drummer.” She said it with such disdain it took Shane by surprise. He hadn't had a lot of contact with Mike, but he seemed like a nice enough guy. “Apparently they're gonna be here for a few weeks doing some sample recordings or whatever.”
“I take it you don't approve?” He tried to be gentle, confused by her sudden ire.
“Harrison is a sweetie, that's not the problem. And I promise I'll put on my happy face and be perfectly delightful when they get here, but—gah! Don't laugh at me!” She threw the empty money bag at him in frustration.
“I had no idea that you disliked drummers so much.” He was relieved it wasn't Blake, but he wasn't about to share that.
“It's not that.” She chewed on her bottom lip in frustration. “I'm probably making a bigger deal out of it than I need to. I can blame it on my lack of sleep.” She arched an eyebrow at him. “Since you're back, you wanna take three beach bums off my hands?”
“You know, I would...” Shane gave her a playful smile, “but I just had my carpets cleaned.”
“I hate you,” she deadpanned and he laughed out loud.
“I'm kidding! I'll talk to them.” He gathered the deposit off the counter and stuck it in the bag she had chucked at him a minute ago. “Maybe those bank ladies will give me a little more love than you and Greta did this morning.”
“I s'pose you want the Land Rover back.” She handed him the keys with a sad sigh.
“Nah, consider it a bonus in lieu of concert tickets.” He pointed to her nearly dry hair. “And run a comb through that mess. I know you're the face of the beach side of things, but let's not get too literal about that.”
Clarke looked up at him under her frown with her nose scrunched up, and he couldn't help but laugh at her again. “You better save all of your adorable faces for the drummer—you promised to be 'perfectly delightful.'”
***
Greta leaned into the backseat and fished out the suit jacket that she had stolen from Brady's closet that morning. He wouldn't mind as long as she remembered to put it back. It was a good thing Brady wore slim-cut or she'd be swimming in this thing, she thought as she slipped her arms into the sleeves and rolled them up around her forearms. Sliding her large sunglasses on and placing the fedora on top of her head for the big finish, she looked at her reflection in the rear view mirror.
“Yeah, I can rock this,” she said to herself with a satisfied nod.
Not forgetting her homemade sign with “DOOFUS” written on it in pink glitter, she swung the door closed to the Jeep and strode into the airport terminal.
Her big brother should have already landed. She was late, but hoping not so late they would notice. She scanned the faces of the passengers descending the escalator and didn't see Harry or Mike, so she held up her sign and waited.
She was excited to see them again so soon. Miranda and Carl's wedding the week before had seemed to be over with too quickly, even though she had stayed a few extra days to see her folks and catch up with the band. That's when Harrison had told her that he and Mike were planning a trip out to the coast for work, and he wanted to stay with her. Of course, he'd still thought she was living in North Hollywood and going to school. She had had to explain that she had moved in with friends in Huntington Beach and school was sort of not a priority right now. What a load of drama that had turned into. You'd think she had just announced that she had taken up hooking as a competitive sport.
Her parents were concerned, but keeping it to themselves. Harrison was way more outspoken about his views on her lifestyle choices. But he'd been upset since she transferred to San Diego after her first year anyway. That wasn't totally his fault. She didn't tell him all the reasons that made California so much more appealing than Boston. He would flip out if he knew the whole story, and she was handling it just fine without the added stress her protective older brother would no doubt bring to the situation. Still, she loved him to pieces and was excited that he would be close by for a couple of weeks.
She watched the people file past her, letting her mind drift as she waited.
She hadn't been expecting to see Shane at the office this morning. That had been a very nice surprise. She hadn't seen him since that fateful night in August, right after he broke up with Lucy. He didn't remember her, that was obvious, but she had suspected that would happen. His intoxication, coupled with his intense grief, had put his head in a whole different world. But he was back now, and from the looks of it, he was ready to begin the difficult process of healing and moving on.
Which is where she would come in.
Getting to know Lucy during the wedding festivities, she could understand why Shane was so devastated. She kind of rocked. But Lucy and Blake belonged together. She'd never seen anything more obvious. The fact that Shane had fallen for such an awesome chick would actually make Greta's job easier. It meant he had good taste and she wouldn't have to educate him on the dangers of poisonous women.
She spotted Mike first, just as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.
“Very professional, Miss O'Neil,” he said warmly, and she threw an arm around him in greeting.
Then Harrison stepped into view.
“I can't believe you guys are really here!” She discarded her sign entirely and wrapped both arms around Harrison's neck.
“Hey, baby sis,” he hugged her back. Hard. Harrison hugs were number two on her list of best hugs ever.
“How was the flight?” She let go and began walking as they fell in step beside her.
“Good. When we travel without our lead singer we don't get recognized as much.” Mike raked his hand over his super short hair, making it stick up in all different places.
“I'm making supper for you tonight, and Clarke promised to be there.” She hesitated briefly before forcing a quick smile and adding, “We kind of have a full house right now, so she's been a little cranky. If she acts a little off, that's all that is.”
“How full are we talking? Lots of girls or...?” Harrison was always way too concerned with how Greta was spending her time and with whom. Just wait until he found out she wasn't working at the sports rehab clinic anymore and instead had gone back to serving coffee.
“Um,” Greta stalled, her eyes darting around looking for the baggage terminal and then starting in that direction. “We have a couple guys who needed a place to stay.”
“You're living with boys?” Harrison's bossy tone came out and Greta saw Mike shake his head. So Harrison's protective nature wasn't lost on anyone else, good to know.
“Geez, Harry.” Greta blew a dark strand of hair out of her face. “I'm twenty-four, not fifteen. And I'm not sleeping with any of them. Once you meet them, you'll understand. I have higher standards than that.” She elbowed her brother in the ribs. “Besides, I read the tabloids. I know how you guys live.” And if he thought for one minute that she would forget it, he was mistaken.
“Most of that is sensationalized,” Harrison protested quickly.
Greta simply laughed and threw a wink at Mike. “I guess we'll find out, won't we?”
“I've missed you, Greta.” Mike hooked an arm around her neck. She smiled at him warmly, thankful that he could be relied on to play along with torturing Harrison. He hated it when they flirted with his sister. And she knew that's the only reason any of them did it.
While Harrison was her only brother by blood, when he had joined DBS years ago, she had gained four more. And she loved each and every one of them. They were each sweet and amazing in their own right. It was nice to have them around to back her
up and keep Harrison from going overboard.
“Knock it off, you two. I know what you're doing and I'm not falling for it.” Harrison marched on in front of them, eyeing his luggage coming around the carousel.
“So, you have anything special planned for us while we're here?” Mike let her go and reached for his own bag.
“You know me better than that, Michael,” Greta said, flashing him a grin. “I don't make plans. Flying,” she smacked her backside with both hands for emphasis, “by the seat of my pants.”
Harrison rolled his eyes but Mike chuckled. That's when she caught a glimpse of something in Mike's eyes that she hadn't seen in a long time. A very long time. He noticed her stare and looked down at his shirt and then back up again in question.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
She blinked a few times and smiled sweetly. “I'm excited for you to meet Clarke. I think you'll... really hit it off.”
Mike was already shaking his head no. “I'm not looking for any kind of an anything. Nothing short term or long term, nothing at all.”
“No, I know.” She nodded, as if she were agreeing with him. She knew he wasn't looking for those things. But maybe those things were looking for him.
“Seriously, Greta.” He locked eyes with hers, giving her an earnest stare.
“I know, Michael,” she mimicked his tone, then turned to lead them to her waiting Jeep Wrangler.
Mike needed to ease up on the paranoia. Of course, then again, maybe it's what was working for him. She shouldn't judge, she wasn't a former addict.
***
Much later that night
Dinner had gone about as Greta had expected.
Clarke had been cagey and weird, while Mike had read right through all her bullshit.
Harrison gave no fewer than three lectures on how Greta should be in school and should never have quit working at the sports rehab clinic. That one, she could almost see his point on. The money was better and the hours were more predictable, but she hated how it had become work and she didn't enjoy it anymore.
It seemed to be the general consensus that she wasn't living up to her potential by working as a coffee barista.
Oh well, it was her life. She was going to be living it as she chose.
Steve, Bo and Brady had made an appearance to be proud of. She had even told them all that her brother was going to be in town and still they couldn't behave themselves.
Greta let the bathroom door swing closed behind her and she padded lightly down the hall to Tatewin's old room.
Tate had been staying several nights a week at her boyfriend's until she finally moved out last week, so Greta had taken her room, letting Mike and Harry have hers for the night. She closed the door behind her, slipped into the covers and flipped the light on the lamp next to the bed.
She could hear Steve's loud laugh from the back patio and she smiled. As annoying as those guys could be, she really liked having them around. Even though Clarke wanted to kill them most days.
Her thoughts wandered to Shane, their friend in common. Though she wasn't his friend quite yet. Hopefully that would change by the end of the week.
She had announced to Clarke at dinner that Shane was the next project. It hadn't really been well received. Clarke didn't want her messing with her boss. And while Greta could understand that, what Clarke didn't get was that Shane needed Greta. She could help him. And she needed to do it soon before Harmony found out he was back in town and she laid her own trap.
Greta shuddered as she thought of the degree of fakery that girl would create to get what she wanted. Greta had spent a lot of energy the past two and half months getting the rest of Shane's friends out of her clutches.
Now, she just had to keep Shane from getting sucked into them.
Chapter 2
Amber
Greta twisted her long, dark hair into twin braids and secured the ends. She looked at her barley-there bikini in the mirror and sighed.
It was nice. Pale blue with white strings for the ties against her tanned skin, it was quite striking. Her body was in impeccable shape, clean lines and lovely definition. As it should be, since she worked on it enough.
She knew she looked good. Not that she was conceited, she wasn't. But she also wasn't one of those girls with a bad body image. No, Greta's insecurities went far deeper. Anyone could like a pretty face, but finding someone who wanted her for who she actually was? That was the impossible dream she lived with.
She shook her head at her deep musings and slipped on her white cutoff jean shorts and black tank. She had to get to Soaring Bird before Shane got there. She didn't have time to psychoanalyze herself for the millionth time. Besides, she had plans for a sketch later that would help her get those feelings out onto paper. Dark, heavy lines. Shadows that she would deepen and blur.
Miranda had cooking. Harrison had music. And Greta had art.
It's what she'd gone to school for. Her first year at Boston University had been great. But then things had happened... She'd transferred to San Diego after a year. Their program was excellent but she bored of it quickly. Instead, she switched to physical therapy and sports rehab due to her fascination with the human body and her obsession with muscle groups. How they worked, how they moved, what they were capable of. The sports rehab clinic where she had worked had been cool; it's where she'd met Clarke. But again, she got bored and went back to serving coffee to tourists at the pier.
Her tendency to bounce around from thing to thing is what irritated her brother the most. He wanted her to choose something, anything, and stick with it. But Greta couldn't stand the feeling of being trapped in something. She wanted to be free.
She skipped down the hall and then down the stairs, regretfully slipping on a pair of flip-flops. Shoes were for suckers. But Shane had looked irritated with her that day she'd shown up barefoot. She didn't want to push the wrong buttons today.
Excitement shouldered its way into her previously contemplative thoughts. She was looking forward to getting into Shane's issues and helping set him free as well. Because that's where people were their best—when they were free.
She'd stayed away for a couple of days, hanging out with her brother and Mike, letting Shane forget she existed again. It was all part of the plan. He couldn't feel trapped and forced into it. He had to want to hang out with her.
Clarke had remained adamant that Shane not become a project, but Greta couldn't help it. A man that fantastic couldn't be left alone for too long. He'd end up with some bimbo taking advantage of his good heart. He'd be safe with Greta. She had no desire to cage him anymore than she wanted to be caged herself.
“Are you coming out with us today?” Brady called from the kitchen.
She spun towards him, noticing the mug he held up to his lips, and decided that a cup of coffee didn't sound half bad.
“What are you doing up so early?” she asked, reaching around him and getting a cup out of the cabinet.
Brady and Bo Samson were brothers who were often mistaken for twins. Both tall, broad-shouldered blonds with a year-round tan and smiles that could melt the inhibitions off of a preacher's daughter. They had too much money and enjoyed spending it on themselves and their friends.
Brady was the responsible one, socially speaking. He made more lasting friendships than his slightly younger brother, who had a tendency to ruffle feathers and cause tension.
Greta loved them both equally and for different reasons.
“Steve snores,” he grumbled, taking a tentative sip. His blond hair was matted on one side and sticking straight up on the other. She stood on her tiptoes for a moment so she could ruffle his rooster-tail playfully.
“Is that what that noise is? I thought someone was trying to kill a bear with a lawnmower.” She snickered and filled her cup, bypassing the cream and sugar.
Steve, on the other hand, was a little more difficult to love. He was crude and obnoxious most of the time. While he thought he was the funniest guy i
n the room, he was usually the one who made everyone call it an early night. Also blond, also built, but with the emotional maturity of a golden retriever puppy. Which meant, at times, he could be quite lovable. Then he'd whiz on the carpet and spoil the moment.
All three of the guys had been in Shane's life since childhood and in Clarke's life since around high school, when they all started to see each other at various surfing competitions.
SoCal was huge with a small world feel at times.
“You didn't answer me. You coming out with us today?” he asked again and reached over, flicking the string from her bikini that hung down her back.
“I don't know yet. I have something I have to do this morning, and it depends on how that goes,” she replied vaguely.
“Who's the new guy?” Brady's mouth twitched up on one side and he tried to hide it behind his coffee cup.
“I'm not telling.” Greta smiled coyly. They'd find out soon enough anyway. Chances are they wouldn't even be surprised. They'd been watching her do this since they met ten weeks ago. She'd had, what, three projects since then? And they knew some of the guys she'd helped before hand.
He tsked. “One of these days you're gonna pick the wrong guy.”
“Oh yeah?” She raised her eyebrows in amusement. “What do you mean by 'wrong guy'?”
“You're gonna accidentally fall for him and you'll break your own heart.” Brady's usual playful demeanor quieted and he looked thoughtful.
“What makes you so sure?” Greta asked as she leaned up against the counter next to him.
“I'm going with the odds. It's only a matter of time.” He cleared his throat. “If it doesn't work out with Mister Undeclared today, you should join us. We're trying some new stuff and I think you'll like it.” He reached over and tugged one of her braids.
Tectonic (Double Blind Study Book 3) Page 3