by Dena Blake
She hit the clicker and pulled into the garage before she walked down the driveway to get the mail. Junk, junk, bills, and a letter from her neighbor next door. What the fuck was that about? Couldn’t he just walk over and talk to her? What was up with people these days? She was so not in the mood for this today.
Your yard service was here at the crack of dawn again. If you don’t tell them to come after ten, I’m going to call the city and complain.
Your favorite neighbor, Jack.
The service had a schedule, so she didn’t decide when they came, and the city knew that about every lawn service and didn’t care as long as no one complained. After folding the letter and placing it neatly back into the envelope, she glanced up to see Jack staring at her from his porch, his chocolate Labrador retriever by his side. Most days she tossed his letters into the trash without a response, but what the hell? Why not top off this mega-shitty day with an argument?
She paced back toward the house. “If you’d stop letting your seventy-pound dog use my yard as a bathroom, I’d be more likely to take care of the noise issue.” She stopped halfway up the driveway, narrowed her eyes, and raised an eyebrow. “What in the world do you feed that animal?”
Jack waved a hand in front of him. “She’s a big dog, and she likes to explore.”
“That’s why they make leashes.” Buttercup ran across the lawn and nudged her head under Wynn’s hand. She stared straight ahead at her jackass of a neighbor and did her best to ignore the dog. Damn it. She squatted down in front of the huge, lovable, chocolate Lab and rubbed her ears. Trying to avoid the numerous sloppy kisses Buttercup gave was useless. She’d have to wash her face immediately when she got in the house. The dog was sweet as could be, but her neighbor was an astronomical asshole. If the ears of her own black Lab, Shadow, didn’t perk up every time she saw Buttercup, she’d have called animal control long ago. Until this point, she’d found it easier to just pay the lawn service an additional fee to clean up the mess.
“She hates leashes. I got her from the animal shelter last year. She’s a puppy-mill rescue, was chained up all the time.”
Her stomach clenched. She hadn’t known that. She stared into the dog’s beautiful brown eyes. She’d give Buttercup a pass on her bathroom habits, but Jack was getting nothing from her.
She kissed Buttercup on the nose. “I’ll look into getting the schedule changed,” she said as she stood. That would go on the bottom of her to-do list.
The shrill of Jack’s whistle pierced her ears, and Buttercup started running to him. “Gotta go. Work is calling.” He pointed to the headset around his neck.
“Right. Work,” she said as she hurried to her porch. He’d already taken too much of her time. Time she could be spending with her niece and nephew.
Dressed in a T-shirt and sweatpants, with a headset hanging around his neck, the guy looked like a gamer. In his mid-thirties, bloodshot eyes, uncombed hair, rubbing the shadow of a beard on his chin, he scored high on the nerd-cred scale. Probably stayed up all night playing in game forums. She couldn’t help but wonder what his gamer name was—Househoney, Eightoclock shadow, or just plain Jackass. He seemed to be home all the time, and Wynn rarely saw his wife anymore. She was probably out making the dollars to support his gaming habit. With that scenario in mind, she didn’t intend to change the lawn schedule. Nine o’clock was plenty late for mowing on a weekday. He just needed to get his lazy ass out of bed and find a job.
* * *
Carly felt Maryanne gently shaking her arm. “Don’t you need to get ready for dinner, dear?”
She pried open her eyes. “What?”
“I thought you and Jordan were going out tonight. Isn’t it your anniversary?”
She bolted forward and rubbed her face. “Oh my gosh. Yes. It was sort of our first date. How long was I out?” She’d dozed in the lounger, letting the sun warm her like a blanket.
“Not very long.” Maryanne smiled. “You were sleeping so peacefully, I didn’t want to wake you. She scrunched her forehead. “Did you have a rough day?”
She moved her legs to the side of the lounger as she tried to shake the sleepy haze. “Not rough, just different than I expected. Some couples aren’t meant to be together.”
Maryanne smiled slightly. “Exactly my point earlier.” She patted Carly’s leg. “Think about what I said.”
“I will.” She took in a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately.” She stood, wrapped her towel around her, and walked toward the house.
Carly stopped in the kitchen to pour herself a glass of merlot before she continued through the hallway and into the bedroom to shower and get ready for dinner. She’d taken a couple sips of wine and had just set the wineglass on the bathroom counter when she heard the kids shouting outside. She glanced through the window of the bedroom and saw Wynn running to the pool and launching into the water with her dog, Shadow, soaring in after her. The kids quickly swam to her and grabbed hold, one hanging on each of her shoulders. Shadow circled them briefly before she swam to the steps and sat.
Carly smiled widely as happiness captured her. Watching Wynn with the kids stirred something deep inside her. Wynn was full of energy, just like them, and Carly immediately wanted to go outside and be part of the fun. She’d pondered more than once how things had changed between them after the fund-raiser last year. She still had no idea why Wynn had completely disappeared from her life until after she and Jordan were married. She hadn’t even come to the wedding, which Jordan had found disappointing.
The alarm on her phone rang, and she hit the snooze button. She couldn’t go back in the pool because she was out of time. The reservation she’d made for dinner was for seven o’clock, and she still had to shower and get ready. Any other day she’d have canceled and told Jordan to come here instead, and they’d spend the evening with her family. But she’d planned the whole night to perfection. She stood at the window and watched Wynn interact with the kids, standing in the shallow end while picking each one up and tossing them into the water like they were as light as beach balls. The strength in her arms made it look so easy. It had taken all Carly’s strength to pick up Julianna earlier. The kids loved Wynn and she loved them back, seeming totally in her element with them. Did Wynn ever think about having kids of her own? She seemed to be a natural with Julianna and Josh. Why didn’t Jordan have those same instincts?
Carly’s life would be so different now if she’d made another choice last year. She thought about what her mother-in-law had said earlier about her and Jordan’s lack of compatibility. A life with Wynn seemed so much more joyful than the one she was living now. The thought of Wynn’s arms around her, her lips pressed to hers, and body contact from head to toe floated through her mind.
Her phone alarm jolted her from her thoughts. How could she remember one kiss so vividly? She shook her head and cleared the visions from her mind. Unbidden notions like that should remain only in her dreams. Sadness swept over her as she walked into the bathroom, turned on the water, and took a gulp of wine. The woman she saw in the mirror wasn’t the woman she knew anymore. She was sad and unhappy with the way her life was now, not anything like she’d planned. She finished the rest of the wine before she peeled off her swimsuit and stepped into the shower.
The hot water felt good spraying across her shoulders. She turned around and let it wash her face, clearing her sad thoughts and replacing them with the excitement of the night ahead. It had been a while since she and Jordan had spent actual quality time together, and she’d been looking forward to it all week. The fact that it was a special night wasn’t important. She just needed some time to feel loved by Jordan without her job getting in the way. She’d always been attracted to women who knew what they wanted. She’d never thought being with someone who was so driven would be an issue, but it had certainly created a few obstacles for them to overcome.
Carly heard Jordan’s voice through the door and was happy that she’d been able to pick her up rather
than meeting her at the restaurant. She stepped out of the shower, draped herself in a bath towel, and pulled open the door. She froze when her eyes locked with the electric-blue eyes staring back at her across the bedroom. The look of surprise she saw in them immediately turned to something else, and Carly fumbled with the towel beginning to come loose around her.
“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I heard the voice through the door and thought you were Jordan.”
“No, no. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were in here. I thought you were in Jordan’s room.” Wynn’s eyes never left Carly’s as the phone slid from her ear.
“Right. This is your room.” She’d always used this room to change and had forgotten it had belonged to Wynn when she and Jordan were children.
“I’ll call you later,” Wynn said and ended the call she’d been on. “Well, technically it’s no one’s room now, but it was mine for a time.” Wynn smiled and let her eyes veer lower. “I’ll change in Jordan’s room.”
The royal-blue, two-piece sport swimsuit enhanced Wynn’s muscles perfectly. Heat rushed Carly as she stared at the water glistening all over Wynn’s face, shoulders, legs, belly. She almost couldn’t speak and had totally lost sight of the fact that she was standing in the bathroom doorway wearing only a towel. “Sure. Or I can go.”
“No.” Wynn swallowed hard and held up a hand as though afraid for Carly to come any closer. “You stay here.” She grabbed her bag from the bed and backed out of the room.
Immediately after the door closed, Carly’s phone chimed, a text from Jordan.
Looks like I’m going to be late.
What? I don’t want to drive into the city alone. Then we’ll have two cars to deal with.
Is Wynn there?
Yes. The uninterpretable look on Wynn’s face she’d seen a few moments ago flashed through her head.
Ask her to drive you. She can join us for dinner. It’s her birthday tomorrow.
She closed her eyes and let out a sigh as she dropped onto the bed. Jordan remembered Wynn’s birthday but had clearly forgotten it was their first date.
She typed a few angry responses and immediately erased them before she typed simply, Okay.
Then she tossed her phone onto the bed, not knowing what to do. Without thinking any longer, she stood, crossed the room to the door, and pulled it open, surprised to find Wynn still standing in the hallway. Once their eyes met, her decision was made. “Do you want to grab some dinner tonight?”
She couldn’t read the look on Wynn’s face. “I think Mom’s cooking.”
“I have reservations at the Waterbar. Jordan was supposed to pick me up, but she’s going to be late. If she makes it at all.” She shook her head. “Never mind.” Maybe she’d just stay and have dinner here.
Wynn stepped forward quickly. “I’d love…to have dinner with you.” She seemed to stumble over her words. “I mean, it’d be nice to catch up.”
“Okay.” An odd sense of excitement filled her. “The reservation is at seven. I’ll be ready in a half hour, give or take a few minutes.”
“Same.” Wynn smiled, backed up, and rushed down the hallway to Jordan’s room.
It seemed Carly’s evening hadn’t been ruined after all.
Chapter Five
As they walked from the parking lot to the restaurant, Wynn was having a hard time erasing the vision of Carly she’d seen earlier. Having impure thoughts about her sister’s wife was completely wrong and had to stop. She’d seen Carly in a towel before, but usually she wore a bathing suit underneath it. She’d never glimpsed her directly out of the shower looking so radiant. Sweet Lord, she was a sight. Cheeks flushed, hair wet, tanned legs peeking out from beneath the edge, not to mention the milky-white breasts exploding from the top of the tightly wrapped towel.
She stepped in front of Carly and opened the door for her. “Isn’t this the restaurant where Suzanna holds most of her fund-raisers?” A jolt coursed through her as she placed her palm on Carly’s lower back to guide her inside and felt the soft warmth of skin rather than her dress.
Carly nodded. “It’s always been one of my favorites.”
“Mine, too.” She glanced around the room and took in the romantic ambiance of it all. “It’s casual and friendly, just what I like on a warm summer evening.”
The Embarcadero had plenty of restaurants, but the Waterbar had a great location on the pier, and the food was exceptional. The patio outside offered a beautiful view of the San Francisco Bay Bridge. Wynn could relax there and enjoy the view and then stroll on the harbor afterward to enjoy the fresh sea air. Considering the day she’d had, she welcomed the serenity.
She held the door open for Carly and then stepped inside after her. “Shall we wait at the bar until Jordan joins us?”
“No. Who knows what time she’ll get here. Let’s just go to the table.” Carly followed the hostess to their spot by the window that looked out to the patio.
Wynn was glad Carly hadn’t wanted to eat on the patio itself, since it was still a bit warm to sit outside. This afternoon, she’d brought along a navy sport jacket and pink button-down shirt, as well as a pair of khaki slacks and loafers just in case Jordan bailed and she ended up having dinner with Carly tonight. Carly had outdressed her with a flower-patterned, cap-sleeved, summer dress that brought out the green in her eyes more than usual. The outfit increased Wynn’s struggle to not stare.
The waitress came to the table and took their drink order. With Carly’s approval, Wynn ordered a bottle of chardonnay.
“We should get an appetizer too.” Carly whispered the words across the table as though it were a secret item other diners weren’t offered.
“Sure. “She raised her eyebrows. “A prawn cocktail? Charcuterie tray?”
“Ooh, those both sound good. I’m not sure I can choose.”
Wynn looked up at the waitress. “We’ll take both and share.”
Carly smiled before she glanced back to the menu, and warmth spread through Wynn. She would do anything for that smile.
They were silent as they perused the dinner selections. Then the waitress arrived with the wine, opened the bottle, and poured a taste in the glass before her. Wynn pushed the glass across the table to Carly, which garnered another smile.
Carly tasted the wine and then nodded to the waitress, who poured them each a glass. “Nice choice.”
As soon as the waitress left, the appetizers arrived, and they both reached for the prawn cocktail. After a bit of an awkward exchange amid soft laughter, Wynn added a few pieces of grilled ciabatta, pancetta, and salami to a plate, while Carly put a prawn on the dish in front of her. Carly handed hers across the table to Wynn, who accepted it and exchanged it for the one she’d prepared. They seemed to move in perfect sync and then enjoyed the appetizers in silence until the waitress appeared again.
“Are you ready to order?”
“Should we wait or order for Jordan?” She deferred to Carly. “Did she give you any indication when she’d be arriving?”
“Let me check to see her timeline.” Carly took her phone from her purse, frowned, and then typed a message. “It doesn’t look like Jordan is going to make it tonight.” She dropped her phone into her bag.
“We’ll go ahead and order.” She glanced at Carly. “Shall we get a platter or two separates and share?”
Carly hit her again with the smile, and she melted. “Let’s get two separates and share.”
“We’ll have the Alaskan halibut and the spiny lobster.” She raised her eyebrows at Carly, waiting for approval, which she granted with an even broader smile. “And a side of roasted baby carrots.”
“I’m not sure how you did it, but you picked my two favorite dishes.”
“It’s a gift.” She chuckled. “Actually, I have to confess, I’ve seen you eat at Suzanna’s events.”
Carly’s eyebrows flew up. “Seriously?”
“Yes. And I know I’ll have to fight for every bite.”
“Hey.” Carly tossed her nap
kin across the table at her. “Can I help it if I like food? I’m not that bad.”
“Are you sure about that?” Wynn grinned as she handed the napkin back.
“Fine.” Carly snatched it from her hand. “I’ll give you a five-second lead. You’d better be quick.” The laughter settled, and Wynn watched as Carly looked at the door and disappeared into herself.
“I’m sorry Jordan can’t make it. That’s disappointing.” That was a total lie. Wynn’s lunch with Jordan earlier today had been a horrible insight into their marriage and had made her regret her decision to remove herself form Carly’s life a year ago. She’d come to dinner only because she’d never been able to erase her feelings. She’d locked them away in a confined space of her heart and actively ignored them when they pounded on the door trying to escape. She couldn’t bear the thought of Jordan standing up Carly, which she knew was her plan tonight. Wynn would make the best of it and try to keep Carly’s mind off Jordan in any way she could.
“Imperfect bliss. I’m used to it. One year married to your sister has been full of disappointments like this.” Carly flattened her lips. “Why should our anniversary be any different?”
“Is that today?” She checked the calendar in her head. The date had never really been cemented in her mind since she’d avoided the nuptials, skipping them for an all-inclusive tropical vacation in order to miss the wedding activities altogether. She’d gone completely alone to find enough peace within herself to move on. The distraction had worked to a certain degree, as long as she kept minimal contact, only seeing them at her parents’ home for occasional Sunday dinners and the kids’ birthdays.
Carly nodded as she finished the last bite of pancetta on her plate and pushed it to the side.
“Why are you here with me?” She couldn’t fathom any reasonable explanation that Jordan wouldn’t be here with her wife on their anniversary. Even with the baby subject prominent.