by Jayci Lee
“Why would I have a preference?” She huffed and crossed her arms over her perfect breasts.
Goddamn it. I need a cold shower.
“I was only asking as a professional courtesy.”
“I’ll be at Bosque Verde as long as necessary to make sure everything goes smoothly.” He managed to sound professional but vague.
“Okay, then. We’re in agreement, and everything is set.” Aubrey shot to her feet. “I really need to get going.”
“Not interested in how much you’ll be making for the two episodes? Or when you start?” He should have let her go, but he wanted her to stay just a bit longer.
“Sure, I’m interested.” She plopped back into her chair, the tips of her ears turning red. “Go on, then.”
When he told her how much they were offering, Aubrey’s mouth dropped open. Landon grinned despite himself. If he wasn’t certain before, he was now positive she hadn’t approached him with an ulterior motive. She didn’t seem capable of subterfuge.
“Just so we’re clear,” he said, “the show will get equal rights to the copyright on the two recipes, including online reproductions and potential cookbooks.”
“Yeah. I’d figured that since I’m going to share the recipes with all the viewers. When do I start?”
“Next week.”
“That soon? I don’t know if I can take care of everything by then. Well, I guess it depends on when I get paid.” She pressed her lips together and glanced down at her hands. “Not to seem money hungry or anything.”
“This is business. We would be remiss to ignore the details, especially the money. The show would pay you in thirds. You’ll get a third on signing, before you leave for Bosque Verde. Then a third on completion of filming, and a third when your episodes air,” he said. “The bulk of the guest talent contract is boilerplate, but HR and the legal team will explain everything in more detail. And you’ll have a full week to review the contract and ask as many questions as you’d like.”
“HR and legal?” Aubrey scrunched up her nose like she’d smelled something foul. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
She seemed so genuinely appalled, he couldn’t help laughing. “I’ll read through everything and have my personal attorney take a look as well to make sure the station doesn’t take advantage of you.”
“Who’s going to make sure you don’t take advantage of me?” Her tone was flippant, but she scrunched her eyes shut a second later. “That came out wrong. I didn’t mean it in a weird way.”
“It’s fine,” he said softly despite his beating heart. “I would never take advantage of you. In any way.”
“Good.” Aubrey nodded and lowered her lashes to the table. “Yeah, that’s good. Thank you.”
6
Aubrey could not believe it was happening. She folded a pair of jeans and tucked them into her suitcase. With the generous compensation from Aria’s show, she was able to make her second down payment and had enough left to pay Lily during the filming and close a day early for a long-awaited camping trip. She hoped her special spot had stayed the same while she was attached at the hip to Comfort Zone.
“Don’t your cheeks cramp up when you smile nonstop like that?” Tara asked from her perch on Aubrey’s bed.
“I’m just so excited.” Aubrey’s tireless cheeks held up fine even when her grin widened. “Wait, where’s my tent?”
“For the seventh time, you already loaded it in the Jeep along with the rest of your camping gear. Sleeping bag, extra blankets, butane burner, flashlights…”
“That’s right. I did.” She’d packed her camping gear last night. She just had to remember to grab her provisions from the fridge before she left. Chill, Aubrey. She blew out a long breath and glanced around her bedroom. “I think I have everything.”
“You’re only taking two carry-ons? You haven’t even packed any dresses.”
“Two is more than enough. They do have a laundry machine at the villa.” She twisted her lips to one side. “Hmm. Do you think I’ll need dresses?”
“Take a couple of your cocktail dresses and cute sundresses just in case. You still have plenty of room in your luggage.”
“Good idea.” Aubrey stuck her head back in her narrow closet and riffled through her dress selection. “Are these good?”
“Yup. You look adorable in those.” Tara pointed to the two dresses in Aubrey’s left hand, then pointed to her right hand. “And those look sexy as hell on you.”
After double-checking she’d packed everything on her list, Aubrey zipped up her bags and stood. Hot tears prickled her eyes, and her voice was thick with emotion when she said, “That’s it, then. I’m off to Sequoia, then onto Bosque Verde.”
“Think of it as a well-earned vacation, you workaholic.” Tara wrapped her in her arms. “You’re going to do great, and things will be fine here. Have a ton of fun, and keep me posted. In detail.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Unable to stop herself, she added, “I’ll miss you.”
“Of course you will.” Tara sniffed daintily. “Now go already. I have beer to brew.”
Her best friend walked her to her car, pulling one of her carry-ons. When she continued to hang on to her hand, Aubrey gently squeezed it. “I’ll be fine, you big softy.”
“I know, I know.” Her ferocious Tara stood biting her bottom lip, the tip of her nose turning red. “I’m just so proud of you, Bree. You’re really doing this.”
“Thank you.” She really had to leave before they started bawling in the middle of the street. “I’ll text you when I get to Bosque Verde.”
Aubrey jumped onto her seat and drove away, her Jeep feeling heavier with her luggage and camping gear. She checked her rearview mirror again and again until Tara was only a speck on her driveway.
It was a gorgeous, blustery day with the sky an endless blue and the air bright with a hint of chill. Growing excitement thawed her nerves, and Aubrey shivered with anticipation. Even one night in open nature would do wonders for her stress and exhaustion. Ugh. She still couldn’t believe how close she’d come to losing everything. No, no, no. Go away, ugly thoughts.
With the windows rolled down to let in the crisp wind and the ancient speakers blasting eighties’ rock, Aubrey sang and danced all the way to the mountains. Her spirits were up in the clouds.
Entering the national park felt like coming home. The trees stood tall and proud like they were reaching for the sky. Driving on the well-worn dirt track into the park was smooth and easy, but Aubrey wanted to put her four-wheel drive to the test. She drove on until she found a familiar dirt path and turned into it. The ride took all her attention as her Jeep jumped and tilted on the rough terrain, and she loved it.
“Woo-hoo!”
Freedom tasted so very sweet until her Jeep emitted a wet belch and then a choking, metallic cough. When it started making weird Willy Wonka candy-machine noises, Aubrey had to face the facts. She carefully steered to a stop. Not a second too early, because it putt-puttered and died in the same instant.
“Crap! Crap! Crap!” Aubrey pounded her steering wheel in rhythm with her curses, but the dense redwoods swallowed her screams. With a ponderous sigh, she hopped out and took in her surroundings.
She’d suppressed her apprehension and doubts into a dark, dusty corner of her mind and convinced herself she was looking forward to her three-week adventure. Denial was working out swell until the relic known as her Jeep did the unthinkable. It chose the worst moment to puff its last cloud of smog.
The picture-perfect day mocked her as she stood with her hands on her head. She’d wanted to unwind and take some time to prepare herself for whatever lay ahead. Now she was stranded on the way up to the giant redwoods with no internet access and one flickering bar of phone reception. Her attempts to call Tara proved useless.
It was barely past noon, so she had plenty of sunlight left. She could either hike up or down to search for the nearest ranger station, or she could sit tight and wait for someone to spot her. The latter
option wasn’t very sound since she’d driven off the main road, opting to use the dirt trails that led to her favorite camping spot.
Aubrey yelped when her phone rang and scared away some poor birds. Her forehead creased when she saw who was calling.
“Landon?”
“Why haven’t you been answering your phone?”
His low growl made her back stiffen, and a sharp retort formed on her tongue, but then she remembered her predicament. The fight shuffled out of her in a single-file line.
“I picked it up every time it rang, which is, like, this once.” She sighed—a small, forlorn sound in the vast mountains.
“What’s going on?” Landon wasn’t growling anymore, but the edge in his voice still could’ve sliced metal. Fortunately, the reception cut in and out, so she didn’t feel too intimidated. “Your phone has been going straight to voice mail for the last hour. I finally called the brewery, and Tara told me you left a day early. Where are you? Are you okay?”
“It’s hard to say for sure. I’m somewhere in Sequoia National Park.”
The pause lasted several seconds. Aubrey frowned at her screen, but the call hadn’t dropped. Landon saved her from saying hel-lo-oo in the nick of time.
“You drove to Sequoia in your ancient Jeep?” He took care to enunciate each word.
“How do you know about my ancient Jeep?”
“I saw it parked in a designated space for the Sugar Goddess at Comfort Zone. I’m assuming that’s you.” The static made him sound worlds away. Worlds away and frustrated. “And you’re avoiding my question.”
“Yes, I drove my Jeep out here.” Pushing her poor old car up a mountain wasn’t the smartest call, but his tone grated on her nerves. “I decided to take a detour to enjoy a night outdoors. Do you have a problem with that?”
“Yes, since you don’t even know where you are,” he said.
Aubrey chewed her lower lip, annoyed at her outburst. Logic dictated that it wasn’t his fault she was stranded in the wilderness. She considered not telling him about her situation, but being petty wouldn’t help anyone, especially her.
“Calm down, Landon. I know where I am, but I can’t draw a map and mark it with an X.” She hopped into the driver’s seat with her feet sticking out the open door. “I’ve encountered a small problem.”
“What is it? Are you okay?” The genuine concern in his tone made her heart gallop offbeat.
“Why do you keep asking if I’m okay? Of course I’m okay. Everything’s fine.” Aubrey gulped some mountain air. “Except that I’m broken down on a dirt trail in the middle of the forest.”
This time, the silence lasted longer.
“Hel-lo-oo?”
“Do you have water? Anything to eat?”
“Yes and yes.” Just because she’d gotten herself into a stupid situation didn’t mean she was stupid. Temper crept into her voice. “I have all my camping gear with me. I could live happily as a wild woman for weeks if I wanted to.”
“Okay. Stay put, and I can … Shit. I can’t come for you until I know where the hell you are.”
“Wait. We’re talking on the phone,” she said with relief and excitement.
“I’m aware of that,” he said flatly.
“It means I finally have reception.” She pulled her phone away from her ear and went into her map app. “Bingo. Here, I’m sending you my GPS location.”
“I got it.” They both sighed into the phone. “I’ll be there in three hours.”
“You can just send a tow truck tomorrow. I’m okay to stay the night.”
“I’ll be there in two hours and forty-seven minutes.”
“Fine. I don’t have plans to go anywhere.”
Her wry response was met with silence. They’d been disconnected. If she’d lost connection three minutes earlier, she might’ve been stranded indefinitely. A shiver jerked its way down her torso. That was a close call.
Aubrey went to dig through her trunk for a paperback she’d seen rolling around. She’d probably read it already, but a good romance deserved multiple reads. Once she knew help was coming, the day went much better. The birds forgave her and came back to sing. The breeze rustled through the leaves in harmony. Aubrey had always loved the mountains. Her surroundings filled her with serenity, and she was quite content to sit on the roof of her Jeep, munching on some white chocolate cranberry cookies.
Aubrey looked up from the book as the sun yawned after a long day and the shadows stretched their tired limbs. The beautiful love story had fast-forwarded time. Putting aside her book, she inhaled the mountain air, appreciating her serene surroundings until a steroid-overloaded muscle car came roaring toward her, barely missing her Jeep.
She gagged and spat out her lovely snack as a dust storm engulfed her. Between her peh-peh-peh and stinging eyes, she didn’t see Landon until he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off the roof. She reached and clung to his shoulders.
“What the hell’s the matter with you?” he said, his eyes dark as the night forest.
Her feet dangled as he held her hostage in the air. Angry Landon was downright intimidating. He’d probably welcome a throwdown with a mama black bear to burn off his fury. His face was inches from hers, and his rough breathing heated her skin.
She was so turned on.
Aubrey wasn’t right in the head, but lord have mercy, she wanted him. His lips were pressed into a straight line, and she wanted to kiss them until they resumed their usual shape—wide, generous, and nom nom on the bottom.
Her tongue flicked out to wet her lips, and she clasped her hands around his neck without conscious thought. Landon’s eyes widened, the anger and relief behind them withering in the heat of desire. His palpable yearning entwined with hers, leaving her winded.
Without breaking eye contact, Landon lowered her to the ground, letting her body slide down his. She bit her lip to stop from moaning. He leaned in, and her eyes fluttered shut. For a long moment, there was only silence and stillness. Aubrey opened one eye to see what was going on, and her cheeks heated up. Landon had pulled away and was staring intently at her. Was he wondering why the hell she had her eyes closed? She quickly stepped around him to create distance.
“What’s the matter with me? Nothing. Except you tried to kill me with your dust storm–generating muscle car and insane stunt driving.” Aubrey rubbed her face with her hands to pull herself together. “You scared the crap out of me, and you almost flattened my Jeep.”
“It’s an Alfa Romeo Giulia, and it’s nowhere near your car.”
“Is she an old flame?”
“What?” He looked thoroughly flummoxed.
“You named your car ‘Julia.’ I figured she was your first love or something.”
“Giulia with a G, not—never mind.” A vein near his temple was pulsing ominously, and Aubrey was enjoying herself immensely.
Of course it was an Alfa Romeo Giulia. She’d recognize that V-shaped grill anywhere. When she was a teenager, the Alfa Romeo 159 had been her favorite vehicle to steal from her father for a joyride. He’d collected cars like he collected women. There were never enough, and a new model always caught his eye.
She hated how her father intruded her thoughts at random moments, casting a heavy net of loss and bleakness around her. And as irrational as it was, she really hated Landon having anything in common with him. Even a stupid car.
“Thank you for coming for me,” she said, shoving aside her irritation.
“You’re welcome,” he said softly, surprise and shy pleasure marking his features. “So where do you want to set up camp?”
“What?” Aubrey shook her head as she fought the effects of the Smile.
Her brain did a hard shutdown in preparation for a reboot. Bing, bing. Reboot complete. Landon had found her. He’d barreled down the road, yelled at her, and done a bit of the caveman thing, but hadn’t kissed her. Her eyes narrowed with renewed annoyance.
“You said you wanted to camp before going to Bosque Verde.”
He jammed his hands into his pockets and smoothed his expression into a loaded blank. “Show me where you were headed. I want to see this place you’d endangered yourself for.”
“For the record, I did not endanger myself. I know these woods well, and my Jeep doesn’t make a habit of dying on me.” Since I don’t drive it more than five miles a day. She should stop explaining herself. It made her sound guilty. “Speaking of my car, I can’t just leave it in the woods.”
“Why not? It looks as though it belongs here—a primeval relic revered by the forest.”
“Feeling poetic, are we?”
“I made arrangements to have it retrieved.” Landon shrugged. “It’ll be repaired and returned to Weldon.”
“A tow truck will ramble up the mountain to find it in the middle of nowhere?” Aubrey smacked her forehead with her palm. “It’s so simple.”
“Yes, it is.” His raised brow accentuated his arrogant, perplexed expression, and her lips pressed into a thin line.
Cocky bastard.
“Could you pop the trunk?” he said as though they were done with the topic. She complied wordlessly, and he grabbed her bags and headed toward his car. Seriously?
“I can’t afford to have someone come all the way up here and then drive out to Weldon.” She hefted her tent onto her shoulder and grabbed her duffel bag. Landon reached out to take her load, but she marched past him and dropped them into his trunk. “It’ll cost a fortune.”
“I took care of it,” he said over his shoulder as he went for the rest of her stuff. She followed him. “Getting you to Bosque Verde on time and in one piece is more important to me. To the show, I mean.”
“Okay,” she nearly yelled, throwing her hands up in the air. “Fine.”
He chose to “take care of it,” and she couldn’t undo it, and she certainly didn’t have the money to repay him. She and Tara read during their recon that he’d sold a food blog for millions of dollars in his twenties. He probably had money to burn. Besides, he could expense it to the show as “guest chef rescue fees.”