by Laura Pavlov
When I came around the corner in the winery lobby, I slammed right into Harrison and all his hardness. That part was apparently not just a dream. The man was a chiseled god in his Armani fitted suit. He gripped both my arms to keep me from falling.
“Jesus, I’m sorry,” he said, trying to steady me on my feet.
I waved my hand in his face. “No worries. I came in hot.”
What? Great. Now I had diarrhea of the mouth. I couldn’t look at him. Not after what we’d sort of done last night in my subconscious. No freaking way.
Charlie. Charlie. Charlie.
He leaned down, bending his knees a bit to meet my gaze. “Hey. You all right?”
“What? I’m perfectly fine.”
“I looked for you earlier, but you had your office door closed. You sure you’re okay? How did it go with your mom?”
“Yeah, just busy today. It went really well with Mom. She’s having the surgery in ten days.”
“That’s great. Hey, are you hungry?”
“Um, well, I told my parents I’d grab them Romano’s tonight. She’s got her appetite back, so I’m going to pick up a pizza.”
“Let’s go together. I’ll drive. I was going to stop by and check on your mom anyway. Do you mind if I crash your pizza party?” He cocked his head to the side and butterflies swarmed my belly. He was the most handsome man I’d ever laid eyes on. And I didn’t know how to stay away from him. Obviously, my only chance for survival would be living far away from him. Which would happen soon. So, what was the harm in spending these last few weeks together, right?
“Sure. Of course, you’re welcome. Are you kidding? My parents like you more than they like me, I think.” I laughed and pulled away from his grasp as we walked out the door, making our way to his car. I’d been walking to work every day, and after the long drive to the city with Mom, I welcomed the fresh air.
I called in our order on the drive over, and we grabbed the pizza and made our way to my parents’ house.
“Hey, do you still have that tree house in your backyard? I haven’t been back there in years.”
“Yep. It’s still there. I doubt anyone’s been in there since I moved away. It’s probably a dusty mess. But Dad built it and I don’t think they’ll ever get rid of it,” I said with a laugh.
“God, we had some good times in that house.” He looked over at me and wriggled his brows. I smiled but tried to cover it with my hand. I was desperate to play it cool, act unaffected—and failing.
“Sure.” I shrugged, trying hard to block out those memories as they flooded me all at once.
“I think I rounded second base up there.”
I laughed, and my cheeks were suddenly hot. I needed to change the subject, and fast.
“Do you remember how I’d make you and Jack play house when we were like seven or eight? We’d spend hours in that tree house.”
“Of course, I do. You always made me the dad and you the mom, and poor Jack had to be the dog, Duke.” His head fell back against the seat as we pulled in the driveway and we both laughed hysterically.
“Jack-ass was such a good dog. Remember the way he’d bark when we’d ignore him?”
I bit the inside of my cheek and gazed out at the backyard, seeing the tree house in the distance. My eyes were wet with emotion.
“I do. He was a damn good dog,” Harrison said with a chuckle as we slipped out of his car and made our way inside.
Of course, my parents were overly excited to see Harrison. We spent the next two hours laughing about old times and eating the world’s best pizza.
And everything felt right.
Just like it always did when Harrison was there.
Chapter Ten
Harrison
“Well someone’s in a mood,” Jack said, as I settled in my chair in the conference room at Montgomery Media.
“You do seem particularly edgy,” Ford added.
I rolled my eyes. “Sorry. Didn’t get much sleep.”
“Ahhh, you’ve got the Laney Mae blue balls.” Jack winked.
Asshole.
“No, I don’t. Where do you come up with this stuff?” I found it difficult to hide my irritation. It wasn’t like me, but I couldn’t help it. I’d been uncomfortable since the day Laney returned to Napa. Uncomfortable in the best way. I’d been seeing glimpses of my old self, and it was a reminder of all I’d lost.
“What’s going on?” Ford brought the tips of his fingers together, forming a teepee as he studied me.
I dropped the pen I was holding on the table and shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just off.”
“Har-bear, I know you. You’re not off—you’re frustrated. Just own it, man. Once you own that shit, you can fix it.” Jack leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee.
I wanted to tell him to shut the fuck up because that’s what we always did. But he did know me. Maybe better than anyone, well, with the exception of Laney. She’d always known me best.
“All right. I can own it. It’s difficult being around Laney. Makes me remember things.”
“Remember things in a good way?” Ford asked, studying me intently. Ford was a fixer. He didn’t like small talk. Nor was he one for long conversations. He preferred to attack. Go in strong and fix the problem.
“Sure. I guess, yeah. I think I forgot what it felt like to be happy. Since Dad died, I don’t think I’ve truly been there. I mean—I’m fine. I’m getting by. But being around her. Man, it takes me back to a time when everything was great.”
“I get it, brother. You two always did just fit,” Jack said.
“So, if she makes you happy, what’s the problem?” Ford asked, leaning back in his chair.
“Well, for one, she’s engaged. She’s marrying someone else.”
“She isn’t married yet,” my youngest brother said, wriggling his brows.
“She may as well be. Her wedding is in four months. Laney’s not a cheater, it’s not who she is. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Bullshit. Jack’s right.” Ford paused and pointed at our baby brother. “That’s the first and last time those words leave my mouth, so don’t get cocky.”
“Got it, ole wise one. Make your point.”
“Well, she isn’t married yet. I’m not suggesting she cheat on her fiancé. I’m just saying, there’s time to equal the playing field. Maybe she isn’t happy either. But she isn’t going to jump ship if she doesn’t have anything to jump for. Tell her how you feel and let her decide.”
I studied him. This was way out of his wheelhouse, but here he was, talking it out with me. Harley had been good for him. He was more present these days. And he was probably the smartest dude I knew, so when he spoke—I listened.
“And how would I go about that?”
“Jesus, Har. I’m not a fucking therapist. I don’t know. Storm the castle, man. Make it happen.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. You were on track for about a minute there, genius. Nobody is storming the castle. Slow your roll. Har-bear may be in love with the girl, but I actually speak Laney Mae. Always have.” Jack leaned back in his chair.
“Agreed. So, what would you do?”
“You’re actually going to listen to him?” Ford rolled his eyes and thrust his thumb at Jack.
“Yeah. You should try it, know-it-all. I’m very wise when it comes to relationships because I actually interact with other humans.” Jack smirked.
“Fuck you, Jack. I have Harley. She’s a human.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Can we not do this right now?”
“Fine. We can discuss your lack of human interaction later. Right now, it’s all about Laney Mae. We need a name,” Jack said.
“A name for what?” I asked.
“The task. The operation. The mission. I’ve got it—Operation Blue Balls? Or, it could
be, The Land Landers? Or, just keep it simple—Get the Girl Back?”
“Pfft.” Our older brother pushed away from the table and crossed his arms over his chest.
I shook my head. “Who cares what we call it? What’s the plan?”
Jack pushed to his feet and paced the room. “The plan. Yes. I’ve got it.”
“And are you going to share it or keep it in that pea-sized brain of yours?” Ford raised a brow in challenge.
“Your relationship with Laney Mae changed in Tahoe, right? It was that summer before I started high school. I remember it vividly because you went from being best friends to sappy and sickening overnight.” He laughed.
“Yep. That was the first time I actually told her I loved her. You know, loved her, loved her.” I chuckled at the memory. I could still see her blue eyes going wide with surprise before they welled up with emotion. She’d said it right back. We’d both been fighting it. The attraction. The infatuation. I’d wanted Laney Landers something fierce back then, and nothing had changed.
“Okay. So, you take her to Lake Tahoe. We come up with a plan to get you there. Just for a day. A road trip. You need time alone with her—where she can’t run away. Bring back those memories. Get to know one another again.” Jack dropped back down in his seat and nodded, like he was waiting for some praise for coming up with this crazy ass plan.
“A road trip? How in the hell am I going to get her to go to Lake Tahoe with me? She’s engaged for God’s sake.”
“This isn’t actually that bad of an idea. I think it could work. You need to spend some time with her alone. You know, nothing creepy. Just old friends getting to know one another. Show her what she’s been missing,” Ford said.
“I can’t believe you’re agreeing with him. This is a first. And how the hell do I get her to go to Tahoe with me? You expect me to just say, hey, Laney, I know you’re engaged and all, but I thought you might want to go alone with me to Lake Tahoe and talk? Are you both fucking crazy? She will never go for that.”
“Har, Har, Har.” Jack shook his head with disappointment. “Of course, she won’t go for that. She pretends that she actually likes to follow the rules. So, we have to trick her into breaking them. And deep down, no one loves breaking the rules as much as Laney Mae. So, we come up with a reason for you to go to Tahoe. Leave the details to me. I’ve got this. You just play along, brother. And I will get you both in that car tomorrow morning. Trust me.”
“Well, he is a pro at the deceitful shit, I’ll give him that. You’ve been pulling the wool over Mom’s eyes since birth.” Ford shook his head. “But why would Har need to go to Tahoe in the middle of the week?”
“Like I said, I’ll figure out the details. You just show up and look pretty. Can you handle that?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes.”
I was making a deal with the devil, but I didn’t care. I’d do just about anything to get Laney back. Even if it meant playing along with one of Jack’s crazy schemes.
I was all in.
I made it to the winery early and Jack met me there. He’d asked me what time Laney was coming in this morning and told me to be ready. I did what I was told, because questioning my brother would be more work than just playing along.
“Morning, Sunshine,” Jack said as he strolled in my office and dropped to sit in the chair across from me.
“Hey,” I said, watching him suspiciously. He had that look he’d get when he was up to something. Hell, my brother was always up to something.
He mouthed the words, she’s here, and thrusted his thumb at the wall beside me.
“I can’t go with you,” he said, louder than usual, catching me off guard.
I narrowed my gaze and whisper-shouted, “What?”
He shook his head and rolled his eyes, before pushing to his feet. “You’ve got to go, Har. We need this. And you’ve got to get out of here before Mom gets here and is suspicious. What the fuck are we going to do?”
He was shouting now, and I had no idea what I was supposed to do or say. I stared at him and he used his hand to cover his ridiculous grin.
“Everything okay?” Laney leaned in the doorway and looked between us, and Jack raised a brow at me and smirked.
“No, Laney Mae. Everything is not okay.” Jack harrumphed, pacing around like he was in great distress.
“What’s going on? Can I help?” she asked.
Jack came to a stop and studied her. “Actually, you just might be able to help.”
“No, I’ve got this,” I said, pushing to my feet, not even sure what we were talking about, but I had a feeling if I was too agreeable it would look suspicious.
“You’re not driving there and back alone. It’s not safe,” Jack insisted, running a hand through his hair. And damn if my brother wasn’t a brilliant actor, because he actually appeared concerned.
“Driving where? What’s going on?” Laney whispered, like she was being let in on a grand secret.
“It’s Dad’s birthday in a few days. Har and I were supposed to road trip to Tahoe to get something for Mom, because it’s the only thing that gets her through this day. You see normally we all go to Tahoe on his birthday, but this year we can’t because we’re swamped here at the winery and at Montgomery Media. Mom is going to be devastated without it. We can’t have that. She’s been through enough. So, we’ve got to get it.” Jack was frantic now. Like his life depended on getting whatever bullshit he was talking about. We never went to Tahoe on Dad’s birthday, nor did we have to retrieve anything from the house. But he was putting on a good show, and she was buying it.
“Oh my gosh. What is it? What do you have to go get?” Laney asked, looking between us.
Jack held his hand up to me and shook his head violently. “Don’t, Har. We shouldn’t. It’s very personal. Something our parents shared, Laney Mae. It’s too painful to talk about. Please don’t make us.”
She placed a hand on her heart. Jesus, he was pouring it on pretty damn thick. “Of course, I won’t. I’m so sorry. So why can’t you go now?”
“Because there’s a political story that just broke this morning, and Ford needs me. This is the only day Har can go. I don’t want him driving roundtrip by himself. It’s not safe. He’s been working long hours and I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“I’ll be fine,” I blurted and they both turned to look at me. “I’m going. Mom needs this.”
We’d both probably rot in hell for lying—but I was okay with it if it meant she’d come with me.
“Why can’t you take the helicopter?” she asked.
Great fucking question.
“Because Mom gets notified when we take it and where we go. We want to surprise her with this. She’d definitely be suspicious.” My brother paced around some more and when I looked up, he winked before turning back to face Laney. “Maybe you could drive with him? You know, just ride co-pilot?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m a grown man, I can drive there and back on my own.” I grabbed my keys off the desk and walked toward the door, unsure of what she’d do.
“Wait. Where would your mom think I was if I went with you?” she said, and I stopped at the door but didn’t turn around.
“I’d tell her we needed you both in the city for an event for the company. Harrison goes back and forth all the time, so she won’t question him going. You two can drop me at the helicopter and take off from there.”
I turned around to see her chewing her thumbnail.
“Laney, I’m fine going on my own. You don’t need to do this.”
“That’s a lot of driving for someone to do on their own. What if you doze off behind the wheel?” Jack threw his hands in the air and it took all I had in me not to laugh. I’d made that trip hundreds of times before.
“I’m not a child. I’ll be fine.”
“He’s right. You shouldn’t go
alone. I can go with you. I haven’t been in a long time. We’ll be back tonight, right?” she asked.
“Yes. Are you sure?”
“Yeah. It’s fine. I can work a little on my phone.” She moved past me and walked down the hall toward her office. I glanced back at my brother who was doing some ridiculous dance and thrusting his hips around like a fool, while his arms swung above his head.
“We’re going to burn in hell,” I whispered.
“It’s fine. We’ll be together, Har-bear. I passed you the ball, now take the shot.”
I nodded and we met Laney out in the hall. Mom was just walking into the winery. “What’s going on? Where are you all off to?”
“Do you mind if we borrow Laney for the day? Ford has a big event he needs to put together for the fundraiser, and we need Har today for some help with that political story that’s blowing up.”
She waved her hand in front of her face. “Of course. No problem. As long as it’s okay with Laney.”
“Yep. Happy to go wherever I’m needed.”
“Be safe. I’ll see you all later.”
“You’re a natural bullshitter, Jack-ass.” Laney laughed once we were outside.
She had no idea just how good he was. Mom wasn’t the only one he’d deceived.
“It’s a gift, Laney Mae.”
We dropped Jack off at the helicopter and jumped on the freeway.
I had eight hours alone in the car with Laney to make some progress.
My brother got her here. Now I needed to make her stay.
Chapter Eleven
Laney
We drove in silence for a few minutes after we dropped off Jack.
“Thanks for coming with me. You didn’t need to. I would have been fine.” Harrison rubbed the back of his neck, as his other hand stayed on the steering wheel. I studied his profile. His chiseled jaw was peppered in day-old scruff. His dark gaze was trained on the road ahead, and his tongue dipped out to wet his bottom lip. I squirmed in my seat and looked away.
“It’s fine. Jack’s right. It’s a long drive by yourself.”