“The powers that be don’t see it that way.” He shrugged. “My boss told one of our customers that I would have this graphics program ready when we re-open after the first of the year.”
In hindsight, he should have insisted on another week or two. But that was before he met Macie and found something better to do with his time than work.
His heart stalled. What the hell was wrong with him? Why was he thinking about how nice it was to be with Macie? In the past three years, his job had been his life. And that’s the way he liked it, wasn’t it?
She frowned. “I hope your company appreciates what I would say is going above and beyond what’s normally expected of an employee,” she said, bringing him out of his disturbing introspection.
“I’m sure they do, to some degree,” he said, forcing himself to focus on talking about his work and not on the woman in front of him. “But the reviewers at the tech magazines don’t know or care that I’m working my tail off. All they consider is whether it works as advertised or not.”
“Have the reviews been all that bad?” she asked, giving him an odd look.
“For the most part they’ve been acceptable.” He shook his head in disgust. “But there’s one reviewer who seems to take great pleasure in pointing out any little flaw she can find with my programs.”
“Really?” There was a strange tone to her voice. “What makes you say that?”
“There have been a couple of minor glitches in some of the programs I’ve developed over the past year,” he admitted. “And if I’d had the luxury of a little more time with them, I’d have caught the bugs before the programs were released. Still, the issues were easily fixed and users have been quite pleased with the programs. That is, everyone except Ms. Tera Byte.”
As he watched, she quickly turned to place the cut carrots into an airtight bag. “Is that the reviewer’s name?”
“Yes—well, her pseudonym, anyway. She writes a column for Techno Nerd Monthly. I’d love to know what her real name is so I could confront her and find out what her testing criteria are.”
He didn’t elaborate further on what he thought of his nemesis and her reviews. For one thing, Macie probably wouldn’t have a clue who he was talking about. And for another, he didn’t want to think any more about Ms. Tera Byte, whose stinging remarks were too close to some of the insults his ex-wife had hurled at him during the last months of their marriage.
“Ready for more coffee?” Macie asked over her shoulder.
Eyeing his mug, he wondered how he was going to pour it down the drain without her questioning why he hadn’t taken more than a few sips. “I think I’ll pass,” he finally said. Just then, Harley got up and stretched, padded to the door and whined. “It seems Harley’s ready for another walk,” he said, thankful the dog had intervened. Shrugging into his coat, he took the leash and went to the door where Harley stood patiently waiting. “Thanks for the...coffee.”
“Thank you for helping me get all this food from the car to the house,” she said, giving him a smile that caused his heart to thump against his ribs. “I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”
“I’ll try,” he said, hoping his noncommittal answer would let him off the hook.
As he and Harley set off toward the community’s designated pet area, across from Macie’s houseboat, he was more determined than ever to steer clear of her party tomorrow night. If the engaging smile she had just given him and his reaction to it weren’t enough to convince him to stay home and work, there was another fact that should—the more time he spent with Macie, the more he wanted to spend with her.
* * *
WHEN MACIE SAW WILL and Harley turn toward the Crystal Cove pet area, she took a deep breath and closed the door. When he had mentioned her column and the pseudonym she used, her heart had stopped beating. She probably should have confessed right then to being Ms. Tera Byte. But the confidentiality clause in her contract ensured that if she ever revealed her identity she would lose her job. She also didn’t want to put her friendship with Will in jeopardy. And there was no doubt that was exactly what would happen if he discovered that she was his nemesis.
Thinking back on some of her reviews of his programs, she cringed. She had been overly critical of his recent work, but that was only because he had always been known for good, solid programs with few, if any, glitches.
She sighed. When she had written the bad reviews, she had only meant to point out that the quality of his work had slipped a notch or two over the past year. But Will hadn’t taken it that way. He had seen her criticism as an attack on his programming skills.
Now that she knew how overworked he was, she understood and actually marveled that he had maintained the quality that he had. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been aware of the pressures he was working under when she had evaluated his programs. If she had, she still would have pointed out the issues with the software, but she certainly wouldn’t have been as flippant and thoughtless in the wording of her reviews.
Resuming the preparations for her party, Macie decided that it was just as well that she had reaffirmed her moratorium on men. She and Will could be friends, but that was all they could ever be. She just hoped he never found out he had just had an audience with the very woman he had been wanting to confront for the past year.
CHAPTER FOUR
ON CHRISTMAS EVE, the night of her party, Macie surveyed her handiwork. Nearly every flat surface in the living room and kitchen had platters and trays of food. She might have prepared too many different dishes, but as her mother always said, “The secret to being a good hostess is to have too much food rather than not enough.” Macie only wished her allergies would let up so she could enjoy it.
When the doorbell rang, she smiled and forgot all about her allergy problems. She walked over to the door to greet her first guest. “I’m so glad you were able to come to the party, Mrs. Baron,” she said as her elderly neighbor entered the foyer. Somewhere in her eighties, the woman was the oldest resident in Crystal Cove and got around better than most people half her age.
“It was so nice of you to invite me, dear,” Mrs. Baron said, patting Macie’s cheek as she took off her coat. “I look forward to these community gatherings and it’s a shame that most of our neighbors only think to have them in the summertime.”
The holidays had to be lonely for the woman. Mr. Baron had passed away several years ago and their only child had been lost in a tragic fishing accident off the coast of Alaska when he was in his early twenties. But the residents of Crystal Cove were such a close-knit group, they had all come to think of Margaret Baron as the community matriarch. It was one of the many things Macie loved about Crystal Cove and made being so far from her own family a little easier.
“Would you like something to drink?” Macie asked as she hung up Mrs. Baron’s coat. “I have coffee, tea, and red and white wine.”
Mrs. Baron gave her a conspiratorial wink. “I have been known to indulge in a glass of white wine now and then.”
Just as Macie finished pouring Mrs. Baron a glass of wine and helping her fill a plate with hors d’oeuvres, the doorbell rang and she hurried to open the door. As she greeted several more of her neighbors, she felt a bit let down that none of the new arrivals was Will.
“Everything looks delicious, Macie,” Tom Harris said, his exuberance obvious as he surveyed the buffet table. The man rubbed his round belly. “I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”
“I have, too,” Howard Schultz agreed, smiling. “This was a great idea, Ms. Fairbanks.” Always the gentleman, Howard refused to call any of the women in the community by their first names.
“I’m thrilled you could join me,” Macie said, smiling. “Please, fill a plate with some hors d’oeuvres and enjoy yourselves.”
As she continued to welcome her guests, she told herself it was ridiculous to be disappointed that
Will hadn’t arrived yet. There was plenty of time for him to drop by, and besides, he was just one of many Crystal Cove residents she had invited. If he chose not to attend her party, it was his loss. She and her other guests would enjoy themselves without him. But as the evening wore on, Macie couldn’t help but notice his obvious absence.
* * *
WILL SHRUGGED INTO HIS coat and, picking up the end of the leash, let Harley precede him onto the dock. They headed for the community dog area.
He had spent the majority of the day waging an internal battle. He had reminded himself of all the reasons why he shouldn’t attend Macie’s party. But each time, his reasoning seemed a little less convincing.
And yet, staying away from Macie was the best thing for both of them. He had been in a relationship that had ended badly and he didn’t want to set himself up to repeat the experience. Not that he thought Macie was anything like his ex-wife. She seemed to support his career, and had been sympathetic of his recent challenges. But when a man gave a woman his heart, she held the power to bring him to rock bottom.
Macie might be the first woman he felt compelled to get better acquainted with since his disastrous marriage, but that could easily be explained. He was a man with a man’s needs and he hadn’t been with a woman in quite a while. She was easy to talk to, extremely attractive and kissed with a passion that was staggering. It was only natural that he was drawn to her.
Lost in thought as he passed her house, Will was startled when Macie opened her door to say goodbye to an older couple as they left her party. She saw him and waved.
“How’s everything going?” he asked, wondering what excuse he could give for not attending. He certainly couldn’t tell her that he had decided not to attend because she made him want more from her than just a neighborly friendship.
“It’s been wonderful.” Her beaming smile made him feel guilty as hell. “I’m happy you and Harley were able to drop by.”
Great! She thought he was just arriving for the bash. Now what was he going to do?
He liked Macie, and he didn’t want to put a damper on her enthusiasm. And that was exactly what he would end up doing if he didn’t come in for at least a few minutes. Short of being rude, he had no other choice. But why did he have to feel so damned happy about it?
“I need to finish walking Harley, then we’ll be back,” he promised.
“Great.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I have to get back to my guests. I’ll see you a bit later.” She smiled at the Harrises as they walked out of her house and onto the dock. “Thank you for coming. Have a Merry Christmas.”
“Thanks for asking us,” Meg Harris called back. “Happy holidays to you, too.”
“Let me give you a piece of advice, Parker,” Tom Harris said as he got closer to Will, his tone conspiratorial as he glanced over his shoulder to make sure Macie had gone inside. “That girl is as sweet as can be, but she can’t cook worth a damn. Whatever you do, don’t eat the stuffed mushrooms.”
Will frowned at the older gentleman. “Why?”
“I’m pretty sure she used the fertilizer they were grown in to make the filling,” Tom said. He shook his head as he placed his hand on his round stomach. “And pass on the onion tarts, as well. They look good, but they’ll have you reaching for the antacids in the blink of an eye.”
“Thanks for the heads-up, Tom,” he said as the couple moved on down the dock.
Will would have expected the man to complain if he’d tried Macie’s coffee. But he’d assumed since she enjoyed cooking that she was good at it. Will decided he would reserve judgment until he had tried some of the food himself. Besides, he didn’t plan on being at Macie’s long enough to eat very much. He hurried Harley on to the pet area. The sooner they were back at Macie’s, the sooner he could put in an appearance and then leave.
Fifteen minutes later, Will raised his hand to knock on the door just as Macie opened it to escort more of her guests out. “I’m glad you made it back,” she said to him. “But I’m afraid the party is winding down.” She thanked Mrs. Baron and Howard Schultz for coming. “Are you sure you won’t take some of this food? There’s more than enough left.”
“Thank you, dear, but I already have a prior engagement at a friend’s house for Christmas dinner,” Mrs. Baron said, patting Macie’s cheek. “But the food was quite...unique, and everything looked so festive.”
Howard’s smile was a bit forced. “I appreciate the offer, but I have plans as well, Ms. Fairbanks.” As he passed Will, he stopped to pet Harley and advised under his breath, “Drink the wine, but stay away from the food unless you have a death wish.”
Will nodded as he and Harley walked into Macie’s foyer. Looking around he discovered that all of their other neighbors had departed. How did he always manage to find himself alone with her? More importantly, why wasn’t he all that bothered by it?
“I thought the party would last longer,” he said, unsnapping Harley’s leash and watching the dog walk over and plop down on the rug by the patio door.
“I suppose they all have plans for tomorrow and didn’t want to stay out too late,” Macie said, sounding let down. She sighed as she surveyed the table still laden with food. “What am I going to do with all this? Most of it was barely touched.”
Walking over to the counter where she had set up the beverages, he poured himself a glass of red wine. “You could freeze some of it.”
She shook her head. “I only have the freezer compartment in the refrigerator and there isn’t enough room.”
It took everything he had in him not to groan when she started worrying her lower lip. Why did he have an overwhelming urge to walk over and nibble on it himself?
Swallowing a big gulp of wine, he took a deep breath and reached for a plate instead. “I haven’t eaten dinner yet,” he lied. “Maybe I can make a small dent in what’s leftover.”
She brightened visibly. “Please, help yourself. Do you have plans for tomorrow? I would love for you and Harley to be my guests for dinner.” Laughing she motioned at the table. “Heaven only knows, there’s enough here to feed an army.”
Will didn’t answer as he put several different types of hors d’oeuvres on his plate, then selected a small slice of ham. No matter what his neighbors said, he was determined to keep an open mind and judge the taste of Macie’s culinary efforts for himself.
“Don’t forget to try the stuffed mushrooms,” she said, putting a couple of them on his plate. “I added extra garlic and pepper to give them a bit more flavor.”
“Did you do that with any of the other dishes?” he asked. That would explain their neighbors’ strong reactions to Macie’s cooking.
“Yes, I always add a little something extra to everything I make,” she said. “I read somewhere that it helps make the recipe your own.”
“Interesting concept,” he said, eyeing his plate. He suddenly knew what a condemned man must be feeling when he faced his day of reckoning.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, looking worried when he hesitated to pick up his fork.
He gave her a smile that he hoped didn’t give away his apprehension. “I’m trying to decide what to taste first.”
There was no getting around it; he was going to have to eat something. But that didn’t lessen his trepidation. Macie was his friend; what was he going to say to her if the food was as bad as Tom Harris and Howard Schultz had suggested?
Finally deciding the mushrooms were as good a place as any to start, he took a bite of one of the caps and immediately wished he’d tried something else. If anything, Tom Harris had understated how truly bad they tasted. Taking several gulps of wine to wash the offensive food down, Will looked up to find Macie gazing at him expectantly.
“What do you think?” she asked.
He couldn’t have destroyed that hopeful look on her face to save his sou
l. “They have a very...interesting taste,” he said, trying for diplomacy over the truth. “I can definitely taste the garlic.”
Hell, there was enough of it in the stuffing to chase away a whole herd of vampires. If that wasn’t enough to make his eyes water, the extra pepper she had added cauterized his tonsils.
“While you eat, I think I’ll start trying to find a place to put all this food,” she said, turning to walk into the kitchen.
While Macie carried a tray of empanadas into the other room, Will decided to take a bite of the ham. It wasn’t any better than the mushrooms. How had she managed to screw up ham? Even he could bake a decent ham—all you had to do was heat it up.
Calling Harley over, he pinched off a piece of the meat and held it out for the dog’s opinion. It was no surprise when the puppy sniffed it, turned up his nose and walked back to stretch out on the rug.
Will abandoned the hope that anything on the plate was palatable and tried to think of a reason to give her for not eating. While he sat there racking his brain, Macie received a phone call. He gathered from her response that it was her parents in Leavenworth calling to wish her a Merry Christmas. She went into her office to finish the conversation, and he seized the opportunity to scrape the contents of his plate into the garbage disposal.
He was also glad their neighbors had been polite enough to keep their negative opinions of her cooking to themselves and instead made a hasty exit. For reasons he didn’t want to contemplate, he hated the idea of anyone hurting Macie. If she learned the real reason everyone had left the party early, she would be devastated.
“Do you want more?” she asked when she returned to the kitchen.
“I’m good, thank you,” he said, placing his plate in the dishwasher. “Why don’t I help you put the food away and clean up? I’m sure you’re dead on your feet from making all of this over the past couple of days.”
She nodded. “I am pretty tired.”
While he carried trays of food into the kitchen, she put the leftovers in containers and shoved them into every available space in her refrigerator. By the time everything was put away and the dishwasher was started, Will had thought up the perfect excuse for not having to spend Christmas with her.
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