“Just met her, actually. Name’s Magda Hobbs. Works for Mitch Landry.”
“Interesting lady,” Leo mused. “Doesn’t look like Doc’s kind of woman.”
She studied the couple in the mirror. Leo might be right. The scene being played out in the reflection definitely did look like a guy getting the boot.
Drake’s face had certainly lost that sunny glow. His shoulders slumped. His posture sagged. Every time he opened his mouth to say something, it appeared Magda spoke over him. After about fifteen minutes, Magda slid from the booth, gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked away.
“Give me a beer for Drake,” KC said.
Leo passed over another icy beer mug. KC poked her fingers through the handles of both mugs and headed for the booth where Drake slouched. His head rested against the high back of the booth. His eyes were shut but opened as she neared his booth. She slipped into the side Magda had just vacated.
“You look like you need this,” she said, sliding the beer across the table.
He didn’t say anything but wrapped his hand around the mug.
“She seemed lovely,” KC ventured.
“Don’t,” he snapped. “Just don’t.” He guzzled the beer.
“Want to tell me what happened?”
“No.”
She pursed her lips and nodded. “Okay, then.” She lifted her soft drink to her mouth and took a sip, sucking in a piece of floating frozen Diet Coke.
They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before Drake said, “Fuck.”
“Well,” KC said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “I’ve had better propositions, but…”
He smiled and blew out a loud sigh. “She dumped me.”
“Yeah, I gathered that much. She flew up here just to do that? Why? Has she totally lost her mind?”
His chuckle was music to her ears. “She has some friends in the area she wanted to visit and I guess she thought she could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.” After exhaling a long breath, he continued. “She said we were just too different, that I was too old for her. Said I was a nice guy…” He winced at that comment. “Basically, she liked me but we just didn’t have the right chemistry.” He drained his beer and lifted his glass toward Leo at the bar. “This sucks. Dumped twice within a couple of months.” He shook his head. “At least she did it in person and not by email or text.”
KC’s heart ached for him. On the other hand, maybe this was the opening she needed.
“Maybe they were the wrong women for you,” she said.
He lifted one shoulder and an eyebrow.
Leo set another beer on the table for Drake. “On me. House rules. Man gets dumped in my bar, I buy him a beer.”
“Hey,” KC protested. “What about women getting dumped?”
“Sorry,” Leo replied with a smoldering grin. “Us guys have to stick together.” He walked away as two new patrons took seats at the bar.
“You want to know the real pisser?”
KC crossed her arms on the table’s edge and nodded. “Sure. What’s the pisser?”
Drake pulled an envelope from his front pocket and dropped it on the table. “I’d planned to surprise her with this two-week vacation at the Sand Castle Resort and Spa. And let me tell you, it wasn’t cheap and I really needed the break.”
“So what was your plan for this trip? Sand, sun and sex? Sounds great. Count me in.” Her heart shook against her ribs. Would he take her up on it?
He chuckled. “Actually, sand, sun and surfing. After being a cave dweller to study for the bar for the last couple of months, I need some R&R.” He lifted his beer glass to his luscious lips and took a long swallow. “I’d thought taking Magda for company would be fun.” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
KC longed to use her tongue to clean the beer foam off his full lips. Yum.
Then his words broke through her lust haze. Maybe she’d been too subtle or he hadn’t taken her offer seriously. Either way, she decided to give it one more try. She allowed the corners of her lips to turn up and looked at him through lowered lashes. As in poker, she went all in. No mincing of words. “I’m fun. I could use a vacation, not to mention my new bikini is dying to be worn.”
She threw her offer on the table again and mentally crossed her fingers.
His eyes took on the unfocused look of a man deep in thought; someone whose mind wasn’t present in the here and now conversation.
“Thanks,” he said without emotion, “but I don’t want to put you out. I’m sure you have better things to do than keep me company.”
A swell of disappointed nausea whirled in her stomach. At the same time an ember of ire sparked at the pity party he was throwing himself. Worse than the anger and disappointment was her mortification and embarrassment. She could feel the heat rising up her neck. She didn’t, as a habit, throw herself at men. She didn’t have to. She might not be as beautiful as Olivia or as exotic as Magda, but she didn’t have trouble attracting men, or at least she hadn’t until today.
She slid from the booth and started to walk away but then came back to his table. Slapping her hands flat on the shiny wood, she leaned forward. “You know, there are women who value a man like you. You’re smart, funny and a damn fine-looking man. But sometimes you are an idiot, Drake Gentry.”
His surprised expression had her shaking her head. He really had no clue.
She strode to the door without a backward glance.
Chapter Two
Drake scratched the back of his head. What was KC all in a huff about?
Leo began collecting the empty beer mugs off the table.
“Women,” Drake said with a confused frown. “KC just left in a snit and I have no idea what her problem is.”
After a quick glance around his bar and seeing that no patrons were trying to get drinks at the moment, Leo slipped into the booth across from Drake. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. I was telling her about my plan to get away for a couple of weeks of vacation and how Magda had…well…” Heat flared on the back of his neck. How humiliating to admit he’d been dumped.
“I saw, remember?” Leo said. “Your lady friend decided to fish in other waters.”
Drake nodded. “That sounds so much better than she dumped me.” He chuckled. “Anyway, I’ve got airline tickets and reservations for two at this great Caribbean resort and now no one to take. KC offered to go with me but I know how busy she is. I didn’t want to take advantage of her friendship.”
Leo shook his head. “For a smart man, Doc, you sure are clueless sometimes.”
Drake frowned. “What? I was trying to be a nice guy and let her off the hook.”
“KC apparently has a thing for you.”
“No, she doesn’t. I wish, but no. No way. I’d know. I…” His voice faded as he thought about what Leo was saying. Really? KC and him?
He’d known KC Montgomery for years. He’d been attracted to her for what seemed like forever, but life had lobbed obstacles and detours in his way. Any time he thought about calling KC or asking her out, fate would quickly erect a speed bump, effectively stopping him in his tracks. Still, the idea that KC might be interested in him knocked the air from his lungs.
Leo shook his head. “Yeah, she does. She couldn’t take her eyes off you and that very sexy woman. She wants you, Doc.”
Drake sat heavily against the back of the booth. “KC? Attracted to me? Are you nuts?” His denial was weak. He wanted to be wrong. He wanted Leo to tell him how wrong he was.
Leo stood. “I’m not, but you are if you don’t pursue that. She is one hot woman.”
As Leo walked over to a table to check on a couple of customers, Drake reviewed the conversation with KC. She was attracted to him? KC Montgomery. How had he missed that?
He rubbed the back of his neck. The idea was ridiculous. KC was being a good friend, right? She’d always been around. He’d teased her for years by calling her by her full name. She was being nice because she
felt sorry for him after Magda walked out. Surely that was what was going on here.
But what if he was wrong?
A bolt of lust stabbed his gut. KC was every man’s walking sex dream. Big blue eyes. Sexy, long blonde hair. Legs that went on forever. Curves perfect for a pin-up model.
Could Leo be right? Was Drake deaf and blind in addition to stupid? Had he really missed some overt signals from KC? Good Lord. Had fate finally removed any obstacles and he missed his chance?
He threw enough money on the table to cover his tab and headed over to the offices of Montgomery and Montgomery, Attorneys at Law.
“Sorry,” the office receptionist said. “KC has left for the weekend. Do you want to leave her a message?”
Drake debated. “No, I’ll just try to reach her at home.”
“Okay, but good luck finding her.” The friendly receptionist smiled. “It’s Friday and sunny. She’ll probably be on hole four at Whispering Springs Country Club by now. You sure you don’t want to leave a message for Monday morning?” She held out a pad of paper and a pen.”
“Thanks, but Monday will be too late. I’ll run her down.”
Whispering Springs was large enough to have a nice country club but small enough that everybody knew where everybody else lived. Thank goodness. If KC had lived in Dallas, he’d have never found her house on Shady Grove Road. But a quick look at a phone book and he was headed over.
The drive from her office to her house was short, only about ten minutes, but the route took him from what would pass as urban in Whispering Springs to a tree-lined, rural-feeling narrow road that ran alongside the ninth fairway. The trees had been there long before the construction and the developer had wisely left them in place. Long limbs stretched up and over the road forming a green canopy that let only filtered light through. He remembered the area from his teen years, only back then it’d been fields and dirt roads. He smiled at the memory of the perfect make-out spots.
Her house stood behind an honest-to-God white picket fence, along with four other houses. The homes were all on small lots and shared a view of the eighth fairway and green.
He turned into the parking area and found the covered area for 1006 Shady Grove Road, KC’s house. Her antique car was parked in the designated owner’s spot. He parked next to it and got out. For a man of thirty-six, he was surprised at how his heart jittered with nerves.
A small white picket gate led into her yard, which was a riot of flowers and blooming bushes. Red, pink, yellow and white flowers swayed in the afternoon breeze. Her front porch and railings, painted white to coordinate with the fence, supported hanging fern baskets. The bright-yellow front door beckoned visitors to knock, so he did.
After a couple of minutes of no answer, he knocked again and then rang her bell. Seems her receptionist was right. KC must have headed to the golf course.
“What are you doing here?”
Drake whipped around at the question and his gaze lowered. KC stood there at the base of the porch steps, a small ball of multi-colored fluff on a lead dancing at her feet. Her long legs extended from a pair of tan shorts. Her T-shirt proclaimed I’m A Lawyer, So Sue Me. Gathered at the top of her head, a long blonde ponytail hung past her shoulders, its individual strands floating in the afternoon breeze. A healthy pink glow colored her face.
This woman…this beautiful woman had a thing for him?
His circulatory system shunted all his blood to his groin, which swelled with interest and desire.
“Drake? What are you doing here?” she repeated.
For an additional second, he reconsidered why he’d come. What if Leo had been wrong? Crap. What if he made a total fool of himself?
He cleared his throat. “Do you have a minute? I thought we could talk.”
She picked up the wiggling dog and cocked her head. “About what? You pretty much made your position clear at Leo’s.”
He walked down the porch steps to where she stood on her walkway. “Yeah, about that. I need to apologize.” He tapped the side of his head. “Brain fog.”
“Great,” she said with fake enthusiasm. “Apology accepted.” She swept past him and climbed onto her porch.
“Wait.” He followed her. “What’s his name?” he asked, stroking her dog’s head.
The puppy squirmed in her arms. Drake leaned over and the animal licked his nose.
“Her name is Killer,” KC said.
“Can I?” Drake held out his hands to take the puppy.
KC passed her over.
“Killer? Why, this little lady doesn’t look like a killer.” He nuzzled the dog’s fur. The puppy darted her pink tongue out and tickled his face with tiny licks.
“You’re just lucky I don’t give the command to kill. She’d rip your lips right off your face.”
He chuckled. “You mean lick my lips right off my face, right?”
She sighed and opened her door. “C’mon in, I guess. If you insist.”
Killer—Drake had serious doubts that was the dog’s real name—and he followed KC into the house. They stood in the foyer as she unclipped the dog’s leash.
“You don’t have to hold her. She’s done her business outside so she can run around.”
He set the tiny bundle on the floor. “What breed is she?”
“Yorkie. She turned six months old last week. Want something to drink?”
“Just water. I’ve had my beer quota for today.” They turned to the right and he followed her into a large, bright kitchen.
“I haven’t.” She pulled a bottle of beer and a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
“Nice place,” he said, taking the water and allowing his gaze to roam. The hardwood floor from the entry continued here. The dark gold and black granite countertops were set off by the glossy white of the cabinets. The black appliances complimented the black swirl in the granite.
The area behind the sink opened up on the dining room just beyond it. Through that large opening, there was an expansive view of a golf fairway.
She shrugged at his comment. “Let’s go to the living room and you can tell me really why you’re here.”
He followed her through the adjacent dining room and then down three steps to a sunken living room. The room had a back circular wall comprised completely of glass, providing the view of the golf course he’d admired from the kitchen. He realized that the sunken room kept the incredible view available to anyone in the kitchen or the dining room.
She dropped into a plush off-white leather recliner. Killer—that just couldn’t be this dog’s name—followed them, her nails clicking faintly on the hardwood. As soon as KC sat, the puppy stood on her hind legs to be picked up, which KC did. She stroked the dog’s head, sat back and waited.
A large, butter-yellow overstuffed leather sofa beckoned to him. He sat and took a large gulp of water. First to dilute the beer floating around in his gut. Second, to put some moisture in his mouth and down his throat, both of which had turned to dust the minute he saw KC standing on her walk. And third, to buy him some time as he tried to find the words he wanted to say.
KC waved her hand in a get-on-with-it gesture. He nodded.
“Leo said—”
“Oh God. Leo sent you here?” she snarled. “I’m going to kill him.”
“Don’t kill him yet. He sort of knocked me upside the head and rattled my brain enough that what you said this afternoon finally sank through my thick skull. You really want to go with me to the Sand Castle?”
She dropped her head against the headrest. “Great. Just freaking great. You have rattled brains, and because of that you’ve come to see me.”
He laughed. “Not exactly.” He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. His movement caught the attention of the puppy, who jumped down and ran over to him. The ball of furry energy danced around his feet and Drake picked her up. If she weighed a pound, he’d be shocked. The puppy wiggled and climbed up to his face, again smearing it with her puppy tongue.
“Traitor,”
KC said.
“Me or Killer? And what is her name? It isn’t Killer.” He nuzzled his nose on the puppy’s head. “This baby isn’t a killer of anything.”
“Ha! You haven’t seen the heel of my leather boot.”
He grinned.
“Her name is Jasmine. I call her Jazz.”
At the mention of her name, the puppy’s head snapped toward her owner and she immediately began struggling to get down. Drake set Jazz on the floor and she scurried to KC, who shook her head and picked her up.
“She’s rotten,” she said, but there was no fire behind her words.
Drake leaned back on the sofa and crossed an ankle over a knee. “Okay, as I was saying, do you want to go with me on vacation? You sort of caught me off-guard this afternoon, and I’m sorry for being so slow on the uptake. I’d love for you to come with me.” He drained the remaining water and set the empty bottle on the side table. “But you need to know that I reserved a one-bedroom suite. I’ll sleep on the couch, you don’t have to worry. You can have the bed.”
KC set the puppy down and leaned forward. “You’re asking me to go with you on vacation?”
“Yep. My treat.”
“And you’re not going to make me sleep with you?”
He shrugged and made himself maintain eye contact when what he wanted to do was look anywhere but at her. Damn. Her voice was a little tight and high with that last question. Now what had he done wrong? He didn’t think he’d ever understand women.
“Right.” He dragged the word out. “No obligation.”
She drained her beer. The empty bottle dangled from the tips of her fingers. The side of her cheek sucked as she rolled it between her teeth.
“So no sex. That’s what you’re saying? I just want to make sure there are no misunderstandings this time.”
He nodded. “Sure.”
She echoed his nod and then set her bottle on the floor. “Well then, in that case, no.”
His head popped back. “What?”
Leaning toward him, she said, “No sex, no trip.”
This time, he swallowed hard. Crossed and uncrossed his legs. Adjusted his position on the sofa. “Explain exactly what you’re saying. Use small words and short sentences. I don’t think my mind is hearing correctly this afternoon.”
Texas Fandango: Texas Montgomery Mavericks, Book 3 Page 2