by Aubree Lane
“You mean complicated,” Annie laughed. “You’re in luck, I’ll eat just about anything as long as raisins and coconut aren’t involved.”
“I guess the coconut cream pie for dessert is out,” Terence joked, taking the wine glass out of her hand and placing it back on the table.
Annie sat down. “Unless you actually enjoy watching me throw up.”
Terence let out an easy laugh.
Wow, he had a terrific smile!
He grabbed a bottle of wine and joined her at the table. “Chateau de Vin Blanc,” he said showing her the bottle. “Garden of the Grapes.”
“Excuse me?”
Terence filled her glass. “It’s the company’s slogan. Lena told me this was a favorite wine of yours. I thought you’d be familiar with it.”
In two short days this family had successfully reduced Annie from being a wine connoisseur to realizing she was less informed than the average Joe. And Lena made it clear she’d been paying a high price for her snobbery. From now on she’d be happy knowing what she liked and refrain from expounding on it.
Her stomach growled.
“Go ahead and dig in.” He grinned. “Your tummy wants you to.”
Annie rubbed her abdomen. “Sorry, it has a mind of its own.” She wanted to see his smile again, so she went for the guaranteed laugh. “I should just pass gas and get all my involuntary bodily noises out in the open.”
The laugh that followed was full-bodied and relaxed, very much like his sister’s.
“I’ll probably be the first one to do that,” he assured her as he filled her plate. “Tell me about yourself.”
“I am an Interior Designer, which means I help people who don’t trust themselves to make their space as functional and beautiful as possible.” She stopped to take a bite. “Your house is lovely. Did you do it yourself, or did you have help?”
“No help, but I can’t take any credit. I bought most of this stuff at an estate sale. Someone else did all the work. I just stuck it in here.”
She lifted her glass in salute to his excellent judgment. “Good eye.”
“Remind me to show you Erika’s room later,” Terence chuckled.
Annie was intrigued. “Let’s go right now.”
He shook his head. “No, it’s not that important. Let’s eat before our food gets cold. And please, go on with your story.”
“I own my own business and employ two assistants, who are probably not speaking to me at the moment. Marissa’s father graciously allows me to work out of his building free of charge. He calls me the daughter he never had.”
“What does Marissa think about that?”
“She loves it, or at least she used to until the other day when I highjacked you away from her. She always wanted a sister. I guess I’m it.” She helped herself to seconds and noticed Terence had yet to take a bite. She must have inhaled the contents of her plate while she was talking. Terence was right, she did need to work on her manners. “Your turn,” she urged.
Terence was busy swallowing his first bite of the taco casserole. He nodded and washed it down with some wine before he began. “Besides being the sole owner and operator of the Erika Rose, I work as an IT computer consultant. I love that term. You stick consultant on your business card and boom, you get paid a whole lot better than someone doing the exact same thing on salary.”
“What does a computer consultant do?”
“I’m your basic troubleshooter. I fix, install, set up systems and, when necessary, I train the company’s personnel to operate it. I can usually work out of my home office. The jobs I look for usually last between four and six months. Then I pick up a few gigs on the boat while Erika is in town during the summer. That way my hours are flexible and I can spend more quality time with her.”
Annie loved listening to his voice. She didn’t want him to stop talking. “Do you like it?”
“I like that I’m not stuck at any one company forever. I like new challenges. I don’t like having to apply for new jobs every few months. I hate interviewing and the insecurity of not knowing where my next paycheck is coming from. So far, knock on wood, I’ve never been unemployed for long.”
“And when Erika is here? What types of jobs do you go after with the boat?”
“Well, the boat will be out of commission for a while until I have a chance to fix her up. It won’t take much, but I’ll have to pull her out of the water. Since you paid for the entire week, I’ll wait until you leave, in case you want to go out again.”
“Don’t wait on my account,” Annie said, slightly horrified at the thought.
His eyes twinkled. “In answer to your question, I don’t have to go after jobs. They come to me, especially during the summer. I do dive trips, fishing trips, tours, pretty much anything the customer wants. This part of the island isn’t as touristy as Honolulu or Waikiki. We’re a little cut off out here. There are a few resorts, but we’re still pretty rural. If Lena ever got off her butt, and converted that wreck she calls a house into the hotel she always wanted, I would redesign her dock and work from there. Not only would it be convenient for me, but it would save me a ton of money. Of course, I’m running under the assumption that my own sister wouldn’t charge me to moor my boat on her dock. Personally, I think it would be a strong draw and beneficial for the both of us.”
The conversation lulled. This time Annie was content to let it die so she could concentrate on eating and mull over what Terence just said. Turning Lena’s home into a hotel would be a vastly expensive undertaking, and Annie in all her snobbery didn’t think Lena could afford it, and still have enough money left over to get through the first few years of operating in the red.
Ideas to curtail costs raced through her mind, but she had not been asked for her professional opinion, and if she volunteered any information, she ran the risk of turning her time here into a working vacation. It was tough, but she kept her mouth shut.
Terence was an extraordinarily good cook. The only thing missing were some vegetables, but Annie decided she could live without a salad for one night.
When they finished, Terence picked up their plates and set them in the sink. He came back to the table, refilled their wine glasses, and carried them into the living room.
Annie followed. She sat on the sofa and wondered what kind of surprise this piece of furniture had in store for her.
Terence sat beside her, and Annie ran her hands across the smooth cream-colored fabric. “This is nice. Do you know what it’s made of?”
Terence set the glasses on the coffee table. “That’s your job, not mine. I wouldn’t know polyester from wool.”
“Yes, you do. You’ve just never paid attention.” She took his hand and dragged it across the leg of his pants. “What kind of material is this?”
“They’re jeans. It’s cotton.”
Annie smiled. “Close, it’s actually referred to as denim. It’s heavier and more durable than your basic cotton.”
Terence caught her hand and stroked her palm with his thumb. “I like the feel of this better.” He scooted a little closer and slipped an arm around her. “Want to know what I’d like the feel of even better?”
She closed her eyes and sucked in an excited breath. The adventure kept getting better and better. She leaned in and lightly kissed his neck.
He was spurred into action. She felt herself being lowered onto the couch and the pressure of his body on top of hers.
Terence kissed her neck and nibbled her ear. His hands caressed her sides. Her shirt came off over her head, and his hand gently kneaded her breast while he removed her bra. When his lips touched her nipple, Annie gasped with pleasure. He kissed, sucked, and caressed her until she was no longer aware of anything but the bliss he created inside her.
Terence lifted her into his arms and carried her to his bedroom. He laid her gently on his bed. A smile played on his lips as he stepped back and leisurely stripped off his clothing. He came back to her in all his glory and kissed her belly, sendin
g lightning bolts skimming out across her sensitive skin.
His kisses traveled up her body and finished her off entirely when he reached her mouth. His fingers slid between her thighs, and she was lost inside the magical moment.
An insect began chirping out in the living room, and Annie tried her best to ignore it.
Terence lifted his head and looked around. “What’s that noise?”
“My phone,” she answered, impatiently pulling him back to her. “They can leave a message.” She kissed and teased him with her tongue until she had his full attention once more.
A few moments later, the phone on the bedside table began to ring.
He sighed and kissed her forehead. “Sorry, it might be Erika.” He sat up and lifted the receiver. He listened for a moment then abruptly handed it to her. “It’s for you.”
She took the phone and asked tentatively, “Hello?”
“What are you doing?” Marissa roared, jolting Annie back to reality.
“That’s none of your business. Why are you yelling at me?” She pulled the sheet out from under Terence and wrapped it around her body as she sat up.
“You need to get out of there! If you want Terence to have any chance of gaining custody of his daughter, you need to leave right now!”
“Will you please calm down and tell me what you’re talking about.”
“It’s simple. The fact that Hannah practically stalked Terence for three years and ended up having his child is going to be a crucial part of my argument. Now you, one of Hannah’s high school friends, seek him out and are in the process of doing... whatever it is you’re doing with him, and it could come out in court. It may not seem important to you, but it’s weird, and weird is not good during a custody battle.” Marissa took a breath. “Get out now, and you’re not to be alone with him again until this is settled.”
Annie couldn’t believe what she just heard. They weren’t living in the dark ages. She could do whatever she damn well pleased, but part of her could see Marissa’s point. It was a pretty bizarre situation they were caught up in. She didn’t want to be the reason Terence failed to get Erika. Marissa was an excellent attorney. If she thought it was best for her to stay away from Terence until custody was settled, then that was what she was going to do.
“Annie, are you still there?” Marissa shrieked. “Let me talk to Terence.”
She held the phone out in Terence’s direction. “She wants to talk to you.”
“No need.” Terence was already walking towards the bathroom. “She wasn’t exactly quiet. I heard every word. It’s time to get dressed. I’ll take you back to Lena’s.”
Annie watched him leave and sighed into the phone. “He has such a great ass.”
Panic rose in Marissa’s voice. “Annie, tell me exactly what happened between the two of you.”
Annie sighed again. “Not enough, girlfriend. Not nearly enough.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear,” Marissa said with relief. “Why don’t the two of you meet us at the bar down by the pier? It’s karaoke night.”
• • •
It wasn’t just any old karaoke night. It was karaoke with a twist. There was a contest going on, and the song you sang was picked randomly out of a hat. So far none of the other contestants had faired extremely well.
Annie and Marissa were going to kick butt.
The DJ stuck his hand in the hat and pulled out a piece of paper. “Do you ladies like the sweet stuff?” he wailed into the microphone.
Annie and Marissa looked at each other and nodded.
“Good,” he yelled, backing off the stage with an arm flourish, “because you’re about to Sing It To Me Sweet.”
The music blasted, and the words floated on the teleprompter in front of them. It was totally unnecessary. They knew the Flying High tune by heart.
Marissa grabbed the microphone and sang:
“We were children when we met
You never let me play”
Terence and David sat in the back of the room at a small, sticky, black lacquered table. David waited for Terence to pick his jaw up off the floor before he started a conversation. People were always shocked when they saw Marissa and Annie do this for the first time. Hell, it still amazed him.
“They are really good. Where did they learn how to sing like that?” Terence gasped.
David laughed and clapped Terence on the back. “In choir class boy, catch up. This is what they did when they weren’t drooling all over your photograph.”
Marissa tossed the microphone to Annie:
“Now that I’ve grown boobs
I’ve got you singing like a loon”
They leaned in and sang the refrain together:
“Sing it to me sweet
Until your honey pours out on me
Sing it to me sweet
Until my sugar rains down on you”
“Do they do this a lot?” Terence asked.
“Oh yeah.” David handed Terence his beer. “Drink up, we’re going to be here a while. Once those two get the crowd going, they don’t let them go easily. I think Marissa learned how to work a jury by performing. She doesn’t have to go before them often, but when she does, it’s magic.”
“Do they ever go solo?”
David shook his head. “I’ve never seen it.” Wasn’t that interesting, David thought. As good as they each were individually, they never stepped out onto the stage alone.
“How do you feel about your wife up there strutting her stuff?”
Terence knew how to cut to the chase. “I totally hate it,” David laughed.
Terence leaned in closer and grimaced. “Do we need to talk about the Marissa thing? You know, how she wanted to kiss me.”
David choked on his beer. “God no, let’s talk about Annie. She’s much safer ground.”
Terence smiled and let out the breath he had been holding. “So what’s the scoop? Annie says you try to keep her away from Marissa.”
“If only that were possible.” David chuckled. “Annie is so entrenched in Marissa’s family, the only way I’d be able to keep them apart is if I found Aladdin’s lamp and wished her away, even then it probably wouldn’t stick. Marissa and her father love Annie. She even operates her business, rent free, out of his building.”
“What’s up with that? Doesn’t she make enough money to afford office space on her own?”
David stopped for a moment to watch Marissa. He caught her eye and she winked at him.
He turned back to Terence. “At first, but from what I understand she does pretty well.”
“I don’t get it, unless Marissa’s father and Annie are involved.”
David leaned back and gave him a funny look. “No, they’re not involved. Annie isn’t involved with anyone, unless we count you and some guy that works for her. I haven’t heard much about him, though, and believe me, I would have if there was anything noteworthy going on.” David shook his head and took another sip of beer. “Annie is very careful about who she lets into her life. I can’t say I blame her. She’s had it rough. First her father bails on her when she was just a kid. Then her mother hooks up with a real winner who doesn’t give her the time of day. The only serious relationship I know of was a few years back, but it didn’t work out. She dates now and then when Marissa can browbeat her into it, but mostly she hangs with us when she isn’t working, and that isn’t much.”
The men fell silent and watched the two women bring down the house.
David couldn’t believe he just told Annie’s entire life story. He didn’t gossip. He was the one who got people talking, not the other way around.
Not only had he spilled the beans about Annie’s personal life, but he sounded sympathetic towards her. He always had been since Marissa filled him in, but he didn’t dare show it. If Annie knew how he really felt, he wouldn’t have a moment alone with his family. They might as well move her into the guest room.
When the song finished, Terence nudged David’s arm. “Annie doesn
’t think you like her.”
Feeling the need to redeem his status as an Annie hater, David said, “Like is a strong word where Annie and I are concerned. We tolerate each other.”
Terence frowned. “I don’t get it. She doesn’t seem that hard to get along with. Am I missing something?”
“It’s like this,” David explained. “You and I view Annie at opposite ends of the spectrum. I have never seen her naked, nor do I want to. You, on the other hand…” He let Terence fill in the blank and took another pull of his beer. He eyed Terence until he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Then he continued, “She’s a pain to both of us but in completely different ways.”
Terence ignored David’s inference. “Explain something to me then. If Annie doesn’t date and is such a workaholic, why is she here? She doesn’t know anything about me. Why would she drop everything just to meet me? It’s crazy!”
David shrugged. “I don’t think you’re anything special, but those two,” he said nodding towards the women on stage, “think you got it going on.”
“Knock it off. You know what I mean.”
“I do,” David agreed. “But you’ve already answered your question. They’re crazy.”
Half of the contestants left the stage as round two was about to begin. “Quiet, I want to hear what they’re singing next.”
It was Sorry by Borrowed Time. The girls could rock with the best of them, but they tore your heart to pieces with a sad song. There wasn’t going to be a dry eye in the house.
Chapter 5
Annie dug her toes in the sand and fiddled with the small trophy she and Marissa won the previous night. The wind had kicked up, the ocean looked angry, and her adventure had taken a nosedive. On top of the fake marble base was a cheap plastic musical note. Annie wedged the thing into the sand and kicked it out into the water.
A wave caught it, washed it back, and deposited it in the sand directly in front of her.
Annie sighed. Nothing was going right. The karaoke had been fun and helped take the sting off being torn out of bed with Terence, but not being able to be alone with him until after the custody issue was settled had effectively ruined her vacation.