Just a Little Bit Married

by Teresa Southwick

  “Lincoln Hart.”

  Delanie looked at the other woman, who had auburn hair and really stunning turquoise eyes. She was wearing a navy skirt and matching suit jacket with a white blouse. Very professional. Probably came directly from work.

  “Linc, this is Hadley Michaels, manager and events coordinator at the Blackwater Lake Lodge.”

  “Nice to meet you,” she said.

  “Same here.” He smiled at each of them. “Do you mind if I join you?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Please do.”

  “What’ll you have?” Delanie asked.

  “Beer. Tap.”

  “Coming right up.” She shrugged. “I have connections. Take my chair. I’ll get another one from the back.”

  She walked away and Linc looked at the two very attractive ladies and thought, Rose who? Coming here was a good idea, not that he would confirm that to his sister. “I appreciate you letting me crash the party.”

  “It looked like you were going to leave,” Lucy said. “If we let a handsome man like you get away, that doesn’t say much for our skills. And make no mistake. We do have skills.”

  Hadley shook her head. “She makes the best quiche I’ve ever tasted, but her flirting muscles are a little rusty.”

  “Really? Was it that obvious?” Lucy teased.

  “Not to me.” He liked straightforward. No games. No lines drawn in the sand. No history. Don’t go there, he warned. It was single ladies’ night at Bar None.

  “Here you go.” Delanie put a cocktail napkin on the table, then set his glass of beer on it. One of the employees brought a chair and she settled herself into it and held up her glass. “To a new friend.”

  “Who’s a man,” Lucy added.

  “And outnumbered in the best possible way.” He touched his glass to theirs.

  “Now who’s flirting?” Lucy gave her auburn-haired friend a raised eyebrow.

  “Don’t pay any attention to her,” Delanie said. “We’ll be gentle.”

  “So this is your night off?” he asked.

  “I’m a single lady.” She lifted one shoulder. “For this I have part-time help so I can hang out with my friends.”

  “And pick up men. Ones who look a little lost.” Hadley toyed with the stem of her wineglass. “Is there any particular reason you look that way?”

  “Does it have anything to do with that interior decorator from Dallas?” Lucy grinned. “I have a restaurant. People come in and talk. And I know your sister, Ellie.”

  “So much for being gentle with him.” Hadley looked sympathetic. “Don’t mind them. They can’t help themselves. It’s what happens when politeness and curiosity bump together.”

  “It’s a small town,” he said. “And the best part is that I don’t even have to talk. You’re handling that for me like the pros you are.”

  “Nice try.” Lucy sipped her pink drink. “Were you looking lost over a lady or not?”

  “Or not,” he said.

  “Okay, then.” Hadley nodded and changed the subject to town expansion and his role in it.

  Linc ended up ordering food and chatting with the three of them the entire evening. They were all beautiful, smart funny women and he wasn’t interested in hitting on any of them. Because not one was Rose.

  Apparently this was what poetic justice felt like. Ten years ago he’d done the leaving and felt bad enough. Tonight he found out being the one who got left really sucked.

  * * *

  Rose left Dallas on an oh-dark-thirty flight to Helena, then had to wait half the day for her connection to Blackwater Lake. It was a very different experience from her first trip here on the private jet. She’d texted Linc that she was coming back today, but not the time. So it was a surprise to see him waiting for her in baggage claim.

  At DFW Airport she could have easily slipped by him in a crowd, but this newly opened terminal was proportional to the small town. There was no way he would miss her. Besides employees and the few passengers on the puddle jumper with her, she and Linc were the only two people there at just past seven in the evening.

  She had no choice but to stop in front of him and get this first meeting over with. If only she could keep her heart from beating so fast. “Hi, Linc.”

  “Welcome back.”

  “Thanks. Why are you here?”

  “To pick you up.”

  When she had talked to Ellie and explained about needing a couple of personal days, his sister had teased that a break was understandable. Working with Linc was intense and anyone who did automatically qualified for sainthood. The guest room would be waiting for her when she got back.

  Rose hadn’t given him the flight information on purpose, hoping to have other people around when she saw him again. “How did you know when I’d be coming in?”

  “You told me it would be today. Since all flights come to Blackwater Lake through Helena and there’s only one, I connected the dots.”

  “You didn’t have to meet me.”

  He took the handle of her rolling bag and started walking. “It’s the least I could do.”

  His tone seemed conciliatory, as if he knew working with him was a challenge. And it was. That kiss had been a dare. It was about messing with her and the relationship she had. Had being the operative word. The tactic worked because there was no more her and Chandler.

  He had every right to be hurt and she’d hated doing that to him, especially since she knew how it felt. But letting things go on when she didn’t love him would have compounded his pain and resentment. Thanks to Linc, she knew that, too.

  “Rose?” He opened the glass door leading to the parking lot. “Why did you go to Texas?”

  Oh, boy.

  She met his gaze and said, “I’m not going to answer that.”

  He stared at her as she walked past him, head held high. “Seriously? I expected you to at least say something like...‘it’s complicated.’”

  “I wish I’d thought of it.” The air was crisp and cool, missing the humidity of Texas. There was a faint pine smell, even here at the airport. In spite of the tension with Linc, her spirits lifted as they crossed the nearly deserted street to the parking lot.

  “What do you have to hide?” He glanced down.

  The thought crossed her mind to tell him she’d visited her mother, which was true. But she knew Linc and there would have been a cross examination, including a question about whether or not she’d seen Chandler. Somehow he would get the truth out of her and she couldn’t have that.

  “This is really none of your business.”

  “It kind of is.” He hit a button on his key fob and the rear hatch of his SUV lifted, just before they stopped behind it. “Since you work for me.”

  “Yes, I do.” When they were married, she’d been very young and would have done anything for him. Now she was more mature. Jaded from the way he’d tossed her aside and not so easily swayed. He couldn’t always have his way and if she gave in now, he would have the upper hand while they collaborated. It was time to let him know that she wasn’t backing down. “My physical presence in Blackwater Lake was not required for me to fulfill my contractual obligation to you.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Absolutely. While I was gone, I put together more decorating options and ideas for you to look over. We can do that right now if you’d like.”

  He lifted her small suitcase into the cargo compartment, then took her briefcase and stowed it, too. There was a puzzled expression on his face when he met her gaze. “That won’t be necessary. Tomorrow is soon enough.”

  “Okay, then.”

  Without a word he opened the passenger door for her. Darn him. He always did that.

  “Ever the gentleman.” She sounded like a shrew but was a sucker for th
e Galahad routine and had to find a way to fight it off. “You don’t have to do that for me.”

  “I was raised this way.”

  “By your parents?”

  He frowned. “Hastings did insist.”

  “Well, it makes me uncomfortable.” In a way she couldn’t explain to him. “Probably because my father was a no-show in my life and I didn’t have a male role model.”

  “A psychologist would have a field day with you.”

  “No kidding.” She thought about it. “Aren’t we a pair? I had no father and you had two. Maybe a shrink would give us a group rate.”

  He laughed. “Always a silver lining.”

  After shutting her door, he walked around the car and got behind the wheel. “Are you hungry?”

  “Why?”

  “You are prickly tonight.” He started the engine and glanced over. The dashboard lights illuminating his features showed he was smiling. “I have no ulterior motive except that it’s the polite thing to do. Manners are something the people who raised me insisted on. Also, I haven’t eaten dinner yet. I’m pretty sure my sister’s kitchen is closed and stopping somewhere would be faster and easier. And I’d rather not eat alone. How’s that for justification?”

  “Thorough.” She nodded. “Okay. I’m hungry.”

  “Excellent. I know a place.”

  Twenty minutes later they were seated at a booth in Bar None. It was a cute, rustic establishment that had buckets of character and charm. Literally. Shelves high on the wall had a grouping of antique items—bucket, washboard, pump and handle, lanterns. The bar that took up the wall opposite of where they sat had a brass foot rail and the plank floor was scratched from wooden chairs sliding over it. The walls were decorated with pictures of cowboys and framed newspaper clippings that looked old and delicate, as if they’d crumble in your hands.

  “I like it,” she said, after taking in her surroundings.

  “It’s quiet tonight.” He followed her gaze to a couple of guys at the bar. Several of the bistro tables were occupied. “On ladies’ night this place really rocks.”

  “I’m guessing you know this because you were here. Trying to pick someone up.” The thought was as annoying as a rock in her shoe even though she had no right to the feeling.

  Before he could answer, a very pretty redhead walked over. “Hi, Linc. I didn’t expect to see you again so soon. Thought we scared you off.”

  “Takes more than the three of you to do that. I’m made of sterner stuff.”

  Three women?

  Rose didn’t have two fathers, but her single mother had raised her to be polite so an introduction would be good before voicing any of her multiple questions. She stuck out her hand. “We haven’t met. I’m Rose Tucker. I work for Linc—his interior-design expert. To decorate his condo.” She was rambling and decided to stop right there.

  The other woman took her hand and grinned. “Delanie Carlson. It’s nice to meet you, Rose. I own Bar None. I work for myself since I own Bar None and inherited it from my father.”

  “Too much information?” Rose said sheepishly, meaning her own long-winded introduction.

  “No.” Delanie shrugged. “We’d find out all that stuff anyway. You just saved the town rumor mill a lot of time.”

  “Happy to help.”

  Delanie looked at Linc. “To what do I owe a visit from you again so soon?”

  “I just picked up Rose from the airport. She had an unexpected trip.”

  The other woman’s gaze sharpened with interest. “Mystery solved.”

  “Which one would that be?” Rose asked.

  “Why he looked lost in here on ladies’ night.”

  Linc made a scoffing sound. “That wasn’t lost. I always look like that.”

  “Really?” The bar owner glanced at Rose, then him. “I don’t see it now.”

  “What do you see?” He asked before Rose could.

  “A man who’s not sorry his interior-design expert has returned.” Delanie shrugged. “Just an opinion and worth what you paid for it.”

  “Do you see hunger here?” Linc said, pointing at his face. He looked just a little bit uncomfortable at being the subject of this conversation.

  “I’m guessing yes?” Delanie said.

  “Good answer.” Rose liked this woman who was hinting that Linc had missed her. The thought lifted her spirits quite a lot. It shouldn’t have. It wasn’t a good thing, but there was no denying the truth. “I’m starving. What do you recommend?”

  “Do you like hamburgers?” She pulled an order pad from her back jeans pocket.

  “I’m all about the fries, but if the burger comes, too, I could manage to choke it down.”

  “One combo it is then.” She laughed.

  “Make it two. I’ll have a beer. You?” he said to Rose.

  “Red wine. Cabernet if you have it.”

  “I do. Be right back with your drinks, then I’ll get those burgers going.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I like her,” Rose said, watching the woman walk away.

  “Yeah. You’d like her friends, too.”

  “Did you like them?”

  “Yes.” He shrugged. “Ladies’ night is crowded. There was nowhere to sit and they invited me to join them.”

  “I bet they did.” He was an exceptionally good-looking man. Of course women would hit on him.

  One of his dark eyebrows quirked up. “You sound a little like a jealous wife.”

  “And you’re acting like a husband with a guilty conscience who’s trying to justify carousing.”

  “Carouse,” he said, as if taking the word out for a test drive. “That so isn’t what happened. But even if it did, we are legally separated. With a divorce pending.”

  Pending. Now there was a word.

  One that meant the legalities of their split were not carved in stone yet. “Remind me to call your attorney and find out how that’s going.”

  “I’ll have him call you.”

  He always one-upped her like that. In spite of the fact that she stood her ground and refused to tell him why she’d left. Maybe because she hadn’t explained it to him.

  That didn’t change anything. She was a girl who was raised to believe she should have a ring on her finger before going to bed with a man. Her current situation proved how deceptively simple that concept was.

  Technically she and Linc were still married and sleeping together is what married people were supposed to do. That kiss had reminded her how wonderful sex with Linc had been, but going there now was trouble with a capital T. After kissing her he’d brought up Chandler, which told her Linc respected the boundaries of her being in a relationship.

  And now she was reminded again why it was so important to keep the breakup with Chandler a secret from Linc. Until the subject of them divorcing came up she’d been thoroughly enjoying her soon-to-be ex-husband. He was handsome and charming and very good company.

  It was this charismatic and captivating Linc that she was hiding from. The man who could, with very little effort, coax her into his bed. The same man who hurt her ten years ago and could so easily do it a second time. Losing her heart to Linc again could be too high a price to pay for saving her business.

  Chapter Nine

  The next day Rose set up her laptop in Linc’s condo on a card table he’d borrowed from his sister. She had explained to him that the presentation would be better here in order to help him visualize everything in his space. Using a computer program, she’d done a scaled-down model of each room, but it was small and hard for the average person to envision, hence the field trip.

  “Last night I told you I’d been working while I was gone.” She glanced up at him. “Prepare to be dazzled.”

  He was dazzled every time
he looked at her. “I can’t wait.”

  The feeling was especially strong right this moment, with the morning sunlight streaming through the window to caress her hair and cheek.

  “Linc?” Sitting in one of the two borrowed card-table chairs, she glanced up at him again. “Come around and take a look at the first mock-up. This is the kitchen and family room, where we are now. The furniture is contemporary modern, both sleek and curvy.”

  Like her, he thought, picturing her in the shower with water turning her skin to—

  “The tables are glass,” Rose said, interrupting the sensuous thought. “They coordinate with those light fixtures hanging over this bar that separates the two rooms but maintains openness. This area needs definition and that will do it. Plus give you a place for serving food. Or extra seating. Your guests can sit and keep you company while you cook.”

  “Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” he said wryly.

  “What?” She slid him a look. “You don’t visit with people?”

  “No. Visiting is my middle name. I don’t cook.”

  “Not my problem.” She looked back at the computer screen. “Here’s the master bedroom. Going with the same contemporary look, I found a modern take on a four-poster bed.”

  “It looks like a cage.” There were definitely four posts, but made of metal.

  “The furniture can change. Just look at the whole concept. With coordinated wall color, comforter, pictures and mirrors it has a chic and sophisticated loft look.”

  He studied each room as she scrolled through and shook his head. “Gotta say, I’m not loving this.”

  “Can you be more specific?”

  “For starters, it just feels cold and impersonal.”

  “Changing the wall color can warm it up. A shade with more yellow and gold instead of blue and gray. Can you picture it? Something like we talked about before?”

  “Yeah. I don’t think that’s the problem. It’s just too—” He searched for a word and couldn’t come up with anything.

  “Stark?” she said. “I know what you mean. No wow factor. No pop.”

  “All of the above,” he agreed.