“Sounds like you’ve taken over my old job. Shuttling people to and from the emergency room.”
“It’s not what I signed up for, but life hardly goes as planned.”
“Tell me about it.” Treasure grabbed a pillow and placed it in on the coffee table. She put her foot up and leaned back against the couch cushions. “I’m glad he’s better. I wish him and my dad would’ve taken better care of themselves when they were younger. Maybe they would have had more years with us.”
“He ain’t dead yet. I’m figuring he’s got about five more lives left in him, the old crow. He’s about to get an offer on his house. The real estate agent called and said she’s preparing paperwork and should have it to him in a day or so.”
“Wow. That was fast. You haven’t even moved your stuff out of the garage yet, have you?”
“No. Haven’t had time. The buyers didn’t care. They want the house.” Denny took a long swill of beer. “What do you want in your coffee?”
“Two creams, two sugars. Thank you,” she added gratefully.
“This is a good beer.” Denny held it up in an appreciative salute. “The least I can do is make you a cup the way you like it. Plus, you’re about to give me a healthy paycheck. It’s in my best interest to keep you happy.”
“You sold the Scout?”
“I did. My buddy was itching to get the deal done. He drove six hours to get here and you were in the hospital. I let him take it with him. Hope you don’t mind.”
“I left the signed title with you. I would’ve liked to meet him, but it’s all good. I’m glad you were here when I couldn’t be.”
Denny sauntered over from the kitchen counter and handed Treasure the mug of coffee. She wrapped her hand around the hot ceramic and sipped as if it was her first taste of heaven. Denny set his beer on the coffee table and slipped his leather coat off. He reached into the inside pocket and pulled out a thick envelope. He plopped it down on the table by Treasure’s foot.
“He paid in cash?”
“Damn straight.”
“That’s convenient.”
“Yes, ma’am. I have some good customers.”
“You’re an angel. Did you take your share out yet?”
“Now, you’re calling me an angelic barista. You better not start spreadin’ those girly rumors about me. You’ll ruin my reputation.”
“You don’t fool anyone, Denny Masters,” she said and took another swallow of coffee before picking up the envelope.
Treasure counted out what she owed Denny for the work on the Sport Scout and handed him the cash. He pocketed it without double checking to make sure she paid the right amount. He picked up the beer and took a healthy swallow.
“The rest of this goes toward fixing up the Vincent. I checked my email and the parts should be here this week. Are we still on track to get it running?” She tossed the pile of cash on the table in front of her.
“That’s the plan.”
“What about your house? Are you going to help your dad move to Arizona?”
“Probably. He wants to leave the mountains, but neither of us figured it’d happen this soon. I should have plenty of time to work on the Vincent before I help him move.”
“Where are you going to live once the house sells? Wait, are you going to stay in Arizona?” Treasure assumed he would remain in Granite Lake and only now considered he may be moving with Floyd, or somewhere else. The thought opened a gaping void somewhere inside her soul, which was completely unfair considering she didn’t live here.
“Hell, no. I’m not made for the desert. Too damn hot for me.”
“And I’m going back to my apartment in a couple of days,” she spat out.
Denny stared at the bottle in his hand.
“The mold has been taken care of and my bathroom is almost done. I should be able to drive in another day or two, and I’ll head back to Reno.”
“We should get on the Vincent while you’re still in town. If you want a hand in any of the work.”
“I’ll help if I can. I have more cataloguing and organizing to do before I head home. If it weren’t for this gimpy ankle, I’d be out there right now. I don’t like being an invalid.”
“It’ll pass,” he said with a nod at the ankle. “I can start working on the Vincent right away and do what I can until the parts arrive. If you’re set on going back to Reno, we can still talk by phone. I don’t do much on the computer, but you can call me anytime.”
“Thanks, Denny. I hope you can find a place in town to rent or… Wait, what am I saying?” The dawning realization she could help Denny and herself cracked like a whip in front of her face. “Sometimes, I’m slow to catch on.”
“What are you yammering about, Treasure? I didn’t spike your coffee, but maybe there’s something in the prescription bottle from the doc makin’ you half looped.”
“It’s not that. I just realized you should take over the shop. You can live right here. I’ll give you a deal on the rent you can’t refuse. You’d be doing me a huge favor. Honestly, I’ve been considering selling because I can’t afford both places.” She could see it perfectly. Denny and his tools are a perfect fit for the shop and apartment. They’d have to rearrange and move her dad’s stuff to the outbuildings behind the shop, but it could happen with some man-hours and determination.
Denny remained silent and Treasure’s enthusiasm hiccupped. Perhaps, her vision of the future wasn’t the ideal solution to Denny’s house situation.
She drank coffee before adding, “It’s not the greatest apartment, but I can fix it up. It needs an overhaul, anyway. You would have the whole shop to yourself. How much stuff do you own?”
“Treasure,” Denny interrupted her rambling. “I couldn’t imagine a better place for me and my bikes. Are you sure about this? I don’t ever want you to start resenting me for taking over your place here. You should stew it over longer before letting me move in.”
“Oh, my God, Denny. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner. You’ll be saving my butt if you live here. It’s perfect.” She grinned as he glanced around the apartment, appearing to take it in with new perspective.
When he turned his wooly face back to her, his smile was a mile wider than her own.
“Damn straight, darlin’. This may be the solution for both of us.”
“Hello?” someone called from outside the front door.
“Come in!” Treasure and Denny said at the same time.
Melanie poked her head inside. “Hey, there are my two favorite bikers.”
“Yeah, because we’re the only two bikers you know,” Treasure said.
Melanie laughed as she walked in and looked them over. “Don’t hold it against me, but you’re right. I’m sure if I knew more motorcycle enthusiasts, you’d still be my favorites.”
“Uh-huh,” Denny said, making a somewhat disbelieving noise from the bottom of his throat. He finished his beer and rose from the chair to throw the bottle into the trashcan.
“How are you?” Melanie sat down next to Treasure on the couch. “I would have called, but there’s no phone. And I brought healthy muffins. Don’t look at me like that. They’re delicious. Carrot cake, zucchini, pineapple with protein powder and flax.” She set a paper bag down next to Treasure’s empty mug.
“You don’t have to call. You’re welcome to drop in anytime.”
“Just like in high school. I always thought it was weird when your dad wouldn’t pay the phone bill and you’d have to go without for a month or two. I wouldn’t have survived without a phone.”
“It was one of the many benefits of living with Morton,” Treasure said.
“And s’mores and hot dogs in the fire pit out back because he didn’t have the money to pay the gas bill. I loved coming over. There was always something unexpected going on.”
Treasure loved Melanie’s way of seeing her childhood from a different perspective than most people. And Melanie meant what she said. It didn’t bother her Treasure grew up poor and ha
d a semi-functional single parent. Treasure equally loved spending time at Melanie’s house. Family dinners, a warm house, a real bed with a comforter and fluffy pillows, and cable television were luxuries to her.
“I smell a hen party startin’. Mind if I step into the garage and poke around at a few things, Treasure?”
“Make yourself at home.” She winked and Denny let himself out.
“Denny’s going to move in and I’m going back to Reno.”
“Really?” Melanie said.
“My life is finally starting to return to normal. Except for this ankle thing.” Treasure shifted her leg and lowered her foot from the pillow to the floor.
“And Bodie?”
“Haven’t talked to him.” She sucked in a deep breath. She’d been trying not to think about him, which meant she thought about him constantly. What was he doing? Was he still with Vanessa? Would he come see her? Did she want him to show up unannounced and kiss her till her head spun? She wanted him to be there in the hospital with her, but, then again, she understood Vanessa needed him, too. The confusion of their relationship was a lot like her ankle, unstable and achy. Questions soared through her mind. She quieted them, only to have them resurface and start fluttering around inside her head like a colony of agitated bats.
“Well, you weren’t reachable. Which is one of the reasons I stopped by. Let’s go get a new phone. I’ll drive.”
“You’re a lifesaver.” Treasure reached for her crutches. “I need to get out of here and do something. I hate being immobile.”
“And you need a phone to call Bodie,” Melanie added.
* * *
They returned to the shop with full stomachs and new cell phones. Melanie upgraded her phone and told Treasure she’d been meaning to do it for months anyway. Then they’d grabbed salads and flavored iced teas at one of Melanie’s favorite places to eat. Treasure had been skeptical as they walked into the Healthy Eats Café. The contemporary decor appeared bland and cold and she figured the food would be about the same. What she found was the exact opposite. The mandarin orange salad with toasted almonds, sesame crackers, and Asian dressing was to die for. Melanie’s berry inspired salad looked scrumptious. Before leaving, they made a date to return so they could try other items on the menu.
Melanie and Treasure greeted Denny, who was busy tinkering inside the garage and entered the apartment.
“Thanks, Mel,” Treasure said as she set the phone bag on the table.
“Anytime. And now you don’t have any excuse for not calling if you need me.”
“I won’t bug you anymore,” Treasure said. “Now, go home. I know you’re itching to spy on your hot neighbor.”
“Am not,” Melanie defended and giggled at the same time.
Melanie’s eyes shifted around the room and her cheeks bloomed a flaming shade of embarrassed pink. Treasure laughed. “I’d totally spy on him, too, if he’s as hot as you say.”
“The strange thing is, he cut his hair and looks so much like I remember him. And I haven’t seen Alana in days. It’s getting interesting.”
“I knew you were spying on him,” Treasure teased.
“I am not.” Melanie tried to deny it again. “He’s right next door. I can’t help but see Braden every now and then.”
“Go.” Treasure made a shooing gesture with her hand.
“Thanks for dinner,” Melanie said, placing her hand on the doorknob.
“Thanks for driving me around.”
“Call Bodie. I’m sure he’s waiting to hear from you.”
Treasure stared at the new phone in the bag and frowned. “Maybe,” she said, obvious discouragement in her tone.
“Maybe?”
Melanie and Treasure whipped around at the unexpected sound of a male voice.
“What are you doing here?” Treasure asked as Bodie slipped around Melanie and stepped into the apartment.
“I happened to be passing through town and thought I’d stop in for a beer. What are you doing?”
Treasure swallowed hard, licked her lips, and looked to Melanie for support. She hadn’t been expecting Bodie and felt off her guard. Why she needed her guard up was beyond her, but her walls were instantly in place. Melanie didn’t offer immediate help.
“Hey! Look who’s here. This is perfect. I need to head home and Treasure has someone else to look after her. Good night.” She smiled at Bodie, waved to Treasure, and hurried out the door. “Take good care of my girl,” she called back to Bodie.
“Don’t worry, I will.” He closed the door behind Melanie.
Treasure hopped over to the couch and sat down on the edge. She kept her eyes on the kitchen and bit her lower lip. She didn’t know what to say and the awkward silence grew.
The apartment door rattled back open and Treasure glanced up thinking Melanie must have forgotten something. Instead, Denny filled the doorframe. He poked his head in and peered at them.
“How’s it going, Bodie?”
“All right, I guess.” Bodie stepped further into the room and crossed muscled forearms over his chest.
“Cool. I’m closing up shop for the night and heading out. Thought I’d let you know I’ll be back tomorrow,” Denny said.
He glanced between them once more and Treasure couldn’t tell what spun beneath his shag of wooly red hair.
“I’ll check the tracking on the parts as soon as I can,” she offered.
“No rush. They’ll get here when they get here. I’ve got plenty to do in the meantime.”
“Thanks, Denny,” she said.
“Later,” he said. Then added, “Take care of our girl.”
“That’s why I’m here,” Bodie said.
What the hell? Why was everyone insisting she needed to be taken care of? Treasure hadn’t needed anyone to take care of her — ever. She spent her entire life doing everything for herself without help. Now, there were three, no, make it four, including Mrs. Pinelli, people hovering around her every minute of the day. Treasure prickled and bit back a snarky comment as she grabbed her new phone and started familiarizing herself with some of the new features. Her vow to change her behavior for the better sat like a lump in her gut. She silently added, Keep mouth shut when snarky comment about helpful friends wants to be voiced, to her mental list.
She heard the door close and sensed Bodie somewhere within her personal space.
“Treasure Hope, what’s with the cold shoulder?”
“What are you talking about?” What is wrong with me? She wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and feel the length of his body press against hers. Instead, she sounded like a heartless bitch. Changing her behavior could be more challenging than she realized.
“Damn it,” he cursed, and walked out.
Surprised, she looked up from her phone and saw him head outside. He left the door standing open, and she couldn’t guess what his abrupt actions meant. Should she go after him and tell him how confused she was? It’s what her heart wanted her to do, but her head continued to be a tangled mess upon her shoulders. The outer door swung back open and Bodie reappeared.
“Here.” He held out a dozen yellow roses. “I’m sorry I didn’t give them to you in the hospital.”
Taken by surprise again, she hesitated for a moment too long.
“Don’t tell me you won’t even accept flowers from me.” He stared down at her with a mix of exasperation and impatience. “In case you missed my sarcasm, I’m not in town for a beer, Treasure. I’m here to be with you.”
Tears welled in her eyes. She reached for the roses, but refused to meet his gaze. The tears bullied her and wanted to fall, but dammit, she wouldn’t let them win this round. She wasn’t Vanessa and she sure as hell wouldn’t let Bodie see them. He couldn’t handle it when women cried. The way he was sucked into Vanessa’s misery hadn’t escaped her notice. She wouldn’t play the same card, even if her tears were real.
Treasure started to rise from the couch to put the flowers in some water, but Bodie grabbed them from her.
“Let me do that.” He strolled across the room to the kitchen.
She cleared her throat. She didn’t want him to hear the trepidation in her voice. “There are no vases. Try a mason jar. They’re in the cabinet to the right of the sink.” Treasure rose from the couch and grabbed a crutch.
“I got it,” he said, peering quickly over his shoulder.
Hell. She’d jumped in a river, emerged on the other side, and it was hell. Letting people take care of her was almost worse than drowning. As Bodie filled a jar and placed the roses and baby’s breath in it, she took a minute to regroup and come up with what she wanted to say.
He brought the makeshift vase of the most gorgeous flowers anyone had ever given her to the coffee table and set them down.
“Can I sit with you, or are you still brooding?”
“I’m that obvious?”
“Yes. It’s hard for me to understand why. Is it because I didn’t stay with you in the hospital, or because of something else?”
A stuttering breath rattled through her before she answered. “I’m not used to people taking care of me.” She glanced over for the briefest of seconds, and continued to stare at the amazing roses. They were edged with carnelian and so stunning they could have been made of silk. Any further words stuck in her throat like cement.
Bodie eased in close and took her hand in his. The warmth of his palm traveled up her arm and eased the tension ever so slightly. Then he spoke. And like so many times before, he always seemed to know what she thought without having to say anything aloud.
“I’ll go first. It took me too long to come find you in the hospital. I’m sorry for the delay, but I sat with you for a couple of hours. I didn’t want to wake you up. I’m still gutted you left before I got a chance to talk to you, and do this.”
He turned to her on the couch. His hands cradled her face and then his mouth pressed to hers. Treasure closed her eyes as his lips brushed against hers. Once she accepted his kiss, he escalated the slow, tender caress to a seizing capture. He took her with his tongue and his teeth. The pulse of lust shot through her and rode her spine like dragon’s fire. The heat of it quickly nestled in her loins and purred. Would it always be this instant with Bodie? She wasn’t sure if she should fear the intensity or welcome it. Her hand glided over his hard chest and around to his strong back, and then it ended. Bodie removed his lips from hers and lowered his hands, leaving her wanting.
Chasing Treasure: Granite Lake Romance Page 17