Just Plain Lucky

by Tesa Devlyn

  The girls returned and cut off their conversation. Liana had a strong attraction for Michael, but if she acted on it, Frank might become more volatile. Pushed too far, he’d use his trump card and tell Brittany the divorce was due to Liana’s affair. The one she didn’t technically have, but that didn’t matter to Frank.

  “Okay, I like the flooring and the pendant lights. Let’s move on to the next house. It’s in Kalispell, not far from the airport.”

  The next house was occupied so they couldn’t see the inside, but the outside showed the same high quality workmanship of the one in Whitefish.

  “Thanks for tagging along, guys.” Liana stashed the notebook in her purse and fastened her seat belt. “It’s Sunday night. Back to school and work tomorrow.”

  “Speak for yourself.” Shari stretched her legs and yawned. “If Richard has a job tomorrow, I’ll watch some soaps and eat bonbons.”

  “Yeah, right.” Liana chuckled. “You’ve never been idle in your life. The title company will call you back to work any day.”

  “Be real, Li. The real estate market’s still stagnant. You’re one of the handful of agents who are busy right now.”

  “Yes, but this trail of referrals will run out and I’ll struggle like so many others.”

  “You could start your design business.”

  Liana twisted in her seat to face Shari. “In this market? How many people can afford a designer?”

  “It’s a great idea, Mom!” Brittany glanced from the corner of her eye, her attention on the road. “You’ve wanted to get back into interior design since I can remember.”

  “Yes, she has, Brittany, and don’t let her forget it.” Shari reached forward and patted Brittany’s shoulder. “She never should have left the firm in San Diego, but Frank had to further his career.”

  Liana cringed. Would Shari never let up?

  Brittany pulled into the Collin’s driveway. Liana got out and hugged Shari. “Thank you for lunch and for being there. I didn’t meant to snap at you, but I can’t start my business right now. I need to find more clients and become better established.”

  “Hey, just think about it, all right? I’d never lead you down the wrong path.” Shari looped her arm through Meagan’s. “Ciao!”

  Liana climbed back into the SUV and fastened her seat belt. “Homeward, James.”

  “Funny, Mom!” Brittany guided the vehicle out of Shari’s driveway. “I really like Mr. Saxon. He talks directly to me instead of pretending to make you happy.”

  “Yes, he’s very nice, and very talented. I’ll call him tonight about the bid on the remodel.”

  “Cool! Can he remodel my bedroom too?”

  Liana chuckled. “We’ll see after the living room’s finished. Thanksgiving will be here before we know it and Grandma would faint if she saw the hole in our house.”

  “So would Grandpa!”

  Liana looked at the passing scenery. “I’m not sure Grandpa’s coming. I haven’t heard.”

  Brittany sighed in dramatic fashion. “I hope he does. I really miss both of them. It’s so stupid when people get divorced.”

  “I know, honey. It’s not fun for anyone.”

  “Why did Grandpa and Grandma split up? I mean, what’s the point when you’re that old?”

  Liana chuckled. “They weren’t this old when they divorced. I was twelve when they split up. Grandpa was gone most of the time with his Naval Career, and Grandma was lonely. She got tired of waiting for him and snapped.”

  She snapped when she learned he’d had an affair. Poor Mom. She’d had a rough life, practically raising Liana and her two older brothers on her own. Liana had barely spoken to her father since she found out what caused their divorce.

  Brittany pulled into the driveway and cut the engine.

  They hurried into the house and rubbed their arms against the chilly air. Liana immediately crumpled paper to revive the fire in the fireplace.

  How long before she had to tell Brittany the details of her parent’s breakup and hers?

  Their problems had shaped some of her ideas about relationships. Her father’s choices had scared her away from committing to Jack.

  Jack’s excitement over his Naval Air career might have swayed if he knew a baby was on the way, or he might have forged on and left her to raise their daughter while he traveled all over the world. She didn’t have the courage to risk her heart, so she didn’t tell Jack about her pregnancy and he died in the training mission without knowing about Brittany.

  The familiar ache pinged her heart. She clutched her hair with both hands. It did no good to bring it all back; cry over what might have been. She had a daughter to raise, their daughter. She also had Frank to placate.

  She picked up her phone. Michael might solve her house problem and at the same time bring things into perspective. She’d come back to earth and realize he might be the most handsome man she’d ever met, but he didn’t reciprocate her attraction.

  Her call went straight to voice mail. Was he with Meredith?

  Forcing herself to stay calm and detached, she left him a message and stared into the fire. The seconds ticked by. Who was she kidding? She had to see more of Michael Saxon.

  ****

  Monday morning, Liana drove to work determined to catch up on the stack of paperwork she’d made no progress with on Saturday. Today held a completely different distraction: Michael and the restless night she’d spent dreaming about him.

  Michael Saxon, who hadn’t returned her call.

  The minute she sat at her desk, her clients the Cummings’s, called to request she meet with them for lunch at their rented condo in Whitefish. If all went well, they’d make an offer on a house on Whitefish Lake. If the sale closed in thirty days, she’d have an advance for a contractor. Courtney Cummings also expressed an interest in a condo at Big Mountain Resort. Two sales to the same clients would bring some financial relief.

  With lunch traffic to contend with, she left her office at eleven. Bundled in her long wool coat, she slipped and slid across the ice coated parking lot. Her Italian fashion boots weren’t cut out for winter weather. She’d been so upset with Frank yesterday, she’d forgotten to buy sensible winter boots.

  The hybrid SUV quickly warmed. She pushed out of her coat and set in on the heated passenger seat. If she hit the traffic just right, she’d stop to buy a bottle of Courtney’s favorite wine to accompany lunch.

  Her mind on the negotiations, she drove toward the gourmet shop. Three cars ahead, the traffic light turned red.

  “Damn!”

  She glanced in the rearview mirror and calculated the risk of making a sharp left turn into a side street. A car pulled up snug behind her. Too late now. Drat it, she’d be late if she took the time to get the wine.

  Her phone rang. Liana fished it out of her oversized bag. Maybe the Cummings wanted to postpone the meeting. “Hello?”

  “Liana, it’s Frank.”

  “Frank, I’m in traffic at the moment, and running late for an appointment.” At least she would be if she got tangled up in a conversation with him and had to pull over.

  “I’ll get to the point. I want Brittany to spend a long weekend here. Right away.”

  Her stomach roiled. “Frank, you’ve already hammered Brittany about Thanksgiving, which, as you well know, is my favorite holiday.”

  “If you lived in San Francisco, it wouldn’t be an issue.”

  “No, there’d be plenty of other issues to deal with. We agreed she’ll spend Christmas with you. I’ll book our flights right away.”

  “Our flights? You’re coming with her?”

  “Only to meet you before I catch a connecting flight to San Diego.”

  “Liana, this separation isn’t working.”

  “Separation from me or Brittany?” She drummed her fingertips on the steering wheel. The large pickup ahead of her inched forward. So did she.

  The large, black pickup.

  Her heart fluttered. She caught the driver’s reflectio
n in the side mirror. Square jaw peppered with dark whiskers, full bottom lip and a slightly crooked nose, shadowed by a dark cowboy hat.

  Michael.

  Her breath caught as he placed a travel mug to his mouth and took a drink. That mouth. Oh my, she’d thought of little else since she met him.

  Transfixed, she ran her gaze over his broad shoulders and the glimpse of black hair brushing his collar just below the brim of his hat. From memory she pictured his eyes. Deep amber. Intense. Passionate.

  “Liana, are you there?” Frank’s irritated tone jerked her out of her fixation.

  The light changed and the line of traffic flowed through the intersection. Liana stayed on his trail and thought back to their meeting yesterday in Whitefish. He’d looked so good in Wranglers and a white shirt, and he’d been so sweet to Shari and the girls.

  “Liana!”

  “I’m here, Frank. For heaven’s sake, I told you this isn’t a good time.”

  Brake lights flashed. Liana hit her brakes—a second too late.

  The front end of her SUV connected with Michael’s tailgate.

  Mortification vanquished lust.

  “Damn!”

  “What is it? What happened? Is Brittany with you?” Frank’s tone jangled across her nerves like a saw over metal.

  “Frank, this is why I don’t like to discuss things while I’m driving. I just bumped into someone so I have to go. I’ll call you later.” She disconnected the call in the middle of Frank’s objections.

  The driver’s door of the pickup flew open. Michael’s long legs, covered in soft washed blue jeans, swung out of the truck followed by the rest of his gorgeous body. Liana rested her head against the seat and resigned herself to a lecture.

  His delicious mouth was set, his jaw tense, and just as she thought she could handle an angry man, he tipped his hat back and furious amber eyes met hers. Nothing like his smoldering expression when their fingers touched as he handed her the napkin with the addresses of the houses he’d contracted.

  Before she could vacate her vehicle, he stood at her door, his arms crossed over his broad chest, one hip angled as if braced for an attack. Well, she’d like to attack him, but not from anger. She hit the button to roll down the window.

  “If you wanted my attention, you could have called instead of whoever you had on the phone when you hit me.”

  Liana opened her door and slid from the seat. She brushed past him to survey the front of her vehicle. Luckily, both rigs were built tough, and she hadn’t been going very fast.

  “Yes, well, I generally don’t use the phone while driving, and I did call you last night.” Liana glanced back at Michael.

  He was not happy with her.

  She pulled her cell phone from the clip on her belt and glanced at the screen. Eleven-twenty. “Hey, I’m sorry I hit your truck. I’ll give you my insurance information, and we’ll be on our way. I’ll call you after my appointment.”

  A city police officer pulled up, his lights flashing.

  Michael followed her back to her car door. “Are you always distracted behind the wheel?”

  Her proof of her insurance in hand, Liana slid back out. “Excuse me?”

  He propped his hands on his hips. “You just rear ended my truck.”

  Liana had been prepared to accommodate him in every way possible. Well, yes maybe too much, but now sex was the farthest thing from her mind and so was being nice!

  “Morning folks, everybody okay?” The officer approached them and glanced back and forth, no doubt aware of the sparks between them.

  “I’m just dandy, officer.” Michael lifted the chin Liana had admired before the accident. His eyes narrowed. “I’ll be late for a job bid and probably lose it. Other than that and a repair bill, I’m a-okay.”

  Liana’s jaw dropped. The nerve of him! Never mind her part in the accident. Did he have to be so callous? So rude? Nothing worse than a hot looking guy who turned out to be a smart-ass jerk.

  Liana propped her hands on her hips. A gust of cold wind blew through her linen slacks. She fought against a shiver, but lost.

  “Officer, I’ll take responsibility. I hit this man’s truck and I’ll be happy to give him my insurance information so he can be on his way.”

  “Well,” the officer drawled and tugged up his uniform pants, “there is the matter of inattentive driving.”

  Liana’s mouth gaped. “I will take care of Mr. Saxon’s truck.”

  “The law is the law, little lady.” The officer puffed out his chest, more than Liana would have thought possible.

  “I don’t believe this!” She folded her arms and rubbed them against the chill. Her cashmere sweater didn’t protect her against the early winter weather.

  Michael shook his head and slipped by her to reach into the SUV. He grabbed her coat and placed it on her shoulders. “Here, you’re freezing.” His tone had marginally softened.

  She could understand his distress over the inconvenience of having a damaged truck, but really!

  “Officer, I don’t want to press charges against Ms. Campbell. She’ll cover my expenses and that’s all I ask. Can we go now?”

  The officer ran his tongue around in his mouth and pushed it against one cheek. “I suppose if you’re satisfied Ms. Campbell will compensate you, we’ll wrap this up with a warning ticket. Ma’am, I want you to pay attention while driving.”

  “Yes, Officer. I’ll be more careful. Thank you for not adding a ticket to my other considerable expenses.”

  The officer ripped the ticket off the pad he’d scribbled on and handed it to Liana. “I want to see this truck when it’s repaired, Mr. Saxon. Bring the paid in full receipt from Ms. Campbell’s insurance company. If all is in order, we’ll drop the matter.”

  Michael thanked the officer and waited for him to climb into his patrol car before he turned to Liana. “Hell of a way to meet up again.”

  Liana’s heart refused to behave no matter how irritated she’d been with him moments ago. “I called you last night to discuss the remodel. Didn’t you get my voice mail?”

  He stepped closer and blocked the sharp wind. His spicy scent mingled with fresh cut wood swept around her and reawakened the excitement she experienced every time they were close.

  Her love life had been far from perfect. She’d spent ten unhappy years in a loveless marriage with Brittany her only bright star. She’d given up on ever meeting a man who could fulfill her expectations of a relationship.

  “No, I didn’t get it.” He glanced at his phone and frowned. “I do have a voice mail. Sorry, I was probably busy fielding Meredith’s nonsense. By the way, I placed the ad for Lucky this morning. I hope no one responds because Leif wants to keep her.”

  He slipped his phone back in the holster at his hip and placed his hand on the roof of her car. She couldn’t tear her gaze from his. Deep amber eyes fringed with dark lashes assessed her and gave her a glimpse of the man inside.

  He scrubbed at his face with his free hand. “Look. I’m sorry I yelled at you. I haven’t slept well for two nights. When you hit me, I lost it.”

  “I’m sorry I hit you. You’re not the only one with stress. Would it be possible to connect on the remodel later today? I saw the house in Whitefish and I really like your work.”

  “You saw the inside?”

  “Yes, I’m a realtor and I called the listing agent for the lock box code.”

  Michael slowly nodded, appreciation in his eyes. “How about over dinner?”

  A car stopped behind them. Michael waved it around, but the driver wasn’t happy at the moments delay. He shook his head and emphatically pointed his index finger.

  “Uh, I have to meet with clients in Whitefish right away. I’ll file a claim with my insurance agent when I return to the office.”

  She didn’t want to leave him, but they were in a bad spot on the street. The lunch rush had started and soon there’d be oodles of traffic.

  He wrung at the back of his neck with one hand. “Is
that a no to dinner?”

  The image of a crackling fire, a glass of wine and Michael, flashed through her mind. “Not if it includes our children.” She didn’t trust herself alone with him.

  “Not a problem. I’ll bring Leif.”

  Liana tingled from head to toe. Michael had experienced two weird encounters with her and still wanted to spend time together. He didn’t mind having the teens with them. As a single parent, he was the answer to a prayer and it scared her.

  “Six o’clock okay?” She just hoped she wasn’t rushing into disaster.

  ****

  Michael stepped out of the shower and toweled his hair.

  Damn. If he meant to impress Liana, chewing her out wasn’t the way to go. She made him crazy with an awareness he hadn’t felt in—he didn’t remember when. He wanted to hold her. Kiss her. Hell, she threatened his resolve not to get intimately involved with a woman until Leif was out of the house. To complicate things, she clearly had ex-husband issues. Did he really want to disrupt the peace he’d found for him and his son?

  Michael pulled on a pair of jeans and a new chamois shirt before he headed toward the kitchen for a cold beer. The clatter of Lucky’s toenails on the wood floor signaled the pooch was on his heels. Michael patted the dog’s head. “You are a lucky dog, and if I’m not careful, I might be too.”

  He sucked in a deep breath. Liana Campbell had to be the most complex and sexy woman he’d ever met.

  “Dad, do I have to go with you?” Leif ambled out of his room, his hair standing on end, his mouth drawn down on one side.

  “Wouldn’t you rather go than stay home alone? I thought you liked Brittany Campbell.”

  “Her last name’s Nash, Dad. Yeah, she’s all right.”

  Michael frowned. “Her mom’s last name is Campbell. I just figured they’d be the same.”

  Leif raised a brow in a very adult way. “A lot of women keep their original name. Until Mom moved to California, I hoped she would. My friends razzed me every time her name popped up in the police blotter for DUI.”