Lake Magic

by Fisk, Kimberly

  If you’re the businesswoman you say you are, you’ll figure it out.

  Jared’s words came back to her. She hated to admit it, but he’d been right. All those calls she’d made had gone nowhere. She was just a voice on the phone. Why should anyone take her or her business seriously?

  Pulling off the jeans and sweater she’d just put on, she got out her one and only business suit. As she put it on, she noticed that it didn’t hang on her like it had a few weeks ago. She didn’t know why, but this pleased her. Somehow, the gaining of a few pounds made her feel as if she was getting back to her old self. To brighten the black outfit, she put a pink shell underneath then hurried down to her office. There, she found the files and spreadsheets she had been working on. She placed them in Steven’s old briefcase, then started for the door, only to realize she needed to make one important call before leaving.

  Picking up the phone, she dialed her parents’ number. When her mom answered, Jenny said, “Thank you so much for the offer, Mom, but no thanks. I know what I need to do. And please tell Dad thanks, too.” She hung up filled with a new determination.

  But twenty minutes later as she pulled into the underground parking garage, she wasn’t feeling nearly as confident. Her stomach ached, and perspiration dampened her underarms. The large glass and steel building that housed North American Timber, LLC, was imposing to say the least. Scanning the directory, she found the name she was looking for. She took the elevator to the twenty-fifth floor.

  After much persuasion and nearly an hour wait, she was escorted in to see the president and CEO, Mr. Kragen. She was tired of trying to get in through the bottom end. This time, straight to the top. She was so nervous she barely took in her surroundings except to note the large desk and bank of floor-to-ceiling windows.

  “I have only ten minutes, Ms. Beckinsale.” Mr. Kragen said after his secretary had led Jenny into his office. “Please don’t waste my time.”

  Sweat trickled down her back, and what little courage she had all but deserted her. She wanted nothing more than to get up and run, but the thought of another failure kept her firmly in place. “I would like to discuss your air travel needs.”

  “We already have a service.”

  “Yes,” Jenny began, taking one of the seats in front of him. “But I believe Blue Sky Air could serve your needs more efficiently.”

  The older man leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over the front of his opened suit jacket. “And how is that?”

  “I am aware that you and several of your executives commute to British Columbia three times a week.”

  “Correct.”

  “Unlike the current charter you are using, Blue Sky has a more scenic route. We circle over Snoqualmie Falls and go up the Cascades.”

  Mr. Kragen unlocked his hands and sat forward. “If we wanted scenic, Ms. Beckinsale, we’d go on a vacation.”

  Jenny felt herself floundering. She could feel his growing impatience and knew he was moments away from asking her to leave. Once more, failure seemed imminent. Then she saw Jared’s face and heard his words.

  You’re a businesswoman, figure it out.

  This time, his tone wasn’t biting but encouraging. As if he was challenging her to stretch her wings and find her way. “You’re exactly right, Mr. Kragen. I jumped the gun by starting to explain a few of our vacation packages. Our company would like to offer one to you free of charge so you can experience all Blue Sky Air has to offer. But first, let me tell you how we can be of benefit to your business.”

  “Go on.”

  Those two little words gave her more courage than she thought possible. “As we are both aware, the current charter business you use is in the heart of downtown Seattle.”

  “A fact we find very convenient.”

  Her confidence took a little nosedive. “Convenient, yes. Except during weekdays and rush hour traffic. Exactly the same time you are commuting. And as we both know, the congestion on I-5 causes major delays. I’m sure you have experienced them.”

  “More often than I like.”

  She shifted her weight in the chair. “That is the reason I believe Blue Sky would be a more convenient choice for your company, as we are located off of I-90. You would be traveling opposite of congestion. Also, if my research is correct, and I believe it is, two of your corporate officers live closer to Blue Sky Air than the current company you are using.”

  Mr. Kragen braced his elbows on the desk. “You have done your homework, Ms. Beckinsale. I’m impressed. But while you have made some valid points, we have had a long and successful relationship with Emerald City Charters. We will be continuing to use their services.”

  The familiar heavy weight of failure pressed down on her. Mr. Kragen scooted his chair back, and she knew it would only be mere moments before he dismissed her. Business is about the bottom line. Period. “Wait.” Her voice seemed loud in the room. “Please.”

  “Ms. Beckinsale—”

  She didn’t stop. “With the current rise in fuel costs, I am also aware that Emerald City Charters is charging your company a fuel surcharge. Our company has no such surcharge in effect. Additionally, to prove to you our heartfelt belief that Blue Sky Air is the only charter company that can fully and most conveniently meet your needs, we are prepared to offer you a twenty percent discount for three months. If, after that time, you feel your needs are not being met, we would expect you to return to Emerald City Charters.” She smiled. “But I do not foresee that happening.”

  Thirty minutes later, with a signed contract in her hand, Jenny walked out of North American Timber. It wasn’t until she got into her car that she let out a loud yell. She couldn’t believe it. She had landed the biggest account Blue Sky had ever dreamed of having. Three guaranteed charters a week to Canada.

  Getting her cell phone out, she punched in the first number that came to her.

  On the second ring, Jared answered.

  When Jenny pulled into her driveway that evening, the glow of a campfire down on the beach immediately caught her attention. Her foot came off the gas, and the vehicle slowed to a crawl. There was only one person who would have a fire on her beach at this time of night. The same person who had held her in his arms last night and had caused her to burn with a need so hot and sharp her stomach clenched into a tight knot every time she thought about it. Which she’d tried not to do all day. And it had worked . . . some of the time . . . hardly any of the time. Silhouetted in the darkness and backlit by the fire, she saw Jared’s achingly familiar profile.

  Her breath came out all at once in a whoosh. Sooner or later, she knew she would have to face him. Last night she’d fled like some sixteen-year-old virgin who’d been felt up for the first time. She owed him an explanation. She only hoped she’d be able to give him one that didn’t reveal too much.

  Gravel crunched under her tires as she eased the vehicle into her normal parking spot and set the emergency brake. She gathered her purse and briefcase, then opened the door and slid down the seat.

  Jared stood a few feet away from her.

  She drew in a breath, and her heart bumped against the inside of her chest. The hangar’s outdoor lights were on, and he looked so good she held on to the door handle for support. Gone was the tuxedo and, instead, he was back in Levi’s, a soft cotton shirt, and his leather jacket stretched wide across his shoulders. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” He closed the small distance between them. “Here, let me take that.” He reached out and took the briefcase from her hand. His fingers brushed across her skin, and all her hard work to forget the memory of their kiss vanished in that one touch. “You’re home late.”

  “I . . . I got stuck in town.”

  He was so close she had to look up to see him.

  “Collecting cars?” He gestured behind her to the used black SUV she’d driven home.

  She smiled at him tentatively, grateful for his patience. She knew he wanted answers, and yet he was thinking of her first, letting her find her way. “No.
It’s Blue Sky’s newest and only vehicle. I traded in the Corvette.” Just saying the words made her ache but not as badly as she had imagined. It had been time to let go of the Corvette. It was time to let go of a lot of things from her past.

  “You’ve had a busy day.”

  “There’s a lot I would like to tell you.” She glanced at the fire, then back at Jared. “Give me a second to change and then meet you at the fire?”

  “Sounds good.”

  She hurried into the house and up to her room. Quickly, she changed out of her suit and pulled on a white T-shirt, a soft pink zip-up hooded sweatshirt that said BUM across the front, and a pair of matching sweatpants. She slipped her feet into white Nikes.

  Then she went back outside. The bright hangar lights were off. It was then that she realized Jared had left them on for her, to make sure she didn’t stumble through the dark when she got home. She felt something warm squeeze her heart. It had been a long time since someone had done something so simple but thoughtful for her.

  A full moon, stars, and crackling fire provided the only light she needed. As she walked through the sand, she found the hushed darkness inviting. “Thank you,” she said as she eased down into the chair next to him. There were three other chairs around the fire pit, but she didn’t take the easy way out and sit across from him. She owed him that much at least for her behavior last night.

  “For what?”

  “For leaving the lights on.” And for being so patient with me. The fire crackled and popped, and the yellow and orange glow danced across his face, highlighting his dark hair and drawing her gaze to his eyes.

  “Thank you for the call.”

  “I’m sorry I sounded so giddy. I just couldn’t believe I landed the account. And when I grabbed for my cell, I punched in the first number that came to my mind.” She looked across at him, and this time, she wished the night wasn’t so dark and the light so dim, because she wanted to be able to read his expression.

  “I was your first call?”

  “Yes.”

  He stared at the logs on the fire. “I’m flattered. More than flattered.” His voice was deep with a husky sincerity she hadn’t heard before. He turned and smiled at her. “I’ve never been anyone’s first before.”

  She laughed softly. “I doubt that. But if it’s true, I’ve had enough for the both of us.”

  “Care to tell me one?”

  She swallowed hard. There were a hundred firsts in her life she could tell him about, but she chose the only one that mattered at this moment. “Last night was the first time I let a guy get to third base and then panicked and ran away.”

  “Technically, I only got to second base.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He turned and faced her. “Yeah, pretty damn.”

  She remembered his mouth on her, the heat of his hands as he slipped his fingers under her panties. She was pretty positive that was third base, but she wasn’t about to argue. “Still a first.”

  Jared stood and stirred the logs on the fire. Fresh flames jumped and licked the sky. “Not quite the reaction I was expecting.”

  “Not the one I expected either.”

  He poked at the burning logs once more before sitting back down next to her. “Care to tell me what went wrong?”

  A small breeze blew the smoke toward the left of her, away from them. She looked up into the ebony darkness and star-filled sky but then realized that those things made her think even more of Jared. Desire twisted her up inside, and she fought to find a truth. Or at least a partial one. She could never reveal the full reason she’d behaved the way she had last night. “I didn’t mean to lead you on, if that’s what you are thinking.”

  “Frankly, I haven’t known what the hell to think.”

  “I . . .” She turned in the chair, and the metal bar bit into the backs of her legs. “Steven hasn’t even been gone a year. I guess I’m not ready for anything beyond a working relationship. I hope—”

  “You don’t have to say any more.”

  “But—”

  “I mean it, Jenny.” He looked at her and braced his elbows on his knees. “I get it.”

  A silence fell between them. The fire crackled and popped. The waves rolled in against the shore. And for some reason she couldn’t explain, Jared’s abruptness bothered her more than she cared to admit. “What do you think of the Suburban?” she asked, struggling to find safe ground.

  “A better business choice than the Corvette. But it must have been difficult to let go of something that had belonged to Steven.”

  “Very,” was all she could say. Trading in the car had been nearly impossible. But as hard as it had been, it had been the right choice. A sound business decision, just like Jared had said, and one she should have made months ago. “Here.” She dug in the pocket of her sweatshirt and pulled out the spare set of keys she’d tucked in there before leaving the house. “So you don’t have to keep borrowing Zeke’s truck for all those trips to the lumberyard.”

  He palmed the keys, seeming to weigh them in his hand. “You knew about that?”

  “How could I not?” She made a sweeping gesture around the place. “I’ve never properly thanked you for all the work you’ve done here. The place hasn’t looked so good since . . .” She laughed. “Well since I don’t know when.” She crossed her ankles. “You want to hear the best part?”

  He tucked the keys in the front pocket of his Levi’s. “Definitely.”

  “With the amount I owed on the Corvette and the price of the Suburban, it was a straight trade. No car payment. God, that feels good.”

  “As good as the account you landed?”

  “Hell no.” She laughed again, and so did he.

  “Do you want to tell me about it?”

  “You mean you’re not sick of hearing about it? After I practically screamed the details in your ear?”

  Jared made a joke of putting his finger in his ear and vibrating it back and forth, like he’d gone partially deaf.

  “The details were a little fuzzy. But the high-pitched screams came through loud and clear.”

  “Sorry.”

  “I’m not. Now tell me.”

  And she did. She told him everything. About how nervous she was, how long she had to wait, and about how she almost blew it. “You’re a huge part of the reason for today’s success,” she said after a slight pause. “I kept thinking about things you’ve said to me. How it’s all about the bottom line and to think like a businessperson.”

  “This success is yours, not mine. You should be incredibly proud of yourself.”

  “Thank you.” But even as she said it, she knew. He was a part of this success. A vital part. For years, Steven had been her soft place to fall, but what she hadn’t seen until now was that sometimes all that softness made you so content, you didn’t feel the need to get up. She wasn’t blaming Steven. Not at all. He was everything she’d wanted him to be, but Jared was . . . different. He was strong and solid, and she had no doubt he would catch her, but he’d also prop her right back up on her feet and force her to walk alongside him. “Do you want to hear what I have planned for tomorrow?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “A meeting with International Trust and Loan. Besides several other places in the world, they have banking head-quarters based in Seattle and Canada.”

  “Planning to steal all the competitor’s clients?”

  “Absolutely,” she said, repeating him.

  He smiled and threaded his fingers across his stomach. “Good for you.”

  She fidgeted in her seat and looked back up into the inky dark sky. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Anything.”

  She wanted to ask him if he had thought about last night as much as she had. But instead, she said, “Any advice for my meeting tomorrow?”

  He grew still. “You want my opinion?”

  “Yes.”

  He seemed genuinely flattered by her request. “During negotiations, first offer the no fuel su
rcharge. If they don’t bite, then start with a ten percent discount and negotiate from there.”

  “So, in other words, don’t jump out of the gate at twenty percent?”

  “Not if you can help it.”

  She nodded, knowing he was right. She shoved her hands into the front pockets of her jacket. “If International Trust and Loan comes on board, too, I know my bank will give me the loan to repay you. You’ll be able to get back to your squadron in no time.” No matter how hard she braced herself, the words still cut.

  He hesitated. “I’m no longer in the military. I resigned my commission.”

  Her gaze swiveled to his as shock hit her. “When?” “Before I got here.”

  She tried to take it all in. “You’re no longer a fighter pilot.”

  “No.”

  “Why?” And why did you wait until now to tell me?

  He kicked at a burning log. “Because everything comes to an end.”

  It was a cop-out answer, and they both knew it. But she didn’t ask him any more questions. She couldn’t. Only one thought kept whirling through her mind: he was done with flying jets. What did that mean for her? For them?

  Did it mean nothing, or did it mean everything? When Jared steered the conversation back around to the business, Jenny let him. There was so much she wanted to say, to ask him, but she knew tonight wasn’t the night. Her emotions were a tangled mess, and she needed time to sort through them. Tomorrow would be soon enough.

  As they sat by the campfire talking, she not only lost track of time, but she lost herself in a discussion about the business. Jared was a master at drawing out her ideas. He listened to everything she had to say with the same attentiveness and intensity he had last night. And just like last night, she found it intoxicating. Their discussion turned lively, a mutual sharing of ideas and thoughts. He complimented her on the redesigned website. He suggested they update the website to reflect North American Timber’s scheduled charters. He went on to explain that since Blue Sky would only be flying two or three executives up at one time, and the plane had room for more passengers, they’d be able to increase their profits without expending additional capital. She wanted to highlight several vacation packages; he thought one would be good. They settled on two to start with: one in British Columbia and one in the San Juans. She also thought they should offer weekend and holiday scenic tours, especially during the whale migration. He agreed. She became immersed in listening to him, and if the look in his eyes was any indication, he was just as absorbed by her thoughts.