by Quinn, Taryn
“I thought we weren’t friends.”
He had me there. I took another sip of my coffee. “True. Never mind.”
He popped the top off his to-go cup and took a longer swallow.
“You’re going to burn your throat.”
“Will you soothe it for me? I know a few good ways.”
“You’re a pig.”
“No, a pig would say I have a way to soothe your throat.”
I resisted the urge to smile. I didn’t want to be charmed. I’d already been charmed enough to get naked with him for a whole night. Actually, there hadn’t been much need for charm. I’d been completely enamored with him from the first moment he’d bet me in a game of darts.
God, we hadn’t even actually played. Well, I’d played with something, but it had been a bit more substantial.
And how.
I blew out a breath. “Did you really quit? From everything I’ve heard, you love NASCAR.”
He shrugged. “Checking up on me?”
“No. Just conversations with my brother-in-law.” Lies. I spoke to Dare approximately the same amount of words I’d shared with Gage. However, not for the same reasons. Dare just wasn’t a chatty guy. My sister spoke more than enough for the both of them.
“Now I know you’re lying. Dare doesn’t speak.”
Was he reading my mind? Luckily, I didn’t have to answer. A pixie-sized woman with rainbow hair came up to our table with our food. “Hey, Ry.”
“Hi, Vee.”
She set a bowl with an attached basket in front of me. My perfectly crispy and gooey grilled cheese was tucked in among the bat print wax paper and a few bagel chips. My mouth watered. No wonder my pants were getting tight.
“Veronica, this is Gage. Dare’s brother.”
“Oh.” Vee tipped her head to the side. “I don’t see the resemblance.”
She wasn’t wrong. Dare was a little stockier than Gage. My lunch date—companion—was long and lean with dark eyes and dark blond hair that would probably be curly if he let it grow out.
And I was looking at him far too closely.
Gage popped one of the bagel chips in his mouth with a grin. “And Dare is glad every damn day.”
“Well, nice to meet ya. Enjoy the food. Give a holler if you need anything.” She gave him a little wave and did the look beneath her lashes thing and I wanted to toss a chip at her head.
“Thanks.” Oddly, his gaze didn’t move from me. And I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
I looked away from his way too intense stare and dunked a bagel chip into my tomato bisque. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like there’s some joke and I’m not in on it.”
“Only joke is you checked up on me and don’t want to own up to it.”
“Are we still talking about that?” I gave him a bored look.
He picked up his sandwich with a half grin. “No. I don’t need any more details. Just knowing is enough.”
“You’re an ass.”
“I’ve been called worse.” He made a low hum and dunked his grilled cheese in the soup.
“I swear I’ve gained ten pounds just living over this place.”
His eyebrows shot up. “So, you moved here too? Not just work?”
“Yep. I’ve got my own place in the apartments above.” And I was proud of it. It was a small place, barely big enough for me and all my junk. But it was mine, and I paid for it out of my savings and pittance of a paycheck.
Thankfully, I had quite a bit in savings. Living at home for most of my life had some perks. My parents were more worried about me having a savings account than making me pay rent to them.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing it.”
“I bet you wouldn’t. We aren’t going there, Gage.”
“You’re the one with the dirty mind.”
“Right.”
“What’s the harm? I mean, we know we’re good together.”
“We’re not just two strangers anymore. We’re family. And God, that’s gross, but you know what I mean. We have to see each other for Christmas and Thanksgiving and every other holiday that includes food.”
“What’s that got to do with us revisiting our very hot, very compatible relationship?”
I took an exorbitantly long time to chew my next bite. Because he wasn’t wrong. We were blazing hot together during that one night. But that was all it was, one night. It wasn’t anything to base a relationship on. Or a repeat performance.
“That busy brain is working overtime again, Ry. I remember you being much more impulsive.”
“Yes, well, that was when I didn’t know who you were.” And also, when I happened to be a little inebriated.
“So, the driver thing is a problem?”
“No.” I put my corner of crusty goodness down. “Besides, you’re not a driver anymore you just said.”
“Right. So, the unemployed thing is a problem?”
“Do not be obtuse. You know it’s because of our siblings being…oh, I don’t know, married. We are a crash and burn and you know it. You probably haven’t had a girlfriend that lasted more than a weekend since you started your career. And based on some of the articles I’ve read, I have some proof of it.”
“First of all, you really did read up on me. Secondly, those click-bait articles are just that. Bait. I haven’t been with half of the women they say I’ve been with.”
“And yet there’s still half of that number and it’s a big freaking number.”
“You didn’t know jack about me when we met and it didn’t matter.”
“It didn’t matter because it was one and done, remember?”
“So, we’ll go for a fifth round. I believe it was four that night.”
“I’m not interested in going for another round.”
“You wouldn’t be this heated up about it if you weren’t.”
I snapped my jaw shut. He had a point. And okay, so a teeny part of me would love to drag him upstairs and find out if he could still do that thing with his fingers and tongue at the same time. But that teeny part wasn’t worth the fallout.
Because a guy like Gage was exactly who Good Time Rylee would get wound up about. He was fine to have fun with, but once the fun was over, he would be gone. So far gone.
“You’re just bored.” I stood up with my cup. “And I’m not going to be the girl you waste time with while you figure out what you want.”
He sat up straighter. “Rylee, wait—”
I shoved my chair in. “My break is over. Thanks for lunch.” I weaved my way through the tables to the edge of the half wall that blocked off the café from the sidewalk.
He didn’t follow me, just as I’d known he wouldn’t.
Because guys like him were all the same.
Five
I picked at my sandwich for a few more minutes. What had once tasted like buttery perfection now was more like sawdust.
I kicked at the chair across from me.
“You’re a dipshit.”
I looked up and groaned. “How much of that did you hear?”
“Enough.” Dare pulled out the chair Rylee had been sitting on and twirled it around so he could straddle it. “But that’s only one of your bonehead moves this week. Or this month.”
I tipped my head back. “So, I guess you heard.”
Dare looked down at the bowl in front of him. “Did she even eat any of this?”
“Nope.”
Dare shrugged and picked up the spoon. “Shame to waste it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Who told you?”
Dare popped a bagel chip into his mouth before tucking into the soup. “Mom.”
“I told her not to say anything.”
Dare gave me a look. “Uh-huh.”
I picked up my sandwich again. At least it would fill the hole in my gut. I’d driven straight up from the city. “I was trying to surprise her with a visit.”
“Oh, you’ll do that, all right.”
<
br /> “I’m not stupid, Dare.”
He just grunted.
“I have offers for other teams.”
“Obviously, they’re just offers if you’re up here instead of figuring out a new car.”
“I deserve some time off.”
“Don’t pout. I didn’t say shit.”
He didn’t have to.
Besides, I’d said all of it to myself as I was driving cross-country. Only one of the reasons I couldn’t stand my own company anymore.
We ate in silence for a few minutes.
“Don’t mess with Ry.”
I set my spoon down. “Are you warning me off her?”
“Yep.”
“Little late for that.”
Dare looked up from his bowl. “Exactly. She doesn’t need your pile of crap right now. She’s got enough to deal with.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? And what’s her crap?”
“She just moved here last week. She’s staying in Kel’s old place. Took over the lease.”
“So, she moved in. Perfect time for—”
“For you?” He shook his head with a laugh. “She’s a good kid. It’s bad enough you two made a spectacle at my wedding. We don’t need that kind of drama at Christmas dinners. Get me?”
“Jeez, is there some handbook for Christmas I didn’t get?”
“You haven’t been around since you were seventeen. You don’t exactly get the family dynamic thing.”
“Who the hell are you? Family dynamic? What the hell does that mean?”
Since when did my brother grow a vocabulary? This had to be the most words I’d ever heard out of his mouth that didn’t include car parts.
Dare sighed. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for a visit, but she’s Kel’s sister. Her only sister. She’s not one of your race girls who is aware of the score.”
She’d been damn well aware of the score when she asked me to be her one-night stand. Because it hadn’t been me asking. I didn’t say no, but I hadn’t been the instigator.
“I—”
Dare held up his hand. “I don’t want to know the hows and whys. It’s over, let it stay over, huh?” He tugged off the top of his to-go cup and took a long drink. “Visit with mom. Hell, you could do a few things around the old house to help out if you’re bored. But stay out of Rylee’s…”
“Pants?”
Dare gave me a hard stare. “Life.”
“She’s a big girl. She can tell me to go fuck myself.”
He folded his hands around the cup. “I believe she did that a few minutes before I sat down, brother.”
I resisted the urge to snarl at him. Because she had told me to take a hike, but more because I’d assumed we could just continue our good time. Getting shot down was a rarity for me, but it had happened a time or two.
I could usually let it roll off of me. There was always someone who was interested whether I was into them or not.
My whole fucking life had been easy, to be honest. Once Dare had stepped out of the light, I’d smoothly sailed right into the driver position for Patton, Inc. And I’d happily been their golden boy for two years before I moved on to another company—and finally been lured away by an even bigger corporation.
It didn’t matter who they were. All I cared about was the cars. At least that was all I used to care about. I wasn’t even sure when it stopped being about driving. It just felt like an endless merry-go-round of races and practice. Even the amount of down time seemed to get shorter every year. Special races kept popping up for chances at bigger winnings.
And I’d chased them all until the wins didn’t mean a damn thing.
I sounded like an asshole even to myself, but winning truly didn’t mean anything anymore. Just another day at the office. And that was why I knew I had to walk away.
When driving one of the most impressive machines on the goddamn planet was like riding a desk? Nope.
Time to go.
“I’m not looking to cause trouble. I just haven’t been around my family for awhile.”
“Whose fault is that?”
I sighed. “I know. Not like you and Wes came to one of my races.”
Dare looked down at his coffee cup. “Yeah, well, raising a kid and owning a house doesn’t leave much room for fun in the bank.”
“I would have—”
“Don’t.”
Yeah, my prideful brother wouldn’t let me spend my money on him. Not like I should be surprised there. “Well, I’m here now. I’ll even watch Wes if you and Kel want a date night before she pops. She’s due soon, isn’t she?”
“A few more months.”
“Yeah, so you guys need some couple-time.”
“I don’t know.”
“Wes’s what? Seven now?” Christ, how could he be seven already?
“At least you can count.”
“Helps when I’m doing laps.”
“So, what are you going to do now, genius? Counting laps is quite the résumé.”
“Very funny. Neither one of us were just drivers.”
Dare snapped his top back on his coffee. “No, we were not. But that wasn’t an answer either.”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“Mmm.” He stood and swung the chair around. “Go see Ma.”
“Already on the schedule. Even got her some flowers.”
“Suck up.”
I waggled my eyebrows. “I’m the favorite kid for a reason, man.”
“You keep telling yourself that.” He gave me a two-finger salute and headed out of the café.
Well, that wasn’t the reunion I’d been looking for with my brother. Then again, things between us hadn’t been amazing since he’d gotten off the circuit. Nothing overly stress-inducing. We just didn’t have a lot in common anymore. Once he’d been out of racing, he’d been completely out.
I wasn’t sure he even still watched the races. In fact, I’d bet my Daytona trophy he didn’t.
Because I wasn’t an asshole, I took our dishes inside and stopped to get another one of Macy’s magic potions. The worst of the lunch rush had cleared out and the tiny rainbow-haired girl was refilling the bakery case.
She popped up when she saw me. “Hey. Oh, thanks, you can put them in that bucket on the end.”
“Sure.” I moved back to the front of the counter. “I’m not sure what your boss—at least I’m pretty sure she was the boss…”
“Dark hair. Looks like she sucks on a lemon thirty hours a day?”
I pressed my lips together against a laugh. “Now that you mention it.”
“Macy. Don’t worry. I say it to her face all the time.”
Macy herself appeared from the back room. “She does. She’s unaware of how to behave in a professional manner.”
I laughed. “I was wondering if you could make me another one of these.” I held up my cup. “Not sure what it is, but it’s glorious.”
“Sure.”
“And another of whatever you made for Rylee.”
She looked over her shoulder. “Sure about that, ace?”
“Maybe lighten up on the espresso part.” And while I was fairly sure she’d control herself, based on past experience with her there was a small chance she could aim for my head. No need to give her any more stimulants.
Unless it was of an organic nature.
“Your funeral.”
“Did you see our little fight too?”
She came back with two more to-go cups. “You’re new to Crescent Cove. And while I’ve only been here a few months, I can tell you one thing I’ve learned.” She set the cups in front of me. “Nothing stays a secret.”
I swapped two cups for a twenty. “I’m getting that.”
“Don’t piss off my friend. I have fake IDs and four different forms of solvent in my back room.”
I almost laughed, then it lodged in my throat. Not sure Macy was the joking kind. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Have a nice day.” Her smile was a little scary. Like she didn’
t do it much.
I took the cups and forced myself not to look back. Only the weak looked back at a predator.
I headed toward my car. I’d have walked it, but I had a feeling the lovely Kathy was taking me at my word with a huge floral arrangement. Good thing my credit card was ready for it.
I found a spot on the street near the floral shop, parked, grabbed our coffees and backed my way into the shop. Rylee was back at her station, her jaw set and her ear pods in to block out the world.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to press my luck any more today. Perhaps taking a little advice was prudent. I set her her coffee next to her and headed for the large arrangement. Pretty sure that one was mine.
“Mr. Kramer!”
“Gage, please.”
Kathy clasped her hands in front of her chest. “Gage. I hope Melissa loves the arrangement. I added a few flowers I know she loves.”
“Just a few, huh?”
She shrugged with a little giggle. “Yes, well, it’s not every day that her famous son comes home to visit.”
I glanced over at Rylee, but she resolutely worked her baskets and wouldn’t look at me. I was pretty sure she’d moved that same flower to five different spots, so she knew I was there.
I pulled out my wallet and handed over my credit card. “I’m sure my mother will love it.”
“I’m so pleased.” Kathy rushed around to the register and cashed me out. I resisted the urge to make Rylee talk to me. The urge to tease a smile out of her was a little too strong, but I tamped it down.
I did catch her looking when I backed my way out the door, arrangement in hand. She didn’t even attempt to help me. Even when Kathy bustled forward, admonishing her, Rylee barely batted an eye.
Damn, I liked her. A masochist, that was me.
I checked in at my folks’ pizza joint, but my mom wasn’t working tonight. Perfect. I’d actually be able to surprise her.
The drive to Laurel was familiar and soothing. I enjoyed my coffee, though I still didn’t know what was in it. Perhaps I should worry now that I knew of Macy’s murderous tendencies, but whatever was going on with the dark roast, I didn’t much care. It was the best coffee I’d ever had.
The country roads were wet and clear. The snow had melted away with the endless rain that had been sitting over New York since I’d been back. The days were getting longer as spring muscled its way into the Northeast.