Heating Up

by Stacy Finz

  “I’m glad. He’s a good guy.”

  The gall, Dana thought. She could read Griffin like a book and he was actually hoping she and Aidan were in the beginning stages of a love connection, which they weren’t. Not even close. Couldn’t Griffin at least have the decency to show a modicum of jealousy? He couldn’t because he wasn’t. He had Lina.

  “Yes, he is.” She looked at her watch. “I’ve got an appointment.”

  “Yeah? A hot buyer for one of my houses?”

  “Not this time, I’m afraid, but I really need to run.”

  “Hold up a sec.” He pulled a few bills out of his wallet, laid them on the bar, and followed her outside. “Dana, are we okay?”

  “Of course.” She was probably smiling a little too brightly, but he’d caught her off guard. “Why wouldn’t we be?” God, could she be any phonier?

  “It just seems like you’re avoiding me these days.”

  “No. I’ve just got a lot on my mind with the house and all.”

  “I get that, but even before the fire you seemed a little distant.”

  She blew out a breath. “Honestly, I get the impression Lina isn’t too thrilled about me. I didn’t want to do anything that made the situation uncomfortable for the two of you, especially given our work situation.” Which was completely true. The other part was that it hurt too badly.

  “You and I are friends, Dana. I hope good friends. No one, not even Lina, is going to change that.”

  It was a nice thought in theory, she supposed. “I hope so.”

  “It’s the way it is.” He stood there, more than likely hoping she would assure him how great it had been to be dumped for someone else. “I know, you’ve gotta run. But we’re good, right?”

  “We’re fine.” She tried for that bright smile again but somehow couldn’t quite recapture it. Instead, she started to back up, and that was when she slammed into something hard.

  Griffin bobbed his head in greeting to whoever was behind her and trotted off. Unfortunately, she knew who the hard body was even before she turned around.

  “What was that about?” Aidan asked, close enough to her ear that it tickled.

  “Nothing,” she said and faced him. “What brings you to the Ponderosa?”

  “Breakfast. You eat yet?”

  “Yes. I was just leaving.”

  He wrapped an arm around her like a guy would do to steady his drunken buddy. “You okay? It appeared you two were having a difficult conversation.”

  “Never been better. Not difficult, just weird.”

  He studied her like he was trying to get a read on whether she was upset and settled for “Whaddya got there?”

  She followed his eyes to the cardboard tube tucked at her side. “My blueprints. Colin drew them up. I’m planning to fine-tune them over the next couple of days.”

  Wearing a smug smile, he said, “I’ll help you. I’m good with house plans. Wanna come sit with me while I eat?”

  “I have to get to work,” she said but had to admit she was tempted. He was a charmer and, for some inexplicable reason, made her feel good. She suspected he had that effect on the entire female population. He possessed an innate ability to zoom in on a person as if she were the only one in the room . . . or the world, for that matter. “Appointments.”

  He shrugged, as if to say suit yourself. “See you later.”

  In the office, Dana found Carol taping the new listings to the window and glanced at them to see if there was anything she’d missed. Nope, she knew them all.

  “How did the meeting go?”

  “Really good. Colin drew up plans.”

  “Already? That’s amazing. You’re in good hands with those guys. When you’re ready, Vance will do your landscaping.”

  “Maybe if you-know-who buys something, and my commission is big enough, I could put in a pool.”

  Carol laughed. “You don’t want a pool. Believe me, they’re more trouble than they’re worth.”

  But Dana sort of did and, while she was at it, a pool boy who looked like Aidan. Funny that she didn’t want him to look like Griffin.

  Through the plate-glass window she saw Harlee drive up. Uh-oh; Dana hoped the reporter hadn’t caught wind of their secret client. The buyer wasn’t even due in until tomorrow afternoon. Dana had gotten her a room at the Lumber Baron, where she planned to stay in disguise so no one could identify her. Dana thought it was crazy. What a way to live.

  “Hi.” Harlee breezed into the office in a cute cotton tank dress. Dana wished she had the nerve to wear the trendy kind of stuff Harlee looked so fashionable in. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d pick up next week’s listings.”

  “Good timing,” Carol said. “I just finished typing them up. Let me print them out.”

  “Perfect.” Harlee walked over to Dana’s desk. “How are you doing? I heard you met with my husband today about your rebuild.”

  Dana didn’t know Harlee well, but she was married to Colin. Once or twice Dana and Griffin had socialized with the other couple, as well as Harlee’s best friend Darla and her boyfriend, Wyatt, who was a Nugget police officer. They were all about the same age, early thirties—a rare species in Nugget. But Harlee, a reporter and the owner of the Nugget Tribune, was much more outgoing than Dana.

  “We did,” she said. “He drew up beautiful plans. How are you?”

  “I’m good, but then again, a fire didn’t burn down my house. Colin and Pat will take good care of you.”

  “They’ve been great throughout this entire process,” she said. “I’m very appreciative.”

  If Dana had to pay an architect, it would eat up a big chunk of her construction money, and Colin had a fantastic eye. He’d designed his and Harlee’s home and he made stunning furniture carried in stores throughout California.

  “We look out for one another in this town.” Harlee glanced at Dana’s suit. “I know Grace put together a package for you, but if you need more clothes I have tons of outfits I never wear any more . . . things left over from my big-city reporting days. You’re welcome to come over to raid my closet. I think we’re about the same size.”

  Dana blinked. It was such a generous offer. “Thank you. I might just do that.” She wouldn’t but was really quite staggered that Harlee had made the gesture.

  Carol joined them and handed Harlee the printouts. “There are a couple of brand-new listings in there.”

  “Great. More than half of my out-of-town readers subscribe for these.” Harlee waved the stack of sheets in the air. “So keep them coming.”

  Carol laughed. “Hey, it’s working great for us too. Sales have never been better.”

  “I’d better get going.” Harlee headed for the door and called over her shoulder to Dana, “Call me when you want to come over.”

  “Will do.” After Harlee left, Dana turned to Carol. “That was really nice of her.”

  “Harlee is a nice person and Darla is a doll. I always wondered why you weren’t more friendly with those girls.”

  “I guess I’m more of a homebody.” What she was, was shy.

  After Paul died, she’d retreated into herself. It was easier than making up excuses to her friends about her zombie parents. In college, she’d put all her energy into her studies. Now, she supposed, she did it with real estate.

  “I’m taking off to preview some properties before tomorrow.” Dana grabbed her purse and a folder containing the information about the places she wanted to check out.

  “Do you plan to bring Ms. Confidentiality to the office?”

  “I’ll have to play it by ear. But if she wants to make an offer”—Dana crossed her fingers—“we’ll have to come back here.”

  “Good luck and call me if you need any help.”

  “I will,” Dana said. “Thanks, Carol.”

  She got in her car and headed for the backroads, where most of the properties were. Some of the parcels had been for sale a long time, and Dana wanted to reacquaint herself with them. Others, especially
the real remote ones, she’d never had reason to view before. But Ms. Confidentiality had made it clear she wanted off the beaten track. Dana assumed she needed a refuge from being a celebrity and her recent scandal.

  Just as she pulled up to the first place, her cell phone rang. It was the client, with a change of plans.

  * * *

  After breakfast Aidan went to Reno. Except for the airport, he hadn’t seen much of the town but knew it was called the “Biggest Little City in the World.” He could kind of see why. It had just about everything, and legal gambling to boot. At some point he’d like to come back to check out the nightlife. For now, though, he just wanted to get his blackout shades, hit Costco, and get back to Nugget.

  He found the Bed Bath & Beyond easily enough. Dana seemed to think they would have what he was looking for. Not for the first time, he wondered about the little scene he had witnessed between Dana and Griffin that morning. “Scene” was probably too strong a word for it. But there was something going on there. He could tell from Dana’s body language. She’d been upset, yet had tried to put on a brave face. Aidan noticed she did that sometimes. With the fire, when he’d gotten to Tawny’s house first, and then this morning with Griffin.

  She was an odd little duck, that was for sure. He’d never seen someone get so hung up on trivial details. Who’s going to take out the trash? How should we sort the recyclables? Toilet seat up or down? He was still waiting for the bathroom schedule. Despite it, he found her highly entertaining and incredibly self-sufficient. And it certainly didn’t hurt that she was easy on the eyes.

  Inside the store, he found the drapery aisle, and sure enough, they had exactly what he was looking for. He loaded a few shades into a cart and paid at the cash register. An hour later, he hit the highway back to Nugget, his truck filled with groceries. The scenery changed every few miles or so, from high desert to green forest. From his first visit, he’d felt an affinity for the land, so different from his native Midwest. His family was convinced he’d come to lick his wounds after the debacle with Sue. But for a long time he’d been thinking about change, about uprooting himself from a life that had become too predictable and staid.

  At home, he put everything away and installed his shades, pulling them up and down to make sure they worked right. Closed, they cocooned the room in restful darkness. Yeah, he thought to himself, the place was definitely coming together.

  After lunch he decided to get the remainder of his stuff from Sloane and Brady’s, making the quick drive across town. His sister was home, sitting in the living room, reading a wedding magazine, when he got there.

  “You all moved in?” She got up from the couch and began waving her hand in front of his face.

  “What the hell is the matter with you?”

  “Nothing.” Again with the crazy hand movements.

  “Don’t you have to work?” he asked.

  “I’m graveyard tonight. Should I wear this?” She stuck her knuckle under his nose, and that was when he saw it. The ring.

  Aidan let out a low whistle. “How much that set Brady back?”

  “A lot. But I’m worth it.”

  He grabbed her ring hand and dragged her to the French doors. “Let’s see if it’ll cut glass.”

  “Unhand me, you freak.”

  “Congratulations.” He kissed her on the forehead. “I’m the best man, you know? Other than getting the rock, how was Frisco?”

  “If people around here ever heard you calling it Frisco, they’d gut you.” She plopped back down on the couch. “Frisco was fan-freaking-tastic. We stayed at the Theodore in the penthouse suite. Brady got his work done early so we could play. I loved it so much I was even considering having the wedding at the hotel. But now Brady and I are thinking we’ll have it here, in Sierra Heights. Set up tables and a dance floor over the pool, string up twinkly lights, and open the rec room to the outside. What do you think?”

  “Sounds good to me. You pick a date?”

  “We’re playing around with September. It’s a good month in California. . . warm and clear. We just have to make sure it’s okay with the other residents.”

  He mussed her hair like he used to do when she was just a pip-squeak. “Let me know and I’ll get my tux out of storage.”

  “Hey, Aidan?” She tugged him to the couch and pulled him down. “Are you okay with this weekend . . . with Sue getting married?”

  “There’s not a whole lot I can do about it.” She gave him a pointed look. “What?”

  “It doesn’t seem like you tried.”

  “Of course I tried,” he said. “I asked her to come back, didn’t I?”

  “Did you go to her apartment and serenade her, get down on bended knee and beg? You didn’t even fight for her, Aidan. You got in your truck and moved to California. And I have to wonder why.”

  “You ever think that maybe I wasn’t the one for her? We were together three years. She dates this guy all of six months and they’re walking down the aisle.”

  “Brady and I only knew each other for three months. Before us, he was like you, allergic to marriage. So maybe it’s not marriage you’re averse to; maybe she just wasn’t the one for you, because I know you were the one for her. She loved you, Aidan. All she wanted was to be your wife and the mother of your children. But a woman can’t wait forever.”

  He didn’t want to talk about this anymore. “I’ve gotta go.”

  “Of course you do. You’re the king of avoidance.” Sloane shook her head. “Want to come over Saturday, use the pool and have dinner with us? We’ll barbecue.”

  “Yeah, maybe. I’ll let you know.”

  “If you don’t want to talk about it, we won’t talk about it. But don’t be alone, Aidan.”

  He went inside the guest room, gathered up his stuff, and grabbed his toiletries from the bathroom.

  “I’m taking off,” he said and gave Sloane a hug. “Nice ring.”

  * * *

  Dana came home to find seven kids in her driveway, eating Otter Pops, while Aidan blew up their inner tubes with an electric air pump.

  “Hey.” He bobbed his head at her.

  “Going to the river?”

  “Yep. Want to come?”

  “No thanks.” It had been a hell of a day and all she wanted to do was soak in the tub with a glass of wine. Besides, it seemed a little late for the river. In an hour it would be dark. “Be careful.”

  “I always am.” He tossed one of the kids the last tube and they followed him like the Pied Piper down the street, sucking on their ices.

  He’d only been here a couple of days and was already making friends with the neighborhood children. To satisfy her curiosity, she went inside, opened the freezer and, as suspected, it was filled with Otter Pops. She was living with a twelve-year-old. She found a bottle of chardonnay in the refrigerator, uncorked it, and poured a glass. Taking it into the bedroom, she quickly stripped and slipped into a robe. She wanted to get in the tub before Aidan got home. No more hallway nudity.

  As the bath filled, Dana took a few sips of wine, tested the water, and got in, resting her glass on the edge of the tub for easy access. Ms. Confidentiality had surprised her by coming in a day early. Apparently, she needed to get out of New York before another sordid story broke about her. Dana wasn’t clear on all the details, only that her client’s boyfriend was wanted by the feds and she planned to hide out at the Lumber Baron.

  She wanted to start touring properties first thing in the morning. Clearly she hoped to hole up here until the media unearthed a new scandal about someone else. It was a shame she’d been mired in her boyfriend’s controversy because Dana found her show and books to be inspiring. Women all over the country did.

  Dana soaked until her skin started to wrinkle, then got out and put on a pair of drawstring shorts and a cotton T-shirt. On her bed, she unrolled Colin’s plans and took the time to study them, trying to visualize the floor plan. She heard the front door open and close and, a short time later, the shower go on.
And as much as she tried to concentrate on the blueprints, she kept seeing Aidan’s broad, naked chest from the other day. The towel wrapped around his narrow waist, barely concealing his butt. And those long, strong legs . . .

  She got up and turned the air conditioner on. At the sound of the water stopping, she opened her door a crack, got her wineglass, and started for the kitchen just as Aidan came down the hall wearing nothing but that towel again. Little droplets of water glistened in his chest hair and Dana had to force her eyes up to keep from staring.

  “You hungry?” he asked as they passed.

  “I don’t eat after six.”

  “Well, I’m making pasta if you want some.” He disappeared inside his bedroom before she could respond.

  Who ate pasta at eight at night? She poured herself another glass of wine and got the coffeemaker set up for the morning. She was scheduled to pick up her client at nine.

  Aidan came in wearing a pair of low-slung cargo shorts and a T-shirt that stretched over his mile-wide chest. “You sell any houses?”

  “Not today. But maybe tomorrow.”

  His brows winged up. “Yeah? In Sierra Heights?”

  “No. This particular client wants horse property.” The description seemed vague enough that Dana didn’t think she was violating the confidentiality agreement.

  “A lot of acreage?” He got a pot out, filled it with water, and put it on the stovetop to boil. “I need to get in there.” Grasping her around the waist, he shifted her away from the pantry.

  His hands were big and they seemed to linger. Although that could’ve been Dana’s imagination, because she liked the way they felt on her. Strong and firm, but at the same time gentle.

  “She hasn’t been too good at communicating about what she wants; just that she’ll know it when she sees it.”

  “That’s gotta make your job more difficult,” he said, and tore open a bag of spaghetti.

  “A little bit. A lot of times people just don’t know what they’re looking for. I like the role of narrowing it down for them. We’ll probably drive around to a number of different places until something clicks. Sometimes this job requires mind reading and a psychology background. What did you do today?”