That Weekend...

by Jennifer Mckenzie

  Her words soothed some of those old aches. “Believe it. If I didn’t know better, I’d think someone was working against me.”

  “Really? Do you think that’s possible? Who would want to do that to you?”

  “No, I don’t think that.” He laughed. “You watch too many movies. It’s a difficult economy right now. People want to hang on to their money. I think they’re nervous that travel will drop and this project won’t find a home.”

  “Are they right?”

  “No. There’s always a market for travel and most analysts confirm that travel is just as strong, if not stronger, than it was before the recession.”

  Jake had even considered cashing in the stocks and bonds that his father had purchased for him over the past three decades. He rationalized the move by telling himself that his father had not earmarked the money for anything specific and this would be an investment in his future.

  But according to his financial planner, that wasn’t an option. It seemed during his annual sit-down last year, Jake had told his adviser that he had no plans to use the money in the short term, and signed off on the majority being funneled into a variety of long-range ventures. The money that was readily available was limited—barely enough to keep a rubber ducky afloat—and if he liquidated anything else, he faced stiff penalties.

  Ava glanced at the list again. “There are a lot of names on here. Are you sure that’s everyone?”

  “Everyone except my father.” He smoothed her raised eyebrow with his thumb. “No, I’m not asking him.”

  “Why not? You asked Harvey. You would have accepted his investment.”

  “Harvey is not my father.” He didn’t need to prove anything to Harvey. But he couldn’t help remembering that proud Papa Bear look Harvey had gotten in his eye when he’d been talking about Tommy’s future at the station. And thinking, even though it was probably impossible and definitely foolish, that if he pulled this off his father might get that same look in his eye.

  “But what about if you just treated your father like any other investor?”

  He shot her a look. “No.”

  To her credit, she dropped that line of questioning, though he wasn’t convinced that it was permanent. He kissed her hard just to make sure. Then did it again. She sighed against his lips and he would have done it a third time, but he knew where that would take them and it wasn’t a finished pilot.

  Groaning, he placed his hands on her shoulders and gently rolled her chair away, spinning it to face the television console. “We need to work on the show.”

  His meeting with the airline wasn’t going to wait, which meant making out with Ava in the editing suite would have to.

  They settled down to work, getting in a few hours before calling in for sustenance in the form of Chinese takeout from a local restaurant and sodas from the vending machine. Then they worked another couple hours.

  It took longer than Jake had anticipated, but it was getting there. Full of light and charm with Ava’s cheerful smile welcoming them to her city. Surely the executives would bite on this.

  “Okay, I need a break.” Ava had put her feet on his lap about an hour ago, claiming that they were sore, and since she was here helping him, it was his duty to massage them. “I don’t know if I have anything else left in me tonight.”

  “Nothing at all?” Jake smirked at her. “Because I thought we’d go back to your place.” He ran a hand up her calf. “I have a few ideas in mind of how to thank you for all your hard work.”

  “You don’t have to thank me.” She wriggled her toes and looked at him. “I want to help you.”

  Reason number 842 for why he was crazy about her. He tugged on her leg until she was on his lap then pulled her tight, feeling the beat of their hearts sync up.

  “But maybe I could be convinced.”

  And though Jake was tired, too, he felt his body stand up and tell him that they could put off sleep for a few hours.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  A WEEK LATER, AVA WAS BUSTLING around her apartment, trying to keep busy while she waited for Jake’s flight to arrive. He was due back from his meeting with the airline executives and she couldn’t wait to hear the news.

  She’d managed to keep her mind off it most of the day. It had been her last day of covering for Danica, which had kept her in almost constant motion. It had been a lot of work filling in as well as managing her regular reporting duties, but Ava found it enormously rewarding and was sorry to see the end.

  There was just something about hosting, about helping stitch the pieces into a united whole, that satisfied her soul. She liked providing the pieces, ensuring that her bit blended with the others, but it didn’t give her the same charge that standing in front of the camera and linking those pieces together did. Or maybe it was knowing that by keeping things running at the station, she was helping Jake.

  She hadn’t anticipated the rush she would get from helping him, but there was no denying it. It wasn’t just about the job and what it meant for her career. She loved the fact that she was doing something to help him achieve his goals.

  Unable to sit still, she puttered around her apartment, killing time. Every couple of minutes she’d end up in front of her laptop to refresh the airport’s website so that she’d know the exact moment Jake’s plane landed.

  He’d called only once, early this morning before the meeting, but Ava knew his appointment was set for the afternoon and if things went well, he’d be pressed to make his flight back home.

  She wasn’t even going to consider that the airline wouldn’t buy the show. It was lively and fresh and different. What more could they want?

  By the time nine o’clock rolled around, she’d given up pacing and was filing her nails and drinking coffee—not that she needed the caffeine. Jake’s flight had landed thirty minutes ago and he’d assured her that he would come here first. Still, she jumped when her buzzer sounded and she felt jittery as she waited for him to take the elevator to her floor.

  But those jitters disappeared the moment he stepped into her apartment wearing a grin wide enough to split his face, and picked her up to swing her around. Definitely good news.

  “Hey.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You seem happy.”

  “I’m pumped.” He slid her down to the floor but didn’t let go. She reveled in his nearness. He’d only been away for one night, but she’d missed him. It startled her to realize it. When had he become such a part of her life that she missed him being around?

  “So it’s good news?” She could think about this whole missing-him thing later, when she wasn’t plastered to him with other, more pressing things to consider.

  “Very good.” He bent his head to kiss her, then did it again. “You taste good.”

  “It’s the coffee.” She was trying to catch her breath after the kissing.

  “It’s not the coffee,” he said and dipped his head for another kiss. “I missed you.”

  She opened her eyes and looked at him. “You were only gone a day.” But her heart stuttered. He’d missed her, too.

  His fingers closed over her hips, held her steady and pressed more deeply against her. Ava felt the delicious shivers of pleasure begin to radiate from her core. “I still missed you.”

  She looked into his eyes, felt the swirl of emotion in the dark gray surrounding her. “I missed you, too.”

  * * *

  WHEN THEY EVENTUALLY made it to the bed, Ava was too sated from their interl
ude in the entryway to care about things like creature comforts. But when she felt the suppleness of the mattress beneath her, the pillows plump and soft, she decided that maybe she cared a little.

  She tugged Jake back down when he made a move to stand. “Stay.”

  “I’m coming back,” he told her, bracing his arms on either side of her head and pressing another kiss to her lips.

  “I know.” She cupped his face in her hands. “But I want you here now.” The sheets needed him because although they weren’t nearly as cold as the tile by the door, they weren’t exactly warm, either.

  “I might need a little time to recharge. I’m not sixteen anymore.”

  She laughed. “I’ll settle for you warming up the bed.”

  “I will.” He lowered his head to kiss her and then disappeared. She watched him go, his fine butt waving at her as he walked. Seriously, it might actually look better out of his jeans, though she wouldn’t have thought it was possible.

  When he returned he was carrying two cups of coffee. She knew without asking that hers would be just the way she liked it: a splash of cream and one sugar. He carefully sat on the bed, then handed a cup to her.

  “Tell me about the meeting. Exactly how well did it go?”

  They hadn’t managed to get to that part of the conversation, too busy giving each other a proper greeting at the door.

  “My celebration didn’t make that clear? I guess I’ll have to practice some more.” He slid into bed beside her and ran his hand along her leg, pausing when he reached her hip. “You ready for that?”

  For him? “Always.” She tapped her mug against his. It didn’t have the same chime as champagne flutes, but it served her purpose. They sipped companionably, comfortable in the moment and each other. His hand stroked her skin, but he made no further move.

  She stole a peek at him. He was watching her, his crooked smile playing over his lips. “The meeting?”

  He nodded. “It was good.” His smile widened. “Really good.” There had been two men and one woman. One short, one young and one quiet, respectively. It started with a hard handshake from the short one. Overcompensating, obviously. A volley of questions from the junior one. And contemplation from the quiet one, who was clearly the decision maker.

  “And did they sign on the dotted line?”

  “Not yet.” But he didn’t appear bothered, not like before. “They’ll need to discuss how they would roll it out, time line, that sort of thing, before they’ll offer a contract.”

  “So it’s just a matter of time.” Pride washed over her and she couldn’t stop grinning at him. Only a matter of time until the show was a reality. She ran a hand through his hair, playing with the length of it.

  “I’m thinking Toronto for the next show.” He turned his head to kiss the inside of her arm. “My city, so I know it. Makes it easy.” He turned those liquid eyes on her. “And you can come and meet my family.”

  Any words she might have said got stuck in her throat. Just for a second, but long enough that he started talking again.

  “Seeing as I’ve already met yours, it only seems fair. And I want to show you the city. Share it with you. We’ll fit some fun in with the work. Assuming you can get away from the station for the weekend, of course.”

  “Of course.” Pleased relief made her tongue shrink back to its normal size. “Of course.” She put her coffee cup down on the nightstand and threw her arms around him.

  “I wouldn’t get that excited.” He laughed into her hair. “My sister will want to know everything about you and she isn’t easily put off.”

  Ava didn’t care. They were going to Toronto. She was going to host. She was going to meet his family, which was a clear sign that he was getting serious. Her nerves were tingling again, but that didn’t bother her. She was ready for this. She hugged him again.

  “But if you really want to show me how grateful you are...” He trailed off as he yanked her on top of him, pressed his hard body against hers. “I could be talked into it.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  THEY WENT OUT ON SATURDAY evening to celebrate again, this time with Jilly and Alex. A popular nightclub that was less glitz and more grunge yet was somehow the most popular in the city. Jilly, who knew everyone, had gotten them on the guest list, so they were able to bypass the larger and continually growing lineup. She even managed to reserve a booth along the floor-to-ceiling brick wall that faced the stage where a live band played cover tunes.

  The bass echoed through the red velvet bench seats as the band rolled into an eighties montage. Ava grinned when Jilly grabbed her hand and dragged her to the dance floor as they waited for the men to arrive.

  “So?” Jilly asked as they got down on it. “You and McHot Stuff getting serious?”

  “I like him.”

  “Oh, please. I know that look in your eye.” Jilly executed a move that had half the guys on the floor drooling. She flipped her pink hair at them and refocused on Ava. “You are in love.”

  “I’m not in love. I like him.” But her heart fluttered at the thought.

  “Uh-huh.” Jilly didn’t look convinced. “Well, I guess you’ll be the last to know, then. Let me know when you catch up to the rest of us.”

  “Jilly.” Ava laughed, but she let the subject drop. While she wasn’t ready to say the L word, she wasn’t comfortable denying it, either. Did that mean she was in love? Or just getting there? She concentrated on the music instead, feeling the sudden butterflies in her stomach settle when she spotted Jake watching her from across the room.

  Whether she was or wasn’t in love with him, she didn’t need to worry about it right now. All she needed to do was have a good time tonight and maybe tomorrow start researching some other cities they might film.

  Jake had said that Toronto was next on the list, which made perfect sense since he’d lived there, but she wanted to help with the others. Did he have a mind to hit all the large Canadian metropolises next? Or was he going to branch into the U.S. right away? She’d been to Montreal a few times and knew where to find the best smoked-meat sandwich, and she’d spent lots of time in various American cities for work and pleasure.

  She was trying not to think too far ahead—after all, nothing was official yet—but Jake had seemed so certain that the airline would buy in and she believed him. Once they knew what was expected, they could make some decisions. She wondered if she’d be able to stay on at the station or if she’d need to focus full-time on the travel show.

  It was hard to recall that only a few weeks ago, she’d been sitting in Jake’s office while he told her that she wasn’t going to be the station’s next cohost and her career had seemed as if it might be over. And now she felt as if it had never been on a bigger upswing.

  She laughed when Jilly grabbed her hand and twirled her around the dance floor. Life was grand.

  * * *

  “SHE IS SMOKIN’.” Alex emitted a low whistle as he dropped into the booth beside Jake.

  He glanced over for about a nanosecond before returning his attention to Ava. “She’s mine. Hands off.”

  “Come on, man. You think I’d say that about your girl? Not that she isn’t a very attractive woman.” Jake took his eyes off the dance floor long enough to glare at his soon-to-be-former best friend, but Alex only laughed. “I meant her friend. What’s her name?”

  “Jilly, but don’t.”

  Alex feigned a wounded look. “You’re blocking me? Harsh.”

  Jake was not sway
ed. “She’s Ava’s best friend.”

  “Great, so you can introduce me.”

  “No.”

  “Why not?” Alex leaned against the booth. “She married?”

  “No.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  The problem was that Jake didn’t trust Alex not to pull his usual moves on Jilly, which inevitably ended in a breakup. And while Alex was never cruel and made an effort to remain friendly with everyone, Jake knew that hurt feelings were still a strong possibility. He wasn’t going to risk Alex’s playboy behavior reflecting poorly on him. “There are plenty of other women here tonight. Choose one of them.”

  Alex looked around disinterestedly and shrugged. “Nah.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I like her.”

  “Get over it,” Jake told him. “Because I’m not letting you do anything to piss off Ava. Especially not dumping her best friend.”

  “I haven’t even met her and you’ve already got us breaking up.” Alex put a hand on his chest. “I’m crushed, man.”

  Jake was not moved by this display of obsequiousness. “I know you.” He looked at his friend just long enough to see that the message got through.

  Alex leaned back, his blue eyes alight. “I didn’t know you were serious about her.”

  “I am.”

  It was something that had snuck up on him. In the past few weeks, she’d somehow become a part of his life, creeping past those barriers he’d thought he’d erected to protect himself. He liked it. Liked the way she’d looked at him when he’d arrived at her place last night. Liked how she felt plastered up against him. Liked how hard she worked for her career, and that she put forth the same determination for his project.

  “Cheers to that.” Alex raised his bottle and they toasted.

  Jake was still feeling good when Ava returned from her swing around the dance floor. Jilly was still spinning near the stage, leaving a trail of dizzy men in her wake.