The Tea Shop on Lavender Lane

by Sheila Roberts

  She would—after she and Todd were engaged.

  Or…after he and Bailey hooked up. Her steps slowed. Why was she blaming this all on her sister? There had been two people involved in that bit of fun and games she’d witnessed, and Bailey hadn’t grabbed Todd. It had been the other way around.

  Todd was the one she needed to have that talk with. Cecily started for the edge of town. It wasn’t a short walk to The Man Cave, but the day was beautiful and the air fragrant with the scent of roses and peonies warming under the June sun. A couple of white puffy clouds lazed in an azure sky, and the mountains were glorious, the air fresh and clean. In other words, it was a perfect day in Icicle Falls. At least it should have been.

  The Man Cave wasn’t open for business yet, and Cecily found the door locked when she arrived. She stood in front of it, wondering if she was being insecure and out of control. Maybe the problem wasn’t with everyone else but with her. If that was the case, she owed Todd an apology.

  Okay, she’d pay up. But first she had to know what was going on with them. Were they together or weren’t they? That wasn’t being unreasonable; that was simply wanting to know. You already know. You’ve known for a long time.

  No, I don’t, she told herself and knocked on the door.

  A moment later it opened, and there he stood, looking devilishly handsome. But the sardonic smile was missing. “Don’t tell me—let me guess. You killed your sister, and now I’m next.”

  “I decided to let her live another day,” Cecily said and stepped past him into the shadowy interior of the bar. The tables still had the chairs stacked upside down on top of them, and the neon beer signs were off, waiting to come to life when the outside world got dark. “This place always looks kind of sad without people in it,” she mused, putting off the conversation they needed to have.

  “Most places do.”

  “Not homes.”

  “Those can be sad even with people in them,” he said.

  His comment was a telling one and made her realize how much she still needed to learn about this man.

  Before she could say anything, he added, “Not everybody grew up in a perfect family like you and your sister.”

  “That doesn’t mean you can’t try to make one,” she argued. And speaking of sisters… “So, what’s going on with you and Bailey?”

  She half hoped he’d take her in his arms and say, “Nothing.” Instead he shoved his hands in his pants pockets and said, “You want an honest answer? I don’t know.”

  Well, that was comforting. She tucked her hair behind her ears and tried to look as if her heart hadn’t cracked. “Wow, you really make a woman feel special.”

  “You are special. You know that. In fact, you’re freakin’ amazing.”

  If she was so amazing, why wasn’t he kissing her?

  Now he clawed his fingers through his hair, a sure sign of male agitation. “I’ve wanted you ever since you hit town. I still do.”

  She raised her eyebrows. If that was true, why wasn’t she feeling the love?

  She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. “I can see that.”

  He frowned. “I was just horsing around with your sister. It was something spontaneous, but I admit I was out of line. Sorry.” If he’d left it there, Cecily would have been happy. But he didn’t. “She’s easy to goof around with. She sends out these happy vibes.”

  “And I don’t?” She was happy. See? She was even smiling. Sort of.

  “You’ve always been a challenge, and I like that. But no man wants to climb the mountain forever. Sooner or later he wants to reach the summit.”

  “I can guess what that’s code for.” And he’d come pretty darned close to the summit, closer than he deserved after the way he’d been flirting with Bailey.

  He shook his head. “That’s not what I’m talking about. I feel there’s a lot of you that you keep hidden, that you don’t want to share. Sometimes I still don’t know where I stand with you.”

  Was he serious? Did he think she got that close to the summit with every man?

  He frowned. “Like right now. I have no idea what you’re thinking.”

  She was thinking they needed a little less talk and a lot more action. She could be just as spontaneous as Bailey. Before he could say any more, she closed the distance between them, took his face in her hands and kissed him like she meant it.

  With a growl, he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close, taking their kiss from sizzling to blazing. Then he pushed her against the wall. “You’re driving me crazy,” he said as he trailed his mouth down her neck.

  He should talk. He had her ready for a straitjacket. “Serves you right,” she murmured, running her hands over his shoulders.

  It was getting downright steamy in The Man Cave when she realized this wasn’t the kind of scenery she wanted around her when she summited. “Todd.”

  “Mmm?” he said, still busy kissing his way up the trail.

  “This isn’t working for me.” Well, on an emotional level, anyway. On a physical level he was doing fine.

  He looked up and blinked. “What?”

  “I think we can do better.”

  “Give me time. I’m working on it.”

  “That’s not what I meant. I mean…” She stopped, suddenly at a loss. She didn’t want to insult him by putting down his business. He was a smart businessman, and this tavern was the boozy cornerstone of the financial empire he was building. How to explain that she wanted a nicer setting?

  “Oh, I get it. You don’t really want to do this now. Here. Well, it’s not exactly a beach on Tahiti, is it?”

  She hadn’t wanted to hurt his feelings, but she knew she had. And did it really matter where they made love? It wasn’t as if she was holding out for a ring. Once upon a time she’d believed in doing that, but two fiancés later, she’d changed her belief system.

  He turned away from her and started tucking in his shirt.

  “That was dumb,” she said, setting a hand on his back. “It’s about who, not where.”

  He looked over his shoulder, and she saw a residue of irritation on his face. Then he erased it with the cynical expression he’d perfected. “You’d better pick a more romantic place to put the moves on me next time.”

  She leaned against the wall, pressing her palms against the wood paneling. “Did you know I was engaged before I came back to Icicle Falls?”

  A black eyebrow went up. “That’s a detail you hadn’t shared with me.”

  Not that he’d shared many details about his romantic past, but she decided not to point that out. Instead, she said, “I was. Twice.”

  Now both eyebrows went up. “That explains a lot.”

  “I don’t want to screw up a third time.”

  “Who says you’re the one who screwed up?”

  She made a face. It would be nice to blame the losers she’d fallen for, but the truth was, she’d picked the wrong men. She’d turned off her instincts.

  This time it was Todd who closed the distance between them. He smiled down at her and gently pushed her hair back. “You gotta take a chance, Cec.”

  She suddenly found it hard to look at him. She nodded and said, “I know.”

  He tapped her on the nose. “Come over tonight for the darts tournament. Then we’ll go to my place, and I’ll light some candles.”

  “Do you even have candles?” she teased.

  “I’ll buy some.”

  Just as he drew her to him for a goodbye kiss, they heard the rumble of a motor outside and the crunch of tires on gravel. “Were you expecting company?” she asked.

  “No,” he said slowly. He opened the tavern door and froze.

  From behind him she saw a red truck with jacked-up wheels, and out of it climbed a man who looked so much like Todd
he could have been his brother. There was more than one Todd Black in the world?

  “Hi, bro,” the other man called. He sauntered up to where Todd now leaned in the doorway and gave him a hug.

  The man was a little shorter and younger, and his hair was lighter, but the family resemblance was unmistakable. Now he turned to Cecily with an appreciative look and a smile that oozed charm. “Oh, man. Am I in heaven?”

  “No, you’re in my bar,” Todd said irritably.

  “Booze and a beautiful woman. I am in heaven.” The man held out a hand to Cecily. “Hi. I’m Devon Black.”

  “My pain-in-the-butt younger brother,” Todd added, and Cecily noticed he was only half smiling. “What brings you here?”

  “I was passing through.”

  “From Medford.”

  “Yeah, as a matter of fact. Thought I’d stop in and see how my big brother’s doing.” To Cecily he said, “He’s way older than me. Almost got one foot in the grave.”

  “I can see that,” she said with mock seriousness.

  “I, on the other hand, have lots of miles left on me.”

  “Is it my imagination, or are you already hitting on my girl?”

  “Are you really his girl?” Devon demanded.

  Cecily smiled and nodded. “Afraid so.”

  “Why else would she be here?”

  “Free beer? Speaking of, it’s been a long drive. You gonna give me something to drink? Let’s all take a load off.”

  Cecily figured this was her cue to leave. “I’ll let you two catch up.”

  “You’re leaving me alone with this boring dude?” Devon joked.

  “Afraid so,” she said again. She managed a polite smile even though she was underwhelmed by Todd’s brother. While Todd was sardonic and seductive, his brother was slick and ingratiating. And the slightest bit irritating.

  Of course, that was only a first impression, and she knew from experience that first impressions weren’t always reliable. She certainly hadn’t been impressed with Todd the first time she met him.

  And she was ridiculously impressed with him now.

  “I’ll see you this evening,” Todd said. She half expected him to kiss her, but he didn’t. He just stood there in the doorway with his usual cynical smile, which, she was coming to realize, was a mask.

  She’d find out more about his brother later. Meanwhile, she was going to go home, take a bubble bath and shave her legs.

  She left The Man Cave smiling. All right. Things were back on track with Todd.

  Her cell phone rang, and she saw who it was. She’d had enough of Bailey for one day. She dropped the phone in her purse.

  * * *

  “Not bad,” Devon said after Cecily had gone. “Any more like her up here?”

  Oh, yeah, that was what he needed, his little brother wreaking havoc with the female population of Icicle Falls. “Don’t tell me you’ve already gone through all the women in Medford.”

  “All the ones worth going through,” Devon said, strolling over to the bar. “How about that beer? Got any Heineken?”

  Todd grabbed a bottle for both his brother and himself.

  “Cheers,” Devon said, clinking bottles.

  “Okay, now, you want to tell me what’s going on?” Todd asked after they’d both chugged down a healthy swallow.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  Devon shrugged.

  “You still got a job?”

  His brother stalled by taking another long swallow.

  Bingo. “Okay, what happened?”

  “Nothing happened. Shit. Why do you always think something’s happened?”

  “Because something usually has.” Showing up late for work, getting it on with the boss’s daughter and then dumping her, smoking a joint on the job. His brother had been lost for the past seven years, making one bad choice after another.

  “Well, not this time. The company went belly-up. Okay?”

  “Okay. Sorry.”

  “So I took my last paycheck and decided to come and see you.”

  Oh, boy.

  “Got any construction companies here in Mountainville?”

  “Well, good to see you, too,” Todd said. And it was. For a short period of time. His brother for a visit? Okay. His brother here to stay, turning his life upside down? Oh, man, there had to be some other way to help him.

  Devon was looking at him expectantly. “There’s got to be someone.”

  “There’s Masters Construction. I don’t know if they’re hiring.”

  “I’ll check it out. Or, hey, you need a bartender?”

  Oh, there was another pleasant image, Devon working at The Man Cave, drinking up the inventory. “I don’t think so.”

  Devon frowned. “What, you afraid I’ll drink all the beer?”

  “It’s a possibility.” Todd saw that he was practically strangling his bottle. He put it aside and started taking the chairs down from the tables, setting up for the evening crowd.

  “Hey, I’ve done some bartending.” Devon started doing the same with a nearby table. “Come on, Todd. Give me a break. I need some dough.”

  “I just sent you money.”

  “Gas ain’t cheap.”

  “You should get rid of that gas-hog truck,” Todd said and set down a chair with a little more force than necessary.

  “I need it for my tools. So, how about it? Want some help around here? Just until I can get on my feet.”

  “I have help.” Damn it all, the last thing he needed was Devon up here, making him crazy.

  “I know. You’re afraid I’ll cut in on your action.”

  What? Were they back in high school? “Yeah, that’s it.”

  Devon’s smile fell away. “Oh, wait, I get it. That’s right. You’re Mr. Super Businessman now, big man in town. It’ll mess up your image if your screw-up brother’s around, won’t it?”

  Todd could feel the muscles in his jaw tightening. “I didn’t say that.”

  “You didn’t have to. I just thought it might be kind of fun living in the same town, but, hey, my bad.” Devon gave a chair an angry shove and made for the door.

  Shit. “Dev, don’t be a jerk. Come on back.”

  His brother turned and glared at him. “I know when I’m not wanted.”

  “You don’t know squat.” Todd pulled out a chair and sat down, kicking another one to the side. “Sit.”

  Devon walked over and fell onto the chair, looking sullen.

  “It’s not that I don’t want to see you. But, yeah, I don’t want you screwing up around here. I like this place and I like the people and I don’t need you doing stuff to embarrass me.”

  Devon’s face grew red, and he dropped his gaze. “You used to be a lot more fun,” he muttered.

  “We’re not kids tearing up the town anymore, Dev. We’re adults. If you can act like one, then you’re welcome to stay.”

  “Jeez, you sound like Dad.”

  “Even the old man’s getting fed up, huh?” That was saying something, since Devon was his favorite of the two brothers.

  “Tough love and all that shit.”

  Todd gave a mirthless laugh. Oh, yeah, their dad was good at that.

  “That’s why I moved to Medford. But, hey, with no job, it’s time to move on.” He paused. “So, can you use some help around here?”

  Todd shrugged. “Yeah, I guess I can. And I could use some help on a place I just bought. If you want to paint the trim.”

  “Sure. Can I bunk with you for a while?”

  Cecily…candles…romance… And Devon. “No.” His brother’s face fell, and he quickly added, “You can sleep on the sofa in the office, though. It’s pretty comfortable. And th
ere’s a bathroom.”

  “Has it got a shower?”

  “What does this look like? Motel 6? You can shower at my place. But not tonight.”

  Devon nodded sagely. “The blonde, right?”

  “Yeah, the blonde. And she’s off-limits.”

  “Got it.”

  “Good.”

  Devon leaned across the table and punched Todd playfully on the arm. “Hey, this is gonna be fun.”

  Yeah, fun.

  * * *

  Bailey’s call to her sister went to the wasteland of voice mail. Cecily was still mad and in no mood to talk.

  Bailey couldn’t blame her. Much as she denied it, deep down (okay, not so deep) she wanted Todd. And even though she’d been trying not to steal her sister’s boyfriend (she could try harder), what Cec had witnessed back in the tea shop hadn’t exactly been professional.

  How would she have felt if she’d been in her sister’s shoes and stumbled on that scene? She needed to find Cecily now and promise she wouldn’t do anything with Todd. Ever.

  She finished up at the tea shop, then drove to the condo. Cecily’s car wasn’t in the garage, but Bailey still had a key, so she let herself in. Everything was neat and tidy now that she wasn’t staying there, leaving a trail of tissues and coffee mugs everywhere she went.

  She wandered into the kitchen. More neatness. It could have been a model-home kitchen. Cecily probably hadn’t cooked anything since she’d left. She opened the fridge and saw half a rotisserie chicken from the Safeway deli, along with a covered bowl of carrot salad. This was how Cecily kept her curves under control, Bailey thought, conscious of the ten extra pounds she’d put on in the past couple of months.

  She glanced over at the little tablet of paper sitting on the far end of the counter. She should leave a note.

  But that seemed so impersonal. For now she’d go back to Sammy’s and bake her mother’s birthday cake for the party the following day. Then tonight she’d look for her sister. She knew exactly where Cecily would be.

  * * *

  Cecily wasn’t at The Man Cave when Bailey came in around seven. In fact, there were only two women. A pretty blonde in tight jeans and a tank top was playing pool with Bill Will, everyone’s favorite cowboy. The other woman, in jeans, flip-flops and a T-shirt, was playing darts with half a dozen men. Someone new, who resembled Todd, was behind the bar with Pete. Was Todd’s brother in town visiting? Had to be. He looked so much like him.