Life Rewired (Aspen Friends, Book 3)

by Galli, Lynn

  Even if she isn’t my type.

  15

  She looked beautiful, not in the traditional sense, but beautiful nonetheless. Her hair would be considered short by most, but longer than mine. The natural wave didn’t push it off her forehead or form loose ripples like mine. Her wave added volume to her entire style. I’d never dated a woman without long hair before, but I sure liked the look of it now. Dark blond, too. Normally I preferred champagne blondes or honey blondes. Falyn’s was a shade shy of light brown, but the sunshine-infused, golden highlights snagged my gaze every time. Her hazel eyes weren’t the piercing blue I usually favored. But forget drowning in a sea of blue. Falyn’s brownish green hazel had the power to paralyze.

  “Hey,” she said, stepping back to gesture me into her house.

  “Hi.” I wanted to kiss her hello but knew that wasn’t a good idea.

  “Molls,” Cole greeted from the couch where he, his brother, and Luis were fighting it out on some video game. Falyn’s cats were curled up in his and Luis’s laps, perfectly content to be jostled by their controller movements.

  “Yo,” Curtis called.

  “Hola,” Luis added.

  Falyn hid a smile and nodded her head toward the kitchen.

  “Fos, beer me, please?” Cole asked. “I’m in the middle of crushing these two.”

  She chuckled and didn’t seem to mind grabbing beers for all of them. I had a feeling it was to keep them from wandering near us while we talked. Had the talk, I should say.

  “Want a beer?” she asked me after placing three on the table and bringing over the open bag of chips.

  I wanted to say yes, but beer had helped put us in this situation. Then again, beer might ease the tension a bit. “Thanks.”

  “Guys, I’m stealing one of your beers.”

  “Beer is communal. You know that,” Curtis said and immediately swore as someone pinned him with gunfire on screen.

  “It’s not. They always pay for it,” she said to me.

  “You rarely drink it. It’s communal. You buy us eggs and peanut butter.”

  “Yuck,” I reacted to the combo.

  “Not to eat together, Mol, jeez. You will die now!” he shouted at his brother.

  “Lovely atmosphere,” I commented, actually happy to have the buffer tonight.

  “They’re entertaining.”

  “We’re like her TV,” Cole told me.

  “Go back to your game, kids.” Falyn gripped the top of Cole’s head to turn it back to the screen.

  “Kids,” Curtis snickered.

  She shot me an exasperated look. “He doesn’t believe I’m forty-four.”

  My eyebrows rose. I knew she was older, but I thought maybe a year or two at the most. Five seemed impossible. She didn’t look it. Not her face or her tight, hard body.

  She handed over a beer and took a bottle of OJ out of the fridge. “Porch okay?” She led me out through the sliders to the chairs that Glory practically lived in before she moved to Lena’s next door. It looked like this was Falyn’s new spot.

  After taking a seat, I sniffed involuntarily. I could smell smoke. Not heavy, just lingering, like maybe one of the guys smoked regularly and had recently been sitting out here. I glanced around and saw an ashtray on the deck next to Falyn’s chair. There was a single cigarette crushed inside.

  “You don’t smoke?” I would have tasted that when I kissed her. I know I would have. It’s kind of a thing with me.

  “Occasionally.”

  That shocked me. I hadn’t tasted it. I’d only had a few beers that night. I didn’t think I was drunk. Was the whole experience a blur because I’d been inebriated? “Really?”

  “Used to, once a week, but not for months now. I thought I had quit.”

  My eyes cut to hers. Yeah, she was as twisted about this as I was. She’d quit and now she was smoking again, all because we’d gotten carried away the other night. “Think you’ll take it up again.”

  She shrugged and glanced away. “How was your weekend?”

  I didn’t hear any accusation in her question. It had been four days with only one call between us, but she didn’t sound upset about that. “Busy. The summer tours are taking longer and longer.”

  “You like it better than the winter stuff, right?”

  We’d already had this conversation, but we needed something to start us off. I nodded and took in a deep breath to let out and begin.

  “Hey, guys,” Mei called out as she walked toward us from the house next door. I’d known her for years, but she didn’t often join our group of friends when we planned outdoor activities. Most of our contact was limited to when I made plans with her husband, Spencer, or her best friend, Glory.

  “Mei,” I greeted. “Where’s the hubby? Doing mayor stuff?”

  “He’ll be home soon. I was headed over to Glory’s.” Her finger gestured down the street.

  “I saw her pull in about a half hour ago,” Falyn told her.

  “Thanks. I’m going to catch her before dinner. See you on my way back.”

  “See ya.” Falyn waved and focused on me. “They work together, live next to each other, and still see each other almost every night. Wouldn’t that get tiresome after a while?”

  “I’d think so,” I confirmed. “Viv and I have been friends a long time, but I couldn’t work with her and live next to her every day.”

  “Little too much,” she agreed.

  Although, I could suddenly see that situation with Falyn. Maybe not the business part of it. I didn’t want to own a business, but the seeing her every day and living close by or together, yeah, that might work.

  She flicked her green tinted hazels at me and let out an audible breath. “So…I’m not your type and you’re not mine. What next?”

  A laugh escaped because she’d blurted what I’d been thinking. “I’ve been trying to figure it out.” For days now and I still didn’t know exactly how to feel.

  “I meant what I said, you know. I had a good time.”

  “Me, too.”

  “It was unexpected.”

  “Yes.”

  “Nice, though.”

  “Yes.”

  “Say something other than ‘yes,’ will you?”

  “Okay.” I laughed and she joined me.

  “What would you like to do?”

  “Don’t know.”

  “Me, neither,” she said with a sigh, almost like she was disappointed. I was a little disappointed, too. I was hoping she’d have a clearer idea of what she wanted. Like tell me she wanted a relationship, or she thought it was a mistake and we should be friends, or she really wanted a relationship. Oops, said that already.

  “I didn’t expect…” That it would be sensational. That I’d be rethinking what I thought would be great relationship material.

  “Same here. Like I said before, I usually go for—”

  “The pretty ones. Not that I’m not pretty,” I joked.

  “Definitely,” she agreed with a smile. “But I didn’t have you in the potential g/f category, you know?”

  “Same here. It’s kinda thrown me.”

  Her soulful eyes watched me for a moment. “In a good way? Like you want to explore a friends with benes situation, or I’m freaked and really need to go back to watching a baseball game with my buddy way?”

  Friends with benes? Now that I hadn’t considered. I already had too much emotionally going to be a booty call and not come out damaged at the end. Kinda hoped she did, too. “Never done that.”

  “Bene friends? Me, neither. My partners always wanted something more.”

  “Same here.”

  “So?”

  “I guess we could try it.” What was I saying? I could just call her up whenever I wanted sex and see if she was in the mood? Then we part ways and have a beer over a ballgame the next time? Not if we kept having the same kind of sex we’d had at first. No possible way. I’d be in love in a week, if I weren’t already, which I wasn’t because I wasn’t like Vivi
an who equated sexual intimacy with romantic feelings.

  “Don’t sound so enthused,” she joked, tapping two fingers against my shoulder.

  “It’s just so clinical. Like ‘let’s finish dinner, we’ll have sex, and after we’ll clean out the garage.’ Not really something I’ve done.”

  She laughed and the sound rumbled over me. I liked her laugh. Full but not loud or startling. “Okay then, friends. I much prefer friends to benes.”

  Well, that bites. Guess I hadn’t rocked her world as much as she’d rocked mine. That’s a blow to the ego.

  “Not to say that it wasn’t great,” she said when she must have seen a crestfallen look flit across my face. “I just meant I’d rather be friends with you than have sex complicate things, if that’s how you feel.”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  She gave me a penetrating look. For a moment, it looked like she didn’t believe me. Like she could see right through what I was saying and spot my fear that I could fall for her if we continued to sleep together.

  “Fos! You gotta come ref,” Cole yelled from inside.

  An amused huff left her mouth before she opened the sliders and called back, “You know how I’ll ref.”

  “Dude, shut up. She’ll just turn off the Xbox,” Curtis said.

  I joined her amusement. Sounded like a good way to solve an argument.

  She turned back and stared at me for a bit. “So, friends then?”

  “Friends.”

  “Good.” She relaxed against the chair. “Just don’t give me another goodnight kiss.”

  That stabbed at my heart. I expected to be hurt by her decision to forgo a sexual relationship, but I didn’t think she hated the kissing that much.

  “Your kisses are dangerous.” She shot me a grin before getting up to go inside and check on the boys.

  And my stabbed heart suddenly felt like ten thumping hearts had taken its place.

  16

  Falyn and I were watching a baseball game at her place. We’d pretty much exclusively hung out at her place since falling into bed together two weeks ago. It seemed dangerous to be alone in my apartment. Not just for me. I’d caught her giving me a longing look at the movies the other night. Maybe this friends thing wasn’t the right way to go.

  The doorbell rang and Curtis went to answer it. Luis was coming over to watch the game with us. We’d all been hanging out together as yet another safeguard against my and Falyn’s apparent lack of control.

  “We’re looking for Falyn Shaw,” a voice at the doorway said.

  “Fos,” Curtis called as we turned to see who was there.

  Two police officers stood at the door. I didn’t recognize either, which was odd because I knew quite a few officers in town.

  Falyn stiffened beside me and jumped up as soon as one of the cops took a step inside. “That’s me. We can talk outside.”

  Strange, but not more than the officer’s hard look. “May we come inside?”

  “We can talk outside,” Falyn repeated when she reached them.

  It was even stranger that Falyn closed the door behind her.

  “5-0?” Cole asked as he walked in from the kitchen.

  “You do something to get us busted?” Curtis teased.

  “I’m not the one who got thrown in the drunk tank that time,” Cole reminded his brother.

  “…invasion…on a jobsite…whereabouts,” came the disembodied voice of the police officer through the open sliders.

  I strained to hear more, ashamed that I was being nosy, but cops didn’t stop by every day. What could they want with Falyn? God, I hoped nothing bad had happened to her. We hadn’t been talking as frequently as we used to. Something could have happened, and she hadn’t felt comfortable telling me about it.

  “…not me…my rights…go down there,” Falyn’s replies were just as sporadic.

  “…alibi?” That I heard loud and clear. Were they asking Falyn for an alibi or telling her that their suspect for whatever happened didn’t have an alibi?

  The boys didn’t seem bothered by the fact that their housemate was talking to the police. Nor that it didn’t sound like a cordial conversation.

  “Come back with a warrant,” Falyn said loud enough to be heard in full.

  “You don’t want that, Falyn.”

  The front door opened and she said again, “Warrant.”

  “We can make this easy if you’ll—”

  “Goodbye.” Falyn closed the door in their faces. Her forehead rested against the door before she seemed to realize she wasn’t alone. She whirled around to face us, her face red and eyes large. “Sorry.”

  “What’s up?” Cole asked, looking concerned. Perhaps he wasn’t as blasé about this as I thought.

  “Nothing. No, there might,” she paused, letting out a breath. Her fists clenched and unclenched. “No, nothing.”

  “What do they need a warrant for?” I heard myself ask.

  Her eyes shot to mine. It looked like she might cry. I rose from the couch in a knee-jerk reaction. I’d never seen her cry. She and I were alike that way. We’d rather chew glass than cry, and I sure as hell didn’t want to see her cry.

  “Something went missing from a house we worked on.”

  “Seriously?” Cole perched forward on his seat. “Which one?”

  “Don’t know.”

  “Why aren’t they talking to Natalie?” I asked. That seemed more logical than coming to one of the crewmembers. Maybe that had been their first stop.

  She shrugged and looked away. Her sad eyes turned almost guilty before leaving mine. “Do you mind if we cut tonight short?”

  I looked at the guys. She hadn’t been talking to them. They lived here. She’d been talking to me. She looked sad and embarrassed, and she wanted her friend to leave. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to wipe those looks from her face, but I was a guest. I didn’t have much choice.

  “Can I do anything?”

  Her sad eyes went wide in amazement before she shook her head. “We’ll try it another night.”

  As I walked toward her, she had a hard time keeping my gaze. The guys watched for a second then made some excuse to go into their rooms. They really weren’t as clueless as they seemed.

  “Are you okay?” I laid my hand on her arm and rubbed softly.

  “Yeah.” But her tone suggested otherwise.

  “Did they accuse you?”

  “I was at the house. They’re following all leads.”

  “Do you want me to stay? We don’t have to watch baseball.”

  She swallowed roughly. She was going to cry. Jeez, I couldn’t just leave her. They had accused her just because she’d worked in a house that had something stolen. Before I realized it, I leaned forward and pulled her in for a hug. She didn’t exactly fling herself into my arms, but she did finally settle in. It was still surprising to have her face pressed against mine, her hips and other body parts lined up with mine. I was just remembering all the benefits of hugging someone my size when she pulled away.

  “Thanks, I’m good. I should let Natalie know.”

  She was pushing me out the door without physically pushing me out the door. Her eyes hit mine, and I thought I could read so much more than gratitude in them. So much more than guilt or embarrassment. I thought I could read how much she wished we didn’t have to stop hugging.

  “Falyn.”

  “Some other time, if you want.”

  That seemed to have two meanings. I wasn’t sure which one I wanted more.

  17

  Her door loomed before me. It had been a week since we’d ended the evening so abruptly. I’d left messages but hadn’t heard anything from her. Vivian was being evasive, too. I didn’t know what was going on, but it had to be bad for both of my close friends to avoid me.

  When I knocked, no one answered. Her car was in the driveway. The boys’ van wasn’t. She could be out with them, but for some reason, I had the feeling she wasn’t. I knocked again. And again.

  “Wh
at?” Falyn called from the side porch.

  I walked around to the side and saw her sitting in a chair with a cigarette in her hand. She flicked dispassionate eyes at me, brought the cigarette to her lips, and took a long puff. It was such a different Falyn than I was used to seeing.

  “Hi.” I leaned against one of the support posts, facing her.

  She tipped her head in greeting and sucked in another long drag.

  “You okay?”

  “Sure. You?” Her tone was light as if we’d talked last night, but it wasn’t the same lightness she used when she accepted invitations to join my tours or made suggestions to hang out or agreed to help fix whatever happened to make my bathroom fan stop working. This seemed forced, polite, obliging.

  “You haven’t been around.” Anywhere. Not here, not at softball games, not on my couch, not on bike rides.

  “Work’s crazy.” That wasn’t a lie. Vivian had said as much when I checked in with her and tried to be offhand about how much I was freaking out that my buddy had stopped talking to me.

  “Can I sit?”

  Her long stare made me uncomfortable. It was an easy question, but she seemed to be considering it. For the first time, it felt like she didn’t want me here. “Sure,” she finally said.

  I eased into the seat, hitching it around to face her. The evening air brushed over us. Warm for June, but my shorts and sleeveless polo were virtually all-weather for me. A forest of pine, spruce, and aspen trees surrounded Glory’s side and backyards. In the distance Aspen Mountain stood tall and proud. The perfect little spot.

  “You don’t seem like everything’s okay,” I offered, flicking my gaze between her and the colorful plant at the edge of the yard. “I hate when people say that to me, but you really seem like something is terribly wrong.”

  She let out a long sigh, stubbed out her cigarette, and immediately pulled another from a half empty pack. “Bad week. I’ve been thinking about moving back.”