by Stacy Finz
“Mother, we’re not married.” How did Darcy explain that this is the way the Garner brothers got their jollies? “It’s all a big misunderstanding.”
“How do you misunderstand someone saying he’s your husband?” Geneva wasn’t finding any of this funny. “Either you are or you aren’t.”
“I give up.” Darcy threw her hands in the air. “We’re not married but believe what you want.”
Geneva looked from Darcy to Win, who flashed her one of his killer, I’m-sexy-and-I-know-it smiles, the one that said believe me, not her. He tucked Darcy under his arm and let his hand slowly brush down her side in a way that would’ve made her purr if not for the fact that Geneva was watching. Then he took it a step too far by squeezing her ass. Oh, heavens, it felt good.
She tried to step on his foot to make him stop but those phenomenal reflexes of Win’s kicked in again and he moved just in time.
TJ broke the silence, saying “I’ve got to take off,” and then staring longingly at the door. Away from Crazy Town. “Mrs. Wallace.” He bobbed his head.
She got to her feet. “It’s been a pleasure.” Her expression said just the opposite. “I was hoping we could have dinner together, Darcy. Hilde has a garden club function.”
“Of course.” Darcy would use the time to explain to her mother that Win was psycho and that they weren’t married, engaged, or even dating. “I just have to finish up here. Why don’t you browse along the shops on Main Street and I’ll text you when I’m ready to go?”
“That sounds perfect.” She gave Win a sly sideways glance that said she knew. The jig was up. Darcy was surprised Geneva hadn’t called him on his lie from the beginning, knowing full well that her daughter would never run off and get married without telling anyone.
As far as her and Win together … Ha! Her mother could go back to dreaming that she and Lewis would reunite. Darcy was sure she’d get an earful about it at dinner.
Geneva set off for her stroll in downtown Glory Junction and Darcy buttonholed Win in his office. “What the hell was that about?”
Win sprawled out in his beanbag chair and one corner of his mouth tipped up. His obnoxious half grin did something to her insides. Something she didn’t want to explore too closely because Win’s smiles set women’s panties aflame across the Sierra Nevada. Probably across the Continental Divide. And she didn’t want to be one of them.
“I didn’t like how she told you to suck in your stomach,” he said. “It bugged the crap out of me.”
She lowered herself into one of the chairs and reached under her to toss away a pair of athletic socks. The place needed to be cleaned and organized. Not my job, she reminded herself. She’d done enough cleaning and organizing to last her a lifetime.
“We’ve got a complicated relationship,” she said. “Still, that wasn’t a reason to lie.”
“Sorry,” he said, but he didn’t look the least bit sorry. “Is it that bad being married to me?”
She laughed because it was difficult not to get caught up in Win’s charm. For a man who had the world by a string, he was pretty self-deprecating at times. “So far, you’re better than Lewis but the jury’s still out.”
“What’s up with your mother’s obsession with him? The dude struck me as a geek, just saying.”
A geek like her. They should’ve been the perfect match but they weren’t.
“He has his good points.”
Win twisted around in the beanbag chair. For someone over six feet tall, he was extremely agile. All that outdoors sports, she supposed.
“Yeah, what are they?”
“He wouldn’t hurt a fly and he’s a good businessman.” They’d lived in a gorgeous condo, drove new cars, and could travel whenever they wanted, though they rarely did.
“Selling real estate? Sounds boring.”
She’d always thought so but she hadn’t done the actual selling. Perhaps if Lewis had let her meet with clients and show property she would’ve enjoyed the job more. But he’d said she was more valuable to him in the office, doing the drudge work. The work he took for granted and forgot to ever give her credit for.
“Not everyone can play for a living,” she said, and he frowned. Must’ve touched a nerve. “You’re good at it, though, I’ll give you that.”
He nodded while scanning her outfit. “Your stomach looks okay in that. I wouldn’t worry about it.”
She self-consciously sucked it in, not sure if he was trying to get back at her for the “playing” comment.
“So I guess you’re really going to dinner with her,” Win said.
“She’s my mother. And thanks to you I’m going to get an earful about the stunt you pulled.”
“Ditch her and come with me to TJ’s.”
A part of her was more tempted than he would ever know. She rose, needing to return a few e-mails and power down her computer before she left for the evening. “See you tomorrow, Win.”
She dashed off a text to her mother and met her at Old Glory, where Geneva had already secured a table.
“Cute place,” Geneva said, doing a visual lap around the room.
“It’s known for its microbrews. The owner is really into craft beer.” Darcy had never acquired a taste for it herself and preferred wine or margaritas but she knew it was a huge draw for tourists and locals alike.
“Hmm.” Geneva peered at the menu. “Is there anything that isn’t fried?”
Darcy wanted to say it wouldn’t kill her to eat something with flavor for a change but what was the point? “I’m sure they can rustle up some lettuce or kale for you.”
“Was that supposed to be sarcastic?”
“I was just kidding,” Darcy said sheepishly. “They do have good salads.”
Geneva closed her menu and pushed it to the side. “Your husband didn’t want to join us?”
Now who was being sarcastic?
“He was just playing around, Mother.” In his own warped way, Win was trying to defend her. And despite the fallout—because her mother would surely ride her about it—Darcy had been touched by his championing of her.
“There’s something wrong with that man,” Geneva huffed.
Win was no saint—his womanizing was a major topic in Glory Junction—but for the most part, Darcy thought he was misunderstood. Notwithstanding his faults, he was the kindest person she knew. And completely nonjudgmental. Hence, the reason she felt so comfortable around him.
“There’s nothing wrong with him, Mother. And technically, he’s one of my bosses.” She never actually thought of him that way but it would hopefully get Geneva off his back. The one thing her mother understood was chain of command.
Geneva arched a brow. “He’s not for you.”
No, he wasn’t but Darcy still resented her mother pointing it out. “He’s better than Lewis.” It was childish to make the comparison but she was feeling defensive. That in and of itself was new. Usually, she let her mother run roughshod over her because it was easier than fighting.
“He may be better-looking but I doubt he’s half as reliable.” Now how would Geneva know that? She’d met Win for all of ten minutes.
“I don’t want to talk about Lewis, Mother.”
“You’re the one who brought him up.” Geneva gazed across the table. “Sit up straight, dear. That slouch isn’t doing anything for your tummy.”
A server came to take their order and even though Darcy wanted chicken wings, she got the chopped salad. Geneva of course got hers without dressing.
When the server left, Geneva launched into the same old, same old about how she was throwing her life away, working in a dead-end job. “You’d be better off working for Snyder Real Estate.”
“I like this job better, Mother.” TJ, unlike Lewis, listened to her and often took her advice. And if she got her promotion there would be a raise and a title. “I meet interesting people and the Garners are wonderful.”
“I just can’t imagine answering a phone all day long. And do you want to live with Hil
de the rest of your life?”
Living with Hilde was not the problem. “I do more than answer the phone, not that there is anything wrong with that.” Her mother was such a damned snob. “In fact, I’ve been put in charge of getting a huge account for Garner Adventure.” A bit of an exaggeration, since Win was really in charge but TJ believed in her.
Her mother shrugged. “I don’t see you as a salesperson but if this is what you want …” She trailed off and Darcy didn’t bother to ask what the sales quip was supposed to mean. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. Geneva liked to nitpick.
“This is what I want,” she said as forcefully as she could without coming off as defensive, which she was sure she sounded anyway. Geneva had a knack for making Darcy doubt herself. She could do it with just one glance.
Their salads came and they ate in blessed silence, the tension so thick she could cut it with a machete. For once she wished she and Geneva could just have a nice meal together, talk about things normal mother-daughters did, be kind to each other.
“How’s Dad?” Darcy asked to break the awkwardness and try for a neutral topic.
“He’s fine.” The answer was terse and quick. Too quick.
“Everything with the business is okay?”
“Of course.” Geneva took a sip of the wine she’d ordered before Darcy had arrived. It was obvious she didn’t want to talk about whatever was eating her.
Or, it was more fun to carp on Darcy. Geneva hadn’t gotten to Darcy’s hair, her nails, or even her outfit yet. Darcy was sure it was coming.
“Lewis mentioned that you were going to help him with some data entry,” Geneva said between delicate bites of her salad.
Everything always came back to Lewis. Darcy gritted her teeth. “Maybe. I have to see how it goes with our clients. I may be too busy.”
“I wish you could see your way back to him.”
Darcy wished she could see her way back to the Garners’ barbecue where she could’ve eaten something besides lettuce and spent her evening talking about someone other than Lewis. And Win would’ve been there. And even though he wouldn’t have sex with her, he surprisingly made her feel good about herself.
Chapter Seven
Colt was manning the grill when Win got to TJ’s place. His brother had turned the once fixer-upper into a rocking lakeside pad, complete with man cave and private dock. Now that Deb had moved in, she’d put her touch on things. But she was so much like TJ everything meshed pretty well, including the outdoor entertaining spaces where she’d added a bar and a fire pit.
On his way to the backyard, he passed TJ and Deb in the kitchen making guacamole. These days those two were connected at the hip, which made Win smile. He loved the shit out of all his family, even if they were monster pains in the ass.
Hannah, Delaney, and Josh were drinking beer around the fire pit with a big fire going. Win noted that his parents hadn’t shown up yet.
“Hey, dipshit.” Josh threw a tortilla chip at him. “Grab a cold one and pull up a seat.”
Win got a beer from the cooler, strolled over to see what Colt was massacring on the barbecue, then found an empty chair next to Delaney.
“TJ says you’re married now.” Josh let out a laugh. “Poor Darcy.”
He should’ve known that TJ would blab. The guy, like the rest of his brothers, couldn’t keep his mouth shut. At least their significant others were more discreet. “She’s damned lucky to have me. I’m a loyal hound.”
“You’re a hound all right,” Colt called from the grill. “But loyal isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.”
Right, he was a player, a ne’er-do-well, a miscreant. He’d heard it all before.
“Seriously, what are you guys talking about?” Hannah asked.
Win told her the whole story, starting with Geneva’s poor treatment of Darcy. “It pissed me off. Darcy’s sensitive enough as it is.” Though lately she’d been a real ballbuster, at least where he was concerned.
“That was so sweet of you to lie to her mother,” Delaney said. Now that she was married to Colt she’d become too damned sarcastic. And cynical.
“I’m really disappointed in the way you’ve let Colt turn you into a sour, bitter person,” Win said. “You’re better than that, Delaney.”
Another corn chip beaned him in the head. This time from Colt.
“Watch how you talk to my wife.”
TJ and Deb came out with their big-ass bowl of guacamole. Deb set it on the edge of the fire pit, grabbed a beer, and made herself comfortable on the bench next to Hannah.
“I hear you’ve been telling stories again,” she said to Win, then turned to the others and made the cuckoo sign with her finger.
“What kind of shit was that?” TJ wanted to know. “You really put me on the spot there.”
Win took a long drag of his beer and eyed his brother over the bottle. “You seemed to catch on quick enough.”
“Next time a little heads-up would be good. WTF, Win, you don’t mess with people’s parents that way. I didn’t know if Darcy wanted me to play along or beat the crap out of you.”
“She definitely wanted to be married to me.” Not exactly, but she wanted to sleep with him. Or at least she did a few days ago. “As for beating the crap out of me, in your dreams, Thomas Jefferson.”
TJ flipped him the bird, grabbed a handful of chips, and stuffed them in his mouth. Win gazed out over the lake as the late afternoon sun shimmered off the water. Except for a few boats and a couple of paddleboarders it was quiet. Come the weekend, it would be Grand Central Station. Between the townies, the tourists, and the weekenders, the lake was a mob scene, though Win would take it in a heartbeat. Homes right on the waterfront were highly coveted, despite the crowds.
TJ, like with most of his dealings, had finagled his way into this one and made it a dream home. Thanks to their wives, both Colt and Josh had great houses, too. Only Win lived in a one-room rental. It used to be more than sufficient, just a place to sleep and keep his sports gear. Lately, though, he’d been thinking about buying a place, putting down roots.
“Burgers are ready,” Colt shouted.
“What’s taking Mom and Dad so long?” Josh asked.
TJ reached over, grabbed a stack of plates from the picnic table, and handed them out. “They’re probably having a nooner.”
“Ew.” Win punched him. “Seriously?”
“Yeah,” Josh said. “I could’ve done without that visual. Besides, it’s a little late for a nooner.”
A few minutes later, Mary and Gray Garner showed up with Lucy and Ricky. The labs were getting up there in age but his parents still took them everywhere. The dogs ran to the edge of the lake and stuck their noses in the water. Win found a stick and tossed it across the lawn and watched as the dogs streaked across the grass to fetch it. Lucy brought it back to him covered in slobber. He did it a few more times before going inside to wash up.
While he was in there, he checked his phone in case Darcy had changed her mind or had gotten done early with Geneva and wanted to swing by. Nothing from Darcy but a woman he’d met kayaking over the weekend left a message, inviting him to join her for drinks at Old Glory.
He hit the delete button and returned to the party, filling his plate. TJ sidled up to him.
“You and Darcy hammer out this weekend?” TJ couldn’t enjoy himself unless he was talking shop. Win knew it was that kind of drive that made his brother so successful but it was annoying as hell. The guy could never just let go.
“Yep. Rather, she did. I had that bouldering group today, so she came up with a plan.” As he’d told her repeatedly, he wanted to get a feel for the group before he decided on what activities to throw at them. But like TJ, she was anal.
“Good. We could really use the business.”
Win gave him a long look. “I know. I fucked up with Royce … shouldn’t have let him use the porta-potty.”
TJ shook his head. “There’s not much you could’ve done, Win. It was Royce w
ho ignored the danger tape and used a condemned outhouse. But we took a hit, no question about it.”
“I’ll get us FlashTag,” Win said. “Can I have a bonus if I do?”
TJ leaned back, surprised. “You need money?”
Win lived a pretty inexpensive life. He owned his Jeep free and clear, his apartment’s rent was nothing, and all his recreation was paid for. The last time he’d asked TJ for a raise it was because he thought he was going to be a father and needed to support a family. He could tell that his brother’s mind had automatically gone there.
“I might want to buy a place.”
“Really?” TJ gave Win a hard look as if he was hiding something. “Is there something I ought to know about?”
“Jeez, can’t a guy want to buy a house? You did.”
“I thought you were too busy running around, having a good time, to settle down.”
Win didn’t blame TJ for his assumption. Until recently it had been true. Mostly. He wouldn’t necessarily call buying a home settling down, but he’d like to at least get out of his studio apartment, which was fine for someone in his early twenties. Not someone approaching thirty-two. Why pay rent when he could be putting that money towards a mortgage? California real estate was a good investment. “I was planning to buy something when I thought Britney and I were getting married. Just because she’s out of the picture doesn’t mean the plan has changed.”
Back when he thought he was bringing a kid into the world his parents had offered to help with a down payment. Win wouldn’t take the money now. He was a grown man and could stand on his own two feet. GA paid him well and he had managed to sock some money away but California real estate didn’t come cheap and Glory Junction with its five ski resorts had become prohibitively expensive in the last five years.
“Sure,” TJ said. “You get the account and I’ll give you a bonus. I’ll even help you look for a place.”
“All right.” Win would take his help. TJ had a good eye for diamonds in the rough. His lake house was a perfect example. “Hey, did you know that Darcy’s divorced?”