by Stacy Finz
She figured she’d let their time together run its course and pick up the pieces after it was over. But for now, the sex was too good to pass up and Win was turning out to be a tremendous listener when she needed one most.
She hit him over the head with a pillow. “You better get up. The meeting’s in ninety minutes.”
He gazed at his bedside clock. “I only need thirty. You showering here?”
“Uh-uh, I’m going home first, then to make the doughnut run. See you at work.”
“Come here.” He pulled her down on top of him and kissed her. “We have time—”
She wrestled against him to get off the bed. “No time. Unless I go to the office like this.” She waved her hand over yesterday’s cutoff shorts and tank top.
“Works for me,” he said, and tried to pull her back down.
“Not in your wildest dreams,” she said, though she was sorely tempted. He looked so good lying there naked with his hair rumpled and a day’s worth of stubble. All those muscles and golden-brown skin. She still couldn’t believe she was sleeping with Win Garner, heartthrob of Glory Junction. “See you in the city, slicker.”
He flipped onto his side and threw a leg over the side of the bed. “At least take a shower with me.”
She collected her purse and slid her feet into her flip-flops. “Can’t.” He was insatiable, which she was still getting used to. After Lewis it was amazing but she didn’t delude herself into thinking his sexual appetite was solely for her. Win was just a randy son of a gun.
She took one last delicious peek at him as he stretched, completely uninhibited in his nakedness, before leaving. “Try not to be obvious at the meeting about us sleeping together.” Not that she thought he would because no one would believe it anyway. But it was better for all involved if they kept this little arrangement on the down-low.
“You embarrassed of me?”
“Right.” She rolled her eyes and walked out the door.
By the time she made it to the Morning Glory diner she was cutting it close to meeting time. Felix greeted her with his usual gruff “Hello,” then yelled back to the kitchen, “Garner life preservers.”
She made it to GA with just enough minutes left to make the coffee and set the conference table with napkins, plates, and cups, and looked forward to the day when this was someone else’s chore. It’s not that she minded organizing the Monday morning meeting but she wanted to manage accounts, make deals, have a title and a good salary. The song “Passionate Kisses” flitted through her head. Yes, she should have it all, even Win Garner if only for a short time.
“Hey,” TJ said as he came in and sat at his usual spot, the head of the table. “You have a good four days off?”
“I did. How ’bout you? How was your weekend?” Until TJ and Deb had gotten together, he’d worked the weekends and put in twelve-hour days during the week. Now he was spreading more of the responsibility to Josh and spending time with Deb and even guiding a few tours.
“Good. We took the boat out. Thanks for asking.” He gazed around the empty room and let out a sigh. “I see everyone is late as usual.”
“Not me,” she said even though she sounded like a suck-up. One thing she noticed about men, they were shameless self-promoters. Women could learn a thing or two from that.
“Nope, you’re never late. Truthfully, you and Deb are the only employees here who are worth a damn, besides me of course. If we get FlashTag I’ll get you off the front desk, I promise.”
“Who’s worth a damn?” Josh came in and went straight for the coffee.
“Not you, that’s for sure.” TJ grabbed a bear claw before the other brothers could hog them. Felix never made enough.
“Good. Then you won’t mind if I take a week off in August.”
Both TJ and Darcy spun around to look at him. Darcy speculated they were thinking the same thing. Another surgery on Josh’s leg, the one he’d nearly lost in an IED explosion in Afghanistan. Every time Josh went under the knife, the Garners rallied. But it was hard on them to see Josh suffer.
“Why?” TJ asked.
“It’s called a vacation, big brother. You should try it sometime.”
TJ’s relief was palpable. To an outsider, the Garner brothers’ constant ribbing of one another seemed like sibling rivalry on steroids. But Darcy knew better. They teased as hard as they played but their love for one another was unconditional. She’d never known a family who had one another’s backs as much as the Garners.
“Why August? It’s our busiest time before winter.”
“I know.” Josh picked through the doughnuts until he found one he liked. “But Hannah found an all-inclusive deal to go to Cabo San Lucas. She wants to spread Sabine’s ashes.”
All Darcy knew was that Sabine was Hannah’s late aunt and that she’d inherited Glorious Gifts from her.
“We’ll work it out,” TJ said. “What time of August? I would hate for you to miss the End of Summer festival.”
The Garners lived for the annual weekend event, which included a kayak race that GA won every year.
“We’re good,” Josh said. “It’ll be early August.”
Win came in, his hair damp, curling around his collar, and Darcy’s breath caught. The man did that to her, made her gulp for oxygen. And when he turned his smile on her she nearly melted in a puddle on the hardwood floor. She still couldn’t believe she got to sleep with him every night. Then she reminded herself for the second time today—and it was only nine—that it was temporary. He was just on loan from the public sex library.
“We ready to get this party started?” Colt brushed in wearing his police uniform. “I’ve only got a few minutes so try your best not to be too long-winded.” He looked directly at TJ, winked at Darcy, and filled a paper plate with a couple of doughnuts.
Deb was the last person in and she sat next to Darcy. The senior Garners rarely made appearances at the meetings anymore. She supposed Gray and Mary were enjoying their semiretirement.
“Can I do my report first?” Deb asked. “I’ve got a thing.”
“What kind of thing?” Josh wasn’t letting her off the hook that easy.
“Yeah,” Colt chimed in. “Share with the rest of the class.”
She shot them both looks and let out an exasperated sound. “If you must know Delaney’s taking my measurements for my wedding gown.”
Darcy didn’t even realize she was doing it but she let out a sigh. Four pairs of eyes turned on her. “What? It’s exciting. Leave her alone.”
Colt threw his head back and laughed. “Four months ago, you couldn’t say boo in a crowded room. Now you’re a tiger.” He and his brothers stood up and high-fived. “You’re an official Garner now.”
She blew her new tough-girl image by blushing.
“Remember the time you choked on a doughnut because TJ embarrassed you?” Josh said.
It was something she’d hoped to forget and gave him her three-finger salute for reminding her of the humiliating experience. “Read between the lines.”
That sent everyone into a second fit of laughter, even Win, who reached out and stroked her hair. And not in a “you’re an honorary Garner” way. No, he did it with the sensual familiarity of a lover. Everyone in the room went silent and she could feel the weirdness crackle in the air.
Win tried to cover by making a joke but Darcy sensed no one was buying the snow job he was selling. She didn’t know what they thought they saw but whatever they’d divined from Win’s small, intimate gesture was now out in the universe.
Ultimately, it was Deb who saved the moment by distracting everyone with her report. She stood up, cleared her throat, and gave a synopsis of their weekly sales.
“The egg carriers are a major fail,” she said. “Who the hell brings eggs backpacking? I believe those were your idea, Colt.”
“Bullshit. I said it as a joke. I didn’t actually think you would order them.”
“Well, I did and they’ve been thoroughly mocked in the comment sect
ion of the online store. So you suck! On the other hand, TJ’s brilliant suggestion to carry microfiber packable camp towels has been a huge win. We’ve sold twenty in three days.”
“You’re just giving TJ credit because you’re sleeping with him.” Colt stabbed his coffee stirrer at her.
“Yes, I am sleeping with him but zero”—she made a circle with her thumb and index finger—“for you and twenty for him.”
Josh and TJ laughed. Deb grabbed a doughnut and headed for the door.
“I’m out of here, people.”
“Bye, little Debbie,” Colt said, using the nickname she hated.
“Next line of business is FlashTag.” Everyone turned their attention to TJ and Darcy held her breath. He’d held out on her earlier by keeping the news a secret until now. “They want a second round with us. This time Madison De Wolk is coming.”
“When?” Win asked.
“This weekend. I want you and Darcy back on it.”
“We’re down with that, right, Darce?”
“You bet.” The fact that Madison De Wolk was coming herself meant they’d passed the first test. All they had to do was get her to sign on the bottom line and the account was theirs.
*
“I swear to God, Win, leave Darcy alone. I don’t know what that was about in the conference room but I do know you’re playing with fire, flirting with her like that. She’s not one of your party girls and she’s going to wind up getting hurt.”
Win knew the minute TJ stepped foot in his office and shut the door that his brother was going to make a federal case over the way he’d touched Darcy. TJ didn’t know what he was talking about but Win sure as hell wasn’t going to enlighten him.
“It’s none of your business.” He was sick of his brothers’ meddling. He was entitled to a private life and what he and Darcy did in their off-hours wasn’t any concern of TJ’s.
“The hell it isn’t. Darcy works for me, she works for Garner Adventure. Last I looked, you were an equal shareholder of this company. Do I need to draw you a picture?”
“There’s nothing to worry about.” Because Darcy wanted this. He was helping a friend, that’s all. “I don’t know what you thought you saw but it was nothing. We’re buddies.”
TJ just sat there, staring at him. “Am I making a mistake having you two work together on this account? This is too important to screw up, Win. So if there’s something going on with you two, you need to speak up now. For once in your freaking life be responsible.”
Be responsible.
Win had been hearing those words his entire life. His family stuck by him throughout the Britney ordeal but he’d known all along what they’d been thinking. He could see it written across their faces. Good ol’ Win, the womanizing screwup. The guy who dropped out of the US Olympic team because he couldn’t get serious about anything. The lesser brother who was easily distracted and struggled in school. The one who barely made it through college.
He’d been typecast for so long, he wouldn’t even know how to play another role. So he did what he did best. He walked away.
He was halfway down Main Street when he remembered he had a mountain biking group at eleven. Time enough for a green shake at the Juicery and to clear his head. TJ was just dead wrong. This thing between him and Darcy … he didn’t know what it was. He only knew that she made him laugh and she made him feel things he’d never felt before. And when she was done using him for his body, he’d probably feel like shit. Karma was a mean bitch.
He got his protein drink and was on his way back to GA to load up when he bumped into Boden.
“You look like someone stole your lunch.”
Boden frowned. “That Rachel Johnson is one of the most difficult people I’ve ever dealt with.”
Win jerked his head in surprise. “We talking about the same Rachel Johnson? Tart Me Up Rachel?” Because she was one of the nicest women in town. She always put in a good word for GA with the tourists who stopped in at her bakery. She was always the first to donate food to one of Glory Junction’s charity events. She taught a free baking class at the women’s shelter. She’d even caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey, who’d publicly raved about Tart Me Up. Before Delaney had moved to town, everyone had held out hope that Colt would get his head out of his ass and date Rachel.
“That would be her. She’s got a real dark side.”
Dark side. Since when? “Oh yeah, how’s that?”
“First off, she’s a control freak. Ask Foster. The three of us get hired to do a lot of events. It’s easy money and I’m saving to buy a brewery. The woman wants to tell me where to set my bar up, what to serve, and how the hell to dress. Like this is my first freaking rodeo. I don’t even think her buns are that good.”
Win’s brows winged up. “Which buns would those be?”
“Her sweet buns, you asshole.”
Win laughed. “As much as I’d love to hear more, I’ve got a date with a group of mountain bikers. I’m sure you and Rachel will work out your differences.”
“Doubtful,” he said, and continued up Main Street. Win had never seen the affable Boden so worked up, at least not since Dale busted up his bar and Win’s face.
He loaded his bike in his Jeep and took off for Royal Slope. In winter, the resort boasted some of the most challenging designated ski courses in California. In spring and summer, cyclists bombed down the mountain at breakneck speed.
His group consisted of four experienced mountain bikers from Oregon who wanted to learn the trails. To borrow the cliché: It was a tough job but someone had to do it. Because of assignments like this one you couldn’t pay him a bazillion dollars to ride a desk full-time.
Six hours later, he was breathing hard and feeling good. All he’d had to do was get his cyclists up the mountain, point them in the right direction, and they’d ridden until they’d run out of steam. Starved, the five of them grabbed dinner and a beer afterward, then Win went home to soak off the grime.
He found TJ sitting on his doorstep.
“Are the rest of them coming so you can triple-team me?”
“Nah, just me. How’d the ride go?”
Win unlocked his door and waved his hand across the threshold to let TJ in first. “I know you didn’t come here to check up on my tour so you can cut the shit.”
“Let’s go look at Reggie’s house.”
Win dragged his shirt over his head and ducked into the bathroom. Whatever TJ really came for could wait until Win showered.
“You got anything to eat?” TJ called through the door.
“Check the refrigerator.” Shit, Win remembered that Hilde’s pie plate was still in there. Since it wasn’t monogrammed it could’ve come from any number of people.
He turned the water as hot as he could take it and got in the tub. It didn’t last long. The old complex didn’t have those tankless water heaters like GA, TJ, and Colt had. When he got his new place he was going to get one too. He dried off, checked his phone to see if Darcy had called, and turned it off just in case she rang him while TJ was here. Sneaking around sucked but Darcy didn’t want anyone to know and whatever they were doing was so new and tentative that he had to agree with her.
He came out to find TJ eating dry granola.
“Your food sucks.”
“If you want good food go to a restaurant or Josh’s house. Here, I’ll show you to the door.”
TJ continued to chomp on Win’s cereal and appeared in no hurry to leave. Win found clean clothes, put them on, and joined his brother at the breakfast counter.
TJ scanned the apartment. “You cleaned.”
“Yep.” Win stole a handful of granola.
“You ready to go?”
“You’re serious? I’m not asking Reggie to let me in again. He hasn’t even given me a price yet. For all I know he’s having second thoughts. He built the place with his late wife. There’s gotta be a lot of memories in it for him.”
“Doesn’t mean we can’t do a drive-by, check out the nei
ghborhood.”
It was hardly a neighborhood. But if TJ wanted to see the cabin Win was game.
“All right.”
“I’ll drive.” TJ fished his keys out of his pocket and Win put on his shoes.
It took less than fifteen minutes to get there. The sun was setting but there was still plenty of light.
“I don’t think we should pull through the driveway,” Win said. “If he’s home he’ll see us and it’ll be weird, don’t you think?”
“You’ll look overanxious, that’s for sure. But I can’t see dick from here.” TJ had pulled to the side where the two private roads forked. “Let’s hike in, incognito.”
Win rolled his eyes. “Should we wear camo and paint our faces?”
“You have a better suggestion?”
“Yeah, let’s go to Old Glory and have a beer.”
“I want to see the place.” TJ shut off the engine and hopped out of his Range Rover.
Win threw up his hands and joined him. “I guess we’re doing this. Reggie has a dog, be prepared.”
Instead of walking down the driveway like normal people, they went through a copse of pines, using the trees as cover, and wove their way through dense thickets on the property. Win kept waiting for Oscar to bark or an alarm to sound. In backcountry people were prickly about trespassers. Mostly everyone had a shotgun for hunting or to shoo away varmints. Reggie seemed a little too chill to pull a gun on someone and Oscar too old and fat to catch them if they ran. But sneaking around like this would take some explanation if Reggie caught them. It seemed like a bad way to start a business relationship.
“This is stupid,” he whispered to TJ.
“Isn’t stupid your middle name?”
“Usually, but this was your idea.”
TJ broke into a huge grin. It reminded Win of when they used to be kids. Back when TJ was fun and not a sanctimonious workaholic.
“Whatever Deb put in your Metamucil, I like it.”
They came up on the back of the house and walked along the river’s edge to circle around. If Reggie had been looking out of one of the cabin’s huge windows he would’ve seen them sure as shit. But it didn’t appear that he was home or if he was, he was hibernating somewhere.