by Darcy Burke
When the meeting adjourned, Dad came over to greet him.
Liam gave him a quick hug. “I didn’t realize you’d be here.”
“Nor I you,” Dad said. “When did you get in?”
“Early this morning.” Rylan had picked him up at the airport and taken him back to McMinnville to prep their jump gear, but Liam wasn’t going to tell Dad that. No one needed to know what he was doing. He’d tell them about it afterward, when it would be pointless for any of them to try to talk him out of it.
“I’m glad you’re here in person. I wanted to tell you that I’m just about ready to pull the trigger on bottling my beer. I’m starting with Longbow, Crossbow, and Nock to see how it goes.” He shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. “I’m getting ahead of myself. We need to get a facility up and running first. We’re going to lease some space near Portland until we get ours built out here. I’ve got Tori working on plans, and Dylan’s going to build it.”
Liam stared at him. “Wow, this is really happening.”
Dad nodded, his gray eyes sharp with excitement. “I’ve decided to split up the company—Archer Brewing and Archer Enterprises. Derek’s going to be president of Archer Brewing.”
Liam was surprised. “Why not Archer Enterprises?”
“I gave him the choice.” Dad grinned. “He prefers beer.”
“Who’s going to run AE?”
Dad lifted a shoulder. “Don’t know yet. I’ll contact some headhunters, put out feelers.”
Liam noted that Dad didn’t ask him. But then Liam had turned him down so many times, could he blame him?
“Hey, Liam.” Tori joined them, her gaze narrowed at him with laser focus. Liam instantly knew something was up. “Did you come up for the oral argument?” Her tone was almost toxic.
He was curious why she seemed annoyed but wasn’t going to let her rile him. “I e-mailed and said I was going to.”
Dad seemed oblivious to Tori’s nonverbal hints at agitation as he smiled at them both. “I need to head to the office. See you later.” He turned and left, saying good-bye to everyone else on his way out.
Tori crossed her arms and let the full weight of whatever was pissing her off settle into a frosty glower.
Liam returned the ice with a glare of his own. “What gives? Why are you treating me like I just hid your favorite purple clogs?”
“Which you totally did when we were kids. We never did find them.”
He exhaled. “I know, because I forgot where I put them.”
“You’d think they would’ve turned up.”
“You’d think,” he muttered. “Anyway, why are you pissed at me now?”
She lightly socked him in the arm. “Because of Aubrey, you tool!”
Sara came up and joined them. “Are you reading him the riot act about Aubrey?”
Tori nodded, and Sara punched him in the other arm.
Sara’s punch made him flinch. “Ow.”
“You deserve that and worse,” Sara said.
“Why are you guys giving me grief?” He was afraid he knew the answer. And sorry he’d asked. He should’ve known better. In fact, he should’ve taken off as soon as Tori had given him the stink eye.
Tori dropped her hands to her sides. “Because Aubrey is fantastic, and you should be dating her.”
How much did they know? What had Aubrey told them?
“We’re not stupid,” Tori said, accurately mind-reading his unspoken questions. “We figured it out.”
They’d figured what out? That he and Aubrey had been hooking up?
“And don’t be mad at Aubrey,” Sara added.
“I wouldn’t.” But he’d sure as hell be asking how everyone knew. Not that it mattered. Unless Aubrey was pissed. What a mess. He’d never had to worry about one of his exes being championed by his sisters. And that’s exactly what was happening.
Tori pulled her phone from her back pocket and answered it. “This is Tori.”
She put her finger in her ear and said, “What? I can’t hear you very well.” She tipped her head down and listened. Her cheeks went pale, and when she looked up her eyes were wide. “Aubrey’s uncle is in the ER in Newberg.”
Liam turned and snatched his helmet from the table. “Tell her I’m on my way.”
“We’ll come, too,” Tori said, but Liam didn’t know if she was talking to him or if she was still on the phone with Aubrey. All he knew was that he was going to get there first.
As he fired up his bike and tore out of the lot, he wished that he had been the one she’d called.
AUBREY SAT IN the ER waiting room with Aunt Cyndi. “He’s going to be fine,” Aunt Cyndi said for probably the tenth time. “He’s incredibly healthy.”
“Yes,” Aubrey agreed. He was going to be fine. And then she was going to smack him for not taking better care of himself. His cold had gotten worse, and even though he’d seen the doctor and been prescribed antibiotics for a sinus infection, the cough had intensified until this afternoon at work, when his breathing had become shallow and difficult. At least he’d had the cognizance to come to Aubrey’s office and alert her to the situation. She’d driven him to the ER immediately and called Aunt Cyndi on the way to meet them there.
“He’s never even been in the hospital, can you believe that?” Aunt Cyndi said. She adjusted her glasses and shifted in her chair. “And thank goodness for that, because this hospital furniture is really uncomfortable.”
Aubrey smiled, glad for a bit of levity as they waited to hear the results of Uncle Dave’s lung X-rays.
“I’ve had it.” Aunt Cyndi stood, stretching as she got up from the chair. “I’m going for a little walk. Do you want to come?”
“No thanks,” Aubrey said. “I’ll just sit here on this hard chair.”
Tori had said that Liam was on his way, which was both unnecessary and . . . surprising? Tori and Sara were going to come, too, but Aubrey had told them not to, that she would keep them posted. She’d texted Liam and also told him not to come, but he hadn’t responded.
She pulled her phone out to see if she’d missed a text, but there was nothing except notes from the people back at work who were anxious to hear what was going on. Aubrey was pretty sure it was pneumonia. She’d known a couple of other people who’d come down with it—someone in her kickboxing class and one of the baristas at Books and Brew. It was always comforting to think that someone who’d been pouring your latte was that sick.
She glanced toward the door and immediately tensed at seeing Liam stride inside. He pulled off his Aviators and scanned the room, his gaze finding hers. He came toward her, his bike helmet tucked under one arm.
She stood to greet him, feeling far more nervous than she wanted to.
“How’s your uncle?” he asked without preamble.
“They’re doing X-rays and other tests. We’re expecting the doctor soon.”
Liam looked around. “Who’s ‘we’? Is your aunt here?”
“She went for a walk.” Aubrey sat back down. “You didn’t have to come. I texted you.”
Liam sat down kitty-corner from her in the U-shaped seating area and set his helmet on the chair to his right. “I was riding, so I don’t check my phone.”
She glanced at his motorcycle boots, which were so sexy, and then up at his face, which was even sexier. “Probably a good idea.”
He cracked a smile. “See, I’m not that dangerous.”
Oh, he was plenty dangerous, and it had nothing to do with his hobbies. Once again, being in his presence tossed every reservation she had about him out the window. “Why did you come?”
He set his sunglasses down on the table between their chairs that formed one of the corners of the seating area. Then he pulled his black leather jacket off and laid it over his helmet. “I wanted to be here for you. We’re friends, remember?”
Right, friends. She was foolish if she expected anything more. And this is what friends did. It was why she’d called Tori in the first place, because they were f
riends. She didn’t, however, call Liam, although he’d apparently been with Tori. Did he care that she hadn’t called him? They weren’t that kind of friends. Yuck, she was so tired of trying to define this relationship. They liked each other, they enjoyed having sex with each other, they saw each other on a regular basis. If they were still having sex, she’d say they were indisputably dating.
The doctor came toward them then, and Aubrey jumped to her feet. Dressed in scrubs with her hair gathered into a bun, she was maybe thirty-five. She smiled warmly. “Are you David Tallinger’s niece?”
“Yes, but wait. My aunt went for a walk. I need to find her.”
Liam had stood up beside her. “I’ll get her.”
“You’ve never met her,” Aubrey said.
“No, but I’ve seen her picture at your house. I’ll know who she is.” He kissed her cheek and took off, leaving her to stare after him in wonder. He’d gone into caretaker mode again, just like when she’d been drunk on girls’ night or when she’d tripped on the steepest path at the amphitheater and skinned her knee over Labor Day.
Pulling her thoughts in line, Aubrey turned back to the doctor. “How’s Uncle Dave?”
“He’s resting comfortably. We can discharge him shortly—” She shook her head. “Sorry, I’ll wait for your aunt.”
Liam returned a moment later with Aunt Cyndi in tow. Her face was pale, her blue eyes wide behind her glasses. “How is he?” she asked the doctor.
“He’s doing well. He has a pretty good case of pneumonia but nothing a stiff course of antibiotics won’t take care of.”
Aunt Cyndi instantly relaxed. She reached for Aubrey’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Thank you so much. Can he come home?”
The doctor nodded. “Yes. He was a bit dehydrated, so we’re giving him some IV fluids right now. When that’s finished, he can go. I’m having his prescription filled now. You’ll need to keep him at home in bed for two to three days. Do you think you can do that?”
Aunt Cyndi exchanged a look with Aubrey. “I’ll try, but he’s hard to keep stationary.”
Uncle Dave liked to walk and hike and work in his garden. He wasn’t one to sit around.
“We’ll get him some new books,” Aubrey said, her mind already shifting to tomorrow’s oral argument and how it couldn’t be moved, meaning she’d have to do it. “He likes to read.”
“Excellent. Well, go ahead and come on back.” The doctor turned and started toward the double doors that led to the treatment rooms.
Liam touched Aubrey’s arm. “I’ll wait here until you’re done.”
“You don’t have to.” But she wanted him to.
His lips curved into a slight smile. “You’re not getting rid of me today. I know you’re already thinking that the oral argument is tomorrow and now Uncle Dave can’t be there. We’ll talk about it when you’re done. We’ll figure it out together, okay?”
She stared at him, impressed that he’d correctly gauged her thoughts and was behaving like her own personal knight in shining armor.
She followed her aunt and the doctor back to Uncle Dave’s room. He looked at them sheepishly as they walked in. “Guess I should’ve listened to you and called the doctor this morning,” he said to Aunt Cyndi.
“You should always listen to your wife,” the nurse who was checking his IV bag admonished. “You’ll be done here in about thirty minutes.” She patted his hand and left.
The nurse went through his treatment plan and obtained assurances from everyone that he’d follow up with his primary-care doctor in three days. There was no way Aunt Cyndi would let him blow that off.
When the nurse left the three of them alone, Cyndi perched next to Uncle Dave on the bed. She brushed her hand along his face. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
His eyes sparkled with love as he looked at her. “Impossible. You have the best blood pressure of anyone I know.”
Aunt Cyndi laughed softly. “Fine. How about a nervous breakdown?”
He shook his head. “Not buying it. You’re a rock. Why do you think I married you?”
Watching them, listening to them, Aubrey’s heart swelled with love. This is what she wanted—this camaraderie, this care, this absolute devotion that was based in friendship and love and an emotion that was maybe even deeper than all of those things together. An emotion that couldn’t be named. The emotion that came when you found your soul mate. And she knew that’s what her aunt and uncle were. They shared a bond she’d never seen in her parents. A bond she’d seen repeated over and over when she spent time with the Archers. Maybe that was why she wanted it so badly. It was so close she could practically taste it.
Uncle Dave held his hand up on the other side of the bed from Aunt Cyndi. “Aubrey, I’m so sorry about tomorrow.”
Aubrey took his hand and smiled down at him. “It’s fine. You’ve prepped me very well.”
He squeezed her fingers. “You’re ready. Get your father’s criticism out of your head.”
Aubrey nodded, knowing that was the best advice she could hear. “I will.”
“Don’t feel like you have to hang around, dear,” Aunt Cyndi told her. “I’m sure you want to get ready for tomorrow, and it looks like Liam’s anxious to help you.”
Uncle Dave’s gaze snapped between them. “Liam Archer’s here?”
Aunt Cyndi nodded. “I just met him. Charming young man, and so thoughtful to rush over to be with Aubrey.” She looked at Aubrey, her blue eyes inquisitive. “Are you sure he’s not boyfriend material? He seems caring, and he’s gorgeous—if I do say so myself. Sorry, honey.” She patted Uncle Dave’s hand and grinned.
Clearly Uncle Dave had talked to her about Liam. Not that it was a secret.
“He doesn’t even live here in Ribbon Ridge, so that should tell you about his boyfriend potential right there.” Aubrey leaned down and kissed her uncle’s cheek. “Feel better, okay? Will one of you text me when you get home?”
“We will,” Aunt Cyndi said.
Aubrey gave her a quick hug and left. As she made her way back to the waiting room, her mind was already buzzing with thoughts of tomorrow. Damn, she wasn’t mentally ready for this. She knew she could do it, but she hadn’t planned on doing it. Which meant she had to get her head into the game fast.
She made her way back to Liam.
He stood. “Everything all right?”
“Yes, he’s going home in a bit.”
He smiled. “That’s great. You ready to blow out of here? I’ll follow you back to your house.” He grabbed his coat and put it on.
What was it about that leather jacket that ramped his sex appeal from zero to sixty in nothing flat? No, that wasn’t right. His sex appeal was never at zero.
“I don’t remember inviting you.” Her feeble attempt at protest sounded lame even to her ears.
He picked up his sunglasses from the table. “You don’t want my help? Come on, Aubrey, I want to help. Why won’t you let me?”
“Because . . . reasons.”
“I promise to keep my hands to myself.” His eyes narrowed. “But you have to do the same.”
Point taken. She had no willpower where he was concerned. She really ought to tell him no, but she did need help. She needed to practice, and he was the best candidate to help her. “Okay.”
“That’s my girl.” He slipped his shades on, and the sex appeal ratcheted even higher.
She scowled at him. “I am not your girl.”
He lifted his hands. “My bad.” He plucked up his helmet and escorted her from the waiting room. “I’ll stop at the pub and pick up some dinner. You want a burger or something?”
“Cheeseburger, medium—no mayo.”
“Got it.” He walked her to her car, which was parked nearby since she’d brought Uncle Dave in. He edged his glasses down his nose and peered at her over the rims. “Any other special requests?”
She pressed the button on her key fob to unlock her car. “Just the one about the hands.”
His
brow arched. “The more you bring it up, the more I fixate on it.”
She pressed her lips together and vowed to keep her mouth shut. “See you in a bit.” She climbed into the car, and he closed the door.
As she pulled out of the parking lot, she saw him start up his bike and pull out of his spot. He looked so hot, so dangerous, so unattainable.
And he was coming to her house, where they couldn’t seem to not end up having sex. She was so screwed.
THEY MADE IT through dinner and managed to keep their focus entirely on preparing for the hearing. That didn’t mean that Liam wasn’t appreciating the high ponytail she was wearing and the way it bared her sleek neck. Nor did it mean he wasn’t eyeballing the jeans she’d changed into, which perfectly delineated her toned ass. And he was trying really hard not to look at the swell of her breasts beneath the striped, long-sleeved T-shirt. Horizontal stripes. Which only served to make her look even curvier than she already was.
After dinner, they took their wine to the formal dining room so she could practice. Liam sat at the end of the table closest to the front window and tried really hard not to picture her sprawled out naked over the other end while he stood between her thighs and brought them both to the peak of orgasm and beyond. As if he’d done that all on his own. No, she’d been every bit as instrumental in each one of their sexual encounters. She was, without question, the best lover he’d ever had.
“That was really fantastic,” he said when she was finished, adding applause, which sparked her to bow. “You’re a great orator, but that shouldn’t surprise me. You’re one of the smartest, most well-spoken people I know.”
Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “You’re sucking up. Knock it off.”
He laughed. “I am not. Am I not allowed to give you a compliment? Hey, it didn’t even involve how beautiful you are or how great you kiss.”
“Aren’t you breaking your own rules about being here?”
“I said hands to ourselves. I didn’t say anything about words.”
She rolled her eyes. “As if that’s any better. For your information, words are every bit as much of a turn-on for women as anything you might do with your hands.”