“Are you kidding? In a town this size? You joining the senior-citizen water exercise class is the talk of the beauty shop. Which our mother and Fay happened to be at yesterday afternoon.”
“Great.”
“There was talk about a very pretty and very young lady there with you—”
“Tanya’s not that young.” Now. But ten years ago in Reno, she’d only been twenty-one. “She’s a few years behind me, that’s all.”
“Nice to know you’ve ended your self-imposed dating drought.”
“Self-imposed? Seventy-five percent of my body was covered in plaster casts, mental splints and screws for the first six months after the crash. Makes it a little tough to grab dinner and movie, never mind an attempt at...”
Dev’s voice trailed off as his thoughts jumped between his drunken ineptness ten years ago and his renewed sexual desire, absent after the crash until the moment he’d seen Tanya, and how the same woman was connected to both.
“At what?” Adam asked.
“At none of your damn business.”
Adam grinned. “You’ve had plenty of nurses and lady friends ready to assist you and answer to your every...whim if you wanted.”
Yeah, and he hadn’t been interested in any of them.
So why now? Why Tanya? Was it because of the intimacy he’d felt between them from the moment he’d met her? A feeling he couldn’t explain until she’d finally told him about the way their lives had intersected years earlier?
“Besides, we’re not dating. Tanya is an acupuncturist and a massage therapist. She also does something with Chinese herbs, I think.”
“You’re working with an acupuncturist? ‘No Needles, No Way’ Devlin Murphy?”
The shock in Adam’s tone made Dev laugh. “Yes. No. I don’t know if we’re working together or not. She’s not sticking me with needles, but she does have some alternative ideas about assisting in my recovery.”
“And you’ve got ideas about her.”
His laughter faded. “I fired her yesterday.”
“Why?” Adam’s expression went from confusion to understanding. “Because you’ve got ideas about her,” he repeated, “and paying her for services rendered while trying to render services of your own... Yeah, I can see where that would get messy.”
“You don’t know the half of messy.”
Dev went on to tell his brother everything, from their chance meeting in Reno to her being Mac’s granddaughter to Tanya’s plans to be in London before the Fourth of July. He skipped over the part about the kiss in the men’s locker room yesterday, but he could see Adam easily put the pieces together.
“Yeah, I appreciate your problem, bro,” he said.
“Any advice?”
“Let her make you a pincushion and be done with it.”
Dev shuddered at the thought of Tanya getting anywhere near him with those tiny, pointed... “You’re not helping, man.”
“Hey, like you helped me last summer? I was trying to make things right between me and Fay and you weren’t exactly a fountain of wisdom.”
“This is different. You were talking babies and engagement rings. I’d just like a second chance at—”
“At proving you’re more than all talk and no action. Yeah, I get that.” Adam checked his watch. “Look, I’ve got to head out. A.J. has a well-baby visit with the doctors.”
“So you’re just going to leave me hanging here?”
His brother’s expression was one of faked sincerity. “Would I do that to you?”
“Hell, yeah, you would. And you’d enjoy every minute of it.”
Adam laughed. “Okay, I’ll give you the same advice you gave me. Back off. Let her come to you. Most of the women in this town, at least those between the ages of eight and eighty, eventually do.”
“Very funny.”
“All I’m saying is relax and stop overthinking everything.” Adam got to his feet. “This is your first time back at the rodeo, so to speak. You as much as said you two already have something brewing, so let it brew. You’ve never had to chase a lady before. Why start now?”
Dev realized his brother had a point.
“Besides, if this one doesn’t work out, another one will come along,” Adam said over his shoulder as he headed back for the house. “They always do, don’t they?”
* * *
Tanya shifted from one foot to the other, peeking down at her new wedge sandals—bright red gingham with cork heels and cute little bows. They perfectly matched the cotton fabric of her sundress, which was a bit dressier than her usual yoga wear. The shoes were also a bit flashy for her, but they were fun and a gift from her mom.
They also helped to distract her from the fact it’d been seven days since she’d seen or talked with Devlin.
Not counting voice mails or text messages.
She’d called last Thursday afternoon to check on him, feeling like a fool for rushing out of the men’s locker room the day before.
Heck, she’d left like she was being chased by the devil.
Changing and scooting out of the fitness center instead of waiting for Dev seemed like the right thing to do at the time. She’d been worried he’d want to talk more about that kiss, or about what happened in Reno...or what hadn’t happened.
Nothing like dropkicking a man’s ego with one sentence.
Then again, she’d been humiliated, too, that long ago night, thinking she’d once again failed to keep a man’s interest. Of course, later on she’d realized just how much he’d had to drink, but still... Not that any lingering hurt feelings had been the reason she’d blurted out—
Oh, darn! There went her good mood!
The line waiting to place orders at the front counter of Doucette’s Bakery moved forward, so she took a step to keep her place then gave in and checked her phone again.
No new calls. No new messages.
Dev had finally responded to the voice mail she’d left him last week with a brusque text.
Feel fine.
Gee, why hadn’t she been surprised by that response? Fine had to be the man’s favorite word.
So she had planned to wait until Friday morning before reaching out again, purely on a professional basis of course, but then Mac had surprised her by suggesting a weekend trip to Colorado Springs in his vintage biplane to visit with her family.
She’s placed another call to Devlin that same Thursday afternoon, and received another text message by nine o’clock that night.
Have a good time. See you when you get back.
No exclamation points, no smiley faces, no enthusiasm of any type.
It was now Wednesday afternoon. She’d been back in Destiny since Monday evening and she still hadn’t seen him, despite another voice mail when she’d got back to town.
They were supposed to be working together, weren’t they?
Maybe after everything that happened last week—not to mention ten years ago—Dev had been serious when he fired her.
She still thought aquatic therapy was a good supplement to his rehabilitation treatment, when Dev bothered to go. Maybe she should give his therapist a call and suggest—
“Excuse me, miss, can I take your order?”
She jumped at the words and shuffled forward, realizing she was next. “Sorry about that.”
Pushing any thoughts of Dev from her mind, she placed her order and minutes later walked out into the late afternoon sunshine with her dinner in a paper bag decorated with the deli’s dragonfly logo.
It was another warm day, and with Mac working late at the airstrip she didn’t want to drive back to the cabin and eat alone. The white gazebo in the town square, surrounded by already budding cottonwood trees, would be a perfect place for an impromptu picnic. She decided to leave her car in the parking l
ot behind the deli and head for the wooden structure.
Walking down the street, Tanya spotted Sherry’s Diner across the way and remembered how Dev’s brother Liam had offered a tour of the family business when she’d met him there.
Hmm, maybe she’d give Dev one more day.
If he didn’t get in touch with her by tomorrow, she’d drive over to the Murphy Mountain Log Homes headquarters after Mac’s acupuncture session in the morning.
There was nothing wrong with being proactive. If he’d been serious when he decided he didn’t want her working with him, no matter what the reason, he was going to have to tell in her person.
Waiting for a break in the traffic, she skipped across the street to the center square. The scent of fresh-cut grass surrounded her, mixing with the heady aroma of the flowers blooming around each of the trees.
She smiled as she headed down the sidewalk, but the sight of Dev sitting on the steps of the gazebo had her skidding to a stop, almost tripping over her pretty new shoes.
He was dressed casually in jeans, a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled back and those now-familiar cowboy boots. A felt Stetson perched on his head completed the stereotypical but oh, so sexy look of a true Wyoming cowboy.
Unable to move, she stood there and watched as he unwrapped the sandwich in his lap from the familiar brown paper of Doucette’s Bakery. He then raised the stuffed roll to his mouth and lazily looked out over the expanse of lawn before his eyes locked onto her feet.
Tanya resisted the silly urge to wiggle her toes as he took his time running his gaze up over her simple sundress until he reached her face.
He dropped his sandwich to his lap, touched the brim of his Stetson lightly and smiled. “Well, hello there.”
Geez, his in-person attitude was nothing like those pitiful texts he’d left. Three words and she was blushing? She quickly blamed her reaction on his smile and the memories of being in his arms that were suddenly running through her head like a movie projector.
“Hi, yourself.” Happy at how casual her greeting sounded, she held the deli bag aloft. “Great minds think alike.”
“Looks that way.” He waved at the empty spot next to him. “There’s plenty of room. Come have a seat.”
Not bothering to debate if she should or not, Tanya joined him, careful as she stepped over his outstretched leg. “Thanks.”
Tucking her skirt beneath her, she sat and pulled in a quick breath, hoping it would calm her racing heart, but all it did was surround her with his now-familiar warm, musky scent. She busied herself with laying out her sandwich, the small container of macaroni salad and the icy-cold bottle of lemonade.
Ignoring her shaky fingers would’ve been easier if Dev hadn’t reached over and captured them in his, along with the wobbly napkin that had been a dead giveaway to her nervousness.
“It doesn’t have to be this awkward.”
She pulled in another deep breath, released it and looked up at him. “It feels pretty awkward. Especially after those texts you sent.”
This time it was Dev’s turn to blush, and darn if the ruddy color across his cheeks didn’t make the man even more handsome. “Yeah, I’m sorry about that. Last Thursday was a tough day for a lot of reasons.”
Curious, but not wanting to push, Tanya only said, “Apology accepted.”
“That was easy.” Dev grinned. “Here I thought I might have to work a bit harder to get back into your good graces. Like, maybe kissing you again—”
“No!”
He let go when she pulled back, his smile even wider now. “You don’t have to answer with such conviction.”
“I’m sorry, that didn’t come out... That’s not what I meant.”
He leaned in close. “So you do want me to kiss you again?”
Focusing on her sandwich, she matched his hushed tone. “This isn’t the time or place for that.”
“You let me know when it is the right time and place.”
Her gaze shot up to his as he straightened. His roguish smile should have made her nervous, considering her recent romantic history. Heck, she should be running for the hills, but all she could think about was how much she wanted a kiss from him for a third time.
And then a fourth time.
A fifth time.
She shifted her legs to use her lap for a makeshift table and found her bare knees brushing against his jean-clad thigh. A sizzle danced over her skin, but Dev didn’t seem to notice, his attention back on his own sandwich.
Would there be a right time and place?
Not for kissing. No, there couldn’t be any more of that, but they probably should talk about what happened last week, especially if they were going to work together.
Were they still going to work together?
Tanya had no idea.
She wanted to—a surprise considering how much she’d been against the idea only two weeks ago. Maybe deep down she’d known something like what had happened between them in the locker room would come to pass.
Maybe she’d wanted that kiss to happen.
No! That had been a fluke, but she was sure she could help Dev if he’d only let her—
“So, what’s in that thing? It looks a bit too green for me.” Dev gestured at her sandwich before taking a bite of his own.
Tanya blinked, pulled from her thoughts by his question. She looked down at her food and tried to recall what she’d asked for.
“Uh, mozzarella, tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, avocado, shredded lettuce and alfalfa sprouts on a whole-wheat roll. I had to order it special.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“I didn’t see you in the deli,” she said, pushing the escaping sprouts back between the edges of bread. “How did you get your meal?”
“My niece,” he mumbled around a mouthful, then swallowed. “Abby works at the bakery. I rode shotgun while she drove my Jeep around for a while this afternoon. She’s working on getting her driver’s license. In return I got car-side delivery. I was going to head back to my office, but I’ve been chained to my desk all week so I decided to relax and enjoy the sunshine.”
As much as she wanted to talk about what happened last week, Dev seemed intent on just keeping things light and easy. “So what’s in your sandwich?” she asked instead.
“What isn’t? It’s the Doucette Deli Special. Roast beef, turkey, ham, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, pickles and a spicy kind of mayo.”
“How can you eat all that?” She leaned over and held her sandwich next to his. “Look, it’s twice the size of mine.”
“What can I say?” Dev grinned. “I’ve got a big appetite.”
A flirty retort sprang to her lips, but Tanya held back and concentrated instead on her meal. A quick peek through her lashes told her Dev was doing the same, and they sat in a friendly silence for a few minutes, enjoying their food.
Dev waved and returned greetings to people who called out to him, several of whom were female. Everyone made a comment about how nice it was to see him up and around again.
“Does that bother you?” she asked.
He lifted one shoulder in a casual shrug that seemed to freeze in place for a moment before he slowly lowered it. “People are just being nice. So how was your trip home?”
“Oh, it was great.” She smiled, remembering a time when she hadn’t been able to say that about being with her family. “And flying there in Mac’s plane was amazing! The open cockpit made me feel like a bird! You must miss it so much.”
He adjusted the brim of his Stetson, pulling it lower over his brow before he wrapped up the remains of his sandwich and shoved it back into the paper bag. “Yeah, it’s a real kick being up there.”
“I’ll admit I was scared at first,” Tanya gushed. “But the moment the wheels left the ground... Oh, the feeling
of freedom! We had to delay our return until Monday afternoon due to weather, but arriving at sunset just took my breath away.”
“It’ll do that.”
Dev shifted, one hand pressed hard against the wood surface and she realized for the first time that sitting here this long wasn’t doing his back or leg any favors.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “No, you’re not. I should’ve realized—”
“I’m fine.”
She fought the urge to roll her eyes. There was that word again. “Dev, we can finish this—”
“I said, I’m fine.” His words were abrupt, but then he smiled again and asked, “Did you do anything special during your visit?”
Surprised at his insistence and instinctively knowing he wasn’t feeling as well as he claimed, she relented for the moment. “I went shopping with my mom for prom dresses.”
Dev offered a raised eyebrow. “Prom dresses?”
“For my sisters. My half-sisters, actually. Carly and Alexis are twins. Mom remarried during my freshman year in high school and they were born a year later, a week after my fifteenth birthday.”
Dev reached for his iced tea, speaking around the straw. “That must’ve made life interesting.”
“Actually, I was a bit of troublemaker long before the babies arrived. My mom was busy dating Paul, then planning a wedding and whoops, three months later she was pregnant.”
Tanya was glad she could look back on that time in her life, realize what a mess she’d been and how lucky she was to come out on the other side in one piece, even if the old twinges still appeared every now and then. “The babies were a big distraction and I used that as an excuse to... Well, let’s just say I was on my own by the time I was seventeen. Married and dancing in Reno two years later.”
“M-married?” Dev sputtered.
“The marriage lasted less than a year,” Tanya quickly added. “My ex was more interested in gambling and other pursuits than in me. I was single when you and I...met.”
Dev shifted again, and this time a frown crossed his features.
“Look, whether you want to admit it or not, I can tell you’re hurting,” she pushed. “You don’t have to wait for me. You can go—”
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