Spring River Valley: The Spring Collection (Boxed Set)

by Wynter, Clarice

  “Awesome, I’ll bring Quinn and the guys. Hey, T… Sorry about bringing up Joyce. I just think—”

  Taylor held up a hand. “Don’t worry about it. You’re right, on some primitive level. I need to get on with my life. When the time is right, I will. Oh, and I’ll make a donation to the hospital in the name of the clinic too. See you later.”

  Taylor ducked out the front door, leaving Tanner to contemplate his brother’s words. He wondered if Taylor would ever find someone worth trusting again after Joyce’s betrayal. There’d been a time when Tanner had envied his brother the solid, dependable relationship he’d had with the girl who was his high-school sweetheart. The breakup had taught Tanner a valuable lesson though, and that was never fall in love for longer than a week and always protect your heart and soul. Hopefully Taylor would one day get past the hurt and start enjoying his life, and Tanner planned to be there to show him how to do it.

  * * * *

  The more Evie thought about it, the more she regretted the tone of her article about Tanner Croft. She’d left the class feeling incredibly foolish for thinking he might be interested in her. Seeing how attentive he was to all the other women in the class had taught her a lesson she should have learned a long time ago. Don’t get played. The dark-eyed EMT was handsome, no argument there, and she hadn’t yet been able to shake the memory of his strong arms around her, even though his next move had been to flip her over and drop her on the workout mat like a sack of potatoes.

  On that account she planned to keep her word and put him out of her mind for good, so rather than sitting at her desk ruminating on her embarrassment of the other night, she strolled directly into Janet’s office first thing Monday morning.

  “Have you got a minute?” she asked after knocking on the doorframe. Janet usually kept her office open and didn’t stand on ceremony when it came to her staff. She looked up from her computer and adjusted her thick-rimmed glasses higher on the bridge of her nose.

  “Maybe fifty-nine seconds. I’ve got a meeting in circulation in five minutes.”

  Evie plunked herself down in the chair in front of Janet’s desk. “I’ll be quick. I need to get out of Lifestyle. If I have to write about one more adult education class, charity event, or supermarket opening, I’m going to lose my mind. I need some real news.”

  Janet took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. “Don’t we all? Look, you know I’ve been telling you since you started here, you have limitless potential. You write well, you cut to the heart of things, you meet your deadlines. Bring me big news, and I’ll be thrilled to give you a front-page headline.”

  “How do I do that when Chad gets everywhere first?”

  Chad Marchand was the Herald’s golden boy. Most days his stories were headline news, second only to major world events that came through the global news service. Janet insisted that to survive in the digital age, their small-town paper had to offer the residents of the Valley and surrounding communities something they couldn’t get from the Internet, and that was local interest. “People like to read about themselves, so what happens in this town is our world news,” Janet had said time and time again.

  “Chad has connections all over town, and let’s face it, he’s pushy.” Janet picked up her copy of the day’s edition and opened it to Evie’s article. “This little blurb you did on the karate guy—”

  “Self-defense instructor.”

  “Self-defense instructor—it has snap, it hints at scandal. I like that. It’s interesting, but it’s not hot. It drums up business for him…in fact, I’m thinking of taking the class myself. I could use some…personal attention.”

  Evie rolled her eyes. “You’re too young.” She dismissed the unpleasant thought of Tanner Croft putting his arms around Janet and whispering sexy commands into her ear.

  “Hey, I’ve lied about my age since I was sixteen, but that’s not the point. The point is, write me a story that sells papers, not self-defense classes. Or try your luck in advertising.”

  Evie’s pulse raced at the thought of actually seeing her byline on page one, but getting a story that fit Janet’s criteria was easier said than done, especially when her schedule for the week included covering a spring garden show, a local theater production, and research on a piece about the history of Easter eggs. The hottest, sexiest story she could think of had passed her by last week. She rose when Janet did and followed her out of the cramped office. “So if I bring you something hot and sexy, you’ll kick Chad off the front page for me?”

  “I’ll kick Chad into orbit if you can get me a story that sizzles. Hook up with a photographer—maybe Max Shannon, he’s good. Listen to the police scanner, chase an ambulance. Do whatever you have to, and I’ll put your name up in lights. I’m late, so scoot.” Janet hurried off toward the circulation department, leaving Evie staring at her own very clean, very neat little desk. It wasn’t the desk of a news reporter. News was messy, it took risks, and it was time she started to do the same if she ever wanted to make a name for herself and turn this writing job into the career of her dreams.

  Chapter Three

  “This place is crawling with men.” Bailey Cole nervously scanned the crowd at Colette’s. The restaurant’s informal search for a cover band had morphed into a major social event, and the place held twice the number of people than on a typical Friday night.

  Sitting next to Bailey at one of the pub tables that faced the makeshift corner stage, Evie giggled into her piña colada. “You could sound more enthusiastic. I haven’t seen this many hot guys in one place since my last college mixer.”

  “I am enthusiastic. I’m also a little overwhelmed. I didn’t think the place would be this packed.”

  “Well, enjoy it. This is good for you. You’ve been hiding out in your apartment for too long.”

  “I’m not hiding out. I took a hiatus from dating, that’s all.”

  “A year-long hiatus is about eleven and a half months too long.”

  “It hasn’t been a whole year yet.”

  Evie slurped the last of her drink and signaled the nearest waitress for another. She’d spent the last four days in hot pursuit of a decent front-page story and had come up with zilch. How did Janet expect her to find something newsworthy in a sleepy little town where barely anything happened that didn’t involve a car accident? And those were all covered by Chad, who seemed to have a knack for showing up whenever the slightest fender bender occurred. She’d figured, in addition to providing her friend Bailey with an excuse to venture out into the real world, the event at Colette’s might at least produce a bar fight worth a few inches of column space. In lieu of that, at the very least, she could do a write-up for the Lifestyle section. “Are you actually waiting for the anniversary of the day you broke up with Dan?”

  “No.” Bailey shifted her gaze to the stage where the first group of musicians had begun to set up their equipment.

  “I know that tone. That no means yes.”

  “I told myself I needed a good, solid twelve months to figure out what I wanted in a man and to be a hundred percent sure I wouldn’t make the same dumb mistakes I made with Dan.”

  “He’s the one who cheated on you. How is that your mistake?”

  “I believed everything he told me. I fell for all his excuses, and I gave him the benefit of the doubt even when I had my reservations about the things he told me. That’s all my fault. Next time, I’m going to be more observant, and I’m not going to blindly follow anyone down the garden path.”

  “Well, good for you. I’ve already made a list of half a dozen guys here tonight that I’d follow into a burning building.” She gestured with her drink to a brawny blond and a couple of his buddies at a nearby table. “Like him, and him, and him…and—” Her gaze fell on a familiar set of biceps and followed them to a pair of broad shoulders and a very distinctive cock-eyed grin, and her heart slammed into her ribs.

  There he was. The infamous Tanner Croft. He stood near the small stage, setting up an electronic keyboa
rd and laughing with the guitarist. In between the two men stood a beautiful brunette adjusting a microphone stand. While Evie watched, Tanner put his arm around the brunette and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. She smiled, and Evie’s blood heated.

  What was wrong with her? Why an earth was she so ridiculously possessive of a man she’d spent less than three hours with? “I can’t believe this,” she muttered, staring daggers at him while he nonchalantly laughed with his band mates. “That’s the guy from the self-defense class.”

  Bailey’s eyes narrowed. “You mean Mr. Major Player? I hate guys like that.”

  Of course she did. She’d practically been engaged to one and hadn’t even known it. Dan Archer had chased every skirt in the Valley without Bailey’s knowledge, and here Evie was, nervous as a schoolgirl at the sight of a guy who was cut from the same cloth. She despised herself for not being able to tear her gaze away, and she nearly hyperventilated when his bottomless gaze met hers.

  She expected—if not a positive response, considering her article—at least a spark of recognition. Their eyes held for a split second, during which he smiled neutrally, then returned his attention to the brunette.

  Evie cursed. “I don’t believe him.”

  Bailey glared in his direction. “He completely dissed you.”

  “I suppose I deserve a cold reception for calling him out about his prowling, but that was…just frigid.”

  “Well, he is about to go on. Wait until his song is over and see if he does anything then.”

  Evie viciously stirred her second drink with her straw. “I’m not sure I can stand it that long.” She didn’t like the way he looked at the brunette at all.

  “Do you want to leave?” Bailey asked, her tone just a little too hopeful.

  “No, I’m going to stick this out. Mr. Croft isn’t getting away that easily.”

  A few minutes later, the guitarist stepped up to the microphone, and the rowdy crowd quieted. “Introducing The Love Notes,” someone said, and the strains of a popular song drifted from the keyboard.

  The brunette leaned into the microphone and began to sing, and the guitarist joined her for the chorus, their voices mixing in a sensual duet. Evie barely heard them, though. She stared raptly at Tanner, watching his long fingers caress the keyboard and reluctantly admiring his concentration and his skill. She would have never guessed the hands that had delivered her belly- up to the practice mat the other night could be so gentle. His movements made her mouth water. She found herself wishing he would sing as well, but to be honest, a third voice might have ruined the perfect harmony of the lovely singer and the guitarist.

  Beside her, Bailey swayed to the music, her eyes half closed. “They’re great.”

  Evie nodded grudgingly. Now she felt compelled to go up to Tanner when the song was over and congratulate him. She wondered if he’d pretend he didn’t know her then.

  Ending the song with a flourish, the singers gazed at each other for a breathtaking moment in which Evie was almost sure they were going to kiss. Thundering applause broke the spell between them, and for a second Evie felt sorry for the brunette. She looked embarrassed, disappointed, and a little bewildered as her colleagues took a bow.

  “Now’s your chance,” Bailey said. “Go let him have it.”

  “I’m going.” Evie hopped off her stool and strode toward the stage as Tanner stepped down and began removing his equipment. If only she had any idea exactly what she was going to let him have.

  She’d almost reached the stage when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Unsure if she was relieved or disappointed at being interrupted in her quest to give Tanner Croft one more piece of her mind, she turned and found herself staring at…Tanner Croft.

  *

  “Hey, beautiful.” Tanner lost the battle to hide his satisfied grin. The moment he’d laid eyes on Evie Prentice, sitting at a table near the stage, he’d been working his way toward her through the crowd. He held back only long enough to be certain she had Taylor in her sights. Sure enough, she headed toward his brother the moment the song ended, obviously thinking he was Tanner.

  It would have been funny to see her reaction when his brother didn’t recognize her, but Tanner decided he couldn’t wait that long. He wanted her attention on him, not his twin, so he pushed through the audience and tapped her on the shoulder.

  The look on her face when she turned and realized the same man, or a mirror image thereof, stood both in front of her and behind her was priceless.

  She gaped. “You…you’re—”

  “Twins. Hilarious, right? We get that reaction all the time.”

  She glanced over her shoulder again, as if she had to make certain she really was seeing double. She was so cute when she was flustered.

  Tanner sidled closer, partially to be heard over the noise in the bar and partially just to get nearer to her. “You looked pretty determined a second ago. Did you have something you wanted to say to my older brother?”

  “Older?”

  “By three minutes. He never lets me forget it. Well?”

  “Well, what?”

  “I can introduce you, if you want to speak to him.”

  “I just…wanted to tell him how much I enjoyed the song. He plays beautifully. And the singers—”

  “Owen and Claudia. The three of them make a great team. You wouldn’t know he was a veterinarian by day, would you?”

  People surrounding them began to shift to allow the next set of performers to the stage. Someone knocked into Tanner, and he stepped forward, right on Evie’s foot. He caught himself and her before they both fell into the nearby tables. “Whoa, sorry about that. Are you okay?”

  “Fine. I’m fine.”

  “Why don’t we grab a seat so we’re not in anyone’s way?”

  “I’m with my friend…” She nodded to the redhead who’d shared the pub table with her. Tanner waved, and the woman responded with an uncertain smile.

  He laughed. “Your friend isn’t too sure about me.”

  “Well, she’s skittish around…”

  “Gigolos?”

  “I was going to say men, in general. I don’t believe I called you a gigolo.”

  “No.” His fingers closed around her elbow, and he led her across the room toward the wall along which the pub tables sat. “Not in so many words, but your article made it sound like I’m out to find myself a sugar mama.”

  “I’m sure it didn’t. I just thought it might be wise to let people know they’re in for a lot of personal service when they take your class.”

  “Would you like some personal service?”

  “Not at all, thanks. I’ve had my share of your type, and it’s not my thing.”

  “My type?” He clutched his chest. “I’m wounded. I thought I was just being nice, and you have me made out like some Don Juan. I’ve never dated any of my students, or done anything other than flattery and harmless flirting.”

  “So the things you said to me were harmless flirting?” The challenge in her eyes had his nerve endings on fire. She was testing him, and he wasn’t quite sure why, but he desperately wanted to pass. He leaned close to whisper in her ear like he had that night at the rec center.

  “Flirting yes, harmless…no.” Now he had her back to the wall. Her chest expanded with a deep breath that pushed her breasts toward him just enough to get his attention. He had to fight to keep his gaze trained on her eyes. Those curves were anything but harmless. “How about I buy you a drink and we talk a little more about personal service?”

  “I’m with my…”

  Someone tapped him on the shoulder and he resisted the urge to swat the intruder away. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Taylor, grinning, holding a beer in each hand.

  “I hate to interrupt. This looks serious,” his brother said.

  “It is serious. Go away. Your set was awesome, by the way.”

  Taylor ignored him and set his sights on Evie. He even handed her one of the beers. “Hi, I’m Taylor. Is my little b
rother annoying you?”

  Her triumphant grin lit the room. “Why, yes, he is.”

  “How about I escort you back to your table before this crowd gets ugly?”

  “I can handle that, thanks.” Tanner intervened. Hadn’t he just had a conversation with Taylor about him staying in his cave? Was he actually picking tonight to come crawling out into the light…and to horn in on Tanner’s territory?

  Taylor ignored him and offered an arm to Evie, who accepted with a brilliant smile. “Right this way, ma’am.” Off they went toward the lonely looking redhead, leaving Tanner in the dust, shaking his head. He had no choice but to follow if he wanted to stay in the game.

  “I’m a little confused here,” he said sidling up to Evie once again as she settled into her seat. Taylor was busy introducing himself to her friend who smiled sheepishly.

  “What is it you’re having trouble with?” Her eyes flashed, the sapphire blue dark with annoyance.

  “You told me you didn’t like slick, but you wander off with the first guy who hands you a beer?”

  She grinned around the straw of her tropical drink. The effect had him licking his lips. “Oh, he wasn’t the first.”

  “I think I get it now. It’s just me you don’t like.”

  “I never said I didn’t like you. I just don’t particularly care for your methods. A woman likes to feel that she’s special and unique, not subject to the same tired pick-up lines as everyone else.”

  He smiled. “Trust me, the tired pick-up lines I used on you were not the same ones I use on everyone else.”

  “Ah, so you admit to trying to pick up everyone?”

  Tanner cringed. “No, you’re the only one I’ve tried to pick up lately, and apparently I’m not doing a very good job.”

  “Maybe I’m a special case.”

  Hadn’t his father told him to always steer clear of a woman with a jealous streak? He should have taken her hint and headed right for the door, but he just couldn’t tear himself away from her steely gaze. For one thing, he hadn’t seen his brother having this much fun in a long time. Clearly Taylor had advanced beyond his usual one beer. He was laughing with the redhead, and Tanner wanted to stick around and see if his reclusive, broken-hearted, workaholic twin might actually make a pass at someone. And for another thing, Ms. Evie Prentice presented a challenge he just couldn’t pass up. He’d been using his so-called “method” since high school. Charm and flattery, smooth words, deep gazes, and a gentle touch had made women fall at his feet since he was barely out of puberty. This had to be the very first time his approach hadn’t worked.