Entangled

by Melissa Brayden

  She placed a hand on her hip and grinned. “I might be on your doorstep as early as tomorrow.”

  “Bring Skywalker. We’ll get him some exercise in the corral with his old friends.”

  “You’re on.”

  * * *

  “I’m just saying that a BLT is only a partial sandwich. It’s missing the middle part,” Madison argued. “The important part.”

  Gabriella shook her head. “It most certainly is not. It’s all about the bacon. The protein. How do you not understand this?”

  Madison balked. “Bacon is an add-on. It goes on top of the burger. It can’t hold its own, and if you keep claiming it can, we’re going to arm wrestle.”

  Joey shook her head. “If you two wrestle, I’m putting it online and letting the Biddies run with it.”

  “That will just make me famous,” Gabriella pointed out. “Because I will use my stirring arm and dazzle the viewers.”

  Madison nodded. “We probably need to come up with terms.”

  Joey smiled as her friends continued their argument as they left the restaurant. All things considered, she’d had a great time with her friends and devoured way more fries than a human was allotted in a week. Now all she wanted to do was go home and unwind with a glass of port from Fable Brook next door. Check out the competition, boring and bland as they were. The only problem was that the crux of that report was a lie. Becca had been on a date, and that little announcement had surprised Joey, tugged at her, and messed with her head. She was jealous, pure and simple, which made her the most basic of people.

  As they spilled into the parking lot, Joey paused. There she was, leaning up against the cutest car. She didn’t expect Becca Crawford to drive something cute. Her ride would be sleek, expensive, and probably black. This thing was a very friendly yellow, and it softened something in the center of Joey’s chest—her earlier resolve. As they approached, Becca clicked off her call and turned. When she saw Joey, she shifted her weight, looked at the concrete, and back up again. Was she nervous? Distantly, she heard that Gabriella and Madison’s banter had gone quiet.

  “About in there…” Becca began.

  “What are you doing tomorrow?” Joey asked, stopping in front of her. She was all of a sudden brazen and harnessing the moment, clinging to what might be short-lived fortitude.

  Becca seemed surprised by the question and took a moment to take inventory. “I have work, but after that I’m free. Is there another event at the vineyard?”

  “No, nothing in particular.” She rocked back on her heels, feeling silly and a little vulnerable now as she waited. Gabriella and Madison hadn’t so much as breathed.

  But Becca made up for whatever confidence Joey lacked, saying, “Maybe you can show me around town a bit? I mean, I’ve seen all the high points, but I have a feeling you know the secret spots.”

  “All of them, and pride myself on it. After work, then?”

  “I’ll pick you up at six.”

  “Do you think that’s okay with…” Joey gestured behind her to the restaurant.

  “Emmaline? Oh, she doesn’t have a vote.”

  “Cool. See you then.” Joey headed back to her friends, amazed and terrified by what she’d just done. It wasn’t exactly sleeping with the enemy, but it wasn’t far off. On the other hand, neither of them had called it a date, so maybe it wasn’t.

  “Did you ask Becca on a date?” Madison asked, as they embarked on their drive back to Tangle Valley.

  “No.” She watched the darkened town through her window as Madison drove.

  “Did so,” Gabriella supplied quietly from the back seat. “That conversation was tension coiled, too.”

  Joey peeked over the top of the seat. “Now you’re exaggerating.”

  “Am not,” Gabriella finished emphatically. “The jealousy factor just took your chemistry and quadrupled it.” She shook her head and fanned herself. “I need to tell Loretta.”

  Madison tossed a glance over her shoulder. “Not if I get to her first.”

  “You guys are gossiping about me with Loretta now?” Joey looked between them, incredulous.

  Gabriella fielded this one. “She’s really wise and loves a good love story.”

  “I hardly think this is a love story,” Joey said. “We just have good conversation while I admire how pretty her hair is.”

  “And how you want to run your fingers through it before getting down to business,” Madison filled in, not taking her eyes off the road.

  “Well, at least I did before I knew what her job was. Complicated now. My hands are confused about what they want.”

  Madison ignored her. “Regardless, it has all the ingredients of an impressive love story. I’m not the romantic in this car, but I can spot formulas. Conflict, tension, a will-they-won’t-they storyline. I already popped the popcorn.”

  “I’m eating it,” Gabriella said. “Pass the sexy butter.”

  Madison nodded wistfully. “Big fan of sexy butter.”

  Joey kinda liked it, too. Butter was warm and smooth like Becca’s skin and, okay, enough of that. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’s two friends walking through a town.”

  “On their journey to love,” Gabriella whispered.

  Joey shook her head. “You’re trouble.”

  “You love me.” Silence. Then, “God, this sexy popcorn is good.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Hello, gorgeous,” Becca murmured. She stood in what would be her office in just a few short weeks, grinning at how nicely the place was coming along. The Jade, decorated in whites, creams, and of course pale jade, felt spacious, bright, opulent, and modern, all the things it had been forecast to be by corporate. While they weren’t quite ready for guests, the resort had been granted its certificate of occupancy, and Becca had moved her work world from the temporary portable to the wing just to the right of the front desk. They’d placed her solid oak desk earlier that day, and she had gotten right to work. She still had food vendor agreements to process, training manuals to sign off on, team leader one-on-ones to conduct, and the spa to check in on. That area was apparently running behind schedule, making her wonder if they’d have spa services available their first week.

  “I think it’s a true loss,” Becca voiced to Maria Rubins, the Vice President of Resorts for the western division. They’d scheduled an afternoon call to go over fallback options. “Vouchers for disgruntled spa hopefuls would be a nice touch, but honestly, Maria, I think we need to push to make sure we finish on schedule. Whatever it takes.”

  “I completely agree,” Maria said. “How are we looking on bookings?”

  “We’re completely at capacity for the first twelve weeks. The social media marketing pushes have done wonders, and that foldout brochure is breathtaking.”

  “Excellent. I’ll touch base with our development team and see what the word is on the spa’s prospects for opening.” A pause. “So, how are you doing otherwise? All settled in?”

  “Nearly. The town is gorgeous and quaint and just makes me smile at least once an hour.” She chuckled. “I wish I could say I did the same for them, but our presence has been deemed an intrusion.”

  “I’ve heard.” Maria laughed. “They don’t know what’s coming. Once those extra tourist dollars show up, they’ll suddenly be a lot more friendly.”

  “I’m going to hope for that. I’m just holding my breath, waiting for opening to get here.”

  “Hang in there. You’re my champ, Becca. Master of all resort ops. The Jade is going to be a huge property for Elite, and with you at the helm, it’s going to shine.”

  “That’s the goal.” She ran her newly manicured hand across those vendor contracts. “But I’m going to call it a day, do a little exploring in town, and get back at it later tonight.”

  “Have a drink for me, and remember we need to catch a game soon.”

  Becca loved baseball and hoped to see a Dodgers game at some point now that she was on the West Coast. “Only if we get one of everyth
ing from the snack bar.” She shook her head. “I care way too much about food.”

  “You just understand what life is all about. Have fun and I’ll circle back tomorrow after I talk to Development.”

  “I’ll wait to hear.”

  She hung up and quickly found a mirror in her bag to check her hair and the subtle makeup she’d applied. Twenty minutes later, Becca straightened her forest-green moto jacket before entering the tasting room at Tangle Valley. She’d volunteered to drive them into town and from there she’d follow Joey’s well-seasoned tour through Whisper Wall.

  The tasting room was close to closing for the day, and Loretta, who seemed to be in charge of the room alongside Joey, tended to what seemed to be the last group of the day.

  “Hey,” Joey said, popping up from behind the counter.

  “Whoa.” Becca placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart. She took a moment to breathe. “Didn’t see you there.”

  “That was the goal. I like to hide and scare the guests as they arrive.” Joey said it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

  “Creative. I can see the Yelp reviews now.” That’s when she noticed Joey herself. She wore a navy ribbed top that hugged the gentle curve of her torso down to her hips and made her eyes pop deep blue. Becca’s stomach did a shimmy-shake, and her face heated. Still not quite clear if they were headed out on a date or not, she wasn’t sure a compliment was appropriate. She went for it anyway. “You look really beautiful.”

  Joey blew her off. “I do not. I’m just me.” There was still a guard up around her. She lowered it occasionally, but it never stayed down for long. “Ready to go?”

  “Yes. I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”

  “That excited to get to know Whisper Wall?”

  “Whisper Wall,” she said, meeting Joey’s gaze in order to communicate that she was referring to so much more, “is intriguing, breathtaking, and fun. I like what I know of it so far, and I’d like to get to learn more about it.”

  “Whisper Wall,” Joey said, blinking at her skeptically.

  Becca scoffed. “What else would I be talking about?” She headed to the door and heard Joey gasp behind her. When Becca turned around, she saw her grinning. Yeah, Joey could hold her own.

  “Where to first?” Becca asked, once she was behind the wheel of the Juke. She had the heat on low as the last sliver of daylight faded.

  “Well, every town tour has to start with a stop at the honky-tonk.”

  Becca smirked. “I can’t tell if you’re kidding or not.”

  “I never kid about neon and beer. Write that down.” Joey shook her head innocently and Becca marveled at the way her whole demeanor shifted when she got a gleam in her eye. Joey pointed at the road ahead. “Head toward town center, and I’ll give you directions to Patsy’s Boot and Scoot once we’re there. The Scoot, for short.”

  “Okay, it seems we’re doing this,” Becca said.

  As they drove, she took in the scent of what had to be Joey’s perfume or lotion. Whatever it was reminded her once again of fresh raspberries topping a bowl of vanilla ice cream. They passed through the main drag as the lights from the shops glowed along the now darkened streets. Green streetlamps that curled downward helped light their path in warm greeting. They hit darkness for a bit, and then out of nowhere, over a hill, a stand-alone building appeared with a tall pink neon sign in the shape of curvy woman.

  “Oh, my.” Becca exhaled.

  “That’s Patsy,” Joey said, dipping her head down far enough to see the sign through the windshield. She dropped her tone and said, “Let me caution you. She does not look like that anymore.”

  “No?”

  “Oh no.”

  “We should meet her.”

  Joey’s eyes met hers in the darkened car and they stared for a beat. Becca liked the way it made her body hum. She’d not felt that before and wanted to hold on to it a while longer. “Stay tuned.”

  Joey opened the door, and after watching after her a moment, Becca did the same, following her through the dirt parking lot and into Patsy’s, which lived up to the sign in its dedication to neon. The interior of the place glowed with a plethora of bright signs along the walls in pinks, greens, oranges, reds, and blues. Even the liquor bottles behind the bar glowed in the dim lighting.

  “Not too busy yet,” Joey said over the music, Miranda Lambert singing about damaging someone’s property. Becca grinned and bopped her head along, taking note that even in the early evening, there were already people on the dance floor, shuffling back and forth, or maybe that was the scooting. “You should see this place later tonight. Hard to find a place on the dance floor and it’ll be three deep at the bar.”

  “Brewskis?” the extremely tall bartender asked. Yep, that was what they called a full mustache and crisp jeans. Becca had no idea what kind of ironing that must require, but color her impressed.

  Joey nodded, and two Michelobs were slid down the bar as if it was a foregone conclusion that’s what they wanted. “Are you a regular?” Becca asked, taking a seat next to Joey at the bar. “I’m hoping you say yes.”

  Joey drank from the longneck bottle sweating in her hand. “I used to frequent Patsy’s more when I was younger. Not as backwoods as it might first appear. They’re actually a very progressive group of people. This is Oregon, after all.”

  “Josephine Wilder, just where in hell have you been?” The question was loud and shrill and warm. Becca peered down the bar to see a rather plump woman with a ton of red hair piled on top of her head make her way toward them with a friendly smile on her painted lips and a pointed sway of her hips.

  “Patsy,” Joey told her, “opened this place when God was a baby.”

  “A honky-tonk OG.”

  “In the flesh. She’s going to grab your face. Gear up.”

  Becca only had a moment to prepare.

  “Hey there, Patsy,” Joey said.

  Her face was instantly grabbed. “Baby girl, stop making me miss you so hard. You gotta come on out for a scoot more often.”

  “I do miss it. Been busy at work.”

  Patsy placed a hand on her hip. “Don’t I know it. Still can’t believe about Jack. I have to remind myself I won’t be seeing his face coming in for a cold one.”

  Joey nodded, but Becca noticed a dip in her smile. Yeah, she was in some pain. Becca could only imagine if she lost one of her parents. Joey couldn’t have been much over thirty and now had the weight of the world on her shoulders, both through grief and her new responsibilities at the vineyard. As someone who liked to fix things, all she wanted was to make the world a little easier for Joey, who she didn’t even know all that well yet.

  “And who is this?” Patsy asked, shifting her focus to Becca. She had on the brightest pink lipstick Becca had ever seen, but somehow it worked for her, amplifying her sass.

  “This is my friend Becca Crawford. Probably Rebecca, but we haven’t gotten that far. She’s the general manager of The Jade, that awful hotel going in on the edge of town?”

  “That’s me. Rebecca. The hateful general manager,” Becca said, extending her hand.

  Patsy bypassed it and grabbed her by the face instead. “We hate that hotel. But you’re still cute enough to keep.”

  Becca inclined her head from side to side in acceptance, still mid face grab. “That’s something.”

  “Have some snacks and get to scootin’, you two. Is this a date?” Patsy slid a bowl of mixed nuts their way and crowed at someone else down the bar, not waiting for an answer. The woman knew how to work a room.

  “You heard the woman,” Becca said, pointing after Patsy and adopting the same sassy tone. “Answer the question.”

  Joey’s eyebrows rose. “You want to know if we’re on a date?”

  A pause. Becca felt uncharacteristically vulnerable. “Well, are we?”

  “I can’t date you. You come with The Jade.”

  “So then it’s not.”

  Joey scoffed. “We’
re like the Hatfields and McCoys. Harry Potter and Voldemort. Daenerys and Cersei.”

  “Those last two would be smokin’ together, and you still haven’t answered the question.”

  “Well…the beer is really good.” Joey stared into it with a smile that clearly acknowledged her blatant dodge and weave.

  Becca leaned over. “Joey, I love a good chase. I’m up for it.” She watched as Joey swallowed. “As long as I have your blessing.”

  Joey’s eyes found hers. “I would never stop you from your sincere aspiration in life.” She gestured behind her. “Now we should probably scoot so we can see some more of Whisper Wall.”

  “You want us to dance? Really? I thought we were just touring.” She checked out the dance floor and saw a dozen or so people dancing in a synchronized line.

  “You don’t dance?” Joey asked, backing up to the floor with a grin that seemed to halfway entice, halfway challenge.

  “It just so happens I love to dance.” She’d just never line danced before, but surely she could make the adjustment, give it a shot. Becca prided herself on her go-with-the-flow confident outlook, and she would simply harness that now. She joined Joey in the line and watched the others for direction. She shifted her hips with the group but then missed a turn, which made her laugh.

  Joey grinned over her shoulder. She had her hair in a loose braid, with a few wayward strands framing her face. “You keeping up?”

  “Not yet,” Becca said, still two steps behind everyone but recognizing the pattern. As she turned, she swore she saw Joey’s gaze drop to her ass. She smiled.

  “What?” Joey asked, her cheeks turning adorably red.

  “I saw that.”

  “You didn’t see anything. I’m dancing, and you’re behind the beat.”

  She was, but just as she found her groove, the music changed on them to a much slower song, and everyone around them coupled up, shifting to a two-step.

  “Do me the honor?” A man in a blue-collared shirt extended his hand to Becca.

  Joey took a step between them. “She’s with me tonight, Frank.” Becca raised an eyebrow as Joey took her hand and led her away. Without a word, Joey rested one arm around the back of Becca’s neck and linked their other hands between them in proper two-step position.