Edge of Paradise

by Lainey Reese

  The exhaustion melted away, the muscles loosened, and her art gently faded to the background of her mind. Kiki sighed, lifting her face toward the sun pouring in from the open doors of the barn while continuing to hold the position for a moment longer. Then she rested her face on the side of her calf and opened her eyes.

  There was a man staring at her. She wasn’t startled, having grown accustomed to the way she zoned out and lost awareness of her surroundings when she worked. It seemed that she was always coming out of the fog to find someone waiting on her. This one was cute too. From the snazzy dress slacks and designer button-up, she pegged him for the hottie tax guy helping Andie out.

  She smiled. “So you’re the sexy accountant.” It made her chuckle that he was so engrossed in staring that it took him a full fifteen seconds before he registered she’d spoken. When he flushed and opened his mouth to speak, she barreled on, not needing any sort of explanation or apology. “I’m Kierra,” she said, holding her pose now, because she was getting a kick at the way he was having trouble keeping his eyes off her ass. “Kiki for short. I’m the skeleton in Andie’s closet.”

  “Really?” That brought his eyes to hers, and Kiki squinted at him and wished she had her glasses on. She only needed them for distance so never wore them when she worked, and she would have liked to see the details of his face.

  “From what I gathered, you were more like her centerpiece, the way she’s always dropping your name and bragging about her famous artist friend.” He charmed her. The way he crossed his arms over his wide chest and the way he tilted his head reminded her of an inquisitive puppy. So cute she wanted to cuddle.

  “Yeah?” She straightened and stretched her arms out to her sides then clasped her hands behind her back to stretch out the aches in her shoulders. “She name-drops me?” Always a glutton for attention of any kind, she beamed at the thought that her bestie was bragging on her. Kiki bounced a little on her heels and felt some energy start to rebuild in her system. Her limbs reinvigorated themselves for whatever came next.

  “Not that I’m complaining in any way.” Jax told her and waved a hand from her head to her toes. “But I feel it’s only gentlemanly to point out that you’re standing around in your underwear.”

  Kierra looked down at her now bare toes—having stepped out of her oversized boots when she took off her outer layer—over her cute stripy undies, and up to where her nipples poked at the front of her skimpy white tank. “So?” She crinkled her nose at him. “You should see me in my bikini. It’s a thong.” Then she walked out of the barn. It gave her ego quite a boost, the way he stood there looking like he’d taken a punch to the solar plexus.

  “You so weren’t kidding when you said the tax geek was hot!”

  “Right?” Kiki heard Andie shout back from where she was chopping veggies in the kitchen. “I told you! He is so dreamy I could die. Why didn’t he come in?” Andie added, unaware Jax had followed right behind her, and Kiki felt no need to enlighten her friend. She sent him a wink and held a finger to her lips to quiet him.

  “Oh, he’s poking around in his fancy car,” she blatantly lied in a loud voice to Andie, though she never broke eye contact with Jax. “He’s freaking delish. Please tell me you’ve had a bite.” She had to slap her hand over his mouth when she could tell he was gonna blow their cover and let Andie know he was there.

  “Well,” Andie hedged with a giggle in her voice. “I might have had a nibble. Or two.”

  “Atta girl.” Then, because he sent her a murderous glare, she added, “Oh hey! Here’s that handsome devil now.”

  Kiki experienced a pleasant warmth spreading throughout her whole body as she continued to smile into his eyes while he continued to glare into hers. It had been a long time since she’d felt her interest and her imagination both spark at the same time with a man.

  She had one or the other captured in her life, but it was a rare man indeed who triggered them simultaneously.

  It complicated things that he thought he was falling in love with her best friend. He wasn’t, of course. No man could look at one woman the way he looked at her in the barn and be falling in love with another at the same time. Sure, men in love could admire and even desire other women, but the way he devoured her with his eyes… the way his entire body practically vibrated with yearning…? Yeah, no way could he love someone else and look at her that way.

  Except, that was just her opinion. She was right, of course, but that hardly mattered to anyone else in these situations. There was nothing to do but wait until he figured it out for himself. Still, the journey could get rocky.

  “Tricky,” she murmured, not giving a thought to the fact that he’d have no idea what she was mumbling about. “Doable, but definitely going to be tricky.” When an adorable crinkle appeared between his sandy brows, she patted his cheek. “Just hurry up, because waiting my turn isn’t exactly my strong suit.” Then she walked away while he looked at her like she’d lost her mind.

  “Hello! Anybody home?” A new voice entered the room. It was high, light, and so sweet Kiki was smiling even before she turned back toward the screen door. A petite, sandy-haired girl stood on the porch.

  “Yeah, the gang’s all here,” Kiki called out as she stepped around a still frowning Jax to greet their newest arrival. “You must be Jessica. Come on in. Little momma is in the kitchen, so you got here not a minute too soon. I do believe she was about to cook.” Jessica giggled the way only a carefree twenty-year-old could, and Kiki was captivated by her innocent beauty. “God. You’re bone structure is drool-worthy!” Always going with her gut, Kiki cupped the younger girl’s chin, tilted her face at different angles, and watched the light play over her delicate features. “My God, I’d kill for eyes like that! And those cheeks make me wanna shoot myself. Don’t even get me started on the lips!”

  “Umm… thanks? Are you Miss Andie?” she asked as she pretended she wasn’t wierded out by having a stranger study and touch her face. She tried using the tactic of switching the oversized bags she had from one shoulder to the next to put distance between them, but Kiki was a pro at getting around such flimsy escape attempts.

  “Sheesh, Kiki,” Andie said, coming from the kitchen while she wiped her hands on a dishcloth. “Leave the poor girl alone for at least the first day.” She moved Kierra out of the way with a good-natured hip bump and reached out a palm for a shake. “I’m Andie. You can drop the ‘miss’ part. This freak who was fondling you is my best friend and temporary roommate Kierra. She’s an artist, so she works very hard to convince us she’s eccentric and full of deep, artsy thoughts. Ignore her if you can; run if you can’t. Call her Kiki—we all do. And you probably already know Jax. Welcome.”

  “Hi.” Jessica smiled, and Kiki felt a sharp and keen wish for her sketchpad and charcoal when dimples appeared. “Nice to meet you all.”

  “Your first venture toward your own restaurant?” Of course Jax answered all polite and personal and even offered her a handshake. Kiki bit her lip to keep from poking at his manners. It wasn’t her place to chip away at his veneer. Not yet anyway.

  “Sorta,” she answered with a winning smile. “This is the first step anyway: catering!” She waved her arms with a flourish, and there went the charming grin again. “Ta-da! Andie is my first personal client.” She did a stage whisper. “I’m gonna try my hand at being a part-time personal chef here, with added cleaning duties thrown in to the bargain for the little mama here. Aside from this though, I’ve already done two birthday parties and a wedding. I have two more events already booked for this summer too. The business is off to a great start.”

  “Wow, I hadn’t realized things had taken off so quick for you. That’s awesome. If you ever need any help with any of the tax stuff, you come see me, all right? And don’t worry about it if you don’t want to hire me but just need some advice either. My door’s open for that as well.”

  “Thank you. That’s really cool of you. I’m gonna get back to work now. Gotta keep the clients h
appy.” The smile was pure cheek now, and Kiki saw her roller skating in a retro ‘50s waitress uniform balancing a full tray in one hand and a drooling male in the other. All with that dimpled chin and cheeky grin. Kiki saw it in bold primary colors on oil canvas with wide brush strokes.

  “So?” Jax directed his next question to Andie and snapped Kiki back to her surroundings. “You found more help already?”

  “Yes.” Her response was said with way more gusto than was necessary, and Kiki smirked. “Thank God! She’s going to be like my kitchen guru the few days a week I get her. She’s going to teach me too, not just cook for me. So maybe when she’s moved on to bigger and better things, I won’t starve to death out here where there’s no delivery.”

  “Nice.” Jax smiled a truly delighted smile at the young girl, and Kiki felt that warmth spread again. It was a really great smile. “That’ll take a huge load off you. What about the extra field hand? You find anybody yet?”

  “Well, sorta,” she hedged. Kiki and Andie had talked about it last night, and she knew Andie felt guilty for the decision she made, but Kiki hoped she’d get over it, because it was just the smart thing to do. “Logan is bringing over a friend of his to help. I haven’t met him yet, but he assured me his friend is just as dedicated and hard working as he and Abram are.”

  “This is a pretty big operation you got going here. You think you might need more than just one extra body to help out around here?” From Jax’s expression, it was plain to see he thought so.

  “I’ve got one more.” Andie looked at him, and Kiki saw her eyes go wide and watchful the way they did whenever she was worried about someone. “Luke. Luke wants to chip in. It didn’t make sense to say no when he wants to help oversee everything, and he also won’t let me pay him. How do I turn down free labor?”

  Kiki watched Jax closely, not knowing what she expected to see. Andie had filled her in on the history between the two men, and she was very curious as to what his reaction would be. She was puzzled to see resignation.

  “Oh,” he said, and she didn’t know him, but even Kiki could hear the forced cheer in his voice. “That’s great then. And it’s not exactly free labor. He gets a kid out of the deal, right?” His joke fell flat, but the other two laughed politely while Kiki pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. Oh this will never do, she thought. She was going to be poking this sleeping bear every chance she got.

  Andie looked at Jax and wished she could change the way things had played out for them. He was so handsome and endearing. From the moment she met him, he’d been kind and so considerate she could hardly believe he was real and not some con artist. She had never met anyone so generous with their time and energy.

  The last thing she ever wanted was to hurt him. He told her he’d wait, and that’s what he seemed to be doing. He hadn’t called or come over like he had been, giving her the space she needed. He was only here tonight, because she invited him. She missed his company. Over the last week, she had come to realize that his friendship was not something she was willing to give up on. It might be complicated; she didn’t want to lead him on or make him feel like she was keeping him on the back burner, but she did truly care for him and missed his easy charm and warm laughter. A lot.

  Andie had a crazy idea forming, and she hoped like hell it didn’t backfire, but damned if she wasn’t going to see if she could have her cake and eat it too.

  “As a matter of fact,” she told him while the smile she kept on her face froze, “he’s going to be joining us for dinner.”

  “Excuse me?” Jax asked as his own smile melted away completely.

  “Yep,” she brazened on, hoping the tactic would keep him off kilter long enough for her to get her point across. “He should be here any minute. Will you decant the wine for me?” She zipped two steps back to the dining area, where she had a bottle and the crystal decanter she’d gotten Wally for Christmas last year waiting on the table. “It takes forever, and I have to show Jessica around and help her get dinner going.” She thrust both at him before he could reply. “Thanks.” Then she motioned for her newest employee to follow her as she dashed for the kitchen like it was on fire.

  “Oh, I love this kitchen,” Jessica said, coming in behind Andie to take a slow stroll around the parameter of the room. “It’s not too big, but then I don’t need that much space, since most of the time I’ll be cooking alone. I love these marble countertops too. Gorgeous.” She ran her hands over the dark green and black swirls almost lovingly.

  “Me too,” Andie agreed with a smile. “Uncle Wally was not one to waste money on new stuff when the old worked just fine, as he would say, but when the pipes burst in here two winters ago and flooded everything, he decided to upgrade the entire space. And wow, did he do it right if you ask me.”

  “Oh, I couldn’t agree more.” Jessica nodded as she fiddled with the drawers, opening and closing them while she tried to acquaint herself.

  “Ms. Harper said you went to culinary school?” Andie asked. When she went to the post office last week to put up a flier for hired help, the sweet-faced woman behind the counter had immediately recommended Jessica. There hadn’t been any doubt in the other woman’s mind, and she’d just taken the flier and told Andie that she’d have Jessica call her that night.

  Andie hadn’t known what to say or do. It was so foreign to her, the way everybody knew everybody else in this small community. It was heartwarming to see how they all made room for each other and supported one another. Andie decided it wouldn’t hurt to give Jessica a shot, and when she’d called that night as promised, there hadn’t been any interview to speak of. They just talked salary and hours and starting dates. So now, she realized she knew nothing about the slim, attractive girl fondling her KitchenAid mixer.

  “Yeah. Just a course they offer at the community college, but I had great instructors.” Jessica flushed a little and tucked the golden-brown silk she had for hair behind one delicate ear where an oversized heart-shaped earring hung. “I hope to open my own organic restaurant someday. I want to grow all my own produce and find a farmer I can trust to keep to some pretty strict guidelines when it comes to the meats I’ll offer.”

  “Isn’t that a little fancy for way out here?” Andie asked, thinking the people here were more the mom-and-pop coffeehouse types, while what Jessica described was much fancier than anything Harmony had to offer.

  “Oh yeah.” Jessica chuckled. “But there are two reasons my place will work. One, you talk to every person here and they will tell you they are sick of having to drive hours just to eat at a place that doesn’t have plastic menus and paper napkins. And two, my food is delicious. No way it won’t work.” She stared dreamily out the window over the sink for a moment and continued in a voice gone just as dreamy as her expression. “I know I’d be a hit in a bigger city, but I couldn’t maintain my own vegetable garden there. I’d have to trust the suppliers, and sure, there are plenty who have great reputations, but I like knowing when I put a plate of food in front of someone that everything on it is pure, healthy, and delicious. My dad says that’s my control freak rearing its head, but whatever. It’s my dream.”

  “Well, I think it’s a lovely dream, and I cannot wait to see what you have in store for us in the meantime.” Andie turned toward the counter, where she had washed and sliced the veggies as directed. “All of this is from the garden here. I’m no expert on gardening, but the stuff I’ve been using on it, you know, plant food and bug repellent, are what my uncle had here, and it says organic on all the labels.” She stopped speaking as Jessica took a black velvet cloth rolled up like a mini yoga mat from one of her giant bags and spread it open on the counter. “Wow,” Andie breathed. “Those are the most beautiful knives I’ve ever seen. That set must have cost a fortune.”

  “You have no idea,” Jessica said with an eye roll and then reverently ran her hand along the gleaming black handles. “I got them shipped all the way from France when I graduated. A present for myself. They go with m
e everywhere. I won’t be leaving them here at nights, and I have to ask that nobody touch them.”

  “No problem.” Andie was quite comfortable with that plan. “I’m a klutz and would probably lop off a finger just from standing too close to one of them.”

  Jessica laughed, and when she looked up with her sparking blue eyes, Andie felt an immediate connection with the young girl and knew Ms. Harper had been spot on. Jessica was perfect for the job. They talked for a bit longer on the details of what her duties would be and on tonight’s dinner menu. Then, Andie was banished from the kitchen with a curt order to not come back unless her presence was requested. The chef liked her space when she created.

  “Well,” Andie said when she walked out onto the covered porch where Kiki and Jax were sitting and taking in the sunset. Jax was dutifully decanting the wine, and Andie tried to hide her smile as he scowled at her.

  “How do I always end up attached to bossy, temperamental types like you?” Andie demanded of her bestie in a good-natured huff as she plopped onto a chair. It sat adjacent to the one Kiki occupied, and Andie nudged her with bare toes. “I just got booted out of my own kitchen and told I can’t come back unless she invites me in.”

  Kiki shrugged. “She’s an artist, obviously. Food, sculpting, or whatever. Art is creation, and every artist needs their space. I bet dinner is going to be amazing.”

  “I bet dinner is going to be awkward and end with me in a body bag,” Jax stated with an eyebrow cocked at Andie as wine slowly poured from bottle to crystal.

  Andie looked at Kiki, and the traitor just shrugged. “I told you it wasn’t a good idea,” Kiki said.