Lost & Found
Page 12

Darcy pulled her prepackaged meal out of the microwave and set it on the counter. She could hear the opening credits to You’ve Got Mail on the television, and she hurried to pour herself a drink.
She’d been looking forward to having dinner with Ed, but now that he was “working late,” she’d lose herself in her favorite movie and a manufactured meal. After all, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan could fix anyone’s bland mood.
Darcy had seen the movie so many times that she could quote every line. The movie had been one of her mother’s favorites. When she was undergoing chemotherapy, they’d watched it all the time.
The purpose of the movie was to get her mind off her boss. She’d had that nasty ping of jealousy creep into her when he’d mentioned Valerie. There was no reason to worry about him with another woman. This man was her boss. He was much older than she was. Again, this man was her boss.
But the moment Greg Kinnear mentioned sushi in the movie, Darcy set her food down and kicked her feet up onto the coffee table. Why did she care that he’d thrown out his sushi and was hungry today? She’d wanted to get him a meal—and then he’d asked her to join him for one.
She was much too comfortable with him already. That was supposed to be good for a working relationship, but at the same time, he crossed her mind a bit too much.
Midway through her movie, just as Meg Ryan’s character was dissing Tom Hanks’s character in a news interview, there was a knock on the door.
Darcy’s mind went straight to Ed. Maybe he’d come by to discuss something. Well, that would be silly—but maybe.
When she opened the door, she smiled wide. The face was close, but this one belonged to Christian.
“I need a favor.”
She laughed, looking him over. He was covered from head to toe in mud, and he carried a grocery bag full of clothes. “I can’t wait to hear it.”
“I need to borrow your shower.”
“I thought you were going to start wearing clothes around me.”
“Yeah.” He looked down at himself. “Charity game for a school. Sprinklers. It was a mess.”
“And why are you wanting to shower down here?”
“My shower head broke. John will fix it tomorrow, but I need a shower now.”
Darcy stepped back and swept her arm through the air as if to say “you know the way.”
A few moments later, she heard the shower start. She picked up her half-eaten dinner and threw it in the trash. She opened two beers, which John had put in her refrigerator when he’d delivered the furniture. She set one beer on the table and took a sip from the other just as there was another knock on the door.
Again, she wondered how she had so many visitors when she didn’t know anyone in this town.
She’d thought Christian standing at the door covered in mud was shocking enough, but seeing Ed standing on her doorstep, a bag from Steve’s BBQ Pit and Beer in his hands, definitely took her by surprise.
“I thought you might be hungry. I promised you dinner.” He held the bag up.
“You really didn’t have to do that. But I am hungry. The microwave dinner I made didn’t cut it.” She stepped back. “Come in.”
Ed walked through the door, and the smoky smell from the restaurant lingered on him.
“I assume you ate then?” she said, taking the bag and walking to the kitchen.
“Yeah, well, sort of. Valerie was a bit preoccupied for conversation. So she scarfed her dinner and ditched me. But we got the delay figured out.”
“Well, that’s good. Can I offer you a beer?”
“I’d like that.”
Darcy walked to the kitchen, pulled a beer out of the refrigerator, and handed it to him.
“Thanks. Are you having one?”
“I have one out here. I was just watching a movie.” She walked out into the living room to fetch her beer, and he followed.
“You have another beer out. You’re either having a fun evening, or…” He stopped and looked around. “Is that your shower? I caught you at a bad time?”
That was when the shower turned off, and the door opened slightly letting the steam out.
“Darcy, do you have a clean towel I can use?”
“Under the sink,” she said as she looked at Ed whose eyes had grown wide.
“I did interrupt.”
She saw the pulse in his temple beat, and she shook her head. “No. No.”
A moment later, the door opened and Christian walked out of the bathroom, only a towel wrapped around his waist.
“Hey, bro.”
“Don’t hey bro me. What’s going on here?”
Darcy stepped forward. “Nothing is going on here. He…”
“Chill out,” Christian reached for the clothes he’d left on the chair. “God, you’re such a freak about things.”
“You’re standing in her apartment in a damn towel. What am I supposed to think?”
“And what does it matter?” Christian stepped up to his brother. “She’s a grown woman, and you’re only her boss. Would it matter if I were here for any other reason?”
Darcy watched the two of them as they went at each other with their words.
“Christian, don’t push me.”
“I didn’t do anything. Christ, my shower is broken. John can’t fix it until tomorrow.”
Ed nodded. “Oh.”
“Besides, you owe her an apology for the way you just accused her without asking her calmly if something was going on. You came in here acting all bossy like you always do when you’re not in control of a situation.”
Christian headed back toward the bathroom.
Ed tucked his free hand into his front pocket and rocked back on his heels. “Hey, I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s okay.”
“You had said he wasn’t wearing clothes when he texted you and now…”
She scrunched her face up, and then she remembered. “Oh. No…he…”
“It’s okay. He’s right. It’s none of my business.”
Christian walked out of the bathroom dressed. “Thanks for the use of your shower. Sorry the ass here accused you, but I really appreciate it.”
“My pleasure. I opened a beer for you.”
Christian walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek.
“Oh, thanks, but I have to run. I have a hot date. Give it to Mr. Uptight. He could use it.”