“Let me guess,” she said. “Larissa is here.”
“She’s warming up the massage table as we speak.”
“Tell me you’re wearing underwear,” she said.
Jack winked.
“My team’s been working on several campaigns,” she said as she typed on the laptop. Through the company’s internal network, she could access her computer files remotely and pull up any necessary information.
“Here’s what we came up with for the Klassique Rum campaign. We’ll have the sample commercial ready by the end of the week, but in the meantime, here are our thoughts for print ads and the Facebook campaigns.”
She touched her computer keyboard, and a slide appeared on the large screen at the opposite end of the room. “We pulled colors from their new labels. Obviously rum means parties and fun.”
“Beach parties,” Kenny corrected, then grinned at Jack. “That was a hell of a weekend.”
The two of them had visited Klassique’s headquarters in the Caribbean. While Taryn had been invited, she’d passed. Watching Kenny and Jack in action with dozens of nubile, willing women wasn’t her idea of a good time.
The speakerphone in the center of the table buzzed.
“Jack, Larissa’s ready,” Taryn’s assistant said.
Jack was already up and moving. “See you later,” he called.
“I really hope he keeps his robe on until he gets into the massage room,” Taryn murmured.
“Me, too,” Sam told her. “Because he’s not wearing any underwear.”
Fortunately their employees were good-natured about the idiosyncrasies of working for former jocks, but every now and then Taryn had to field a complaint about too much male nudity.
Usually from the spouse of one of the female employees.
Taryn turned her attention back to the campaign. She went through it slide by slide. Kenny had several insights from the client’s perspective, while Sam tallied costs. Two hours later, when they had nearly finished, Jack walked back into the room.
He’d dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. But more than that, Taryn noticed how much more easily he moved. He sat next to Kenny.
“She says to give her fifteen minutes to relax her hands, and then she’ll be ready for you,” Jack said.
Kenny nodded.
Taryn glanced at Sam. “You okay waiting?”
“Sure.”
As a kicker, Sam had been beat up the least. The other two joked he had the easiest job in the game. Taryn knew differently. While she normally wouldn’t have ever bothered learning anything about the sport, her partnership meant she had to know more than the basics when it came to football. The kicker might not take the hits the other players did, but he worked under incredible pressure. Every second on the field meant being at the very center of everyone’s attention, often with games hanging in the balance. The NFL was a multibillion-dollar industry, and if you couldn’t handle the intense scrutiny, you weren’t going to last very long.
“What did I miss?” Jack asked.
“I’ll fill you in later,” Kenny told him.
Taryn glanced down the list of what she’d wanted to cover. “I think we’re nearly through everything. Sam, are you ready to update us on the party?”
She did her best to ask the question without any annoyance in her voice. Because after moving the entire company to Fool’s Gold, the boys had decided to entertain their largest clients with a big weekend party. They’d rented out a part of the Gold Rush Ski Lodge and Resort for a long weekend of the Summer Festival—whatever that was. Now about twenty clients, their spouses and assorted children were going to show up and expect to be entertained.
Sam cleared his throat. “Sure,” he began. “We’re having the clients in, as we discussed. In July.”
“During the Summer Festival, right?” Kenny asked.
Taryn turned to him. “You know about the festivals?”
“Sure. It’s one of the reasons we wanted to move here. The town has festivals every month, to celebrate the seasons and different holidays.” He nudged Jack. “There’s a balloon festival in June. We should get one and go up.”
“I’m in,” Jack said easily. “I get to drive.”
“You don’t drive a balloon,” Kenny told him.
“Whatever. I’m in charge.”
“Great,” Taryn said. “So you’re sure to crash or burst into flames. Sam, please make sure our key-man insurance policy is paid up.”
Jack gave her a lazy smile. “You’d miss me, darlin’.”
“That I would and then I’d move on with my life.” She turned back to Sam. “About the party,” she said again. “Where are we?”
“In the planning stages.”
She waited but Sam didn’t say any more. “It’s just over three months away. You have to get going.”
“I am.”
This wasn’t like Sam, she thought. Normally he was on top of things. “Do you have any details? You know we have to make sure our clients have a good time, right? And they’re bringing their families, which ups the pressure. You three are the ones who wanted to move here in the first place. You’re the ones who insisted on this party. Don’t come to me a week before and say there’s a problem, because I’m not going to fix this.”
“There she goes,” Kenny said conversationally. “Sam, you’ve riled Taryn, and no good comes of that. Back where I come from—”
Taryn slapped both hands on the conference table. “Do not tell me some good-ol’-boy farm story, Kenneth Anderson Scott. You may want the world to think you’re just some down-home guy from Iowa, but I know better.”
Kenny glanced at his watch. “Look at the time. Larissa should be ready for me now.”
He nearly ran from the room. Jack watched him go.
“That wasn’t nice, Taryn. You know Kenny hates it when you use his whole name. It reminds him of being yelled at by his mom.”
“Yes, and that’s why I do it.” She returned her attention to Sam. “About the party.”
“It’s handled,” he told her.
Exactly what she wanted to hear. So why didn’t she believe him? “You’re sure.”
“Very.”
She nodded and Sam ducked out of the room. Jack stayed in his seat.
“Want to talk about it?” he asked.
“No.”
“You’re a little crabby.”
She pressed her lips together. “It’s not like you guys make it easy.”
He stood and circled around the table until he was next to her. Then he pulled her close and hugged her. She relaxed in his familiar embrace. His large hands rested on her back and she breathed in the scent of him.
When they’d first met, Jack was the star quarterback of the L.A. Stallions and she was the newly hired PR assistant. She’d never expected their night together to lead to anything more. But one night had turned into two, then a week.
When everything fell apart, they’d stayed friends. She loved Kenny and Sam, but Jack was the one who knew her best. A point he proved when he said, “Still not sure you’re going to like it here?”
“It’s different. People are nice.”
“Damn them.”
She smiled into his shoulder, then stepped back. “I’m not like you.”
“That’s true.” His dark eyes crinkled with amusement. “You’d look funny with my penis.”
“I’d have it removed.”
He winced. “Don’t even joke about that.” He kissed her forehead. “We’re going to be here awhile, Taryn. Relax. Make nice with the ladies in town. Go to lunch and give them a chance to prove they mean what they say.”
“They really want me to have a nice day?”
“They do. Let them get to know you while you get to know them. Make friends. It’s fun.”
“Maybe,” she grumbled.
“That’s my girl. Always willing to try new things.” He put his arm around her and led her from the room. “Come on. I’ll buy you some lunch. I’ll order the fries.”
Because if she didn’t order the food, the calories didn’t count, she thought, leaning into him. “You’re the best,” she told him.
“Yeah, I know. My greatness has always been a burden.”
CHAPTER THREE
“THIS CAME FOR YOU.”
Taryn glanced up as Larissa walked into her office. She was carrying what looked like a very exotic orchid. One that Taryn had never seen before.
“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, reaching for the plant.
Larissa grinned. “There’s a card.”
Taryn touched the soft petals of the flower. The colors were unusual, she thought. Pink and a blue violet. “What does it say?”
“I haven’t read it.”
Taryn put the plant on her desk, then looked at her friend. “Of course you have.”
Larissa laughed. “There’s just a place and a time. It’s for tonight.”
She took the card and studied it. Sure enough, Condor Valley Winery, 7:00 p.m., was written in bold black pen.
An invitation or instructions, she thought, intrigued by the assumption. What if she couldn’t make it?
“Are you going?” Larissa asked.
“I don’t know.”
Larissa sat in the chair next to the desk. “You have to. You said he’s really sexy.”
“I don’t remember saying that.”
“Okay, you thought it. Same thing.” She put a small brochure on the desk. “There are instructions that go with your new plant. Apparently it’s very rare and delicate.”
“You could take it on as a cause,” Taryn told her.
“I could, but you got there first.” She leaned in. “So, what do you know about Angel? Other than he got you a really unusual flower.”
“He’s with the bodyguard school, he’s a former sniper, he was married.”
“That’s right. He’s the widower. Any kids?”
“I don’t know. None in town.”
“Why do you like him?”
“I’m not sure I do.”
Larissa shook her head. “Fine. Why are you interested in him? I think he’s kind of scary.”
Taryn thought about all the easy answers. That he was attractive and sexy. That he’d made the first move. That she was pretty sure there was chemistry. That Jack was right and she needed to put herself out there. Although Jack had been talking about making girlfriends rather than taking a lover, but still.
“He doesn’t need me to take care of him,” she said at last, speaking the absolute truth.
“Unlike the boys.” Larissa nodded. “That makes sense. It’s just I’ve always sort of pictured you with a banker.”
“Another man in a suit? No, thanks. Been there, done that over and over again.”
She didn’t want someone like her. She didn’t want someone from her world. Angel was different in every way possible. When he looked at her with those cool gray eyes, she had no idea what he was thinking. That was kind of fun. She just hoped it didn’t mean he was a serial killer.
“I guess it’s okay,” Larissa said slowly. “Everybody in town seems to like him, so he must be a nice guy.”
“Tell me you haven’t been asking about him.”
“Just a little.”
Taryn held in a groan at the thought of her personal life being discussed.
“I was discreet,” Larissa protested.
“Uh-huh. Is there anyone you won’t talk to?”
“No, and that’s why you love me.”
* * *
TARYN LEFT WORK early so she would have time to get ready for her date with Angel. She drove the short distance to her house and parked in the single-car garage.
Usually she preferred condo living—less maintenance for her—but when the company had relocated to Fool’s Gold, she’d decided to try a house.
The place was small—only two bedrooms, but they were both a nice size. The house had been remodeled pretty much from the ground up, so she had a new kitchen and a nice walk-in shower in the bathroom. Surprisingly, the feature that most appealed to her was the garden. An old-fashioned stone fence surrounded the backyard. There was a patio and several raised plant beds. She’d never grown anything before in her life, but she’d started doing some research and was thinking of planting some flowers and a few vegetables.
Now Taryn walked through the kitchen. She kicked off her heels and walked barefoot down the hallway and into the master. Although the house had been updated, most of the Craftsman touches had been left in place, including the built-in bookcase by the stone fireplace across from her bed. The fence out back was high enough that she didn’t have to pull her drapes for privacy, which allowed a lot of light into the room. She shrugged out of her jacket, then unzipped her skirt and let it fall to the carpet. She removed her blouse, then put on a robe and walked into the bathroom.
She wore her black hair long and loose. Minimal daily products, plenty of conditioner and weekly scalp treatments kept her hair in decent shape. She’d been pleasantly surprised to discover that she could get her favorite hair gloss applied every six weeks here, just as she had done back in L.A.
She pulled her hair back in a cloth headband and washed her face. Then she reapplied her makeup, paying close attention to her eyes. She was going to be wearing black, so she wanted to emphasize her eye shape and color. When she was done with that, she applied a faint shimmering body lotion to her chest, shoulders, arms and legs.
“She’s warming up the massage table as we speak.”
“Tell me you’re wearing underwear,” she said.
Jack winked.
“My team’s been working on several campaigns,” she said as she typed on the laptop. Through the company’s internal network, she could access her computer files remotely and pull up any necessary information.
“Here’s what we came up with for the Klassique Rum campaign. We’ll have the sample commercial ready by the end of the week, but in the meantime, here are our thoughts for print ads and the Facebook campaigns.”
She touched her computer keyboard, and a slide appeared on the large screen at the opposite end of the room. “We pulled colors from their new labels. Obviously rum means parties and fun.”
“Beach parties,” Kenny corrected, then grinned at Jack. “That was a hell of a weekend.”
The two of them had visited Klassique’s headquarters in the Caribbean. While Taryn had been invited, she’d passed. Watching Kenny and Jack in action with dozens of nubile, willing women wasn’t her idea of a good time.
The speakerphone in the center of the table buzzed.
“Jack, Larissa’s ready,” Taryn’s assistant said.
Jack was already up and moving. “See you later,” he called.
“I really hope he keeps his robe on until he gets into the massage room,” Taryn murmured.
“Me, too,” Sam told her. “Because he’s not wearing any underwear.”
Fortunately their employees were good-natured about the idiosyncrasies of working for former jocks, but every now and then Taryn had to field a complaint about too much male nudity.
Usually from the spouse of one of the female employees.
Taryn turned her attention back to the campaign. She went through it slide by slide. Kenny had several insights from the client’s perspective, while Sam tallied costs. Two hours later, when they had nearly finished, Jack walked back into the room.
He’d dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. But more than that, Taryn noticed how much more easily he moved. He sat next to Kenny.
“She says to give her fifteen minutes to relax her hands, and then she’ll be ready for you,” Jack said.
Kenny nodded.
Taryn glanced at Sam. “You okay waiting?”
“Sure.”
As a kicker, Sam had been beat up the least. The other two joked he had the easiest job in the game. Taryn knew differently. While she normally wouldn’t have ever bothered learning anything about the sport, her partnership meant she had to know more than the basics when it came to football. The kicker might not take the hits the other players did, but he worked under incredible pressure. Every second on the field meant being at the very center of everyone’s attention, often with games hanging in the balance. The NFL was a multibillion-dollar industry, and if you couldn’t handle the intense scrutiny, you weren’t going to last very long.
“What did I miss?” Jack asked.
“I’ll fill you in later,” Kenny told him.
Taryn glanced down the list of what she’d wanted to cover. “I think we’re nearly through everything. Sam, are you ready to update us on the party?”
She did her best to ask the question without any annoyance in her voice. Because after moving the entire company to Fool’s Gold, the boys had decided to entertain their largest clients with a big weekend party. They’d rented out a part of the Gold Rush Ski Lodge and Resort for a long weekend of the Summer Festival—whatever that was. Now about twenty clients, their spouses and assorted children were going to show up and expect to be entertained.
Sam cleared his throat. “Sure,” he began. “We’re having the clients in, as we discussed. In July.”
“During the Summer Festival, right?” Kenny asked.
Taryn turned to him. “You know about the festivals?”
“Sure. It’s one of the reasons we wanted to move here. The town has festivals every month, to celebrate the seasons and different holidays.” He nudged Jack. “There’s a balloon festival in June. We should get one and go up.”
“I’m in,” Jack said easily. “I get to drive.”
“You don’t drive a balloon,” Kenny told him.
“Whatever. I’m in charge.”
“Great,” Taryn said. “So you’re sure to crash or burst into flames. Sam, please make sure our key-man insurance policy is paid up.”
Jack gave her a lazy smile. “You’d miss me, darlin’.”
“That I would and then I’d move on with my life.” She turned back to Sam. “About the party,” she said again. “Where are we?”
“In the planning stages.”
She waited but Sam didn’t say any more. “It’s just over three months away. You have to get going.”
“I am.”
This wasn’t like Sam, she thought. Normally he was on top of things. “Do you have any details? You know we have to make sure our clients have a good time, right? And they’re bringing their families, which ups the pressure. You three are the ones who wanted to move here in the first place. You’re the ones who insisted on this party. Don’t come to me a week before and say there’s a problem, because I’m not going to fix this.”
“There she goes,” Kenny said conversationally. “Sam, you’ve riled Taryn, and no good comes of that. Back where I come from—”
Taryn slapped both hands on the conference table. “Do not tell me some good-ol’-boy farm story, Kenneth Anderson Scott. You may want the world to think you’re just some down-home guy from Iowa, but I know better.”
Kenny glanced at his watch. “Look at the time. Larissa should be ready for me now.”
He nearly ran from the room. Jack watched him go.
“That wasn’t nice, Taryn. You know Kenny hates it when you use his whole name. It reminds him of being yelled at by his mom.”
“Yes, and that’s why I do it.” She returned her attention to Sam. “About the party.”
“It’s handled,” he told her.
Exactly what she wanted to hear. So why didn’t she believe him? “You’re sure.”
“Very.”
She nodded and Sam ducked out of the room. Jack stayed in his seat.
“Want to talk about it?” he asked.
“No.”
“You’re a little crabby.”
She pressed her lips together. “It’s not like you guys make it easy.”
He stood and circled around the table until he was next to her. Then he pulled her close and hugged her. She relaxed in his familiar embrace. His large hands rested on her back and she breathed in the scent of him.
When they’d first met, Jack was the star quarterback of the L.A. Stallions and she was the newly hired PR assistant. She’d never expected their night together to lead to anything more. But one night had turned into two, then a week.
When everything fell apart, they’d stayed friends. She loved Kenny and Sam, but Jack was the one who knew her best. A point he proved when he said, “Still not sure you’re going to like it here?”
“It’s different. People are nice.”
“Damn them.”
She smiled into his shoulder, then stepped back. “I’m not like you.”
“That’s true.” His dark eyes crinkled with amusement. “You’d look funny with my penis.”
“I’d have it removed.”
He winced. “Don’t even joke about that.” He kissed her forehead. “We’re going to be here awhile, Taryn. Relax. Make nice with the ladies in town. Go to lunch and give them a chance to prove they mean what they say.”
“They really want me to have a nice day?”
“They do. Let them get to know you while you get to know them. Make friends. It’s fun.”
“Maybe,” she grumbled.
“That’s my girl. Always willing to try new things.” He put his arm around her and led her from the room. “Come on. I’ll buy you some lunch. I’ll order the fries.”
Because if she didn’t order the food, the calories didn’t count, she thought, leaning into him. “You’re the best,” she told him.
“Yeah, I know. My greatness has always been a burden.”
CHAPTER THREE
“THIS CAME FOR YOU.”
Taryn glanced up as Larissa walked into her office. She was carrying what looked like a very exotic orchid. One that Taryn had never seen before.
“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, reaching for the plant.
Larissa grinned. “There’s a card.”
Taryn touched the soft petals of the flower. The colors were unusual, she thought. Pink and a blue violet. “What does it say?”
“I haven’t read it.”
Taryn put the plant on her desk, then looked at her friend. “Of course you have.”
Larissa laughed. “There’s just a place and a time. It’s for tonight.”
She took the card and studied it. Sure enough, Condor Valley Winery, 7:00 p.m., was written in bold black pen.
An invitation or instructions, she thought, intrigued by the assumption. What if she couldn’t make it?
“Are you going?” Larissa asked.
“I don’t know.”
Larissa sat in the chair next to the desk. “You have to. You said he’s really sexy.”
“I don’t remember saying that.”
“Okay, you thought it. Same thing.” She put a small brochure on the desk. “There are instructions that go with your new plant. Apparently it’s very rare and delicate.”
“You could take it on as a cause,” Taryn told her.
“I could, but you got there first.” She leaned in. “So, what do you know about Angel? Other than he got you a really unusual flower.”
“He’s with the bodyguard school, he’s a former sniper, he was married.”
“That’s right. He’s the widower. Any kids?”
“I don’t know. None in town.”
“Why do you like him?”
“I’m not sure I do.”
Larissa shook her head. “Fine. Why are you interested in him? I think he’s kind of scary.”
Taryn thought about all the easy answers. That he was attractive and sexy. That he’d made the first move. That she was pretty sure there was chemistry. That Jack was right and she needed to put herself out there. Although Jack had been talking about making girlfriends rather than taking a lover, but still.
“He doesn’t need me to take care of him,” she said at last, speaking the absolute truth.
“Unlike the boys.” Larissa nodded. “That makes sense. It’s just I’ve always sort of pictured you with a banker.”
“Another man in a suit? No, thanks. Been there, done that over and over again.”
She didn’t want someone like her. She didn’t want someone from her world. Angel was different in every way possible. When he looked at her with those cool gray eyes, she had no idea what he was thinking. That was kind of fun. She just hoped it didn’t mean he was a serial killer.
“I guess it’s okay,” Larissa said slowly. “Everybody in town seems to like him, so he must be a nice guy.”
“Tell me you haven’t been asking about him.”
“Just a little.”
Taryn held in a groan at the thought of her personal life being discussed.
“I was discreet,” Larissa protested.
“Uh-huh. Is there anyone you won’t talk to?”
“No, and that’s why you love me.”
* * *
TARYN LEFT WORK early so she would have time to get ready for her date with Angel. She drove the short distance to her house and parked in the single-car garage.
Usually she preferred condo living—less maintenance for her—but when the company had relocated to Fool’s Gold, she’d decided to try a house.
The place was small—only two bedrooms, but they were both a nice size. The house had been remodeled pretty much from the ground up, so she had a new kitchen and a nice walk-in shower in the bathroom. Surprisingly, the feature that most appealed to her was the garden. An old-fashioned stone fence surrounded the backyard. There was a patio and several raised plant beds. She’d never grown anything before in her life, but she’d started doing some research and was thinking of planting some flowers and a few vegetables.
Now Taryn walked through the kitchen. She kicked off her heels and walked barefoot down the hallway and into the master. Although the house had been updated, most of the Craftsman touches had been left in place, including the built-in bookcase by the stone fireplace across from her bed. The fence out back was high enough that she didn’t have to pull her drapes for privacy, which allowed a lot of light into the room. She shrugged out of her jacket, then unzipped her skirt and let it fall to the carpet. She removed her blouse, then put on a robe and walked into the bathroom.
She wore her black hair long and loose. Minimal daily products, plenty of conditioner and weekly scalp treatments kept her hair in decent shape. She’d been pleasantly surprised to discover that she could get her favorite hair gloss applied every six weeks here, just as she had done back in L.A.
She pulled her hair back in a cloth headband and washed her face. Then she reapplied her makeup, paying close attention to her eyes. She was going to be wearing black, so she wanted to emphasize her eye shape and color. When she was done with that, she applied a faint shimmering body lotion to her chest, shoulders, arms and legs.
