No Time for Surprises (The No Brides Club Book 6)

by Karen McCullough

  Rob and Sandy were waiting when they got there but insisted they’d only just arrived. Dan introduced them to Julie, and they all exchanged small talk for a few minutes before setting out. Nice weekend weather always brought crowds to the park that bordered the ocean in Brooklyn. People were just starting to gather as they set out, but the clumps of walkers, skaters, and bikers got thicker as the day went on. The bike trail actually had two sections. They started at the northwestern end, heading south, which took them past the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and along the coastline to Gravesend.

  He’d done this part often enough. Julie had as well. When they stopped and got off the bikes for a moment to admire a view of the Manhattan skyline she said, softly, sadly, “It’s been too long.” She had tears in her eyes and he wished he could take her in his arms and hold her. He no longer had that right or privilege. He went for distraction instead. “Wait till we get to the section you haven’t been on.”

  She bit her lip and looked down at the ocean for a moment before she straightened up, getting control of herself. Her lips quirked into a harsh smile before she looked at him and said, “I shouldn’t have come.”

  Her pain hit him hard. “Julie, I—”

  She shook her head and got back on the bike without saying anything. For a moment he thought she might take off, heading back the way they’d come, leaving the group, but she waited while everyone else mounted and pedaled off behind Sandy and ahead of him. Her evident pain tore at him, making him regret that he maneuvered her into accepting the offer. Knowing he was the source of her regrets dug the barbs in deeper.

  The southern end of the first part was narrower and the pavement rougher. Mostly they had to ride single file, swerving to avoid pedestrians, skateboarders, and parents pushing strollers. When that part of the trail ended, they turned south to go across Coney Island and Brighton Beach to get to the other part of the riding trail. He’d only been this far out a couple of times and was more intent on the exercise on those occasions than on the view. Julie admitted she’d never been this way before.

  It was still closer to the heavy traffic of the Belt Parkway than he preferred to be once they reached the other side of the official park riding path, but the views were amazing. They cycled along the shore of Jamaica Bay, approaching an area of salt marshes and wildlife refuge.

  Around noon, they stopped for lunch on a bench and ate while listening to the calls of birds around them and trying to identify the occasional winged shape overhead. Not all of those shapes were natural, of course. Planes taking off or landing at Kennedy Airport on the other side of the bay sometimes roared above them as well.

  Despite the noise of air and ground traffic, there was a sort of magical peace to the area. Even Julie seemed to relax and appreciate their surroundings. Looking out to the water, he couldn’t resist being charmed by the array of plants and animals. A light breeze carried the salt scent of the ocean and picked up a heavier musk from the bog. Although he loved outdoor activities when the weather permitted, he didn’t really consider himself a true outdoorsman. Even so, the elemental sensations of nature surrounding him sank into his soul and brought a calm that almost nothing else did.

  In a peculiar sort of way, his companions were a part of that environment, that world that seemed so far from the city, though undoubtedly part of it. He tried not to be too obvious, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off Julie. Watching her appreciate the gifts of nature multiplied his own enjoyment of it. He didn’t dare say anything to her for fear of sending her back into the earlier depression.

  After they’d finished eating and cleaned up the wrappings, Rob and Sandy said they wanted to walk down a side path they’d passed. They promised to be back in under an hour.

  Once they were away, he turned to Julie. “Are you comfortable?” The bench was hard, but the back curved enough to provide decent support. The gentle breeze was just cool enough to contrast nicely with the sun’s warmth.

  “Fine,” she said. “It’s nice here. Peaceful.” She laughed as a motorcycle roared along the highway behind them. “In its own sort of way.”

  “I suspect only a dyed-in-the-wool city person would describe this as peaceful. But it is.” He waited a moment, then continued, “This is our opportunity for the business talk.”

  Her eyebrows rose as she met his gaze. “Okay. What’s it about?”

  “A couple of things. First off… I’ve debated over whether to say anything about this. I don’t know what will happen and the company would undoubtedly frown on my telling you anything, but I think you have a right to know. Charles is resisting the idea of signing another contract with your company. At this point, I’d say it’s fifty-fifty whether he will or won’t.”

  Julie stiffened. The fingers of her right hand tightened around the edge of the bench. After a moment she sighed lightly and relaxed. “I’m not really surprised.”

  “I’ve been lobbying for signing a contract right away.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  “That isn’t for you. It’s for the future of the company. I’ve tried repeatedly to make the case that your ideas are miles ahead of the competition and our best strategy to remain in front is to keep you working exclusively for us.”

  “They don’t see if that way?”

  “I’m not sure how they see it. Charles won’t give me an answer. Just says he’s considering the options. I’m still hoping he’ll see reason.”

  A quick half-smile, little more than a quirk of the lips, flashed across her face and disappeared. “I’m surprised he’d let personal animosity influence an important business decision.”

  Dan considered that. “On his part, it may be fear as much as anything else. He thought he was buying a sure thing with C&W. Oddly, finding out what was behind the sure thing—who was behind it—has shaken him, and he’s not sure what to do next. That’s why I’m still hopeful.”

  “Okay. I’m not getting my hopes up. It doesn’t matter too much right now since there’s still several weeks’ worth of work to do under the existing contract. And truthfully, it might be a relief if they don’t want to work with me anymore.”

  His stomach lurched, and breath caught at the implications. If there wasn’t another contract, she would only be at the office for a few more weeks and then he likely would never see her again. He fought a tide of panic, but he couldn’t let her know.

  His calm surprised himself when he said, “So I have a few weeks to try to convince him signing for the next app would benefit the company.”

  “If we’re going to, I’d like to have the contract signed before then, but it won’t change what I do. I still plan to create that app. If they don’t want it, I’m sure I can sell it to someone else. But I won’t use any Spieler resources in the development, so they can’t lay any claim to it.”

  He let a little bitterness leak through the next words. “I’m sure you’ll be able to sell it to someone else. Your company has a superb reputation for developing cutting edge applications in the financial services sector.”

  “And the next one is going to be really exciting. I’ve got an idea I don’t think anyone else has even thought of yet.”

  “Right.” Frustration would drive him crazy if he dwelt on it too long. Spieler might be throwing away something that could put them miles ahead of the competition. That prize was right there in front of them. Worse—for him, anyway—he wouldn’t have any excuse to see her again. Unless he stretched out his investigation of the leak. Then he might have a chance.

  “There was something else?” she asked.

  “You asked me to help you find out who leaked the code last time. I’m working on it.”

  She straightened. “Have you learned anything yet?”

  “Nothing much. Been trying to talk to everyone who was around then, whether they’re still employed there or not. So far no one’s told me anything helpful. I’m still waiting on a few call-backs. I’m working my way through some of the reports from back then to see if there are any
clues in there.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “Not at the moment, but there probably will be. I’ll let you know.”

  They discussed possible approaches and questions for a few more minutes, until they heard Rob and Sandy returning.

  When they set out again, he deliberately rode at the back when they had to go single file, so he could watch her slim, graceful form from behind and enjoy the way her shapely legs pumped the pedals.

  She appeared tense for the next couple of miles but relaxed as they went on. At times she even looked happy. She smiled occasionally, talking with Rob and Sandy, and once she even directed one his way. There weren’t a lot of opportunities for back and forth, but when there were, he kept the conversation light.

  They rode more slowly in the wildlife refuge section, stopping to peer over the fence at congregations of birds or just scenic vistas. Once they got off to follow a short foot trail down to a viewing area. A group of large white long-legged birds waded in a marshy area.

  “Look at the size of them,” Julie whispered as one of them spread its wings and took flight. “What are they?”

  “No idea,” Dan admitted.

  “Egrets,” Sandy said. “And over there is a blue heron.” She pointed to a different bird with long, stick-like legs, a very long neck, and sort of blue-gray coloring.

  Julie shook her head. “I’ve never seen birds that big aside from ostriches and emus in the zoo.”

  “There are lots of other birds around,” Sandy said. “There are a couple of cardinals over on that log, and some sparrows on the grass over there.”

  Julie laughed. “Even I recognize those, and I know nothing about birds.”

  Sandy continued to point out others she recognized, and Julie seemed delighted by each one.

  After a while they set out again and rode all the way to Howard Beach, then turned back to re-trace their path. At that point they’d been riding for a good while since the last stop for food. When they passed a favorite casual dining restaurant, Rob called out to all of them, “Anyone hungry? Lunch was hours ago!”

  Sandy snorted. “When aren’t you hungry?”

  “I’m active. I use a lot of fuel,” he answered.

  Dan pulled alongside Julie. “What do you think?”

  Julie hesitated for a moment, then said, “I don’t have much money and I didn’t bring any credit cards.”

  “I’ve got it covered, if you want. And you can pay me back later. You don’t have to, but I’ll let you. And we don’t have to do this. We’ll go on home if you prefer.”

  “No. I like your friends. Let’s go eat.”

  A bubble of elation fluttered around inside him. He warned himself not to read too much into her acceptance, but a small spark of hope ignited anyway.

  Dinner was a total success. Though they were all less than perfectly groomed after hours on the bikes, the restaurant didn’t turn them away. The wait for a table wasn’t long. Dan had met Rob and Sandy a couple of years ago, shortly after the couple had moved to Brooklyn and rented a townhouse just down the street. He’d bonded with them over the shared love for outdoor sports, biking or walking, whenever the weather permitted, then found other interests in common.

  Julie joined in the conversation when they discussed places they’d visited on vacations or work trips and compared wish lists and bucket lists for future travel. He wasn’t surprised to hear she wanted to see the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and some of the other national parks in the U.S. Rob and Sandy looked intrigued when she added she’d like to visit Greece, Italy, Turkey, and other spots in the middle east. He knew how interested she was in ancient and classical art. Even he didn’t expect her to admit that China and several places in Africa were also on the list. “I guess most places interest me,” she said. “But there’s so much to see and do right here in this city that for the time being, I’m happy to be here.”

  Dan shared his own interest in seeing Europe, particularly a lot of the older places and buildings. “I have a not-so-secret fascination with architecture,” he said. “Particularly old buildings.”

  They lingered over dinner until the place got so crowded they could barely hear each other. By then the sun had started to sink toward sunset and they all wanted to be home before dark. The journey back to his apartment seemed to move much faster than the cycle out. At the street he shared with Rob and Sandy, he waved goodbye to them and offered to accompany Julie to her place. He didn’t expect her to take him up on the offer but was pleased when she did. Neither of them said anything as they pedaled back across the city.

  They stopped in front of her building at a nice address on the lower west side. She hopped off her bike but held out a hand when he started to dismount. Instead she propped the bike on the stand and came over to him, removing her helmet to show flattened, tangled brown hair beneath. She looked gorgeous, almost glowing in the slanted ray of sunlight penetrating between two nearby buildings.

  “It’s been a good day,” she said. “Thanks for asking me. I enjoyed the ride and meeting your friends.”

  Her expression was neither welcoming nor repelling. She didn’t reach out a hand or lean toward him, so he didn’t either. “My pleasure. Would you like to do it again sometime? Not the same ride, but a different adventure?”

  She hesitated. “I don’t know.”

  “How about… There’s an exhibit of First and Second Century Greek artifacts at the Met that closes in a couple of weeks. Have you seen it?”

  A brief flash of interest lit her face, before her expression changed to worry and reserve. She shook her head. “No. I haven’t seen it.”

  “There’s not a lot of time to get to it. Do you have anything planned for next weekend?”

  “No, but, I’m just not sure—”

  “It will give me an opportunity outside work to catch you up on my progress in running down the leak.”

  She bit her lip and her face screwed up into a frown for a moment. “I’ll have to let you know.”

  “I have meetings and some work to catch up on at the Spieler office tomorrow. But I’ll be back at C&W on Tuesday.”

  “I’ll let you know then.” Again, she hesitated, and he saw, for the briefest moment, what he’d hoped to see. A flash of interest. Of longing, hope, maybe even desire in the tightening of the muscles around her mouth and the slight shadowing in her eyes. The way she stared at him as though he were a dish of ice cream and she was starving. It came and went fast, but he hadn’t imagined it. She may not have even known it was there. She turned and took her bike into the building.

  Feelings for him still lived somewhere deep inside her. She would deny it if asked, was probably denying it even to herself, but he knew it was there. Later, he barely remembered the ride back to Brooklyn, but he couldn’t forget that look on her face as she’d said goodbye.

  CHAPTER 9

  J ulie expected the turbulent emotions to keep her awake, but the effects of exercise and good food won out, taking her into a deep slumber as soon as she hit the pillow. Those unsettled, uncomfortable emotions zoomed right back when she woke the next morning and started in on her Sunday routine.

  She’d had more fun the previous day than in a long time, and she didn’t kid herself. A lot of that had to do with the company. Although she’d liked his friends, too, it was mostly about Dan Foster. The connection to him had deeper roots than she’d realized. Those roots threatened to suck her back into a relationship with him. She couldn’t risk that.

  And he seemed to go out of his way to remind her what she’d been missing. Was missing. She couldn’t help but think of the times in the past when they’d ridden together or hiked or any of the things they’d like to do. She’d loved it so much. Been so happy. And then it was all ripped away. The wound had scabbed over, but the scar still ached. Even more now with the reminder of all his betrayal had cost her.

  In fairness, he’d been as good as his word the previous day, not trying to press her into anything m
ore personal. Even when she suspected she’d been unwittingly inviting it. He was still the most attractive man she’d ever met, on so many levels she couldn’t enumerate them.

  She couldn’t decide whether to accept the invitation for next weekend or not. She badly wanted to see that exhibit and she even wanted to do it with him, a man who always had interesting and clever observations about everything. How could that be when she also hated him. To protect her heart, she needed to decline.

  Still, knowing the danger should help armor her against the appeal he held for her. Julie argued it back and forth all day Sunday and still didn’t have an answer when she went into work on Monday.

  Maureen looked up from her computer when Julie got to her cubicle. “Have a good weekend?” she asked.

  “Yup. Hope you did, too, and you’re ready to really dig in. Now we get to work on the real meat of the app, the actual processing.”

  “How long does the schedule give us?”

  “Three weeks. I don’t think it will be a problem. I’ve already started on it. I should have the record acquisition and initial input processing ready for a first run-through in a couple of days.”

  “Okay with me. I’m working on the reporting end, formatting the output for print. Should have that done by the time you’re ready to start testing.”

  As expected, she didn’t see Dan that day. None of the Spieler people were there, which let her concentrate on coding and accomplish a good bit. She didn’t miss him. Not at all. She didn’t let herself look around for him or listen for the sound of his voice. Not a bit.

  He did come to her cubicle around ten on Tuesday morning. He looked especially good in the gray suit that hugged his lean frame and broad shoulders. The blue shirt and darker blue tie went well with his reddish hair and enhanced the silvery blue of his eyes. It reminded her of how he’d looked in a similar outfit when she’d brought him home and introduced him to her parents all those years ago. Her mother had adored him and was so disappointed when they broke up.