by Livia Grant
“Trying to renege on your promise of dinner? I believe I was promised a beer too, and I intend to collect on that, little bro.” Hiram elbowed him in the side good-naturedly.
“I’m game. Mexican?” he asked as they walked out to unload the trailer, leaving Sophia inside to tend the baby.
No sooner than they got out the door did they see Brent Carmichael walking up the driveway with another dark haired man who looked to be in his early thirties.
The men didn’t hesitate to help, grabbing boxes Hiram had unloaded as they walked into the house. Hoping to keep Hiram separate from them, Josiah followed.
“We won’t be long, unless you need the help,” Brent said with an easy smile. “I just wanted to stop by and introduce you to Matt Renton. Matt will be your mentor. Anything you need, or have questions about, you just give him a call, and he will probably check in with you every so often.”
The guy, Matt, was tall with dark hair, green eyes and a laid back friendly look to him, and Josiah liked him immediately. Matt offered his hand, and Josiah shook it with a nod.
“Nice to meet you. I’ve got my family here today, and I start work on Monday, but I would love to get together sometime before then for a beer or something, if that would work.”
“Absolutely, sounds great. I’ll give you a call.”
“Matt is the head chef over at Amore. He and his wife Julie were some of the very first residents, so he’s practically a Corbin’s Bend expert, next to myself,” Brent joked, and Matt laughed him off, shaking his head.
“I don’t know about all that, but I do my best. We’ll let you get to it and get settled in, and I’ll give you a call this weekend.”
The two men turned and left, and Josiah headed back out to unload. He was getting hungry, and the sooner they got unloaded, the sooner they could eat.
Chapter Three
Lannea closed up by herself on Monday night and frowned at the night sky as she exited the building. A storm was brewing for sure. It was only early September, so the days were still warm, but those tropical storms could set in quickly. The clouds overhead looked particularly foreboding. Just as the thought left her head, a thunderous boom sounded, rattling the windows of the shop, and the skies opened, catching her in a downpour. Huge drops fell to the ground. Laney shrieked and ran to her car, nearly getting drenched in the few moments it took to reach and unlock her vehicle.
Sitting there in the parking lot, she watched the storm wreak its havoc and swore under her breath. It was the kind of weather that made her want to be safe at home in her comfy clothes curled up with a bowl of soup and a glass of wine. But that wasn’t going to happen tonight. It was Monday, and she had her weekly meeting with her mentor Julie Renton. Not that she needed a mentor or a weekly meeting at this point but she liked Julie, and the mother of three young children claimed it was her one night off to get away from the kids and the house. It was Julie’s husband Matt’s regular night off, and it was also the night Ginger and Beau had weekly maintenance. The rooms of course, were soundproofed— all Corbin’s Bend houses were but she still tried to make a habit of being out of the house on Monday nights. Her being there was awkward for all of them, but her most of all. It just reminded her of everything she wanted, and everything she didn’t have. And for her cousin, an effective maintenance session was a must. Ginger would be utterly impossible to deal with if Beau didn’t take her in hand once a week, at least. She was typically an overly uptight, control freak anyway and sometimes by Sunday night before maintenance, Laney couldn’t even stand to be around her. She loved her cousin dearly, but they were truly polar opposites. Her happy-go-lucky carefree personality and her cousin’s detail oriented perfectionist personality clashed on a daily basis. Secretly, Lannea found herself counting down to Monday nights, and the few days that followed, knowing that for a little while at least Ginger would be easier to deal with. But, it meant that tonight, she had no choice but to be out in this weather. Sighing as she started the car, she squinted out the window at the rain. The drops were falling huge and fast, making it hard to see the road. Thankfully, she didn’t have far to go, and it was still light out, even though it was after eight. The long summer days would go away soon, leaving a cold Colorado winter in their wake. Lannea, a California native, was not looking forward to another Colorado winter. The last one had nearly killed her. Julie swore she would eventually get used to it, but she wasn’t so sure.
She pulled into Amore. It wasn’t her first choice, as it was a little upscale for her tastes and usually outside of her budget. But as it was the only restaurant in Corbin’s bend with a bar, and stayed open a little later than the others, it was usually where they ended up on Monday nights. Julie loved going there, as her husband Matt was their beloved head chef, so they often got spoiled with free drinks and heavy discounts. And since Laney was squirreling away every penny to eventually buy into Corbin’s Bend herself, and to become a true partner at The Ginger Paddle, she was always up for a good deal and a free drink.
She gave her wet hair a vigorous shake before going in, thankful once again that she kept her hair short to work in the kitchen. It would dry fast, especially with the fireplace in the bar area, which would undoubtedly be roaring on a night like tonight. She saw Julie right away and gave her friend a quick, loose hug, trying carefully not to get her wet.
“Hey, girl!” her mentor and friend exclaimed with a broad smile, taking her elbow and leading her to the cozy seating area in the back near the fireplace.
“Two martinis please,” she called to the young bartender, a woman Laney didn’t recognize.
Julie turned back to her as they took their seats and leaned in conspiratorially. “Girl, I have got some news for you! There’s a new guy in town and Matt is mentoring him! I’ve already checked him out. He is a major hottie, and he’s a cop! Man in a uniform,” Julie teased, waggling her eyebrows.
Lannea made a face, unconvinced, and not too excited. She was done checking out every new bachelor that moved to town. It hadn’t done her any good so far, and she was tired of getting her hopes up and letting her guard down for nothing. Still, she couldn’t stop the little niggling of excitement from taking root in her belly, regardless of what her head was telling her. Still, she didn’t want to be or appear over eager. “Nope, not interested,” she said stubbornly.
Julie narrowed her eyes at her, her mouth curving into a frown, seemingly unconvinced. “Really?” she asked flatly.
Laney felt her resolve crumbling, but she fought the urge to beg for the nitty-gritty details. “So, what’s the special tonight, I’m starving!” she exclaimed nonchalantly, opening her menu, even though there was no need to do so. They got the same thing every time. The antipasto platter and the battered artichoke hearts. Laney had dreams about those artichoke hearts. She was convinced they were a little slice of heaven here on earth.
“I already ordered.”
Laney pursed her lips. So much for that line of distraction. She racked her brain for something to say to change the topic but came up blank.
“Laney! You really don’t want to hear about the new guy? Not at all?”
Laney shook her head vigorously. Nope. She most certainly did not want to hear about the hot new cop in town. Never mind that a gruff serious dominating type in a uniform was exactly the sort of man that filled up her dreams and fantasies on a daily basis. She wasn’t going there. She shook her head again.
“So, I really spent a good hour grilling this guy over dinner last night for nothing?” Julie persisted, looking disappointed.
That got Laney’s attention. She and Julie spent hours talking every week and Julie knew exactly what she was looking for. Heck, she probably had a better idea of what kind of guy Laney wanted than Laney herself. Grumbling to herself, she dropped the uninterested act, and picked up her martini, downing it in one long gulp. Slamming the glass down on the table, she caved. “Fine, I give! Tell me everything you know, and make it good!”
* * * * *
/> Josiah peered out at the lightening and rain through the window of his cop car. It was his first night on the job, and he was loving it so far. He had been worried when he took the job with the Boulder Department about working for a big city, versus the work he had done in Green Valley— but the Corbin’s Bend beat was perfect for him, and the shifts were shorter, allowing him more time for a personal life eventually.
He liked Corbin’s Bend a lot. He liked the people he had met so far, and this storm was reminding him of the summer storms they had at home. He turned the corner from Spanking Loop onto Main Street where a large majority of the businesses seemed to be located. He was still getting the lay of the land here, but one side of Spanking Loop was all mountain, and the other side seemed to be where all the action happened. He passed the minimart, and La Comida, and smiled when he came to The Ginger Paddle. So this is where it was. He slowed the car to stare at it for a minute. Last night at dinner with Matt and Julie, Julie had spoken very highly of the sushi artist there, a woman she called Laney. Nearly every chance she had gotten it had been “Laney this” and “Laney that.” She had been horribly obvious, to the point where at one time, Matt had given her a stern warning because of what he called “badgering the guest.” Josiah hadn’t minded. While it had been uncomfortable at first, she had eventually worn him down, and now, he was actually quite intrigued and even a little eager to meet the elusive Laney. He would definitely be trying some sushi on his first day off. His stomach growled at the thought.
He felt the car shake and watched the trees bend as a huge gust of wind came from nowhere, and watched in confusion as the door to The Ginger Paddle swung wide open. He waited to see if someone would come out, but the place was dark. Had the storm done that? He pulled the car into park on the side of the road and went to investigate. The doors were newer, all of Corbin’s Bend was of course, so that didn’t seem to be the issue. Inspecting the jam, he shook his head. The door didn’t appear to have been locked. Somebody had closed up without remembering to lock the door. Unfortunate indeed, with the storm the way it was, but an easy fix. Lucky for the owner he had been in the right place at the right time. Now, he just had to call Brent and figure out who owned the joint.
* * * * *
“We’re closing up now.” The middle aged bartender who had been kind and full of smiles all evening now glared at them impatiently.
“But…but… it’s only ten!” Julie exclaimed, drunkenly, bursting into a fit of giggles while Laney looked on, laughing helplessly.
“It’s eleven, and it’s a Monday night. You two ladies have been our only customers for hours now, and you’ve had more than enough to drink. I’m calling you a cab, Mrs. Renton.”
“Fine, Fine,” Julie grumbled, fumbling for her purse. “But you better call one for her too!” she scolded the woman with a loosely pointed finger in Laney’s direction.
Laney looked on somberly as Julie closed out their meager tab. Julie wasn’t really as drunk as she seemed, Laney knew. Just really, really buzzed. She just got a bit silly and loud when she drank, which wasn’t that often. Laney was the opposite and when she was drinking seemed to be the only time she got serious and introspective.
“Hey, girl! Lighten up!” Julie yelled, smacking her on the shoulder a bit too enthusiastically. Laney winced and frowned at her.
“You’re not going to be in trouble with Matt are you?” she asked, concerned.
“Nah!” Her friend made a waving motion with her hand, as if to brush the thought aside. Then she stopped abruptly midway out the door. “Maybe,” she said, seeming a little more worried now.
Laney just shook her head wistfully as they got into the waiting cab. This was going to cost a fortune, she realized. There was no cab service in Corbin’s Bend but there was one out of Boulder that was willing to work within Corbin’s Bend for a fee. She wasn’t quite as buzzed as her friend, but even if she had been, there was no one to do anything about it. She lived her life carelessly, she realized, because no one cared. She could do whatever she wanted and get away with it. It was a silly thing to be upset about, but she was upset about it nonetheless. A tear coursed down her cheek, and she cursed under her breath as she wiped it away. She knew it was just an effect of the alcohol, but she couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. She really wanted someone to care enough to turn her over their knee when it was warranted. As Brent and Ginger’s husband Beau liked to tell her, it often was. They were forever threatening her in a teasing manner. She just smiled and laughed her way through it, never letting onto how lonely their words made her.
She told the cab driver to go to Julie’s first, as Matt was probably waiting for her. Lannea had no one to wait up for her or care what she was doing.
* * * * *
Josiah pulled up to a house on the edge of First Street, that matched the address Brent had given him for Ginger Davies, the owner of The Ginger Paddle. He had tried calling first, as it was late, but no one had answered. He knocked and a serious looking man with wavy brown hair and dark eyes answered, wearing a dark colored suit. Josiah didn’t know what kind of person would still be wearing a suit at this time of night. He couldn’t imagine that it would be anyone he would ever get along with. Josiah was a jeans and T-shirt type guy when he was off duty, if he wore clothes at all. He had been known to spend many a day off lounging around his apartment in only his boxers. To each their own he told himself, going into cop mode.
“Good Evening, sir,” Josiah said stiffly. “I’m Officer Jefferson of the Boulder Police Department, Corbin’s Bend Division. I’m looking to speak to a Mrs. Ginger Davies. Is she available?”
The man furrowed his brow in concern and glanced over his shoulder. Josiah followed his gaze, instantly regretting doing so. Behind the man, standing nose to wall in a corner of the living room, was a tall slender redhead in full view of the door, with her very red bottom on display and her jeans around her ankles.
Josiah flushed and looked down at his shoes, shocked and embarrassed. The man didn’t seem fazed at all, nor, he noticed, did the woman whose bare backside was on display for a total stranger. Good Lord, he thought, what kind of crazy place have I moved to? Are these people for real? So far, he hadn’t encountered anything quite like this. He found himself wondering if these types of things would soon be common occurrences to him as well. He hoped not.
“Is this an emergency, Officer? Ginger is a little indisposed at the moment.”
Josiah shuffled his feet, uncomfortably. Was this guy for real? Generally a police officer doesn’t come to your door at eleven o’clock at night unless it’s relatively important. “I need to speak to Mrs. Davies regarding a situation at her restaurant. I wouldn’t be here this late if it wasn’t time sensitive.”
The man nodded tersely. “Very well. Give us just a moment please.” And then, he shut the door in Josiah’s face. Really? Now? Josiah shook his head. He had already seen everything there was to see, after all. These people were unbelievable. Maybe he wouldn’t be frequenting the sushi bar after all.
Josiah stood there, growing more and more annoyed for a few minutes. When the door opened, the man was gone, and the woman from the corner was there. From the front, Josiah could tell she was pregnant, but not far, maybe three or four months along by his best guess. Josiah was relieved to see her face flushed with embarrassment. She hadn’t been as oblivious as she had seemed after all.
“I’m Ginger Davies, Officer. How can I help you?” She met his eyes, and he saw a hint of defiance there. She was daring him to treat her any differently because of what he had seen. He smiled at the fire in her green eyes. Perhaps all was not as it seemed.
“Mrs. Davies, I apologize for interrupting your evening, but there is a small situation at your place of business. It seems the door was left unlocked, and the storm has blown it open. I secured it as best I could to keep any storm debris from getting in and making a mess of the place, but you really should go down there and lock up.”
Ginger regarded him
with pursed lips and narrowed eyes. “I’m gonna kill Laney,” he heard her mutter under her breath.
“I’m sorry?” That wasn’t the response he had been expecting.
“My cousin,” she explained, brushing her hair out of her face in a gesture of annoyance. “She was supposed to lock up tonight, but God, I can’t count on her for anything! Beau! I need a ride to the shop!”
Beau, the man in the suit, materialized beside her seemingly out of nowhere. “Honey, calm down. I’m sure there’s a good explanation. Maybe she got distracted in the storm. Or, maybe she thought she locked up, but it just didn’t click correctly, or something. It’s not worth getting worked up about. The officer caught it and let us know right away, so we just go down and lock up. Easy solution— problem solved.”
To Josiah’s surprise and horror, the woman stomped her foot and yelled. “It’s not just about the door! She’s so irresponsible. I can’t count on her for anything! And then she’s always bugging me about when I’m going to make her partner! As if that’s going to happen anytime soon! She can’t even get her act together long enough to lock the damn door correctly!” She was cut off from her rant with a sharp slap to her backside.
“That’s enough,” Beau said firmly. “You told her if she moved here with us, you would make her partner. And now you keep tacking on these ridiculous addendums to your agreement with her. I understand waiting until she comes up with the money, but once she has it— you sign the papers. End of story. If I hear anything that indicates otherwise…” he trailed off in warning. “Now, thank the nice officer, say good night, and get in the car. I’ll drive you to the shop. After we get home, we’ll be continuing our earlier discussion. Apparently it didn’t have enough of an impact.”
