If Tomorrow Never Comes (Harper Falls Book 2)

by Williams, Mary J.

  "You told us Norman Freed's secret," Tyler said with a twinkle in her eye. Time to lighten the mood, and how better than reminiscing about the case of the unmatched socks.

  "Norman wanted you to know," Dani reminded her. "He wanted everyone to know. The poor kid had worn different socks to school every day for six months hoping someone would notice. He almost cried when I asked."

  "Weird way to make friends."

  "He was new and shy. He thought it would be an icebreaker."

  "And now he's mayor."

  "You think one has something to do with the other?"

  "Well," Rose reasoned. "Everyone thought Norman was strange and you were the only one who took the time to find out he was just lonely. After that, he joined a few clubs, ran for student council. There's no telling how it might have gone if you hadn't asked a simple question."

  Maybe, Dani thought. But it was different with Alex. The questions were harder and the answers not all his to give. This time she would hold her curiosity in check and wait. And hope.

  "ALEX, GOT A minute?"

  Alex got up from his desk. He laughed to himself as he made his way from his office to Drew's. Here he was, working for computer geek multi-millionaires, everything state of the art from retina scans to toilet seats. And yet the preferred method of interoffice communication was the open door yell.

  "You bellowed."

  Funny how quickly he and Drew had reached an ease around each other. Jack had helped, always ready to smooth a path. But Alex was sure they would have made it on their own. For all his cranky ways, Drew was one of the good guys.

  "If you don't talk me down, I'm going to do more than bellow."

  "What's the problem?"

  "I've got an asshole on the line who insists he speaks English, doesn't, and is too stubborn to hand it over to someone else."

  Alex knew the type. They figured if they could read a menu, how hard could it be to carry on a conversation?

  "What’s he speaking?"

  "Mostly German, with a little hell if I know thrown in."

  Alex took the phone, checking his watch.

  "Guten Abend." He listened for a moment, rolling his eyes at Drew. "Nicht, Herr Fleming."

  Forty-five minutes later Drew was satisfied Germany was on board with the launch of H&W's newest software program, and Alex had an admirer—and boyfriend, if he had been so inclined. It took longer to convince Dieter that he was straight than to decipher the man's iffy English.

  "You missed your calling, my friend." Drew was pouring them both a cup of coffee. "We should have put you in charge of public relations."

  "What are the international laws for harassment?" Alex cringed when he opened the email that had just come in on his company phone. "Look, gay or straight, would you go for that?"

  Drew turned just in time avoid spitting coffee all over Alex. Laughing, he wiped his chin, then took another look at the picture of Dieter at the beach, in a very small bit of spandex.

  "You have to give the guy points for perseverance."

  "He's scrawny. And how can you spend any time in the sun and still be that pasty shade of white?" Alex wondered. "I think I'd go for the big, buff type."

  "You mean like Jack?"

  "Jack would definitely be a no."

  "No for what," Jack asked, sauntering into the room. "And keep in mind I'm usually up for anything."

  This time it was Alex's turn to spew a little caffeine. He held up the phone, poor Dieter earning another thumb down.

  "No, now that is just wrong." Seeing the picture had been sent to Alex, Jack said, "To each his own, but trust me, you can do better."

  "Alex picked up a fan while being my go-between with our German distributor," Drew explained.

  "Ah, that's sweet. Were you on Skype?"

  "Nope, he seduced Dieter with nothing but his dulcet-toned voice."

  Hitting delete, Alex put the phone away.

  "Normally this where I would say fuck both of you, but since you sign my paycheck I'll just leave and get back to work."

  "Speaking of work, how are the recruits coming along?"

  Jack fell in step with him, following Alex into his office.

  "Here's the latest report, I was just about to forward a copy to you and Drew."

  "I'll look at it later. Give me a quick overview."

  "They're all eager, but only two are going to cut it. The others should be able to pick up some other security work, but they just aren't right for H&W."

  "You got that after only two days? Impressive. The last guy who had your job, before he went off the rails, took weeks to evaluate."

  "I knew within a few minutes," Alex shrugged. "But they were scheduled for the week and the training they get here will help when applying for another job."

  "And Harry?"

  Alex rubbed his healing ribs, making Jack chuckle.

  "Harry's one of the two. He learns fast, has quick reflexes and can hold his own in a fight. He just needs a little help on his focus and he has the potential to be one of our best."

  "High praise. I'll leave you to it then. And if Dieter calls, let him down easy, we still need to do business with his company."

  "I'll keep that in mind," Alex said, wryly. When he was alone, he took out his phone and hit speed dial.

  "Peony."

  "Hey, baby sister, how goes your morning?"

  "Well, don't you sound chipper."

  "The sun is shining and all is right with the world, or at least our little corner of it."

  "And would this good mood have anything to do with a certain green-eyed blond?"

  "If I said I'd like to send some flowers to a Miss Dani Wilde, would that answer your question."

  "Depends," Lila said coyly. "How much are you willing to spend?"

  DANI GLANCED OVER at the enormous bouquet of multi-colored tulips and grinned. She had been walking by, gently touching, and generally admiring them since they had arrived just after lunch. Already arranged in a gorgeous crystal vase, all she'd had to do was decide where to put them. It had taken awhile, but she finally decided on the front table downstairs. She could enjoy them while she was working and then take them with her later when she went upstairs.

  With a happy sigh, Dani forced her focus away from the flowers and back to work. For the last few months, her schedule had been wrapped up in organizing the book for the Harper Falls Centennial. When she'd agreed to the project, Dani hadn't taken into account how time consuming it would be to sort through one hundred years of history. As interesting as it was, too much effort spent on one thing could make it stale. She needed to step back for a few days, take a break and work on something else. She'd get back to it next week with fresh eyes and hopefully a renewed enthusiasm.

  For now she had some general business to catch up on. Going through her emails was a daily task that rarely yielded much more than frustration. Spam, no matter how many filters she had put in, somehow always found its nasty way to her inbox. Between a man's need for a larger penis and a woman's need for a tighter vagina, Dani wondered how anyone was having satisfying sex.

  She shut her laptop and smiled. She knew of at least one perfectly sized instrument that would fit nicely into her own recently underused box. Dani snorted at her ridiculous euphemisms. This wasn't a nineteen fifties romance novel, she could call a spade a spade—especially in her own head. Alex had a nice, big cock and knew how to use it. Her vagina was plenty tight and she was going crazy. Enough thoughts about sex. Work, she needed to get to work on something—anything that would keep her mind off what was in Alex's pants.

  Her phone signaled an incoming text. Happy for any distraction, Dani checked the message.

  "Would like to set up meeting at your convenience, project in works for US military."

  It was signed Major Felix Showalter and he left a number.

  Dani frowned. What kind of project would require the military to hire an outside photographer? They had their own people, outsourcing civilian help seemed odd.
She ran her thumb over the keypad. There was that damn curiosity of hers kicking in again. She didn't have time to take on any new assignments, especially one that might take her God knows where. On the other hand, what harm could there be in hearing what the Major had to say? No was a very active word in her vocabulary.

  She had the first three numbers typed in when her doorbell chimed. With a slightly wistful sigh, she put down her phone. Just as well, it might have been too good to turn down, better not knowing.

  "Mom."

  Dani stood back and let her mother in. She would have hugged her but at the moment Bobbi Wilde's arms were full.

  "What on earth is all that?"

  "Shut the door, come over here and find out."

  Laughing, Dani followed her mother to the sitting area, helping unload two boxes and a very heavy canvas bag.

  "I got a case of spring cleaning fever, and yes, your father already pointed out that I'm a few months too late."

  "I admire anyone who wants to clean, period." Dani looked around. She kept everything neat, but she wouldn't want her mother checking the corners. Dust bunnies lived under her furniture in droves.

  "You know me, I get the urge every six months or so. But this time I went for the attic." Bobbi opened a large, flat box and rummaged through what seemed like reams of tissue paper. Finally, with a flourish and a ta-da, she pulled out a dress. A wedding dress.

  "Oh, Mom." Dani checked her hands for any smudges before reaching out to touch the delicate ivory lace. She recognized it from her parent's wedding pictures, but this was the first time she'd seen it in person. "It's beautiful."

  Pleased by Dani's reaction, Bobbi held the dress up and smiled.

  "Nineteen eighty-five was not a great year for wedding gowns. Every bride either wanted to look like Princess Di or Madonna. I wore your grandmother's dress, which amazingly, had been her mother's."

  "You're kidding? How did I not know that?" Dani looked at the dress again, this time with the eye of a photographer. The design was simple—timeless. Lace over satin, long sleeves, and a fitted waist. The skirt was slightly flared, but not too full. She could see it on a bride fifty years ago or fifty years in the future.

  "But I've seen pictures of both those weddings. This dress is similar but not the same."

  "That, my overly observant daughter, is because my mother made changes and so did I. The point was to keep the integrity of the original but make it our own." She took out the family photo album. She knew her daughter, so she'd brought along visual proof.

  "Here we go." She took out the three photos and put them on the coffee table, side by side.

  "See. My grandmother, Stella, was a pre-war bride—1939. It was all satin and bias cut. My mother, Margaret, added the lace overlay and cinched in the waist. She had a thing for Princess Grace and Prince Rainier. And then there's your mother. I retooled the lace and added the high neckline."

  Dani picked up the picture and for a moment forgot about the dress.

  "You look so happy."

  "And why not? I was marrying the love of my life." Bobbi leaned close, her head resting against her daughters. "They say every bride has a certain glow, and I suppose that's true. But you have to be committed, heart and soul, for it to shine out of you. That, and being three months pregnant."

  Dani erupted into laughter. It was no secret that her parents had anticipated their wedding night. According to her mother they had been anticipating for several years. Luckily they were engaged and the wedding plans well under way the night the condom failed.

  "I know it's hard to imagine now, but even in the eighties people still counted when a couple had a baby right away. Caleb arriving five and a half months after the I do's, well, it was hard to claim premature birth when he came out a hefty ten pounds, six ounces. Mom was mortified trying to explain that one to her bridge club."

  "But she got over it." Dani remembered her Grandmother as a bit ridged but also very loving. Caleb had been her favorite, though Dani had never felt left out of her affections.

  "Oh, she doted on your brother. She was so certain his hair would stay that white blond that so many babies are born with." She turned, smiling, and smoothed back a stray lock of Dani's hair that had fallen out the messy bun she'd twisted it into that morning. "Instead, you got stuck with that burden."

  Dani didn't deny her mother's words; it would have been a lie. Burden sounded about right—annoyance, general pain in the butt. Dying her hair black had been a brief, and necessary, bit of rebellion, one that taught her an important lesson. You are who you are—embrace the different. Jordanna Wilde was a blond, but not a dumb one. She was twenty-seven years old and wouldn't change a thing.

  "Now tell me about your young man."

  Except her mother's unerring radar. Then, all of a sudden Dani got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

  "Please tell me there is no connection between you showing up with your old wedding dress and asking about Alex."

  "Oh, is that his name? Short for what? Alexander, Alexi?"

  "Just Alex. Now, Mom…"

  "Relax," her mother laughed. "I had the dress ready to show you before I heard even a whisper that you were seeing someone new. Though you have to admit, this creamy color would look fantastic on you."

  "No, absolutely not. He's not even…, we haven't…" Dani took a deep breath. "Just no. And if you accidentally run into him, you're allowed to mention that you're my mother, but that is it."

  "I promise."

  "Good. Now, would you like a cup of tea, or something cold? It’s really blazing out there and…Mom? Are you crying?" Dani took her mother's hands, worried that she had been too harsh.

  "You love him." Bobbi wiped away a tear. Her baby was in love.

  "It's too soon."

  "I knew the moment I met your father—I was eleven, he was thirteen."

  How could she argue with that? Dani was a product of young love, love at first sight, til death do us part, and happily ever after. She was doomed to believe that once you met the man of your dreams, that was it. No do-overs, no taking back your heart—it was his, whether he wanted it or not.

  "I assume those flowers are from your Alex?"

  Dani sighed, Mom missed nothing.

  "If you start calling him that, you're bound to slip when you meet."

  "So it is true." She pulled her daughter in for a hug, then settled back into her seat. "Tell me everything. He's only been in town since the Fourth, so there can't be much."

  Oh, Bobbi, you don't know the half of it.

  "I hope your afternoon is free because this is going to take awhile."

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  "WHEN YOU TOLD me we were going to a baseball game I assumed you meant in Spokane."

  "The Indians are out of town this week."

  "So we fly to Seattle to see the Mariners?"

  Dani looked around a sold out Safeco Field. Late July, the M's in first place, and Felix Hernandez on the mound. If Alex had wanted to impress her, this would have done the trick. On top of everything else, they had seats in the King's Court, the section of the stadium where fans dressed in yellow shirts and gold, paper crowns—basically to worship the baseball God that was Felix Hernandez.

  "How did you get tickets to sit here?" she yelled, the volume of the voices around them having risen several decibels as the King took the mound.

  "A friend of a friend."

  Alex had stopped watching anything but Dani. Her reaction to the crowd, the stadium, being ten feet from actual big league players. She loved baseball, always had, and the Mariners were her team—good, bad, sometimes even these guys suck. When he found out she had never been to a game, he'd called up an old Army buddy who now worked for the team, and arranged for tickets. Hitching a ride with Drew on one of H&W's private planes had been an unexpected bonus. From the start of their journey, Dani had been as bouncy as a five-year-old on the way to Disneyland.

  By the seventh inning stretch, the game was well in hand and D
ani had made friends with everyone within shouting distance, which was fine until one guy tried to get a little handsy. Alex gave a low growl, ready to leave the fool with a bloody stub, but Dani was quicker. Not even breaking her cheer for the latest run scored, she removed the groper's hand from her ass and had him down on his knees in pain, clutching his twisted fingers.

  "Change seats with me?" She asked in such a matter of fact manner, if he hadn't seen what had just gone down, Alex might have thought she was in a draft or couldn't see over the person in front of her.

  He carefully moved around her, then bent down to the man and whispered, "Do yourself a favor and head for the parking lot early."

  "Hey, I paid good money for…" The guy looked up, and then further up. Alex had him by a good six inches Combined with some impressive biceps bulging out of the sleeves of his t-shirt and eyes that had turned almost black with warning, the man wisely held his tongue.

  "Oh, he's not sticking around for the rest of the game?" Dani asked, sarcasm practically dripping from every word. "What a shame."

  Alex picked up her lethal hand and kissed the palm.

  "I think he was headed for the ER."

  "I didn't break anything," she grinned, not feeling an ounce of remorse. "Though he might have trouble gripping anything for the next few days."

  "I like that you can take care of yourself."

  "Me too."

  What she really liked was being with a man whose ego hadn't been bent out of shape by her self-sufficiency. It hadn't occurred to her to ask Alex to take care of the groper. Why would it? The reason she'd started self-defense classes was so that she could handle herself in that kind of situation. Men would always have a size advantage, and most were stronger, but Dani had the training and an element of surprise on her side. Very few people looked at her and saw anything but the pretty wrapping. She wasn't supposed to be able to take down a guy who outweighed her by better that a hundred pounds. The fact that she could, tended to put some men off, but she wasn't going to hide behind any man just to puff him up. Alex might not know it, but his reaction had just made her fall for him a little bit harder.

  The game ended with the visiting team going down one, two, three in the ninth, and a happy crowd streamed out into the cool Seattle evening. Alex kept a firm grasp of Dani's hand, not wanting to lose her in the sea of jostling bodies. They were scheduled to meet Drew back at the airport in just over an hour. It was going to be a quick trip, in and out of town, no plans to stay over.