She’d forgotten about the league tournament today, but promised Rita she’d take some pictures to put up on the new website she was building one section at a time.
She had to admit the guys liked the graphic she’d done for their team, judging by the high fives and smiles they gave each other.
Chris caught her eye, then looked up at the screen as fire and rescue put up a strike of their own and their screen showed the pins going up in flames and then the word STRIKE coming up with fire bursting out the top of it. Chris held up his beer to salute her.
She couldn’t help but smile at him despite the fact that she felt terrible after that scene with her family.
She really had meant to take that secret to her grave.
“Hey, sweetie, can you believe this place?” Rita smiled from behind the counter. “Food orders are coming in one after the next. People love not having to leave their lane to place an order. The guys are amazed that you gave them their own graphics. I have to say, it’s added to their enthusiasm and seems to have made the rivalry even stronger. They all just want to see that strike cartoon come up.”
Evangeline had made several different graphics based on who might be playing. If it was a birthday party for kids five and under, a puppy or kitten ran on wobbly legs and pounced on the pins. She’d done one with a race car speeding down the track to the pins, a unicorn, and pins that turned into a burst of stars, flowers, or sprays of rainbows. She’d think of some more for the other leagues that played, but for now, users could choose what they wanted from the ones she’d already set up.
“I’m glad you’re happy with all of it. I’ll take some pictures to add to the league page and some of the kids playing for the party page. I want to check on how the inventory system is working. This is the first busy weekend. I want to make sure everything is running smoothly. Any glitches with the lane assignments or reservations?”
“None so far. You’re a genius.”
No, she just worked her ass off to make the website and customer experience as seamless as possible. She needed this job to use as an example for potential clients. She needed a good reference from Rita. For clients, and to prove to her parole officer that she was working and doing her best to be a productive member of society.
She didn’t want to think about how upset her mom was when she found out Evangeline would be working with Chris to take down her father’s cohorts. If her mother discovered one of those people happened to be Evangeline’s ex, her mother would be even more disheartened and disillusioned by the people she believed were good and decent men but were flawed like everyone else.
She imagined even among the fire and rescue and sheriff’s officers there were a few bad apples or men who didn’t always do the right thing.
She didn’t believe all men were bad, but good men sometimes did bad things.
She handed her bag over to Rita. “Can you put that behind the counter while I shoot some pictures?”
“Sure thing. Take your time. Get as many as you can of those hunky men. Maybe I can get some of those book club groups in here to ogle the goods.”
“You should have a singles night. Make up groups based on the number of people who show up. Mix the females and males so you’ve got equal numbers on the teams.”
The gleam that Rita got every time she saw a new way to attract customers and make more money lit up her eyes. Evangeline swore she saw dollar signs.
“I should have hired you a long time ago.”
Evangeline pulled her phone from her pocket and ignored that comment, because she’d been in the joint up until days before Rita hired her.
The pictures didn’t take long. The guys were more than willing to pose. She got several candid shots of the kids and other adults playing on the other lanes. Because of the number of gunshots sounding off from the graphics down the way, she could tell the sheriff’s team was in the lead, though fire and rescue lit up their screen regularly.
She retrieved her bag from behind the counter as Rita rang up another customer and handed over four pairs of shoes to a young family. Evangeline took one of the smaller tables in the dining area facing the bowling alleys. She enjoyed watching the two teams square off. And yeah, she didn’t mind this glimpse of Chris at ease, having fun, and enjoying himself with his friends. He smiled more and even laughed. The hard edges smoothed out in his face. The line in his forehead disappeared and the ones bracketing his eyes were from his wide grin. She’d never seen him more relaxed. He looked completely different to her.
All of a sudden he turned and stared at her, his gaze dropping to her mouth. Her lips tingled with the echo of the kiss they’d shared. A kiss that had replayed in her mind in a loop that spun out to countless dreams of what that one kiss could turn into if she gave in to the desire he ignited in her.
Despite the flutter in her belly and the strong desire to sit and watch him all night, she dragged her gaze away and focused on the screen on her laptop. She had work to do. She plugged her phone into the USB cord to download the pictures, then concentrated on updating the website. It didn’t take her long to get into the work, but she did find herself looking up every time the shots rang out for another strike by the sheriff’s team. She was pleased to see that two of them were for Chris.
Lost in the numbers, checking the inventory system and orders, she didn’t hear anyone come up to her table until a hand slammed her screen closed. She barely pulled her hands away before they got pinched. She looked up, shocked to find Darren’s brother, Tom, leaning over and glaring at her, his shoulder-length brown hair tucked back behind his ears. The pungent odor coming off him could only be from the pot that had become legal in California while she’d been locked up.
Bloodshot, wide-pupiled eyes narrowed on her.
“What the hell, Tom? What are you doing here?” She didn’t dare glance past him at the eight cops bowling their hearts out, but something told her Chris had spotted her unwelcome guest.
“What the fuck are you doing hanging out with a bunch of cops?”
“My job.” She flipped her computer screen up and swiveled the computer around to face him.
He stared at the bowling alley website in the builder program she used. “You’re some kind of computer nerd.”
An apt comment, she supposed. “I earned a degree in computer science and started my own web design business. I’m here working for Rita. The owner of the bowling alley,” she added when Tom raised an eyebrow in question.
“What is going on between you and Chris?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I hate that fuck. He took a little too much pleasure in slapping on the cuffs and locking me in a cell.”
“He keeps checking you out.”
“He’s made it clear that he can’t wait to put me back in prison. I guess he holds a grudge because I was dating his best friend when he arrested me. He never thought I was good enough for Darren.”
Tom looked thoughtful. “That’s not what I heard.”
“He didn’t like me then, he despises me now.” Of course, the kiss proved that maybe Chris had just been biding his time, waiting for her to wake up and figure out that Darren didn’t really care about her. And he probably didn’t want to go against the bro code: don’t steal your buddy’s girl.
But Chris and Darren weren’t friends anymore.
More like good guy versus bad guy these days.
“How come you didn’t tell who helped you steal that wine?”
“I was just making a hay delivery. Who says I know who stole the wine and put it on that trailer?”
He leaned in closer. “You know who put it on that trailer.”
She closed the distance between them by a few more inches so he could see the determination and anger radiating through her. “What business is it of yours?”
“You kept your mouth shut then. You better keep it shut now if you know what’s good for you.”
She stood so fast her chair toppled over. She planted her hands on the table
and leaned in, not afraid one bit of getting in Tom’s face. She’d been up against much worse in prison. “You may think you know me, but you don’t. Not the new me. So get this straight. You threaten me, I take that to mean you’re willing to back it up.”
“Bet your pretty ass.”
“You fucking come at me, you better bet your rotten breath I will put you down.” She held his deadly gaze with one of her own and didn’t back down when the moment stretched just a bit too long.
Tom stood with his hands up and stepped back. “Hey, no need to get upset. We’re just talking.”
“I’m done talking. I’ve got an inventory database to update.”
Tom’s head tilted. “Inventory. You, like, program that shit.”
“It’s part of the services I provide.”
“You might be useful after all.” With that, Tom walked away, leaving her staring at the door he exited, completely confused, worried about what he meant, and resigned that she’d be drawn deeper into his and Darren’s scheme.
Her heart pounded in her chest. She never thought she’d have to face off with anyone on the outside who wanted to hurt her. Not like that. Tom might be more bark than bite, but she’d learned never to turn her back on anyone, especially someone willing to threaten her with eight cops standing thirty feet away.
She picked up her chair and fell into it. She spun her computer toward her and stared at the screen, but really looked over it at Chris watching her out of the corner of his eye. Just in case Tom had someone still in here watching her, she didn’t want to give anything away. Chris kept up the pretense that he was here just to bowl.
She went back to work, though it took her a few minutes to settle her heart and get back into it. Her mind played out one scenario after the next of why Tom had come to threaten her.
Darren had cozied up to her at the bar, and Tom came at her with threats. They were always at odds, even when they were working together. Just like Charlie and Joey.
She was supposed to get close to Darren. Her encounter with Tom probably didn’t help. Though he’d been interested in her computer skills. Maybe she had a way in with them after all.
The last thing she wanted to do was put herself in a position to get in trouble again, but if she took them down and erased her record, maybe she’d feel like she actually had her life back.
Her phone dinged with a text. She pulled it out of her pocket and checked the message.
Blocked: You okay?
She kept her head down, but glanced up at Chris’s back as he bowled another strike. But a buddy of his sat in one of the plastic chairs, head down, phone in hand.
Evangeline: Fine.
Blocked: Looked like things didn’t end well.
Evangeline: Things are just getting started.
She tucked her phone in her pocket, packed up her computer, and headed out without looking at Chris or anyone else. She headed for her truck, spotting a note tucked under her windshield wiper. She pulled it free, climbed into the truck, locked the door, and read the note.
We have a job for you. We’ll be in touch.
Great. She wanted this to end, but she didn’t want to go through it to get there.
Chapter Eighteen
If Evangeline wanted her life back, she needed to finish the business with Darren. Which meant instead of waiting around, allowing him to think she was at his beck and call, she needed to go after him. So she showed up at his job. If he thought she’d be cowed by Tom’s threat, he had another think coming. She saw through his manipulations now, and if he wanted to play games with her life, she intended to play for keeps.
She parked outside the wine-tasting room. She had to admit the place was lovely, built of pale tan stones with tall windows, a beautiful wide, thick stained-wood door, and black metal roof. White rosebushes and boxwoods filled out the garden space, and a twelve-foot wood table and chairs, perfect for an afternoon lunch with friends and family, sat below a covered patio area. Nearby, a rose-covered arch nestled in a field of grapevines created a space for an outdoor wedding.
On the other side of the building was a huge patio area with an outdoor stone fireplace with CROSS CELLARS spelled out in black metal letters. CROSS horizontal and CELLARS vertical from the C in CROSS. Just like their logo. Tables and chairs for groups of four lined both sides of the courtyard, and three sets of identical outdoor couches facing each other with a coffee table between filled in the center of the area. Outdoor umbrellas were spread out in the winery’s signature burgundy and gold colors. Opposite the huge fireplace and about forty feet away was a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen covered by a beautiful wood pergola. The same white roses and boxwoods surrounded the area, softening the effect of the low stone wall that enclosed the space with a three-foot-wide path leading in from every side.
Wine, food, a fire, music, the beautiful Napa weather, and the winery landscape all lent an air of elegance and magic to the space. At night, with the lights strung over the area lit, it would sparkle.
She took out the new tablet she ordered online and which had arrived this morning while she studied the winery’s website on her laptop. While the interior of the wine-tasting room was featured, many of the outdoor areas were left out of the website. Whoever put the site together focused on the award-winning wine, which was impressive, but there was so much more to highlight about this place.
She took her time walking around and snapping photos of all the beautiful areas the owners had designed and created with meticulous detail. In her mind, she already had a website planned with the same eye for detail and the feel this place gave off.
“Can I help you?” A woman’s voice startled her out of her thoughts.
Evangeline turned and smiled at the last person she expected to see. The woman who stood beside the man in several of the photos on the limited website. “Mrs. Cross. My compliments on this wonderful place. It’s lovely.” Evangeline glanced around again. “It just welcomes you in.”
Mrs. Cross smiled broadly. “It’s more than a winery. It’s our home.”
“It feels that way, even though it’s huge.”
Mrs. Cross studied her. “Have we met?”
Evangeline held out her hand. “No. I’m Evangeline Austen, with Austen Designs.”
Mrs. Cross shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Are you looking for a space to entertain clients?”
“Actually, I’m here to see my old friend Darren.”
“He’s doing a private tasting inside. I’ll take you to him.”
“Thank you.” They walked toward the building. “The gardens and outdoor spaces are amazing. You should add them to your website.”
“I keep telling my husband the same thing, but the last person we hired to work on the website didn’t work out. My husband updates the wine lists, but beyond that, he’s not interested, nor does he have the time to come up with something creative for the events we like to hold here. Most of that business comes from word of mouth. Darren is a great salesman. He’s always talking up the winery to customers. At off-site events, he’s so engaging, people want to come here just to see him again. He turned up just when we needed him.”
Evangeline wondered if that had been a calculated move by Darren, or if he’d found the right job that suited him.
Mrs. Cross stared out at the rose-covered arch. “I love it when we hold weddings here. So romantic. New beginnings. A celebration of love.”
“If you’re interested, I create and design websites.” Evangeline held up her hand. “That’s not why I came today, but I couldn’t help checking out your website and dreaming up what I can do to improve it. You should showcase the beauty here. Brides would love this place. With the proximity to Silicon Valley and San Francisco, this is a great place for businesses to hold events and wine and dine potential clients and customers. Your site lists that you provide services for weddings and events, but there’s nothing to showcase the venue and show people what they can have here.”
Mrs. Cross held th
e door open for her to enter the wine-tasting room. Evangeline stepped in and gawked at the fifteen-foot ceiling with wide wood beams, the huge stone fireplace on one wall with leather sofas and wood tables in front of it. A beautiful wood bar at the back of the room fronted a wall of wine bottles interspersed between black-and-white portraits of the vineyard and awards won by the winery. Black stools lined the bar. Wood tables with four black chairs around each filled out the space between the fireplace seating area and the bar. Tall, wide windows lined the sidewalls, bringing the outdoors in with the views of the gardens.
“Oh, my God, this place is beautiful.”
Mrs. Cross chuckled under her breath. “Let me buy you a glass of wine, we’ll talk about your ideas.”
“Oh, I don’t want to impose. I really just came to say hi to an old friend.”
“You’re here. You’re a businesswoman like me. I’m in need of the services you provide. I’ve learned never to pass up an opportunity, especially when you’re least expecting it.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Cross. I appreciate you taking the time and considering my ideas.”
“Please call me Renee. Now, what kind of wine do you prefer?”
“Honestly, I’m not that versed in wine.” She had turned twenty-one in jail and hadn’t had a chance to expand her preferences beyond the peach sangria Chris had been right about her liking. “Probably not the right thing to say when I’m hoping to get your business.”
“I didn’t know that much about wine until my husband taught me. So, red or white? Something chilled?”
Evangeline shrugged and tried not to sound completely inept and out of her element. “I like sweet versus dry. Something light. I had this really great peach sangria the other night that was amazing.”
“We have a lovely Riesling I think you’ll like. It’s my favorite.” Renee gestured toward the sofa. “Please sit. I’ll be right back.” Renee glanced over her shoulder at Darren schmoozing a couple at the bar. “I’m sure he knows you’re here, but I’ll let him know we’re okay until he’s done.”
The Me I Used to Be Page 15
