by Nelson, Cara
He left and Victoria faced Trent, her mouth pulled flat. “Are you done stepping all over my efforts to figure out if Bob’s been playing me?”
“No need. He’s our man. I’d bet on it. Bonus? Trip to Hawaii? That man has cash to burn and if he earn it though legal means, I’ll kiss his ass and say I’m sorry.”
She huffed. “He inherited property when his mother died. He gets rental income. The guy is doing well—unfortunately. I don’t think he needs money off my misfortunate. I don’t know what I was thinking when I put him on the list.”
“Oh, come on. You can’t seriously think he’s innocent. That man was just…” He waved his hand, looking for a suitable description. “Gloating.”
“Is he pushy? Yes. Overbearing? Very. But a thief?” She shrugged. “I’m afraid we have to cross him off the list. And mentioning lists, do I need to make one for you? Perhaps write down the five most inappropriate things that you shouldn’t do to a friend?”
“Here it comes. The lecture!”
She clattered her cup into the saucer. “You can’t stalk me.”
He stiffened. “Stalk is not a suitable word. I just don’t trust that guy. Which means I was looking out for you.”
“Oh, here we go.” She leaned back. “You’ve got my back—you’re my wingman. Well, let’s please not get into an argument. I’ve got a pounding headache from Bob’s stories as it is.”
He grinned. “You got tired of the monosyllables? Or the me-me-I-did-this club? Don’t know what you saw in that macho jerk.”
“Hmm… well, another dead end. My sister is the last on my list, and she’s even more unlikely than Bob. Jillian may know how to switch on a laptop, but the idea of her having the patience to dig through data to find something she could sell would strain anyone’s belief. She doesn’t even have the patience for online shopping. But I’m going to stop by to see her. And in the meantime, I’m going back to my apartment to see if I can find some more discrepancies.”
“More? You’ve caught more?”
“Three. Last month on the twenty-third, I’m pretty sure I was stuck in a meeting with Julie from marketing all afternoon. But your files showed me as logging in a few times. I can’t call her to confirm, but I may have to verify it by some other means.”
He covered her hands with his. “No—no. That’s good. That’s a break in the pattern—and it’s given me an idea.”
She looked at their joined hands, a strange expression in her eyes. “What?”
Lifting a hand, he flicked her nose. “Can’t say just yet. But I’ll let you know I gotta go”
He headed back to the office and started to compile the logs of all logins for the twenty-third of last month. No way could one person be logging in on two different accounts from the same computer. If someone at the company showed up as logged in and active, that person had to be innocent. But if he got a short list of those who weren’t logged in and active—they were suspects. He also started a log file to compare logins for Victoria’s account under every computer in the company—he could trace them all. Activity from a strange computer might lead him outside the company—and then he was going to have to trace IPs across the Internet. That, he hoped, would lead him to Bob.
It was going to take a few hours to compile the data, so he leaned back in his chair and called Cynthia again. The woman didn’t answer. She was proving to be more elusive than ever. How could she drop a bombshell on him and then leave him hanging? He left yet another message and hung up.
Scrubbing his hands over his face he decided life was suddenly too complicated. What with Tori’s problems and his own, it seemed like everything was just piling up. He missed the good old days—the ease of friendship he’d had with Victoria, the fun. An idea struck him. Picking up his phone, he made some calls and left his tracking programs running.
An hour later, he rang the bell at Victoria’s apartment.
She opened the door in gray sweats, her hair pulled up into a bun, her makeup gone, and her eyes a little bloodshot. “What now?”
He stepped inside and bounced on the balls of his feet. “I’ve got a brilliant idea.”
She groaned and leaned on the door. “You and your brilliant ideas. Do you know how long it takes to go through every single entry—I had no idea I really worked that hard.”
“That’s why you need a break. It’ll open your mind to more possibilities.”
Grabbing her shoulders, he turned her. “Go change into something friendly. And fun.”
She glanced over her shoulder at him. “What are you talking about?”
“We’re going out to eat.”
“It’s not even six o’clock! Besides, I’m not hungry.”
“By the time we get there, you will be. Now change.” He let go of her and crossed his arms. “Or do you want me to dump you in the shower, and you know I will.”
Her chin came up. “You just try.”
He smiled. “Remember second year of college?”
She bit her lower lip, but suddenly her eyes widened. “You invaded the girls’ locker room.”
“I can do it again.” He took a step toward her. She scurried away. She came back in ten minutes, her hair still wet and still pulled back, but now in a matching dark skirt and top.
He grabbed her hand. “Let’s walk. It’s a fine evening. Windy, but not cold. Pleasant.”
She pressed the button for the elevator and gave him a sideways glance. “What has gotten into you?”
Trent stepped in. “We’re working too hard. Sometimes it’s good to step aside and let new ideas flood your system.”
She rolled her eyes. “Have you been spiking your coffee?”
He hated the misery in her eyes. No matter how hard she tried to erase it, it was a constant reminder of the tough times she was going through. If he could bring a smile to her face, he’d be happy. “You know me—fun is my middle name.”
On the street, she strode along beside him, seeming to not really care where they were headed. Perfect! He wanted to surprise her. Glancing at him, she said, “I think we need to review our list of suspects. I think it has to be someone from the office.”
“Right. Sure.” He spotted the sign he’d been looking for, grabbed her hand and dragged her in that direction. “Good idea.”
“I never did like Keith. Maybe it was him. And Josephine—down in the mail room. Isn’t she always sneaking around and jumping up when you least expect it?” She looked up and blinked. Pointing to the sign, she asked, “What are we doing here?”
He grabbed her hand. “Fun. Remember that concept? And the last time we went to a fun fair?”
“Yeah, we were sixteen. I don’t know about you but I am way old for this.”
He paid for admission, grabbed the tickets, and pulled Tori toward the gate. People were filtering into the fair and the place was hopping. Bright lights twinkled on the stalls that lined the perimeter. Rides—twirling, loud, and brightly-colored—sat in the middle of the huge field. “No one is too old for a fun fair. And if you don’t have a good time, we’ll leave. And I’ll give you your money back.”
“We’ve got a thief to catch and…and—”
“And it’s all being handled right now. I’ve got some programs running. Let them do their work and I’ll get back to it.”
“Your problem is that your priorities are all backwards.”
“My priorities are quite fine, thank you. Because you are number one.” He glanced around the colorful, noisy scene. Families milled about, friends stood in group, and teenagers chased each other through the throngs of people and stalls. The fair smelled of burning sugar, popcorn, fried foods and sweat. “This is a blast from the past.” He grinned. “I’ll win you a prize just like last time.”
She raised a hand and mimed shooting. “I won you a prize due to my amazing aim. You never could learn how to handle a side arm.”
He nodded. “Yeah—that was kinda scary.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Fine. Let’s do the pirate ship fi
rst. It’s my favorite.”
She grabbed his hand and dragged him over to something that looked like a giant, swinging boat. This had definitely been a good idea. Sometimes he amazed himself. He followed her, pretending he didn’t want to get on any the rides, making her coax him and drag her with him. After the pirate ship, she pulled him over to the Ferris wheel, her face glowing and her eyes sparkling.
He held up his hands. “Uh, I’m not sure I’m all that happy about these kind of heights.”
“Don’t be a sissy! I’ll hold your hand.”
“You better,” he said. Holding onto her, he kept his eyes shut, opening them only to moan and close them again.
She laughed and threw her arms around him. “I won’t let you fall.”
Opening his eyes, she stared at her. “Afraid it’s too late.”
Catching her breath, she stared back. And then the Ferris wheel spun, making her laugh and forcing a groan from him.
Back on the ground, he pretended to stumble and sway. Tori caught him around the waist to steady him. He threw his arm over her shoulders, enjoying the flash of happiness in her eyes. She looked relaxed and carefree. Resentment flashed through him—whoever was putting her through so much misery was going to get more than they’d bargained for. Victoria deserved only good things.
Grabbing his arm, she dragged him to the photo booth. “I should comb my hair first.”
“Oh, don’t be vain.”
She pulled a face and pushed him inside, plopping down next to him. The flash went off. “Pout! Strike a pose!”
He resisted the urge to grab and kiss her. But that wouldn’t go down well and he didn’t want to spoil the mood. Putting her arm around his neck, she pressed her cheek to his. He wrinkled his nose. “You smell like flowers.”
“A girl’s supposed to smell like that. What do you want? Me all sweaty?”
An image hit him of her naked and sweaty in a very good way. He could see the sheen on her pale skin, he could almost feel it under his palm. He gave a groan and pulled back. She was just torturing him. Frowning at her, he shook his head. She grabbed him and kissed his cheek. The flash went off again.
“Come on—strike a pose, will you?” With a giggle, she poked his side.
“Oh, yeah—want to play?” He grabbed her and started wrestling, aiming for the ticklish spot on her ribs. She wiggled in his arms, rubbing all the wrong spots in the right way.
Gasping for breath, giggling still, she got free and darted out of the booth.
The pictures that came out were hilariously funny. His hair stuck out and the collar of his shirt stood up. She looked like a million dollars—her smile lit up her face, and the world. He slipped his copy of photos into his wallet and glanced at her. Why didn’t they do stuff like this more often? He’d been stuck in a rut of just hanging out—had he forgotten the things that gave him real pleasure? Like spending time with Victoria.
She started eyeing the rollercoaster and hopped on one foot. The lights flashed as the coaster whizzed by on high rails. He put a hand on his chest. “Oh, no. My heart won’t take that stress. How about a hot dog?”
Grinning, she nodded. “Sure.”
After they ate, he bought her a huge, fluffy-pink cotton candy. They strolled through the fair, looking for another exciting adventure. Children ran from stall to stall followed by worried parents. Loud squeals echoed from the jumping castle. The colors, sounds, and mayhem were enough to drive any man insane, but it was also joyous and full of energy.
Turning a lane, they came upon another lane of stalls. Tori stopped and pointed. “Oh, the shooting range!” Trent winced. Last time he’d missed all five shots, but she’d hit bull’s-eye every time. Of course, his luck could have changed. Paying for two chances, Trent picked up the air gun and tried to win a stuffed teddy bear. He hit everything but the target. “Damn it! This gun isn’t working right.”
She picked up a gun. “Step aside and let a pro take a turn.” She landed four out of five shots, won the bear, and frowned at Trent. “If you hadn’t sneezed, I would have gotten all five. And you’re right—the aim is off.”
The guy running the booth handed Tori a green teddy. She shook the bear at him with a cocky grin. “So who’s the ace now, ace?”
Seeing the excited gleam in her eyes, something tightened in his chest and caught in his throat. Bringing her here had been a terrific idea. She plopped the bear in the crook of his arm. “Here you go. A reminder of my superiority.”
Holding onto the bear, he walked with her to the exit. “What am I going to do with it?”
“You could keep it for the baby.” Just like that, the shadow that had lurked over them for the last few days fell again. Trent forced a smile. Tori put a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“You didn’t say anything wrong.” He adjusted his grip on the teddy and they headed back to her apartment. “But I still don’t know what I’m going to do. Cynthia’s been playing hide and seek with me—her hiding and me calling.”
“I thought she wanted to figure things out.”
“How am I supposed to know? Maybe she’s changed her mind. I…well, being a dad, it might not be such a bad thing. In fact, it might be exciting. The kid part is easy, but I don’t know how I’m going to handle any kind of relationship with Cynthia.”
“Do you love her?”
He looked at Tori. Hair windblown and coming out of the bun, no makeup, her face still flushed from the fair, she looked better than any girl he’d ever known. He shook his head. “The idea of being tied to any woman is depressing.”
Victoria looked away and Trent could have kicked himself. “It’s just that I wanted to be there for my kid. I really, really do. But I thought it was going to be a package—me, someone I care for, and a child. My dad—he was great. Even after the divorce, he really took care of me. I know he sacrificed a lot for me—and…I just want to be as inspiring a dad to my own baby. I just don’t want to do it with Cynthia.”
He let out a breath. The more he thought about it, the only person he could envision in his life, as the mother of his child, as a life partner, was Victoria. He wanted to tell her that, but he didn’t want to add to her problems. She had enough to deal with right now. He didn’t need a guy who was having a baby with another woman.
What was wrong with him?
“I’m not sure what’s going on in Cynthia’s head,” he admitted. “But don’t worry. I am going to chase her down and sit to have a serious talk soon enough. Do you want to grab some dinner?”
She rubbed a hand over her belly. “That hotdog and cotton candy are sitting a little heavy right now. But…” She smiled and reached a hand out to touch his arm. “I had a lovely time, Trent. It was just what I needed.”
He took her hand and kissed her fingers. He knew it wasn’t easy for Tori to speak from the heart, but knowing that she made the effort was enough for him. “Told you. I’m a genius.”
“A vain one.”
“Takes one to know one.” They stopped in front of her building. He pushed the teddy into her arms. “Keep him for now. It will remind you of the good times we had together. And I still have your work bear hanging out in my office. A reminder that you are going to be back at TerraDyn. I also have to get back. I’m running some extra checks that may turn up something.”
She clutched the teddy. “Thanks. Thank you for everything.”
He wanted to say something more—do something more. Kiss her. Just hold her. Sweep her off her feet and up to her bedroom and make her forget everything except how could make her feel. But she turned and hurried inside.
Just like that, the fun came to an end.
Chapter Eight
As she rode the elevator up to her apartment, Victoria kept smiling. She clutched her bear and thought about what a good time she’d had at the fair. Trent’s spontaneity had taken her by surprise. The carnival had been an amazing idea. She felt relaxed, happy. If only…
No, she didn�
�t want to go down that road. Trent was great if you wanted fun and not much else. But she was found herself battling the urge to tell him she wanted more with him. She wanted…what? Her mind stalled out.
Did she really want to jeopardize their friendship? What happened if they became lovers and then their differences lead to a break up? Besides, he had an ex-girlfriend to think about and a child on the way. Maybe. And she had a really shaky future. What if she couldn’t find another job—did she want to end up sponging off Trent?
She let out a breath. She’d be stupid to start something when Trent had to be on the brink of making a commitment to another woman. Shocking as it was, he seemed prepared to be with someone for the sake of his child. She was touched by his sense of responsibility. Maybe this was going to be really good for him. And how wrong she’d been in her estimation that he would never really grow up. His actions had proven he was determined to be there for his child. And she really needed to be happy for him. And to straighten out her own life.
Stepping out of the elevator, she put her hand in her purse to dig out her keys.
A hand clutched her waist and pulled her back. She screamed.
Another hand grabbed her and Bob’s deep voice washed over her. “It’s just me, babe.” He gave her a shake and let go.
Victoria put a hand on her racing heart. “You scared the life out of me! Is this any way to greet someone?”
Bending down, he picked up a box of luxury chocolate. “Got a little gift for you.”
She eyed him and the chocolates. “Why?”
“Do I need a reason to bring something for my girl?”
“I’m not—”
Her neighbor’s door opened. Mrs. Armstrong and Tinkles, her mini-Dobie, walked out. Mrs. Armstrong stared at Victoria.
Not wanting to make a scene, Victoria dug out her key, opened her door and stepped in. She resisted the urge to slam the door on Bob. Maybe meeting him for coffee hadn’t been such a good idea, after all. Did he really think she was still interested in him?
Her time with him at Delight had made her realize that not only was he not as attractive as she’d once believed, but also he was pushy, possessive, and a show off. She didn’t want to be with a man like him. Maybe Sue was right. She had been looking for men who reminded her of her dad—strong guys who had rules and lived by a code of honor. Instead, she kept finding egotistic caricatures.
