Treasure placed the tiramisu in the fridge and bent down to plug in the appliance. The compressor whirred back to life after being empty and turned off for a year. Her temporary respite next door helped improve her mood one hundred percent, but now, back inside the cold dusty apartment, her emotions began to rear their ugly heads. Treasure glanced around, saw the couch where she’d be sleeping, and decided to head downtown for a nightcap. After working graveyard shifts for a couple of years, her internal clock registered as being too early to settle down. She unloaded her backpack, sleeping bag, pillow, and a few other items from the Jeep before hoofing it downtown to the restaurants and bars.
Four
THE BISTRO beckoned once she fully acknowledged Floyd’s was closed. She hadn’t come into town during her Christmas mini vacation at the cabin and wondered how long the biker bar had been shut down.
She entered The Bistro, the most upscale restaurant in Granite Lake, and told the hostess she would like to sit at the bar. Treading softly around the dining room, Treasure made her best attempt at remaining incognito. Plenty of customers filled the restaurant and she hoped none of them recognized her. Returning to her hometown meant a strong possibility of running into someone she knew. Choosing The Bistro over the Mountain Spoon had been an easy decision. Running into someone at the diner was guaranteed. The Bistro not only had a full service bar, but it also catered to more tourists and people who wanted a quiet, intimate dinner. The local diner served cheap wine and beer and was a veritable hornet’s nest of gossiping locals. Treasure avoided the diner at all costs unless she wanted breakfast or a burger and fries. Honestly, she didn’t care much for Floyd’s either, but the customers and employees at Floyd’s respected a person’s privacy. The tavern’s apparently a thing of the past now, she thought as she pulled out a barstool in front of the copper-topped bar.
The bartender appeared in front of Treasure and laid down a coaster. The woman had fluffy red hair, and appeared crisp and attentive in her starched white button-down blouse and black vest. “What can I make for you tonight?”
Treasure observed the gleam and polish of the copper accents, the back-bar mirrors, and richly stained wood and decided a frothy beer was in order. “What microbrews do you have on tap?”
The woman gave her an appreciative smile as if she approved of drinking quality beer. She listed the local favorites and Treasure chose a German-style maibock. The bartender set the goblet of beer in front of Treasure and she observed the pleasant amber color and smelled the malty caramel aroma. Treasure tasted the craft brew and knew she chose well. Not too bitter, and the delicate bubbles of mild carbonation struck her mood just right. She took another drink, set the glass down, and found her phone. It had been all afternoon and part of the night and she still hadn’t read her message from Bodie.
Hey. I still have news to share. You around or what?
Hey. She texted back. Sounds serious. How much beer should I drink before we talk? She set her phone on the bar, not expecting an immediate reply. He spent his days training and studying while she usually slept. When he rested, she would be wide awake. It was a frequent problem for her night owl lifestyle. Treasure would much rather have Bodie sleep than stay up all night texting with her, but she thought it was sweet on the nights he’d stay up anyway. The screen on her phone brightened with a new message and she eyed it curiously.
Bodie: Are you drinking now?
Yes. Jealous?
Bodie: Hell yes… No. Not really. I’m having one, too.
What are you drinking?
Bodie: Wouldn’t you like to know?
You’re such a tease. She sent back and sipped her beer.
Bodie: Because that’s how you like it.
The memory of Bodie at the cabin tingled through her senses after she read the message. Sudden warmth spread across her belly and it wasn’t from the beer.
She typed, You know nothing.
Bodie: I know you like it wet.
She cleared her throat as another zing pulsed through her abdomen. She texted back, It is wet and tastes amazing. The head is so creamy.
Bodie: Sounds ok. But not as good as mine.
*Insert skeptical look here*
Bodie: Should we bet on it before we reveal who has the better brew?
She grinned. Hmm… This could get interesting.
Bodie: If my beer is better, then you have to tell me a secret no one else knows.
Treasure tapped her screen. I’m going to win this bet, Bodie. My beer is a 100x’s better than whatever piss water you’re drinking.
Bodie: Tell me what I have to do when I lose, beer wench.
Ooh…you’ve resorted to name calling. Is someone a sore loser?
Bodie: I’m not the loser in this bet.
We’ll see about that. Here’s the deal, you have to tell me your number one fantasy.
She took a swill of the maibock. He didn’t reply. She had the fleeting thought Bodie didn’t want to play anymore. As much as she wanted to hear what he fantasized about, she also liked pushing the envelope and seeing how others responded.
Bodie’s text came back. Imperial IPA from Phoenix House Brewing. 85 IBU rating. Lively and medium-bodied. I win. You can spill the beans when you’re ready to divulge your deepest darkest secret.
Treasure chuckled to herself. You definitely DO NOT win. IPA? Seriously? You can take your bitter beer and gag on it. …I have before me a German style maibock of brilliant craftsmanship. Malted caramel. Soft on your tongue. Beautiful color. I licked the foamy head and almost lost control of myself. I win. You can deliver your best fantasy now.
There was another pause and she wondered if Bodie had to take his time to make up something juicy and tantalizing, or if he was too busy drinking beer or distracted by something else to message her right back. The silent minute gave her time to enjoy the craft brew.
Her phone signaled a low battery. Damn. Things were about to get good. Did she even bring her phone charger? She couldn’t remember if she had it at the apartment or not.
Bodie: I’ll tell you everything, but I want to hear your voice. Where are you? Can we talk?
Haha. I’m sitting in a five star restaurant. I want to hear your sexy voice, too, but can’t talk right now. Battery’s almost dead.
Bodie: When? I need to speak to you about the other thing.
Give me an hour. Must finish my amazing panty-tingling beer and then find my charger.
Bodie: One hour. And you owe me a secret. IPA rules over maibock/helles bock.
Treasure took a picture of the last of her beer, typed, You lose. Your fantasy better be more delicious than my beer, and hit the send button. She had time for one more beer before returning to the apartment to continue her conversation.
Treasure glanced over her shoulder, came to her senses, and remembered she was in a public place. There was a world outside of her and Bodie’s messages. The familiar face of Melanie Jamison stood out from across the dining room of The Bistro. Her old friend from high school made her both elated and brought a sense of nostalgia.
Treasure didn’t have many female friends as a teenager. Girls were cruel to her since elementary school. She learned to stay away from them. Her class had been small and most of the girls disapproved of Treasure’s tomboy personality. It didn’t help that she liked to fight and play ball with the boys and thought the girls were prissy, no fun, and overall too girly. By high school, she’d gotten past most of her prejudices toward other females, but the girls hadn’t forgotten how much they hated Treasure. Add an extra helping of jealousy and gossip because they didn’t like that Treasure slept with anyone she wanted. Those guys were often the boyfriends of said girls. She experimented and toyed with boys too much. High school had its fun moments, but mostly, she’d been miserable. Partying and sleeping around were a defensive mechanism and a way to pass time so she didn’t have to focus on her less than stellar life. Needless to say, high school hadn’t been a fantastic experience.
After gra
duation, she left the mountain town and started from scratch. Treasure worked two jobs to pay for school and an apartment. She stopped partying and tried to avoid men. It worked for a year, but when she was nineteen-and-a-half, she met Andrew at the restaurant where she waited tables. She jumped into a serious relationship and moved in with him after three months of dating. He was ten years older and thought he’d rule the world of commercial construction by the time he turned thirty-five. She stayed with him for nearly two years and finally ended things when she woke up and realized his controlling, abusive behavior wouldn’t fly with her for one more day.
After leaving Andrew, she decided she couldn’t trust herself with men. High school had been a blur of sex-crazed hormonal teen-aged boys, and her first real relationship turned out to be an enormous error in judgment and many difficult lessons learned. At twenty-one years old, almost twenty-two, she had a strong sex drive but no desire to commit. Since that time in her life, all relationships followed her terms. She never again had a serious boyfriend.
That is until this last Christmas when Bodie made her wonder what a relationship with him might be like. He elicited new feelings. Ideas and dreams tumbled through her mind when she thought about Bodie. It scared the crap out of her, but it also excited her. She had no idea if anything would become of her and Bodie’s long distance flirting and random phone calls. They hadn’t made promises to each other, but the sparks and tingles that shot up and down her spine when she talked to him wouldn’t be ignored.
Treasure blinked and took a deep breath. Melanie Jamison had been the exception in Treasure’s history in Granite Lake. Melanie moved to town and started going to Evergreen Point High School during her freshman year. She was two years older and they hadn’t been friends at first, but a lakeside party brought them together and they liked each other. Treasure was Melanie’s bad influence, in so many good ways. Melanie taught her that a family could be messed up, yet still have a lot of love and kindness to spread around. Melanie Jamison never judged Treasure for having a biker father, a dirt-poor existence, or a need to experiment with everything a good girl shouldn’t.
Melanie sat at a table across from a dark-haired man who didn’t look like a local. He was too clean cut and rigid in his pressed shirt and tie. Melanie wore an expression that almost made Treasure laugh out loud. She knew complete and utter boredom on the verge of imploding when she saw it. Bad dates always have a similar aura, especially when one of the two participants is oblivious.
Treasure considered rescuing her old friend from the clutches of dating hell. She helped other friends from time to time at bars or clubs in Reno by using a code of some sort, like sending a text message or pre-assigned secret sign. As Treasure was about to intrude on the disastrous date, Melanie stepped out of the booth and glided across the dining room toward the restroom. Treasure tipped the glass up to her lips and finished the beer. She left some money by the glass and slipped off the barstool.
Melanie stood by the bathroom sink, staring down at her phone when Treasure entered. She glanced up and then back at her screen. Before Treasure spoke, Melanie did a double take. Her beguiling eyes grew huge and a smile brightened her face.
“Treasure! Holy hell on wheels!” Melanie tucked the phone into her purse and embraced Treasure with a friendly hug.
“I saw you in the dining room. How are you doing?” Treasure said.
“I can’t even begin to say.” Melanie lowered her arms and stepped back. “Oh, my gosh. Someone told me you moved away. I assumed I’d never see you again, but here you are!”
“I’m only in town for the weekend. What are you doing back in Granite Lake?”
“I live here again. It’s a long story. We should catch up before you leave. Where do you even live these days?”
“Reno.”
“And the highlights, I didn’t think it was you at first. You look fantastic! You’re even more beautiful now then you were back in the day.”
She touched her hair, then shook her head dismissing the compliment. Melanie had always been the prettier one between the two.
“It’s good to see you. And I have to say, I noticed the stiff sitting across from you at the table. What’s up with that guy? From the look of things, he isn’t worthy of your dress. It’s gorgeous on you.”
“Oh, him.” Melanie made a displeased face like she had something foul stuck to her tongue. “My sister set me up on a blind date.”
Treasure moved to the counter and placed her backside against it. “Let me guess, Emmeline’s handiwork?”
“Of course.” Melanie rolled her eyes. “Jeez, I’m shocked you remember my sister. Anyway, his name is Romany. I’m pretty sure he likes my dog more than me based on the fact that he wouldn’t quit talking about her. He even let her kiss him all over the mouth. It wouldn’t have been the worst thing I’ve ever seen a guy do, but earlier this afternoon Tweeny ate something from the yard no animal should ever eat.” Melanie grimaced as she tried not to laugh. She took a deep breath, then smiled. Warmth and kindness showed in her blue eyes. “Wow, it’s been like nine or ten years since I’ve seen you.”
“And you have a kid, right?”
“I do. And I’m divorced, which is why I’m back here. I’m living in my grandparents’ lake house. They weren’t using it anymore and I needed to move away from Dylan.”
“Dylan is the father?” Treasure asked.
“Yeah. I became pregnant shortly after moving away from Granite Lake. It’s been a long decade of motherhood and playing housewife, let me tell you.”
“You need to tell me everything. I’m glad I saw you tonight. I’m over at my dad’s shop for the weekend. That’s another story, but hey, your date’s out there waiting on you. I thought I’d offer my services to liven up the monotony I saw going on at your table.”
“Seriously?” Melanie asked, a spark of devilish interest flashed across her beautiful face.
“If I can’t help a friend out when she’s in need, then I’m not a very good friend.”
“He’s boring the ever-loving grace out of me. Which is why I’m hiding out in the bathroom texting my sister to send a distress call.”
“Did you send the text yet?”
“I did, but I can ignore Emmeline. Let’s hear what you’ve got spinning in that wild blonde head of yours,” she said, excitement fueling her words.
Treasure laughed. It was great to see her friend, and a huge bonus that it felt like nothing had changed between them. Treasure suggested a couple of tried and true actions to break up a date. Melanie giggled and practically ran from the ladies’ room to return to her table.
Five
AFTER HELPING Melanie abruptly end her date by “accidentally” spilling a beer, not a craft brew, but something cheap and domestic, on Romany’s lap, she hurried back to the apartment trying not to laugh the whole way. Melanie played along like a champ. Their combined effort guaranteed Romany would have to be a total clueless chump to pursue Melanie further.
Treasure looked in the Jeep, her bag, and every inch of the Jeep again for her cell phone charger. The phone rang while searching.
“Hi. I won our bet. You owe me a fantasy.”
“Hi to you too,” Bodie said on the other end. “Where are you?”
“Granite Lake. I, umm,” Shivers crept over her skin after mentioning Granite Lake with Bodie’s voice in her ear. She wanted a replay of their night together. She needed him triply bad after her experience with Court.
“Hmm….” he hummed into the phone.
She didn’t know if any sexual innuendo existed in the smooth purr coming out of him, or if it was the sound of curiosity being answered, but her inner thighs shivered. The phone beeped its low battery warning. Tamping down her lust, she said, “It’s not as great as it sounds. I have a mess to clean up at my dad’s old place. And I have a disaster at work to handle when I return to civilization. Cheer me up before my phone dies.”
“No charger?”
“Uh-uh. I rushed to ge
t to the mountains and accidentally left it behind.”
“What’s going on at the ambulance barn?”
“I don’t want to get into it.”
“That bad?” he asked.
“Sort of.” And worse, she thought to herself. “Working with you was a thousand times better.”
“About that…” he said.
Treasure filled the gap. “You’re a total punk. A paramedic demigod compared to what I’ve been dealing with.” She didn’t want to rehash her time spent with Court. Luckily, Bodie shifted gears.
“Boosting up my ego again? You better watch yourself, Treasure, or I’m going to think you’re a nice girl or something.”
“I can be nice. When I want to.” Treasure walked into the apartment and curled up on the couch. She pulled her sleeping bag over her and listened to the sound of Bodie’s voice.
“You may not be so kind when I tell you my news.”
“I’m not sure I can handle any more bad news today. Can’t you just tell me your naughtiest fantasy before my phone dies? I need something tantalizing to get me through the night.”
“You’re so not ready for one of my fantasies.”
“Now, you have to tell me. I promise I can handle it.”
“I don’t think so. Besides, I didn’t agree you won,” he said.
“I did. But since you object, I’ll tell you a secret.” She almost said, ‘I can’t wait to see you again. You’ve totally ruined my chances at ever having a worthwhile orgasm, and you need to help me out immediately.’ Instead, she bit her lip. They weren’t a couple and she didn’t know what he thought about jumping into a relationship. Bodie’s ex-girlfriend, Vanessa, had messed him up. He’d been celibate and sullen for months after she broke off their engagement. “I miss you, Bodie. Work was pure hell this week.”
Chasing Treasure: Granite Lake Romance Page 4
