by Milly Taiden
But a crush was not an excuse to be unprofessional. “We’re good. Finn and I need to hammer out some boundaries, but we’ll make this work.”
A pregnant pause filled the room as Ty left, then Finn took a deep breath and clapped his hands together. ”Are you really going to be okay with this?"
"I'm going to have to be. You scared off my replacement and I don't have time to hire and train someone new before we're in the thick of event season."
"I do have some usefulness, you know."
She shrugged. "Probably."
That earned a chuckle, although she somehow felt he wasn't laughing with her. "I suppose we should discuss the parameters of my role."
"Of course." She squared her shoulders and pinned him with what she hoped was a sufficiently frosty look. "You're a consultant. You'll provide your expert opinion, and I'll make the final decisions. I can handle that as long as you remember who's in charge."
He gave her a careful, assessing look before returning the shrug. "Sure."
Could he be any more dismissive? Beth took a deep breath to settle her nerves. "Fine. Your first job as a consultant is to figure out a way to increase our visibility at Toast to Summer."
"Go West has the largest logo on all the marketing material, do you really think your visibility is lacking?"
"Our visibility, Finn. Got that? And I'm talking about visibility on the ground. Here are my proposed changes. Can you make them happen?" She pushed her prepared notes toward him. He picked them up and made a non-committal grunting noise. She tamped down the instinct to snap at him and settled back in her chair. Waiting was a power strategy she'd learned from Evan. It worked.
"I'll need to fire up my laptop and make some calls. Give me half an hour." Finn shoved away from her desk with a start. "Anything else, boss?"
"Let's see how far you get with that first."
"You got it. I'll get out of your hair and go work in the boardroom.”
*
It only took him five minutes to convince the coordinator from Winding Path to switch stalls with Go West. Finn knew how to sell what he wanted sold. The next twenty-five minutes were spent chewing over what the hell he was doing down the hall from Beth Stewart.
He shoved one hand through his hair. The woman drove him mental, and it wasn’t a mystery why. She was gorgeous, lush and curvy with full pink lips that drove him to distraction. Her voice heated his blood and her touch, on the rare occasions he experienced it, stole all thoughts from his head.
She was perfect. And totally off-limits. Beth was the marrying kind of woman, and Finn had no intention of ever getting hitched.
Right on cue, his phone beeped. A text message from Janine. Can you take the boys to McDonald’s for an hour tonight?
He sighed, hating himself for his first response. He didn’t see them that often. It was the least he could do. He tapped back a quick confirmation and glanced at his watch. He’d planned on working on proposals all evening. Now his night was going to be sticky fingers and hamburger grease, fart jokes and an awkward conversation when he dropped them off. She’s doing the best she can right now. She didn’t ask to be a single mom with four kids under the age of ten.
He could kill his brother-in-law on days like today. Ex-brother-in-law. Jackass had moved to Northern Alberta for work and ended up shacking up with a new family. Leaving Finn holding a bag he’d never wanted in the first place.
He’d watched his parents struggle to raise five kids in a three-bedroom bungalow. All of his siblings had followed a similar path, even his youngest sister Kath who was pregnant with her first child at twenty-three.
Not for the first time, Finn wondered if he’d been adopted. If he didn’t share the same dark hair and grey eyes as the rest of his siblings and his father, he’d have been sure of it.
At least his brother Ryan didn’t live in the same three-block radius as the rest of them. He’d moved up north. But he was still juggling two jobs, three kids, and a wife who seemed more trouble than she was worth.
And Finn was going to McDonald’s with his sister’s kids. Shit. Thirty-eight years old and having a Happy Meal for dinner.
He shoved his stuff in his briefcase, grabbed Beth’s floor plans, and headed back to her office. She was concentrating on something, nibbling on her lower lip while she read her computer screen, and he paused in the doorway. He did this sometimes, watched her when she wasn’t paying attention. She worked with deliberate efficiency, planning ahead to avoid costly errors. Her conservative nature meant he needed to push her out of her box from time to time, but it hadn’t been a surprise when the Wests promoted her. She was a natural manager.
The constant tug of arousal pulled him into her space. His determination not to act on it made him scowl. She glanced up, and the combination was not well received.
“Run into problems already?”
He couldn’t help but grin. She wasn’t bitchy with anyone else, and that made him think it was because he got under her skin. And he was just enough of an asshole to like that even if it couldn’t go anywhere. “Not at all. Here are your changes, just as you requested. I’m heading out now, I’ll be back tomorrow.”
She arched one brow. “Short day.”
“Something came up.” They were six and eight and loved french fries and ketchup served in equal proportions. He’d probably take them to the park to burn off that crap afterward.
“This needs to be a priority, Finn. If you can’t make time…” She sighed and reached for the floor plan, apparently thinking twice about finishing that sentence. “Thank you. When will you be back?”
“I’ll start on the marketing plan tomorrow.” His jaw twitched, wanting to say more, unsure which words would thaw her frost towards him. Uncomfortable with why it mattered so much to him. Before he could dwell on any of that, his phone rang. He twisted away from Beth’s sharp gaze and answered. His mother wanted to know if he’d bring the boys there instead of going out.
If you’re free, why am I watching them? He hated how he jumped straight to resentment. Jesus, he needed a vacation. “How about after dinner instead? I’m at Go West today. Should I bring a bottle of wine?” Chiding filled his ear. He knew his father only liked beer, why antagonize the man? Maybe because I work in the wine industry and he might try being proud of that for a change? “Fine, I’ll pick up a six-pack. See you then.”
He turned back to say goodbye to Beth, but she’d turned back to her computer screen. He wasn’t up for another battle. Probably for the best, even if it did flood his gut with disappointment.
***
CHAPTER TWO
It was a twenty-five minute drive from the city to the winery and the entire way he kept glancing at the twin Starbucks cups in his centre console. It wasn’t like he’d never bought a woman coffee before. But usually when he did, it was with a reasonable degree of certainty that she’d appreciate the gesture.
He pulled into the parking lot. It was tempting to nab Evan’s spot again as he had the day before, but the agenda for today was peacekeeping. Even though he knew the company president was out of town for the week, he didn’t want to antagonize Beth—much. God, he loved the flare in her eyes right before she snapped at him. Her bark had zero bite, although the thought of Beth biting him…that worked too.
He slipped his laptop bag strap across his body and headed inside, where he found Beth waiting at the top of the landing, holding two takeout coffee cups of her own.
She started to laugh. “Great minds, eh?”
“What did you get me?”
She gave him a funny look. “Black Americano. That’s right, isn’t it?”
Jesus, he was so fucked. Warmth filled his chest and wiggled its way down to the dick. “Yeah.” She turned and he admired the flare of her ass. Today’s skirt was snug to mid-thigh, then flared, and with each step he caught a glimpse of bare thigh. Totally, completely fucked. He needed to do something about this crush—it was getting out of hand.
“Sorry about lea
ving early yesterday,” he muttered as they set their four coffee cups together in the centre of her desk.
“You’re here early today, that’s all that matters.” She pasted on a bright smile, and he decided not to try to and read anything beyond what she was showing him. Moving on. “What do you need to get started?”
He cleared his throat. “Budgets and marketing calendars from previous years if you have them.”
She handed over a USB stick and a thick binder. “I’ve got a staff meeting at nine, but I’ll be around before and after that.”
“Could we have lunch?” He blurted out the invitation and immediately wanted to take it back.
She arched one brow in surprise. “Lunch?”
Yeah, good question. “A working meal, of course. I want to know more about Evan and Ty. Understand what motivates them so I can target a marketing plan accordingly.”
She snorted. “Money. Market Share.” Her eyes practically twinkled as she paused. “That makes them sound awful. They’re really lovely people, they’re just focused on success.”
“You don’t approve?” And why did her opinion matter? It would be easier if she didn’t understand, if that could be another barrier between them. He needed all the barriers he could find to keep her on the wrong side of wanting him.
She shrugged. “It can be a lonely path.”
He’d call it solitary. Last night had been fun, but he’d been happy to head home to his condo on the far side of the city and leave the noise behind. “To each their own.”
She gave him a thoughtful look and nodded, but it was a distancing action. Like she’d measured him and found him wanting. As she should. He slid the materials she’d given him into his bag, double fisted his Americanos and escaped to the boardroom.
He littered the table with notes, big and small, and channeled his grumpiness into productivity. When she popped her head in the door, her long brown hair swinging around her face like a curtain, he was surprised that the morning had passed so quickly. “Is it lunch already?”
She winced. “Something’s actually come up. Could we do it tomorrow?”
It was for the best. He’d make the excuse the next day, she could do the one after that. He nodded coolly and turned back to his work, tossing a muttered acknowledgement over his shoulder.
But as soon as she was gone, he regretted all that had been silently said in that moment, and sprinted after her. He stepped onto the open landing just in time to see her walk out the front door with another man, his arm wrapped around her waist.
*
Finn was waiting in Beth’s office when she got back from her lunch with Peter. It had been a nice distraction from the sex god working just down the hall. Everything about Peter was nice. He never made her screech.
Which is precisely why they were on date seven and still at the gentle making out stage. They’d done a little bit of that in the parking lot when he dropped her off, and it had been…nice. She’d been happy about that until she saw Finn sitting behind her desk. Then the fact that she could still feel the soft press of Peter’s lips made her mad. Why couldn’t she feel for him what she couldn’t help but feel for this man? And how awful was she for wanting someone else when she was exploring a relationship with Peter?
Well, relationship was way over-stating things. They’d barely gotten to second base. And when he’d asked her if she was free for dinner on Friday night, she’d made up an excuse about work.
Great, now she was lying to a very nice man. Because of…him. “What are you doing in my chair?” She didn’t need to layer any extra ice on her words. They were chilly enough on their own.
“It’s more comfortable than the ones in the boardroom.” Equally cold, his retort made her see red.
“I have some calls to make. You need to leave.”
He stared at her, his dark eyes hard and unyielding. She stood her ground. He needed to get out of her office, now, before she did something she’d regret. As if he understood and didn’t really care, he smirked and stood, coming around the desk. “Does lunch with your boyfriend always make you so bitchy?”
She gasped. “Excuse me?”
“I didn’t realize you were seeing someone.” His voice, cold and pointed, didn’t match the odd expression on his face, but she was too incensed to parse the difference.
“I didn’t realize it was any of your business.”
He was close enough she could see a vein pulse on his temple as he clenched his jaw. “Didn’t say it was.”
A throbbing pain made itself known in the middle of her forehead. “Then why—”
“Forget it. I was out of line.” He moved to brush past her and without thinking she reached out and grabbed his arm. He froze and looked down at that point of contact, then trailed his gaze up her arm and onto her face. It took him what felt like forever and by the time his eyes met hers she’d stopped breathing. “Something else you want to say, Beth?”
His voice had changed, warmer and rougher now, and her name hung between them. She swiped her tongue nervously across her top lip, painfully aware that he was staring at her. “He’s not my boyfriend.” Why was she telling Finn? And wasn’t Peter her boyfriend? No, not really. “We’ve gone out a few times and he dropped in to take me out for lunch. It’s not…serious.”
“It looked serious.” Finn looked at her mouth again, and she felt her cheeks burn up. Had he seen them kissing in the parking lot? She wouldn’t feel guilty about that. You can’t cheat on a fantasy. “When you were walking out. He had his arm around you.”
Relief warred with confusion, but Beth wasn’t up for thinking too hard about either point, not with Finn this close to her. Oh, so close. Had he shifted? Another few inches and they’d be pressed against one another. She needed to erect a wall between them before she did something stupid like pull him closer. Being rejected would make this whole exchange that much worse.“Well, maybe there’s still potential there. Anyway, not a subject we need to discuss further, right?”
She lifted her hand and took a wide step around him, focusing on the papers on her desk and then out the window. Anything but looking back at Finn. His response did not matter. Don’t look.
She turned and looked. He was gone. She narrowed her eyes. It would be way too juvenile to pick up her stapler and wing it at the empty doorway. Also, inappropriate and possibly dangerous should anyone walk by.
Unless that someone was Finn. Beaning him in the head with her Swingline sounded like a fantastic idea. What a jerk, part of her subconscious said. The other part was replaying the hooded look he gave her as she licked her lips.
With a curse, she grabbed her handbag and headed out the door. No work was going to get done with Finn just down the hall. She needed some space to regroup. So much for the peace offerings of the morning.
As she blasted out the front doors, she almost ran over Liam McIntosh, the engineer overseeing the conversion of the manor house into a modern inn. He had his infant daughter, Ava, strapped to his chest in a sporty black baby carrier.
“Whoa there, Beth,” he chuckled. “In a hurry?”
“Just heading into town for a meeting.” A fib, but she could make it real by stopping at Bun In the Oven.
“Could you do me a favour?” He whipped a black backpack off his shoulder and tugged out a canvas pouch. “This is Max’s communication envelope for school. It got stuck in the wrong bag this morning. Can you give it to Evie? She’s picking the boys up from school today, and we’re stuck here waiting for the building inspector.”
Beth smiled at Liam’s use of the royal we. She reached out and stroked Ava’s cheek. The five-month-old grinned right back, and Beth told her ovaries not to pay attention. They ignored her. “You’re juggling a lot these days, eh? Sure, I can drop that off.”
“Thanks a million!” Liam headed inside and Beth got in her car, thinking about Liam and his fiancée Evie and their newly blended family. A few years her junior, Liam hadn’t blinked when Evie had a surprise pregnancy early i
n their relationship. How early no one was quite sure, but their unconventional start at love didn’t fuel the Wardham gossip mill nearly as much as how perfectly suited to fatherhood Liam seemed to be.
Well, the old biddies were right—Liam was a DILF. The type of man Beth had always fantasized she’d end up with.
Finn’s complete opposite.
Sure, they were both good looking. Dark hair, athletic builds. But that’s where the similarities ended. No way in hell would Finn ever wear a baby carrier. He was probably allergic to children, a consideration that gnawed at Beth’s gut.
When he wasn’t being a complete asshole, when his voice got low and rough and his eyes softened, that was a Finn that she’d want to clone a hundred times over. When he worked around the clock to make sure that events went off without a hitch, quietly helping the smaller, understaffed wineries.
When he stared at her mouth. God. She shivered. Fantasy. Finn was a hypersexual person, a man’s man who probably thought about sex every seven seconds and her mouth just happened to be the closest.
And that just lead to her thinking about what she could do with her mouth and his—
“Argh!” She yelled out loud and stomped on the gas, eager to get into town and away from her thoughts.
She parked in the middle of the block, halfway between Evie Calhoun’s Pilates studio and Carrie Nixon’s bakery/coffee shop. Wardham’s two intersecting main streets were quiet in the early afternoon, and the early summer breeze off the lake fluttered the new ‘Welcome to Wardham’ banners.
When she started working at the winery, the village was known for its lovely beach and not much else. She thought she’d rent there for a while before settling in one of the larger towns nearby or moving on to another opportunity in a city. But when a new subdivision was built on the west end of town, she’d surprised herself by putting a down payment on a townhouse. This place was home now and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
