Halfway There

by Susan Mallery

  But on Friday morning she arrived at work to find Ryan being interrogated by two very determined older women. Eddie and Gladys—both long past the age of eligibility for Social Security—stood in his office.

  “I heard you’re an engineer,” Eddie was saying. “I have a new all-in-one printer I need help with. You know, hooking it up to my Wi-Fi network. You could come over this afternoon.”

  Ryan shifted on his feet, his expression both trapped and desperate. “I’m not a computer engineer, ma’am,” he told her. “I work with wind turbines.”

  “Still, you’re young and, from what I can see, very strong. You should be able to figure it out.”

  Gladys grinned. “Eddie keeps her place a little warm, so you might want to wear a T-shirt. A tight one. I really like the glasses. They’re kind of sexy.”

  Ryan flushed. Fayrene was both impressed and shocked by the older ladies’ determination. She’d heard rumors about their tactics but had never seen them in action before.

  She cleared her throat.

  Eddie and Gladys both turned toward her. Eddie grinned. “Fayrene. There you are. Tell your friend here that he needs to come help me this afternoon.”

  “No.”

  Eddie’s smile faded. “Excuse me?”

  “I said no. You need to leave Ryan alone. If you don’t, I’m telling Josh you’re bullying Ethan’s favorite engineer.”

  Eddie’s expression fell. She’d worked for Josh for years and loved him like a son. She bossed him around, and he looked out for her. But he was also Ethan’s best friend and wouldn’t appreciate Eddie messing with work stuff.

  “I wasn’t bullying him,” Eddie said, a whine in her voice.

  “I can handle this,” Ryan added, apparently realizing he was getting protection from marauding near octogenarians.

  Gladys tugged on her friend’s arm. “We’ll find someone else to help us. Maybe that nice young man on the radio. Gideon. I saw him at the gym the other day. He has a great butt.”

  Eddie nodded. “I like a good butt just as much as a good chest.”

  The two women left.

  When the front door closed, Ryan shook his head. “That was the most surreal experience of my life. When they first came in, I told myself it was all a misunderstanding.”

  Fayrene didn’t bother hiding her amusement. “Not if they were talking about seeing you naked and asking if you liked older women in a sexual way. They’re legendary. Mostly they’re harmless, but you have to be willing to stand up to them. I’m going to guess you weren’t raised to talk back to grandmother types.”

  “It’s not a skill set I thought I was missing. Anything else I need to know about the town?”

  “How much time do you have?”

  Something flashed in his eyes. A flash of male admiration with a hint of stalking predator thrown in for fun. But as quickly as it had shown up, it was gone, leaving behind the mild-mannered Ryan she knew and liked.

  Fayrene’s breath quickened a little. She’d been avoiding him for very sensible reasons. This proved that. Yet she also found herself wanting to throw caution to the wind and pick up where Eddie and Gladys had left off.

  “Thanks for the rescue,” he said, moving back to his desk. “Your arrival was well timed. I’ll do my best to be more surly the next time I run into those two.”

  He was backing off because she’d made it clear that was what she wanted. The downside of being sensible, she thought.

  But after nearly a week with Ryan, she knew he was both sweet and funny. Polite, smart and possibly interested in her. Did it get better than that?

  “You’re arguing with yourself about something,” he said.

  She nodded. “You.”

  He’d reached for his chair, but now he let his arm fall to his side as his eyebrows rose. “What about me?”

  “I’m torn. I have a plan, and I’m clear on my goals. Getting involved would mess up everything.”

  “It would.”

  She appreciated that he didn’t point out he hadn’t actually said he was interested in her.

  “But you’re leaving,” she continued. “In a way, that makes things safer. There’s a time limit, so even if we did get involved, it wouldn’t be for very long.”

  “Lessening the distraction factor.”

  “Are you making fun of me?” she asked.

  One corner of his mouth curved up. “Maybe a little.”

  “I suppose I deserve it. You’re right. It doesn’t have to be that complex. There’s an Easter Egg Drop tomorrow. Want to go?”

  “An Easter egg what?”

  She laughed. “People decorate raw eggs and bring them to city hall. Then we drop them.”

  “Raw eggs?”

  “It’s fun and strangely satisfying.”

  “It’s a little disgusting.”

  “Maybe. You in?”

  “Absolutely. What time?”

  “I’ll pick you up at ten. You’re at the Lodge, right?”

  He nodded. “I’ll be waiting in the lobby.”

  * * *

  THE LUCKY LADY Casino Resort was north of Fool’s Gold, nestled on over a hundred acres at the foot of the mountains. Through time and rain and probably a few earthquakes, a pass had been created a couple of miles due east of the land where the casino sat. On the other side of the mountain were more mountains, each with its own unique shape.

  With changing temperatures and perfectly placed canyons and valleys, there was a constant difference in barometric pressure, otherwise known to the layperson as what created wind.

  For Ryan the unique placement of the casino and the land meant a sweet two-acre spot that was always blustery. It was the perfect place for wind turbines.

  He stood with Ethan at the foot of the massive machines. Ethan downloaded the most recent readings onto his tablet, then tapped to get them in chart form.

  His boss shook his head. “Well, damn. You were right. We’ve increased efficiency by three percent just this week.”

  “A small sampling of what’s happening,” Ryan pointed out. “We need more data over time to be sure the modifications are working, but it looks promising.”

  “Modest?” Ethan asked.

  Ryan shrugged. “I like to be sure.”

  He was confident about his calculations, but he had learned that what worked on a computer program didn’t always translate to the real world.

  “Caution is good,” Ethan told him. “What about the blades themselves?”

  “I’m still working on that. I should have new designs ready in the time we agreed on.”

  He was tasked with modifying the existing blades for the turbines. The steady high wind by the casino meant more electricity could be generated with a higher degree of certainty. Maximizing that was why he was here. First with program tweaks, then with the physical blades.

  “I have a lot of customers who are interested in what we’re doing here,” Ethan told him. “It’s going to be difficult to get them all in to talk to you before you leave.”

  “I’ll fit them in as best I can.”

  Ethan studied him for a second before nodding slowly. Their arrangement had been clear from the beginning. Ethan wanted a project completed, not a new employee. Ryan had needed time to figure out his next career move. So this had worked for both of them.

  The job in Texas gave him a lot of what he wanted. Great pay, interesting work, a chance to advance in his field. Everyone he’d met on his interviews had been friendly, and there was a lot to be said for how pretty the girls were in the Lone Star State.

  But he wasn’t sure. Maybe because the company was so large, or it was located so far from his family in eastern Washington State. Whatever the reason, he’d put off accepting the offer.

  Now that
he’d been in Fool’s Gold a couple of weeks, he found himself liking it more and more. It was a small town without being too small. Fayrene was part of the appeal, he admitted to himself. But she’d made it clear she was only looking for temporary. Which meant staying or going had to be his own decision—not based on his feelings for her.

  “You take that job in Texas yet?” Ethan asked.

  “No. I have six more weeks until I have to give them an answer.”

  Ethan turned off his tablet, and they headed for the truck. “That’s a long time to wait for you.”

  Ryan grinned. “I like to think I’ll be worth it.”

  Ethan chuckled. “I’m sure you do.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “SEE,” FAYRENE SAID as she and Ryan went down the front stairs of city hall and out onto the street. “Wasn’t that satisfying?”

  Ryan chuckled. “Strangely, yes. I didn’t expect it to be.”

  “You have good aim.” While her eggs had drifted off course, Ryan had hit the bull’s-eye nearly every time.

  Now that she’d made the decision it was okay to have a casual relationship with him while he was in town, she was able to relax and enjoy the tingles and zaps she felt in his company. When they reached the street and he took her hand in his, she hung on tight.

  This was nice, she told herself. Four years was a long time to go without dating. She should do this more often. Hang out casually. All she needed was a series of interim guys. Although to be honest, she couldn’t imagine any of them being better than Ryan. Not just in the looks department, but in how he acted. She supposed there was a reason people said that character mattered.

  “Where to now?” he asked.

  She glanced at her watch. It was nearly noon. “We have time to get lunch and still find a good place to watch the parade. Because it’s Easter tomorrow, there are a lot of bunnies.”

  “Live bunnies?”

  “A few of those, but mostly people in bunny costumes. Dozens of them. Entire families dress up like rabbits. It’s pretty cool.”

  “Seriously?”

  “How could I make that up?” she asked. “You’re going to see the parade. And there’s the Bonnet Brigade.”

  “I don’t think I want to know what that is.”

  “Women in bonnets, of course. Some are handmade, a few are bought. They’re all lovely. And huge.”

  “These aren’t regular hats?”

  “Not exactly. You’ll have to see for yourself.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  They walked down Katie Lane to Fourth and reached the park. Food vendors were set up along the parade route. They debated the traditional burger or hot dog versus more exotic street food.

  “This is what my sister’s been talking about,” Fayrene said as they waited in line for the first elephant ears of the season. “Having a food cart of some kind.”

  “She’s a chef, right?”

  She nodded. “She found a trailer on eBay and is thinking of putting in a bid. She would have to remodel it pretty quickly to be up and running for the summer.”

  “Good for her. You come from a line of strong women.”

  “The town inspires us.”

  With their parents dying so unexpectedly, there hadn’t been much choice. Either they would get strong and survive or be sucked under by grief.

  Ryan handed her an elephant ear. The confection was still warm and covered with powdered sugar. She juggled the paper plate and napkin, then led the way to a bench in the sun. Although it was sunny, the temperatures were still cool in the shade.

  “We probably should have started with something more nutritious,” she said before taking a bite.

  “So says the Jelly Belly queen.”

  She grinned. “I’m not their queen. It’s more about worship.”

  He chuckled. “Tell you what. We’ll have salad later.”

  “You’re lying. Guys don’t eat salad on purpose.”

  “Yeah, but saying it sounds good and, with luck, you’ll forget.”

  “So you’re playing me.”

  His humor faded. “I’d never do that, Fayrene.”

  She wanted to believe him. So far Ryan had shown himself to be one of the good guys, and she didn’t want that to change. He was smart, handsome and single. Why wasn’t he married? Or at least in a committed relationship?

  “Did you have a girlfriend back home?” she asked.

  He finished chewing and swallowed. “No. I dated in high school but nothing serious. I did have someone in college.”

  Fayrene would guess Ryan was only a couple of years older than her, which meant college hadn’t been all that long ago.

  “What happened?”

  “We were engaged.” He shrugged. “She cheated.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said automatically. “How did you find out?”

  “I was friends with the guy. One afternoon I went to go see him. It was strange because we didn’t hang out all that often. I just wanted to go to his dorm room. Maybe subconsciously I sensed what was going on. I don’t know. When I walked toward his door, she stepped out. They were kissing, and it was pretty obvious what they’d been doing.”

  She winced. “That’s awful.”

  “I was heartbroken. She apologized and said it had been a onetime thing, but I didn’t believe her.”

  Fayrene touched his arm. “I don’t get it. Why cheat? Why not just break up?”

  “That’s what I said. She kept telling me I was the one. But we both knew she was lying. I ended things.”

  “Ever tempted to get back together with her?”

  “No. I don’t revisit the past. I graduated and moved on. I was recruited to work for a large alternative energy company in Kansas. I was there about three years. But it wasn’t a good fit. I quit and went back home to think about what I wanted. I had a lot of interviews. Now there’s a job waiting for me in Texas when I’m done here.”

  Because he was moving, she thought. That was the point of this. Ryan was safe because he wasn’t permanent.

  “You move around a lot,” she said. “I haven’t lived out of the state.”

  “I think I’m looking for where I want to settle down,” he admitted.

  They finished their elephant ears, then went and explored what was new at Morgan’s Books. While the rest of the world had embraced e-readers, in Fool’s Gold, Morgan’s store was going strong.

  Fayrene pointed out the display of books by local mystery author Liz Sutton, who was married to their mutual boss, Ethan. With Ryan’s hand still holding hers, they made their way to the parade route.

  The sidewalks were crowded with locals and tourists. People were setting up chairs and settling on curbs, waiting for the parade to start.

  “The best place is back by the library,” Fayrene told him as they walked back up Fourth. “You can sit on the stairs until it’s time, then stand up and have a great view because of the elevation.”

  “Always with the plan.”

  She laughed. “My parents used to bring us here when we were kids. It’s kind of a tradition.”

  “Are your sisters going to join us?” he asked.

  “No. Ana Raquel is in San Francisco, and Dellina is working today.”

  They wouldn’t be together long enough for him to meet her sisters, which was kind of too bad. She had a feeling both of them would like him.

  He tugged her to a stop. People moved past them as Ryan stared into her eyes.

  “Thank you for trusting me with the Hopkins family parade spot,” he said, before lightly kissing her.

  She leaned into him as she felt the warmth of his skin against herself. The touch was brief—just enough to get her tingling all over. Then he stepped back and they were walking again.

&
nbsp; * * *

  AS FAYRENE HAD promised, from the library steps they could see the whole street. There were bunting and flags. Religious symbols comfortably shared space with images of rabbits and eggs. Fool’s Gold welcomed all, Ryan thought, sitting next to her as more people filled in around them.

  The scent of barbecue mingled with the sweetness of spring flowers. Everywhere he looked there were families or groups of friends, all anticipating the parade to come.

  “Which is first?” he asked. “The rabbits or the hats?”

  “The rabbits. There are more kids in that part of the parade, and they don’t wait well.” She turned to him, her hazel eyes bright with amusement. “One year my parents rented bunny costumes for all of us and we were in the parade.”

  “I’d love to see the pictures.”

  “I could show them to you.”

  Her mouth tempted him, but he knew he couldn’t indulge again. Every time he kissed Fayrene, he wanted to take things a little further. This was a family event, he thought with a grin. Having sex on the steps of Fool’s Gold Public Library was out of the question.

  “Where does a family of five rent rabbit costumes?” he asked.

  “There’s a costume and party store in town. They have a big storage facility filled with rabbit costumes. One year there was a fire in the warehouse, and everyone panicked. For a while we thought the costumes had been ruined. But they were fine. All they needed was a little airing out.”

  “I have this vision of the parade route being lined with clothes racks filled with rabbit costumes.”

  “It was the parking lot.”

  “I’m glad they were saved,” he told her.

  He still had her hand in his. He looked down and took in the sensible short nails and the absence of any rings. Fayrene wore earrings most days but didn’t seem to feel the need to jingle and clink when she walked. There were no half-dozen bracelets or necklaces. For work she dressed professionally and for play...

  He tried not to picture her heart-shaped butt in the tight jeans she wore today.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked.

  A question he couldn’t answer, he told himself. Not honestly. “What happens in three or four years?” he asked instead. “When you have your business where you want it and you’re ready to settle down. Are you planning on getting married?”