Kinsley had so much on her plate that Christopher didn’t know how she handled it all. But working all day, going to class and then finding the energy to help this girl were just a few of the many reasons Christopher found her so amazing.
She had said she would text him when she was free so that he could fill her in on the details of what he and Sawyer had come up with. She had mentioned that she should be finished shortly after eight o’clock. Christopher found himself glancing at his phone, alternately checking the time and making sure he hadn’t missed a text from her.
Nothing yet.
“Are you expecting a hot date?” Sawyer kidded.
“Nope. Not tonight,” Christopher said as he clicked off his phone yet again.
Sawyer gestured to the phone. “You keep checking that thing. I thought maybe you were waiting for someone to call you.”
“Actually, I’m waiting for Kinsley Aaron, my colleague, to text me so I can fill her in on how you’re going to help us raise all kinds of money.”
Christopher and Sawyer had discussed the possibility of having an air-show fund-raiser to benefit the Foundation’s bully prevention program. Unfortunately, the date of the Spring Fling was too close for them to get something together, but the event was definitely a possibility for the future. In fact, it was probably best to do it as a separate experience, anyway, because it would be another opportunity to raise awareness for the cause.
“Just tell Kinsley not to get too excited yet,” said Sawyer. “I need to run all this by Tanner and Jordana before we can give it the official green light. But I have a feeling they will be just as thrilled as I am about having the chance to help with this worthy cause.”
Tanner Redmond and his wife, Jordana Fortune Redmond, owned and operated the Red Rock branch of Redmond Flight School and Charter Service.
“I’m sorry Tanner and Jordana couldn’t be here tonight to discuss this,” Christopher said.
The Redmonds were out of town. That was one of the reasons Sawyer had flown up for the day, to cover some meetings, check on the Red Rock office and make sure everything was running smoothly.
“I am, too,” said Sawyer. “Later on, after they give me the thumbs up, we’ll all get together and discuss everything. Maybe your Kinsley will be able to join us then, too.”
Your Kinsley. If Christopher had anything to say about it, next time Sawyer was in town, she would be his. Something intense flared inside him at the thought, and the sensation made him double his determination to make that so.
But the feeling was interrupted by a shapely brunette who slid into the seat next to Christopher.
“Hello?” Christopher said. “May I help you?”
The young woman looked familiar, but he couldn’t place her.
“You don’t remember me, do you?” she said, smiling as she twisted a strand of long dark hair around her finger.
Christopher darted a glance at Sawyer, who was watching them, in the off chance that the woman might be a friend of his. Christopher knew it was highly unlikely, though.
“I’m Crystal?” she said. “I seated you at Red for lunch the other day? And the time before that when you were in with the newlyweds?”
Crystal was pretty enough, but she seemed to have an annoying habit of turning every sentence into a question. Still, he didn’t want to be rude.
“Right, I remember. Hello, Crystal. I’m Christopher Fortune. This is Sawyer Fortune, my cousin.”
“Ooh,” she said. This time it wasn’t a question as much as an exclamation. She looked Sawyer up and down, her gaze lighting on his wedding ring. She turned back to Christopher.
“It’s your lucky night. I’m going to let you buy me a drink.”
Her question-phrasing was strike one. Strike two was calling him Chris. No one in Red Rock called him Chris.
Still, he played along. “Oh, you are, are you?”
Crystal nodded. “Yeah. And if you play your cards right tonight? I will make it very worth your while.”
Christopher had gotten used to bold women, but this was the first time he had encountered someone who was downright carnivorous. He glanced at Sawyer, who looked as befuddled as Christopher felt, then he turned back to Crystal.
“Well, you’re a very beautiful woman...and that sounds like an offer that would be hard for most men to refuse. But I’m right in the middle of a business meeting here.”
At least he didn’t have to ask her to leave. She scooted out of the booth. “Well, you come find me after you’re done here, okay?” She blew him a kiss and tottered away in high heels and a short miniskirt that didn’t look as alluring tonight as they had that first time he’d seen her.
Sawyer whistled under his breath. But it wasn’t an appreciative sound; it was more the sound somebody made when they had witnessed a train wreck.
“Looks like someone’s celebrating ladies’ night a little early,” said Christopher.
As he watched the woman walk away, he realized he wasn’t interested. Not the least bit. Maybe he had finally had his fill of the pretty-girl smorgasbord. Or maybe he really did have standards when it came to women. How many other men had found it worth their while to buy her drinks? He really didn’t want to know.
What he did know is that he wanted a woman with more substance.
As if right on cue a message from Kinsley flashed on his phone.
Just got home. How was the meeting?
Christopher picked up his phone and typed, Still with Sawyer. It’s going well. A lot to tell you.
She returned, Good to hear. Fill me in when you’re done?
He typed back, You bet!
“So, is your colleague back?” Sawyer asked.
“She is.”
Sawyer took a long sip of his iced tea, then set the glass down on the table. “You seem pretty happy to hear from her.”
Sawyer laced the words with insinuation. Christopher shrugged but couldn’t hide his smile.
“Yeah, well...” He shrugged again.
Sawyer nodded. “Are you two dating?”
Christopher glanced at his phone again to see if Kinsley had responded. She hadn’t.
“Why do you ask?”
“Well, I was just about ready to get on my way to Horseback Hollow so you could make the night worth your while. But I’m sensing you’re not into that.” Sawyer nodded toward the general area where Crystal waited.
Christopher didn’t dare look over there for fear of sending her the wrong message. He really wasn’t interested.
“It’s complicated,” he answered.
“It doesn’t have to be,” Sawyer said. “When it’s right, it’s the most uncomplicated feeling in the world. That doesn’t mean things are always easy, or that in the beginning you don’t have to fight the good fight. But when it’s right you’ll know.”
Christopher weighed his words. He really didn’t need to explain. In fact, there really wasn’t anything to explain. He and Kinsley were in limbo right now, but something told him to stay quiet.
“Okay, then, let’s just say, I’m fighting the good fight right now.”
Sawyer nodded, a knowing look in his eyes. “Good luck, man. I hope she’s worth it. Not to say she’s not.”
Another text flashed on Christopher’s phone. His gut contracted but then released when he saw it was from his buddy Joe.
Art and I are headed over to Mendoza’s for ladies’ night. See you there.
Christopher considered typing, Already here, but Sawyer said, “Are you concerned at all about dating someone you work with? I know a lot of people caution against it, but Laurel and I work together and Tanner and Jordana do, too. We might be the exception to the rule, but at least we’re proof that it can work. If you have feelings for this woman, don’t let being colleagues scare you off.�
�
Christopher pushed his phone away. “I have to admit I’ve wondered how Uncle James would feel about workplace dating. She’s important to me, but I don’t want to rock any boats at work.”
Sawyer made a pffff sound. “If you only knew how many Fortunes met their spouses on the job, you wouldn’t be worried. The only thing you might need to keep in mind is if things don’t work out, you can’t let it get in the way of anything.”
Christopher crossed his arms in front of him. “Of course not.”
“Well, since you said Kinsley is important to you, I say go for it. You seem to have your priorities straight and a level head on your shoulders. Just use good common sense.”
Sawyer looked at his watch. “It’s getting late. I’d better get out of here so I can get home at a decent hour. I’m not going to lie. It’s pretty nice to have someone to come home to.”
Sawyer reached for his wallet, but Christopher held out a hand. “You came all this way. I’ve got the tab.”
He was relieved that he hadn’t seen Miguel tonight. Although it was generous of the guy to cover the bill the night he was there with Kinsley, Miguel’s comment about Christopher’s money not being any good there made him uncomfortable. He was perfectly prepared to pay his own way. He didn’t want to seem like a moocher. In fact, even though he greatly appreciated Miguel’s hospitality, he had to admit the thought of Miguel doing so in the future made him uneasy about hanging out at Mendoza’s. Christopher’s eyes darted back to the phone. Still no response from Kinsley. Then again, his response had been sort of closed-ended. He’d told her he would text her after Sawyer left, which was happening now.
Sawyer stood and so did Christopher. The two shook hands.
“It was great seeing you,” said Sawyer. “And thanks for dinner. Next time it’s on me.”
Christopher clapped him on the back as he walked with him toward the entrance. “Next time, you bring me good news about the air-show fund-raiser and I’ll not only buy you dinner, but I’ll also throw in a bottle of champagne.”
Sawyer laughed. “You better start chilling that bubbly because I’m pretty confident I’ll have good news for you soon. Good luck with the girl.”
As they were walking out to the parking lot, Christopher ran into Art and Joe, who were on their way inside.
Christopher introduced his cousin to his buddies and after quick small talk Sawyer said good night and excused himself.
“Should’ve known you’d already be here,” said Joe. “You get an early start on the night? So what are we waiting for? Bring on the ladies.”
Funny thing, for the first time ever, Christopher wasn’t in the mood to party. He was more eager to get to a quiet spot where he could write down all of the ideas that he and Sawyer had come up with and text Kinsley.
“Actually, I was here for a business meeting,” he said. “It’s been a long day. I’m beat so I think I’m just going to hit it.” He gestured toward the exit.
“Oh, come on, man,” said Art. “Just one drink.”
Joe elbowed Art. “If we can get a drink down him, he’ll start talking to the ladies and end up closing down the place. What do you bet?”
Christopher usually had a good time with these guys he’d met them through a local men’s pick-up basketball league and they’d hit it off straightaway. Maybe it was just his mood, but he really wasn’t feeling it tonight. And he didn’t like being pressured into staying.
Across the room, he saw Crystal. She looked up, saw him and waved. Then she got up and started walking toward him. Even stranger than not being in the mood to stay, he wasn’t in the mood to deal with her tonight, either.
The thought actually made him do a mental double-take. What the hell was wrong with him? His buddies were ready to have a good time. And here was a woman who, for all intents and purposes, was a sure thing.
And he wasn’t in the mood for any of it.
“Hey,” said Crystal. “I see you finished with your business meeting. Come dance with me.”
Joe and Art were standing there pretending to be cool, like they weren’t watching him interact with Crystal. And Christopher was willing to wager that if he didn’t go home with Crystal tonight, one of them would.
“Normally, I’d love to dance with you,” he said to Crystal. “But I have more business I need to take care of. These are my friends Art and Joe. Joe, Art, this is Crystal. I’m sure one of these guys would love to buy you a drink.” He dug his car keys out of his pocket and handed his friends a fifty-dollar bill. “Enjoy yourselves, everyone. First round is on me.”
* * *
Kinsley had just finished washing up her dinner dishes when her cell phone rang at about 8:45 p.m. She knew it would be Christopher before she even looked.
Still, her heart leaped a little bit when she saw his name on her phone’s display screen. She didn’t even bother to dry her hands before she picked up the phone and accepted the call.
“Hello?” she said, taking care to keep her voice as level as possible.
“I hope I’m not calling too late.” His deep voice was like sex. The thought made her blush. Where the heck had that come from?
Well, she knew where it came from; she just wished she could put it back in its box so that she could put the lid on tighter and ensure that thoughts like that never got out again.
Remember, last dance. Over. Done. Finito.
Good luck, said an impudent little voice that was probably responsible for unleashing the thought in the first place. You know you want him.
“Of course not,” she said. “How did the meeting with Sawyer go?”
“The only way it could’ve gone better is if you would have been there.”
“What? And miss all the fun of my statistics class and being a Lamaze coach? Actually, the Lamaze coaching is pretty cool. I’m glad I can be there for Tonya. She doesn’t have anybody.”
“You’ve got a really great way with kids, you know?”
She found herself smiling in spite of herself. “Thanks.” She didn’t quite know what else to say to that. She heard what sounded like a car horn in the distance.
“Are you in your car?” she asked.
“I’m sitting in Mendoza’s parking lot.”
She hated herself for it, but her heart sank. “Oh, that’s right. It’s Thursday—ladies’ night at Mendoza’s.” She did her best to put a smile in her voice. “Listen, I won’t keep you. Why don’t we talk about this tomorrow at the office? Oh, wait, I’m going to be out most of the day. I’m going over to the high school to work with the advisory board and the kids in the Cornerstone Club to finalize the plan for their part at the Spring Fling. I really want them to take ownership of this program. If they do, it will stand a much better chance of taking hold. But listen to me blabbing on. I’m sure you want to get inside. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Kinsley, wait. I’m actually leaving Mendoza’s. I’m not staying for ladies’ night. Sawyer wanted to go there for the tacos. I figured I’d let him choose where we ate since he doesn’t get to town very often.”
Why was she so relieved to hear this? “Is ladies’ night canceled?”
“Canceled? No, why?”
“Well, I can’t imagine it going on without you there. I thought you always closed the place down.”
He laughed. “No reason to since you’re not there.”
Against everything she knew was prudent and good for her, she melted a little bit inside.
“Contrary to your etched-in-stone thoughts of me, I’m really not a player,” he said. “I don’t know what I have to do to make you believe that.”
She walked over to the couch and sat down, curling her bare feet beneath her. She was still in the gray skirt and white blouse she’d worn to work. Her apartment suddenly felt stuffy. She reached up and unbutto
ned the top two buttons on her blouse.
“I’m not quite sure what I’m supposed to say to that,” she said.
“What you can say is that you had as good a time dancing with me at Mendoza’s as I had dancing with you.”
Her hand fluttered to her throat, lingered there.
“You could say that maybe we could try it again. Say, maybe Saturday night?”
Her fingers pushed aside her blouse’s cotton fabric and traced the line of her collarbone. She wasn’t sure if it was his voice or his words that made her shiver a little...in a good way...with an anticipation that made her feel naked and vulnerable, that had her rethinking every reason why it was a bad idea to get involved with him.
“Christopher...”
“Yes, I’m here. And since you didn’t say no, I’ll consider it a yes.”
* * *
Even though it was after four o’clock, Kinsley headed back to the office after finishing up with the kids at the high school. She could’ve gone home. She’d already put in an eight-hour day, but... Okay, if she was going to do this, she at least had to be truthful with herself.
She was going back with the hopes of running into Christopher. After all, if he had been serious about taking her out on Saturday night—tomorrow night—she needed to know where they were going and what they were doing, what time he would pick her up, all the details so that she could get ready. She played a crazy little game with herself when she found herself in a situation and was unsure of what she should do—and she still wasn’t quite sure going out with him was such a good idea. After all, what happened at Mendoza’s had happened by chance. If he picked her up on Saturday night and took her someplace purely social, it would be a date. Even though their date wasn’t until tomorrow, she decided to toss everything up to fate: if it was a good idea to see Christopher socially—to go out with him tomorrow—he would still be at the office. If he wasn’t there, well that meant it was not a good idea. If he wasn’t there she would cancel the date and explain to him that they needed to keep things platonic. She was usually such a practical person that she only used the toss-it-up-to-fate method of decision-making on the rarest occasions. It was like flipping a coin to help her decide what to do on occasions like this, when her head was telling her one thing and her heart was insisting on another. On one hand, if she got involved with him, it could end in disaster. On the other hand, what if this could be the start of something good. He sure had been trying hard, and she needed to give credit where credit was due.
Falling for Fortune Page 10
