Last Tailored Suit

by Pierce, Nicolette

  David looked down at the muddy streak. “Did you just . . .?”

  Greyson grinned devilishly and threw a well-aimed mud ball, catching David in the jaw.

  David wiped it off with the back of his hand, narrowing his eyes at Greyson. “Bring it on!” he growled, blasting Greyson with a full shovel of dirt.

  Greyson, knowing David was in it to win, scrambled to the water hose. Before he could aim, David launched, tackling him to the ground. Greyson groaned from the impact. He let loose the hose, spraying David with frigid water. David yelped and slackened his grip. Being so close, Greyson also caught the spray, but the assault had given him a split second to gain ground before David turned on him.

  Greyson nearly ran from the glint sparking in David’s eyes, which always grew wicked right before a trouncing. Greyson had been caught on the receiving end of that stare many, many times, which was followed by many, many bruises.

  Greyson turned the full force of the hose on David, who charged at him, knocking him into the muddy ground.

  “Do you give up?” David asked, holding Greyson in a tight grip.

  “Never!” Greyson answered, grappling to pry David’s arms off.

  “I was hoping you’d say that,” David said with a wide grin, springing into action.

  * * *

  Jenna stepped out into the dwindling sunshine, ready to meet the newcomer, when a growl startled her. It didn’t sound like an animal. More like a caveman defending his food.

  She scanned the area and found two muddy apes rolling on the ground in a tangled mess.

  What are they fighting about? she wondered, jogging over to get a closer peek. If she had to pick the instigator, it’d be Greyson. There were plenty of times she wanted to put him into a headlock. And she knew just how to do it too. Her brother Adam had always pushed her buttons until her inner wrestler ignited.

  With a silent sigh, she pushed Adam out of her mind. He was gone, and all that remained were problems . . . and angry men.

  As she neared, she watched as the other man overpowered Greyson. Overpowered, but not outmaneuver. As Greyson slipped out of another hold, he caught her watching them.

  “Time out,” Greyson rasped and fell back.

  “No time out,” the man stated, slamming into Greyson. “Do you give up?”

  “Yes,” Greyson wheezed.

  “Say it!” the man taunted, driving Greyson farther into the mud.

  “I give!”

  The man sat back and smiled, his teeth a sparkling white contrast from the rest of him, which was head-to-toe mud.

  Greyson lay sprawled on the ground. “You don’t have to look so smug,” he said.

  “I just beat the tar out of you,” the man said. “I can look however I want.”

  “I’d like to see you try to do the same to Remy.”

  “I’m not suicidal,” he replied. “Remy could take on both of us, and we’d be as flat as pancakes.”

  At the mention of pancakes, Greyson looked over at Jenna. “Jenna, this is David. David, Jenna.”

  “David?” Jenna asked, ignoring the embarrassing fact that Greyson now associated her with pancakes. “You’re Mya’s husband?”

  David stood. “Yes. She’s told me about you,” he said, extending his muddy hand then immediately pulling it back to wipe it on his jeans. It didn’t help. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “It’s nice to meet you too,” she said, studying him. “Do you two roll around in mud often, or is there a reason?” she asked and then squeaked as her eyes rounded. The baby? Were they fighting about Mya?

  Greyson groaned loudly.

  David looked down at him. “What?”

  Greyson’s stare traveled accusingly over to Jenna. “Tell David what you just thought.”

  Jenna cast a nervous glance over to David. “It’s really none of my business.”

  “It seems everything is your business,” Greyson muttered, prying himself off the ground. “We really need to start over, don’t we?”

  “I should go inside,” Jenna said, stepping back.

  “Stop,” Greyson ordered. “Jenna, this is my brother, David. Mya is my sister-in-law.”

  Jenna felt a hundred kinds of stupid right then. The sting of tears hit the back of her eyes. When would she learn? It all made sense now, but she had preformed conclusions that blinded her. When was it going to end?

  “Don’t worry about it,” Greyson clipped. “Can you bring us a couple of towels?”

  Thankful for the excuse to escape, Jenna nodded and ran to the house to collect towels. When she returned minutes later and more composed, Greyson was hosing down David as best he could but eventually gave up.

  “You can shower here,” Greyson said to David. “I was told there are a dozen showers or more, so take your pick.”

  Jenna handed a towel to David, glaring at Greyson. Did he have to take jabs? She had hoped they could get past it and work cordially together. Obviously she was wrong.

  Greyson held the hose to David. “Before you go, can you spray me down?”

  David glanced between Jenna and Greyson. “I think Jenna can handle it,” he said, strolling away, whistling.

  Greyson turned the hose to Jenna. “Would you mind?” he asked. “I don’t want to track mud inside.”

  Jenna gritted her teeth. Yes, she minded! But, she also didn’t want muddy footprints everywhere either. She snatched the nozzle and squeezed hard against the trigger, hammering Greyson with water.

  Greyson jumped out of the way. “Jesus!”

  “Was it too hard?” Jenna asked innocently.

  He glowered at her and attempted to reclaim the hose. She held it away.

  “Jenna,” Greyson said, controlling his tone, “give me the hose.”

  “I’ll do it,” she said.

  “David gave me enough bruises for one day,” Greyson said. “I don’t want any more.”

  “I’ll be more careful,” she said.

  Greyson eyed her for a lengthy moment before turning around so Jenna could clean his back. She took careful aim and blasted him again.

  “Jenna!” Greyson growled.

  “Sorry,” she said. “It’s a touchy trigger.”

  “Not that touchy!”

  Jenna knew she was pressing her luck and decided she’d better play nice since Greyson was already cranky, not that it took much to put him in a foul mood. Actually, it seemed as if it only took opening her mouth to make him bristle.

  She gently pressed the trigger and sprayed the caked layer of dirt from Greyson’s back.

  “I should have known David was your brother,” Jenna said. “Even covered in dirt he looks like you, especially the eyes. I guess a fondness for soil is a family trait.”

  Greyson didn’t respond.

  “Are there any others in your family who enjoy romping in the mud?”

  “Jenna,” he warned.

  She continued spraying, nearing his bottom. Should she continue? It didn’t seem like something an employee should do to her boss. Of course, the conversation wasn’t really appropriate either. Nothing in the last three days had been appropriate. She internally shrugged and continued. Greyson gave a little jump but then stood his ground.

  “Turn around,” she said.

  He turned and reached for the hose. “I can do the rest,” he said.

  “I’ll do it,” she said, spraying him before he protested further. After a beat of silence, she said, “I’m sorry for thinking the baby was yours.”

  Greyson glanced at her. Even though mud streaked his face, his stare was unnerving.

  “But I think we’re even now,” she continued.

  “Even?” he barked.

  She nodded while letting the water slush down his left arm, followed by his right.

  “We’re not even,” he said.

  “Why not?” she asked, moving the spray over his chest. “We both made a muddle of things, but you didn’t clear up the fact that Mya was a sister-in-law and nothing more.”

&n
bsp; “I didn’t know I had to,” he said. “I don’t sleep with other men’s wives.”

  “How was I supposed to know?” she asked, trailing the water down his chest. “Some men would.”

  “I wouldn’t,” he snapped.

  “And now I know, which I didn’t before,” she said. “I believe that now makes us even.”

  Greyson’s brows furrowed.

  Jenna stopped the water suddenly. She had reached the waistband of his jeans. That was one line she most definitely knew not to cross. She handed the hose to Greyson. “You better take over.”

  Greyson took the hose and continued where Jenna had stopped. She watched him for a moment before realizing that staring while he cleaned off the front of his pants probably wasn’t appropriate either.

  This appropriate stuff was becoming tedious. She took one last glance before turning to head indoors. An icy blast drenched her, soaking her to the skin. She whipped around to find Greyson grinning mischievously.

  “Now we’re even,” he said, his eyes crinkling with laughter.

  Chapter 9

  Jenna sat propped up on her bed with the laptop resting on her outstretched legs. She leaned over and lifted a slice of pizza to her mouth, trying to avoid dropping crumbs onto the keyboard.

  It was eight o’clock at night, and she had been nibbling and working for about two hours. The pizza was now cold, but she didn’t mind. It tasted good either way. And she felt cozy in her little nook. Cozy and safe.

  Greyson and David had hightailed it out the door as soon as they both showered and changed. David must have borrowed clothes from Greyson since they were dry and on the snug side. Greyson darted away like an escaped lab rat. It pricked the ego a bit to watch him nearly drag David out the door. She had been having a lovely conversation with David until Greyson came downstairs and abruptly announced he was taking David out to dinner.

  Thankfully, she wasn’t invited. None of their prior dinners had ended very well. She could only imagine how this one would end. Instead of drenching her with water, he’d launch mashed potatoes instead. She wouldn’t put it past him.

  An unwanted laugh gurgled. So this was the great Mr. Greyson Miller; mud wrestling with his brother, compassionate to his sister-in-law, and a snarling beast to his only employee. If not for the last part, he was almost endearing.

  Jenna’s cell phone rang, shaking her from her thoughts. Odd. Not that many people called her anymore. Not after . . .

  Could it be for the bed and breakfast? At eight o’clock at night? That didn’t seem right.

  She fumbled for the phone, lost in the folds of the blankets. As soon as she found it, she dropped it immediately as if burned. Her heart banged against her chest, filling her ears with a rushing sound.

  Oh God, they’d found her.

  * * *

  Greyson pulled into the garage and killed the engine. He leaned his head back against the seat, gathering strength to go inside. He had drawn out dinner for as long as possible. But after three hours, it didn’t seem like he could drag it out further without David’s inquiring mind putting him to task.

  He had had enough of David’s questioning for one night. Instead of talking about his issues with Mya and the baby, David turned the topic to Greyson and his petit brunette employee. Greyson stealthfully avoided the conversation by ordering a round of drinks. Followed by more. He ended up driving David home. Greyson had only pretended to drink as much as his brother, which, thankfully, David didn’t catch on to. Or maybe he didn’t care.

  Greyson stepped out of the car and closed the garage. He would do his best to avoid Jenna tonight but then have a talk with her first thing in the morning when he knew what to say. The problem was, he didn’t think he was going to come up with anything between now and then. But he had to do something. When he blasted her with the hose earlier, he took fiendish delight in igniting her anger. Greyson wasn’t a fiendish person. So why did he itch to do something else to flare her temper?

  He had to put a stop to it. Maybe they could go back to corresponding by email and ignore each other for the next two months. Maybe he should just hire a gardener and leave. Better yet, he should just sell the place as is and leave.

  Greyson was making his way to the house when he heard a thud followed by a whimper. It came from outside.

  Greyson scanned the darkness but couldn’t see anything. He stopped and strained to listen.

  Thud! “Dammit!” came a muffled curse.

  Greyson quietly walked to the backyard where the noise grew slightly, intermingled with a sniffle.

  Sniffle?

  He edged over to the maze where he found Jenna clobbering the ground with a shovel. The sight had him . . . baffled. What in the world was she doing? Had a snake frightened her? Judging from her facial expression, something had. But what was she doing out here at night?

  He stepped closer to find out the source of fright. A busted cell phone laid on the ground, taking her relentless abuse.

  A cell phone?

  He watched her for a few moments, wondering what the cell phone did to cause such a reaction. He could sense her wearing down, but she kept striking the phone. She was either really upset or really crazy. Possibly both. However, he couldn’t let her continue. She would injure herself.

  Greyson eased near her but clear of the swinging shovel. As she swung up to strike again, he grabbed the handle and held firmly. Jenna turned her frightened eyes on him. It took her a few seconds to register who he was. When she did, she gasped and backed away.

  “I – I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I . . .”

  “Jenna?”

  At the sound of his concerned voice, Jenna burst into tears. She turned and fled, leaving Greyson alone in the maze and thoroughly confused. He watched her disappear into the house and then glanced down at the destroyed phone. What would’ve made her so angry?

  A chilling déjà vu feeling crept along his neck. God, not another crazy employee. They were going to be the death of him.

  He was going to have to let her go. What other choice did he have?

  Greyson tossed the shovel down and picked up the cell phone pieces. He would give her an hour to calm down, then he would let her go.

  * * *

  Jenna reached her room on the third floor and hurried to shove the clothes she had carefully hung into her bags. She had to leave.

  “Dammit!” she cried, blinking away tears so she could see what she was doing. She had been so close to escaping them. It was a brand new phone with a new number. It was one of those pay-as-you-go phones with no information on her. How did they track her down?

  Where could she go? She had no money and no one to help her. With only half of a tank of gas, she couldn’t get far. At least not far enough from them. She feared nowhere would be far enough.

  It took her fifteen minutes to pack. She knew she didn’t have much time before they were nipping at her heels. But she didn’t want to leave anything behind either. Each possession was important because it was an additional item she could sell if she became desperate enough. Most likely, she would.

  Jenna zipped her suitcase and lifted it off the bed. With one last look around the room, she carried her belongings and stepped quietly into the hall. She crept down the stairs and tiptoed through the marbled entryway, leading to the front door. She was afraid to use the back door in case Greyson was still in the backyard.

  “Jenna.” The summons floated along the marble.

  She stalled and peeked around. There was no one there.

  “In the study,” he added.

  “Dammit!” she muttered. Was he always going to interrupt her plans to leave?

  “I heard that,” he said. “Marble echoes.”

  Jenna dropped her bags on the floor. She walked to the study with her shoulders back and her head held high, even though her insides felt grated and tears streaked her face.

  “Sit down,” was the command when she stepped inside.

  “I’m on my way out,” she sa
id.

  “Do you have your letter of resignation?”

  “I didn’t have time.”

  Greyson stood. The remains of her phone were scattered on the desk. He stepped around and ushered her in, closing the door behind her.

  “Sit.”

  Jenna’s eyes swept around the room and then at the closed door. She had to leave, and he was trapping her here. It would only get him into trouble too. She didn’t want that. It was bad enough she was in trouble for something she didn’t do. She didn’t want to drag anyone else into it.

  “What’s going on?” he asked, pressing her into a chair.

  “I’m sorry, but I have to leave,” she said, watching as he sat across from her. The desk might have been overly large, but it felt as if he was nearly on top of her.

  “You can leave,” he said, but before Jenna could dash off, he added, “After you tell me what your phone did to warrant such abuse.”

  Jenna’s gaze lingered at the shattered remnants before lifting her eyes to Greyson’s. “It’s none of your business. I have to leave. I’m very thankful for the opportunity to work with you. But I have to go.”

  He didn’t react at first, just sat back, assessing her. “Do you always lie?” he finally asked.

  “What?” Jenna sputtered.

  “You just said you were thankful for the opportunity to work with me,” he said, leaning forward. “We both know that’s a lie.”

  “I was trying to be nice,” she said. “I just want to leave.”

  “Then go,” he said.

  Jenna stood and hurried to the door.

  “Jenna,” Greyson said quietly but with a hard tone, “I consider this job abandonment. You will not be welcomed back.”