by Darcy Burke
Sean chuckled. “Tori wasn’t much better.”
“What happened?’ Rylan asked.
Kyle glanced over at him. “Our significant others went out for a girls’ night at The Arch and Vine and got wasted. We had to go and rescue them.”
Rylan stopped short just outside the hangar. “Wait, Liam has an SO? How’d I miss that? That’s major news.”
Kyle and Derek exchanged looks, then busted up laughing. “Yeah. No,” Derek said. “Kyle misspoke. We—” he gestured to himself, Kyle, and Sean, “—have wives and fiancées. Liam has . . . his hand?”
This was met with guffaws by everyone, including the jump crew.
“Very funny.” Liam was willing to bet he’d gotten more action that night than the rest of them. Their SOs had probably passed out on the way home or shortly thereafter. He said none of that, of course.
Liam strode into the building, and the rest followed. Liam, Nate, and Rylan dropped the chutes and packs. Normally Liam would help them repack the chutes, but Rylan had told him that he and Nate would handle it.
“Liam wasn’t empty-handed though,” Sean said.
Rylan’s mouth curled into a smile, and he shook his head. “He never is.”
This was met with agreement and more low laughter. Liam was glad they were all having fun at his expense. Normally he’d join right in with them. Why wasn’t he?
Because maybe you’re tired of that MO.
He shushed the violently annoying voice in his head.
“He picked up a girl?” Nate asked. Nate was younger than the rest of them and relatively new to Rylan’s operation. Liam didn’t know him very well.
“One of the women who went out was a friend of ours. She doesn’t have an SO, so Liam took her home.” Derek narrowed his eyes at Liam as they walked into the locker room. “How’d that go?”
The unspoken question—did you hook up?—didn’t even need to be asked. Liam understood that’s what everyone wanted to know. “She actually does have an SO. Or at least she’s seeing some accountant.”
Everyone stripped off their tandem rigging, and Nate went around picking it up. Then he disappeared with it.
“Why let that stop you?” Kyle asked. “I seem to recall you stealing at least one girl away from another guy. Remember Tracy in high school?”
Liam stowed his goggles in his locker, where he kept his personal chute. “Kyle, I was a teenager. I don’t make a habit of poaching women. Get a life.” He grabbed his wallet and slipped his shades on, then strode from the locker room, having tolerated all he could of their teasing.
Liam stalked outside to where Kyle had parked his car. Rather, Hayden’s car. He was driving Hayden’s car, living in Hayden’s house, and for at least a little while longer, doing Hayden’s job. Classic Kyle—riding on someone else’s coattails instead of doing something for himself.
Liam blew out a breath. That was incredibly unfair. He was just pissed off. Not at Kyle, but at himself. At whatever the hell had him obsessed with Aubrey Tallinger twenty-four-seven.
He turned and saw Kyle coming toward him. He wore sunglasses, too, but Liam read the scowl on his face even from this far away.
“What gives, asshole?” Kyle stopped in front of him and crossed his arms over his chest.
Liam shrugged. “I was just tired of the needling.”
“Seriously? You’re the chief needler. You can dish it out, but you can’t take it?”
Liam put his hands on his hips. “You know that isn’t true.”
“Not usually.” Kyle dropped his arms. “Look, we give each other shit. That’s what we do—you and I more than the rest of them. And giving you shit about your romantic life is about the only thing we can do. You’re Mr. Perfect everywhere else.”
Liam arched a brow as his anger faded. “You used to think I was Mr. Perfect in that department, too.”
Kyle laughed. “Then we all fell head over ass in love. Now you’re the aberration. Sorry, man.”
He was right. Maybe that was his problem. He was just feeling left out. Or something. Whatever. He was tired of analyzing his stupid obsession with Aubrey. “I’m glad you came out today. It’s about time you all did this with me.”
“It was a blast. Maybe we can try windsurfing next. Since you’re home for a while. Just think, if you moved back, we could have a regular thrill-seeking crew.”
Liam doubted they’d want to keep up with him. It was one thing to skydive once in a while, but Liam was always on the hunt for the next rush. Plus, he wasn’t moving back home. “I’m just here temporarily.”
Kyle nodded and stuck his hands on his hips, tucking his fingers into the pockets of his jeans. “I get it. What’s your next conquest?”
Had he been reading Liam’s mind? He didn’t want to tell Kyle about his plans to try BASE jumping. He might think it was cool, and hell, he might even support him, but if Kyle let it slip to Mom . . . Liam didn’t want to deal with her worrying.
“Just the usual. I’m looking at buying a plane.” Rylan was helping him out.
Kyle angled his head. “Really? That’s cool. What kind?”
“Haven’t decided yet. Looking at Cessnas and some others.”
“New or used?”
Liam laughed. “Aren’t you full of questions?”
“As much as you’re full of secrets.” Kyle took a step toward him. “Why do you do this? The skydiving, the rock climbing, the cliff diving, all of it?”
“Because it’s fun. You just jumped out of a plane, and it was awesome, right?”
“Completely, but it doesn’t make me want to go climb Mt. Everest.”
That was actually one of the few things Liam didn’t want to do. At least not yet. Who knew if he might change his mind? “I’m not doing that.”
“Okay, not that, but you get me. You’re always upping the ante, always going big. But maybe it’s time you go home.”
Liam laughed. “I see what you did there. Go big, or go home. You’re a riot.”
Kyle took off his glasses. “I’m being serious for once. And feel free to crack all the jokes that statement requires.”
“I’ll contain myself.” But damn it was hard.
“Why do you do this?” Kyle asked. “Is it really just about the adrenaline?”
“Yep.”
“But you’re so . . . driven about it.”
Liam tipped his head down and looked at Kyle over the top of his shades. “I’m driven about everything.”
“True. But this is different. It’s one thing to have professional ambition. These hobbies of yours actually carry a decent amount of risk.”
“So does driving to work every day or eating a sandwich.”
Kyle rolled his eyes and put his glasses back on. “You’re being a dick again.”
“I don’t know how to be anything else around you.” Again, that was their brotherly thing, but Liam didn’t want to be a dick. Neither did he want to explain the reasons for his extreme sports. Those reasons were too wrapped up in Alex, in their brotherly—twin—thing.
Liam stepped toward Kyle and clapped him on the bicep. “I hear what you’re saying. I’ve tried to . . . lay off a bit, especially while I’m home. Don’t want Mom having a breakdown or something.”
“I would laugh at that, except she nearly did have one last year after Alex died.”
Liam knew that as well as any of them, even if he hadn’t been home dealing with it. He’d talked to Mom on the phone plenty, and that entire mess was one of the reasons he couldn’t forgive Alex for what he’d done.
“I know, and I don’t want to add to her stress, especially when she’s doing better.” Liam dropped his hand from Kyle’s arm. “She and Dad seem great now.”
Kyle nodded. “Totally. They’ve been looking at beach property.”
More and more it sounded like Dad was prepping for at least semi-retirement. “Really? I’ll have to talk to him about that. I’d love to invest in some stuff on the coast.”
Kyle grinne
d. “I bet you would.”
Liam looked toward the hangar. “Here they come finally. What took them so long?”
“I might’ve asked them to give us a few minutes.”
Liam grunted but was actually glad Kyle had done that.
“So tomorrow I’m making a special dinner to welcome Evan and Alaina back home.”
“Right, they’re due back late tonight.”
Kyle shook his head. “Dude, we’re going to be uncles. That’s crazy.”
“I really can’t believe Evan is going to be a dad.” Just the thought nearly gave Liam hives. To have someone that dependent on him . . . He inwardly cringed.
“I know, right? He’s the last Archer I would’ve expected.” Kyle gave him a taunting grin. “After you, of course.”
Liam smiled back as they fell back into their brotherly teasing. This he could handle. “Natch.”
Derek and Sean strolled up.
“Ready?” Kyle asked.
“Let’s go,” Sean said. “Tori and I told Evan and Alaina we’d stock their fridge with some staples before they got home. Can’t leave a pregnant woman without pickles or ice cream or whatever.”
Kyle laughed as he remotely unlocked the car. “Tori’s being too nice. Aren’t we supposed to short-sheet their bed or fill their bathtub with cornflakes?”
Derek snorted. “What is this, nineteen sixty?”
“Hey, that would be hilarious,” Sean said. “But I doubt they’d appreciate us messing with their new place.”
They’d scored a gated nine-acre property with a sprawling six-thousand-square-foot house just south of Ribbon Ridge and had moved in only a week before they’d gotten married.
“You’ve been watching the house while they’ve been gone, right?” Liam asked as they all climbed into the car. “Are those asshole paparazzi gone?”
“Finally,” Sean said. “The last ones cleared out at the beginning of the week. They threatened to come back as soon as they heard Alaina was back in town, but I made it clear that everyone in Ribbon Ridge would make their lives difficult. Good luck finding a place to stay in town.”
“Not gonna happen,” Kyle said as he started the car.
“Or eating or getting gas,” Sean continued.
Derek turned from the front passenger seat and threw a grin back at Liam and Sean. “I love this town.”
Kyle pulled out of the parking lot and got on the highway toward Ribbon Ridge. “Is Aubrey coming tomorrow night?”
The earlier irritation Liam had battled resurfaced. Kyle wasn’t going to give him shit again, was he? “No, why?”
Kyle shrugged. “She came last week to watch Game of Thrones, and it seems like she’s pretty friendly with the girls. I just thought she might come. I’ll talk to Maggie, see if she knows.”
Liam didn’t want to see Aubrey tomorrow night. He’d spend the entire time fantasizing about her and ending up picturing her with Stuart the Accountant. It was probably—no it absolutely was—selfish of him, but he couldn’t do it. “I think she’s too busy with the appeal.” And that wasn’t a lie. She had to finish it this week.
“Good point,” Derek said. “I’ll be so glad when that’s over.”
Kyle scoffed. “No kidding. Total pain in my ass. My restaurant should’ve been open months ago.”
Though Liam wasn’t personally involved in The Alex, he still wanted this resolved for his family. He was pissed that the Parkers had caused this nightmare in the first place. But it would be over soon, and then he could get back to Denver. Back to his life.
Away from Aubrey Tallinger.
Chapter Eleven
AUBREY CAUTIOUSLY LET herself into the back door of the Archers’ house for dinner on Sunday night. She’d thought about declining Chloe’s invitation, but why? She couldn’t resist Game of Thrones on their theater screen with their theater sound system. Plus, they were her friends—including Liam.
Yeah, right.
She hadn’t seen or talked to him since Thursday night. Would he be here? She assumed so. Would they pretend it had never happened? Would the air crackle between them like a late-summer storm?
Not if she didn’t let it.
Determined to be as chill as the beer she was about to drink, she moved into the kitchen and smiled. “Hi!”
Tori immediately turned from the counter. “Hey, Aubrey, I’m so glad you came!” She moved closer and lowered her voice. “Feeling much better than Friday, I hope?”
“Yes, you?”
Tori nodded. “I’m going with I was out of practice. I haven’t had a girls’ night in forever.”
Aubrey laughed. “I’ll go with that, too. Perfect.”
“What’s perfect?”
Aubrey turned at the sound of Liam’s voice. He’d come down the back stairs, apparently. His hair was damp as if he’d just showered, and he smelled like it, too—fresh, clean, way too sexy. He wore a heather-blue T-shirt and a pair of jeans with a snag on the thigh. Perfect, indeed.
Chill, Aubrey, remember?
“Oh, nothing,” Tori said, thankfully saving Aubrey from her momentary lack of speech and reason.
Liam looked past them at the counter. “What’s for dinner?”
“Taco bar,” Tori said. “There’s chicken and carnitas, corn and flour tortillas, shells, even salad makings if you’d rather have taco salad.”
Aubrey’s stomach growled. She could so get used to these Sunday dinners.
“I’m going to grab a beer.” Liam cast his steel-blue gaze toward Aubrey. “You want one?”
“Sure.”
He headed toward the tap, and she followed, thinking she ought to say something about the other night. Apologize, at least.
He grabbed a couple of pint glasses and set to filling them.
Aubrey stood on the opposite side of the bar from him. It was far safer to have solid granite and wood cabinetry between them. “I’m sorry about the other night. I was, uh, pretty toasted.”
“I’ll say.” He chuckled as he handed her the beer.
So they were going to laugh it off? Sounded good to her. “I hope we’re still friends.”
“Yep.” He lowered his voice and glanced around. “Did you know you’re actually my first woman friend?”
Now it was her turn to laugh. “Why does this not surprise me?”
He shrugged. “Because you know me pretty well.”
She ignored the little jolt of pleasure that shot through her. “I wanted to ask if you could recommend where to go rafting in southern Oregon. I’m planning a trip this summer with my aunt and uncle.”
His eyes instantly lit, and she realized in that moment that an excited Liam made everything around him exciting. She suddenly felt more engaged, more alive. “There are so many awesome places. And I know a guy who does really fantastic trips on the Upper Klamath. I’ll e-mail you a list tomorrow.” He took a drink of beer. “I haven’t been down there in years. Sounds like a great time.”
Was he angling for an invitation? Even if he were, she wasn’t going to offer one. Instead, maybe she could get him to talk about whatever he was planning for the summer. “Do you raft much anymore?”
“At least a couple times a summer, but usually in Colorado. I haven’t done something up here in a long time. Might be overdue.”
She perched on one of the barstools. “What else do you do in the summer?”
He swallowed another drink of beer. “Rock climbing, hiking, flying, lots of skydiving.”
“Is that still your favorite thing?”
“Yep.” He narrowed his eyes slightly. “Why all the questions?”
“Just curious, making small talk, like friends do.” She sipped her beer. “Plus, you offered to take me flying, remember. Or was that riding on your bike? Assuming you got a helmet.”
He winced. “Not yet. And yes, I remember the flying. We talked about next weekend, right?”
“Depends on whether I have to work—I’ve got a busy week ahead, and I still have to finish the zoning
brief.”
“What’s taking so long?” He dropped his head briefly, then looked back up with a half-smile. “I didn’t mean it to sound like that. I just thought you were going to send me a draft, and you’re two weeks in.”
Honestly, she thought she would’ve sent him a draft by now, too, but things had been really hectic. “I’ve had a couple of things blow up at work, and one of the other attorneys had a crisis last week that we all pitched in to help with.” They did that for each other all the time. It was one of the reasons she loved working for such a small, intimate firm.
“No worries. I’m sure it’s coming along great.”
For the most part. For whatever reason, Aubrey was second-guessing almost everything she wrote. But then, she was more personally involved in this case than perhaps anything she’d ever done. She’d come to know this family so well. Plus, she’d been privy to the origination of the idea of the entire project—she was the first person Alex had shared it with, and he’d entrusted her to ensure it came to fruition. If Parker won his appeal, she sometimes thought that no one would feel the loss more keenly than her.
Aubrey only nodded. “I’ll send it over as soon as it’s done.” She had a fleeting urge to bail on dinner and the show, but her stomach growled again, and she decided that was a bad idea.
Liam braced his palms on the counter. “Back to the flying. How about we go after you file the brief? It’ll be a sort of celebration.”
She squinted at him. “I’m not sure I want to celebrate before a decision is made. I don’t want to jinx anything.”
“I didn’t realize you were superstitious. That’s silly. We’re celebrating you finishing the brief, not defeating the Parkers—but don’t worry, we’ll celebrate that, too.” He said this with such certainty and his eyes were so clear with conviction that she couldn’t help but believe it. At least right now, looking at him. He did wonders for her confidence, she realized. Maybe because he was so confident.
“Dinner!” Kyle called out. Archers filtered into the kitchen from who-knew-where, and everyone made a big deal of allowing Alaina to eat first. “We’re having tacos tonight because that’s what the expectant mother requested. I sense several taco bars in our future.”
