Thrill Me

by Susan Mallery

  “So why doesn’t he leave, if it’s so awful? Or does he enjoy spending his days thinking about how I ruined his life?”

  “You’ll have to ask him.”

  “He’s not here.”

  “Funny how that works.”

  Del looked at Nick. “Anything you want to talk about?”

  “My life’s an open book.”

  “Written in invisible ink.”

  Nick chuckled. “See what you missed while you’ve been gone? Speaking of being gone, where are you off to next?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “No great adventure calling?”

  Del shook his head. “A few people have been in touch, wanting me to develop the next hot piece of equipment, but I’m not that guy. The sky board I worked on was just one of those things. I didn’t like what was on the market. But I don’t wake up in the middle of the night with ideas for inventions.”

  “You need to follow your passion,” Nick told him.

  If Del had been drinking, he would have choked. Seriously? This from a guy with a secret life?

  “I’m not an entrepreneur,” Del said instead. “I have no desire to discover a better way to reinvent the wheel.”

  “Ever think about settling down in one place?”

  “Now and then. I’m not sure I mean it.”

  “What would you do if you had to stay in one place?”

  “I’d be a teacher.”

  Nick raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t see that one coming.”

  Del rested his elbows on the bar. “I like kids. I like sharing the world with them. That was one of the best parts about my travel. Going into classrooms all over the place and talking about what I’d seen. Showing them.”

  “Pictures?”

  “Sometimes. Videos. Or telling them stories. Kids want to know what it’s like everywhere. They’re curious. Open.”

  Del thought about the videos he shot. They were a start, but not a good one. He had a vision, but not the ability to see it through. Since selling his company, he had capital. Maybe he should hire somebody. Start some kind of travel production company.

  He reached for his beer and knew that wasn’t the answer. Even though it might get him where he wanted to go, it didn’t feel right.

  For a second, he wondered about Maya. She was brilliant. Dedicated. But she was also committed to Fool’s Gold. And working together for a few weeks wasn’t the same as an ongoing business partnership. Because of their past, he didn’t know if he could trust her. Not completely.

  “A teacher,” Nick said. “I never would have guessed.”

  “I’m not planning on settling down, so I don’t see it happening.” He finished his beer, then passed Nick the bottle. “You like working here?” he asked, motioning to the bar.

  “Sure. The hours are good and the pay is decent and I spend my time hanging out with people I like.”

  Del wondered which was the most important. Based on what he’d seen of his brother’s sculptures, he would guess the working schedule that freed Nick’s mornings and early afternoons. When he could be outside, creating. Because for so many artists, it was all about the light.

  “You hear from the twins much?” he asked.

  “Not really,” Nick said, getting him another beer. “Mom said they’ll be back for Dad’s birthday. We’ll see if that really happens.”

  “They took off, what? Three years ago?”

  Nick nodded. “Right after Dad’s heart attack. One day they were here, the next they were gone. Sort of like you.”

  Del sighed. “You’re never letting that go, are you?”

  Nick grinned. “As long as it bothers you, we’re all going to keep poking at the wound. You know that, brother.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  It was the law of the Mitchell jungle. Only the strong survived. Or left. Of course, he was assuming that getting out was a sign of strength. Ten years ago, he’d known he hadn’t had a choice. But things were different now. He was a grown man with a lot of success. He was more confident. He had money in the bank and he had options. But he also had questions, and as of now, no way of getting answers.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  MAYA OPENED THE back door of her car and Sophie jumped down. “You’d go with anyone for a car ride, wouldn’t you?”

  The beagle gave a happy wag of her tail, before heading into the house. Elaine turned to Maya.

  “Thank you for everything. I appreciate your help.”

  “You’re welcome. You’re sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine. I’m not really in any pain. You’re a good friend.”

  Maya hugged her, careful to avoid the side with the still-healing incisions. “I’m here for you. If you need anything, call me.”

  “I will.” Elaine straightened. She gave an impish smile. “I’m going to tell Ceallach that I have a hangover from our girls’ night. That way I can relax for the rest of the day and he’ll fuss. It’ll be good for both of us.”

  Maya nodded, even as she thought that what would be good for the family was Elaine to come clean. But it wasn’t her problem and she would do well to remember that. She’d supported her friend and would continue to do so. Even if she didn’t like keeping the secret.

  Maya drove home. On the way, she considered what she was going to do with the rest of her day. She had the usual weekend chores—laundry, a bathroom to clean. Neither of which sounded especially inspiring. Or interesting.

  She pulled into the driveway and noticed the plants on her front porch. They’d looked a little pale a few days ago and now were hanging down as if they’d died in the night.

  “What on earth?”

  She’d never had plants before, so didn’t know what she was doing wrong. She studied them, thinking they looked desperately sad. She’d been faithfully watering them. Had they needed food or something? Was she starving her plants?

  “Those don’t look good.”

  She glanced up and saw Del standing on the sidewalk. At the sight of him, her entire body seemed to get a little lighter. Tiny tingles ignited in her stomach and fingertips. She hoped she didn’t look as happy to see him as she felt.

  “I don’t know what I did wrong,” she admitted. “Any gardening experience in your past?”

  “Sorry, no.”

  “Me, either.”

  “You done with your girls’ weekend?” he asked.

  “Yes. I just took your mom and Sophie home. I was going to get replacement plants.”

  “Want some company?”

  The unexpected question had her nodding. “Yes, please. You can carry the plants back.”

  “What about equality between the sexes?” he asked, his voice teasing.

  “What about bite me?”

  Del laughed. “Let’s go.”

  She joined him on the sidewalk and they went north on Brian Lane. The neighborhood was quiet, with smaller, one-story houses and wide lawns.

  “There’s such a suburban feel to this part of town,” she said. “However do you survive?”

  “I like the suburbs.”

  “No, you don’t. You’re world traveler guy. You’re probably counting the days until you leave.”

  “I’ll be ready when the time comes, but it’s okay to be back. Sort of.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Aidan’s not talking to me. I know he’s mad I left ten years ago. That, I get. But Nick told me that Aidan bought Mom out of the business. He owns the company outright. So if he’s so unhappy, why does he stay? He could sell and go somewhere else.”

  “Have you asked him about that?”

  “He doesn’t stay in the room long enough for me to have a conversation with him.”

  “How hard have you
tried?”

  Del was silent. Maya shook her head. “You’re such a guy. Maybe he needs to see you make a little effort. I don’t pretend to understand all your family dynamics, but what I can tell you is that people want to feel like they’re being heard. Maybe he needs to know you’re interested in listening to his side of things.”

  Del nodded. “Maybe.” He looked at her. “Was I wrong to go?”

  Not a question she was comfortable with, mostly because she felt responsible for what had happened. “You were young and hurt and feeling trapped. Leaving made sense.”

  “I don’t think I would have been happy here. It was too easy to be somewhere else.”

  “Anywhere else,” she corrected. “It’s not like you settled down at all. Some people like to be on the move. You’re one of them.” She came to a sudden stop. “It’s not my fault. You leaving. It would have happened anyway.”

  He faced her. “Maya, it was never your fault. Did you think it was?”

  “I’ve had guilt.”

  “You shouldn’t. You didn’t want to marry me. That’s okay. You get to choose.”

  They’d already been over what had happened. She’d apologized and he’d accepted her apology, so she wasn’t going to go there again. But this was an interesting twist on what they’d gone through.

  “You wouldn’t have been happy married to me,” she said. “Not if it meant staying here. Wow, that would have been interesting.”

  “Me bugging you to leave town? Would you have gone?”

  “I don’t know.”

  They started walking again.

  “Because you want to be in one place,” he said.

  “Why do you think that?”

  “You moved to LA and never left. Now you’re here.”

  “A lot of that was about my job.”

  “I’m not saying it’s bad.” He motioned to the houses they passed. “Settling down is normal. I’m pointing out that you’ve never had a burning desire to see the world.”

  She thought about her scrapbook. Were those actual dreams or just idle wishes? “Travel sounds fun,” she admitted. “To always be seeing new places. What’s your favorite part of going somewhere different?”

  “Meeting the local kids. They’re curious about everything. Especially America.”

  “Sure. They’ve seen snippets from TV shows and movies, but that’s not real. It’s too bad there’s not a way to share what things are really like. Sort of like those day-in-a-life documentaries, but geared for schoolkids. Here’s a school day for a regular kid in Baltimore. Here’s a school day for a regular kid in Melbourne. If they had the same format, students would get the rhythm of them right away. Know there was going to be a section on sports, or lunchtime. Children like repetition. It’s one of the reasons they like to hear the same story every night, to watch the same...”

  Maya realized Del was no longer next to her. She turned and saw he was back a few feet, looking bemused.

  “What?” she demanded.

  “It’s a good idea,” he said, walking toward her. “The idea of using a consistent format is a good one. You’re right about the repetition. I never thought of that. It could be an ongoing series.”

  “Sure. Focus on regular kids at first, then expand. What is it like to be the daughter of the president? The son of a movie star or sports hero? To live on the streets in India? Seeing is believing.”

  He caught up with her. “You’re good.”

  She smiled. “I can brainstorm with the best of them. Believe me, when your topic is celebrity gossip, you find ways to make the most mundane seem interesting.”

  They started walking again. She thought about the potential for the project. There were so many ways to make it appealing, and not on a big budget, either. Not that Del needed her help.

  “I never meant to get stuck in LA,” she said, knowing it didn’t matter, but needing him to know. “I always thought I would end up somewhere else.”

  Which could have been the problem, she admitted, if only to herself. Ending up wasn’t the same as executing a plan. It was still being tossed around by circumstances.

  “Now you’re here,” he said. “That’s somewhere else.”

  She nodded, thinking she should be grateful for that. They turned left on Second. But this job had just kind of happened. She hadn’t been looking for it. Mayor Marsha had come to see her. What was up with that? Maya always prided herself on getting the details right in her stories, but not in her own life.

  “What are you thinking?” Del asked. “You’re looking fierce.”

  “Just thinking about not making decisions. Inaction is its own plan—not a good one, but there is always an outcome.”

  “Wondering if you should have actively planned more?”

  “Maybe. Or at least thought about what I wanted.” She drew in a breath. “A network job, which isn’t going to happen. So I’m a behind-the-camera girl now.”

  “One of the best.”

  She smiled. “Thanks. I’ll accept the compliment, even though you have no point of comparison.”

  “You’re better than me.”

  She pressed her lips together.

  “Hey,” he said, in mock annoyance. “I’m not that bad.”

  “You’re perfectly adequate. Better than most with your level of training.”

  He put his arm around her and drew her against him.

  “Stop trying to shield my feelings,” he teased. “Just tell it to me straight.”

  She smiled up at him. “You’re a dabbler. A cute dabbler, but a dabbler all the same.”

  He was close enough to kiss her, she thought, aware of his body pressing against her and his mouth tantalizingly close. Despite being in the middle of town, on a public sidewalk at two on a Sunday afternoon, she could use a good kissing. Del’s kisses were special.

  But instead of drawing her nearer, he released her and pointed to the sign. “We’re here. Let’s go find out why you’re killing plants.”

  Better to keep things light, she told herself, even though she knew she was lying. Did Del not want to kiss her? Was she not appealing to him? Funny how ten years ago there had been so much passion between them, it had been hard to see anything else. Now, while she still felt quivery whenever he was around, she was just as intrigued by the emotional connection. In some ways, that was even more powerful. And potentially dangerous. Especially if it was only a one-sided sensation.

  * * *

  DEL COULDN’T GET Maya’s idea out of his head. He only half listened as she discussed her recent plant homicide with one of the employees at Plants for the Planet. He was too busy thinking about possibilities.

  The way she’d talked about the ongoing video series had brought so many of his disparate ideas into clear focus. He liked the concept of a consistent format, using different kids from all over the world. There were universal elements—school, family, sports. Once the kids saw the connection, they could experience what other students were going through. After commonality came the ability to relate. It was easy to hate or fear otherness, but if the person was just like you, there was a bond.

  Was there a market for that kind of material? he wondered. He knew school budgets were tight. If he had the right financing, plus his own money, he could offer the program for free. Because what was important to him was the message.

  Something to think about, he told himself.

  Maya stood by the cash register. He walked over and took the box of plants in front of her. She looked more worried than happy.

  “They’re replacing them for me for free,” she said. “It’s their guarantee. I don’t want to take advantage of them. I mean, what if I did something wrong?”

  “It’s four plants,” he told her. “Go with it. If these are fine, then it’s the plants. If these di
e, it’s you, and you can pay them for these, along with some new ones.”

  “If these die, I should give up on growing things,” she said, following him out of the store. “I knew I wasn’t very good at relationships, but I would hate to have that concept play out in ongoing plant death.”

  “Why would you say you’re not good at relationships?” From what he’d seen, she was friendly and well liked. He enjoyed her company.

  “The usual reasons. I’m going to be thirty in a couple of years and I’m not married. I haven’t had a long-term boyfriend in...a while.” She glanced at him, then away. “Zane.”

  “Your stepbrother? What does he have to do with anything?”

  “You’re not the only one with weird family relationships. Zane and I have been circling each other like wary adversaries for years. I’ve always talked about him having a stick up his ass. I thought he was too hard on his little brother and a grumpy guy who needed to live a little.”

  “And?”

  “It’s possible I was wrong.”

  “You?”

  She flashed him a smile. “I like that you’re pretending to be surprised, even though we both know you’re not. Yes, me. Chase has always been a handful. Even though I knew that, I always took his side against Zane. A few months ago, Chase went too far. I won’t get into the details, but the upshot is he needed to learn a lesson and Zane was determined to teach him. There was a fake cattle drive and—”

  “Did you say fake cattle drive?”

  She laughed. “Yes. Chase took money from tourists after promising them a cattle drive. He was going to pay the deposits back and couldn’t, so Zane decided to create a fake cattle drive and made Chase handle all the crappy jobs. It was a good solution.”

  “Except for the guests.”

  “They did get to spend several days herding cattle. It was actually a really good time. Except for the flood at the end.”

  Del looked at her. “You’re making that up.”

  “I’m not. There was an article about it in the local paper. Anyway, my point is, Chase really screwed up. He’s a teenager, so it’s kind of expected, which was what I would have said to Zane. Actually I did say it. But Zane was right. Chase needed to be taught a lesson. It made me think that I might have been too much on Chase’s side and not supportive enough of Zane. That would be an example of me messing up in a relationship.”