by Stacy Finz
Get a grip.
He sat on the opposite sofa and leaned forward. “Whaddya got?”
She cleared her throat. “It’s probably a dumb idea. I got it this morning when you mentioned my jacket.”
He bobbed his head for her to go on.
“What if Delaney could design these jackets to also be tents?” She watched him, gauging his reaction. “You’re laughing, aren’t you? But think about it. It would be one less thing to carry when you’re bouldering or skiing in the backcountry and want to camp out.”
“I’m not laughing.” No, he was trying to keep it together and not make a move he would later regret. “It’s a good idea.” Sure, it was a little wacky, but backpackers were forever trying to lighten their load. And a warm, lightweight jacket that had multiple functions was smart. If it was done right. “I don’t know if it would be something Delaney is interested in creating.” She was a high-fashion designer, not a tent maker.
“But you don’t think it’s crazy?” She met his gaze and played with her lower lip. It was driving him crazy.
“Nope, not necessarily. What made you think of it?” It seemed so out of the blue.
“I don’t know. Sometimes I think of weird things like that. Maybe I should’ve been an inventor, except I wouldn’t know how to execute the idea or even draw it. I’m better at coming up with stuff and telling people like you about it.”
“It’s the idea that counts. Look at Steve Jobs. He was the face of Apple because he was the company’s visionary. But it was Steve Wozniak who actually engineered the computer.” Jeez, he sounded as if he was delivering a college dissertation.
“I didn’t know that.” Her brown eyes sparkled and she looked at him like he was the smartest guy on the face of the earth. He wasn’t, but . . . damn.
“You ever think of going into marketing?” She’d told him she wanted to be a PE teacher, which was great. No doubt kids would love her. But there were other options, better-paying ones.
“I don’t have a degree or any experience. Who would hire me?”
Me.
No, it was nuts and his family would kill him; besides, he’d offered the job to Lauren, someone with serious retail chops. “When you go back to school, you should take some marketing classes and try to get an internship.”
She cocked a brow. “A thirty-year-old intern. Yeah, right.”
“You have to start somewhere. If you want, we could talk about it some more.” What had happened to his plan to maintain distance? Clearly, he’d thrown that out the window.
“Thank you, TJ. But you don’t have to do any of this.” She reached for his hand and held it. It was a small gesture, yet he felt the heat of her touch travel south of his belt with the speed of lightning.
They just sat there like that, his eyes locked on her brown ones until he came to his senses.
“I have to go . . . early morning.” He hastily got to his feet.
“Oh . . . okay.”
He turned on the alarm and they walked out together. The forecast had said more snow, but there were still no sign of flurries. Soon, though. TJ could feel it in his bones.
“I’ll walk you home,” he said.
“Nah. I’m going back to Old Glory.”
He watched her until she disappeared inside the bar and fished his keys out of his pocket.
* * *
The next morning, he got to work by eight after a stop at Starbucks, which was late for him. The snow had come hard and fast sometime between midnight and four. And even though his Range Rover was all-wheel drive, the roads were slippery.
He dragged his ass through the front door to GA’s lobby and was surprised to find Darcy at the counter.
“Whoa. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look awful.” Her nose was red, her eyes glassy, and there was a mound of used tissues on her desk.
“I didn’t want to get behind.” She stared at his cup of coffee. A grande, a venti, or whatever the hell they called it.
“I bought, sorry,” he said sheepishly. Darcy took a lot of pride in the fact that she was the only one in the office who could make a decent pot of coffee. “I didn’t think you’d be here. You should go home, Darce.”
“It’s okay. I’ll be fine.”
“This was a helluva morning to go out sick in.” He watched the snow continue to fall outside the window. The town and ski lifts would be jammed this weekend. “If you change your mind, I can give you a lift back home. Just say the word.”
He started for his office when Darcy said, “Lauren called. I left her number on your desk.”
By the end of the day, GA would have itself a retail expert. It should’ve been good news, but he was still thinking of Deb for the position. Nope, he told himself, Lauren was the best person for the job. “Thanks.”
He passed Win’s office, which was empty. He couldn’t remember whether his brother was scheduled for a tour that morning. Depending on what they had going, they might have to cancel because of the weather. A hassle, because clients usually wanted to reschedule, which took considerable juggling. They were booked through most of the year. Not that TJ was complaining.
He’d had just enough time to strip out of his jacket before Darcy buzzed.
“We got three new orders for Delaney’s jackets, but we only have two.”
“Okay, I’ll call her,” he said and started to hang up.
“Wait. Campbell is running late for the toboggan tour because of the snow,” she continued. “What should I do?”
TJ tapped his keyboard until he found the paperwork for the toboggan trip and relayed a name and number to Darcy. “That’s our contact for the group. Call to let them know Campbell is on his way.”
As soon as he got off with Darcy, he rang up Campbell. “What’s your ETA?”
“Five minutes.”
“They’re waiting. Stay safe, but move your ass.”
Josh stuck his head in. “What up?”
“Just got here. What do you have going?”
“Dad asked me to look at some bobsleds with him.”
“Over at Davenport’s?”
Josh sat on the arm of TJ’s couch. “Yeah, though I don’t feel like driving in this weather.”
“You want to take my Range Rover?”
Josh contemplated it. “Maybe. Let me talk to Dad. It won’t be so bad once we get over the pass.” He glanced at his watch. “But we better get moving if we don’t want to hit Sacramento traffic on the way home.” It was a three-hour drive each way.
“There’s an extra set of keys at the front desk.”
“Thanks.”
When Josh left, TJ picked up the phone and dialed Lauren’s number. She answered on the third ring and TJ heard traffic in the background.
“Hi, Lauren, it’s TJ Garner. Is this an okay time to talk?”
“Yes, yes, just let me get inside.” On the other end of the line, someone greeted her, maybe a doorman. “Sorry. I’m here now.” There was a long pause, then, “I have to decline the offer, TJ. Something else . . . another opportunity . . . came along and, well, I can’t pass it up.”
He hadn’t seen that coming. When he’d interviewed her a week ago, she’d sounded hungry for the job. “Any chance we could persuade you to take our position instead?” He could up her salary, even though it would put a dent in their operating costs.
“I’m really flattered, TJ, but I’ve made my decision. I hope we can keep in touch, though.”
“Absolutely. Anytime you’re in Glory Junction, stop by, we’ll take you to lunch,” he said and hung up.
Leaning back in his chair, he aimed a NERF ball at the hoop over his door. He shoots, he scores, the crowd roars. And his family was going to kill him.
Chapter Four
“I’m never doing this again,” Delaney said, dripping sweat and panting.
Deb ignored her and powered forward. She squatted, grabbed rubber, and flipped the 250-pound tire until it clattered on the gym floor. Two more until she made it to th
e end of the row. Then she’d work her way back.
While the woman next to her looked about ready to drop dead, Deb was just getting her second wind. Her heart rate had reached 190 according to her Fitbit, an incredibly generous Christmas gift from Hannah. Her life might be in the toilet, but at least when she turned thirty she’d be in tiptop shape. She’d always been a fitness freak, but for some reason it seemed more important than ever. Maybe because it was the one thing she could control.
She repeated the exercise again and again. Squat. Rubber. Flip. Squat. Rubber. Flip.
“Remember to use your hips,” the instructor shouted over the music.
The fast, thumping music changed to something slower, signaling that it was time to cool down. She grabbed her towel, wiped her face, and did a few stretches. Her heart rate started dropping and she got that euphoric feeling that came after an invigorating run or a fast ski down the slopes.
“There’s something wrong with you,” Delaney said as they headed to the women’s locker room together.
Deb laughed, stripping as she ducked into one of the showers and pulled the torn plastic curtain closed. The gym wasn’t fancy, but it was cheap and didn’t require an annual membership fee, just a monthly charge for unlimited use. A big plus for someone in her financial situation.
“What time do you have to be at the diner?” Delaney asked from the stall next to her. “I thought we could grab something to eat. God knows we earned it.”
“Today’s my day off,” though Deb could’ve used the extra shift. “Where do you want to go?” Deb prayed Delaney didn’t pick one of the expensive resort restaurants. She was a famous fashion designer and eating forty-dollar pancakes meant nothing to her.
“I’m assuming the last place you want to spend your day off is the diner.”
Actually, Deb got an employee discount at the Morning Glory. “We can do the diner. The new cook makes a killer Belgian waffle.”
“Great,” Delaney said, and Deb heard her turn off the water.
She did the same and got dressed. After a while, Delaney joined her at the vanity and applied moisturizer and a little makeup. Delaney was who Deb wanted to be when she grew up. Poised, gorgeous, smart, and successful. Oddly enough, the celebrity designer had become part of their motley crew. When she’d moved to the mountains full time, Deb had assumed she’d be a snob or at the very least intimidating. But when Hannah began selling Delaney’s designs at Glorious Gifts, she’d started hanging out with them. Foster liked to say Delaney had their same dark sense of humor, she just wore it better.
“Ready to go?” Delaney asked after she finished blowing out her hair.
Delaney had driven them in her Tesla. The car barely made any noise and ran a hell of a lot smoother than Deb’s Honda, which barely ran at all. At some point, when she had the money, she’d have TJ introduce her to his transmission guy.
When they got to the diner, Karen, Delaney’s fashion house manager, was there with a few colleagues. While Delaney went over to their table to say hello, Deb checked her phone. TJ had left a message to call him. After breakfast, she’d stroll over to Garner Adventure.
“What you looking at?” Delaney scooted into their booth.
“I was just checking my voice mail.” She slipped her phone back into her purse.
Ricki came right over and took their orders. Deb got the waffle with extra whipped cream. She’d earned it flipping tires.
“How’s Karen adjusting to life in Glory Junction? After living here two months, I’d imagine she’d be jonesing for the big city.” Deb loved everything about her hometown—the majestic mountains, the fresh smell of the pine trees, and knowing all her neighbors—but it had to be a culture shock for someone who wasn’t from a rural area.
“It’s different from Los Angeles, that’s for sure. But she seems to like it. Thank God, because I don’t know what I’d do without her. Since moving the business here, she’s been my rock. What do you think of me setting her up with TJ?”
“Uh . . . well . . . you think?” Deb gazed across the dining room at Karen and felt a pang of envy. She was absolutely the kind of woman TJ would be interested in. Sophisticated and accomplished. She single-handedly kept the trains running at Delaney’s company, Colt and Delaney, the same way TJ did at Garner Adventure. And then there was the fact that Karen was gorgeous. Pretty hard to compete with all that when the best she had to offer was a proposal to turn a down jacket into a pup tent.
“He may be seeing someone.” Deb had noticed him talking with a blonde at the bar. Watching him with the woman had in part prompted her to chase after him, using her cockamamy tent scheme as an excuse.
Which by the way, she had no intention of mentioning to Delaney.
“Colt didn’t say TJ was seeing anyone,” Delaney said. “I think they’d be perfect together. They’re both ambitious businesspeople, incredibly good-looking, and close to the same age. She enjoys skiing and kayaking, though I don’t think she’s as fanatical about it as TJ.”
Deb didn’t know anyone was as obsessive about adventure sports as the Garners, except maybe her.
“Is Karen also a workaholic?” she asked. It was a catty thing to say, but TJ spent so many hours at Garner Adventure that everyone joked that the company was his wife.
“Leave TJ alone. He’s a sweetheart and may just be the best of the Garner men.”
“Better than Colt?” she asked, surprised.
“Okay, not better than Colt, but I’m biased. And Colt’s taken, which leaves TJ and Win.”
“And you wouldn’t set Win up with Karen because of me.” The whole town thought she was still obsessed with Win, which was not only mortifying, it wasn’t true.
“Yes, but also because I think Win has a lot of growing up to do.” Delaney was clearly trying to deliver Deb a message. “We all love him to pieces, but I don’t think he’s the one for you. And that’s all I’m going to say about it.”
Deb sat back against the red vinyl bench, quietly surprised, and a bit relieved, to hear that maybe not everyone in her orbit believed she and Win were meant to be.
Ricki brought their meals and Deb drenched her waffle in syrup. Planning to ski later, she needed carbs. Lots of them.
After breakfast, Delaney went to work and Deb headed to Garner Adventure. As she passed Glorious Gifts, Hannah was redoing her Valentine’s Day display. The holiday always made Deb melancholy, but she popped in anyway.
“You off today?” Deb nodded and Hannah passed her a bowl of chocolate Kisses. “Eat a bunch so they’re not lying around—too much temptation.”
“I just had breakfast.” But she unwrapped one and popped it in her mouth just the same. She took a handful more and shoved them in the pocket of her ski jacket.
“Foster wants us to get together soon to plan your birthday,” Hannah said. “He’s thinking a big party.”
“Oh, I assumed it would just be the four of us and Carrie Jo, if she wanted to come.”
Hannah added a heart-shaped basket to her display and stepped back to appraise her handiwork. “We can do better than that. Thirty is a milestone. You need a party.”
“I’d love a party, but I can’t afford one right now and I don’t want you guys paying for it. Foster’s got a house to refurbish and you have a business to run.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “Whatever. You can’t stop us. If you try, we’ll make it a surprise.” Deb hated surprise parties and Hannah knew it. “Don’t worry. It’s not like we’ll be renting out the grand ballroom at the Four Seasons. It’ll just be something casual, but better than one of our usual nights at Old Glory. Can you live with that?”
“I might be able to,” Deb said and wrapped Hannah in a hug. She didn’t know what she’d do without her friends. They were the one constant in her life. “You guys are the best.”
“Can you meet tonight? My house?”
“Sure. You want me to bring anything?”
“Nah. I’ll make a big salad.”
Hannah con
tinued to tinker with her display. She always got a little OCD around the holidays, but Deb figured Valentine’s Day had to be a big revenue generator for a gift shop, especially if it was the only one in town.
“Take that other wicker thing out. It’s too busy.”
Hannah stood back to see what Deb was talking about and then moved the basket. “You’re right. Maybe I should hire you to merchandise my store. You’re good at it.”
“People go to school for that kind of thing, don’t they?”
Hannah shrugged. “Or they just have an eye for it, like you. Where you off to now? Maybe I could rope you into doing more displays with me.”
Deb thought for a second. “Why not?”
* * *
Darcy was at the reception desk at GA when Deb arrived. She didn’t know the receptionist well, but she’d always seemed nice. According to town scuttlebutt, she’d moved from Reno to live with her grandmother, a sweet lady who resided on the edge of town in a quaint cottage that had the most amazing flower boxes. That was the only 4-1-1 Deb had on Darcy. Maybe she’d invite her to her birthday party so Darcy could meet more people.
“Hey, Darcy; is TJ in?”
Darcy nodded, then held up a finger while she called TJ on the phone to announce Deb’s arrival.
Deb walked back to his office and found TJ sitting in a desk chair, hunkered over a pile of papers. He had on a blue Henley shirt that matched his eyes and stretched across his chest like a second skin, a pair of faded jeans, and Vasque hiking boots. He dressed more casually than most CEOs. Then again, he ran an adventure company, not a bank.
She reached into her jacket pocket, scooped up a few Kisses, and put them on his desk.
He stared down at them. “You brought me Kisses?” He looked back up and grinned.
“Yep.” And suddenly she felt silly.
