“So, Hallie Banks appeared to a lucky few that night.” When she bit her lip, he placed his hand over hers and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “Great job. She’s lucky to have you.”
Her grin was proud. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’m not asking for charity from you, though,” she said, suddenly serious. “I want to give you something in return.”
“I’m all ears.” And other body parts, too, but he refrained from mentioning them.
“I’ll agree to be the go-between for you and the interior decorator.”
He frowned. “I’m sorry?”
“You might not have any idea what kind of furniture or rugs or window treatments to choose for your house, but I do. I saw your minimalist condominium once—”
“You did?”
She quirked her lips. “Yes. I stopped by with Hannah and Will.”
Had he not noticed? Or had she made herself as small as possible so he wouldn’t?
“Anyway, your place was nice, but barren. I heard Hannah say your new house has a separate office for clients, so you’ll want to make a good impression. And being someone who understands both decor and the music industry...”
“You know what I need.” His voice was gravel. She hadn’t offered to kiss him senseless, but his brain hadn’t received the memo yet. “Are you sure you’re up to the task of answering questions involving rug pile height and whatever the hell wainscoting is?”
Hallie pointed to a wall with decorative paneling covering the bottom half. “That’s wainscoting. So, yes.”
Well. His day just became a hell of a lot more interesting. Helping Hallie have fun would not only satisfy his fresh curiosity about her, but it also held the added bonus of ending his decorator headaches.
“Very well. I accept your offer. I’ll show you how to break the rules in exchange for your expertise with Ruby.”
“Safely break the rules,” she amended.
“Safely,” he agreed. He would have done it for no trade at all, but if she needed to feel as if she was contributing, he could use her help. Not much in life made him wilt, but evaluating the subtle differences between cream, eggshell and off-white had weakened him like a recently shorn Sampson. “When do you want to start?”
“As soon as possible.” As if worried she sounded overeager, she quickly added, “If that’s okay?”
“How about now?” His mind on kissing her, he lifted his hand with the intent of cupping her jaw and tasting those lips. She misunderstood and thrust her hand into his, giving it a firm shake.
“Thank you. You won’t be disappointed.” She chewed on the plush bottom lip he wished he was kissing. “At the risk of sounding like the workaholic you accused me of being, there’s no way I can meet with Ruby today. I have an appointment in an hour.”
“No problem.” And it wasn’t a problem, not really. He could bide his time. Where Hallie was concerned, he’d been around her plenty without acting on a single one of his impulses. Impulses he’d fervently ignored until now. Part of his change of heart was thanks to Will and Hannah leaving town. He wondered if their absence had similarly fueled Hallie’s request. “Leave it to me, Hals. I’ll show you how to have fun.”
As much as she could stand to have with him.
Six
After a client meeting, Gavin was walking along one of the main drags downtown when he spotted two women he knew very well. One of them had red hair that appeared fiery in the autumn sunshine.
“Well, if it isn’t none other than Presley Cole.”
Gavin had known Pres for years—prior to her engagement to his brother. He found her fun and refreshing—the perfect foil for Cash, who had been far too self-sacrificial before she reentered his life.
The woman walking with her fluttered her eyelashes, a demure smile on her face.
“It’s Hallie, right?” he teased, pleased when one corner of her mouth lifted.
“Very funny.” Hallie rolled her eyes.
“I thought so.” He was looking forward to being around her a lot more than usual given their recently solidified “rule breaking” deal.
“What brings you to our neck of the woods, Gavin?” Presley, a to-go cup of coffee in hand, asked.
“I was visiting a client, and, hate to break it to you, but this is not your neck of the woods, Tallahassee. You only recently moved here.”
“I’m nearly a Sutherland.” She wiggled her fingers at him, showing off her engagement ring.
“What are you two up to?” he asked. Hallie seemed shier than yesterday. He was looking forward to having her to himself again, and as soon as possible.
“We were just wrapping up,” Presley chirped. “I promised Cash I would meet him.” She looked at Hallie, whose eyes widened slightly. “I totally forgot to tell you. Darn. I’m sure Gavin would give you a ride home.”
He slanted a glance at Presley, who wobbled her head in an enthusiastic nod. He saw what was going on here.
“Ah, no problem. I have to run an errand, so you’d have to come with.” He tilted his head at Hallie, who seemed thoroughly inconvenienced and maybe a little pissed off. It was a good look on her. It sparked the gold in her eyes and flushed her cheeks.
“I didn’t realize I was such a burden,” she told Presley. Yep, pissed off.
“Definitely not a burden,” he assured her. “Since you agreed to help me with my interior designer, maybe you could help me out with where I’m going today, too.” He nodded at his Ford truck, parked across the street. “I’m trading her in today. The lease is up, and I could use a second opinion. If you don’t mind, of course.”
“Yes, Hallie mentioned your agreement.” Presley glanced at her friend meaningfully. “This is an opportunity for spontaneity.”
Hallie pursed her lips.
“Have fun!” Pres scooped Hallie into a quick hug, slapped Gavin on the arm and jogged to her car as fast as her high-heeled sandals would carry her.
Hallie crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t have to take me with you. I can call a car.”
“Why would you do that when I have a perfectly good truck?”
“That you’re about to trade in.”
He shrugged. “Life is for living, Hals.”
Her eyes sparked again, but this time it wasn’t caused by anger or nerves. If he wasn’t mistaken, she liked the nickname. He’d never heard anyone call her anything other than Hallie. He’d consider her first rule well and truly broken.
* * *
At the dealership, Gavin waved to his friend Chad, who was racing across the showroom floor to meet him. Chad liked Gavin, probably because the youngest Sutherland had a bad habit of trading in his cars on a regular basis. Or a good habit, depending on which one of them you asked.
“Mr. Sutherland. I have the perfect truck picked out for you. And a couple of other contenders, as well. I know how you like options.”
Gavin stuck his hands in his pockets. “Actually, I want to look at something sporty today. Fast. Fun. In sleek silver or cherry red. I wouldn’t be opposed to royal blue, though it’s not my first choice.”
“No problem.” Chad smiled over at Hallie and, being the good guy he was, offered his hand. “Chad King. And I know who you are. Hannah Banks. Legendary superstar.”
Well, crap. No good deed went unpunished.
“Actually, this is Hannah’s twin sister, Hallie—Hannah’s manager.”
“I’m so sorry.” Chad looked chagrined for a second before saying, “You two look exactly alike. Exactly.”
Hallie pulled her hand from Chad’s and waved off the apology. “Don’t worry about it. You wouldn’t believe how often it happens. Even with people we’ve known for years.” She dragged out the word years and slid a feisty glance over at Gavin when she did it.
Wasn’t she so funny.
“Same price range as the trucks?” Chad asked Gavin.
“No limit. Show us the best you have. I’m feeling spendy today.”
Chad’s eyes popped with excitement before he scampered off, promising to return with keys. Gavin turned to Hallie, expecting to see excitement on her pretty face. Instead, she regarded him sternly.
“Do you know how much money you waste by leasing? Buying is the more financially sound decision. And if you were smart you would drive a used car rather than new, which loses thirty percent of its value the moment you drive it off the lot.”
“I feel like you misunderstood me when I extended this invitation. I wanted your advice on style, not price. Besides, it’s no fun to drive a used car.”
“There’s more to life than fun—” She paused, her mouth hanging open for a beat before she bit her lip.
“A belief we’re going to work on changing for you today.” He offered his hand. “Come with me.”
She hesitated for a beat before slipping her hand into his. He guided her through the showroom to stand in front of a tricked-out, completely impractical, bumblebee yellow sports car. His mouth over her ear, he murmured, “Driving this beauty off the showroom floor without haggling over price—now that’s fun.”
She peered at him through her eyelashes, the edge of her smile appearing and giving him a preview of one delicious dimple. He couldn’t help admiring her full mouth, or leaning closer. Unfortunately, Chad showed up at that moment and ushered them outside.
* * *
Hallie didn’t know what Gavin was up to, but she had to admit picking out an incredibly expensive, indulgent and, yes, fun sports car was the highlight of her day.
Of course, that could be partly because he’d not only been standing very close to her since they arrived at the dealership, but was also holding her hand as they admired a sleek red sports car.
“The color’s Candied Apple,” Chad said when Hallie touched the gleaming hood. “Excellent choice. Want to take her for a spin?”
“Yes.” Gavin smiled down at her. “We would.”
Chad opened the passenger-side door for her and then rounded to the driver’s side. Gavin lowered onto the leather seat and gripped the wheel with both hands. After a brief tutorial from Chad, the salesman waved them off.
“We’ll have her back within the hour,” Gavin said.
Chad patted the top of the car. “Take your time.” Then he jogged across the parking lot to greet his next customer.
“Is it the Sutherland name that beckons this sort of VIP treatment?” Hallie ran her hand over the leather dashboard. It really was a beautiful car, and she’d never been much of a car girl.
“It could be, but in Chad’s case, I think it’s mostly gratitude for keeping him from getting the hell beat out of him in high school.” Gavin put the car into gear and rolled out of the parking lot, navigating into the busy afternoon traffic.
“You protected him?”
“You sound surprised. You don’t think I could? He and I might be roughly the same size now, but he was a skinny fifteen-year-old.”
She had to laugh at Gavin’s cockiness. Chad was passably attractive and basically the same size as Gavin, but the car salesman didn’t have the fantastic jawline or scruff Gavin had. Chad was wider in the shoulders with a touch of a belly at his belt line, whereas Gavin was as sleek and muscular as a jungle cat. She’d had the privilege of noting his rippling muscles whenever he’d been shirtless on the boat. He worked hard on his body. She’d seen the evidence whenever he arrived at the studio after a run, sweat sparkling on his brow.
Sort of like the sweat on her own brow now. She swiped it away and turned her thoughts from Gavin—clothed or unclothed.
“I’m not surprised,” she said. “Protecting people is what you do. Though nowadays from more than losing their lunch money.”
He glanced away from the road long enough to send her a warm smile. Like the compliment had touched him. But that couldn’t have been a revelation. He had to know he was a good person.
She’d always admired his laid-back style. He wasn’t pushy, but he was firm. He was likable, funny, and his clients trusted him without exception. Hannah hadn’t hesitated to work with him after she and Will were together. And Presley had been singing Gavin’s praises for as long as Hallie had known her. No way could Gavin have missed the hero worship coming at him from all sides.
She focused out the windshield as the next turn took them away from busy traffic and toward proper country territory. Beaumont Bay was a bustling, wealthy, busy city, but there was still plenty of undeveloped, untouched land. Mountain View Lake and the trees beyond hid numerous large houses in their hills you wouldn’t notice if you weren’t looking for them.
“I don’t remember Chad sanctioning you to take this car off-road.” Her voice vibrated as the wheels hit a particularly rough patch.
“You sound worried.” His cunning grin dared her to argue.
“I’m not worried,” she lied rather than explain how rocks scuffing the paint could cost him.
“Good. You and I are officially on the clock. We’re going to break your first rule today.”
She snapped her head around to challenge him, but he appeared deadly serious, even with a big grin on his face. She was about to ask him which rule he was referring to when he pulled over, threw the car into Park and climbed out. By the time he opened her door for her, she was shaking her head.
“Oh, no. I am not driving this car.”
He offered his hand. “Yes. You are.”
“Did you happen to notice the price sticker in the window behind me?”
As if he hadn’t, he squinted at the sticker now. “So?”
“So. What if I bonk into something? Like a tree. Or...a ten-point buck?”
“You’re funny.” He laughed and her stomach fluttered. There weren’t many men whose laugh registered in her stomach. That was Gavin’s superpower. “Give me your hand. I mean it, Hals. We’re not going back until you drive this baby.”
What was it about the cute, shortened version of her name she liked so much? She’d always been Hallie growing up—unless someone was calling her Hannah—and hadn’t thought much of having her own nickname. Gavin had given her one, and it felt special. Especially rolling off his amazing lips.
She slapped her palm into his, noting the firm warmth of his hand as he helped her from the car. Then he sat in the seat she’d been in, giving her no choice but to climb into the driver’s seat.
Behind the wheel of the car, her heart pounded.
“You heard Chad go over the basics. Do you have any questions?”
“I don’t think so.” She flexed her fingers as she studied the fancy lights glowing from the dashboard. It was a gorgeous piece of machinery. And the most expensive car she’d ever sat in. She favored a more conservative ride...one that didn’t cost as much as, say, a house.
“I want you to drive up this hill, take a right onto Magnolia Lane and then push the gas pedal down as hard as you dare.” He pointed at the speedometer. “She goes up to one hundred and eighty.”
As he talked, her eyes grew wider and wider. “I’m not going to speed in a car no one owns.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. The dealership owns it.”
“You’re not funny.”
“You were the one who wanted to break rules. This is a baby step.” His thick eyebrows lifted. “Don’t back out on me now.”
He was right. She had asked him to help her break her rules. Speeding down a country road was fairly tame. The idea made her uncomfortable, but wasn’t that the point of this entire experiment?
“Do you know how to drive a stick?” he asked.
“Don’t you think I would’ve admitted if I didn’t?” She threw the car into gear and eased off the clutch, anticipation thrumming through her veins. “Gram taugh
t me how to drive a stick.”
“Eleanor Banks. A legend.” He buckled his seat belt. “Let’s go, then. I’m in your capable hands.”
Seven
Hallie rested one hand on the wheel and the other on the stick shift between them. Her nails were short but manicured with a slightly transparent, shell-colored nail polish. Her clothing was professional and monochromatic yet inexplicably sexy.
He couldn’t fathom why she’d decided to blend in with the woodwork when she was so damn interesting. Unpacking the parcel that was Hallie Banks was a hell of a lot more fun than he would have imagined.
She squealed as the car jerked under them, her laughter contagious. She wasn’t going the speed limit, but held the wheel like she was breaking the sound barrier. This car should have shot off like a cannon considering the horsepower under the hood. She was driving like she was chauffeuring a little old lady to a salon appointment.
“How’d you decide to go into management?” he asked, genuinely curious.
Her eyebrows lifted—both of them—but she didn’t take her eyes off the road. “I’m naturally organized. And Hannah is naturally talented.”
“Seems like your mother or your father would’ve taken that on.” He didn’t know much about the Banks sisters’ parents, only that they weren’t around much.
“Mom and Dad are avid travelers. They’ve always been on the move. Gram raised Hannah and me from the time we were five years old. Mom and Dad call and visit as often as possible, but we never lacked for anything considering Gram had our backs.”
He hadn’t known any of that. He was mildly alarmed. His parents were very involved in their children’s lives. The Sutherland sons hadn’t gone into commercial real estate, but it hadn’t stopped Travis and Dana Sutherland from offering unsolicited advice.
“Gram taught us how to be smart in the industry. She encouraged us to follow our hearts. Hannah had a natural love for singing and music and was always performing. I’m more of a behind-the-scenes girl.”
“You’re crazy smart, you mean.”
Good Twin Gone Country Page 5
