An Unexpected Partnership (HQR Special Edition)

by Teresa Southwick

  While they’d debated, coffee brewed and the smell of it was everywhere. Or maybe it was her supersensitive nose due to pregnancy. Didn’t matter why, but the stronger the smell, the worse she felt. She fought back as long as possible but it was a losing battle.

  “I’m—oh, God—I’m going to be sick.”

  She put her hand over her mouth and raced upstairs for the privacy of her own bathroom. She made it—barely—and lost her breakfast. No way the perfect Leo Wallace was going to see her toss her cookies.

  “Tess?”

  Dear God, no. He followed her! “Go away.”

  The next thing she knew, he was beside her, scooping her hair back from her face as she bent over the toilet. She’d be furious if she didn’t feel hot, sweaty and humiliated. He held her hair with one hand and rubbed her back with the other.

  No, no, no. “Go away. Please,” she mumbled.

  “Not happening.”

  Her stomach was empty but she waited a few moments to make sure it was over. With a shaking hand, she pressed the handle to flush and then straightened up. After closing the lid, she stood and sat down on it, refusing to meet his gaze.

  “I’m okay now. Really. You can go. I’ll meet you downstairs in a minute.”

  Her eyes drifted shut, but she heard the sound of running water in the sink. A moment later he pressed a cool washcloth to her forehead and rubbed it across her neck. It felt so good she could cry. That might be about gratitude, or hormones, or both.

  “Stay here. I’ll be back in a second.”

  Before she could pull together the energy to say “don’t tell me what to do,” he was gone. Several moments later he was back with the box of crackers. He opened it and one of the four individual packs inside, then handed her a salty square.

  “This will help.” He crouched in front of her so they were eye to eye. His were full of sweetness and sympathy.

  “The last thing I want to do is eat,” she said weakly.

  “I know, but you have to. This will settle your stomach.”

  If she didn’t feel so crappy, she would have asked how he could be so sure. Instead she gave him a skeptical look. “If you’re wrong and I lose it again, will you promise to go away?”

  “Cross my heart.”

  “Do you have one?” She took a small bite of cracker, chewed and swallowed.

  “There’s the snark I know and love. You must be feeling a little better.”

  When there was no adverse reaction to the single nibble, she took another and waited. It went down easily. Even more surprising, she was suddenly hungry. “Can I have another one?”

  He handed her the package. “Knock yourself out.”

  She took small bites and chewed slowly. “You know, when I took the pregnancy test and it was positive, I couldn’t believe it was true. There was nothing tangible to prove I was going to have a baby. Then bam. I feel like roadkill, proof that there are changes going on.”

  “Nature is pretty amazing.”

  She nibbled two more crackers and began to feel more like herself. She knew that because her defenses against him were going back up.

  “You’re being awfully nice to me for a man who doesn’t believe this baby is his.”

  He looked down for a second, then back at her. There was a glint of humor in his blue eyes. “About that... I asked around, to see if you’d slept with anyone else.”

  “You didn’t!”

  “Everyone said no. But you might have said it never happened.”

  “Okay. Now you’re being a jerk so all is right with the world.” But was it? Her heart seemed to swell a couple of sizes. “Make no mistake. If it gets out how sweet you’re being to me, there will be hell to pay.”

  “Oh?”

  “More women will throw their panties at you.”

  “More than zero?” He arched an eyebrow. “No one does that now.”

  “Like I believe that,” she scoffed.

  But she couldn’t shrug off how incredibly nice he was being, even with questions still surrounding the pregnancy. She didn’t think he had a sweet bone in his body. But she was wrong and that was a problem.

  * * *

  Leo stood outside The Pub, waiting for Tess to let him in for their meeting with the contractor. Nate Stratton would be here any minute, and Leo wanted a few moments to reassure her, yet again, that the changes would be profitable in the long run. Which was what her grandfather had ultimately wanted.

  He hadn’t seen her since the morning a couple of days ago when she’d tossed her cookies. She’d been a trouper then, no question. It wasn’t often her vulnerability showed, and she probably hadn’t been able to brazen it out. The pregnancy hormones were in charge after all. But, damn, seeing her toughness slip brought out a protectiveness he hadn’t experienced since—

  The door opened and there she was, looking so pretty and... Dare he say it? Glowing. “Hi.”

  “Good morning,” he managed to say.

  She glanced at the store-bought cups of coffee he was holding, one in each hand. “I hope you didn’t bring me one. Not after last time.”

  “No. It’s for Nate. So you don’t have to make coffee.” He’d expected her expression to soften or maybe get a hint of a smile, but her frown deepened. “What?”

  “That was very thoughtful of you.”

  “Then why do you look like that?”

  “Like what?” she asked.

  “Like you want to brain me with a coffeepot.”

  “I didn’t think it showed,” she admitted.

  “You lost me.”

  “You’re being nice. Thoughtful. I don’t trust it.” She shrugged, defiance in her eyes.

  At least she was being honest, he thought. “Well, I’m not sure how to defend myself against that. What if I promise not to be nice anymore?”

  She nodded approval. “I’d appreciate that.”

  “Can I come in now?”

  “Oh. Sure. Sorry.” She stepped back and pulled the door wide. “It’s half yours now.”

  And she wasn’t happy about it. The tone, the body language, the glare she tried to hide. All of it said she wasn’t yet reconciled to him being her partner. Only financial results would show her this was a good thing, and that wasn’t going to happen overnight. Still, he did miss the sexy woman who’d clung to him and kissed him back. He was fighting that feeling because it was dangerous. It would be months until he knew for sure she was telling the truth about the baby. Speaking of which...

  “How are you feeling?”

  “So far, so good. Today. The crackers are helping.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  “I’m really curious how you know so much about pregnancy nausea.” She folded her arms over her chest and looked up at him as if he was breaking some rule.

  The truth was his wife was pregnant when they’d married, and he’d gone through it with her. Reading the books. Researching on the internet. Catering to her cravings. It was hard to shake the bitterness about how that had all turned out. Tess’s grandfather had helped him deal and obviously hadn’t spilled the facts to her, treating Leo’s story like attorney/client privilege. That was then; this was now and he didn’t want to talk about it.

  “I must have seen it in a movie.” If only. Then it wouldn’t still hurt like a son of a bitch.

  “Anyway. Thanks for the tip.” She glanced at the watch on her wrist. “Your friend is late.”

  “He’s busy. I had to do some fast talking to get him to take us on.” Although now that he thought about it, Nate’s attitude had changed a little after meeting Tess and looking at the bar.

  “No rush as far as I’m concerned.” Translation: she didn’t care if it never started.

  “That’s emotion talking. Because in your business classes I’m sure you learned that the sooner you start increasin
g profits, the sooner your business is out of trouble.”

  She nodded. “And the sooner you can turn everything over to me and we’ll see less of each other.”

  Only if the baby wasn’t his.

  “Since we’re going to turn this place into a sports freak show, I suggest lending my name,” he said. “It’s recognizable.”

  “To who? Besides your female fans, of course.”

  “I have two Stanley Cup rings.” The look on her face didn’t change, so he said, “You do know the significance of that, right?”

  “Actually, no.”

  “In hockey it’s the equivalent of winning the World Series in baseball. Or the Super Bowl in football.”

  “Ah.” She still didn’t look impressed.

  “And we came close to winning it at least five more times.”

  “So, lending your name. Does that mean we’re going to call it Leo’s Lounge or The ‘Wall’ Flower?”

  “Funny.” Until now he hadn’t been aware that she knew his hockey nickname. “We can talk about names later. I’m more interested in getting the inside ready.” He looked at his watch. “And if Nate doesn’t get here soon—”

  “Knock, knock.” The door opened and in walked Nate Stratton, bachelor, builder, businessman. “Sorry I’m late. Had a crisis at another site.”

  “Glad you made it,” Leo said.

  “Hi.” Tess smiled in a way she’d never smiled at Leo. It was a friendly look, but a little flirty around the edges. She held out her hand. “Nice to see you again.”

  “Same here.” Did the guy hold her hand a little too long when he shook it?

  Leo was aware that women found his friend attractive. They’d been each other’s wingman more than once, and a time or two his date had made a move on the guy. It never bothered him before but it damn sure did now.

  “So, what have you got to show us?” Leo wanted to move this along.

  “I’ve got the plans on the computer.” He put it down on the table without chairs on top of it. “Here we go. I think you’re really going to like this.”

  Tess and Leo moved chairs and sat on either side of the contractor. Was she close enough to Nate that their arms brushed? he wondered. The thought did not make him happy.

  Nate went through more detailed, three-dimensional plans from the initial one Leo had originally shown Tess. They were good. He could easily picture the changes opening up the interior of the bar and infusing life into the place. He glanced at Tess but had no idea what was going through her mind.

  “This is just a thought,” Leo said. “But since we’re doing some makeover anyway, I propose we upgrade the kitchen. We can hire a chef and shake up the menu. Another marketing strategy.”

  Tess looked less than thrilled. “I feel everything my grandfather put into this place slipping away.”

  “I promise when I’m finished there will be a mix of old and new,” Nate promised. “Not that I get a vote, but I agree with Leo about the kitchen. Atmosphere, fun and good food will bring in the customers.”

  “Nothing is sacred,” Tess muttered.

  “If you don’t want—” Nate started.

  She held up her hand to stop him. “No. If we’re going to make changes, let’s go all in.”

  “You won’t be disappointed,” Leo assured her.

  “I agree.” Nate looked at each of them. “Let’s talk logistics.”

  The contractor explained how many weeks total for the work, the mess involved and the estimated time frame The Pub would have to close for construction. He gave Leo a copy of the plans on a flash drive and instructions to contact him after they had discussed everything. He would draw up a contract and give them a start date. Then he excused himself to go to another meeting he was already late for.

  When they were alone, Tess met his gaze, her own worried. “I didn’t think about keeping this place open during construction. Or that it would have to close.”

  “It’s a lot to consider, but remember he said it would only close for a short time. When water and electricity would have to be turned off, we can’t conduct business.” Leo thought for a moment. “But before that stage, we can have a ‘pardon our dust’ promotion. Half off drinks and food. Extended happy hour. BOGO. See the before and after. Customers will respond.”

  “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade?”

  “Exactly,” he said enthusiastically.

  “We can’t afford to lose anyone.”

  “I know. It will be all right. But there’s something else that concerns me more than that.” He turned his chair toward her, the now-empty one sitting between them.

  “What could possibly be worse than shrinking our customer base?” she asked. “Or losing four to six weeks of revenue?”

  “Construction means dust and paint fumes in this building.”

  “Okay. We can utilize the patio area more. Use outside heaters if necessary until summer is here.”

  “No. I meant I’m concerned about you living upstairs during the demolition and painting. Plus if the water and electricity are off, you can’t be here.”

  “I can make do. I’m tough.”

  “You’re also pregnant. None of that will be healthy for you and the baby.”

  Now she looked uneasy. “I’ll get fans and open the windows upstairs. It’s spring. It will be fine.”

  “I’m not comfortable with that.” No matter whose baby she was carrying, the scenario they were discussing was bad.

  “It’s where I live. What do you want me to do?”

  “Move out.”

  “Where?”

  “Can’t you couch surf with friends?”

  She thought for a moment and then shook her head. “Anyone I’d feel comfortable asking either doesn’t have room or is living with a parent.”

  “Then an extended-stay hotel.”

  She shook her head. “I’ll just have to make this work here at The Pub.”

  “Why are you pushing back so hard?” he asked.

  “Because I don’t have the money to stay somewhere else.”

  “I’ll pay for it. The cost of doing business,” he explained.

  “I can’t let you do that.”

  Her face was showing all kinds of stubborn kicking in, so he didn’t pursue that approach. There was one more thing he could think of.

  “Move in with me. I don’t live with my parents.” Heaven forbid. He couldn’t wait to get out of that battle zone when he was a kid. “And I have plenty of room at my place. We’d probably never see each other.”

  “That’s not a good idea.”

  “I disagree. It’s the perfect solution. And it won’t cost any more out of pocket. So everything is settled. It won’t be for long. It’ll be great.”

  The best part was that he could really keep an eye on her. To make sure she ate properly and took care of herself. If he could also see for himself that she wasn’t going out with another man that would be okay, too.

  Chapter Four

  Leo finally wore her down and Tess agreed to move in when The Pub renovation started. It moved quickly, and two weeks later she pulled her small compact car into his circular driveway and parked behind his big, expensive silver SUV. She’d always figured him for something flashier but he’d said they were too small and uncomfortable. The thought of his broad shoulders squeezed into a sports car made her heart flutter more than a little, which was disconcerting since she was practically on his doorstep.

  A very impressive doorstep, attached to a New England–style house with gables and siding, surrounded by manicured grass, bushes and flowers. She was a little nervous about seeing the inside. Sharing living space with the man whose outstanding shoulders had just made her heart flutter was definitely going to be something. Whether good or bad was yet to be determined.

  She didn’t quite know
what to make of his inviting her to stay with him. He was right about the dust and paint fumes, though. She’d checked with the doctor, who totally agreed with him. And anyone she’d felt comfortable asking for temporary lodging would have been inconvenienced. Leo sure didn’t lie about the size of his place. He could put up the entire UCLA marching band here. But she had a sneaking suspicion the offer had more to do with not trusting her than anything else.

  Trust was a fragile thing. Once broken it was pretty darn hard to rebuild. She found it easiest not to believe in someone at all.

  “Enough procrastinating,” she said to herself. “Journey of a thousand miles. Single step and all that.”

  She popped the trunk on her car, then exited and went to the rear to get her suitcases. Before she could, the front door opened and Leo came out and jogged down the three steps.

  “Let me get that stuff,” he said.

  “Thanks.” She didn’t push back, because somehow he always got his way. Without another word she grabbed a couple of grocery bags out of the rear seat and followed him inside. “Where’s the kitchen?”

  “Back there.” His hands were full so he lifted his chin to indicate the general direction. “I’ll take your suitcases up to the guest room.”

  “Okay. Thanks,” she said again.

  That was very sweet of him, and the more she got to know him, the more she actually liked Leo Wallace. Since they were now partners, that was a good thing, right? As long as it didn’t turn into more than business. Although that seemed like shutting the barn door after the horse got out. And now they would be roomies. Eventually they’d be parenting together. Maybe they could be friends. She was beginning to think she could manage that.

  The man had very good taste in houses but the jury was out on his decorating skills, what with the interior having very few furnishings. There was nothing in the living and dining rooms. In the kitchen there were white cabinets and gorgeous granite on an island as big as a Toyota. The adjacent family room had a flat-screen TV above the fireplace and a brown leather corner group in front of it.