ALEX NOTICED HOW SUBDUED CALDER was within seconds of joining his uncle in the study for a check-in meeting. It was late, well after dinner, and though the meeting was necessary and important, his mind was elsewhere. Upstairs in his bedroom to be exact. Where he’d just left his gorgeous fiancée, perched in her chair, pouring over a catalog of Christmas decorations.
The agency was standing down for the holiday, giving everyone a much-needed break from business. It was time to focus on family. Even for Calder, who had taken on the lion’s share of agency management.
“Everything alright, Unc? You seem a bit distracted.”
Gathering the papers strewn in a messy jumble that had spread across the coffee table, Calder shrugged or jerked his shoulders with a grunt but didn’t offer anything else. What in the hell kind of answer was that?
Trying a different approach, Alex ventured, “Meghan’s looking forward to the holiday. Our first family Thanksgiving.”
“Mmmmm.”
Yeah. That was all he got. His uncle, while not known for being particularly verbose, was capable of actual conversation, so why he was being so dull-witted now was perplexing.
“I’m glad you’re here, Calder. It’s good to have family around. Have a lot to be thankful for this year, y’know?”
Still nothing except the sound of papers rustling. Okay. When a mention of family didn’t get a reaction, he’d have to go for an extreme measure to find out what the fuck flew up his uncle’s shorts.
Hmmmm. The direct approach should do it. “How’s Stephanie?” Boom! Bull’s-eye followed by an immediate reaction.
Slamming some folders together and jamming them forcefully into a work satchel, Calder frowned. “Have no idea,” he muttered.
Well, well, well, Alex thought. What had changed in so short a time? Not that long ago the two had seemed on the brink of something big.
“I heard she left you quite literally in the dust—made it back to the barn like fifteen minutes before you. Bet that kinda smarted, huh?”
Calder grunted in answer but still said nothing. Okay. This was ridiculous.
“Tried to tell you she knew how to ride but you weren’t exactly listening. You got her figured out now?”
“What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?” his uncle bit out, harshly.
Whoa. Touched a nerve did we? Alex rolled a shoulder and smirked. “Dunno. Guess I just meant, did you check her out yet?”
Calder’s pithy answer took Alex by surprise. “No, I most certainly did not check her out.” Glowering he added, “That’s what I do, not who I am.”
As far as an interesting statement passing between two computer geeks went, that one was a twenty-four karat gem. Alex knew that with half a dozen keystrokes, Calder could come up with a complete dossier on Stephanie Bennett. It was more than just a little bit telling that he’d refrained from indulging in the ability to electronically investigate the woman.
A sudden realization popped into Alex’s head. “Did you put your foot in your mouth, Unc? What stupid thing did you say?”
“Shut up Alex. Not everything is that simple. Just leave it be, okay?”
Great. Another goddamn bump in the road. First Cam and Drae get the snot kicked out of them, and now Calder has gone and effed up Alex’s brilliant plan to hook him up with Tori’s mom. Then there was Meghan and that damnable prenup. He had to hand it to his sexy fiancée, she knew just how to get what she wanted from him. But first things first. Figuring out what had gone awry with the beauty queen and his uncle.
Okay. Change the subject but not really.
“So…back to the Thanksgiving thing. There’s something special planned for after dinner and if Meghan hasn’t made this abundantly clear yet, the occasion requires dress clothes. Jeans and a clean t-shirt do not qualify.”
“Yep. Been told. Twice. I’m covered, Alex. Have suit, will travel.”
He huffed a chuckle and shook his head. “Not even curious what the something special is?”
Calder pulled up and stopped—thinking about the question with a deepening frown. “Is this chick stuff? Shit. This isn’t some romantic intervention is it? Carmen? Gus?”
Hmmm. Now there was an interesting scenario. One he and Meghan had discussed ad nauseam. Unfortunately, old Gus was taking his damn time and instead of openly wooing the personable Latina housekeeper he was so smitten with, had adopted a respectful, awestruck distance. Dumb fucker. Women wanted action.
“Nope. No interventions this time, but yeah to the chick stuff. But don’t worry. I’ve got an alternate scenario brewing for the gentlemen.”
“I don’t know, Alex,” Calder mumbled. “Told you. I’m not real good with the social stuff. I may just dine and dash. Put in an appearance for Meghan but…”
“Oh no, you don’t,” Alex barked. “As the senior member of this unusual family, I need you to keep the rest of us honest. Besides, the night is actually about Tori. And Stephanie too. It will seem weird if you run off.”
It was plain to see that Calder had reached the end of his rope so Alex eased up on the man and gave him an out.
“How about we finish this up in the morning? The men will be back by lunch, and we’ll need to do a debrief of what went down. We can wrap up any loose ends before they arrive then jump right into the business end of things after which, it’s downshift for the next week into holiday time. Sound good?”
“Yeah. Whatever works for you, Alex. Look, I’m beat. Gonna head back to the casita and relax.”
Before Alex could really say another word, his uncle had fled the study and headed out into the night. Balls.
THE PHONE RANG ALMOST THE second Tori got comfortable on a stack of pillows propped against the headboard of the huge bed she was currently occupying by herself. She knew that ringtone. Draegyn was calling. Snatching up the phone, she swallowed quickly and answered breathlessly, “Hello?”
“I love you, Mrs. St. John,” she heard him growl into the phone.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
“Yes,” came the instant answer.
Humph. She wasn’t stupid. “Tell me the truth, Draegyn.”
He sighed. She held her breath and waited. “Victoria,” he muttered. “I’m fine but…”
“But what?” she shrieked. “I knew it! Something is wrong.”
“Honey,” Draegyn said slowly. “Calm down. I really am fine and the but was simply because I wanted to say that I’m lost. Completely fucking lost without you.”
“What?”
“Lost. Completely. Without you.”
Her lip quivered and her nose stung from the quick onslaught of emotions clogging her response.
“Draegyn…”
“Do you understand, Victoria?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Nothing else is important but that.”
She hesitated as her husband’s words and meaning sank into her heart. He was her everything. Now that she’d been on the receiving end of his love and affection, she’d die without him and didn’t give a good goddamn how dramatic that sounded.
“How bad is it?” she whispered.
“Victoria,” he muttered in an exasperated tone but didn’t continue with whatever duck and cover he’d clearly been planning to throw at her. She knew him so well. “Fuck, woman. What do you want me to say?”
“The truth would go a long way,” Tori told him.
“Alright, alright. But first let me reiterate that I’m fine.”
“Uh huh,” she murmured. “Continue….”
She smiled when his throaty growl reached her ear. Men.
“Bruised cheek and an already fading black eye. Split lip that’s healing nicely and no significant dental damage.”
“And?”
He was insane for thinking she wouldn’t know immediately he was saving the worst for last.
“Shit,” he bit out as he gave in. “Ribs. Ouch. Bruised and cracked but nothing’s broken.”
Tori gasped at the admission. Bunny Cha Cha must have had a similar reaction because the baby walloped her side good with a hearty kick.
She asked a few questions that would give her better insight into how he was really feeling. “Did you sleep? Have you eaten?”
“Yes and hell yes,” Draegyn chuckled. “Cam knocked my fidgeting ass out with a heavy-duty pain pill—was just enough to start my body on the road to recovery. When I came to, we went to a steakhouse for dinner and ate half a fucking cow between us. Couple of Courvoisier’s and a few cigars later and here we are. All better.”
“Mmmm hmmm. And Cam? What about him?”
“Oh. Right. Um, well…he’s got a new Frankenstein scar on his temple. Apparently his thick skull didn’t take kindly to being rammed with a cellphone. Couple of bruises on that pretty face of his. The usual.”
“I knew you were keeping something from me, you asshole.”
Draegyn laughed. “I know. Told Cam you’d see right through his lame ass diversionary tactics, but he had the upper hand for a few hours.”
“We are so going to talk about this when you get home.”
“How’s my best girl? You taking it easy, honey?”
Tori rubbed her belly with a wry grin. He thought he was so smooth—changing the subject after telling her he’d got his ass kicked. Sheesh. Like it was ever going to be that simple with her.
“Bunny just kicked a field goal when she heard that Daddy was keeping secrets from Mommy.”
“Oh fuck,” Draegyn drawled with a chuckle. “I hadn’t considered the potential impact of it being two against one. I demand a son!” he bawled dramatically. “I’d never survive a house full of girls.”
She giggled. Draegyn St. John was a fucking handful, but he was her handful and she loved him like crazy. “Okay, two more questions and then I’ll let you distract with me nonsense talk.”
“God, save us from smart thinking women,” he chuckled. “Go on then. Fire away.”
“I’m assuming you and Cameron weren’t bitch slapping each other when these injuries happened which means there’s someone out there needing an ass kicking for laying a finger on you guys. Can I assume that you took care of that?”
He snorted with amusement. “Have no fear. Ass kicking delivered, Mrs. St. John. Times two. Next question?”
“When are you coming home?”
“Baby. I’ll be all up in your grill like bugs on a Georgia highway in the middle of summer by lunchtime tomorrow.”
Tori burst out laughing at his choice of words. “Don’t be saying that around my mother!”
“Where do you think I got that expression from?” Draegyn barked. “Victoria, all joking aside, I’ll be home tomorrow. Sawyer says we can fly out at the ass crack of dawn. Me and Cam—well, we’ve had enough. Just want to be home. Now I have some questions for you.”
“Ooooh, Truth or Dare?” she joked.
“Hush that sassy mouth, wife. I can still spank your ass, y’know. Don’t recall that fucking doctor saying anything about no spanking.”
“Well, in that case…I’ve been a very naughty wife.” Tori grinned and hugged the phone tighter. Let’s see what he does with that.
“And just how naughty can one hugely pregnant wife be? Hmmmm?”
“Picked up a little something something in a post-Halloween clearance sale. Per your instructions.” She cooed at the end.
“My instructions? Enlighten me, wife.”
Tori giggled and sighed. She missed this. The banter. The back and forth. It was how they found their way to each other in the very beginning.
“Harem outfit. Ring a bell?” she snickered.
Draegyn burst out laughing. “Oh, my fucking God! Are you serious?”
“Yes I’m serious,” she informed him primly. “I believe you said, on my knees in a harem outfit, pregnant belly and all. Your wish is my command, master.”
“Woman, you are fucking priceless.”
“Well,” she chuckled. “It’s a crappy costume. Some cheap shit made in China, but it’ll have to do until I find something better.”
“And all I have to do is suit up, tug my cuffs, and you’ll put that pretty mouth on my dick?”
She laughed. “Fuck you.”
“That’s sort of what I had in mind,” he drawled.
“Get your hot ass home my love and we’ll see what happens…”
STEPHANIE HEARD TORI’S PHONE RING followed a few minutes later by laughter. Thank God. If Draegyn hadn’t called and set her daughter’s mind at ease, she was gonna have to interfere and call him herself.
Plodding up the short flight of steps into her suite, she kicked off her shoes and sank into a plush easy chair with an exaggerated sigh.
It had been a long, exhausting day—keeping Tori occupied so she wouldn’t dwell on whatever was going on with her husband had been quite the challenge. And it wasn’t just keeping her daughter busy so she wouldn’t think. It had worked for her as well. Kept her thoughts from wandering in Calder’s direction.
She’d done the right thing—cutting him off was the only sensible way to proceed. After the holidays passed, once the St. John baby was safely in his parents loving arms, she’d be returning to Atlanta. To her life there. Her empty, lonely life. And Calder would go back to Aspen at some point—to whatever it was that he did when he wasn’t helping Alex.
They were at best, two ships passing in an extended night—but at the end of it, when the dawn actually happened, they’d be going in different directions. Case closed.
Instead of proving to the arrogant fool that she wasn’t some dumb blond in need of a rescue, she’d simply shut him down and given up. After all, it was his problem how badly he’d misjudged her. Not hers. He’d been kind of obvious about his dislike since the first moment. This wasn’t her first rodeo and Stephanie knew the damn difference between sexual interest which more or less came with the warranty and personal indifference.
Except for the one occasion when he’d happened upon her unexpectedly and they’d ended up laughing like kids as they tore up Drae’s beautiful hardwood floors with their rolling chairs, each of their meetings had either begun or ended with him looking down his nose at her. Nothing cancelled out swooning heavy breathing over a hot guy faster than some misogynistic bullshit. He thought she was a lightweight because of all the pageant stuff. What a damn fool.
Still, that didn’t stop her thoughts from drifting into wishful thinking territory. Even though the man was acting like a putz, when he wasn’t she rather liked his manner and the way he spoke. Calder Dane wasn’t a glory hog. He was more the mild-mannered geek with well-hidden, tall building jumping skills kept on the down low.
Had she just compared the fifty-something surfer dude to Superman? Why, yes. Yes, she had. It had been a long, long time since she’d thought of a man in fanciful terms. Why’d it have to happen now and why with this one guy?
A startling high definition vision of them lip-locked from the other night burst into Stephanie’s mind. He’d tasted just right. A combination of the Wild Turkey he’d drunk and fresh air. She’d enjoyed hanging on to his mouth with her lips. The man was a serious kisser.
That damn lip lock had planted a seed inside her. A developing infatuation that made her uneasy. How could she feel so drawn to someone like that? Just the notion that sexual excitement could overrule her normally steadfast good sense shook Stephanie up but good.
She liked the pompous oaf more than she wanted to admit, but that was all it could ever be. A flirtation and a kick in the pants. Hopefully, she could steer clear of Alex’s handsome uncle although the chances of that holding true were slim.