The next day, Joslynn grabbed her hoodie and then picked up the apple pie she’d baked. The spring evening was comfortable at the moment, but she always liked to be prepared for the cold. She’d baked the pie that afternoon, although Savannah had told her she didn’t need to bring anything. Jos never liked to turn up as a guest without something to offer her hostess. Besides, according to Yvonne, apple pie was one of Russ’s favorites.
She hadn’t mentioned her trip back to the Greens’ house, mostly because there wasn’t anything new to tell him. If she told him, then she’d have to explain that his mother had been in the ER, and she’d promised Yvonne she’d keep that secret.
Besides, what was there to tell? All it would do would be to make him worry about his parents more, and he was under enough stress.
When he made no move to take either the garment or the dessert, Joslynn smiled to herself. He’d been so respectful of her wishes to be independent. She only hoped that whatever woman was next to enter his life would forgive her for conditioning him to forget his gentlemanly practices.
Why did the mere thought of Russ with another woman make her frown so fiercely?
Unwilling to explore her motivations, she headed toward the gate in the wrought-iron fence. Joslynn led the way to the enormous backyard. Russ closed the gate behind them and followed her to the three-tiered patio.
“Welcome!” Savannah said as she stepped through the open double doors. Setting a pitcher of lemonade on the glass table, she came over to hold out her hands.
Joslynn handed over the pie. “I brought some dessert.”
“Looks yummy.” Savannah’s brows knit. “Eat a piece later, Jos. You’re getting too skinny.”
Joslynn knew she was a few pounds lighter, probably because she’d been running so much. “I will. Where’s my goddaughter?”
“Spending the night with my parents,” Savannah replied before grinning at Russ. “Gotta say I’ve always wanted to see you and Jos coming here together.”
With a roll of his eyes, he said, “So you told me. A million times.”
A sharp whistle made Joslynn shift her gaze to the backyard. Brad and Ethan were playing corn hole, and she wasn’t at all surprised when Russ excused himself and went jogging over to join them. He spoke of them so often, she was beginning to realize how important his two friends were to him. Since she felt that way about Savannah—and was starting to view Chelsea Harris as a confidante—Jos understood the need to have the support of friends.
“Let’s go inside,” Savannah said. “I could use a glass of wine.”
“That sounds heavenly.” Joss fell in step behind her. After crossing the threshold into the kitchen, she saw Chelsea standing at the island cooktop, stirring something in a large pot. “How are you, superstar?” she teased.
The redhead glanced up from her task. “Hi, Doc. I’m doing fine. How about you?”
“Life is good,” Joslynn replied. Then she picked up a carrot stick from the vegetable tray and took a bite.
Before they could start a conversation, a voice called from the open doors. “Knock, knock. Can I come in?” An African-American woman Joslynn didn’t recognize was peeking into the kitchen.
“Come in, Leslie,” Savannah said, motioning for her to enter.
The woman was a good foot taller than Savannah. While Joslynn was accustomed to being one of the tallest women in any room, Leslie had at least four inches of height on her.
Setting a covered bowl on the island, Leslie turned to talk to a man who’d followed her inside. “Ladies, this is my brother, Marc.”
Probably in his early thirties, the guy wore his hair short and neat, the same as his tidily trimmed beard. He was dressed in a white polo shirt and gray shorts. His physique was sleek and strong, although his muscles weren’t quite as well developed as Russ’s.
Chelsea gave him a little wave and kept working on whatever was in the pot.
Since Marc wasn’t staring at her in response, either he didn’t know Chelsea was one of the biggest stars in country music, or he wasn’t impressed by her celebrity.
“Glad you could make it, Marc,” Savannah said. “Since I know the guys are anxious to talk to you, why don’t I grab you a beer and you can go meet them outside? They probably want to conduct a little business before Brad puts the steaks on the grill.” She opened the refrigerator door. “Is there a particular brand you prefer?”
“I’m not choosy,” Marc replied. His gaze settled on Joslynn. A smile blooming on his face, he came to stand beside her. If his sister was tall, this man was a giant. “Pick one for me.” His gaze swept her from head to toe, and his smile grew.
Before she met Russ, Joslynn might have responded to that inviting grin with a bit of flirtation. Marc was an attractive guy. Although she had no idea how he and Leslie knew the other people at the cookout, she recognized a welcoming face—and this man was definitely interested in her. Yet she felt not an ounce of pull toward him…
Odd.
He held out his hand. “Marc Guinan. And you are…?”
“Joslynn Wright.” She shook his hand, not surprised at his firm handshake. “I’m a good friend of Savannah’s.”
Inclining his head at his sister, he said, “Leslie just got promoted to head chef at Words and Music. She said her bosses wanted to have a talk with me about their marketing plan since they knew that was my area of expertise.”
No wonder they were at Brad’s place. Jos couldn’t imagine anyone more valuable to the three partners than the person who ran their kitchen. If her brother was in marketing, they’d want to see what he could do for Words & Music. “Nice to meet you, Leslie.”
“Back at’cha,” she said. Then she peeled the cellophane off the bowl she’d brought, revealing what looked to be a salad filled with large peach slices. “New recipe. Grilled peach salad with mustard vinaigrette. I’m anxious to see what everyone thinks.”
Chelsea let out a chuckle. “Like you ever cook anything that isn’t sinfully delicious.”
“Best compliment I could get,” Leslie said.
Clearly impatient, Savannah set the beer bottle aside, grabbed a fork, and scooped up some of the salad. Humming as she chewed, she nodded at Leslie. “Fabulous. Is it going on the menu?”
“Thanks,” Leslie replied. “And hopefully. I’d love to have it available all summer, if the guys allow it.”
“No way they’ll refuse.” After setting her fork in the sink, Savannah snatched up the beer and handed it to Marc. “The guys are playing corn hole, so be sure to grab some beanbags on your way out. They’re sitting on the patio ledge.”
“Corn hole?” He laughed. “What’s corn hole?”
Dropping her jaw, Chelsea shot him an incredulous stare. “Are you serious? Corn hole is only the best game ever invented.”
Savannah tapped his longneck with her finger. “Plus, the more you drink, the more fun it gets.”
“Well, then…this I gotta see.” Marc lifted the bottle in salute and then took a drink. “If you ladies will excuse me, it appears I need to receive a quick education in what exactly corn hole involves.” He strode out of the kitchen, giving Joslynn a wink as he left.
“I should probably tag along with him,” Leslie said, pausing at the door. “After all, the head chef might want some say in how we market the restaurant. Besides, that’s my baby brother heading out to the lions’ den. Those three can be intimidating when they’re together.” She jogged out of the kitchen, a wave of laughter in her wake.
“Damn,” Chelsea said, tapping her spoon against the rim of the pot and then setting it aside. “That is one fine-looking man.”
“Whoa there, girl,” Savannah said, a teasing lilt in her voice. “What would Ethan say if he heard you talking about another guy?”
After putting a lid on the pot, Chelsea shrugged. “I might be in love with Ethan, but I’ve still got eyes in my head.” She glanced to Joslynn. “Being tied down doesn’t stop a girl from appreciating a nice ass.”
“Amen to that, sister.” Savannah held up her hand to invite a high five from Chelsea, who gave her palm a loud slap.
Funny, but Joslynn hadn’t noticed the guy’s backside. That was unusual since it was her favorite part of a man’s body.
Well, at least my second favorite…
Maybe she hadn’t checked out his butt because she was taking the relationship stuff more seriously than she’d realized. Savannah was married, and Chelsea was engaged. Yet they both took notice of Marc. What Joslynn had thought was that Russ was better looking.
Savannah broke into her reverie. “How are things going with Russ?”
“Fine. At least I think they’re fine,” Jos replied, feeling no hesitation in speaking freely in front of her friends. “We’ve had some nice dates. I’m…comfortable around him.”
“That sounds promising,” Chelsea said.
“Very promising,” Savannah added. “Jos doesn’t do relationships.”
Chelsea’s brows knit as she stared at Joslynn. “What’s that mean?”
Joslynn shrugged. “I hate the idea of losing my independence.”
“Aren’t you lonely?”
With a shake of her head, Jos said, “I like being alone. Besides, a date every now and then is fine. I just don’t want to be smothered by some guy.”
“But Russ is different,” Savannah said. “He might be ‘the one.’”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Joslynn cautioned. “We’re dating. That’s all. And we run together several times a week. I’m hoping it’ll help him with his stress level.”
“Thank God for that,” Savannah said, sounding relieved. “The man has been driving Brad bat-shit crazy, like he’s always looking for a fight. He’s fine when he pulls his management shifts. But when he helps the bouncers…not so much.”
The criticism made Joslynn bristle, which seemed odd considering she also thought he should get away from Words & Music more often. “He’s just stressed.”
“Of course he is, but so are Brad and Ethan. They both make sure they have other things in their lives to maintain some balance, and they sure don’t enjoy tossing drunks out on their asses.”
Chelsea plucked a bottle of wine from the refrigerator and refilled her almost empty wineglass. “Ethan says Russ has been a little…out of control. I mean, it seems like he looks for any hint of a fight so he can lay hands on some troublemaker.”
“Think about it, Jos,” Savannah added. “He pretty much appeared in your life by showing up at your ER to get stitches because he was grappling with some drunk.”
The truth of their words was there, but Joslynn had an almost overwhelming need to defend Russ anyway. Where had her need to be brutally honest gone? Normally, she’d be jumping right into the fray, telling her friends that she’d been every bit as concerned about his behavior and was doing everything she could to help him. Instead, she just shook her head, refusing to criticize him.
Savannah, always in tune with Joslynn’s moods, must have sensed the time had come for a change of topic. “I think we’re ready to put on the steaks. How about we tell the guys to quit playing games and come get some work done?”
* * *
As Marc marched toward the house, his sister at his side, Russ turned back to his partners “I think we made the right choice hiring him.”
Ethan nodded. “He knows his stuff. Once we start that new ad campaign, I think we’ll see increased sales.”
“I haven’t been happy with Hallick and Associates for a while,” Brad said. “I’m glad you guys were willing to give Marc a chance.”
“Hell,” Russ said, “I would’ve hired him just because he’s Leslie’s brother. She’s the hardest worker I’ve ever known—including you bozos. He seems like he’s adopted the same work ethic.”
“Brad!”
Turning to see Savannah waving from the deck, Russ grinned. “Looks like it’s time to put the steaks on the grill.”
A moment later, eighties music filled the air, the typical soundtrack to the Friday-evening cookouts. As the partners headed back to the house, they were serenaded by REO Speedwagon.
Josie strode through the doors, carrying a large bowl. Before she could set it on the table, Marc jogged up to her and swept it from her hands before putting it down. The smile that had been on Russ’s face dropped to a fierce frown as Marc took her hand, twirled her in a pirouette, and then pulled her into his arms and began to dance with her.
Feet now frozen to the grass, Russ clenched his fists at his sides. The feelings roiling through him made his stomach churn and his face flush hot. All he could do was stare as Marc danced with Josie, the two of them laughing and clearly enjoying themselves.
Anger? No, that wasn’t what was eating at him. That was too light an emotion to describe his desire to march right up to them, jerk Josie out of Marc’s arms, and drive his fist into the guy’s nose.
A hand touched his shoulder, and Russ snorted out a breath, resisting the urge to forcefully shove away whoever was bothering him.
“If I didn’t know better,” Ethan said, “I’d guess you were thinking about punching someone’s lights out.”
“I’d have to agree,” Brad added as he came to stand at Russ’s side. “A little jealous there, partner?”
Jealous?
Oh, yes. Brad nailed exactly what was eating away at any self-control Russ had. “He’s got his fucking hands all over her. I should break his arm.”
“Yeah, about that…” Ethan drawled. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to assault the man we just hired to handle our marketing.”
“Gotta agree with that,” Brad added. “Plus I’d really hate to have to call the guys in blue to break the two of you up. Marc looks strong enough to give you a run for your money.”
Ethan gave Russ a friendly cuff on the shoulder, which was greeted with the hottest glare Russ could fire at him. “Look, can I give you a little advice?”
Russ shrugged, although he felt as far from nonchalant as he could get.
His temper had been a problem his whole life. One of the reasons sports had been so important to him was that they’d given him a way to channel that negative part of his personality. After knocking a few heads on the field, he was able to get a tight rein on the rest of his life.
“If Chelsea taught me anything about women,” Ethan said, “it’s that they don’t mind a little bit of jealousy. But if you head up there and pull Joslynn and Marc apart as though they’re a couple of high school kids misbehaving at the prom, you’re going to piss her off something royal.”
“Again, I gotta agree,” Brad said. “Savannah doesn’t mind if I get a bit territorial. She says it shows I care. But I start doing the ‘me, Tarzan; you, Jane’ thing, she digs her heels in.”
“A woman likes to know that you want her for yourself,” Ethan added. “Just don’t start acting like she’s your property or something.”
“How can my telling Marc to keep his hands to himself be seen as me saying that she’s my property?” Russ asked. While he wasn’t thrilled to be lectured by his friends, he had to admit that they were in successful relationships. He didn’t have nearly as much experience with women as they did.
“Think about it from her point of view,” Brad explained. “You’re telling her who she can and can’t dance with. From what I’ve seen of Jos, she’s an independent person. I doubt she’d take kindly to being ordered around.”
“Food for thought, my friend,” Ethan said. “Food for thought.”
Every bit of ground his friends had made in calming him down vanished when Russ saw Marc drop his head to whisper something in Josie’s ear and then press a kiss to her cheek.
It was time to let Marc Guinan know the score.
* * *
Joslynn laughed as Marc spun her in another circle. “Enough. You’re making me dizzy.”
All he did was smile in response. A new song began, a slow number, and he wrapped his right arm around her waist and grasped her hand with his left, swaying their bodies in rhythm.
Drawing closer as though he had some secret to share, Marc whispered in her ear, “I’m really glad I came here tonight. I didn’t expect to meet such a pretty lady.” His lips brushed her cheek before he eased back.
She stopped dancing and was about to let Marc know that his flirting was wasted on her when she was startled by Russ, who was now standing right beside her. A quick glance in his direction revealed a face so red that he appeared to have a wicked sunburn. “Hey, Russ.”
Instead of any kind of greeting, he glared at Marc. “Quit dancing with my girlfriend. Now.”
Marc seemed entirely unfazed by the threat in Russ’s tone. Instead, he lowered a confused expression at Joslynn. “Girlfriend? You’re his girlfriend?”
She nodded, a bit surprised by Marc’s critical tone.
Marc took a rapid step back, his gaze shifting to Russ. He held up his palms in surrender. “I didn’t know she belonged to you, man. Sorry about that.”
Russ replied with a curt nod, and his rigid stance relaxed.
Eyes narrowing, Marc glared at her. “You introduced yourself as Savannah’s friend. I wouldn’t have…You never said you were here with anyone.”
Feeling as though she were being accused of something untoward, Joslynn’s anger rose. Marc’s words still echoed in her ears.
“I didn’t know she belonged to you.”
Joslynn Wright didn’t belong to anyone but herself. “What’s your point, Marc?”
“I don’t trespass. But you danced with me, so…”
She folded her arms under her breasts and began drumming her fingers on her arm. “So what?”
Everyone had gathered around the three of them, and she started feeling as though she were a sideshow attraction.
Rather than answer her, Marc extended his hand to Russ. “I really am sorry.”
With another gruff nod, Russ shook Marc’s hand.
“What exactly are you sorry about?” Joslynn demanded. “We danced. Is that illegal or something now?”
“You’re my girlfriend,” Russ announced, as though that statement were sufficient to explain the ridiculous exchange between the men.
“And what exactly does that mean?” she demanded.
“That means that you’re mine.”
“Are you saying that you own me, Russ? That because I happen to be your girlfriend I can’t dance with someone else?” Temper in full flight, she was ready to stomp out of there simply to prove that no one told her what she could and couldn’t do.
It was Savannah who broke the heightening tension by stepping up to offer Russ a plate full of raw steaks. “Why don’t you help Brad and Ethan get the steaks on the grill?”
Although his face was still flushed, Russ nodded and accepted the plate. He fell in step with his partners as they headed to the far side of the patio, where the stainless-steel grill waited.
“Leslie?” Savannah glanced to the chef. “Could you and Marc please bring out the sides? I figured it’s so nice tonight that we’d eat out here.”
“Sure thing,” Leslie replied. With a flip of her hand, she got her brother to follow her into the house.
Then Savannah turned to Joslynn. “How about you come have a quick talk with Chelsea and me?”
Why did Jos feel as if she were a naughty student being sent to the principal’s office?