Chapter Five
“You did what?” Colt kept shaking his head.
TJ still had to tell Josh, but he wouldn’t be home from Sacramento until late. He probably should’ve consulted with them first, but he was pulling rank.
“I saw an opportunity I thought would work,” he told Colt, but even to his own ears it sounded absurd and so out of character for him that his family must think he’d lost his mind.
Colt got up and paced TJ’s office. “I love Deb. I really do. But this is a new venture and we’re totally out of our depth here. The whole point was to bring in someone who actually knows what they’re doing, someone with experience selling adventure wear, someone who’s done it before. Delaney’s got a lot on the line, letting us have the exclusive deal on her clothes. And now we’re going to hand it off to Deb, who, with all due respect, isn’t exactly a go-getter.”
“That’s bullshit, Colt,” Win said and had the good grace to sound affronted. TJ should’ve been grateful for Win’s backing, but all he felt was jealousy, which in turn made him feel like a jerk. “She’s no different from us. She likes to play hard and she’s damned good at it.”
“Then make her a guide. I have no problem with that. But running a retail division takes a business head. There’s no evidence whatsoever that she’s got one.”
TJ held his tongue because everything Colt was saying was true. But he believed in her. “She’s our customer. She lives, eats, and breathes outdoor sports. She spends any extra money she makes—which isn’t a lot—on gear. And because of that, she knows what like-minded people want. That’s what I’m banking on.”
Colt eyed him dubiously.
“And Deb already lives here,” TJ continued. “You think it’s that easy to get someone with marketing experience from the city, where jobs pay twice as much? Why do you think Lauren didn’t wind up taking the position, huh?”
Win spread out on the couch. “My money is on Deb. I’m good with TJ’s choice.”
Colt shoved Win’s legs out of the way and sat next to him. “You made her the offer already, right?”
“As soon as Lauren said she didn’t want the job, I gave it to Deb. She’s excited about it.” She’d hugged him and for one stunned moment he’d nearly kissed her. “By now, she’s given her two weeks at the diner.”
“Great.” Colt leaned his head against the top of the sofa. “We’re stuck with it.”
Win kicked him. “Be nice to her.”
“I’m always nice to her. You’re the one who leads her on. Hot one day, cold the next. Make your move already, asshole.”
TJ tried to tune them out. Because Deb was Hannah’s best friend, he suspected Josh would be more circumspect about TJ’s decision to hire her. His parents would take some convincing, but they’d always had a soft spot where Deb was concerned. Hell, his mom had been planning her and Win’s wedding since the two of them were sixteen.
“Are we done here? I’ve got work to do.” Win was the first to leave, when usually he was the one to loiter.
Colt, on the other hand, took his time. “You know I’m not just trying to be a dick about this, right?”
“I do?”
“Come on, man. I just don’t want my fiancée to get screwed. She could’ve gone with the biggest sports retailers in the market, but she went with us.”
“I know, Colt. Have a little faith, wouldya?”
He leaned forward. “I just don’t get it. Of all of us, you’re the rational one. You’re the one who puts business before friendship. So what’s the deal?”
Way to make him sound like Ebenezer Scrooge. “I think she can do the job, it’s as simple as that.” Ha; nothing about it was simple.
“I hope you’re right. Nothing would make me happier for this to be a win for Deb and a win for us.” Colt got to his feet. “You call Mandy?”
“Why? Something going on with the Four Seasons?”
Colt gave him an exasperated look. “To ask her out, idiot.”
“Uh, not yet. But I’ll get around to it.” As soon as Deb started, he’d take Mandy on a date. Maybe they’d like each other, get married, and have a million kids. And maybe he’d win a billion-dollar jackpot playing Powerball.
“I don’t know what the hell you’re waiting for.” This from the guy who’d fought for a year with Delaney over a stupid parking space before making a move. “You need to have some fun, TJ . . . stop making this place your whole life.”
Ya think? “Thanks for the advice, Oprah. Could you go now?”
Colt looked at the time. “Crap, I have a meeting with Rita at city hall.”
“Send my regards to the mayor,” TJ called after him as he left and spent the next thirty minutes returning emails.
When he finally came up for air, it was well past lunch and he was hungry. Usually, he brought something and ate at his desk. Today, all he had were a few protein bars shoved in the back of his drawer. On his way out, he stopped by the reception desk to see if Darcy wanted anything, then walked over to Old Glory and ordered a cheeseburger and fries.
“Coming right up,” Boden said as he wiped down the bar. “You want a beer?”
“Nah, I’m working.”
“Deb tells me you hired her at GA . . . big job with a good salary.”
“Yup.” He probably should’ve told her to keep her lips sealed until he’d told his entire family. “Sorry. I know you were hoping to recruit her.”
Boden put a glass of ice water in front of TJ. “Probably for the best.”
“Why’s that?”
“Dating in the workplace, not a good idea.”
Nope. It sure the hell wasn’t. But that wasn’t going to be a problem for him and Deb.
“So, you’re dating now?”
“Not yet, but planning on it.”
TJ suddenly felt like he’d swallowed lead. Unlike TJ, Boden didn’t live with the Win legacy. “Good luck with that.”
Boden laughed. “I know she’s hung up on your brother. But I’ll unhang her.”
TJ just looked at him because as far as he knew, no one had ever captured her attention the way Win had. And even he didn’t seem to get her attention as much these days. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on TJ’s part. “Like I said, good luck with that.”
When his food was ready he asked to take it to go and ate in his office.
Later that day, he called Josh to tell him about Deb before Hannah did. By now, all of Glory Junction likely knew. Why not? Deb should be able to share her new job with anyone she wanted to.
Because his dad was with Josh, TJ killed two birds with one stone. They reacted with skepticism the way he’d expected them to but took it better than Colt had. His mom had gone to Reno with a couple of friends, but Gray promised to fill her in.
About four, Darcy tapped lightly on his open door.
“Hey, Darce, you want to go home early?”
“No.” She crept over the threshold two steps, then stopped as if she was trespassing.
“Come in; have a seat.”
She smoothed her skirt and sat on the sofa. He waited for her to say what she wanted, but she continued to just sit there and stare.
“What’s up?”
“You hired Deb for the retail position?”
Ah hell, he’d forgotten to fill her in. “Yeah. Lauren didn’t take the job, so I gave it to Deb. You like Deb, right?”
“She seems nice.” She picked a piece of lint off her skirt and refused to look him in the eye.
Okay, then what’s the problem? Because she was obviously unhappy about something. “Talk to me, Darce. What’s going on?”
She stuck out her lower lip, started to say something, stopped, and looked down at her lap.
“I feel like I’m getting passed over.”
Passed over? What on earth was she talking about? “You wanted the retail job?” he asked, confused. She’d never said anything about it. With all his other responsibilities, was he supposed to be a mind reader too? “If you want something, Darcy, you have to speak up.”
“I didn’t want the retail job per se, but I don’t want to be a receptionist forever.”
TJ rubbed his hand down his face. “I didn’t realize you were unhappy.” He didn’t want to lose her. She was a fantastic receptionist. Responsible, smart, always on time. “It’s a really important job. You’re the first person the public sees and talks to; you’re their first impression of GA.”
“I’m not unhappy,” she said, continuing to gaze into her lap. “I’m . . . uh . . . impressed with the company and hope that there’s room for me to grow in the organization.” It sounded like something she’d memorized from a self-help book on how to talk to your boss.
“Of course there’s room for you to grow here. You’re awesome, Darce. Seriously, you’ve been a total lifesaver. And if you want a promotion, I’ll give you one. But first we have to find a job that suits you.” And money in the budget. Right now, all their extra was going toward the new website and the retail venture.
“Okay,” she said. “It’s just . . . uh . . . I don’t want to be invisible or get passed by.”
“I get it.” Probably more than she knew. There were days when he still wondered what his life would be like if he’d made the Olympic team, if he still competed. “What you and I need to do in the next few months is to look around GA, figure out what’s missing to make things work better, and what skill sets you have to make that happen. Does that sound good to you?”
She nodded enthusiastically and rose to her feet. “Thanks, TJ. I won’t bother you anymore.”
“Darcy, you’re not bothering me. I’m sorry I didn’t know how you felt. But you’ve got to communicate these things to me, okay?”
“I’m trying to . . . be more assertive.”
“Good.” With the Garners, if you weren’t you went hungry.
He put in three more hours. Before leaving, he stopped in Win’s office. Strangely, his brother was there. Win used the space as a second closet and little else. His clothes and gear were everywhere. A patchwork quilt their mom had made lay rumpled on top of the sofa and leftover cups from the Juicery dotted his otherwise unused desk. His brother was a slob.
“Why you here so late and what’re you doing?”
Win glanced up from his computer. “Stuff.”
“Looking at PornHub again?” TJ found a place to sit among the clutter. “Thanks for supporting me on Deb.”
Win hitched his shoulders. “She’s a good hire. Mom and Dad love her and she’ll fit in around here.”
What about you; do you love her? “It won’t be weird, right?”
“Nah. Deb and I, we’ve always been good. And Colt’s right, I need to get my act together where she’s concerned.”
TJ’s heart sank, though he’d always known they’d be together. That was the thing about Win; he never had to work hard for anything. Things just came to him. And with little effort at all, Deb would forgive him for running around all these years and ignoring her.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.
Win didn’t respond, just returned to staring at his computer.
He seemed a little off today. Maybe he’d whacked that dim bulb of his on a chairlift.
* * *
Win scanned the website page over and over again. It had a lot of useless information. Things like: “pregnant and vegan,” “what to put on your registry,” and “when will I get my baby bump?” There was nothing on what a guy was supposed to do when he’d knocked up a woman he hardly knew. Nothing at all.
God, he was so screwed.
Three days ago, Britney had come out of the bathroom, pale as a ghost, waving a pregnancy stick in the air. Positive. It said positive. Just to be sure, she took three more tests. Two lines, still positive.
He wanted her to go to the doctor, but she wanted to wait, as if one of those lines would magically disappear. Even Win, who steered away from anything difficult unless it was a black diamond trail or a sheer-rock mountain, knew that wasn’t gonna happen.
So here he was, trying to sort this out for both of them because Britney seemed to have a serious case of denial.
He’d met her over the summer in Tahoe, where she worked as a blackjack dealer at one of the casinos. Brown hair, green eyes, legs up to her chin, and an ass like you wouldn’t believe. But she was flighty. Up until now, it was part of her charm and easy, because the last thing Win wanted was a serious relationship. He liked her, she liked him, they had some laughs, and headboard-banging sex. Other than that, they didn’t have too much in common.
She liked flashy cars, flashy clothes, and seemed taken with the fact that he was part owner of a successful business. But she didn’t show any interest in what the business was or how he spent his days working there. When they were together, she liked to go to expensive restaurants where the food was too rich for his taste and the atmosphere too stuffy. She also expected him to buy her gifts, which he didn’t mind because he liked being generous. But her self-entitlement rubbed him the wrong way.
The truth was, the relationship had just about run its course until she’d waved that stick in the air. Pregnancy was definitely a game changer. No baby of his would go without a father. And Britney . . . he wasn’t sure what kind of a mother she’d make.
He picked up the phone and for the fifth time that day tried to call her. Still no answer. She was avoiding him; he got that loud and clear. Win thought about driving to Tahoe. It would only take him thirty minutes, but no telling where she was. Maybe on one of her spur-of-the-moment trips to Los Angeles or Scottsdale. He used to like that she constantly took off to go here or there. It made her seem interesting, though a little secretive. Most of the women he’d dated had been clingy and the opposite of mysterious. But Britney had this whole life going outside of him.
Now it was just plain inconvenient. They had things to work out, a life to talk about.
He rummaged through his pile of ski stuff to find his jacket and pulled it on. Screw it. He’d go to Old Glory, drink a pint, and lose his head in a game of darts.
The bar was less crowded than it had been the previous night. At one of the tables he spied his sister-in-law, his soon-to-be sister-in-law, and Deb. They were probably celebrating her new job. He strolled over and gave Hannah and Delaney pecks on the cheek.
“You,” he said to Deb and crooked his finger. “Give me a hug.” He pulled her out of the chair and swung her around. “Congrats, Bennett! Welcome aboard.”
“Thanks. I’m superexcited.”
“Hey, barkeep,” he yelled to Boden, “bring these ladies a drink on me.”
“What do you guys want?” Boden asked.
They went around the table, calling out drinks. Win went over to say hi to Boden, order himself a beer, and leave the women to do their thing. Rita Tucker came in and sat next to him.
“Hello, Mayor.” He bobbed his head at her. The old broad gave him the once-over.
“Getting your drink on?”
“I’m having a beer, if that’s what you mean.” Although getting plastered wasn’t a bad idea.
He slipped his phone out of his pocket and checked to see if Britney had called. Still nothing.
“I put you down for December again,” she said and ordered a bourbon neat. “We’ll be meeting soon to talk about locations and wardrobe.”
“It’s only February. The next calendar doesn’t come out for another year.”
“You know how much planning goes into something of this magnitude?”
This magnitude? It was a poorly printed calendar of amateurishly shot pictures of local dudes wearing next to nothing. One for each month. Every year it got more and more pornographic. If it didn’t raise a buttload of money for the volunteer fire department, it would’ve been banned by the city. Though, now that Rita was the mayor, who knew?
“You ever think about how this exploits men, turns them into sex objects?” he asked her.
“Yep.” She smirked over the rim of her glass, “Payback’s a bitch.”
Boden delivered Win’s beer and he took it with him to find an open dartboard and a worthy opponent. He was in the mood for hitting something. Hard. When he got to the area with the pool tables and dartboards, he found Chip nursing a soda with a group of guys from the Department of Fish and Wildlife. At least Win hoped it was soda. Chip was a recovering alcoholic who used to be married to Hannah. Ancient history.
“Chip, you up for a game of darts?”
“Sure.” Chip met him at one of the boards. “I hear you guys hired Deb for some big position at GA.” That was the way of a small town; word traveled fast.
“Yup. She’ll be heading up our new retail division.”
“Huh. I never would’ve pegged her for something like that. A tour guide, sure, but an executive? I’m assuming you got her the gig.” He waggled his brows, and Win wanted to deck him.
He’d always liked Chip, even when he was an obnoxious falling-down drunk. Hell, the guy used to be Josh’s best friend. But what a crappy thing to say.
Win threw him some shade. “Nope, it was TJ’s idea.” Everyone knew TJ was all business. No special favors for friends, not if it would hurt GA’s earnings. It’s why they were as successful as they were. “Chip, do you even know Deb anymore? When was the last time you had a conversation with her?”
“The truth”—Chip had the decency to look contrite—“she doesn’t talk to me, not since Hannah. Pretty sure she hates my guts.”
“If you want to repair that, don’t be talking smack about her.”
They played a few games and Win continued to check his phone compulsively. It was a switch for him. Usually he was the unavailable one. But the pregnancy was weighing on him, and he wanted to get their future sorted out. He thought about telling TJ, who would know exactly how to handle the situation. Of all his brothers, TJ was the problem solver. Funny, because Colt was the cop and Josh the former army ranger. But they were about busting down the fortress and taking prisoners. TJ was more analytical, more thoughtful, and smarter in a lot of ways. He was also judgmental as hell, and the last thing Win needed right now was being told what a fuckup he was.
Win took his empty glass back to the bar. The girls were still at their table, gabbing. Even Boden had pulled up a chair. Rita had left and there were a few new people sitting at the bar. Win didn’t recognize them. Tourists. There wasn’t a whole lot to do after dark in Glory Junction. He used to stop over at Colt’s a few nights a week to eat his brother’s cereal, drink his beer, and watch his TV. But Colt had moved in with Delaney, and although Win was always welcome, it wasn’t the same.
He thought about going to his parents’, where he could get a hot meal, but Britney might call and he’d rather have that conversation without his mom’s big ears around. Same with going to TJ’s. And Josh was in Sacramento.
He supposed it wouldn’t kill him to go home, clean his apartment, and do a load of laundry. When he got outside, the snow had stopped falling and nothing but stars dotted the inky sky. Hell with it. He got in his Jeep and headed for Tahoe. Worse came to worse, he’d skip the nine a.m. meeting at GA if he wound up staying overnight at Britney’s.
It wasn’t as if he’d get any sleep if they didn’t figure this out. The whole drive there, he weighed his options. The one that made the most sense was getting married. Yet the thought of it made it difficult for him to breathe. He hardly knew her.
Hang on, brah. You’re getting ahead of yourself.
Before anything, Britney needed to go to the doctor for a prenatal visit. She probably should be taking vitamins, laying off the caffeine and booze, and avoiding the cigarette smoke at the casino where she worked. That couldn’t be good for a baby.
It was past nine when he pulled up in front of her swanky condo. The place had views of the mountains, a big open floor plan, and the same modern architecture that was taking over Glory Junction. To this day, he didn’t know how she afforded the lease on her blackjack salary. She’d told him she knew the developer and had gotten a good deal.
Her lights were out and Win wondered if she was sleeping. She worked odd hours at the casino, but not usually on Thursdays.
No one answered the door. It’d been a fifty-fifty shot finding her home, but it beat checking his phone every five minutes. He knocked and rang the bell again, just in case she was in bed.
Her girlfriend, Cami, came out of the condo next door. “You looking for Britney?”
“Yeah. You know where she is?”
“No, but she’s not home. You want to come in and wait?” Cami looked him up and down like a hungry wolf.
She worked with Britney at Harrah’s. Guys thought she was hot. But Win wasn’t attracted to her thirsty, bleached-blond hair and fake tits. She and Britney seemed to get off on competing for the same men. Another thing he didn’t find attractive. And either she was independently wealthy or knew the same developer as Britney.
“Nah. You think she’s working?”
“Could be.” Cami shrugged, then flipped her hair. “You sure you don’t want to wait? I’ve got a fire going and could fix you a drink.”
“I’m gonna cruise by Harrah’s, see if she’s there.”
“Suit yourself,” Cami said and went back inside, letting the door close with a thud.
He drove to the casino and left his truck with the valet. The unnatural lighting, the noise from the slot machines, the cloud of tobacco smoke: Win hated it all. Why gamble when there were so many other ways to get a rush? He scanned the crowded ten- and twenty-dollar blackjack tables where Britney dealt cards and came up empty. One of the floor managers waved. Win knew him from skiing and made his way through the crush of people to say hello.
“Britney here tonight?”
“Nope, night off. How you doing?”
“Good.” Win absently continued to search the floor.
“You want me to hook you up?”
“To play?” Win shook his head. “I’m just looking for Britney.”
They shot the breeze for a few seconds, talking about Alpine Meadows versus Winter Bowl and all the snow they’d gotten this year. Afterward, Win left. He considered going back to her place but didn’t want to run into Cami again.
Halfway home, his phone pinged with a text from Britney. Finally.
Went to Palm Springs for the weekend. Talk to you when I get back.
Palm Springs? He was glad to see she was taking the future of their baby so seriously.