Chapter Nine
TJ was in a piss-poor mood Tuesday morning. He’d overslept, missed an important phone call, and hadn’t had time for breakfast. And to keep things copacetic between GA and the Four Seasons, he’d agreed to pay two thousand dollars to cover the damage their clients had caused.
Stanley Royce was a whole other story. TJ was waiting to hear back from GA’s lawyer before countering Stan’s demands. He just wanted the guy to go away.
“I’m going to Tart Me Up,” he told Darcy as he crossed the lobby. “Text me if you want anything.”
Boden was unlocking the front door of Old Glory as TJ passed. “Morning.”
“Morning.” TJ stopped because in Glory Junction, if you didn’t say hi to your neighbor, you were considered a douchebag. “How’s it going?”
“Fair to middling. Haven’t had these kinds of crowds in a while.” Nope. Thanks to the snow, they were Disney on Parade, which was fine by TJ.
“Good times. Let’s hope they last.” TJ glanced at his watch. “I’ve gotta motor.”
“Catch you later, then.”
“Yep.” TJ crossed the street to the river walk, where he’d be less likely to run into one of the shop owners. He could really do without pleasantries this morning.
No such luck. Colt pulled up alongside him in his police cruiser and rolled down the window. “Where you going?”
“Tart Me Up.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
Perfect. TJ rolled his eyes and walked the block to the bakery. Colt found a parking space and met him inside.
“Get me one of those ham and cheese croissant sandwiches and I’ll grab us a table,” Colt said.
“I’ve got to get back, Colt.”
“You can spend ten minutes with your big brother.” Colt was a bossy SOB.
It wasn’t worth arguing with him, so TJ waited for his number to be called, ordered them both sandwiches and coffees, and joined Colt at the table.
“You and Win kiss and makeup?” Colt asked, snapping up TJ’s sandwich and taking a bite before TJ could stop him. “Mmm, Swiss and bacon.”
“You’ve got your own, jerk-off.”
“I like yours better,” Colt said around a mouthful. “You and Win?”
“We’re good.” TJ grabbed his sandwich back and accidentally on purpose kicked Colt’s shin under the table. “Haven’t seen him around much, though.”
Colt took a slug of coffee. “He’s been seeing a woman in Tahoe since summer. Who knows how serious it is, though? By now, he’s probably hooked up with her sister.”
Their youngest brother was certainly the playboy of the family. And the charmer. Josh, who was second youngest, was the war hero. As a kid, Josh had always been the determined one, the Eagle Scout, and the one voted most likely to be president. Colt had always been the one they’d all gone to to take care of their problems. Colt beat up the school bullies, covered their asses from their parents’ wrath when they screwed up, and looked over them like a mother hen. Somehow, TJ had earned the label of the studious one and the go-getter. The one most likely to run GA while the other brothers had all the fun.
Yep, he was living the dream.
“Don’t give him crap about the Olympics anymore,” Colt said. “Not everyone is like you.”
“Like me . . . what the hell is that supposed to mean? Have you forgotten? I didn’t make the team.”
Colt didn’t say anything for a while, just held TJ’s gaze. It was creepy how he did that. When they were kids they used to play Made you Blink. Colt was always the last man standing.
“So, what happened to keep you from qualifying, huh? It’s always been a mystery to me.”
“I whiffed. Mystery solved.”
“Bullshit,” Colt said. “Of all of us, you’re the one who accomplishes whatever you set your mind to.” He jabbed a wooden stirrer in the air. “I have my theories about why you washed out.”
“Well, keep them to yourself. The whole thing is old news.” The truth was, he sort of had a chip on his shoulder about it.
They turned their heads when a couple of women walked into the bakery. Tourists, from what TJ could tell.
“What’s going on with Mandy?” Colt asked, and TJ was glad of the subject change.
“I took care of the Four Seasons thing without getting her involved. I’m blacklisting those clients. They drink and party too much and have become a liability. I don’t care how much business they give us.”
“I’m with you wholeheartedly.” Colt reached over and tore off another piece of TJ’s croissant. “But that’s not what I was talking about. You should take Mandy out.”
“Hey!” TJ swatted Colt’s hand away from his food. The guy was a bottomless pit. “I’ll get around to it.” He wouldn’t, but it was more prudent to agree than tell Colt he was hung up on a certain brunette who now worked for him.
“You don’t sound very enthusiastic about it.”
TJ shrugged. “Mandy’s nice, but I’m not feeling it.”
“Delaney wants to set you up with Karen, her manager,” Colt said. “I told her not to meddle in your business. But I can tell her to go for it. What do you think?”
He’d met Karen a few times but couldn’t remember much about her. He had a vague recollection of her at Delaney’s big fashion show over the summer. Possibly a redhead, but he might’ve mistaken her for someone else. “Nah. I can find my own women.”
“All right.” Colt finished his coffee. “I’ll tell her to set you up with her.”
TJ shook his head. It was best to leave it alone. “You still doing the speed riding tour?” He ate the rest of his croissant before Colt got his fat hands on it again. Rachel made them from scratch.
“I told you I was.” He got up and bussed his dishes. “How’s Deb doing so far?”
“Good. We’re meeting this morning on the sweatshirts and hats.” These meetings would be the death of him. Every time they were alone together he felt an electric current in the air and then was reminded why the two of them were impossible. Still, he couldn’t seem to help himself. The whole thing had disaster written all over it. “She’s got vision.”
Colt looked dubious. “I’m willing to give her a chance.” TJ hadn’t left him much choice.
“I’ll try to stop by GA later,” Colt said. “Let me know what our lawyers say about Stanley Royce.”
After Colt left, TJ drained the rest of his coffee, got an apple turnover for Darcy, and walked back to the office. The sun had come out, but it was colder than it had been the day before. Forecasters predicted more snow sometime this evening. If it kept up, they’d have the best winter snowpack in years.
Darcy was fielding calls at the front desk, so he left the turnover with her and headed for the “executive wing.” That was what he and his brothers jokingly called their parents’ offices. His dad wasn’t there; probably guiding a tour somewhere. And his mom wasn’t in her office either. She’d been coming in less frequently, leaving all aspects of the business to her sons, i.e., him. After all these years, she deserved to slow down and spend more time with her friends and the various charity organizations that kept her busy.
Passing Win’s office, TJ noted that his brother had made a rare appearance. Win was on the phone and TJ stood in the doorway, waiting for him to finish. The second Win spotted him, he started to wrap up the call. It was as if he didn’t want TJ to know what he was talking about.
“Who was that?”
“No one.” Win put his feet up on the desk. “Just a friend.”
TJ sank into a beanbag chair. “Didn’t these go out of style two decades ago?” Win didn’t have a pithy comeback, a sure sign that something was wrong. “What’s going on?”
“I’ve got nothing. You?”
“We just got a big family reunion. They booked for a week of activities in March. I’m gonna need you on that. We didn’t really have the opening, but I couldn’t pass up that kind of money.” Especially after his two-thousand-dollar setback this morning and a looming lawsuit.
“Good,” Win said, which surprised TJ. Usually, his brother bitched and moaned whenever TJ took on extra clients. “I need a raise, TJ.”
“Uh, okay, we can talk about that.” They’d all forgone raises last year to help build the business. Win lived fairly frugally, so it was surprising that he was asking for one now. “Everything okay?”
“TJ, save the third degree, would you? I shouldn’t have to grovel for a few extra bucks. It’s not like I’m not earning it.”
“Whoa.” TJ held up his hands. “I thought I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. What the hell has you all revved up?”
“I just knew you’d turn it into a federal case, like you do everything.”
TJ got to his feet and walked to the door. “Write up a request and put it on my desk and I’ll get you a goddamn raise.”
He crossed the hall, wondering what the hell had crawled up Win’s ass. Josh passed him. “You know what’s wrong with Win?”
“Nope. I’m meeting with a few lugers on the southside of Glory Mountain and I’m running late. Deal with it, okay?”
He always did. Instead of going to his office, TJ went to Deb’s and popped his head inside. “You know what’s eating Win?”
She lifted her head from the catalogs he’d given her on Monday. “No. I haven’t seen him all day. Why, what’s going on with him?”
“I have no idea, but he’s acting like an asshole.”
“Nothing new there,” she said, and he noticed she was all dressed up. She’d done something different to her hair and had on makeup.
“What’s with the new look?”
“This is the professional me, career woman extraordinaire.” She stood up and did a little twirl. “You like it?”
Yeah, he did. Too much. The little knit dress showed off her legs and breasts. Deb had great breasts. And that hopeful look on her face, the way she wanted approval, stirred something in him. Then again, she always stirred something in him.
“We meeting?” she asked.
“Sure. Give me a second.” He went back to his desk to get his iPad and stopped off in the lobby to check with Darcy—maybe she knew what was up with Win—but she’d gone on an errand.
“You ready?” He stepped into Deb’s office.
“Uh-huh.” She arranged the catalogs, which had Post-it notes stuck everywhere.
He grabbed a folding chair. “You need some furniture in here.” A meeting table and some real chairs would be good. “I’ll ask Darcy to order you some stuff.”
She’d written out notes on a yellow legal pad. A little archaic, but he was glad to see she was prepared. “Do yourself a favor and get a tablet with your first paycheck.”
“I have one. But it’s broken. I’m gonna see if Duncan can fix it.” Duncan was Glory Junction’s official computer geek.
“Show me what you’ve got.”
She laid out her plan, arguing the pros of crew necks over hoodies. “I think we should do both in multiple colors but definitely more crew necks.”
“All right. How many do you want to do of each and what sizes?”
She froze. “I didn’t think that far ahead. I thought you were going to help me with numbers. TJ, this is all new to me.”
“I meant numbers as far as your budget. Don’t worry, I’ll help you.” Even though the constant closeness was hell on his . . . everything. You should’ve thought of that before you hired her, dumbass. “We need to get things ordered and up on the website soon.” Sales hadn’t picked up since their initial trial. He hoped an attractive online store and new merchandise would spark renewed interest; otherwise a lot of people were going to be pissed off, namely his brothers. “Show me what you’re thinking as far as which logo goes where.”
She referred to her notes and Post-its. He had to laugh at her old-fashioned approach.
“I was thinking this one here.” She pointed to the Garner Adventure graphic they used on their pamphlets.
“Yup. I like that.”
“And this one here.” She put the GA initials next to the picture of a hoodie and continued to go through her list, showing him which logo went where.
“It all works for me. Just come up with your numbers and get the stuff ordered. You also need to set up a meeting with Delaney and figure out what to stock in our inventory. We’re done with beta. This is the real deal.”
She wrote call Delaney on her pad. “Can you show me how to find customer orders? I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to log in to check that.”
“Sorry. That should’ve been one of the first things I showed you. Go to the website.”
She sat at her desktop and he pulled up a chair, giving her the information to log on as an administrator.
“Click there.” He grabbed for the mouse and covered her hand, feeling instant heat.
Deb didn’t move away, and for a minute, they scrolled through the orders together, his hand on hers.
Ah, jeez, they were at work and all he wanted to do was keep holding her hand. Like forever.
“Remember when you used to follow me around GA when your parents cleaned the offices?” The memory of her as an impish five-year-old with curly brown hair, big brown eyes, and boundless energy made his lips curve up.
“Uh-huh,” she said softly. “I’d get into everything and you’d bail me out.”
Grateful, she used to hold his face in her two tiny hands and stare up at him like he was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Those eyes, shining like the sun, never failed to make his chest kick.
“What made you remember?” she asked.
“No reason.” Slowly, he slid his hand off hers, letting his fingers brush her soft skin before letting go, and resumed looking at the order page. He cleared his throat and tried for a normal tone. “We got one for Delaney’s ski jacket and another for her bouldering shirt. Darcy can show you the shipping process. You have this under control?” He certainly didn’t.
“I think so.”
Good. Because if he didn’t leave this room soon, he was going to make a move on her. “Bang on my door if you don’t understand something.” He stood up and headed out.
“Want to go to lunch later?” she asked. “I mean, if you aren’t busy. You know, we could grab something together and I can pick your brain.”
He should’ve said no, that he had plans. But no didn’t seem to be in his vocabulary where she was concerned. “Come get me when you’re ready.”
When he got back to his office, he found Win’s written request for a pay increase. TJ studied it and pulled up the budget on his computer. A few minutes later, he crossed the hallway to his brother’s office.
“I’ll put in for your raise this afternoon. You won’t see the money until the check after next. If you need me to float you until then, I can do that.” He made eye contact with Win and held it. “You into something I should know about?”
“I’m fine, just have expenses like everyone else.”
TJ wanted to ask about these sudden expenses, but if Win wanted him to know, he’d tell him. “Okay.”
“What are you doing for lunch?”
Since when did everyone want to go to lunch with him? “I’m taking Deb to lunch . . . for work stuff. You want to come?”
“Nah, not if it’s a work thing.” Win seemed preoccupied. “I’ve got stuff to do anyway.”
How screwed up was it that TJ was relieved? How screwed up was it that he wanted Deb to himself, even if it was only for an hour?
“Let me know if you change your mind,” TJ said.
He went back to his office and spent the next couple of hours working on schedules. They desperately needed more guides and he was always shuffling manpower to fill holes. As a result, GA was paying a shitload of overtime, which wasn’t ideal.
A little after noon, Deb came in with her coat and hat on. “You ready? I’m starved.”
He finished what he was doing and, out of guilt, stuck his head in Win’s office to give him a second chance to join them, but his brother was gone.
“Where do you have in mind?” TJ asked Deb.
“We can go to the Morning Glory.”
“All right, as long as you’re not sick of the place.” By his count, she still had a week left of working at the diner.
The Basque and Indian places were good, too, but the Morning Glory and Old Glory always seemed to be everybody’s go-to restaurant, at least for lunch. Probably because it was close.
He stopped off at Darcy’s desk to tell her they were out for lunch, then held the door open for Deb. Felix waved from the kitchen window when they walked in and told them to sit wherever they wanted.
“He lose another chef?” TJ asked.
“Not as of yesterday, but who knows? Let’s get that back booth. Quieter.” He followed and squeezed in across from her.
Ricki brought them menus. “You’re keeping better company these days,” she told Deb and ran her hands through TJ’s hair. “You all need a few minutes?”
“I’m ready.” He knew the menu by heart and Deb could probably recite it in her sleep. He motioned for her to order first.
“I’ll have a CB with a side of fries,” she said.
“What’s a CB?”
“Cheeseburger,” Deb and Ricki answered in unison.
“I’ll have the same.” TJ handed the menus to Ricki. “And coffee, please.”
“Late night?” Deb quirked a brow and leaned over the table, giving him an excellent view down the top of her dress. Nice black bra.
“I was doing profit-and-loss statements.” Boring as hell, but a necessity.
“You’re no fun,” she teased.
“What are you talking about? I’m lots of fun.” He waggled his brows and she laughed, and the chemistry between them ratcheted up a hundred degrees. She had a way of making him forget about work . . . and that wasn’t good.
“You come up with sweatshirt numbers for your order yet?” he asked to steer the conversation back to the job. This was supposed to be a business lunch, after all.
“I’m planning to talk to Hannah about it. See what she does a month.”
“Smart.” Ricki brought his coffee and he took a sip. “Keep in mind that we have a different clientele.”
“I already thought of that, but at least I’ll get an idea.” She glanced at the door as a group of regulars came in. “You find out what the deal was with Win?”
“Not really.” He didn’t want to talk about Win’s out-of-the-blue request for a raise. He didn’t want to talk about Win, period.
More lunch goers came in and the noise level rose. “You gonna miss this place?” he asked.
“That would be a big no! I’ll miss Felix, Ricki, and some of the other staff, though. The good news is, I’ll still eat here.” She leaned toward him again. “How come you’re still single?”
The non sequitur threw him, and for a second, he considered telling her some version of the truth. But now that they were working together, that was completely unadvisable. Felony stupid, in fact. “Haven’t had time to focus on that area of my life. Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with being single. I’m only thirty-four.”
“I’m not buying it,” she said and rearranged the condiments in the basket on the table.
“Okay, don’t buy it.” He shrugged.
“The problem with you is that your standards are too high.”
“Whatever you say.” He looked at her, waiting. She clearly thought she was hugely perceptive.
“Colt’s still my favorite Garner. But you’re now running him a close second.”
“That so?” He folded his arms over his chest. “What about Win?”
“Win’s not even in the running anymore.”
“Then what about Josh? Everyone loves Josh. You know, the whole war hero thing.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m crazy about Josh,” she said. “But before him, I had Hannah all to myself. And I’m a petty person.”
He chuckled at her honesty. But he’d never thought of her as petty.
Ricki returned with their food and rushed off to wait on the other tables.
“When did you come to the conclusion that I was second to Colt, which by the way, Colt? Seriously?” He took a bite of his burger. “Let me guess; it’s because I gave you a job.”
She cut her burger in half and stuck a couple of french fries under each bun. That was a new one on him.
“You’re being cynical.” She pointed her fork at him. “Not the job. You’re the best-looking Garner, putting points strongly in your favor.”
“Thanks . . . I think.” He reached across the table and put his face an inch away from hers. “Are you flirting with me?”
“Oh, you know, I think I am.”
He pulled back before he took their playfulness too far. “Well, don’t, unless you mean it.”