Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
L ucas had known working with Riley would be difficult at first. He’d assumed the hard part would be dealing with her coldness and the determined indifference she’d wielded like a shield since their breakup. He’d thought that if he could thaw out that side of her, things would get easier.
Turned out that dealing with the Ice Queen version of Riley was the easy part. That Riley was easier not to think about.
Seeing her relaxed and smiling again brought to mind their history. They used to have inside jokes, secrets, and meaningful looks they shot each other. He used to be able to take her hand in his any time he wanted, and her face would light up when she saw him.
When she joked around with the other employees and made them laugh, he remembered why he’d fallen in love with her in the first place. The woman wasn’t just pretty and ultra-competent, she made everything more fun. People naturally wanted to be around her.
He’d actually started looking forward to seeing her during her shifts.
And that kiss under the mistletoe…she wouldn’t have kissed him that way if she didn’t still have some feelings for him.
Maybe if he flirted with her, complimented her, let his hand brush against hers and…
Or maybe she’d just add sexual harassment to the list of things she’d tell the Lark Spring’s Gazette when she saw the architect’s changes and deemed them insufficient. They’re ruining the inn’s historical value, they’ve threatened to fire me, and the manager doesn’t respect personal boundaries.
Best not to risk it while they worked together.
One morning in mid-January, he strode into the lobby to talk to Riley about payroll. She stood at the desk, sorting through mail in a silky red blouse and black skirt that emphasized her small waist and long, toned legs.
He remembered a day when they’d been dating, and he’d come to the inn and seen her in that outfit. She wore the same deep red lipstick as well, and he wondered if it was the tube from last year. Was it possible that her lipstick had lasted longer than their relationship?
Back then, he’d brought lunch as a surprise because she said she was craving Thai food. Riley had looked up from her desk, brightened, and got up and thrown her arms around him.
He’d kissed her right there in the lobby, and afterward, she’d giggled because she left traces of red on his lips. She took a tissue from the front desk to wipe away the evidence. “You can’t go back to work with lipstick smudges anywhere. The other officers will wonder how women are getting out of their speeding tickets.”
“Would you have kissed me to get out of your speeding ticket?” he asked. “As I recall, I had to beat you at basketball before you let me kiss you.”
She’d batted her eyelashes and purred, “Pull me over again sometime and see.”
Ironic. He had pulled her over again when she was with Nick. She hadn’t seemed all that interested in kissing him.
Could their relationship be fixed?
Riley noticed he’d come into the lobby. She put down the mail and walked the remaining distance to him. She stood close, like she’d done last winter right before she threw her arms around him. “This needs to be fixed,” she said.
He did a double-take. How had she known his thoughts? Well, perhaps he was easier to read than he supposed. Perhaps she was finally ready to reconcile. “Yes, I think so,” he said.
He was one moment away from telling her that second chances were a good thing when she took hold of his tie, loosened the knot at his throat, and redid it. “There,” she said, stepping back. “Now you don’t look like you put on your tie without a mirror.”
He hadn’t looked in the mirror. In fact, he’d debated whether to wear one at all. Did a manager really need a tie all the time? He touched the knot, checking it. “Thanks.”
By way of explanation for his sloppiness, he added, “Policemen don’t have ties. I’m still not used to them.” And speaking of not-used-to-wearing-them, where had her tie-tying experience come from? “How do you know how to tie a tie?”
“Online videos. Isn’t that where everyone learns to tie them?”
“I learned from my father.”
“Oh. Yeah. I guess that does make sense in your case.”
She was still standing close to him. He was in no hurry to end the conversation. “Perhaps a better question is why did you learn to tie a tie?”
She shrugged. “No reason. I got bored one day and wanted to see how the other half lived.”
He dipped his chin. “I know you well enough to know your tells when you’re lying. Why did you actually learn how to tie a tie?”
If Riley had some tie-wearing boyfriend after they broke up, Lucas had never heard about it. Although maybe she had started seriously dating someone, and no one told him because they knew it would bother him. An illogical thrum of jealousy went through him at the thought of her fussing over another man’s clothes.
She considered him. “Do I really have tells when I’m lying? What are they?”
As an officer, Lucas had learned to pay attention to body language. When Riley withheld information, she pressed her lips together, and her blink rate doubled. “I’m not going to tell you. You’ll try and change them, and as your boss, it comes in handy to know when you’re lying. By the way, I know it was you who put up the picture of a wallaby in the breakroom as the employee of the month.”
She fought a smile. “That can’t be proven.”
“So whose ties have you been straightening? Nick’s?” He groaned and shook his head. “It is Nick, isn’t it? I would’ve thought you had more sense than to go out with him again.”
She laughed. No embarrassment, only amusement in her expression. So, probably not Nick.
“If you really can tell when I’m lying, I’m not going to say anything to you about my personal life. I’ll just have to remain mysterious. Or lie all the time. That’s how politicians get away with it, isn’t it? If you’re lying all the time, it becomes your baseline.” She headed back to the desk.
Lucas had no response to her statement and just watched her go, high heels clicking against the floor. If he’d been talking to anyone else, he would’ve been able to think of something clever to say about liars or politicians. Instead, he was distracted by her legs. He’d forgotten how toned they were. She hit the gym regularly, and it showed. Hard not to watch her, especially in those heels.
Most of the time Riley wore dress pants to work but seeing her in that outfit made him think that the inn should have a more stringent dress code. Assistant managers should only wear dresses and skirts. Could he get away with enacting that rule? He’d be willing to wear ties every day if he could.
Riley began checking something on the computer, and he realized he’d just been standing in the middle of the lobby, watching her. Why had he come here in the first place? He’d been on his way here to do something.
While he was trying to remember what exactly that thing was, a blonde woman who’d been sitting in the lounge left her seat and strolled over to him.
She was in her late twenties, pretty, and wore a white sweater that showed off her curves. She tucked the book she’d been reading into her designer bag and slung it over her shoulder. “I hear you’re the manager of this darling inn. I just wanted to let you know how much I love the place. I’d planned to stay here for only one night of my vacation, but it’s so picturesque, I decided to extend my stay for three more nights.”
Picturesque. Was Riley right about the architect’s addition hurting sales? He was not going to tell her about this conversation. “I’m glad you’re enjoying your time here.”
The woman tilted her head and smiled. “The scenery can’t be beat.”
Her stance was hard to read. Was she flirting with him, or was she just planning to hit him up for extra amenities? Was this her I need a late checkout stance?
“I’ve always liked the view here,” he agreed. “Snow can be as pretty as sunshine, and we always seem to have plenty of it.”
She laughed at his comment, even though it wasn’t funny, and held out her hand. “I’m Brittney.”
He shook her hand. “Glad to meet you.”
“You’re Lucas,” she said, half-question, half-statement.
She knew his name. He’d forgotten there was a third option for her interest in him. She might be a Broncos fan who’d heard from someone that Carson was his brother. She was probably about to ask for his contact info, and he’d have to disappoint her by telling her that Carson was engaged.
“Yes, do you know my brother?”
“No. It’s on your name tag.”
Right. That would be the second thing about the dress code he’d change. No more nametags.
Brittney stepped closer to him, as though about to reveal a secret. “I was hoping you could tell me what single people do around here for fun.” Her gaze went to his ring finger. “You are single, aren’t you?”
Definitely flirting, but Lucas had no interest in flings with guests. He wasn’t the flings sort. And okay, maybe his feelings for Riley were still stronger than he’d supposed because right now he was more aware of her—across the room at the desk—than he was of Brittney, standing in front of him. “Lark Springs has a bowling alley and movie theaters. Legends has dancing on weekends and karaoke on weekdays. If you’re looking for much more than that, you have to go to Bozeman, and that’s a two-hour drive.”
“Well, a two-hour drive wouldn’t be so bad if I had someone along to keep me company.” She took a step closer. “When do you get off work?”
Seemed Brittney didn’t believe in being subtle. He had to think of a way to let her down without insulting her. “Actually, I just started working here as the manager, and until I learn the ropes, I’m pretty much here twenty-four-seven.”
Technically, it was true, since he lived here. Although he was only on call after five. Sara ran the front desk in the evening and saw to any problems guests had during that time.
Instead of being dissuaded, Brittney continued to smile at him. “Sounds interesting. What does the job of a manager entail?”
“Right now, going over payroll.” That’s why he’d come to the lobby in the first place. He’d wanted to go over the payroll with Riley. He glanced in her direction. She was ripping up a piece of junk mail. At least he hoped it was junk mail and not something the architect had sent. Now he was going to have to check the trash can.
Brittney followed his gaze. “Are the two of you a couple?”
Lucas’s attention snapped back to Brittney. “Why would you think that?”
“You turned me down, and she’s been staring at us since I started talking to you.”
Was that true? He shot a quick glance at the front desk again and caught Riley watching them. She immediately dropped her gaze and began straightening the desk.
Well, it was nice to know he’d finally found a way to get Riley’s attention.
He turned back to Brittney. “It’s complicated.”
She licked her lips suggestively. “If you want to make it even more complicated, you know where to find me.” She headed to the stairs, a sway in her steps, and sent him a last look over her shoulder. “I hope to see you at dinner.”
That hope was going to be disappointed. But he wouldn’t mind being friendly to her during Riley’s shift. Being friendly to guests was part of the manager’s job.