Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
The Bar
“So there’s really nothing between you and Garrett?” Poet asked after we shook hands.
“Nope.”
“I’m rarely this wrong,” Poet remarked. “I swore you guys were flirting at karaoke night a few months ago.”
“You can flirt and not have it mean anything.”
She blinked.
“You get that, right? It’s important that you get that.”
Poet snapped her shoulders back. “I know how flirting works.”
“Don’t think so, you little elfin fairy.”
“I do too, Viking. Brooks and I flirt. We’ve flirted.”
I gestured to her belly. “Yeah, I know.”
She placed her hand on her stomach. “Okay, fine, so I can’t flirt without it meaning something. But this isn’t about me. This is about you and Garrett. And you and Garrett were flirting.”
I rolled my eyes. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What am I doing?”
“You’re trying to distract me with this ridiculous conversation, so I’ll forget about the fact that you didn’t tell me you and Brooks are building a house. It’s not working, by the way.”
She leaned back against the booth and peered at me. “I was going to tell you when you came for the wedding.”
“Uh huh.”
“I swear.” Her eyes were earnest. “Please don’t be mad at me.”
“Why would I be mad at you?” I asked in exasperation. “Did you think I wouldn’t be happy for you?”
“No. Of course you would. But I know how hard this is for you, Wyn.”
“What’s hard?”
“Me. Salem. Hadley.”
“Happy, in love . . . pregnant?” I asked.
She nodded.
“You can’t hide your milestones from me. That’ll make us both feel worse.”
“All right,” she said with a nod.
“It’s funny, you know? You used to be the one we all had to protect, and now you’re trying to protect me.”
“I want you to be happy,” she said.
“I know you do. But hiding how happy you are isn’t going to work. That will just drive a wedge between us. I don’t want that.”
“You’re right.”
“And trying to push me toward Garret isn’t the answer either.” I swallowed. “We may have to face the possibility that I’ll just have to settle for being the cool, fun maiden aunt who spoils her friends’ children.”
“You’ve given up on love?” Poet demanded. “Just like that?”
“What do you think the pledge was about?” I demanded. “Sure, it was funny to call it a penis embargo, but you know it’s more than that. Did you think it was just a fun ritual at the hot spring? Did you think me canceling all the dating apps and choosing to focus on me and my life was all bullshit?”
“It wasn’t supposed to be about you giving up on love,” she protested. “It was supposed to be a re-centering.”
“Well, I’m officially on a dating hiatus.
You know why I did it. I’ve fallen for so many lies that men tell me.
I’m tired of investing in men who say one thing and the moment they get what they want from me, they leave.
I can’t keep doing that to myself. I don’t want to be a cynic, but my track record is leading me down that road. ”
She held out her hand. “Show it to me.”
“Show what to you?”
“You know what.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. We had a stare-off, but I finally relented. I dug through my bag and pulled out my wallet. I unzipped it and then delved into the hidden pocket and extracted what she wanted to see and handed it over.
“You had it laminated,” she remarked.
“Yes.”
“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?” she asked as she handed me back the card.
“Yeah, I am. You didn’t think I’d really do this, did you?” I asked.
“You want the truth?”
“Always.”
She sighed. “No, I didn’t think you’d stick to your guns. You love love. I know men have lied to you. I know they’ve hurt you. But you deserve your own happy ending.”
“And you think pushing me toward Garrett is the answer?”
“I think pushing you toward Garrett is to make sure you don’t close yourself off permanently.
The only thing worse than falling out of love with love is deciding not to play the game at all.
You’re so great. I just don’t want you to stop taking chances just because you’re afraid of making another mistake. ”
“It’s too much, Poet,” I said, my voice softening. “So, for right now I just want to focus on helping Lenni adjust to her new life.”
“How’s she doing, you think?”
“Touch and go,” I admitted. “One minute she’s fine. The next, she remembers her entire world blew up. It’s a lot for an eleven-year-old. Hell, it would be a lot for an adult to handle. But she’s fun, you know? Just like a . . . a . . . what’s the word I’m looking for?”
“Sidekick?”
“Yes. Exactly. Mildred loves her.”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too.”
“You think you’ll stay? Long term?” Her eyes lit up with hope.
“Can we just take it one day at a time?”
“You can’t go back to New York. I won’t let you.”
I raised my brows. “How are you going to stop me?”
She frowned. “Are you trying to start a fight?”
“No. I just don’t want to plan. No more planning. No more expectations. I just want to be here in the moment and enjoy the holidays.”
And try not to fall in love with a certain mustached cowboy with a lopsided grin that makes me shiver.
I walked into the house and heard peals of Lenni’s laughter coming from the kitchen. Mildred ran to greet me, and Lottie wasn’t far behind her.
After I took off my coat and hung it on a hook, I removed my boots. I headed deeper into the house, the animals trotting ahead of me, as if leading me to the source of the noise.
Brooks, Archer and Lenni were sitting at the kitchen table playing cards.
“Your bet, Half-Pint,” Brooks said to Lenni.
“Hang on,” she said, leaning back in her chair and peering at him. “You’re totally bluffing. I’m going all in.”
She shoved her pile of candy into the center of the table.
I caught Archer’s eyes, and he winked.
My stomach flipped with desire.
“You’re playing poker?” I asked in surprise. “Without me?”
Lenni wiggled in her chair in excitement. “You play?”
“Yep. So do Hadley, Salem and Poet. Never play with Salem though, she cheats,” I warned.
“Stop stalling,” Archer said to her. “Lay down your cards.”
Lenni waggled her brows. “Read ‘em and weep, suckers.”
Archer and Brooks groaned and tossed down their hands.
Lenni dragged the pile of candy toward her like a pirate hoarding his booty.
“What do I have to do to get a piece of chocolate?” I asked her.
“Help me pack up the wooden grouse carvings?” Lenni asked.
“I can do that,” I said.
“Then you can have as much candy as you want,” she offered.
“Wooden grouse carvings?” Brooks asked.
“Part of the charming decor we found in Lenni’s room,” I said with a smirk. “They came with the house.”
Lenni rose from her chair. “I’m gonna get ready for bed.” She slapped Brooks on the back. “Night, Unc.”
She then came to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. “Did you have fun with Poet?”
I hugged her back. “Yeah, I did.”
Lenni looked at Archer for a moment and then saluted him.
Archer’s expression was a blank canvas, and I wondered what he was thinking.
Lenni headed toward the stairs, Mildred following her. Lottie attempted to go too, but Brooks scooped her up before she could escape.
“Better get going,” Brooks announced. “I’d like to get home before Poet crashes.”
“Good luck,” I said. “She’s about to fall into a meat coma.”
Brooks stood and held his hand out to Archer. “Great kid you’ve got there. I hope mine turns out half as good as yours.”
“Can’t really take credit for that, can I?” Archer asked, slapping his palm against his brother’s.
Brooks didn’t reply, but he nodded. “See ya later, Wyn.”
“Bye, Brooks,” I murmured at his retreating back.
A moment later the door closed, and I was alone with Archer.
“Looks like you guys had fun,” I remarked as I popped a chocolate candy into my mouth.
“We did,” Archer said.
I started to gather up the cards. I flipped Brooks’ cards over—it was a worse hand than what Lenni had thrown down. “No way.”
“What?” Archer asked as he began to help clean up.
“She really beat him,” I remarked.
“Did you think he let her win?”
I shrugged. “I thought he might have.”
“We can’t let her win. She has to earn it and always know where she stands with us. If he’d let her win and she’d found out he lied about a better hand, she wouldn’t trust him anymore. One day that will matter.”
He handed me the card box, and I stuffed the cards inside.
“Tea?” I asked.
“Sure.”
I went to fill the kettle with water. “She was pretty comfortable around him.”
Archer nodded. “Just not around me.”
I turned the stove burner on and set the kettle on top of it. “Patience, young Jedi.”
“Because I’m so good at that. Was your night fun?”
“Yeah. It was nice to catch up with Poet, just the two of us. Since I’ve been here, it’s been kind of . . .”
“Nuts?”
“Nuts,” I agreed.
I opened the mason jar of raw honey and stuck the honey dipper into it.
“Did you know Brooks bought land on Elk Ridge and they’re building a house?” I asked.
“Of course I knew.”
I grunted.
“You didn’t?”
I shook my head. “Brooks thought Poet had already told me, so he casually mentioned it. Did everyone know before me?”
It was a rhetorical question and the truth hurt. Truth was necessary, but that didn’t mean it was easy to hear.
“I think you already know the answer to that. So, it was just the two of you hanging out,” Archer asked. “No one else?”
I turned to look at him, raising my brows. “Yes, just the two of us.”
“What about Garrett Calhoun?”
Damn, I owe Poet a million dollars.
“Garrett was there.”
“Doing what?”
“Drinking.” The jar of loose-leaf tea rested next to the toaster. I unscrewed the lid and found the tea strainers in the dish drain.
“Wyn.”
“Don’t take that tone with me,” I snapped, straightening my spine.
Archer got up from his chair and sauntered toward me. I held my ground, even as my heart began to pound in excitement at his approach.
He stopped when he was six inches from me. I was tall, but Archer was taller, and I refused to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. Instead, I stared at one of his pearl-white shirt buttons while my insides sprouted wings and took flight.
Archer reached out and lifted my chin.
His touch heated my skin, and I couldn’t stop my whole-body shiver. It prickled my scalp and had my lips parting.
Archer shifted closer.
“Did he buy you a drink?” he demanded.
When did his voice get so raspy . . . and so hot?
“No.”
“Did he ask you out?”
When I paused, he gently squeezed my chin in an attempt to get me to answer.
“You want to tell me about Shay?” I fired back. “She seemed awfully interested when your name came up in conversation.”
A slow grin pulled across his lips. “How did my name come up in conversation?”
“I told Garrett I was your daughter’s nanny and she overheard.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.” I notched my chin higher. “So, the hot bartender with tattoos on her perfect body . . . you two ever date?”
“I like you jealous.”
“I’m not jealous,” I lied.
“No?”
“No.”
“Then why did you ask about Shay?”
“Why did you ask about Garrett?”
“Because I heard you were flirting with him.”
“So what if I was?” I demanded.
“I’d rather you flirt with me.”
I finally batted his hand from my chin and placed a palm on his chest.
His warm. Muscular. Chest.
I gently pushed him away.
Even though I wanted to curl my fingers into his shirt and drag him closer.
Damn Poet.
“I can’t flirt with you,” I stated. “I work for you. That would cross a line.”
“Cross it, I beg you.”
We stared into each other’s eyes and then he took a step toward me . . .
Mildred woofed and then the scrabble of her paws on the wooden stairs had Archer retreating.
A moment later, Mildred trotted into the kitchen with Lenni not far behind her.
Lenni came to a halt, her gaze bouncing between me and her father. “What’s going on?”
“I’m making tea,” I said, hoping like hell my cheeks weren’t flushed.
Lenni raised her brows. “I promised Millie a bedtime snacky. Can she have a piece of apple?”
“Sure,” I said. “You’re calling her Millie, now?”
“She likes it better,” Lenni informed me.
“I like it better, too,” Archer stated.
Lenni went to the refrigerator and pulled out the container with pre-cut apple slices. She bit a piece in half.
“Sit,” she commanded.
Mildred’s bottom hit the floor.
Lenni gave Mildred half the apple piece and then she ate the other half. “Let’s go outside.”
Mildred dutifully followed Lenni to the backyard.
“We’re not done with our conversation,” Archer said, pitching his voice low.
“Oh, we’re more than done.” I scooped up my mug of tea and escaped to my room.