Chapter 2
"W ow. Sexy and funny."
Travis couldn't keep his heart from racing. Just thinking about Keely's voice, and her sassy vibe, and how easily she made him laugh...
He grinned as he shifted in his seat, glad nobody else was around to see how aroused he was just then.
From a phone call.
"Who's sexy and funny? Is that why you're smiling, bro?"
Travis groaned. His brother Wyatt was standing there, gazing at him suspiciously. Travis took off his headset and set it on the desk.
"I'm smiling because I just read in the company newsletter you'd finally run away from home."
"Hah! No, really. You never grin like that. Did you hear a good joke?"
"No, I'm just related to one." He laughed at Wyatt's exaggerated expression of surprise. "What are you doing here? You never come to this part of the warehouse."
"Just thought I'd take a look around. Maybe do a little shopping."
"Is there a woman on your list?"
"Bro." He winked. "I've got a ton of women on my list."
Travis rolled his eyes. "I meant a woman you're actually planning to buy a Christmas present for. You tend to disappear before it's time to exchange gifts."
"That's my holiday tradition," Wyatt said cheerfully.
Travis shook his head, walking towards the break room. "I can't believe I actually begged Santa for a little brother."
"Of course you did! So you could see awesome on a daily basis."
Travis just grinned. Wyatt followed him, and they both sat down in plastic chairs that were nearly as old as they were. The St. James family business was successful, but the bigwigs (aka his dad) didn't feel the need to splurge on things like employee perks.
Not his problem. Once he finished school and moved on...Not that he'd mention it to his dad any time soon. Last Christmas was tense after Travis had dropped the bombshell about starting law school classes at night. The three-year hiatus since college had led his dad to believe Travis wanted to stay at the family business. But he had other plans.
Wyatt stared at him.
"What?" Travis asked.
"It seems like you're hiding something. You've really got me wondering—"
No . No way was he going to talk about Keely. He'd really enjoyed their conversations, both of them. She was funny, and she had such a soft, sexy voice. He'd been thrilled to talk to her again, never expecting it would happen.
And now he'd actually get to meet her.
It was an effort to keep from smiling just then but he had to. Keely was his secret for now. He didn't want Wyatt with the Wandering Eye to get involved. Or intrude.
Time to deflect. "You're wondering what to buy for all the women on your list. Sorry, I can't help you with that. I don't have a clue. Because I don't date, remember?"
"You have to make time for what's important." Wyatt said it solemnly, as if he was some kind of oracle. "That's what I do."
"You aren't going to school at night and working here during the day."
Wyatt simply raised his eyebrows as if Travis had just answered his own riddle. "That's why I have time for dating."
"There's nothing else on your schedule!"
Wyatt pointed a finger. "Now you're finally getting it." After a pause, he added, "How long has it been since you got—"
"If you say laid, I'm stuffing you in a box and shipping you to Antarctica."
"A break! Geez. Although you just proved my point. You're really tense, bro. You need to take some time to enjoy life."
Travis frowned. He hated to admit it but his horndog brother was right. It wasn't easy going to class four nights a week, studying every spare minute, plus working eight hours a day. He was done with school for the semester, and even though he was still working, he had more free time than he'd had for a long while. Why not relax and enjoy the holidays?
It sure beat having to listen to Wyatt's life-coach advice. Or his tales of yet another new woman in his life.
Wyatt pulled out his phone. "If you want me to hook you up with someone—"
Travis held up a hand. "Thanks. I'm good."
He did like the idea of something short-term, though. He was too focused on his long-range life goals to consider anything serious for the next few years. Not that meeting a stranger for coffee was likely to lead to anything like that.
"I'd have time to date if you'd help out around here more often."
"Hah! Nice try, Travis. Definitely earned points for that one."
Travis stood and stretched. "Time to get back to it." He bit back a grin before adding, "You're welcome to come watch. Shadow me and see how things get done."
This time Wyatt rolled his eyes. "Can't you see I'm way too busy for that?"
Travis chuckled as he headed back to his desk. He'd made sure Wyatt wouldn't find out about Keely, so now he could spend the rest of his shift thinking about meeting her tomorrow.
He was excited, and a little bit nervous. He was also really glad Keely hadn't changed her mind when he'd offered her an out.
That would have wrecked Christmas just as it was getting off to such a great start.
***
"M AYBE I SHOULD CALL him and say I can't make it." Keely set a plate of freshly-baked rosemary shortbread cookies on the kitchen table. "It was fun to consider in the moment, but now I'm having second thoughts."
Nicki DeMarco glared while reaching for a cookie, biting it with a distinct snap, as if it was made from the bones of her enemy.
They'd been best friends since second grade, so Keely didn't find anything about Nicki frightening. The dark hair with severe-cut bangs and intense red lipstick, accompanied by the "you've got to be kidding" expression, did tend to strike fear into everyone else's hearts.
"If only you'd stopped at second thoughts. I know how you are."
"I'm just looking at the situation from a lot of different angles."
"Keely, don't do this. I can spend all day reminding you what a babe you are."
Keely gave her an exasperated look. "It's not about that."
"It is so about that! I get that Dick-Ex crushed your confidence."
"His name wasn't Dick."
"I'm using it as a title."
"Ex is his title."
Nicki waved her hand airily. "It's like one of those hyphenated last names. The point is—"
"Finally."
"The point is he couldn't see how awesome you are. Satan only knows why. But his biggest sin was he made you view yourself the same way. We've got to reverse that."
"It's sort of a side effect," Keely said defensively, "from getting dumped right before Christmas."
"Of course. But that was last year. It's time for you to move along, get out of your comfort zone."
"And into my comfort and joy zone?"
Nicki's jaw dropped. "Why does everybody always beat me to the good lines?" She slapped the table for emphasis. "Every. Single. Time."
Nicki had a good point. Well, two good points. Keely didn't know how to explain why she got the good lines before her friend did. But Nicki was right about how she'd let Dick-Ex keep affecting her life—while he was presumably embarking on a new one.
And she'd just been drifting through hers.
"Okay. I'm willing to give this a try. It's just coffee. Except..."
Nicki waited patiently.
"What if it turns into something else? Wouldn't that be a rebound thing? Those never work out."
Nicki snorted. "It's not a rebound when it's a year later. But I like your optimism, looking ahead. So keep bringing on the excuses. We'll work our way through all of them."
She loved Nicki. Her friend was always there to steer her in the right direction, gently if needed, and with a good hearty tug when Keely dragged her feet.
Like now.
"I'm nervous. And skittish," Keely admitted, "and seriously wishing I wasn't either of those things."
"Hmmm. If only there was some way to change that." Nicki tapped her lip, looking to the ceiling as if pondering her answer. "I know! How about meeting Travis for coffee?"
Keely laughed. "I said I'm going! But don't expect me to turn into a wild woman overnight. I'm the tame one of my crazy family, remember?"
"You still have a lot of sass in you."
"Yeah, when I'm with you, or Grandma." She paused. "The funny thing is, I felt pretty sassy while I was talking with Travis."
Nicki raised her eyebrows approvingly. "I'm liking the sound of this."
"It actually felt really natural, like I was welcoming back a long-lost friend or something."
Nicki bobbed her head side to side, snapping her fingers. "Hey, Sass, long time. How ya been?"
"Exactly like that," Keely said, laughing.
"Which proves you've got a lot in your Sass Stash for when you need it. Hey! Sass Stash. Yes!"
"That's tricky to say. I'm changing it to Sassy Stash."
"Dammit. I was so close." Nicki dropped her head. " So close this time. Or what about Stash O' Sass?"
Keely gave her a sympathetic pat. "You'll get there. I believe in you."
Nicki sat back up, grinning. "I'm excited for you, Keely. This is what Christmas is all about. Opening new presents. Having a holiday fling."
"Hey! It's just a meet-up."
"With coffee. And possibilities." She waggled her eyebrows on the last word, leaving no doubt what she meant.
"We're exchanging mislaid packages instead of trying to ship them back and forth," Keely said. "It's about the furthest from a fling as a girl can get."
"Maybe." Nicki shrugged. "But it's a great opportunity to get your flirt on. Maybe even start enjoying this holiday season."
Keely had to admit it was a good strategy, something to start easing her back into the dating world she'd been avoiding. Nothing serious or long-term to worry about. Just a short and sweet, hopefully fun, encounter.
Besides, how could she not meet the man who possessed that sexy heartthrob of a voice? She'd be kicking her own butt for the rest of her life if she missed out on that.
Especially when she remembered how eager he seemed to meet her .
"So?" Nicki asked. "Are you calling to cancel?"
Keely shook her head. "I'm going."
"Awesome! Now let's work out your exfil plan in case he turns out to be a total jerk."