Boyfriend for Hire (2 page)

Cherry smiled dreamily as she glanced toward the love of her life. They’d make beautiful babies, ones with Cherry’s auburn hair and Jason’s eyes. “Trust me, Prince Charming has a few personality faults. Impatient tops the list. Why do you think he keeps pushing for a wedding date?”

“Having a guy who’s crazy about you and in a hurry to spend the rest of his life with you is a fault?” Tawny sputtered.

“You’re right. It’s pretty damn hot. But he has other flaws. He leaves the toilet seat up and he can’t cook more than a few basics, he’s stubborn, and . . .” A sigh escaped as Cherry glanced once again toward Jason. “What I’m trying to say is, everyone has their warts. It’s just a matter of finding the one you can live with. The one who sets your soul on fire with one look.”

Tawny had met that guy, the one who turned her into a jittery schoolgirl with her first crush. The one who made her burn for his touch. The one who made her want to throw caution to the wind and say the hell with her plan and let life happen on its own. Unfortunately, she wasn’t that girl. She had a mission with goals to achieve and she would, whether alone or with a man at her side, remained to be seen.

The waitress walked by and Cherry ordered a Bay Breeze for her and another Cosmo for Tawny. Cherry waved off Tawny’s protest. “I get the feeling you’ve earned a double shot today, and don’t worry, Jason will drive us home. Now, hit me with the big bad. What else happened?”

Heat rushed to Tawny’s cheeks, flooding her body with embarrassment as she remembered her boss’s hand on her ass, him pushing her against the wall. The panic that had set in, freezing her brain, keeping her from fighting the bastard off. Did she let the anger rule when he told her she could be his mistress, but would never hold a management position in
his
bank? No. She caved. His word against hers, he gloated. No point filing a complaint, he said. So she took the coward’s way out and quit.

Modify it, she told herself. Go with the simpler answer, one that won’t drag everyone into her hell.

“I got fired.”

“Whaaat?” Cherry reached for her drink, chugged the last quarter of an inch, and slammed the glass down. “Give me a sec, my brain is still trying to wrap itself around what you said, but it keeps coming up with What. The. Heck. I thought you were up for a promotion. What happened?”

“Imagine what my brain is doing.” Tawny absently stared out the window, trying to figure out what she could have done differently. “I came back from the disaster known as lunch and Mr. Leduc—the guy who got Mr. North’s job—called me in. Basically he thanked me for applying for the position, however, they felt Mark was a better fit and he was terribly sorry to have to tell me they were letting me go. Economic setbacks, blah, blah, blah.”

“You’ve worked there for eight years and Mark’s been there what? Two?”

“Yep.”

“What about your recommendation from Jane or Mr. North’s promise?” Cherry asked, clearly stunned.

“Figments of my imagination?” Tawny suggested.

“This makes no sense. You were the stronger candidate, especially with your degree. I remember you saying Mark didn’t hold one.”

“Honestly, the new guy strikes me as the old-fashioned kind. You know, it’s a man’s world.”
Just let it go
, she silently begged as she sat at a nearby booth.

“Seriously? Do you have proof?” Cherry asked, scowling at her empty glass and taking the spot across from her.

“No, and I wouldn’t want to get Mark fired anyway. He’s a good guy and is the sole moneymaker for his family. So there you have it. I got stood up and axed all in one day.”

“Fired. Wow.”

“Who got fired?” Jason asked as he slipped into the booth next to Cherry.

“Me,” Tawny said.

“What?” David Farber, Jason’s best friend asked as he slid onto the seat next to Tawny.

Just great. The day just kept getting crappier and crappier. Not that she hated David; in reality, the man did things to her she’d rather not address. Things like making her heart race and urging her to scoot closer without saying a word. Usually guys with light hair did nothing for her. Maybe it was his piercing blue eyes that seemed to look right through a woman’s armor straight to her heart. Whatever it was, his playboy ways put him at the top of the “never-doing” list.

On most days his
c’est le vie
attitude balanced everyone out, kept tensions low and the environment happy. Today she wasn’t in the mood. Cherry and Jason would understand the severity of the position she was in. David, with his Peter Pan syndrome, would probably think of it as a summer vacation.

“I really don’t want to talk about it,” Tawny said.

“You sure? These shoulders can take it, if you need one,” David offered.

She looked into his smiling eyes and fought the urge to smack him. “Seriously? You’re going to pick the worst day of my life to hit on me? Getting stood up and fired isn’t enough?”

“The guy’s an idiot. My offer was one of friendship. Nothing else.”

Cherry and Jason both sat with their mouths hanging open. Tawny wasn’t sure if they were shocked at what she’d said or at David. “Look, can we table this discussion for the night, please? Neither event is the end of the world. Didn’t you have something you wanted to talk about or tell us?”

Cherry sat with her hands intertwined with Jason’s. She looked up to Jason, then back to Tawny before looking down at her hands. “It’s not important, we can talk about it later.”

“Cherry.”

Her friend glanced nervously at her fiancé and smiled. “We’ve set a wedding date.”

Tawny whipped out her smartphone and pulled up the calendar. “That’s fantastic. When’s the happy day?”

“The second Saturday in October,” Cherry hesitantly told her.

David reached across the table, exchanged some kind of man-code handshake with the groom. “Congrats, Cupid. It’s about time you made an honest woman out of our girl here.”

“Trust me, I’ve been trying for weeks,” Jason responded.

After noting the date on her calendar, Tawny shut that app down and brought up her notes app. “October of this year, correct?”

Cherry gave her a small smile and nodded.

“Three months to plan a wedding? Lucky for you, I’m a very organized person and between the two of us we should have no problem. Thank goodness your classes don’t start until the end of summer.”

A quick look passed between the lovebirds, and Tawny waited for the other shoe to smack her upside the head. “Actually, I’m going to need a little more help from you than normally would be asked. See, the director of the community center found out about me going back to school for counseling, and she asked if I could do an internship-type thing now. It’s in the evenings after I get off work, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for wedding stuff.”

“No problem. Tell me what you need me to do and it’s done. You know you can count on me.” Tawny started making a list of all the essential tasks.

“Dave, we were hoping as Jason’s best man, you’d be willing to help Tawny out. Maybe check out some venues together, some cake testing, that sort of thing.” Cherry looked at the two of them with mournful puppy eyes and pink staining her perfect Irish complexion.

“Anything you need from me, sweetheart, I’m happy to do.” He turned to Jason. “What about Brody?”

“What about me?” The third part of the three amigos slid into the booth, shoving David totally into Tawny’s personal space. “Sorry I’m late. This client is going to kill me, if I don’t kill her first.”

The guy looked beat. Strain lines raced out from the corners of his eyes, while dark circles shadowed the area underneath. Somewhere between the office and the pub he’d ditched his suit coat and tie and rolled up the sleeves on his button-down shirt. The man was a total one-eighty from David, who dressed in jeans, a faded T-shirt, and work boots. Different styles, different personalities, all linked by a shared past and the same wary look in their eyes. Mama mia, they were a potent dose of testosterone when put together.

The edgy boy next door, the charmer, and the rake. It was the first thought that came to her mind when she’d met Jason, David, and Brody, and after getting to know them she’d realized her instincts had nailed it dead-on.

“I’m the best man. You cool with that?” David asked.

“Yep, more work for you, and I get to sit back and watch the circus.” Brody flagged down a passing waitress, asked if they’d ordered, and then put in his drink and food order. “You two need anything from me, just say the word.”

Jason’s smile spread from ear to ear. “How about you help Fubar plan the bachelor party? This way none of us will end up in jail and I’ll still be able to get married.”

“Oh sure, leave the most important task up to the stuffed suit. No worries, Cherry, we’ll all be sitting around playing bingo and home in bed by nine o’clock,” David teased.

The guys ribbed each other, exchanging insults as only true friends who’ve known each other a lifetime can do. Tawny sat back in her space, lost in her own thoughts. Mentally she listed out what she’d need to do tomorrow: check bank balance, update résumé, and scour every job website out there. She’d hold off telling her parents for now. If she got lucky, she’d find another job before they even knew and she could save herself the headache from the multitude of lectures they’d dish out. Speeches about if only she’d find a good husband she wouldn’t have to worry about finding a job, or how it was a woman’s place to take care of the home and raise the children. This might be the new millennium, but her parents were squarely stuck in 1950, living in between Ward and June Cleaver and Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.

“You okay?” David had leaned over to whisper in her ear, and if she turned just right her lips would match up perfectly with his.

Turning her head only far enough to acknowledge him, she noted his usual playful smile was gone. This serious David pulled at her with an intensity she’d never felt before. “Couldn’t be better. Hanging with friends, a drink in one hand and all the free time in the world ahead of me.” She tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. Key word, tried.

“My offer still stands if you need someone to talk to. Anytime, day or night.”

Tawny cocked an eyebrow at the offer.

“Honestly, I’m offering as a friend, and I promise to be on my best behavior.”

When he looked at her, she felt like no other women existed in the universe and no one else mattered more to him. Warmth spread through her body, setting her on fire. Her breath slowed. Her gaze dropped to his mouth. Were his lips as soft as they looked? She caught herself before she reached up and ran her fingers along his jawline, felt the stubble of his beard tickle her palm, or tested his lips.

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

Chapter Two

H
er hips swayed seductively in a curve-hugging red dress as the women headed off to the bathroom. Then again, everything about Tawny seduced Dave. From her sharp wit and take-no-bull attitude to her long dark hair and smoldering brown eyes, he was hooked. If only the woman had a clue. “Why do you suppose they do that? Always go in pairs?” Dave asked.

“Discover the secret and you’ll answer the question plaguing mankind for centuries.” Brody dug into his sliders without giving him a second look.

“Easy.” Jason stole a fry from Brody’s plate, smirking. “They do it so they can talk about us.”

“Yeah? You know this how, pillow talk?” Dave snagged a plate and loaded it up with nachos, as he wasn’t stupid enough to steal fries from Brody and expect to keep his fingers. Safer to take food from a bear. Jason lucked out. The table in the middle kept him out of Brody’s punching range.

“They don’t call me Cupid for nothing. Come on, it makes sense. They talk about everything else in front of us.” Jason piled his plate with nachos before making a matching plate for Cherry.

“Check him out. He finally gets the girl and thinks he’s Mr. Know-it-all,” Dave shot back.

“Hell, Fubar, he’s always thought he knew it all,” Brody slammed back.

Maybe Jase knew something he wasn’t sharing and he should talk to Cherry, see if she’d ease the way with Tawny for him. Sort of help her see past the surface layers and give him a chance. “Jase, who’s this guy who stood Tawny up?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t stick around for the full conversation.”

“Fubar, just ask her out.” Brody looked at him with his all-knowing smirk.

“I have. She shot me down.”

“Either man up and ask her out again, or let it go.” Jason shoved his plate away. “Look, I need to talk to you both about work. Since we finished rebuilding the community center, the renovation orders have been pouring in. Up until now, we could handle it. Most clients are fine with waiting a month or two. This morning I got a call from a lady who bought an old Victorian and wants to turn it into a B-and-B. Problem is, she wants to start now, as she’s already got a few holiday functions lined up. She’s afraid if we wait a month, she won’t be ready for the leaf-peeper season.”

Brody sat back with his beer in hand. “Can you push another job back to accommodate her?”

“No.” Jason shook his head. “I’m finishing up the restaurant gig now, and then I promised Pastor Perky’s aunt I’d start on the remodel of her kitchen.”

Jason was getting at something, Dave just wasn’t sure what. “What do you propose?” he asked.

“We have a couple of options. Let it go and lose out on a new customer and referral source. Hire another project manager—Tim and Bobby are great, but neither one is ready. Or you step up and take on the role, Dave. You’re part owner, you know as much about rehabbing a building as I do. It’s time to expand as planned.”

Most people thought Valentine Rehab belonged solely to Jason, which was how Dave and Brody liked it. Dave had even been the one to insist the company carry Jason’s last name. He was fine as a silent owner and he carted his share of the weight. Being the boss equated with headache city. No thanks. Nor did he want to discuss his
disability
, not even with his best buds, or let it destroy more hopes and dreams.

“The client is hiring Valentine Rehab based on recommendations of your work. We’re going to have to hire more crew as it is. An outside project manager cuts too much into the profits. Plus there’s no guarantee the quality will be up to our standards with someone from outside in charge. I say Dave takes it on.” Brody rubbed at the back of his neck. A lifetime sign his decision stressed him.