Desire and a Bottle of Merlot: (Like Sisters Series Book 5) Chick Lit: A Romantic Comedy (9 page)

Dinner was a bowl of popcorn, and that suited Tina just fine.
If I had a guy around, I’d be slaving away in the kitchen while he watched the news in his boxer shorts and scratched his balls. How disgusting! I wonder if Dan is a boxer or briefs kind of guy. This sucks! Maybe I need to find some new best friends that have sworn off men forever. Does that make me a lesbian?
Tina was getting worried. She began to wonder why, after all this time, she was still anti-boyfriend.
Maybe it’s too late for me now. I’m so set in my ways, and I don’t want to upset my lifestyle. I’m sure I haven’t turn gay. Wouldn’t there be some indication, like being turned on by women?
She certainly didn’t hate men—she just didn’t want one of her own. She liked Aaron, Max, Mario, and Josh, but maybe that was because they were unavailable.
Am I just afraid to be vulnerable again? Everyone else had their relationships turn out okay even when they originally thought the worst. I wonder what Dan is really like. I don’t know anything about him since I avoid him like the plague. If he ever talks to me again, I might listen… maybe.

With her mind still full of questions, Tina hit the off button on the remote, powering down the TV.
I should buy a pet. That would be a start anyway. Baby steps, they always say.

The ringing phone, still in her purse, startled her out of her thoughts and the sneaky little headache beginning to thump in her temples.

“Hello, Ms. Destiny. What’s up, sister?”

“I’m thinking of going black. Can you help me out with that?”

“What the hell are you talking about, and what’s wrong with Josh? Wouldn’t you have given that some thought before you decided to get knocked up? Besides, I don’t know any black people.”

“Are you on something, Tina? I want you to dye my hair black again. I’m not in hiding anymore. Do you guys have preggers-safe hair dye?”

“Oh… that kind of black, and yes, we have safe hair dye. When do you want to come in?”

“Tomorrow… I’ll bring my mom too. She needs a trim.”

“Hey, Sasha, not that I care, but what do you know about Dan?” Tina walked around her living room as she talked, snipping the dead leaves off her houseplants with her kitchen scissors.

“I like the way you don’t care.” Sasha chuckled. “Anyway, I don’t know much. Only that he lives in Croton-on-Hudson with his parents for now until he can move into Josh’s house. He lived in Albany for a few years. He’s never been married and doesn’t have any kids. He sounds like a normal, hardworking, clean-cut guy. Should I tell him you’re interested?”

“I’ll kill you if you do… just saying. Okay, I’ll put you guys down for ten o’clock tomorrow. I know for sure I don’t have any appointments between ten and three. Maybe we can do lunch afterward.”

“Okay, see you at ten.”

The pounding woke the household. Sasha wanted her parents to have a relaxing visit, not one involving hammers and drills at seven in the morning. She figured the guys were starting early because of the forecast. She sat up in bed, stretched, and climbed out, sliding her feet into the cozy shearling-lined UGG slippers, and put on her chenille robe. She opened the sliders to the balcony and stepped out. Dan stood just below her, two stories down.

“What’s with all the racket down there, for crap’s sake?”

“Morning, Sasha. Sorry about the noise, but we want to beat the rain. We’ve got a couple of good days before the storm comes in, and we have to take advantage of it. You want this deck done in a few weeks, right?” He looked up, shielding his eyes, and grinned.

“That’s the plan, dude. I’ll let you get to it. I’m going to make a pot of coffee. Do you need some?”

“Yeah, it looks like we all do. Thanks.”

Sasha zombie walked down the staircase to the kitchen. Josh had recently put a doggy door in the laundry room that led to a small pen in the side yard for Kismet. The pup had her daily walks, but having the ability to go outside whenever she wanted to, especially since the weather was warming up, was a big help. Sasha hit the on button of the coffee machine and sat in the dining room with her iPad to check her emails. She heard footsteps descending the staircase. It sounded like only one set—most likely her mother. It seemed as though women usually set the day in motion.

“Hi, Mama,” Sasha said, standing to give her mother a kiss on each cheek. “Sorry about the noise.”

“That’s okay, darling. Your father snores louder than the banging outside, so I’m used to it. He’s still sleeping like a baby.”

“Do you want to go to Hair Brained with me today? I’m having my hair colored back to black. It’s time. I thought you might want to tag along and get a trim.”

“Thank you, dear, but your father and I have plans already. Josh offered to loan us his car for the day, so we’re going shopping for wedding and baby gifts.”

“Mom, you’re too sweet.”

“We love you, darling, and we’re just so proud of the beautiful, mature woman you’ve become. Your dad can’t stop bragging when he’s on the telephone to his friends in France. It’s adorable.”

The beep of the coffeemaker indicated the carafe was full. Sasha got up and headed to the kitchen. “Stay put, Mom. I’ll get the coffee.” She returned with the carafe and poured two cups. “I’ll be right back. I promised coffee to the guys outside.”

Sasha disappeared down the porch steps and followed the paver sidewalk around to the back of the house
. Man, I can’t wait until there’s sliders right off the kitchen to the deck. It will be wonderful. This is a nonstop workout.”
She reached the guys, who were busy setting up the decorative railing around the first floor of the deck. The continuous sound of the nail gun hitting the wood confirmed their progress. Sasha stood back and admired the work so far. “You guys, it’s just so beautiful. I’m really excited, and I can’t wait until there are doors blown through the kitchen right to the deck. And when I have a staircase from the bedroom balcony to the deck, I’ll truly be in heaven. Here, have some coffee.” Sasha poured three cups and stood chatting with the men for a while. She talked privately with Dan when Bill and Jeff took a smoke break. “May I be candid with you?”

“Well, sure… I think,” he said.

“What’s your take on Tina? Have you thought of becoming involved with anyone, or isn’t that on your radar?”

“Wow, you get to the point, don’t you?” he joked, a surprised expression crossing his face. Dan rubbed his forehead and frowned. “You know, it’s something I haven’t thought about for a while. I moved to Albany because of a woman. We were engaged for three years, but something about it never felt right to me. It seemed like because we were together that long I was expected to ask her to marry me. She and her family thought it was the natural progression, but I felt pressured. Eventually I called the engagement off. Call it a gut feeling, if you will, but I knew it was the right thing to do.” He picked up a twig and snapped it into four pieces. He let them drop back down to the ground. “Anyway, I stuck around Albany for a few years because my business was good, but running into her and her family was awkward. It took a while, but I knew I would end up back here, closer to home. There wasn’t a good reason to stay in Albany anymore. My parents aren’t that old, but I still want to be nearby. I can help them out whenever they need me. I’ve always liked Tarrytown and thought it would be a decent place to buy a house and settle down.”

“With a family or alone?”

He laughed again and gave Sasha a wink. “I know where you’re going with this. Are you the designated matchmaker in the group? Actually, I’d love to get married and raise a family right here. That kind of commitment has to come naturally, though, and it has to feel right.”

“Yeah… I understand. More coffee?”

“Sure, thanks. Anyway, Tina is kind of an enigma. I’m not really getting a good vibe from her. She’s beautiful and all, but she just seems angry at me. Do you think she’s still upset about that accident at Amelia’s? I mean, that was a few weeks ago.”

Sasha filled his cup to the top. “No, not at all. It’s just Tina being Tina. She’s kind of set in her ways and far too rigid for her own good. What she needs is to let her hair down and have fun. She’s a good time with the girls, but I think guys scare her. As far as I know, she’s never been in a serious relationship. I’m the newest sister in this bunch”—Sasha smiled, a million thoughts going through her mind—“but if you really want to know about her, you’d have to ask Mia or Vic. They all grew up together. Or you could ask Tina herself.”

“So, do you think I’m too scary for her, being of the male species and all?”

“I know how to find out,” Sasha said with a devious smile. “Be ready to leave at nine forty-five. Looks like you’re due for a shave and a trim.”

Sasha yelled down from the balcony. “We’re leaving in five minutes, Dan, and wipe the sawdust off your clothes—I don’t want my truck messed up.”

Dan looked up and yelled back, “Won’t Josh think it’s weird that I’m taking off with you?”

Josh and Gerard had another full day of planting, then the tiny vineyard would be complete. After that, grape ivy needed to be strung through the arbors, and the pergola would be built over the bricked ceremony platform. There was still plenty of work to do in the next six weeks.

“Nope. I already explained it to him. Of course, he thinks I’m being a busybody, but he wishes he could see Tina’s face when you walk in with me.”

“Okay. I hope you know what you’re doing. There may be repercussions we’ll have to deal with.” Dan took off his denim jacket and shook it out. He brushed the sawdust off his pants, told Jeff and Bill he’d return in an hour, and climbed into the red Tundra with Sasha.

The buzzer rang out when they entered through the door of Hair Brained. Tina and Vic looked up for a second, out of habit more than anything else. Tina dropped the comb that was in her hand and stared at Dan. Trying to regain her composure, she grabbed a clean comb from her drawer and finished Lori Martin’s hair. Sasha’s—and what Tina had thought was Alina’s—appointment was next. She flung the cape off of Lori’s shoulders, handed her the mirror to take a look, and sent her on her way. Tina was pissed, and Sasha was well aware of it. Hair Brained was packed with all the stylists booked solid. Tina couldn’t pass Dan off on anyone else.

“Humph… your mom looks a little different than how I remembered her from… what, two days ago?” she snarled, directing her comment toward Sasha.

“Hey, girl.” Sasha air kissed Tina, playing it off as if nothing was amiss. “Dan’s taking her place. Mom couldn’t make it after all.”

“What do you need, Dan?”

Tina’s embarrassed laugh led to Dan engaging in her accidental innuendo. “You’re the expert, Tina. What do you think I need?”

“I’ll be in the waiting area, reading magazines and drinking tea. You two can figure this out.” Sasha gave Vic a nudge as she passed by on her way to the lounge area.

“You’re going to be in deep shit later, sister,” Vic whispered with a giggle.

“Yeah, well somebody has to light a fire under her ass. I’m not about to let her grow old alone.”

Tina motioned for Dan to take a seat as she gave Sasha a threatening glare from across the room. With a vigorous snap, she shook the cape in the air and draped it around his neck, trying hard not to strangle him in the process. She took a deep breath to compose herself. After all, she was going to have a straight-edge razor in her hand. “Okay, seriously, what do you want? A shave?”

“I don’t need much, maybe a trim. I’m not sure if I have the nerve to ask for a shave from you.” He laughed, giving her a wink.

The tiniest smile formed on Tina’s lips while her heart thumped in her chest. “You sure you want me to cut your hair? I kind of like the way it looks.”
Why the hell did I just say THAT?

“Really? I’m not here to waste your time. This is your business, after all. Okay, let’s go with the shave if you promise not to accidently slit my throat.”

“If I’m going to slit anyone’s throat, it will be Sasha’s.” She chuckled. “Have you ever been shaved with a straight edge?”

“No, but whenever they show it in the movies, it’s usually a sexy woman doing the shaving. It sounds kind of hot.”

Tina’s face flushed bright red. “All right, you’re going to need to keep your mouth shut unless you want shave cream in it.”

“Yes ma’am.” His turquoise eyes twinkled playfully at her. Tina’s thighs began to quiver.

She heated up a cloth in the microwave to place over Dan’s face. “This is going to be hot, but it’s meant to soften up your beard. You aren’t going to scream like a little sissy, are you?”

“Real men don’t scream, Tina. We grunt.”

“Man, I really need to shut you up.” She smirked.

He laughed as she covered his face with the cloth. Only his eyes were exposed, and he watched her closely. Dan noticed how Tina’s shoulder-length brown hair glistened with streaks of gold when the overhead lights hit it just right. At the moment, she wore a ponytail, giving her a girlish, easygoing appearance. He stared at her as she prepared the cup of shave cream. Her eyes were big and doe-like with long, thick lashes.
She must shape her eyebrows. They’re perfect, and her skin is flawless
. Dan continued to study her features. This was the first time he’d been close enough to see the copper flecks sparkling in her irises.

“What are you staring at?” She brushed the shave cream across his cheeks.

“I might not have the chance to ever be this close to you again. I’m trying to memorize everything.” His smile created thin crow’s feet on the outer edges of his eyes. Instinctively, Tina wanted to gently rub them away with the expensive face cream they sold in the salon.

“If you’re nice, I might come by Sasha’s house next week to see the progress you’ve made—if I have time, that is.” Tina knew rain was in the forecast and the guys wouldn’t be working during those days.

“I’m looking forward to it. Maybe you’ll even sit down and give me the time of day.”

“Don’t press your luck, and stop moving unless you want me to nick your face.”