Not His Type (12 page)

“Morning,
Brooke,” Riley said.  He stood at the stainless worktable, a batch of cupcakes
in front of him, a pastry bag in one hand.  “Wanna help frost cupcakes?”

“Sure.”

Brooke tied the
apron at her waist and moved to stand beside Riley at the worktable.  She
watched him frost a few of the cupcakes, then reached for a pastry bag; she
quickly filled it with the thick, creamy frosting and covered a few cupcakes. 
She looked up at Riley questioningly; she was surprised to see him frown.

“Are you trying
to make me look bad?” he asked, his frown turning into a grin.  “It took me
forever to get the hang of that so I could do it to Jazz’s satisfaction, and
you come in here and do it right on the first try!”

Brooke laughed
at Riley’s words and his mock anger.  The door to the kitchen swung open and
Jazz entered, followed by Travis; Travis carried a decadent-looking pastry in
one hand, a cup of coffee in the other.  He seated himself on one of the work
stools and winked at Brooke, who rolled her eyes at him and went back to work
frosting cupcakes.

“Don’t you have
a meeting to go to?” Brooke asked, not looking at Travis.

“Nope,” he said
easily.  He took a sip of his coffee.  “As you so astutely pointed out, it’s a
little early yet.”

Riley snorted. 
“My father’s probably already at his desk.  The man eats, breathes and sleeps
money.”

“So how’d you
end up working in a bakery?” Brooke asked.

“Well, now that’s
an interesting story,” Riley said, smiling.  He looked fondly at his wife.  “I
decided I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in misery, buried under a
bunch of numbers, even if the numbers represented a lot of cash.  So I quit the
family business and went looking for a job.  I wanted to do something that
would make me happy, even if I didn’t make boatloads of money.”  He smiled
again, remembering when Jasmine Valenzuela interviewed him for a job.  “I had
no real experience, just baking in my own kitchen.  But apparently, I was
irresistible, because Jazz hired me anyway.”

“My assistant
nearly killed me, too,” Jazz added.

“Why did you
hire him?” Travis asked.  He tossed Riley a smirk.  “Not that you’re not
irresistible, of course.”

“Well, first, he
was the best of the applicants,” Jazz replied.  In a dramatic aside, she
whispered to Travis and Brooke, “They were truly awful!”  She smiled and
continued.  “But after Riley left, I Googled him and found Parker Financial. 
There were pictures of all the principals and key employees on the company
website.  I took one look at that sad face and compared it to the face that had
just left my bakery, and I knew I had to give him a chance.”  She smiled at
Riley, love shining from her dark eyes.  “It was the best chance I ever took!”

The little bell
hanging above the front door jingled merrily.  Jazz pushed open the door to the
front of the bakery, saying, “I got it.  You two finish those cupcakes.”  She
spoke to someone out front, saying, “Good morning!  Welcome to Babycakes!  How
may I help you?”

“I need to pick
up some pastries for a morning meeting,” a feminine voice said.  Travis’ head
swiveled toward the door.  “I’ve never been in here, but I thought I’d give it
a try.  Plus, I think that Hummer out front belongs to my friend.  Although I
don’t see him – Travis!”

The kitchen door
had swung back after Jazz, revealing Travis sitting on the stool at the end of
the worktable.  He smiled broadly and left the kitchen.  Riley noted the way
Brooke’s posture stiffened; she’d sidled sideways just a step so she could see
out the window in the kitchen door.  Standing slightly behind her, Riley
watched as Travis Cooper hugged a pretty redhead; the woman stood on tiptoe and
pressed a kiss to Travis’ mouth.  Beside him, Brooke seemed to deflate a little
and she moved back to where she’d been standing earlier.

“Nothing like a
little wakeup call to remind you of who you are,” she muttered to herself.

“What does that
mean?” Riley asked curiously.

Brooke took a
step back.  She held out her arms and said, “Look at me.  I can’t compete with
that.”  Her eyes widened, and she went on quickly.  “I mean, even if I wanted
to, which I don’t!  Not at all!  I just meant….”

Brooke’s voice
trailed off into an awkward silence.  She dropped her gaze and continued
frosting cupcakes.  Riley watched her for a minute; he noted the firm set of
her lips pressed together in a tight line.  He continued frosting cupcakes
beside her and spoke in a very casual tone.

“You know, if
you’re interested in him, you should go for it.  What have you got to lose?”

“Seriously?”
Brooke snorted.  She held up a hand and ticked off on her fingers as she
spoke.  “Let’s see, there’s my dignity, my pride, his friendship…my heart.” 
She shook her head.  “No thank you.”

The kitchen door
swung open again.  Travis walked around the big table to stand beside Brooke. 
He pulled her into a tight hug, pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head and
headed toward the door again.  He winked at her.

“Try to stay out
of trouble till I get back, would ya, Bunny-girl?” he teased.

“I’ll keep an
eye on her,” Riley promised laughingly.

When the door
swung shut behind Travis, Brooke looked at Riley, one brow arched pointedly,
and said, “I rest my case.”

“What?”

“I’m a – a stray
puppy to him.  He might as well have patted me on the head.”

“Brooke –“ Riley
began, but Brooke held up a hand to stop him.

“Can we discuss
something else?” she asked.  “The weather?  The price of dog biscuits in Newfoundland?”

“Fine,” Riley
said, nodding.  He pointed at Brooke.  “But I reserve the right to say ‘I told
you so’ at some point in the future.”

“Whatever.”

Travis left the
bakery and drove toward the building that housed Parker Financial.  A little
grin played about his mouth as he remembered the look on his neighbor’s face
when he’d turned and caught her looking at him.  He sobered some when he
remembered the willowy redhead who’d come into the bakery.

Travis dated
Lorna Morgan the last time he’d been home between tours overseas.  She was a
smart, successful woman, and beautiful, as well.  Lorna had actually done some
modeling when she was much younger, but after college, decided it wasn’t for
her.  Travis had met her through one of his sisters, and he and Lorna had hit
it off right away.  When he’d gone back to the Middle East, Travis had told
Lorna she should date other people; while Travis liked her, he didn’t feel
their relationship was such that he could expect her to sit home waiting for
him.  Now, as a result of their meeting in the bakery, he had a date with her
this Friday night; Lorna had done the asking.

Travis thought
again of Brooke Valentine.  He couldn’t help but compare her to Lorna.  Lorna
was tall and willowy; Brooke was more petite and curvy.  Lorna always looked as
if she’d stepped from the pages of a fashion magazine; Brooke wore faded jeans
and tee shirts, minimal makeup and usually had her dark hair pulled back into a
carefree, messy ponytail.  Lorna was a successful attorney; Brooke had recently
been fired from a greasy spoon and a hot dog stand.  Lorna was the kind of
woman who knew how to make a man feel needed and strong; Brooke Valentine
fought Travis every step of the way when he tried to do anything nice for her. 
There really was no comparison between the two women.

Chapter
16

After lunch, but
before his scheduled meeting with Riley Parker and Jazz Valenzuela, Travis
decided to call the number Brooke had given him.  She’d assured him Blair
Carlyle would be the perfect assistant.  Travis dialed the number and listened
to it ring on the other end.  A soft, feminine voice answered.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Ms.
Carlyle?” Travis queried.

“Yes?” she said
uncertainly.

“Ms. Carlyle, my
name is Travis Cooper.  Brooke Valentine gave me your number.  I’m looking for
an assistant, and she seems to think you’d be a good fit.”

“Oh!  Of course,
she told me about you!” Blair Carlyle said.  “Yes, I’m very interested in
meeting with you to discuss the position, Mr. Cooper.”

“Travis,
please,” he said.  “I’d like to meet with you as well.  What’s your schedule
like over the next day or so?”

“Actually, I’m
free right now,” she answered.  “I don’t work until this evening.  Other than
that, I have commitments until Thursday.”

Travis
determined they were both within a few minutes of a Starbucks.  Blair
laughingly pointed out that one was nearly always minutes away from a
Starbucks.  They agreed to meet in twenty minutes, Blair promising to bring a
copy of her résumé.

Travis spotted
Blair Carlyle right away when she entered the coffee shop.  She was a pretty
blonde, very professionally dressed, a burgundy leather portfolio tucked under
one arm.  Travis rose and waved her over.  She seated herself, and in answer to
Travis’ offer of a drink, requested a latte; it wasn’t
just
a latte,
however, and Travis wasn’t sure he could remember all the ‘no fat, half-caff’
designations that went with it.  He went to the counter and ordered Blair’s
drink, hoping he got it right.

As he waited for
her latte, Travis observed Blair.  She wore a navy blue suit with a pale pink
blouse.  On her feet she wore a pair of beige pumps with very pointy toes;
Travis wondered why a woman would buy shoes in that color, and with a shape
like those.  Did women really think men liked that look?  Or did they care?

“Here you go,
sir!” the chipper little barista said, handing him a cup.

Travis carried
the drink back to the table.  He sat across from Blair and accepted the résumé
she handed him.  He skimmed over it, noting the degree Brooke had mentioned, as
well as the impressive list of jobs Blair Carlyle had apparently held during
college.

“So what,
exactly, is the position you’re looking to fill, Travis?” Blair asked.  “Brooke
and I haven’t really talked, since she got fired.”

The blonde
smirked a little, and Travis felt a little twinge of annoyance.  He gave Blair
a polite smile.

“I need an
assistant,” he answered.  “I run a security business.  We offer everything from
computer security to bodyguards.  Right now, it’s officed out of my house, but
I plan to build a small office eventually.  I’ve been keeping up with all the
paperwork, including payroll, myself, but it’s beginning to take on a life of
its own, and I need someone I can hand that off to, along with some other
duties.  Does that sound like something you might be interested in, Ms.
Carlyle?”

“Please, call me
Blair,” she said.  “And yes, I’d definitely be interested.”  She tilted her
head slightly.  “Brooke mentioned you’re neighbors?  So your office would be
next door?”  She gave another little smile that was more of a smirk.  “Funny.”

“How so?” Travis
asked curiously, his face passive.

“Well, you
know,” Blair said.  “You’re obviously a professional business individual.”  She
smiled, one brow arched.  “You own your own business, and based on that suit,
I’d say you’re successful at what you do.”  Her look was admiring.  “And Brooke
is…well, Brooke.  Let’s just say she fit right in at the diner, if you know
what I mean.”

“I believe I do
know what you mean,” Travis replied.  It was his turn to tilt his head a bit.  “I
thought you and Brooke were friends.”

 “Oh, well,
sure!” Blair answered.  “We’re just very different, you know?  I’m a college
degree, Brooke is a waitress – or she
was
.  I’m tall, blonde and
fashionable, Brooke is dumpy and plain and dressed in thrift-store bargains.”

Travis couldn’t
believe what he was hearing; Brooke had made it a point to set this up for
Blair and the other woman was sitting across the table bad-mouthing her! 
Travis dropped his gaze back to Blair’s résumé, knowing he had no intention of
hiring her now.

“So what would
you like to know about me, Travis?” Blair asked now.

“Actually, I
think I know enough to say this wouldn’t be a good fit.”

“What?”  She was
clearly stunned.  “How can you say that?  You haven’t even asked me about my
experience or anything!”

“Everyone I
employ is one-hundred percent loyal,” Travis answered.  He stood, pulling on
his black overcoat.  “If you’d say the things you’ve said about Brooke when her
first thought was giving you this opportunity, I’d have to say you’re not a
very loyal person.  In fact, I’d have to say you’re not even a very
nice
person, Ms. Carlyle.  Brooke deserves better.”

“Well, I didn’t
know you were
involved
with her!” Blair sputtered.

Travis didn’t
even bother to respond.  He leaned over and slid the résumé across the table to
Blair.  Without another word, he left the coffee shop.  He slid behind the
wheel of his Hummer and looked at his watch.  The interview hadn’t taken as
much time as he’d expected, but it wasn’t too early to head to the bakery for
his meeting with Riley and Jazz; he could always have another pastry while he
waited.