Stirred: A Love Story (4 page)

He was “emotionally unavailable” as Kenna and many of Sage’s relationship books had preached, but Sage, despite vowing to be free and open to new experiences, had tied herself in a knot over him. A knot she wasn’t sure the
Nice to Naughty
book, or any book for that matter, could help her untie. The only answer was to leave it alone—leave him alone.

“Maybe you need a tattoo,” tequila interrupted, warm and caressing as she heard two women at the sink talking about some guy at the bar who invited both of them back to his place. “See, you should be out there getting propositioned by hot strangers,” tequila continued. Sage took in a slow breath and set her phone down on the little shelf provided. Her head was dizzy, even with her eyes now open, and looking down at the phone was making her sick. She wanted to go home.

“This is why you have no sexy stories, or no stories at all for that matter,” tequila added, with a cruel bite that turned her stomach. She had to admit it was right. That was exactly why, despite her great wardrobe and super cute hair, she would always be Sensible Sage, middle child of the Jeffries sisters. It was a cliché but often true—sisters, based on birth order or life experience, were rarely alike, and that was certainly the case in her family. She’d designed a bi-cell assembly machine for her final project at Berkeley but never went anywhere other than home for spring break.

Letting out another slow breath, Sage sensed the approaching brand new three-hundred and sixty-five days stretched out in front of her. This would be the year of her hot air balloon ride. She’d signed up to teach bridge at the community center and. . . damn it, she would get through this book. And, although the dirty talk chapter only made her giggle, she would push through. She was a Jeffries after all. Looking down at her feet, she decided the boots should guide her. Daring, seductive, like that show Hollis, her oldest sister, used to watch that had all the great shoes.
Sex in the City
, yes. Even though she’d told her sister when they were in high school that the show was ridiculous, she needed it now.

Sage recognized the next song pounding overhead, so she hummed along as she returned to her phone and finally found
Greatest Friend Ever
. Kenna had made that her nickname when Sage had bought her new phone. After a couple of weeks of looking for her friend under K, she now knew instinctively, even after tequila, that Kenna was always in the Gs. With her thumb hovering, Sage made a decision.

She would still finish the book and keep trying, but not tonight. She’d had enough and wanted the green tea ice cream in her freezer more than she wanted hot sex. Because sex never worked out for her and green tea ice cream was. . . well, things were never awkward with ice cream. Resolved that tomorrow was a new day for naughty, she finally managed to open a text.

Hi! I know you guy left early and UR buzy, but I’m a little tippppsy, which I know is crazy ironic for a bartttender, but could you please come and pick up. I’ve had en fun. I guess I could take a cab, but that’s awwkward since most of the cab companies know me because I call them for other drunk people and I. . .
Ugh, could you come get meee?

Sure. Be there in 15.

Thank you. Kiss, kiss, kss. Oh, and my sort of date is here. He’s at the bar in a plad blazer, can’t miss HiM. He keeps grabbing my ass, which shold be a good naughty time, but no. Rude.

Got it. Sit tight.

I’m in the bathroom. Come get me when U here. I’m in the Stuart boots so I might need help not falling on my ass.

OK

Are you sure you don’t mind? R you pissed?

No.

Okay. Thank you. I live you. XXXXXX

Sage set her phone back on the tiny shelf, rested her head against the cool concrete wall, and sank back into her fuzzy state. She had good friends.

Garrett carefully lifted his sleeping niece off his shoulder and handed her over to Travis a few minutes after he’d received the text.

“You outta here?” Travis whispered, shifting Paige farther up his shoulder.

“Yeah, I need to get back. Early morning.”

“Sure, thanks for babysitting.”

“Anytime.” Garrett leaned in and kissed a slumbering Paige. “Sleep tight, your highness,” he whispered, and was rewarded with a tiny arm that wrapped around his head and squeezed. Heart full, he returned her hand to Travis’s neck.

“See ya tomorrow morning for deliveries,” Travis said, lowering his voice as he turned down the hall toward Paige’s room.

Watching after them, Garrett was amazed how comfortable the role of dad looked on Travis. He and Kenna had been engaged less than two months, and they’d somehow already fallen into a rhythm as if they were always meant to be together. As if everything his sister had been through was leading her to this, to Travis. He wasn’t sure he believed in any of that crap, but when he was around them, it sure felt destined. Putting on his cap, Garrett woke Jack, who was asleep in the entryway with a belly full of pepperoni and popcorn, compliments of Paige.

“Leaving?” Makenna asked, coming into the small living room.

“Early morning.” He clipped the leash on Jack, who yawned in appreciation as Garrett rubbed his curly ears. “Oh, did you still want me to help you put up that bookcase? I noticed it on my calendar this morning. Has it arrived at the restaurant yet?”

“Yes, it came in yesterday. It’s still in the box and crazy heavy. If you don’t mind.”

“Not a problem. I’ll see you tomorrow for delivery and then I’ll plan on being there for a couple of hours on Tuesday. We’ll put it together then.”

She leaned up and kissed him and then knelt to kiss Jack. “You two drive safe. Thanks for watching Paige tonight.”

“Will you stop thanking me? She’s the best, no trouble at all. Did you have a good time at the party?”

“Yeah, I think it went well. Logan is still there if you want to stop by on your way home.”

“Sage.” Garrett needed to get more sleep because that was supposed to be a thought.

His sister’s forehead scrunched in the center, almost exactly like his, and Garrett scrambled for an explanation. He’d randomly blurted out her best friend’s name for no reason.
Shit!

“What about her?”

Hand on the door. “Oh, I was thinking of who’s working. I’m sure she’s there too?”

“She’s not working tonight,” Kenna answered, suspicion still in her eyes. “She was at the party, but I’m sure she’s gone by now. Sage isn’t exactly the partying type, although tonight was her. . . never mind.”

“Her what?”

She shook her head. “I’m so tired, I have no idea what I was going to say.”

Garrett nodded, eyes on Jack. “Right, well maybe I’ll stop and see Logan. Night.” He opened the door and if he knew his sister, she’d have one parting comment.

“I love you,” she said, standing in the open doorway as he walked toward his truck.

He’d expected more questions, not something so simple. Kenna was rarely simple.

“I love you too.” He glanced back at his little sister. A mom and soon-to-be bride, she was so happy, it sort of spilled off her. After her first husband died in a car accident when Paige was only five weeks old, Garrett watched his sister go through more pain than he cared to think about. He’d carried her to her bed in the main house many nights wishing there was something he could do to stop the hurt, something more than pushing Paige in her little swing so Kenna could take a shower. Her healing had been out of his control, which was worse than pretty much anything else. Garrett would have preferred to beat the shit out of someone or work himself to the bone over sitting around and waiting for time to return his sister to him. She was happy now, he thought as he waved and drove away, and Travis had proven himself to be a good guy. Not that Garrett would ever tell him that.

A few minutes later, Garrett pulled into the parking lot of The Yard. He cracked the windows and told Jack, who didn’t even bother to get up, to stay. Walking toward the glow of lights and the sounds of partying, Garrett nodded to the valet and told him he’d only be a minute. He was hoping he could get in and out with Sage without being noticed. He was guessing she wanted to sneak away too. That was why she had texted her best friend. Although he wasn’t quite sure how she’d mixed up Kenna’s number with his, he found that he wanted to be her covert escort anyway. Sage always came across busy, in need of no one, and even if they weren’t exactly close, he wanted to help.
How did she even have my number? Was it that time she asked me for extra lemons? Hey, who gives a shit, get in there.

Garrett walked through the bar unnoticed and made a quick detour to have a few words with Plaid Blazer, then stood at the door to the ladies’ room. Running a hand across his face, he wasn’t quite sure how to proceed. What the hell had he agreed to? Eh, what’s done is done, he told himself and knocked.

“Sage?”

Nothing.

A tall woman, made even taller by heels that reminded Garrett of the fringe on a cowboy vest he wore as a kid, walked out of the bathroom. She glanced at him in confusion but then smiled.

“Hey, is anyone else in there?” he asked, trying not to sound like a pervert.

She started to shake her head of long black hair but paused. “Actually, someone is in one of the stalls. I think I heard her singing.”

“Thanks.” Garrett slowly pushed open the door with the cut metal sign that read—Ladies. “Sage, are you in there?”

A bang that sounded like someone kicked the stall was followed by a flush and then laughter.

“Sage, I’m coming in.”

“Garrett! Why are you in the girls’ bathroom? Was the little boys’ room broken? Wait, you’re not at this party.” Her voice echoed in the empty bathroom, which was dimly lit by an old industrial sign.

Garrett locked the front door. There was no sense in scaring the crap out of some unsuspecting guest; he’d never hear the end of it from Logan.

“Sage. Let’s get going. I’m your ride.”

“What?” One more bang and then the stall door swung open.

Sage stood, holding onto the edge of the door. She wasn’t hugging the porcelain bowl, so that was a plus, Garrett thought. She wobbled a little as she walked toward him, but she was balancing on some pretty substantial black leather boots that held his attention.

“You all right?” he asked as she made her way to the sink and he tried not to notice her incredibly tiny skirt.

Sage nodded and blinked her eyes a few times, as if that would somehow sober her up as she washed her hands.

“Was Makenna busy? Why would she send you?” She glanced at him and although she looked like hot sex in that little silver skirt and a dangerously low-cut blouse—
Eyes up, man, eyes up
—the look on her face betrayed her. He’d expected to find a stumbling, drunk party girl he could laugh at before delivering her safely home. Instead, he was face-to-face with a beautiful woman who was genuinely surprised to find herself in this situation. Her eyes were dark and glossy as she waited for an answer. One benefit of the alcohol, Garrett thought, was she didn’t seem as nervous as she normally did around him.

“No. She doesn’t know I’m here. You texted me,” he said.

“I. . . no.” She pulled her phone out of some mystery pocket in the tiny skirt. “Oh shit, shit! I’m. . .” She put a hand to her face. “Like you have nothing better to do other than pick up my silly drunk ass? I mean, I didn’t have that many. I probably could have waited it out. God, I’m sorry. Why didn’t you text me back and tell me that—”