When We Kiss (4 page)

She pointed toward her BMW. “Come on, I'm right there. And I promise I won't take you to my house and jump your bones, although I think you'd probably come willingly in your state.”

“Not a chance in hell.” He wasn't that drunk. God, he hoped he wasn't that drunk.

She grabbed his hand and dragged him toward her car. “Not taking no for an answer on this.”

He tried to pull away, but his reflexes were set to slow motion, and Whitney worked out like a banshee. She opened the passenger door and shoved him down into the seat. He pulled his feet in just before she slammed the door. Vicious bitch.

She climbed into the driver's seat.

“You could've taken my feet off,” he drawled.

She laughed. “Sure.” She fired up the engine and pulled out of the lot, going west toward the road that led to his parents' house.

“I seriously need you to talk to your dad.” God, he wished he didn't sound so messed up. “He needs to drop the zoning appeal.”

“My dad will do whatever he's going to do, no matter what I say.”

“Come on, Whitney, you can do better than that, can't you?”

She turned up the road toward his parents' and slid him a narrow-eyed glance. “Why should I? You haven't exactly been nice to me.”

“What do you mean? I didn't treat you like shit. We had a casual thing, and it ran its course.”

“I didn't think it was that casual.” Her voice had gone quiet. Serious. Scary as hell. “I was in love with you, Liam.”

Oh fuck. Whatever. “How is that my fault? I didn't promise you anything.”

“Maybe not in so many words, but how many times did you tell me that we'd be perfect for each other if you were the marrying kind? That if you wanted to settle down and come back home, I ticked everything off your list?”

Shit, had he said those things? He didn't remember. But then he
was
drunk as hell right now.

“Well, I'm
not
the marrying kind, and I'm pretty damned sure I said that, too.” That was practically tattooed on his fucking forehead.

She pulled into the drive and through the gate, which was still open from the wedding reception, he guessed.

Wedding reception.

Dammit. Would everyone still be here? How the hell was he going to explain Whitney Fucking Parker driving him home?

She drove past the fountain in front of the house and through the porte cochere to the back door. How the hell did she know to drop him off here? “Have you been here before?” he asked.

“Duh. A couple of summers ago—it was September, actually—I came up here, and we went skinny-dipping in the pool. You don't remember?”

Vaguely. “Not really. Must not have been that great.”

“Wow, you've turned into a real asshole since your brother died, you know that?” She threw the car into park, and he opened the door and practically fell out in his haste to get away.

But again, he was moving like his feet were encased in lead, and she was around the car and helping him stand before he had his bearings.

She stood in front of him and rested her hands on his shoulders with a sigh. “Really. You always were an arrogant prick, but that's one of the things I liked best about you. Since Alex died, though, you've taken it to a whole new level. I think if you work through your grief, you'd see that there's someone here who really cares about you. Someone who loves you.” She stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his.

Liam heard the door to the house and used the helmet he still held between them to push her away.

“Liam?” Kyle came toward him. “Are you okay?”

“He's fine, just drunk.” Whitney turned and linked her arm through Liam's. “Hi, I'm—”

“Leaving!” Liam interjected. Thank God he possessed enough wits to keep her from spilling her name. That's just what he needed—his entire family knowing he had a past with the crazy Parker family who was trying to screw them.

He took his arm from hers. “Thanks for the ride. Remember what I said.”

She looked him in the eye, and the edge of malice in her gaze was sharp enough to cut through Liam's drunken stupor. “Remember what
I
said. We could be great together, and your problems could . . . maybe go away.”

Was she really blackmailing him? No, he had to be beyond fucked up.

She looked past him at Kyle and smiled. “Good night!”

Liam didn't bother watching her drive away before he turned and walked toward the house.

Kyle followed him. “Who was she?”

“Just some girl at Ruckus who offered to give me a ride home.”

“Some girl who kissed you. Uh-huh.” The sarcasm in his tone would've riled Liam, but he was too wasted and suddenly too tired.

He walked into the back hallway and went straight for the stairs. “I'm going to bed.”

“Alone, instead of with that hot blonde?” Kyle sounded shocked. “Weird. I don't know what's up with you, bro, but there's something. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were hung up on someone.”

Maybe.

Probably.

Fuck.

A
UBREY WAS A
little surprised that Evan and Alaina had invited her to their wedding breakfast on Sunday morning but wouldn't have dreamed of declining. She'd grown close to many of the Archers since Alex died, and of course she'd been quite close with him before that.

She was able to think of him now without the searing pain in her chest. It had eased into a dull ache, a bittersweet memory that would forever tug at her heart.

His death had been shocking to everyone, and no one more than her. For nearly a year, he'd enlisted her professional assistance to first purchase the abandoned monastery just outside Ribbon Ridge and then set up a trust for his siblings to renovate it in the event of his death. She never imagined he was contemplating suicide. He'd always been upbeat and charming, a more mellow version of his twin brother, Liam.

She hadn't met any of the other Archers until after Alex killed himself. It had been a rude introduction to the family with whom he'd expected her to work so closely. She'd been pissed at him for a long time. Pissed and sad.

She knocked on the front door, and Emily answered. The matriarch of the family, Emily was petite and blonde, a combination of pixie and firecracker. She'd been devastated by her son's suicide, which had only contributed to Aubrey's anger at Alex. He had two loving parents, and he'd completely crushed them. What Aubrey wouldn't have given for caring, supportive parents like Rob and Emily.

“Good morning, Aubrey!” Emily embraced her in a quick hug. “You're alone? Where's your date from last night?”

Aubrey didn't realize her invitation was plus one, but she wouldn't have brought him anyway. They'd only been on a few dates, and this seemed like an intimate event for close friends and family.

Aubrey smiled at Emily. “It's just me.”

That ought to make Liam happy. He'd spent the rest of the wedding reception—after their kiss—scowling at her before disappearing for the night. She'd wondered where he'd gone but decided she was better off not knowing.

Emily moved across the entryway and looked at Aubrey over her shoulder. “You know you can come in the back door—you're practically family.” She'd invited Aubrey to do that several times now, but for some reason, Aubrey couldn't bring herself to make that leap.

She blamed her ongoing
thing
with Liam. Or maybe the fact that she still felt like an outsider and probably always would. She wasn't an Archer, she wasn't ever going to be an Archer, and at some point she might actually like to close the book on one of the saddest, most challenging chapters of her life. She was ready to move on, at least in terms of her love life.

She followed Emily into the great room. The reception decorations were still up, and the gifts had been assembled into a pile in front of the windows. Alaina came forward to meet her. “Thanks for coming, Aubrey.”

Aubrey wasn't sure she'd ever get used to the world's most famous actress hugging her, but who was she to complain? Alaina was just as real and friendly as the Archers—she fit right in with them. That she'd captured the heart of Evan, who had Asperger's syndrome, warmed Aubrey's heart. Alex had worried about him and hoped he'd find someone.

She could only imagine what Alex would say if he could be here now:
Holy shit, Alaina Pierce? Well done, Evan!

“How are you today, feeling like an old married woman?” Aubrey asked as she pulled back from the hug.

Alaina chuckled. “Old married
pregnant
woman, for sure. I'll be really happy when this morning sickness is done. Although whomever called it ‘morning' sickness was a moron, because I deal with this nausea all day sometimes. Bleh.” She made a face, but nothing she did could detract from her radiant beauty.

“It should pass soon, right?”

“I hope so. The end of this first trimester can't come fast enough!”

Evan came over and put his arm around his wife's waist. “Hey, Aubrey.” He looked somewhere past Aubrey's head, which she was used to. He rarely made eye contact.

“Hi, Evan. When are you headed out on your South Pacific honeymoon?”

“Tomorrow. Did you hear we're taking a private jet courtesy of a friend of Alaina's?”

Aubrey smiled at his excitement. Who wouldn't want to travel via private jet for such a long trip? “I heard that. Sounds amazing. Let me know if you need a flight attendant.”

“Will do.” He pressed a kiss to Alaina's temple, and she smiled up at him.

Their wedding might've been of the shotgun variety given Alaina's pregnancy, but their love was palpable. Aubrey was certain they would've ended up together anyway. She glanced around at the other Archer couples.

Sara, the youngest of the sextuplets, stood with her fiancé, Dylan Westcott. Aubrey had come to know Dylan very well, since he was the contractor for the monastery renovation project. They'd worked together on any number of issues, especially the zoning problems they were currently facing.

Kyle, a world-class chef and once the black sheep of the family, was talking to his dad, Rob, while his fiancée, Maggie, a former therapist and now the groundskeeper and landscape architect for The Alex, was over with Tori and her husband, Sean. Tori was an architect who'd designed the entire renovation, as per Alex's wishes, and had moved back to Ribbon Ridge as a result. She'd started her own architecture firm while Sean, a producer, ran a production company with Alaina.

Finally, standing by the fireplace were Derek Sumner, the not-really-adopted adoptive brother the Archers had taken in when he was orphaned at seventeen, and his wife, Chloe, who was the art director for the Archer brewpubs. Derek was the most business-minded of the family and the chief financial officer of Archer Enterprises. Aubrey fully expected him to be the one to take over for Rob Archer when he retired.

Actually, that wasn't true. Liam was equally as business-minded. He ran a real-estate empire in Denver that should've put him squarely in the role of his father's heir apparent, since Archer Enterprises was primarily a real-estate development company. The brewpub part of it was a relatively new division started by Rob, for whom brewing beer wasn't just a job, it was a passion.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Liam strolled in from the kitchen. His dark wavy hair was damp, suggesting he'd just come from the shower. That was
not
a vision she needed in her brain right now. Or ever, really.

Could she excise him from her mind so easily? Just because she'd ended things didn't mean she wouldn't think of him, especially when he was in town. However, doing so was dangerous. If she thought too long or too hard, she might find herself going right back to that well.

And she didn't need that kind of turmoil.

His gaze found hers, and she had her answer. No, she couldn't get rid of him that simply, even after terminating their
thing
months ago. Not when he looked so impossibly gorgeous and a simple look turned her knees to jelly.

She turned away from him and came face-to-face with Alaina's assistant and best friend, Crystal Donovan. “Hi!” Crystal was friendly and hilarious. She possessed the Southern twang that sometimes crept into Alaina's speech now and again. “How are you this morning?” She lowered her voice. “I'm a skosh hung over, I'm afraid, and I tried to be so good.”

Aubrey smiled. “I was very good. I drank lots of water.” Otherwise she would've been in the same boat. She'd learned long ago that the Archers knew how to throw a good party—Archer beer, the best wines from the area, and if Kyle started mixing cocktails . . . forget it.

“Smart girl. Note to self for next time.” She inclined her head toward Liam, who'd gone to talk with his dad and Kyle. “What's the story with McHottiepants over there?”

Aubrey shrugged. “He lives in Denver. Owns his own company. He's a millionaire in his own right, even without his trust fund.” Every one of the Archer kids—except Derek—had inherited a trust fund at the age of twenty-five. The funds didn't quite make each of them millionaires, but it was pretty close. Several of them had probably closed the gap, and she knew Liam definitely had.

Crystal's eyebrows shot up. “Interesting. Although, I don't much care about the money.”

No, Aubrey didn't imagine she would. As Alaina's assistant, she was likely a millionaire, too. Meanwhile, Aubrey was a modest attorney in a small town—a country lawyer, really, like her uncle who owned the firm at which she worked.

“I wouldn't be interested in him for any other reason, either, if I were you,” Aubrey said. “He's a total player. I think his longest relationship was six months, and there are differing reports as to whether it was monogamous.”

Crystal nodded. “Gotcha.” She sighed. “Too bad. Damn, my radar must be broken. I can usually spot one of those a mile away. You learn that really fast in LA.”

“I'm sure.”

Kyle whistled to get everyone's attention. “Good morning! We thought we'd start with the brunch. It's being laid out in the dining room. Be sure to pick up a mimosa or a Bloody Mary at the bar in the kitchen. Little hair of the dog will do you all some good.” He winked at the room at large.

People began to file toward the dining room. Aubrey cut into the kitchen—she loved Kyle's mimosas. When she turned from the bar, drink in hand, Liam stepped toward her.

“Morning,” he said, flashing her a quick glance.

That's it? After last night's hard sell, he wasn't going to try again? They were alone in the kitchen, and he'd never missed an opportunity to flirt or touch or somehow flip her switch. Hell, just being in the same room with him was usually enough to get her going.

“Did you really take no for an answer finally?” She hadn't meant to say it, but the words had tumbled from her mouth before she could stop them.

His head snapped up, and his steel blue eyes were cool. “Isn't that what you want?”

“Well, yes, but that didn't stop you from pursuing me last night.”

He cracked a smile. It was small and brief but completely disarming. Damn, she hated being vulnerable to his stupid charm. “I'm trying to be a stand-up guy. Besides, you were right—we've run our course. I've never been one to hang around too long.”

Wasn't that the truth? “Speaking of which, when are you headed back home?”

“Tomorrow probably.” His brow furrowed briefly, and this time she bit her tongue before asking what was wrong. His business wasn't hers. “I don't know yet. You going in for breakfast? I'm starved.”

“Yeah.”

He gestured for her to precede him. She half expected him to touch the small of her back as she walked by, but he didn't. Disappointment surged in her chest, and she immediately chastised herself. This is what she wanted. This is what she'd demanded.

Nevertheless, that didn't make letting Liam go any easier. Damn, she was beginning to hate this family and the way they made her feel. Or at least the way two of them had made her feel. The two who looked identical and who she'd thought were worlds apart. Turned out they were each as manipulative and soul-crushing as the other.

After filling her plate at the buffet in the dining room, she ate breakfast with Tori and Sara in the great room. As usual, the conversation included a bit about work and more specifically the ongoing zoning appeal.

“Has Sutherlin turned in his brief yet?” Tori asked.

After months of stalling tactics, they'd finally entered the phase where the complainant—Parker—filed his brief. “Not yet, but it's due this week.”

Tori sipped her mimosa. “The oral argument will be soon then, right?”

“After I submit my response, the Land Use Board of Appeals will set the court date.”

Tori blew out a breath as she slathered mascarpone on a scone. “I can't wait. This has been so frustrating.”

Emily came up to them where they were perched on a couch. “Aubrey, can I speak with you for a minute?” Her gaze flicked to Aubrey's plate. “Or when you're done.”

Despite the half scone and few bites of frittata left, Aubrey was actually stuffed. “I'm done.” She stood with her plate and followed Emily into the kitchen.

Emily turned and took the plate, setting it on the counter. “Let's step into my office.” Literally. A small, circular office led off the kitchen and was used by a variety of people, though it was primarily Emily's home base.

Aubrey couldn't imagine what Emily wanted to talk to her about, let alone privately. Alarm bells pealed in her brain. She really hoped this wasn't about a legal matter. Aubrey didn't think she could handle another Archer problem, especially if it was something like divorce. For several months after Alex's death, Emily and Rob had gone through a very rough patch, and the
D
word had been quietly discussed by several of the Archer siblings. Emily had even gone to France with Hayden for a few months, and that had seemed to give her and her husband the space they'd needed to deal with their grief. In fact, they'd appeared quite like their old selves recently—they'd even seemed romantic.

“Is everything all right?” Aubrey asked.

“Yes. Well, I think so. I'm hoping you can help me with something. I'd ask one of my children, but I don't think they'd be able to help. I wanted to ask you about Liam.”

Aubrey's insides cinched up like a pair of hiking boots. “Uhhh, why me?”

Emily tipped her head to the side. “You seem friendly. Whenever Liam comes home, I see him chatting with you. I thought you'd become friends.”

Friends.
Aubrey bit her cheek to keep from laughing. She was his fuck buddy, not his friend. “We're not especially close, so I don't know that I can help you either, unfortunately. What did you want to know?”

Emily's brow creased, and Aubrey wanted to help her. This woman had been through so much, and she was so kind, so generous, so loving. “Do you know about Liam's hobbies?”