When Tate had told Dani the international software company he worked for needed him in their Helsinki home office for four months, theyd made plans to visit each other and talk often. Shed gone to Finland once, after hed had a few weeks to get settled, and hed come to Atlanta for her birthday. The four-month assignment turned into six, though, and the time difference made phone conversations inconvenient. Still, Dani had seen plenty of military families overcome separation. Shed believed she and Tate could make the relationship work.
She certainly hadnt expected him to cheat on her. Dani had initiated sex more than he did. When hed first gone overseas, shed emailed him a provocative picture of herself. Hed asked her not to do it again. Hed claimed it reminded him of what he couldnt have, but shed thought she detected a note of censure in his tone.
Well, he was out of her life now. Maybe shed have a photographer take a picture of her scantily clad and hang that over her mantel.
Returning to the task at hand, she led Mr. and Mrs. Cute Couple to the recently remodeled kitchen, elaborating on the houses particulars. Two-car garage, plumbing on a septic system, great school district.
Oh, we wont have to worry about school for years, the woman said dismissively. Were in no hurry to have kids.
Her husband pulled her into his arms. Agreed. I want you all to myself for a while. Bending down, he whispered something in her ear that caused a happy blush to steal across her face. Then he kissed her.
Hellooostanding right here. But antagonizing clients was unwise for someone who worked on commission, so Dani kept her thoughts to herself. Giving the Parkers a moment of privacy, she meandered to the bay window and studied the pine trees and dogwoods dotting the generously sized yard.
Behind her, Mrs. Parker giggled. Were going to check out that master bedroom one more time, just for a second. I want another look at...the closet space.
Yeah.
Feel free, Dani said with a tight smile. The previous inhabitants had already moved out, so at least she didnt have to worry about the frisky newlyweds hitting someone elses mattress. She figured they just wanted to steal a heated kiss or two.
Meanwhile, she tried not to feel bitter or envious; her neglected libido had been making itself known lately. She wasnt usually one for casual sex, but how was it fair that shewhod been faithful to a faultwas going without while the cheating scumbag whod replaced her with someone who makes a man feel needed was getting busy with his new bride? Excuse the hell out of me for being able to open a pickle jar without assistance.
When Tate originally called off the wedding, it had been difficult not to hope he met with some freak accidentlike an anvil falling on his head. But shed told herself to be adult about the situation. Wasnt it better that he ended things before the wedding instead of deciding afterward that theyd made a mistake? So instead of wishing him dead, shed merely hoped that the next house he bought had termites and mold in the walls.
What she hadnt yet known was that getting dumped was only half the story. Earlier this week, hed asked her to dinner. Since she had a box of his belongings to give back to him, shed agreed. The diamond solitaire engagement ring was not among the returns. Shed hocked that to help cover nonrefundable wedding expenses she and her dad had incurred.
When Tate had broken up with her from the safe distance of Europe, hed mentioned that someone else had helped him realize he didnt fully love his fiancée. But Dani hadnt expected that faceless someone to return to Georgia with him. As shed learned during their strained dinner together, Tate and Ella had eloped last Saturdayexactly one week before hed been scheduled to marry Dani.
You deserved to hear it from me, in person, before we begin announcing it to family and friends. Hed adopted an expression of such condescending concern that shed been tempted to punch him in the face. I know this must be very hard on you.
Not so much. Shed risen from her chair, abandoning a perfectly yummy shrimp carbonara. Ella is welcome to you.
Truthfully, after six months of living on separate continents, Dani didnt miss him as much as she would have expected. She was almost as ticked off about the months of one-sided celibacy as she was about his defection. Shed always found serenity through physical outlets. Right now, frustrated and wanting to reclaim some feminine pride, she could really use a long night of sweaty, athletic
Danica? I think were done inside the house. The lanky man and his auburn-haired bride had returned. If youll walk us through the yard and the garage, that should do it. Annette and I need some time alone to talk over everything weve seen today.
Of course. Right this way. She opened the back door, leading them out onto a narrow deck. The deck was added on, but the owners hired a professional to build it.
She often warned clients to be careful of homes full of DIY projects; not all of them held up well over time. Sometimes, amateur wiring jobs went up in flames. Substandard roofing collapsed. Kind of like her love life.
* * *
THE CELL PHONE vibrated in the dashboard cup holder. Dani groaned. Another pitying relative or acquaintance? But then she glimpsed the picture of her best friend, Meg Rafferty, on the screen. Under different circumstances, both women would have been en route to the famous Swan House right now for a rehearsal dinner. Afterward, there was supposed to have been a bachelorette party hosted in the lingerie store Meg co-owned.
Using the phones earpiece, Dani answered. Hello.
Its officially after five oclock, Meg said. A socially accepted time for booze. Want to meet somewhere for drinks?
It was a Friday night. If they went out, would they be surrounded by couples on dates? Showing that last house to the Parkers had been all the exposure to couples Dani could stand. A girls night in was a possibility, but Meg had recently moved in with her current boyfriend. Which leaves my place. When her last lease ran out and she hadnt been able to negotiate anything shorter than six months, shed moved into a tiny, unimpressive apartment. She wasnt supposed to have been there this long. The plan had been for her and Tate to house hunt when he returned from Europe. Meg knew how much Dani disliked the temporary apartment. Every time she came over, she vacillated between sympathy and outrage on her friends behalf.
Thanks for the offer, Dani said, but Im way behind on paperwork. I want to use the free evening to catch up. Liar. She sighed. Actually, what I really want is to get laid.
There was a startled pause, followed by a snicker. I cant help you there.
Dont worry. You arent who I had in mind.
Wait, theres someone specific? Why have I not heard about him?
No, no one specific. I just meant... Yet she couldnt help envisioning Hot Architect. This morning, theyd passed again in the hall and shed made a comically exaggerated show of watching where she was going so as not to bump anyone. Amusement had twinkled in his pale blue eyes, and his lips had twitched. Shed almost rated a grin.
Sorry, I didnt catch the end of that sentence. Did you lose your train of thought or are you going through a tunnel? Or, Meg added knowingly, did you suddenly remember that you suck at lying? Out with it! Who is this mystery man who has you hot and bothered?
You remember that time you picked me up at the office for lunch and Judy was rhapsodizing about the architect who works down the hall?
Bryce Grayson?
Dani smacked her hand against the steering wheel. Bryce, yes! I knew it started with a B. Thank you.
Ive caught glimpses of him. Meg gave a low whistle. Nice. I mean, I only have eyes for Nolan, of course, but...damn.
Exactly. I worked hard not to notice him while I was with Tate, but now I am a free woman. A free woman with a healthy sex drive.
Bryce was going to smile at her soon, and the natural next step would be conversation. With any luck, they wouldnt stop there.
2
SEAN GRAYSON WINKED conspiratorially at the perky woman in yoga pants. Between the cartoon character on her T-shirt and her braided pigtails, she looked more like a teenager than his twin brothers secretary. I really appreciate your taking time out of your Saturday to let me in.
She shrugged. This is on my way to the gym. Just promise to lock up when you leave or Bryce will have my head on a platter. Id better scoot, or Ill be late for Zumba. Pausing in the doorway, she asked over her shoulder, You know what would be hilarious? If Bryce had the same idea and hes secretly at your office right now, setting up a surprise for Monday.
Bitterness stabbed at Sean, an unpleasant sensation somewhere between loss and anger. Alone in the spacious offices of Bertram Design Associates, he tried to imagine stepping into the trailer on his current job site and finding it filled with balloons and streamers. Never in a million years. He and Bryce might be identical twins, but these days, they had little in common besides looks and a shared birthday.
Bryce, older by nine minutes, had always been more studious, diligently making A-honor roll and graduating high school as valedictorian. Sean had excelled in different areas, like industrial arts and varsity football...and making time with the varsity cheerleaders. Despite different interests, the two brothers had encouraged each other. Theyd been close. Then Bryce had been awarded a major scholarship to a college out of state.
Sean stayed behind, working for their dads roofing company and pooling his money with his parents to afford a trade school degree, eventually working his way up to supervising construction crews. When their dad suffered a heart attackminor, but alarmingBryce had been too busy with finals to come home. There were holiday breaks and summers when Bryce chose plans with his frat brothers or staying on campus for intern opportunities over visiting his family. After graduation, hed returned to Georgia, but hed been different. He was more polished and educated than anyone else in the family, and he never let Sean forget it.
Most of the time, Sean told himself it was natural for siblings to grow apart, no big deal. But his last girlfriend had accused him of being jealous of his successful, intelligent brother. He has the prestigious degree, the loft condo and the class. Youre a glorified handyman. No wonder you resent him.
Was Sean here in part to prove her wrong? To try to recapture some of the old camaraderie? Knock off the introspective crap. Youre here to hang some balloons and heckle him about being old.
It was only fair, considering how often Bryce had lorded his nine-minute head start on life over his little brother when they were kids. Sean also had a gift to leave on his brothers desk. Hed scanned a section of one of Bryces first blueprints and paid a friend with graphics art talent to turn it into a one-of-a-kind multicolored kaleidoscope print. Sean had framed the resulting artwork and wrapped it in black over the hill paper. He hoped Bryce would hang the print in his office.
Or was the customized art too funky for the uptight man Bryce had become? Although Bryce was a decent architect, his main role in the company was getting permits passed. He was the person who crossed the ts and dotted the is. As if his occupational habits were taking over his personal life, with each passing year, Bryce grew more rigid. His DVD collection of pretentious, independent films was probably alphabetized. Most of Seans DVDs werent even in their proper cases.
Unlike his brother, Sean lived in the moment, enjoying spontaneity. Why overplan the journey? In his experience, life offered many interesting detours.
* * *
OF ALL THE ways Dani could have spent Saturday afternoon, hiding in an empty office so that concerned friends couldnt call her home line or drop by to check on her was definitely in the pathetic top five.
Granted, shed spent the past few hours putting herself in a strategic position to reach her goalthe youngest top seller to graduate to a flat desk fee instead of splitting commission with the brokeragebut was it really healthy to be so practical? She was a scorned bride. Shouldnt she be finding catharsis in some kind of outrageous behavior? In her career, following the rules and setting goals worked well. In her love life? Not so much. Tate was the one whod cheated, yet he was happily married while she was alone.
When Meg had announced she was moving in with Nolan, a pharmaceutical sales rep six years her senior, after dating him only a couple of months, Dani had cautioned her exuberant friend that it was too soon. But Meg had defied conventional wisdom and seemed perfectly happy with her choice. Meanwhile, Dani had tried to do everything right with Tatespending a year and a half getting to know him before they got engaged, being completely supportive of his needing to work out of the countryand shed gotten screwed.
If this were a movie, she would have taken her canceled honeymoon to Maui all by herself and fallen in love with one of Hollywoods leading men amid a learning-to-surf montage and funny luau scene. Well, its not a movie. So she could either stay here and continue her downward spiral into feeling sorry for herself or she could call Meg. Maybe last nights invitation for drinks still stood. Or maybe Dani should look around the area for paintball places with evening hours. She sort of liked the idea of wearing her pristine white wedding dress to a paintball battle. If nothing else, the sight would unnerve her opponents.
She heaved a sigh. It wasnt the bridal gowns fault that Tate was too insecure to spend his life with a strong woman. She shouldnt take out her rage on a seven-hundred-dollar dress. But she could totally take it out on a pitchers worth of margaritas.
Resolved, she shut down her computer. There was one nice thing about her abysmal little apartment; it was only two adjoining parking lots away from a neighborhood bar. She could easily walk home after a few drinks. The bar was a nice place with pool tables and a Saturday happy hour she might still make if she left now. Maybe Meg could meet her there.
Dani would call her from the car, once her cell phone was plugged in to the charger. Shed accidentally forgotten to charge it this morning. At least, that was the story she planned to give anyone whod been unable to reach her. Her father had called three times alone that morning. Lord knew how many voice messages awaited her.