Page 8 of In a Bind

Chapter Six

Zane

Trey and Georgiehad decided to take a walk around the grounds and so they walked along with me as I headed toward the guest cottages.

"I was wondering if we'd ever get to meet the elusive Rainsford," Trey said. "She's cute."

I glanced his way. "I wonder why he told you about her but I didn't even know he had a fourth kid."

Trey shrugged. "I'm a better listener."

"No you're not."

"Yep. I am."

"If you were on a bike ride," Georgie interrupted our usual third grade banter, "why is your hair wet?"

I nodded at her. "Always the investigative journalist, Georgie. We stopped for a swim at a swimming hole."

"Did you?" Trey asked. It was only a two word question, but there was a whole lot of inquiry behind it.

"I did." I decided to counter his leading two word question with a 'let's end it right here' two word answer. But my buddy Trey wasn't into ending things abruptly.

"Carter has told me a few pretty wild stories about his youngest daughter," Trey went on. I decided to ignore the bait, but Georgie with her constantly inquiring mind grabbed right on.

"Really? What kind of wild stories could he possibly tell about her?" Georgie asked. "She looks like a sweet, savvy girl who knows her mind."

"Oh, she definitely knows her own mind. When she was eighteen, she disappeared for a few months, telling her dad she was going on a road trip before college. He eventually had to hire a private investigator to find her. She was shacked up with the president of a motorcycle club and working as a tattoo artist. Fucking hilarious. She has an eleven digit trust fund and she was drawing tattoos for MC club members. She refused to come home, so he hired the PI full-time just to make sure nothing happened to her. Eventually the shine of being part of an MC club wore off, and she came back home. But in between that time and now, she's been on some pretty wild rides. At least according to Carter."

"Sounds like she just wanted to have some fun," Georgie commented.

Trey laughed. "Guess we both have different ideas of fun then." He looked over at me. "You're awfully quiet considering—well, considering you're Zane, a man who has many opinions and is never afraid to blurt them out."

"Maybe I just have no opinion on this subject because it doesn't hold much interest."

"Right." The problem with having a business partner who you've known since elementary school is that they can see right through bullshit. But Trey wisely didn't continue with his questioning. He did, however, feel the need to add more about Raini, which was probably a subtle way of letting me know that he was on to me. "Last time Carter mentioned his daughter in a conversation, he said he doubted she would ever find the right man. He knew exactly the kind of person she needed too. Someone who could tame her without smothering that wild spirit that makes her so special. He is obviously crazy about her. Other dads might have already thrown up their hands in surrender." Trey turned his head my direction. "Which of course makes it extra difficult for any prospective suitor because they'd have to win over Daddy as well."

We reached the cottages. "Are you finished with your narrative because I need to take a shower so I can get back to the party and mingle."

Trey nodded sharply. "All done."

"Great, I'll see you guys later." I had pretended not to listen to the gritty details, working hard to convince both Trey and myself that they held no interest for me. I figured I just needed to get through the weekend and then I'd never see Raini again and she'd be out of my head for good. Or at least that was my plan.

I walked inside the cottage, only to discover that Aidan was having a royal make-out session with someone on his side of the room. "Get out," he yelled.

"Uh. We both packed neckties for dinner, you could have hung one on the door for warning."

"This isn't a fucking frat house." His grunt was followed by a feminine moan.

"I'm taking a shower," I said. "Just pretend I'm not here. That's what I'm pretending to do." I stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. Then I leaned back against the door and shut my eyes and tried to erase the image of Raini standing naked on the bank of the pond. But it was there, clear and concise, as if it had been etched there in permanent marker.

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