Page 24 of Love You
“Good. We could really use the business.”
Win gave him a long look. “I know. I fucked up with Royce . . . shouldn’t have let him use the porta-potty.”
TJ shook his head. “There’s not much you could’ve done, Win. It was Royce who ignored the danger tape and used a condemned outhouse. But we took a hit, no question about it.”
“I’ll get us FlashTag,” Win said. “Can I have a bonus if I do?”
TJ leaned back, surprised. “You need money?”
Win lived a pretty inexpensive life. He owned his Jeep free and clear, his apartment’s rent was nothing, and all his recreation was paid for. The last time he’d asked TJ for a raise it was because he thought he was going to be a father and needed to support a family. He could tell that his brother’s mind had automatically gone there.
“I might want to buy a place.”
“Really?” TJ gave Win a hard look as if he was hiding something. “Is there something I ought to know about?”
“Jeez, can’t a guy want to buy a house? You did.”
“I thought you were too busy running around, having a good time, to settle down.”
Win didn’t blame TJ for his assumption. Until recently it had been true. Mostly. He wouldn’t necessarily call buying a home settling down, but he’d like to at least get out of his studio apartment, which was fine for someone in his early twenties. Not someone approaching thirty-two. Why pay rent when he could be putting that money towards a mortgage? California real estate was a good investment. “I was planning to buy something when I thought Britney and I were getting married. Just because she’s out of the picture doesn’t mean the plan has changed.”
Back when he thought he was bringing a kid into the world his parents had offered to help with a down payment. Win wouldn’t take the money now. He was a grown man and could stand on his own two feet. GA paid him well and he had managed to sock some money away but California real estate didn’t come cheap and Glory Junction with its five ski resorts had become prohibitively expensive in the last five years.
“Sure,” TJ said. “You get the account and I’ll give you a bonus. I’ll even help you look for a place.”
“All right.” Win would take his help. TJ had a good eye for diamonds in the rough. His lake house was a perfect example. “Hey, did you know that Darcy’s divorced?”
“Yeah, she mentioned it once or twice. Why?”
Win hitched his shoulders. “I hadn’t known, that’s all.” And it bugged him that maybe she’d told him and he hadn’t been paying attention. She’d been good to him during the Britney situation, taking the time to listen while he went into panic mode.
TJ grabbed a couple of pickle chips off Win’s plate and popped them in his mouth. “I don’t think she goes around talking about it much.”
“I met him the other day . . . Lewis.”
TJ stopped chewing, his interest piqued. “Yeah, what’s he like?” Of everyone at GA, TJ worked the closest with Darcy. He’d been the one to hire her.
As far as Win was concerned she was the best hire they’d ever made. Though she didn’t know dick about extreme sports, Darcy was punctual, reliable, and . . . she got shit done. Her multitasking skills were off the hook.
“He seemed decent enough,” Win answered,though a bit overdressed.
“Huh,” TJ said as if he was expecting Win to describe an ogre. To everyone but Win, Darcy came off a bit on the timid side, so it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibilities that her ex was a pumped-up dickhead. “I guess it just didn’t work out.”
“Guess not.”
Gray wandered over and put both his sons in a headlock. “Heard we have a big Silicon Valley company on the hook.” Even though Gray was semiretired from the company, he still guided tours and kept his eye on the back office.
Gray and TJ became involved in a business conversation that bored the crap out of Win so he strolled off, looking for something entertaining. As the night air grew chilly, they moved the party inside and ditched the idea of taking the boat out. By the time Win got home, it was late and the neighborhood cat needed to be fed.
When he got into the office the next morning Darcy had her headset on and was talking to someone. He loitered by her desk, waiting for her to end the call.
“You get things straightened out with your mother?”
“Yes, no thanks to you.”
He sat on the corner of the desk, checking out her legs. Today she had a short dress on and a pair of high heels, similar to the ones she’d worn yesterday. “Does that mean we’re no longer married?”
“Yep,” she said, distracted by the message slip she was filling out. “The love is gone.”
