Page 80 of Love You
“How did you get this number?” She had never given it to him. He had her cell and Nana’s number, which were already too many.
“What do you mean? It’s listed.”
“You shouldn’t call me at work, Lewis.”
“I wouldn’t have but you weren’t returning my messages and I got worried.”
Bullshit. He wanted her to deal with his computer “glitch.”
“I’ve been busy. I do have a full-time job, you know?”
“I realize that, Darcy. And I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t in such a jam . . . and you weren’t so good with computers. But the new software is giving us all kinds of problems and the woman I hired to replace you”—he let out a long, beleaguered sigh—“honestly, she doesn’t know what she’s doing.”
She held the phone away again, stared up at the ceiling, and counted to five.
“Everything okay?” TJ asked, and she jerked. “Sorry, didn’t mean to sneak up on you like that.”
“Hang on a second,” she told Lewis, and put the call on hold. “Everything’s fine. Are you out of here?” she asked TJ, surprised. He rarely left the office before seven.
“Yep. Deb and I are going to Tahoe to see a show. You should get out of here too. It’s summer, enjoy it.”
“You didn’t get hit in the head with a rock or something, did you?”
He tried to stifle a grin. “I’d like to say I miss the old Darcy but unfortunately I like the smart-ass one better. Congratulations, Darce, you’ve finally grown a set.” He reached over the counter and gave her a hug. “Lock up, okay?”
“Will do.” She took Lewis off hold. “That was my boss.”
“Oh, sorry. Can you come tonight?”
He had to be kidding. “No, I can’t. I have a full-time job and a . . . fiancé. I’m sorry but you’ll have to deal with your computer issues yourself. I suggest hiring a good IT person. And, Lewis, I don’t mean to sound bitchy but you have to stop relying on me. We’re divorced now and I work somewhere else.” She hung up before he could protest and before she lost her nerve.
She was definitely growing a set and boy did it feel good.
Chapter Eighteen
On Thursday morning Reggie called with a price on the cabin. Win was at the Juicery and had to get out of line to take the call.
Reggie named an amount that was a lot less than he expected but more than he had in the bank.
“That sounds very fair, Reggie. I’ve got to sit down and crunch some numbers and I’ll get back to you.” Win knew it was futile unless the FlashTag deal came through and he got a substantial bonus.
“All right,” Reggie said. “But don’t take too long. That agent, Jenny Meyers, has been hounding me for the listing. She says summer is prime time for selling real estate and I don’t want to miss my window of opportunity.”
Win knew the minute the cabin went on the market someone would snatch it right up. He’d hate to lose it but he’d need a significant down payment to qualify for a loan. He got his green drink and went back to the office.
TJ had cleared Win’s schedule so he could audit equipment and prepare for Madison De Wolk’s arrival the next day. Ordinarily, he hated doing inventory but because he and Darcy were doing it together he was actually looking forward to it.
The thing about him being her boyfriend had slipped out the other day. He didn’t quite know how he felt about an actual bona fide relationship. But God she challenged him and he’d never been so hot for a woman in all his life. The truth was she kind of made him crazy . . . in a good way. And he couldn’t remember a time when he’d ever been this happy. Singing in the shower and getting lost in the hours, daydreaming about a blond nymph with big blue eyes and deep dimples.
“I heard from Reggie,” Win told TJ as he passed him in the hallway.
“Yeah?” TJ jerked his head at his office. “Come in and talk to me.”
Win lay longways on TJ’s leather sofa with his feet hanging off the end and his arms pillowed under his head. “He wants eight-fifty.”
“Seems fair but that’s a steep mortgage payment unless you’ve got a sizable down payment.”
“Not that sizable.” He sat up, got on his phone, and showed TJ the balance in his savings account.
