Page 13 of Karma

Nash cocked an eyebrow. “In other words, you’re hooked.” He grinned, arms folded across his chest. “How do you know her?”

“How do you think? She’s always at the station bailing her brother out of jail.” No reason to give Nash any more to needle him with. His brother was worse than Sam and Cara when it came to giving him a hard time.

“Does she know you’ve got a thing for her?” Nash asked.

Why bother denying the truth? Dare merely shook his head. “She thinks I’m a judgmental asshole.” At least she had. After their recent run-in, Dare had no idea what she thought of him.

Nash burst out laughing, catching Dare by surprise.

“What’s so damned funny?” he asked.

“You’re the most mellow of the three of us. Most people like you best. So why in the hell would Liza think that?” Nash’s blue eyes, so like their mother’s, glittered with amusement.

But tonight’s encounter was still fresh in his mind, the feelings so new he had no desire to share them with his brother. “Because every time she shows up at the station, all I can think about is what a waste it is that someone so smart and beautiful continually enables her piece-of-shit brother.”

Nash’s lips quirked in a grin. “So she’s beautiful, huh?”

“I’m leaving.” Dare reached for the door handle.

“I’ll call you tomorrow.” Nash turned and headed back toward the family room, laughing the entire way.

***

Liza stared atthe flyer on her desk. Her assistant had left the blue paper for her this afternoon, along with the mail. The Police and Firefighters’ Festival was always the first weekend in August, a fun fair-like atmosphere held at the park next door to the youth center.

Most years, Liza donated to the cause but didn’t attend. No matter how much she admired the work they did, thanks to her brother, she’d never felt comfortable around the cops of Serendipity. Instead, she’d usually head out of town on the weekend of the fair, and her friends in Manhattan expected her this weekend.

The girls from her college days at NYU were her closest girl friends, and they’d remained a tight group, she thought with a smile. But here at home, Liza had few friends. Most had gone to out-of-state schools and moved away. Others eventually distanced themselves when Brian’s behavior began to impact Liza’s social status among their peer group. Which was why, when she wanted to let loose and have fun, she dressed in her edgier clothes and hit the New York club scene with her college friends.

It was easier to be herself in a big city where she wasn’t judged so harshly. She’d move there if not for the business and, of course, Brian. She just didn’t fit in with the wealthier people in Serendipity who had money or with the regular working people who were wary of her. She was somewhat of an oddity, Liza thought, which was why she’d felt so comfortable with Faith the other morning. They had more in common than Liza had with anyone else.

Except now, she looked at the flyer and thought of Dare Barron and his dinner invitation. He hadn’t looked at her like she was the strange woman with the troublemaking, alcoholic brother. At least not last night.

So instead of reaching for her checkbook and then dumping the flyer in the trash, she was actually reconsidering her weekend in New York.

She glanced up to see Jeff Montana, an architect she’d recently hired, waiting to talk to her. “Hi, Jeff. Come on in.”

He stepped inside and grabbed a seat in front of her desk. Jeff had moved to Serendipity from the Midwest. He’d been looking for a job in Manhattan, planning to commute by train since it was too expensive to live in the city. He’d been unsuccessful in his job hunt there, but Liza had been all too happy to snap up someone with his talent. He fit in here at the office and she liked him a lot.

“What can I do for you?” she asked.

“I just wanted to talk about the Mystic Building Project.” A project they were considering taking on in Connecticut.

She nodded. “Of course.”

“Are you going to the fair this weekend?” He pointed at the flyer still in her hand.

She frowned at the reminder. “I’m not sure. Are you?”

He shrugged. “Same. I don’t know too many folks here, so I thought it would be a way to meet people. On the other hand, I don’t know too many people around here.” He treated her to an endearing smile.

“Have you been to Joe’s at all?” The main bar in town was also a good place to mingle.

Jeff shook his head. “Same reason,” he admitted, looking away.

His shyness was sweet. With his jet black hair and easy charm, he’d likely be snapped up by some single woman in Serendipity as soon as word got out about him.

He just needed to meet people. “Since we’re both on the fence about going, do you want to meet there? I’d be happy to introduce you around.”

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