Page 94 of Lemon Crush

“By the way,” Bernie said, “Chick told her he changed his flight and he’s coming in tomorrow so he won’t miss the Lemons meeting. If you hadn’t come home early, I would have called to give you a heads-up. You’re about to be invaded.”

Damnit. Tomorrow night was supposed to bemytime with August, our last night together before she had company for an extended visit and everything kicked into high gear with the race. Once the meeting was done and the VW was the team’s official vehicle, I’d be starting six weeks of extended hours at the garage to get the car ready, my sister would be teaching August everything she needed to know behind the wheel in her free time, and Gene would be micromanaging everything in his. I wouldn’t be surprised if the three amigos became regulars in her backyard after they agreed to her terms, at least until the race was over.

And where exactly would Chick fit into this chaotic picture? Sam had mentioned him multiple times in her newsletter, but all I really knew about him was that August talked to him daily, he wrote movies I didn’t want to like, and he’d already offered her a room at his beach house in San Diego.

Other than one slip-up a few days ago, she hadn’t talked about leaving or selling her place for a while now. Not even when we worked on the house in between lovemaking sessions. I wanted to believe it meant things had changed, but I wasn’t that much of an idiot. It had only been a month.

She told me she was focusing on living in the present and enjoying the moment, but Chick Martin was bringing the future with him, and I couldn’t help worrying thatourmoment was almost over.

I resented his shit timing because we’d finally gotten ours right. She’d been out of my reach for years, and now I was in her life and in her bed. It wasn’t just the sex, though that was even better than I’d imagined. It was all the little details I noticed each day. How adorably out of it she was until she had her coffee in the morning. The way she leaned in to my simplest touch. Her humor, and that out-of-practice filter that had her saying whatever was on her mind. She was bright and beautiful and, for the moment, she was mine. I wasn’t ready to lose her yet.

“Wade.”

Bernie stared at me with unexpected understanding. “I don’t like the face you’re making, but I really do have to go. Alice the Dragon Lady can’t run the evening classes without me. Are you good?”

“Yeah.” I swallowed hard and nodded. “Thanks for keeping me in the loop today.”

“I did it because you’re my brother. And because I’m counting on you to be on my side at the testosterone-laden team meeting.” She pointed at me, thankfully from a safe distance. “Don’t you bemean to those boys when I’m gone. Imagine that they’re working their way through college or trying to support their elderly parents or something. I have a date with the tall one and I’d like him to remain intact.”

There was a tall one? They all looked the same to me. “They’re children, Bernie. What happened to the Hawaii guy?”

“He bought us tickets, even though I said no. You know I don’t like presumptuous men who think they can make decisions for me.”

Poor chump. He’d probably thought he was being romantic. I tore my attention away from the door long enough to smirk at her. “So, you thought you’d try getting one young and training him right?”

She whacked my arm. “I thought I’d go dancing with someone who knows how. Mind your own business. You’re the one who left the object of your affections alone with four practically naked bits of beefcake. Not that you have to worry—you should have seen her blush when I figured out you’d already made your big move.”

I opened my mouth and she shook her head. “I know, I know. Don’t tell anyone but Phoebe. Based on her side of that phone conversation, I’m guessing Chick knows about your new status too. As someone who has had secret assignations before, I can tell you with authority that neither one of you is being that subtle. If you don’t want another family night like the last one, I suggest you think about giving Morgan some warning on the new development.”

The fact that Chick knew about me made me feel moderately better. The idea of telling Morgan didn’t, but I knew Bernie was right. “Thanks for the advice.”

“It’s nice to give it for a change. I’m enjoying this new side of you, Wade. For the first time in my life, I’m not sure what you’re going to do next. It’s all very exciting, as long as you aren’t planning on getting hurt and making me hate her again. Because Ilove her and that would suck. Now, I really do have to go.” She popped up on her toes, kissed my cheek and then walked toward the bicycle she’d left leaning against the garage. She owned a car, but unless she had errands to run, an appointment she couldn’t miss or groceries to pick up, she usually rode her bike to work.

I knew exactly what I was going to do next.

Inside, I found Merlin lounging on the couch as if strange men trampling up and down the stairs were an everyday occurrence. “For being so huge, you’re not the best guard dog,” I told him.

When he licked himself in reply, I snorted. He could use some competition, and I knew just the dog I could train to make sure August was safe when I wasn’t at home. The old wizard might hate that, but it was something to think about.

Two more shirtless wonders were coming down the stairs, and when they caught sight of me, they put up their hands in unison, as if I were a cop and they wanted to look harmless.

“Hey man,” one said. “Only delivering furniture here. These are costumes. No funny business, I swear.”

I’d found a flaw in the business model Bernie was admiring—women might love this schtick, but husbands and significant others had obviously given them problems in the past.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re paying for your sick old granny’s medicine. My girlfriend up there?”

They nodded and beat a hasty retreat as I headed up the stairs. Four down, two to go.

When I reached the landing, August was standing in the guest room doorway, sounding shellshocked. “I didn’t expect the throw pillows. Or the pictures.”

“Accessories can make a room,” a man inside said earnestly. “Anybody can toss a mattress down, but add some pillows and a few classy pieces of art? Now it looks like somebody lives here. You should go to the website and check out the living room sets. Um, not that there’s anything wrong with yours.”

“He forgets we live on tips,” another voice said. “And he thinks he’s a designer. He didn’t mean to insult your couch.”

I walked over and slid my hand around August’s waist, tugging her up against my side. She startled for a moment before relaxing and leaning into me.

“It’s okay. She insults it all the time. We’ll check out the site.”

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