Page 35 of Need You
“So much for Pond Scum’s shock and awe show.” Win sailed a dart from the toe line and made a bull’s-eye. “No one gave a rat’s ass. Too bad Josh missed the meeting. He could’ve been bored out of his skull like the rest of us.”
TJ had managed to find a sub to take a group on the cave tour and had attended the meeting with the rest of the Garners. He and Deb were engaged in a pretty heated game of one-pocket. Hannah had gone with Josh to his appointment in San Francisco.
Boden sauntered over, put two pitchers down on the table, and sidled up to Colt and Win. “A couple of new microbrews from Tahoe I wanted you to try. Sorry I missed the meeting. It got busy in here around six and never let up. Rita says you’re good.”
“Yep.” Colt bobbed his head.
“Saw the picture.” Boden lifted his shoulders. “Don’t know why the mayor got his drawers in a twist over it. He comes in here and ogles every nice rack in the place, isn’t even discreet about it. Girls half his age.”
“The dude’s a tool,” Win said.
“Hey, guys, could we tone it down?” Colt had made no secret of his dislike for Pond, but he’d done it to the mayor’s face. Doing it behind his back ... not cool.
“Sorry, man.” Colt watched Boden do a visual lap around the bar to make sure his staff had the place covered. A band was setting up on stage and soon the place would get rowdy. “Hey, I almost forgot, I had a cancellation for the End-of-Summer party. A band from Sacramento. I know you said you were jammed, but any chance you’d take the slot? It’s a big night not to have live music.”
Old Glory would be packed. Tourists as well as locals.
“Yeah, maybe.” Now that the heat was off him, Colt figured why not? “I have to see if the rest of the guys can do it. Can I let you know in the next couple of days?”
“Sounds good to me. I better get back to the bar.” Boden cut across the room, getting waylaid two or three times by various women. Since buying Old Glory, the scruffy, tattooed barkeeper had made a big impression on the ladies.
Colt stayed another hour and then decided to call it a night. Everyone had work in the morning, including Deb, who had a breakfast shift at the diner.
At home, Colt found a folded piece of paper taped to his door and opened it.
Watched the meeting on local cable access. Seemed like the photo was a nonissue and that you still have a job. Congratulations!
Cheers,
Delaney
He glanced over at her house. The lights were out. Probably for the best, otherwise he might’ve strolled over.
Between their two schedules, he didn’t wind up seeing her until Sunday morning. One look at her eager face as she came down her front porch and he kicked himself for inviting her river rafting. It had been a damned stupid idea and he fervently hoped she didn’t think it was a date. Because it wasn’t.
“Is this all right?” she asked as he loaded his truck with PFDs and other equipment they’d need.
“Hmm?” He glanced up to see what she was talking about.
“What I’m wearing? Is it okay?”
Clingy little exercise shorts and a matching top. Hell yeah, it was okay. “You got a pair of old tennis shoes you don’t mind getting wet?”
“I think so. Let me go check.” She went skipping off and Colt took a couple of minutes to stare at her ass.
Better to get it out of his system now, he told himself. She came back twenty minutes later.
“What, did you wind up making them?”
“I had to dig through my closet.”
He glanced down at her feet but not before taking a leisurely trip down her long, shapely legs. Yep, definitely an idiotic idea. “Those will work. I’ve got a jacket and a floatation device for you in the truck. We better get moving.”
She hopped up into his cab and they got the rest of what they needed, including the boat, at Garner Adventure. And being the lucky SOB that he was, his entire family was there when he showed up with Delaney. He would’ve been blind not to have noticed the pointed glances exchanged between his nosy-as-hell brothers.
Ignore them, he told himself. They could think what they wanted but there was nothing going on here. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. And just to hit it home, Lisa and the damn song came on the radio as they headed for the river. Colt turned it off.
“You don’t like country music?” Delaney asked.
