If You Only Knew (Harper Falls #3) Page 6

  Harper Academy, exclusive and pricey, gave their children an excellent education. They supported the local merchants, allowing for highly diverse cross-section choices when it came to your dining and buying pleasure.

  If you couldn’t find what you were looking for in Harper Falls, just wait. New stores went up all the time.

  Tyler wasn’t in the mood to enjoy what her hometown had to offer. A restless night with a trip down memory lane meant she had crawled out of bed unrested and needing caffeine — lots of it. Rummaging through her cupboards, she was horrified when her search for the high-octane stuff proved fruitless. Her brain was a foggy mess. If she was going to get anything done, it needed to be razor sharp.

  After piling her hair into a messy bun, she grabbed her keys and jumped into her car. She never ran out of coffee; it was her life’s blood. She certainly wasn’t going to settle for the decaf stuff Dani always tried to push on her.

  She drove into the heart of town past the spot where her sculpture would be permanently on display. Usually, she thought about that. In less than two months, her creation would be there for the whole town to see. This morning it didn’t register. Coffee and sleep. She needed them both. The sleep would have to wait.

  For a split second, Tyler considered stopping by to see her mother. Anita Jones always had fresh coffee ready. There was a time when few people visited the Jones home. It was too volatile, unpredictable. In the six years since her husband’s death, Anita had come out of her shell. Neighbors dropped by, women from the various clubs she had joined were always around. Though she would never be a world-beater, she now had a circle of close friends who valued her opinions and company.

  The problem was that no matter how much progress her mother had made, she still allowed her sons to take advantage whenever they needed money or a place to stay. Tyler knew at the moment, M.J. and Kyle needed both. Anita would never turn them away. If she didn’t give them money, they stole it from her purse. Tyler visited her mother often but only when she knew her brothers were far away.

  Pulling to a stop in front of Toro, the newest coffee shop in town, Tyler grabbed her purse and got out of the car. She waved when she saw a familiar face but kept her head down, her eyes focused. No time for small talk until she had something hot, strong, and black.

  The smell of coffee and cinnamon filled her nose, making Tyler want to float across the room like a cartoon character. Nothing like the smell of fresh roasted beans and ooey-gooey pastry.

  Toro followed a long tradition in Harper Falls of naming businesses clever, sometimes nonsensical names. No one knew where it started or why it had caught on. Residents liked to see what name each new entrepreneur would come up with. With few exceptions, they tried not to disappoint. This was one of Tyler’s personal favorites.

  The story went that the owner struggled mightily to find something that wasn’t too cutesy. Hot Stuff? No. A Hill of Beans? Hardly. Toro had been his contribution to the community. Distinctive, a little obscure. It was a conversation starter. Even if the coffee and pastries hadn’t been top notch, which they were, wanting to hear the story behind the name would have brought people in.

  Toro, bull. Bullfight. What do they call out during those fights? Olé. What do people drink? Café au lait. Hence, Toro. Okay, maybe it was more than a little obscure. It was fun; that was what mattered.

  The morning rush was just waning, meaning Tyler didn’t have long to wait. Her friends joked that eventually she would just chew on the grounds, eliminating the need for a machine or water. It wasn’t quite that bad. Well, sometimes, on mornings like this one.

  “Nice hairdo, Tyler. Did you use an eggbeater or get caught in a cyclone?”

  Jilly. Just what she needed. With a grateful smile, she took the steaming cup from the barista and took a tentative sip. Not even Jilly Underwood in the morning would make her stupid enough to scald her mouth.

  “Picked up any lumberjacks lately, Jilly?”

  “What are you talking about? I do not date lumberjacks.”

  Tyler thought about letting it go. Jilly was an easy target, too full of herself and always initiating contact. Walk away, a little voice urged. Be the bigger woman. Unfortunately, the coffee was too hot to gulp and Tyler felt more than a little bitchy.

  “Wood.” She said it loudly, taking another sip from her to-go cup.

  “Wood?”

  “I heard you were looking for men who were carrying wood. I just assumed you meant lumberjacks. Was I wrong?”

  “I—” Jilly looked around, her cheeks blooming red at the chuckles directed her way. “That wasn’t what I meant. I, oh, never mind.” She turned on her heel, heading out. Then turned and hissed. “Bitch.”

  “That seems to be the general consensus lately.” She said to the woman’s retreating back.

  Tyler took a deeper drink of the slightly cooled coffee and sighed. First her brother and now Jilly. Generally, she didn’t care about either’s opinion. Called that twice in less than a day did make one stop and think. Maybe it was time to consult with the two people she knew would pull no punches. If Tyler were becoming a permanent bitch on wheels, Rose and Dani would tell her. What were best friends for?

  “NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT.”

  “I agree. You’ve been a bit edgy. But permanent bitch? Not even close.”

  The three friends were at Dani’s loft, sharing some wine and Chinese takeout. After her run-in with Jilly, Tyler had called Rose, then Dani. Girls night in had been the proclamation. No men allowed. No doubt about it. There were no truer friends.

  “I’d be worried if you weren’t bitchy.” Dani handed Tyler a glass of icy golden chardonnay. “You have a deadline to meet for the centennial celebration, not to mention other commissions to finish. Then there’s Drew. He seems to be copping an attitude lately.”

  “You noticed that?” Tyler had started to wonder if she imagined Drew’s change in demeanor.

  “Who wouldn’t?” Rose asked with a shake of her head. “All that anger. It can’t all be pent up sexual frustration.”

  “It’s a big part of my problem.”

  “Just off the top of my head, I can think of a dozen guys who would help you with that. Unless…”

  “Unless there’s only one I want?” Tyler finished for Rose. “I asked, he said no.”

  She appreciated her friends’ restraint. Both could have pointed out that the way she asked hadn’t been terribly flattering to Drew or herself for that matter. Fucking, screwing. Call it what you wanted. She propositioned him; he turned her down.

  “I can’t seem to stop thinking about the past. That summer Drew and I—”

  “Fell in love?” Dani finished for her.

  “It’s become a movie on a loop that I can’t shut off. Last night, I rewound to the beginning, the day we met on the bridge.”

  “A big moment in your life.” Rose reached over and squeezed her hand. Connection. Her friends grounded her.

  “It was like yesterday. I could feel the summer heat, the first stirring of attraction. Not like now. It was tentative, innocent. I didn’t know what it felt like to touch a boy; I just knew I wanted to find out. I knew I wanted that boy to be Drew.”

  “I’m sorry those memories make you sad.” Dani added her touch, clasping Tyler’s free hand.

  “Not sad.” Tyler searched for a word. “Okay, maybe a little. Mostly I wonder at how open I was. When did I put up all these barriers? Why can’t I let another man in the way I let in Drew? Damn it, ten years is long enough.”

  “I’ll talk to Jack.”

  “And how exactly will that help?”

  “He can kick Drew in the ass, get him to finally tell you why he did what he did.”

  “He didn’t love me?”

  “Tyler…”

  “Doesn’t that make the most sense? We were kids playing grown up. All the plans we made, stupid promises.”

  “They weren’t stupid.” Dani protested.

  “Weren’t they? I practically had us out
of college, married, happily ever after, the ten seconds after our first kiss.”

  “And he was right there with you.”

  “I thought so at the time. Maybe he just wanted to get in my pants and was really good at saying the right things.”

  “For almost a year?”

  She nodded at Dani. “Can’t argue there. I wasn’t that good.”

  Rose and Dani looked at her. She knew what they were saying without any words. Really? Really?

  “You’re right. What Drew and I had was genuine. He loved me. That doesn’t mean he didn’t change his mind. I think that’s why I’ve been going over it again and again. When did that change? Why?”

  “If it didn’t? What if he loved you then? What if he still does?”

  “Spoken by a woman who had her first love ride up on his trusty motorcycle and sweep her off her feet.”

  “This isn’t about me,” Dani assured her. “Alex and I, our situation was completely different.”

  “Yes.” Tyler conceded. “My problem is simple. Drew Harper. I can’t make him talk. His secrets are his own and if he decides to keep them, I’m going to have to live with it.”

  “Or you could just grind his balls to dust.”

  “I used that threat not that long ago. He wasn’t exactly quaking in his boots.”

  “I—”

  “Enough.” Tyler gave her friends a reassuring smile. “I’ve paused the story of Drew and Tyler.”

  “Paused?”

  “Didn’t I mention that I’ve acquired a new super power? The movie runs through my head, frame for frame. If I get interrupted or need a break, I stop. Hours later, I can magically pick up right where I left off. My brain has become a Blu-ray DVD machine.”

  “Sounds interesting,” Dani said.

  “Sounds like a pain in the rump.” Rose clarified.

  “You said it, smut mouth. I just want to put it all aside and talk about something else. Anything else. Can we move on? I’m sick of the subject.”

  “I got an interesting offer this morning.”

  “Do tell.” Tyler smiled at Rose. She asked they change the subject, subject changed.

  “A television producer called my agent. It seems Jack and I would make fascinating reality show stars.”

  Dani snorted, her mouthful of wine spewing across the room.

  “You don’t agree?” Rose asked as the other woman wiped her chin.

  “A camera following you and Jack? Pure gold. I just wondered if it was possible to telekinetically rip that producer a new one.”

  The three friends laughed. Rose was notorious in the music business for loving her privacy. From the beginning of her songwriting career, the offers to make her a singing star poured in. She was the whole package. Looks the camera loved and she wrote songs other artists clamored over. Her voice wasn’t the strongest, but it was true and had an edgy quality that amped up the appeal.

  They tried to lure her in front of the camera, onto the stage, into the recording studio. Every time, she told them no. She didn’t hesitate; she wasn’t tempted. Rose O’Brian wrote songs — period.

  “I’m not mad at the producer. She has a job to do and she saw an opportunity. I understand ambition. As long as she takes no for an answer, I won’t provide her with another poo hole.”

  This time Tyler lost it— almost. She just managed to keep all her wine in her mouth.

  “Poo hole?”

  “You know I’m trying to watch the swear words when I’m around Jack’s many, many nieces. It’s just easier if I refrain all the time.”

  Jack had six older sisters, all of whom produced nothing but daughters. He and his father provided the only testosterone in an estrogen-based family. He should have been a spoiled-rotten, self-centered jerk. All those women telling him from birth how wonderful, handsome, and perfect he was.

  Instead, he was the easiest-going man Tyler had ever met. Tall and gorgeous, Jack Winston possessed a smooth, unpracticed charm that melted more than one woman’s resolve. Add to that killer blue eyes and sexy smile? Rose hadn’t stood a chance.

  “What did Jack have to say? Maybe his dream is to be a TV star.”

  “You tease.” Rose laughed. “The look on his face when I mentioned the offer? I wish you and your camera were there, Dani. He was even more horrified at the idea than I was.”

  “That is one of the many reasons why you and Jack are so well-suited. Seeking publicity does not appeal.”

  They spent the rest of the evening consuming egg rolls and laughing, drinking good wine. After two glasses, Tyler switched to water. Her walk down memory lane needed a clear head. Alcohol had a tendency to make her dreams go all psychedelic. Fun on occasion — not when trying to sort out an already complicated situation.

  Was Drew tied up in knots? Was the past making it hard to live in the present? It would be nice to know that she wasn’t alone. If she knew that his nights were restless, maybe she could find a little peace. In this case, misery didn’t just love company; it craved it.

  “I ASKED HER for a kiss.”

  Drew was drunk. He could stand — with a little help. He could remember his own name — couldn’t say it clearly — but remembered it.

  They had started out with a couple of beers. Tom Tom’s, the legendary bar just to the south of town was their usual hangout. Jack and Drew had a rare woman-free night on their hands so the three of them had decided to grab a few long necks and shoot some pool.

  How he had gotten to the point where Jack was pouring him into the passenger side of his SUV, Drew had no idea.

  “Are you going to be sick between here and your house?”

  “Probably.”

  He said with such matter-of-factness that Jack had to laugh.

  “Then hang your head out the window like Edgar,” Jack said, referencing his beloved dog. “The air will do you good.”

  “I haven’t known him long.” Alex helped Jack leverage Drew’s long body into the cab, making sure his legs were tucked in before shutting the door.

  “You’re wondering if this is a regular thing?”

  “No, just the opposite. Drew doesn’t strike me as the lose control kind of guy. Watching him throw back those tequila shots made my head hurt. He’s going to feel it in the morning.”

  “Hopefully he’ll chuck most of it up before I get him home. Out the window.”

  Jack added that last bit for Drew’s benefit. His friend gave him a wave of acknowledgment.

  “I’ll get some liquid and a couple of aspirin into him. His head will be pounding; maybe I can help lessen the severity.”

  “She said no.”

  “What was that, buddy?”

  “The kiss.” Drew raised his head to glare at Jack and Alex. Why weren’t they paying attention? This was important.

  “I asked Tyler for a kish, she said no.”

  “Sure, no woman wants to kiss a man who slurs the word.”

  “Still wanted it,” Drew mumbled.

  Jack sighed “This thing with Tyler better come to a head soon. I don’t want to make a habit of pouring him into his bed.”

  “One night doesn’t make it a habit,” Alex reassured him. He glanced over at the man slumped in his seat. “Just in case, we’ll keep an eye on him.”

  Drew tuned out the conversation. He wasn’t turning into a drunk. Tonight had been an anomaly. He was tired, forgot lunch, and drank too much, too fast. And his brain was full of Tyler.

  He shut his eyes and drifted. Back, back to that day he followed her down the cliff to the little cove no one else knew about. Just him. And now Tyler. He never intended to call the police. He liked finding her there. Asking for a kiss was pure impulse. He knew she wouldn’t agree. But oh, how he wanted her to.

  ELEVEN YEARS EARLIER

  “INBREEDING.”

  “I beg your pardon.”

  “It’s the only explanation. You seem normal, then you come up with that ridiculous kiss idea. You should check your family tree. Go back a generation or s
o. First cousins marrying can really jam up the old gene pool.”

  “Ah.”

  Now he understood. It took him a minute to figure out her train of thought. Interesting. He liked it. There was something to be said for having a conversation with a girl who could keep you on your toes.

  “You think my family practices incest?”

  “Harsh word, Pretty Boy. First cousins, not brother and sister.” She shook her head. “Isn’t that what rich families do to keep the bloodline pure?”

  “What kind of stuff do you read?”

  “Anything I can get my hands on.”

  “Maybe you should consider scaling it back a bit if inbreeding is the first place your brain goes.”

  “It wasn’t the first place. It was just the most interesting.”

  “Right.”

  Drew looked at her again. Not just a stunning face but a brain to boot.

  “It’s a theory, I’ll give you that. Cousins marrying cousins was a royalty thing, not a rich thing. Just to clarify.”

  “Got me there. I was giving you an out, an excuse.”

  Drew watched as she gathered up her backpack and slung it over one shoulder. He couldn’t make her stay. Well, he could, he was bigger and stronger. Imprisoning girls was not his thing. He would have to come up with an intellectual reason to keep her with him a little longer.

  The trouble was his mind was blank. As a rule, finding ways to manipulate a situation to his liking was a breeze. He didn’t think it was egotistical to know his strengths, or to use them whenever necessary.

  First, he was a Harper. The name had clout, especially in this part of the world. It was also his very last resort, one he never used. Never. He couldn’t get away from who he was; it was in his DNA. He loved his father. But when it came to getting what he wanted, Drew refused to fall back on family reputation and money.

  Second, he was a good-looking guy. Nature had been kind. He had a strong, healthy body and a face women liked. A lot.