Hard and Fast (26 page)

He really frickin’ did.

“Do you think it sounds more legitimate? I’m not sure I’m satisfied with it as such either, but honestly, for someone who thrives on academia, homing in on a research topic has been a nightmare. I’ve had zero self-confidence and have talked myself around in circles until I can’t decide if I have a legitimate thesis or a ginormous mess.”

Ty barely heard her, so stunned was he by his own thoughts. “Ginormous?” He didn’t think he’d ever heard that word before.

“Sorry. It’s like
gigantic
and
enormous
meshed together.”

“So really big?” Sort of like the heart attack he was about to have. Because he was about to lay it all on the line and make a ginormous jackass of himself.

“Exactly.”

“Um, Imogen?”

“Yeah?” She blinked at him, tugging on the drawstrings of his hooded sweatshirt.

“I was thinking that, you know, I’m having a really good time with you, and well, I know that you have every right to date other guys or whatever, but just so you know, I’m not going to be dating anyone else. I’ll just be dating you.” Ty felt a sweat breaking out on his forehead. Oh, yeah. Serious jackass-age. “That is, if you will let me. Date you, I mean.”

“Are you suggesting that we exclusively date one another from here forward in order to really get to know one another without fear or jealousy creeping into the equation?”

What she said. “Yes.”

Imogen’s face broke out into a shy, sweet smile that she seemed to be struggling to contain, but couldn’t. “I believe that arrangement would work.”

Ty grinned back, his shoulders relaxing. So they were dating. For real. “Drop the professor talk and tell me you’re cool with this.”

She walked over to him where he was sitting by the fire circle and looked down, taking his cheeks between her hands. “I like you. A lot,” she said with more simple honesty than he thought he’d ever received in his life. “So yes, I’m cool with this.”

Ty pulled her down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her. “Good, because I like you, too.” He kissed her, again feeling that ridiculous happiness rising in him. “I know my schedule is crazy, but I’ll make time for you. How are your Mondays?”

“I’m busy during the day, but usually Monday nights aren’t too bad. No papers to grade.”

She was boldly nibbling on his bottom lip and it was causing a heat to rise in him that had nothing to do with the fire burning behind him. “There’s only four more races. Then I have some downtime in November and December before we start prepping for next season.”

Maybe he should have kept his month shut. Saying the only time your weekends will ever be free is two months out of twelve had to be a little off-putting.

“Can I come to another race?” she asked. “I’ve only been once, and I think I have a little better understanding of the sport now than when I attended because of the research I’ve been doing. Besides, I can pepper you with questions before and after this time.”

Imogen had stopped kissing him, but she was stroking the back of his hair, which he found incredibly pleasant. “Of course you can go. I’ll get tickets for you. You can stay in my coach with me.”

“Where are the upcoming races? This weekend is out. We have midterms to grade.”

Ty needed to pause and think about it, which he found odd, because usually the schedule was seared into his brain, but Imogen was such a nice distraction. “Uh, Texas, Phoenix, Miami. Why don’t you come to Texas? And hell, why don’t you invite Tammy and Suzanne to come with you? I’m guessing Tammy would love to see Elec driving, and then you all can hang out when we’re busy.”

“Yeah, that would be fun. But Tamara has the kids.”

“She can bring them with her. They’re used to being around the track. Hunter is my godchild, you know, and I haven’t seen her in a while. It would be nice to see the kids.” Ty did like hanging out and playing with Tammy’s kids. There was something about the way kids just bounced around and said whatever they were thinking that always appealed to him.

“Okay, I’ll ask her. That way we can fly down on Friday night and it won’t conflict with school for the kids or for Tamara and I.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Ty ran his fingers over her thigh. “And if Tammy can’t make it, you’ll still come?”

“Yes, I’ll still come.” Imogen wrapped her arms around his neck. “I will definitely come.”

Ty caught the change in her voice. “Are we talking about next week or are we talking about now?”

“Both,” she said with a sly smile.

“Perfect answer.”

Screw the fire. Ty stood up with Imogen in his arms, amused at the squeal of surprise she gave.

They were going back to the sleeping bag.

 

 

 

SUZANNE stared at Imogen across the table at their favorite Mexican restaurant, suddenly envying the bliss on her friend’s face. It had been a long time since Suzanne had felt that kind of moony-eyed happiness. “So I take it you had fun camping?”

Imogen sighed, her cheeks pink, eyes glassy. “Yes,” she said, and burst out with a short laugh. “I really, really did. We went fishing and swimming and hiking. We had lots of great sex, and, Suz, he quoted Shakespeare for me.”

Pausing with her margarita to her mouth, Suzanne felt her eyebrows head for the ceiling. “Ty quoted Shakespeare? Are you shitting me?” In all the years she’d known him, Suzanne had never once seen Ty with a book, let alone something like the Bard.

“I’m serious.” Imogen pushed her glasses up on her nose and leaned onto her palm at the table, like she was too boneless to hold herself up. “Oh, it’s so dangerous, but I do like him.”

The old green-eyed monster rose up in Suzanne again, irritating the shit out of her. She was happy for Imogen, even if she hadn’t figured Ty would be the type of guy to rev her engine. But it was clearly working for both of them, and if Suzanne had learned anything, it was that you couldn’t find any rhyme or reason for attraction. Look at the fact that she herself still couldn’t shake the weak-in-the-knees feeling whenever she saw Ryder and they’d been divorced for damn near two years. Not to mention he almost always pissed her off.

But there it was, and she was stuck with it, and it was really lowering to think that she could be enviousness of Imogen’s happiness. The girl had been far too serious when Suzanne had met her, and if the state of her jacked-up ponytail at the moment was any indication, Ty had loosened her screws up nicely.

“That’s fantastic, honey. I’m glad you’re having fun and that you didn’t get mauled by a bear.”

Imogen laughed. “That is probably a plus. So next weekend I’m going to fly to Texas for the race. Ty says the next few weeks decide the championship. Do you want to go? Tamara said she was in, and she’s bringing the kids.”

Suzanne took a sip of her drink, and set it back down. “I don’t think so, but thanks.”

Imogen’s face fell. “Why not? Do you already have plans?”

“Sort of. But even if I didn’t, I wouldn’t go. You’re going to be staying with Ty, and Tammy and the kids will be in Elec’s coach. That leaves me getting a hotel room by myself while the two of you are getting bounced. If I want to sleep alone, I can do that at home and I won’t have to foot the bill for a room.”

Nor did she even want to consider how long it had been since she’d had sex.

But Imogen looked downright upset at her honesty, and Suzanne felt like shit. “I’m sorry, that sounded bitchy as hell. I didn’t mean it like that, Imogen. I’m really happy for you that you and Ty are hitting it off, but I just don’t want to be a third wheel.”

“No, I’m sorry, I didn’t think about it from your perspective. I guess I was picturing you and Tamara and I spending some girl time together during the day.”

“And that would be fun, it really would. I love hanging with my girls. But this way you all can go and have a romantic weekend and I’ll take care of some things at home.”

“Like what?” Imogen asked.

Suzanne knew Imogen was just innately curious, and normally she didn’t mind it, but tonight she was feeling a little sorry for herself. She didn’t really want to talk about it, but she knew Imogen would keep asking. “Well, you know how I used to be a wedding planner? I’m going back into the business, and I’m meeting with a potential client this weekend. Next weekend I’ll be scouting out venues and DJs and getting myself familiar with the local wedding scene again.”

“Wow. What prompted this? I thought you said you didn’t really care for being a wedding planner because you always wanted to do it your way instead of the client’s way.”

“I did. I do.” Suzanne shredded her cocktail napkin. “It’s very hard to sit there and listen to some bride say she wants an elegant reception with naked monkeys as a theme. But it’s sort of the only skill I have.”

“But what about your board work on the children’s charity? And your cakes?”

“I might have to scale back on the board, but I’ll squeeze my cakes in still. I’m not giving that up.” That was her pride and her passion, baking birthday cakes for terminally ill children who might not live to see their next birthdays. The more elaborate the cake, the better, and she loved seeing their eyes light up in delight.

Imogen was staring at her with those intelligent eyes, and it unnerved Suzanne. “What?” she asked, a little defensively.

“Why are you going back to something you don’t enjoy at the sacrifice of what you love?” Imogen asked softly.

Suzanne glanced over at the bar. Where the hell was their waitress? She needed another drink. “I need the money. My alimony runs out at the end of this year. I should have done this a long time ago, but I was enjoying my time off. But now I’m going to be shit out of luck if I don’t get off my ass and generate an income.” Waving her hand at the waitress, she added, “Another reason I can’t go to Texas. I can’t afford the airfare or the hotel.”

Boo hoo her. God, she hated sounding so damn pathetic, but it was the truth. She had been ignoring reality and now it was biting her in the butt.

“Suzanne, I had no idea. I just assumed you had a settlement or that your position on the board was paying.” Imogen looked stunned. “That wasn’t very long for alimony.”

“Half the length of the marriage. Two years. We were married for four.” And for fuck’s sake, was she actually going to cry? She better well be getting her period and this was just PMS, because she had no time to get weepy. It wasn’t like she and Ryder had just broken up. It was old news, and she needed to get a serious grip. “He gave me a lump sum of money, which I used to buy my condo. But I still have bills, and without the alimony, I need some kind of income.”

“Well, I’m sure you’re a fabulous wedding planner, despite your irritations with the clients. You have amazing taste and you’re incredibly organized. I imagine some of your previous clients would be willing to give you referrals to get you started again. Who is the potential client? Is it a big wedding or something small?”

Suzanne appreciated that Imogen was just being matter-of-fact about the situation and not commenting on the demise of her marriage. “Here’s the kicker.” This was actually ridiculous enough to make her smile. “The bride to be is Nikki Borden.”

Imogen’s jaw dropped. “What? Are you
serious
? She and Ty just broke up!”

“I know. The girl wastes no time whatsoever. And she wants a Christmas wedding, and is willing to pay out the nose to make it happen.”

“Who is the groom? Is it the guy she was making out with on the hood of my car?”

“Yep. Jonas Strickland. Nice enough guy, but he clearly doesn’t have the sense God gave a goat if he’s saddling himself with Nikki after a week of dating. I mean, who falls in love in a week?”

“Yeah, exactly,” Imogen muttered, frowning down at the table. “That’s insane. Isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” Suzanne said firmly, alarmed at the look on her friend’s face. She wasn’t fancying herself in love with Ty, was she? Would no one ever learn?

Suzanne shook off the feeling that she was embarking on a career as the most cynical wedding planner ever, and said, “I’ll give Nikki credit. She moves fast. She has her engagement ring already and she’s talking about a two-hundred-guest affair. I have a feeling that she’s going to leave all the details to me because of the tight time frame, and because, well, she’s a dingbat, so that works for me. More money, less irritating interference.”

Imogen made a sound in the back of her throat that was something between a laugh and a sob. Then she covered her face with her hands.

Suzanne sat up straighter and leaned toward her friend. What the hell was that all about? “Imogen, what’s wrong? Are you okay, sweetie?”

Imogen shifted her hands to her cheeks. “How is it possible that I could feel this, whatever I’m feeling, for a guy who spent the last four months with Nikki? We are absolutely nothing alike. So which one of us is his real type, and which one of us was he/is he just biding his time with?”

Oh, Lord. Suzanne took the last remaining sip of her drink, sucking the straw aggressively to get every last drop. “Honey, I don’t think there’s doubt in anyone’s mind that he was just fooling around with Nikki. She was convenient, plain and simple. And you can bet your Yankee ass he never took Nikki into the woods.” Though Suzanne might have paid money to witness that.

“You really think so?”

“Yes, I do. Ty likes you, for real. The man quoted Shakespeare to you!” Which Suzanne still found hard to believe. “I’m telling you, if you’re interested in making up stupid shit to worry about, by all means, start comparing yourself to Nikki. But if want to be rational, accept the fact that the man is into you in the right way and just enjoy it.” She rethought her wording. “And that wasn’t meant to be a sexual innuendo.”

Imogen gave another monstrous sigh. “I think I’m going to go home. Maybe I just need a good night’s sleep. Are you ready to go?”