Karma (6 page)

Late enough to give people a chance to congregate, not too late to miss people who decided to leave early. Liza might not have a lot of close friends in Serendipity, but she did have people she enjoyed being with. People she could introduce to Jeff.

“Sounds great!” Jeff said, obviously looking forward to the day.

Liza nodded. “Good. Now, about the Mystic project…”

They spent the next hour discussing the viability of taking
on the restoration and the historical significance of the building involved along with the costs. By the time Jeff went back to his own office, Liza was closer to accepting the project and giving Jeff the lead on the design.

She was about to head out for lunch when her phone buzzed, a signal it was an interoffice call. “Hello?”

“Liza, it’s Peter from accounting.”

“Yes, Peter, what can I do for you?” she asked, resigned to waiting a little longer to eat.

“I’m looking at submitted receipts and there are expenses here I’m not comfortable authorizing,” the other man said.

So what else was new? The man called too often with too many questions about routine expenses, things he should be able to sort through on his own. Peter was about ten years older than Liza and he’d been with the firm for the last five, but he always checked and double-checked before making a decision.

“What kinds of expenses?” she asked patiently.

“Lunches at Joe’s Bar. Your brother has submitted a number of them for reimbursement, but the totals are too high for business lunches.”

In other words, there were probably alcoholic drinks on the bill, raising the total.

“I take it Brian’s not there for you to be talking so freely?” Liza asked.

“That’s correct.”

Liza sighed. “Don’t sign off on them. I’ll talk to him. And thanks for being diligent.” It would be all too easy for him to approve and then Liza would find out too late that her brother was wasting company money. Though after his business lunch excuse for his last bender, she was alert to the problem.

“No problem,” Peter said. “I’m glad you’re happy with my work performance.”

Another thing with Peter Dalton. He had a need for her to excessively praise him and it just wasn’t her work style.

Liza said good-bye and hung up, uncomfortable as always after dealing with the man. But she couldn’t deny he was good at his job and he kept Brian from taking advantage of his position there.

She wished she had the fortitude to do the same thing.

Wednesday night at Joe’s had become a ritual for Dare and his friends. With Thursdays off and one day a weekend it was the one weeknight they could kick back and enjoy. Once his brothers had put aside old grudges, even they occasionally began to show up. And Dare had to admit that for the first time in a long time, life was good.

He ordered a round and joined everyone at their usual table, passing longneck bottles to his friends. Cara and Sam were there along with Alexa Collins, who’d grown up in Serendipity and returned after medical school to work with her father in his medical practice.

“Did you all get your assignments for the fair?” Alexa asked.

“Cop car,” Cara said, meaning she’d be giving kids the chance to sit in the back, the front, and run the siren while she talked about being a cop.

“Not too bad,” Dare said. “I’ve got the DARE assignment.”

They all rolled their eyes at the irony of the name, but it was his favorite way of interacting with the kids. Teaching them about the Drug Abuse Resistance Education was Dare’s main way of dealing with the mistakes of his past. He’d been the one to push to get DARE into the middle and high school. It was the old way of thinking to believe that telling fifth-grade kids about the hazards of drug use would keep them from caving to peer pressure when they were in ninth grade.

“And you?” Cara asked Sam, pulling on a long sip of beer.

“Dunking booth,” he said with a frown.

Dare let out a loud laugh and Alexa joined him.

“Can’t wait to test my pitching arm,” Cara said, swinging her arm around for good emphasis.

“If you dunk me, you’ll pay,” Sam warned, his eyes glittering dangerously.

Instead of backing down, Cara merely rubbed her hands together in anticipation. “I can’t wait to see you try to make me.”

Alexa rolled her eyes.

Dare agreed with the assessment. “Sometimes you two act more like brother and sister than friends.” He took a sip of his cold beer, enjoying the brew and the relaxed atmosphere. “What about you?” he asked Alexa.

“Dad’s taking the day off, so I’m on call. Which means I’ll be around to take a throw or two of my own,” she reminded Sam with an evil grin.

“Not worried. You throw like a girl.”

“Hey!” she said, clearly offended.

“Isn’t that your sister-in-law?” Cara asked, interrupting and pointing to the front of the bar.

Dare turned. Sure enough, Faith stood in the front of Joe’s, Kelly by her side. “It’s both of my sisters-in-law, actually.” He craned his head, but he didn’t see either of his brothers come in behind them. Dare hadn’t spoken to them this afternoon, so he had no idea what their plans were for the night.

“So how’s it feel to be the lone bachelor in the family?” Sam asked.

“I’m happy for Ethan and Nash, but my life’s just fine the way it is. I need to get a bigger place, though.” Dare was living over Joe’s, having taken over Kelly’s sublease.

The apartment over the bar had become the family road stop. Faith had rented over Joe’s before she married Ethan and moved into the mansion, then Kelly had taken over her sublease until she’d married Nash. Now it was Dare’s turn to take over the small apartment until he found something more permanent.

Cara leaned back in her seat. “Did you ever consider buying? I know we’re young and all, but I know you’ve been
saving and it’s a buyers’ market. There’s a condominium complex I’m looking at in Easton. It would take about ten minutes to drive to and from work and it’s within the twenty-mile radius the department insists on. Want to check it out?”

Dare didn’t have to think twice. “Definitely.”

She nodded. “Okay, we’ll figure out something after work one day this week or next.”

“Well, well, if it isn’t all of my favorite police officers,” Faith said, walking up to the table.

Dare glanced up at his sister-in-law. “Hi, Faith. Kelly.” He smiled at the women. Since his friends knew his family and visa versa, no introductions were necessary. “What are you two doing here solo?”

Faith shrugged. “I thought we’d get together and discuss committee work, but I forgot it was Ladies’ Night. It’s so noisy I don’t think we’ll be getting much work done here.”

“What kind of committee?” Alexa asked.

“I’m the chairman of the Beautification Committee fund-raiser this year.”

“Congratulations,” Cara said, more to be polite than because she cared at all. “What are you planning to do with the money this year? Plant more flowers in the center of town?” she asked, deadpan.

The center of town was overflowing with colorful beds and a bird fountain. It didn’t need another thing to complete its look.

Faith merely shook her head and grinned, obviously not insulted by Cara’s comment. Besides, Dare knew she was in complete agreement with the sentiment.

“Actually, we’re going to push for the money to go to a cause near and dear to all of your hearts. The youth center.”

“Get out!” Cara’s smile broadened. “I’d like to see the look on the rest of the committee members’ faces when you broach the idea. And for the thought alone, next round’s on me.” Cara finished her beer and rose to her feet. “What do you all want?”

“I’ll take a diet soda this time,” Alexa said.

“Just a club soda for me,” Faith said, turning to her sister-in-law. “Kelly?”

“Same as Cara, and thanks.”

Another thing Dare had come to appreciate about his brothers’ wives: no false pretenses for them. Especially not for Faith, who’d returned to town to regain a sense of self, not what her upbringing dictated.

He stretched in his seat and suddenly Faith’s earlier words registered in his brain. “You said you’re meeting your assistants?” he asked Faith. “As in plural?”

“So Nash was right,” Faith said, her knowing stare on Dare. “You
are
interested in Liza!” His sister-in-law practically shouted her thoughts.

Dare shook his head and groaned. “Faith?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“Yes?”

“Shut up. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.”

She patted him on the cheek. “You’re cute when you’re embarrassed.” She glanced over his shoulder. “Oh, those people are getting up! Be a sweetheart and pull that table together with this one before someone else grabs it.”

Before Dare could reply, Sam did as she asked and soon his small group of three had become one of five, just as Cara returned with Joe, carrying drinks for the expanded table.

“I thought you said this was a business meeting,” Dare said to Faith.

“But I also said it was too noisy to work tonight.” Faith shrugged and shot him a smile, leaving his stomach in knots as he waited for Liza to show.

Liza normally didn’t hang out at Joe’s. Too many people and too much of a chance of running into her drunk brother, but Faith had insisted they meet there tonight. Although the other woman mentioned getting together to
discuss the fund-raiser, the sign outside the bar said
LADIES’ NIGHT
and the crowd she waded through was so thick that Liza figured little work would get done tonight.

She searched the bar area first but didn’t see Faith, though it was hard to tell at a glance. Then she worked her way around the room, checking individual tables. She caught sight of Faith’s blond hair and made her way over only to discover Faith wasn’t alone, nor was she just with her sister-in-law, Kelly.

No, Faith was sitting with Brian’s arresting officer, Sam Marsden, a cute woman Liza didn’t recognize, and the pretty cop who was even more attractive out of uniform and with her brown hair let down… and Dare.

He also wasn’t in uniform, and with a hint of scruff on his face, he was even better looking. He wore a faded gray T-shirt with the police department logo and the acronym SPD emblazoned on the upper left side of his chest. His gold-flecked dark brown hair was messy and casual, and oh boy, he had a tattoo that curled around his left bicep. She hadn’t noticed it the other night. His shirt had to have covered the marking because no way would she have missed it otherwise.

The only thing that stopped her from drooling was the fact that he’d seen her and those gorgeous eyes locked with hers.

“Liza!” She vaguely heard Faith’s voice over the noisy crowd.

All she could focus on was Dare.

His hot gaze slid over her, making her acutely aware of her body’s reaction to his stare. Thinking she’d be meeting two women at a casual bar, she hadn’t given a thought to her clothes. She’d run home after work and changed into the first things she’d found on top of the laundry basket of clean clothes she’d yet to put away. Never mind that he’d seen her in damp running gear—suddenly her skinny jeans and cropped top that exposed a hint of her stomach felt way too snug and revealing.

Drawing a deep breath, she forced her gaze away from his, walked to the table, and smiled at Faith. “Hi.”

Faith nodded. “So glad you could make it on short notice. This is my sister-in-law, Kelly, and she’ll be working with us on the fund-raiser.”

Liza glanced at the woman she knew by name, though they’d never been formally introduced. Unlike Faith, who possessed an uptown look no matter how much she dressed down, Kelly was more like the pretty girl next door with her straight brown hair and blond highlights.

She greeted Liza with a warm smile. “Hi.”

“Nice to meet you,” Liza said in return.

“Do we have a place where we can talk about the gala?” Liza asked without looking at the rest of the table, though she knew they all stared at her.

Faith shook her head. “Can you believe I forgot it was Ladies’ Night here? Silly me,” she said, tapping the side of her head with her palm.

“Yeah, silly you,” Dare said in an odd tone of voice.

“Well, since it is like a zoo, there’s no way I can concentrate on little details,” Faith said. “I think we should just enjoy the night here and meet up another time to do fund-raiser business.”

“I’m all for enjoying girls’ night,” Kelly said, raising her beer bottle. “That okay with you?” she asked Liza.

As if she had a choice now? Liza nodded. “That’s fine.” She’d drink and be merry with the cop who made her think of nothing but sex whenever he was around.

“Can I get anyone another drink? I was going to get up and go to the ladies’ room anyway,” Kelly said.

Everyone murmured no-thank-yous, since they’d just had their drinks refilled.

“Liza?” Kelly asked her.

Still feeling the heat of Dare’s stare, Liza managed a nod. “I’ll have a glass of white wine. And thank you.”

“No problem. Next round’s on you.” Kelly grinned and
rose from her seat, winding her way through people more easily than Liza had.

“So, Liza, are you going to sit down and join us?” Dare asked, forcing her to look directly at him again. He leaned back in his chair, muscular arms folded across his chest, a pleased smile on his lips.

“Where are my manners?” Faith asked, laughing. “Yes, Liza, please sit.” She patted the empty chair beside her that Kelly had just left behind.

Which just happened to be next to Dare. “I couldn’t take Kelly’s seat.”

“Sure you can. I’ll just head over to the back room and take one of Joe’s spares,” Sam assured her.

Amazed that the cop who’d arrested Brian was being so nice to her, Liza smiled. “Thank you.” Out of options, she walked over and lowered herself into the seat only to find herself squeezed between Faith and Dare.

Faith she could handle, Liza thought, suppressing a nervous laugh. Dare, on the other hand, was way too close, his body heat radiating off him in enticing waves. He smelled like Ralph Lauren’s Polo. She’d sniffed the woodsy fragrance in Neiman Marcus with her teenage girlfriends, and Liza had been a sucker for the masculine scent ever since. Now she had a man to associate with the heady cologne and her body throbbed in response.