Chasing Temptation (21 page)

“My eyesight is just fine.”

Megan poured them both refills. “Then why was he practically congratulating you on the win? Please don't say because your father is famous. Your father knows his business, but clothing...” Megan snorted. “Your father doesn't have the inside contacts Nate could have used to bring you down in his sleep.
If
he wanted to go the media blitz road. Yes, he did underestimate you, but he could have buried you. He didn't. And that whole, I didn't see the resemblance line was bullshit. He probably had a better file on you than the F.B.I. Nate probably knew exactly who your father was months before he met you.”

She scowled. “So now you are on his side?”

“This feels like déjà vu, and no, I'm on yours.” Megan took Lynne’s hand. “Hon, he's perfect for you. I would have run him over with my Camaro several times and then repeated the procedure if he was just ripping your heart out.” Megan gestured to the chairs and they sat down. “He stopped fighting and let you win.”

“He would have never...” Lynne stopped and really thought about the day she'd last seen him. “No.” She gasped and repeated the word again. “In not one interview they did with him was there a line or a whisper of Craine LLC being the business I was up against. Nate must have bullied them or probably paid them off to keep it out. He didn't give me a fair fight. I'm—”

“I think it's the sweetest thing.” Megan sighed.

“Oh, I didn't say it wasn't. I'm going to kiss him once I'm done being mad, but we were at war. You don't forfeit until you are well and truly beaten.”

Megan grinned and laughed. “Someone once told me all is fair.”

“Oh, bite me,” Lynne said with a laugh. “I guess I did need an intervention. Next time, though, be a little more witty and philosophical.”

Megan snorted again. “I brought margaritas. That's better than witty and philosophical.”

Lynne sipped hers; her mind already working. “You might be right,” she murmured. “What am I supposed to do? He's not here. Hasn't been back.”

Megan thought for a moment. “A wise man once told Aiden if you love something let it go. If it comes back it's yours.”

“That's bullshit.”

“Aiden also said that too, but I don't know. With, Nate's not here like you said, what
can
you do?”

Lynne let out a frustrated breath and really thought about the man she loathed. If he gave her the store, he'd want something in return. He gave up her store because he wanted something else more, needed something else more.

And he'd come back to get it. He'd come back home armed to the teeth to win.

Lynne murmured. “I need to prepare for the next battle.”

Confused, Megan leaned forward. “For what?”

“The one for my heart. He's going to want it.” A smile pulled at her lips. “And he's probably going to play dirty to get it.”

For the first time in days, her mood brightened.

From where Nate stood he could see into Lynne's storefront. The doors stood open and a steady flow of customers went in and out. Some littered the sidewalk, perusing clothes on a rack with a large Clearance sign over it. He would have smiled, but he had a purpose, and smiling wouldn’t get it done.

He turned to the door and stepped inside. He hadn't expected the comfortable warmth that smelled of baked goods and peppermints. The walls were papered with quilts of various designs. His gaze continued to roam until they settled on Lorelei. She stood at a table in the back of the room, folding a quilt and then placed it lovingly into a box.

“You look like you're parting with a longtime friend,” he said.

She glanced up, and her smile held no joy. “It is. I've had this quilt for quite some time. We're a small town, but I make some of these especially for a niece, nephew, or an old neighbor.” She patted the top of the box. “I made this one for one of my former students. Back when I was a teacher. Told her she'd make a wonderful mother some day. Probably scared her to death, but I was right. She just gave birth to a baby girl. So not sad, reflective.”

“You used to teach?” He nodded. “It fits.”

She laughed. “I was the worst teacher at Valley City Elementary. I never had a school plan, and if I happened to make one, I never stuck to it. I was personable and the children loved me for it. I lasted about two years before getting the boot. By then I had enough saved to rent this space and open my store.”

Her gaze sharpened. “But I don't think you're here to listen to my story. What do you need?”

He stuffed his hands into his suit pockets. “It's my understanding that you're the hub of information in this town. You also frown on anyone who starts a bet that your husband's bound to lose. In that sense you do damage control. I figured I should come to the source for all the above reasons.” He paused, watching the wheels turning in the woman's head. “First and foremost, you need to understand I'm not placing a bet.”

Her eyes lightened with humor. “I do damage control, yes, but the proper procedure is to say...” She shook her head. “Well, there's no point to in telling you proper procedure if you don't intend to stay.”

Her not-so-subtle question made him shift on his feet. “I've decided to keep this particular chain of Craine Fashions. I'll have to change the name, since I sold it as part of a package, but I'm here to stay.”

“With or without a certain person?”

“If the person you're referring to is Lynne, then I believe you'd like to hear that there'll be a certain situation transpiring, with your help, of course. A situation in which you'd be able to do damage control when your husband makes a bet.”

She narrowed her eyes, but Nate had her. The woman, if nothing else, was smart. “And the wager?”

“The better question—what is the situation that will guarantee your ability to do damage control?”

Her eyes now narrowed to slits. “And what's the situation?”

“I'm going to get her to stand in the middle of the street during a work day and kiss me. In about two days. Time is unknown.”

“Sucker's bet. There's no way you're going to get her to stand right there in the middle of the street. What is it of my husband's you want?”

“Told you, I'm not betting on this. I'm creating something for the community to bet on. I'm all about a steady flow of money into the economy. Gets people in my store when they have a pocket full of it.”

“So, it's all for indirect gain of money?”

Nate heard the disapproval, and he smiled. “It's about getting Lynne to kiss me.” And it was. It also didn't hurt he'd drive her crazy before they did kiss. “No one can tell her of the bet, though.”

The woman finally smiled at him. “And that would bring her to my door to find out.” The smile turned into a grin. “You're sharp.”

“I'm a businessman.” He spread his hands out. “So, will you be able to help me?”

“What do I have to do?”

“Let everyone know of the bet. Let them know the exact circumstances. If anyone speaks of it to Lynne they have to pay the current pool of money to everyone in on it.”

By tomorrow the pool would be at least a grand. The other woman laughed. “Oh, you are good, but I say you only get twenty-four hours. From now until this time tomorrow you have to get her to kiss you. And I say the odds are in my favor that she will.”

Nate checked his watch. It was 4:30 p.m. Cutting it close, but he knew Lynne. That woman worked on the I-need-to-know basis. Curiosity would get the best of her and she would come to Lorelei's shop to get the goods.

Not to mention the reaction of the townspeople would raise the chances. She'd know something was going on when her usually friendly neighbor, grocery clerk, or barkeep wouldn't even bother to say hi.

Nate said, “If you get on the phone right now, I say agreed.”

The older woman started to move to the counter. “This is going to be too fun.”

Nate just needed it to work. He'd prepared to win her heart because she already had his. “Once you're done, I'd like to buy some quilts for my mom. It gets cold where she lives.”

*****

Lynne had cornered Sylvia and found out Nate had breezed back into town sometime the day before. He hadn't called or come by. Walking home from work she hadn't even seen him in the store, hocking his wares. His M.I.A. status was slowly driving her insane. How was she supposed to lose the battle he planned to put in place?

So she blamed his incognito status when she asked Bobby if he was still milking the rich guy for rent each week. The man got all flustered and said he couldn't talk about it.

If that had been the end of the strange behavior, she might have let it go, but everyone seemed to get flustered when she asked them a direct question. Sometimes she hadn't even asked about Nate. Dani had power walked away when she asked about the newest puppy's health.

People would come into the store, see Lynne standing at the counter, and would walk back out. Lynne had had enough. She needed to know what was going on. She left Jeremy in command and stepped outside onto the street.

Townspeople milled about with no real destination. Some people had crates sitting on the edge of the street. Lynne bypassed all the familiar faces—they wouldn't talk to her anyway—and walked into Grannies. If no one else would tell her, she'd have to get the information out of one person. Even if it meant placing a bet on the current wager.

“Something smells rotten in Denmark,” she said to Lorelei.

The woman removed her hand from the telephone and leaned against the counter next to the register. “Last week it was your disposition, but you seem okay now. What can I do for you?”

“I want to know the local wager. Don't try to put me off; I know it has something to do with me.”

Lorelei straightened. “The one with the most wagers is that as soon as the baby starts to show, your Pa is going to make Nate marry you.”

Lynne waited a moment. “I'm proud of you, Lorelei. I wouldn't even have been able to say Pa with a straight face.”

The other woman grinned at her. “I've got more. Sylvia and Jeremy will be married, shotgun, by the end of next month. Two days ago they were making lovey-dovey faces in the bar.” She snapped her fingers. “By next week Suzie is going to go back to being a vagabond, but I think that one’s a sucker’s bet. Anyone with eyes can see the dog is fine now.”

Lynne sighed heavily. “About me? What's the real wager surrounding me?”

“Well, I can't tell you, because I decided to place a bet of my own, and there was this contingency.” Lorelei stopped. “I'll just say you're getting your comeuppance in the next few minutes.”

“Why?”

Lorelei gestured outside. Nate stood on the other side of the street.

Lynne crossed her arms as the realization settled in. “I played right into this scheme, didn't I?”

“Yes, but you had it coming.”

Lynne huffed. “I'm not going out there.”

“Don't ruin the wager because you're mad. It's the town's best-kept secret ever.”

Lynne chuckled. “People started to act funny yesterday evening. Sooner or later someone would have broken.”

“But you still didn't hear about the bet. That's a record. And you still don't know what's going to happen.”

This was the battle. Another showdown. “I should make him sweat a little,” she said more to herself than Lorelei.

The woman let out a frustrated sigh. “You've been toe-to-toe with him since the man came to town. You gave as good as you got. Plus, I think he feels downright sorry.”

She narrowed her gaze. “How much did he pay you to tell me that?”

“He bought some quilts for his mama. A man who buys things for his mama, and it's not her birthday or Mother's day, is a keeper.”

Lynne squinted to see what Nate was doing. He had placed Suzie on the ground. Lynne checked the street for oncoming cars. There weren't any, so she let out her breath.

“Why would he tempt that dog?”

“Why don't you just go outside? I told him you would break around three.”

“I did not break. I got curious.”

“Admit it when you've been licked.”

“Not to you,” Lynne shot back, “you meddler.”

“Takes one to know one. It's a quarter till three. My husband bet on 3:15 p.m. Don't give him more encouragement than he needs.”

“He doesn't need any.” Lynne turned to face the door.

Her heart was beating hard. She had no more excuses for not going outside, so she sighed and left the store. She didn't cross the street. Too much like doing the right thing even though she planned to lose.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “You gave up the fight.”

Nate placed his hands in his pockets. “Didn't see any other way.”

“You could have just said, ‘I've changed my mind. Don't want your store anymore. Sorry for the inconvenience'.”

“I could have.” He checked down both sides of the road, then back at her. “Are you going to keep talking to me from across the street?”

She didn't want to cross because that would mean she would be able to smell him. To touch him if she reached forward. The man was still sin on two legs.

“Yup,” she said. “Staying right here until you leave again. We have nothing else to talk about.”

“I'm not done.”

She knew what he was referring to their relationship. “You have more to say to me? Then go for it.”

“I was sitting on my mother's couch, and I realized how much I liked this strange town. Then I started to consider making Valley City my home.”

Nate stepped out into the street. “It still didn't feel right.” He paused. “Guess what I was missing?”

“You know, you're standing in the middle of a very busy street, and a car could come by.”

“You were what I was missing. Lynne, you're my home and hearth.”

At the words she glanced down in order to blink really fast in hopes of not making a ass of herself and crying in front of the man and the entire town who now stood outside watching the byplay. Jeremy shared popcorn with Sylvia in front of Hart and Style. She sucked in another breath, but the tears still threatened.

Nate said, “I love how I can tell your mood by the color of your nail polish. I could make a list and say a lot of sappy things right now, but I love you, Lynne. Just you.”