Life Rewired (Aspen Friends, Book 3) (34 page)

“Don’t throw your innocent act around me. You know I don’t buy it.”

She fluttered her eyebrows. “Don’t I know it.”

“It’s not a topic that comes up on a construction site.”

“You could maybe drop a hint that you live in Lady Town and see how she reacts.”

“Lady Town?” I started laughing.

“Lady Land? Female Frontier? Lassie Metropolis?”

“Stop.”

“Is she a hottie? A fit, handy, construction hottie? What’s she look like?”

“Molly.”

“Come on, Viv, no one is going to be as gorgeous as you, but if she’s hot, she’ll do.”

My head pushed back at the compliment. She didn’t normally get hung up on looks like our friends Joanna and Brandy could. It kinda drove me nuts that appearance garnered easy compliments. Like it meant something to be beautiful instead of a good person with a pleasant personality. The personality I was responsible for; the looks I had nothing to do with.

“She’s very nice,” I responded.

“And hot?”

“Focused, patient.”

“And ultra-hot, right?”

“Pretty.”

“Pretty hot?”

That got me laughing again. “Yeah, okay, pretty hot.”

“I knew it!”

“Hey, Viv, hi, Molly,” Glory called out as she approached with Lena, Mei, and a dark-haired woman I’d never seen before.

“Hey, guys,” Molly greeted as I tipped my chin at them.

“Do you know Miguel’s wife, Marcela?” Glory gestured to the unfamiliar woman.

“He does great work,” I told Marcela, shaking her hand, wishing again that Natalie and Miguel were still working Lena’s project.

 “He enjoyed working with you. First time he’s come home and not complained about work,” she said, making us laugh.

Just as they were about to head off to their table, Miguel and Natalie came into the restaurant. Glory introduced both to Molly. I felt my face grow warm as Molly recognized Natalie’s name and very obviously went about checking her out. Natalie barely glanced at her, happy to let Lena tell Molly about the project.

“So?” Glory asked, looking at Natalie, but it was Miguel who answered.

“She aced the exam!”

“Hey, congrats, Nat. Does this mean we’re filling out paperwork tomorrow?”

Natalie smiled, shooting a quick glance at me. “Let’s go for it.”

Glory’s hand bumped my shoulder. “You hear that, Viv? Natalie’s getting her own shop.”

I shouldn’t have been surprised. Glory could talk almost anyone into almost anything. I hadn’t realized how much I’d been hoping Natalie would make this decision. I wouldn’t have to worry about this project anymore, and I could stop turning down client meetings for renovation work. If I were being honest, I could say that Natalie was saving my career, at least in the short-term. I was going to have to find a way to thank her.

“That’s wonderful, Natalie. Congratulations,” I said, reaching out to squeeze her arm. She was blushing to the tips of her ears with all the attention. My eyes were riveted by the sight. I could tell she wanted to dash away from the focus, and I felt compelled to help her. “I’ll expect you on the jobsite tomorrow morning.”

The mock order did the trick. Everyone laughed, and Glory started ticking off everything that needed to be done before Natalie could officially start work. The list sounded lengthy and tedious. Glory looked jazzed about it—the nerdling—but at least no one was gushing over Natalie’s accomplishment anymore.

I stole a glance at her. She chose that moment to shift her gaze to me. Her eyes shined with her smile. The look pulled me in. I couldn’t wait to get to know her better whenever she could start back to work.

“Is Monday morning soon enough?” she asked.

“Monday is great.” I watched them head off to their table to start an impromptu celebration. When I turned back to my dinner mate, she was beaming.

“Pretty hot is right. She looks like that British actress.” Molly’s eyes were still on the group as they sat at their table.

I glanced discreetly over my shoulder at Natalie again. Her hair was styled tonight, some product giving body and muss to the four inch strands, and she had bangs that reached past her right eyebrow. With the hats she wore to work, I’d never noticed her bangs before. Molly was right about her being pretty hot. “Which British actress?”

“The one in all those movies.” Molly tended to gloss over details.

“That’s specific.”

She looked over and laughed. “That one. Damn, I can’t think of her name. Now it’s going to bug me all night.”

“Emma Thompson?”

“What? She doesn’t look anything like Emma Thompson.”

“I know, but she’s a British actress in a lot of movies.”

“But she looks nothing like her. Okay, wait, I’ll think of her.” Her brown eyes squinted. “Something with a K.”

That was about as specific as she’d get. “Kate Winslet?”

“Nope.”

“Kate Beckinsale? Cate Blanchett?”

“Now you’re just naming Kates, and that last one is with a C and Australian.” She laughed, and I joined her. “I can’t think of her. It’ll come to me tonight, and I’ll call you. The point is she’s pretty hot. I didn’t know you went for that type, Viv. If short hair is your thing, look no farther, baby.”

I laughed again. Molly had an intensity to her that was laser tight. We’d never work as a couple, but I always enjoyed her flirty nature.

“Somebody’s having a good day,” a now familiar voice pronounced from the doorway.

The smile I’d been wearing from the prospect of the new case widened when I looked up at Elise. That pesky school of fish swam swiftly through my midsection again, causing a little lightheadedness. She was in a skirt today conservatively an inch above the knee but plenty enticing. For instance, I was having a hard time not fantasizing about how soft the skin would be at the back of her knee. If my friend Des was here witnessing my perusal of Elise, she’d say something crass like how badly I needed to get laid. Crass, but true.

“Hi,” I tried for nonchalant, but I’m guessing she saw right through me. “What are you doing here?”

She tipped her head back toward the hallway. “I was going over an investigation on a case that Rachel’s taking to trial next week.”

“Wasn’t Jake on that?” I waved her inside the office to sit in one of my guest chairs. I tried to keep my eyes from staring at her toned calves as she floated into the chair and kicked one leg over the other. Her skirt rode up another couple of inches, and my mouth dried with each revealing hike of material.

Oblivious to my parched state, she responded, “He put in for a transfer to Phoenix to help out the family business now that his father’s gone. He wanted to be more available to them.”

Jake’s dedication helped relieve my dazed reverie. “Amazing how it takes a death to make us realize which things are really important in life.”

“You’re so right.” She sloped into that sexy head tilt again. “Jake asked me to tell you goodbye for him. I think he was a little enchanted with you.”

“No.” I tossed aside her remark without any consideration. Jake and I had worked seven cases together, and he was never more than affable with me.

Elise studied me for a long moment, not letting up on her sexiness. “Fascinating. You don’t believe someone could be enchanted by you?” She was taking great enjoyment from my astonished expression. Before I could react, she stood up to leave. “I didn’t really mean that as a question. Good seeing you, Austy.”

Sassy, smart, and sexy: the very definition of trouble for me.

“Oh yeah! Who’s that?” someone yelled above the music.

I looked over and groaned. Jordan Palow stood among the tree stumps of her friends staring at our table. More specifically Elise whose striking looks would catch anyone’s attention. Jordan mistakenly believed that she was in a contest with me about who could bed more women. She didn’t seem to care that I wouldn’t play along. Leering pointedly at Elise, she ignored the rest of us. “You’d make my whole year if you danced with me.”

 “No thanks,” Elise forced a steady voice.

“Aw, come on, hottie. You won’t get a better offer.”

“Will I do, doll?” my mouth spoke before my brain did. Seduction permeated my skin, rising in waves that I’m certain everyone could see. Why was I doing this? Just because my friend was overwhelmed, didn’t mean I needed to step in to make things easier.

Jordan looked astonished. We were barely civil to each other. I traced my fingers over her arm, feeling it flinch before eagerly pushing into my fingertips. I didn’t bother to look for the shock from my friends.

She obediently followed my lead to the dance floor. When we faced each other, she snapped her eyes up with a suspicious look. I gave her my most seductive smile, latched my fingers onto her hips, and pulled her into me. With the sound of the thumping beat, I pushed who she was from my mind and began a slow grind with her.

When the fifth song ended, I leaned back and looked into her startled grey-blue eyes. “That was spectacular, doll. We should do this more often.” My husky voice made my own skin crawl as I released her and watched her float away from me.

A hand grabbed me before I made it all the way off the dance floor. “You’re dancing with me now.” My friend Lauren ordered, grabbing my waist to keep me in place. I laughed at her forcefulness. She was so cute sometimes.

She gave me a wink and turned around to wiggle her tush in time with the music. My lousy mood at working over Jordan vanished as I got into the enjoyment of dancing with my friend.

When the next song turned slow, she grabbed my hands and slid them around her waist before looping her arms around my neck. When she pressed against me, she led us in a slow dance.
Hmm, this is interesting.

“That was nice what you did.”

I leaned back and gave her a questioning look. “What did I do?”

“You know what you did. You don’t fool me, Jess.”

“How much have you had to drink, L?”

“Ha-ha. Play all toughie with everyone else, but I know what you did.”

I quirked my eyebrows at her.
No? She couldn’t actually know, could she?
“Don’t know what you’re talking about, shug.”

“Yes, you do. You made Jordan disappear so that Elise wouldn’t be uncomfortable anymore. You took a woman that you don’t like out on the dance floor and made her think she was the only person in the world. You’re a good woman, Jessamine Ximena, even if you won’t let yourself believe it.” Lauren pressed closer, moving our bodies with ease. “One of these days, I’ll make even you see it.” She tilted up and kissed my cheek before detaching herself to walk away.

Five seconds passed before I realized the song had ended.

Raven pulled her car into the Paul Industries parking lot. Mine was the only vehicle left, so she didn’t need to ask where I was parked. “Ahh, modern,” she teased of my Lexus.