Screwdriver (2 page)

Jayne winced. “Ick. Why do you always have to ruin my pool
experiences with that image? I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you.”

Stephanie threw her purse strap over her arm. “If Gabe calls
and says he can’t get someone to come in today, text me. I’ll call you when we
leave the pool and maybe we can all meet up for a late lunch somewhere with
air-conditioning.”

Jordan walked toward the front door, flipping the Open sign
to Closed and locking the deadbolt. “Will do.”

Stephanie and Jayne said their goodbyes, exiting through the
back door to the alley where they parked their cars. Jordan walked behind the
bar. The heat was unnatural. When she was a kid, she’d spent two weeks in
August with her aunt in New Orleans, and she’d sworn off the South and humid
climates ever since.

Grabbing a large chunk of ice from the cooler, she rubbed it
around her neck and closed her eyes, enjoying the cold water sliding over her
skin.

“Damn. I think I finally found a reason to be grateful for
this blasted heat.”

Jordan opened her eyes, startled by the unexpected male
voice. A handsome man leaned against the wall at the threshold between the bar
and the hallway to the back door.

Her face must have betrayed her nervous alarm, because he
raised his hands quickly, indicating he meant no harm. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to
scare you. I’m Casey Woods. Steph and Jayne let me in on their way out.”

Jordan sighed with relief. Casey was Gabriel’s college
roommate and best friend. The man had done several repair jobs at Books and
Brew over the past year, but somehow his path and Jordan’s had never crossed.
Probably because she was always cooped up in her office.

She suddenly understood why Sophie’s face lit up whenever
she heard Casey was coming by. The man was sin incarnate, the epitome of a
California surfer god. As she took in his blond hair, blue eyes and dark tan,
Jordan imagined him as the model for the Ken doll she had played with as a
child.

“Hi, Casey. I’m Jordan.” Recalling her vow to Stephanie and
Jayne, she glanced at Casey’s left hand. No wedding ring. Interesting. “It’s
nice to meet you.”

Casey’s smile grew, revealing honest-to-God dimples. Jesus.
It would have been a hell of a lot easier to keep her vow to flirt if the
repairman had looked less like sex in skin and more like the Maytag man. Hot
guys brought out too many of her insecurities.

Don’t freeze up, Jordan.

“Nice to meet you too. Not sure how I managed to miss you on
all my past visits, but it’s good to finally have a face for the last Books and
Brew ba—” Casey stopped midword, but Jordan knew exactly where he’d been
headed.

“Babe?” she finished for him.

He studied her face. “Sophie laughed when I used that
nickname. Steph, on the other hand, threatened to injure a rather precious part
of my anatomy if she heard it again. Which camp are you in?”

It was clear he meant no offense with the term and, truth be
told, she was a bit flattered to be included in the “babe” category with Jayne,
Sophie and Stephanie. It definitely wasn’t a place she’d put herself. “I don’t
mind.”

“Oh, by the way, Stephanie asked me to remind you of some
promise right before she left. You have any idea what that means?”

Time to pull on the big-girl panties or she’d never hear the
end of it.

Jordan nodded slowly. Stephanie must have been thrilled when
Casey showed up no less than ten minutes after Jordan’s stupid vow to find a
guy. “Yeah. I…” She paused, trying to think of what to say. “It’s just something
silly between the two of us. I’ll take care of it.”

“Gabriel said you were having some problems with your
air-conditioning, but I think that might have been an understatement. It’s
hotter than blue blazes in here.”

“I didn’t expect anyone to come over so fast.”

Casey lifted his tool bag. “This bad boy never leaves the
back of my truck. I was on my way to the Columbia River. Thought I’d do a
little fishing. Gabriel caught me on my cell. Asked if I’d stop by here first.”

“You didn’t have to give up your day off.”

Casey walked toward the bar, placing his tools on a stool.
“I’m what’s known as an independent contractor. I set my own hours and days
off, and believe me, I’m a pretty lenient boss.”

Jordan laughed. “Get lots of fishing days, do you?”

He nodded. “Probably not a bad idea for me to let the fish
have a day to repopulate.”

She’d been warned by her friends that Casey was charming and
funny. She took a deep breath and wiped her palms on her shorts. So far, so
good on the conversation. He was still talking to her, rather than looking for
an escape.

“I guess I should show you where the main AC unit is.”

Casey glanced over his shoulder. “It’s in the storage closet
over there. Saw it the last time I was here adjusting the shelves.”

“Right.” Jordan briefly closed her eyes and tried to channel
Sophie, Queen of the Flirts. Unfortunately, her mind quickly deserted her,
wandering instead to a more sexual territory.

What would the handsome handyman look like without his shirt
on? His muscles seemed to have muscles, and Jordan imagined herself running her
tongue along his pecs. She’d love to see his bare chest. Would she find hair
there? She recalled her Ken doll and secretly hoped for smooth skin. Once she
had him out of his shirt, it wouldn’t be that hard to unbutton his jeans and
drag down the zipper. Then she could—

“You feelin’ okay?” Casey asked. “It’s damn hot in here and
you look a bit flushed. Have you been drinking plenty of water? Hate for you to
come down with heat exhaustion.”

Jordan shook herself for her dirty daydream. Good Lord. She
really needed to get laid. These fantasies were getting out of control. “I’m
fine.”

“Even so.” Casey stepped behind the bar, reaching for a
glass. He filled it with water from the tap, then added a bit of ice from the cooler.
“Here. Drink this.”

Jordan took the glass, grateful for the moment it gave her
to regroup and gather her thoughts.

Casey studied her as she slowly sipped the water. “You don’t
talk much, do you?”

She supposed that depended on who she was talking
to
.
With her friends, she more than held her own in the “random chatter” category.
Her crazy brain only seemed to desert her when she was with attractive members
of the opposite sex, opting instead for visions of fucking sugarplums and—

Well, that wasn’t true—her mind preferred just the fucking
part.

She was failing in her mission. She’d promised to flirt. She
was tired of living on fantasies. “I’m sorry. I’m just hot.”

He accepted her lame excuse. “Gabriel was worried about you
working in the heat. Called in a favor to get me over here quickly.”

The mention of Gabriel’s name gave her pause. He was
worried? She let herself pretend for a moment that it was because he cared for
her as more than a friend.

Shit. Let it go, Jordan.

More likely the businessman in Gabriel was concerned about
their losing the day’s business. “He didn’t have to worry.”

Casey nodded. “Yeah, Stephanie and Jayne said you decided to
close shop. Said they were headed to the pool. Why didn’t you go along?”

She put the glass on the bar. “I’m not fond of public
pools.”

“Me either. Give me a natural body of water any day of the
week. All that damn concrete and the smell of chlorine is an abomination. If
I’m going swimming, you can be sure it’ll be in a lake, a river or the ocean.”

She agreed. “I love the ocean.”

“Gabe’s got a house in Rockaway Beach that I do the upkeep
on. You ever been there?”

She shook her head. Gabe had invited her a couple of times,
but something always came up with work and she had to cancel.

“Oh man. You need to see that coastline. It’s really
something else. Next time I go up there, I’ll swing by and take you along for
the ride.”

Jordan was uncertain how to reply. The gesture was clearly a
friendly one that would never come to pass, right? “Sounds nice. I’d like
that.”

“So you closed the bar down. That’s good news. I could use
an assistant.”

He wanted her to help him? “I don’t know anything about air
conditioners.”

“You know the difference between pliers and a screwdriver,
right?”

She tilted her head and gave him an annoyed look. “Of course
I do.”

“Then I can teach you the rest. Come on.” Casey grabbed his
tool bag then took her hand, leading her to the storage closet. His grip was
light and friendly but it sent delicious shivers to some fairly naughty places.
Jordan wished she were bold like Stephanie. She had no doubt her friend
wouldn’t hesitate to push the sexy handyman against the wall of the closet and
teach him a few things of her own.

Unfortunately, Jordan didn’t share that skill set with her
friend. Yet. Maybe it was time the old dog learned a few new tricks.

Casey tried to figure out why he was dragging Jordan to the
closet with him. He was perfectly capable of fixing the broken AC unit on his
own. He chalked up his desire to keep her close to curiosity. Of all the Books
and Brew babes, Jordan was the one he’d been the most interested to meet,
simply because of Gabriel’s close friendship with her. Jordan brought out a
gentle side to Gabriel that Casey didn’t often see. When he spoke of her,
Gabriel brightened, looked younger and happier.

Gabriel was far too handsome for his own good. Combine that
brooding handsomeness with the Lawson name and wealth, and his best friend was
never hurting for female companionship. However, the only woman he’d ever heard
Gabriel talk about with any regularity was Jordan. It was obvious his friend
was interested in her, but as far as Casey knew, Gabe had never asked her out
on a date.

The storage closet was even hotter than the bar. Freaking
heat wave. “Shit,” he muttered. “Hope the problem isn’t too hard to fix.
Otherwise we’re likely to go from rare to well done pretty damn fast.”

“I can’t believe how hot it is.”

Despite the heat, Jordan’s didn’t seem as flushed as it had
earlier. Casey wondered about that. Had he mistaken her red cheeks? Had she
been blushing? He suppressed a grin, wondering what had prompted her reaction.
He’d noticed her checking him out. Was the quiet Jordan hiding a naughty side?

God, I hope so.

Casey dismantled the air conditioner, occasionally asking Jordan
for a tool. Every time, she handed him the proper instrument.

“You know your way around a toolbox,” he commented.

“My dad’s an auto mechanic. Handing over tools isn’t exactly
a new experience for me.”

He paused and looked at her. “Gabe says you do the books for
the business.”

“Yep. I majored in business and accounting at college.”

Casey crinkled his nose as a joke. “I have to use a
calculator to figure out eight times nine.”

Jordan’s laughter was soft and somewhat subdued, as if she
didn’t want to draw too much attention to herself. He relished the beauty of
the soft sound. She wasn’t one of those in-your-face kind of women—like
Gabriel’s girlfriends of late, women who lived to be the center of attention,
demanding all eyes be on them. He preferred Jordan’s personality. She was quiet
and friendly, normal and nice.

He pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped the
sweat off his face before it ran into his eyes. He’d never been so damn hot.
“So how is it we’ve managed to miss each other? I bet I’ve been to this bar at
least half a dozen times in the past year or two.”

“I’m not sure. Though I suspect it’s because all your
repairs have been done down here. I spend most of my time in the office
upstairs.”

Casey tried to recall the second floor. He’d inspected the
building prior to Gabriel’s buying it. “I thought there were just storage rooms
up there.”

Jordan nodded. “Oh, it’s still used for storage. I threw a
desk and a computer in one of the rooms and call it an office. Nothing up there
but me and the boxes.”

Strangely, he didn’t like the idea of her working in such a
dreary spot alone. “I’m not entirely sure it’s safe for you to be up there like
that. Aren’t the boxes in some of those rooms stacked pretty high?”

She shrugged. “I picked the one with the least amount of
shit in it.”

“Even so, I’ll talk to Gabe about building you a real
office, one with walls instead of cinder block so you can hang pictures. I’ll
put in proper office lighting and electrical wiring for all your technology. If
I know Gabe, he’ll pull out all the stops for you.”

Jordan shook her head. “That’s not necessary. You really
don’t have to bother Gabriel. My office is fine.”

Jordan flushed and Casey wondered what was up between the
sweet bookkeeper and his best friend. “Jordan, if you’re going to spend so much
time there, you should have a real office. I’ll mention it to Gabe.”

She dismissed the idea out of hand. “That would be a waste
of money. I like my office the way it is.”

Her comment pleased him. Casey had spent years keeping an
eye out for gold diggers where Gabriel was concerned. Not that his friend
needed help in that regard or even listened to his warnings, but Casey couldn’t
seem to lose the habit.

Before he could pursue the conversation, Jordan changed the
subject. “So how did you become an independent contractor?”

He let her dodge stick. “Actually, I think I’m what most
people would call a jack-of-all-trades. In addition to my glamorous job as a
handyman, I’m an architect and an artist.”

“An artist? Really? That’s so cool.”

“Yeah, well, it’s the independent contractor deal that pays
the bills.”

“Maybe so, but I can’t even draw stick figures.”

Casey leaned against the AC unit. “I sketch a bit, dabble in
photography, but my true passion is sculpture.”

“You mean with clay?”

He nodded. “As well as other things. That’s the beauty of
sculptures. They can be created out of anything. I’ve been known to tinker
around with wood and even aluminum cans.”

“I’d love to see your work.”

Her face showed genuine interest and it sparked something
inside him that he tried to batten down. Ordinarily, Jordan was the kind of
woman he’d ask out in a New York minute, but until he figured out what the
connection was between her and Gabriel, he’d tread lightly. “My apartment is
one of those studio deals on the east side of town. You’ll have to come over
one day and I’ll give you a private gallery tour.”

She smiled, dimples appearing in her porcelain cheeks.
Casey’s cock twitched. Shit. This wasn’t good. “You know, I always thought of
artists as these angry, reclusive loner types. You’re shattering the image.”

Casey bent to pick up a screwdriver and tried to turn his
attention back to the AC. If he kept looking at Jordan, he’d be tempted to kiss
her, and his gut told him Gabriel wouldn’t like that. “You’re not the first
person to make that observation. Gabe accuses me of having more personality
than sense and my mother always told me I could talk the ears off the corn in
the field.”

“Ears off the corn?”

“My mother has lots of colorful expressions.” He listed a
few for Jordan. Before long, they were competing to see who could come up with
the most outrageous sayings.

The time passed quickly as they worked together. Jordan was
intelligent with a quick sense of humor.

Casey looked closer at the AC unit. “Damn. I was afraid of
that.”

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I was hoping it was an issue with the belt, but the motor
bearings are shot. I’m going to need to order a part.”

“So it’s not getting fixed today?”

“I’ll see if I can rig a workaround for the time being.” He
stood and stretched. “God bless it, Jordan. I apologize if this offends you,
but it’s hot as hell in here.” Reaching for the hem of his t-shirt, he whipped
the thin cotton over his head and fanned himself with it.

Her now-familiar blush returned and Casey felt compelled to
prod, to see if his suspicions about Jordan’s underlying naughty side were
true. “Just so you know, I absolutely will not be upset if you decide to follow
suit and work shirtless for the rest of the afternoon.”

The twinkle in her eyes let him know she enjoyed his joke.
“I’m fine with my shirt on.”

“You sure?” he teased, taking a step closer. “I don’t mind
helping you peel it off.” He reached out but she darted away, her smile
widening.

“Casey,” she said, swatting his hands away. She dodged
behind the AC unit and he followed.

The two of them played a quick game of cat and mouse as
Casey chased her around the storage closet.

He’d just captured her, Jordan squealing loudly, when the
door to the closet opened.

“Jordan? Are you okay?” a deep voice asked from the hallway.

Gabriel peered around the door and Casey wondered what his
best friend thought he was seeing. They certainly presented a risqué
picture—Casey shirtless, his arms wrapped around Jordan from behind while she
laughed.

“Hey, Gabe.” Casey released Jordan and pulled his shirt back
on. “What are you doing here?”

Gabriel’s response was slow in coming as his gaze traveled
from Casey to Jordan. “I was checking on your progress.” Gabriel’s eyes landed
back on Casey’s face and they narrowed angrily. “Looks like you’re making
some.”

Shit. Casey’s suspicions about Gabe’s feelings for Jordan
were confirmed in an instant. His friend was hot for the accountant.

Problem was…so was Casey.

“We were taking a break,” he explained.

Gabriel looked at Jordan, his expression softening. “You’re
blood-red, Jordan. You need to get out of this heat.”

Casey glanced at her face. Gabriel had made the same mistake
he had. Jordan wasn’t hot. She was blushing. Big-time.

“I’m okay, Gabe. No worries,” she answered. “I can see why
you two are friends. Casey’s cure for the heat wave is going topless too.”

Gabriel’s expression darkened even further as he snapped his
gaze to Casey once more. “Topless?”

“Actually, I think we’re done for the day,” Casey said,
anxious to change the subject before Gabriel pulverized him. “I need to order a
part before I can fix the unit.”

Jordan frowned and he sensed she was surprised by his sudden
retreat to safer territory. Gabriel had never referred to Jordan as anything
more than a pal, but Casey could read between the lines—even if his oblivious
friend couldn’t.

“Um, yeah. That’s right. We were just wrapping things up. It
was nice of you to come by and check on us.” Jordan’s gaze drifted to Gabriel’s
face and she smiled.

Crap. The pure longing on Jordan’s face told Casey all he
needed to know in regards to her feelings for Gabriel. It told him more than he
wanted
to know.

Jordan’s cell phone rang. She looked at the caller ID. “It’s
Steph. We made plans to do a late lunch. I should take this.”

She walked toward the door as she answered the phone.
Gabriel stepped aside and let her escape. Casey suspected
he
wouldn’t be
freed as easily.

“What the fuck were you doing?” Gabe’s question was
murmured, but even in the quiet tone, Casey detected the anger. A small part of
him was thrilled to hear any emotion at all from his friend.

“I told you. Taking a break.”

“With your clothes off?”

Casey shot him a dirty look. “I took off my shirt to cool
down. I’ve been in this godforsaken sweatbox for nearly two hours. Besides,
what the hell are you so pissed off about? I’m here because you asked me to fix
the air conditioner.”

“Why was Jordan in here?”

And now they were getting to the heart of the matter. “I
asked her to help me.”

“Since when do you need an assistant?”

Casey was hot and tired and annoyed. Not a good combination.
Gabe was poking the bear. “I spotted a gorgeous woman and an empty closet. Come
on, Gabe. You’re a smart guy with a degree in finance. Put two and two
together. I’m not averse to mixing work and play.”

Gabriel shook his head. “You’re not playing with Jordan.”

His friend’s vehemence tweaked Casey’s temper. “Last time I
checked, you weren’t my keeper. Or Jordan’s.”

Gabriel rubbed his neck wearily, and for the first time,
Casey noticed the dark circles under his friend’s eyes.

When he spoke again, Gabriel’s voice was calmer. “I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean to snap at you. I saw you with Jordan and I…shit, I guess I lost
it.”

“Why? I’m not an asshole to women. You know that.”

Gabriel shrugged. “I know. She reminds me of Annie in a lot
of ways. Somewhere along the line I’ve become a bit protective of her.”

Annie was Gabriel’s only sibling, and no little sister had
ever been loved more. Casey wasn’t sure how to respond. Gabe’s initial reaction
screamed of jealousy, not brotherly instinct. “I can see why. Jordan’s very
sweet.”

Gabriel didn’t seem to appreciate his answer. “So sweet you
felt compelled to strip off your shirt and corner her in a storage closet?”

Yep. Definitely jealous.

“We were messing around, Gabe. Having some fun. We’ve been
working on the damn AC for two hours and we got playful. That’s all.”

Gabriel ran his hand over his face. “Fine. Yeah. Okay.”

“If you’re so hot for the woman, why not just ask her out?”

Gabriel frowned. “Who said anything about me being
interested? I told you, she reminds me—”

“Of Annie. Yeah. Sell that bullshit to someone who doesn’t
know you.”

“We’re friends, Casey. That’s all.”

Casey fought the urge to roll his eyes at his friend’s inane
answer. He used to credit Gabriel as being one of the smartest, most grounded
men he’d ever known. In the past two years, he’d watched that intelligence give
way to an apathy that bordered on recklessness. “Why is that all?”

“You said it yourself. She’s a sweet girl. I’m not looking
for sweet.”

It took all the strength in Casey’s body not to pummel his
best friend. Unfortunately, he knew what drove Gabriel these days and found it
hard to fault him for his callousness.

“Oh, that’s right. I forgot. You prefer Glamour Shots to
wholesomeness. Or maybe you’d like Jordan better if you could just
buy
her love. Take her out and shower her in gold and diamonds so she’ll keep her
mouth shut and won’t complain when you toss her aside for the next willing
victim. That would definitely be better than a committed relationship with a
sweet, sensitive, smart woman.”

“Very funny, Case. I’m not interested in shallow women.”

“Since when?” Seemed like lately, Gabriel only surrounded
himself with the gold diggers of the world, despite Casey’s warnings about the
company he was keeping.

“Jordan’s different. She’s easy to talk to and be with, but
we can’t be more than that. We come from two different worlds.”