Stacey Joy Netzel Boxed Set (8 page)

Thinking back on the Snowball formal as I
stood in my sunny kitchen with the reunion invitation, I wondered
if that night had something to do with my lack of success in the
love department. Was that why I always said goodbye first? So I
didn’t get ditched again? My mouth pulled down in a frown.

Well, if it was, at least I actually said
goodbye.

A thick wedge of slush pulled my rental car
into the center of the road, jolting me back into the here and now.
I struggled with the wheel and tried to discern the gravel shoulder
on the right side through the heavy curtain of wet, blowing snow.
Headlights cut through the gloom. The sight of a huge black pickup
heading straight toward me catapulted my heart up into my
throat.

I wrenched the wheel to the right. Slop from
the truck’s tires slapped onto my windshield. The wipers swished it
away, but I barely had time to be thankful I’d made it past the
large vehicle before my right tires were sucked in by the mucky
shoulder. Cranking the wheel back to the left only dug me deeper as
my rental lurched down the embankment and then slid to an abrupt
stop. Muddy slush splattered in all directions.

I took a deep breath, assured myself I was
unharmed, and leaned my head back against my seat with a low groan.
Gotta love Wisconsin. Truthfully, I was envisioning the warm, sandy
beach only minutes from my apartment.

A knock on my driver’s side window made me
jump. Through the fogged glass a tall figure motioned for me to
roll down my window and I thumbed the power button.

“Are you okay?” the man asked.

“Um…I think so,” I replied. Then I lifted my
gaze and sucked in a stunned breath.

Josh Nelsen
.

He hadn’t changed at all. I blinked and
stared. Yes he had. He’d matured. Gotten better looking. It wasn’t
fair.

He didn’t look at me as he checked out the
situation with my car. “I don’t think you’re getting out of here
without a tow truck.”

“Great,” I muttered and reached across the
seat into my purse for my cell phone.

“Don’t bother.”

I glanced up to see a phone already to his
ear. While he waited for someone to answer on the other end, he
shot an absent smile in my direction and explained, “My buddy Dave
owns the local towing service.”

Must be Dave Bensen, they’d been best
friends in high school. After a brief conversation without
consulting me at all, Josh made arrangements to have my car towed
into Silver Falls and then stuffed the phone back in his
pocket.

“His guys are booked up on calls until at
least eight. I can give you a ride to town, if you’d like to wait
at the diner, or until you can call someone to come get you?”

Transferring my gaze from the dashboard
clock that read five fifty-six, I peered through the windshield at
the whirling snow. What choice did I have? I sighed and faced Josh
again, only to realize his stained, ripped jeans and ratty looking
flannel jacket didn’t quite fit the dress code for the coming
evening.

“Aren’t you going to the reunion?” I
asked.

“Yeah, how did you—” He broke off as he
leaned down and actually
looked
at me for the first time.
His brown eyes widened. “
Summer?
”

I gave a weak smile, and instantly chastised
myself.
Successful business woman
. My next words came out a
tad more pointed than I intended. “You remembered.”

Guilt flashed in his eyes and I was sure it
wasn’t just my wishful imagination. “Of course, how could I not?”
His gaze shifted toward the road as a maroon car crept past. He
lifted a hand to the driver and said to me, “What’s it been,
like…?”

“Ten years,” I supplied with just the
slightest hint of sarcasm.

“Yeah. Wow.” His gaze returned, somber and
intense. “You look great.”

“Thanks.” I failed to suppress a shiver over
the déjà vu moment but blamed the heavy, wet snowflakes whirling
through my window on currents of cold air. I did look great, thank
you very much. Because I’d also matured, and though I didn’t expect
to win Miss America, I knew I could turn heads on a good day.

I’d made sure today was a good day.

Then again ‘was’ might be the key word. I
now had to exit my vehicle and climb up out of the ditch in the
wind and snow. In my open-toed, three inch high, strappy sandals.
Yep, that’s right. I’d gotten myself a pair of do-me heels just for
the reunion. Not that I wanted to be
done
, but I’d figured
it wouldn’t hurt to show him what he’d discarded.

I leaned closer to the window and
contemplated the muddy trail left by my sideways decent into Hell.
The ground was rapidly turning white again, but still, maybe I
could just wait for the tow-truck to pull my car out with me in
it.

“I was just on my way home to change,” Josh
informed me. “If you don’t mind waiting at my house for a few
minutes, we can go to the reunion together and Dave can have your
car towed right to the supper club. You remember Dave Bensen,
right?”

I nodded, eyeing the mud again. Before I
could voice my decision to wait right where I was, Josh had my door
open. I tossed my keys into my purse and tentatively stuck one leg
out so I could exit my vehicle. I’d put my stupid jacket in the
back seat with my luggage when I picked up the rental in Milwaukee,
so this was going to be unpleasant all the way around.

“Whoa, hold up.”

Josh leaned his head and shoulders inside my
car. I pressed back against the seat in alarm at the same time I
inhaled his warm, woodsy scent. He looked good
and
smelled
good. So not fair.

Next thing I knew, he lifted me into his
arms with a muttered, “Hang on.”

“What are you doing?” I squeaked in a high
voice, grabbing for his shoulders.

“You can’t walk through the mud in those
shoes,” he replied with a grin that was way too cute.

Wowza. He’d matured all right. Solid chest,
strong arms, broad shoulders. I hung on all the way to his truck
and tried to ignore the sizzle of awareness steaming the melting
snow from my flushed cheeks. While I collected my wits, he returned
to my rental to grab my coat and lock the doors.

I’d barely caught my breath before he slid
behind the wheel of his truck. A flick of his wrist started the
engine and he reached to shift it into gear, then paused and cast
me a sideways look. His damp hair tumbled across his forehead in a
very appealing way.

“Summer Clark.”

I smiled and lifted my eyebrows, not quite
sure what to make of his contemplative gaze. “Josh Nelsen.”

He smiled back and finally checked the
mirrors before pulling out onto the highway. On what turned out to
be a short drive to his house, we exchanged answers to the
inevitable question, “So, what have you been doing since
graduation?” Obviously he hadn’t left Silver Falls, and now worked
in management at his uncle’s trucking company. A lot of outside
physical work, which explained the muscles and the lighter brown
highlights in his hair.

“I run into Jenna from time to time,” he
revealed. “She told me you’re doing well for yourself with your own
business as a copywriter?”

Jenna had never even mentioned Josh after
graduation. To cover an unexpected thrill that he’d talked to her
about me, I joked, “Yes, I’m the best boss I’ve ever had. I never
get mad when I’m late to work and I get vacation whenever I
ask.”

He chuckled as he pulled into his garage.
“Sound’s ideal.”

The moment I saw him coming around to get my
door, I quickly stepped down on my own. I did not need Josh being
any nicer to me than he’d already been. Especially since I’d
noticed his left hand sported no ring, and the second stall of his
garage was occupied by a snowmobile, a lawnmower, and a motorcycle
instead of a mini-van for a wife and two point two kids.

He stood aside after unlocking his door and
I entered his house with curiosity whirling through me. Did he live
here alone? Did he have a girlfriend? Would it be too obvious if I
asked?

“Living room’s through there.” He pointed
toward the large open area past an island counter separating the
room from a spacious kitchen. “Can I get you anything? A drink or
something?”

“No, thanks.” My heels click-clacked as I
crossed the tiled floor.

“I just need about fifteen minutes to shower
and change, so make yourself at home.”

He’d removed his muddy boots and hung up his
flannel jacket in the laundry room I’d glimpsed off the kitchen. I
had a hard time not staring at the snug black T-shirt stretched
across his chest and the nice fit of his worn jeans. Once through
the living room to the hall, he caught the corner of the wall with
one hand and paused. Awareness travelled through my body in the
wake of his gaze as it took a swift trip down to my
burgundy-painted toenails and back up to my face.

“Sure I can’t get you anything?”

A ride home from the Snowball dance? A
goodnight kiss? An apology?
I managed a cool smile. “I’m
good.”

One more beat of hesitation, then he gave an
abrupt nod and quick-tapped the wall. “Right. I’ll be back.”

I focused on his house instead of past
emotions and renewed desires. It was a newer construction, open
concept ranch, and much cleaner than I’d expected from a bachelor.
I shouldn’t have been surprised after noting his well-kept truck
and the organized garage, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the
tidiness was thanks to a girlfriend after all.

Further inspection—he’d told me to make
myself at home—revealed no womanly touches. No fancy towels in the
guest bathroom, no nice smelling candles, no decorative pieces on
the end tables, and no magazines on the coffee table other than
Sports Illustrated, Outdoor Wisconsin, and the TV Guide.

I sat on his black leather couch, flipped
through the TV Guide, and told myself I was not relieved. I wasn’t.
I was—

“Anything good on?”

I jumped at the sound of Josh’s voice from
just behind the couch.

“Sorry,” he said, a smile in his deep voice.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s okay.” I laughed to cover my
embarrassment. “Quite the carpet you’ve got.”

I set the magazine back on the table, stood
and turned around, only to have to remind myself to breathe. His
hair was still damp from the shower, and without evidence of any
gel, a hint of curl rebelled against the comb marks. A crisp, white
button down shirt highlighted the faintest hint of a five-o’clock
shadow on his jaw, and I couldn’t help but notice the sprinkle of
dark chest hair where his top button was undone. He’d tucked the
shirt into a dark pair of jeans with a black belt and silver
buckle, and black boots probably added another inch to his lean,
six-foot-plus frame.

“Hope I wasn’t too long,” he apologized.

I glanced at my watch only to remember I’d
removed it because the gold face and brown band didn’t go with my
wrap-around, above-the-knee black dress and silver jewelry. I
turned the gaffe into a careless wave that clinked my bracelets
together. “Barely noticed you were gone. So, is it just you
here?”

The moment the words were out, my cheeks
warmed. Might as well have asked him outright if he was available.
I avoided looking at him and headed for the kitchen.

“Yep, just me.”

The hint of a smirk in his voice made me
cringe because I didn’t want to know if he was available.
I
didn’t.
I forced a teasing smile once I reached the door to the
garage. “Cleaner around here than I’d expect for a bachelor.”

Oh, crap, that still sounded like I was
fishing. His smile widened. “My older sister Meg cleans houses for
a living.”

“Lucky you.”

“Not really. She’s not cheap.”

“No family discount?”

“Nope.”

“Well, you get what you pay for,” I advised
as he beat me to the passenger side door and held it open. “I’d say
she’s worth it.”

“She’d love to hear that, but it won’t be
from me.”

We shared a laugh as he played the gentlemen
act to the hilt and helped me up into the cab. Hmm. Did he remember
what he’d done that night over eleven years ago? If he did, did he
have any clue how much it’d hurt me back then? We hadn’t spoken
since that night, not during the rest of junior year, or all of
senior year.

Now here I sat in his truck, on the way to
our ten year class reunion, feeling like I was on that date all
over again.

We dropped off my keys at Dave Bensen’s
garage, and then continued to the supper club. Jenna spotted me the
instant Josh held the door open and we walked in together. While he
hung up our coats, she rushed forward to give me a tight hug and
whispered in my ear, “Tell me you didn’t come with
him
.”

I glanced over my shoulder and whispered
back, “Relax. My car went in the ditch and he gave me a ride. It’s
no big deal.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Seriously, my rental’s being towed here
when they get to it.”

“If you say so.” Jenna didn’t sound
convinced but as Josh joined us, she flipped her switch to chipper.
“Gosh, Summer, I’m so glad you came! You look amazing in that
dress! How’s Brad—you two set a date for the wedding yet?”

I rolled my eyes and refused to look at
Josh. “Considering I gave him the ring back six months ago, no, we
didn’t set a date.”

“Oh, I’d hoped the two of you would patch
things up,” Jenna said with a mock pout. “I was looking forward to
heading to Florida for your wedding.”

“You’re always welcome to visit,” I reminded
her as we headed toward the bar where I spotted other friends and
classmates. I appreciated the thought behind her efforts to let
Josh know I was happy and in love and completely over our one
disastrous date, but I wasn’t prepared to pretend I was still
engaged. Not to mention, I also didn’t want to highlight the fact
that I had a failed engagement in my past, no matter whose decision
it had been to part ways.