Yours for the Taking (8 page)

Gramps grumbled. “I don’t know about you, but it’s about time I got these old bones of mine into a nice soft bed.” He drained the last of his whiskey. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Night, Gramps. Sleep well.”

“The board meeting is at nine. Don’t be late.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be there.” Not that he had much of a choice. Ben watched as his grandfather shuffled out of the kitchen. He would swear the old guy was beginning to shrink. He took a sip of his beer and wondered when his life had gotten so out of control. Okay, scratch that, he knew when. His grandfather’s eightieth birthday.

Ben checked his watch and smiled. He took the last bite of his sandwich, rinsed his dish, and put it in the dishwasher before he chugged the last of the beer and tossed it in the recycling bin. He knew if he left a mess, Kate would box his ears. It was a good time to go over to Humpin’ Hannah’s and see Karma. He shrugged on his shearling-lined denim jacket and grabbed his keys. The metal keychain smacked against his new wedding ring. That was something else he’d have to get used to.

***

Ben pulled the door of Humpin’ Hannah’s open and the sounds and smells of his home away from home hit him. The band played a cover of “Walk this Way.” Karma worked the crowded bar, her wild blonde hair shining under the overhead lights. He pocketed his keys and pulled out his billfold before slapping a twenty on the bar to get Karma’s attention.

“Benji!” She ran around the bar and jumped up on him, wrapping her legs around his waist the way she had ever since she was big enough to jump.

Ben gave her a hug and set her down.

“I wasn’t expecting you! What are you doing here?”

Ben sat on a stool. “I just flew in a few hours ago. I have a board meeting in the morning.”

Karma turned, worked her way back behind the bar, and looked around before filling a mug with Pale Ale. “Is the little woman with you?” She slid the beer toward him.

“Are you kidding? Gina in Boise? Not likely.”

Karma scrunched up her nose. “Too high-brow for us rednecks?”

Ben laughed. “Definitely not. She’s just a city girl who’s never set foot west of New Jersey and apparently never wants to—a definite plus.” He took a sip of beer.

Karma gave him another crinkled-nose look.

“I got married to get my ranch, not for companionship. The last thing I need is to spend any more time with my wife.” He brushed his hair from his forehead and took off his jacket. Just the thought of Gina was enough to raise his body temperature twenty degrees. Not a good idea. The further away he stayed from her, the better.

Karma turned to the other bartender. “Kevin, watch the bar. I’m taking a break. You,” she pointed at Ben, “come with me.”

Ben followed her through the tables to the office on the other side of the room. She unlocked the door and turned on the lights. “Shut the door behind you. We need to talk.”

“That sounds ominous.” He took a seat and set his beer on the desk. “I guess this is my night for the third degree.”

Karma sat at the desk and poured herself a shot of tequila. “I still can’t believe you actually went through with it. You married a total stranger.”

“It’s a business agreement, Karma. Nothing more.”

She tossed back the shot and poured another. When she came up for air, her angry eyes met his. “Is that what you’re going to tell your next wife?”

Next wife? He’d never planned to have one wife, no less two.

“You hadn’t thought of that, have you, Ben? What happens when you fall head over heels and have to explain to your true love that you were married before? Or worse yet, that you
are
married. That’ll go over real well.”

Him in love? “Not likely.”

Karma slammed her glass down on the desk. He was pretty sure she left a dent.

He sat a little straighter. “What is your problem?”

“You really don’t get it, do you?” Karma walked around the desk, leaned against it, and kicked his boot with hers. “I love you, Ben, like a brother. I always have. You, Trapper, Hunter, and Fisher have always been my heroes—I’ve looked up to you all my life. Every guy I’ve ever dated is compared to the four of you. Marrying a woman you hardly know in order to trick your grandfather and get a piece of land is the first decision you’ve made I don’t respect. I’m disappointed in you, Ben. I thought you’d man up and tell Grampa Joe where to stick it. But you didn’t.”

“That ranch means everything to me. You know that.”

“I didn’t think it meant more than your honor. And what does it say about Gina? What kind of person is she that she’d marry you for money? Is Gina the person you want to be tied to, at least legally, for the duration of this fiasco?”

Ben had had enough. He stood nose to nose with her. “Grow up, Karma. I’m sorry I disappointed you but I’m not going to apologize for being human. You can stand here, looking down your nose at me for not living up to your very high expectations, but leave my wife the hell out of this. You know nothing about Gina and I’ll be damned if I’ll allow you to say one more word about her. She doesn’t deserve it.”

Karma’s head shot back like he’d hit her. They had a stare down, and Karma looked away first. “I’m sorry. I was out of line.”

“Yeah, well, I guess now we’re even.”

Ben shook his head and walked out. Leave it to Karma to hold a mirror up to his face, and as much as he thought she was wrong about so many things, she was right about him trading his honor for his home. He lied to the only people he loved or put them in the position to lie for him. But the thing that was even harder to swallow was that he tainted Gina by doing it.

He sat back at the bar and watched as Karma returned to work, not sure what could be done to smooth things over between them. She moved around the bar like a dancer, swaying to the music and pouring drinks wearing a forced smile. When she moved back around toward him, he caught her eye. “When are you off?”

“I close.” She scrubbed the bar that was already well scrubbed and met his eye. “Look, Ben, I’m sorry. I guess your wife, even if it’s just a marriage contract, is off-limits. I get it. I was wrong.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry too.”

She cracked a smile and shook her head. “No, you have every right to be fallible. I just wish you’d stand up for yourself as well as you stood up for Gina. She’s a lucky lady.”

Just then, a hand smacked the back of Ben’s head. He stood before Trapper could put him in a chokehold.

Karma pointed one finger. “Trap, you cut that shit out or I’ll have Danny toss you like week-old garbage. How would the prisoners treat a sitting judge if you were to get your ass thrown in jail?”

Trapper stopped mid-move. “You always loved him more.”

“Oh yeah, probably because Ben never once put a snake in my bed.”

Trap shrugged and pulled out a stool next to Ben’s. “I heard you were back in town.”

Ben sat back and hooked the heels of his cowboy boots on the stool-rung. “Yeah, work, you know how it is. How are things on the bench?”

“Same old, same old. You know, drugs suck, breaking and entering usually involving drugs, which sucks worse, and then there’s always a juicy murder every now and then. I’d rather talk about skiing. The Rock got another six inches of powder yesterday. You up for playing hooky?”

“Is Hunter going to give me hell again? Shit, last time I skied Castle Rock he sent the damn ski patrol after me for going off trail.”

Trapper smiled. “He was just pissed because you didn’t ask him to come along.”

“Yeah, that’s what I figured.”

Trapper took a sip of his beer as he pulled out his phone and sent a text. Ben didn’t bother asking to whom. He figured the rest of the crew would be here in about twenty minutes if neither of them had any female company, and then maybe even if they did.

Trapper turned back to Ben. “So, how’s married life treating you?”

“Not bad. I just bought Gina a place in Park Slope, which is Brooklyn in case you’re interested. I moved her in today before I flew out here. She’s all set up and happy as far as I know.” Though she didn’t sound very happy to hear from him earlier.

“I still think you could have gotten away with less in the prenup.”

“Oh no. I wanted to make sure Grandpa Joe had nothing to come back at me with. He wanted me married. I’m married. Everything is official.”

Trapper raised one of his brows. “Everything? You know, a marriage isn’t official unless it’s consummated.” He took a drag off his beer and studied Ben over the rim. “So Benji, did you have yourself a good time on your wedding night?”

“Hell no. This is a business deal, pure and simple. Sex complicates matters.” He took a long drink of his beer. Just kissing Gina complicated everything. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to actually have sex with her. Okay, he could imagine, which was why he was better off 2,500 miles away from Gina Reyez-Walsh. Ben never thought he went for mouthy, Latin bombshells. Live and learn. Ben’s attempt at shutting down this conversation wasn’t working. He still had Trapper’s rapt attention. “It’s a marriage of necessity.”

Trapper leaned against the back of his stool and smiled. “Most marriages of necessity involve a pregnancy and a shotgun.”

“Yeah, well, the times they are a’changin’. Gina and I won’t be sharing anything more than a marriage and a quickie divorce as soon as humanly possible.”

“Is Gina a dog?”

“No, she’s hot as hell if you’re into small, Latin, black-haired minxes. She’s pretty amazing and it’s more than just her looks.” If that was all there was to Gina, Ben would have no problem sleeping with her. “Gina’s complicated.”

“All the good ones are.”

Trapper sat back, and Ben felt as if he were on the witness stand—one of the downsides of being best friends with a judge. “Gina’s brash, mouthy, driven, and smart. She has a mind that works faster than a damn computer. It took her less than a minute to calculate the dollar amount she’d amass by marrying me.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“There isn’t one.”

“If she’s so great, why not take the ride?”

Ben would never live down the fact Gina assumed he was gay. No, he’d take that to his grave. “Gina’s not interested in relationships, which is why I married her in the first place. I’m in it to get my ranch, not to get laid. And even if she were interested in the bennies, you know me, I’m not looking to get tied down.”

Trapper let out a laugh. “Well, not for more than an hour or so.” Ben shot Trapper a warning glance that Trapper chose to ignore. “But if you’re talking about a ball and chain as opposed to fuzzy handcuffs and silk ties, it doesn’t sound as if she’s the needy type. There’s no reason you can’t have the marriage of necessity along with all the bennies of a real marriage, at least temporarily.”

“Hey, Benji! When did you fly in? You look like shit, by the way.”

Leave it to Dr. Fisher Kincaid, MD to notice Ben had more than a few sleepless nights since his wedding day. He smiled at Fisher and gave him what Karma called a guy hug, slapping him on the back a bit harder than necessary. “Not enough sleep, but you’re looking good. Nice tan.”

Fisher grinned. “I just got back from Sun Valley, one of the partners in the practice lent me his house for a week. It was great, sun, snow, and women—a perfect combination.”

“So you’re glad to be out of Chicago then, huh?”

Fish grabbed the stool on the other side of Ben and flagged down Karma before turning to Ben and Trapper. “You guys want a pitcher?”

They nodded and Karma started filling it.

“Chicago was fun, but it’s nice to set bones which were broken in skiing accidents or football instead of shattered by a bullet.” He made a face. “Those are way too gory for my taste. Did I beat Hunter here?”

Ben looked up from his beer. “He’s coming too?”

Fisher smiled. “Yeah, and since I won, he owes me a ten-spot.”

Trapper high fived Ben before turning to his brother. “Sweet, then you’re buying the pitcher.”

Fisher shrugged and put money on the bar.

When Hunter came in, he gave Fisher a slap on the back. “Shit, you beat me again? What did you do, fly? I live five miles closer than you.” Hunter bent over the bar and waved to Ben.

“Who said I was at home?” Fisher waggled his eyebrows. “I haven’t been home in a week.”

Ben looked over at Fisher and Hunter; they were twins and looked almost identical except for their hair color, Hunter’s was dark, Fisher’s platinum blond. Fisher was a little leaner, probably because of his occupation. Hunter ran the ski school in the winter and was a white-water rafting and fishing guide through the summer months. The man was ripped, not that Fisher wasn’t; he just wasn’t as bulky.

Ben sat back and listened to the guys razzing each other. It was good to be home.

Gina looked up from the spreadsheet she was working on and found her boss delivering a venti caramel macchiato. Except for the day Gina moved into her new office, Rosalie never brought her Starbucks unless she wanted information or a favor. From the look Rosalie wore, Gina knew she was in for a good grilling. She was in no mood for Rosalie this morning. Her mood went straight downhill at breakfast as soon as her asinine brother-in-law refused to take the thirty grand she’d offered to deposit into his and Tina’s dream house fund.

“A little birdie told me you moved out of the apartment yesterday morning. When were you going to tell me about it?”

“When I decided if I was staying in my new digs. I’m paying the rent; I don’t know why you’re worried.” Gina took a sip of her coffee and almost moaned with pleasure. Whole milk, extra whipped cream, and enough caramel to drown an apple, just the way she liked it. If Rosalie kept this up, Gina would have to go on a diet. There’s nothing like 500-calorie drinks to make a short woman a short, fat woman.

“So, tell me about the new place. What did you and your new sugar daddy buy?”

“It’s a five-story brownstone on Montgomery Place.”

Rosalie whistled between her teeth. “Wow, that’s some spendy real estate. What the heck are you going to do with a five-story brownstone?”

“Other than sell it as soon as the ink is dry on the divorce decree? Not much. I stayed there last night and the place was so huge and empty, it gave me the willies. I practically begged Tina to come over for dinner and a pajama party.”

Rosalie raised an eyebrow.

Gina got up to pace. “Sam works nights so there was no need for her to go back to the city. It was fun until he came over for breakfast. I tell you, Rosalie, my sister and brother-in-law are two of the most hardheaded people I’ve ever met.”

“Worse than you?”

Gina ignored her sarcasm. “I offered to give them thirty thousand dollars so they could start house shopping and they had the nerve to refuse. Why do you think I married Ben in the first place? So I could help them out and make sure they had a nice house all bought and paid for.”

Rosalie gave Gina one of her annoying looks that was usually followed by a lecture. Great, here it comes.

“It didn’t occur to you to ask them how they felt about taking that much money from you?”

“No. What sane person would turn down a gift of $30K?”

Rosalie crossed her arms and smiled. “Oh, I don’t know. Someone related to you, maybe. Just because you think you know what’s best for your little sister doesn’t mean you do.”

“That’s just insane. Of course I know what’s best for her. Who do you think raised her?”

Rosalie smiled. “You did, and you did a great job. Tina’s all grown up now, not to mention married. She doesn’t need you to make decisions for her.”

Gina slumped back into the chair next to Rosalie’s. “Yeah, thanks. Like I didn’t hear that enough last night and this morning. When they refused the money, I asked them to move in with me. The place has seven bedrooms. They can move in and we’d still have to phone each other if we wanted to talk.”

Rosalie sat forward. “You’re afraid to live alone.”

Gina shot out of the chair. “What are you, nuts? I’m not afraid. It’s just stupid for them to pay rent when I have four stories of a beautiful Romanesque Revival brownstone sitting empty. That way they can take all the rent money they’d be shelling out and put it right into savings.”

“And you won’t have to live in that big place all by yourself.”

Gina looked away. So what if she was a little uncomfortable living alone? She’d get used to it in time, maybe.

“Gina, you know you can always come over and hang with me and Nick, if you want. Hey, you can even borrow Dave until you feel more comfortable.”

“You loan your dog out?”

“Only to you. He’s great company. I know—why don’t you get a dog?”

Gina shook her head. “You should see this place, Rosalie. It’s so perfect, I’m afraid to live there. It looks like a castle filled with antiques and priceless shit. They even have real china in the kitchen. Like Wedgewood. I didn’t know if I should put the stuff in the dishwasher last night. The first time in my life I have a dishwasher, and I’m afraid to use it.”

“That’s just wrong in so many ways.”

“Don’t I know it. I gotta tell you, though, the sheets Ben had stocked in there were the nicest things I’ve ever slept between. I swear they must be 10,000 thread count.”

“There is something to be said for quality linens. The only thing better is to have a quality man between them with you.”

“Yeah, so you say. I, for one, am happy to enjoy them alone.”

Rosalie didn’t look as if she believed her, and after that kiss Ben had left her with, Gina wasn’t too sure either. No sex for a year was not something she wanted to think about.

“I heard Ben went back to Idaho.”

“Aren’t you just a font of information? Are you checking up on me, Rosalie?”

“No, but Annabelle gave me a call this morning. She said Ben probably wouldn’t be back for a month.”

“He doesn’t go over his schedule with me. As far as I’m concerned, I won’t see him until the divorce.”

“Oh good, then you won’t mind taking on a new project.”

Gina rubbed her hands together. “I’d love to take on a new project. Tell me all about it.”

***

Ben looked over his notes from the board meeting. It seemed to last forever and he had the darnedest time concentrating on the topic at hand. And leave it to his spry old grandfather to notice. It didn’t help that Ben had woken up hungover. He should know better than to play pool with Trapper while doing shots of tequila. It never bothered him when he was younger. He must be getting old. He regretted he’d told Trapper he’d meet him up at the Rock for night skiing. He really wasn’t in the mood but canceling wasn’t worth the shit Trap would give him if he didn’t show. Ben threw the papers in the drawer of the desk in his new office at the corporate headquarters and shut down his computer before walking over to his grandfather’s office.

When he found his grandfather alone, he stepped into the doorway. “Gramps, I’m going to take off. Trapper and I are going to hit the slopes tonight. I’ll be back late.”

“You just got here and you can’t even put in a full day’s work? Lord knows, you didn’t do much at the board meeting.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. I have a lot on my mind.”

“I told you that you should have brought Gina with you.”

“Don’t worry about Gina. She’s doing fine.”

“Yeah, you say that now. It’s going to take you a good month to get this system up and running. Are you going to fly back and forth to New York City every weekend?”

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

“Well then, how in the hell are you going to give me those great-grandbabies you promised me?”

Ben held up his hands. “Hey, I said I’d get married. I never said I’d have kids right away. Gina and I aren’t ready to start a family.” Ben told himself that it wasn’t exactly a lie. The two of them would never be ready—especially not with each other.

“Ben, you’re thirty-two years old. At the rate you’re goin’ you’re not going to be ready for parenthood until you’re my age. Shit, you just need to go and get that little lady and bring her back home with you and let nature take its course.”

“Gramps, I told you. Gina doesn’t fly.” Ben reached into his pocket, grabbed his keys, tossed them in the air, and caught them.

“Of course she flies. She’s not going to fall out of the damn sky. But it’s impossible to get in the air if you never set foot on an airplane. If you need to hog-tie her to get her on our company jet, that’s just what you’re gonna have to do.”

Ben swung his keys around on his pointer finger. Shit, if he was going to tie Gina up, it certainly wasn’t going to be to put her on a plane, though the plane did have a nice bedroom suite in the back. He shook his head as he backed out of his grandfather’s office. “Have a great night, Gramps. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Ben’s grandfather picked up the phone with a knowing smile. Shit. The old guy was up to something and Ben figured it wasn’t going to be something he would enjoy.

***

Gina jumped into her first solo job as a turnover expert with both feet. It was a small restaurant chain that wasn’t quite making it. The food was very good. That was one of the first things she’d checked out. There was nothing you could do to save a restaurant if the food wasn’t top-notch, especially in the city.

She spent the first week going over the books and came up with several immediate stopgap measures to keep them afloat. Gina was revamping their benefits package since it had been years since they’d shopped it around. She also called in a few favors with two food critics she knew. They said they’d visit the place once she gave them the go-ahead.

Ben still called her every night, but even that wasn’t bothering her since he’d made it a point to call before she went to sleep. It didn’t take him long to figure out their conversations were much more pleasant if they spoke while she was awake. He’d called her from a few unusual places. A ski lift was probably the strangest. Who knew people actually skied at night? One night he’d called her from a bar where he’d been playing pool with some of the guys he’d grown up with. But mostly, he called her from his grandfather’s house. It was almost nice. They talked business, and they’d both given each other enough ideas that it more than made the conversations worthwhile. Not that she was paying the phone bill. Still, she was surprised by what a great business mind Ben hid behind those good looks of his. The man definitely wasn’t just another pretty face. He attacked problems from a different perspective than she did. Together, they’d come up with a few amazing solutions which meant happy clients and an even happier boss. Rosalie was bringing Gina coffee as a reward system now, which worked for Gina.

The last few nights when Ben called, they debated about suggesting a change of the menu to attract a higher class of clientele, which would then increase the sale of wine and alcohol. Ben didn’t think the owner would go for it, but she proved him wrong.

Gina snagged a seat on the subway and spent her commute making notes and smiling to herself. When the subway car hit the elevated tracks in Brooklyn, she dialed Ben’s cell to tell him how her meeting went. Her eyes scanned the list of ideas she’d planned to throw at him. She really enjoyed listening to him think things through and seeing where he took them. It also felt great when she saw a hole in his logic about something he was working on. She’d saved his ass a time or two. That made up for some of the guilt she felt when she saw another deposit hit her account.

“Hi, Gina. I was just thinking about you.”

“You were?”

“Yeah, how did your meeting with the owner go? Who won the bet? I believe the loser has to take the winner out to dinner.”

Gina crossed her win off her list. “I don’t remember that.”

“It was late and you were tired. You were practically falling asleep on the phone.”

“I’m just not much of a talker.” There was silence on the other end. Gina looked at the phone to make sure she hadn’t lost the signal. “Okay, I’ll admit I’m good at telling people what to do, but this thing between us, it’s different.”

“Yeah, the whole marriage thing is definitely odd.”

“So, okay. I won. It looks like you’re buying.”

“Good. I’ll meet you at the house in an hour. Will that give you enough time to change? We have reservations in town.”

“You’re here?”

“Yeah, I flew in late last night.”

“And you want to go out tonight?”

“Why? Do you have a hot date?”

“No, but Tina’s expecting me.”

“So, call her and tell her something came up.”

Gina wondered if this would be a good time to clue him in on the fact that Tina and Sam had moved in, but then part of her said it really wasn’t his business who she lived with just as long as she wasn’t sleeping with any of them.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Someplace nice. It’s a surprise.”

“How nice is nice?”

“A cocktail dress would work.” When she didn’t say anything, he continued. “Did you do any shopping while I was away or do I have to take you?”

“I don’t need you to take me shopping. It’s not as if I don’t have plenty of other gay friends who are up to the job. As a matter-of-fact, Wayne, Rosalie’s upstairs neighbor, and I went shopping together a few weeks ago, so I’m all set.”

“Good. I’ll pick you up at 7:30.”

“I can meet you there.” She would rather break the news that Sam and Tina had moved into the brownstone in person, and without Sam breathing down her neck while she explained.

“I left my car at the house, remember? I need to pick it up anyway, and it’s not as if you can drive it in.”

Good point. Crap. “Okay, then. I guess I’ll see you at my place.”

“Our place.”

“Hey, cowboy. Your name may be on the deed, but it’s my house and you know it. You are definitely not a resident.”

“Touché. Feel better now that you’ve put me in my place?”

“Marginally. I’ve got to go, I’m almost at my stop.” She disconnected the call and prayed that Sam was working. She doubted her luck was that good.

***

Ben stood outside the well-lit brownstone and smiled. Gina must be nervous living there alone. She even had the upper stories lit. He walked up the steps and had the urge to use his key; instead, he rang the bell and was surprised when Sam answered wearing jeans, a long-sleeved NYPD T-shirt, and no shoes.

“Come on in. Gina will be down in a minute.”

Ben stepped in and shook Sam’s hand while he looked around. The coat tree in the hall held Sam’s coat and a sweatshirt that would dwarf Gina. There was a mix of men’s and women’s shoes lining the wall.

“Gina won’t let us wear our shoes in the house. She said we’ll soil the carpets.” Sam made a face. “Do you want a drink? Tina’s with her and you know how women can be.”

“Sure.”

Sam waved him toward the kitchen and pulled a beer out of the refrigerator. “We have beer, wine, and I think there might be some hard stuff somewhere. I’m not much of a drinker.”