Under a falling star, p.10
Under a Falling Star, page 10
Show off. “Bet you can’t do it with your eyes closed.” Dee knew she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t resist issuing the challenge. Something about the wannabe Tom Cruise irked her.
He met her challenging gaze. “Just watch me.” He closed his eyes and threw the twirling bottle around his back. His hands closed a second too late, grasping only air.
The bottle crashed to the floor, splattering rum everywhere.
Dee watched without wincing. Told you, you couldn’t do it.
“Jimmy! What are you doing?” Another bartender bustled over and pushed the red-faced Jimmy out of the way. “Why don’t you take a break now?”
“It wasn’t his fault.” Austen nudged her with an elbow.
Dee stepped forward. “She’s right. I told him to do that. Let me take over for a second.”
“Uh, all right.”
As Jimmy slunk away, she crossed to the other side of the bar, careful not to slip on the wet floor.
Jimmy’s supervisor stepped out of the way but kept watching her.
She grabbed a new bottle of rum, flipped it over her shoulder just as Jimmy had, and caught it smoothly.
“Impressive,” Austen said.
“You think that’s impressive? Watch this.” Dee couldn’t resist showing off a little, so she repeated the maneuver with her eyes closed, catching the bottle without missing a beat. Take that, Jimmy!
When she opened her eyes, Austen shook her head at her instead of swooning. “Are you always this competitive?”
“Pretty much. Guess it’s normal when you grow up with four brothers. We’re all pretty competitive with each other.”
Austen’s eyes widened. “You have four brothers?”
Dee nodded. “Four brothers and,” she counted quickly, “eleven cousins, all of them male. On my father’s side of the family, I’m the first girl born in three generations.”
“Wow. And I thought growing up with my dad and my brother was giving me testosterone overload.”
After adding just a bit of rum, Dee blended the mix until it was smooth, then poured everything into a cocktail glass and garnished it with a maraschino cherry and a wedge of pineapple. “Here you go. One piña colada, easy on the rum.”
Austen stared at the glass. “You’ve done that before.”
“Yeah. More times than I can count.”
“Did a lot of partying during college?” Austen wrapped her full lips around the straw and sipped from her cocktail.
Dee forced herself not to stare at her mouth. “I wish. No. I tended bar and waited tables.”
“Your parents didn’t pay for your college education?”
“They would have, but I wanted to pay my own way through college.”
Austen gave her a respectful nod.
Dee was surprised how good that unspoken praise felt. Her family had thought it a foolish waste of time.
Austen took another sip. “This is really good.”
“Glad you like it.” Dee poured herself a whiskey and soda and walked back around to Austen’s side of the bar. “How about you? Did you go to college?”
“I always thought I would. I had my eye on Berkeley for a bachelor of fine arts or maybe a BS in management, but then my mother died and I didn’t want to leave my little brother, especially with our dad being gone so often.”
Again, Dee found herself tongue-tied. She’d never been responsible for anyone’s well-being but her own, and she couldn’t imagine taking care of a family at the age of sixteen. “That’s the brother who taught your cockatoo a bunch of four-letter words?”
“Yes. That’s Brad.”
“Brad?” Somehow, Dee had expected a less ordinary name from parents who had named their daughter Austen.
Austen smiled. “His full name is Bradbury William Brooks.”
“Ah, finally an author I know. I could never make myself read anything by Jane Austen, but I devoured everything by Ray Bradbury I could get my hands on when I was younger.”
Austen opened her mouth to answer but then closed it again. She put down her glass on the bar and looked at Dee. “You’re very easy to talk to; did anyone ever tell you that?”
Dee laughed. “No. Most people aren’t too fond of my style of communication.”
“I can imagine. Maybe you should try not shouting at them all the time. Why don’t you talk to everyone else the way you talk to me?”
“Because you’re the only one who’s not an idiot or a kiss ass or both. You’re not constantly trying to impress me. You’re just…you. I like that.”
In the silence between them, the music from the band seemed overly loud.
Damn. She’d said too much. Dee took a large sip of her whiskey and soda.
“Thanks,” Austen said softly. “Just for the record, I think you’re a decent person too. At least away from the office.”
“Thanks. I think.” Dee chuckled, again appreciating Austen’s honesty. So it was more than mere physical attraction. They liked each other. One more reason to stay away from her. Dee was good at solving any kind of problem at work, but making relationships work wasn’t her specialty. Even if she, by some miracle, did manage to make it work this time, a relationship with Austen could have a serious backlash on her career—not to mention what could happen if they broke up and Austen didn’t take it well.
“I think I’d better go over now and see if Santa brought me anything.” Austen lifted her glass. “Thanks again for the drink.”
“My pleasure.” Dee leaned against the bar and watched her retreating back. Why, for Christ’s sake, couldn’t her brother hire an assistant who was ugly as sin and had the personality of an assembly-line robot?
Chapter 11
Dee passed her father the mashed potatoes. “You should reinvest some of the money.”
“Nah.” Her father waved her away and added enough gravy to his plate to flood a small country. He looked across the table at Caleb. “What do you think, son?”
Her brother gave the same advice that Dee had. Instead of rejecting it out of hand, their father listened and hummed his agreement between bites of turkey and stuffing.
Dee pushed back her plate. She’d lost her appetite. Maybe she should have been used to it by now. God knew, this wasn’t anything new.
“It’s Christmas Day, for heaven’s sake,” her mother said after a while. “Could you stop talking about business for once?”
Silence descended over the long dining room table.
Dee chuckled inwardly. Discussions of politics or sports had already been banned years ago, when her father and Uncle Wade had gotten into a shouting match at Thanksgiving; business was the only thing left they had in common. Their family dinners looked more like meetings of Portland’s most successful entrepreneurs. Without business as a topic of conversation, it would truly be a silent night.
She wondered how Austen was spending Christmas Day. No doubt she would travel to see her father and brother.
“How are the twins?” her mother asked when the silence grew awkward.
Instantly, Janine launched into a detailed explanation of colic and diaper rash.
Dee’s sisters-in-law and her cousins’ wives pointed out possible remedies for both.
When the discussion turned to the different types of diapers, Dee stopped listening. At least discussing tax-saving tips with her father had been familiar territory.
Finally, the last bite of pumpkin pie was eaten.
The men rose to have a glass of whiskey in the living room, recovering from doing nothing all day, while the women gathered in the kitchen to do the dishes.
Dee hated that tradition, but every time she complained and told her mother that this was the twenty-first century, her mother just smiled and said she didn’t mind. Well, that makes one of us. She worked just as hard as her brothers, uncles, and male cousins, and she appreciated a fine glass of fifty-year-old single malt as much as they did.
“So,” her mother said as she handed her a pot to dry. “When will you finally get married and give your father and me some more grandchildren?”
Several of her sisters-in-law giggled.
Dee clutched the pot and willed herself to stay calm. Think of Austen. At least you still have your mother, even if she drives you crazy. “I don’t want children, Mom. I’m too busy with my career.”
Her mother patted her arm. “That’s what I said before I had you and your brothers. You’ll change your mind too, just you wait and see.”
Dee wanted to scream. “I don’t think so. Besides, it’s not like I can get pregnant by accident.”
Her mother continued doing the dishes as if Dee hadn’t said a word.
Even though she’d come out to her parents at sixteen—and again at twenty-one—they chose to ignore her sexual orientation and pretended she’d one day come home with a son-in-law who would go into business with Caleb Senior and his three oldest sons, helping them manage their chain of clothing retail stores.
Dee glanced at her watch and decided she’d try to make a quick escape in half an hour. Too bad she’d have to go through this again on her birthday, which, unfortunately, was in just two days.
* * *
“In case you get bored up there, you could make yourself useful, squirt,” Austen said.
Her brother, now five inches taller than Austen, laughed and hopped down from the counter. “What do you want me to do?”
“Get me the milk and eggs from the fridge.”
Brad opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs and a gallon of milk before hopping back up onto the counter. He dangled his long legs as he watched her cook, as he’d done since he’d been a little boy.
He’s not so little anymore. Sometimes, it was still hard to believe that he was all grown up now, a junior studying computer science at Cal Poly.
Austen cracked the eggs and mixed them with the flour, the milk, a bit of salt and sugar, and her secret ingredient—mashed bananas. “What did you think of Caroline?” she asked while she melted butter in a large skillet.
Brad shrugged. “She’s okay, I guess.”
“Yeah.” She ladled a bit of pancake batter into the skillet and sprinkled chocolate chips onto it. “She seemed nice. I’m glad Dad found someone. Being alone all the time wasn’t good for him.”
They looked at each other, neither of them saying what Austen was sure both of them thought—how weird it was to see him with another woman. Maybe because he’d sensed the awkwardness, their father had left with his new girlfriend after dinner on Christmas Day while Brad was staying with her for a few more days.
Brad reached over and stole a handful of chocolate chips.
“Hey!” Austen smacked his hand with the spatula.
“Ouch! Don’t hit me.”
“Don’t steal my chocolate chips.”
“What about you?” Brad asked. “Do you have someone? It’s been ages since what’s-her-name.”
“You know her name.”
“Not worth remembering,” Brad muttered.
Austen flipped the pancake with a bit more gusto than strictly necessary. “No arguments there from me.”
“So?”
“I just started a new job. I don’t have time for dating.”
Brad slid closer on the counter. “I know that look on your face. That’s exactly how you looked when you were fifteen and smooching Tina Baker behind the shed.”
“We weren’t smooching! Tina’s as straight as they come.” Still, Austen’s face burned with heat. She’d been quite infatuated with the neighbor’s daughter back then. “Besides, you were five and couldn’t even tie your own shoes, so how would you know what I was doing or not doing with Tina?”
Brad just grinned. “There is someone, right?”
“No.” Austen slid the pancake, cooked to a perfect golden brown, onto a plate and got started on the next one.
“What’s her name?”
“I told you I’m not dating anyone.”
“Did you meet her at work?”
Austen adjusted the heat and turned toward him. “Read my lips: I’m—not—dating!”
“Okay, okay.” He stole more chocolate chips.
“What about you?” Austen asked when they finally sat down with a stack of banana chocolate chip pancakes. “Any hot campus romances I should know about?”
Her phone started to ring in the living room.
“Phew.” Brad wiped his brow. “Saved by the bell.”
Austen hurried to the living room. “Keep the pancakes warm,” she called over her shoulder. “And don’t eat all of them.” A little breathless, she picked up the phone. “Yes?”
“Good morning, Ms. Brooks. I’m sorry for disturbing you at home on the weekend.”
Austen frowned as she recognized her boss’s voice. “Don’t worry about it. What can I do for you?”
“I need the file on Giggles, that new electronic pet we want to launch next year.”
“It’s on your desk, Mr. Saunders.” At least, that was where it had been when she’d left the office on Christmas Eve, three days ago.
“I know, but I’m not in the office, and I can’t reach Ms. Phillips. I really need that file. Today.”
Since Mr. Saunders had given all of them the rest of the week off, Sally had mentioned something about escaping for a one-week cruise in the Caribbean. “Do you want me to get the file and bring it to you?”
“That’d be great, but I’m not at home. My family and I are spending the weekend in our cabin in the foothills.”
“Oh.” Austen’s mind churned to come up with the easiest solution. “I could fax you the documents or scan them and—”
“That won’t work. I need the prototype too, and you can’t fax it.” Mr. Saunders paused. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but do you think you could pick it up and bring it to me? The company will pay for your time and expenses, of course.”
Austen sighed.
“It’s less than an hour,” Mr. Saunders said, “and the area is really nice. You could bring your boyfriend…uh, or girlfriend…and get away from the city for a while.”
That sounded nice, actually. Maybe Brad would want to come. Even if he didn’t, he was no longer the six-year-old who needed constant supervision. He could entertain himself for a few hours. “All right. I’ll do it.”
“Thank you. Do you have something to write with?” He gave her the address and directions to the cabin, thanked her again, and hung up.
Brad peeked into the living room. “That was her, wasn’t it?”
“Who?”
“Your new girlfriend. Booty call?”
“What? No!” Austen threw her pen at him. “That was my boss, you little idiot.”
“Why does he call you at home? I thought you had the rest of the week off.”
“That’s what I thought too, but now he wants me to drive to his family’s cabin at Sandy River to drop off some stuff he needs. Want to come? I hear it’s very scenic.”
Brad strolled into the room and threw himself onto the couch, where he’d slept the last few nights. “No, thanks. In fact…” He peered over at her. “I didn’t want to say anything after Dad took off early, but…would you mind if I take off too? Gary texted me and asked if I want to go skiing with him and the old gang.”
Austen suppressed a sigh. “No, I don’t mind. Have fun, but don’t break anything.”
He jumped up, raced around the couch, and kissed her cheek on the way out the door.
“What about the pancakes?” she called after him.
“I ate three already. The rest are all yours.” Within seconds, the apartment door closed behind him.
She considered calling her friend Dawn to ask if she wanted to drive to Sandy River with her, but then she remembered that Aiden had taken a few days off, so Dawn would probably prefer spending some uninterrupted time with her partner. It seemed Giggles would have to do for some company on the way to the Saunderses’ cabin.
* * *
When Mr. Saunders had said cabin, Austen had expected a rustic one-room log structure in the middle of the woods, but as her navigation system led her around a bend in the two-lane street, a large house with a wraparound deck and a satellite dish came into view.
Austen checked the address he had given her, just to make sure she hadn’t taken a wrong turn somewhere and had landed at some luxury resort. The hastily scribbled note confirmed that this was the right place. She drove down the gravel road and parked her eight-year-old Hyundai next to a Jaguar, a Mercedes, and a Bentley.
So it wasn’t just Mr. Saunders and his wife and kids at the cabin. Was Dee here too? She gave herself a mental slap as her heartbeat picked up at the thought. Still, she couldn’t help looking around for the familiar BMW.
It was nowhere to be seen. Relief warred with disappointment.
“Come on, Giggles. Let’s go in.” She took the file and the prototype off the passenger seat and got out of the car.
The scent of firs and pines filled her nose as she slowly made her way toward the house. A river roared somewhere nearby, but she couldn’t see it, because the house was blocking her view. Mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks white with snow. A light scattering dusted the steps leading up to the front porch. On the top step, Austen paused and turned to enjoy the view for a moment.
“Nice, isn’t it?” came a low voice from behind her.
Austen jumped and dropped the file.
When she turned around, Dee sat on a bench, hidden in the shadows of the house.
“Jesus!” Austen clutched her chest. “You scared the hell out of me!”
“Sorry.” Dee stood and crossed the porch toward her.
They bent to pick up the file at the same time, which brought them face to face, with only inches of space between them. Both froze.
After a few seconds, Dee was the first to move. She held out the file. “Here.”
“What are you doing out here?” Austen asked, clutching the file and Giggles to her chest. Dee wasn’t even wearing a coat, just jeans and a burgundy sweater.
