Her Irresistible Troublemaker (A Town Named Eden Book 3) (5 page)

He stopped and looked at her. “You’ve got it all worked out.”

“Not really. None of it is written in stone, but I’m happy to work with my current guidelines,” she said and decided she was in too deep now to back out. She might as well pretend she knew what she was talking about. “Or at least it’s the excuse I give so friends will get off my back.”

When he swept his fingers across his chin, Lexie wondered what it would feel like to have that light bristle brush against her skin.

“Sounds to me like you need to go out with someone you’re not attracted to.”

Lexie gestured with her hand and then dropped it. Did he have someone in mind? A friend? Himself? “That sort of reasoning might as well be spiked with caffeine. I’m going to spend the entire night tossing it around in my head.”

Date someone she wasn’t attracted to?

Chapter Five

“We’re riding a tandem bicycle?”

Ava laughed. “It’ll be fun. I’ve always wanted to try it. Besides, you said you wanted some exercise.”

“I suppose it’s one way of easing into it.” Lexie drew in a breath and huffed it out discreetly as they pushed off. “I only get to do half the work. Hopefully, there’ll only be half as much post ride pain to look forward to tonight.” Although, she’d welcome anything that could distract her from thinking about Jack, even as a part of her sparked with curiosity about him.

She’d notched up two encounters with him and in both instances her reaction hadn’t differed. The sight of him had been enough to give her heart a good cardio workout, from skipping beats to thumping and bouncing ones.

Did she have one of those instant crushes that made one lose all sense of reality and perspective? The sort of attraction that could bleach her memory. What had happened to despising the man who’d ruined her view?

It had been a long while since she’d found a man remotely appealing, but of all the men who might have ticked the physical attraction boxes, why did it have to be Jack “Killjoy” Riley? Lexie dipped her head and focused on the path ahead.

“I don’t suppose a man has anything to do with your sudden foray into physical activity. Maybe someone you’ve met recently?”

Trust Ava to hit a bullseye. “Are you pedaling back there or just sitting back and looking pretty? Come on, put your back into it, we’re going uphill and this is supposed to be a team effort.”

“Interesting. You’re avoiding answering the question. So, who is he?”

“No one.”

“There has to be some gain to all this pain. I’m guessing it’s your neighbor.”

“Ava, he’s not my neighbor. Jack is... The man who keeps walking away from me.”

“Ah ha. I knew it. You’ve got a thing for him. And yes, before you ask, you said that out loud.”

Lexie’s attention drifted to a cyclist ahead. She tried to appreciate his lean back and gorgeously firm butt. She forced herself to take in the sinewy muscles on his calves. She urged her heart to pump a little harder with excitement. And when the cyclist steered off the path running along the river and onto the road, Lexie tried to stamp the image of his athletic body in her mind for future reference, but the moment she lost sight of him the mental image faded to nothing and was immediately replaced by a set of calm, dark gray eyes, firm chin, kissable lips...

“Would you spend time with someone who’s interested in you because you’re not interested in dating?” A full minute of silence had Lexie turning to check if Ava had heard her. “Any thoughts?”

“I need more information.”

Thinking it was too late to retract the conversation starter, Lexie nodded. “Let’s say he, this hypothetical man, wouldn’t mind hanging out with you but doesn’t want it leading anywhere.” She didn’t know for sure, but that was the impression Jack had given her, or at least the one she’d decided made more sense. Why else would he suggest she date someone she wasn’t attracted to?

“Is he gay?”

“No.”

“You’re talking about a platonic relationship.”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m not sure. What if I changed my mind and decided I was attracted to him? I’d be in trouble then because I’d have to convince him to start seeing me in a new light. On the other hand, it’d be worse if he changed his mind and I didn’t. I’d have to deal with unwanted attention and be forced to be gentle and diplomatic. Something you know I’m not very good at.”

“You’re one of the few people I know who can get away with being blunt,” Lexie agreed while her mind churned out thoughts of unrequited lust.

“So, when are you going out with this hypothetical man?”

* * *

“You came to talk to me about dad?” Jack scowled at Mason. “Today’s Sunday. You’d think I could at least have one carefree day.”

Mason laughed. “You’re wielding your paintbrush. It can’t be much of a carefree day. Hang on a sec,” his brother said and turned his attention to a call.

Jack had considered taking the day off, but then he’d thought about Lexie and before he’d known what he was doing, he was driving over to the building site. In a few weeks, the project would be completed. He’d be moving on to something else and she would be...

Out of sight, out of mind.

Meanwhile…

He raked his fingers through his hair. What did he want to do? How did he want to handle this burgeoning interest?  By finding a way to stay focused and on track, that’s how. Ever since meeting Lexie Gardner, she’d been weaving her way around his thoughts.

Jack gave a firm nod. He’d worked hard to simplify his life. He’d worked even harder to maintain a safe distance from all distractions. This really wasn’t the time to let his mind wander.

He needed to continue growing his business and think about where he wanted to be in ten years’ time. These were still early days for him. He’d made a success of his career in banking, but somewhere along the line he’d lost the passion for it. Then he’d found it again in an investment property he’d purchased.

He’d started spending his weekends and a few evenings here and there renovating it, but when he’d seen the finished product, he’d swelled with so much satisfaction and pride he’d taken the leap of faith, throwing himself into the business fulltime.

While he preferred the personal touch of small-scale renovations, he’d needed a bigger influx of money and so had taken on this new building project.

Once it was completed, he’d figure out how best to use his skills and time. So far, he hadn’t had a chance to look back. He didn’t even regret losing Juliette along the way. While he’d been quick to adjust to his new career, Juliette… well, the same couldn’t be said for Juliette. She’d given it her best shot, lasting a few months before calling the engagement off. In the end, she hadn’t wanted someone who dressed in scruffy jeans and forgot to get his hair cut.

Lately he’d been wondering if the experience had made a lasting impact on him. Had he become a diehard cynic?

Jack pulled himself away from that train wreck of a thought before it could gather momentum and take off. As for thinking too much about Lexie Gardner...

“My date’s running late,” his brother said as he slipped his cell inside his pocket.

“What’s with the suit?”

Mason adjusted his tie and cleared his throat. “I’m on my way to a wedding.”

“Who’s?”

“I’ve no idea. I’m doing a favor for one of the girls at the office. Rachel wants to go to the wedding but not alone.”

“An office romance? Those can be tricky.”

Mason shook his head. “I like Rachel, but not in a romantic way. She’s fun to be with. Like hanging out with a friend.”

“You’re deluded if you think that’s possible between men and women.” Lexie wasn’t after a relationship, and he wasn’t after a relationship. It made him wonder...

He’d enjoyed the time he’d spent with her the night before and had been surprised to hear her admission about not wanting to date. There had to be a story behind that. She didn’t strike him as a man-hater, so maybe she was taking a break from it all and regrouping. That was something he could relate to.

Jack brushed a hand across his face. Since his encounter with Lexie, he’d started thinking too much about not being in a relationship. Maybe it was time to do something about it. He almost wished he could tap into Mason’s laidback attitude to dating.

Out of the two, Mason had collected far more notches than he ever let on, and he never seemed to acquire excess baggage from the experiences. The fact he was hanging out with a woman he had no interest in made him a font of knowledge.

“Got time for a coffee?”

“Make it brunch and I’m in. I still have a couple of hours to kill before I pick up Rachel, and like it or not, we need to plan a welcome home and belated wedding reception for dad, his new wife, and—”

“Have you met her?”

Mason shook his head. “Dad was uncharacteristically cagey about her. I guess he’s had enough of your disapproval.”

“What the hell are you talking about? I’ve never told him how I feel about his wives.”

“With you, silence isn’t golden, it’s a dead giveaway to how you feel. Anyway, we also have the other addition to look forward to.”

“Don’t tell me. New stepsisters.”

“Just the one, so you need to rustle up a date. Like it or not, we’re throwing him a party.”

Another stepsister to welcome into the family fold and keep in line. “Do you think I could borrow your Rachel for the night?” Over the years, they’d dealt with the shifting family dynamics by keeping things nice and simple. That wasn’t to say their new stepmoms didn’t try to set them up.

“Sorry, I’ve got first dibs.”

* * *

“I’m all out of energy.” Lexie couldn’t even think, her stomach felt so empty.

“You sound forlorn and you’re looking across the road at the café. Are you trying to tell me something?”

Lexie slumped against the bicycle handlebars. “My hair’s clumpy from wearing this bicycle helmet. I’m sure my cheeks are blotchy and I’ve sweated so much I must look like a drowned rat unfit for public consumption, but I’d kill for a chocolate muffin.”

“You realize that’ll defeat the purpose of all this exercise.”

“Baby steps.” They returned the tandem bike to the rental shop and strode across the street to the café, but as they neared it, Lexie felt second thoughts creeping in. She must look a mess. Then again, why would she care what she looked like?

Ava gave her a gentle shove inside the café. “Don’t fuss. You look adorable in your polka dot shorts.”

Lexie took a deep breath, put her blinkers on and arrowed her way to the counter.

“You’ve just turned a couple of heads and all eyes were on your shorts. I want a pair. Where did you get them?”

“It’s a little place called Le Thrift Store.”

Ava chuckled. “That’s where all my impulse purchases go to find a new owner. Last time I went into a thrift store looking for a retro outfit to wear to a costume ball I fell in love with a skirt and bought it without realizing it was something I’d donated the week before. Now that I think about it, those shorts do look familiar.”

“I should go shopping with you and make you buy stuff I like.” Lexie placed her order for coffee and a muffin. “I need a new dating outfit,” she shrugged, “Just in case… And I’m a bit short of disposable cash.” That reminded her about the chat she’d been meaning to tackle with Ava instead of meandering off into attraction la-la-land.

She needed another source of income, preferably doing something she loved. For the last year, she’d been using her savings to get by and while the comic strip brought in a regular income, it wasn’t enough to splurge on impulse purchases. It definitely wasn’t enough to impress her parents. They still expected her to justify her leap of faith move to the city with a healthy bank account balance.

“If you need money—”

“I can always swallow my pride and ask my parents or my sister. But I’m rather attached to my pride, as well as my independence.” She shook her head. At twenty-five years of age she really needed to start focusing on creating a solid foundation for herself. “I need to get another job to supplement my income. Either that or cave in to my parents’ heartfelt desire and go back to school to study something practical.”

Ava dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. “Your comic strip has a huge following. Why not turn it into a graphic novel?”

Lexie frowned, and then widened her eyes. “You have to tell me how you come up with solutions without first tearing your hair out.”

“Doing a graphic novel is the most obvious next step for you,” Ava explained in her breezy tone. “Surely you’ve thought about it.”

“Well… Isn’t it early days yet?” She hated the uncertainty in her voice. In the last year alone she’d packed in a lifetime’s worth of achievements, turning a whimsical dream into reality. She’d been so shaken up by the car accident, she hadn’t stopped to think, to consider the negatives of taking such a huge leap of faith.

If she’d been in full possession of her senses, she would have agonized over every detail, worrying about the unpredictable nature of trying something she knew next to nothing about, going around in circles until she talked herself out of even trying. Luckily, Ava had given her the necessary shove in the right direction, insisting she had nothing to lose and who knew what to discover.

“Honey, you need to start taking a daily dose of Carpe Diem. Your fans would love to see more of Lulu McGee.”

“I’m never short of ideas for Lulu’s weekly escapades. In fact, it’s always a struggle to keep it short.”

“There you go. Problem solved.” Ava grabbed hold of her arm. “Before you scuttle off home to start working on your ideas, let’s see if we can find a table in the courtyard.”

“You’re not giving me much of a choice.”

“No, I’m not. You’ve been away for a month. We still need to catch up. And you can start by telling me how Jack Riley compares to your ex, Jamie.”