Project Detour (Castle View Book 3) (10 page)

She picked up the book but took a second to stare into the fireplace. And that was the main reason she had to leave. She
could
get used to being part of a family, and having that pulled away from her would be worse than the pain of walking away.

She finished the book she was reading and checked her watch. It was midnight. Brad should be asleep by now. She could sneak down, find the next book and get a couple more chapters read before she turned in for the night.

She slipped out of the room and down the stairs. The house was so quiet she could hear the refrigerator running. Which made her think of the old elementary joke that the boys used to think was so funny. Men were different from day one. Their sense of humor, their thought processes, even their sense of touch was different than women’s. That last one was scientifically proven and she’d taken a class in college on the value of massage. If she and Brad hadn’t been on the avoid one another plan for the next two weeks, she would have given him a massage. But just the thought of his skin oiled up and under her hands as she rubbed made her think the wrong thoughts.

Maybe the fact she hadn’t had a serious boyfriend in the last few years was getting to her. She should look at dating once she had a job and a new place to live. Someone normal, maybe someone in the health care field that would understand her long hours. She entered Brad’s room and made her way to the fantasy section. He was OCD about his books. Everything was sectioned by genre and then by author. Robert Jordan’s books were even in series order. She slipped the one book in and took the next book out.

“You’re up late.”

Destiny almost dropped the book. She got a better hold on the volume and turned toward the bed. “So are you. Everything okay?”

“Just thinking.” He sighed and rubbed his face. “And I probably overdid it today. Trying to prove to everyone that I’m normal is pretty taxing. Especially when even I know it’s a stretch.”

She walked over to his bedside and turned on the light. “Do you need a pill?” His blond hair spilled across the pillow and he looked angelic. Something Brad Castle definitely wasn’t.

He shook his head. “I just need to get my neck to relax. I’m trying to stay away from the pain killers except for scheduled times. I don’t want to deal with any addiction after I’m healed. I can’t see myself looking in Spokane for a local dealer in my BMW.”

“I’m sure it wouldn’t be the first one they’ve seen. Drug issues happen to people in all socio-economic classes.” She set the book down and grabbed some lotion. She’d just said she would never do this, but she couldn’t leave him suffering. “Take your shirt off.”

“Excuse me?”

She rubbed her hands together to warm the lotion. “You heard me, take off your shirt. I don’t want to get this lotion on it. The oil makes it hard to get spots out of fabric.”

Brad looked at her, then he gave up. “I wouldn’t do this if I wasn’t hurting so bad. I do have my pride, you know.”

“I’ve seen you naked a couple of times now Brad. It’s not that big of a deal to have your shirt off.” She watched as he pulled the U of I t-shirt over his head. “Besides, U of I is a crappy school. Boise State rules.”

“I should have known you were from the valley. What brought you up here?” He laid back down as Destany started rubbing his chest and his arms. He was tight all over. No wonder he in pain. His muscles must be screaming.

“I came up here for a short girls’ weekend during college. When I saw St. Joseph’s, I fell in love. The place was so different than the farm house my mom and I lived in when I was growing up. It’s like the town was built in a forest.” She smiled at the memory. “After that, all my effort went into saving enough money and building my skills so I could have my own practice. When I thought I had enough money, I quit my job and came here.”

Brad’s eyes were closed. The massage was working. “What then?”

“You know the rest. I came, I failed, I went running away with my tail between my legs.”

He grabbed her arm. “Don’t say that. You didn’t fail. People start businesses all the time. Most of them don’t succeed. You know a lot more now than you did before. Take the life lessons into the next gig, whatever that might be.” He stared into her eyes, his gaze intense.

“Roll over on your side.” She waited for him to move before she came close and sat on the edge of the bed so she could reach him. “You’re right. It’s just hard to admit that my dream is over. Now, I have to start all over. And that sucks.”

He didn’t respond and she worked on the kinks in his neck and shoulders for over ten minutes. When they started to loosen, she wondered if he’d fallen asleep. “Brad?”

“Yes?” The tone of his voice didn’t hold any indication of being sleepy. Instead it felt intimate. Like all she had to do was lie next to him and she’d be enclosed in his arms.

“I was just checking if you were asleep.” She stood up from the bed. “You can roll back over. Do you feel better?”

“Much.” He rolled over then stared at her. His blue eyes showing his desire. “Do you want to lay down?”

“What?” Now it was Destiny’s turn to be confused.

He took her hand in his. “I know I’m not supposed to touch you, but after we kissed, all I can think about is you. The taste of you, the feel of you, heck, even that strawberry shampoo you use stays with me.”

“I can use something else.” She sat back down on the bed.

“What if I don’t want you to?” He drug one finger up and down the arm that was closest to him.

“This is a bad idea.” She took in a deep breath, not wanting to stay, but not wanting to leave either.

“I promise I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.” He patted the bed. “Just lay down with me until I fall asleep.”

“Boy, I’ve heard that pick up line before.” She lay next to him, staring into his eyes. “Just tonight.”

“Only tonight,” he agreed.

She nodded then scooted closer. For once, she was going with what she felt instead of what her head told her. Her body warmed where they touched. Giving in and letting what happens, she murmured in his ear. “Then start by kissing me.”

One night turned into two, then three, and now, a week later, Brad couldn’t imagine sleeping without Destiny by his side. Of course their lovemaking had to be creative, with his legs still in casts, but they’d managed. And when they weren’t enjoying each other, he had been practicing with his new toys, crutches.

He made his way to the kitchen where she was making lunch. “That smells wonderful. French dips?”

She turned and smiled at him. “And fresh cut French fries. And I did it all myself. Except calling Maggie to figure out if I needed to peel the potatoes. Those things are tough.”

“You’re a regular Betty Crocker now.” He eased himself into a chair. “Any chance I could get a glass of iced tea?”

“Of course.” She went to the fridge. “I wasn’t expecting you to finish with work so early. What happened? Did you give everyone the day off?”

“Funny girl. No, I received a call from a local supplier. They just doubled their order from last month. I guess the white zin from last year is really taking off. And, they said their customers are mentioning the wine festival. I love it when a marketing plan actually shows real results in sales. Mostly those are just like throwing spaghetti on the wall; you never know what’s going to stick.”

“Glad you’re happy. After lunch, do you want to read or watch a movie? I thought we could start the Divergent series.”

He shook his head. “Sorry, Maggie’s coming over and we’re talking about some joint marketing ideas she has for a few of the local festivals. With her participating, I can get the winery into some bigger venues, especially with how well the booth did at the Spokane event.” He finished off the tea. “Just bring lunch into my bedroom and I’ll eat there. I want to do some research before she gets here.”

He thought he heard her say something as he left, but as he paused, the kitchen behind him was quiet. Maybe he’d imagined it.

              By the time he’d finished lunch, Maggie had arrived and the two of them made a plan for five more events before the end of the year. Maggie would handle the first one, but by September, he should be able to attend the next four. With most of the summer gone already, he’d have to increase his marketing or this year’s vintage would be sitting in the warehouse, unsold. He’d already done some preliminary numbers, and if they had the same effect on sales as the Spokane one had, he’d have the loan on the winery paid off by next year. Then he could start building up a nest egg. One that he could use to finally retire somewhere warm and tropical. Maybe Destiny would be around to help him enjoy the warm sand. Smiling at the thought, he refocused on the winery. Maybe that was why he never held a girlfriend, he worked too much.

It was after five when Maggie left. Brad was so drained by the activity, he closed his eyes for a minute. When he woke up, it was almost eight. Destiny sat in her chair, reading a new book in the Jordan series. “Why did you let me sleep so long?”

She looked up from the page. “Because you were tired. Like it or not, you’re still healing. And working like you are is going to slow your progress. You need your rest.”

“I need food. What did you cook?” He sniffed the air. “I don’t smell anything.”

“That’s because I didn’t cook. I wasn’t going to waste my time putting together something if you were going to sleep until morning. I’ll go heat up some soup. We have rolls from last night’s dinner to go with it.” She stood to leave.

“Destiny?”

She paused at the doorway. “What is it, Brad?”

He felt something different between the two of them. “Are you mad at me?”

She didn’t turn around. “Of course not.” And then she disappeared into the darkened house.

***

It was stupid to be upset. Brad did have a winery to run. And even though his brother and sister had been helping out, it was still his responsibility. As Destiny awoke that morning in her own bed, she thought about the excuse she’d given him. He hadn’t even questioned her need to be alone, he’d been so worn out from the day’s activities. But even she saw he was getting better. He didn’t need her for any medical reason now. All he needed was a housekeeper that cooked.

She looked at the email she’d received last week from Mr. Landue. The offer had come in at twice the salary she’d estimated. Of course, she knew that wasn’t going to even come close to paying her for her hours. For the first couple years, while she set up the business, she’d be earning every penny. And be on call twenty-four seven for emergencies. He even offered to pay moving costs and for an apartment for up to six months while she looked for a place.

The only hang up was he wanted her down in Boise next week to start training. He knew that wasn’t giving her current situation two weeks’ notice, but he had a class starting for new therapists. He wanted her to be part so that she understood the complete process new employees completed. He’d ended his letter with how happy he would be if she chose to accept the position.

She re-read the last lines aloud. “I know you have plenty of opportunities but joining the Landue family will give you the experience of building a successful clinic with unlimited resources. And although, when the time comes, I’ll try to convince you to stay, I fully expect you’ll be back running your own shop within ten years.”

He knew how to entice her. She needed to talk to Brad. This relationship complicated things. If he saw a future between the two of them, moving to Spokane shouldn’t be a deal breaker. He went there all the time. She only had one last week here with Brad and anyone could do what she was doing. Well, except for the extra-curricular activities. She smiled at that thought and went to the bathroom to get ready for her day. She’d talk to Brad over breakfast and tell him her plans.

To her surprise, he was already in the kitchen when she came down. She glanced at the clock. “Hey, I didn’t over sleep, did I?” 

“No. Jose’s coming to get me and I’m meeting with a supplier at the winery at ten. I thought I’d get cleaned up a bit so if I’m not in my normal suit and tie, at least I don’t look like road kill.” He held up a slice of bread. “You want some toast? I’ve got scrambled cheesy eggs going.”

“Sure.” She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at the table, watching him maneuver the kitchen with ease. He was better. She should be happy, but for some reason, a sadness came over her. He wouldn’t need her to read him to sleep any more. Or to try to teach her to cook so they would have something edible for dinner. Brad was back to being Brad. So where did that leave them? “I got a job offer.”

She saw his body stiffen, but he didn’t turn around as he responded. “That’s great. Where are you off to? Sunny California or wintery New England?”

“Neither. I’ve been offered the job opening a clinic in Spokane.” She sipped her coffee, feeling the tension in the room.

“Then you’ll get to stay around. I bet you’re excited.” He set a plate in front of her, the eggs still steaming. Butter glistened on the toast. The breakfast was perfect. At least the food was.

She looked up at him. Deciding to go all in, she set her cup down on the table. “Thanks for breakfast. But, Brad, what about us?”

He returned to the stove, dishing up a second plate. He didn’t say anything until he returned and sat down. “What do you mean?”

“Just what I asked. What is this thing between the two of us? Is it casual? Is it going somewhere?” She picked up her fork, but didn’t take a bite. “Is it just sex?”

He started eating. “I don’t know. Jeez, Destiny, we’ve only been seeing each other in that way for less than a week and now you want me to commit to forever?”

“That’s not what I asked. I just want to know what you think about us.” She put her fork down. “And I guess that response just told me everything I needed to know.”

She left the room before tears could start. What had she been thinking? Brad Castle was a playboy. During the time she’d worked for his mom, she’d watched him burn through women like they were discount light bulbs. His mother had even warned her away from falling for the guy. Why had she thought their “relationship” would be any different? She’d been a plaything for him. And now that he had his life back, she was being thrown into the toy box so he could get back to running his winery.

She opened her laptop and sent off a response to the email. Then she made two calls. Once she was off the phone, she started packing.

Jonny rang the doorbell at five, her suitcase in hand, excitement in her eyes. “You’ve been living here? And you actually want to leave? Seriously, this place is huge.”

Destiny smiled as she showed her friend inside. “It’s for the best. I have to start my new life sometime. Besides, this way you can earn some of that crazy money I’ve been paying you to sit in an empty office.”

They walked through the rooms and Jonny stopped to ooh and ah over several of Brad’s art pieces. “This place is like a museum.”

She’d always thought of it as a castle. A castle for a Castle, but the museum analogy worked too. And Brad was the curator. He didn’t live life, he observed it. No messy relationships, no kids screaming in the hallway, no one to hurt or challenge him. He had the life he wanted, but Destiny had no interest in being a part of just another collection. “Your room’s up here. I’ll be leaving tonight as soon as I give him his night meds. I’ve got a red-eye to Boise leaving at 11:30.”

They walked into the guest room and Jonny plopped down on the couch. “This place is so rad, I may never want to leave.”

“After you spend a week with Mr. Castle, you’ll be ready to get back to normal life. I promise you.” She went on to tell her that she’d already put on clean sheets, showed her the bathroom and went through a list of duties including making sure lunch and dinner arrived. “He’s been eating in the kitchen so I don’t think you’ll have to bring the food to him. But just ask where he wants to eat.”

“I’ll be a model employee.” Jonny held up a three finger salute as they sat on the couch. “You’ll be proud of me.”

“I’m sure I will. If you have any problems, I’ve left Sandy and Maggie’s numbers on the pad on my—I mean, the desk.” She pointed to that side of the room. “You can call me if you need too. His doctor’s number is over there as well, but he has a house call on Wednesday next week. That may be your last day, but if you’re asked to stay on one more week, I’d appreciate your saying yes.”

“Did you not hear me say I’m never leaving?” Jonny smiled and leaned toward her. “Are you sure you want to leave this way? I thought you and the ogre were getting along pretty well.”

“We were. However, it’s time for me to leave. Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
My heart’s a little broken and I feel like an utter fool, but I’m fine
. She couldn’t say that line out loud. Better for Johnny to think this was all about the exciting, new job than Destiny actually running away from a fight. Or more accurately, a man.  “I’ll call you as soon as I’m back in Spokane and we can do dinner at that Hawaiian fusion place you like so much.”

“But you’re okay, right?”

Jonny had an uncanny way of seeing right into Destiny’s mind. When she was upset, her assistant knew sooner than she’d even admitted it to herself. “I’m fine. A little touchy, but this is the right move for my future. Thanks for coming at such short notice.”

“Like I have a life.”

They both turned to the open bedroom door when a bang sounded below. Destiny stood and smoothed back her hair. “Brad’s home. You just get settled in and I’ll handle him for the night. Do me a favor, though. Don’t go downstairs tonight. I’ll bring dinner to you. I’d rather not get in to a discussion about the transfer with him. His mom knows and she is actually paying the bill, so that’s all that matters.”

“Whatever you want. I’ll start my duties as soon as you say so. Until then, does this fireplace actually work? And the big screen?”

Destiny handed her friend the TV remote and turned on the fireplace. “The off switch is here if you get too hot.”

“Destiny? You up there?” Brad called from the foot of the stairs. “The delivery kid from Maggie’s just dropped off our dinner. I thought maybe we’d cook tonight.”

Jonny’s eyes widened. “You cook?” she whispered, a grin curling her lips.

“Stay out of that.” Destiny went to the doorway and eased the door shut. “I’ll be right down.”

Brad waited at the bottom of the stairs. “Doc Roberts called on my x-ray. My back is fine. We should celebrate.”

“I ordered steak and lobster.” Destiny put on a smile she didn’t feel. “And Maggie’s chocolate cake for dessert.”

“The one with the melted middle? You’re an angel. You must have read my mind.” Brad started to swing his way into the kitchen on his crutches. “About the other night…I mean, I want us to go somewhere. I’m just not good at long commitments. It’s like I freak out when I stay with one woman too long.”

“Brad, let’s not talk about that. I was pushing. I should just let things be.” She couldn’t change her mind now. His words had hurt, but she wasn’t willing to hang around until he freaked out and ended their relationship.

He nodded. “Exactly. If we let things grow naturally, we’ll know where this thing is going eventually.” He came up behind her. “I do care for you Destiny.”

“That’s nice to know.” She nodded to the chair. “Sit down and tell me about your day. I’ll plate dinner.”

Brad talked as she placed the food on the table. She was careful to leave enough to be able to feed Jonny too. Everything smelled so good. It made her want to cry. The dinner was just so normal. She might not miss Brad and his ‘let’s see where this goes’ attitude, but she would miss eating Maggie’s cooking.  Oh, who was she kidding? Leaving would wrench out her heart.