Whiskey and Gumdrops: A Blueberry Springs Chick Lit Contemporary Romance (16 page)

She drew away before she got stuck, unable to let go. "This will be better, staying here at Benny's." She nodded. "I'll be able to live a real life and not be stuck running a business twenty-four, seven." She gave another nod. Yes. That was it. Think positively. "Less stress. The last few weeks have been insane and I wasn't even running a business!"

Frankie tilted his head back and scratched his neck like a cat getting a chin rub. His expression grew distant, as though he was working up a plan. "You need collateral. Someone to secure the loan for you."

"My truck isn't enough," she warned. "And I said—"

"I have an idea." Frankie's eyes lit up and he took off down the street at a trot. "Don't worry about the Charger. I'll get it delivered later," he called.

Mandy followed him a few steps, then hesitated before returning to the restaurant.

She wasn't sure what he was up to, but the little spark within her that she'd been too afraid to extinguish flared again. Maybe—just maybe—her best friend would come up with something she hadn't.

* * *

Mandy looked over the papers stapled together. She met Frankie's eye, her heart colliding with her gut. He was grinning as though he'd just unveiled the Taj Mahal and said it was for her.

He obviously didn't see these papers the way she did.

If she signed this document, there would be money between friends. Something she'd told him she wasn't going to do. But on the flip side, if she didn't sign them, Frankie was going to take this rejection hard. Harder than any past rejections.

"You didn't see it coming, did you?" he said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "But it makes perfect sense. You're going to use the building, anyway, so why not use it as collateral? Then you can get a bigger loan." He dusted his hands and smiled. Problem solved. "You're still doing it on your own, too."

She choked back the urge to yell. He was acting just like her father. Sweep in and fix the mess with no regard to what she wanted.

She stomped across the dusty floor of his building. "Have you inhaled too many paint fumes? If I fail, you'll lose your inheritance." Hysteria built within her. "I said I didn't want to put you at financial risk! I'm overextended and I don't
want
a business partner! Why is it all or nothing with you these days? Didn't getting hurt in derby teach you anything? Some risks just aren't worth taking."

How could he talk to Wini and John behind her back and set things up so she had no other recourse than to say yes to the stupid carrot dangling in front of her stinkin' nose? Why hadn't anyone come and talked to her? Where was the damned rumor mill when she needed it?

"It doesn't make us partners," Frankie said evenly, not looking the least bit chagrined. "And I learned plenty wrecking my shoulder."

"Dammit, Frankie."

"One of us should move forward and pursue a dreams."

She closed her eyes and breathed through her nose, trying to calm herself. Did he really have to add a dollop of guilt to top off this sundae of friendship doom?

"Not going on the show was your choice," she said, her voice hard. She waved the paper at him. "You realize this could ruin our friendship?"

He shrugged as if to say,
Easy come, easy go
. His hands were tucked casually in the pockets of his perfectly worn jeans that hugged his tush in all the right ways. God, why was she thinking about his ass? She was supposed to be figuring out how to get him to butt out.

No. This was perfect. Perfect! If they were hard and fast business partners, she'd stop thinking about him as a piece of meat. She wouldn't be able to think about his ass if his money was on the line. And she most certainly wouldn't have the time.

"You never know," he said, running a hand down her arm, wincing as he moved his sore shoulder. "This could make us even better friends." He held her gaze, his eyes flecked with a kindness that was inviting in all the ways she wanted. And in all the ways she needed to refuse in order to preserve what they currently had between them.

She turned away, but he slung a warm arm over her shoulder, drawing her close to protect her against the unheated building's chill. He held her tight to his side, his gentle strength drawing her in, protecting her.

Tears pricked her eyelids. She'd do anything to keep them like this. Safe. Friends.

But if their friendship was so easy come, easy go for him...

Damn. There was no real choice.

With tears pricking at her eyes, she flipped to the last page in the document and, holding it against her leg, scrawled her name along the bottom line.

She stared at it for a second, a sadness overlying any small thrills that tried to ripple through her. Business partners.

She wanted everything, but not this.

She drew herself up to her full height and jutted out her chin. She hoped to send the message with her peeved shrug that her agreeing to become partners was anything but fine and he'd better darn well tread carefully until her name was off that document. She slapped his chest with the papers and he slowly accepted them.

"If you don't care about our friendship and don't feel it's worth protecting, then
fine
. I don't care, either." She balled her hands at her sides. "It was nice being friends with you and, for my own sake, I hope I enjoy being a restaurant owner even more." She worked to keep her emotions under control and particularly, the tears that were battling for release.

"It won't wreck out friendship," grumbled Frankie with an eye roll. He stepped back, his cheeks flushed. "And it won't kill you to accept help from a friend."

"Money between friends never turns out well." She pointed a finger at him.

"It worked out fine between Alex and Annie. And they were friends."

"Your boss was practically engaged when she stepped in to help him start the place!" Mandy exploded. "So, of course it worked out."

He stepped closer, challenging her. "And?"

"And what?" she snapped.

Frankie focused on her eyes, taking her in. He moved closer, his anger fizzing, his scent comforting her, despite the fight within. He threw the stapled papers across the room and they fluttered and crashed down like a wounded bird. "You need to learn to let friends help. You need to let people in and not be so god-awful bloody independent all the time."

"I'm only trying to protect our friendship," she said, hugging herself as she backed against a dusty wall.

"Oh, yeah?" He drew closer, taking up the space between them, his nose just about brushing hers as he asked, "And when was the last time you let a friend help you, Miss Independent?"

She turned her head, her cheeks burning with anger. "I just signed the damned papers and proved I
can
accept help. I don't have to answer to you!"

Frankie suddenly gripped her arms and jammed his lips down over hers, kissing her long and deep, as though he was drawing her soul from her body. His lips softened as they explored the fullness of her mouth and her body weakened at his intensity. She sagged against his firm body, her own body reacting and tingling in all the right places. In her shock, her brain shut out her determination to not kiss him back. Her tongue dipped into his mouth and he leaned into her. Her head bumped the wall as he consumed her, weakened her and stole any lingering resolve.

He suddenly released her, breathing hard, his eyes burning as he said, "Yes. You do have to answer me."

He stepped away, leaving her propped against the wall on weak legs.

Holy hell, Batman. When did Frankie get so bloody fucking hot and steamy and alpha male? And why now? Now that she was in a business agreement with him and the last thing she should be doing is imagining lying him out on the dusty floor and prying his faded blue jeans from his taut body?

"You and me?" Frankie pointed at the space between them. "We're only just beginning."

Chapter
11

Hell on rollerskates. It was all coming together. She shot Frankie a grin and clicked on her new website. It was her. Her! On the
Internet
! As a proud owner of an upcoming Wrap it Up.

Dammit all, but thanks to Frankie, it was actually happening. In a matter of weeks, she'd be well on her way to being in business on her own. And true to his word, he was butting out. Just being an amazing, supportive friend helping her out as needed. He didn't even blink an eye when she'd outlined the modifications that had to be made to his building. And according to Seth, she would be opening her doors well before the end of September—possibly even by the end of August if the back-ordered kitchen equipment came in soon. She had her heart set on everything opening by that time—and not just so she'd start making money a month earlier, but so she could begin wooing that precious foot traffic into her restaurant, creating habits before the weather got too cold and people only went out when they had to.

She nudged her business partner and grinned at the photo Liz had taken of her shaking hands with Seth in front of Frankie's building. "That makes it feel official, huh?"

He nodded, his eyes filled with pride. She grinned back, resisting the urge to plant a happy kiss on his lips. There was something about him being her business partner and sharing this dream that made him undeniably sexy. Sometimes she even caught herself thinking about how well this partnership was working and that maybe they could take it one step further. Which was silly. And so, so wrong of her.

Knowing he was in this adventure, too, made her fizz with excitement. The only problem was his ass was on the line, meaning if she failed... Well, that idea made her chest tighten in a completely different way than it did when her mind drifted back to their soul-consuming kiss.

Frankie leaned over Mandy's shoulder, his bare arm brushing hers, sending a surge of anticipation through her bloodstream. "Your brother did a good job. Nice of him to get it done before his surgery." Frankie gave her shoulder a squeeze, his hand warm and strong, sending rumblings throughout her nervous system. "I know everyone has high hopes for him."

"If this one isn't it," she said with a sigh, her mood cannonballing, "I'm not sure how he'll manage—psychologically. He'd been through so many unsuccessful surgeries... He needs to move on with his life." She chewed her lower lip. Maybe there was a way she could help him out—more than by giving him the odd web design job. Some way to help him become independent again. Maybe if she approached Jen again, she could find a way for the three of them to work together. Something. Anything. Even if they didn't make a profit.

"How's the show and shine site coming along?" asked Frankie. "Any word?"

Was it just her or was he brushing against her intentionally as he moused around her website?

Stop it! Just stop it, brain! He's off limits! Just because you're excited about the restaurant, don't go projecting it onto him and his heavenly body.

She turned to face Frankie, pushing her chair away when his proximity threw her off again. His lips were much too close to hers if she wanted to avoid grabbing him and shoving herself into his lap. Her mouth was hungry for more of him than was right
to want from a friend.

"He, um...they..."
Damn. Look away from his lips. Be strong. He's waiting for you to make the next move and you
will not make it
! Do you understand?
And while you're at it, b
reathe, dammit.
 

She closed her eyes to help refocus her thoughts. He was waiting for an answer, that was why he was watching her intently. Not because of anything else. He was just waiting for her to speak.

"Yes!" Mandy turned back to her computer in relief, and brought up the cruise night website. "It's done. Didn't I mention that? Man, it's warm in here, isn't it?" She fanned herself with her hand.

Frankie leaned closer and took over the mouse, his arm resting against hers. "Mmm. You smell like fries." He gave her a smile she forced herself to ignore. She shuffled her chair further away so he could have better access to the computer and so she could shake off the electricity zinging up her arm from his touch.

"I like it," he said finally. "Except we decided to move the date back by about a month."

"What?" Mandy frowned at Frankie, sitting up straight. "When did that happen?"

"Sorry. We should have called you over, but I knew you were busy. We decided we couldn't pull it together in time so we've pushed back the date back to the September long weekend."

"Oh."

"Is that okay?" he asked, his eyes studying her.

She nodded again. "Of course."

"Do you have a date for your opening yet? Maybe they could coincide?" He grabbed a brownie off the plate beside him and jammed it in his mouth. She tried to look away as he licked the chocolate from his lips but found she couldn't. He laughed and wiped his mouth with the palm of his hand. "Sorry. I'm disgusting you."

"It's fine," she said, her voice higher than usual. "And no. No date yet. A pile of stuff has been delayed."

And there it was again. That whirlpool of worry in the pit of her gut. She stood and walked to the window, grabbing Portia to cuddle against her chest on her way. She'd read an article about how a deal to merge Wrap it Up and another big fast food company had been rejected. The idea of Seth accepting a buyout while she was still trying to get her place off the ground worried her. What if she just got going and then had to change everything because some big, impersonal corporation wanted things done differently? She'd be buying out the headache remedy section of the drug store trying to keep up with everything. But when she'd brought it up with Seth, he'd told her to relax and that businesses always looked for opportunities to expand and that everything was fine. He wouldn't partner with anyone that wouldn't be good for his franchisees.

But still. Worry and dread crashed over her whenever she gave them half a chance.

"Do you want me to call about the delays?" Frankie held up his phone and Mandy rolled her eyes, depositing Portia onto the windowsill.

"You're a
silent
partner, remember?" She gave his shoulder a light shove.