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But they’re so nice. Why not stay?
Moving close to the door, Darcy spotted the flyers that had appeared that morning. Jocelyn Pierson’s name was displayed in bold letters as the event contact for donations benefitting the children’s ward at the hospital. Garret’s hospital where he worked for Jocelyn’s father in the position Garret’s grandfather helped him get. Garret was too nice a guy to screw with his life.
She enjoyed the time she spent with him. Loved how he made her laugh and blush and feel like a woman instead of a beached whale. But she liked it too much. He was too handsome, too flirtatious, too kind. Too nice a guy for her to have to sit back and watch him marry another woman.
That’s why you can’t stay.
JOSS APPEARED in front of Garret during his workout, looking every inch Harry’s daughter in her sleek suit and high heels. “Hey, feeling better?” he asked.
“Yes, I am. Thank you.”
“What’s wrong?”
“You tell me. I just got off the phone with Daddy.” Her light blue eyes narrowed in concern. “I can’t believe he had the gall to say what he did to yourmother.I’m so embarrassed. He treats me like I’m a child, not a woman.”
Maybe if Joss spoke up more, Harry wouldn’t do that. Garret smiled, grim, almost wishing shehadput Harry up to it. At least then it would mean she cared enough to fight for him. How juvenile was that? But her mood of late worried him, and he wouldn’t mind a little better idea of where he stood. They were two adults, but the pressure to keep their families happy was intense. This was why guys didn’t bring the girl home to meet the parents until he knew for sure what he wanted. “Mom was fine. We had a nice chat when she came to see me about it.” He nodded toward her clothes. “You working out?”
“No. I had to take my car to Nick’s. It’s making a funny noise.”
“You should’ve said something. I could’ve had a look at it.”
“You’re too busy, and Nick said it would take ten minutes. A fan belt or some such. I saw your car and thought I’d come to apologize. I don’t know what’s gotten into Daddy lately. He’s so insistent that we make things permanent.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. You don’t need that pressure on top of getting ready for the opening.”
“I’m okay. So why are you here now? I thought you always worked out in the morning?”
“I was hoping to run into Toby.”
“Oh? Any particular reason why?”
“I think he’s feeling pretty low about not getting the partnership. Thought I might try to cheer him up. Guess I’ll track him down some other time. Want to grab some dinner? I’m almost done here.”
She shook her head. “That sounds lovely. It really does, but I can’t. I need to meet with the caterer about opening night.”
“This late?”
“She works out of her home and we need to go over some things. Did I tell you I’m hosting a charity toy drive the night of the opening? I’m coordinating it with the hospital to help supply the toy bin in Pediatrics and send every child home with a new or gently used toy.”
“That’s great.”
Just then the door to the designated massage room opened and a drowsy looking woman emerged. She paused in the doorway to say her goodbyes. He couldn’t see Darcy.
“I’ve got to go. Nick promised to have my car ready. Give me a call later tonight if you get a chance.”
“Uh, yeah, sure. Be careful.” He shifted to make it easier for her to give him a kiss.
“Ick. You’re all sweaty. Don’t muss me for my meeting.” She kissed more air than lips, flashed him her practiced smile and then walked away.
Garret glanced back toward the massage room only to find the door closed once more. Swearing beneath his breath at the strange situation he found himself in, he grabbed his gear from the locker room and headed out of the gym.
The February air cooled the sweat on his skin with numbing swiftness, but that was nothing compared to the surprise he felt when he saw Joss standing outside her car talking to Toby. Joss looked flustered, her normally ultra-cool persona nowhere to be found as she stared up into Toby’s face and gave him what for about something. The scene caught his attention because she looked so fiery and passionate. Sounlikethe woman she was with him. The woman she’d appeared inside the gym. If he wasn’t mistaken she almost looked—
Interested in Toby?
The thought came out of nowhere, a sucker punch that couldn’t have shocked him more. No way. It was his imagination. One of the first lessons in law school was that in domestic cases the guilty are usually the first to accuse the innocent of their own crimes. The fact he liked Darcy, was curious about her and had been thinking about her as something other than afriend,that was why he saw what he thought he saw.
He took a step forward to join them but something held him back. Garret watched, unable to take his eyes off the scene playing out before him. Joss said something he couldn’t hear, but Toby’s reaction was instantaneous. His buddy bent forward, his head lowering, his posture that of a man about to kiss a woman senseless—or quiet. At the last second, Toby stopped and pulled away, but there was no denying the sexual tension flaring between the two of them.
