“What about this New York girl?” asked his father. “Maggie likes her lots. And Nils. And Paul.”
“Paul?” His voice was so harsh when he said his friend’s name, it didn’t even sound like him.
“Sure. Paul says she’s a great girl.”
“She is.”
Lars didn’t like this one bit. He thought back to the concert in the park when Paul seemed so chummy with Jane. Paul wouldn’t make a play for Jane, would he? He could see how Lars felt about her, couldn’t he?
“He sure got over Jenny quick.”
“Lars! Jen’s been gone almost two years. Married with a child now. It’s good for Paul to move on.”
Like hell he’ll move on with my Jane.
Over my dead body.
He looked up at his father’s twinkling blue eyes, and knew his father was reading his face like a book.
“Huh. Well, if it’s like that, son, you’d best do something about it, eh? Sooner than later, I think.”
“I guess I’d better at that.”
But that was the problem. He wanted to spend time with Jane, but he wasn’t sure how to go about it.
Why was she so sad, and how could he help make it better?
He needed a way to spend time with her away from her cousin. He wondered if he could convince Jane to stay behind in Gardiner for the weekend while Samara headed to Jackson Hole. His family would be in town for the twins’ baptism, yes, but half of his family already loved Jane and he knew the rest would be just as warm. He’d have to think about it, try to come up with an excuse good enough to get her to consider staying.
Suddenly he frowned. And he’d have to be sure Paul got out of the goddamned way. If Paul wasn’t aware that there was something between Lars and Jane, it needed to be made crystal clear and no mistake.
Nils stood up from his seat, gesturing to the round table in the front window where they often sat with clients, planning adventures or tours.
“Guess we should get to it?”
They each took a seat at the table, ready to hammer out the future of Lindstrom Elite.
CHAPTER 9
As Thursday wore on, Jane just kept reminding herself, Get through today; she’s gone tomorrow. Get through today; she’s gone tomorrow.
They were at Old Faithful, and for once it wasn’t Sara who was slowing down the shoot, it was Old UNFaithful, which hadn’t blown its top in over an hour. Since wait times were anywhere from ninety minutes to two and a half hours, it could still be a while before the jet of hot, steamy water erupted into the sky again.
Sara sat in her trailer pouting, kept company by Sebastian since Jane was keeping her distance. The sky was clear and the sun was high, but the air around them was filled with moisture from the geyser’s steam and there was no way Sara’s hair and makeup would last through the heat of the late afternoon. They had gotten a great set of two shots in the morning, but now they all cooled their heels waiting. There were other geysers nearby, but none of them had the awesome height and power of Old Faithful, so they waited for the intense bubbling to begin, when they would hurry Sara from her trailer over to the flat rocks in front of the geyser for the second shoot.
Jane sat in a director’s chair next to Ray, counting down the minutes until the shoot was over for today and she could go back to her motel room and then to the Prairie Dawn for euchre.
Ray turned to her, nudging her elbow to get her attention.
“Honey, I have got to know where this magical, stiff backbone came from, because you know your Ray-Ray likes anything magical and stiff!”
Jane turned to Ray, who had lowered his sunglasses to peek at her.
“I don’t know.” She shrugged, popping a lollipop between her lips. “I guess everyone has a breaking point.”
“And yours shoulda been in Madrid when she screamed BITCH at you loud enough to wake up the dead at three o’clock in the a.m., drunk off her bony ass from too much Cava.”
“Nah. That was already months overdue,” she said, remembering Cairo.
“Things gonna change when we get home, Janie?”
“I think they’re gonna have to, Ray.”
“Now, I know you ain’t talking about leaving us, because you would not break Ray Cartier’s tender heart.”
“That wouldn’t be my first choice…but Sara may not have room for the new me.”
Ray put his sunglasses back on his head and leaned back, sighing in the warmth of the sun. Jane looked toward the parking area and saw Lars leaning against his truck, like an actor out of a western movie, impossibly masculine with his cowboy boots, jeans, polo shirt and cowboy hat. What a long, boring day for him.
As much as she would have loved to spend the day leaning against his truck next to him, and as much as her spirits soared yesterday when he turned down Sara, she still didn’t trust that they were out of the proverbial woods. She thought about the conversation she had overheard this morning that made her hopes take a significant dive.
She’d come up behind Sara and Lars sipping coffee near the Kraft table, and unseen, she’d eavesdropped on their conversation.
“About tonight…” she heard Sara say.
Lars had looked at her quickly. “Hmm?”
“How about this weekend instead? Know where I’m headed tomorrow?”
“Jackson Hole, right?”
“Mm-hm. But I could use some company, Lars. You. Me. At the Amangani. Infinity pool. Gorgeous dinners. Amaaaaazing bed. Pick up where we left off yesterday? Hmmm?”
Jane’s heart was hammering. Pick up where we left off yesterday? What happened yesterday? Jane had assumed that Lars turning down a night with Sara was the extent of their interaction, and her stomach rolled over uncomfortably at the thought that they’d possibly gotten physical in her trailer.
“Tempting,” he had murmured.
“Mmm. Speaking of that bed, I am a very creative girl.”
“Hmm.”
“Promise.” Sara ran her fingers lightly up and down Lars’s arm. “Say you’ll…come? I’ll make it worth your while.”
“I’ll, um…I’ll definitely consider it.”
“Yay,” she exclaimed, clapping softly.
Jane couldn’t see his expression from behind, and without looking at his face, she couldn’t figure out the context of their conversation. She watched as he threw back the rest of his coffee then tipped his hat to her, walking away.
Though his answers to Sara leaned towards unenthusiastic, Jane’s stomach had flip-flopped, making her feel nauseous. She didn’t know what to think—was he going to Jackson Hole? And more importantly, had they fooled around yesterday?
Damned if she’d ask. She couldn’t. She wouldn’t.
Jane stepped up beside her cousin to pour herself a cup of coffee.
“That Lars walking away? How was last night?”
“Rescheduled to tonight. Don’t worry about me, Janie.”
“Oh, I’m not worried about you, snake.”
“Still mad at me. How boring.”
“Almost time for the shoot, Sara.”
“God, I hate it when you call me that.”
“Get used to it. I’m not calling you anything else anymore,” said Jane, taking a sip. “I know who you are, Sara Mays.”