Why not Wyoming? (Wyoming Wilds Series Book 1) (23 page)

The question was hesitant. Was she judging? How upset was she? The
phone crackled. 

“Jon and Steve got everything that they needed and wanted to celebrate
before they head back to L.A. They talked me into chauffeuring them over to the
Yellowstone Casino.” 

“That’s quite a drive.”

Yep. He was in trouble.

“I know. I’m sorry. The guys wanted to buy me dinner. With the
bonus they gave me, it was hard to say no. I figured it would be late by the
time you finished up with the signing and dinner. Then your train wasn’t until
eight…” he explained, trailing off.

“It’s fine.”

CJ cringed. He was smart enough to know when a woman said
something was fine, it was usually anything but.  

“I figured you’d text me when you were done. I kind of lost
track of time in here. The casino’s artificial lighting and lack of clocks got
me,” he said, knowing the excuse was weak.

“It’s all part of their scheme,” she agreed, woodenly.

He rubbed the back of his neck. She was just agreeing to keep
the conversation rolling. How did he fix this?

“Are you playing the skill games or just feeding the machines?”
she asked.

“I uh … I played a few spins of roulette, but mostly slots. I
didn’t fall for the bait when the guys wanted me to join them at the poker
table to win back my bonus.”

“Not a poker player?”

“I don’t mind a friendly game over a case of beer and a lot of bull-shitting,
but I’ve seen too many guys sit down on payday and lose it all,” CJ said
shaking his head. “How do you look your wife in the eye and tell her the bills
aren’t getting paid and you’re living on what’s in the cupboards and freezer
for the next two weeks?”

“Never bet more than you can afford to lose,” Annie murmured.

“Yep. That’s why I’ve been sitting here playing the
Wheel of
Fortune
quarter slots. They’re much more my speed.”

“They’re my favorite!” she said, excitement chasing away the
chill stilting their conversation.

“You didn’t strike me as a gambler,” he teased, playing along.

“I blame Crystal. What else was I supposed to do sitting in
Vegas while she pranced around in a bikini and discussed world peace? Then when
I came home from Sin City, I realized that you can’t throw a rock in Michigan
without hitting a casino. What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay there.
Slots are addictive.”   

“Do I need to look for Gambler’s Anonymous meetings in the
area?”

Annie laughed and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Nah. I’m just careful not to go too often and, when I do, I go
with a set amount to spend. When that’s gone, I’m done.”

“Smart woman. What’s the most you’ve ever won?”

“Hmm … I usually play until I run out of money, or come home
with a little left and consider it a win,” Annie said. “The only time I’ve hit
it big was a couple of years ago. I came home eight hundred dollars up from
Firekeepers in Battle Creek. I was on fire that night. I’d been up by as much
as much as twelve hundred before starting to lose. What about you?”

“I came to the grand opening weekend for this place last year
and won three grand on the first spin.”

“Holy cow! What did you do?”

“I cashed it out, put the ticket in my pocket, and spent the
rest of the night playing with the hundred and fifty I’d brought with me. I didn’t
turn in the ticket until I was leaving because I knew if I did, I’d think of it
as free money and sink it back into the machines.”

“Wow. It sounds like you’re the smart one.”

“It wasn’t easy, especially with three buddies begging me to
blow it. They knew I was going to do something boring with it.”

“Did you put it into the business?”

“I paid off my Jeep early.”

“One less monthly payment and you saved whatever you would’ve
shelled out in interest,” Annie said.

“I know, boring.”

“I think it was a good call. We’ve already established I’m no
money expert, but you took an unexpected windfall and made it work for you.
Sounds smart to me.”

“You wouldn’t have wanted to go on a vacation or something?” CJ
asked uncertainly.

“I don’t know. Lowering your monthly debt would allow for
smaller treats more often. You could do things like a nice dinner out, a casino
night, or a weekend getaway,” Annie suggested.

“I love the way you think.” 

“Not boring?” she teased, tossing his word back at him.

“Life would never be boring with you.”  

“You’re still a soft-soaper.”

“And you still don’t know how to take a compliment.”

Static crackled between them.

“So you’re done with the job?” she finally asked.

“Once I get them to the airport tomorrow. Then I’m taking out a
group of snowmobilers for Mom and Dad in the afternoon.”

“That should be fun,” she mumbled, the spark gone again.

“Barrett!” Jon roared, staggering across the lobby. “What are
you doing hiding out here like an old woman? Stevie just won four grand!”

Steve hoisted his tray of chips.

“Forty-two hundred!” he crowed.

“That’s great,” CJ said, groaning as they invaded his hideaway
bench among the ferns. He pushed Jon out of his lap.

“What about you, dude? Did lady luck screw you?”

“Are you as broke as I am?”

“Have a chip.”

“Is that your girlfriend?”

CJ leaned back as Jon reached for the phone. A hundred-dollar
chip landed in his lap.

“Come on guys.”

“I better let you go,” Annie said.

“No. It’s okay. Just let me get rid of them,” CJ protested.

“Come on, dude. Grow a set.” 

“Tell the little woman that it’s guys’ night,” Steve said,
tossing another chip in his lap. “Let’s go.”

“Tell them your girlfriend said you have a rocking
set
and go have fun,” Annie said with a wicked laugh.

“No offense, but I’m not telling them that,” he said with a
snort of laughter.

“Just go,” Annie insisted. “I don’t want to be that
girlfriend.”

“You’re not. We’ll talk tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay. I’m just glad to know you’re down off that mountain. I
love you. Have fun and be safe.”

“I love yo—”

CJ jerked his phone away as Jon made another lunge for it.
Steve grabbed his wrist making kissing noises into the phone.

“He loves youuu!” he crooned. “You better get your sweet booty here
soon. He’s so horny the mountain goats are running away!”

“Steve! I’m going to kick your ass,” CJ growled, giving him a
shove.

The lanky cameraman fell off the bench roaring with laughter.
His boot caught the tray of chips in the scuffle.  The colorful currency scattering
all over the floor quickly sobered both visitors from Los Angeles. CJ shook his
head as they scrambled on hands and knees to recover the rolling chips.  

“Baby, I’m so sorry.”

No answer. Pulling the phone away from his ear he groaned at
the picture of Annie with Aries that was his wallpaper. She’d hung up. Not that
he blamed her. He glared at the goofballs still crawling around the lobby
floor. He could screw up with a woman all on his own. He didn’t need their damn
help. Running a hand over his face, he stared at the picture in front of him.
Annie’s smile seemed to jump off the screen. Her despised fangs were showing.
Damn, she was adorable.

He tugged on his short beard, replaying her words and
inflections. There was no doubt. He’d screwed up. Figuring Annie wouldn’t have
her phone with her while signing, he’d sent a text to Cami when they’d reached
the truck. He’d assumed Annie would text or call him when she was done. He
sighed, remembering where assuming got you. She’d seemed a little prickly about
the casino as well. What was that about? Was she just upset that she wasn’t
with him? It couldn’t be a money thing. He frowned. Unless it was. CJ pursed
his lips. She’d started to warm up when he shared his feelings on not losing
more than a man could afford. Maybe she’d thought he was blowing the money he’d
made after leaving her to take a job. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Why
did trying to understand a woman feel like stumbling through a minefield drunk?
He flinched as another casino chip bounced off his chest.

“Come on, Barrett. There’s nothing you can do tonight. Come
have fun. She’ll get over it,” Jon said. 

“If you go home with a little extra cash in your pocket she’ll
be all smiles,” Steve added, hoisting the chip tray over his head like a trophy.

CJ shook his head at their sly smiles and insidious whispers.
They were like the little devil on your shoulder. But they were right in the
fact that there was nothing he could do tonight. All the sitting and brooding lately
was killing him. Shooting Annie a quick text apologizing and telling her that
he loved her and that they’d talk tomorrow, he pocketed the phone and headed to
turn the three chips into cash. Maybe he’d get lucky in gambling if not love.

Heart hammering, Annie slammed the stall door. Tears
destroyed the makeup she’d applied so carefully on the train. Her watery gaze
darted from the toilet seat to the floor, before turning her back to the wall
and sliding down into a squat. Pressing her forehead to her knees, she fought
to get herself under control. Not again. Come on. Her nails dug into her palms.
Hurt, fear, betrayal, rage—they all rushed and tumbled through her like rapids
before the falls.

Her skin crawled with the stares of people she’d passed as she
practically ran through the station. She shuddered, rubbing the heel of her
hand over her sternum in an effort to ease the pressure. It was stupid. She
knew it. What in the hell was wrong with her? She was hurt and mad. People got
pissed off in public all the time. So what if people gawked at her. It was
nothing to get freaked out about. She pounded her forehead against her knees.
It was all so stupid.     

She’d thought Cami was her friend. Maybe that was childish, but
she didn’t care. All she’d had to do was whisper, ‘CJ messaged me. He’s safe.’
Then everything would’ve been good. She wouldn’t have worried during the
signing or been short with him later. That was all she’d wanted, just to know
he was safe. Instead, the bitch had glared at her every time she checked her phone!
She wasn’t buying that the text had slipped the publicist’s mind in the chaos.
Wouldn’t it have popped back in the next time she saw Annie looking at her
phone?

“Annie?”

“Leave me alone.”

There was no doubt that sounded childish, but it was probably better
than the unfiltered ‘fuck off’ that had popped to mind first. Leaning her head
back against the wall, she closed her eyes and focused on a breathing exercise.

“When I first got the text I assumed he’d texted both of us.”

“Why would he do that?”  

Cami sighed. “I don’t know. I was busy and just glanced at it.
My brain absorbed the who, what, when and missed the part where I was supposed
to pass it on.”

Annie ground her teeth at the publicist’s blasé tone and
reconsidered the fuck off. Cami could play dumb all she liked, but it boiled
down to respect. Even if CJ was not a priority to Cami, she should have had the
respect for Annie to relay the message. The publicist had seen how worried she
was. They’d discussed it on the way to the signing. She’d seen her keep
checking her phone. What in the hell had she thought they were doing? Sexting?

“I honestly didn’t realize until this morning that I was
supposed to have passed on the information,” the publicist continued. “I’m
sorry, but you’ve talked to him now and you know he’s okay, so what is the
problem?”

Seething anger pushed the panic aside. A repressed scream
clawed up Annie’s throat.

“Fucking really, Cami?” she snarled. “What is it you were so
damn busy doing that you couldn’t relay a simple message? You were standing
over there, staring at your phone when you weren’t shooting me nasty looks. What
was so urgent that you couldn’t be bothered to tell me that the man I love was
safe and not buried in an avalanche or eaten by a fucking bear?”

“I was doing my job, making sure the event went smoothly, and
that you and
Mackinac Monday
were presented in the best light possible.
You checking your phone every ten minutes for a message from your new boy toy
didn’t really help my case.”

“Stop and think about that statement. If you’d delivered the
message, I wouldn’t have needed to look at my phone!” Annie growled out like
she was talking to a simpleton. “You didn’t hesitate to come over and tell me
‘Less talking and more signing.’ Make up my mind for me here, Cami.  What in
the hell
do
you want from me? Do you want me focused? Do you want me to
interact with the readers? Do you want me here at all? I’m lost. What is it you
want?”

“I want my funny, easy-going, neurotic author back. I need you
to be a team player and show me that you want this as badly as I do. What I
don’t need is this.”

“Tough. This is me. I’ve spent half my life trying not to rock
the boat. I’m done. Grab a life preserver,” Annie said flatly.  

She would’ve loved to see the look on Cami’s face, but the
stunned silence on the other side of the door was still satisfying. Shoving
hair out of her face, Annie dug in her purse for a tissue. She blew her nose
forcefully and took a deep breath. As liberating as it was to throw off the
shackles of amenableness, she needed to pull her shit together. What was it
with her lately? It was like meeting CJ and daring to open up had ripped all
her armor away. She felt on edge, raw.  

“I’ve apologized. I don’t know what else you want. You’re not
the one that just got told off in front of hundreds of people, so I’m not sure
why you’re freaking out. I need you to pull on the author mask and be a
professional for four more hours. Then, you can be as pissed off as you want at
me for three days.”

Annie’s jaw ached from grinding her teeth. She was so damn
tired of the mask. Blowing out a slow breath, she rolled her neck and tried to
ease tense muscles. At least the panic attack had been relatively mild. The
rage had seemed to cancel out some of the pressure. Maybe getting pissed off
was more beneficial than she knew. Good. From now on she was going to fight for
what she wanted, and she couldn’t think of anything she’d ever wanted more than
CJ. Digging her phone out of her pocket, she pulled up her itinerary.

“Come on, Annie. What are your fans going to think if you show
up all red eyed and blotchy faced?”

“That I’ve been on a train all night? That I’m human and have good
and bad days just like everyone else,” Annie said sarcastically.

A repetitive thump against the stall door signaled the end of
her publicist’s patience.

“If you get out here and wash up and fix your makeup, we’ll
have plenty of time for breakfast or brunch before the signing.”

“I’m not hungry.”

There was more thumping. The movement of the door almost made
Annie smile.

“You have to eat or you’re going to faint, collapse, or whatever,”
Cami said, changing tactics and playing up CJ’s concerns.

“And you need to stop pounding your head against the door or
you’re going to give yourself a concussion,” Annie fired back and pushed
herself up the wall.

Cami almost fell into the stall when she unlocked the door.
Squeezing past her, Annie went to the sink and washed her face. Shooting the
paper towels into the trash, she grabbed her stuff. 

“Let’s go.”

“Aren’t you going to fix your makeup?”

“Nope. They’re getting au natural today. No mask.”

Annie’s fingers played over the cuff on her Merino wool
cardigan. It was one of her favorites. The cozy hooded sweater fell to
mid-thigh and had been a gift Finn had brought back all the way from Ireland.
It was perfect for traveling, and the pewter gray matched the dreary weather today.
She stared out the window, watching the last of the maintenance crew ready the
large jet. A smile worked her lips and she felt the weight lifting from her heart
and shoulders. Just five hours and she’d be with CJ for three days.

She’d canceled her flight to Grand Rapids while squatting in
the bathroom stall this morning. Her condo wasn’t going to give her the feeling
of home she needed. A few swipes of her finger and the new plan had fallen into
place. All that had been left was letting CJ know. With Cami hoovering, the
call had had to wait until after the signing. She had already dialed his number
when she’d remembered that he was taking a group out snowmobiling for the
lodge. It didn’t matter. Just hearing his soft, confident voice tell her to
leave a message had made her heart sing.

It was strange. Now that she was on her way to see him, so much
of the doubt and angst drained away. No matter what road blocks her head tried
to throw up, her heart knew CJ was the one for her. She smiled at that sappy title.
Up until sixteen days ago, she hadn’t believed there was one for her. Her
fingers tightened on the armrest as the plane started to taxi. Sixteen days.
She shook her head. Just over two weeks and they were already discussing living
together and a happily ever after. Any sane person would be terrified. Scratch
that. A sane person probably wouldn’t even consider making a commitment after a
couple of weeks. She giggled. The man sitting in the next seat shot her a
concerned look. Maybe sanity was overrated.

Leaning back, she closed her eyes. Would CJ share the open side
of the loft with her, or would one of the two bedrooms on the main floor become
her office and writer’s den? It was a silly thought, but something to distract
her mind from takeoff. Right now, the whole left side of the loft was meagerly
furnished with just a pool table, a couple of padded stools, and CJ’s messy
desk. She pursed her lips, wondering what he’d think of her beloved purple
furniture in his game room. He’d already approved the purple pillows and Keurig
downstairs. She grinned. It might be pushing it. But if she arranged her desk, shelves,
and stuff in the back corner, it left plenty of space for a comfy lounging area
without infringing on the pool table’s shooting space. Oh, maybe even a small
bar area with a fridge for her ice tea and CJ’s beer so they didn’t have to run
downstairs. Would it be completely diva-like to have a second Keurig? 

Something touched her arm and Annie jumped, eyes flying open.
Her seat partner held up his hands.

“You can take off your seat belt and release the death grip,”
he said with a charming smile.

Annie blushed, glancing at the seatbelt sign. “Thank you.”

That had been a smooth take off. Flexing her stiff fingers, she
awkwardly released the buckle and settled more comfortably in her seat. The
long cardigan was like a security blanket.

“First time flying?”

“No. Just not a big fan,” Annie admitted.

He nodded. “Where are you headed?”

“Wyoming. What about you?”

“Santa Fe, to see my son. Neither one of them is tropical this
time of year, but I think I’m getting the better end of the stick.”

She smiled at the weak jest. “I’m looking forward to a roaring
fire, homemade cocoa, and a hot-blooded boyfriend who likes to cuddle.”

“Valentine’s getaway, huh?” he asked with a knowing smile.

Annie opened her mouth to deny it and then closed it again. She
did the math. She was going to be in Wyoming on Valentine’s Day. More
importantly, she had a boyfriend for Valentine’s Day. She couldn’t contain the
delighted grin.

“I’m going to take that as a yes.”

“It wasn’t planned that way,” she said, a little flustered.
“But I can’t think of anything better.”

“Good for you. If I can give you some free advice, time
together is so much more precious than any number of roses or heart-shaped
candies.”

The simple sincerity behind her neighbor’s words made the
writer in her wonder what his story was. It sounded like a sad one, so she bit
back the urge to ask.

“Thank you. I’ll remember that.”

Tugging the thick wool sweater around her, Annie mulled over
possible last minute gift ideas for CJ. How had she missed the holiday? Maybe
because it wasn’t one she generally paid any attention to. Single people didn’t
celebrate the day of love and chocolate. She smiled. As far as she was
concerned every day should be about chocolate, but this year she had a reason
to buy a romantic, over-priced card. She could snag one of those in the airport
between flights. As to a gift, she might just have to get creative in front of
that gorgeous fireplace.

Lascivious whispers and hushed laughter prevented Annie from
pretending she was someplace else. At the moment she desperately wanted to be
about anyplace else. Wind buffeted the small plane making her stomach clench.
The Cessna made the thirty passenger jet she’d made this trip on last time seem
huge. She was sure this was the plane people pictured when they said puddle
jumper. It seemed the tiny Wyoming airport wasn’t much of a destination this
weekend. Five empty seats and the amorous couple in the back were her only
company.

A check of her messages between flights had revealed a text
from CJ promising to pick her up. She couldn’t wait to see him. Closing her eyes,
she remembered the feel of his arms around her. She could feel the solid
comfort of his barrel chest under her cheek and the weight of his chin resting
on top of her head. A squeal shattered the moment. The lovebirds laughed,
blanket rustling. The grate of a zipper made Annie dig for her earbuds. Not
even in the name of research.

Reclining her seat, Annie let music wrap around her tattered
nerves. As little as she’d been sleeping, a catnap would do her good. She
couldn’t wait to see CJ, to be home in his arms. A country song she’d heard in
CJ’s Jeep and searched out afterward came up on her playlist. The lyrics
could’ve been written for her man, talking about hunting, fishing and loving.
She’d made the song CJ’s ringtone. Music was a topic they hadn’t discussed. She
smiled into the collar of her cardigan wrap and added it to the list. She
wanted to spend the rest of her life learning about her man.