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“Oh,” Jared said. “Then there’s nothing to stop you from coming. You’re not my only single friend, and there aren’t just single women coming, either.”
Colin’s eyes opened wide and he looked at Jared. “I can find my own dates when I’m ready. Thanks anyway.”
“That came out all wrong. I meant we have married couples coming, too. Happily married. And a few singles. The purpose of our barbecue is not to set you up, okay?”
Colin shook his head. “You can stop while you’re ahead. I’m working that day, but thanks for the invitation.” After a few minutes, Jared gave up and left Colin alone to battle his own issues.
Across the room Colin noticed another tortured athlete taking revenge on the equipment. He glanced over to make sure Jared wasn’t keeping too close a tab on him before taking another look at the woman. His friends meant well, but he simply wasn’t ready to date again. Especially not if it meant being with another socialite like Bev.
Jared left the room, and Colin again admired the woman, getting the feeling that he had met her before. The very fact that she was here, at the most reasonably priced health club in LoDo, told him one thing about her, she appreciated a bargain. Her name-brand sweats and shoes looked soft from heavy use. He considered her choice of modest, well-worn sweats and T-shirt, which impressed him a lot more than the skintight leggings and equally revealing athletic tank tops many women wore. Obviously she didn’t care what anyone thought. Her attention was focused on the view as her ponytail bounced in rhythm with the movement of her feet. A baseball cap hid her eyes.
He recalled his mother’s disapproval of his usual choice in women, Bev in particular. Too thin, too fussy and only after his money. He guessed Mom’s instincts had been right after all.
Colin glanced at the woman again. She’d mastered the orbital machine, the same one that had sent him flying like an uncoordinated geek the first and last time he’d tried it. She seemed to be concentrating on whatever was playing on her headphones instead of trying to impress anyone else. Why did she look so familiar?
The arrival of a few more customers stole his attention, saving him from making a fool of himself right here in front of Jared, who paused briefly to greet his customers then made a beeline to Colin.
“You’ve been riding for nearly ninety minutes. No need to overdo it the first day back.” Jared said. “And since you’ve officially asked me to take care of you, check your pulse and take ten minutes to stretch before you leave.”
Colin touched his index finger to his carotid artery and leaned forward to see the clock, conveniently located near the woman who had motivated him to ride half an hour longer than he’d planned, hoping for an opportunity to introduce himself.
Unfortunately, everyone in the gym pretty much kept to themselves. This was not the “in” place to meet available singles. Of course, in his college days, he hadn’t needed to find a place to meet girls. They’d found him. He had been the only baseball player in the state to make it to the major leagues.
“Right on target,” Colin said a few minutes later as he stretched. “I haven’t turned into a couch potato just because I haven’t been here, you know.”
“Obviously not, or you’d be in real trouble about now. Hope to see you more often with your new project in mind. Make sure you let me know the dates so Sandra and I can put it on our calendars.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow. I should be able to give you more details then.”
He showered, stopping to say goodbye to Jared on his way out, half wishing for another chance to run into the blonde, but she was long gone. “Think about the barbecue.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” Colin didn’t feel especially festive lately, and besides, the last thing he needed right now was the distraction of a woman.
Chapter Four
Colin’s day had been dampened by another article in the morning Gazette about the group of home owners planning to fight the sale of property for the proposed shelter. Ever since Ellis made the public announcement, the editor had received a barrage of letters arguing for and against it. When Colin saw protesters marching outside the station, he felt as if monsoon season had broken loose over Denver. Mr. Chapman had to be pleased with the results of his plan so far. Papers were selling like never before.
After training for two months straight to get ready for the event, Colin would hate to see the project fall apart. He leaned heavily on Paul’s advice to the Philippians—“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Keep the faith. God started this project, He’ll see it through to the finish.
Despite the discouragement, Colin hoped Jared and Sandra’s Labor Day party would cheer him up. He walked up the steps and rang the doorbell, not really expecting anyone to answer. With a lush yard like Jared and Sandra’s, there was no need to stay inside. Laughter spilled through the seams of the fence and Colin made his way around the house to the trellised gate. Their black Labrador Lizzy greeted Colin with her fierce bark. When Colin said hello, the dog gave him an embarrassed look and wagged her tail in welcome.
“Colin! I was afraid you were going to stand us up again,” Sandra exclaimed, glancing at her watch. “Better late than never. The good news is there’s plenty of food left, the baseball game is almost over, and you didn’t miss the Rockies’ fireworks display.”
Heads turned and friends waved. He felt like a show-boater with Lizzy’s bark and Sandra’s booming voice announcing his late arrival. “Thanks. Looks like you’ve been busy.”
“Can I fix you a plate?” Sandra was a hostess extraordinaire, a disgrace to the feminist movement, according to Colin’s sister. The Hayes’s barbecues were traditionally standing room only. Tonight was no exception.
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll make my way to the buffet table in a while.”
Jared arrived with a tall glass of lemonade and yelled, “Forty-five minutes until showtime!”
Colin found an empty chair in a dark corner of the yard and sank into its cushions, fearful that he’d fall asleep and miss the fireworks display altogether. This last week he’d been pushing twenty miles a day. “Looks like you and Sandra outdid yourselves as usual.”
“Yeah, too bad you…” Colin didn’t hear another word Jared said. His attention fell on the blonde from the gym and he realized immediately where they’d met. With her scruffy workout clothes and baseball cap she had looked nothing like she had at the board meeting.
Jared followed Colin’s gaze. “I didn’t think you were interested in dating again.”
“I’m not.” Colin shrugged and shook his head. “I’m just surprised to see her here. Did you invite all of your patrons?”
Jared laughed. “No, but she’s a regular. Let me introduce you.”
Colin looked at her again, and their eyes met. She immediately lowered her chin and turned away, as if she didn’t want to talk to him, either. “No thanks, I’m not interested in being set up.” Which was exactly what had to be happening. What were the odds of running into the same woman three times in a couple of months without someone’s intervention?
“Aren’t you at least a little curious? She’s not like the others, trust me. She’s…”
“No offense, bud, but I’d be more interested in watching a documentary on ant migration.” Colin ignored Jared’s comment, heaved himself out of the chair and headed for the food, Lizzy close behind.
“I don’t think ants migrate.” Jared tossed his paper cup into the trash and blocked the stairs through the garden. “You don’t understand…”
Colin glanced over his shoulder and noticed the woman walking toward Sandra. “Oh, too bad, she’s leaving…” Colin said with quiet sarcasm. “Now can I eat?” He rushed to the table and started filling his plate with salads and warm barbecued ribs.
“She’s not like Bev, or Robin…”
Colin tossed Lizzy a grape, watching her roll it around in her huge mouth as if it were a toy. “Do you see a pattern developing here, Jared?” Colin pushed his way past Jared and away from the woman. “You have a propensity for finding me women with expensive tastes and no heart.”
“I beg to argue with you there,” Jared said defensively.
Colin grabbed a handful of chips then reached for the ladle to add extra sauce to the ribs. “You already have the perfect wife. Find me another Sandra, and I’ll let you introduce us. Until then, I don’t want a thing to do with another one of your rich friends.”
Jared cleared his throat and popped open a soda tab. “Hi, honey. Hey, Nikki.”
Colin didn’t want to believe Jared would stoop so low as to be joking about this. “Nice try,” he said to his friend, and turned, hearing Lizzy yip seconds before she lunged for his plate. Colin spun around to get it out of Lizzy’s reach.
The plate crumpled against the blonde and the ladle flipped from his hand, splattering her head with warm barbecue sauce, sending it dripping down her beautiful face.
“Oh, no,” Colin said, feeling the earth shift to slow motion. “I’m so, so sorry.” He motioned to Lizzy, who was leading Jared on a wild scramble through the yard, ribs dangling from her mouth, sending guests in every direction. “I, uh, Lizzy…uh, that all happened so fast.”
She leaned forward to let the sauce drip off her face and tugged her hair back into a ponytail. He wasn’t totally sure if she was smiling or crying.
“Here are some napkins,” Colin instinctively wiped the spicy sauce from her forehead, eyes and high cheekbones, overcome with an inkling to kiss it from her lips. Now that’s a brilliant way to convince Jared that I’m not interested in romance.
“Let me get you a wet washcloth,” Sandra said, right before she disappeared into the house.
“Ooh, it’s burning my eyes,” Nikki said, closing them tighter.
Colin grabbed another handful of napkins and started at the top of her face again. “I think this is going to take more than a washcloth, I’m sorry to say. Here, you have something on your lip.” He was reaching up to pluck the piece of onion from her upper lip when she pursed her lips and blew it off, right onto Colin. He flinched, then started laughing. “Guess I had that coming.”
She covered her mouth with her hand and her eyes blinked open, then she immediately closed them again. “Is there some water around? I really need to rinse my eyes.”
“I’ll help you inside. Sandra’s probably getting a shower ready.” He thought about the light-colored carpet and glanced again at the bright red sauce she wore from head to toe. “Slip your shoes off out here and I’ll clean them while you shower.”
He helped her balance while she blindly tugged the red leather mock cowboy boots off. Colin noted her tiny feet and slender ankles.
Sandra appeared just as he started to direct her through the door. “Here you go.” She tucked the washcloth into Nikki’s hand.
Colin looked at the mess he’d made and back at Sandra. “It’s in her eyes and hair. Do you mind if she showers?”
“My thought exactly. I set towels out on the floor already, so come on in.”
“Are you sure it’s that bad? I need to be at work in an hour,” Nikki said, still blinded.
“Trust us, you’ll want to get that off as soon as possible.” Sandra led her into the privacy of the master bath and Colin returned to the yard. Jared had finally retrieved the ribs from the dog and was examining her jaw.
“Is Liz okay?” Colin asked as he wiped the spatters from Nikki’s boots.
“Yeah,” Jared said from inside the fenced kennel. “I’m just making sure she didn’t get any bone slivers stuck in her cheeks. Luckily I got all but one rib from her before she could eat more. I’m sorry about this.”
“Who can blame her, the food smelled delicious.”
Jared locked the kennel gate behind him, before saying goodbye to a departing couple. “Sorry to disrupt the party, everyone.” He shrugged. “The fireworks should be starting any time now. Have a seat and enjoy.” Despite the welcoming invitation, the guests expressed their thanks and left.
Colin and Jared carried food into the kitchen and put it away while they waited for Nicole to finish showering. The water ran and ran. Sandra spread the splotchy jeans across the kitchen table and started scrubbing. “I can’t get them washed before she leaves, and mine won’t fit her, so I’ll just have to spot-clean them for now.” She scrubbed until the only remnant was a wet circle or two. Then she threw them into the dryer. “Her blouse is ruined, and the jean jacket is probably history, too.” Sandra heaved a sigh. “I can’t believe Lizzy did such a thing.”
They heard the water turn off and Sandra ran to the laundry room, then disappeared with Nikki’s jeans. A few minutes later, both women returned. Nikki’s silky hair was pulled to the top of her head in a ponytail and the whites of her eyes were beet-red. He wasn’t sure if she’d been crying or if the hot-pepper seasoning had burned them, or both. Sandra asked Jared for a baseball cap.
“All of mine are old and d—” Jared began.
Colin interrupted. “I have some from the radio station in my car. Let me get you one.” He ran to his vehicle and returned a few minutes later, wishing he could have done more to make the situation right. There were faded circles on her jeans where Sandra had scrubbed the barbecue sauce from the denim. Colin handed the cap to her.
“This seems a little out of order, but I thought I’d introduce you to Nikki Post,” Sandra said.
“Yeah, we’ve met.” He hoped she hadn’t heard his remark about the women Jared had set him up with, or if she had, that she’d forgotten by now.
Nikki looked confused and more than a little wary. She didn’t offer her hand in return. “Hello again.” She slipped her feet into her boots, ignoring him.
He looked at both of the hosts, who were blatantly studying the interaction. “I’m really sorry about this, Nicole,” he said, wishing someone would send him a lifeline from the awkward silence.
“It’s Nikki.”
He felt as if Jared had dumped a cooler full of ice-cold sports drink over his head. “It’s a small world, Nikki. We seem destined to run into each other…literally. Please accept…”
Nikki’s voice softened. “No need apologizing, accidents happen. Thanks for the clothes, Sandra. I won’t have time to change before work, so I’ll bring them back to you at the gym.”
Despite her brush-off, he could at least make an attempt to be cordial. “You didn’t happen to write the article on the homeless shelter in this morning’s paper, did you?”
Her tanned skin turned pale. “No, I’m an intern, remember? I’m sure that went to Gary, our local reporter.” She eased herself away just as the fireworks display started with a series of loud explosions and a shower of colorful sparks. Nikki paused to look. “I’m bouncing between proofreading and copyediting right now, so I don’t write the articles.”
Something didn’t make sense. Why had an intern who was still proofreading attended a board meeting? “I see. How much longer do you have in your internship?”
She shied away, looking even more like a frightened puppy. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I’m running very late.”
“I realize that. You might mention my concern to Mr. Chapman. I’m sorry, maybe another time.” He stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest.
She smiled politely. “Enjoy the fireworks, Mr. Wright.” Nikki turned to Jared and Sandra, thanking them before making a quick escape.
Jared punched him playfully on the shoulder. “What are you thinking, man? She’s an intern. She has no pull with old man Chapman.”
He watched Nikki climb into an older-model sedan and shook his head. He had to admit, she didn’t look or act like the typical money-hungry dates Jared usually set him up with, and he couldn’t imagine anyone hiring such a meek woman as a reporter for the city’s largest newspaper. Still, there was something intriguing about Nikki Post. “I wouldn’t bet on that one.”
Nikki took a deep breath and closed herself inside the compact car. What a mess. She felt her face flush just thinking about what Colin must think of her after seeing the tantrum she had thrown over the car breaking down. She’d been dressed in her worst sweats, hiding under a baseball cap and just getting over the flu the day she’d hidden from him at the gym. How could he have even recognized her? Now this.
What an impression I must have made. After his comments about rich girls with no hearts, she wished they’d never met. It was far easier to admire his lean athletic build, drop-dead smile and well-groomed appearance without the tainted memories.
The shower had been the perfect opportunity to let the tears flow. The accident had sent her back to spring semester of her freshman year of college when she’d overheard her dance instructors. Nicole is nothing more than a spoiled, chubby wannabe. Someone should have had the courage to tell her she had no future in dancing long ago.
The incident had been the start of a dark time in her life that she’d tried to forget. She had literally stopped eating, begun exercising, lost more than she had gained since arriving at school and danced even harder to prove them wrong. The final blow came during the audition for an exclusive dance troupe. Torn ligaments and extensive surgeries ended her dream of a professional dancing career.
The injury gave Nikki’s advisor the necessary ammunition to force her to drop her dance major. Friends encouraged her to find another aspect of performance until the injury healed, but she couldn’t carry a tune and she had no acting talent. She had taken the semester off and sunk into her own self-pity.
She looked over her shoulder, to the shadows of Colin and Jared next to the house with the fireworks behind them. She had recognized Colin’s magnetic smile immediately and tried to leave. Suddenly she felt angry and confused, just as she had on the day her dreams were ripped out from under her.
Nikki’s hand automatically turned the key in the ignition and then turned on the radio as she pulled away from the party. “Just find another dream,” she whispered, wishing she could fend off her skepticism. “How difficult can that be?” She got onto the interstate, barely noticing the fireworks. Her mind wandered back to the doubt she’d seen in Colin’s eyes. She should be use to that look by now. She’d grown up with it.
Again, a year later, after her third surgery, her parents had encouraged her to take time off from school to evaluate her future. She’d quickly figured out that they expected her to find a wealthy husband and give up on finishing her degree. And they’d almost succeeded, with Rory Drake’s help.
The pressure from their breakup, school and her parents’ disapproval had sent her further into a depression. She’d gained back every ounce she’d lost, plus some by graduation. When her grandfather had invited her to become an intern at the newspaper to see if she would like to follow in his footsteps she’d accepted the challenge. For a while she had thought she’d found something to make her parents proud of her. Apparently this wasn’t the right decision either. One day in the copyeditor’s seat and she had people angry with her already.
She might have an eye for writing, but she obviously had no savvy when it came to journalism. She’d had to fill in with that article for this morning’s paper. If she hadn’t had to cover for the copyeditor in a pinch, this would never have happened.
She quickly walked the two blocks from the parking lot carrying a fruit tray for the Labor Day potluck the staff had planned. Morale needed a boost, according to the managing editor. Which, of course, meant eating.
Everyone had brought treats, yet she felt more than conspicuous adding her contribution to the table after everyone had already served themselves. Thinking of all the delicious calories on the huge table, she pushed her way through. “Here’s a fruit tray, help yourself.” For the first six months of her internship, she’d gained steadily, despite her efforts to go to the gym. Only recently had she broken through and started losing. She wasn’t about to blow it now.
Quietly, Nikki fixed a plate, then headed back to her desk. She sat down and began to contemplate the direction her life was going.
Misty turned her chair around to face Nikki’s. “Surely your diet can have a day off!”
She glanced at her friend, mustering a quick smile. “Oh, it’s had a day off already. I just came from a picnic,” Nikki said softly. “I found out that I made a big mistake last night with some filler I used in place of the water-theft article. Apparently some people think we should ignore both sides of the shelter issue.”
Misty nodded. “I’ve heard this issue is getting heated. So what?”
She nodded and silently turned back to her computer. Nikki had been surprised to find she enjoyed the fast pace of the newspaper. She hadn’t minded any aspect of the job, until today. She hoped the copyeditor would be back at work tonight so Nikki couldn’t make any more mistakes. How had she let her grandfather talk her into this?
“Is something wrong?” Misty rolled her chair closer. Misty looked into her reddened eyes and must have seen more than barbecue sauce. “It is, tell me what’s happened.”
“I met the man doing the fund-raiser for the homeless shelter at the picnic tonight. He wasn’t very happy with our support of the other side.”
“What support?”
