why do you see him? It’s not like you need a boyfriend.”
Ugh. They were back to David. She leaned against the counter. “I don’t know. I like him, I guess.”
He raised his dark eyebrows. “You guess?”
“He’s very solid and stable. That’s nice.”
“Unlike your surfing ex-fiancé?”
“You’re plenty stable now.”
“I’m practically staid.”
She took in the dark, shaggy hair, the three days’ worth of beard, the earrings and the tattoos on his arm. “Jimmy, people will call you many things, but staid isn’t one of them.”
“You say the sweetest things. So what’s up with David? Why don’t you dump him?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I should.” She frowned. “It’s so strange. I love my job. Seriously—it’s the best. And I like living in Los Lobos. I have a really good life.”
“But?”
“But there’s something I can’t put my finger on.” A restlessness, she thought. The sense of missing something important.
“Are you upset about your mom?” he asked. “About her getting married?”
“God no. She’s been a widow twenty-four years. If anyone deserves to move on, it’s her. Neil’s a great guy. We all like him.”
“Just checking. Weddings do funny things to people.”
“I promise, there will be no drama with my mother’s wedding. She’s a mature, responsible woman marrying a great guy.”
“I got an invitation to the engagement party.”
The thought of Jimmy being there made her smile. “Good. Are you going?”
“I thought it would be fun. You and David will be there, right?”
“We will.” She found herself wanting to ask if he was bringing a date but then realized she didn’t want to know. Which wasn’t fair. Of course she wanted Jimmy to be happy. He was a great guy.
“Why aren’t you engaged or married?” she asked.
He pressed a hand to his chest. “You spoiled me for other women.”
That made her laugh. “Right. You were so broken after our engagement ended that you took up with the one person I dislike more than anyone.”
“You are referring to the fair Erika?”
“You know I am.”
“But she’s lovely.”
“She’s mean, and if I recall correctly, she dumped you.”
Jimmy’s expression of amusement never wavered. “That she did. I suspect she was only trying to prove she could get me, not that she could keep me.”
“If I had an ego, I would say she went after you because I stole you from her in the first place.”
“You do have an ego and it’s well deserved. And you did steal me.” He glanced at the clock. “You have a date and I have to clean up my mess here.”
“What?” She followed his gaze. “You’re right. Thanks for reminding me.”
She walked down the tiny hall to the master bedroom. It wasn’t big, but her queen-size bed fit fine, along with the dresser she’d had since she was twelve when her mom bought all three girls new furniture. The piece wasn’t anything she would have chosen now—it was too ornate, with carving on the corners and drawer pulls in the shape of birds. But somehow it connected her to her past.
She walked into the en suite bathroom and used a headband to hold back her short hair. After washing her face, she applied moisturizer and sunscreen, then put on makeup.
David was taking her out for Mexican food, which meant casual rather than fancy. She slipped on a white tank top and short denim skirt, then chose black suede peep-toe wedges with a little fringe at the ankle. Drop earrings and several bangles completed the outfit. She fluffed her short hair back into the spiky style she wore, then grabbed a cropped black faux leather jacket for later—when it got cool—before returning to her kitchen.
Jimmy had mopped up from his work and put everything back under the sink. He looked up from loading his toolbox and whistled. “You clean up good. I prefer you messy, but clean works.”
She laughed. “Thank you. You’re very kind.”
“Nope. Just observant. David doesn’t stand a chance. But none of us ever did.”
Sweet words. Not true, but sweet.
Her second engagement had been to a guy named Hugh. They’d met her senior year of college. He’d been from a prominent banking family in Chicago and had been in Santa Barbara for his post–graduate school first job. Apparently, he was required to work his way up in another bank before joining the family empire.
Hugh had been charming, successful and easy to be with. They’d fallen in love almost immediately. She’d met his family over winter break at a ski resort in Vail, then had brought him home over spring break. He’d proposed at sunset on the beach.
After graduation she’d taken a job at a nonprofit in Santa Barbara and had started organizing their wedding. The plan had been to stay there for three or four years before moving to Chicago when he entered the family business.
Everything had changed when his father had had a heart attack and Hugh had gone back to take care of the company. She’d quit her job and joined him a few weeks later.
What she told everyone was that once she got to Chicago, she’d realized they weren’t as in love as she’d thought. That she didn’t like the city or being so close to his family. But the truth was different.
The truth was that his family hadn’t liked her. Apparently, they never had, especially his mother. She hadn’t fit in with their friends or their lifestyle. She wasn’t classy enough. All of which Hugh had explained within a week of her arrival. He hadn’t ended things, exactly. Instead, he’d asked for more time. And for her to change.
“You’re beautiful,” he’d told her, his voice and expression equally sincere. “That helps. But you simply don’t have the right background. With some coaching and time, you could really be the right package. I can’t make any promises, Sienna, but I want us to try to make this work.”
Not exactly the words a fiancée longs to hear. Assuming she was still his fiancée. Which he’d clarified with a slight shrug and “Oh, and Mom thinks you should return the ring until we’re sure.”
She’d handed him the two-carat diamond ring he’d placed on her finger only three months before and had walked out. When she’d flown back to Los Lobos, she’d told everyone that Chicago and Hugh weren’t for her. She’d never once admitted the truth. That she hadn’t been good enough. At least not on the inside. While her outsides had passed muster, the rest of her had been lacking.
She shook her head to chase away the memories. Right then, the doorbell rang.
“Your handsome prince,” Jimmy said with a grin.
“Be nice,” she told him. “I mean it.”
“Will you spank me if I’m not?”
“Stop it!”
She opened the door. “Hi,” she said brightly.
David stepped inside, then bent down to kiss her. In the nanosecond before his mouth touched hers, she heard a loud “Hey, David. How’s it hanging?”
David straightened. “Jimmy. What are you doing here?”
Jimmy held up his toolbox. “Changing out the garbage disposal. I’m handy that way. You two run along.