The next morning, Monica stormed into Evan’s office before he’d poured his coffee or booted up his laptop.
“Make it quick,” he ordered before she could speak. “I’ve got a lot to do today.”
“Well, you’d better make time,” she demanded, “because that Miss Goody Two-Shoes you’re dating is two-timing you with my ex-boyfriend.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I dumped Tanner last night after he admitted he and Dani had a thing for each other.”
“Where do you come up with this bullshit? Don’t you have anything better to do than to screw with people?”
“You never complained about the way I screwed you.”
“Monica—”
“I figured you’d be a dick and not believe me, so I took this video of them in the break room yesterday.” Monica stuck her phone in front of Evan and pushed the play symbol.
He watched for less than five seconds before he looked at her with disgust. “This doesn’t prove a damned thing. I trust Dani, which is more than I can say about you.”
Monica smirked. “I guess love really is blind. Or shall I say lust, although why you’d be turned on by that flat-chested—”
“Quit wasting my time and go away. And stay away, from me and from Dani.”
“Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
After Monica left, Evan decided he’d better let Dani know what had just happened. He sent her a text message.
Where r u?
Heading 2 Turtle Lagoon.
Stop. Need 2 talk. Important.
Where?
My office.
Be right there.
* * * *
Dani checked in with her boss and arrived at Evan’s office a few minutes later. She shut the door and took a seat.
“What’s going on?”
“Monica’s stirring up shit again.”
“For cripe’s sake. Now what?”
“She claims she broke up with Tanner last night because he’s cheating on her. With you.”
“What? That’s crazy.”
“She shot a video on her phone of you two in the break room yesterday.”
Dani’s face paled. “Oh God, she saw us?”
“Obviously. What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“You sure? Because the look on your face tells me otherwise.” Evan suddenly regretted his sausage gravy and biscuits breakfast.
“You can’t possibly believe her.”
He didn’t answer, but he couldn’t hide how much Monica’s accusation bothered him. It wasn’t fair to Dani, but try telling that to the invisible shield that slammed over his heart. He winced when she jumped up, leaned across his desk, and got right in his face.
“Seriously? How can you think I’d ever do something like that to you? I’ve never given you any reason not to trust me, and you know it.”
“There’s more to this than you’re telling me.”
“There is, but it’s not what Monica wants you to believe.”
“Would you please explain before my head explodes?”
By the time Dani sat back down and finished telling him what really happened, Evan was livid. His fingers itched to throw something, but he managed to control his temper.
“I could kick Tanner’s ass for putting you in that position.”
“I agree it wasn’t the smartest move on his part, but any man working here who’d get involved with Monica, given her track record, isn’t thinking straight. He won’t get through this breakup intact. She’ll make sure of it,” Dani predicted.
“Yeah, she will. But why’d he have to drag you into it?”
“I don’t know. I almost got up and left when he started talking about her, but I felt sorry for him, given the circumstances. I thought I could help.”
“So you don’t think he and Monica set you up?”
“No. I think he needed a friend at that moment and knew he could trust me.”
“We’ve got to tell him what Monica’s up to.” Evan picked up his phone.
Five minutes later, Tanner sat next to Dani and explained that he’d cancelled his dinner date with Monica the night before with the excuse something had come up with his kids. She’d railed about seeing him with Dani and accused him of making a fool out of her.
“Get this. She said I could make it up to her by giving her an expensive gift. I almost broke up with her right then, but I decided to talk to a counselor first like you suggested, Dani.”
“Do you think she knows what you and I discussed?”
“I doubt it. If she’d overheard us, we’d be full of shrapnel from the explosion.”
Evan slammed his fist on his desk. “Damn it all to hell, you shouldn’t have involved Dani in your mess. Monica gives her enough crap as it is.”
“I didn’t mean to cause trouble for either of you. I ought to have my head examined for dating her in the first place. But somewhere buried deep inside her is a caring person who doesn’t want to admit she’s vulnerable. I thought I could, I don’t know, fill that void she obviously has in her life because I know how that feels. I should’ve known it would come back to bite me in the ass. I’m just sorry you two got caught in the crossfire.”
“We’ll survive,” Dani assured him.
“Maybe so, but Evan wants to punch me into next week, and I don’t blame him.”
“It’s nothing personal. I’m just tired of all the bullshit, especially when it’s aimed at Dani. I slept with Monica, too, so I can’t give you grief about that.”
“At some point you’d think men would wise up,” Dani groused.
“I wouldn’t hold my breath.” Evan shrugged. “We can be pretty stupid when we think with the wrong head.”
“Yeah, well, women can be just as dumb when it comes to men, so let’s just leave it at that. So now what?”
“As soon as we’re done here I’ll call the EAP number,” Tanner promised. “Hopefully, we can resolve this soon with the least amount of problems for everyone. It might be wise to give HR a heads up before I talk to Monica, but we’ll see what the counselor recommends. In the meantime, let’s steer clear of her as much as possible.”
“Until this is resolved, Tanner, I’d prefer you stay away from Dani, too.”
“But what if I’m assigned to Turtle Lagoon?” she asked. “That’s where I’m supposed to be right now.”
“I’ll let Toni know what’s going on,” Tanner replied.
Evan stood. “I’ll go with you.”
Dani beat them both to the door. “We’ll all go.”
* * * *
At Dani’s apartment that evening, they pledged to put thoughts of Monica aside because she’d sapped enough of their energy for one day. Evan flipped on the baseball game and treated Dani to a full-body massage that relaxed her tense muscles but sent her libido into extra innings. As the Rays scored a blowout win over the New York Yankees, Evan hit his own grand slam.
When they’d wrung the last bit of pleasure out of their lovemaking, he peeled her off the sofa and carried her boneless body to bed. They were content and cuddling when Dani brought up the promise he’d made to Toni earlier.
“Hearing you tell my boss that my well-being is your priority made my day. Heck, it made my month.” She played with his earlobe as she lay against his side, her head nestled on his shoulder.
“I’ve always got your back.” Evan’s fingers traced the length of her spine. “And your front, too.”
“You won’t hear me complain.”
“Seriously, you’re the most important person in my life. I love you.”
Seconds ticked by without a response, and Evan felt a quick stab of fear in his belly.
“Dani?”
She’d closed her eyes, and when she opened them moisture had gathered there. He asked her what was wrong, and she burst out crying.
“You’re scaring me, honey. Say something, please.”
“Holy crap,” she managed.
“Holy crap good? Or holy crap bad?”
“Holy crap, the best ever.”
She shifted on top of him and dived into a searing kiss, and he tasted her tears.
“I love you, too, Evan. So much.”
“Then why are you crying, sweetheart?”
“I don’t know.” A fresh flood soaked her face. “It’s been such an emotional day, and now I’m so happy and…” She hiccupped and sniffed. “Maybe I’ve finally lost it. You’re stuck with a crazy woman, do you realize that?”
“Well, I’m definitely crazy about you. So we’ll just be crazy together.”
Dani launched herself at his lips again, and he gathered her close and held on.
* * * *
Dani should’ve slept well, secure in knowing the man she loved shared her feelings. But the rhinoceros in residence stomped around inside her head, threatening to trample her happiness. She kept imagining Jeremy Nash making a cross-country mess of her deepening relationship with Evan.
The possibility of his leaving Gulf Shore had nagged at Dani since the filmmaker requested a copy of the Trident video. She’d hidden her anxiety from Evan so far, but his declaration that night—rather than ease her fears about their future—only magnified her worries.
As she tossed and turned, the bedside lamp came on.
“What’s the matter?” Evan propped himself up on his elbow and blinked.
“Nothing. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I’m not sure I’ve slept at all. You’ve been flopping around so much it’s like being in bed with a salmon swimming upstream.” He smiled, taking the sting out of his words.
“I haven’t been that bad, have I?”
“Pretty close. Now, out with it. What’s bothering you?”
”You don’t want to know.”
“Would I have asked if I didn’t?”
“Let me go to the bathroom first.”
“Dani, quit stalling.”
How could she tell him that she felt like an anvil, hanging from an ever-unraveling rope, was swinging over her head? He might take himself out of contention for the Seattle job, and she couldn’t do that to him. Especially not when he’d been straight with her about his aspirations from the start.
“I just keep thinking about Monica,” she fibbed. “Who knows how much more trouble she’s likely to cause.”
Evan pulled Dani close and kissed her temple. “Don’t lose sleep over her. Besides, there’s nothing she can do to us. We’re solid, right?”
“Of course. I feel silly for letting her get to me, but I can’t seem to help it.”
“Just remember, she’s only hurting herself with her behavior. One of these days she’ll find herself alone because she’s alienated everyone who ever cared about her. And you and I will still have each other.”
Dani leaned in and kissed him. “See, this is why I love you. You always know how to cheer me up.”
Evan slipped his hand beneath her soft cotton camisole. “I know an even better way to take your mind off Monica and relax you enough so you’ll fall asleep.”
Dani shivered as he rubbed her nipple. “By all means, show me.”
He turned off the lamp and rolled her beneath him. “It would be my pleasure. And yours.” His hand moved down her body, and his mouth closed over her breast.
Dani let the sensations humming through her chase away her concerns. For now, at least.