When We Met Part 28

"Sprouts, huh?" Kenny asked. "Which means you belong to the..."

"Future Warriors of the Ma-zib," Chloe said helpfully. "FWM."

"Right. It sounds fun and I can see you're fierce warriors. I'm impressed."

Taryn was about to glare at Kenny when she realized how much Chloe had been talking. Usually she was the shy one but not, apparently, around Kenny. Interesting. He was a big guy. Tall and broad, with ma.s.sive hands. People were often nervous around him. But not these two.

"Tell me about your knot experience," Taryn said. "Can you help?"

"Oh, I can," he said, grinning at her. "I used to be an Eagle Scout."

"I know what that is," Layla said. "My brother wants to be an Eagle Scout." She wrinkled her nose. "But he said he wouldn't help me with my knots." Her lips turned up at the corners. "He's mad because he snuck out to be with his friends last weekend and I told."

Taryn nodded at Kenny. "Still want to mock the FWM?"

"I wasn't mocking," he said as he walked to her desk and sat in one of the chairs. "But I'm impressed with your tracking skills," he told Layla.

"He goes out the window at the end of the hall," Layla told him. "It's right by my room and the floor creaks really loud right there."

"Sounds like he deserved to get caught. Did he get in trouble?"

Layla nodded. "He's grounded."

"And pouting," Kenny said. "Otherwise, he would have helped you."

Both girls giggled.

Kenny held out his hand for the rope. Chloe pa.s.sed it over. They told him what they were trying to do, and faster than Taryn would have thought possible, he'd twisted the rope into place and handed it back to them.

"Wow," Chloe breathed. "Can you teach us that?"

"I can."

Taryn sat back in her chair and watched as Kenny slowly went through the steps of the knot. The girls watched and nodded, and then each of them repeated his actions. She noticed that both of them crowded closer and closer until they were leaning against him. Chloe seemed especially smitten, watching his face when he talked and smiling up at him as if he were some kind of superhero.

When they'd mastered the knot, they thanked him and left. Taryn waited until they were gone to thank him.

He shrugged. "No big deal. Happy to help."

"You were good with them," she said. "They liked you."

Kenny's blue eyes gave nothing away.

"You're great around kids," she continued, watching him carefully as she spoke.

"Forget it," he said flatly.

"Kenny, you need to get over it."

"I have."

"No, you haven't. You're ignoring what happened. You don't talk about it."

"There's nothing to say."

He got up and left. Taryn sighed, not sure how hard to push him. Everyone had things from their past-she knew that better than most. But she hated to see Kenny avoiding getting involved because of what had happened before. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right. But it also wasn't her problem to solve.

DESPITE THE QUICKIE wedding Dellina had pulled together with what Taryn would guess was maybe fifteen minutes' notice, she still managed to get the clothing exchange organized in a matter of days.

The soon-to-be finished retail s.p.a.ce at Paper Moon had been cleared of all construction equipment. The new carpeting was in place, as were most of the fixtures on the wall. Temporary racks held hanging clothes, while large tables were covered with sweaters, bags and shoes. There was even a display of costume jewelry. The dressing rooms were clearly marked and several mirrors had been set up around the room. Music played through hidden speakers.

All the clothes had, per the invitation, been delivered in advance. There were notes attached to most of them. Things like "I wore this once. Not sure why I bought it." Or "It shrank in my closet, which is weird because I never wore it."

Against the far wall was a mobile bar and buffet. Mostly finger foods easily eaten while shopping, along with a constant supply of girlie c.o.c.ktails.

Taryn had been hoping to get ten or fifteen women to come to the exchange, but there were at least twice that many. Several were unfamiliar, but Isabel quickly made introductions. It didn't take long for the noise level to start climbing.

Madeline was in charge of the exchange. She suggested pieces to different people and offered to find matching shoes or bags.

"She knows about the outfits for Bailey, right?" Taryn asked in a low voice.

Isabel nodded. "I got her a suit but also bought her a dress."

Taryn stared at her. "Why?"

"I thought it would look good on her. It's navy, with a jacket. She can dress it up or down. Take off the jacket and it's a nice dress for dinner out. A suit is more limited. This is Fool's Gold. Where is she going to wear a suit every day? But a dress can be worn a lot of different places."

Taryn nodded. "You're right. I'm just so nervous."

She'd left the shopping to Isabel. The other woman already had her credit card number on file. What were a couple more purchases?

"Holy s.h.i.+t, Taryn, what size are you?"

Pia Moreno stepped out of one of the dressing rooms wearing one of Taryn's castoffs. The purple dress looked great until Pia turned and Taryn could see the zipper was about three inches from closing.

"You just had a baby," Montana said sympathetically.

"Yeah, but my waist will never be this small." Pia glared at Taryn. "Seriously, you're what? A four?"

Taryn nodded. "Mostly."

"They'll fit me," Noelle said, studying the dress Pia had on. "But your clothes are way too sophisticated. I am, however, having a serious love affair with some of your shoes."

Annabelle Stryker, a pet.i.te redhead, walked up. "Everyone here is too tall. The only one I could exchange with is Consuelo, and we don't share the same fas.h.i.+on sense."

Taryn thought about Consuelo's love of cargo pants and tank tops, then looked at Annabelle's floral-print dress. "I can see how that wouldn't work." Not that Consuelo was at the exchange. She was still off honeymooning with Kent.

Taryn saw Bailey stepping out of one of the dressing rooms. The other woman had on a navy dress that came to just above her knees. It fit well, skimming over her curves. The scoop neck flattered without being too low. When she slid into the cropped jacket, Taryn understood what Isabel meant about the outfit being versatile.

Taryn crossed to the accessory table and grabbed a couple of scarves, then picked up a necklace and earrings.

"Try these on," she said, offering the costume jewelry to Bailey. "Nothing says a woman is accomplished more than chunky jewelry."

Isabel grinned. "I hadn't heard that."

"It's a little-known truth in boardrooms across America."

Bailey laughed. "I'll try them, but I have to warn you, I've never owned a scarf-except to wear in the snow."

"Then this is a first," Taryn said as she put the scarf over Bailey's shoulders.

Five minutes later they'd all agreed the dress was a hit, that the navy, cream and gold scarf worked, but with the dress alone. With the jacket, it was too busy. And that, yes, chunky jewelry made a woman look as though she was in charge.

"You did good," Taryn whispered to Isabel when Bailey had returned to the dressing room. "That dress fits her perfectly."

"I do have an eye," Isabel said with a grin.

Nevada Janack, the triplet who'd greeted her and Angel at the wedding, came over with a deep purple Jimmy Choo tote in her hands. The leather was soft, with rows of buckles on the front.

"I don't understand this," Nevada said, lightly stroking the bag. "I don't even carry a purse. But I have to have this. I have to."

"Bag love is pure," Taryn told her. "Especially the first time. I hope the two of you will be very happy together."

Nevada nodded. "I'm putting in more than five dollars. It's so beautiful-how could I buy it for so little? It would be wrong."

As the money was going to a women's shelter, Taryn was happy to encourage people to put in as much as they could afford.

She looked around at the event, pleased to see so many women trying on clothes and shoes. The bowl they were using to collect money for the exchange had already been emptied once that night, and it was going to have to be emptied again.

Taryn thought about how Mayor Marsha had forced her to solve the Bailey problem on her own and had a feeling that once again the wily politician had been right.

THE SITE OF the FWM all-grove campout was about fifteen miles outside town. It was a public camping area that the groves had taken over for the weekend. Not only were there lots of trees, permanent restrooms and big fire pits for group bonfires, but the campsites themselves were separated into two levels. The lower level, by the stream, and the upper level, closer to the parking lot. The latter provided parents who wanted to stay close but not get in the way of the experience a place to hover out of sight. If one of the girls needed a parental hug in the middle of the night, Mom and Dad were there to provide it.

Angel had parked in the designated "Grove Keeper" section of the parking lot. His SUV was filled with all kinds of gear-most of which was new. He was the kind of guy who loaded up a backpack and took to the mountains. But this was different. He wanted his girls to enjoy everything about the experience. Which meant roughing it had to be done in a gentle way.

He loaded up with as much as he could carry and headed down the steep trail to the lower campsite. A couple of other Grove Keepers were already there.

Large trees provided shade and cover. The east side of the site was up against the mountains. The stream cut through on the west side, then flowed along the edge of the grounds. With the warmer days, the snowpack was melting and the water moved at a fair clip. But it was shallow-eight inches or so. From what he could tell, the area wasn't p.r.o.ne to flooding.

He found the Acorn section and put down his pack and a couple of boxes. There were two picnic tables and a marked, paved path led to the restrooms. The area for the tents was big enough for them to be pitched in a circle, with the entrances facing each other.

Angel had brought along a mallet to help secure the stakes, and a rake to clear the site before they pitched the tents. Although there were eight Acorns, they would be sleeping two to a tent. Including his tent and one for Taryn, that was a total of six. The s.p.a.ce was plenty big.

For a second, he thought about sharing a tent with Taryn. They could zip their sleeping bags together-something he would enjoy. He gave himself a minute to think of her naked, her long legs tangling with his, then shook off the image. He had a feeling somewhere in the Grove Keeper Handbook was a rule forbidding unmarried Grove Keepers to have members of the opposite s.e.x in their tents.

He took the fresh food he'd brought over to the communal kitchen area. A small generator powered a portable refrigerator. The woman there picked up her clipboard when she saw him.

"You're with the Acorns?" she asked.

"That's me." He handed over the eggs and sausage he'd brought. The fresh fruit would keep in their site.

He made two more trips and brought down the rest of his gear. As he was locking up his SUV, Taryn pulled in next to him. When she stepped out of her car he saw she'd dressed in jeans and a T-s.h.i.+rt. She had her hair pulled back in a braid and even wore sensible hiking boots.

"Don't look so surprised," she said, slapping his arm. "I know how to dress for the occasion."

He peered at her. "You're not wearing any makeup."

She wrinkled her nose. "I know. Sunscreen only. I didn't think I could take it off tonight and reapply that easily so I'm going natural. Don't get used to it. Next time you see me, I'll be back in heels and mascara."

"If only that was all you were wearing," he murmured.

Her mouth curved up in a slow smile. "We might be able to negotiate that."

Which was one of the things he liked about her, he thought as she opened her trunk. She came to their relations.h.i.+p as his equal. She was willing to take him on and win. She was smart, s.e.xy and unexpectedly charming. Just when he'd thought things couldn't get better, she'd taken care of him when he was haunted by missing his kid. She was a h.e.l.l of a woman. Different from Marie, but amazing in her own way.

She hauled a huge backpack out of her trunk and slung it over her shoulders. Angel started to take it from her, but she shook her head.

"This is the stupid thing I have to wear when we go out with Cole," she reminded him. "If I'm going to hike for a day in it, I should be able to trudge down to the campsite. But you can carry the rest of it."

"The rest of it" turned out to be supplies for the weekend, but not the kind Angel had brought. The shopping bags were filled with hair clips, ribbons and glitter nail polish, several kits for making sparkly jewelry and two small bouquets of flowers.

Angel stared at her purchases.

"Don't give me that 'what were you thinking?' look," she told him firmly. "We're here until four on Sunday. Do you know how long that is? Sure, there are grove activities, but there is still plenty of downtime. Do you really want eight bored girls on your hands? This stuff will keep them busy, and that's a good thing."

"Okay. What about the flowers?"

"I thought they'd look nice on the table."

"You've never been camping before, have you?"

"No, but that's not the point."

"I guess not."

He followed her down the trail to the lower-level campsite. At the bottom, Taryn waited for him to point out where their grove had been a.s.signed. She let her backpack slide off onto the ground.

"It's nice," she said, looking at the trees, then up at the sky. "It's been clouding up all day. I hope it doesn't rain."

"Your tent is waterproof."

She wrinkled her nose. "I don't care. Having it rain would really mess up the weekend. The outdoor activities wouldn't be as fun and my hair would frizz."

Angel laughed, then pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "Dammit, Taryn, how do you do that?"