Until We Touch (Fool's Gold #15)

Taryn’s gaze was steady. “That is possibly the stupidest idea ever.”


“No, it’s brilliant. You’ll see.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“WHO ARE WE MEETING?” Larissa asked as she walked with Bailey to Brew-haha.

“Her name is Shelby Gilmore. She’s Kipling Gilmore’s sister.” Bailey grinned. “You know Kipling Gilmore, right?”

“Not personally, but I might have caught one or two of his events on TV,” Larissa admitted. Kipling had been a fantastic skier and had won two gold medals at the Olympic Games earlier that year. But right now she wasn’t all that interested in him or any other man who wasn’t Jack.

Not that she’d figured out what she was going to do about him, but she was mulling and eventually she would come up with a plan.

“I saw him, too,” Bailey said. “He’s totally hot.”

“So there’s an ulterior motive for helping his sister?”

Bailey laughed. “Not even close. Mayor Marsha asked that I help make Shelby feel at home. I’m still not sure how to do that myself, so I dragged you along. This has nothing to do with Kipling. He’s just a frame of reference.”

“Uh-huh. Like I buy that. So you’re saying if he asked you out right now, you’d refuse?”

Bailey hesitated just long enough for Larissa to come to a stop and face her. “What?” she demanded. “Or rather, who? There’s somebody if you’re not accepting a date with Kipling Gilmore. I’ve heard he’s really nice. Why don’t you want to go out with him?”

Bailey laughed. “Maybe because I’ve never met the man and he certainly hasn’t asked me on a date. Besides, even if he were my type, which he’s not, you forget. I’m a single mom. It’s the best anti-date charm there is.”

Larissa hadn’t thought about that. Chloe, Bailey’s daughter, was adorable. Funny and sweet. She showed up at Score from time to time to get help with various FWM projects. The FWM—Future Warriors of the Máa-zib—was kind of like a scouting organization. But local, and with a Fool’s Gold twist.

“I thought guys were over worrying about women with kids,” she said.

“Not as much as you might think. But it’s fine. I’m not looking to get involved. Or date.” Her tone was a little wistful.

“You don’t sound convinced.”

Bailey sighed. “Okay, one hot night with Kipling Gilmore would go a long way toward brightening up my week, but that’s as much as I’m willing to commit to.”

“It’s enough.”

“What about you?” Bailey asked. “Any interest in the hunky skier?”

“I’m around hunky athletes all day,” Larissa reminded her as they crossed the street and approached the coffee shop. “I’m not looking for more.”

Nope, what she was looking for was a way to get over Jack. As she’d told Taryn, having a romantic—i.e., sexual—relationship with the man seemed like the best way to get over him. The only stumbling block was how she was going to get him to figure out he wanted her. Assuming he did.

They walked into Brew-haha. The coffee place was well lit and welcoming with lots of primary colors and an exceptional display of tempting pastries. There were a dozen or so tables, most of them empty in the middle of the afternoon. But a lone woman sat at one of them.

“That’s her,” Bailey said in a low voice. “I saw a picture.”

Shelby Gilmore was probably in her mid-twenties. She had gold-blond hair that fell past her shoulders and big blue eyes. She was petite, almost delicate. No, Larissa thought, suddenly feeling she had too long arms and legs and was way too tall. Not delicate. Ethereal. Like a fairy princess who had gotten caught in the wrong reality.

Talk about fanciful, she told herself. Where had that come from?

Shelby looked up as they approached the table. While she smiled, her gaze was wary.

“Hi,” Bailey said as she took a seat opposite. “I’m Bailey Voss and this is Larissa Owens. Thanks for meeting us.”

“You’re welcome.”

Bailey glanced at the small table between them. “We need coffee. I’m thinking a latte. What about you, Shelby?”

“Sure. A latte would be nice. Thank you.”

Larissa nodded her agreement and Bailey went off to place the orders. There was no one else in line, so she was back in a matter of a minute or so.

She sat down and sighed. “Patience is bringing over pastries with the order. That will be fine for those of you who are annoyingly skinny, but I don’t need the temptation.”

Larissa shook her head. “Yeah, right. Who wouldn’t want those curves of yours?” If she had Bailey’s figure, she would have a much easier time of getting Jack’s attention.

Bailey smiled. “If only that were true.” She looked at Shelby. “So, you’re wondering who we are and why we’re here.”

“A little,” Shelby admitted.