Jennifer Crusie - Manhunting

“ Nancy,” Kate said. “She’s offered me a job. She’s going to teach me to be a barmaid.”

“You’ll drink the profits.”

“I will not.”

“Kid, I’ve only known you two days and I’ve seen you plastered three times.” He shook his head. “A bar would not be a good career move for you.”

“Twice.” Kate held up two fingers. “You’ve seen me plastered twice. I tried to get drunk at the luau, but it didn’t work. I was perfectly sober when I pushed Lance into the pool. I’d do it again in a minute, too.”

“Well, it’s good to know you don’t have any regrets.”

“You make it sound like I’m a lush. This is only the second time I’ve been drunk in years.”

“And I got to be with you both times.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Just try not to pass out on me before I get you into bed.”

Kate dropped her coffee cup.

“Let me rephrase that,” he said, wiping up the spill. “Hauling your unconscious body into your cabin and dumping it on your bed is work for a younger man than I.”

“I’m not that heavy.”

“As a dead weight, you are.”

“Forgive me.” Kate drew herself up from the bar with dignity. “I will certainly stay conscious.”

“Good. Hold that thought.”

Jake went off to take Henry and Early’s money.

“So you’ve got a mortgage on Nancy ’s bar,” Kate said when he came back.

Jake winced. “Did she show you her underwear, too?”

“What are you talking about?” Kate asked.

“Well, she seems to have spilled her guts about everything else.”

“She was just explaining to me that if you wanted to close this bar, you could foreclose on the mortgage.”

“Why would I want to close this bar?” Jake asked, bewildered.

“So you can open one at the resort,” Kate said.

“Oh, right.” Jake nodded. “The Valerie angle. You can forget that. It’s not happening.”

“Valerie,” Kate said, shaking her head. “She seems to think we’re two of a kind. She wants me for a role model. Do you think I’m like Valerie?”

“No,” Jake said. “You’re not at all alike.”

Kate closed her eyes. “Thank you,” she said. “I would really have hated it if you’d thought we were alike.”

Jake looked thoughtful. “So you told Nancy about Valerie’s idea?”

“Penny said we should warn her. I thought we should stay out of it, but then I met Nancy, and, well, you know…”

“I know. Is Nancy worried?”

“No. She thinks you and Will are Santa Claus.”

Jake grinned. “And what do you think?”

Kate looked at him. “I don’t know Will at all, but you are definitely not Santa Claus. I don’t know what you are. Disturbing, I guess. But I trust you. Nancy ’s right. She’s safe. But, boy, somebody’d better stop Valerie.”

“Oh, somebody will,” Jake said mildly. “What do you mean, disturbing?”

“I don’t know,” Kate said, studying him. “I haven’t got it figured out yet. Don’t I disturb you?”

“Constantly,” Jake said. “Drunks make me nervous.”

“You’re ducking the question,” Kate said. “But I’m so tired, I don’t care. Say good-night, Jake, and take me home.”

Jake saw her to the door and left. Nice man. Kate stripped off her clothes. She had pajamas somewhere, but they sounded like too much effort. She fell naked into the bed and it creaked under her. Nice sound. She crawled under the covers and curled up to sleep.

She’d had a wonderful time tonight at the bar. They were all such good people. And she was really looking forward to helping Nancy with the bar. That could be a lot of fun. A small business, not a big corporation. Running everything herself. Maybe she’d buy a bar when she got home.

She tried to picture herself with a little neighborhood bar, and it looked wonderful until her father walked in and sneered at it, the way Donald had sneered at Toby’s Corners all day. They were wrong, but she knew that it mattered to her. She had to work at something she could be proud of. Come on, Kate, she told herself. Back to your plan. You’re wasting time hanging out with Jake. Tomorrow you’re going to get serious about finding a man you can build a successful business with.

That wasn’t particularly appealing so she added, And tomorrow you’re going to save Nancy ’s bar. She closed her eyes and smiled to herself and when she opened them again it was very early morning, the sun coming weakly through the window as it crept its way into the sky. I feel so good here, she thought. I can do anything here. I can even possibly save a bar bare-handed.

She thought of how proud Jessie would be of her, and then of how proud Jake would be, although he’d never tell her so, and Jake made her think of the lake, and then she remembered Jessie, saying that somebody exciting would swim in the nude. This early, the lake would be deserted and cool, so cool. The water would slide over her like silk.

I’m exciting, she thought. So there, Jessie.

She pulled on a cotton shift and left the cabin to walk down the path to the lake.

It was cold in the woods, and she shivered a little. She breathed in the smell of the woods and the breeze and the lake, smelling the water even before she saw it.

It was even more beautiful in the early morning, like rippled glass.

This was it. She took a deep breath and then kicked off her sandals and pulled off her shift and went naked into the water as if going to a lover.

It was cold, but she walked into the water steadily, feeling her skin tighten and the muscles in her stomach contract When she was hip-deep, she dived in.

The water broke over her head, and she twisted in the cold, reveling in the feel of the water on her body as her muscles tensed. She came to the surface and stretched out her arms as she trod water, feeling the cool early-morning sun on her face, and then dived and swam again and again, as free as if she were ten years old, as alive as if she’d been making love. She never wanted to put on clothes again.

After half an hour, she turned to swim back to shore and saw Jake sitting by her clothes. At least she figured it was Jake. It was certainly his hat.

She swam in to the shore until she could almost stand shoulder-deep in the water. He just sat there, his forearms on his knees, his hands dangling in front of him, watching her tread water.

“Hello,” she said.

“Morning,” he said, grinning at her.

Go away, she thought, but she smiled back, trying to act unconcerned. “Did you come to watch?”

“No. I came to swim.”

“Well, come on in.” She gestured behind her. “There’s plenty of room.”

“Well, now, I don’t know.” He pushed his hat back a little farther on his head. “Are you naked?”

“Yes.”

“Then there’s not plenty of room.” He shook his head. “I’ll go in when you come out.”

Kate almost asked him to put his hat over his eyes.

She knew he’d do it, but if she was going to swim in the nude, she should have the courage of her convictions. After all, it was just Jake.

On the other hand, even if it was just Jake, she was still embarrassed for him to see her naked.

While she pondered, he watched her, laughter in his eyes.

The hell with you, she thought. Laugh at this, buddy. “All right,” she said. “The lake is yours.”

She swam toward him until the water was waist deep, and then walked out.

Jake didn’t move. In fact, he seemed frozen. She walked up beside him and bent to pick up her T-shirt. He was only inches away from her, and he turned and watched her as she bent. Then she straightened and arched her back to pull the shift over her head. The cotton stuck to the water on her body and it took a lot longer than she liked before she finally got it pulled over her hips.

“Well, you’ve certainly improved my morning,” Jake said.

“Anything to oblige.” Kate picked up her towel and scuffed on her sandals. “Have a nice swim,” she said and walked into the woods, her heart beating like mad.

Jake sat there for a while after she’d gone, stunned.

She’d looked so funny in the lake, biting her lip, trying to figure out what to do, and then, just when he’d been about to turn his back, she’d gotten that look in her eye and come walking out of the lake toward him.

Ben was right. She was no kid.

He’d felt like a rabbit caught in headlights. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her body, round and full and taut with the cold. She’d strolled out of the lake like a goddess, and if it had taken one more second for her to pull that cotton thing on, he’d have reached for her.

He closed his eyes. Narrow escape. In fact, it would be a good idea to stay away from Kate since she was turning out to be the most confusing woman he’d ever known. He’d thought she was just another empty suit, but out on the lake she was the best company he’d ever had. He’d thought she was a snob, but she defended Nancy against Valerie. He’d thought she was cold, but she swam naked in the lake and, from the expression on her face, loved it. He’d thought she was an attractive woman, but lately her beauty was beginning to take on mythic proportions in his dreams.

And what he’d seen today was not going to help matters.

Sighing, he took off his clothes and went into the lake. It felt like a cold shower, which was just what he needed anyway.

When Kate got back to the cabin, she slammed the door behind her, her face burning with embarrassment. She’d done it.

The only problem was, now she had to face him sometime again.

The more she thought about it, the braver she felt. Big deal. He’d seen her naked. It was her choice. And he probably didn’t give a damn. And, the sooner she faced him, the sooner she’d stop dreading it. She’d just act like nothing happened. No big deal.

In fact, the more she thought about it, the prouder she was of herself for being so free, so brave. Jessie would have loved it.

She had steak and eggs and home fries for breakfast to celebrate, and then at nine, she buttoned an oversize white shirt over her black bathing suit, filled a cotton bag with books and apples, clapped her new black hat on her head, and went off to meet Jake at the boat.

“Nice hat,” was all Jake said when he saw her, and Kate breathed a tiny sigh of relief. Still buddies, she thought. I’d have missed him. She got in the boat, and he rowed over to the willow.

They took off their shirts, set their poles and then leaned back. Their legs stretched out in the boat companionably next to each other, and Kate no longer worried about touching him, absentmindedly enjoying the warmth of his skin next to hers, as she pulled out her book and began to read.

Jake watched her read. He was glad she’d come back because he would have missed her. There really wasn’t any problem because as attractive as Kate was, she’d made it clear that he was not part of her plan. There was no danger. And now that she was back, he felt comfortable again. He hadn’t lost anything by seeing her naked except for the few brain cells he’d burned out looking directly at her breasts.

He looked up into the willow and listened to the water lap against the boat. It’s a good life, he thought and pulled his hat over his eyes and slept.

Half an hour later, Kate was deep in her book and didn’t notice the tug on Jake’s line until the pole was nearly bent to the water.

“Jake!” she called, and when he didn’t answer, she swatted his leg with her foot.

He woke up grumpy.

“What?”

“There’s something on your line.”

He tilted his hat back and then sat up fast, grabbing the pole before it flipped into the water.

“Damn,” he said, and fought the fish. It was a big one, and it broke the water battling, flapping water all over him as he ducked and tried to grab it Kate reclined in her end of the boat and watched Jake fight the good fight while she ate her second apple.

Finally, drenched and exasperated, he got the fish off the hook and threw it back in the lake. He sat looking at her, his forearms on his knees, his hands dangling in front of him, water dripping off his chest, arms and hands.

“You were a great help,” he said.

“If I’d known you were going to be this energetic,” she said, “I wouldn’t have brought you.” She tossed her apple core back over her head into the lake. “Now cut the hook off your line. The fish around here are positively suicidal.”