Her Best Match: A Romantic Comedy (The Best Girls Book 1) (16 page)

Anne looked back in the shop window to see the two in close conference, looking very serious. She hoped everything was all right. But she knew she needed to hurry if she was going to have any time to eat before going climbing, especially since she needed to shave her legs.

Back in her apartment, Anne downed a bowl of yogurt with fruit, hoping that would hold her hunger at bay. She jumped into the shower to shave, but realized too late the shower diverter was on. Her hair was doused with cold water, and she bit back a curse word at her bad luck. She shaved her legs quickly, regretfully inspecting her white skin. She hadn’t had time to get a fresh dose of spray tan. Why was she worried about her legs? No one would see them but Katie, Gary, and Mr. Gherring. She tried to convince herself she didn’t care what Mr. Gherring thought about her legs. Tried and failed. Okay, she wanted her legs to look good for him. It was because he looked so good, and she had always been competitive. It certainly wasn’t that she was trying to catch his attention. She just didn’t want to embarrass herself.

Satisfied with her explanation, she pulled on tight liner shorts under her regular shorts to ensure complete coverage when climbing. Her cell phone was buzzing again as she put on an exercise tank top and covered up with jeans and a sweatshirt for protection against the cold. She pulled her wet hair into a ponytail and headed downstairs. She’d chosen smooth legs over dry hair. Hopefully, she’d made the right choice.

Gherring was waiting in the lobby to give her a ride to the gym. Anne’s heart gave a little lurch. Despite the cold, Gherring had chosen to wear shorts, and his well-muscled legs looked incredible. Anne decided kissing Henri had awoken some urges that had been suppressed for a while. She had to gain control of herself. If the sight of his legs did this too her, what would happen when he took off his coat?

“Ready?” he asked.

“Yep,” she said, trying to keep her focus on his face and not look down at his legs. Still, she couldn’t help a quick downward glance. She forced her gaze upward and reddened at his amused and knowing expression.

“Still planning to beat me like a drum?”

“Like a big bass drum.” She lifted her chin and marched outside to the waiting car.

The gym was a short ride away, and Anne fidgeted while Gherring sat on the opposite side, calmly appraising her.

“Your hair is wet,” he remarked.

Anne felt herself blush again. She was not going to admit what a klutz she was. “Yes it is.”

“Don’t mothers say you’ll get sick if you go out in the cold with wet hair?”

“I have a strong constitution.”

“Perhaps you need some amendments.”

“I
do
have the right to remain silent.”

He grinned. “Okay, I won’t ask.”

Anne fidgeted a little more until she finally broke the silence. “I’m really kind of excited. I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“You like trying new things?”

“Yep, I’ll try almost anything. And Charlotte is just like me, or even worse. She’s a real daredevil. But Emily is the serious, mature one—always playing it safe. She likes to read about adventure instead of experiencing it.”

“They’re not married?”

“Oh no, but they’re still young, twenty three and twenty one.”

“But you were married by then?”

Anne answered defensively, “Yes, I got married when I was twenty, while I was still in college, but I did finish my degree. We were just
so
in love, we couldn’t wait two extra years.”

“How did your husband die?”

For a brief moment, the memory flashed fresh in her mind, and her stomach tightened.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s been fifteen years… fifteen years this November. It was the beginning of the Thanksgiving holiday, and he’d driven to pick up his folks in the country. They were driving back on the highway, just after dark, when a drunken teenager in a big truck crossed the centerline and ran head-on into the car. The girls lost their dad and their grandparents that night, and those poor parents lost their son.”

“Weren’t you angry?”

“Oh sure. Shocked, angry, depressed, worried, sad… You name it, I felt it. But I had two girls to take care of and no time to wallow in self-pity. My faith and family and friends carried me through it.” She blinked at her watery eyes. “And I’ve had a great life. Losing Tom made me realize how precious each day is—every moment with someone you love.”

“But fifteen years? And you’ve never remarried? That’s a long time to be alone.”

“Well that’s the proverbial pot calling the kettle black. How old are you? Forty-five? Fifty? Fifty-five? You’ve never married at all.”

Gherring frowned. “I just turned fifty! Do you think I look fifty-five?”

Anne smirked—she’d known exactly how old he was. Trust an assault to a man’s ego to make him forget about his uncomfortable line of questioning.

“Well luckily, the car stopped, so I guess we’ll have to postpone this conversation.” Her voice was cheery as she climbed out of the limousine. Gherring followed with a grumpy expression.

Anne walked into the climbing gym, staring in amazement at the immense climbing wall, peppered with climbers in various extremely uncomfortable-looking positions, some scaling areas with overhangs, one hanging precariously by one hand some thirty feet above the floor. The single-handed climber suddenly lost his grip and dropped. Anne gasped as he fell, but he only swung harmlessly in his harness before he managed to regain his handhold.

Gherring cocked his head. “You didn’t watch the climbers when you came here before?”

“Yes, of course, but no one fell when I was watching.” She hoped her lie was reasonable. He seemed to accept her statement, so she relaxed a bit.

Katie approached with Gary in tow.

Gary clapped him on the shoulder. “Hey Steven. What’re you planning to climb tonight? Alan laid out a new route that’s probably at least a five thirteen.”

“That sounds great, but first we want to get the girls on the wall.”

“Not me,” said Katie. “I’m just here to admire my man.” She playfully squeezed Gary’s bicep.

“But Anne wants to climb. You remember Anne, right Gary?” asked Gherring.

“Uhmm, yes.” Gary frowned at Katie before holding out his hand toward Anne. “Good to see you again.”

Anne smiled awkwardly and shook his hand. “Hi Gary.”

“Well let’s get you in a harness,” Gary said. Anne took off her coat and jeans, giving her legs the once over to see if she had missed anything while shaving. She squeezed her feet into the tight climbing shoes she’d been given. Gary handed her a harness and then excused himself to take a phone call. Anne stared bewildered at the tangle of straps and metal, but Gherring took it from her hands and helped her step in. As he tightened the straps his hands brushed against her. She felt a familiar warming inside and held her breath in the attempt to slow her heartbeat.

“Is it too tight?” asked Gherring.

“No, I’m just a little nervous.”

He led her over to the wall.

“I’m climbing here?” she asked. “Don’t you have a beginner wall? You know, like a green slope?”

“This is the beginner wall. See how it’s not quite vertical? And if you use the blue handholds, the route’ll be pretty easy.” As he spoke, Gherring began threading the belay rope through her harness.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing? Should we get somebody who works here to do this?”

Gherring pinned her with his eyes, the blue glinting. “I assure you I’m more than capable of belaying you on this climb.”

“Well I don’t know what that means, but I guess I’m gonna trust you with my life.” She looked up at him with wide eyes, and his look softened.

“I’ll try to be worthy.” His dimples returned.

He began tugging on all the various straps, his hands brushing against her, assaulting her senses. She was all-too-aware of his hard muscles, strong and sinewy. Her head swam, and she tried to catch her breath. Why was her heart beating so rapidly? She must really be nervous about trying the climb. She breathed in and out, slow and steady. He was standing so close she drew his clean scent deep inside. She had to get away from him. The only way was up.

She started her climb. The first few moves were easy, and she felt the comforting tug of the belay supporting her. She started moving up steadily, looking for the next blue hold as she ascended. She made it three fourths of the way up when she noticed her muscles were fatiguing. She felt tremors in her arms. “My arms are shaking!” she yelled down.

“Put all your weight on your feet and rest your arms for a minute. You can relax—I’ve got you.”

Anne followed Gherring’s instructions, planting her feet firmly and standing tall. She felt the belay rope lifting, easing the strain on her arms. She realized she really could trust him. And somehow, she wanted to rely on him for more than just climbing a wall. She felt a pang in her heart. His feelings for her were more like that of a protective father. But there was no reason why she couldn’t fantasize a little, right? He’d never know.

She started climbing again, feeling the strain and ignoring the exhaustion in her limbs. She paused for a moment.

“You’re almost there,” called Katie.

“You don’t have to go any further if you don’t want to,” teased Gherring. “You can just give up now.”

Gherring’s words worked like magic on her competitive spirit, sending adrenaline into her system. She scrambled quickly upward and touched the top of the wall.

“I did it!” she yelled. Whoops and hollers came from below. “Now what?”

“Just let go,” said Gherring. “I’ve got you.”

“Let go?”

“Let go of the wall. You can hold on to the rope and lean back.” He pulled hard on the belay rope and she felt it again—that secure feeling that someone else is protecting you. The knowledge that someone is making sure nothing bad will happen. That you’re safe. She let go of the wall and, to her surprise, the rope held her steady. She swung away and then back toward the wall.

“Now I’m going to let you down slowly, and you can just walk down the wall,” Gherring’s soothing voice rose up from below. The descent was smooth and quick. Anne was shaking from head to toe as she stood on the ground with Gherring loosening her harness.

“Okay—that was a rush!” Her heart was beating rapidly, speeding up with the heady feeling of Gherring’s touch. At least he wouldn’t detect the effect he had on her.

When Gherring had freed her from the straps, he paused a moment and looked closely at her flushed face. “You really did like it, didn’t you?”

She stared back at his piercing blue eyes, so close she could see little glints of gold around the edges. “I… uhmm, I… I did. I liked it.”

“You know,” he said softly, “I—”

“Hey Steven! Are you ready to climb? I’ll belay you.” Gary called from across the room.

Gherring sighed, and turned toward Gary. “I’m coming, buddy.”

Anne stood next to Katie while Gherring tackled the challenging climb. His muscles flexed and bulged as he pulled himself under an overhang using only handholds. Katie leaned over and whispered in Anne’s ear, “He looks pretty good for a fifty year old, don’t you think?”

Anne, who’d been thinking he looked pretty good for any age, nodded her head in agreement. She decided climbing was a really great spectator sport, at least when the scenery was this good. “Does he come here a lot?”

“Yeah, he and Gary were friends and climbing buddies before this, and Mr. Gherring encouraged him to start this gym and was one of his initial investors. In fact, that’s how I met Gary. Mr. Gherring was pretty mad at Gary when he realized he was going to lose his executive assistant, but I think he’s finally accepted it. He didn’t really have a choice, and it’s helped a lot since you showed up. He was so pouty about the whole thing; he was turning down every single candidate.”

“Why do you think he hired me? After turning down all those others?”

“Don’t get your feelings hurt, but you made him laugh.”

“He laughed at me?”

“No, you’re taking it wrong. He laughed because you surprised him. It takes a lot to surprise Mr. Gherring after so many years in this business. He’s become pretty cynical, I think. It’s more like he laughed at himself, for being caught by surprise.”

“Hmmm, that’s not really too flattering. But I guess it makes sense. Oh!” she exclaimed as Gherring slipped and caught himself with his fingertips on the hold, while his feet searched for a purchase on the wall. He regained his footing and continued upward, every muscle straining. Anne felt the tension in her neck finally ease when he reached the top and fell back to descend. “So do you usually climb?”

“Me? No way. I’ve got no desire to climb. But I’m happy to watch Gary and cheer him on. He’s opening another gym, and I’m going to help him run the business after we’re married.”

“Do you think we got away with our little fib about Gary?”

“I don’t know, but I guess we just need to quit talking about Mr. Gherring.” She smiled. “Or else we need to watch his office door a little more closely.”