In His Eyes

by Barbara Lohr

He chuckled. “Don’t I know it? I told you that was why my father gave me that car. He didn’t want me smoking pot, much less get into the other stuff. I’m just saying, it’s easier to deceive someone in a huge city like Chicago. But coming back here? That was risky of him. Has anyone ever recognized you? You know, restaurants. Places like that?”

  She looked away. “We didn’t go out a lot. Ordered in most of the time... From what the girls in book club say, things happen here too.” She was thinking of Cole Campbell’s first wife. There were plenty of rumors about her.

  Lines appeared between Will’s eyes. She hated putting them there. “And it’s over? You have no contact with him.”

  “Yes. Over and done.” If she ever saw Bryce Williams again, she’d give him more than a piece of her mind. “I tried to call him again once, just to read him the riot act, but the number had been disconnected.”

  Will’s mouth twisted. “It was probably a throw-away phone. The one his wife never knew he had.”

  “How stupid I’ve been.” All the while, she’d felt so sophisticated, coming from Chicago to Gull Harbor on weekends. “I’m sure not perfect and this proves it.”

  “No, you’re wrong. You are perfect, Diana. Untouched in a lot of ways.”

  “That’s crazy.” But she liked hearing it. If anyone was perfect, it was Will. Didn’t he come from a solid family who loved him?

  Now he plied her with praise. A weighty load slowly slipped from her shoulders. If she were a balloon, she’d float to the ceiling. The best part was, she’d told him everything, holding nothing back. But he still looked at her like she was one of those fancy desserts in Brewster’s case, and he wanted to devour her. Slipping off her sandal, she ran her bare foot up one of Will’s legs, felt the short hair above his ankles. Didn’t take much for her imagination to go into gear.

  Glancing around, he gulped visibly. She was being so unfair...and loving it. “Okay, enough. Either cut that out or we’re leaving. Fast. You’re perfect and hot, and it’s time we do something about that.” Will raised a brow, as if wanting to be sure they were on the same page.

  “What’s on your mind?”

  “Nothing I can say out loud without a snoopy waiter dropping his tray.” And he glared at the bus boy hovering nearby. Grabbing his tub of dishes, he hustled toward the kitchen.

  “Are you really hungry?” Will asked.

  “Yes, but not for food.” Pizza was the last thing she wanted.

  “Right. That does it.” Flagging their waiter, Will asked him to box their pizza. When the box arrived, he settled the bill and she jumped to her feet. They tried not to run as they headed for the car. On the short drive back to her place, their hands did the talking.

  Inside her bungalow, he slid the box into the refrigerator and hoisted her onto the island. She could feel the cool granite through her jeans. The sensation melted under the heat of his gaze.

  This was feeling very bad, which was oh, so good.

  “We’re going to take this slow,” he promised in a hoarse whisper. But his kisses weren’t slow. They were hot and hungry. If she didn’t whisk off her sweater she just might burn up. So she tossed it to the floor. His eyes narrowed. “Oh, Diana. Babe, you are perfect.”

  She could hardly breathe while his eyes traveled over her as if he were memorizing every curve. She sucked in a breath while he kissed the parts he seemed to like the most. Thank God he was wearing a polo shirt, easy to pull over his head. “What a great look. I like you messy.” Smiling, she smoothed back his hair.

  “Good. Let’s keep that in mind. The messier the better.”

  Laughing, she plowed her fingers back into his thick curls and mussed up what she’d just fixed. Impatience made her hands shake. Lifting her carefully, Will swept her into the cool darkness of her room.

  “I’ve wanted...you...so...badly.” Now that her confession was behind her, she realized how much she needed him.

  His gravelly chuckle just about undid her. They took care of the rest of the clothes. “I was beginning to think you were planning on joining the convent or something.”

  Now that made her laugh. She pushed him back onto the bed. “Trust me. I’m bad material for a nun.”

  Leaning back on his elbows, he leveled a challenging look. My, he was quite an eyeful. “Why don’t you show me just how bad you can be?”

  So she did.

  Chapter 13

  Autumn ripened. The leaves began to turn the most gorgeous shades of gold, citron and russet brown. Diana wished she had a coat in those colors. She’d twirl and spin until she was dizzy. That was her life right now. The weather had been playfully warm. Soft breezes seemed to caress her body, leaving her skin extra sensitive. Or was that Will?

  She couldn’t stop thinking of him. Wanted to spend every minute with him. The words he whispered, like “perfect” and “beautiful,” rang in her ears every day. He’d accepted her past. Diana’s confidence soared.

  Truth was, she’d doubted herself big time after Bryce, and she’d brought that caution to her relationship with Will. The incident with Kelsey wouldn’t have set her off if she hadn’t been so disillusioned. Now? She approached everything with more certainty. When it came time to choose the spring lines, she made bold choices. Picked out silky styles she’d never tried before in colors like Tequila Lime and Desert Sunset. Tops that clung and skirts that moved with her body. Will teased her about hiding her figure under flowing skirts and blousy shirts. She’d never thought of it like that. Now she chose differently, with him in mind.

  “You’re beautiful just the way you are,” Will told her. “Absolutely perfect. Why would you want to hide...all that?”

  The rapid change in her life left her dazed. She daydreamed about Will constantly, toppling mannequins, jamming her register, and even forgetting to lock up one night in her rush to meet him.

  “You’re a mess,” Rachel told her with a pleased grin.

  “Yeah, what’s your point?”

  She was a mess. Absent-minded. In love. The words pulsed in her mind like a neon sign.

  Even her book club teased her. “Chica!” Chili’s eyes narrowed as Diana lounged on the sofa, yawning after a late night with Will.

  “What?” She straightened, wondering what she’d just missed.

  A giggle rippled Chili’s full lips. “Que pasa? What’s going on with you?”

  “You do seem different, Diana. In a nice way.” Distracted, Sarah burned her finger, swirling a bread chunk in the hot cheese dip. Any meeting at Chili’s was bound to be hot.

  Kate gazed at her over the glass of apple cider. “Yeah, something’s changed. Want to talk about it?”

  Diana pulled herself erect, almost spilling her chardonnay. “Nothing. Just...nothing.” But she couldn’t help the Cheshire grin lifting the corners of her mouth.

  “What are you keeping from us?” prodded Sarah gently.

  With a quiet smile, Kate leaned her head on one hand. “A man has to be involved. And I just bet I know who.”

  “Anyone want more wine?” Carolyn waved a bottle, no doubt a kind attempt at distraction.

  “Maybe you need a wild streak in your hair, like Mercedes,” Phoebe threw in.

  “Right. Perfect for Mercedes but not for me.” Diana had been amazed when she bumped into Mercedes at the deli counter in Clancy’s. The green streak was wild. Will would be shocked and suddenly his opinion mattered. But maybe she’d misjudged the guy. Two months ago, she’d pegged Will as definitely on the reserved side.

  But maybe not. The last couple of weeks had shown her a different side of Will. Why, he might be excited by a fun slash of color in her hair.

  Where had this man dropped from? What she’d felt for Bryce was nothing compared to the feelings that now held her hostage. Did she love Will?

  Kate was laughing, and Diana struggled to focus. “Yeah, Phoebe, I think you strong-armed my sister into that streak.”

  Phoebe was eyeing Diana with a wicked eye. “Why not give it a try?”
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br />   “Oh, I couldn’t change my hair.” Twirling a thick strand around her finger, she thought of how Will had tugged her down onto the sofa last night. Yes, maybe she loved him. Anyway, she sure loved how he made her feel. She’d flipped over onto his chest and tickled him with her hair until he begged for mercy.

  “Chica, donde estas? Where are you?” Chili snapped her fingers in front of Diana. “Your head is in a cloud, no?”

  Flustered by all the questions, she wondered why she’d even come tonight. She hadn’t read the book. But she dearly loved these women and the special bond they shared.

  “So, how’s it going with Will?” Kate tried again, oh, so casually.

  Diana’s mouth turned dry at the images flooding her mind. Nothing she could share, for sure. “Fine.” She grabbed her wine and sipped, then choked and coughed until her eyes started watering.

  Patting her on the back, Carolyn smiled. “That good, huh?”

  “We’re just dating,” she finally gasped.

  Sure. Right, Missy. That position last night was “just dating”?

  “Lucky you.” Carolyn made a face.

  “Carolyn, you could be seeing someone if you made an effort,” Phoebe said. “Join Matchmakers online. Cast a wide net.”

  “Right, and drive all the way to Kalamazoo for a date? You try it. I don’t have the time.”

  “Well, there is that. And speaking of the supply of men in Gull Harbor, is Mercedes dating Finn Wheeler?” Phoebe turned to Kate, who arched her brows and made the tick-a-lock motion with her fingers on her lips.

  “Ah, hah!” Chili exploded. “You’re holding out.”

  “Not my story to tell.” Kate turned to Carolyn. “But certainly there are some men around to date.”

  Carolyn lifted a shoulder. “Seems like every man I know is under eighteen.”

  “Oh, I don’t mean your students.” Chili wagged her head. “That’s a definite no-no.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Still, I hear younger men are more virile.” Laughing, Phoebe fingered her glass.

  “Now, how would you know that?” Kate turned toward her friend.

  The meeting went downhill from there, every comment more outrageous. Diana loved their carefree spirit. In Chicago, she’d worked such long hours that she didn’t have time to develop friendships. And then she met Bryce. For obvious reasons, he never encouraged her to spend time with anyone but him. But that chapter of her life was closed. Will had helped ease the pain and shame.

  Feeling relaxed, Diana leaned back. Her eyes fell on Kate, sipping a glass of cucumber water. “Hey, Kate, no wine tonight?”

  Silence fell over the room like a soft blanket. “Kate? Your turn. Are you keeping something from us?” Sarah leaned forward from her beanbag chair.

  Kate’s face glowed. “I’m pregnant.”

  The place went up for grabs. Lots of hugging and jumping up and down. Laughter and tears. Life just galloped along in Gull Harbor.

  “I wanted to be sure. So I took the test.” Kate rested a hand on her flat stomach. “Natalie’s so excited, and so is Cole of course. But don’t tell anyone yet, okay? Natalie overheard us, or we wouldn’t have said anything yet.”

  Chili lifted her glass. “To Kate and her bambino. Buena suerte, eh?”

  They all clicked glasses, followed by more excited planning. Chili brought out more cheese dip, and they forgot all about the book discussion. Talking about pregnancy and babies was way more fun.

  Babies. Sure, she’d dreamed about marriage and children with Bryce. What a wasted effort. Now Diana let her mind wander into a nursery with circus wallpaper. The smell of talcum powder seemed to fill the air.

  Was she crazy? Trying to rein in her emotions, she turned her attention back to their chatter about stuff going on this fall. Will had mentioned a few events to her. On chilly nights, people made bonfires on the beach and roasted marshmallows. He wanted to go apple picking and drive north along the highway to see the yellow and red leaves. The facility always had a Fall Festival. She was looking forward to all of it...with him.

  That night the book group broke up later than usual. As she drove home, Diana fell into comparing Bryce to Will.

  Never again would she give herself so cheaply.

  If there ever was another time.

  If she ever needed to enter the dating pool again. Mercy, she sure hoped not.

  The next day Diana and Will drove north and picked apples. When they got home, she made applesauce, the kind her grandmother used to make, rich with cinnamon and nutmeg.

  “So you’re a domestic goddess too?” Will asked after he sampled the applesauce straight from the pan.

  She looked at him. “You know I’m not.”

  “My Grandma Trudie used to make this.” He waved a spoon at the pan.

  “Really?” Taking the wooden spoon from his hands, she kissed his sticky lips. “You never talk much about your family.”

  Will skated a finger down her cheek. “I want you to meet them. Maybe over the holidays if you can swing it?”

  “We could go to Newtown to see my grandmother and aunt before heading over to Beanblossom.” Her mind spun ahead, but wasn’t he paving the way?

  “You bet. We’ll have a great holiday.” Will’s lips moved to her neck, and she turned woozy as he whispered, “Can’t wait to meet your grandmother and Aunt Ethel. Bet they’re both gorgeous like you.”

  “They’re a lot older. You’re tickling me.” Not that she was complaining.

  “Oh, you’ll always be beautiful, Diana. Dignified. A matriarch. Age won’t matter.”

  Chuckling, she snuggled back into his warmth. He could sure conjure up a wonderful future. Because of her last experience, she hadn’t mentioned Will to her family. She knew there’d be questions, and she didn’t want her grandmother or aunt to jump ahead. Now Will’s warm certainty melted her reserve.

  Phoebe and Mercedes began to stop in the shop more often. Diana felt her social network broadening, and her roots sinking deeper in this town. The fall came in unseasonably warm. The night she hosted the book group, they threw open the windows for what felt like the last gasp of summer, smelling of the lake and campfires on the beach. She’d made a hot clam dip, and Carolyn helped her toast bread rounds for scooping. Conversation soon left the book and focused on Kate’s morning sickness. Spying Diana’s calendar on the refrigerator, Chili plied her with bold questions. But she played stupid about all the W’s scrawled in so many blocks. They were seeing each other a lot. Looking up, she caught Carolyn’s eyes and winked. Could life get any better?

  Every weekend she had plans with Will, and they continued to visit other towns. Saugatuck, South Haven and Holland became more than dots on the map. She couldn’t eat enough burgers with caramelized onions or would never tire of blue moon ice cream, especially when it dripped from Will’s lips.

  The warm weather held. He scheduled picnics for the residents, and Diana helped out where she could, cutting buns, carrying salads from the kitchen, or even working at the grill. Harold tagged after her whenever she showed up. It was kind of cute. The residents made her feel wanted.

  “You work magic with these guys,” Will told her teasingly as they set up the grill for the Fall Festival. The Musak Man was scheduled to play tunes from the 40s and 50s. Will was so sensitive about having music that residents recognized. Looking around at the picnic tables decorated with pumpkins and squash, she’d never been so happy. Will looked adorable working over the hot grill in a white apron and hat. He never worried about how he looked ... and that made him very hot.

  Spatula in hand, he turned to her. “Happy?”

  Hugging him, she nodded. “Very.” Could life get any better than this?

  Just then a surge of people flooded through the french doors from the main room. Will waved to them. “Here come the folks from the St. Joe Senior Center. We invited them for the day, but I never heard back. Guess they took me up on it.’” He glanced at the empty serving trays. “We’ll ne
ed more food.”

  Diana broke away. “I’ll run in and get more burgers and fries from Maria, okay?”

  When she reached the kitchen, the cook was already pulling cases from the freezer. “I’ll just take these burgers and hot dogs out to Will. Could you watch the fries?”

  “Sure, no problem.” Diana had watched Maria do this a hundred times, and she peeked into the bubbling oil. Looked like they’d need more than this. Cold air blasted her when she yanked the freezer open. Slitting open the bag with a knife, she hoisted the icy sack on one shoulder, just as she’d seen Maria do. Diana was positioning it over the open vat when the heavy bag shifted. Fries poured out in one icy mass.

  The bubbling oil hissed and erupted like a volcano, spitting fiercely. Diana screamed when the pain seared her arm and face.

  ~.~

  Harold came stumbling toward Will, waving his arms. This couldn’t be good. “What’s up?” He steadied the older man with his hands. Harold’s lips worked but he could hardly get the words out. “Diana, she’s hurt. You gotta come fast. She’s hurt real bad.”

  Will dropped the spatula and ran. A couple of the aides fell in behind him. He heard Diana’s screams before he saw her, and his heart nearly stopped beating. When he reached the kitchen, she was sobbing, working the faucet at the sink, and trying to get her face under the cold stream. One look at the oil on the floor and his heart contracted.

  “Sweetheart. Hold it. Ease it back.” She could blow the skin right off her arm. His first aid training had taught him that much.

  Jan arrived. “Call 9-1-1,” Will murmured. Ripping a dish towel from the counter, he soaked it in cold water and applied it to her face. “There, there, sweetheart. It’ll be all right.”

  “I wanted to help,” she sobbed, breaking his heart. “I only wanted to help. Oh, Will, my face.”

  Chapter 14

  Please let this be a nightmare. But it wasn’t. Diana’s face and arm throbbed with pain. And she’d done this to herself. Will wouldn’t wait for the ambulance. Thank God he bundled her into his car and drove her to the hospital in Michigan City. Holding cold compresses to her face and arm, she fought the tears and battled total panic.