by Erica Penrod
“Are you okay?” Kael’s voice set her free. He touched her elbow, and her gaze darted from his hand, then back to his face. A light flickered like a shooting star in the midnight sky of his eyes, and her flesh tingled.
“Uhhhh, yeah.” Tori cleared her throat, shook his hand away, and walked into the store. Kael came up behind her, and she had to focus not to let the idea of him touching her steal her concentration. Seconds before, she’d hoped to see as little of Kael Santos as possible, and now here she was, crisp on the outside and all warm and mushy inside like a toasted marshmallow.
“Look, I’m sorry.” He spoke, and his words were like a rain shower after a lightning strike. The atmosphere calmed, but there was still a storm somewhere inside him. “I shouldn’t have talked to you that way. Can we just start over?” Kael walked over to the glass case that ran the entire length of the store. A small section of rifles and shotguns hung on the wall, followed by bows with quivers of arrows. “I appreciate what you’re doing for my daughter. You just caught me by surprise, and obviously I’m not good with surprises.” Lines pulled at the corner of his mouth as he smiled.
Tori raised her brows. “I guess that explains why you don’t like me. I’ve surprised you two days in a row.”
His ruddy complexion gave her unexpected satisfaction. “I … I … do like you. I mean, not that I know you that well, and I’m usually not too bad of a guy, but you …” Kael’s lip hitched to one side and he gave her a lopsided grin.
“Bring out the best in you?” She stood in front of a clothing rack and ran her fingers over a wool-lined jacket, careful not to let him see her own face heating up.
“Let’s just say I like things scheduled, and you …” He paused, and she looked up to meet his stare. “You were not scheduled.”
Goose bumps freckled her skin, and her lips trembled. She was usually good at judging people, interpreting what their silence or facial expression meant from her years in the courtroom, but Tori couldn’t read Kael. A part of her thought he might have felt something other than contempt when he looked at her like that, but she couldn’t trust her instinct where he was concerned. “I’m sorry about showing up unannounced, and I will keep your aversion to spontaneity in mind for future reference—”
“I didn’t say I’m not He exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Never mind.” He looked up at her. “I’ve got to get the store opened. I’ll have you come back to my office as soon as Jeff gets here.”
“Okay.” Tori looked at the taxidermy mounts of fish, deer, and other animals. She gulped back the knot in her throat. Her father wasn’t a hunter, and she’d never been comfortable with stuffed animals staring at her. They made her skin crawl and her body shiver. Tori glanced at Kael as he walked into what she assumed was his office. Probably best not to mention anything to him about that.
The store was long and rectangular. In the center were aisles of outdoor clothing, coats, and swimwear. Tori meandered through, noticing the name brands and the variety, impressed by the quality, and when she flipped over the price tag, she was glad to see the prices weren’t astronomical. She wandered toward the back and found the shoe display. Cleats, hiking boots, running shoes, and a few other types she didn’t recognize covered the wall and lined the small aisle of shelves. The other side of the store was divided into sections for individual sports: golf, basketball, baseball, football, tennis, volleyball, running, and soccer. The store was clean and organized, but once again, her decorating disease took over, and she imagined so many ways she could make the store pop—but that was another thing she probably shouldn’t mention to the owner.
Minutes later, Tori heard the door open and saw a bowling pin of a man, with his bald head, long narrow neck, and portly belly. His eyes met hers and blinked twice before his thick mustache crept across his face as he smiled at her. “Hello.”
“Hi.” Tori was relieved when Kael came out of his office.
“Hey, Jeff.”
“Hi.” Jeff’s eyes darted from Kael to Tori and then back to his boss.
“This is Tori. She has a decorating show on MyHeartChannel, and Marcela won a bedroom makeover, so she’s here to go over some paperwork. Can you manage things for me while I meet with her?”
Jeff nodded. “Sure, boss.” He looked over at Tori. “It’s nice to meet you, and don’t let him intimidate you. He’s not as tough as he seems.”
Kael crossed his arms and rolled his eyes as he flashed a big toothy grin. “Yes, I am.”
Jeff went to the counter. “Whatever you say, boss.” He gave Tori a wink as he picked up a catalog that sat beside the register. The easy banter between the two men made her think that maybe she’d judged Kael a little too harshly.
“Come on in my office.” Kael put his hands in the front pockets of his khaki pants and smiled at Tori. “Oh, and Jeff, I wanted to let you know that Tori here isn’t all that impressed with your front window display.”
Her eyes widened as Jeff put a hand over his heart like he’d just been wounded. “Ouch, that stings a little.”
“I didn’t say that, I—”
Jeff waved his hand in the air. “No worries. I never claimed to be good at it, but ask me about which lure to use with which fish and I’m your man.”
“I’ll remember that.” Tori came up and stood next to Jeff. “I haven’t been fishing in years, but maybe when I’m through with meeting with Kael, you could show me a few.”
His russet eyes lit up. “You got it.” Jeff turned to Kael. “Hurry up. Tori and I got a date.”
* * *
Kael ushered Tori into the office and closed the door. “Have a seat.” He pointed to the chair across from his desk. She sat down as she scanned the room. After her comment about the display window, he felt self-conscious as he saw the room through her eyes. The paint was stark white, his framed business license hung on the wall behind him, and a wildlife calendar from an ammo supplier was on another wall. He kept a photo of Marcela on his desk, along with a picture from a playoff game the first year he played professionally. His golf clubs were propped in the corner, and he couldn’t remember the last time he used them.
He chewed on the corner of his lip as he slid into his chair. Tori smiled softly, calming him for a moment, until he got lost in the abyss of her eyes and the rush he’d felt last night when he saw her for the first time came flooding back to him. What was it about her that made him feel like he’d swallowed a chocolate-covered jalapeno pepper, all sweet and delicious, but hot and spicy at the same time? Beads of moisture clung to his brow, his mouth watered, and he had to keep his hands occupied to keep them from shaking.
Tori wasn’t the first beautiful woman he’d seen since his divorce, but she was the only one he’d noticed and kept noticing. He liked her delicate nose with a slight scoop at the end, her pronounced cheekbones, and her milky-white skin tone that set off her rose-petal lips perfectly. She reminded him of a fairy, but not a princess pixie—more like a warrior with wings, capable and strong, like the one in a story he used to read to Marcela when she was younger.
“I’ve got the paperwork here.” Tori opened the large purse that sat on her lap. “This is just a contract giving me to permission to do the project and that you won’t sue me if you don’t like what I do.”
Kael picked up the papers and thumbed through the stack. “I don’t think my opinion matters.” He smiled as he skimmed over the legal jargon. “My daughter is the one you need to make happy, but from what I’ve gathered, that shouldn’t be too difficult. She pretty much worships anything you do.”
She tilted her head and her cheeks blushed, matching her lips. “That means a lot to me. When I started this, I didn’t know if anyone would watch or like what I did.”
“How did you get into this? Did you go to school for design?”
Tori shifted in her chair and pulled the purse to her chest. “Actually, no. I’ve got a law degree.”
Kael’s eye blinked and gaped wide open at her. “You’re a l
awyer?”
“Yeah. Both my parents are lawyers, and my little brother just finished law school, so I guess it’s in my blood, so to speak. And don’t get me wrong, I liked being a lawyer, but there’s something about decorating that I’m passionate about.”
“So why not do both?” Kael asked.
Her brow creased, and she shrugged her shoulders. “There’s not time to do both.” She brushed her hair back. “I don’t know. I’ve always loved decorating, and when my friends saw my place, they asked if I would help them out, and that’s how things were in the beginning. But then their family and friends started asking me to help them with projects, and things progressed from there.” Her gaze drifted as if she were far away.
“What about the money? I mean, not that it’s my business, and you’re obviously successful at this MyHeartChannel thing, but I’m sure you had to give up a good salary.”
“Yeah, there’s a little bit of a difference.” A smile tugged on the corners of her mouth but didn’t reach her eyes. She cleared her throat and slid to the end of the chair. “If you have any questions about the contract, I’d be happy to answer them.”
Kael glanced down at the papers. “Would you mind if I kept them until later today when I’ve got some more time to go over them?”
Tori stood up, and Kael shot out of his chair like he’d missed the starting whistle blow. “That’s just fine. I can stop by later once you’ve signed them and pick them up.” She adjusted her purse over her shoulder. The bag was so big, he wondered if it doubled as a life raft if needed.
“Come by the house later tonight. Marcela would love to see you.” Kael caught himself before he added how much he wanted to see her again. He crossed his arms, trying to calm his rolling stomach. He exhaled as he walked around the desk and held the door for Tori. “Why don’t you just come by about six? Marcela doesn’t have soccer practice today, so we’ll be home early.”
“Sure, that sounds good. We need to discuss when Marcela and I can go shopping.”
Kael’s palms began to sweat, and his mouth watered like he’d just asked Tori on a date, something he hadn’t done since his divorce. But Tori didn’t seem to think anything of his invitation other than a business arrangement.
Tori walked away, and Kael braced himself against the desk. Why would she think anything different? He wasn’t asking her out. He needed to chill and be as accommodating as possible to hurry this makeover along. He needed to get Tori on her way and removed from his life ASAP. Three weeks would be hard enough if he kept acting like a teenage boy with a crush. Any longer than that might resuscitate his heart back to the belief that he needed a woman in his life. And not just any woman … her.
“She sure seems like a nice girl.” Jeff sidled up beside him.
Kael flinched, then realized he’d been staring at the door for who knew how long. “What was that?” He glanced over at Jeff.
“I said she seems like a nice girl.”
“I guess so.” Kael hoped his emotions were camouflaged, but Jeff appeared to look right through him, so he changed his tactic to offense. “Can you go in the back and check the inventory on the Nike cleats?”
Jeff pushed his hands into his pockets. “Sure, boss.” But he looked at him like “I love Tori” was tattooed on Kael’s forehead. His skin burned like he’d just left the parlor. Outside the window, Tori’s car drove by, and his heart stammered. Great, the resurrection had already begun, and she was coming to his house … yes, three weeks would be way too much time to be around the decorator, and he planned to hurry her along, starting tonight.
Chapter Five
Design Tip
Embrace decorative finishes.
Let silver and gold hang out together.
Milwaukie, Oregon, is huddled on the riverbanks of the Willamette River, about thirty minutes outside of Portland. Spring hung on the coattails of winter as Tori parked her car, zipped up her jacket, and took a stroll through downtown. Brick storefronts and large display windows offered a variety of locations that would work for different segments. She wanted several shots from the riverbank and maybe one from the bridge that stretched from shore to shore.
She paused at the door of a quilt shop, taking in the array of colors and patterns as ideas floated through her mind about a color scheme for Marcela’s bedroom.
“Tori,” a voice said behind her. Tori turned around to see Marcela’s grandmother standing there with a bag in her hand. “I’m so happy to see you.” The small, but strong woman pulled Tori in an embrace.
“You too,” Tori said as she let go. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember what the sweet little lady’s name was.
“I didn’t expect to find you here.” Her accent seemed more pronounced than it had the night before.
“I’d like to get some footage of the town, and it saves on time if I’ve already got locations figured out.” Tori smiled and saw her reflection shining back in the Brazilian woman’s brown eyes.
“Well, I’m so glad I ran into you.” She squeezed Tori’s arm. “And my name is Evelyn, just in case you forgot.”
Tori’s cheeks flushed, and she smiled.
“But you’re welcome to call me Eve.” There was such warmth radiating from her kindness that Tori felt like she was basking in the rays of a hot summer sun.
“Thank you, Eve.” Tori grinned. “I’m hoping to take Marcela out shopping to get an idea of what she likes and doesn’t like. I would love for you to join us.”
Eve’s eyes widened, and her painted red lips parted, revealing a huge smile.
“That is, if you’re okay with being filmed.” Tori’s heart swelled. “And if you are, I’ll just need you to sign a release.”
Eve reached up and patted the hair on her head. “Oh, yes.” Her gaze wandered past Tori and then back again. “I’ll be on the show; I better see if Gloria can squeeze me in for a cut and a color.” Suddenly the little lady was as nervous and fidgety as the White Rabbit in Wonderland. “I’ll need a new outfit and—” She examined her fingertips. “—a manicure.”
Tori laughed. “You look lovely now. You really don’t need to do all that.”
“Are you kidding?” Eve pranced in place. “I’m always looking for a reason to doll myself up. These opportunities don’t come around so often anymore.”
“Well, then, doll away,” Tori mused, until she looked down at her own hands and couldn’t remember the last time she’d been in for a mani-pedi. Blake was good to remind her about makeup on camera, but she never really spent much time considering her hairstyle and outfits. She was more concerned with the project’s appearance than her own. Getting “dolled up” might not such a bad idea. Her mother would be pleased to know her daughter wasn’t a complete lost cause. Maybe she could give up some of her design time research for a little makeup advice. Carley had mentioned something about another MyHeartChannel she followed, called EverydayGlam!, with a spunky little redhead that gave great beauty tips; maybe she should take the time to check it out.
“I will.” Eve’s excitement was contagious. Tori grinned, thinking about her own style. Her closet was filled with business attire, which didn’t seem right for what she was doing now, but maybe for the final reveal portion she should put a little more effort into her look. The problem was, she didn’t have the budget to go out and get anything new. However, with a little creativity, she could pull together an outfit or two that didn’t look like she was headed into the courtroom, but stylish enough to be considered professional as a designer. After all, that was what she did for her client’s homes; there was no reason she couldn’t apply a little imagination to her wardrobe.
“I’ll be coming by to see Kael—I mean, Marcela—tonight. We can arrange the details then. Shall I have Marcela call you when we decide?”
“Oh, no.” Eve clutched her sack to her chest. “I’ll come over. I don’t want to miss a second of this. I better run. I’ve got things to do before my debut.”
Tori waved goodbye and headed so
uth. She found a hardware store that might come in handy and a small boutique. She would need to contact the stores before she showed up with Blake and his camera, but she was getting ahead of herself. She’d take Marcela out and get her input on style and color; then she’d sketch up a design for the teenager’s approval. That would let her know which stores she’d want to shop in. Right now, she just needed to see the outside and familiarize herself with her surroundings.
Her phone buzzed in her purse. Tori stopped and sat down on a bench to see who the text was from. She pulled out the device and swiped the screen to see her mother’s face.
Tori, dear, I wanted to remind you about brunch on Sunday and let you know that we will be having company, so wear something nice. See you then.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Her mother had told her about brunch a couple days ago. Did she think that Tori couldn’t remember anything anymore? Good heck, she’d given up practicing law, not discarded her brain for a paintbrush and some fumes. Tori drew in several deep breaths, knowing she would have to calm down before Sunday or she might be tempted to show up in a bathrobe and her hair in a ponytail just to make a point. But wait—her mother mentioned company, and odds were that meant she’d picked out another dating prospect for her daughter. Great! At this point, her mother might’ve resorted to her divorced clients.
If only she knew a gorgeous man she could borrow long enough to please her mother. Blake was out of the question; she’d played that card a few times, but her mother eventually caught on. He did, however, buy her a month or two of peace, and that’s what she needed now. A hot guy and a few months of a happy mother.
Her phone buzzed again. This time, she was happy to get a message from Carley.
Hey, check this out. I did a little research and found this for you to enjoy. You’re welcome.