Love After All

by Jaci Burton

  He was a pretty lucky guy. And maybe the whole relationship-with-a-woman thing hadn't worked out so well for him, but that was okay.

  He had plenty to keep him busy.

  After spending an hour doing liquor inventory, he looked down to find Lou asleep on his foot, which seemed to be her favorite nap spot. He scooped her up and cradled her against his chest. She yawned, then licked his chin.

  Yeah, a guy could do worse than having great friends and a pretty loyal dog.

  He picked up his phone to check the time.

  "What do you think, Lou? Time for a quick walk outside so you can pee, then let the hordes in?"

  She blinked and gave him a blank stare.

  And even better, this female always agreed with him. "That's what I think, too."

  He hooked Lou up on her leash and led her out the back door.

  Chapter 17

  After showering, doing her makeup and hair, and spending at least a half hour staring down the contents of her closet, Chelsea had chosen what she thought was the perfect outfit for her date tonight.

  "What was wrong with the red dress?" Molly asked.

  "Too short. I don't want to look easy."

  "Why not?" Molly cast a grin in her direction.

  "Not on the first date. Maybe the third."

  Molly laughed. "Okay, I can see your point."

  Chelsea finally settled on the black. It went right to the knee and had three-quarter-length sleeves, but with a bit of a sexy neckline. So she'd give him a taste of the goods without showcasing everything. And, of course, killer heels.

  When she came out of the bedroom, Molly's eyes widened.

  "Dell is going to swallow his tongue."

  Molly had set her up on a blind date, which wasn't ideal, but she had insisted Dell was perfect. He was a new manager at one of Carter's shops in Tulsa, and Molly had been working with him for a while, getting him acclimated to all the business systems. Molly said he was to-die-for good-looking. And since Carter knew him pretty well and vouched for him, Chelsea agreed to the date.

  "You don't think I'm overdressed?" she asked.

  Molly shook her head. "I told you, Dell's a pretty classy guy. He might manage an auto repair shop, but trust me, he's not a mess. And he's totally unattached. I've spent a lot of time talking to him. He got out of a long-term relationship about six months ago and he hasn't really been dating anyone. He's thirty-two, he owns his own place in Tulsa, and he's a hell of a nice guy, Chelsea."

  She fastened her bracelet on her arm, then looked over at Molly. "Sounds too good to be true."

  "He said the same thing when I was telling him about you."

  Chelsea smiled. "Really?"

  "Yes."

  As a plus, he was driving into Hope to pick her up, which was awfully nice of him, since he lived and worked in Tulsa. Not that it was that far to drive into Hope, but still, she'd had to drive into Tulsa several times to meet dates there because the guy hadn't wanted to make the trip to Hope.

  Points for Dell already.

  Molly grabbed her keys and her purse. "Okay, I'm going to get out of here before Dell shows up and thinks we were talking about him."

  "Which we were."

  "Of course. But he doesn't have to know that." Molly gave her a hug. "Have a great time, and please, don't think about your list while you're out with him?"

  Chelsea frowned. "Why? Does he not meet the criteria?"

  "Oh, he definitely meets the criteria. I just don't want you making lists in your head instead of having fun with a wonderful guy."

  "You have a point. And I promise, I won't make lists."

  "Awesome. Text me tomorrow and let me know how it went."

  "I will."

  After Molly left, Chelsea dashed into the bathroom to apply her lipstick, making a stop to check her dress in the mirror one last time. When she heard the doorbell, she hurried out to the living room, surprised that her heart was doing a double-time beat.

  It was just a date, and it wasn't like she hadn't had more than a thousand of those before.

  But she really wanted a good date. Because she hadn't had a lot of those.

  Taking a deep breath, she turned the knob and opened the front door.

  Molly hadn't been lying. This man was fine-looking.

  "Chelsea? I'm Dell West."

  She held out her hand and he shook it. She took in his nice dark suit. He'd even worn a tie. And a white shirt. And they all fit him perfectly. He was tall, with broad shoulders, dark hair, and the most striking blue eyes she'd ever seen.

  "Come in, Dell, please."

  "Thanks. You look beautiful, by the way. I'm glad I decided on the suit. Otherwise, we'd have had to make a pit stop back at my place so I could change clothes. I'd hate to lose my gorgeous date before we even make it to dinner."

  "Thank you." He knew how to compliment a woman without it sounding cheesy or rehearsed, as well.

  She led him into her apartment, feeling it necessary to give him a tour. "It's not much, but it's close to school, and that's convenient."

  "It's a really nice place, Chelsea. Molly said you were a teacher. What an admirable job. And high school--you must love what you do. I was a terror in high school. How do you handle it?"

  She laughed and grabbed her purse and sweater. "With a very firm voice and a lot of help from administration at times. But I do love it."

  They walked outside to the parking lot. He also had a really nice car. A sleek black Lexus, which meant she didn't have to hike up her dress to climb into a truck.

  How very convenient.

  Dell had chosen a nice restaurant downtown, so he got points for that as well. He even knew how to read the wine list, and they talked about various wines before settling on a very nice bottle of pinot noir, which they enjoyed together.

  As they ate, the conversation continued smoothly, a lot of it back and forth with no awkward silences. Dell didn't monopolize the conversation talking about himself. He asked a lot of questions about her job and her life in Hope, but still filled in the blanks about himself as well.

  "How's the new job going with Carter's place?"

  "It's good. I'm glad he made the offer. I was ready to make a move from the place I'd been working, and Carter and Molly have made great strides in modernizing their business. Molly has updated all of their computer systems and has a knack for marketing as well. She and I are working closely on some new sales tactics, so business is picking up at my store."

  "I'm glad to hear that."

  He obviously took his work seriously. She liked that about him.

  "It can't be all about work, though, so what are some of your favorite vacation spots?"

  He smiled, leaning back in the booth. "I took a great vacation to the Caribbean a few years back. I had several weeks off, so I hit a few islands."

  "Mmm. That sounds delightful. I do like the beach."

  "Do you? What are your favorites?"

  "I have this dream about the Seychelles. I've never been, but I'd love to go."

  "I've never been either. I've heard the islands are amazing."

  She tried not to think about her list, but it was hard when he was ticking off a lot of the items on it.

  He was a nice guy. He was extraordinarily good-looking. He wore a suit. He had a great job, owned a house, and could carry on a conversation through the car ride, dinner, and dessert. And they'd spent at least an hour after dinner just sitting in the restaurant talking about all kinds of topics.

  She liked this guy--a lot.

  When he brought her home and walked her to her door, he maintained a respectable distance, so it was clear he had no expectation of being invited in. She liked that, too.

  She unlocked her door, then turned to face him. "I had a really nice time tonight, Dell."

  He smiled at her. "I did, too."

  Obviously, if she was going to get a kiss tonight, she was going to have to be the one to initiate it. She stepped in closer to him. "Thank you for dinner."r />
  He was clearly good at reading signals as well. "Thanks for coming with me. I hope we get to do this again."

  She laid her palm on his chest. "I hope so, too."

  He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers--easy at first, but when she didn't back away, he wrapped his arms around her and really laid a good kiss on her.

  And that's when disappointment set in. It was a hot, passionate kiss, and after the perfection of tonight's date, it should have made her toes curl inside her shoes. But all she could think about was Bash's mouth, and the way it felt when his body was pressed up against hers. Why in the hell would she think about Bash when a delicious man was kissing her?

  Dell pulled away and smiled. "Good night, Chelsea."

  "Good night, Dell."

  She was crushed. She'd had an amazing date, with incredible conversation, and the kiss was ... wow. Or it should have been wow.

  But she'd felt nothing.

  She watched Dell walk away, irritated with Bash for so many reasons.

  She wanted good-looking, friendly, desirable Dell in her head. She didn't want Bash or his smirk or his rock-hard body or the way he kissed on her mind. And especially not when she was kissing the best date she'd had in months.

  This was unacceptable.

  Chapter 18

  It wasn't Chelsea's choice to find herself at the No Hope at All bar on Saturday night, but that's where everyone had agreed to meet up. Luke was getting off work a little later than usual. And with Des out of town, they invited Logan as well. Jane had told her they had a sitter for Tabitha and Ryan, but not until seven, and because the sitter was only thirteen, they'd have to be home by eleven, so they wanted to stay close. Carter and Molly had put in some hours in the auto repair shop during the day, and everyone wanted a fun night out. Chelsea had suggested a bar in Tulsa, but no one liked that idea when Bash's bar was closer to home.

  She'd been outvoted by everyone, and short of telling them she didn't want to be anywhere near Bash and then having to explain why, she'd agreed to meet them all at the bar at seven thirty.

  Which probably wasn't a big deal anyway. It was Saturday night and the bar would be crowded. Bash would be busy and she'd barely even see him. Plus, it sounded like a lot of people were coming and it was going to be a big group, so she intended to get lost in that crowd.

  She deliberately showed up at seven forty-five to make sure she wasn't the first one there, which meant she had to park in the farthest part of the lot.

  And it was still early for bar standards. Was he giving stuff away tonight or what? There wasn't even a championship game on tonight, at least not that she was aware of.

  Wishing she'd worn her canvas shoes instead of heels, she trudged the distance through the gravel part of the lot until she hit the asphalt. Her hair was blowing in a million directions because it was late April and windy as hell, and a storm was brewing. She hoped it wasn't pouring rain by the time she left the bar tonight.

  She made her way through the front door, her eyes trying to focus in the darkness of the bar. The televisions were on, the music was loud, and she scanned the room to try to find her friends.

  She spotted them at a large table in the center of the room, pausing midway there when Lou scurried over to greet her. She crouched down to scoop up the dog.

  "Well, hi there, sweetheart. How are you doing?"

  Lou wriggled in her arms and tried to lick her face.

  "Not a chance, punkin. It takes a while to get this makeup on, and only seconds for you to lick it off." She carried Lou to the table with her, running her hands over the dog's back.

  "You finally made it," Emma said. "I thought you were going to stand us up."

  "Would I do that?" She set Lou down, and the dog scampered off. Chelsea took the seat Emma offered. "Sorry, I had a last-minute phone call."

  Which was a total lie, but she didn't want to tell them she'd deliberately delayed her arrival for no good reason.

  "Oh, yeah? Hopefully with a hot new boyfriend," Jane said.

  "Unfortunately, no."

  "What about Dell?" Molly asked. "He said he had a great time with you last week."

  "We did. He's such a great guy, Molly. Thanks for setting us up."

  "Are you going out with him again?"

  It would be a waste of time. "Maybe."

  Emma studied her, then leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Obviously there's something you're not saying."

  "You think so?"

  "I know so. We need to talk."

  "No, we don't."

  "Yes, we do." Emma stood. "Bathroom break."

  "But I just sat--"

  Emma grabbed her hand and hauled her out of her chair.

  "I guess I'll be right back. Someone order me a martini."

  She was dragged along to the ladies' room, where Emma shut the door.

  "Okay, spill."

  Chelsea leaned against the bathroom counter. "Nothing to spill. Dell was a great guy. We had a nice date."

  "But?"

  "No buts."

  Emma crossed her arms. "But you're not going to see him again."

  "How do you know that?"

  "Because I know you. Now I want to know why."

  Chelsea sighed. "I don't know, Em. He was perfect. He ticked off so many items on my list. He was funny and charming. He works a nine-to-five job. He likes good wine and takes great vacations. We talked about goals for the future. He wants to settle down and raise a family."

  "Okay, so far so good, as far as your list."

  "I know, right? We had a wonderful time and we really clicked. And then he took me home and kissed me good night--a really awesome kiss."

  "And?"

  "And ... nothing. No sparks."

  Emma wrinkled her nose. "Oh. There kinda have to be sparks."

  "Yeah, there does. I was so disappointed. I mean, he's fantastic-looking, and he has everything I want in a guy. But there's just no chemistry."

  "Well, that's too bad." Emma laid her hand on Chelsea's arm. "It'll happen for you, Chelsea. I know it will."

  "Sure it will."

  They left the restroom, and Chelsea started to follow Emma back to her table.

  "Ms. Burnett?"

  She stopped and turned around. No one called her Ms. Burnett except her students, and none of her students should be at a bar.

  She frowned. "Yes?"

  The guy towered over her, and she didn't recognize him.

  "You probably don't remember me. Aaron Goodwin. I had you for three math classes my sophomore through senior years. That was like ... five years ago, though."

  Oh, shit. Former student. And Aaron had to be a college graduate now. "Of course. Hi, Aaron. It's so nice to see you again."

  He was standing at a table with four of his friends, who all looked to be either in college or recent graduates. All very nice-looking young men, too. She might have taught some of them as well.

  "So ... how are you doing?" he asked, leaning casually against the table.

  "I'm great. And you? Are you finished with school now?"

  "Yeah. Got my degree in business and I'm working for my dad."

  "Oh, Aaron. That's wonderful. I'm so proud of you. I'm sure your parents are very proud as well."

  "Thanks. They are. Oh, these are my friends." He introduced her to them and she shook hands with all of them.

  "So, are you here with a date?" he asked.

  She blinked, certain she was reading him wrong. "No, I'm just here with friends."

  He grinned. "Great. Then can I buy you a drink?"

  She hadn't been wrong. Her former student was definitely hitting on her. That was a first. He couldn't be more than twenty-four at most, which put him firmly in the way-too-young-for-her category. He might be amazing-looking, but she did not date former students. Ever. "Oh, well isn't that sweet of you, Aaron, but I can't. I should get back to my friends."

  He looked over at the table where she'd motioned with her head, then moved in a little close
r. "They don't look like they'd miss you if you just had one drink with me."

  He was persistent, like a lot of young guys. And then he put his arm around her.

  Bold, too. A little too bold. She thought she'd smelled alcohol on his breath, but she'd hoped he was sober. Apparently not. She plucked his arm from her shoulder. "I don't think so, but thanks for the offer."

  Obviously he wasn't taking no for an answer, because he came back with, "Just one drink, Chelsea. We can rehash high school."

  Now he was overstepping. She was going to have to shut him down in a very firm way. "No. Good night, Aaron."

  And then he grabbed hold of her wrist, tugging her forward. It hurt. She was about to pull away, but suddenly Bash was there, and he had extricated her from Aaron's grip. He had grabbed Aaron's arm in a firm hold. Aaron winced.

  "When a lady says no, buddy, she means no. The first time. She shouldn't have to say it three fucking times."

  "Hey. Let go," Aaron said, trying to fight off Bash.

  Bash had twisted Aaron's arm around his back. "Your night at the bar is over. And you can take your friends with you."

  Aaron's friends didn't take kindly to Bash's treatment of him. Chairs got pushed back in a hurry, but Bash didn't look concerned. Especially when Will, Luke, Logan, Carter, and the other two bartenders quickly appeared to back him up.

  One look at Will and Luke's badges on their belt buckles put an end to any possible skirmish that might have erupted. Aaron's friends put their hands up in surrender.

  "All right, all right," Aaron said, his teeth clenched tightly together. "We're going."

  "Damn right, you are." Bash let go of Aaron, who rubbed his wrist, but he and his friends made their exits. Will and Luke went out the door to make sure they all took off.

  And now Chelsea had the entire bar staring at her.

  "Okay, so much for your free entertainment," Bash said. "Next round of drinks is on the bar."

  That took care of everyone gawking at her, because there was a rush of drink orders. Bash's bartenders and waitresses hurried to fill the orders, but he turned to her.

  "Are you okay?"

  She nodded, though she was a little more shaken than she would have expected. "I had it handled. Or I thought I did, until the idiot jerked at my wrist."

  Bash picked up her hand. "Dumbass. I should have punched him for touching you like that." He gently rubbed at the spot where Aaron had grabbed her.

  She looked from her wrist to Bash. That eye contact was electrifying, and her wrist no longer throbbed. Just him touching her gave her that ping of awareness she always got whenever he was near.