by Shirley Jump
Like Grady, she hadn’t thought of all the contingencies, such as the way he kissed her and made her melt. The touch of his hand against her face, almost heartbreakingly tender. How much she missed him when he wasn’t here.
“Before that happens, I think we should go out again,” Grady said.
For a second, she dared to hope he’d had the same thoughts and regrets. Just as quickly she chased that thought away with a hard dose of reality. His interest was as fake as the diamond on her finger. “We are. Sort of. You’re coming to my dad’s house for the dog training tomorrow night.”
“I meant a real date, Beth,” he said. “Like where I pick you up and take you somewhere and everything.”
“That’s not necessary, Grady. We’ve already convinced my father—”
“After that kiss, do you find it so hard to believe that I might want to date you for real? That just maybe there’s something between us that neither of us should be ignoring?”
“I...” She tried to form a sentence. Couldn’t. “I don’t really have time for that.” Because she couldn’t say the truth. I don’t want to believe that and have you break my heart down the road.
“As you’ve said, repeatedly. Is it time...or fear?”
She raised her chin. “Fear? What could I possibly be afraid of?”
“That you might actually like me, too. Not a little, but a lot.” He grinned. “I was there for that kiss, too, you know.”
Daisy got up from her nap and padded over to nose Grady’s leg. He leaned down and rubbed the dog’s ears, not at all bothered at getting dog hair on his pants.
Beth had to admit that gave him serious brownie points. Any man who loved dogs—even when he said he didn’t—got an automatic boost on her list. Which meant, yeah, she did actually like him. A lot. But that wasn’t the issue. Nor was that kiss, which had been, by all rights, holy-hell-amazing. She straightened her spine and focused on reality, not foolish dreams. “You said yourself that you’re going back to New York as soon as the house is sold, if not sooner. What’s the point in going out?”
“To have fun.” He took her left hand, his thumb skating across the back, dancing close to the ring and then away. “When was the last time someone took care of you, Beth Cooper?”
“I don’t need...” But then her throat clogged and she couldn’t look at him, and damn it, not a single customer came in to save her from a conversation that she didn’t want to have. “I can take care of myself.”
“I don’t doubt that for a second. But why should you have to all the time?” He tipped her chin up until she was looking at him. “Are you busy tonight? How does dinner and dancing sound?”
“Where? There’s no place like that in Stone Gap.” Why didn’t she just say no? Why did she keep letting herself get tangled up with a man who was going to leave? She had had enough disappointment for one life, and here she was, knowingly walking into more.
“Ah, my dear Beth...” His gaze softened, and his thumb stayed on her hand. “There’s an entire world outside of Stone Gap. Let me show it to you.”
My dear Beth. She was sure it was only a turn of phrase, but boy, did it sound nice rolling off Grady’s tongue. She started to say no, because she had her dad to worry about, but he’d been in such good spirits lately and doing so well that she was sure she could spare an evening to go out with Grady. Especially since her dad would be thrilled to hear about their plans. “Okay. You can bring Monster with you, and he can stay at my house. I have a doggy door and everything, from when I had pets of my own, so he’ll be able to go out whenever he needs to and we won’t have to rush back or anything.” The guy had just asked her out and she was going on and on about dogs?
A soft smile curved across his face. His hand lingered on hers for one more moment, then he placed a tender kiss on her forehead. “I’m going to do my best to make this an unforgettable night. Because I get the feeling no one has ever treated you the way you deserve to be treated, Beth Cooper.”
Chapter Six
When Grady bought his first company, he’d done the whole deal on a wing and a prayer. He’d graduated with his MBA two weeks earlier, and had a stack of cash he’d made working at a factory over the summers. He’d spent months sweating his ass off, assembling lighting kits for operating rooms, and thinking there had to be a better way. Then he’d heard about a start-up company using robotics to do the exact job he had, and six weeks later, he’d brokered a deal to buy a vacant lot and later sell it to the start-up.
He’d leaped, working on instinct, and it had panned out. So had the next deal and the one after that.
When the money started rolling in, he’d thought it would never end. And here he was, ten years later, once again with an empty wallet and a head full of dreams, but this time with the intention of winning over a woman, not a stubborn CEO. If he’d had the deep pockets of a year ago, he would have booked a private jet, whisked Beth off to some faraway locale for a weekend with room service and five-star meals and an on-site spa.
Instead, he showed up with a rental car and a full tank of gas. He’d thought of buying flowers again, but figured Beth was more practical than that. At two minutes to six, he was on her doorstep, ringing the bell. Beside him, Monster started prancing at Grady’s feet, as if he was just as anxious to see her.
Beth opened the door and Grady took in a quick, deep breath. The pale yellow sundress he’d seen her in before had been gorgeous, and tonight’s just as much so. She’d opted for a navy blue dress that narrowed at the waist and belled over her hips. It had an iridescent trim that reflected in the blue of her eyes, and skinny spaghetti straps, one looser than the other. The single thin strap draping over the edge of her shoulder drew his attention, and made him want to follow the path with his mouth, down, down, down...
“You are stunning.”
Her cheeks pinked and she dipped her gaze. “Thank you.”
She didn’t just clean up good, she became a cover model. He’d known Beth Cooper was beautiful, but this went beyond that. “I feel like I underdressed,” he said.
She stepped forward and put a hand on the lapel of his black suit jacket. “I think you look stunning, too, Grady.”
He covered her hand with his, and he would have stood there a long time, just drinking her in, if Monster didn’t pick that moment to jump up and nearly knock Grady out of the way. “Hey, you, quit that.”
“Monster, sit,” Beth said. And Monster, of course, sat. She bent down to ruffle the dog’s ear. “What’s this?”
“A present. Better than flowers, I’m thinking.”
She laughed as she untied the bag of dog treats that Grady had hooked on Monster’s collar earlier. “And one that will make a whole bunch of puppies happy. Come on in.”
He followed her down the hall and into a bright yellow kitchen with white countertops and bright white tile. Beth’s cottage was tiny—he could have put the whole house in his old master bedroom closet—but seemed to suit her. It also felt a hundred times more welcoming that his multimillion-dollar apartment ever had.
Once again, that feeling of calm came over him. In the hours between last seeing Beth and arriving at her house, he’d paced the floors so much he was sure he’d worn a groove in the wood. Dan’s two days of rest, away from work, had turned into a full week, because his blood pressure refused to come down. The bill collectors had started calling, and Grady paid what he could, but always, his priority was paying Dan.
He’d called Bob, the guy selling the property, and begged him for an extension before he put it on the market. He’d spent most of yesterday on the phone with two of his regular buyers, selling the property as a must buy. I don’t know, Grady, they’d said. We heard you went under. Maybe another broker...
Another broker, like Jim Givens. Grady had hung up the phone and realized his hopes of selling before he bought—saving himself the prospect of floating his own m
oney—were very unlikely. His best shot at proving his worth again was quickly selling Ida Mae’s house, using the cash to buy the building and lot in Manhattan, and then reselling it for a tidy profit. All of which would take time that Grady didn’t have. So he’d paced and stressed and worried, until the moment he’d stepped into Beth’s cozy cottage. Then, almost instantly, the tension evaporated, and for a second, he wanted to sink onto the love seat in the living room and watch the world go by out the front bay window.
“This is a great place,” he said.
“Thanks. I like it—but I’m hardly ever here. I’m mostly at work or at my dad’s, taking care of him. That’s why I don’t have any dogs of my own anymore.” She bent down and rubbed Monster’s head. “But you’re a great substitute, Monster, aren’t you? Want a treat?” The dog yipped. “Okay, then sit.”
He sat.
“High five.” She knelt before him, put her hand above his head and gave a little wave. Monster stared at her. She repeated the command and did it again. On the fourth try, Monster got the message and raised his paw, not quite close enough to touch, but close enough to earn lots of praise and two treats.
“You’re so patient,” Grady said. “I’d have gotten frustrated and given up after the second try.”
She glanced up at him. Her skirt spread around her like a dark blue puddle, and she looked so damned sweet, he found his heart melting a little. When had he become such a softy?
“You?” she said. “You’re not a quitter. I did a little reading about you last night, and wow, you’ve pulled off some incredible business deals. Dealt with more money than I’ll see in my entire lifetime. I’m impressed.”
“I think what you get these dogs to do is ten times more impressive. You even have me wanting to high-five you for a dog treat.”
She stood, then smirked at him. “Do you want a liver-flavored cookie?”
“Not particularly. But I would like another kiss.” He grinned. “Assuming it’s not liver flavored.”
She laughed. “Not at all. More like peppermint.”
He shifted closer, invading her space, inhaling her perfume, then resting his hands on her waist. His mouth hovered over hers. “Sounds like a perfect treat.”
“Perfect for you...or for me?” she whispered, so close that her lips brushed his with each word.
“Both, I hope.” Heat climbed in the space between them, sending his pulse running high. His grip on her waist tightened, and for a second, he considered grasping her hand and leading her to her bedroom, to take his time exploring every single peak and valley of her body. Yeah, probably not a good idea for a first date.
So instead, he gave her a soft, quick kiss, then pulled back. “Your chariot awaits, m’lady.”
The words broke the tension, which was a good thing, Grady told himself. Beth laughed. “Let me put the doggy gate up for Monster and grab my purse.” She spun out of his reach, threw a couple dog toys on the floor, then latched a wooden gate into place, keeping Monster in the kitchen, where the doggy door led to a fenced-in yard. She had set up a crate for him, and the puppy ducked inside and settled down. Beth grabbed a small purse from the table in the hall, then followed Grady down the steps to the car. He opened the door, waited for her to settle in the seat, then leaned in and stole one more quick kiss before going around to his side.
He hesitated before putting the car in gear. “Are you sure that’s enough to keep Monster contained? That dog can get in a lot of trouble in not a lot of time.”
Beth laughed. “My house is fully doggy-proofed. I watch my friends’ dogs from time to time, so I keep the gates and things in place. And I left him some treat puzzles to keep him occupied while we’re gone.”
“Treat puzzles? Like that King Kong thing you have me give Monster? That does work wonders—for, like, an hour.”
“Yep, just like that.” She settled back against her seat and crossed her legs, the fabric of her dress making a soft whooshing sound.
Grady tore his gaze away from her incredible legs and concentrated on leaving Stone Gap and getting on the highway. The hour-long drive to Beaufort passed almost too quickly. Grady had always used car rides as a mobile office. In the back of a car service Cadillac, he’d be reviewing documents, making calls, returning emails. On the rare occasions where he drove himself, he had the phone on speaker for negotiations, researching and following up with the dozens of people who worked for him. He wasted little time enjoying the scenery or exchanging small talk.
But riding with Beth was an entirely different experience. For one, there was her perfume, a light, floral scent that beat the exhaust fumes pervading New York City any day. Then there was the conversation. Beth was smart and funny, easy to talk to. They joked about Stone Gap, caught up on the current status of mutual friends from high school and talked about his dog. The mutt was growing on Grady, but not as much as Beth was.
“I’d forgotten how beautiful it is here, especially at the end of the day,” she said, with a sigh in her voice.
He glanced over at her. Beth’s attention was on the rolling blue-green hills passing by in a blur. The same setting sun that left mauve and amber kisses across the tops of the hills danced gold in the strands of Beth’s hair.
“Absolutely breathtaking,” he said.
“Isn’t it? I clearly don’t take enough time to appreciate the view.”
“Neither have I.” If he’d been braver in high school, maybe he would have been looking at Beth, right there at his side, for the past ten years instead of financial statements that made his eyes cross. He loved his job, loved the thrill of the hunt and the capture of another location, another sale, but there was something to be said for quiet moments. Something he hadn’t realized he’d been missing until he had one with Beth.
With his last girlfriend, another corporate Realtor, they’d talked about work almost nonstop. They hadn’t taken leisurely car rides or done family dinners on Sundays. When they broke up, he’d missed her company for a day or two, but then realized he’d had little in common with Marie outside of work and sex. But with Beth, it was different. They had a lot of common ground, just from growing up in the same area. There was no stress in being with her, no deadline pounding in the back of his head. Just the two of them, and something beautiful in their sights. It was nice. Very nice.
She shifted to look at him. “What’s it like? Living in the city, nothing depending on you except maybe a potted plant?”
He chuckled. “Well, I haven’t been able to keep a single plant alive, so I would say it’s probably a good thing no family members are depending on me.” When he’d first moved into his apartment, his decorator had filled the window shelves with plants she said were impossible to kill. Yeah, well, Grady had pulled off the impossible. At the end of the day, the last thing he wanted to do was worry about whether he’d remembered to water the ficus.
“I have no concept of that,” Beth said. “I’ve had someone or something depending on me pretty much all my life.” She smoothed her skirt across her lap. “You asked me about my life back in the diner and I ran out instead of talking about it. Avoiding the past means you are doomed to repeat it. I read that somewhere.”
Grady would attest to that. He was doing his damnedest to not repeat the mistakes of his past. “I get that. I made a huge mistake last year, and now it has me second-guessing every decision I make.”
“A huge mistake? What happened?” She flushed a moment later, seeming to realize that the question might come across as nosy. She waved off the words. “It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me. I mean, we’re sort of in this weird not-relationship.”
Did a man share his regrets with a woman he was in a not-relationship with? What would it hurt to tell her? She wasn’t going to run to his competitor and spill the gory details. Plus, maybe telling her would take some of the burden off his own shoulders.
“I made a very
good living buying properties and matching them with buyers. Sort of a flipping business, only on a corporate level,” he said. “Then a senator friend of mine gave me the inside scoop on a new government research facility for the Defense Department. He all but signed the check, saying the deal was mine, if I could provide the building they needed. He had specs and everything.”
For the first time since the ship went down, Grady didn’t feel the same twisting, panicky feeling in his gut as he talked about what had happened. Maybe it was Beth, sitting beside him, listening without a drop of judgment in her eyes.
“So I rushed into the deal without thinking twice. My COO and CFO both told me not to count on government contracts.” Grady could still remember that conversation, Dan’s cautions, and his dismissal of the concerns. How would things have been different if he had listened? “I was so cocky, so sure. I went ahead and built the building—a massive thing, constructed on very specific guidelines—before I had a signed deal.”
“That must have been a huge risk. What happened?”
“The program got cut from the budget before it ever got off the ground.”
Beth gasped. “Wait...they didn’t buy your building?”
Grady shook his head. “I was left with a fifteen-million-dollar research facility that had cost me everything I had—and that was so personalized for the Department of Defense that no one else wanted it. I held on to it for months, floating loans and juggling cash, so sure that the contract would come through any day. When it didn’t...” He let out a breath. “I lost pretty much everything.”
Beth’s jaw dropped. “You did? But...but...” She gestured toward the interior of the new model but cheap sedan, the suit he was wearing.
“Rental car. Outdated suit, bought over a year ago. My grandmother’s house. I don’t own much of anything of value right now, except one very expensive building. I have some money left in the corporate account and a little in my retirement accounts, but I’m not taking any salary. And I won’t touch what’s there, no matter what happens to me.”