“No, but now you have the eye of the two sexiest men in town, I’m going to have to find you cement boots and a nice place in the lake.” She laughed until the guy from the pool table appeared.
He looked between the two women. His eyes stayed on Riley for a moment too long, but then he turned to Meg. “Hey, beautiful. I need a good luck charm. Want to hold my stick?”
Meg turned back to Riley. “Finally, a man who knows what he wants.” She offered the guy her hand as she stood. “I’ll be back.” She walked with an exaggerated sway of her hips to the pool table.
“I’m not sure if she wants to braid my hair or yank it out.”
“I’m not sure she’s sure either. Where were we?”
“I don’t know where you were, but I was going to call it a night. I’ve got work in the morning, and Meg yields a mean whip as a taskmaster.” She took a few drinks of her wine and set it down. “I hate to waste this, but I’m afraid if I finish it, I won’t be able to walk home.”
He looked down at the half-full glass of wine, picked it up and emptied it. “There, no waste.”
“Thank you.” She rose from her chair and grabbed the table for balance.
“You okay?”
She removed her fingers from the edge of the table one at a time, as if letting go all at once would be too risky.
When she was standing on her own two feet, she smiled and said, “I got this.” She swayed to the front door and turned around to grace him with a smile.
Not wanting Meg to see him leave with her, he raced toward the back door of the bar. He passed Cannon on his way. “Thanks, man.”
“You don’t need to thank me. You’re picking up that guy's tab for the rest of the night.”
Something told Luke it would be worth every cent.
He ran around the building and caught up with Riley in front of the bakery. She was making her way around the block.
“Hey, you.” He wanted to make his presence known so he didn’t frighten her.
She pressed her hand to her chest and gasped. “Oh my God. You scared the living daylights out of me.”
“I said something before I approached.”
“You did. I’m sorry. I… I wasn’t expecting you.”
He lifted a brow. “Were you expecting someone else?”
She staggered to the side and pressed her hand against the brick building. “No, I wasn’t expecting anyone, but you’re a pleasant surprise.”
Warmth flooded his insides. “So were you when you showed up in Aspen Cove.”
She licked her lips. “You sure about that? I was under the impression I was a problem, given the fact I’m so stupid, stupid, stupid.”
“Will you ever forgive me for that?” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her toward the back entrance to the bakery and the door he knew led to her apartment.
“I may, but shouldn’t a girl milk it for all it’s worth?”
He stopped in front of her door. She leaned against it, and he bracketed her body with his hands against the door.
“Somehow, you don’t seem the type.”
“That’s right, we all have types. Yours is hot, with sizzle.” She hung on to the 'z' sound, which made the word itself hot.
He leaned in until he was a breath away from her lips. “I don’t have a type, but if I did, she’d be you.” He pressed his lips tentatively to hers. Any lack of interest, and he’d pull away. That’s not what happened.
Riley’s hands wrapped around him. One behind his back, and the other behind his head. She moaned, and the littlest separation of her lips gave him the opening he needed to deepen the kiss.
One stroke of his tongue, and she was pulling him close. Her softness molded into the hard planes of his body.
Their tongues moved against each other. She tasted like wine and something sweet like candy.
His hands threaded through her hair, and he pulled her closer. He’d climb inside her if he could but pinned against the back door of the bakery wasn’t where he thought he’d make his move. Hell, he wasn’t prepared for any kind of move. All he knew was, kissing Riley Black was like seeing color for the first time.
On the next moan she made, he pulled away. Keep them wanting more, his father always said.
“I should let you go. You have an early morning.”
She licked the moisture from her lips. Even under the light of the moon, he could see a blush rise to her cheeks. He wasn’t sure if he saw embarrassment or regret.
“Don’t overthink it. It was a kiss.” He stepped back. “A hot, sizzling, damn good kiss.”
She smiled, then turned around to unlock her door.
He waited until she was inside before he walked away. Oh, how he didn’t want to walk away.
Chapter Thirteen
Shit, shit, shit! Riley used a bar towel to flag away the smoke from the toaster.
“Burned it again?” Meg walked by, and with the tips of her fingers, she plucked the blackened bread from the toaster. “I told you to make sure it was on setting two.” She pointed to the dial, which was turned to five.
“I swear I adjusted it like you said.”
Meg kicked out a hip and stood in front of her like a mom ready to chastise. “Too much to drink last night?”
Riley thought about the night before. Had she kissed Luke? Or had she truly had too much wine and imagined it? “I had a few glasses, but not enough to eat away my brain cells.”
She twisted the knob back to two and walked away.
She remembered everything with clarity. The way he’d rushed to meet up with her. How chivalrous he was to walk her home, and how hot that damn kiss was.
She would have thought he’d taste like beer or whiskey, but he didn’t. The kiss lingered for minutes, and when he pulled away, she was left with the taste of peppermint and a tingle that didn’t leave her body until she pleasured herself to thoughts of him.
The bell above the diner door rang, and she whipped around, hoping to see Luke walk inside, but it was Thomas. He waved and sat on Riley's side of the restaurant.
She hurried over with a pot of coffee. “Good morning. Did you want coffee?”
He turned over his cup and slid it to the edge of the table. “Keep it coming, Riley. I need enough caffeine to get me through this contract.” He opened the folder he carried and pulled out a thick packet of papers.
“That looks daunting.”
“Decided on a house finally.” He pointed to the page that had a small picture of the house. “Doc’s waiving his fee as realtor because the house needs so much work. He said the money was better spent getting new pipes before winter.”
“Sounds like sage advice.” She took her order pad from her pocket. “You want to eat, or just coffee?”
“I’ll take bacon and eggs with wheat toast and home fries.”
She wanted to ask him if anyone would be joining him, namely Luke, but she didn’t. Instead, she leaned over and took a peek at the house.
“Pansy Lane?” She couldn’t stop the giggle.
“I know, right? But it’s more square feet for the money. I almost decided against it simply because of the street name, but it has three bedrooms and two baths as opposed to the other house I was considering on Hyacinth. This place has a few years left on the roof, which will allow me to spend my money on the important stuff, like upgrading plumbing and electricity.”
“Three bedrooms? Getting ready to start a family?” She knew Thomas was single. About everyone in town talked about how all the firemen were available. She’d heard a local woman named Abby was beyond smitten with Thomas.
He shook his head. "No way. I’m not interested in a wife or kids.”
“But you’ll have three bedrooms. What will you do with them?” She picked up the coffee pot.
“One I’ll sleep in, one will be a gym, and one will be a man cave.”
Riley laughed. “The whole place will be a man cave.”
Just then, the door opened, the bell rang, and Doc Par
ker came into the diner. He looked around, and once he spotted Thomas, he headed his way.
Riley turned over the empty mug and poured him a cup. He came every day and ordered the same thing: two pancakes, a half order of bacon, a cup of coffee and a piece of pie.
“Putting your order in now, Doc.” She stepped back so he could slide into the booth.
“You’re a sweet one, Riley.” He looked at Thomas. “She’d make a mighty fine wife. This one here is magic. I don’t even have to ask, and she knows what I want.”
Riley walked off before she could hear Thomas’s reply, but she could imagine it. He’d probably tell Doc he didn’t have a girlfriend and wouldn’t want a wife.
She slid her order slip into the wheel and spun it around so Dalton would see it. “Order up,” she called.
She readied Thomas’s toast, sticking two slices into the toaster and double checking to make sure it was set to two. She’d wait another five minutes before she dropped them down.
When the bell above the door rang, she didn’t look. She’d nearly given herself whiplash a half-dozen times because she thought it might be Luke. This time, she ignored the customer and combined ketchup bottles. Since Doc and Thomas sat in her station, Meg would take the next guest anyway.
Next, she lined up the salt and pepper shakers and filled them to the top. Better to get her side work done throughout the day than wait until the end.
She heard the trill of Meg’s fake laugh echo above the soft hum of whispered conversations, clanking silverware and hums of a satisfactory meal.
Spinning around, she found Luke at his normal table. Meg made herself at home across from him.
The double doors of the kitchen swung out, and Aunt Maisey appeared.
“Popping in to say hello.” She touched her shellacked hair. “I’ve got an appointment with Marina. Ben is in the back if you need anything. Dalton is heading to his culinary school.”
Maisey had been mostly absent lately. Riley wasn’t certain if it was because the diner was covered and she was taking a long overdue break or if maybe her aunt was avoiding her. Stop putting ideas in your head. She loves you and told you to come.
It was hard to break old habits. Hard to stop the record of inadequacy from replaying in her head. Hard to remember she was no longer the target of her stepmother’s dissatisfaction.
“Getting a trim?” She wiped down the counter in front of the toaster and tossed the damp towel into the soapy bucket on the shelf below.
Maisey touched her hair, which didn’t move in strands, but as an entire unit on her head.
“I’m not sure. I’ve been thinking about how proud of you I am and how brave you were to take a chance and come to Aspen Cove. It’s been a long time since I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone. The only risk I’ve taken lately is Ben, and he was a good bet. You’ve inspired me to try something new.”
Joy rose from Riley's chest to bloom into a smile on her face. “Me?”
Maisey pinched her cheek. “Yes, you.” She leaned in and kissed the spot that was now, no doubt, blooming red.
Bouncing on her feet, Riley clapped her hands quietly. “Come and show me right away.” Riley lowered the toast, knowing her order would be up soon. She picked up the coffee pot to make her rounds and stepped across the invisible line that separated Meg’s table from hers. She moved throughout the diner, refilling coffees for everyone.
“Order up,” Ben called. She lifted on her tiptoes to see what was steaming in the window. An order of biscuits and gravy and a chili and cheese omelet sat there waiting for Meg.
“Your order is ready,” Riley said as she stopped by the table and offered Luke a coffee.
He smiled broadly and turned his mug over. “Morning, Riley. How was your night?”
Meg snorted. “She left early and went home. How fun could that have been?” She lifted from the table. “She’s more fizzle than sizzle.” She looked to the order window, then looked back at Luke. “Come to think of it, you left early, too.”
Riley was certain Meg’s nails sharpened and grew ready to strike, but when she looked at her, all she saw was a calm smile. Maybe I’m misjudging her. She’s snarky, but she hasn’t been mean. More old damn habits she had to break. She looked down at Luke and realized she was doing the same thing to Meg that he had done to her. She was assuming the worst.
“I had business to take care of,” Luke said.
Meg walked in front of Riley, forcing her to take a step back from the booth. She ran her hand up Luke’s arm until it rested on his shoulder and made a hissing sound reminiscent of pork rinds crackling on an open fire. “I’ll be back.”
“You’ve got a fan,” Riley said to Luke.
“More like a parasite.”
She laughed until a string of expletives came from behind the front counter.
Meg was slapping the smoking toaster with a terrycloth towel. Soon, the cloth caught fire and chaos erupted.
Luke jumped from his seat. He ran behind the counter and unplugged the toaster and grabbed the flaming towel from Meg and tossed it in a nearby sink, dousing it with water.
Meg burst into tears and held her hand against her chest. “I’m injured.” She turned toward Riley. “You nearly burned the place down.”
“I didn’t.”
Meg looked at the toaster, where the dial was turned back to five. “You did that on purpose. I told you it couldn’t be past two, or it would burn the toast.” She yelled loud enough to grab the attention of everyone in the diner. Even Ben pushed through the swinging doors to investigate what the fuss was. “You’re dangerous and irresponsible.” She lowered her hand, which wasn’t even red. “I’m burned.”
Luke took Meg’s hand in his and led her to the sink, where he turned on the cold tap. “I don’t see anything, Meg.”
She pouted. “Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”
Doc came around the counter to take a look. “No redness, no blister. You’ll live, young lady.” His eyes went to the window and then to Riley. “I may not if you don’t feed me.”
“Right.” She jumped into action by grabbing Doc and Thomas’ order from the window and rushing them to their table. “The toast will be another minute. I’m sorry.”
Thomas looked up from his packet of papers, then over his shoulder at Luke, who had returned to his booth with Meg.
“You didn’t have to start a fire to get his attention. I’m pretty sure you had it already.”
“I didn’t.”
“Mm-hmm, sure. We might have to start a Firebugs Anonymous for you and Abby.”
Doc slipped quietly into the booth across from Thomas and dug into his pancakes while Riley went to make more toast. As sure as the sun rose that morning, the dial was turned to five. She wondered if she’d somehow moved it while cleaning the counter.
Moments later, an order came up for Meg. The only person not served in the restaurant was Luke, so Riley picked up the plated waffle and side of bacon and brought it over. She caught the tail end of an unpleasant conversation.
“I’m not interested in a relationship, Meg. You should set your sights on someone else. What about that guy you played pool with last night?”
Riley set the plate down and turned to walk away, but not before she heard Meg say, “He had a short stick.”
For the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, Riley was subjected to suspicious stares from the patrons and abject disdain from Meg, who took up a seat in Luke’s booth long after he left.
Like the queen she pretended to be, Meg ruled from her red pleather throne until Maisey walked in the door. Then she flew from her seat like her ass had caught fire.
“Busy morning, Maisey. Your niece tried to burn down the place.” Involved in her own tale, she didn’t notice or comment that Maisey’s bouffant was gone and in its place was a sleek, stylish bob.
“Oh my gosh, you look amazing.” Riley walked around her aunt, taking the new cut and style in from all angles.
She cupped the curled ends. “You like?”
“It’s so pretty.” Riley reached up to touch her aunt's feather-soft hair. “Do you like it?”
It was obvious she felt pretty. It showed in the glow in her cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes. “I love it, but what am I going to do with that case of Aqua Net?”
“Don’t get it near Riley. I hear that stuff is flammable.”
Maisey turned to her. “What’s this about a fire?”
Meg, with the dramatic flair of a seasoned thespian, described how Riley nearly burned the diner down by turning the toaster knob to five.
“That’s funny, because when I left, I saw it was at two.” She walked over to the toaster. “Let’s fix this once and for all.” She turned the knob to two and duct taped it into place.
“Meg was burned on her hand, Aunt Maisey.” While Riley knew it was merely a ploy to get attention from Luke, she wanted to see how far Meg would go with the ruse. “She might need a few days off to recover.”
“Oh, my goodness. Let me see.” Maisey reached for Meg’s hands, but she pulled them behind her back.
“I’m fine.”
“Don’t let her fool you. She said while it didn’t look like much, it hurt really bad.”
“Let me see,” Maisey demanded.
After a frustrated exhale, Meg offered her hands to Maisey. “It’s nothing. Probably the initial shock.”
Maisey looked at Riley and smiled. “She’s right, sometimes what doesn’t look like much can be something more serious. I’ll take the rest of your shift, and you can have tomorrow off as well.”
“But…” She looked between Maisey and Riley, but the hate in her eyes was reserved for Riley.
“No buts. Off with you, now.”
Meg stomped toward the back room and didn’t return, which meant she’d taken the back exit.
“Why didn’t you tell me she was treating you like cheap labor? I had to hear it from Dalton first, then Ben.” She poured both of them a cup of coffee. “Come sit with me for a minute.”
Riley looked around the diner. There were only two tables occupied, and they were happily eating their lunch.
One Hundred Ways: An Aspen Cove Romance Page 8