“No. I’ll be fine. You guys have done more than enough. Besides, I’ll feel more organized if I put it away myself.” She reached for Josh and gave him a hug. Her petite size next to her hulking boyfriend sent another wave of frustration through Cam. Guys were supposed to love, serve and lead. He ought to protect her, not take advantage of her.
“Thanks for everything. I could never have done this without you.” Rachel gave Josh a final squeeze.
“You’re welcome.” He stepped back. “You know, it’s just not going to be the same without you.”
Ryan and Haley exchanged a smile as they watched them. Cam rolled his eyes, barely able to hold back a gagging noise in his throat.
Rachel thanked her students and promised to invite them over as soon as she had the apartment organized. They called out their goodbyes and followed Josh down the stairs. Cam watched them go with a sad shake of his head. Didn’t Rachel realize how impressionable teens were? How could she expect them to say no to peer pressure when she practically announced to the world she wasn’t waiting for marriage.
Cam spotted Josh’s red baseball cap on top of a box sitting by the bedroom doorway. He snatched it up, debating if he should run after the guy. He decided against it and sauntered into the kitchen instead. Rachel continued her unpacking, lifting a stack of dishes from a box.
He held out the red baseball cap between his thumb and forefinger like it was last week’s garbage. “Your boyfriend left his hat.”
“My what?” Rachel turned and looked at him with a baffled expression.
“Your boyfriend, Josh. This is his hat.” He couldn’t keep the disgust from his voice.
A slow smile broke over her face. “Josh isn’t my boyfriend. He’s married to Suzanne, my best friend. She’s the former director of N.C.Y.T. I’ve been staying with them for the last five months.”
“He’s married to your best friend?”
“Yes. Suzanne would’ve come today, but she’s six months pregnant and needs to stay off her feet. Doctor’s orders.”
Heat flooded his neck and face. “So you guys are just friends.” He blew out a deep breath and silently berated himself.
“Yes.” She tossed a wad of packing paper in an empty box. “Suzanne and I were roommates in college. That’s where she and Josh met. They got married right after graduation. We go to the same church now. We’re really close, like family.”
“Oh man. I treated that guy like dirt.” He blew out a deep breath. “I thought you two were…you know…living together.”
Rachel gasped and almost dropped a stack of plates. “No! I mean we lived in the same house, but we never—”
“I get it.” He tossed the hat on the table and shook his head. “Josh probably thinks I’m a jerk.”
She waved away his words, her eyes twinkling. She obviously wasn’t too upset about his mistake. “I wouldn’t worry about Josh. He’s easygoing. I’ll explain next time I see him.”
“Thanks.” He glanced around the kitchen, wondering if there was some way to put this embarrassing blunder out of her mind. “Are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
“Do you like pizza?”
“My favorite.”
“Okay. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He headed down the steps and out the door. Stepping onto the side porch, he stopped and blew out a deep breath. His steps felt lighter, and his tiredness seemed to have disappeared. Maybe his bubble hadn’t burst after all.
Rachel cut open the FedEx box and lifted out the top script for the new summer musical. A smile flooded her face as she scanned the cover. She loved the story of Anne of Green Gables. Something about the determined young heroine overcoming all odds spoke to her heart. She flipped the pages, reading snatches of dialog and stage direction. It was the perfect show for her group since most of the parts were for characters about the same age as her students.
The music and choreography would be challenging, but she had several talented kids who could pull it off with coaching from Jack Herman, the music director, and Chandra Wetzel, their choreographer.
“Morning, Rachel. How’s it going?” Lilly Wong peeked in Rachel’s office doorway.
“Great. Come in. We just got the new scripts for our summer musical.”
Lilly glanced at the title and smiled. “Oh, I loved that movie.”
“Me too.”
“I did some baking last night. Thought I’d spread the calories around.” Lilly handed her a small plate of brownies covered with plastic wrap.
“Thanks. Brownies are my favorite.” She grinned. “Actually, anything chocolate is high on my list.”
“Where have you been the last few days?” Lilly asked.
“I’ve been moving into my new apartment.” Rachel set the tempting treats on her desk, determined to wait awhile before she had one. “And we’re still holding after-school drama classes at Grace Community Church on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
“When do the classes start down here?” Lilly took a seat on the chair next to Rachel’s desk.
“In a couple weeks, as soon as school’s out.” Rachel pushed the FedEx box aside and sat on the corner of her desk. “The kids are going to love it here. Having our own stage where we can build our sets while we rehearse is going to make it so much easier.”
“I hope you’re right about the parents shopping in our galleries.”
Rachel smiled and nodded. “I’m sure you’ll see an increase in business as soon as summer camp and rehearsals start.”
“I wish I had your confidence.” Lilly’s smile faded. “It’s been rough the last few months. If business doesn’t improve soon, I don’t think we’re going to make it.”
Rachel stared at Lilly. Was she talking about her own gallery or the whole Arts Center? “Really? Are things that bad?”
“I’ve used up most of my savings. If I don’t make some profit this summer, I’ll have to close my doors. And I’m afraid we’re all in the same boat.”
How could that be? When Rachel signed the lease she expected to be here for at least the next six months and hopefully longer. Cam had given her the impression the co-op’s finances were in good shape with the added income from N.C.Y.T. Why hadn’t he told her things were so tenuous? Irritation zinged along her nerves. She’d have to talk to him about it later.
Footsteps approached in the hallway. “Oh, there you are.” Melanie Howard sauntered into Rachel’s office wearing slim-cut designer jeans, an aqua sweater and a hand-painted silk scarf that reminded Rachel of one of Lilly’s watercolors. Giving Rachel a brief nod, Melanie turned to Lilly. “Have you seen Cam? I was hoping to give him an update on the plant donations I’ve lined up.” Her gaze flicked to Rachel. “I’ve just about got the list covered.”
Rachel pulled in a sharp breath. Rats! She’d made several calls last week, but she hadn’t connected with any garden centers willing to make the donations.
Well, Melanie might have beaten her to the punch on the landscaping project, but she had some information Melanie didn’t.
“Cam should be back around ten.” Rachel glanced at her watch, trying not to look too smug. “He had a dentist appointment this morning.”
Melanie lifted her brows. “Oh, really?”
Rachel nodded. “He broke a tooth last night. Good thing the dentist could see him first thing this morning. It was pretty painful.”
Melanie’s eyes widened. “Last night?”
“Yes.” Rachel suppressed a smile. Obviously Melanie liked Cam. Did he return her interest? Rachel hadn’t noticed any nonverbal connection between them, but she had only observed them in the same room two or three times.
“So, you two were together last night?” Lilly asked with a delighted grin. “Tell us more.”
Rachel hesitated. There wasn’t really much more to tell, but seeing the shocked expression on Melanie’s face, she couldn’t resist carrying this just a little further.
“Cam helped me move into my new apartment.” She gave a coy shrug of her shoul
ders. “We were both hungry after that, so he ordered pizza and Cokes. Unfortunately, he chewed on an ice cube and broke his tooth.” She sighed and shook her head. “My dentist always told me never chew on ice. I should’ve warned him.”
Lilly tilted her head. “Wow. He helped you move, and then ordered pizza?”
“Yes. Wasn’t that thoughtful?” Rachel couldn’t hide her smile any longer.
A nerve in Melanie’s jaw twitched. “Yes. Very.” Her tone was as cold and jagged as a chunk of ice.
Rachel’s stomach tightened. She wasn’t really being dishonest, just letting them come to their own conclusions. Still, she shouldn’t give them the wrong impression about her and Cam. What if it got back to him? How would she explain?
Just then, Cam walked in the door.
Her stomach dropped as if she’d just ridden a fast elevator from the top floor to the basement in five seconds flat.
Chapter Seven
Cam glanced around the room at the three women. Rachel’s eyes widened, and the color drained from her face. Lilly tucked her hand in her skirt pockets and bit her lip as she frowned at the floor. Melanie crossed her arms and glared at him like he’d stomped on her cat’s tail.
He had definitely walked into the middle of something.
“So, how’s the tooth?” Melanie asked.
He shot a glance at Rachel, and then reached up and rubbed his frozen jaw. So they’d been talking about him. “It’s okay. Still feels pretty numb, but I’ll live.”
Rachel cringed slightly, as though the broken tooth was her fault. It wasn’t, but he appreciated her sympathy.
He reached into his pants pocket and fingered the copy of the apartment key. He’d stopped in to give it to Rachel. But glancing at Lilly and Melanie, he decided now might not be the right time.
Melanie’s sour expression made him wonder if she already knew Rachel was now his upstairs neighbor.
“Well, we better get back to work.” Lilly took Melanie’s arm and tugged her toward the door.
Melanie scowled at Lilly, but gave in and followed along. “I’ll stop in and see you later, Cam. I need to talk to you about the plant donations for the landscaping project.”
“I’m headed home. How about tomorrow?”
“All right. I’ll stop by tomorrow morning.” She wiggled her fingers at him. “Bye.”
Cam waited until they left, then took the key from his pocket and held it out to Rachel. “I got this copy made for you on my way back from the dentist.”
“Thanks. But…why don’t you keep the new one, and I’ll hold on to the one you gave me last night.”
“Okay.” He dropped the shiny new key into his pocket. “So…is everything okay with Melanie and Lilly?”
Her eyes widened. “Yes. Sure. Everything’s fine. No problem at all.” She looked around, snatched the plate of brownies, and held it out to him. “Would you like a brownie? Lilly made them.”
“No thanks.” He tapped his numb jaw. “Don’t think I could taste anything right now.”
“Oh. Yes. Of course. You should probably wait awhile before you eat anything.” She studied his face for a moment, concern filling her eyes again. “Sorry about your tooth.”
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m a tough guy.” He chuckled, then rubbed his upper arm. “Except after a day of hauling boxes and furniture to the second floor. You should’ve warned me that you have a huge book collection.”
She laughed, looking relieved, and it was the nicest sound he’d heard in a long time.
“Knock, knock,” Melanie called.
Cam stifled a groan and looked up from his computer. “Hey, Melanie.”
She sauntered into the shop and sent him a slow, suggestive smile. Her clothes looked fine, but he couldn’t help noticing the large clumps of navy, green and pink beads dangling from her ears. They hung so low they almost touched her shoulders. Must be one of her new designs.
How could she stand having something that heavy hanging from her earlobes? Didn’t they get in the way when she turned her head? And if the earrings weren’t enough, she wore a matching necklace and bracelet. The whole heavy jewelry thing made him glad he was a man, and he didn’t have to deal with that kind of nonsense.
“Wait until you hear my news.” She laid a file folder on his desk and pulled up a chair so she could sit next to him, her beads jangling the whole time. A cloud of musky perfume settled around them as she scooted her chair closer.
Cam sat back and tried not to breathe too deeply.
She nodded toward the file. “Go ahead. Open it.”
He did and found a list of donors and plants for the landscaping project. “Looks good.” He ran his finger down the page. “What about the larkspur and columbine? Do you think you’ll be able to get those?”
A slight pout replaced her smile. “I thought you’d be happy to see how much I’ve done.” When that had no effect on him, her smile resurfaced. “I’ll make a few more calls. I’m sure I can get the rest. Paxton’s Garden Center is the main donor. They said they’d deliver and give us some free mulch. Isn’t that great?” She gazed at him expectantly. “When do you want it delivered?”
At this close range he could see she wore contacts and way too much makeup. He rolled his chair back and got up. “Let me talk to Ross and the others about a date for a work party, then we can schedule the delivery.”
His thoughts shifted to Rachel, and he frowned slightly. Hadn’t she promised to work on plant donations? Why hadn’t she followed through? Maybe she was all talk and no action. He shouldn’t be surprised. She probably wasn’t as committed as everyone else. Still, he had expected more from her.
A squeal of laughter from the hallway pierced his thoughts, followed by the sound of running feet and more laughter. Cam scowled. What was going on?
Two young boys dashed by—at least he thought it was two young boys. They ran so fast it was hard to tell.
Melanie spun toward the door. “What in the world?”
The boys darted by again, calling out as one chased the other in the opposite direction. Their squeaking tennis shoes, pounding footsteps and high-pitched voices echoed off the walls and tile floor, making the hair stand up on the back of Cam’s neck.
Melanie clicked her tongue. “Where are their parents?”
“I don’t know, but I intend to find out.” Cam got up and strode out the door. Following the boys’ voices, he rounded the corner and found them at the water fountain, one boy gleefully squirting the other. A fast-spreading puddle of water surrounded their feet.
“Hey!” Cam hustled toward them. “What do you think you’re doing?”
The boys froze and looked at him through large blue eyes. Water dripped down their faces onto their Tshirts and shorts.
Cam squinted. One boy wore a blue shirt and the other red, but their faces were identical. “I asked you boys a question.”
The twins exchanged nervous glances. “We were just getting a drink,” the boy on the left in the red shirt said.
“Right.” Cam scoffed. “You were doing a whole lot more than that and you know it. Where are your parents?”
“They’re at work.” The boy on the right spoke this time, his chin quivering. “We’re here with our sister.”
“Where is she?”
Both boys pointed down the hall past Cam’s shoulder. “She’s talking to Ms. Clark,” the boy in the blue shirt said.
Heat flashed into Cam’s face, and he clenched his jaw. These must be two of Rachel’s drama students. “Let’s go.” He grabbed the boys by their soggy shirtsleeves and towed them back toward Rachel’s office. “You and Ms. Clark have some explaining to do.”
The boy on his left began to sniff. “We didn’t mean to get the floor wet.”
“We just wanted a drink,” the other boy added in a whiny voice.
Cam opened Rachel’s door and marched them into the room.
Rachel stood near her desk with the three teens who had helped her move into her apartment. She stop
ped mid-sentence and turned to him. “What’s going on?”
He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. “That’s what I’d like to know.”
“Why are you guys all wet?” Haley asked.
“We just stopped to get a drink of water.” The boy in the blue shirt held out his hands. “We didn’t mean to get water on the floor.”
Haley gasped. “Brian! I told you guys to go straight to the bathroom and come right back.” She crossed the room and stood in front of her brothers.
Brian dropped his chin and refused to look at her.
Haley turned to the other twin. “Jeff? Tell me what happened.”
“Brian started it. He squirted me.”
Brian’s head popped up. “Well, you squirted me back!”
“I did not!”
“Yes you did!”
“I’m soaked!”
“That’s your fault!”
Haley held up her hand. “Guys! Stop!”
“The point is,” Cam said with a definite edge to his voice. These boys were running through the halls and having a water fight at the drinking fountain.”
Rachel opened her mouth, no doubt intending to argue with him, but he was not about to listen to any excuses.
He pointed an accusing finger at her. “You promised your students wouldn’t cause any problems.” His voice grew more strident as he continued. “Summer camp hasn’t even started, and they’re already making trouble.”
Fire flashed in Rachel’s eyes. The twins quivered in their soggy tennis shoes. Ryan, Steve and Haley stared at him like he was some kind of evil villain.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Clark,” Haley said. “I should’ve walked them to the bathroom.” She laid her hand on her brothers’ shoulders. “Come on. Lets go clean up the mess.”
“We’ll help.” Ryan looked at Steve and nodded toward the door. His friend picked up the cue, and they followed Haley and the twins into the hall.
“You’ll find a mop in the janitor’s closet just past the drinking fountain,” Cam called.
Rachel watched the kids hurry out the door. When she was certain they were out of earshot she spun around. “How could you treat those children like that?”
Carrie Turansky Page 5