“I assume you’ll have Frank with you, but if you need another pair of hands, I’ll be glad to help.”
Not long after, she was standing next to him for the forty-five minute ferry trip back to St. Marys. Those saltwater kisses had been the highlight of the day, but even if they hadn’t happened, she had many other memorable moments. She wasn’t foolish enough to believe herself in love after only a few days, but the intense attraction she felt for Quinn was real. The journey ahead might not turn out as she personally hoped, but it would still be a success if she could convince him to open his heart, if not to her, than to someone else.
Chapter Five
Quinn smiled faintly when he saw the white Tahoe sitting in his driveway. “It appears my mother has come for a visit. If you don’t feel up to an introduction, it can wait for another time. It’s been a long day.” During which he’d destroyed any hope of keeping his escalating feelings for Ellen at a manageable level.
“I’d rather not meet your mother with windblown hair, a sunburned face and wrinkled clothes.”
“I understand. I don’t really want to, either, but it seems I have no choice.”
She took the bag he held out and unlocked the door to the cottage. “Thanks for letting me come with you. I had a great time.”
“I did, too. I hope this week is better for you than the last one.”
“Meaning no more ex-boyfriends coming in the shop, right? That would be great.”
As he retrieved his backpack from the trunk, he wondered if he actually believed he’d be able to get through the entire week without seeing her. He was having withdrawals already. This had to stop. He was letting himself get pulled into an illusion. Ellen had kissed him because she felt sorry for him, and because he’d made it impossible for her to refuse. He couldn’t allow it to happen again. Not that he had long to worry about it. His mother pounced on him as soon as he entered the house.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had a date?”
Quinn’s eyes slid past her to his very amused brother. “Because I didn’t have a date. Where’s Dad?”
Cindy Phillips waved that away. “Never mind where Jerry is. I want to know all about this woman. Jase says you took her to dinner Tuesday night. You never said a word about it when you came to the house on Thursday.”
Again Quinn’s glance impaled his brother. “Jase is going to be looking for a new place to live starting tomorrow.”
“Don’t get mad at Jase. You’re the one keeping secrets.”
“There is no secret. Ellen is my new tenant. She also happens to be the sister of someone I dated in high school. We’ve been getting reacquainted; not an unusual thing to do after fifteen years. If I was dating someone, don’t you think you’d be the first to know?”
“I don’t expect to be the first to know; but I’d like to be in the top five.”
Quinn dropped a kiss on her cheek. “You’re number one. Always have been, always will be.”
She put her arm around his waist. “Did you have a nice time even though you weren’t on a date?”
Nice didn’t begin to describe it. Mind-numbing, pulse-racing, exhilarating, incredible: those were better adjectives. “Yes, and more importantly, I took some amazing pictures. Can I interest anyone in coffee? I could sure use some.”
“Did you say she was your tenant?”
“I did say that,” he replied as he led the way to the kitchen. His mother had a habit of only half-listening and then suddenly reacting to something that had been said several minutes before. As he passed his brother, he murmured, “I’m serious about you looking for a new place.” Jase just laughed at him.
“Is she living in the cottage?” his mother asked, still unsure what he meant.
“Of course, madam,” he replied in his best English accent. “It would be highly improper for her to be in the house with two bachelors.”
“Don’t make fun of your mother, Quinn.”
He looked up from adding water to the coffee maker. “I most sincerely beg your pardon.”
“I was just telling Jase that your father and I are going out of town tomorrow to visit some friends in Charleston. It’s too late to get Freya into the kennel. Can she stay here?”
“Sure, Mom,” Quinn assured her even as a shudder went through him. Freya wasn’t a dog; she was a menace on four legs. The last time she stayed at his house she tore holes in the duvet on his bed, scratched the woodwork on the front door, and chewed up two cushions on the couch. She also disliked everyone except his mother and had no redeeming qualities to make up for her obvious deficiencies. “How long will you be gone?”
“Until Thursday. I’ll drop her off tomorrow morning on our way out of town. That should be around eight or so.”
“If I’m not here, Jase will be.” Quinn had every intention of not being there. His brother could make up for his betrayal of privileged information by making himself personally responsible for Freya. That should be punishment enough for his crimes.
“If you go on any more of those non-dates with Ellen, please don’t keep it to yourself.”
“I’ll keep you fully informed of every non-development.”
“Good. I’ve got to run. I still have to pack my things, and I’m sure your father hasn’t started his packing either.”
Quinn walked ahead of her and opened the door. Just as they reached the Tahoe, the cottage door opened and Ellen walked out. Her steps faltered to a stop. If she hadn’t wanted to meet his mother before, it was obvious she was even less pleased about doing so now. She was wearing a light blue wrap that hung to mid-thigh and matching furry slippers. Her wet hair hung in damp tendrils and her face was shiny as if she’d just put some kind of cream on it.
Quinn knew he was staring, but couldn’t look away. Someone nearby cleared their throat. Feeling like a schoolboy caught cheating on a test, he forced a smile to his face.
“Hey, Ellen,” he said as naturally as he could. “This is my mother, Cindy Phillips. Mom, this is Ellen Sterling.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Phillips,” Ellen said, holding out her hand.
“The pleasure is mine, dear. Quinn was just telling me about renting the cottage.”
“I was very fortunate to find something so nice.”
His mother nodded. “It’s perfect for one person or even a young couple. I’m glad to see someone living in it. Do you have relatives here?”
“My cousin and his wife live in St. Marys, but my parents live in Alabama as well as my sister and her family.”
“What brought you here?”
“I inherited my aunt’s floral shop.”
“Mom,” Quinn interrupted. “We shouldn’t keep Ellen standing around. It’s cool out, and she’s only wear…what I mean is, she’d probably like to get back inside.”
“Darling, she came outside for something.”
Ellen laughed. “Yes, I did. I left my notebook in the car. I didn’t expect to run into anyone, or I would have put on more clothes.”
His mother laughed. “Don’t worry about that, dear. I’ve done the same thing myself, although I’ll admit that I didn’t look nearly as pretty doing it. I thought we were going to have to call 911 to revive Quinn.”
This was his mother all over. Granted she hadn’t had the opportunity to tease him like this in a long time. He couldn’t blame her for making the most of it. “Didn’t you say you had some packing to do?” he asked as he opened the door of the Tahoe.
“I’m glad you reminded me.” She glanced at Ellen. “We’ll have to talk again when we have more time.”
“I’d like that. Goodbye, Mrs. Phillips.” She switched her glance to him. “Goodnight, Quinn.”
“Goodnight, Ellen.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her retrieve a black notebook from her car and then slip back into the cottage. Only then did he speak.
“Others may let me down, Mom, but you never disappoint me.”
She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “
It’s okay, Quinney. Your secret is safe with me.”
There was no need to ask what she meant. He’d given himself away too obviously to make any kind of denial. “I appreciate that. Have a nice time in Charleston.”
* * * * *
Ellen closed the door behind her and let out a groan of irritation. That would teach her to walk outside without getting dressed first. Mrs. Phillips had been very nice about it, but that hadn’t reduced Ellen’s embarrassment. As first impressions go, she could hardly have done worse. On the bright side, the next meeting (should there be one) could only be better.
She sank down on the couch and opened her notebook. Every Sunday evening she went over her appointments and orders for the following week. This way when she got to work on Monday morning, she knew how to best use her and Frank’s time. In addition to the regular floral arrangements, she had contracts with local businesses and churches to supply and maintain their indoor plants. The biggest challenges were the weddings; this week she had one on Friday evening and another one Saturday afternoon.
Later as she lay in bed trying to fall asleep, her mind replayed in high definition those kisses on the beach. Ellen had been kissed before; but not like that. It was one thing to enjoy being kissed; it was another to feel changed by the experience.
The following morning while she was eating breakfast, she heard Quinn talking to Max out on the driveway. The sound of his deep voice had the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. It would have been easy to step out the door and satisfy the desire to see him, but Ellen stayed where she was. She’d planted a seed; now she had to see if it would grow.
Keeping to this resolve was easier said than done. Patience might be a virtue, but in matters of the heart, it wasn’t as easy to accomplish. By the time Wednesday afternoon rolled around without a word from him, Ellen had begun to doubt herself. Maybe what had been memorable to her hadn’t been so to Quinn. After all, he hadn’t initiated the kiss; she’d practically baited him to do it. The fact that they’d been virtually alone in a romantic setting hadn’t hurt either.
After consulting her schedule for the rest of the week, Ellen sent Frank home and closed the shop early. The cloudy skies and brisk wind suited her mood. The sight of the empty space in the garage where the Jaguar usually sat didn’t improve it. Grabbing a book and an apple, she headed to the garden. For solitude, it was almost as good as being in a tree. The only sounds were the rustling of the leaves and the musical notes of a wind chime coming from the house next door. She opened the book on her lap and began to read, glad to escape into the world of medieval knights.
The opening of the gate barely impinged on her consciousness. A flash of red brought her head from the page. A little girl wearing a denim dress, a red cowboy hat and matching boots was watching her from a few feet away.
Ellen smiled. “Hello, there. What’s your name?”
“Winnie. Are you Miss Ellen?”
“Yes, I am.”
Winnie leaned against the bench, her fingers playing with the strings on her hat. “Dr. Phillips told me you were pretty.”
That was somewhat encouraging. “He did? Well, he didn’t tell me about you. Do you live close by?”
Winnie pointed behind them. “I live in that house over there. I was sitting on the porch when I saw you come to the garden.”
“I’m so glad you came to visit. I was getting lonely by myself.”
“Dr. Phillips lets me play in here with my friend Priscilla.” She climbed on the bench to sit next to Ellen. “I was going to marry him, but I decided to marry Mr. Jase instead.”
Ellen hid a smile. “Mr. Jase is very nice, too.”
Winnie removed her hat and put it over the toe of her boot. “My birthday is this Saturday. I’m going to be seven years old. Would you like to come to my party?”
“I’d love to, but I have to work for part of the day. Do you know what time your party is?”
“Let me go ask my mommy. I’ll be right back.”
Ellen watched her disappear behind the hedge running along the fence. Then she heard a door slam. Five minutes later, a young woman came through the gate alone.
“Hello! I’m Isobel Tyler, Winnie’s mom. I’ve been hoping to meet you ever since I noticed the lights in the cottage. Most of the residents in this neighborhood are retired. I get excited when someone younger moves in. I’m glad Winnie spotted you so I could come over and introduce myself.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Isobel. I’m Ellen.”
“Winnie told me she invited you to her party. It was supposed to be on Saturday, but we found out that a few of the girls have a dance recital in the afternoon. I decided to move it to Sunday afternoon at two. You’re welcome to join us, but I wanted to warn you that it’s a kids’ party. I’ll probably be the only adult other than my husband who will hide out in his man cave until it’s time to cut the cake.”
Ellen laughed. “Then you could probably use another pair of eyes and hands. I helped one of my friends with her little girl’s birthday party in the fall. It was all we could do to keep them all in one place. At times, it felt like the inmates were running the asylum.”
Isobel nodded. “That’s exactly what it feels like. If you really wouldn’t mind, I’d love to have your help.”
“I don’t mind at all.”
“My husband will be thrilled. He’s more at home in front of a computer than dealing with ten very excited girls. How do you like your landlords?”
“I already knew Quinn. Jase improves on acquaintance.”
“You can’t help but love Jase. I like having a doctor next door. Quinn has saved me quite a few emergency room visits.” She stood up. “I need to get back home. I left Winnie cleaning her room. If I don’t stay on top of her, she starts playing instead of picking up.”
“I’m an adult, and I still do that. I’ll see you on Sunday.”
After Isobel left, Ellen returned to her book. This time her reading was interrupted by the appearance of a miniature poodle whose once-white coat showed signs of having been rolling around in the dirt.
“Where did you come from?” The dog circled the bench several times and then proceeded to jump on Ellen’s lap, muddy paws and all. She moved the book out of harm’s way. “You’re a friendly little thing, aren’t you? I wish you could tell me where you live. Your owner is probably looking for you.” She turned the pink leather collar around and read the name on the metal tag. “Freya. Someone likes Norse mythology. Too bad you didn’t show up while Isobel was here.” The dog put her head down and closed her eyes. “I guess all the digging you’ve obviously been doing wore you out.”
* * * * *
Quinn was surprised to see Ellen’s car when he pulled in the driveway. She usually didn’t get home until after him. The absence of Jase’s car was less of a surprise. His brother’s visit to the pet store the previous day had produced more than food for Freya. Jase had, in his own words, ‘been smitten’ by one of the cashiers, and not one to let the grass grow under his feet, had asked her out.
This circumstance wouldn’t have bothered Quinn in the normal way. He was used to Jase’s erratic, but never boring social life. However, his absence from the house tonight meant Quinn had to deal with his mother’s dog. This wasn’t a good thing for either of them. Last night he’d found the sleeve torn off one of his dress shirts. He’d told Jase to make sure the dog was locked in the laundry room before he left the house. That would at least contain the damage to one room.
As he approached the house, he noticed the back door was ajar. Jase must have been in a hurry to pick up his date. The full ramifications of this miscue didn’t dawn on him until he noticed that the laundry room door was open, too. A search of the house showed evidence of Freya’s path of destruction, but no sign of the perpetrator. His mother would kill him if something happened to her beloved pet.
Quinn went back outside to search the yard. The gate leading to the pool was closed. When he got closer to the garden, he heard Ellen�
�s voice. Who was she talking to? He walked past the tall hedge and peered around the corner. His first feeling was relief that Freya wasn’t lost. His second was amazement. How had Ellen managed to get the dog in her lap? He couldn’t get within a few feet of Freya let alone get her to slow down long enough to be caught.
One step forward had Freya’s ears twitching. His next one brought the dog’s head up. Ellen glanced his way and smiled. It was as if the sun had suddenly broken through a dark sky. Quinn’s entire body responded to that smile just as it had to the touch of her lips.
“I’m so glad to see you. I’ve been wondering what to do about my friend here.”
“You’ve come to the right place. She belongs to my mother. I’ve been dog sitting since Monday.” When he got within a few feet of Ellen, Freya made a growling sound in her throat. “I’m not exactly her favorite person. I objected to her chewing up my shirt.”
Ellen laughed as she rubbed the dog’s head. “How did she get out of the house?”
“That can be laid at Jase’s door. I’m just glad she didn’t leave the yard.”
She lifted one of the paws. “She needs a bath.”
“There’s a happy thought. I’ll probably end up getting bitten.”
“No, you won’t. I’ll clean her up at my place and bring her to you.”
“It would be easier to do that in my laundry room. I’ve got one of those utility sinks. While you’re doing that, I’ll make dinner for us.”
“Sounds good to me.” Ellen stood up. “If you don’t mind getting my book, I’ll carry her. We don’t want to take the chance of her getting away again.”
As they walked back to the house, he said, “I can’t get over how calm she is with you. She doesn’t usually go to anyone except my mother. Not even my dad.”
“Maybe there’s something about me that reminds her of your mother. A similar perfume or the fact that I’m a female. Does she like your sister?”
“I suppose so, but I’ve never seen her sit on Terry’s lap.”
Yours, With Love: A Sweet Contemporary Romance (Finding Love Book 5) Page 9