by Jillian Hart
That made it harder than ever not to care about him more, especially when she opened the garage door to lock up and there he was, checking the tire pressure, kneeling on the cement floor looking like her deepest, most secret dream. He had a broad-shouldered competence, as if he could handle any burden. He looked up from his work with an easy grin—he was always in a good mood. He always had a smile to offer her.
Her heart swelled. She was in huge trouble. It looked as though her friend-only clause had backfired.
“You look ready to hit the road.” He straightened up, pump in hand, and returned it neatly to its shelf. “I didn’t know if you had a route in mind. I’ve ridden north of the city, since that’s where my aunt and uncle live, but that’s a little far from here.”
“I happen to have a few suggestions.” She locked the door behind her and slipped her door key into her pocket. She grabbed her helmet from the hook and put it on. “I used to belong to a bike club back when I had much more time than I do now.”
“Then you know all the best rides.” He pushed her bike out onto the driveway. “Okay, you pick.”
“How about we head toward the university and out past the museum?” She hit the garage door button and took off at a sprint. She hopped over the sensors and took her bike from him. “There’s a back road that goes on forever into the prettiest country around. And it’s not too hilly.”
“Sounds perfect.”
When he smiled, she realized that her heart did, too. Perfect. Yes, that was the word. She put her foot on the pedal, gave her bike a push and hopped on. She led the way through the complex and down the residential streets, knowing Chad was a few paces behind her, a welcome companion on this illuminating day.
“I need a time-out.” Chad called out at the base of the hill.
Up ahead of him, Rebecca’s foot came down and she glanced over her shoulder at him. “You just don’t want to climb another slope.”
“I timed my request perfectly, if I do say so myself.” And he wasn’t ashamed of it. He swung to the ground and nudged the bike far onto the gravel shoulder. There hadn’t been much traffic on this forgotten country road, but it was better to be safe than sorry. “I thought you said this way wasn’t hilly.”
“I said not too hilly.” She hung her helmet on her handlebars. “There’s a difference.”
“Great.” He laughed. Laughter came easily whenever he was around her. He took off his helmet and unhooked the bottle from his bike frame. He took a long pull of water. “It’s been a while since I’ve put in this much cycling.”
“You mean you spend time at the gym, and that’s fine, but there’s nothing like getting out on the road for a tough workout.” Rebecca had her water bottle in hand and she hopped across the shallow ditch to the grassy meadow beyond. “I’m glad you wanted to stop. My muscles are jelly. I have to admit I didn’t want you to think I was a wimp, so I’ve been pushing a little harder than I’m used to.”
“It’s catching up to you, huh?”
“Is it.” She dropped into the soft grass, framed by wildflowers.
He’d never seen anything lovelier. Tender feelings rose up within him and floated like clouds in the sky. He sat down beside her in the soft grass. “It’s catching up to me, too. I’m impressed with you.”
“With me?”
“You’re a powerhouse. My quads were jelly about two miles ago.”
“Sure.” She didn’t look as if she believed him, but she blushed. “It’s nice of you to say. You don’t seem to mind if a girl can keep up with you.”
“I don’t. I like that we’re compatible.”
“Me, too.” She smiled. “I haven’t been biking in a long time. It’s been tough finding someone who thinks a twenty-mile ride on a ninety-degree day is fun.”
“I take it you didn’t do this often?”
“I usually go by myself.”
Ah, not with the ex. Chad didn’t know why that mattered to him, but it did. “So, now that I know this about you, I have to ask. What else do we have in common?”
“I don’t know.” She popped the top of her water bottle and took a dainty sip. With the pink baseball cap shading her heart-shaped face and the blush of heat and happiness on her cheeks, she looked adorable. Simply adorable.
The tenderness in his chest intensified a notch.
“You know I love swimming and volleyball.” She took another sip of water and set her bottle aside. “I’m fairly decent when it comes to baseball and basketball.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” He braced his arms and leaned back a little, delighting in watching her. “I’m fond of baseball and basketball, too. What’s a little-known fact about Rebecca McKaslin?”
“One of my favorite hobbies is cross-stitching.”
“Sadly, I can’t say the same.” He loved it when they laughed together. “I like to hang on my computer.”
“I should have known you were a computer geek. You hang out with Ephraim.”
“True. I’m minoring in computer science. Do you have a computer?”
“Yes, but I mostly use it for school, which means it’s on summer break, too. I suppose you’re one of those people who are brilliant enough to actually tell your computer what to do, instead of praying that it works at all, like me.”
“I don’t know about that. I’ve done my share of praying. How did the birthday bash turn out? Your text messages left out a lot of details.”
“Tyler was in seventh heaven. He got a ton of presents and best of all, my parents are back in town. He’s fond of his grandparents. Then Ava made a Dalmatian-shaped cake. It looked just like Lucky. Tyler was thrilled.”
“That’s what a kid needs. A pet to grow up with.”
“I think so, too. He’s a fairly new addition to the family, and Danielle is taking the adjustment in stride. Lucky actually has as much energy as Tyler does, so they are a good match. They are best friends already.”
“Best friends. That sounds about right.” Maybe he wasn’t thinking so much of Rebecca’s nephew as he was of their relationship. That’s where they were heading. That’s where he wanted things to go. He wanted to be best everything with her. Never had his future been so clear—or his heart.
“What are your aunt and uncle like?”
“They are the nicest people. When I was troubled, they were always the ones I could talk to. Every summer, their place was more home than my house was. When my dad took off, they became my refuge. The only place that was sane.”
“When did your dad take off?”
“Two days before my fifteenth birthday.”
“Ouch,” she sympathized. The breeze danced through her hair. She was graced by sunshine and she looked sweetly precious.
I’m in love with her. The realization struck him like a sudden blow. He took a shaky breath and let the truth settle in. Love. It came like a gift to his heart. It was a strength of emotion he had never felt before.
“I’m sorry that happened to you.” She laid her hand on his.
Comfort filled him. “I got through it eventually. It was pretty tough for a while. For a time there I lost my way.”
“I’m glad your aunt and uncle were there for you. I’m glad you found your way.” Her eyes turned luminous. It was so easy to read her caring for him. “If you hadn’t, I doubt we ever would have met. And that would be a shame.”
His love for her stretched as wide as the sky and as strong as the Rocky Mountains, immovable in the distance.
Please Lord, he prayed, let her feel this way, too. He had never wanted anything as much as her love.
“It surely would be,” he agreed, gathering up his courage. Maybe this would be the right time to tell her.
“I’m ready to go. How about you?” She grabbed her water bottle and took one last sip.
“Sure.” He had barely got the word out before she bounced up like a sunbeam and brushed bits of grass off her clothes.
The moment had passed. He grabbed his water and tried to think of how t
o bring up the subject. But she was already hopping across the ditch and crunching in the gravel toward her bike. She reached for her helmet.
Maybe there would be a better opportunity, he thought.
“Should we turn around?” She buckled on her helmet. “Or do you want to go another mile?”
“You decide.” He said those fateful words knowing full well she would ask him to pedal another mile uphill, but he didn’t mind. As long as he was with her, that was what mattered.
Beneath the outdoor umbrella of a coffeehouse near the university, Rebecca glanced over her shoulder to watch Chad. He was at the register paying for their drinks. How could it be possible that she was with someone like him? He had her father’s manners and her brother’s competence and yet there was something both familiar and different about him. Being with him just felt right, effortless. She could just be herself. It was a wonderful feeling. And terrifying.
Don’t think about what this means, she told herself. Maybe she should just enjoy this time with him.
“A strawberry Italian soda with whipped cream as ordered.” Chad set the tall plastic cup down on the little table. He was carrying a similar cup, different color soda.
“Blueberry?” she guessed.
“I have a weakness for blueberries.”
She would have to remember that. “My sister has this to-die-for recipe for blueberry scones. I could make some for you.”
“I wouldn’t say no.” He settled into the chair across from her. “You could throw in one of your cooking lessons. I could try to fry eggs and bacon. What do you think?”
“For dinner?”
“Sure. You name the night, and I’ll bring the groceries.”
“I’ll check my calendar and get back to you. My parents are in town and I don’t know what they’ve got planned.” She took a sip of the sweet creamy treat. “I’m going to have to bike another five miles to burn this off.”
“Save it for the court tomorrow.” He winked. “Basketball. I know we’re not playing against each other, but I’m betting the girls will keep you running.”
“I’ll be reffing. I’m sure I’ll be worn to a frazzle.” She grinned. Yes, she definitely loved her job. She had listened to her heart, doing what she loved, and the good Lord had provided. Would this—with Chad—work out, too? “I’m sorry I got a muscle cramp. I stretched my calves well.”
“No need to apologize. I was on the verge of collapsing, so you did me a favor by wanting to stop and cool down.” He took a long swallow. “Is that your phone?”
“I think it’s been doing that all along.” She pulled her cell out of her pocket. “It’s Ava. She’s probably calling to torment me further. I’m going to call her back later. You were a huge topic of conversation at the birthday bash.”
“You didn’t mention anything about that when we were texting.”
“Limited space.” She quipped. She took a sip of the drink and let the strawberry richness spill across her tongue. “I would have suggested stopping at Ava’s bakery, but that would only further the speculation.”
“Speculation?”
She blushed. How on earth could she tell him about everyone’s theory about friends and romance? What would he think if he knew? She wasn’t ready to admit the truth to herself much less to him.
“My sisters are all happily married and think that I ought to join their ranks.”
“Funny. My aunt and uncle were curious why my phone kept beeping. For some reason they thought I had a girlfriend.” He grinned so that all his dimples showed. “They didn’t believe our friend policy for a second.”
“Neither did my parents. I—” A weird sensation trickled down her neck. She turned around to see Chris on the other side of the glass door to the patio, his hand on the handle, his gaze fastened on her.
She knew that look. His eyes were dark and cold. His mouth was pulled down into an angry frown. He looked as tense as if he’d been carved out of marble. Whatever she’d been about to say fled from her mind. All she could remember was the last time she had seen that expression on Chris’s face.
Fine fear trembled through her. This was different from the day he had come up to her at the mailboxes. Hate radiated off him like cold from a glacier. He had been that way the day he had wrapped his hands around her arms and lifted her off her feet. His enraged words, demanding money, telling her how he was tired of her goody-goody act, echoed in her brain.
She was dimly aware of a chair scraping against the concrete. A shadow fell across her. Chad, she realized, towered over her like a knight in shining armor. Protective, he planted himself between her and Chris. His message was clear. Chris dropped his gaze, turned around and disappeared back inside the coffee shop.
Her heart soared. “Thanks, Chad.”
“No problem.” He circled around to his chair, but kept his gaze on the door. “That was a surprise. At least he stayed away from you.”
“That’s all I want.”
“Are you all right?” He reached across the table and took her hands in his. It was a tender gesture and as comforting as anything she’d ever known.
Her hands weren’t shaking for the reason he thought. The way he treated her, and the way he looked out for her, how he behaved toward her spoke more loudly than any words.
I’m falling for him, she realized. Big-time.
Her phone rang again. She snatched it out of her pocket to peek at the screen. “This is my mom. Do you mind?”
“Not at all.” He leaned back in his chair and sipped at his drink.
He was definitely a nice change. She leaned back in her chair, too, and answered. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, baby. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
Why did Mom sound so hopeful that she was? Funny. Rebecca reached for her soda. “You’re not interrupting one bit. What are you up to?”
“I’m on our patio with John. He made us some sun tea and we’re sitting here watching the evening go by. I wanted to see if you wanted to ask that new boyfriend of yours—”
“Friend, Mom.” Rebecca rolled her eyes. Across the table, Chad met her gaze and his dimples flashed with amusement.
“You know that’s how it was at first with John and me.” Mom didn’t even try to disguise how pleased she was. “When we met, it was like at first sight. We just clicked. It felt so right. We were instant friends and that friendship developed into a deeper and deeper bond that has been one of the best blessings in my life.”
“Mother.” Rebecca could not believe her mom was doing this, too. “Please don’t tell me this is the reason you’re calling me.”
Mom laughed. “No. I just thought a word of advice wouldn’t be out of line. I called to invite that friend of yours to dinner at our town house next Sunday.”
“I thought you would be heading back out on the road.” Rebecca bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. She didn’t know what was so funny or why, but Chad was doing the same thing.
“Oh, we’re staying in town for the rest of the summer. Katherine might need us with Jack putting in so many hours to cover vacations.” Mom paused for a second. “I have this terrible feeling that I am interrupting. You are with him right now, aren’t you?”
How was she going to answer that?
“Oh, I’d better go and leave you two be. Don’t forget to ask him to supper. I’ll talk at you later, baby. Bye, now.” Mom sure sounded pleased.
“Bye.” Rebecca disconnected and pocketed her phone. “I wonder how long it will take until the rest of the family is calling me.”
“Think we’ll have a chance to make it home?” He sure seemed to be enjoying this. Of course, an only child who did not understand the pressures of having five older siblings would think the situation was amusing.
“Are you kidding?” She climbed to her feet. “We’ll be lucky to make it out to the bikes.”
As if to prove her point, her phone began ringing the instant they reached the sidewalk. She checked the screen. “See? What did I tel
l you? It’s Gran calling.”
Chad appeared entertained. “You have a fun family. You’re pretty immersed, aren’t you?”
“Probably just a tad. Nothing serious, just enough to justify their nosiness.” Bless them. She loved her family. They were everything in the world to her. “I really should take this.”
“Sure. Hand me your key and I’ll unlock us both.”
He held out his hand, palm up, and she tugged the key out of her pocket. Their fingers brushed, and rare sweetness wrapped around her.
“Take your time,” he told her as he bent to release the bikes from the stand. “It’s your grandmother. She deserves all your attention.”
“I knew there was a reason I liked you, Chad Lawson.” Yes, she was definitely out of excuses and every last piece of denial.
There was no way to ignore the crest of affection that nearly toppled her over. She leaned against the wall of the coffeehouse, found her balance and answered her phone.
Chapter Twelve
“Hey, stranger.”
Rebecca looked up from her piece of pizza to the handsome man striding toward her through the shadowed church grounds. Her spirit brightened simply at seeing him. No surprise there. She was finally starting to accept it. “I was hoping you would come sit with me. Your boys have kept you busy so far today.”
“Busy, sure, but I’m having a blast.” Chad set his plate and juice box on the table and sat. He looked relaxed and happy, as if he was right where he belonged.
“Working with kids seems to suit you.” She took a bite of pizza and reached for her napkin.
“It’s a good fit.” He stopped to bow his head for a silent grace, and reached for his soda. “I knew I would be happy here.”
“This is like your dream job.”
“Exactly. And my stamina is improving, just like you said it would. I’ve got some energy left. I’m starting to adjust.”