by Mary Manners
“It’s never too late, and you’re not barging. I just got back from running and was about to steep a cup of warm chamomile. Care to join me?”
“Sounds great.” Kaci followed her into the kitchen and dropped into a chair. “I hope you don’t mind if I take a load off. All this planning for the wedding has frazzled me to the core. Who would have thought a simple outdoor wedding would have so many details to tie up?”
“You’re almost to the finish line, which I suppose is really a starting line of sorts—the beginning of your life together with the man you love.”
“You’re right.” The very thought brought a smile to Kaci’s lips. “You always have a way of putting things in perspective, Traci. That’s just one of the many things I cherish about you.”
The heartfelt words warmed Traci. She handed Kaci one of the filled mugs along with a teaspoon. “Did you get your dress back from alterations?”
“Yes. It’s just as gorgeous as they promised and fits like a glove.” Kaci positively glowed. “Only a few details remain—the cake and the music. Ryne’s next door talking with Dylan about the playlist for the reception. It’s convenient for us that you’re neighbors, but how’s that working out for you—living next door to such a…?”
“Hunk?” Traci finished for her. “Yes, I’ve noticed and it’s been…interesting.”
Kaci dipped her spoon into the tea, fished out the bag, and set it on the saucer before adding a spoonful of sugar to the liquid. “Interesting is good, isn’t it?”
“Yes…but it’s been a little bit weird, too.”
“How so?” Kaci set down her spoon and lifted the mug to her lips. She peered at Traci over the rim.
“We’ve been spending a little time together. He helped me make a cake.”
“What’s so weird about that?” Kaci set the mug back on the saucer. “Dish it to me, and don’t leave out any of the details.”
“Shouldn’t we be talking about you…and Ryne? I mean, your wedding is just a few weeks away. Are the flowers ready? What about your bouquet?”
“That diversion will not work. Tonight’s all you, Traci, so spill the beans. I want to hear about this time you’ve been spending with Dylan. Start at the beginning.”
“OK…if you insist.” Traci stalled by sweetening her tea, stirring the brew slowly as Kaci’s gaze bore a hole through her. “I suppose you could say it began when he moved in a few weeks ago. I met him on the path while I was working on the flowerbed. He passed by, carting all that sound equipment, and when he said hello I don’t know…I just sort-of felt something.”
“Something?”
Traci shrugged. “I have no idea how to explain it. I was repotting some plants there in the bed beside the walk, and he called to me as he started by. I glanced up and my breath sort of caught when I saw those smoky blues, so mysterious. It was odd…but in a good way. He was all muscles in his jeans and T-shirt, with his hair kind of skimming his forehead.”
“Yeah. I get that. I remember the first time Ryne came over with a tuna casserole. It was…” Kaci tilted her head back and fanned herself as a dainty gasp escaped her lips. “Oh, my…yes, I remember.”
“I thought…here’s a guy with some potential.” Traci rummaged through the cabinets for a package of chocolate chip cookies before settling into a chair across from Kaci. She opened the package, offered it to Kaci who claimed a pair of the cookies. “But then he started with that music…ugh! Yesterday he was blasting it so loud that the sound…well, it startled me. I was finishing up a cake for a wedding reception, and it got completely ruined.”
“Oh, that’s not good.”
“I marched right over to Dylan’s place, yanked the power cord from the wall. and gave him a piece of my mind.”
“I’ll bet that went over like a million bucks.”
“Let’s just say his reaction wasn’t what I expected. He laughed and offered to come back here with me. It took the rest of the evening, on into the night, but we remade the cake together.”
“Not your typical first date, but it holds its own.”
“It wasn’t a date. It was just…well…I’m not sure what it was. But it wasn’t a date. We did go for a walk together, though, while the cake was cooling. We had to wait to frost it because the icing would melt and then—”
“Excuse me, but you’re blushing, Traci.”
“It’s warm in here. I should open a window.”
“Uh huh.” Kaci reached for another cookie. “You went for a walk in the moonlight…beneath the stars?”
“It was sort of romantic…more than sort of romantic. It was flat-out romantic. And it was strange too, that Vivian happened to stop by with a jar of vanilla extract just when I needed it. I didn’t even know I’d run out, but somehow she knew my supply was empty and brought over a bottle from her pantry at the big house. We chatted a bit and she said something odd…something like, ‘This wedding cake you and Dylan are whipping up together…it’s just a preview.’ What do you suppose she meant by that?”
“Hmm…” Kaci washed down the cookie with a sip of tea. “There’s no telling, but Miss Vivian has her ways.”
“Andrew Hart was full of puzzling expressions, and I guess Miss Vivian is carrying on the tradition for him now.”
“I think you’re right. And that reminds me.” Kaci opened her purse and riffled through the contents. “I saw Miss Vivian working in the flowerbeds at the big house yesterday afternoon, and when I mentioned that I’d be seeing you this evening, she asked me to give this to you.” She handed Traci a small white box.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know. Open it.”
Traci unlaced a cream-colored bow and lifted the lid. “Oh, my…it’s gorgeous.” Inside rested a silver pendant—two hearts entwined—on a delicate chain. “But why did Vivian want me to have it?”
“I’m not sure. She said Andrew entrusted it to her safekeeping just before he passed and asked her to give it to you when the time was right.”
“And now the time is right? Why?” Traci stroked the shimmering hearts as they caught the light. “More riddles that I can’t seem to decipher. How did she know today—right now—would be the right time?”
“You’ve got me there.” Kaci drew another sip of tea. “I don’t know.”
“Oh, here’s a tiny piece of paper tucked beneath the foam holder. Let me see…” Traci lifted the insert and tugged the slip of paper from beneath it, unfolding it carefully to read. “It’s a Bible verse…Psalms 91:11, ‘For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.’”
“How beautiful.” A smile curved Kaci’s lips. “Well, it’s no secret around here that Andy Hart conversed with angels.”
“I know, but—”
Footsteps sounded along the back patio just before a trio of raps rattled the glass of the French doors. Traci turned and glanced up to find Dylan standing there with Ryne at his side. She smiled and rushed to let them in. “Hi, Traci.” Dylan leaned against the counter. “It’s good to see you again.”
“You, too.” Merely a few hours had passed since Dylan dropped her off at the cottage, and she already missed him. Did he feel the same about her?
“Hey, Traci.” Ryne offered a quick wave as he crossed over to snatch a cookie from the package before claiming a kiss from Kaci and settling in at her side.
“Ryne and I have firmed up the playlist.” Dylan’s smile offered a hint to his feelings, which managed to both unsettle and encourage Traci. “How are things going on your end with the cake details?”
“We got a little sidetracked.” Traci showed him the jewelry box. “Vivian sent me a little gift by way of Kaci, and we’re trying to figure out what it means.”
“Let’s see.” Dylan lifted the necklace from the box, turning the pendant so it gathered the light. It shimmered with warmth. “It suits you…a beautiful piece of jewelry for a beautiful woman. Would you like me to help you put it on?”
“Oh, yes, thanks.”
Traci turned her back to Dylan and waited while he draped the necklace over her shoulders.
“How’s that?” His breath kissed the nape of her neck as he closed the clasp, warming her to the core.
Traci smoothed her hand over the silver as she turned back to face him. The pendant rested directly above her heart. “Perfect.”
“Yes, you are.” Dylan grazed her jaw with the pad of his thumb. “Perfect.”
“Wait, whoa, backpedal.” Ryne swallowed cookie crumbles. “Have Kaci and I missed a scene or two here?”
“I suppose so.” Traci nodded. “Yes, you have.”
“And what, exactly, happened in said scene?” Ryne reached for another cookie.
“Dylan thinks I’m going to fall in love with him.”
“Wait. What?” Kaci stood. “Did I hear that right?”
“Yes.” Traci nodded for emphasis. She glanced down to see that Dylan’s hand had somehow made its way into hers.
“Honey,” Kaci turned and tilted her head to look up at Ryne as he devoured the cookie. “I think they’re about where we were a year or so ago.”
“That would be right.” Ryne planted a kiss on the crown of Kaci’s head. “They have no idea what’s coming, do they?”
“No, they don’t. And, I think that’s our cue to go.”
Ryne’s lips curved into a grin as he nodded at Dylan. “Thanks for putting the playlist together. It’s going to be amazing. We really appreciate all you’ve done.”
Kaci chimed in, “I’ll just leave these pictures and notes for the cake here on the table, OK?” She placed a manila envelope there. “If you have any questions, call me, Trace. But I think it’s pretty self-explanatory.”
“I’ve got it covered.” Traci took the envelope and tucked it into her order book on the counter. “I promise your cake will be perfect.”
“Oh, I have no doubts about that.” Kaci backed through the doorway with Ryne in tow. “You two…enjoy your time.”
“Oh, we will.” Dylan squeezed Traci’s hand, leaving her wondering if she’d missed a scene somewhere along the way, as well. Had she really only known him for a few weeks? It felt more like a lifetime—and not in a bad way. The gentle warmth of his touch held a promise of so much more as he said goodbye to their friends. “See you later.”
6
Traci shrugged from the light cotton jeans jacket and tossed it across her bed. One glance around the room told her she’d spent way too much time and energy deciding what to wear to dinner. She was just headed next door, for crying out loud. Why was she stressing so much over an outfit?
The answer came in a neat little one-word package, tall dark and handsome—Dylan.
Somehow, he’d gotten under her skin. Traci wasn’t sure when, exactly, the transition had taken place. She simply knew that now, whenever she thought of Dylan, his image was accompanied by a zing that traveled straight from her common-sense brain to her head-over-heels heart.
Go figure. The guy might not have the best taste in music, but he sure knew how to act like a gentleman.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Traci…”
It was sweet of him to worry over her and those simple, heartfelt words warmed Traci to the core. She remembered the way they’d danced in the rain yesterday afternoon. Though exhaustion had burned deep into her bones, she’d still hummed from the thrill of his touch as he pulled her close, enfolding her in arms so strong and sure.
“…by making you fall in love with me.”
Was she? Could it possibly—against all odds—happen? The heart pendant that adorned Traci’s neck glittered beneath the overhead lights. Was there a purpose in Miss Vivian’s gift to her? What had Andrew Hart meant to say? Did it have something to do with Dylan?
It was as if she and Dylan shared a connection that went beyond rationality. When he’d left by way of her patio door the night before, after sharing a cup of tea and polishing off what was left of the cookies, she was convinced he had intentions to claim a kiss. But he’d surprised her by holding back. Traci wasn’t sure whether she should be annoyed or honored by his restraint.
She chuckled to herself. She was overthinking this whole situation much more than she had a right to. Dylan had asked her to dinner, plain and simple. He meant only to make up for causing her undue work the other night. She was thankful for the kindness, but his aloof attitude during the reception yesterday, coupled with his concerns for wounding her heart, spoke volumes. Despite her impression of his intentions, he wasn’t interested in anything more than dinner conversation. How could he be, when they’d barely scraped the surface of knowing one another?
Traci lifted the jeans jacket from the growing clothes heap on her bed and tugged it back over her shoulders before smoothing the front of her sundress and doing a quick three-sixty in the bevel mirror nestled along one corner of her room. Dinner waited, and she’d enjoy it—right down to the coconut fudge brownies that Dylan had promised.
And if Dylan decided he wanted to claim a kiss, well, she’d just cross that bridge when she came to it.
****
“Wow, these are delicious.” Traci swallowed the nibble of powdered-sugar-dusted brownie that Dylan had just removed from the oven, sliced and served topped with a scoop of vanilla-bean ice cream. “There’s hardly even a hint of coconut and the fudge flavor…oh, oh, oh! I have to have the recipe.”
“It’s top-secret, high-level classified.” Dylan laughed at her theatrics, though he had to admit the stamp of approval calmed him. He’d been such a jumble of nerves with her at his side that he’d nearly charbroiled the T-bones to ashes. He tried to put his finger on why. He’d never been so completely…out of sorts in the company of a woman. He hoped Traci didn’t notice before he was able to rein things in. He speared the last of his brownie with his fork and tucked it into his mouth. “I’ll never tell.”
“I’ll bet I can weasel it out of you.”
“You could try, but I’m conditioned against coercive tactics.” He dropped the fork, crossed his arms and flexed his biceps. “Pure Teflon.”
“I was afraid of that. It doesn’t hurt a girl to try, though.”
“We could work something out. I’d like to share dinner and dessert with you in more than a passing fashion.” She was a breath of fresh air, witty and energetic. And she enjoyed his dry sense of humor. That was a definitely a plus.
And the way sunlit blonde hair spilled across her forehead to frame those alluring eyes that seemed to change from green to blue and back again with each shift of her head…she was the definition of beautiful.
“Sounds tempting.” Traci polished off the brownie and dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin. “But, I’m afraid if we did that, I’d soon require a bigger size in clothing.”
Dylan could hardly imagine. The sundress clung to her slight curves in all the right places while the floral pattern brought out green flecks that brightened her eyes. “I’ve seen you running along the greenway. You keep a pretty tough pace. That kind of workout has to burn the calories.”
“I try to take an evening run four or five times through the week. Getting my heart rate up kicks out the cobwebs and clears my mind so I sleep better at night, think clearer during the day. I focus much better when I stick to my running schedule, and get things done more efficiently.”
“Music does the same for me. Sometimes when I lay down at night memories from my tour—the chaos—creep in. It’s unsettling. But if I listen to music, it drowns out all of that, kind of like filing notes into different drawers of a cabinet. I still take them out sometimes, study them, but the music affords me a little more control of where and when I do that.”
“You’ve seen things, haven’t you, that aren’t meant to be seen by human eyes.”
“Yes. It comes with the territory. I knew that going in.”
“Even so, I’m so sorry for your pain.”
“It is what it is…it’s helped shape who I am today—for better or worse.”
“Well, for
the better would be my guess. You’re a good man, Dylan, even if your choice in music is a little iffy.”
“I might surprise you. My collection is vast and eclectic. One day soon I’ll give you a tour of my virtual music library.”
“I’d like that.” She nodded. “I haven’t heard you blasting it in a few days.”
“I took your advice, dusted off my headphones. As for running along the greenway trail…I hope you’ll heed my advice.”
“And what would that be?”
“You shouldn’t go by yourself, at least not at night. It’s dangerous to be out there alone in the dark. Something could happen.”
“Yeah, I could trip over my own two feet, klutz that I am.” Traci laughed. “But, that aside, the path is fairly well-lit, and I’ve managed just fine up to this point.”
“Even so, the thought makes me uneasy.”
“Because I’m female?”
“Because I care.” Dylan took her plate and crossed to the sink. “And caring about you makes me worry.”
“That’s sweet, Dylan.”
“Well…it goes with the territory.” He took up the pitcher of sweet Texas tea and refilled her glass. “I’ve seen bad things happen in an instant, the tides change without warning. Storms come up quickly around here, not to mention the roaming wildlife. Promise me you won’t run alone after dark anymore. I’ll go with you if you can’t fit it into your schedule to go any other time.”
“I promise there’ll be no more moonlight runs…at least not alone.”
“I’m glad for that.” He settled back into the chair beside her and reached for her hand. “I’m not trying to be difficult.”
“Don’t apologize for caring. I’m glad you do, and I’m truly touched by your concern. It’s…nice.” She laced her fingers with his and the gesture sent a flash of heat straight to his gut. “And a walk—with you now—would be nice, too. I enjoyed when we walked together…and talked the other night.”
“I can manage that.” He skimmed a knuckle along her jawline. “Do you listen to Vivaldi while you run?”