by Noelle Hart
Their waiter appeared, fussed with a basket of rolls and topped off their wine glasses.
Kylie brought to mind what she knew about Drew's family. He was an only child. His parents lived in the Uplands, an elite area of the city. They'd sent him to a solid university back east the instant he'd graduated. It wasn't much.
When the waiter moved away, “I thought arranged marriages only happen in Europe.”
“My father wanted kids for the express purpose of creating a bloodline. He basically forced himself on my mother in the bedroom and I could hear her pleading with him, telling him no. But he just...” Kylie took Drew's hand, “... he just did what he wanted. My mother never conceived again after me.”
There was bitterness. Cold and dark and slippery. Kylie squeezed his hand and silently commiserated.
She wasn't prepared for his next bombshell.
“Kylie, I'll never force myself on you. Seeing this side of you really knocked me for a loop.” He hesitated. “Don't get me wrong. I have my appetites in bed just like any other man, but I want ours to be a union based on real compatibility, not on the crazy demands put on us by society or by our own hormones. Once we get to a point where we really know each other,” he chuckled, “shortcomings and all, I want us to marry for the right reasons.”
Marry?
The food arrived.
* * * *
CHAPTER TWO
Will Delaney was nursing a colossal hangover. Silently cursing his business partner and lifetime friend Lyle Morris, he took a cautious sip of coffee and scalded his tongue. When the cup hit the counter with a clatter, Lyle sent him an amused smirk across the counter.
“Need a real cure?” Lyle asked.
Will snorted. “If it's one of your warlock brews then forget it. The lining of my stomach has to last me my whole lifetime, which might be seriously shortened if I ever do this again.”
“Such wit. And on two hours sleep.”
“What sleep? You snore like a chainsaw in high gear. You're never staying over at my place again.”
“That was Dino.”
Will glanced at the little fox terrier snoozing under his feet. Not a sound. “Dino doesn't snore.”
“Right now he's just under the surface, but once he reaches his REM sleep, look out! A freight train. I invested in some good ear plugs.”
Will risked a sip of the molten coffee and mentally sighed when the lava flow slid down his throat with a nice little jolt of vanilla flavored caffeine. Lyle could make even the cheapest blends taste like nirvana, just as he worked magic turning ordinary dishes into culinary art.
His own talent lay in the pulling together of their current business with plans to expand already in the works. But wining and dining the powers that be sometimes took their toll. The late night business meeting with their construction contractor had turned into an all night-er with a lot of tequila, mutual back-slapping and general male bonding, a ritual that would earn them a picked up pace on the building process.
That is, if the contractor was in any shape today to do just that. Will had serious doubts.
Lyle slapped a bottle of pain killer on the counter. “Next best thing to my cure. Do yourself a favor.”
Swallowing two, Will swiveled on his chair and faced the tables of the diner. This was his sanctuary. His home away from home. His dream come true, and every day he was grateful for it. He and Lyle had worked their fingers to the bone at the same kind of construction sites their contractor ruled over, saving every back breaking penny for a down payment on this place with a bank loan pulling the extra weight. They'd redesigned to their own specifications and created their vision of what a community diner should be. Located in a trendy neighborhood referred to as the Village, their down-home yet inventive menu and friendly atmosphere had lured in the locals, who by word of mouth had brought in business from all parts of the burgeoning city of Vancouver Island's garden capital, Victoria, and its outlying districts. Lunch and dinner. That was their thing. No early bird breakfasts yet, but he was toying with the idea of implementing that at the new site.
Tapping at the glass door front got Will's attention. It was Jolene coming in to pull off the lunch shift. He rose to let her in, grunted a greeting and then re-locked the door. Not open for business yet.
Jolene sauntered in, her uniform slung over her shoulder. It was her duty to set up the tables, top off what needed topping, make sure everything was sparkling clean. Evelyn was already in the back getting her cash drawer ready.
“Dino! Get your hairy butt in here,” Lyle commanded from the kitchen. Regulations didn't allow for it, but Lyle figured if Dino stayed out of sight, who'd be the wiser? He had a soft spot for the little tyke.
Dino opened an eye but didn't budge. Lyle charged out of the kitchen to lay down the law and collided with Jolene on her way in. For a few blessed seconds they were pressed against one another in the doorway and Jolene's heart fluttered wildly. Then it was over as Lyle squeezed past her. Not even a hello.
In the change room Jolene exhaled. Oh dear God, what would it take for that man to notice her? She'd worn her best perfume - okay, her only perfume - and a sexy summer dress that showed off her attributes nicely. Or so she'd thought. Was it too much? Like with Kylie the other night and the red dress? Maybe she wasn't as clever as she thought when it came to seduction.
A thought sneaked in. What if he was gay? It would explain his total indifference to her. She groaned and tugged on her uniform of hip hugging black pants and embroidered white shirt with a long apron over top. A class act. Thinking of Kylie again, she wondered why her roomie was being so evasive since her date with Drew the other night. She'd have to get to the bottom of that, and soon.
Lyle crouched next to Dino and rubbed the little dog's belly until he got his rebellious libido under control.
Damn it, that woman was a hazard zone!
Will couldn't resist. “That apron doesn't hide much pal. She got a rise out of you.”
“Who?”
Will grimaced. “Being stubborn is almost worse than being stuck up. You didn't even bother to say hi, how ya doing today? Blatantly ignoring her isn't going to make her go away.”
“You hired her. You deal with her.”
“Why? You allergic to her?”
Pushing to his feet, Lyle scooped Dino into his arms and headed for his sanctuary. The kitchen was his realm and no one dared to bother him there.
“You're not getting any younger,” came Will's taunt as the kitchen door swung closed.
At the grill stood Kim Moon of the First Nations tribe and highly valued sous chef. His long black braid had been carefully coiled and tucked under a hair net, over which he wore a Vancouver Canucks cap with the bill facing backward. A die-hard fan, he could cook up a storm with one eye on the grill and one eye on his portable tablet propped up on the counter, watching the game.
Kim eyeballed his boss who was absently petting Dino while peering at Jolene through the pass-through as she swept onto the diner floor and busily placed trios of blooms in small blue crystal vases for the tables. “Some eye candy, huh boss,” he commented.
Lyle's glance slid sideways, then locked back into place. “Watch it. Your braid might find it's way under my knife. You'll lose your power.”
“Got me confused with Samson. Nice dodge, but you're not derailing this conversation.” He dropped fresh basil leaves into the food processor. “I'm wondering what your problem is. The girl's practically drooling for you and you give her the cold shoulder day after day.”
Lyle flexed his muscular shoulder and put Dino down. “I don't mix work with play.”
“You don't even give her the time of day. What's up with that?”
Rubbing his tense neck, Lyle had to ask himself the same question. He'd never been so damned tongue-tied around a woman in all of his thirty two years of life, so to compensate he just shut up altogether whenever confronted with her. He shook his head and got out a large pot, filled it with water for blanching tom
atoes. “She's not somebody you can have a good time with and then walk away.”
“How's that?”
“She's too...” Smart, funny, gorgeous, appealing. Let's not forget steaming hot sexy. “... perfect.”
“Oh. So that's it. She's too good for you.”
“She wants more than I can give her.”
“Like what?”
“Like a horse and carriage.”
Kim was struck dumb. For a moment. “Say what?”
“You know, love and marriage, horse and carriage.”
Kim shrugged. “Still not getting it.”
“It's an old song from my parents' era.” He began to sing softly, “Love and marriage, love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage...”
“Enough already. Think I'm getting it now.” Kim waved his knife in mid air. “So you think she wants a ring on her finger and you're not up for it. And why would that be exactly?”
“I come from a gene pool of failed marriages. My parents got divorced when I was twelve and it wasn't amicable. Got caught in all the flying bullshit. My aunt and uncle divorced and come to think of it, so did my grandparents. Hell, it's a family tradition. Might as well set up the divorce decree alongside the marriage license.”
“Quick, duck; some bullshit just zinged past my head!” Kim huffed. “That's just plain ridiculous. My parents got divorced and it made me stronger. Made me work harder at my marriage and at being a Dad.”
Lyle set down his knife and stared into a void. “Marriage scares the hell out of me. You and Carrie been married what, six years now? How do you do it without screwing things up?”
“You love her. It's that simple. You know how they say love can conquer all? Well my love for Carrie has to conquer a newborn right now, so yeah, it's challenging alright. The job she's doing, looking after twin toddlers and an infant; biggest and baddest job in the world boss. Not saying we don't have our problems, everybody does. But I look upon each and every day I have with that woman as a blessing.”
“Infidelity. That's what tore my parents apart. My Dad couldn't keep his pants zipped and it shattered my mother's heart.”
Kim grunted. “Who's got time to fool around when you've got this job to hold down and three squalling kids to deal with at home?”
“Doesn't it make you want to escape?”
“Escape? Hell yes! But I'd take my Carrie with me or it wouldn't be much fun. Or fair.”
Lyle looked at Kim and saw truth. “Well then. That is love.”
“Damn straight.”
As Kim went about his prep duties Lyle paused only long enough to sneak one more look out onto the floor. There she was watering the ferns by the front door, sunbeams in her copper curls, angelic face tilted up to catch the sun's warmth. And then she turned toward him and across the expanse their eyes met.
This time he didn't look away but smiled slowly and nodded a sort of hello. No matter what his reservations were regarding women and marriage, she didn't deserve to be treated like a leper.
Instinctively Jolene turned around to see who Lyle was smiling at. There was no one. Incredulous, she turned back and there he was, still smiling sheepishly. There was nothing else to do but smile back.
It hit him like a punch to the solar plexus, the smile tentative at first and then filled with surprise and excitement, and then, heaven help him, hope, reaching all the way up into her huge hazel eyes.
He knew he was a doomed man.
*
Kylie luxuriated in a tub of foamy hot water, bath salts permeating the air. Her morning run had been invigorating but as the day had worn on the work in the greenhouses had all but drained her. When she closed her eyes, imprinted on her eyelids were row upon row of basil, thyme and rosemary plants in small clay pots. She and her team had readied them for transfer to the supermarkets and she could still smell their mingled fragrances, normally a balm for her soul, today a cloying and overwhelming cacophony of too many at once.
The slamming door downstairs indicated that Jolene had returned from her afternoon shift at the diner. She knew she couldn't avoid her much longer and was toying with the idea of actually getting out of the tub when suddenly Jolene thumped up the stairs and banged on the bathroom door once with her fist.
“You in there? Can I come in?”
Mentally Kylie cursed the fact they only had one bathroom. “Come ahead. I'll close the curtain.”
But there was no need as instead of using the toilet, Jolene slammed the seat down and sat on it. Her eyes glittered with barely contained excitement.
“He actually smiled. At me! Can you believe it?”
Gathering the suds around her, Kylie knew instantly of whom she spoke. But she wouldn't revert to being sixteen again. “Wow. A smile. What next, an actual handshake? Be still my heart!”
The light in Jolene's eyes dimmed. “No need to be flippant. You know as well as I do this is a major breakthrough.”
“It's been six long, insufferable months of waiting for a bread crumb from Mr. High and Mighty. You call this a breakthrough?”
Dreamily, “His whole face lit up. A transformation. It was like, he liked me. I can't wait to go back to work tomorrow. Maybe I'll take a bone for Dino. That'll impress him.”
“Who, Lyle or Dino?”
“Ha ha. Funny. This is a big joke for you, isn't it? I just want what most woman want. Love, marriage, kids. Just two, to replace me and my man when we're gone.”
“What makes you think this guy Lyle wants the same things?”
“I don't. But I'm asking the universe to give him to me. The book I'm reading says...”
The water sloshed. “Hold on a minute. All that new age mumbo-jumbo isn't going to work if the two of you aren't on the same page. I think you need to find out how he feels before you jump off the deep end.”
Jolene rose and paced to the sink. “Too late. I'm all in. Now it's up to him to at least get his feet wet.”
Kylie smirked. “Careful. Tsunami Jolene might sweep him away to a distant shore.”
Jolene's brow furrowed. “I thought you'd be happy for me. Come to think of it, you've been avoiding me. What's going on? And don't think you can wiggle out of this. You're a captive audience in that tub you know.”
“Yeah, and I'm turning into a giant prune. Hand me that towel, will you?”
Hands on hips, Jolene didn't budge.
Kylie slunk back under the water and coaxed open the hot water tap with her toes. “Fine. It's like this: Drew asked me to marry him and I've needed a little time to assimilate.”
Stunned, Jolene plopped back onto the toilet seat. Her eyes lit up and she leaned forward to grasp Kylie's hand. “Where's the ring?” Without waiting for an answer she threw her hands in the air. “Six months and I get a lousy smile, three months and you get a proposal? Where's the justice?”
“It wasn't exactly a proposal. He just let it slip that it's his intention. To marry me. Apparently it's the reason why he's been holding me at arms length. He wants this to be different than other more ordinary relationships that involve lazy afternoons and hot sweaty nights tumbling in bed. Go figure.”
“Marriage involves exactly that and hopefully more. Doesn't he want to try you on for size?”
“He wants to wait until after we get hitched. Says it will mean more, be more of a commitment that way. Wants to base our marriage on compatibility rather than sex. And guess what? Apparently he did his homework before dating me for a second time and came to the conclusion that I was the kind of woman he was looking for.”
“Gullible?”
“Good stock of Scandinavian descent for one.”
“Oh, like when you grade sheep or cattle.”
Kylie frowned. “I know it sounds ludicrous but I'm taking Drew's ideals into serious consideration.”
Jolene shrugged. “In all the three years we've known each other I've never seen you so willing to stoop to this kind of harassment.”
“Harassment?”
“You
heard me. He's convincing you to bow down to whatever he wants without a single concern as to your wishes. How can you marry someone you've never slept with? What if he turns out to be a rotten lay? Hard to commit to that.”
A snippy retort about old fashioned values formed on Kylie's lips but then died as she brought to mind how Drew's parents hadn't fared well in their forced marriage. They hadn't had a chance to get to know one another or to choose their life long mate. According to Drew it had been disastrous for his mother. Was Drew subconsciously following in their footsteps? “You're right, I need to rethink this. Maybe there's something else he's not telling me.” She paused. “I know you Googled him. Anything I should know?”
“As far as the internet's concerned he's squeaky clean. Uses the social networks for business only and his company web site touts him as a boy wonder.” Jolene paused, her gaze solemn. “Do you love him?”
Kylie hesitated. And the fact that she did spoke volumes. “Jury's still out. I've never been in love other than a high school crush. How do you know? I mean, for certain.”
Jolene patted Kylie's ring-less hand. “You just know. The fact that you don't worries me. Don't rush into anything. Promise?”
“Promise.”
* * * *
CHAPTER THREE
“Do you love her?”
Drew hesitated. “Of course I do. Why else would I want to marry her?”
Olivia Hammond, Drew's mother, took note of the slight hesitation but didn't push. They were seated in the sun room of her opulent home having afternoon tea. “Well then, this calls for a celebration.” She rang a discreet buzzer on the side of her chair and Ligaya, her live-in Philippine housekeeper, magically appeared. “Please bring us some brandy for our tea,” Olivia stated.