“Yes,” Michelle answered with a mock sigh. “I went with your pick.”
“You didn’t have to, you know,” Kara said, suddenly worried that she’d steamrolled Michelle into choosing something she didn’t exactly want. “If you really liked the teal better I’ll totally understand and I’ll wear it without saying a word, I promise.”
“Don’t be silly,” Michelle said affectionately. “I always trust your fashion sense, and I think that you’ll be beautiful in the dress. Maybe you can even wear it other places too, so it doesn’t just hang in your closet after one use.”
“I definitely think it’s got enough flair to be worn more than once,” Kara agreed enthusiastically. “Did you ever figure out the cake situation?”
“No,” her friend answered with a worried frown. “I haven’t.”
There was only one bakery in Greenville and the owner had been having some health trouble. She had sent Michelle her regrets earlier in the month and told her that there was no way she would be able to keep up with her workload and do the cake. Michelle’s mother wasn’t up to the task of creating a wedding cake and Michelle didn’t want to burden Mrs. Turner with the idea so she was more than a little stressed about finding something in time.
“Well,” Kara said, injecting cheerful confidence into her voice as she patted Michelle’s shoulder. “We’ll think of something, don’t worry!”
“I’m sure we will,” Michelle said, cheered by Kara’s tone. “Everything else is going so well, how could we not?”
“That’s the spirit!” Kara said brightly.
Chapter Four
Kara was a little nervous when she walked into the office building the following Monday, but she didn’t see any tall, dark, coffee drinkers. Maybe he had been a client. If he was, she would probably hear all about it from her boss.
She and Ms. Watson got along a lot better after her trouble with Jeff, but that didn’t mean she could get away with running around and knocking coffee cups out of the hands of clients. Oh, she hoped he worked there and she somehow managed to avoid him for the entirety of their mutual careers.
Since she was hoping to avoid him, of course she ran into him on the stairs. Not literally this time, thank God, but it was close.
“Excuse me,” he began, but then recognition dawned on his clean cut features. “You’re the woman from Friday afternoon!”
“Guilty as charged,” Kara acknowledged as she held her hand out. “Kara Steward. I’m the marketing VP’s assistant.”
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Steward,” he said formally as he gave her a firm but gentle handshake. “My name is Thomas Campbell. I’m the new accountant.”
“I thought you looked like the accountant type,” Kara said as they walked up the stairs. “I was really hoping you weren’t a client. I’d never hear the end of it from my boss if I’d nearly knocked a client flat.”
“It seems that only my coffee was in serious danger,” he said jokingly with a faint smile.
She was surprised to see a flicker of humor in his caramel eyes. Her lips quirked upward in response and the twinkle of laughter on his face turned into a grin. He had a wonderful smile. It was full and real and it showed a dimple in his cheek that she hadn’t realized was there. She was surprised at the flutter she felt in the pit of her stomach. She’d never felt that for anything less than a guy with a bike or one or more tattoos. Kara pressed her hand to her belly and caught her breath.
“Are you all right?” he asked, concern showing on his face at the small gesture.
“What?” she asked distractedly. “Oh! Yes! I’m fine! It’s just…I must be getting a little out of shape is all.”
“You look wonderful to me,” he answered.
He’d clearly said more than he meant to because he actually blushed. She couldn’t stop herself from putting her hand on his arm.
“You’re so sweet.”
He really was sweet and a whole lot more muscular than he looked under that suit jacket. She could feel the tension in his bicep under her warm palm. She couldn’t stop herself from measuring the breadth of his shoulders with her eyes.
“I,” he began slowly. “I know we just met each other Ms. Steward—“
“Kara,” she interrupted. “Please, call me Kara.”
“Kara,” he repeated, his gaze growing warm on her face. “I know we just met, but I’d love to take you to lunch today.”
“I think I’d like that too,” she said impulsively. “Come by for me at noon.”
“I’ll be sure to do that,” he said with a smile. “Thank you. I’ll see you at noon.”
She walked into her office more than a little surprised at herself for accepting the invitation. He still wasn’t her type, but that smile had been extremely hard to resist. It was also verging on adorable the way he’d called her Ms. Steward. She didn’t see it heading into serious territory, but she also didn’t see the harm in making a new friend.
She whiled away the time catching up on that filing like she had promised and then doing callbacks and setting up meetings until nearly lunch time. Her breath caught when Thomas knocked lightly on the office door at five minutes till noon. Was he early because he was eager? She found herself hoping that was the case. She quickly ended the business call and gathered her things.
“Hi,” she said brightly as he held the door for her. “Thanks!”
“You’re welcome. So, where would you like to go?”
“In the mood for Thai?” she asked. “I’ve had a craving for Pad Thai all morning long.”
“Whatever you like is fine with me,” he answered, motioning for her to walk in front of him. “Can I offer you a ride?”
“You don’t have to,” she said with a smile. “It’s right down the street. I’m a regular.”
“So you’re wise in the ways of Thai food?” he asked. “That’s good. I’ve never had it.”
“Never?” she gasped. “Oh you have been missing out. I’ll tell you all the best stuff.”
They sat down to lunch and Thomas allowed her to pick out his food for him. She stayed on the tamer side of the menu and he seemed to enjoy their lunch.
“So, are you new to the area or just new to the office?” Kara asked as she forked up a bite of noodles.
“The area,” he answered. “I came here because I’m going back to school to get my master’s degree and I found a job close by. I’m originally from the Midwest.”
That explained the nice, faint drawl in his voice.
“Why accounting?” she asked.
“I like numbers,” he admitted. “I like putting things in order and making sure they stay that way. I like the complexity of it.” She wrinkled her nose and he chuckled ruefully. “It’s not the most exciting career, I’ll give you that. What about you? Why marketing?”
“I like the fast pace,” Kara said. “I like that clients call sometimes and need something almost immediately. My boss, Ms. Watson, is kind of a stickler, but she’s brilliant. She’s also really good about letting me sit in on the brainstorm sessions and making sure that I get the credit that I deserve when I come up with a good idea.” Kara laughed. “That made me sound like I’m really full of myself didn’t it? What I mean is that some bosses use their subordinate’s ideas and pass them off as their own. Ms. Watson never does things like that and it’s helped me get a raise or two in the past.”
“So you’re planning to work your way up the old fashioned way?” Thomas asked.
“Dedication and hard work always pay off in the end,” Kara agreed. “It’s just hard on impatient people like me. I’ve been known to toot my own horn pretty frequently.”
“I never quite have the courage to do that,” he admitted. “However, I very much admire those who do.”
Kara gave him a smile as she signaled the waiter.
“Can I get two iced mochas to go, please?” she asked as she handed over her credit card.
“You don’t have to pay,” Thomas protested. “I’m the one who asked you
here!”
“Yes I know,” she said. “But I owe you a coffee and this has been really fun. You can get the next one.” She was just as surprised as he looked by her invitation but she couldn’t say that she regretted making it.
“Then may I take you to dinner tomorrow night?” he asked shyly after a moment. “Maybe you could show me around the town.”
“I think I’d like that,” she said as their coffees were dropped off. “I’ll send my address to your work email this afternoon. I’m sure you’re in the company directory by now.”
“That sounds wonderful. Should we plan for seven o’clock then?”
“That’s good for me,” she said as she stood up and pulled on her light jacket. “I’ll email you my number, too, so you can let me know if your plans change.”
“They won’t,” he said confidently. There was no way he was going to let anything interfere with taking her to dinner again.
Chapter Five
“How was work?” Michelle asked over their grilled chicken salads that night.
“Pretty good,” Kara answered. “I had lunch with the guy who spilled his coffee all over me. His name is Thomas.”
“A date?” Michelle asked with a happy smile.
“No. I don’t think you could call it that. I owed him a coffee anyway.”
“So you went to a coffee shop for lunch?” Michelle looked confused.
“No,” Kara said with a laugh. “We got Thai food. Did you know he’s never had it?”
“He should have known that wouldn’t last long if he was going out with you,” Michelle pointed out. “You’re a Thai addict.”
“We aren’t going out,” Kara said with emphasis. “He’s just new to the company and the town and I was being sociable and helpful and nice because he didn’t get to drink his coffee on Friday.”
“Sure,” Michelle answered, clearly not believing a word Kara said. “So, how was your non-date?”
“It was nice,” Kara said. “He’s a sweetheart.”
“And it’s not a date?”
“No. You know that’s not my thing.” Kara folded her napkin carefully before she continued. “We’re having another non-date tomorrow after work though. He needs someone to show him around!” she defended herself quickly when Michelle’s eyes lit up like the Fourth of July. “I told him I’d be his guide. That’s all. Don’t get any crazy ideas about us please.”
“Oh I won’t get any crazy ideas,” Michelle said making sure to emphasize the word crazy. “I’ll simply be very surprised if all these non-dates don’t lead to something. Even you can’t resist the allure of a good guy your whole life.”
“I’ve done pretty well so far,” Kara pointed out as she delved into her salad. “Just you wait and see. We might turn out to be friends, but I can promise you it won’t be anything more.”
“Sure,” Michelle said with a shake of her head. “I’ll just wait and see then.”
The next day, Kara found herself trying to will the clock to go faster. Was she actually that anxious to go on her non-date with Thomas? No, it couldn’t be that. She tried to take calming breaths like she had learned in that yoga class Michelle had dragged her to, but it didn’t really help relieve the butterflies she had in her stomach. She was glad when the day was over and she could head home.
“Kara!” Michelle called at about seven that evening. “Your non-date is here!”
“Darn it!” Kara called back. She was still only halfway through curling her hair and she hadn’t finished her makeup either. “Stall him, please!”
“More than happy to help!” Michelle trilled enthusiastically.
“Don’t get all proud parent about it either! We’re just friends, remember? It’s a non-date!”
“Hi,” Michelle said when Thomas walked up to the door. “Kara’s almost ready. Would you like something to drink?”
“I’d love some water,” he said. “You must be Michelle.”
“Guilty as charged,” she said with a laugh, reminding him briefly of Kara. He wondered how long they’d been friends.
“Kara’s been talking about me already?” she asked as she led him to the kitchen and poured him some water.
“Only good things,” Thomas reassured her as she handed him the glass. “You must love to cook.”
She followed his gaze around the wonderful kitchen her parents had remodeled before she moved in and nodded. The maple cabinets perfectly complimented the light sage of the walls and the copper of her grandmother’s pots and pans. It looked homey and warm and she could feel the love that had gone into the decorating.
“Very much,” she said. “When I’m not working I’m usually in here whipping up a little something. It’s even better when the garden blooms and I can cook with my own fruits and produce.”
“I imagine so,” Thomas agreed heartily. “I grew up in the heart of farmland and I still remember how much better everything tastes with homegrown, fresh ingredients.”
“You’ll have to come for dinner one night after Hayes and I have had a chance to gather the first harvest,” Michelle said. “I might even make you my grandmother’s secret recipe apple pie.”
“I haven’t had apple pie in years,” he replied with a smile. “Thank’s for the invitation.”
“Of course,” she said as Kara came down the hall. “I’d love to have a chance to properly welcome you to the town.”
“I’m all ready to go, Thomas,” Kara said, giving Michelle a pointed look.
She really hoped her friend hadn’t been matchmaking behind her back again. How many times did she have to tell Michelle that Thomas wasn’t her type? Even if he did look very nice in his pressed khakis and a red and white striped polo, it wouldn’t change the fact that she’d never felt that zing with a steady, stable guy like him. She needed an unpredictable bad boy to keep up with her inexhaustible energy.
“I didn’t make reservations,” he said as he opened the car door for her, making her raise her eyebrows. No one had ever done that for her before. “Because I didn’t know what was good. I hope that won’t be a problem.”
She waited until he had walked around the car and taken his seat behind the wheel to say, “No, it shouldn’t be. Only the swankiest places require a reservation and they aren’t my favorite places in town anyway. I don’t feel like I can be myself in a room full of people concerned with which fork to use.”
He smiled at her and she pointed him toward a little bistro on the corner. It overlooked the river and she’d always found it a gracefully casual little place. She nearly smacked Thomas with the car door as she flung it open because she hadn’t realized he was going to open it for her again.
“I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed with an embarrassed laugh.
“That’s all right,” he said and, from his smile, she could tell he wasn’t upset with her. “But I’m afraid you’ll have to get used to it. My mother always told me that I should never let a lady open her own door.”
“I’ll try to remember that,” Kara agreed as she took his hand and allowed him to help her out of the car to walk into the bistro.
They were seated right away and Thomas glanced around at the small restaurant. The light was low, but not so low that a person couldn’t tell what they were eating. The tables were a pretty, dark walnut and the chairs that went with them were the same, just cushioned with a deep red fabric. There were beautiful black and white pictures in silver frames on the walls all around the restaurant and a huge exposed brick fireplace dominated the wall they were sitting next to.
Thomas counted himself lucky to have gotten such a good seat when he saw the way the fireplace cast a delicate and beautiful glow over Kara’s olive skin. A waitress brought them tall glasses of ice water right away and left them to look over the menu.
“This is nice,” he said. “Not too upscale, but still classy. I’ll have to remember where this is.”
“For your other dates?” Kara asked, arching an eyebrow at him over her menu. “Just be sure to tell t
hem that you were here with me first!”
“Kara,” he began, planning to tell her there wouldn’t need to be other dates as far as he was concerned, but the waitress approached to take their drink order and chatted with Kara about the new art for a few minutes. By the time she’d taken their order, the moment was gone.
They chatted casually over their meal. Kara discovered that Thomas loved Sudoku puzzles and he discovered how much she hated crosswords. They shared some favorite books and movies though, and they both loved biking.
Impulsive (Reach out to Me) Page 3