The adjacent shop’s hours mirrored the spa’s, and Carrie looked forward to Saturday when she would only work a half-day. She wasn’t the only one on staff, and Jocelyn usually had one of the fill-in receptionists cover the shop during the slow Saturday afternoon. As for Sundays, Jocelyn insisted one full weekend day off was necessary for both the body and mind. Carrie appreciated it, and knew that at least one reason was the adorable baby waiting at home for Jocelyn and Will Palmer.
A baby. She glanced down at her belly and marveled that there was a life growing there. Her child. Chase Harris’s child. She owed it to her baby to get to know its father better. Jeez, he’d asked her to marry him!
“Yeah, right. That’s just what I need to do right now. Jump into a marriage as quickly as I’d jumped into a relationship with Doug the Slug.”
The nickname made her smile a little as she locked up and went down to her car. The drive to Casa Blanca was short, like she’d told Chase last night. He’d been worried about her, or about the baby at least. It was nice, having someone other than her family worrying over her. Unease caused a flutter in her belly. She couldn’t get used to this. Chase was just floored by her abruptly-delivered news. His knee-jerk marriage proposal was too insane to consider.
As she breezed through the sumptuous, Moroccan-inspired lobby she ignored the lure of the coffee shop. There was a line forming, which she also ignored. She did take in a deep breath, though. Mmm, nothing smelled better than a coffee shop on a busy morning.
“Hey, there!” a woman’s voice called.
Carrie looked over to see Spiky-hair waving and walked over. Ignoring the dirty looks from the tall skinny guy standing behind her, she lifted her chin. “Hey…”
“Paula,” the other woman said. “Get you a coffee?”
Carrie nibbled her bottom lip. “Um, no. I shouldn’t.”
Spiky-hair, Paula as Carrie knew now, gave a sage nod. “Cutting down?”
“Cutting out,” Carrie said without thinking.
Paula blinked at her. “I could never do such a thing. Don’t let the blond spikes fool you. I’m half-Columbian. Coffee runs in my veins.”
“How do you sleep at night?” Carrie asked.
Paula laughed. “Right?”
Carrie patted her arm. “I guess I’ll see you at Eucalyptus.”
“Yep.” Paula blew out a breath. “If this line ever moves.”
Carrie shrugged and turned towards the spa. And right into the broad chest of Chase Harris himself.
“Morning, Red.”
She tilted her head back to stare up into his very handsome face. He’d shaved that lovely stubble she’d felt on her skin last night, and she wasn’t sure which image was more attractive. He wore another yummy Henley, this one in dark green, with just the right number of buttons undone and the sleeves pushed up on his forearms. Her breath caught but she fought the urge to snuggle against him for just a second. He smelled even better than the coffee shop did.
“Good morning, Chase.”
“I was going to offer to get you a coffee, but maybe you want tea instead?”
She held up a hand. “No, thanks. I’m good.”
“So how about lunch today?”
She slanted him a look. “It’s not even nine o’clock.”
“Hey, I’m a guy with a plan. I’ve only got one week, remember.”
One week. That unease came again, and she placed a hand on his chest. Oh, he had a very nice chest. “And I’m a girl who has to get to work.”
He covered her hand with his and it felt so right. She could almost feel his heart beating beneath her palm. Forcing herself to slide her hand free, she took a step back.
“You’re serious about this.” She wasn’t asking him a question. “You want to see where this goes.”
He nodded, crossing his arms. “I do. I think we owe it to…ourselves.” His eyes flicked to her midsection for a second before pinning her again with their mossy green-brown depths. “Don’t you?”
“Yes,” she admitted. “Okay, lunch.”
His smile was bright and nearly knocked her off of her feet. “I’ll come by the shop later, Red.” He winked. “Count on it.”
With that he headed into the coffee shop. She turned and took measured steps towards the spa shop.
Count on it. If she were being honest, she wanted to. She doubted he was as good as he seemed. She’d fallen for Doug the Slug, hadn’t she?
Nevertheless, she’d agreed to date Chase for one week. That she could count on. As for hoping for more than that?
She’d be a fool to believe they could be anything more than a one-night mistake.
Chapter 5
Chase sat in the coffee shop, nursing a simple Americano coffee. He’d noticed the bake case full of heart-shaped cookies and pink-frosted pastries, though. Valentine’s Day was Sunday, after all. Maybe he could use that to his advantage with Carrie?
She’d seemed really prickly this morning. Maybe she wasn’t feeling well? He’d seen the interest in her pretty blue eyes as her gaze had traveled over the front of him, though. She was still attracted to him, which boded well for his cause. He wanted to be a part of their baby’s life, a big part if he could manage it, and reminding its mother of their compatibility and attraction just might be the beginning of something greater.
His phone dinged with a message and he drew it out of his jean’s pocket. He had a text from Frankie Becker.
I’ll be at Casa Blanca this afternoon. Can u meet?
He texted back his answer in the affirmative.
See you at Eucalyptus around 1? she texted in return.
Sounds good.
Setting his phone on the table, he took another sip of his very plain, very perfect coffee. One o’clock at Eucalyptus would be perfect, too. He would just be bringing Carrie back to work after their lunch. He leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed. He was dating, apparently. The mother of his baby, actually. He was so out of his element, but he’d be damned if he let his discomfort show.
He’d never dated Cheyanne. Even after she’d told him she suspected she was pregnant. No, like an idiot he’d put out a marriage proposal that seemed to shock her as much as it had him. And being as stubborn as one of his father’s meanest bulls, he’d dug in his heels and pushed forward with the wedding even after she’d told him it was a false alarm.
Carrie was sure, though. She’d said as much, even though she hadn’t been to a doctor yet. Maybe he should tell her to make an appointment.
“Yeah,” he grumbled to himself. “That would go over real big.”
“Mister Harris, I presume?” a tall, dark-haired woman asked. She stood in front of him, holding a cardboard cup of coffee.
Chase nodded and straightened in his chair. “That’s me. Chase Harris, actually.”
The woman smiled and stuck out her free hand. “Jocelyn Palmer.”
Chase’s mind worked as he stood. “Palmer.” It hit him then, the memory of some of the stuff Billy had told him. He gave her hand a shake before releasing her. “You run Eucalyptus. And you’re married to Will Palmer.”
She laughed softly. “Yes, that’s me in a nutshell. And you’re dating Carrie Boyles.”
“Boyles,” he repeated. “I…yeah, that’s right.”
She tilted her head. “Didn’t you know her last name?”
His face grew hot but he tamped down any embarrassment. “I guess it didn’t come up.”
“I’ll give you one thing, Chase. You’re honest.”
“To a fault, my father used to say.”
Chase didn’t know where that particular nugget had come from, but it was indeed something Wild Harry used to tell him. A little discretion would have saved Chase a few schoolyard beatings and a couple of parent-teacher conferences. That was true.
Jocelyn crossed her arms and nodded. “Good. Carrie could use some honesty in her life right now.”
When Chase opened his mouth to ask her just what she was talking about, the woman held up o
ne hand.
“Nope. Not my story to tell,” she went on. “Maybe Carrie will let you know just what Doug the Slug did to her behind her back. Maybe she won’t.”
Chase didn’t need to hear more. Clearly Carrie’s ex had fooled around on her. Had he broken her heart? That was the million-dollar question.
“Then I’m her guy, I think,” he said.
Jocelyn grinned. “Good.” She reached out to place a hand on his arm. “Don’t hurt her. If you do? You can’t run fast enough or far enough to keep me from getting even.”
Chase brushed off her threat with a shrug. “I have no intention of hurting her.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You know, I believe you. You have that honest Harris thing going on.”
Chase found a smile. “I take it my cousin made quite an impression last summer.”
“He sure did. He stole away one of my two favorite employees, too. Can you guess who the other one is?”
Chase grinned himself now. “I believe I can.”
“Good.” She raised her cup in his direction. “Have a good day, Chase Harris.”
“You, too.”
She nodded and then took brisk steps out of the coffee shop, her heels clicking on the tile floor as she made her way across the lobby.
Chase’s mind worked around what Carrie’s boss had said as he sat back down. She was putting him on his guard. There was really no need, even though a lot of what she said was true.
He really didn’t know much about Carrie. Hell, he hadn’t even known her last name when he’d jumped in and asked her to change it just last night. He had to be careful going forward. He wanted some kind of future with her, and didn’t want to do anything to screw that up.
Tossing his empty coffee cup in the nearest trash can, he crossed the lobby himself. He avoided the spa’s attractive, arched entry of frosted glass, though. He didn’t want to seem like a stalker. Popping in to check on Carrie would definitely be a misstep right now.
Instead he made his way over to the concierge desk. Nodding absently at the neat tall man behind the counter, he looked through the brochures tucked into the clear plastic stand set to one side. There seemed to be a lot to do on Mimosa Key, from dinner cruises to boat rentals and surfing lessons. None of these really appealed much to him. He wasn’t much of a water rat.
Being pulled behind a motor boat in a tube was the extent of his watersports experience. Long afternoons out on the lake, mostly with a beer in his hand, were something he and Zach had shared. Never with Billy, though. And certainly never with their father.
Truth was, he had more to mend than just his almost-relationship with Carrie. More than his kinship with Billy. Zach and he hadn’t really talked since Wild Harry died, and they disagreed over just about everything related to the ranch.
A brochure caught his eye, announcing the coming attractions to the area. A minor-league baseball complex, which he assumed Jocelyn’s ex-ballplayer husband had a hand in. A tourist center and petting zoo, including a working goat farm. That was what Billy wanted to bring to Cypress.
Maybe Chase could get to know more about that from Frankie Becker herself. He knew today’s meeting would most likely be a short one, but he did have a week here in Barefoot Bay. Maybe he’d spend some time out at her farm and get to know more about the business.
At the very least, it would help keep him from pressing Carrie for too much too soon.
***
Carrie smiled at the customer in front of her as she handed her a bag full of soaps and candles. Valentine’s Day was Sunday, and clearly the grinning guy had big plans for his sweetheart. She tried not to let it bother her. She’d been single for last year’s lovers’ holiday, hadn’t she? She’d lived through that without any problem. Little had she known what she would go through over the past year since then.
First Doug the Slug convinced her that he loved her. Heck, he’d convinced her that she’d loved him too. They’d started dating in March and by the end of April they’d been living together. Rushing into things hadn’t been the right thing to do. She’d suspected that then, yet she’d ignored her instincts and jumped into a serious relationship with Doug. And now this thing with Chase, whatever it was, made her feel like she was moving at light speed.
He’d given her one week. What did that mean, exactly? He seemed like the kind of guy who wasn’t exactly patient. Then again, maybe she’d misjudged him. He was kind of sweet under all that intensity. Lord knew he was the hottest guy she’d ever met.
“Almost time for lunch.”
She looked over at Paula and smiled. “And this afternoon you get to come in here, right?”
“Shadowing you, you mean?” At Carrie’s nod, Paula shrugged. “Hey, I’m up for diversifying my skillset.”
“Smart girl.”
The spa doors slid open and Paula hurried out of the shop to return to her desk. Carrie straightened a little bit and then walked over to the archway to turn the standing sign around to read “closed.” As she straightened she saw that Chase stood in the spa reception area.
“Ready for lunch, Red?” he asked.
Carrie’s pulse kicked at the sight of him. At the sound of his voice, actually. Paula stared between the two of them, her eyes round.
Carrie nodded, choosing to ignore the questions raised by Paula’s pierced brows. “Sure. Just let me grab my bag.”
When she stood behind the sales counter, her purse over her shoulder, she took a deep calming breath.
“It’s just lunch,” she told herself. “Deal, already.”
Feeling a little bit bolstered by her short pep talk, she was smiling when she rejoined Chase.
“How about lunch out by the pool?” he asked.
Carrie’s heart skittered to a stop and then began to race. “No, I don’t think so.”
Chase stared at her for a beat. “Okay. I just thought that it would be quicker for you.”
Carrie looked over at Paula, who was still staring at Chase with one brow raised. No help there, then.
“Sure. That’s fine,” Carrie said. “And very considerate of you.”
Chase dipped his head, his sparkling eyes tilted up at her from beneath his brows. “Anything to please the lady.”
Paula sighed audibly and Carrie shook her head. She couldn’t really blame her. Chase Harris was very delectable right now, all testosterone and gentlemanly manners. She would just suck it up and risk seeing Doug’s latest buzzing around the poolside bar.
The day was temperate, with just a hint of a chill in the breeze coming off of the gulf. The bar was situated right beside the pool, and the lush surrounding landscaping led the eye towards the adjacent beach. This view was one of Carrie’s favorites. She and Doug had spent lots of evenings hanging out in the casual dining place, though now she suspected that one of the reasons was Brandi, the bartender.
He’d been very friendly with the woman. Always talking to her. Flirting with her. Carrie had just chalked it up to Doug’s personality. To his job as a salesman. Wow, had she been blind.
“This place looks pretty good,” Chase said as they neared the bar. “What do you want for lunch?”
“I could go for a burger,” she answered.
Her hunger quickly diminished as she spotted the dark-haired woman who stepped up to greet them at the makeshift hostess area at one end of the bar. Brandi’s brown eyes widened as she recognized Carrie.
“Oh.” The woman cleared her throat. “Hey.”
Carrie couldn’t make herself speak. This was the woman Doug had left her for, even before he’d actually left her. Ugh.
The bartender gazed up at Chase, her eyes narrowed. “You look familiar.”
Carrie found her voice. “This is Chase Harris.”
Brandi slapped her hand on the bar, a small smile on her lips. “Billy Goat! Man, do you look a lot like him. Is he your brother?”
“Cousin,” Chase said, placing his hands on Carrie’s shoulders. “We’d like to order a couple of burgers, please. We
’ll be sitting over there.”
Clearly the guy caught the tension between Carrie and Doug’s girlfriend. Brandi blinked and gave a shaky nod. “Sure.”
Carrie hurried away from the bar to a table set not far from the beach. Chase reached for her chair but she sat before he could do more of the chivalrous thing. Shrugging, he sat across from her and folded his hands.
“You know that woman,” he stated.
She nodded. “My ex is with her now. Actually, he was with her while he was still with me.”
Chase winced. “That’s why you didn’t want to eat here. I’m sorry, Red.”
Carrie waved a hand. “It’s no biggie. I’m not still in love with him or anything.”
“You were in love with him?”
She nodded. “We were living together, actually.”
“That was a close call, then.”
“What do you mean?”
“You almost spent your life with a guy who clearly didn’t realize how good he had it.”
That ridiculous statement made her smile. “I’ll give you that.”
Their lunches arrived, thankfully brought by one of the pool servers and not Brandi, and her hunger happily returned. Chase ordered a soda and she ordered a sparkling water. If she was going to do the caffeine-free thing, she wasn’t going to settle for tap water.
“How’s your day been going so far?” he asked her after a while.
“Good. Slow, but then Thursday mornings usually are. This afternoon and tomorrow will be a different story.”
Chase nodded. “Yeah, I noticed how much more crowded the lobby was this morning even since yesterday.”
Carrie nodded as she sipped at her bubbly water. “Business conferences. Vacationers. The weekends are usually wrapped up with weddings, but the prep for those guests is almost always taken care of during the week.”
“The spa looks pretty busy. And I saw a lot of those soaps in your shop.”
“Frankie Becker’s famous soaps, you mean.”
Barefoot Bay: Giving Chase (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Cypress Corners Book 8) Page 4