“True, I might be romanticizing,” Sam conceded, “Maybe the actual feeling is scarier than I'm imagining it. But, to be fair, it's probably more thrilling than I'm imagining it to be, as well!”
Karina was quiet for a moment, and finally responded with a quiet, “Yep.”
--- ~ ---
Ryan Perkins awoke early the next morning, with a sense of expectancy that had been distinctly missing from his life for the past several....months? Years, maybe? He tried to remember the last time he had felt as excited about anything as he felt at the prospect of seeing Karina today, and was hard pressed to pull out even a single memory from his entire adult life.
Well, damn.
That was depressing.
When he made the leap back into childhood, then, yes. Memories began taking shape. Christmas mornings, obviously. Last days of school. The weeks leading up to the county fair, that year he had had a prize pig to show. Yes, he realized as he made an even more careful mental inventory of his teenage and adult years, he really did have to go all the way back to middle school to pull out a time when he felt even a fraction of the anticipation that he felt this morning.
Ryan was normally not a morning person, although circumstances had long dictated that he rise well before the sun. Still, every single morning it was a colossal struggle for him to get himself up and on his way. He arose with the alarm clock each day both weary and bleary, and dragged himself into the bathroom feeling like cement blocks were tied to his limbs.
This morning, on the other hand? He had jumped out of bed, raring to go, a full fifteen minutes before the alarm had gone off. No scratchy eyes, no weighty limbs. He was full of energy, and went into the bathroom to take a shower without even giving a thought to the notion that, if he had wanted it, he could still steal fifteen more precious minutes of sleep.
Ryan turned on the shower, setting the temperature as hot as he could stand it. He loved to start the day out feeling the pulsing heat of the strong stream of water beating into his muscles, breathing in the steam. It made him feel alive.
This morning, the heat and steam conspired with his thoughts of Karina to almost make him feel lightheaded.
God. That glossy black hair. That smooth caramel skin. Those sparking dark eyes. He didn't think he'd ever laid eyes on a woman as breathtaking as she was. Not in real life, not even in the movies.
Man, he thought, it just goes to show how natural beauty will win out over anything. In movies, on television – those girls were made up within an inch of looking like clowns. The unnatural, caked on makeup was usually a complement to their unnatural, highly-teased and sprayed hairstyles, and clothes made of fabrics not found in nature.
Ryan shook his head. No thanks! The rest of the world could keep their fake beautiful women with make-up caked on their faces. They seem to be happy with that, and as far as he was concerned, they were welcome to it!
He was only glad that those mythical inhabitants of the “rest of the world” hadn't seen Karina Blackstone in Sue Ann's cafe yesterday. One look at the shining, natural waves of hair curling down over her shoulders, of the lush eyelashes and full lips and blushing cheeks which made up her face, in all of their unadorned glory – well, they would have immediately realized what fools they'd been, and what they'd been missing out on.
He'd take the image of one Karina Blackstone, sitting in the sunshine in simple jeans and tanktop, no make up, with her hair simple and loose around her shoulders, and stack that up against twenty glamour shots of movie stars all dolled up on the red carpet. There was no contest. He knew he'd come out ahead every time.
She was, simply, gorgeous.
As he rubbed shampoo into his hair and vigorously scrubbed his body, he began to realize that a plan was going to need to be formed. He couldn't simply let his relationship with Karina meander along and try to move things forward on a spontaneous basis.
No. A woman of her caliber deserved a true courtship, and seduction.
Maybe he was being old-fashioned. He'd certainly been accused of that in the past, so there was every chance that it was true. But he didn't care.
In Ryan's view, a woman worth having was a precious treasure, and deserved to be pursued as such, and when that pursuit was successful, to be cherished as such. Lord knows that a woman as spectacular as Karina was a rarity. She should be treated like the rare and special gift that she was.
This meant, to his way of thinking, that she was worth planning a proper courtship for, and being patient while that plan played out. Karina was worth waiting for.
And, anyway, truth be told, that was more in line with how Ryan liked to operate, anyway. At home, with girls he'd dated in the past, he had always been respectful – of them, of their families. He had most often asked their fathers for permission to see their daughters before asking the young lady out. That thinking may be outdated but it just felt right to him, like the proper order of things.
There were some stark differences, though, when it came to his past experiences with dating girls and what he was facing with Karina.
First and foremost was that Karina was above and beyond any woman he'd ever seen, let alone dated, when it came to beauty, charm, grace...just all-around “Wow” factor. So, there was that. Ryan was far more taken with her than he had ever been with any woman in the past. So, right off the bat, the stakes were much higher for him.
Second, this felt different because it was the first time he was pursuing a girl that he hadn't known for his entire life. At home, in Montana, he had lived in an insular community. It wasn't hard to tell which girls had their eyes on him, and targeted his affections accordingly. There was very little risk.
Even going and talking to their fathers, a task which would seem monumentally challenging to most teenagers and young men in their twenties, had been tempered by the fact that their fathers, also, had known him since he was born. They knew he was a good boy, and was not out to take advantage of their precious daughter.
But Karina? Pursuing her was going to be a total roll of the dice. He didn't know her family situation, he didn't know what she liked to talk about – damn it, he didn't even know if she was attracted to him. A total crapshoot.
But, he reasoned, if anyone was worth taking a chance on, it was this raven-haired beauty. She was a one-in-a-million girl, a once-in-a-lifetime girl. And Ryan didn't care what the risk might be, he was going after her.
Besides, he told himself with a mischievous smile, this was exactly the kind of situation that courtship rituals were created for. Sure, she may not be interested in him now. She might be, she might not. Who knows? But, if she wasn't, it was very possibly because she didn't know what a good guy he was – and that's what he planned to show her, step by patient step.
Yes, he had all the time in the world. Combine that with an unshakable will to win the heart of Karina Blackstone. He was certain he would be victorious. He just needed to come up with a solid plan, and stick to it.
As he toweled off and pulled on his clothes, he considered where he should start. He didn't want to rush things. This was an important day in the scope of their relationship, the first day they were spending together. Her impressions of him today would form the foundation of what she thought of him well into the future.
So, today's mission? Twofold. One – to make sure, through his words and behavior, that there was no doubt in her mind about his intention to pursue her. Second – to show her, through his tireless and uncomplaining physical effort when moving boxes and furniture, that he was strong in both body and character.
If he accomplished those two feats today, regardless of whether or not she showed any interest or inclination toward him yet, he would consider his plan on track.
He shook his head. That was what he considered to be wrong with romance nowadays. And, yes, he did realize that he sounded more like someone Sue Ann's age than his own when he said that, and he smiled ruefully when thinking about it. But the truth was, there were a lot of things that other guys his age did that he thoug
ht were ludicrous.
He thought they put WAY too much stock in pursuing women that wouldn't put up too much of a roadblock. They wanted to be 100% sure she'd say yes when they asked her out, they wanted a high degree of certainty that they'd get her in bed by the third date (at the latest), and they wanted her to not nag them too much about moving the commitment beyond that point. Their entire romantic lives were based around the idea of chasing down the path of least resistance.
Ryan was not like that. Sure, the path of least resistance offered some benefits. It was easy. It was simple. But there were also drawbacks. Anyone who has ever done a grueling hike up a steep mountainside will tell you that it's certainly no stroll through a garden path, but damn – when you stand on top of that mountain peak and drink in the breathtaking view you've earned, you're a certifiable fool if you're wishing for the garden path at that moment.
Ryan wanted that mountain-top moment. He wouldn't settle for any less. He didn't care how hard he had to work. Anything spectacular in life was going to have to be earned. Karina was spectacular, there was no doubt in his mind about that, and Ryan was prepared to work hard to earn her affections.
She was his ‘mountain-top moment’ woman.
Ryan locked his apartment door and went down the stairs into the cafe, where he found his grandmother Sue Ann bustling around the kitchen, pouring coffee into cups and assembling breakfast boxes. He saw one for him, as well as one for each of the gang that was going to be helping Karina move into her new home today.
“Granny, let me help with that,” he said with concern lacing his voice.
“Oh, nonsense,” she brushed him off, “you need to save your energy for all the heavy lifting you're going to be doing today.”
“Granny, seriously, it's not going to be that hard,” Ryan scoffed, “Definitely not so hard that I can't spare a small bit of strength to help put some egg sandwiches in cartons.”
With that, he inserted himself beside her at the counter and they formed a natural assembly line process, falling into a rhythm quickly.
“Speaking of heavy lifting,” he said, “Are you really sure about me leaving you here by yourself today? I mean, come on, Granny. I came out here to Hope Falls to help you with running the restaurant, because you were having a tough time. And now I'm going to run off and leave you all by yourself for an entire day? Say the word, I'm here.”
“Don't be silly,” Sue Ann assured him, “You've been so much help already, just in the time you've been here so far. Besides, handling things on my own for one day is a far cry from doing it every day! Sure, today might be a little tiring, but just knowing that you'll be back with me tomorrow will be enough to get me through it!”
“If you're sure...” he said hesitantly, sounding anything but sure himself. He was definitely eager to spend the day with Karina, but seeing his grandmother here in the kitchen reminded him that he had responsibilities in this world, ties that were bigger than himself.
“Absolutely,” Sue Ann replied with conviction, “You need to meet some people your own age. You go off and have some fun today.”
He laughed, “Well, moving is work, I don't know how much fun it's going to be.”
Sue Ann eyed him slyly, “Oh, I think there are some people who would consider a day of working alongside the very fetching Karina Blackstone to be more fun than whatever it is they actually do for fun.”
“Granny!” he said, shocked, but with a small smile, “I don't know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, get real, Ryan. We may not have seen each other much since you were a kid, but that doesn't mean I think you're still a kid. And I'm not blind! I saw how you were strutting around yesterday, proud as a peacock, every time her eyes were on you! I mean, that little spring in your step certainly wasn't for my benefit, or her grandmother's!” she finished with a chuckle.
Ryan blushed, “I have absolutely no idea what you mean,” he reiterated, but this time in a teasing tone, and accompanied by a smile and a wink.
“You could definitely do worse,” she reasoned pragmatically, “She's a beautiful girl, and you do have the music thing in common.”
“That's true,” Ryan agreed uncertainly, “Although I don't know if she would feel that way. She ran out of her so quick after I played yesterday, I couldn't tell if she thought my songs were good or crap.”
“Oh, honey, come on now,” Sue Ann reasoned, “Your songs are so beautiful, there's no way she could think badly of them!”
Ryan laughed, “You're my grandmother, you have to say that!”
Sue Ann shrugged, “No, I don't. Trust me, if they were crap, I'd tell you the truth.”
“Ha!” Ryan exclaimed, “I guess that's true.”
“And I have a feeling she would, too,” Sue Ann continued confidently, “She's a straight-shooting kind of a girl. So I wouldn't read too much into the fact that she left right after your songs. If she didn't like them, she wouldn't just duck out. She's not the kind of person who would be afraid to tell you the truth.”
Ryan smiled, “That's good, I like that in a girl. I like to know where I stand.”
Sue Ann laughed, “Oh, you'll know where you stand with Karina, don't worry!”
Unfortunately, her admonition not to worry actually had the opposite effect, and his brow furrowed with consternation, “So what are you saying, Granny? Is she...I don't know...mean?”
Sue Ann shook her head back and forth vehemently, causing her springy grey curls to bounce, “Oh, no - no, definitely not! She's not mean at all, she'll just tell you exactly what she thinks.”
Ryan smiled widely, “Well, good, I can handle that. In fact, I think that right about now, there's nothing in the world I'd like better than to know exactly what she thinks.”
Chapter 3
Karina and Sam pulled up in front of Amanda's house and piled out of Karina's sports car, walking toward the front door.
“This is so exciting!” Sam sing-songed, “I can't believe that we're going to get you all moved into your new house today, you're going to be all settled, I live right across the street from you, we get to meet Ryan today – it's like a dream come true!”
Karina looked at her crossly, “I still don’t understand why we had to come all the way over to Amanda’s just to drive back up to my house together. And it is way too early in the morning to be this perky,” she grumbled.
“Amanda wanted us all to ride together in the van, plus it’s way more fun this way. And I love this time of morning,” Sam bubbled sincerely, “You're up early every day, too, I figured you liked it as much as I do!”
Karina snorted, “I get up early out of necessity, not because I like it. I think it's unnatural to enjoy being up this early.”
They reached the end of the walkway leading to Amanda's door and rang the doorbell.
“It is unnatural. If you're a...vampire!” Sam said and looked at Karina expectantly. Sam had recently been on a quest to try to become intentionally funny, and had been attempting to work jokes into regular conversation.
“It's too early for joke practice,” Karina responded sourly.
“Fine, I'll just say my regular response, then, which is that if it's unnatural to like being up this early, then I guess I'm unnatural, because I love it!” Sam enthused, her cheerfulness not dampened in the least.
“Oh, no,” Karina groaned, “Please say it's not going to be like this all day.”
Just at that moment, Amanda flung open the door and cried, “You're here! Excellent! Come on in! Is everybody all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed this beautiful morning of moving day? Or should I say 'Ryan Day' instead?”
“Oh, good lord,” Karina continued her groan, “It really IS going to be like this all day.”
Just then, Lauren strode matter-of-factly into the room. “Like what?” she asked crisply, and then added, “Are we ready to get going?”
“Fantastic!” Karina exclaimed, “Here's at least one person I know won't have reverted back to junior high, with the 'I
wanna meet Ryan! Tell me about Ryan!' and the giggling and the blushing and all that nonsense!”
She knew that if she could count on anyone to be sensible about this whole Ryan thing, it would be Lauren, who was practical through and through.
“Oh, no, don't get me wrong,” Lauren clarified, “I absolutely want to meet Ryan. I just want to get you moved into your house first. Eventually, I'm going to sit you down and get you to spill every last detail. But the movers are going to be here in an hour and a half, and we have a very short window of time in which to get a lot of things done, so that has to be the priority right now. But please don't mistake that for a lack of interest in this Ryan character. Don't misinterpret my organizational skills as a free pass – you are going to owe me one gigantic gossip session later.”
Amanda's fiance Justin was coming down the stairs as Lauren finished this last remark, and started laughing, “Hey, Karina! I heard the words 'gossip session' – does that mean they're grilling you about Ryan?”
Karina threw up her hands, “Really, doesn't anyone have anything else at all to talk about in their lives?”
“No,” the rest of them answered in unison.
Karina shook her head and sighed, “You guys are making a way bigger deal out of this than it actually is.”
Amanda scoffed, “That is ridiculous! You, Karina Blackstone – who have never lost your head over a guy, not even one time – YOU were completely and totally and utterly flummoxed and twitterpated from the first instant Ryan Perkins walked out of the kitchen at Sue Ann's Cafe yesterday. It was like nothing I've ever seen before.”
Karina resigned herself to the fact that this story was going to be told, because Lauren and Sam were clearly hanging on every word coming out of Amanda's mouth. So, if she tried to shut it down, she would find herself on the wrong end of a three-against-one battle. Best to just surrender now.
“Alright,” she sighed, "tell the story. But, can you just tell it in the car, please? Because Lauren's right, we do have a lot to do.”
“Oh, you hold your horses,” Amanda shushed her, and then continued her tale in a dramatic voice, “So there we were. Sitting at our table, minding our own business. All of a sudden, Sue Ann calls for her grandson to come out and meet us. He walked out from the back, and it was like....the heavens opened! As if rays of celestial light were shining down upon his golden head...”
Sweet Harmonies Page 3