“Like them? I love them.” She slid her arms into the sleeves of the coat he was holding. The warmth of his hands when he rested them for a moment on her shoulders invited her to lean back into his chest, but she reached for her purse instead. This man could be addictive, that was for sure.
She locked the door behind them and turned, biting her lip. “I have to ask you something really important but I don’t want to offend you, either.”
“All right.” He waited on the walk, three steps down, light from the streetlamp picking up a few strands of silver in his dark hair.
“Ah.” Just get it over with, dummy. Her words came out in a rush. “Are you married or ever have been?”
“No and no. And you?”
She bit back a retort. “No and no. Nor engaged, either.” Nor even a serious relationship. “Just dated.”
“What fools men are if they just dated you.”
“I think we better go.” Her voice squeaked on a gulp. In the driveway Blythe eyed the step up into the deep blue Land Rover. Good thing I didn’t wear a straight skirt.
“I can make it kneel if you want.”
“That’s all right.” She reached for the handle between windshield and door and pulled herself up and onto the seat. Somewhat different from her little car all right.
“Here’s your seat belt.” Warmth leaped the distance between their fingers as she accepted his thoughtfulness.
Fanning herself would look way out of character, so she clicked the end of the belt into the receiver and sat, face forward.
Never in her life had a man affected her like this. She and her friends had joked about chemistry, but this was no laughing matter.
“So, how are your deadlines coming?” He shoulder checked both ways before backing out.
“Making good progress—mostly.”
“Mostly?”
She told him about her difficult client, which led to a swapping of horror stories about demanding clients and had them both laughing on the drive to the restaurant.
“Thanks again for fixing my computer. My regular repairman only just got back into town today. I would have been hung out to dry.”
“Glad I was there.” He parked the SUV in the back of the parking lot. “Have you eaten here before?”
“No, but I’ve heard good things about it.”
When he realized she had to trot to keep pace, he slowed and tucked her arm in his. “Sorry.” She had no answer, but her smile said it all.
She wanted to stop and inspect the marvelous wood carving of a dragon that sat in the center of the room, but followed their waitress to the black lacquered table she indicated.
“Do you have any favorites?” Thane laid the open menu on the table.
“I don’t know the Japanese names, but I love the prawn one, the California roll when it’s like an ice-cream cone, and crispy salmon skin. So you choose.” His fluid use of the Japanese names and the smiles he exchanged with the waitress impressed them both.
“You’ve been to Japan?”
“A few times.” He motioned to the teapot just set on the table. “Tea?”
“Yes, please.”
He poured, then separated his chopsticks and rubbed them against each other to remove any slivers.
A silence caught them by surprise. Let’s see, he’s not interested in sports. “You have family around here?”
He shook his head, a frown flitting across his face. “No, my parents were killed in a plane crash.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Do you have any siblings?”
“One.” His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed.
Whoops, better not go there. Get your foot out of your mouth, Blythe, and take a sip of your tea. That’s safe.
“How did you happen to get a basset?” Thane asked.
Safe subject. “We had one as kids. You know the Fred Basset cartoon?”
Thane nodded. “Fits the breed pretty well, I’d say.”
“Well, we had a real Fred. Two years ago, I read about a basset at the local rescue shelter then went and adopted him. The man who’d owned him had a fixation with Harley motorcycles, thus the name.”
“He’s a handsome dog.”
“Thanks. Did you have bassets before?”
“Nope. I saw Matty…” He glanced up as the dish of soybeans was set before them. “Thank you.” He pushed it closer to her. “Help yourself.”
“Thanks.” Blythe took one of the pods and scraped it between her teeth, chewing the soy beans thoughtfully. “So was Matty a puppy?”
“Half grown. My sister had to move and couldn’t keep a dog in the next place.”
She watched his eyes in the dim light and flickering candle. There was something more behind this that he wasn’t telling.
“She sure turned into a beauty.”
When the server set their trays of sushi on the table, they mixed the green wasabi with soy sauce and dug in, Thane identifying those pieces she didn’t recognize.
By the time they left the restaurant, Blythe knew more about sushi than she thought she would ever need to, but questions about his family burned to be asked.
Please, ask me out again. You could invite him to church in the morning. But he… The mental argument picked up where it had left off earlier.
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
“Working, after church that is. I have to take the Christmas programs in.”
“You finished those.”
“Sure did. Perhaps you’d like to come with me.”
He paused, as if giving her invitation serious thought. “I better not, perhaps another time.”
Better than nothing.
“I saw a birthday card on your mantel. When was your birthday?” He slowed down and turned into her short driveway.
“Friday.”
“And you spent it working all day?”
“That’s the breaks.”
He shook his head. “We’ll have to do something special to celebrate, even if it is late.” He stepped from the car and came around to help her out, then guided her up the walk with a hand just touching her back.
Do I ask him to come in? No, too late. Harley barked from inside.
“Your watchdog.” He looked down at her, then leaned forward and lightly brushed his lips across hers. “I never believed in love at first sight.”
“Me, either.”
“Good night.” He stepped back.
She dug her keys out of her purse and floated up the steps. “Night. And thank you for a marvelous evening.”
“You’re welcome.” He touched a finger to his forehead and returned to the truck.
So did his comment mean he now believes in love at first sight or…?
“I’m coming, Harley, hang on to your collar.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
I wish he were going to church with me.
Harley yipped at the back door.
“I’m coming.” She threw the bedcovers back with a sigh. Staying in her daydreams would have been nicer, but dogs didn’t understand that. She touched her mouth and could still feel the gentle brush of Thane’s lips. And his parting comment, “I used to not believe in love at first sight.” No, that wasn’t exactly the way he said it, but was the upshot that now he did believe in love at first sight?
Intellectually she knew true love grew over a long period of time, but attraction could double whammy one instant quick. Lord, let him be a believer. I think he is but what do I know? She set the coffee maker to work, let the dog back in and wandered to stand at the front window where sun cast stripes and shadows on the carpet through half-opened slats. It didn’t pack the zest of a summer sun, to be sure, but a blustery winter day was indeed invigorating. And besides, she might see him this afternoon. The coffee machine beeped. She fixed Harley’s breakfast, much to his tail-wagging delight, poured herself a cup of coffee and danced and twirled to her bedroom to dress for church. Much as she preferred the ten o’clock service, today she would do the 8:30. Ah, Lord, I have so much to be thankful for.
If this could be the man you meant for me, please make it clear. I don’t want to make a mistake. But, oh, how special he makes me feel.
Sitting in church some time later, she wished again he were sitting beside her. Would they go to this church or his? Does he have a church? Another major question to ask. So much to learn.
Keeping her mind on the music was not hard, for she loved to sing. Keeping her mind on the sermon, now that was a different matter. Finally she forced herself to take notes on the border of the bulletin. To love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind. Ah, how I want that. To love my neighbor as myself. Loving my neighbor wouldn’t be hard in Thane’s case. She caught a giggle before it reached her mouth.
With a sigh of relief she stood for the closing hymn. Now to deliver her folder of camera-ready copy for the singing Christmas tree program. Since this was an event offered to the community, they always needed hundreds of programs. The church would be standing room only for all three performances.
She slid through the crowd, exchanging greetings but not stopping to chat. If she could get four hours of work in, she wouldn’t feel so guilty being gone for an hour or two.
A blinking light on the answering machine greeted her return home. Please let it be Thane. She crossed her fingers as she played the messages, after greeting an ecstatic Harley. You’d think she’d been gone for days instead of two hours.
“Sorry, Blythe, I’m going to have to cancel for today. I’ve got an emergency in the city. I’ll call you later if I can get out of there early enough to do dinner, that is, if you’d like to. I had a great time last night, thank you.”
Blythe sank onto a chair with a sigh. Rats and double rats. Harley put his paws up on her knees and peered into her face. His droopy eyes made her smile and rub his ears. “Not your fault, Harley, boy. So much for a fun afternoon. Now I’m just going to have to work all day. Which is probably best, but still.” She kissed the top of his head and pushed against his chest. “You get down now, so I can get going.”
The afternoon slid by with only two phone calls and neither of them from Thane. Her sister Suzanne, apologized for missing her birthday. Blythe mentioned she had met a man, kind of slid the comment in under the general conversation.
Her sister finished her story, paused, started to say something, then paused again. “What was that you said? Did you mention the word ‘man’?”
“Yes.” Blythe rolled her lips together to keep from giggling.
“And you are seeing this man?”
“Yes.” And is he ever easy on the eyes.
“Blythe Marie Stensrude, quit the games and tell all.” Her voice took on a big sister commanding tone. “Where did you meet him and what is his name?”
“Well, actually, Harley met him first.” She didn’t mentioned the loose dog fiasco.
“Blythe, if I have to come over there and drag the story out of you, I will.” Suzanne waited. “I know, let’s do a girls’ night out and…”
“I can’t.”
“Blythe, honey, this is Sunday, a day of rest. You are not supposed to be working on Sunday.”
Guilt made Blythe hunch her shoulders. “I know, but I have too much to do. But that isn’t why I can’t join you.”
“It better be good.”
“How come when I suggest a girls’ night out, you always have a million excuses and I’m supposed to just understand?” Her sister’s favorite phrase: “you understand, I know.”
“Sorry, but this is different.”
“You’ll have to understand this time. Thane said he’d figure something for dinner if he could get away in time.”
“You mean you’re just sitting there waiting for this guy to call?”
“Hardly. I need to get back to my friend, the computer.”
“No way. His full name?”
“Thane Davidson, I met him at the marina. He was walking his basset named Matty. Harley and I walk with Josie, the dog walker I told you about. She walks Matty. I just hadn’t met Matty’s owner before.” But I have now and I’d rather go out with him than you, sorry, dear sister.
“Harley likes him?”
“Yes, he does.”
“Okay, sweetie, but you better keep me posted. Have you told Mom yet?”
“Nope and don’t you, either. This man is not ready to pass the Mom quiz. Or the family gathering. So don’t nag at me.”
“Moi? Nag?”
“Bye, Suz.” Blythe hung up and headed for the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Red Zinger sounded good about now.
But Thane didn’t call that afternoon or that evening.
“So, he couldn’t get away. We know how that is, huh, dog?”
Harley whapped her calf with his tail as he spun around, before heading for the back door.
“All right.” She let him out for a last run and fixed herself another cup of herbal tea. Any caffeine now and she could kiss sleep goodbye, no matter how tired she was. She pulled open the freezer and studied the ice-cream choices—she’d stocked up since her birthday. Six ice-cream pint cartons lined up two deep. Vanilla with chocolate almonds, vanilla bean, jamocha almond fudge, strawberry and chocolate chocolate chip. How to choose? She tested each carton to see which was lightest. Vanilla bean won out so she pulled a jar of fudge sauce from the fridge and set it in the microwave to warm. Nothing like a hot fudge sundae on a Sunday evening. She fixed Harley a small bowl without the fudge. Now if only that phone call would come.
They settled in the living room for a movie on the Hallmark channel. Harley finished his ice cream and nosed the dish around, licking it until the dishwasher couldn’t have washed it better. She ate hers slowly, savoring every bite. Maybe she should call him just to chat. Maybe not. He didn’t seem the chat-on-the-phone kind of guy. When the movie came on and she saw men riding across the hills with guns to the ready, she switched it off. Even if it had been Sam Elliott.
She met with clients in the morning, leaving some finished projects and picking up new ones, dropped books off at the library, picked up cleaning at the cleaners and went by the bank to make a deposit. Back at the office, she returned phone calls, accepting one job and turning the next one down.
“Sorry, I just can’t meet that tight a deadline.” Mentally she patted herself on the back. Wish I could talk with Thane about it. How had that thought leaped in? Funny how thoughts of him had a way of sneaking in when she least expected it. Not that she ever really expected it. This was new to her. Father, keep him safe and help him work out whatever is taking up his time.
“Come on, Harley, we need a walk.” All along the paths she hoped to see him or hear Matty, but that was silly. He only came down in the morning. Tuesday morning they walked at eight. No man and no dog. You could call him, you know. Sure and if he acts like he’s never met me, then what. She buried herself in work to close off that argument, but a snobby voice whispered, you’re just a fraidy-cat.
By Wednesday, she’d slammed the door on every thought of him, including prayers. He’d started out great. So had some of the others.
“Uh-oh.” June locked her fists on her hips as Blythe and Harley strode by. “Things took a nosedive.”
“I got tired of blond.” On the hour she’d allowed herself for lunch, she went to the store, picked out a box of hair color, and did the deed.
“Uh-huh, and you be courtin’ the wee folk with yer new Irish look.”
Sorry, your accent isn’t right yet. But just because she was feeling snippy, no need to take it out on someone else. “Do you like it?” She doffed her smash hat and fluffed her hair with her fingers. Today was warm enough that she didn’t need gloves, or a hat really, either.
“Must be the sun that’s makin’ it look like a halo of fire.”
“A wash or two and it’ll lighten up. You want to walk with us?”
“Thankee, but me own work be callin’ me.”
“When’s your first performance?”
Harley tugged on the leash, leaning as far forward as
he could with his front feet planted.
“Right after New Year’s. I’ll get you tickets.”
“Thanks.” You think they’ll let Harley in?
They made a fast trip through the park, again empty of Thane and Matty, ignored the latte stand and punished the pavement home. More and more she stretched the old adage, hard work cures a broken heart. Not that she was going to allow a man to break her heart. Not now. Not ever.
She returned the call from her mother that had been on the machine.
“We have your Christmas tree, dear, when should Dad bring it over?”
“Mother, I told you, I’m not doing Christmas this year. I’ll just enjoy the tree at your house on Christmas Day.” And if there was any way of getting out of that, I’d do it.
CHAPTER NINE
So you’re here today. So, do I care?
Harley tugged on the leash, back feet scrabbling on the gravel.
Sure dog, you see your best friend and you want to go running to her. You don’t care that you haven’t seen her for five days and she didn’t even call.
Maybe I ought to learn something from my dog.
Being dragged along by a basset in full strength was not a pretty picture, she was sure. Planting her feet did no good and since she didn’t want to go airborne, she donned a mantel of dignity and strolled—well, not exactly strolled. Harley had her nearly jogging, but giving the impression of strolling seemed to be important at the moment.
Matty was obviously doing the same thing. Thane didn’t seem to be resisting like she was.
“Good morning.” His greeting sounded like he’d seen her the day before.
How was she to get cheer back in her voice? Was she glad to see him? Not necessarily. She’d just talked herself out of looking for him, wanting to see him, hear his voice…to yell at him for letting her down just like all the others had. Oh, to be able to ignore the leap of her heart. Be still had about as much effect as telling Harley to stop, sit or quit barking.
She plastered a smile on her face and glanced down at the dogs who were sniffing, yipping and bouncing, their joy bubbling and bursting.
“Blythe, what? Ah, you look different.”
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