The Path

by Tawdra Kandle

  The waiter reappeared to run our cards and returned with the receipts. I bit my lip as I signed the paper, as the sense that I’d shared too much broke over me. I didn’t talk about private family matters. I’d never told any of my friends growing up about my parents’ divorce; most of them didn’t know I had a sister. And now Emmy would pity me, and I couldn’t stand that.

  We walked out toward her car in silence. She’d driven us to the tearoom, but now I was regretting not bringing my own car as Emmy navigated us onto the road that led back to Crystal Cove. I needed a minute to recover, to get back to feeling like I had some modicum of control.

  “Abby, I know you’re an intensely private person. I am, too. I think that’s why we hit it off so well when we met. It’s important for me to take care of myself and never admit I need help. Drives Cooper crazy, and I never got it. But I think I do now.” We stopped at a red light, and she turned toward me. “The fact that you told me about your family makes me feel like you trust me. It makes me feel like we really are friends, and the next time I’m at the end of my rope and need someone, I’ll feel safe calling you. Because you trusted me, I can trust you. So thank you for opening that door in our friendship.”

  I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Really? You’re not sitting there feeling sorry for me, thinking how pathetic I am, even though I make a big deal of being in control?”

  Emmy snorted. “No, I’m thinking how brave you are, and how hard it must be for you to open up and trust someone, and how honored I am that you let me in.”

  Relief and gratitude filled me. “Thank you, Emmy. I’m glad you’re my friend. I’m even a little grateful to Zachary for breaking my heart and ruining my career so that I ended up here with you.”

  “That’s what we call growth. But don’t give the jerk too much credit. Hey, do you mind if we stop at Cooper’s real fast? I’ve had this piece of driftwood from Jude in the back of my car for almost a week. I keep forgetting to drop it off to him, and he keeps forgetting to get it out of my trunk. We’re going to go right past his workshop.”

  “Sure, no problem. What’s he doing with it?”

  Emmy grinned. “He’s making a table for Jude to give to Logan for their anniversary. Can you believe it’s three years already?”

  “That’s crazy. Seems like just yesterday I got here and met the two of them. They weren’t together yet. Do you remember the party where they told all of us that they were seeing each other?”

  “Like it was yesterday. And their wedding?”

  “So beautiful. We both cried.” I nudged Emmy. “So am I going to be crying at another wedding any time soon?”

  “Ha! Not unless it’s yours, baby girl.” Emmy hooked a left turn into the gravel lot between Cooper’s house and the oversized garage that served as his workshop. “Come in with me and say hello.”

  She didn’t need to ask me twice. I loved Coop’s workshop; it smelled of sawdust and stain and old wood, and it was filled with beautiful pieces in various states of completion. The place was a little piece of nirvana for me.

  Emmy pushed open the door, and I followed her inside. We always entered cautiously, so as not to startle Cooper in case he was using a saw or some other sharp tool that could maim him. But there was no whine of the jigsaw today; instead I could hear men’s voices. And I recognized one of them.

  “Hey, beautiful.” Cooper broke away from the conversation and reached for Emmy. He pulled her tight, kissing her in a way that made me feel a little like a voyeur. “Thanks for bringing this by.” He slung his arm around her shoulder and drew her forward, smiling at me as he did. “Hi, Abby. Good to see you. Em, you know Ryland. This is Lincoln Turner.”

  “Yeah, I know. We met last night at the Tide. Hey, Ryland.” Emmy shot a quick glance at me.

  “Emmy, Abby.” Ryland was leaning against the tool bench, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He met my eyes, and a shot of pure heat hit me, stealing my breath. It felt like an electric current was running between us, and it was with tremendous effort that I tore my gaze away.

  “Hello, Mr. Kent.” I reverted to my old standby. “And Mr. Turner, how nice to meet you at last. I’ve heard wonderful things about your work.” I leaned forward and offered my hand to the other man. He wasn’t quite as tall as Ryland, and he was definitely older. Something in his grey eyes spoke of a weary pain. I wondered what it was.

  “You must be Ms. Donavan.” I didn’t miss the glance Linc slid toward Ryland. “You’re as lovely as I’ve heard. And congratulations on the Riverside. It’s a beautiful place, and I’m sure it’s going to thrive under you.”

  “That’s the plan.” I let myself look at Ryland again, just for a minute. God, he was handsome. I remembered the way his lips had felt against mine last night, his hands pressing my back so that I’d felt the unmistakable evidence of his arousal. I forced my attention back to his friend. “So you’re estimating we can open in six to eight weeks?”

  “Yeah, that’s what I think.” Linc frowned. “Where did you hear that?”

  Crap. Ryland had mentioned the timeline last night while he was at my apartment. I opened my mouth to come up with some sort of explanation when Emmy came to my rescue.

  “Ryland told me last night at the Tide, and Abby and I talked about it today. You don’t know the Cove yet, but word travels fast.”

  I smiled at her in gratitude and in awe. She hadn’t lied, but she’d covered my ass and Ryland’s. Emmy Carter was one smart chick.

  “Well, I better go pick up the kids at my parents’ house. Mom keeps complaining she never sees them anymore, now that Cooper’s in the picture, but I don’t want to overtax her, either.” Emmy kissed Cooper’s cheek and sketched a wave to the other men. “Boys, try to behave yourselves. No cutting off any important body parts. Abby, you ready?”

  “Um, yes.” I jerked my attention away from Ryland. “See you tomorrow, Mr. Kent. Mr. Turner.”

  “Yup.” Linc gave me a brief nod, and Ryland mumbled something I couldn’t decipher.

  We were halfway across the parking lot when I heard my name. “Abby! Hold up a minute.”

  Ryland was jogging after us. Emmy grinned at me and kept walking. “I’ll just be in the car. Take your time.”

  I turned and waited for him, my arms crossed over my chest. “What can I do for you, Mr. Kent?”

  One side of his mouth turned up. “I love it when you call me that.”

  I chewed the inside of my bottom lip to keep from smiling back at him. “Did you need something?”

  “Yeah. Yeah, I did. I do.” Ryland hauled me against his hard body, tipping my chin up until my lips were just below his. “God, I wanted to do this as soon as I saw you in there.” He slanted his open mouth over mine, kissing me with more urgency and aggression than he had the night before. I wriggled against him, my heart pounding as I tried to get even closer. My breasts were crushed against his chest, and the muscles there teased my nipples erect through the silk of my blouse and my bra.

  “Ryland.” I tore my mouth away. “Anyone could walk by. And Linc’s right inside.”

  “I know.” He ran his hands down my back and gripped my ass. “Right now I don’t give a damn.”

  “Right now. But later you will.” I let my head fall against his shoulder. “Did you come out just for this?”

  “If I had, it’d be worth it. But actually, I came out here to ask you to dinner.”

  I drew back so that I could look up into his eyes. “Dinner?”

  “Yeah, it’s the meal at the end of day. Are you familiar with it?”

  “Yes, smarty pants. I know what you mean. But why? And when?”

  He eased away from me but kept his hands at my hips. “Why, because I want to take you on a date. A real date, where I pick you up, and we eat together, and then I walk you to your door and kiss you good-night.” He bent his head down to whisper in my ear. “I might even try to cop a feel. Just a warning.”

  “What happened to laying low and not tel
ling anyone about us until the hotel’s done?”

  Ryland shook his head. “I’m taking you to a restaurant out of the Cove. But that’s mostly because I want you to be able to relax and not worry about running into people you know. I want you to be Abby, not Ms. Donavan.”

  “Hmm. Okay.” I tilted my head. “So when?”

  “Friday. I’ll pick you up at six-thirty.”

  Friday seemed like a very long time away. “All right. Do you have other hot dates lined up for the rest of the week?”

  He laughed. “Yeah, and they’re all with Linc. We have to finalize the plans for the detail work and take care of some paperwork for the company. He’ll be sick of me by Friday night. And I thought it’d be good for you to be out of your apartment on one of the loud nights.”

  “It’s sweet of you to remember that. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

  Ryland chuckled and kissed the tip of my nose. “That’s my Ms. Donavan right there.”

  I frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “Most girls would say something like, ‘Awesome, I’ll be ready.’ Sometimes you talk like you just stepped out of a PBS special.”

  “I’m . . . sorry?”

  “Don’t be. I think it’s hot.” He glanced over his shoulder. “I better get back inside. We’re going over the fixtures for all the cabinetry.”

  “Okay. I’m sure I’ll see you at the hotel tomorrow.”

  “I’ll be in the stables tomorrow. Oh, excuse me.” He winked. “I mean, the spa. We’re finishing the dry-walling.”

  “I’ll be sure to stop by.” As I turned back toward the car, Ryland called me once more.

  “Abby, by the way, I told Cooper to cancel the shutters for the dining room. You’re right. I overstepped.”

  Part of me wanted to run and hug him, but instead I drew myself up and inclined my head. “Thank you, Mr. Kent. I appreciate you seeing things my way.”

  Ryland grinned. “Oooh, baby. Don’t tease me like that.” He blew me a kiss and opened the door to the workshop.

  I made my way back to the car and climbed into the passenger seat. “Oh, Emmy. I think I’m in trouble.”

  FOR A SOLID WEEK, I had the worst case of blue balls I’d ever known.

  It started on Monday morning. I’d come onto the job site early in the hope that Abby would come by, too. I wasn’t disappointed. I’d just started taping the dry wall when I heard the familiar sound of her heels clicking toward me.

  “Good morning, Mr. Kent.” Her voice was the same, distant and formal. But the whole effect was destroyed by the smile that quirked up one side of her mouth. And when I got a look at her, I nearly swallowed my tongue. She was wearing one of her flirty little skirts, pairing it with cotton tank that hugged her tits. It was topped with a sweater, but that didn’t hide the swell of cleavage.

  “Donavan, you look so fucking hot this morning.” I spoke deliberately, just to see the flush of pink steal over her cheeks. Sure enough, there it was.

  “Thank you for the compliment. I think.” She glanced around the large space that would eventually be the quiet room for the Riverside Spa. “Where is everyone?”

  “Detail crew starts in the main building this morning, and Linc’s overseeing that. The local guys are working in here, but they won’t begin for another twenty minutes or so.” I brushed dust off my shirt and reached to snag Abby’s hand. “That means we’re alone.” Drawing her closer, I slid my fingers under her sweater, just grazing the undersides of her boobs as I kissed her lips.

  Fifteen minutes later, the first workmen arrived on the site, passing a slightly-disheveled and flustered boss lady. They may also have wondered why I couldn’t stand up for the next ten minutes.

  That was how the week went: stolen kisses whenever we were alone, a little more groping each time we were together, all interspersed with our regular meetings, during which we both pretended that nothing had changed between us. But each time Abby called me ‘Mr. Kent’, I wanted to throw her down on the floor and kiss her senseless.

  By the time we got to Friday, I couldn’t wait to get Abby alone, and not just because I wanted to touch her. I realized I wanted to talk to her about more than just the hotel. I wanted to find out more about her, tell her about me. I wanted to hear her laugh, and I wanted to see her blush.

  I left the hotel a little late when I was held up by the electrician. Once we were finished, I had just enough time to grab a shower and get dressed. Linc caught me as I was buttoning my shirt.

  “Well, aren’t you fancy tonight? What’s the rush, Casanova?”

  I had decided that I wasn’t going to lie to Lincoln about my relationship with Abby. He wouldn’t like it, probably, but we’d always been honest with each other. On the other hand, I didn’t have to blab it all out at once if he didn’t actually ask.

  “Going out.” I tucked my shirt into the waistband of my pants.

  “I didn’t figure you’d dressed up to spend a quiet night at home with me. Where’re you heading? Not the Tide, huh?”

  “No.”

  “So you’re taking our lady boss out of town to wine and dine her?”

  “Yeah, I—wait, what? How did you know?” I gaped at Lincoln. Here I’d been sneaking around all week, thinking I was being stealthy, and he’d figured it out?

  He laughed. “Ry, buddy, I wasn’t born yesterday. You think I missed the sparks between the two of you last weekend at Cooper’s workshop? Or how you sprinted out after her when she left? Or the lipstick on your neck every day after you leave the outbuildings and come into the main hotel?” He shook his head. “I’m not stupid or blind, dude.”

  I fastened the cuffs on my shirt. “Are you pissed at me?”

  “Ryland, I’m not your father or your boss. I’m not even your partner. I can tell you I think it’s a bad idea to get involved with the client, but I can’t fire you. I can’t ground you. You gotta do what you think is right.” He paused. “And she’s pretty cool. I have to admit it. She’s tough, yeah, but she knows what she’s doing, and she’s fair.”

  “So I have your blessing?”

  Linc smirked. “I thought we just established you don’t need my blessing. But if you want it, then sure.” He hesitated, as though he wanted to say more. “Just be careful, okay, man? The lady boss isn’t one of your typical girls. She’s all about long term and forevers, if you haven’t noticed. Don’t mess with her if you’re just looking for a quickie, okay?”

  “I’m way ahead of you, Linc. I know Abby isn’t an easy lay. And I don’t want that with her.” I rubbed my jaw. “I don’t know about forever. We haven’t known each other very long. But she’s the first woman I’ve ever met where I can see the possibility of . . . longer. Does that make sense?”

  “Yup. And I’m happy for you, Ry.” He glanced at the clock. “Now you better haul ass or you’re going to be late to pick her up and she’ll freeze you with her ice stare.”

  But there wasn’t any ice in sight when I climbed the steps to Abby’s apartment again. The dinner crowd was still there in force at the Tide, and I waved to Emmy as I walked through the dining room. I didn’t miss the arch smile on her face, but I chose to ignore it.

  I didn’t have to beat on the door tonight. I knocked lightly, and the door swung open. And for the space of several minutes, I forgot to breathe.

  She was wearing a dress in a shade of green that exactly matched her eyes. The material clung to her breasts below the rounded neckline before falling into a skirt that ended several inches above her knees. Of course she was wearing heels. I had a sudden image of Abby on her back, legs wrapped around my waist as her high heel shoes dug into my skin. I hoped the swell between my legs didn’t show.

  She’d left her hair down, and it shimmered around her shoulders, the ends teasing her pale skin left bare by the straps of her dress.

  “My God, Abby.” I reached one finger to touch her cheek, as though I were afraid she might break. “You’re gorgeous. I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman in m
y life.”

  She blushed, and suddenly she was even more breathtaking. “Thank you. You look very handsome, too. Just let me grab my sweater, and I’ll be right with you.”

  I stood on the landing as she locked the door to her apartment and then hesitated. “Do you want me to go down first, and then you come in a little bit? So people don’t see us together?”

  I swallowed a laugh. “Abby, darlin’, there’s just your apartment up here. If people see us come down together or separately, they’re going to figure out we were both in here. I say let’s throw caution to the wind and walk down together.”

  She smiled, drew in a deep breath, and offered me her hand. I clasped it firmly in mine and led her down the steps.

  I helped her into my truck—having to give her a boost while holding her hips was definitely not a hardship—and then jogged around to my own seat. We headed out of the Cove and into the fading light of dusk.

  “Lincoln knows about us.” I hadn’t meant to blurt out the words, but I wanted Abby to be aware of it. “He figured it out this week.”

  “Was he mad?” She crossed her legs and the skirt of her dress fluttered, riding up and showing me her inner thigh. Damn.

  “No. He just told me to be careful. He likes you.”

  “Does he? I’m glad. I like him, too.” She brushed the hair off her shoulders, and the movement sent an intoxicating scent drifting my way. “How long have you known Linc?”

  I smiled. “For ten years. I met him on my very first job, just out of vocational school. I was this cocky kid, and Linc knew what he was doing. I was smart enough to stick by him and watch. He took me under his wing, and brought me home to introduce me to his wife. Once that happened, they started to feed me. A few jobs, I actually lived with them.”

  “Linc’s married?”

  I sighed. “Widowed. Four years now.”

  “Oh, my God, I’m sorry. She must have been very young.”

  I navigated the entrance to the highway. “She was. And very cool. Funny, smart, and kind.” I glanced at Abby. “You remind me of Sylvia a little. Though you’re a little more . . . contained than she was.”