by Beth Ciotta
“Ben and Mina put in their two cents,” Sam said with a proud smile.
“Miss those rug rats. Haven’t seen them in a while.”
“You should come around more often.”
“Yeah, I should.” Luke felt a rush of shame. He’d always looked up to Sam, hung on his coattails even, but then Paula had died and Sam had grown somber and remote. Luke had felt awkward, not knowing what to say or do. He’d spent a lot of time dodging one-on-ones, not that Sam was forthcoming with his personal feelings. Still, Luke could’ve been more present. Just in case.
Sam cut him a curious glance. “Why are you here now?”
“It’s about last night,” Luke blurted, feeling the urgent need to help his cousin pronto. “Your date with Rachel. I don’t want you to be discouraged.”
“Why would I be discouraged?”
He was kidding, right? “Not that I was watching—”
“Everyone watched. The pathetic widower and the timid day-care assistant. Will they or won’t they? Sugar Creek’s own reality show.”
Well, hell.
Sam chucked his pencil and moved to a mini-fridge wedged under his workbench. “Beer?”
“Sure.”
They twisted off the caps of the longnecks in tandem. Sam sat on an old pickle barrel. Luke plopped on a crate. He reveled in the taste of local ale, the smell of sawdust, and Sam’s confident manner.
“All I know about Rachel is what I’ve learned through Cupcake Lovers meetings and events,” Sam said. “Which isn’t much. Part of the charm of the club is when everyone shares news about loved ones in the military or when they open up about some difficulty in their personal life or announce good news. We commiserate. We celebrate. And, naturally, we gossip. Some more than others. Rachel…” Sam shrugged. “She rarely speaks.”
Luke raised a brow. “This from someone who’s famous for being a man of few words.”
“I participate. You’d be surprised.”
“You like baking. That was a surprise.”
Sam chugged beer, then grinned. “Who knew? Amazing what we learn about ourselves when we step out of our comfort zone.”
“So what did you learn about yourself last night?” Luke asked. “Dating. That’s out of your comfort zone, right?”
“I learned that I’m attracted to Rachel even more than I thought.”
Huh. “No offense and no disrespect to Rachel, but what do you see in her?”
“A tortured soul.”
“Sounds complicated and depressing. Wouldn’t you rather be with an upbeat free spirit?”
“What? Like one of the Kelly twins? Blond, buxom, and giggly? No.”
“There’s a middle ground, you know. Take Chloe.”
“Dev already did.”
“Hypothetical,” Luke said with a snort. “What about Casey Monahan?”
“Casey’s great. You should give her a call.”
“All right, all right. You’re attracted to Rachel. I get it.”
“Do you?”
Luke sipped beer and mulled that over. Was it the soldier in Sam? The desire to rescue a lost soul, to protect the vulnerable? Or was it because he hadn’t been able to protect or save Paula from cancer?
“You’re thinking too hard,” Sam said with a teasing glint in his eye. “Here’s the thing: Rachel may be damaged and repressed, but her actions hint of a warm nature. She’s generous and kind. That’s appealing. She isn’t self-absorbed or shallow. Also appealing. And when she smiles…” Another shrug. “My heart does this funny jerk. I thought my heart was dead, Luke.”
Shit. “So how did you leave things when you dropped her at home last night?”
“No good-night kiss, if that’s what you’re asking. It was awkward and tense, but I blame myself more than anything. Hell, it took me six months to ask her out, and even then I was prodded into it by Daisy. Rachel was put on the spot. We both were. There were expectations. That’s a lot of pressure for the first date.”
Luke raised a brow. “So there’s going to be a second?”
“I asked. She said she’d think about it, which, in Rachel’s very polite way, meant ‘no.’”
“But you’re not giving up.”
“No.”
“Do you have any common interests?”
“Kids and cupcakes. Plus, she’s got a brother in the military. He’s stationed in the Middle East.”
“Know much about him?”
Sam shook his head. “I know she loves him and worries about him. Period.”
Luke scratched his head, trying to think of a way to get Rachel to loosen up. “Rachel’s only lived in Sugar Creek, what? A year?”
“Something like that.”
“What do you know of her life before here?”
“Next to nothing. She doesn’t talk about herself. When she does talk it’s about Sugar Tots or Cupcake Lovers.”
“Did she tell you Gretchen cut back her hours and that she asked me about a waitress position at the Shack?”
“No.” Sam angled his head. “Did you hire her?”
“She seemed sort of desperate.”
“That would be a yes.”
“Maybe I could pry a little. Not that I’m bragging, but I’m pretty good with getting to know women.”
“You are bragging, you arrogant shit,” Sam said in a teasing tone. “But do me a favor and don’t.”
“She’s friends with Casey, right? Maybe you could pump her—”
“I don’t want to pry. Not like that.”
“Then how—”
“Patience.”
“I’m more of a go-getter myself. Man of action.”
“I know.” Sam’s mouth quirked. “How’s that going for you? As far as someone special?”
Now it was Luke’s turn to shrug. “Guess you heard about Connie and Lizzie.”
“Everyone heard. You know Sugar Creek. What I don’t understand is why you broke off with Bridget.”
“Because she thought she was special and she wasn’t.”
“But you broke one of your cardinal dating rules and spent the night with her. All night into the next morning.”
“Heard that, too, did you?”
“Everyone heard.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “I was exhausted due to a long dogged day, plus I had too much to drink.”
“Ah. So instead of leading Bridget on, you ended the relationship.” Sam toasted him with his half-empty bottle. “You may be a hound, Cuz, but you’re a hound with a conscience.”
“Thanks. I guess.”
“Imagine if you directed all that charm on one woman.”
“One woman couldn’t take it.”
Sam laughed.
Luke smiled. It was good to hear Sam laugh. Anxious for them to part on an up note, Luke polished off his beer and stood. “See you at Gram’s for dinner?”
“Nah. The kids will be at their grandparents’ until later this evening. I want to take advantage of the free time and make as much progress on the jungle gym as I can.”
Luke eyed the lumber and tools. He’d sort of tanked with the dating advice, but his heart was still in the “good deed” game. “Can I help?”
“Sure.” Sam slapped him on the shoulder. “Just watch yourself with my buzz saw and don’t cut off anything important. The women of Franklin County would never forgive me.”
Smiling, Luke consulted the penciled drawing and listened to Sam’s instruction, basking in their unexpected reconnection. More than ever Luke wanted to help his cousin in his quest to win over Rachel. “Patience, huh?”
Sam grinned. “It’s not just a virtue; it’s a secret weapon.”
* * *
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“You look tense.”
“Just focused,” Chloe lied. She was wound tighter than a trussed turkey.
Devlin moved in and massaged her shoulders as she cut two-inch rounds of biscuits and transferred the dough to a pan. “Can I help?”
Chloe smiled at his offer. Until he’d met her, the financial wiz and CEO of J.T. Monroe’s Department Store had relied on ready-made foods and his microwave. Even now he was a bit of a menace in the kitchen. Not that she planned on booting him out. Daisy’s home kitchen was enormous, a slice of deluxe-appliance heaven to Chloe and normally a place of bliss. Today, however, she was on edge.
Yes, she was relieved that Rocky had confided in Devlin about her teenage folly with Jayce, hugely relieved, and Chloe counted her lucky stars Devlin hadn’t made a stink about her keeping Rocky’s secret. But Chloe expected more fireworks from Rocky and Jayce, suspected a possible bomb from Daisy, and worried about whatever was brewing between Devlin and his dad. Not to mention her own personal potential crisis.
Stomach queasy, Chloe glanced over her shoulder at the man who lit up her life. “You can help by keeping me company. I’ve missed you.”
Devlin wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss to her temple. “We’d be together more if you moved in with me.”
“We’ve discussed this.” Shoulders bolstered, she slipped Devlin’s embrace and placed the biscuits in the oven, then returned to finish prepping the vegetable platter for Daisy’s cocktail hour. Chloe had learned that fresh veggies helped to offset the zany or toxic flavor of her former employer’s featured drink. “I need more time to prove that I can make it on my own,” Chloe said. “Even living here with Daisy isn’t ideal. Now that I’m no longer officially working for her, I should be paying some sort of rent, but she won’t let me. I’ve been meaning to look for a place of my own, but between preparing for the opening of Moose-a-lotta and interviewing new companions for Daisy, I don’t know where the time goes.” She realized suddenly that her hands were trembling and her throat was tight.
Devlin grasped her shoulders and finessed her around and into his arms. “You’ve been working too hard.”
She quirked a feeble smile. “This from a self-professed workaholic.”
“I’ve been trying to cut back. But between J.T.’s, the Shack, and various other investments … Like you said, I don’t know where the time goes.” He stroked a thumb over her cheek. “Move in with me, Melon Girl, and we’ll make the most of more time together.”
Every time he called her that, Chloe regressed to the moment they’d initially bumped into each other at Oslow’s General Store. Her pulse skipped as keenly now as the first time she looked up into his blueberry-blue eyes. “You’re nothing if not persistent.”
“And you’re charmingly proud if not stubborn. Moving in with me does not equate to taking advantage of me financially,” Dev said.
“Would you let me pay rent?”
“You’re my lover, not a boarder.”
“I need to be a partner, Devlin. An equal partner.”
“The house is paid for, honey. I can’t take your money.”
“What if I paid half of the utilities?”
“I don’t feel right about that.”
“Then I can’t move in.” She turned back to the raw vegetables and concentrated on slicing a cucumber. Yes, she was prideful, dammit. Her dad had funded her lifestyle for years and then Ryan—the man she’d mistakenly thought she’d had a future with. She’d moved straight out of his apartment into this house with Daisy. Moving into Devlin’s house without contributing financially in any way was taking advantage and detrimental to her vow to take charge of her life. How did Devlin not see that?
He grasped her forearms, stilled her angry chopping. “Okay.” He kissed the back of her head, held her close. “We’ll figure out something. Divvy up the utilities, household chores. Whatever it takes. Partners.”
Chloe’s heart pounded and tears pricked her eyes. It was not as if Devlin had proposed marriage, but it felt just as romantic.
“Sure smells good in here.” Nash Bentley, one of Devlin’s many cousins, blew into the kitchen and ruined the moment. “Ham?”
Chloe caught Devlin’s eye and mouthed, Okay. Then, basking in his beaming smile, she glanced over at Nash. “Baked ham with my special glaze.”
“Can’t wait,” Nash said, then sighed. “Don’t suppose there’s any way to ensure Daisy’s new companion has a culinary degree like you?”
“Sorry, but that’s not a priority,” Chloe said.
“Sunday dinners won’t be the same,” Nash complained while filching a beer from the fridge.
“Unless Daisy allows me to claim Sundays as my night to cook.”
“Start of a new tradition,” Devlin said. “I like the sound of that.”
“Best news I’ve heard all week,” Nash said, eyeing the triple chocolate cake cooling on the counter. “Speaking of news, how about Jayce moving back into town? What’s he gonna do? Join the Sugar Creek police force? Even that would be boring compared to what he’s used to.”
“Wouldn’t mind if he took Deputy Burke’s place,” Chloe mumbled as she arranged a colorful display of veggies and dip.
“Better yet,” Nash said, “Sheriff Stone’s up for reelection next month. If Jayce ran against him, he’d win for sure. Then we’d have one of our own keeping the Burkes in line. Father and son.”
“Not a bad idea, but Jayce has other plans,” Devlin said to Nash, then turned a troubled gaze on Chloe. “Did Billy hassle you again?”
“No, no. Haven’t seen him in over a week,” Chloe said, sorry she’d brought up the name. “He just … he gives me the creeps.” Billy Burke, son of the mayor of Sugar Creek. Tasha’s stepson. Tasha was closer to Billy’s age than her husband’s, which was sort of weird, but worse, Chloe had caught Billy leering at his stepmother in a wolfish way and Tasha flirting back. That was icky. Not to mention wrong. Billy, like Tasha, was married to someone else. Clearly he didn’t take his vows seriously. Not long after Chloe had moved into town, Billy had felt her up during a supposedly official frisk—not that she’d been able to prove it. Still, Devlin believed her. The only reason he hadn’t retaliated was because Chloe had begged him not to. The Burkes were in a position to make life difficult for the Monroes. She didn’t want to stoke the family feud.
“Here.” Chloe shoved the colorful vegetable platter into Nash’s empty hand. “Take this into the living room, will you, please? Who else is here?”
“So far just me. Luke drove over to pick up Rocky, who, as you know, is temporarily without a license. Sam begged off. I think he’s embarrassed about his bomb date with Rachel. The whole town’s buzzing about that one. And Jayce isn’t here yet.”
“What about Vince?”
“Gram said he’ll be a few minutes late.”
“All right, well go out there and keep Daisy company,” Chloe said while shooing Nash. “Otherwise she’ll try to hobble in here and help.”
“Or indulge in too many … What’s the featured cocktail?” Devlin asked.
Nash grimaced. “Screaming Fuzzy Navel.”
“Disgusting ingredient?” Chloe asked.
“Peach schnapps.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“It does if you’re a hard-core beer drinker.” Scowling, Nash disappeared over the threshold with his bottled brew and the veggie tray.
“Sunday dinners are usually reserved for family,” Devlin said.
Wary, Chloe moved to the stove to check on the simmering Potato Leek Soup. “Meaning?”
“Vince Redding isn’t family.”
Here we go. “No, but he’s Daisy’s friend. Monica and Leo occasionally attend. And what about me? I’m not family.”
“You’re as good as family,” Devlin said, reaching into the fridge for a bottle of chilled wine. “Vince is…”
“A nice man.”
“They’ve been seeing an awful lot of each other, Gram and Vince.”
“You should be glad. He chauffeurs her around when I need to be at the café, and since she’s being stubborn about hiring a new companion—”
“Okay, okay.” Devlin passed Chloe a glass of chardonnay and smiled. “You win.”
&n
bsp; “I know you don’t approve—”
“I’ll be pleasant; I swear.”
Chloe clinked her glass to his, then casually set it aside. “While we’re on the subject of being pleasant,” she said, “please go easy on Rocky and Jayce tonight.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t push. I know you want them to get along, as if nothing ever happened, as if you harbor no gripes about the … indiscretion and secret, but—”
“I won’t push.”
Chloe blinked. “Really?”
“I’ve got a new tactic where those two are concerned. Now that Jayce is living here they’ll be forced to work out their differences. I’ll just hover in the background, in case I need to step in and mediate.”
Chloe’s lip twitched. “I’m not sure hovering is much different than pushing.”
“Big difference,” Devlin said. “Trust me.”
“What if working out their differences means getting together romantically?” Chloe asked. Rocky had made a Freudian slip during her tell-all meltdown. “Your sister will deny it, but she’s still hung up on Jayce.”
Devlin nodded. “She’s got Jayce twisted up, too.”
“He admitted that?”
“Jayce doesn’t give up much, if anything, about his personal feelings. Let’s just say I can read him. Most of the time,” he added, then sipped wine.
“So if they hook up,” Chloe ventured, “you’re all right with that?”
“I just want them to be happy. Whatever that entails.”
Enchanted by Devlin’s devotion to family and friends, Chloe moved into his arms. “Is it any wonder that I love you, Devlin Monroe?”
“No wonder at all,” he teased. “So when are you moving in?”
When Daisy hires a companion? When it feels right? “Soon.”
Blue eyes sparking, he leaned in and brushed his mouth over hers. “Maybe you could use some incentive.”
“Maybe I could,” Chloe said, then welcomed her lover’s enticing kiss.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“Are you sure nothing weird happened in New York?”
Rocky slid Luke a look as he steered his V-6 Explorer over the potted back road leading into Sugar Creek. “You mean aside from getting mugged by a thief and nicked by a car?”