“Absolutely,” she added.
Muriella sighed, her attention on Vivian. “You’re on his side.”
“I’m completely on yours,” she said, her expression serious.
“Is that why you haven’t said a thing during this conversation?” She flicked a hand in my direction.
“Exactly why.”
Muriella lifted her chin. “The minute I decide I’m done, you’ll bring me straight home.”
“Or call Vivian,” I said.
“Or call Vivian,” she repeated. The annoyance in her voice had an undercurrent of affection.
“I promise you’ll be glad you said yes.”
“I didn’t say yes yet.”
It had been a long time since I’d seen her stubborn side. While I wished it had made its appearance on another day, it still did things to me. She was a challenge, and I liked to overcome hard stuff.
“Well?” I looked at her expectantly.
“Let’s go.” She pushed past Vivian and me and walked toward the foyer.
I caught her at the door. “Where’s your coat?”
Without a word, she retrieved it from the closet. I took it from her hands and helped her into it.
“Don’t forget this.” A purse dangled from Vivian’s fingers. “I put your phone inside.”
“Thanks,” Muriella mumbled.
“Keep your phone close,” I instructed Vivian while I opened the front door. As Muriella eased through, I said, “If you don’t say yes, this is just a practice round.”
She straightened up, squared her shoulders and looked me right in the eye, showing the courage I had come to admire. “Yes,” she said.
I held up both of my hands. “I’ll be good. I promise.”
Chapter Three
Muriella
Six Years Earlier
“I’m Stone Jacobs.”
I froze. Before me stood a long-legged cowboy with jeans and a plaid shirt molded to his muscular frame. He removed his hat and canted his head, a roguish smile on his lips. A man had never rendered me speechless, let alone sent this odd sensation running through me. Frankly, I was immune to the charms of the opposite sex, though I admit I paid attention to them. I just wasn’t sexually attracted to them. If I were, I probably would have been head over heels for Daniel.
He and Vivian had mentioned a new actor acquaintance of Daniel’s was coming over for dinner. Now I wished I’d at least looked him up so I wouldn’t be standing here as if I’d never seen a man before. I felt my defenses rising and circumventing my usually impeccable manners.
“Is that the best stage name you could come up with?” I finally asked. A glance at Vivian revealed wide eyes at my snippy remark. I was a little shocked too. I’d taken the words right from her mouth, but the difference was it would have come out more like a ribbing from her. My tone was insulting, a bit cruel even, and that wasn’t me. Vivian’s shock turned into a knowing smirk. Even Daniel had one on his face. I was going to get all kinds of grief for this later.
To his credit, Stone let the insult roll right off him. “It’s the name my mama gave me.”
His smooth Southern accent did strange things to my insides, and I didn’t like it. “Boulder didn’t have the right ring to it?” Muriella! What is wrong with you?
Vivian’s hand flew over her mouth to cover a snicker, and I glowered at her. She winked at me, and I wanted to disappear.
“Nah. Besides, that one was already taken…by my older brother.” He spoke with a straight face, and I really wanted to smile.
I was being rude, and he acted as though he didn’t even notice. “Let me guess? Your father’s name is Rock?” Enough already. This man was a guest in our home, and I was treating him terribly, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. This was self-preservation in its worst form.
He flashed me an easygoing smile, as if he understood exactly what I was doing and wasn’t going to hold it against me. “You’re a generation off. That was my grandfather’s name. My father is Boulder, Sr.”
“So you’re all hard-headed?”
“My mother complains we all suffer from it.”
“Want a beer, Stone?” Daniel interjected, finally rescuing me from my utter loss of couth.
“Sounds good,” he said, though his chocolate eyes remained firmly on me. “Now that we’ve been through my family’s history of names, you gonna tell me yours?”
“Muriella.”
“Muriella.” When he repeated my name, slowly, as if he were committing it to memory, my stomach took a nose dive, as if I’d just jumped off the roof of the building. “Beautiful name. Who’s it after?”
“The guardian angel my mother promised watches over me and my brother.”
“I didn’t know that.” Vivian wrapped her arms around me from behind and rested her chin on my shoulder. I relaxed into her embrace; her affection had become a necessity for me. “Hey, let’s drink champagne,” she said with her usual ebullience. “I know we’re grilling burgers, but I think we need to celebrate.”
“What are we celebrating?” Stone asked.
“Meeting a new member of our inner circle.” She kissed my cheek and flashed a grin at Stone no man could resist. Except his attention was solely on me. I felt a sudden urge to run, fast and far.
“Shall we take this party to the roof?” Daniel suggested, though he was really directing. “I’ll carry the beer.”
“And the champagne,” Vivian said, releasing me and grabbing a bottle from the fridge. She put it in the bucket of beer and ice in Daniel’s hands.
I retrieved the tray of hamburger patties. “Carry this please,” I said to Stone, as if he were exactly what Vivian had said he was—part of our inner circle.
I picked up the basket with buns and loaded it with all the trimmings for our burgers. Vivian and I loved blue cheese and caramelized onions on ours, which I’d prepared in advance. Patriotic Vivian had insisted on making a flag cake with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream for our Fourth of July celebration. She loved to make an occasion out of any day.
I watched in horror as she peeled back the Saran wrap and dipped a finger in our flag cake. “Vivian. We have a guest,” I chastised. If it had been just the three of us, I’d still have said something out of instinct, even though I really didn’t care. I loved her zeal for life, that she did as she pleased, and her easy-going manner was good for Daniel. He shook his head, a small smile on his lips.
“This is good, but we should have done peach cobbler,” she stated matter-of-factly in true Vivian fashion.
“I knew you’d want that even when you insisted on the flag cake. I’ll make you one this weekend,” I promised, gathering napkins and paper plates.
Since Vivian had barged into our lives, my knowledge of Southern desserts had infinitely expanded. Her whole way of life was infectious, exactly what Daniel and I had needed.
“Come on, Princess,” Daniel said, gripping her elbow and steering her toward the roof access.
“I’m negotiating for a peach cobbler,” she said, digging her index finger into his chest. “Something you’ll reap the benefits of.”
He leaned down and kissed her. Their easy affection made my heart warm despite how used to it I was. “She already said she’d make it.” They disappeared from the kitchen.
“What else can I take?” Stone asked, erasing the distance between us.
“We’re good,” I said, far too breathlessly for my liking. He had invaded my space. The scent of sunshine and outdoors flooded me.
“They mean a lot to you,” he observed.
“More than anything,” I said, shifting the basket in my arms.
He cocked his head to the side as if attempting to see inside my mind.
Uncomfortable with his scrutiny, I blathered on. “Have you ever prayed for God to save you from a situation so desperate that it’s impossible?”
“No.”
“Then you wouldn’t understand,” I said and walked toward the stairs.
&
nbsp; He followed me up to our rooftop terrace. Daniel and Vivian were kissing by the grill.
“They always like this?” Stone asked, far too close to me for my comfort.
“Yes.” I breezed past them, placing the sheet pan on the table I’d set up earlier. “Put that there, please.” I pointed to the side arm of the grill. He complied without question, then moved to the bucket with our drinks. He poured two flutes of champagne.
“Here you are, darlin’,” he said, handing one to me and setting the other down for Vivian. Not only was he humble, but a gentleman too. God help me if he called me darlin’ again.
“Thank you,” I said, lifting the lid to the grill. I was in charge here, at least until Daniel unlocked lips with V to flip the burgers.
With a look that asked if it was okay but didn’t wait for permission, Stone took the spatula from my hand and moved the meat onto the grates above the coals. It was a task I’d done a thousand times, but there was something about watching him do it that made it a brand new experience. He fit right in with our dynamic. Vivian had seemed like a missing puzzle piece; she completed the picture. I didn’t think we needed anyone else, but Stone made me question that. He is here for me.
I shoved the thought away as soon as it came into my head. I knew my destiny, and falling in love wasn’t part of it. All I wanted was safety and the love my two best friends provided. Although I wanted Daniel to have a friend he trusted beyond our walls, I didn’t need any part of it.
But I couldn’t deny something was different about him. Stone made me nervous because I felt him to my core. It was as if I’d known him my entire life even though we’d just met. His effect on me was more powerful than the one I’d felt when I’d met Daniel or Vivian. That was a strong statement in itself.
The way he’d smiled as he passed me the glass of champagne stirred an unfamiliar part of me. He made me feel things I never thought possible and certainly didn’t understand.
“Why do Texans always feel that they have to man the barbecue?” Vivian asked. Being from Texas herself, Vivian suffered from the same complex.
“I didn’t realize the two of you had unlocked lips,” I retorted, giving her a playful shove.
“Test out Stone’s and see if you want to stop,” Vivian challenged.
My chest seized, the thought intolerable because it was actually not so unpleasant. I sank down in one of the lounge chairs and tried to control my breathing.
“Vivian,” Daniel warned, coming to my defense. He understood.
“When you’re up for it, I am too,” Stone said easily, taking the lounger beside me and stretching out.
I clamped my lips together. They were teasing me, but the urge to panic edged closer to the surface.
Stone held my gaze, eyes alight as he took a swig of his beer. “Damn that’s good. Nothing like a cold beer.”
“I’ve had them icing down all day. Figured you for a beer drinker, and if we’re going to do a holiday barbecue, we’re going to do it right,” Daniel said.
“Sounds like a good approach to life,” Stone observed.
I took a long sip of my champagne, hoping to settle my nerves. It was half gone before I realized it, and when Vivian looked at my glass and then at me, I knew what she was thinking: that I was dangerously close to breaking my rule of only getting drunk on Christmas.
It was the Fourth of July. A holiday to celebrate. But my rule was about control. About not becoming like the man I hated. I didn’t want to hate my father, didn’t want to feel anything toward that monster. It only gave him more power over me. Time should have mitigated the way I felt, but if anything, it was a festering wound, worse with every passing year.
“If it bothers you that much I touched your grill, I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
Stone’s voice drew me out of my negative thoughts, and three worried faces looked at me while trying not to be obvious. “Not the best way to make a good first impression,” I said, completely missing the mark again when I tried to inject a little levity. I still came off as rude and stuck-up.
“He’s made an impression all right,” Vivian said, and I gave her a lethal stare before escaping back to the grill.
Vivian sat down beside Stone, drawing him into conversation as Daniel and I pretended the flame on the grill was too hot and needed attending to.
“I liked Stone when I met him, but I never considered the effect he’d have on you when I invited him over,” Daniel said quietly.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I huffed, picking up the spatula and then setting it down again.
Daniel closed the lid on the grill and gave me his don’t-insult-me-by-not-being-honest look. I pursed my lips.
He slipped an arm around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head. I leaned into him.
“You seem out of sorts. And don’t feed me some bullshit that it’s not him.”
“You mean like you did when you met Vivian?”
“Exactly like that,” he conceded. “There’s nothing wrong with letting someone else in our lives.”
“You know why I can’t,” I said firmly.
“I didn’t necessarily mean as a lover.”
I sighed, leaning my head against his chest. “With you and Vivian, it was so easy. I’m happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to be.”
“That’s the thing about happiness, M. It doesn’t have fixed parameters. It can grow and expand.”
“Are you trying to tell me politely that I’m a third wheel and you want me to fly from the nest?” I was teasing, but this was the first time I’d really considered I might be in the way of my best friends’ relationship.
Daniel gripped both my forearms. “If anything, I’m worried about the day you decide to be on your own. While I want you to have the most out of life, selfishly I want you to always be with us.”
Tears clouded my eyes, and I swallowed hard. “I always will be. My place is with you and Vivian.”
“Glad we got that cleared up.” He winked at me, and I smiled. “May I check on the burgers or are you going to bite my head off about it too?” he asked, casting a glance at Stone, who was watching us carefully. Hidden behind Stone’s easygoing facade was a trace of tension. His fingers tightened around his bottle of beer.
“You’re going to do it anyway,” I said, feeling the first semblance of normalcy since Stone had joined us. “Want another beer?”
“Please,” Daniel was already poking around in the grill.
I grabbed one from the bucket, twisted off the cap, and flicked it at him before setting his drink beside him. He turned and gave me a look, at which I grinned as I swiped the cap off the ground. Now I felt I could be more like the hostess I usually was.
“What about you, Stone? Are you ready for another?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I flicked the cap at him once I had it twisted off and it hit him square in the chest. He lifted an amused brow, and I handed him the cold beer, holding my hand out for the cap lying in his lap. That was a mistake. As soon as his fingers brushed mine, I sucked in a breath and his eyes flared. I snatched my hand back, losing big chunks of the composure I’d just cobbled together. With trembling fingers, I set the bottle cap on a side table. The champagne bottle was a magnet for my rattled nerves. I refilled Vivian’s and my flutes to capacity, ignoring her smug look.
“I just love making new friends, don’t you, M?”
I clinked glasses with her. “It’s the best,” I returned sarcastically.
“I better check on the hamburgers and put the buns on. Daniel can’t do anything without me.” Vivian almost skipped over to the grill, leaving me on my own with Stone.
“You can sit down. I don’t bite,” he said, patting Vivian’s vacated lounge chair.
Tentatively, I dropped and stretched out my legs. The sun sank lower in the sky, although it was impossible to see with all the buildings blocking it.
“So what brings you to New York?” I asked, instantly regretting the lame question. I ma
y as well have asked what his sign was.
If he minded, he was good at pretending he didn’t. “Promotion for a new movie I’m in. It premiers next week.”
“Congratulations. You must be excited.”
He shrugged and took a sip of his beer. “I guess.”
“Or not,” I observed, twirling the stem of my glass.
“This is my first rodeo with all this stuff. I’ve done a few interviews, but red carpets, not so much.”
“Are you nervous?” I asked, yet another silly question. Stone Jacobs seemed like the kind of man who had nerves of steel.
“Nah. More put out by being away from my horses for a few days. Fortunately, I’m a nobody, so I can keep most of the attention off me.” He looked up at the blue patch of sky as it turned indigo.
“If you don’t like the attention, why did you become an actor?”
He chuckled at that. “Good question. About two years ago, some big Hollywood studio types came to our ranch offering a decent amount to use the place as the set for a movie. The money was too good to pass up. I stuck close to make sure the horses were treated humanely. The guy who was supposed to be the lead couldn’t mount one and say his lines at the same time. I tried to give him some training, more for my horse’s sake than his, but it was useless. He spooked one of my stallions and got thrown off. He had a fit, flung a few phrases I can’t repeat, and walked off the set. Next thing I know, I’m saying lines and kissing some lady actor I was supposed to have heard of but hadn’t.”
A little “hmph” escaped me as I was hit by yet another unfamiliar feeling. For some reason, the thought of his lips on another woman’s did not sit well with me.
“Well, best of luck on your budding romance.” And I was back to being the rude, insufferable person I’d been most of the evening.
“No disrespect to Daily, but I’ve had better kisses with my labs. And I sure as hell wouldn’t attempt a relationship with the likes of her. That woman redefines high maintenance.”
“Daily? As in Daily Campbell?”
Three Dates (Paths To Love Book 2) Page 2