I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt this, but he was right—this shouldn’t have happened. We could be friends but nothing more. I couldn’t allow anything or anyone to distract me from caring for my uncle and doing one last thing for him before he passed.
“I should go.” I peeled his hands from my face before I bent to reach for my purse and keys.
“You’re still coming to dinner tomorrow night, right?” he asked, sounding uncertain. “I don’t want this to impact our working relationship.”
I pasted on a bright smile to put his mind at ease before turning around. “Sure, we’ll still come to dinner. Does six o’clock work for you?”
“Yeah, that works.” He reached around me for the door handle.
His chest brushed my back, and I sucked in a sharp breath at the contact.
“We’re kidding ourselves if we think we can deny this,” he whispered in my ear.
I closed my eyes, trying to resist the urge to lean into him as the delectable scent of his cologne wrapped around me. “We have to.”
“You figure out how and fill me in, okay?” he said, his voice low and raspy. “I’ll follow your lead.”
Uh oh. If he was leaving it up to me, we could both be in trouble.
***
I’d decided to wait until morning to share the news of our dinner plans with my uncle. I didn’t want him to lose sleep thinking about it last night. Besides, when I’d come home, I’d still been preoccupied with my thoughts of Seb and just wanted to make sure my uncle got his meds so I could climb into bed and replay the entire night in my head. Which I did. For hours.
During breakfast the next morning, I said, “So, um, I met someone.”
I realized that had come out all wrong when my uncle raised a bushy silver eyebrow as his spoon hovered over his bowl of oatmeal. “It’s about time. I was beginning to think you were gonna become a nun after I’m gone.”
I hated to hear him talk about the end as though it were inevitable. I knew the doctor had told him there was no hope, but Mrs. Ryan was right—miracles happened every day. I still had a shred of hope that my uncle could be one of those miraculous stories. “I didn’t mean I met someone I’m interested in.” Liar. “I met someone I thought you might be interested in meeting.”
He frowned before returning to his oatmeal. “Why would I be interested in meeting someone?”
“Not like that,” I said, rolling my eyes. I reached for the remote to silence the TV. It seemed it was blaring from morning to night these days, and that was driving me slowly crazy. “I met Seb Steele.”
His green eyes widened, looking clearer and brighter than I’d seen them in a long time. “You did? Where?”
I’d have to fib to keep our surprise a secret. I’d call Seb later to fill him in our cover story so we’d be on the same page when he met my uncle. “I met him at the café near his shop. I was there getting a coffee, and so was he. I told him a little bit about you, that you were a big fan of his show, and he said he’d love to meet you. In fact, he invited us to his place for dinner tonight.”
His eyes narrowed as though he was torn between excitement and disbelief. “Why would he want to meet me? Unless he’s interested in you and—”
“It’s not like that.” I laughed self-consciously. God, it was so like that. I hated lying to my uncle, but it was the only way for me to keep my secret. “He just seems like a really good guy, and he wanted to do something nice for you when I told him about your condition.”
He scowled while setting his empty bowl on the end table beside him. “Damn it, Sky, I don’t want his pity. If that’s what this is about—”
“It’s not. I told him you love classic cars almost as much as he does. He thought it would be fun to meet you.”
“He thought it would be fun to meet me?” he asked, sounding skeptical. “Why? He’s surrounded all day, every day by people who know the classic car market like the back of their hands.”
Leave it to my uncle to beat me with logic. “Why are you looking a gift horse in the mouth? If you don’t want to meet him, I can call and tell him you’re not interested.”
“Hold on a sec,” he said, raising his hand. “I didn’t say that now, did I?”
“Then you do want to go?” I’d known he wouldn’t be able to pass up this opportunity.
“I’ll go as long as you’re sure this isn’t some mission of mercy.”
“It isn’t.” I suddenly had an idea that could make this evening even better. “Maybe we should invite Mrs. Ryan to come with us?” I was pretty sure Seb wouldn’t mind. He seemed like a pretty easygoing guy, but I would have to ask him before I invited her.
“Why would we do that?”
I didn’t take Uncle Charlie’s bad moods personally anymore. I just assumed it was the illness talking, not my beloved uncle, but I was getting tired of his perma-scowl. He used to be happy, always laughing and cracking jokes. Maybe his attitude was partially my fault. I’d allowed him to isolate himself in this apartment and give up hope. If anyone could help pull him out of his funk, it was our feisty landlady.
“Because she’s a lovely lady and she’s been good to us.”
He grunted before glaring at the silent TV. “Do what you want. You will anyways.”
I got up and kissed his cheek. “I’ll call Seb, then I’ll go up and see Mrs. Ryan.”
I went into my room and closed the door, wondering if it was too early to call Seb. He’d said he wanted to get an early start working on the car so he could take an inventory of the parts he’d need. After a moment’s hesitation, I dialed, holding my breath.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he said, picking up after the first ring. “I was just thinking about you. Did you sleep well?”
Dare I tell him the truth? “Not really.”
“Why’s that?”
I could tell he was on a fishing expedition, but I was already hooked. “Might have something to do with that kiss.”
“Is that so?” I could almost hear him smiling, which made me smile too. “Glad I wasn’t the only one.”
He’d lost sleep thinking about me? That shouldn’t have made me giddy with excitement, but it did. “I have a favor to ask.”
He chuckled. “Another favor, huh?”
I grimaced. This was getting to be a bad habit. “I was just wondering if we could invite my landlady to dinner tonight.”
“Of course.”
“She’s a great lady. I think you’ll really like her.”
“If you like her, I’m sure I will too,” he said.
The fact that he trusted my judgment made me feel all mushy. It was way too soon for me to be so far gone over this guy. “I think she’s good for my uncle.”
“How so?”
I couldn’t believe a guy like him, who clearly had a lot going on, was so interested in the drama between a couple of seniors simply because they were important to me. “They’re good friends, have been for a long time, but I think she has feelings for him. If he wasn’t so damn stubborn, he’d admit he has feelings for her too.”
Seb laughed. “Are you trying to play matchmaker, Miss West?”
Seeing my uncle find love again would have been so great. Even if they only had a short time together, at least he would leave this world knowing he was loved. “What if I am?”
“I think that’s sweet. In fact, I think you’re pretty sweet.”
“Sweet, huh?” I would have preferred sexy, but I’d take sweet.
My phone beeped, letting me know I had another call. Jarod. He’d left me a message yesterday, but I hadn’t had time to respond.
Feeling guilty, I said, “I have another call. So I guess I’ll see you tonight?”
“I can’t wait. Bye, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart? Mmm, I liked the sound of that. I switched over to Jarod’s call. “Hey, Jarod. Sorry I couldn’t call you yesterday. What’s up?”
“I’m off today and was hoping we could meet for lunch.” He must have sensed my hesitancy because he
added, “I know you’re not interested in dating, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”
“I’d like that. I have to head out to the grocery story later.” I mentally calculated how long it would take me to pick up the ingredients I’d need for the cake, come home and bake it, go up to see Mrs. Ryan, and get ready for dinner. “Does twelve thirty work for you?”
“Perfect. I have some errands to run. Why don’t I text you around eleven thirty to suggest a place to meet?”
“Sounds great. See you later.”
Chapter Five
Skylar
I knocked on Mrs. Ryan’s door as I was leaving for the grocery store, after firing off a quick text to Seb to let him know we’d met at a coffee shop near his garage in case my uncle mentioned it. I’d been so caught up talking about our attraction I’d forgotten to fill him in on our cover story.
“Well, good morning, sweetie,” Mrs. Ryan said with her signature smile. “What brings you by?”
“Two things, actually,” I said, stepping into her cozy apartment. Even though it was small, she’d furnished it with the things she obviously treasured most from the home she’d shared with her family. It was so warm and welcoming that just being there made me feel good. “I was going to the store and wanted to know if you needed anything.”
“Isn’t that nice. Do you have time for a coffee before you go?”
I always made time for Mrs. Ryan, even when I was running late. Plus, the extra time would allow me to ease into the dinner invitation in case she needed a little convincing. “Sure. Thanks.”
“I made some tea biscuits this morning,” she said, setting a plate on the small bistro table in the kitchen. “They’re wonderful with homemade jam. Try one.”
As she moved about the small kitchen, I thought that the best part of having to leave my own home was getting closer to someone like her. She’d filled the void Mom and Nan left in my life when they died, and I hoped she knew how much she meant to me.
“Thanks,” I said, cutting the biscuit and slathering it with jam. I wasn’t hungry but would never have turned down the opportunity to sample one of Mrs. Ryan’s homemade treats. I moaned appreciatively when I took a bite. “These are delicious.”
“You should take some for your uncle,” she said, setting coffee on the table before sitting across from me. “They’re one of his favorites.”
The way she took care of my uncle spoke volumes about her feelings for him, but he was so lost in despondency he either couldn’t see the obvious, or he chose to ignore it.
“Are you sure you’re feeling well enough to bake?” I asked, frowning. “Didn’t the doctor tell you to take it easy for a couple of days?”
She cut her hand through the air. “Nonsense, I know how I feel. I think those chest pains were just anxiety to tell you the truth. I do tend to get worked up over nothing, as my boys would say.”
“Is something bothering you?” I hated to think I’d been so wrapped up in my own troubles that I’d ignored hers.
“No, I was just being silly.” She smoothed her silver-streaked black hair with her hand. “My son was supposed to have gotten home from a business trip yesterday, but his wife hadn’t heard from him. After talking to her, I guess I let my mind wander, assuming the worst. Turns out he took a later flight and is home safe and sound.”
“That’s good,” I said, feeling guilty I hadn’t extracted the entire story from her yesterday. After everything she’d done for us, I liked to think I could be there for her when she needed someone. “I want to invite you to dinner tonight.”
She raised an eyebrow before bringing the coffee mug to her lips. “Does your uncle know about this? You know he doesn’t like to entertain anymore.”
The last word sent a pang of regret through me, reminding me that my uncle had once been outgoing, so unlike the recluse he was now. “Actually, a friend invited us to dinner, and Uncle Charlie’s pretty excited about it.”
“Excited, huh?” She sounded amused. “That’d be a nice change of pace.”
“The friend is Seb Steele.”
She looked amused. If anyone knew about my uncle’s fascination with Seb and his show, it was Mrs. Ryan. “I didn’t know you two were friends.”
I thought about the heated kiss we’d shared at his door and felt my cheeks grow warm. I took a drink, trying to distract myself, but I wasn’t fooling her. She was too sharp.
“Ah, so it’s like that, is it?” She patted my hand. “Good for you. You’ve been putting your life on hold to care for your uncle far too long. It’s about time you got out there and started living again.”
“I don’t mind taking care of him,” I said, hoping I wouldn’t have to explain the nature of my relationship with Seb just yet. I would have to tell her about the car since she would ask me about it as soon as she noticed it was missing from the parking lot. Besides, I would need her to back me up when I told Uncle Charlie we’d had to move it to the underground parking garage. “After all, he took care of me when my parents died. It’s the least I can do.”
“Yeah, but you weren’t a sick, ornery old man. You were no doubt a sweet child, eager to please.”
“Uh, you would be wrong about that.” I’d gone through a hostile phase after my parents died. I was so angry and lashed out at anyone who tried to help me, my uncle included. “I was pretty horrible, but he stuck it out with me. No matter how miserable I was, he just let me do what I needed to do: scream, cry, slam doors, break rules. You name it, I did it.”
“That’s why you feel the need to stick it out with him, no matter how horrible he is to you?”
“He’s not horrible to me.” He was understandably depressed and miserable but rarely mean.
“But he’s not the man you remember.”
“He’s doing the best he can. None of us know how we’d react in his position.”
Mrs. Ryan sighed before nodding slowly. “I guess you’re right. It’s just so damn frustrating to see him like that, giving up instead of fighting like hell and appreciating every day he has.”
“It’s frustrating because you care so much.” I leaned forward, gripping her hand. “Can I ask you a personal question, and please feel free to tell me to mind my own business?”
She smiled while squeezing my hand. “I doubt I will, but go ahead.”
“Are you…” God, this was a lot harder than I’d thought it would be, but I had to know. “Are you in love with my uncle?”
Her lips thinned, her green eyes zeroing in on the old-fashioned calendar attached to the fridge. “I tried to deny it for a long time. I told myself I was crazy to develop feelings for a man who’d already given up on life. I’ve already lost one man I loved, and I sure don’t want to lose another.”
“But we can’t help how we feel, can we?” I thought about what had happened between Seb and me last night. The attraction had been intense, no matter how often I’d tried to tell myself it was a mistake to get carried away.
“No, we can’t.” She pressed her slim fingers against her trembling lips. “The more time I spend with him, the more I see glimpses of the old Charlie. Those reminders made me fall for him, I guess. I loved the man he used to be, but that man is slipping away from us.” Looking as desperate as I felt, she asked, “How can we get him back, Sky?”
“I think I might have an idea.” Putting so much pressure on Seb wasn’t fair, but he truly was our last hope for bringing my uncle out of his deep depression. “Seb is going to fix up Uncle Charlie’s old car as sort of a favor to me.”
“Wow,” she said, her eyes widening. “You must be pretty special to him. I can only imagine how busy he must be.”
“It’s not like that,” I said, not wanting to lead her to believe we were a couple. “I’m going to be helping out at his shop to pay for it. But Uncle Charlie can’t know anything about it. I want it to be a surprise. If he asks, I’m going to tell him we had the car moved to the underground lot to make more room in the visitor’s lot, okay?”
She shrugged. “Sure. But won’t this restoration cost a lot of money? I’ve watched a few of those shows with Charlie, and it seems those restorations cost a small fortune. You’ll be working for this young man for a long time to repay your debt.”
I thought of Seb’s refusal to charge me for labor and smiled. He really was a great guy.
“What?” Mrs. Ryan asked. “Why are you smiling? There’s something you aren’t telling me. Is there something between you and Mr. Steele?”
Trying to keep the details from her was pointless, so I said, “I met him a few days ago. I went to the shop to ask him if he would consider working on Uncle Charlie’s car, and last night I made dinner for him to thank him.”
“And tonight you’re having dinner with him again?” she asked, her lips curling.
“We’re having dinner with him,” I corrected. “You will come, won’t you?”
“Are you kidding?” She laughed. “I wouldn’t miss it. With the way you blush every time you mention this man’s name, I need to know whether he’s as smitten as you are.”
I covered the opening in my chambray shirt when I realized the heat was moving down my neck. “It’s not like that.”
“It’s exactly like that, and don’t you try to deny it.” She winked at me. “I may be a lot older than you, missy, but I haven’t forgotten what it’s like to get those butterflies in your tummy when you see your man.”
Seb wasn’t my man, and I wasn’t sure I wanted him to be. “He’s sworn off women. I don’t know why, but I get the feeling he was burned pretty badly.”
“He’ll tell you all about it when the time is right.”
I nodded, thinking about how much we’d opened up to each other last night. If that pattern continued, within a couple of weeks, I’d know Seb better than any other man I’d dated. “The timing sucks, meeting someone I’m interested in now. My focus should be on Uncle Charlie, not—”
“Nonsense.” Mrs. Ryan gave me a look that dared me to contradict her. “A distraction is exactly what you need right now. It’s not healthy for a vibrant young woman like you to be so fixated on doctors and medication, disease and death.”
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