by Lane Martin
McCain’s was in the same parking lot as the Home Depot. He pulled out of the drive-through and parked closer to the store but told me to stay put before getting out of the truck. Carson lowered the tailgate before coming to my side and opening my door for me. He took the bag containing the french fries from me then offered his hand to me. I could get used to this. He held my hand as we walked to the back of the truck. He put the bag down and, without warning, easily lifted me onto this tailgate. His thick arms were corded with muscles and I wondered how much time he spent working out each day to get the kind of definition he had. He quickly kissed the end of my nose before returning to the cab to retrieve the drinks. Carson put them next to me before unhooking Rascal from where he was tethered in the bed of the truck. He stood in front of me and tore the paper from our straws. Rascal sat beside me. His tail wagged with excitement for his treat. "Pup cup?" I was pretty sure I already knew the answer, but I held it up to be certain.
"Yep," Carson confirmed as I held up the cup for Rascal to enjoy his treat. I couldn't help but laugh as he worked so hard to make sure he got each lick of whipped cream in the cup.
"Your number six, my lady." Carson bowed slightly as he held my cup before me. A small six was written on the cup lid. I put it to my lips as he watched me enthusiastically take my first sip. I still had no idea what flavor I would be getting. My eyes widened in delight as the thick and creamy indulgence hit my mouth. My lucky choice was a combination of peanut butter and chocolate deliciousness.
“Good?" The corners of his mouth turned up. "You haven't even tasted the best part yet," he teased as my eyes rolled back into my head with my second sip. How could it get any better? "Take your lid off," he instructed as I watched him take a fry out of the bag. While I held the lid and my cup, he dunked the fried potato into my shake and held it to my mouth. Had he lost his mind? Who dipped french fries into milkshakes? But Carson had asked me to trust him and he hadn't led me astray thus far. So, I opened my mouth and he cautiously fed it to me. I groaned in ecstasy. I couldn't help myself. And I had thought the steak and potatoes he’d grilled for dinner had been the best things I had ever tasted. I was wrong. Hands down, that fry and milkshake combo was the most delicious thing I had ever eaten in my life.
"Told you so." He took the first sip of his shake. "Dang, that's good. Every time I come here, I always declare whatever I ordered this time as my new favorite. Wanna try?"
I nodded as I put my shake on the truck's bed on the opposite side of Rascal. I had no words for the man who stood between my parted legs. He handed me his cup and placed his hands on my thighs. It was hard to think with him standing so close to me. "It's your favorite, yet you always order something else. I don't understand. If it's your favorite, wouldn't you want it again?" I had a habit of finding what I liked and sticking with it. I was never surprised, but it was easy.
Yes, I was a people pleaser. I always tried to make everything as easy as possible for those around me. I didn't want to be labeled as difficult. I'm sure it had a lot to do with the way I was raised. My parents always made me feel like they’d had to give up so much so I could perform all over the world. Looking back now, I know it wasn't fair to put it all on me. I would have been glad to stay at home playing with Barbies and riding my bike around the neighborhood with my sister. Did I have a gift? Yes. I couldn't deny the musical talent I was blessed to have, but I wasn't the one who had decided I needed to share my gift with the world. I had only been a kid, so it had been my parents' decision. Yet there I was, an adult, still trying not to make waves. I think that was what shocked my family the most about my decision to be here in Sunnyville.
"I always just order vanilla," I admitted before taking a hesitant sip of his shake. I had never realized until now how boring it was. Maybe Carson was onto something. They did say variety was the spice of life. I was sick of being so dull.
"How will you know what you're missing if you always get the same thing?" It didn’t sound like Carson was asking about my choice of milkshake flavor anymore.
"Oh, my God." I whimpered as a shiver ran through me. I wasn’t certain if it was from the taste of the mouthwatering caramel cheesecake shake in my mouth or the sensation of Carson rubbing my inner thighs oh-so-softly with his thumbs through the thin material of my leggings. Or maybe it was his tender words. Carson St. James wasn't the type of man I usually found myself spending time with. As expected, my previous romantic partners had been from the symphony world and, boy, had I been missing out. They were clean cut and about as exciting as watching paint dry, where Carson was muscled and tattooed. Everything with him was a new adventure. Yes, I was accustomed to men who performed in front of large crowds of people, but Carson exuded confidence without putting on a show. The man was as real as someone could get, including the touch of his hands that were calloused from work yet thoughtful and deliberate with each caress.
"That good?" His question sounded both worried and amused. Knowing I was affecting him as much as he was me gave me a sense of empowerment. It made me brave in a way I had never felt when it had come to men. I put his shake down next to mine, put my arms around him, and pulled him closer.
"My new favorite," I agreed before pressing my lips to his in a kiss I hoped conveyed precisely how much I was enjoying everything I was tasting. Especially him.
Chapter Ten
CARSON
"We won't have much time tonight. They're closing in an hour." I managed Rascal while Penny pushed the cart. She was like my mom in a bookstore, squealing in delight as we entered the store she had only visited online before. As well-traveled as Penny was, she acted like every experience was a new one for her. As fast as she was tossing things in the cart, we were going to need another one quickly if I didn't do something to slow her down. So much for a budget.
"I thought you should pick out a refrigerator. We could put it in the garage until the kitchen is done. You're going to need some place to keep some groceries. My fridge isn't very big." Not that I minded sharing with her. I would have given up all my space if she’d asked me to.
I wasn’t going to tell her, but I’d looked her up when I was at the station and learned she was kind of a big deal. Not only was she a classically trained violinist, but she had worked with a lot of other artists. An article I read on her stated she had played for three presidents. Three! The woman had a Grammy for best classical instrumental solo. I had no idea how she’d ended up in Sunnyville. Grady told me that the day Rascal had almost plowed her over was also the day she met Dylan for the first time.
"Oh, that's a great idea. I already know what I want." I should have known. Her budget sheets were unquestionably detailed but buying appliances with a woman was like buying shoes. They never tried on only one pair. Trust me, I knew from shopping with my mom for the devices on several occasions. She might have had an idea of what she wanted, but I was sure she would change her mind a hundred times before she came to a decision. I directed her to the appliance center.
"How did you end up here?" It was a question I was dying to know the answer to. Sunnyville was a great town, but it wasn't exactly a prime destination for the sophisticated highbrow society type that Penny Anderson seemed to be. It reminded me of my hometown; I think that's why I liked the place. Only in Sunnyville, I didn’t have all the history. There I was one of the new kids on the block. I wanted to know my neighbors and I liked that the waitress at Bertha's didn't need to ask if I wanted a cup of coffee with my order of pancakes—she just knew.
It was also still close enough to my parents that I could see them often. It didn't hurt that wineries surrounded us, so they didn't mind coming here to see me. Mom loved her vino. Dad put up with driving her around to tasting rooms because he said she was a lot of fun when she was a little tipsy. I didn't need to know more about what kind of fun my parents got up to. I loved my parents—they were amazing—but sometimes it was hard to watch them together. I thought I had what they had. Was their marriage perfect? No. That was what made
them so great. They fought, but they never faltered. No matter what, they always supported each other. They’d always been there for me too. I thought Kara was my person, but when the going got tough, she didn't take my hand and stand by my side, she left.
I hadn’t been expecting to start a thing with Penny. I had never met anyone like her before. She was intriguing and sexy as hell. I wanted to trace every curve of her body with my tongue. I wanted to know if her face when she came was as mesmerizing as the look she had on her face in aisle seven of the home improvement center. Most women would have griped about calories or complained I was ruining their diet when offered steak and potatoes followed by thousand-calorie shakes. But Penny ate every bit of her dinner and drank each sip of her number six before committing to trying each number on the menu. I wanted to be the one she tried them with. I wanted to know what she did and didn't like.
"I guess you could say I needed a change of pace." According to what I had read online, she had recently finished a tour with a well-known orchestra in London. The woman could be anywhere in the world, and she ended up here. "I was on my way back to my parents' house from San Francisco when I decided to take an unplanned road trip and ended up here. I met Dylan and Grady by chance before I left town, and she mentioned she was looking for a music teacher." She shrugged as she opened the door to the refrigerator she had stopped in front of. It was stainless steel with french doors with the freezer on the bottom. It wasn't the most expensive option they had, but the brand had a reputation for quality.
"This is the one I want. It has a ninety-three percent recommendation rating, is Energy Star certified, and has a twin chill evaporator system." I was impressed and, once again, a little bit surprised.
"I love a woman who appreciates twin chill," a smarmy guy in an orange vest offered as he blatantly checked Penny out. What did that even mean, and could he not see she was with someone? I didn’t like the vibe he was giving. Rascal growled and placed himself between our girl and the sleazy salesman. Good boy. The guy would regret it if he made one wrong move. He lifted his hands and took one step back. Smart move. I took one step closer to Penny and put my arm around her. Penny looked around at the guy but didn't respond to him. Her hand went to the top of Rascal's head and he sat down at her side as she continued to look around without giving Steve, as his name tag read, a moment of her time.
"Do you want to look at any other models?" Was she hesitant to move because of the way Rascal was acting? Her hand continued to rub him gently between the ears. Lucky dog.
"Actually, no. Excuse me, miss?" Penny waved at another worker and the woman cautiously approached us.
“Can I help you?" The associate inquired then scowled at Steve before crouching down before Rascal. She cautiously put her hands out, palms up, and said hello to him. He wagged his tail and they were instantly friends. My dog was no dummy.
"Yes. Do you work on commission? I want to buy some appliances," Penny replied as they both squatted down and rubbed Rascal's belly. I was a little jealous. I wanted Penny's hands on me.
“We do," Katie confirmed.
"But I approached you first," Steve complained as he went red in the face.
"Well, you shouldn't make women or any customers, for that fact, feel uncomfortable.” Penny scolded. Shit, it didn't look like she needed my dog or me to protect her. "I only want the refrigerator delivered now, but I'll buy all my appliances from you, Katie, if you’ll get the credit." Steve took off grumbling before Penny could open another can of whoop-ass on him. I stood slack jawed as she told Katie precisely what she wanted.
My truck was full of stuff we needed. The appliances had been ordered and the fridge would be delivered the following afternoon. Other than conversations related to her purchases, we hadn't talked since the Steve incident. As we drove back to her house in silence, Penny looked out the window, clenching her hands together.
“You said you were driving to your parents' house when you ended up here." The statement had made me curious when she’d said it. I was an adult, and before the fire, I’d had a house of my own, but I’d always called my mom and dad's house home. It was where I’d blown out candles on my birthday cakes and opened presents on Christmas morning. No matter how old I got or the fact that the house was being rebuilt, it would always be home. Home was where the heart was. Where was Penelope Anderson's home?
"And?" Penny finally turned to look at me. Her head was turned to the side like she couldn't understand my phrasing.
"Home. You know, the place where you go when you aren't traveling the world, the place you go to recharge and relax? Where you make memories with your family and celebrate together." I slowed down my truck and parked next to her car in the driveway then turned in my seat to face her.
"You mean the place where I leave all my stuff that’s not shoved in a suitcase?" I cringed. That didn't sound like a great way to live. But when she put it that way, I realized it was kind of what I had been doing. Only I had a trailer instead of a suitcase.
"It's not a place, Penny. It's a feeling inside here." I laced my fingers with hers and placed our joined hands over my thudding heart. At least I had a place I called home. Yes, I was avoiding it, but I had it. I wasn't so sure about Penny. The concept seemed so foreign to her.
"It's getting late, Carson. I need to work in the morning and as great as that power nap was earlier, I'm tired. Not that I'll get much sleep in my stinky house. I don't know what they had in there before, but it smells." She scrunched up her adorable nose and waved her free hand back and forth in front of her face. God, she was cute. She hadn't acknowledged my heart reference, but she also hadn't attempted to separate our joined hands.
"I have tomorrow off. Some of the guys are coming over to help rip out the carpet. And if Bowie gives us the all-clear, we can demo the wall. Once that's out, the primer we got should take care of the smell. You can sleep in the trailer for now." Okay, that made her try and pull away.
"I'm not sleeping with you, Carson. I barely know you." Not yet. I couldn't keep the smile off my face as she crossed her arms over her chest. She was still wearing my hoodie and I liked seeing her in my clothes. "I'm not some hose chaser."
"A hose chaser? Where did you hear that? Forget I asked. I don't want to know the answer. I know that's not who you are, Penny." Her features softened at my comment. "I'm offering you a place to sleep. If you'd rather sleep on your leaky air mattress in your malodorous house, you are more than welcome to it. Or you can sleep in my bed. Alone." I added the last word to be clear. As much as this music-playing, wannabe house flipper had me smoldering, I wanted this thing with her to be a slow burn. Yes, my "hose" was ready for use, but for reasons I still couldn't explain, I wanted to add more kindling to what was already starting between us to see where the blaze would lead. If I knew one thing for sure, it was that not every fire could be contained. No matter how hard you tried. The one burning between us felt like one.
Chapter Eleven
PENNY
I t was another great day at school. I loved the enthusiasm the kids had for music. I’d forgotten how much I loved it too. It was incredible what that feeling, and a good night's sleep, could do to solidify the idea that I made the right decision to leave everything I knew behind to relocate to Sunnyville. Last night Carson grabbed his toothbrush and a sleeping bag and left me with the sweetest goodnight kiss I had ever experienced. The mere thought about it had me pressing my fingers to my lips and imagining it was his mouth. My entire body heated all over again as I thought about Carson and having his lips other places on my body.
"It's ladies' night at Hooligan's. Do you know what that means?" Chatty Cathy Clementine announced as she barged into my room while I cleaned up moments after the last bell rang. I had no idea what Hooligan's was or what tonight being ladies' night meant. Other than Henry, who I didn’t get to see very often, I guess the closest thing I had to a friend before coming to Sunnyville was my sister Nicole, but it wasn't like we hung out. She was five years olde
r and married. The only thing we had in common was sharing the same parents. I hadn't been trying to make friends with Cathy. I wasn't going to be there that long, and between teaching and the remodel, I already had a lot going on. Cathy seemed like the type to decide what she wanted and then just make it happen. She talked a lot, but she had brought me coffee, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to find out more. I was, after all, in a new place to do things differently than I had been before. Maybe it was time to make some friends.
“I have no idea, Cathy. What's a Hooligan?" I was grateful she hadn't said anything about the look I probably had on my face when she’d walked in the door or the fact that I had my fingers pressed to my lips.
“It's not a person. It's a place, a bar, and tonight is ladies' night, which means drink specials and karaoke. With your musical ability, I bet you are a great singer, but it's okay even if you aren't. Half the fun is singing off-key and not giving a shit one way or another. You need to come. I'll be your designated driver. You're on Santa Fe, right?" She didn't give me a chance to answer. "I'll pick you up at seven. Be ready and let your hair down," she called over her shoulder as she left, departing as quickly as she had come. Jeez. Does everyone in this town know where I live? Let my hair down? Did she mean literally or figuratively? Ugh.
I had no idea, but I also didn't have time to dwell on it or argue with her. I had to get home to help Carson and the guys. I'd have to explain to Cathy when she arrived that I couldn't very well ditch the people who were doing me a huge favor by helping with the demolition. I made a quick stop at the store on my way home and bought several cases of cold beer. I recognized some of the bottles from the party at Dylan and Grady's house, so I crossed my fingers it would be okay. I wasn't a beer drinker and, other than an occasional glass of wine, I didn't drink much at all, so I had no idea. Several cars and trucks were parked outside when I arrived home. As I grabbed the cases of beer out of the back of my car, I heard voices coming from the back yard, so I headed in that direction. It was January, but we were having a mild winter so the guys were all outside.