Twice as Tempting

by Susan Coventry

  Mrs. Simmons’s face lit up with a sweet smile. “We had our share of ups and downs, that’s for sure, but I loved him right up until the day he died. Still do, as a matter of fact.”

  “I hope that I get to experience that kind of love someday,” Kelly said wistfully.

  “Perhaps you already have, but your Adonis is too mule-headed to admit it. Sometimes men need a swift kick in the…”

  “Mrs. Simmons,” Kelly warned, cutting her off just as a male customer walked in.

  “Sorry dear,” she said and wandered off to the romance section.

  The man walked right up to the counter. “How can I help you?” Kelly asked, trying not to stare. He was shorter than Damian and leaner, and his eyes were the most extraordinary bluish-green color that she had ever seen. His light brown hair was close-cropped, and he sported a smattering of facial hair, but it was those eyes that really drew her in. He was exactly the type of man she would have been attracted to in the past. Damn you, Damian, for spoiling me for any other man!

  “My name is Luke Donovan, and I’m here to pick up a special order.”

  “Oh, I spoke to you on the phone last week, when you placed the order. I’m Kelly,” she said and reached over the counter to shake his hand. Old habits die hard.

  Luke looked slightly perplexed, but he graciously shook her hand. “Nice to meet you,” he said.

  “Your book is right under the counter,” Kelly said, and when she handed it to him, her surprise must have been evident. It was a romance novel that she had never heard of, with a rather racy cover. So, Damian wasn’t the only guy to read romance after all!

  “I don’t usually read these types of books, but someone I know wrote it,” he said proudly.

  It might have been a lie, but for some reason, Kelly believed him. “I have to admit that I’ve never heard of Kate Stephens,” she said, glancing down at the cover again.

  “This is her first book, and it just came out a few weeks ago.”

  “Well, it looks…interesting. I hope you enjoy it.”

  Luke chuckled. “I think I need to pay you,” he said, his bluish-green eyes sparkling.

  “Oh, yeah. That’s right. I don’t know where my head is at today.” Kelly quickly rang up his purchase and placed the book in a bag.

  “Thanks a lot, Kelly,” he said and then turned and strolled out the door.

  “Have a good day,” she called, but she doubted that he even heard her. The minute he stepped outside, he pulled the book out of the bag and stared at the cover as he walked over to his car. She watched him drive away with a smile on his face and idly wondered what his story was.

  Just then, the phone rang, and Emma’s name flashed on the display. “Hey, Em.”

  “Hey. Did he call you yet?”

  “No. The jerk.”

  “Well, if it helps at all, he’s avoiding Zack too. Zack’s called him at least three times, but he hasn’t answered.”

  “When I left for work this morning, his truck was already gone. I’d guess that he went to the shop, but who knows.”

  “How are you doing today?”

  “Honestly, I’m all over the place. I’m angry and frustrated, but I want to see him, to talk to him. I thought things were going so well, but now it’s like we took a giant step backward. I just don’t understand what Damian and I have to do with her. Why would he let something that happened years ago come between us?”

  “I wish I had the answers, Kell, but I guess you’ll have to wait to hear it from him.”

  “Well, he can’t avoid me forever. We live right across the parking lot from each other, for Pete’s sake!”

  “You could always hide behind a tree and ambush him when he comes home.”

  “I don’t think I’ll go that far, but it’s not a bad idea! Oh, and get this. Some gorgeous guy came in the store today and bought a romance novel! A romance novel, Emma.”

  “Please tell me that you didn’t exchange phone numbers.”

  “No, but in the past, I would have been all over that!”

  “Oh, I know. So, what stopped you?”

  “A certain pig-headed Greek man, that’s who. Oh my God, Emma. What’s happened to me?”

  “You’re in love. I hear it’s been going around these days.”

  “Well, it’s kind of hard to be in love when it’s one-sided.”

  “Patience, Kell.”

  “Not my virtue.”

  They talked for a few more minutes about business matters and then hung up after Kelly promised to let Emma know if Damian contacted her and vice versa. Mrs. Simmons had left while Kelly was on the phone, so now the store was quiet again. Somehow, Kelly kept herself busy until closing time, and as she drove home, she wondered if Damian would be there and if she should confront him or continue to wait.

  She was disappointed, but not surprised when she pulled into the parking lot and saw the empty space where his truck was supposed to be. While she went through the routine of eating dinner and cleaning up, she kept her ears open for the rumble of his Chevy, and she peeked out of her front window numerous times throughout the evening. When she crawled into bed that night, her anger had turned into concern, and she checked her phone for the umpteenth time before finally turning it off. Kelly decided that she couldn’t take his silence anymore and that if she didn’t hear from him tomorrow. she would hunt him down. Having made up her mind, she fell into a troubled sleep, and her head was so full of worrisome thoughts that no dreams would come to her that night.

  The next morning, Kelly turned on her phone immediately, only to find a text that Emma had sent late the night before stating that they still hadn’t heard from Damian. Kelly flung back the covers and hurried to the front window. Sure enough, his truck wasn’t there, and now she questioned whether he had even come home the night before. She had slept so fitfully that surely she would have heard the loud rumble of his truck if he had come home. Now she was beyond worried, and she called Emma right away.

  “Hey, Em. Since you’re opening the store today, do you mind if I come in later? I can’t take the waiting any longer. I want to drive over to Damian’s shop and at least make sure he’s ok before I kill him.”

  Emma giggled, but her voice was serious when she said, “That’s a good idea. I think Zack’s starting to get concerned too.”

  “Thanks. I’ll let you know if I find him.”

  “Oh, and Kell? Take as long as you need. I’ll be at the store all day, and then Brett’s coming in this evening. If you don’t make it in at all, I’ll understand.”

  “Thanks, Em. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  I wish it were that easy to share the same sentiment with Damian, Kelly thought when she hung up.

  Since she wasn’t going to work, she threw on jeans, a sweatshirt, and a pair of sneakers. She put her hair up in a hasty ponytail, swiped on some lip balm, grabbed a jacket, and raced out the door. It was still early when she left, and as she drove north out of Clarkston, she noticed how brown everything had become over the past few weeks. The colorful leaves had already fallen and had long since been raked up, and the last truly warm days were behind them. She usually liked this time of year before winter closed in, but she had been so busy with work and with Damian that she hadn’t fully appreciated the fall season. It struck her that today was the first of November, and Thanksgiving was only a few short weeks away. She and Damian had bought their plane tickets to Florida a couple of weeks back, but now, with all that had happened, would he still want to go?

  Kelly’s mom had called just a few days ago to confirm that they were coming and to express her interest in finally being able to meet the man that Kelly had been raving about. Now Kelly was left wondering if she would be boarding the plane alone, and her heart sank at the thought of it. Her heart sank even more when she pulled up in front of Jim’s Custom Cars a few minutes later. There sat Jim’s white truck with the auto shop’s name printed on the sides, but Damian’s truck was nowhere to be seen. />
  Kelly almost turned around and left, but Jim spotted her through the front window and waved her in. She figured that Damian wouldn’t like the idea of her checking up on him like this, but she felt like she had no choice. She stepped out of the car, took a deep breath, and plastered on a smile as she approached the door. After all, there was no need for Jim to know that anything was amiss.

  “Hello there,” Jim said, his demeanor relaxed and friendly as always, although he looked surprised to see her.

  “Hi, Jim. I just stopped by to see Damian. Is he off running an errand?”

  Now Jim looked even more confused. “No. Didn’t he tell you?”

  “Tell me what?” Kelly asked, feeling more anxious by the minute.

  Jim scratched the back of his neck and frowned. “I just assumed…”

  “Just tell me. Please,” she added.

  “Well, it seemed like something was bothering him yesterday, and we got to talking, and he said he was thinking about getting away for a few days. So, I offered for him to stay at my cabin—up north.”

  Kelly’s eyes grew wide, but she quickly adopted a neutral expression. “Where up north?”

  “Just outside of West Branch.”

  “Huh.”

  “I take it he didn’t mention it?”

  Knowing Jim’s character, he had asked out of concern, not nosiness, so Kelly decided to be straight with him. “No. I haven’t heard from him for the past couple days, and I came here to make sure that he was all right.”

  “I assume that he’s safely at the cabin, but the phone reception isn’t very good up there, so that could be why you haven’t heard from him.”

  Kelly appreciated what Jim was trying to do, but she shook her head. “I think he would have found a way to contact me if he had really wanted to.”

  Jim gave her an empathetic smile. “Look. It’s probably none of my business, but I really like you two. Damian is like the son I never had, and in the short time that I’ve known you, I can tell that you’re good for him. I’d be willing to give you the address of my cabin if you’re interested.”

  His offer hung out there for a minute or two as Kelly mulled it over. On one hand, Damian might be angry that she had infringed on his privacy, but on the other hand…

  “Yes, Jim. I would like that very much.”

  “Now, Damian said he only planned on staying for a few days, so I hope you don’t drive all the way there for nothing,” Jim said as he jotted down the address.

  “I have a feeling that he’ll still be there. Besides, West Branch is only two hours away. If nothing else, it will be a pretty drive.”

  Jim handed her the slip of paper. “Well, I hope everything works out for you two. Damian may not be one to express his feelings easily, but for what it’s worth, your name comes up a lot around here. Don’t tell him I said that though!”

  Kelly genuinely laughed for the first time in two days. “Thanks. Jim. I really appreciate this.”

  “Go on now. Don’t waste your time talking to an old-timer like me. Go get your man.”

  “I will,” she said, and then she left, fueled with determination and optimism once again.

  “Damian Kostas—ready or not, here I come!”

  Chapter 26

  The first thing that Kelly did when she turned out of the parking lot was to call Emma.

  “Did you talk to him? What did he say?” Emma asked in a rush.

  “He wasn’t there, but get this, he went Up North. Apparently, Jim owns a cabin near West Branch, and he loaned it to Damian for a few days.”

  “So, let me guess, you’re on your way to West Branch.”

  “Yes, assuming my boss will let me have a couple of days off,” Kelly said.

  “Well, luckily you have an excellent boss!”

  “Do you think it’s a mistake, Em? What if Damian doesn’t want to see me?”

  “He can’t hide forever, Kell. Being alone together without any outside distractions is probably just what you two need. You’ll see.”

  “I hope you’re right. Anyway, I’ll give you a call when I’m on my way home, and tell Zack not to worry.”

  “I’ll tell him, but it won’t do any good. Worrying is his second job!”

  About an hour into her drive, Kelly realized that she didn’t have any clothes or toiletries with her, but maybe she wouldn’t even need them. Damian could already be on his way home, or they could talk and then drive back home in the evening. Either way, she decided that there were much bigger concerns than not having a toothbrush! For the remainder of the drive, Kelly focused on the road and the scenery, and soon the flat landscape gave way to gently rolling hills and farmlands. It was amazing how quickly one could travel outside of the cities and suburbs, into the Michigan wilderness, and she welcomed it. Hadn’t she thought not long ago about wanting to travel Up North? Thanks to Damian, she’d gotten her wish, even though these were less than ideal circumstances.

  Kelly kept driving until she came to the West Branch exit, where she stopped for gas and bought a sandwich and a soda. She figured she’d need her energy to confront Damian, and who knew if he had any food at the cabin. She ate and drank while she followed Jim’s directions to the cabin. West Branch was a typical Up North town that contained a smattering of shops and restaurants before giving way to widespread homes and the occasional party store. Kelly remembered what Damian had said about getting lost in the mountains, and even though there weren’t any mountains here, there were plenty of woods to get lost in.

  The directions took her to Clear Lake, and she followed the gravel road around the lake until she spotted Damian’s truck parked in front of a tiny log cabin.

  This is it. The moment of truth, Kelly thought when she pulled up and shut off her engine. She gathered her courage as she walked up to the front door, took a deep breath, and then knocked. The sound of her knuckles against the wood exploded in her ears compared to the peacefulness around her. Seconds later, Damian opened the door, and she felt like it had been years since she’d seen him last. He looked like he belonged in the rugged surroundings, given his torn jeans, sweatshirt imprinted with the words “Up North,” and his two-day beard growth. Neither of them spoke for a long minute, and then they both began at once.

  “What are you…?”

  “I came to…”

  Damian stepped aside and motioned for her to come in. As she brushed past him, she caught the scent of body wash and warm male, and she wanted to fling herself into his arms. Instead, she walked into the dimly lit room and glanced around. It was a typical cabin like many she had stayed in as a child when she had travelled Up North with her parents. Knotty pine walls, scuffed wood floors, and framed prints of bears and lake scenes made up the décor in the sparsely furnished space. It was clean, charming, and rustic, the perfect getaway for a man with simple tastes. Kelly perched herself on the edge of the loveseat while Damian took the chair across from her.

  They eyed each other for a few beats before Damian started again. “Ladies first,” he said, giving her the floor.

  Kelly mentally thumped herself on the head for not having thought ahead about what she would say to him. Surely, that was something that Emma would have done, but Kelly had always been more spontaneous, thus the reason that she was sitting in front of him at that moment. She usually went with her instincts and trusted herself to say whatever was in her heart. Now was no different.

  “Why did you react so strongly to Amanda at the Halloween party? And why did you run away instead of talking to me?”

  Damian cleared his throat and ran his hands through his already disheveled hair. “God, Kell. There’s so much I want to say to you…”

  “Well, start talking. I didn’t drive all the way up here to play Scrabble!”

  Damian’s loud laugh filled the room, and his shoulders visibly relaxed. “Good thing, because there’s nothing in this place.”

  “Except you,” she said softly.

  “Except us,” he corrected.


  There went the crackle in the air again, but Kelly was not to be deterred. “Talk,” she demanded.

  “Ok. In answer to your first question, I think that seeing Amanda brought back a lot of the feelings that I had tramped down, and they just came spewing out. When she broke off our engagement, she gave me some really lame excuse about us not having mutual goals. What I translated that to mean is that she was afraid that I wasn’t going to amount to much. I worked at a car shop. I didn’t go to college. I didn’t have my life perfectly mapped out. I think that she was afraid that I couldn’t give her the lifestyle that she wanted.”

  “And that made you feel inadequate,” Kelly finished.

  “I guess so. Yes.”

  “Did you try to talk to her about it at the time?”

  “I tried calling her a couple of times after the break-up, but she wouldn’t take my calls. It wasn’t long after that that I left for California.”

  The puzzle pieces were beginning to fall into place, but she still had a lot of questions. “Didn’t Amanda plan on working after you were married? She went to college. Didn’t she expect to help out financially?”

  “We never really discussed the particulars. We were young, we were in love, or so I thought, and I believed that we would figure everything out. Stupid, right?”

  Kelly ignored his question because, frankly, she didn’t want to think about Damian being in love with someone else. “So, you were hurt. I get that. But to leave your home and your family? To start over on the opposite side of the country? That, I don’t get.”

  “Maybe that’s because you’ve never been in love,” Damian said.

  Kelly froze. Not until now, she thought, realizing that he spoke the truth.

  “Anyway, it was mostly a matter of pride. I couldn’t face the pitying stares of my family and friends. I didn’t want to have to explain to people why we broke up. What could I say? That she dumped me because I wasn’t good enough? That she didn’t have enough faith in me to make something of myself?”

  Kelly reached her hand out to touch him, but he rose from the chair abruptly and started pacing. “You don’t understand, Kell. A man wants to feel like he can provide for his woman, even if he doesn’t really have to. Just like the other day, when you said that you didn’t need to be taken care of. That you make your own money. Even though I know that, it doesn’t stop me from wanting to take care of you. Don’t you see?”