by Sara Daniel
She took it along with a scone, her cheeks flaming red, a wide smile on her face.
They shuffled toward a pair of chairs angled toward each other and sat, sipping their coffee in silence until Caleb asked, “Did you know Olivia used my books in her marriage?”
“She used to quote you all the time. I learned to tune her out.”
He choked on his drink.
Penelope dropped her scone on her lap, looking horrified. “I mean, only because it didn’t apply to me, of course.”
Embarrassed by the reminder of her over-the-top devotion, Olivia brushed the dust from the firewood off her hands and stood. “I believe your exact words were, ‘What’s the fun of being married if you can’t do anything without consulting an instruction sheet?’”
“Marriage isn’t about having fun,” Caleb said. “It’s about harmony and friendship.”
“Apparently, you’re right because my marriage wasn’t very fun.” Olivia flopped on the couch, ignoring her sibling’s glare. She wouldn’t let anyone she cared about get brainwashed the way she’d been.
“What else do you do besides this marriage stuff?” Penelope asked, her tone unnaturally high-pitched.
“I’m very focused and don’t have time for anything but marriage responsibilities.”
“And the occasional one-night stand.” Olivia tucked her feet underneath her and relaxed against the cushions. Her sister would see she had nothing in common with this man.
Ignoring her, Penelope smiled at him. “I feel the same way about my perfumes.”
Caleb braced his elbows on his knees as he leaned toward her. “I’m very interested in learning more about them.”
“Ugh, no, you’re not,” Olivia burst out, unable to watch him put the moves on her little sister and unable to walk away to give them privacy either. “The Forever books tell you to show an interest in the career and hobbies of any woman you’re pursuing. I have no doubt you’re great at following your own instruction sheet.”
He stood and stalked across the room toward her. “I happen to have an honest interest in learning about what others find important. If you have a problem with that, no one asked you to play chaperone.”
Standing to bring herself toe-to-toe with him, she shoved at his shoulders. “As long as you’re thrusting your egotistical, erroneous theories on my family, I’m not budging.”
“Part of you is moving.” He lowered his gaze as her breasts grazed his chest with each agitated breath she took.
“If you find my boobs offensive, then you can back off. I’m not letting you hurt my sister.”
He stepped away, but instead of turning to his date, he focused on the monitor on his belt. “Excuse me, Penelope. Liam apparently confused sleeping through the night with naptime. If you don’t mind, perhaps we can try the community hour again tomorrow.”
“Yeah, sure,” she muttered as he strode out of the room. She set her uneaten scone aside. “You got what you wanted, Olivia. I hope you’re happy.”
Olivia crossed her arms over her chest, so far from happy that her throat ached. “Don’t you want a man who stirs passion in you, who makes your nipples go hard and who you can’t keep your hands off? A guy who just wants to be friend won’t satisfy any of your needs.”
“All I’m looking for is a guy who won’t humiliate me and will let me create my perfumes without interfering. Caleb could be The One.” Penelope stomped from the room.
* * * *
Caleb opened the bedroom curtains and leaned his forehead against the cold glass while Liam sobbed in his arms. He should have visited Penelope in the basement to avoid Olivia’s interference and hostility.
After the lust-filled and emotional encounter in the kitchen only hours before, of course Olivia had been upset by his focus on her sister. The lack of lust and emotions between him and Penelope, however, allowed him to comfortably explore the Forever possibilities.
“I brought Liam’s bottle.” Olivia knocked on the open bedroom door and let herself in, crossing the suite to his side. She touched the nipple to the baby’s lips, but instead of drinking eagerly, Liam continued to thrash.
“Oh sweetheart, what’s wrong?” she cooed.
Damned if Caleb knew. “I changed his diaper. I turned the lights on and off. I tried the toy that plays music. I thought surely the bottle would help.”
“May I?” She stretched out her arms.
“Please. I’m willing to try anything.” He handed the baby over, grateful for her help, regardless of his frustration with the events from earlier.
She positioned Liam against her shoulder and patted his back. He continued sobbing and squirming, while she spoke in low, soothing tones and methodically patted him.
Suddenly, he belched, much louder than should have been possible from someone so small.
“Whoa, no wonder you were upset. Do you have any more bubbles?” She rubbed his torso until he gradually relaxed and lay slack against her shoulder. She sank onto the stuffed chair and adjusted the child into a cradle hold against her chest. “Caleb, can you pass me the bottle?”
He did, his hand brushing hers, the intimacy of caring for the baby in the dim bedroom too strong to ignore. He couldn’t take the chance it would morph into lust, anger or another emotion. Instead, he needed to focus on something constructive to improve the relationships of everyone staying in The Scot’s Mansion.
The more formal his approach, the more Olivia resented him. Therefore, he’d keep his attitude relaxed and casual, starting by removing his suit jacket. After unbuttoning it, he hung it in the closet.
Her wary gaze followed him. “Why are you taking off your clothes in front of me?”
His body leapt to instant attention. He sucked in a deep breath, trying to revive his innocent intentions. “I want to make you comfortable for a relaxed conversation. Forget I’m a therapist. My goal is to get to the bottom of your marriage problems, not seduce you.”
“Your loss.”
Definitely. His groin tightened. “Can we return to the conversation where you mocked my theories? From what I understand, you believe allowing your husband to explore his dreams led to the breakdown of the marriage. Why don’t you tell me about those dreams?”
“Why don’t you tell me what gives you the right to assume my divorce has damaged my child, but you never having a relationship with your child’s mother is perfectly okay for Liam?” she shot back.
“I never said my situation was acceptable. I’m determined to fix things for Liam because his parents abandoning him was definitely not okay.”
He’d captured her attention, and judging from her expression she looked willing to listen, although not willing to confide.
Showing he had experience from the child’s point of view, as well as the adult side, would help. “I’ve been dragged through a lot of upheaval and drama. My mother has been married at least six times.”
“I’m sorry. You must have had a difficult time finding a male role model with that kind of revolving door.”
“Three times were to the same guy.” Whom Caleb would never consider a role model. “The emotional roller coaster left me in a perpetual tailspin.”
“Did you like the guy? Was he your dad?”
“No and no.” Damn it, he’d told her more than enough, but the sordid details continued to rise in his throat, trying to pour out. He didn’t want to think about Ralph with his awful “gourmet” cooking and volatile moods. “Your turn.”
Still cradling Liam, Olivia stood. He thought she might lay the baby in the crib and walk out the door without saying a word, but she paced the room with the baby in her arms. “I met Bryce my senior year in college. He was on crutches from a downhill skiing accident. He didn’t like to talk about what he was missing, so I didn’t realize the depth of his passion for the sport. We got married and took over The Scot’s Mansion from my parents. Then he got the doctor’s okay to hit the slopes again. He lost all interest in the parts of his life that didn’t involve skiing.”
How had the guy lost interest in her? Caleb couldn’t imagine it. Regardless, his goal was to dissect her side of the relationship, not the douchebag who never called his son. “Why didn’t you try skiing with him?”
“I did. I split my time between running this place and joining him on the slopes. But I slowed him down, and I nearly destroyed the business two generations of my family had dedicated their lives to.”
In the reflection of the dark glass across the room, she rubbed her thumb and index finger over her forehead. He shoved his hands in his pockets, resisting the temptation to take over the massage and erase her tension. “You were trying to do too much.”
She turned to him, surprise on her face. “You’re the last person I would have expected to side with me. My parents said I didn’t do enough.”
As an impartial therapist, he didn’t take sides. He evaluated the past for her benefit and to improve all marriages. “Your parents must be proud of how you’ve pulled the inn together and kept it running since then.”
She avoided his gaze as she crossed the room and lay Liam in his crib. “My doctor recommended I give up skiing during my pregnancy, so I devoted my time to The Scot’s Mansion. The arrangement worked better for both Bryce and me.”
She’d skirted his comment about her parents, but he let it go. “You and your husband kept in touch by phone, right?”
She tucked a blanket around Liam then stepped back from the crib and turned toward the door. “I explored his world. I validated his dreams. We followed The Forever Marriage. Ours fell apart.”
“We’re having a good conversation.” He followed her, fisting his hand in his pocket to resist the impulse to place his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t close down on me.”
“This isn’t a conversation. It’s an inquisition.” She slipped out the door and ran down the hall.
He gripped the wooden frame to keep from darting after her. If he caught up, he’d kiss her. Not only would he blow his attempt to be her impartial therapist, he’d agitate both of them into a hormonal frenzy, rather than soothe her.
The only way he could benefit his son and his career, as well as provide a solid example for others was to raise Liam in a Forever marriage. Giving up chatting with Olivia while she rocked the baby in his bedroom should have been a small price to achieve his lofty goals. At the moment, he would have given up his dreams for her to return to his room and talk with him in the dark for hours.
* * * *
“Hey, Olivia, put Austin on.”
“It’s after midnight. He’s asleep, Bryce.” With the phone receiver against her ear, she paced her living room. Most nights, she’d be asleep by now too, but she hadn’t been able to relax after returning from Caleb’s room.
“I was testing the reaction of my new skis to the day’s powder snowfall. I have a career to work around.”
I hate snow. Austin’s words echoed in her head.
“You have a kid. See if you can work your career around him for a few minutes each week.” She closed her eyes and tried to control her irritation. “You’re still planning to come here the day after tomorrow for his birthday, right? He’s counting on it.”
“I can’t. I’m testing a bunch of new equipment in different snow conditions, and I can’t get away. I’ll come next weekend instead. He’ll enjoy it more because he won’t have to split his party time between me and his friends.”
He might, but first he’d be crushed by the broken commitment. “You promised him. He wants you here for the party.”
“Put him on the phone, and I’ll explain the change. I’ll take him skiing when I visit, just the two of us.”
Entering Austin’s bedroom, she nudged him until his eyes partially opened. “Dad wants to talk to you, honey.” Sitting on the edge of the bed, she propped him against her chest, holding the phone to his ear.
“Why didn’t you call?...uh huh...okay...yeah...yeah...uh huh...bye.” Austin pushed the phone away and yawned. He snuggled down on his pillow, his eyes already closed.
“See, I told you he’d be fine. Give him some credit,” Bryce crowed in her ear.
If “fine” meant “asleep,” sure. “If you realized how important your presence at his birthday is, you wouldn’t blow it off.”
“I’m going to take him skiing next week. I never blow off a ski trip. He’ll love getting to do the same thing I do every day.”
“He’ll enjoy spending time with you. Good night, Bryce.” She kissed Austin’s cheek and returned to her room, flopping on the bed. Bryce never blew off a ski trip. But he didn’t have a problem blowing off phone calls to his adoring son. Or blowing off their marriage. She punched her pillow.
The housekeeping line rang. She picked it up, shifting automatically to innkeeper mode before remembering Caleb was her only guest.
“Using the same medium is a proven way to improve memory and perception of events, so let’s try discussing the calls from when you and your husband were apart over the phone.”
“Yeah, well, I just talked to him, so I’m not in the mood to talk about him.”
“A little late at night to call Austin, isn’t it?”
“He didn’t think so.” The phone calls she and Bryce had exchanged at the end of their marriage had been as overdue and mundane as Austin’s side of the conversation tonight. “I don’t know what earth-shattering revelation you expect from me, but you’re going to be disappointed.”
“You make me feel a lot of things, but disappointment isn’t one of them,” Caleb said.
Really? Her insides warmed and some of her frustration melted. “I’d like hear some of those lusty feelings.”
“Did you share lusty feelings with your husband over the phone?”
She snorted. “Definitely not. Trust me. We didn’t share anything personal, let alone intimate.”
“Were your conversations about his dream of skiing or your dream of the inn?”
She resented the assumption The Scot’s Mansion was her dream. Nobody asked about her real dream. “We had one-sided conversations where neither of us cared about the details of the other’s day.”
No matter how intriguing Caleb might find her, he would be horrified she wanted to be surrounded by more children. As a foster parent, she would soon have the children in her home who needed and wanted her love, and she would give it unconditionally.
Unlike her ex-husband and Caleb, children wanted and would accept the affection she offered.
Chapter 6
Throughout the early morning, Caleb amused Liam while trying to get in touch with Ethan, dealing with the rental car company, and attempting to dissipate the social media fallout. None of those things kept him from turning over every conversation with Olivia in his mind.
She and her ex had validated and respected each other’s dreams. Yet, their willingness to do so ultimately drove them apart, instead of strengthening their marriage. He needed to apply the principle to himself to discern whether he’d developed a solid tenet or one with damaging holes.
After downing a bottle, Liam settled down for a nap, and Caleb strapped on the baby monitor, pleased he’d handled the childcare duties without calling Olivia to bail him out. He strode to the basement where Penelope sat on a stool, squeezing liquid from an eyedropper into a test tube.
So immersed in her world of perfumes, she didn’t glance up at his approach. If he took the time to understand her ambitions and help her achieve success, they should forge a friendship, not be pulled apart, as Olivia had experienced.
“Penelope.” He repeated her name twice before garnering her attention. “Do you mind if I watch you work?”
She blinked behind her lab goggles. “You’re already watching, aren’t you?”
Not exactly the warm welcome he envisioned. “Can you explain your process as you go?”
She scowled but then shrugged. After scribbling a few lines in her notebook, she placed the tube in a rack in the refrigerator and gave him her attention. “Who do you want to make a perfume for?�
�
He dragged a stool next to hers and sat. “You can lecture while you do your normal tasks.”
“A girlfriend?”
“No.” Obviously. Hadn’t he attempted to turn last night’s community hour into a date with her? “How about my mother?”
“Mothers are good choices,” she replied with a nod.
Caleb nearly fell off his stool. He’d volunteered to make a gift for his mother. He wouldn’t give it to her, of course. Each time he had a new book release, he had his office ship her a copy. Their contact ended there.
“What’s your mom like?” Penelope asked.
“I don’t want to talk about her.”
“I have to know something in order to customize the perfume.”
“Right.” He inhaled through his nose, trying to think. Unlike last night when he’d had to bite his tongue to keep from spilling the details of his past to Olivia, nothing worthy of sharing came to mind.
Footsteps pounded down the stairs, and he turned, grateful for the interruption.
Olivia stopped at the bottom, hands on her hips. “Penelope, Austin said you promised to play with him at ten o’clock. It’s already ten-thirty. He’s not dealing well with his father breaking his promise about coming this weekend. If you told him you’d play with him, please do it. Do not make empty promises to my kid.”
“I have every intention of keeping it. I just lost track of time. Do me a favor and give Cain the questionnaire. He’s making a perfume for his mother.” She tugged off her goggles and headed up the stairs before Caleb could object to the arrangement.
Olivia dropped her arms to her sides and crossed the room. “Cain, huh?”
“It beats Dr. Paper.”
She snickered. “Think of the marketing possibilities when Mr. Rock and Ms. Scissors join your therapy office.”
He grinned. Even though she’d ruined his plan for the morning, he couldn’t deny he enjoyed her company.
She sat on the stool next to him and glanced at the questionnaire. “‘Why did you decide to give your mom a perfume?’”
“I want to learn the perfume-making process. It’s not about her.”