by Donna Hill
“Hey, believe me, Desi loves it. She’s in second heaven around kids. The first heaven, of course, is being with me.”
Anthony snorted a laugh. “Does she know that?”
“Very funny. And speaking of women, what’s the deal with Crystal?”
Anthony’s expression shifted as if a cloud passed over it. “For the time being, she is far, far away. Mysteriously, she had second thoughts about returning from her trip and asserting her motherly rights.”
“Hmm.”
The female bartender returned and placed two bottles of Perrier and glasses of ice in front of them. “Can I get you anything else, Mr. Davenport?”
“Thanks. We’re good for now.”
Anthony filled his glass and took a long, deep swallow. “Speaking of women...how well do you know the good doctor Kai Randall?”
Lincoln arched a questioning brow. He swiveled his chair to face Anthony. “Dr. Randall, huh?” He shrugged slightly. “I don’t. Not really, anyway. I mean, she seems nice, easy on the eyes—not that I’m looking,” he quickly added with a chuckle. “I hear good things about her from folks in town that have been patients of hers. But Desiree would be a better person to ask. She knows everything about everybody. Why? You interested?”
“Maybe. I sort of asked her out to dinner...with you and Desiree on Friday night. To, uh, thank her for Jessie.”
Lincoln tossed his head back and laughed. “Good of you to let me in on the deal. You’re doing a lot of thanking here lately.”
Anthony bit back a smirk. “You think you can make that happen?”
Lincoln pursed his lips, then lifted his chin in the direction of Desiree and Jessie who were heading their way. “Guess we better clear it with the missus.”
“Hey, baby.” Lincoln stood, slid an arm around his wife’s waist and pulled her close for a kiss.
“Hmm, hey yourself,” she whispered against his mouth and stroked his shoulder.
Jessie hopped up into her father’s waiting arms even as he took in the brief display of affection between his friends. A flash of envy skipped through him. Lincoln and Desi had been a couple long before he and Crystal and they still had that spark of love and affection that popped between them. He only wished that he would find the same thing one day. He placed a kiss on Jessie’s head.
“We had a wonderful afternoon in town,” Desiree said, leaning against the hard lines of her husband.
“We saw the boats!” Jessie squealed.
“Really? Were they big?”
“Gigantic.” She stretched her arms as far as they would go.
Everyone chuckled.
“Tony and...Dr. Randall are going to join us for dinner on Friday, babe.”
She glanced from one man to the other. “Ohhh. Okay.” Her eyes twinkled when she smiled. “Umm, I forget, what time is dinner?”
“Eight?” Anthony offered.
“Sounds fine to me.” She gave Lincoln a shove in the ribs with her elbow.
“Anthony wanted to ‘thank’ Dr. Randall for taking care of Jessie.” His dark eyes sparked with mischief.
“Of course. It’s only right.” She angled her head to the side. “I have so many things on my mind... Did we say we were going to have dinner here or in town?”
“Here works for me. I mean, if it’s cool with you two,” Anthony said.
“I’ll have the chef prepare something special.”
“Thanks, Desi, I really appreciate it.”
“Anytime. Besides, I haven’t hung out with Kai in a while. It will be great catching up.”
“So you know her pretty well...”
Desiree planted her hand on her waist. “Yes, I do. What would you like to know?” she asked coyly.
“Is she seeing anyone?”
“Right to the big questions.” She paused. “Kai has been here about two years. In the time that she’s been at the Harbor, I haven’t known her to be with anyone in particular. I do know that Dr. Clarke has a thing for her, but nothing has ever come of it.”
Anthony nodded as he listened.
“She’s hard-working, dedicated to her job and her patients. She comes to some of the parties that Melanie hosts. She’s fun to be around. Single...” she added.
“Thanks, Desi.”
“Anytime. And the only reason why I’m telling you anything about Kai is because I think the two of you could have something. And heaven knows you need a woman in your life that is not Crystal.”
Desiree was never shy about her dislike for Crystal and, more important, how she treated Anthony, one of the few goods guys left other than her husband. She pushed out a breath.
“Well, fellas, I’m going to leave this darling girl with her dad and head to the house.” She gave Jessie a hug and kissed her husband’s cheek. “See you Friday, Tony. Eight sharp.”
Anthony grinned. “See you.”
“I think I will keep my very accommodating wife company. See you two later. And you behave yourself, little miss.”
“I will, Uncle Linc.”
“Later, man.” Anthony gave Linc a fist tap before the latter darted off after his wife. One day, he thought, that will be me. “Come on, sweetie, let’s get you home. I have a call to make.”
Once he’d settled Jessie down for a nap before dinner, he went into his study and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He scrolled through his contact list, found Kai’s number and pressed the call icon. The phone rang several times and Anthony was figuring he’d have to leave a message just as the call was answered.
“Dr. Randall.”
“Hey, Dr. Randall. It’s Anthony Weston.”
“Hello. How are you?”
“Good. Good.” He cleared his throat. “I, uh, was calling to see if you’d decided about dinner...with Lincoln and Desiree...and me.”
“Sure. It sounds like fun,” Kai responded.
“Eight o’clock?”
“Perfect. That’ll give me some time after I close the office to get ready.”
“I can pick you up about a quarter to...”
“Oh, no worries. I can drive over.”
His spirits sank. “Then I’ll see you there...at the restaurant.”
“Looking forward to it.”
“So am I,” he said, the words filling him with an inexplicable warmth.
Anthony disconnected the call, leaned back in his chair and smiled.
* * *
“Tell me again why you’re going out with this man,” Tiffany asked from her reclined position on the lounge chair in Kai’s bedroom.
Kai glanced over her shoulder from inside her walk-in closet. “It’s hard to explain. I feel a connection.” She picked a blouse and skirt from her closet and brought them out. “What do you think?” she asked, holding the outfit up against her.
“Hmm. Nice if you’re going on a job interview.”
Kai huffed and returned them to the closet. “How about this?” She held up a mint-green jersey dress with ruching at the waist and an alluring V cut at the bodice.
“Better. Sophisticated and sexy without giving away too much.” She picked up her glass of white wine and took a small sip. “Listen, I don’t want to put a damper on your date, but Kai...why even get involved with a man who clearly comes with baggage? He has a daughter and with a daughter there must be a mother. That equals problems. Problems that you don’t need.”
“I’ve considered all of that.”
“And?”
She turned toward Tiffany. “And...it’s not a ‘real’ date and it’s not the rest of my life. He lives in New York with a life that does not include me. I’m fine with that. I have a life here. He seems like a decent guy who will only be here for a few weeks and then both of our lives will return to normal. What’s the bi
g deal if we enjoy each other’s company in the meantime?”
“I know you, Kai. Remember? You don’t do anything halfway. You give one hundred percent in everything that you do. Maybe you think it’s serendipity that the man that you photographed months ago turns up on your doorstep, but I don’t want to see you get hurt. That’s all.”
Kai plopped down on the side of the bed and draped the dress across her lap. “I’m a scientist. I deal in facts. I analyze each piece of information and come up with a diagnosis. I’ve looked at all of the facts regarding Anthony Weston and I’ve concluded that it’s just having dinner with someone that I find attractive and smart and intelligent and whom I want to get to know better, even if it’s only for a short period of time. It’s just for now, not forever.”
Tiffany’s right brow rose. She blew out a breath. “Okay,” she conceded and a slow smile lifted her mouth. “Then make these the best ‘few’ weeks of your life.” She got up from the lounge. “Now let’s finish putting together your knockout outfit. If nothing else, Mr. Right Now is going to remember this nondate.”
Chapter 11
Kai pushed the small diamond studs through her lobes, then added a stroke of coral-tinted lip gloss to her mouth. She took a step back, smoothed her dress and assessed herself in the mirror then ran her fingers through her spiral curls to fluff them out.
Nothing left to do now but put on her shoes and wait. That was the hard part. Waiting. She’d been on her share of dates with an assortment of handsome, eligible, sexy men. This was different and she felt as if she were a teenager going out with a boy for the first time. But Anthony Weston was no boy. A flutter rippled through her stomach. He was all man. A man that had filled her lens, her thoughts and her dreams for months, and now she was moments away from spending an evening with him, even if it was with friends.
Kai drew in a breath, shook off the jitters and walked out into the living room. Jasper yip-yipped and darted to the door as if he was planning on going with her.
“Relax,” she warned. “I’ll be back.” She ruffled Jasper behind the ears and picked up her purse and keys from the hall table. For an instant she closed her eyes and then pulled the door open and headed to her car. She could have had Anthony come and pick her up, but she didn’t want him to think that this was in any way a “real” date. And, more importantly, she wanted to keep her independence and her options open. If and when she was ready to leave, she didn’t want to depend on Anthony to take her home.
She turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of her driveway. Get real, girl, her little voice whispered. You are totally not ready to be hemmed up in a car with Anthony Weston. She chuckled at the dose of reality and pointed the car in the direction of The Port.
It had been a while since she’d been to Lincoln and Desiree’s establishment. When she pulled up, she noticed immediately that it had expanded. There was a new wing that boasted the sign Port Day Spa. The main entrance featured lavish glass-and-chrome doors that gave a wide view of the stylish interior. She followed the signs to on-site parking, found a space and walked through the main lobby toward the restaurant.
A hostess met her at the door. “Good evening. Welcome to The Port. Dinner or do you want to sit at the bar?”
“I’m meeting some friends. Mr. & Mrs. Davenport...”
“Kai.”
She glanced up and saw Anthony coming toward her. Her heart banged in her chest. Damn, he was even more devastatingly handsome than the last time she’d seen him, if that was possible. Clad in all black, he reeked dangerously sexy from every pore. She swallowed over the sudden dry knot in her throat.
Anthony strolled up to her and the heady scent of this all-male specimen flooded her senses. He gently clasped her elbow and a jolt of something electric ripped through them, catching them both off guard. Their gazes jumped and connected and for a moment neither of them spoke or moved. Anthony was the first to recover.
“You look incredible,” he murmured, the heavy timbre of his voice rolling toward her like the surf beating against the shore.
She ran the tip of her tongue across her lips. “Thank you,” she softly said as the sexy scent of him went straight to her head. “So do you.” Inadvertently she moaned.
Anthony squinted at her. “You okay?”
Kai’s lashes fluttered. “Fine, just taking in the space.”
“It’s pretty incredible, isn’t it?” he said as his gaze caressed her once again. “Linc and Desi should be here shortly. I was sitting at the bar. Want to have a drink while we wait?”
“Sure.” A glass of wine might settle her nerves.
He placed his hand at the dip of her back and guided her into the restaurant, nodding his thanks to the hostess.
The position of Anthony’s hand sent hot darts racing up her spine and it took all of her concentration to put one foot in front of the other. This was going to be a long night.
They found two empty seats. Anthony helped her onto her stool and it was akin to a sensual experience; the way he intermittently touched her exposed flesh, the closeness of his body to hers, and the allure of his voice was a total turn-on that kept her pulse racing at a crazy clip.
“What will you have?” He turned toward her from his perch on the stool and those dark brown eyes and killer lashes dipped down into her soul and stirred.
She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. “White wine.”
Anthony got the bartender’s attention and ordered a white wine for Kai and a refill of his Jack Daniel’s on the rocks. The bartender placed their drinks in front of them. He lifted his glass.
“To a great evening.”
Kai smiled and touched her glass to his before taking a small sip. She set her glass down. “It just hit me. Where’s Jessie?”
He chuckled. “My very determined daughter preferred to spend her day with Desiree. She’s going to bring her when they come.”
Kai smiled even as she wondered, as she often did, why Desiree and Lincoln didn’t have children of their own. They would make phenomenal parents. “How long have you known Lincoln?”
Anthony lifted his glass and took a short sip. “Seems like always,” he said with a light chuckle. “We met in college and have been friends ever since. We don’t get to hang out like we once did, but we stay in touch. It was his idea to get me to come out here.” He paused. His gaze moved slowly over her face. “I’m glad he did.”
Her stomach fluttered.
“Daddy!”
Anthony turned in his seat as Jessie came running in his direction. He scooped her up onto his lap. “Hey, sweetie.” He kissed the top of her head. “Have fun?”
“Yes!”
“She didn’t give you too much trouble, did she?”
Desiree laughed. “Absolutely not. We had a great day.” She gave Kai a quick hug. “Good to see you.”
“You, too.”
“Lincoln reserved the private room in back. It should be set up now.”
“Great.” Anthony helped Kai down from her seat and held her hand for an extra moment.
They were so close, Kai was sure he was going to kiss her until Jessie tugged on his hand. “They’re going to leave us,” Jessie whimpered and took off behind Desiree. Kai laughed in relief mixed with disappointment that the moment was lost.
“Guess we better hurry,” she said on a shaky note.
Anthony squeezed her hand, then guided her out to the private dining room.
Dinner was lively, full of anecdotes, laughter and great food. Kai was able to see another side of Anthony. He could give a jab as good as he could take one. Both Anthony and Lincoln shared stories about their college escapades that had them all doubled over with laughter. Desiree and Lincoln talked about how they almost lost each other years earlier, but it was Lincoln’s determination that won her back.
Lincoln leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’d let her get away once. I wasn’t going to let that happen again.”
“And the rest, as they say, is history,” Desiree said with laughter in her voice.
“This place was nothing like this before Desiree came back on the scene,” Anthony offered. “It was only about six cottages and a main building.”
“True, true.” Lincoln chuckled. “It was her vision and her artistic touch that transformed it.”
“It was a lot of work and I had a lot of help,” she said. She turned to Kai. “Speaking of artists, when are you going to put up some of your photography at the gallery?”
Kai dipped her head.
“Did you know that she is an incredible photographer?” Desiree directed her question to Anthony.
His brows rose. “I had no idea.” He zeroed in on Kai. “What kind of photography?”
“Mostly black-and-white. Outdoor shots.” She shrugged lightly. “It’s just a hobby.”
“She’s being modest,” Desiree said. “The gallery owner has been trying to get her to put on a show of her work for ages.”
“A woman of many talents,” Anthony said. “I’d love to see your work sometime.”
Heat rushed through her veins. She swallowed. “Sure.”
The waitress came and began to clear the table.
“Dessert anyone?” Lincoln asked.
“I’m stuffed,” Anthony said. He turned to Kai.
“No. Nothing for me. Thanks.”
Jessie yawned, her lids fluttering over her eyes as she struggled to stay awake.
“Looks like someone’s bedtime,” Kai said, lifting her chin in Jessie’s direction.
“Yes, it is. I should get her home and to bed.” Anthony made a move to pick up Jessie.
“Listen, I can take her,” Desiree offered. “You two relax, enjoy the rest of your evening. You can pick her up in the morning.”
“Desi, you’ve done enough. You don’t...”