by Rachel Hanna
“Thank you. These are lovely.”
“I think Addy keeps vases in the cabinet over there,” Brad said pointing to a small freestanding cabinet at the corner of the breakfast area. Ronni found one and filled it with water before placing the flowers on the table for everyone to enjoy.
“So, where are we going?” she asked, smiling shyly.
“Lots of surprises in store for you tonight, Miss Blair,” he said as he jutted out his arm for her to take. “Shall we?”
“We shall,” she said in her silly Southern voice again before they walked outside into the sunshine.
Chapter 7
The first place they went was to Breakers for dinner, which gave them lots of time to chat about life. Ronni told Brad more of her checkered past than she’d anticipated, but it felt good to finally be honest with someone about everything that had happened all those years ago. And he didn’t seem to judge her for it at all.
He listened, he asked questions (because he's Brad, of course, and Brad asks questions) but there was no judgment on his face. Instead, there was genuine concern and understanding.
As someone who'd lost his own father at a young age, he at least understood those feelings of absence that not having a father brought. But more than that, he seemed to accept her right where she was, faults and all.
And it terrified her.
Did she really want to go down this road again? The whole falling in love and then disappointing another person thing? The one other time she'd opened her heart to someone - Evan - it had ended in disaster. One person left holding the bag of a two-year relationship. Feelings felt, hearts torn open, future plans dashed. The whole love thing sucked, and she'd vowed never to do it again.
Nope, she'd work until she died, own cats and learn to knit.
And then Brad appeared, like a khaki beach mirage, and now everything was spiraling out of her control again.
Jeez, it was their first date. Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe it wouldn't work out, and she wouldn't have feelings for him. Problem was, she already did.
And if it was possible, they felt stronger. They felt more uncontrollable. And she was all about control.
Dang it.
They walked toward the car after their dinner, and she was feeling something unfamiliar in her gut. Then she realized what it was. Peace.
Brad was just this easygoing soul who wanted nothing from her except her company. He wanted to know more about her and what made her tick, but he didn't want to change it. He didn't want to change her. That was something she hadn't experienced before in her life.
"So, where are we going now?" she asked, fully aware that he had to have other plans since it was barely getting dark.
"Oh, I have my plans. Just try to relax, Ronni. Let someone else have control for a bit, okay?" he said. Any other time, she would've fired back, but the way he said it wasn't condescending or accusatory. It was reassuring. It was like someone saying "It's okay. I've got this. Don't worry because I'm taking care of you right now." And she liked it.
They climbed into his truck and he started driving toward the pier. Moments later, they were in the parking lot, but she knew the ferry wasn't running that late. Resisting the urge to ask questions, she sat quietly enjoying letting Brad be in control for a few minutes.
He parked the truck and walked around, opening her door and reaching up for her hand. She took his and stepped down onto the pavement, the sound of ocean waves crashing behind them. He stood there for a moment and looked into her eyes and then reached out and brushed a stray clump of hair from her eyes. She thought about pulling away, but she resisted that urge too.
The tension and silence in the air was almost overwhelming.
"Ready?" he whispered as he leaned into her right ear.
"Yes..." she managed to breathe out.
"Good. Come on!" he said in his regular peppy voice before he reached down and pulled her hand toward the pier.
For a moment, she'd expected him to kiss her, and she was pretty sure she'd even started closing her eyes. Hopefully he didn't notice that.
He led her down to the end of the pier where the ferry was docked and pulled open the door leading onto the vessel.
“Is Clay here?” she finally asked as they boarded the empty boat.
“No. Why? Did you want him to be?” Brad said with a laugh as he continued pulling her forward.
“Well, no… But I don’t think we should be on the ferry if he’s not…” she started to say, but her words failed her when they arrived on the back of the ferry in the open area.
There were lights strung across the railing all the way around in a semi-circle. Soft music was playing in the background and a bottle of wine with two glasses sat on a small table at the corner of what appeared to be their own personal dance floor.
“You did this?” she asked, her hand over her heart as if it might jump out at any minute.
“I had a little help, but yeah, the idea was mine,” he said with a wink as he finally dropped her other hand and gave her a moment to take it all in. “I wanted to go to the island but since it’s dark and I don’t know how to drive this thing, I figured we were safer here.”
She smiled. No one had ever done something so romantic for her. Sure, Evan had proposed at a restaurant in front of a crowd, but it was so staged and stereotypical that it didn’t even affect her like this old ferry boat in January Cove did.
“I don’t know what to say…” she stammered as she listened to one of her favorite Michael Buble songs piping through the speaker in the corner.
“You don’t have to say anything, Ronni,” Brad said softly as he stood a few inches in front of her. “May I have this dance?”
Her face started to feel flush, as if she’d been transported back to eighth grade when Stevie Carrigan asked her to dance at their spring formal. Only Brad didn’t have raging acne and a lisp.
“I’d be delighted,” she said as she reached out her hand and took his again. It felt comfortable and warm and real, and she worried that she might never want to let his hand go again.
He pulled her closer, until their chests were touching, and she could feel the beating of his heart. If the force of it was any indication, he was either very nervous or needed to see a cardiologist pronto. Since she didn’t know CPR, she was hopeful that it was just his nerves.
“You know,” he said as they started to sway, one of his hands slipped around her waist and the other holding her hand. “You really impress me, Ronni Blair.”
“I do?”
“You do.”
“And why is that?” she asked softly, trying not to dig for compliments but aching to hear them.
“You’re beautiful, funny when you want to be…”
“Like when I randomly fall out of trees?” she said with a giggle. Wait, did she just giggle? Ugh. This was bad.
“You didn’t fall. You jumped.”
“Touche… So, you were saying?” she said, still fishing for the end of the compliment.
“You’re stunning, of course, but aside from the ravishing good looks that God gave you,” he said with a grin, “you’re super smart. And after the past you experienced, it just amazes me that you succeeded the way you have. Most people would’ve given up and given in, but you didn’t.”
It felt nice to have someone acknowledge all of her hard work. The truth was, she could’ve been like her mother and most of her family members. But she fought, very hard at times, to make something of herself. While she wasn’t perfect, she was successful and happy most of the time, except when it came to relationships. Many men in her life had certainly failed her, that much was for sure.
“Thank you” was all she could manage to say. She was still all too aware of his presence around her, his breath lightly caressing her cheek, his heart still pounding off beat from the music.
“Do you like it here?”
“You mean January Cove?” she asked. He nodded. “It’s certainly starting to grow on me.” Brad smiled
.
“The town or the people in it?”
“Both,” she said, finally daring to look into his eyes. They were a deep blue, much like the ocean around them, and she could easily get lost in them for hours. But there were other handsome features about Brad Parker. The beginnings of crows feet around his eyes, evidently from a lifetime of laughter. The fullness of his lips and the perfectly straight, white teeth that his mother must have sold a few houses to pay for. He had a square, strong jaw and a slightly crooked nose that was just perfect for his face.
Oh no. She was falling hard. And fast. And it wasn’t good. But she couldn’t seem to stop it.
“You okay? You looked a little panicked for a moment there,” he asked, crouching down a bit to meet her eyes again.
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just thought of some paperwork I needed to send back to corporate tomorrow…” she lied. The last thing Brad Parker needed to know was how she was aching to kiss him on those full lips of his.
They swayed quietly to a couple of songs before Brad asked if she wanted to take a break and have some wine. They sat down on one of the benches lining the deck and watched the moonlight glimmer off the water.
“Can I ask you something?” Brad finally said, breaking the silence. It was the longest she’d ever heard him go without talking.
“Sure…”
“What reason did he give?”
“Who?”
“Evan.” Hearing his name made her tense up immediately, and she wasn’t prepared to talk about it yet.
“Brad…”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t pry. Nevermind.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m just not ready to talk about it, if that’s okay.”
“I understand,” he said, instinctively reaching over and touching her bare leg. The feel of his strong, warm hand on her knee gave her chills and the bumps that sprang up all over her were visible within seconds. “Are you cold? Jeez, I’m sorry, Ronni. It’s getting a little cool out here,” he said looking around.
“I’m fine,” she responded, hoping that he didn’t realize her chills were from the heat building inside of her and not from the cool ocean breeze.
“Want to go back to my place?” he asked, an innocent question but one that she wasn’t prepared to hear. She knew that if she went back to his place, it would be all over. She’d never be able to say no, never be able to deny herself the pleasure of spending the night with this man.
“Brad, I…”
“Ronni, it’s okay. I’m not asking you to stay over or do anything. I just thought we could watch some cheesy movie and drink a cup of coffee. I promise, I’m not expecting anything from you. Okay?”
She looked at him and smiled, thankful that he couldn’t see the somewhat dirty images floating through her own mind at the moment. How had she been so mean to this guy when she came to town? He was like a knight in shining armor, and she had never met anyone like him before. Too bad she was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
* * *
Adele walked around the kitchen island and slid her hands around Harrison’s shoulders. Their newly blossomed love affair had been one of the greatest surprises of her life, at least the second half of her life.
Losing her husband over two decades ago had almost killed her, but finding love again had re-awakened her in a way that she’d never imagined. It was a true gift that she intended to be grateful for.
“So, when do you think we should tell them?” Harrison whispered between kisses down her neck.
“Mmm…. This weekend? At our Sunday dinner?” she said, referring to the big family meal she had planned for the upcoming weekend. It was a good time to get all of the siblings and their mates together, but also a great way to see Anna Grace for a few hours. If she could get Addy to let someone else hold the baby, that was.
“Think they’ll be shocked?”
“They’ll be stunned, honey. But I hope they’ll be happy for us.”
“Me too.”
* * *
Brad pulled up to his house, a smaller cottage style place around the corner from his mother’s home. Being that he was the only unattached sibling now, he was glad to be near his Mom for the good home cooking and the ability to check on her from time to time.
She was independent, but he worried about her the same. His father would’ve expected nothing less. Of course, she seemed pretty mesmerized with Harrison Gibbs these days, so his “checking on her” was getting to be less and less.
“This is your place?” Ronni said as he opened her car door.
“Yep. Sorry if it’s a disappointment. It’s a little… cozy,” Brad said with a laugh. “But most bachelor pads are, I guess.”
“No, it’s adorable! I love it,” she said as she walked to the front porch and rubbed her hand across the intricate woodwork.
“Come on in,” Brad said as he opened the door and waited for her to pass through. God, she smelled good, he thought as she passed.
He flipped on the lights and went to start a pot of coffee as she looked around the living room. The walls were painted a pale yellow, which was surprising for a bachelor pad. The house had a fireplace, strange for a beach cottage, but probably useful during the coldest days of winter.
She looked at the family pictures lining one wall, and a pang of jealously flowed through her. She often wished that her formative years had been filled with good times with siblings she didn’t have, but instead her story had turned out differently. Over the years, she’d gotten better about not dwelling on what she didn’t have, but it still hurt sometimes.
“Whatcha looking at?” Brad asked as he came up behind her. His body was close to hers again, and it would only take one step to turn around and kiss him. But what would he think of her? That she was a slut? That she was desperate? That she’d just had a missed wedding and was already obsessing over him? There was no good outcome to her kissing him right now.
“Oh, just looking at your family pictures. They’re all so happy. Is this your mom?” Ronni had somehow missed meeting Adele at the 4th of July festivities.
“Yep, that’s the one and only Adele Parker. Best mom ever,” he said as he leaned in, his head now just over her right shoulder.
“She’s beautiful.”
“Yes, she is. Listen, we’re having a family brunch this Sunday, and I’d like to invite you as my guest.”
She turned around, their faces now extremely close. Brad breathed in sharply, as if he was a deer caught in headlights and looked into her eyes. Ronni swallowed and then stepped back a few inches, aching for space between them before she did something stupid. Fun, but stupid.
“I appreciate the offer…” she started to say, but he put his index finger over her lips.
“No strings attached. It’s just that I’m getting tired of attending these family functions alone, Ronni. It’s embarrassing. Everyone, including my mother, has someone. Except me. Poor lonely Brad,” he said with a chuckle. “Help a guy out?”
She stood there, considering his request for a few moments. How could Brad Parker possibly be single? The women in January Cove were either very stupid or very blind.
“Okay.”
“Okay? Really?” he asked, seemingly incredulous at her response.
“Okay,” she said with a smile. Before she could stop him, he hugged her tightly. Her face was now pressed into his chest, and she thought for a moment that biting him lightly might be a great idea, but her logical mind took over before she made a fool of herself.
Slowly, he let go, and she couldn’t help but feel sad.
“So, you wanna watch a movie?”
“Sure…”
They spent the next two hours drinking coffee and only half watching some stupid sci fi movie that Brad ordered on demand. They were like old friends now, and it was nice and strange all at the same time.
Ronni stretched, the official symbol for “I’m tired, take me home” and Brad immediately got the message.
“Ready to go?” he asked. She nodded
and yawned, a genuine sign of a very long day.
“Please.”
“Hope I didn’t bore you too much tonight. I know you come from that exciting California lifestyle.”
Ronni laughed. “Yeah, I wasn’t a big party animal there either. I’m more of a worker bee.”
“No… Really?” he said as she chucked him on the shoulder for his sarcastic comment.
A few minutes later, and they were standing in front of the B&B. They had decided to walk there since it was just around the corner anyway. Most places in January Cove were so close that one could easily walk it. That was the beauty of a small town.
“Thank you for a wonderful night,” she said softly as they stood in front of the white picket fence in front of the walkway.
“No, thank you. It was a great night,” Brad said back. He had no idea what to do. It was like high school all over again, except in high school he knew if the girl liked him or not. At the moment, he needed a lie detector test to determine Ronni’s feelings for him.
“See you tomorrow?”
“I would think so or else you’ll fire me, right?”
She laughed. “You bet your ass I will.”
And with that, she turned and walked toward the house. He watched her for a moment before turning himself, but then something overtook him. He couldn’t help it. A man could only take so much.
He jogged back to the B&B and reached her before she made it to the stairs.
“Ronni?” he said, out of breath.
She turned, an expectant look on her face. Before she could say no, he pulled her close and searched her eyes for a split second, looking for any sign of her pushing him away. She didn’t seem to be, so he went for it. He was all in this time. No going back.
He pressed his lips to hers, and he could feel her body go limp in his for a moment, almost like one of those women in the old movies who appeared to lose their leg strength when a man kissed them.
A small moan escaped her lips as she ran her fingers through his hair. That was a good sign, right? He was half paying attention to her kiss and half worrying that she might slap him at any moment now. Maybe she’d had too much wine, he worried, but hours of coffee would’ve negated that.