by Natalie Ann
“I can make a pot.”
He started to laugh. “No flavored coffee for you?”
“I’ve got vanilla and I grind the beans myself. That canned stuff or those little K-cups don’t have the same effect for me, but I drink them if it’s all there is.”
“By all means, I’d love a cup. My cousin Aiden only drinks the stuff he grinds himself. Then again he’s a James Beard Award-winning chef too. He’s not snobby, but he wants the good stuff when it comes to food and drink.”
“I consider it a splurge.”
“I get the feeling you don’t splurge on things often,” he said. Not just from what she’d said earlier but rather looking around her apartment and the way she dressed.
“No. I don’t. I didn’t have a lot growing up and I’ve learned to be frugal. But there are things I can appreciate and don’t mind spending a bit more on.”
“I’m pretty frugal too,” he said while she was getting Tyson his food.
“Please,” she said, laughing and pouring beans into a grinder. He was standing next to the counter watching her rather than sitting like she’d offered. “The way you dress and the car you drive? No way.”
“It’s true. Noah and I lived together in an apartment up until two years ago. It gave us freedom and allowed us to put money away.”
“So, you haven’t been in your house long?”
“Nope. That is why I didn’t have a dining room set. Which I’ve got now. I picked one out and had it delivered yesterday. Who knows when I’ll use it, but the room isn’t empty now.”
“Does Noah have his own house?”
“He does, not too far from me. Just a few blocks.”
“Was it hard not living with him? You said you stayed together in college too.”
“Not hard. Just different. We’re in the same development. We could walk to each other if we wanted to. It’s about a mile, not far. Though we do drive more times than not, unless we are drinking. But then we’d just stay at each other’s house if we wanted to.”
The coffee was now brewing and smelled fabulous. “Do you see each other often? I imagine you talk a lot.”
“We talk daily. Or text daily. I guess it’s hard not to. I see him a few times a week. We stop at each other’s houses. Go to dinner or he stops in the office.”
“I’ve seen him before,” she said. “You aren’t identical.”
“Nope. It’s a good thing too. Made it easier for my mom. I’m an inch taller too.”
“I wouldn’t have noticed unless you were standing next to each other,” she said, putting the coffee in front of him.
“I’m the only one of my brothers and cousins that is the same height as my father and uncle. I’m proud of that fact.”
“You’re all tall. Well, those I’ve seen. Even Jade is tall for a woman.”
“She’s about your height. Five foot seven?” he asked. He liked that about her. Though he was still taller than her, he didn’t feel like a giant either.
“Good eye,” she said.
He put his coffee down. “I’ve got a good eye for a lot of things.” He pulled her into his arms, lowered his mouth to hers, and whispered, “And your lips are just begging for me to taste them. I can tell.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close, as his mouth went to work on hers. There was no shyness here now. No resistance. No holding back.
Maybe those hours they’d spent together today were as enjoyable to her as they were to him. Maybe he’d get a little further than a kiss. Even if he knew not to push it.
And when she was done devouring his mouth, she leaned back and said, “That’s all you’re getting tonight.” Putting him in his place like he’d figured she’d do.
Test of Sorts
On Monday morning Kara showed up bright and early at work. She knew she wouldn’t be the first one, Garrett or Grant normally had that honor, but she’d bet she was the third one there.
When she was positive no one was looking, she snuck into Drake’s office, saw the door was open, and placed her little gift on his desk. It wasn’t like her to do things like that, but it seemed appropriate after their date on Saturday.
She hadn’t planned on hearing from him on Sunday and went about her day like normal. When she was relaxing later that night, he’d sent her a text asking if she’d hung her pictures up.
She had and took a picture on her phone to send him. She wanted to know where he’d put his pot and tile, and he’d sent her a picture of them on his new dining room table. She thought it was funny he’d put it there. Or wondered if that was the best place to put it so that no one would see it.
Then she tried to tell herself to not think that. That maybe he’d just finished that room up since she could see it was the green he’d shown her from last week. He’d said it’d match and that must be what he was going for.
And now she’d have to think of their next date for the coming weekend. That was the plan. He picked the first, she did the second, they’d draw for the third.
Before he’d left last night, he’d asked, “So are we on for the second date, or was this a dud?”
“You know the answer to that,” she said, smiling. “But if you want it verified, then yes. I’ll figure out date number two.”
She had an idea and wondered what he’d think of it. There was no way to top his. Not the romance of it. And she was far from a romantic person.
She wondered if he did it for her. That he thought she was more of a quiet type and figured he’d take that route.
It was true and she appreciated that. But she could enjoy a night out that was a bit more activity than walking through gardens or doing crafts.
A few hours later when her phone buzzed on her desk, she picked it up without looking. “This is Kara,” she said.
“Thank you for the cactus.”
“How did you know it was from me?” she asked Drake. She’d left no note. Why bother?
“Who else would give me a plant?”
She smiled. “I hoped it was no one else, but a girl can’t be sure.”
“So it was a test of sorts. To see if I’d be caught juggling women?”
“Not really. We’ve had this conversation already.”
“We did. And I should probably tell you now before I forget. My cousin Cade is getting married the weekend after next. Everyone is bringing a date so I couldn’t be the odd man out.”
Oh man, he better not be asking her to go. They said they were keeping this private. “Okay...”
“I’m going with a friend. Someone I’ve been out with before. I went with Sue to her family wedding months ago. I figured she owed me and I asked her a month ago. I just didn’t want you to think there was anything more than that.”
She blew out a breath that he wasn’t asking her, but then she wondered if that was jealousy that had her heart racing a bit. “No. That’s fine. I’m glad you told me though. Why couldn’t you be the odd man out?”
“It’s a family thing. My cousin Bryce is almost always single so no one else ever worried if they were. But Bryce has a girlfriend. Ryder and my brother Wyatt never go anywhere without a date. Sam is engaged so that left Noah and me.”
“So Noah is bringing someone,” she said.
“He’s been seeing someone and asked her to go so that left me out in the cold.”
“It’s fine,” she said though she found it funny that it would bother him to be by himself at a family wedding. “What about Jade? She isn’t dating anyone, is she?” Jade had told her she was single a few weeks ago.
“Jade is going alone, but she doesn’t count. It’s a guy thing.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it. But thank you for telling me.”
“I wouldn’t want you to have some catfight over me,” he said, laughing.
“Never going to happen, Drake.”
His sigh could be heard loud and clear. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
“Trying to cause a catfight?” Maybe there wa
s a part of Drake she didn’t know and wouldn’t like. Wouldn’t that be a bummer? But then again, wasn’t that what these dates were for?
“Nah. I’m not into women fighting. Not like some men are. I was just wondering if there was any reason you’d get jealous.”
“Over one date?” she asked, laughing.
“True. Hang on.” The phone was muffled, but she heard him talking to someone, then he came back on. “I’ve got to run. There is a call for me.”
“No problem,” she said.
It was funny. It’s like he forgot she was just down the hall. Not that he’d come down here and talk to her. She had to remind herself this was supposed to be a secret and no one could know. Or even guess. Which meant they didn’t need to be spending any time together here.
***
Drake hung up with Kara and picked up the call that his father had walked to his office and asked him to take. He’d kept his voice neutral when he told Kara to hang on and hoped no one was the wiser or could tell he’d been talking to a woman. He’d been keeping his voice lower just in case.
Once he was done with the call, he asked his father, “Was there something you needed?”
His father had stayed while he answered a few questions on a project they were working on together with that call. “Just wanted to see how you were doing? You look relaxed after your week off. Did you get everything accomplished?”
“I did. The dining room is finally done. Noah and I both got the shutters painted on our houses.”
His father grinned. “What color did you paint them?”
“Blue,” he said. “It looks good against both of our houses.”
“So practical. Both of you,” his father said. “Do you miss living with your brother?”
Funny how it was the second time he’d been asked that in a few days. “Nah. We see each other all the time. It’s nice to have the privacy. He’s dating Marie. It got sticky at times when we were dating to go back to our place knowing the other was there and might have a date too.”
“I’m sure you both made it work. It’s not like either one of you has had any really serious relationships in the last several years.”
“No,” Drake said. Though Noah was dating someone, he knew it wasn’t serious. He’d know if it was even if his brother didn’t say a word to him. Twins knew those things.
“How is the project coming with Kara? Making any ground?”
“I’ve been busy and then out. It’s my first day back. I’ll check in with her sometime this week. We’ve met twice now.”
“It’s been a few weeks and all you’ve done is meet twice?” his father asked.
“I’ve been gone a lot,” he said again, wondering why his father was pushing it. “I didn’t know there was a deadline for it.”
“There really isn’t, but I don’t want you to push it off either. I know how you can get when there is something you don’t want to do.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to do it,” he said. “We’ve met. We are working on it. I’ll reach out and see if she can meet later this week.”
Which would give him the excuse he needed to spend some time with her this week at work and no one would question it.
“See that you do,” he said. “I know we’ve got some other projects that we want her on but would like this one squared away. I’m going to have her meet with Ryder and Jade and a few other employees too. We know you spend the most, but you get the best results. I want her to work one on one with some of the other engineers and get their thoughts. Maybe Peter. He’s good with the clients.”
And Peter thought he was good with the ladies too. Probably would hit on Kara while they were working. “Fine. I’ll call her when you leave. I don’t see why she needs to meet with everyone else, but this is your project.” And because he didn’t want to raise any red flags, he’d added, “If you were going to have her meet with everyone else, why did you start with me? She could have met with me last.”
“Because it’s best to set it up with you,” his father said, his voice firm. That was odd.
“Fine,” he said. No use arguing when he never did before. He wasn’t unhappy about this project at all since it opened his eyes to why he thought or felt the way he did about Kara. Though no one could know that. “No reason to get testy.” He was grinning this time. “I can do whatever you want me to.”
“That’s my boy,” his father said. “So what’s with the plant?”
“It’s a cactus,” he said. “I thought I’d put it in my dining room.”
“You kill everything you touch when it comes to plants.”
“Which is why a cactus is perfect, don’t you think?” Funny how Kara managed to get the best possible plant for him without even knowing how he was.
“Yes, it is. Sometimes the most perfect things in our lives are right in front of our faces and we don’t see it.”
He laughed at that comment from his father, not knowing what it could mean or where it was coming from. “If you say so. Sure you are okay?”
“I’m perfectly fine. Just like your cactus.”
He shook his head at his father, but picked his phone back up to talk to Kara again. Maybe he could convince her for a lunch meeting...outside of the office.
***
“Well?” Grant asked him as he made his way into his brother’s office. “Did you get anywhere?”
“Just that I told Drake to get back on the project with Kara. That I had other things I wanted from her and wanted her to meet with more staff too.”
“What was his response to that?” Grant asked.
“Not much. First he commented on the fact that he was out of town and then on vacation.”
“Which is very true.”
“Then he wanted to know why he had to be first if I was going to have her meet with others anyway.”
“So he was fighting it?” Grant asked. “That’s not like Drake at all. Are you really sure this is a good idea with them?”
“He wasn’t really fighting it. More like questioning it. In the end he was fine. The two of them need to spend some more time together so they can see how well they’d get along.”
“I think they will too, but these kids don’t always agree with us. Maybe we need to be a little more direct? Bring it up to him about the fact that they might have a lot in common?”
“Not yet. If we have to, we can. I’m not sure how he’d react. None of my kids want to consider the fact we are picking out mates for them. Remember, Diane always did that for your kids, but Carolyn has kept more of a distance.”
His wife allowed the kids to make their own decisions on significant others for years even if she and Garrett didn’t like or agree with any of the kids’ choices. To start pointing people out like Diane and his other sister-in-law Jolene had done for years might raise even more flags.
“I didn’t think of that. Diane has had to be very careful now because she was almost annoyingly so in Sam and Bryce’s face with women for years.”
“Not Ryder?” he asked.
“No. We’ve given up on Ryder. Diane says he’s going to be my responsibility since she found Dani and Payton. I’m dreading it, let me tell you. Ryder’s taste in women...where he finds them is beyond me.”
He laughed over his youngest nephew’s escapades with the dating scene. “It’s an attention thing with Ryder. Or it started that way. Maybe it’s a habit now.”
“No clue,” Grant said. “But I can’t focus on too many at once. We’ve got Bryce on our end and you’ve got Drake with my help now.”
“Not much help,” he said. “I’m doing all the work.”
“Because I’m dealing with Bryce,” Grant argued.
He and his twin could go from laughing to fighting to back to laughing in minutes. He supposed he was happy Noah and Drake didn’t do the same thing growing up.
“I guess all we can do is wait and see. Noah has been dating Marie for almost two months. Let’s see how she is with the rest of the family in
a few weeks at Cade’s wedding.”
“Who is Drake bringing?”
“No clue. Someone he dated a few times before. Says they are friends. At least I don’t have to worry about any competition with Kara. And it’s a good thing that maybe nothing is going on with Kara right now either or that might cause a problem.”
As much as he wanted his son to get a move on and see that Kara was right for him, he didn’t want it to start off on the wrong foot because Drake already had a commitment. Even if he didn’t agree with that commitment.
“I guess we have to learn to sit back and let things fall where they may,” Grant said. Then they both started to laugh.
“Yeah. I know. What are we thinking? If we did that they’d all be single for years to come,” Garrett said. “Gavin and Jolene had the right idea. I just wish we’d thought of it years ago.”
More Expectations
“Bowling?” Drake said. “We’re going bowling?”
“Do you have a problem with that?” she asked, holding his stare and almost putting him in his place. He liked that look in her eyes. He wished he’d been able to see more of it this past week, but they couldn’t really swing the time alone.
Not only that, Kara reminded him about the three dates. She was a stickler for rules, he was finding out. So trying to push a lunch meeting didn’t fly with her.
The second date was her choice and she was holding firm to that. So they’d met twice this week on the budget project his father and uncle were nudging them on and he’d have to take that as enough. He’d even made a point to tell his father about the meeting so he’d back off.
He and Kara did text a lot throughout the week though. Not a lot of actual conversations during the day. That was too hard, even at their desks on the phone. Too many people walking around and she was private anyway.
And at night, it was hard to call her too. She had her routine that she did and he couldn’t blow off the time he spent with Noah or dinner at his parents’ house. Not without them wondering what was going on.
“No problem at all. I didn’t expect this. Are you competitive?”