She only stayed half an hour before rushing home, not even staying to see the New Year come in. But what surprised him more than that was that she didn’t tell the rest of their small party the truth about her grandmother. Instead she made some vague excuse about the old woman not feeling well.
There was more that she wasn’t telling even him. Something more serious than a weepy old lady. He wanted to ask her point-blank but it was none of his business. Cherri’s problems were not his own.
The party seemed to be coming to an end. The ball had dropped. Kisses had been shared. Mike sat quietly beside him on the couch mindlessly staring at some horrible boy band performing in Times Square. Ellis was busy clearing up the small mess they made. Belinda had gone, and Colin found himself itching to get out of there, too. What happened to him? To them? On New Year’s Eves past he and Mike used to stay out all night, dance on tables, and drink till they couldn’t remember. They had grown up when he wasn’t paying attention. In his twenties he led such an exciting, busy life. He wondered why he didn’t miss it more.
“You shouldn’t mess with Cherri.”
Colin turned to look at Mike. He was expecting this conversation. Instantly his defenses went up. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell him to mind his fucking business, but he couldn’t say that.
Don’t speak. Just listen. Mike’s your mate.
“Don’t you have anything to say to that?”
“I’m not messing with her.”
“You were kissing her.” He was. He couldn’t deny it and he wouldn’t defend it, so he chose to say nothing. “She’s twenty-two, Col. You know that. You know you shouldn’t be messing around with a kid.”
“She’s not a damn kid.” She was younger than them by twelve years. She still had a bit of innocence floating around her. But Mike was wrong. She wasn’t a baby. She wasn’t like most of the twenty-two-year-olds they met living in a college town. Colin sure as hell wasn’t messing with Cherri. If anybody was messing around, it was Cherri who was messing with him. She crept into his thoughts more often than any one woman should. “She’s a good lass. She’s more of an adult than you and I were at that age, and she certainly isn’t stupid.”
“Yeah, but she’s just starting out her life and she needs to date guys her own age. You’ve had this thing for her for a year now and I don’t get it. If it’s sex you want, you can get that anywhere. Why Cherri?”
Yes, why Cherri. He had asked himself that a million times.
“Why Ellis?”
Mike blinked at him. “You aren’t comparing what I have with my wife to what you have with Cherri. If you look me in the eye and tell me you are in love with that girl, that you want to spend the rest of your life with her, then I’ll back off.”
Colin said nothing. Love? He wasn’t exactly sure what that felt like anymore.
If he had a choice he wouldn’t have picked her to be preoccupied with. He would have chosen somebody who was experienced and focused and knew how to please him in bed, not a girl who kissed him like she was kissing a man for the first time. Or who laughed at silly things or would rather spend the night in with her grandmother than out on the town. But for perhaps the first time it wasn’t about sex. “When did you get so fucking sanctimonious? Did marriage do that to you, lad? You can get your panties out of that knot now. I’m not sleeping with Cherri. I don’t plan to sleep with Cherri. We kissed. It’s New Year’s Eve. It’s no big deal.”
“Not to you, but she’s the type that bruises easily. I know you, Colin. After Serena you were with a different woman every week. There were so many of them I couldn’t keep them straight. You can’t do that to Cherri. She’s not just a stranger. She’s our friend. You have to be careful with her.”
He knew that. He probably knew that more than anyone else. “You’re one to talk. Before Ellis you were just like me. You dated her sister, for fuck’s sake. How can you sit there and warn me away when just a couple of years ago you were no better yourself?”
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ellis enter the room. He was done for the night. He didn’t want to hear her warn him away, too.
“You can quit lecturing me. I’ve got it. You think your best friend would set out to hurt her.” He stood up. “Look, I have to get going.” He walked to Ellis and kissed her cheek. “Thanks for having me over, lass.”
“I’ll walk you to the door.” She linked arms with him and waited till they were out of earshot before she spoke again. “I don’t feel the same way Mike does.”
Surprised by her words, he stopped walking and stared at her. “What?”
“If you love her, then you have my blessing. She needs to be loved, Colin. She doesn’t have too many people in her life who can do that for her. But if you can’t love her, then stay away. I’d hate to have to castrate you for hurting one of my best friends.” She gave him a little naughty smile. “You can ignore Mike. He can be an overbearing jackass sometimes, but his heart is in the right place. Cherri doesn’t have a father or brother to look after her. He assigned himself the role.”
“Nobody bloody asked him to.” He chuckled. “You don’t have to worry about Cherri, Elle. I’ll do right by her.” He wished her good night and walked out wondering if he knew what the right thing was.
CHAPTER 10
Moving on …
Grocery shopping was one of the things that Colin hated most. It was akin to having his toenails ripped out one by one. The only reason he did it was because he had to eat. He liked eating, too, but going to the store, picking through hundreds of items, and then standing in line to pay for them sucked. Cooking for one also sucked, and so he lived on hot dogs, hamburgers, and frozen food. Anything so he didn’t have to pull out a pot or a pan and actually cook.
“Instant mashed potatoes? Who thought this up, for fuck’s sake? It’s bloody disgusting.”
“You Irish and your potatoes,” a woman said. He looked over to see Coral Jenkins beside him. She was a former customer of his; he hadn’t seen her since he’d delivered the antique soda fountain to her house. “They actually aren’t so bad. You should try the garlic cheddar ones.” She placed a box in her basket. “It beats making them from scratch.”
She smiled at him and out of habit he grinned back at her. Coral was an attractive woman, blond, very well put together, and from what he understood recently divorced. When they’d worked together two years ago he didn’t pay much attention to her looks. Married women were a big no in his book, but now he had the chance to study her.
She was a little older than him, very tight little body, and had a pair of pretty gray eyes that seemed to have seen a lot. She was the kind of woman he should be dating.
“I think they would revoke my Irish pass if I ever ate a potato that came from a box. It’s blasphemy.”
She laughed. It was a pleasant sound—not one to stir his blood, but not one to grate on his nerves, either. “We couldn’t allow that to happen, now, could we? How have you been, Colin? I wish I could say that the soda fountain looked great in my house but it went with my ex. I might have to find something else for you to restore just so I can have you in my house again.”
That was an invitation if he ever heard one. He could ask her out. No. He should ask her out. He needed to get himself out there again. It was time for him to think about settling down, and a certain six-foot-tall blonde was distracting him from that. If he dated, if he sowed the few remaining oats he had left this year, he could be ready for the domesticated lifestyle.
“You like Thai food?”
“You like women in little black dresses?” she countered.
He smiled. He didn’t know why he’d waited so long to date again after Serena. Dating was like riding a bike, and he was getting back on again.
* * *
A pair of lips brushed Cherri’s forehead and her eyes popped open. She smiled softly at Colin, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She had fallen asleep in his workshop, a paintbrush dangling from her fingertips.
&n
bsp; “I’m sorry.” She put the brush down and tried to wipe the sleepiness from her eyes. “Feel free to dock my pay.”
He ignored her comment and pulled up a stool beside her. “You look like shit, love. What happened?”
“Only you can tell a woman she looks like shit and get away with it.” She gave him a half smile. “I think it must be the brogue. That almost sounded like a compliment.”
He frowned. “Don’t avoid the question. Talk to me.”
She almost refused, not wanting to unburden herself on him. She had been working with him a little over a week now and they barely said more than a few words to each other. They had kissed New Year’s Eve. Kissed again. And then silence, like he was avoiding her. She didn’t want to believe that he was purposely avoiding her, but she didn’t know what else to think.
Did he regret their kiss? Probably. She knew she wasn’t the type of woman he wanted. She wanted to believe they were friends, that they could work together comfortably—but she couldn’t. Because after Christmas Eve when he’d held her so close on that couch that she wanted to be inside him, after New Year’s Eve when he been so concerned for her that she could see the worry etched on his face, she knew she could no longer think of him as just a friend. Even though she wanted to. There was something different about him, about the way she felt about him. And it wasn’t anything near like what she felt for any of her other friends.
If she got any closer to him. If she let herself fall, her heart would pay for it, and she couldn’t afford that now. Especially when she had so much on her plate. “The water heater,” she yawned, unable to suppress it. “It sprang a leak. Actually it was more like a waterfall. We knew it was on its last legs but I was hoping it would hold out till spring but it didn’t. So I spent half of last night trying to stop it and today will spend all of my savings to replace it.”
“You should have called me.” He gave her that stern, don’t-you-know-anything look.
“For what reason? There was nothing you could have done.”
“I could have lent you my dry vac and dehumidifier. Plus I could have gotten you a deal on a water heater and installed it for you.”
“Oh.” It never would have occurred to her that he could be helpful in that situation. She had been so used to doing things on her own that involving somebody else rarely occurred to her.
“You feel dumb now, don’t you, lass?”
“Yes, but only a little.”
“Ring whoever you called to install the water heater and cancel. I’ll have everything done by the time you take your evening bath.”
“I feel bad asking you to do this. I’ll always feel like I owe you.”
He gave her his lazy smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I think I like that idea just fine, lass. A bit of gratitude from a woman is never a bad thing for a man.”
“Ass,” she said, but his slightly naughty words hit her right in her core.
“Don’t be daft.” He squeezed her shoulder, the pressure from his warm hand causing her to relax. She hadn’t realized she was tense until he touched her. “You know you don’t owe me anything. We’re mates, aren’t we? I do things for you. You do things for me.”
Mates.
She nearly smiled at the word.
“What could I do for you, Colin?” She looked at him, her eyes passing over his body, the need to tease him overwhelming in that moment. She didn’t want him to forget that she was a woman. She didn’t want him to think that he could easily tuck her into that friend category when it suited him. Not after what they had shared. One day he was kissing her, the next few days he was barely speaking to her. It wasn’t fair. She may not be the type of woman he wanted, but she didn’t want him to pretend like there wasn’t something there. “I’m good at a lot of things.” She looked at his lips, and then slowly took in each part of his body, trying to get a reaction out of him. “Some things I need a little more practice with.” She placed her hand over his, lightly, just enough to make contact. The cords in his neck tightened, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. His face went totally blank. She liked to make him uncomfortable, because that’s how he made her feel. Uncomfortable and confused.
“What do you think, Col? Can I practice on you?”
“Cherri! Enough.”
“What?” she tried to say innocently, but she couldn’t manage to keep the smile away. “I could cook for you. I was only talking about cooking. I could use the practice.”
“You were talking about being a huge pain in my ass,” he grumbled.
She felt better. She had gotten to him. “I’m serious about cooking for you, though. You can come over and play cards with me and Baba again. You know she’s still pissed that you beat her.”
“I know.” He grinned. “She told me she knew mobsters who would break my legs for cheating. Batty old broad.”
“Do you have plans tomorrow night? I think she would like to see you.”
“I do have plans actually.” An uncomfortable look passed over his face. He left his seat beside her and went back to the spot he was working at when she came in. “I have a date.”
“A date?” Her stomach lurched. This is why she couldn’t get any closer to him. She liked him more and more and he … He was dating other women.
She knew it was none of her business, that she had no right to inquire, but—“Do you mind if I ask you who you have a date with?”
“Coral Jenkins.” He didn’t look at her as he said it. “She used to be a client.”
“Oh. I know her,” she said, trying not to sound deflated. Coral looked like Grace Kelly. She was classy and graceful and lovely. All the things Cherri wished she could be. “She’s very nice,” she told him and hated to realize that she was telling the truth. “She’s an associate professor in the art history department at Durant U. I think you two should have a lot in common.”
“Maybe.” He shrugged, seeming uncomfortable with the conversation. “You can cook for me the next night though. I’m in love with those little potato balls you and your gran make.”
“Okay.” She left her seat and headed toward his office. “I’ll ask her to make them for you. I’m going to call the water heater guy.”
She closed the door behind her and stood against it for a moment.
So this is what jealousy feels like.
You’re not jealous, you idiot. You’re hurt and you have no reason to feel this way.
She told herself to snap out of it. She had to. There were other things on her plate. Baba’s health, the broken water heater. She didn’t have time to lick her wounds over a crush she shouldn’t have in the first place.
Knock it off, dumb-dumb.
She pulled out her cell phone, intending to call the man about the water heater, but another man’s name popped up on her screen, distracting her. A text message from Sean. Sean who didn’t give up very easily. Sean who actually seemed to want to be with her.
How’s your day going?
“Shitty,” she said to the screen, but seeing the simple message lifted her spirits slightly and before she had a chance to think about what she was doing she dialed Sean’s number.
“Cherri! I’m so glad you called.”
He sounded happy to hear from her, which made her feel better about the decision she had just come to. “Ask me out again. I promise I’ll give you a different answer this time.”
CHAPTER 11
Welcome to the lonely hearts club …
“Do you want to come in for a little while?” Coral asked him. “Maybe have another glass of wine. And if that’s not enticing enough, I’ve got whiskey.”
Colin looked down at his date as they stood at her front door. Coral was one of those women who had everything a man like him thought he wanted. She was independent. She was beautiful. She had her own money, and she was willing to go to bed with him. He knew if he stepped foot inside her house, his night wouldn’t end with a drink.
The invitation in her eyes was clear, and they did have a good time tog
ether. She was easy to talk to. She had seen the world and they had a lot in common. And he knew if he went to bed with her she wasn’t expecting more than that. Being newly divorced, she wasn’t eager to start a serious relationship. It was a win–win situation. The man he was ten years ago wouldn’t still be standing on her bloody porch. He would have been in her bed ten minutes ago. But the man he was now could take things slower. Unlike with Serena, he was under no illusion that he would fall in love with Coral. He would see how things went with her. They might be able to build something.
Who are you kidding, lad?
He stepped closer, placed his hands around her trim waist, and pulled her into him. They didn’t line up the way he expected. The way he and Cherri … He shook that thought clear from his mind. Coral was much shorter than he was. Her thin body didn’t mold to his like a damp glove. They were a bit off, yet he kissed her anyway, trying to ignore the funny little niggle in the back of his mind.
He hadn’t been with a woman in a long time. After he broke up with Serena he went on a binge, sleeping with woman after woman. He became disgusted with himself after a while. It was madness. It was as if he had something to prove. He learned quickly that sex didn’t fix the nagging empty feeling in his chest—and it certainly didn’t do anything to get back at Serena. So for a year he went without sex, without companionship, going through the motions, hoping one day he would snap out of it. It was only now that he could admit that women made him wary. But then his best friend fell in love right in front of him, and it made Colin see that they all weren’t like Serena and made him even more determined not to go through life without living it.
Coral’s mouth was warm and welcoming. She tasted a little like the chocolate cake they had shared. He should have found her delicious. He should be thinking about their kiss, but nothing felt right. He pressed a little harder, opening his mouth wider over hers, in the hope that in a few more moments something might burn between them.
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