“Then that’s what you need to do, Dan.” Murphy nodded. “Go with that feeling in your gut.”
When Dan began waving at a trio cruising by in a speedboat, Murphy turned his attention back to the lake. Noticing the attractive woman seated inside the boat, his eyes suddenly widened. Glossy, strawberry-blonde hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, accentuating the delicate features of her lovely, sun-kissed face. With her long, tanned legs stretched out over the seat before her, her navy-blue bikini exposed hints of a slim but shapely figure.
Following Dan’s example, Murphy smiled, lifting his hand to wave.
And the woman pulled off her sunglasses. Staring up toward the deck, her expression was abruptly arrested when her eyes met his.
Involuntarily, Murphy caught his breath. “Damn. Who’s the sexy blonde?”
Sipping on his beer, Dan was suddenly overcome by a paroxysm of coughing.
Turning his attention back to Dan, Murphy slapped him firmly on the back. “Are you alright, man?”
“Sexy?” Dan sputtered, finally able to speak. “Yeah. I guess that’s gotta be what draws each of those suckers in. Kate’s broken the heart of just about every guy she’s gone out with.”
“Kate?” Murphy blinked. “That’s your sister?”
“Yeah.” Dan snorted. “But now I’m afraid to introduce you.”
Murphy shook his head dazedly. But after a minute, he laughed. “Don’t worry – I’m only gonna be here for a couple of months. Besides, Sara would claw the eyes out of any other woman I looked at twice.”
Dan was suddenly sheepish. “Oh, yeah – about Sara,” he mumbled. “I forgot to tell you. She called a couple of times this morning – looking for you.”
“Already?” Murphy groaned. “Damn. That’s right – I turned off my cell phone this morning. I forgot to check for messages after I arrived here in town.” Shaking his head resignedly, he continued, “But I told her I’d call her. I gave her your parents’ number. I thought she’d have the sense not to use it – unless she hadn’t heard from me after a couple of days.”
“Maybe she couldn’t get through? The cell phone reception we get here in town isn’t too great.”
“Yeah. But still...back home, she seemed to be calling me all the time. I never really noticed it before—but it’s like she needs to know where I am every minute of the day.” Murphy sighed. “I probably should’ve broken it off with her before I left Chicago.”
“So, why, didn’t you?” Dan stared hard at Murphy. “If she’s such a pain in the ass?”
Murphy waggled his brows.
Dan chuckled. “That good, huh? But is it really worth it?”
“Yeah. I’ve been asking myself that same question a lot, lately,” Murphy admitted dryly.
The hostess stepped out onto the deck and announced to the Callahans that their table was ready. As Jenny and the twins prepared to enter the restaurant, Cal held up his hand and waved. “Ready to go on in and eat, guys?”
Dan slugged down the rest of his beer. After reaching over and grabbing Murphy’s bottle from his hand, he handed the empties over to the bartender. Murphy and Dan made their way through the crowd and met up with the Callahan family near the entrance of the restaurant.
Dan peeked slyly at Murphy before turning to his father with a grin. “Yeah, I’d say that we’re ready to eat – that is, if Murphy’s done with admiring my sexy sister.”
Murphy snorted. “Hey, Callahan – if you’d have just told me right away that she was your sister, I never would’ve said anything in the first place.” Moving through the doorway, inside to the restaurant, he followed Dan, Jenny, and the twins to a circular table set up in the corner of the room, near the fireplace.
Once they were seated, Cal lifted his brow as he stared at Dan. “What’s this?”
“Didn’t you guys see Kate?” Dan asked. “She and Lancaster just went cruising by on the lake, on Julie’s inboard.”
Cal looked taken aback. “Kate?” Glancing at Murphy, he began to chuckle. “Sexy, huh? I guess, as her father, I’m supposed to hand out a warning.” Cal turned to his wife and smiled. “But Kate’s always been pretty self-sufficient.”
Jenny deliberately turned to Murphy and gave him long hard stare. But then she eventually winked and grinned.
And Murphy was taken aback. That’s who Kate Callahan reminded him of. He’d always thought of Jenny as an exceptionally lovely woman – he’d even had a little bit of a crush on her as a kid. And suddenly paying an unusual amount of attention to his menu, Murphy squirmed uncomfortably in his seat as he avoided Jenny’s eyes.
CHAPTER
THREE
Rubbing her eyes, Kate eased back into her chair at the kitchen table. Although she’d transformed the smallest of the three bedrooms into an office, she preferred to work in the kitchen of the cabin because of the lighting. Plus, she loved her view to the lake.
After listing additional improvements and budget requirements needed to complete the Ivers’ home, she was finally getting closer to her final number. Factoring in the higher-end materials her father had requested for finishing the bathrooms, even estimating conservatively, the budget would have to be increased by nearly thirty-thousand dollars.
Kate whipped through the binder listing sources and costs for replacement doors and windows. And grimaced. If she used the premium manufacturer her father had requested, even with their wholesale discount, she’d end up having to up their budget yet again. Maybe she’d be able to work out a deal if she spoke with a representative personally? It wouldn’t hurt to try, she decided, shuffling through her paperwork. She’d always been good at finagling.
It was time for a break, she realized, eyeing the kitchen clock. Rising up from her chair, she stretched, before moving over to the coffee pot. After pouring herself a fresh cup of coffee, she contentedly leaned back against the kitchen counter surveying the interior of her cozy hideaway.
Even her mother had been impressed by all the improvements Kate had made to the cabin this past spring. Her family had acquired this unencumbered annex of property on the lake three years before when Jake Loughlin, the owner of the Dragonfly Pointe Inn, had purchased the Crystal Rock Campgrounds with the intention of transforming into a special education facility.
At one time the caretaker’s retreat, the cabin had been neglected and unlived in for at least the past ten years. Although there were two propane wall heaters installed inside, as well as a functioning fireplace, most obviously, this cabin had only been intended for seasonal use. Recognizing the futility of attempting to make too many structural improvements, Kate had merely done what was necessary to make the place her own. One day the cabin would probably have to be gutted or even demolished.
Repairing plumbing and replacing the sink and toilet in the bathroom, Kate had ripped out the vanity and swapped it with a more updated version she’d appropriated from a recently refurbished worksite. Invading the company warehouse, Kate had searched through extra materials leftover from previous jobs. Once she’d mounted ceramic tiles onto the walls in a diamond pattern in the bathroom, she’d used the same jade green tiles in the kitchen, after replacing the rusted metal cabinets with white prefab cabinets she’d discovered in the warehouse. Kate had even been able to add a kitchen island, constructed with leftover butcher block, into the small space.
Dark, outdated paneling had sheathed the walls. Instead of ripping out the paneling and putting in drywall, she’d decided to save time by cleaning and whitewashing the paneling. It was actually rather attractive with the shadows of knotty pine peeking through. Luckily, the wooden flooring had still been in decent shape structurally. After sanding the floor throughout the entire cabin, she’d whitewashed and sealed all the floors as well.
She’d swapped out the dilapidated couch and chairs with stylish, comfortable replacements she’d bought at a second-hand store. And, of course, the coffee table and end tables, as well as the kitchen table, she’d designed and built herself. She’d e
ven discovered a forgotten fireplace surround her father had purchased at an auction up in the attic at home. Pictures of family and friends lined the wide mantle framed by its lovely carved oak. Although Kate had always preferred a more contemporary, eclectic style, she couldn’t help thinking that, with its accents of green and rosy-pink, the interior of her cabin now appeared to be rather stylish.
Well – she should really quit procrastinating. She needed to eat before getting back to work. Just as she was about to open the fridge to begin pulling out the makings for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, she heard the roar of a motor being shifted to idle. Peeking out through the window, she watched as a familiar speedboat eased into the dock.
Making her way through the kitchen door, she rushed outside onto the pier. “Julie! How are you?”
With a huge smile on her face, Julie Thompson jumped up from the boat onto the dock. It was hard to believe that, growing up, Julie, who was three years older than Kate, had actually been her sister’s best friend. Now that Lucy was busy with work and school, as well as a husband and child, Kate and Julie had become incredibly close.
Kate pulled Julie into her arms for a hug. “I didn’t even realize you were home from school, yet.”
“I just got in yesterday. Since Dad was so happy to see me last night, I decided I’d better go out to dinner with him. I know that you’re usually up at the crack of dawn – I didn’t want to wake you up by calling too late. Anyway, I ran into Brian when I was picking up some things I needed from the store this morning. He suggested we drive over and see what you’re up to.”
Kate studied the other occupant of the speedboat uncomfortably. “Hi, Brian.” Apparently, he’d forgotten to mention to Julie the fact that they were no longer a couple.
“Hi, Kate. It’s such a beautiful day today – the lake’s so nice and calm – I thought it’d be fun to go skiing? Maybe we could even go out for something to eat? My treat. You’ve been working a little too hard lately, anyway.”
Julie must’ve finally recognized that something was wrong. Uncomfortably, she shifted her gaze from Kate to Brian.
“I could probably use a break.” Kate hesitated. “But maybe we could just go for a ride around the lake – instead of skiing? Food sounds good, too.” Studying her watch, she turned back to Julie. “Dad put me in charge of the Ivers’ renovation. I promised to have the final numbers ready for him on Monday.”
Julie gaped. “The Ivers’ place?”
“Yeah,” Brian muttered, cutting in. “Jeff Ivers finally decided to renovate. And Daddy gave Katie the job,” he added, caustically.
Kate started. She’d been really disappointed by Brian’s childish reaction at their breakup. Hearing him now, she was even more relieved that she’d broken it off. During the last few weeks, Brian had shown a side of himself that she hadn’t known existed.
She slowly turned to Brian with an icy stare.
“Alright,” he muttered, sheepishly. “I guess you didn’t deserve that.”
“No, she didn’t,” Julie reproached. “Kate’s spent most her life working construction with her dad. To tell you the truth, I’m surprised Mr. Callahan hasn’t put her in charge sooner.”
Taken aback, Kate blinked.
And Julie winked.
“We should probably get going,” Brian mumbled, hanging his head.
“Let me go put on my swimsuit and get my sunglasses,” Kate said. She was already moving down the dock and rushing back into the cabin.
Ten minutes later, with Julie behind the wheel, they were on their way. Kate glanced over at Brian. She should’ve been flattered he wanted more. With dark-blonde hair and silvery-blue eyes, at six-feet tall, Brian was pretty hot. She sighed. Unfortunately, looks weren’t everything.
Suddenly Brian turned, catching her eyes. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier, Kate. It’s just that I’ve got two older brothers – so I never got the chance to be in charge when I worked for my own father. And I guess I’m a little jealous. I was hoping that your dad might consider making me a crew boss sometime soon.”
Similarly to hers, Brian’s family’s fortune had been amassed in the construction business. Although Brian had been working for his family, he’d relocated to Crystal Rock two years before because he’d supposedly wanted a change. His father was a friend of her father’s, and had contacted him about hiring Brian.
“Oh, Brian. I’m really sorry. But you’ve only been working for Dad for a couple of years - you’ll have to be patient. It wouldn’t be fair to promote you when a lot of the other members of his crew have seniority.” She sighed. “Just admit it, Brian - you’re still upset about our breakup, too.”
Julie was obviously sympathetic as she gazed from Kate to Brian.
Moving in closer and wrapping an arm over her shoulders, Brian whispered, “Are you sure, Kate?”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “I’m sorry. It’s not you - I’m just not ready for anything more serious. Plus, I really love my job. You wouldn’t believe how excited I am, Brian - about being promoted to crew boss. I really don’t have time for anything else right now.”
“Well - I’m not giving up yet,” he muttered. “You know that we’re good together.”
She turned to stare accusingly.
Brian added hastily, “But I’m willing to give you your space.”
She nodded. “I’d like to remain friends?”
“That’s all I can ask.”
Although Brian’s eyes remained unreadable, Kate’s mood was lightened considerably. Slipping on her sunglasses, she sighed contentedly, staring out at her surroundings. The air was crisp and invigorating while the sky was a bright azure blue. The sun shone down brightly across the lake, where the water sparkled like faceted crystals. Kate watched, with fascination, as the breeze whipped into the sails of a sunfish, sending the sailboat zipping off through the water.
For the next twenty minutes, they cruised at high speed around the lake. Finally, Julie spoke loudly over the roar of the engine, “Why don’t we swing around by the Riverbend Lodge first, and then we can head out to Dragonfly Pointe and eat?”
Kate nodded agreeably, basking in the sun. Easing back into her seat, she stretched out her legs and laid them over the front seat.
But Brian remained strangely quiet as they sped across the lake.
The Riverbend Lodge boasted some of the most picturesque views in Crystal Rock. Built as a resort for fisherman back in the nineteen-fifties, the lodge had remained in the hands of the Jacobs family. Bordering the junction of the Crystal Rock Lake and the Crystal Rock River, the lodge offered rentals of fishing boats along with canoes and kayaks.
It wasn’t until Julie slowed down, to steer around the traffic near the landing, that Brian spoke again, “I don’t know why the lodge draws in such a big crowd – this place is such a dump.”
Disconcerted, Kate stared at Brian. “What do you mean?” She asked. “The food’s great here.”
Bristling, Julie frowned. “Yeah. Plus, they’ve done a lot of remodeling over the last few years.”
Brian shrugged. “I guess it’s alright if you like hamburgers and fish fries,” he grumbled. “But I prefer the menu at the Dragonfly Pointe Inn.”
Julie snorted. “Well, duh, so do I. But that doesn’t mean I can afford to eat there every day like you do.”
How did Brian keep up with his spending, Kate wondered? Undeniably, he had expensive tastes. Of course, he could probably afford to blow his entire paycheck anyway, since he lived rent free in his family’s vacation home on Stone Lake.
Julie made a motion at the shore. “Look, Kate. It’s your mom and dad.”
Startled, Kate stared up at the crowded deck extending from the lodge. The restaurant seemed to be unusually busy tonight; every single table on the deck appeared to be occupied. Even the dock was packed full with boats of all shapes and sizes. A bunch of young kids, including her brother and sister, sat along the widened steps leading up from the landing.
“Da
mn,” Julie swore breathily, gazing up at the deck. “Who’s the hunk with your brother?”
Glancing up at the deck, Brian snorted.
And then Kate saw him, leaning back against the railing. His height and bulk made him stand out noticeably from the rest of the crowd.
But his bulk was definitely pure muscle.
Taking off her sunglasses, she became intent on getting a better look. Slightly disheveled, his hair was ash-brown and hung down nearly to his collar. With his squarely chiseled jaw and clearly masculine features, he wasn’t exactly handsome.
Turning and staring out at their boat, he waved and suddenly smiled.
When his eyes met hers, her stomach abruptly did a somersault.
For a long quiet moment, Kate remained unresponsive with her gaze focused up at the man on the deck.
But, eventually, she noticed that Julie was staring at her curiously. And, hastily, Kate cleared her throat. “Ahh...that must be Michael Murphy.”
“Michael Murphy?” Julie asked.
“Supposedly, my parents are his godparents. He’s from Chicago. He’s getting his degree in architecture - so he needed to do an internship in construction this summer. He’ll be working here, with us, until August. He and Dan have been friends for years – although I’m pretty sure I’ve never met him.”
“Hmm. I think you would’ve definitely remembered him,” Julie said, echoing Kate’s thoughts. “Wanna go have a drink with your family?”
But Brian was obviously unhappy with the direction their discussion was taking. Scowling, he discourteously cut in, “Let’s just get on over to Dragonfly Pointe and eat, Julie. Kate’s in a hurry, remember?”
For someone who wanted to get ahead, Brian seemed strangely reluctant to socialize with her father, Kate had come to realize. And he’d only had dinner with her entire family once - and that was when they’d first begun dating.
Kate hesitated. But then she glanced up at her family and waved. “Yeah, Jules – Brian’s right. If we stop to have a drink, you know that they’ll insist that we stay and eat. Then I’ll be too tired to get anything done tonight. I’ll be happy to introduce you to Michael Murphy sometime.”
That Unforgettable Kiss Page 4