by J C Hartung
“Hey.” He squinted over at her as his eyes adjusted to the morning light. He glanced at the phone in his hand and noticed it was 9:30.
“I didn’t mean to wake you--” she started, but he didn’t let her finish.
“No, I don’t usually sleep this late, but I was painting until late,” he explained, shaking more sleep from his head. He reached for his pants and dragged them on while her eyes roamed everywhere else in the room.
He pointed at the coffee pot on the shelf near the door. “Could you hit brew on that, please? Are you in a hurry?” He watched her shake her head.
“Cool, I need a few minutes, I’ll be right back.”
He turned his back, grabbed some clean clothes from the top of a laundry bin and with a few strides was in the bathroom. With quick movements he had the shower running and steam drifting up before he had removed his pants. He stepped into the stream and felt some function slowly being restored. It was brief but the hot water soothed and revived him. He dressed and found her spinning in his chair when he joined her in the loft.
“Good morning” he greeted, crossing to her as she flashed him a smile more dazzling than the morning light that shone in his eyes.
“Feeling better?” she asked, with a hint of teasing.
“Getting there,” he admitted. He walked around the desk and leaned on it next to her. “Busy morning at the shop?”
“Not really, the rush will come just before lunch, which means I don’t actually have that much time.” She stood up abruptly and walked to the window to look out over the treetops. He sensed a hesitance and a tension, and as she stuffed her hands in her pockets, he realized she hadn’t touched him yet. He didn’t know how long he could be so close to her and not touch her.
“If I tie you up and force you to spend the day with me do you think you’d get fired?”
She turned to him with an expression that appeared fully prepared to accept the challenge. She withdrew her hands from her pockets and seemed to float towards him. With one hand resting on his shoulder, she allowed the other to wander and push its way up his neck and into his wet hair. Her touch sent a shiver over his flesh.
“I don’t think I’d get fired, but the town would be in an uproar if there was nothing for lunch.”
“That would be a shame,” he said thickly, as his eyes roamed her face.
“It would be. I’d lose all my business and have to seek employment elsewhere, which would mean I’d have to move, and that would mean you would likely starve before your new kitchen was installed.
He liked the way she turned it back on him, he couldn’t help but smile. “I can’t have that happening, so I’ll have to come up with another way to see you.”
He’d kept his hands gripped firmly on the edge of the desk until that point, but her answering smile called them into action. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her until she lost balance and was leaning into him. He greeted her the way he wish he’d have when she arrived.
“Good morning.” She proclaimed when they parted, and laughter engaged her body.
“It is now!” he confirmed. The coffee machine called out for attention and though he would have rather lingered over her longer, he moved towards it. “Coffee?” he asked. He saw her shake her head.
“So, I’m literally thrilled you’re here but could you explain to me why, and what you’ve dragged yourself all the way out here for at,” he grabbed the watch on top of the coffee machine and strapped it on. “At 9:45?”
“You haven’t been answering your phone, so I wondered if your music was so loud you couldn’t hear it, or if you were simply screening your calls.”
Knowing she would go out of her way to see him smoothed some of the raw edges his frustrations had left him with during her absence over the past few days. He looked at his phone and saw she’d called the night before and again earlier in the morning.
“I wouldn’t have heard it, but I left it up here and didn’t look at it before I fell into bed late last night, and you saw me this morning.”
“I did, and it’s nice to see that you are human after all.” Her teasing brought another easy smile to his lips. “So, I am potentially free tonight if you’re up for some company.”
“Tonight?”
His insides clenched at the idea of turning her down. She raised her eyebrows and lifted her shoulders as an answer.
“What is potentially free?” he asked.
“It’s not a big deal, Linc. Oliver and Brady have been asking for a sleepover for a few days and Abby said if I wanted a night out she’d do it at her place. If you’re busy they’ll stay at my place this time and go to Abby’s next time.”
“Alright,” he said, considering his options. “Here’s my deal. I have to spray the first coat of my paint this morning and get to the city before 5:00. I was planning on staying in the city overnight and heading back in the morning. I’ll be home by noon. Is that something you think you could do?”
“Wow.” She didn’t even try to hide her surprise at his offer. “I’m sure Abby would be fine with that,” she told him without stopping to think it through. When she did, she looked more quizzically at him.
“You have to be there by 5:00?”
He held his coffee and leaned back on the desk not unlike how he had a few minutes before. He indulged her worries by working his own thoughts out audibly.
“If I get there sooner it would be better, they close at 5:00 and won’t like having to load up my trailer that close to the end of the day. The warehouse I’ll be going to is on this end of the city so if we leave, say by 1:30 I’ll get there.”
He watched her as she sorted it out for herself. Her small frame was instantly alerted and she had been swaying in the same spot as she watched him explain. He imagined it was more than the basics racing around in her head, and watching her truly fascinated him. She stopped swaying and he figured that meant she’d made a decision. He tipped his head further up to indicate he was listening.
“Will you take me out tonight?”
He laughed and relaxed. If her thoughts had gone that far, he believed she would do everything she could to go with him.
“Wherever you want to go,” he answered.
She returned his grin. “This is what I need to do. I’m going to go throw some things in a bag. Then I have to get back to work for a few hours. If I can sort everything out with Oliver, I would love to go with you.”
He stood and reached his hand out for hers and led her to the stairs.
At her car she turned with a sparkling smile. “Pick me up at The Bakery if I don’t call with bad news!”
He kissed her hard and sent her on her way. They both had more than enough work to do before they could leave town.
Chapter Thirty-Two
She streaked across the road with her bag over her shoulder and climbed into the truck, oblivious to the eyes that turned their way. She tossed the bag into the backseat as her energy bounced back and forth, up and down.
“Hello!”
“Hi,” he laughed back at her. He’d finished painting with enough time to pack his own bag and have another steaming shower to scrub the paint off.
She leaned over the console, kissed him long enough for him to want more, then sat back in her seat and placed a box in the space between them.
He looked down at the simple white box that was tied with shop ribbon.
“I figured you likely didn’t have time for lunch!” she smiled over at him. “I also figured it’s the least I could do, as you are taking me out for an amazing dinner!”
She sparkled and the color in her cheeks was warm. He wanted to forever see her like this; free and happy.
“So everything’s set?”
“Yes, let’s go!”
He adjusted the volume, pulled his sunglasses over his eyes and headed out of town.
The conversation flowed consistently for a long portion, and then she was quiet.
“Linc, I didn’t think to ask before,
but what was your plan for the night?”
“I didn’t keep my condo, so I usually stay at my mom’s. But we could stay at a hotel, or you could stay at a hotel, or if you want I could drop you off with your family.”
The final suggestion set her mind on a myriad of situations that were all filled with awkward moments, uncomfortable conversations, and left her feeling slightly ill at ease.
“I don’t need to see my family this time, but thanks for offering, it’s very generous of you.” She was quiet for a moment, contemplating her options before asking, “what do you want to do?”
He reached over and took her hand, kissed her fingers and set their twinned hands on the console between them.
“Whatever makes you most comfortable, though I do need to stop by my mom’s to drop off some drawings and the pieces that are in the trailer.”
“She won’t mind if we stay?”
He chuckled and glanced over at her. “She won’t mind. She’d love to see you, but again, we can do whatever you want, no pressure.”
She eyed him and when she’d made up her mind she hitched up her feet under her on the seat and leaned over to kiss his cheek.
“Okay, we’ll stay with your mom!”
“Good. Now where do you want to go for supper? It might be too late for a reservation but we could try.”
It was her turn to smile and chuckle to herself. “I called a friend and managed to get us an eight o’clock table at Jules. Have you been?”
“No, don’t think so. What sort of food is it?”
“Hmm, French with a twist I think.”
“So this friend is the chef?”
“Andre is the owner and chef. I worked for him years ago; he calls me and tries to convince me to come back every time he has an opening.”
“And do you ever consider it?” he asked, curious to know if she would ever take on life in the city. She continued to look at him as his attention shifted between the road and her.
“Honestly,” she paused, and he wondered how different she would be if she lived in the city in a different reality. “I dream about it, and it’s what I always thought I wanted. But life works for me where I am. I’m more flexible, Oliver is happy and I get to raise him the way he deserves and I can be proud of. I don’t miss much when it comes right down to it, and if I worked for Andre in the city, I’d never see Oliver, and when I would, I’d be exhausted. I think I’d end up hating it and then I’d end up being a terrible mom, and miserable at my job.”
“Sounds like you’re ready to build some new dreams!”
She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. “Maybe.”
The tile was loaded with plenty of time to spare as they headed to his mother’s place. Linc backed the trailer onto the drive and got the doors as close to the garage as he could before walking around to Raina’s door and helping her down. She looked up at the house and he thought he saw a note of nervousness. He didn’t mind, in fact, he thought it was sweet and likely indicated that it meant something to her.
“She’s not here yet,” he whispered, as he pressed his face into her hair. Raina responded by pushing her hands up his chest until her fingers linked at his neck. She smiled and drew him to her so her body pressed against his. Time stopped and his mind began to wander. He was just beginning to think that a hotel may have been a good idea when they were reeled back to reality by a blast of a rude horn.
Linc opened his eyes to see another truck equally as tall as his own parked a few feet away. He turned with her, but didn’t release her when the driver walked towards them.
“This is my brother,” he whispered down into her hair.
“Linc, how did you sweet talk this stunner into spending time with you?”
It broke the ice, and he noted too, that Raina was amused. Linc let her go and the brothers hugged. Chris looked over at Raina and instead of shaking hands he swept her up in a friendly embrace.
“Raina, this is Chris, Chris, Raina.”
“I’m not usually in such a rush, but let’s get this unloaded, Trace goes a little crazy these days if I’m late.”
“How are your beautiful girls doing?” Linc asked, as he unlocked and punched in the security code to disarm the alarm.
Chris’s expression visually altered and Raina saw a resemblance between the brothers. Not only in their frames and mannerisms but also in the affection that shone in their eyes.
“They’re more beautiful than ever. She changes every day, man, I hate leaving for work in the morning. Here, look, these are the latest pictures.” Chris dug into the inside pocket of his jacket and produced a few glossy sheets which he passed to Raina. Linc leaned over and laid his hands on her shoulders as she flipped the photos.
“She’s beautiful, congratulations! Enjoy her, they grow too fast, soon she’ll be telling you what to do,” she added wistfully.
“You have kids?” Chris asked, slightly surprised.
She smiled and Linc squeezed her shoulder. “I have a son, he’s just turned five.”
“When do they start telling you what to do?” he asked.
“I’d say you have a few more months, though they have a way of running the show the moment they enter the world” she admitted, with an equal balance of humor and regret.
“True enough. Well, then I’d better get home and not miss a minute! You ready?” he asked Linc.
“Yeah, I’ll be right there.” He tossed Chris the keys to the trailer and turned his full attention back to Raina.
“This won’t take long, do you want to snoop around and make yourself at home?”
“Can I come see what you made?”
She could see he was surprised by her interest.
“Sure, if that’s what you want.”
“We have plenty of time to get ready for dinner later, so yes, that’s what I’d like.”
The men unloaded and she stayed well out of their way. Chris helped Linc with the last piece and hurried to his truck.
“It was great meeting you, Raina. I hope to see you again soon!”
She waved and turned back into the garage where Linc was covering up each piece carefully.
“Did you do all of this?” she asked, referring to an intricately carved armoire her fingers were exploring.
He stood back and looked at the piece. It was beautiful, and he felt grudgingly that it had taken forever to carve the pattern into the two cherry wood doors. “Yeah.”
“You did all the carving?” she asked again.
He nodded and his body language brushed off the compliment.
“It’s amazing,” she whispered. She wondered about the way he didn’t seem to want attention drawn to his creations. He was continually surprising her with his reactions. It kept her on her toes and left her wanting to know more about him.
He covered up the armoire and she followed him out of the garage and locked the doors behind him.
Her interest in him was peaked, she wanted to see more. When they were back inside the house she looked around the sun filled and tidy kitchen, and indulged her curiosity.
“Show me your room, please,” she added, with a short laugh.
“There’s not much to see. It’s not the same room from my childhood,” he told her, but he led her that way regardless.
“Don’t you have any trophies or weird childhood memorabilia?”
He shrugged and thought he’d just let her see for herself. He led her down the stairs and to the first door at the base. “It’s this one.”
She found the light switch and the room lit. Her eyes were treated to a feast. The decorator had kept it simple. The walls were a deep blue and the bed looked like a massive cushiony paradise. On the wall opposite the door hung two large framed pictures. Raina drifted towards the first one. It was a series of sketches of a house in varying stages of completion. The second she assumed was his barn as it stood today with the changes he’d made. A third sketch sat on the night stand. It was a depiction of a small child, a girl playing with a dog; it
was life-like.
“Did you draw these?”
He nodded as his eyes scanned the frames his mother had added to his room since last he was there. He didn’t know that she’d kept his sketches or taken the one of the barn when she’d last been at his place.
“They’re beautiful, Linc, you’re really talented; this one especially.” She picked up the frame on the side table and took another long inspection of it.
“It’s my niece and that was my dog Jasper.”
She set it down, looked curiously at him and began moving towards him. Her strides had intention, and before she reached him he had a pretty focused idea of what it was. He heard the door upstairs and the purpose driven tread of his mother’s heeled feet cross the kitchen floor. It didn’t cause a hesitation for Raina, though he saw her glance towards the ceiling in awareness. She still came to him and they were tangled together, and her light sugary fragrance fell over him, causing all other thoughts to temporarily vaporize around him.
Her arms were around him and he bent to lift her off the ground. Her eyes held his and without words they spoke to each other. His hands felt the skin at her waist and then the hair around her face as he pushed his fingers back into it.
The moment was slow as he scanned every small part of her face as she did the same with his. When he felt her shiver, he smiled.
The footsteps crossed back to the kitchen and over to the top of the stairs but their eyes never broke their lock.
“Linc, are you down there?” Diane called down the stairs.
Raina’s face still in his hands broke into a comical grin, it was a moment of humor he could appreciate and lament all the same.
“I’ll be right up, I’ve got a surprise for you,” he said, not willing to allow their moment to be over.
“I hope it’s a good one, because I have had one monster of a week, love,” she answered, and her footsteps retreated from the stairs. He heard the light sound of music and he judged her feet had taken her through the kitchen where the music dock was and then right back to her office.
Raina raised an eyebrow and her eyes continued to dance with delight. “Let’s hope I’m a good surprise! When’s the last time you were caught sneaking around down here alone with a girl?”