Dreaming Eli

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Dreaming Eli Page 16

by JoMarie DeGioia


  “Are you giving me lady’s choice, then?”

  “I always do, don’t I?”

  A memory flashed in her mind, of the two of them just last night as he’d let her take control of the passion play. “Yes you do.”

  He smiled and drew out his phone, glancing at the screen. “Okay, you’re closed now. I have to go prep…something for this meeting.” He stood and bent down to kiss her again. “I’ll text you later about dinner?”

  She stood and followed him to the door. “Sure.”

  After he left she locked the door and turned the hanging sign to Closed.

  “That boy has it bad, Caro,” Jane said as she wiped down a table.

  She smiled in her direction. “I’m the one who has it bad, Jane. I’m thinking about him all the time.”

  “And you don’t think he’s got that going on?”

  “I know he does, but there’s something up with his work.”

  “Who gives a fig about his work?”

  “He does. It’s been the one constant in his life, I think.”

  Jane’s lips thinned. “That could explain the serious expression that sometimes crosses that ridiculously handsome face.”

  Caro nodded. “I know something’s bothering him.”

  Jane pushed in a couple of chairs and then faced her. “Well, those scones aren’t going to prep themselves.”

  The savory butternut squash scones they’d debuted for the Fall Festival were proving to be very popular, and the dough needed to chill and rest overnight to get them to bake up fluffy and tall.

  “Let’s have at it, then,” Caro said.

  By the time they’d done the prep on the scones and some of the other treats they would bake in the morning, it was after four o’clock. Jane ducked out the back of the bakery as usual, but Caro exited through the front and locked up, setting the alarm with the app on her phone. It wasn’t a long walk to the market, but her gaze was drawn toward the Sales Center as she made her way past. Mr. Forbes’ impromptu meeting was going on right now, and she was worried about Eli. He was a planner, and it was clear from the way he lived his life that he was most comfortable when he knew what was going on.

  Maybe it went back to growing up in foster care. That kind of life must have made him dread any kind of surprise. Any kind of change he wasn’t prepared for.

  She realized she cared about him. Maybe she even loved him a little bit. She’d wanted to hug him there in the bakery when he’d looked so troubled. It was like when he’d found her out by the lake that afternoon. Was that just a few weeks ago? It felt like she’d seen a different Eli for so long now. A caring, serious man who wasn’t quite the bright shiny charmer he presented. It wasn’t all the time, but she felt in her heart that there was more to him.

  After greeting Jordy at the counter, she wheeled the two-level shopping cart over to the meat case. She chose a package of lamb chops and a bag of baby potatoes. She’d taken a few cooking classes back when she’d been getting her degree, after all. She could cook, even if she spent her days baking. The asparagus looked perky and fresh, so she added a bundle to her basket. A medium red wine would pair well with the meat, and she put a bottle of cabernet in her cart too.

  The market had bundles of fresh herbs in the produce section, and rosemary would be a great accompaniment to both the meat and the potatoes.

  “I think that should do it,” she said as she wheeled up to the counter.

  “Looks good,” Jordy said.

  He rang her up and she paid, taking another look at her phone. Four forty-five now. How long would Eli’s meeting last? She had no clue. This was just another reason why she loved running her own business. Having nobody else to answer to made the struggles and responsibility so worth it.

  “Is that all?” Jordy asked.

  She nodded absently, her mind on Eli. Something was bothering him. Tonight she would give him the opening he needed to confide in her, but she wouldn’t press him.

  Forcing an intimacy that went beyond the sexual was so not what she wanted to do.

  Chapter 19

  Eli sat at the table as most of the others filed out of the conference room. Mr. Forbes had dropped the bombshell and fielded a handful of questions, insisting that more details would be forthcoming. He was gone in a flash, and now the only other person in the room with Eli was Ben Chapman. The architect looked a little shell-shocked as he ran his hand over his hair.

  “Ben, you look floored.”

  “I have a lot to consider when I start on these plans, Eli. What direction are we going in? Entry-level or luxury? Who the hell knows after that meeting?”

  Eli nodded. “The sales staff has to presell the place. I wish I had more info.”

  “Don’t we all. Forbes will tell us when he’s ready. I anticipate a lot of emails in the coming weeks.” He gave Eli a small smile. “I know my wife is going to have a ton of questions.”

  “When is Tammy coming back?”

  “She’s been out for almost two months. I’d love it if she stayed home with the baby forever, but I also know my wife.” He laughed a little. “She would go crazy. Not everyone is lucky enough to have your mom there when you get home from school.”

  “Your mom stayed home?”

  Ben nodded, warmth coming into his blue-gray eyes. “My mom was the best, Eli. She was a sweet, soft-hearted woman who I still, to this day, can’t see falling for a hard-ass like Bill.”

  “You’re lucky you had her. Did you see your father much?”

  “Nope. Bill provided very well for me, so it was his money that allowed my mom to stay home. But that was pretty much the extent of my father’s involvement.”

  From what Eli had picked up since coming to Cypress, it seemed like all of the Chapman siblings had similar stories of their childhoods with—or without, really—Bill in their lives.

  “I never knew my father,” Eli said for no reason he could think of right now.

  “I’m sorry, man.” Ben’s gaze was soft. “You come from a broken home?”

  “Broken?” Eli scoffed. “Destroyed, actually. I’m an orphan.”

  Ben’s brows lifted. “That sucks.”

  Ben’s words were simple but hit it squarely on the head. Eli nodded, his throat tight. He pulled his mind from the dark place of his own childhood memories.

  “Well, I know Rick wants Tammy back.” Eli winked. “Although I like to think I’ve picked a little of the slack.”

  Ben smiled now. “You don’t seem like a guy who sells himself short.”

  “Not at all, actually.”

  “Tammy will be glad to have you here.” Ben stood, grabbing up his tablet. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Eli.”

  Eli watched him go and synced what few notes he’d taken on his phone to his laptop’s server. He studied his phone and knew he’d have to make that call to Bill. He wished he could have asked Ben how to handle him, but from what he’d learned since working at the Sales Center, and from Ben himself this afternoon, the guy didn’t have any more contact with his father than Rick did.

  He left the conference room and made his way to the large sales room. Jessie was tidying up her desk but everyone else was gone.

  “Where is everybody?” he asked her.

  “Rick said we could all take off, since it’s almost five o’clock.”

  “Short meeting.”

  “Shortest in my memory,” she said.

  “You ready to go, Jessie?” Noah Brady walked into the sales room. “Hey, Eli.”

  Eli nodded to Jessie’s husband. “Hey.”

  Noah looked as flummoxed as Ben had, and he knew the builder would have to work with the architect on the plans for the newest community in Cypress. The couple left and Eli closed down his computer.

  He wasn’t sure what time Caro was coming over, but he drove his SUV back to the townhouse and parked in the garage tucked behind the unit. The house felt empty when he walked into the kitchen. He drew out his phone and made the call to Bill. The man answered immedi
ately.

  “Eli, tell me what happened at the meeting.”

  No greeting, but that was Bill’s usual M.O.

  “There’s going to be an Active Adult community built over to the east side of the property,” Eli said.

  Bill blew out an audible breath. “So. Forbes finally said it. About damn time.”

  Eli settled on the couch and leaned back. “You knew.”

  “Of course, I knew. I’ve been going down there every few weeks.”

  “To see your family? Because that’s what you’ve told me.”

  “Yes, to see my family. And to get with the developers to see what investment opportunities were forthcoming.”

  Eli thought about what Ben had told him about Bill’s particular brand of parenting. Money and pretty much nothing else. He’d paid Eli very well in Boston, hadn’t he? He supposed he was lucky in that, since he wasn’t expecting any sort of fathering like his kids apparently had.

  “I don’t have the particulars, and if I did I couldn’t tell you,” he said.

  Bill was quiet for a second. “Yeah, Forbes said you’d settled in at the Sales Center. I hadn’t thought your loyalty would shift so quickly.”

  Eli felt his words like a punch to the gut. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying I could use you back up here.”

  The room seemed to shift and Eli straightened. “You want me back at Chapman?”

  “Maybe. I could make you my Director of Accounts.”

  Eli held his breath as the offer sank in. “Shit.”

  Bill laughed. “I thought you’d like that. You were already my number one guy in account retentions, Eli. You can schmooze with the best of them. Tell everyone exactly what they need to hear.”

  A buzzing sound filled Eli’s head as his stomach churned. Bill had just boiled his entire career down to bullshit artist.

  “Thanks,” he muttered.

  “So what do you think?”

  “Are you serious?”

  “I’m always serious,” was Bill’s answer.

  Eli smirked at the phone. Truer words were never spoken.

  “I’m committed to working for Cypress, Bill.” Eli paused. “For your son.”

  “Rick won’t be happy with me, but he’s never happy with me.”

  “I don’t care about your relationship with your kids,” Eli bit out. “I made a commitment. To Forbes and to Rick.”

  “Right, right.” Bill was silent again. “Listen, Eli. I’m serious about your coming back up here, but I appreciate that you feel obligated to Cypress.”

  Eli’s lips thinned. He kept the words he wanted to say locked behind them, because if he let loose he would tell Bill just where he could stick his appreciation.

  “So,” Bill went on. “Think about what I said. I’ll get with Forbes myself, but if you hear anything…”

  “If I hear anything I can repeat, you’re the first guy I’ll call.”

  “Fine.” A loud sigh filled the space after that lackluster word. “We’ll talk again soon.”

  It wasn’t a question. “Bye, Bill.”

  Bill disconnected the call and Eli tossed his phone on the couch beside him. Fucking Director of Accounts at Chapman? The position didn’t even exist yet, but he was so perfect for it.

  “I’m a bullshit artist, after all,” he grumbled.

  His doorbell rang and he scrubbed a hand over his face. He had to shake this off. Caro was here and they were going to have dinner. He’d suck it up and put on his game face. She’d said he was good for her, and he was going to be that guy tonight.

  As for tomorrow? Who the hell knew?

  ***

  Eli opened the front door, a grin on his face. “Hey, Cupcake.”

  She reached up on tiptoes and kissed him. “Hungry, Graham Cracker?”

  His eyes sparkled and she placed a hand on his chest and pushed.

  “Step aside, Eli. I’ve got this.”

  He closed the door and wrapped an arm around her. “I thought I was cooking tonight.”

  “You were.” She kissed him again, because he tasted so good, and pushed past him. “I grabbed a few things, and I thought we could cook together.”

  He looked a little startled. “I’ve never cooked with anyone before.”

  There was something else under his words, but she chose to take them at face value. And tease him a little bit, too.

  “Now, we both know that’s not true,” she said.

  He laughed, and his mood seemed to brighten. “Bring it on, then.”

  What she’d bought at the market didn’t need much time, so she set the groceries on the back counter and came up to him again. “Do you like lamb chops?” He nodded. “Asparagus? Potatoes?”

  “That all sounds fantastic.”

  She placed a hand on his chest again, stroking lightly through his polo before patting him. “Then let’s get started. The sooner we eat…”

  He growled softly. “Caro, you’re too good to me.”

  As they prepped the chops and cooked the veggies, they seemed to move in sync. He was clearly a guy used to cooking for himself, and she wondered where he’d picked that up.

  “So did one of you ex-girlfriends teach you how to cook?” she asked, keeping her tone light as if she didn’t want to picture him doing anything with another woman. Even something as innocent as making a meal. It was just too homey.

  “Nope.” He slid the chops under the broiler. “One of my foster moms loved to cook and we had to help.”

  “How long were you there?”

  “Almost two years. Until I was fifteen.” He wiped his hand on a dish towel. “I learned a lot from her.”

  “She didn’t bake?”

  “Not like you. Cakes from mixes, though. Cookies from tubes of the stuff.”

  “Mmm, cookie dough.”

  He slanted a look at her. “Don’t tell me you like that dough from a tube.”

  “Hey, I’m a red-blooded American woman.”

  Taking her in his arms again, he dropped his hands to her butt. “Yeah, you are.”

  She tucked her face into the crook of his neck and breathed in, letting out a purr of contentment. “So let’s get ready to eat.”

  He gave her butt a slap and released her. “You’re a tough cookie.”

  “I thought I was a cupcake.”

  He shrugged. “You’re a treat, Caro. Let’s leave it at that.”

  She lifted her chin and smiled. “I’ll take it.”

  Dinner was as delicious as she’d hoped, and the wine was delectable. They’d not only cooked together but they’d cleaned up together too. He was clearly used to caring for himself, as his movements were easy and confident. He seemed to like her in his space, though. She knew she felt really comfortable in his house.

  “So how was your meeting today?” she finally asked as they settled on the couch with their wine glasses.

  “It was all right.” He took a sip. “Short.”

  “A Forbes meeting, short?” She huffed out a breath. “From what I’ve always heard from Jessie, the guy loves his lengthy meetings.”

  “From what I’ve seen so far, too. This was different.”

  That strangeness she’d glimpsed when she’d first arrived was there again, in the stiffness of his shoulders and the set of his sculpted lips.

  “Can you talk about it?”

  “Oh, I can talk about it. There wasn’t a lot of info, and it’s going to be public soon anyway.”

  It struck her then. What the rumor mills had been churning out in tiny bits over the past few months.

  “The Active Adult community,” she said.

  “Yep. It’s official now.”

  She’d lived in Cypress long enough to know just what went into starting up a new community on the property. She’d seen the green neighborhood go from an idea to an actual village, and knew it took a lot of planning and time to bring it to actuality.

  “Will you have something to do with it?” she asked.

 
; What she really wanted to know was just how long he’d be sticking around Cypress, but she wasn’t going to ask that particular question.

  “I hope so. We’ll have information to pre-sell to visitors, of course. Ben and Noah will be the point people on design and construction.”

  “That will keep them pretty busy.”

  “And both their wives, too.”

  “Tammy’s coming back?”

  “Ben thinks she’ll want to jump on this.”

  “They’ve been operating without a Sales Manager since Raffaella was born.”

  Eli’s lips thinned again. “He’d like her to stay home, like his mom did.”

  “Ben was raised in California, right?”

  “I think so.”

  “He does have a granola kind of vibe,” she said. “He’s laidback, like his brother Jake.”

  “Jake’s wife will be pretty busy too, I bet.”

  “She’s the money mind, so yeah.”

  He drained his glass and set it down. “They’ll be bringing on new investors. Bill and I spoke about that a little while ago.”

  “Bill Chapman?” This shouldn’t surprise her, but he hadn’t mentioned his old boss in weeks. “Chapman Financial will have a stake?”

  “If Bill gets what he wants.”

  “You don’t seem happy about that.”

  “Oh, I’m happy for Chapman’s investors. Believe me.”

  “Why?”

  He brushed his hair off his brow and settled back. His posture was relaxed but his face was set. She felt the instinct to brace herself for whatever he would say next.

  “He offered me a job, Caro. An incredible job back at Chapman.”

  Her stomach clenched painfully, and their wonderful meal churned inside. “Oh.”

  “It’s not a done deal.” He blew out a breath. “I don’t even know if I want to consider it.”

  She nodded, her mind racing with everything she longed to tell him. Don’t take the job. Stay here with me forever. That last scared the hell out of her, because she knew he just wasn’t that kind of guy.

  “Well, it’s a good thing everything you have here is on borrowed time.” His eyes widened and she bit her lip. “It wouldn’t take much to settle things, right?”

  His expression grew more serious than she’d ever seen it. He was obviously considering Bill Chapman’s offer. Of that, she had no doubt. What was there to keep him in Cypress Corners, right? Not his house, his furniture, his damn SUV. Sure as heck not the baker girl he was sleeping with.

 

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