by Helen Lacey
“Layla, do all men make you nervous?” he asked quietly. “Or just me?”
Her gaze jerked up and she clutched her hands in her lap. “Actually, I think this is the least nervous I’ve ever been around a man.”
That surprised him. And pleased him. “Really?”
She nodded. “Well, except for Frank...and he was older and not as...” Her words trailed off and she waved her hands expressively, her cheeks burning scarlet. “Not as...you know...hot.”
Kane bit back the grin hovering on his lips. “Well, my unbelievable hotness aside,” he said with a good dose of self-deprecating humor, “I’m not any kind of threat to you. Or Erin,” he added.
“I know that,” she said. “I think that’s what terrifies me the most.”
Her candor startled him. “I do get it, Layla. You’re unsure about getting involved. You’re not alone on that score. But I think it’s obvious that I like you. I’d kinda hoped that you liked me, too.”
She looked at him, then at Erin, who was happily pulling at his shirt with chubby fingers and chatting indecipherable words, and then took a long and steadying breath. “I do like you. And you’re right, I’m unsure. I haven’t been on a date since my husband died. The truth is, I haven’t been on anything even resembling a date until last Saturday. I don’t have a large circle of friends. I don’t have much family. I have Erin,” she said, and swallowed hard. “She has to come first and I’m not sure I have room within myself for anything else or anyone else.”
He pushed back a little in his seat, his gaze unwavering. “I understand.”
“And it doesn’t make you want to run a mile?”
“Not at all,” he said honestly, surprising himself a little. “You want the truth? I haven’t been this attracted to someone for a long time. Maybe never. I’d like to see where it goes.”
“And what if it doesn’t go anywhere?” she asked.
“Then I guess we’ll just be friends.”
The doorbell rang, jerking them both out of the intensity of the moment, and Kane was relieved. The words between them were getting heavy—too heavy, he suspected—because clearly neither of them was really ready for serious.
“Our dinner,” he said, and got to his feet, hauling Erin into his arms. She said a few words, something about bow-wows, he thought, and they both laughed as he passed her to her mom. “Be back in a minute.”
“Meet you in the kitchen,” she said.
Five minutes later they were settled at the kitchen table, with Erin in her high chair, watching the toddler pull the cheese off the pieces of pizza her mother had cut up for her. They ate and chatted about ordinary, mundane things in between taking turns picking up pizza bits that Erin tossed onto the floor. The domesticity of the scene wasn’t lost on Kane. Somehow, the pull of both Layla and Erin was so powerful he knew he was getting sucked deeper into their vortex the more time they spent together.
And oddly, it didn’t make him want to bail.
It made him want to stay.
“What time’s your playdate tomorrow?” he asked.
“Ten thirty,” she replied. “But I may have to cancel if the plumber takes a long time to fix the pipe.”
“I’m sure Laurel won’t mind if you’re a little late.”
Layla nodded fractionally. “Will you be there?”
Kane’s hands stilled. “Would you like me to be?”
She nodded again. “If you could. You seem to have quite the calming effect on my daughter,” she remarked, and met his gaze. “And me.”
“Then of course I’ll be there.”
“Thank you,” she said, and sighed. “You know, I’m not always this needy. I’m usually quite self-sufficient and in control.”
“So you said. But, Layla, needing support isn’t a weakness, you know,” he said quietly.
“Says a man who’s clearly a tower of strength,” she remarked, her brows rising.
It was a nice compliment, and mostly true. Mostly. “Maybe, but I come from a large and loving family and I only have myself to be concerned about,” he said, his gaze darting to Erin. “I imagine that if I ever have kids I’ll be as neurotic as everyone else. Not that you’re neurotic or anything.”
She chuckled. “You’re right, though. Having Erin changed the way I think about things. Suddenly I had this little person who relied on me and I had to be the best version of myself to make sure she was cared for.”
“And then you lost your husband?”
She nodded. “Yeah...and it was like, wham, now it’s just me doing everything. I don’t think I’ve taken a breath since.”
“You know, you can talk about him if you want.”
She sighed heavily. “Thank you,” she said, and then looked at him. “I seem to say that to you a lot. Okay... Frank was a wonderful man. He was kind and considerate and loving and my best friend. I miss that. I miss him. It’s hard, though, because the more time goes by, the more I get used to him not being here...and that feels disloyal.” She shrugged and shook her head. “That probably doesn’t make any sense.”
“It does,” he assured her. “But you’re lucky. A lot of people never find what you had.”
“You mean, being in love?”
He nodded, heat suddenly clawing at his neck. “Yeah.”
“So, what you’re saying is you’ve never felt that for anyone?”
“Not even close,” he replied.
“Neither had I, until I met my husband,” she said, absently picking at her food. “I was twenty years old when we met and had never had a boyfriend. Never had...anything. Because I moved around so much when I was young, and went to different schools every year, sometimes every semester, I always felt like I didn’t belong. I guess I just wasn’t good at connecting with people.”
Kane heard the hollowness in her voice. “Now you are.”
She shrugged. “I still have my training wheels on. You make it look easy.”
He smiled. “Don’t underestimate yourself.”
She laughed humorlessly. “Funny, that’s what Frank used to say. You know, he would have liked you. You have the same kind of calm demeanor.”
Kane was pretty sure the other man wouldn’t have liked him one iota if he knew what he’d been thinking for the past half hour. Hell, for the past week. She was so beautiful, but Kane suspected she didn’t know it. He’d never been at the mercy of his libido, but over the past week, his initial attraction for her had steadily morphed into a deep, intense desire. And yet it was more than that, too. He liked her—he liked her laugh and her smile and the way they could talk about things. Or not talk, he realized, because sometimes there were long silences between them that weren’t awkward or uncomfortable. As though they’d been acquainted a long time...friends a long time.
But he wanted more than to be her friend. Kane wanted to kiss her. He wanted to know if her mouth was as sweet as it looked, or if her warm brown eyes darkened when she was overcome with desire. He wanted to know a whole lot of things about her, but he already knew one indisputable fact—Layla McCarthy wasn’t a woman to be rushed. And truthfully, he wasn’t that guy, either.
Erin tossed a piece of cheese at him and he laughed. “Sweetheart, you’re supposed to eat the pizza, not throw it.”
“Dada.”
The word hung in the air like a balloon and Kane quickly darted his gaze toward Layla, who was staring at him with a stunned expression. Neither of them corrected her. Neither of them, he suspected, had the right words.
“I’m sorry,” Layla said on a rush of breath. “She’s never said that before. I mean, she’s never had anyone to—”
“It’s okay,” Kane assured her, and picked the cheese off his arm.
“I think she must have heard the word at day care,” Layla said, and cleaned up her daughter’s hands. “And of course I talk to her about Frank, but I�
�ve never had a man here and I—”
“Layla,” Kane said gently, and grasped her hand. “Relax. It’s fine. She’s just a kid.”
She looked down at their linked hands and he felt her grip tighten, as though his assurance gave her comfort. “Remember how I said the other day that you were sweet? I’m convinced now...you are sweet.”
He turned her hand over and stroked the inside of her palm. “And you promised me you wouldn’t ever say that in front of my brothers,” he said, and grinned. “Or I’ll be paying for it for the rest of my life.”
She chuckled and the mood instantly lightened. “I promise. It must be wonderful to have siblings. Frank and I always said we wanted four kids, since we were both only children and had a fairly lonely time growing up. I’ll bet you’ve never had a lonely moment in your life.”
He shrugged, still holding her hand. “There’s a difference between being alone and being lonely, though. I guess I’ve felt it a little since Adam got married and moved out. And leaving behind my friends and family in New York was hard going at first. Things feel more normal now that Brady’s here, too. So, four kids, huh?”
She shifted and moved her hand, meeting his gaze in a way that indicated they both felt the loss of touch the moment she withdrew. “That was the plan. Plans change, I guess.”
“You’re young. You could still have the large family you planned on.”
“I know,” she responded agreeably, but Kane sensed her uncertainty. “I guess I can’t predict the future.”
“What about tomorrow night?” he asked. “Would you be free for dinner at Roja?”
Her gaze darted to her daughter and she hesitated for a moment before responding. “I could ask my grandparents to watch Erin for the night. They have a room set up for her at their place.”
“So, yes?”
She nodded. “Yes. I could meet you there after I’ve dropped Erin off.”
“How about I pick you up here and drive you and Erin to your grandparents’ home?” Kane suggested. “That way they can meet me and be assured that I’m perfectly respectable,” he said as he grinned.
She laughed. “Do I come across as someone needing approval from my elders?”
“Not at all,” he replied. “But you’re obviously close to them and I think it’s important to respect that and do the right thing.”
“See,” she teased. “Sweet.”
Laughter rumbled in his chest. “Let’s bet you won’t think that once you know me better.”
“Let’s bet I do,” she countered, still smiling as she got to her feet and stood beside Erin. “I should get her ready for bed.”
“That’s my cue, then,” he said, and stood. “Thanks for dinner.”
Her brow rose. “You paid for the pizza.”
“Thanks for the company, then.”
They walked to the door together, with Erin dozing in her mother’s arms. Kane touched the baby’s cheek and then met Layla’s gaze. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”
She nodded. “That would be great.”
Kane stared at her mouth for a moment, thinking about how much he wanted to kiss her and knowing he couldn’t. “Good night.”
“Night, Kane.”
He left quickly, stopping by the hotel to collect the laptop he’d left in Callum’s office in his urgency to get to Layla’s earlier that afternoon. He was walking through the back office when he bumped into Jay Cross. “What are you still doing here? Anything wrong?”
“No, everything seems to be going well so far,” Jay said. “Grace just has me double-checking everything.”
“That’s her job,” Kane replied.
“Yeah, I know,” Jay said. “Considering what happened, I imagine she has every right to be cautious. And I don’t mind. I like being kept busy.”
“Do you think you’ll stay on once your training program is over?” Kane asked.
Jay shrugged. “Maybe. I guess Rambling Rose is as good a place as any to make a fresh start.”
“And you’re looking for one?” Kane asked. He wasn’t usually so interested in other people’s business, but Jay Cross had been particularly closed off about his past and his reasons for coming to Rambling Rose—and Kane had a duty to his extended Fortune family. No one was beyond suspicion, or at least, a few questions.
Jay shrugged again. “I guess you could say I’m in between gigs. So, any news on finding out who was responsible for tampering with the balcony?” Jay asked as they walked from the office and toward the foyer.
“Last I heard, there’s no new information,” Kane replied. “Callum said the authorities are still looking into anyone who might hold a grudge against the hotel or the Fortune family.”
“That could be a long list,” Jay said as they moved past the concierge desk. “Although I wouldn’t be surprised if the culprit is closer than people think.”
Kane almost skipped a stride. He liked Jay well enough, but the other man was still a relative stranger in Rambling Rose—and that made him just as much a suspect as anyone else.
“Do you think?” Kane remarked.
“I’ve learned over the years that people can do surprising things,” Jay replied. “Like enemies staying close, or bad guys hiding in plain sight.”
Oddly, Jay’s insight sounded completely logical. Perhaps because Kane had thought the same thing himself. If the balcony had been sabotaged, it wasn’t random. It meant someone had it in for the hotel and the Fortunes.
That thought stayed with him all the way home. It was only when he was getting ready for a shower that his mind took him elsewhere. To Layla. He sent her a text before he headed to the bathroom.
Everything okay?
She responded seconds later.
Perfect. Thanks to you.
He tried not to overthink her words. The truth was, Kane was confused by what was going on between them—or, rather, what wasn’t going on. There was something so companionable about the time they spent together, he was struggling to figure out what it meant. Or didn’t mean. Were they destined to be just friends? If so, why did he have the continued debate in his mind about when would be the right time to kiss her? With any other woman he’d dated over the years he’d certainly gotten to first or second base within the week. With Layla, they were definitely just sitting on the bleachers holding hands.
The dreaded friend zone...
Yeah...it wasn’t a place he was used to.
And he didn’t know for sure if he’d ever get out of it.
Chapter Six
Layla couldn’t quite believe her luck. The plumber arrived at quarter to eight and had the problem fixed within half an hour, and then said he’d send her the bill for parts only because she was a friend of Kane’s and that was all the assurance he needed. She’d woken up early to get some studying done and managed to finish her assignment. She received a text message from a store in Austin informing her that the playhouse she’d ordered for Erin had arrived and would be delivered that afternoon. Plus, Erin was in such a happy mood that it was infectious.
She hoped that would carry over to the playdate at the Fame and Fortune Ranch.
Laurel Fortune greeted her by the door of the guesthouse with a wide smile and Larkin in her arms. She ushered them inside and it wasn’t long before the kids were playing in the living room and she and Laurel were sitting close by. Layla had packed some of Erin’s favorite toys, but her daughter seemed content amusing herself with the array of stuffed animals, books and blocks spread out around her. Even though Larkin was younger than Erin, the kids seemed to get along and interacted well, even if they weren’t exactly ‘playing’ together. Plus, Laurel was warm and friendly and Layla was immediately put at ease.
Adam dropped by to chat, and Layla couldn’t help wondering if Kane would make an appearance. Finally, he turned up around eleven. With the brothers together, it was e
asy to see their camaraderie and their physical similarities. Adam was a little taller, but Kane was broader through the shoulders and more muscular. He hovered in the doorway, smiling at her, and she felt a rush of attraction. Erin, too, seemed happy to see him. Her little arms were quickly waving around for his attention. He walked into the room and plunked down on a nearby chair, his legs stretched out, and both Erin and Larkin came over and brought him toys.
“I know,” Laurel said, and laughed as they watched the interaction. “Adam and I often think that our son prefers his uncle Kane to us. Don’t feel bad.”
Layla nodded and watched with a smile as Kane grabbed a stuffed green dinosaur and played a game with the kids for a few minutes. Layla couldn’t take her eyes off him the whole time. His easygoing nature, the calm and even tone of his voice, were hypnotic and she listened as he talked Erin through counting to ten using her fingers. She noticed that Laurel and Adam were watching her and Kane, and sharing a private look between them as couples often did.
Layla wasn’t usually so relaxed around strangers—most likely from not having real friendships as a child—and then, not being able to trust anyone. Frank had changed all that. He’d shown her it was good to trust, to give your whole heart, to believe in someone and know that they believed in you.
Kane looked up and met her gaze and Layla’s heart rolled over. There was something deep and penetrating in his eyes, a connection that went beyond words. Last night she’d realized that Kane and her husband were a lot alike—they had the same calm demeanor, the same innate integrity, the same ability to make people feel a part of things. No doubt Erin, too, had recognized that quality immediately. And Larkin, who was now also climbing over Kane’s legs, knew it, too.
“Let’s make coffee,” Laurel said to her husband, and within seconds the couple had left the room.
Layla watched Kane effortlessly interacting with both children. “You’ll make a good father one day,” she said quietly.
He looked up, his expression a little startled. And Layla realized how her words must sound. Like she was probing, insinuating, almost lining him up for the job.