A Man to Believe In

by Deborah Harmse

  “No, really, I can’t let you do that.”

  “Why not?”

  Cori didn’t know how he’d react if she told him she couldn’t afford the expense of a professional construction crew. The teenagers she’d hired on the recommendation of the high-school woodshop instructor were affordable, and they had been working out fine. They were just a little slower getting the job done than she’d hoped.

  “I appreciate your offer, but the truth is, I’m on a limited budget,” she confessed, hoping he wouldn’t be offended. “Marsha told me you have your own company, and I’m sure you’re very good. But I can’t afford you.”

  “I see. How about we work out a deal? I’ll have my men get you back on schedule, and you and I can—”

  “Jake Tanner,” she said, interrupting him before he could get any more specific—or personal—with his deal. “In the short time I’ve known you, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you take no for an answer.”

  He grinned. “Must be a genetic defect.”

  Cori laughed, thinking if it was true that some people were incapable of hearing the word no, Jake was certainly one of them. Rolling up her floor plan, she said, “Hadn’t we better get going to the picnic?”

  Jake glanced at his watch. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “I’ll be just a minute.” She dashed into the house, stashing her floor plan in the bookshelf before grabbing a sweatshirt. When she came back outside, Jake was waiting for her beside his truck. He opened the door and motioned for her to get in on the driver’s side.

  “About that article in Popular Caveman,” she said, climbing in.

  Jake climbed in after her. “What about it?”

  “The first two steps were ask politely and beg. Just out of curiosity, what was step three?”

  He closed the door and started the engine, then shot her a sly smile that could have melted an iceberg.

  “Ignore all protests and drag her out by her hair,” he said, and threw the truck into gear.

  “I’ll grab the cooler. Why don’t you bring those two bags there.” Jake hefted the enormous ice chest from the back of the pickup as if it weighed no more than a cotton ball.

  Already, Cori was glad she’d decided to accept Jake’s invitation. The weather was perfect for a Sunday afternoon picnic, and because she’d had such a productive morning, she was ready to kick back and have some fun. She pulled the bags of hot dog buns and potato chips from the back of the truck and started off after Jake. He made it part of the way to the grove of trees where the picnic tables were located before being stopped by a little boy with white-blond hair carrying a neon-yellow sponge football.

  “Uncle J.T. Look what I brought. You were right. It’s easier for me to catch passes.”

  Jake set the cooler down and took the ball from the boy. “Let’s see. Go out for a long one, Ricky.”

  Ricky ran a jagged pattern, as if pretending to dodge an invisible defense, then whipped around, his hands held high, ready for the pass. The ball bounced off his chest and landed in his arms. “See, I caught it!”

  Jake cheered. “Way to go, sport. We’ll turn you into an all-pro receiver in no time.”

  Ricky smiled proudly, then ran toward the picnic tables, where a man and several women were sitting, yelling about the great pass Uncle J.T. threw, and how he caught it like a pro.

  Cori followed Jake to where the group was gathered and looked for a place to set down her load. Two tables, covered with plastic tablecloths, were already laden with a variety of picnic supplies.

  “Here’s a spot.” A woman with short brown hair scooted aside a bowl of fruit salad to make room for Cori’s bag. She had a warm, friendly smile. Cori liked her instantly.

  “I’m Mary, and these”—Jake’s sister pointed to three children rummaging through the cooler for soft drinks—“are my kids. Hey, you guys, what did I tell you about asking first?”

  “Sorry, Mom,” they chimed in unison. “Can we have some pop?”

  “May we …” Mary coached patiently, tugging on the bottom of a red sweatshirt that, baggy as it was, couldn’t begin to hide her generous curves.

  “May we please have some pop?” They all smiled sweetly, their singsong voices and angelic expressions a clear sign that they had been through this routine many times.

  “One each. I mean it—one.” Mary shook her head in good-natured exasperation. “Gotta watch ’em like a hawk.”

  Cori returned the introduction and gave Mary an understanding smile. Being a single parent had to be a tough job, but Mary looked as though she was pretty good at it. The cheerful way she disciplined her kids told Cori that Mary was a loving mother, comfortable with her role as chief correction officer.

  Her interest in the supposed angels piqued, Cori ventured over to the ice chest and stooped down to the level of the children. “Hi. What’s your name?”

  She’d directed her question to the tallest little girl, whose long blond hair was pulled into a jaunty ponytail at the side of her head.

  “I’m Jennifer, and I’m the oldest,” she informed Cori proudly. “This is my sister, Christy, and my brother, Ricky. He’s only six.” The last bit of information was issued as if it were critically important.

  Cori nodded thoughtfully, then turned to Ricky. “That was quite a catch a few minutes ago.” Ricky nodded his head slowly and flashed her a grin that said he agreed with her.

  “Come meet the rest of the family.” Jake waved her over. Indicating a slender young woman, he said, “This is my sister Elizabeth.”

  Elizabeth’s nutmeg-brown hair was several shades lighter than her sister Mary’s. Soft bangs feathered across her forehead, and the sides ended in a simple blunt cut at her shoulders. Her quiet air of sophistication was in obvious contrast to Mary’s exuberant enthusiasm.

  Pointing to the only other man in the group, he said, “This is my brother-in-law, Tom, and the little guy here is their son, Timothy. We’re celebrating his first birthday today.” Timothy bounced on his mother’s knee, obviously enjoying all the attention.

  Then Jake walked around the tables to stand behind a woman whose dark, wavy hair and strikingly blue eyes were an exact match to his own. “And this is—”

  “If you call me the oldest living Tanner one more time, young man, I’ll turn you over my knee and blister your behind,” the woman said, shooting him a mock-ferocious scowl.

  His hands resting on her shoulders, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “As I was about to say,” he continued with exaggerated politeness, “this is my beautiful mother, Virginia. Mom, I’d like you to meet Cori.”

  “Don’t take any guff from this one, young lady,” she advised, patting her son’s hand. “He gets out of control easily.”

  “I don’t think you have to worry about Cori,” he assured his mother. “She’s held her own so far.”

  Cori glanced around, remembering that Jake had three sisters. “Where’s Susie?”

  “Here I am.” Susie covered the last hundred yards at a run, then flopped down into one of the beach chairs. She settled her head of short dark curls back against the headrest and closed her eyes for a few seconds. “Sorry I’m late,” she said, slightly out of breath, before introducing herself to Cori.

  “Are you alone?” Virginia asked. “I thought we were going to get to meet your new boyfriend.”

  “Robert got called in to do an audition for a commercial.”

  “He’s an actor?” Cori asked. “How exciting.” Even though she’d grown up a few miles from Hollywood, she still found the mystique of the entertainment industry fascinating.

  “Hardly.” Jake’s derisive tone startled Cori.

  Susie blew out a frustrated sigh. “Jake …” The single word sounded like a cross between an appeal and a warning.

  “He’s a waiter who works for minimum wage,” Jake continued, adding a challenging gaze that locked with Susie’s. The confrontation threatened to burst the friendly mood of the gathering.

  “Well, I believe I
’m thirsty,” Virginia declared brightly. “Ricky, would you do Grandma a big favor and bring her a nice cold drink?” Ricky ran to the cooler and brought her a soda, then passed out cans to the others as well. Virginia’s cheerful announcement had effectively dispelled the tension, and within seconds everyone was laughing and talking once again.

  The next several minutes were filled with questions as the women turned their attention on Cori.

  “Do you live in the area?”

  “Where did you go to high school?”

  “Where do you work?”

  “You’re going to open your own business? How exciting.”

  Cori barely had time to answer one query before they tossed another at her. She responded as honestly as possible, amused by the intensity of their rapid-fire questions, surprised that their keen interest in what she told them made her feel like one of the family.

  “How did you meet Jake?” Elizabeth asked.

  Mumbling something about not wanting to witness the rest of the interrogation, Tom took Ricky off to set up the volleyball net.

  Jake didn’t budge. He stood off to the side, his eyes never leaving her, letting her know he was just as interested in her response as were his female relatives.

  When Cori told the ladies how she and Jake had met, and how accurately he’d played the part of an arrogant pirate, they glanced at each other briefly before bursting out in laughter.

  “Sounds like our Jake, all right,” Susie said, her hand propping up her chin in a thoughtful pose. “He does tend to act as if he’s the undisputed ruler of the high seas.”

  The dry smile she gave Jake made Cori think that maybe Susie didn’t mind her brother’s high-handed tactics after all. Cori shot him her own look that said she, for one, could be counted on to dispute his authority.

  “The net’s ready,” Jake said. “Let’s go work up an appetite.”

  The women got up in unison and started off toward the volleyball court, laughing over Cori’s story about the charade she and Jake had played out the night they’d met.

  Cori was amazed. They’d just confirmed her feelings about how bossy he was, yet no one gave him an argument when he’d ended their question-and-answer period so abruptly. No wonder he acted like such a dictator. No one ever challenged him.

  The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. After a fast-paced game of volleyball and a lunch that consisted of typical picnic fare, Tom and Elizabeth helped Timothy open his gifts. When presented with his first birthday cake, he predictably plunged both hands into the frosting. Everyone cheered.

  There were no further incidents between Jake and Susie. Quite the contrary, in fact. The two seemed to have an especially close relationship. Obviously, Jake loved his youngest sister very much, which made Cori wonder about the real reason for his rude outburst. She remembered how he’d scowled when Harriet had mentioned Susie’s new boyfriend at lunch the other day, but she found it hard to believe Jake would be so upset just because Susie had a man in her life. And she couldn’t help wondering why Susie hadn’t seemed more upset by Jake’s attitude.

  When it came time for Susie to leave, she surprised Cori by asking her to walk with her to her car. “I wanted to apologize for my lunkhead brother. I could see that his comments about Robert upset you.”

  “Upset me? What about you?” Cori realized how personal her question was as soon as she asked it. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s really none of my business.”

  Susie smiled. “Oh, I think it’s fair for you to ask a question or two after the way we put you through the third degree.”

  They both laughed, and Cori found herself admiring Susie’s easygoing attitude. Clearly, she hadn’t been embarrassed by the way Jake had created a scene in front of a stranger.

  “Jake cares for you,” Susie continued. “I can tell. And I wouldn’t want you to think less of him because he spoke his mind freely.”

  “A little too freely,” she replied. “After all, who you choose to date is really none of his business.”

  “You’re absolutely right.”

  “Well, doesn’t it bother you that he tries to run your life?”

  Susie’s eyes narrowed, and she drew her lips into a tight smile. “It used to drive me crazy, but I finally figured out that the only reason he’s such a pain in the butt is because he loves me. I know he wants what’s best for me, and eventually he’ll realize that I’m the only one who can say what that is. Until then …” Susie trailed off with a shrug of her shoulders.

  Cori shook her head, marveling at the way Susie handled herself. “How do you manage to stay so calm when he acts that way?”

  Susie opened the door of her car and tossed her purse and sweater on the passenger seat, then turned and faced Cory again. “Experience,” she said with a wink. “Don’t worry, with a little practice, you’ll get good at it too.”

  With that parting remark she hopped into her car and drove off, leaving Cori to wonder why Susie thought she’d get any practice at all. She had made a good point—Jake wasn’t a monster, just an overly protective older brother. But Cori knew his smothering brand of love—and his obvious need to be in control—was at odds with her own desire for independence.

  Statistics—and her mother’s experience with men—had taught her a woman could no longer afford the luxury of depending on a man, that it was, in fact, downright foolish for a woman to do so, since men seldom stuck around for the duration. A smart lady learned to take care of herself. She never let a take-charge kind of guy take charge. Ever.

  And Jake was a first-class, dyed-in-the-wool, sterling example of a take-charge kind of guy. She’d be wise to keep their relationship on a strictly platonic level.

  “Hey, what was the private powwow all about?”

  Cori turned to see Jake walking toward her, a beach chair in each hand and a bag tucked under one arm.

  “Girl talk.” She relieved him of the bag and watched him load the truck. “Your sister’s a remarkable young woman. You should be very proud of her.”

  “She’s got a good head on her shoulders,” he said. “Most of the time.”

  “Make room for the volleyball gear, Uncle J.T. Here it comes.” Ricky jumped up and down as Tom carried the equipment to the truck.

  The rest of the family packed up their things and said their good-byes, a process that took a full fifteen minutes. Cori received numerous invitations to join them again anytime, and she was sorry to see the day end. Being part of their family gathering had been fun.

  By the time she and Jake drove out of the parking lot and onto Cañada Boulevard, the sun had gone down and the air had grown chilly. Cori struggled into her sweatshirt, settled back, and let her head drop back against the headrest, suddenly realizing how tired she was. She fell asleep instantly.

  “That was quite a party. I thought Timmy was going to jump into his birthday cake headfirst.” Jake glanced over at Cori, expecting a response.

  She was out cold.

  She must be exhausted, he thought, and decided to let her enjoy her nap. He was glad he’d decided to ask her to come with him to the picnic. The more he saw of her, the more he wanted to see of her.

  When he took a curve and merged with traffic onto Verdugo Boulevard, her body slowly slid sideways, bringing her closer to him. The right turn onto Mountain Avenue caused her to fall the rest of the way over until her head came to rest on his thigh. Her hair fanned out over his jeans, soft silk on rough denim. Reaching down, he toyed with the ends, wrapping a curl around his fingers as he turned south onto the Glendale freeway.

  It seemed natural to have her using him as a pillow, as though they had made this trip a hundred times before in the exact same way, a married couple on their way home after a great day in the park.

  He came to a stop at the off ramp. When the light changed, he lifted his foot off the brake pedal and accelerated. Cori brought her hand up and tucked it under her cheek, her fingertips reaching for the inseam of his jeans as she slept.
<
br />   He tensed up.

  Moving reflexively, she snuggled back against him as if seeking a more comfortable position.

  He let out a soft groan. Cori slept on, oblivious to the torture she was putting him through. Planting both hands on the steering wheel, he wondered how in hell he was supposed to keep his mind on his driving when the back of her head was nuzzling his groin. It was a damn good thing they were almost home.

  Finally, he made the last turn at a snail’s pace and eased into the driveway, then let out a giant sigh. He’d swear he drove the last mile holding his breath.

  “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

  Cori opened her eyes slowly.

  It was dark. For a moment she couldn’t figure out where she was. Then she remembered the picnic, and getting into Jake’s truck after it was over.

  But where was she now? Still groggy, she curled her fingers into a ball. Or, rather, she tried to. Her right hand gripped one rock-hard, jean-clad thigh. Her head jerked up automatically, and bumped into the steering wheel.

  “Ow!”

  “Are you all right?”

  Sitting up carefully this time, Cori rubbed her temple and darted a look around, trying to get her bearings. She recognized the twinkling lights of the city below and decided they must be somewhere in the hills above Glendale.

  Her eyes scanned the scene before her, taking in the wide lawn, ranch-style house, and attached two-car garage.

  “Where are we?”

  He turned off the ignition and threw open the door. “Welcome to Casa de Jake.”

  Four

  Jake braced the freezer open with his foot. “Steak, chicken, swordfish.” He rattled off the choices in that compartment, then closed the door and peered into the refrigerator, rifling through the contents. “Or … cheddar cheese omelettes with avocado and sour cream.”

  Cori sat on a barstool at the kitchen counter, a glass of Chenin Blanc in her hand.

  Neither one of them had said a word about the awkward moment when she’d awakened to find her cheek resting on his thigh. She had a good reason for keeping quiet—she was embarrassed about falling asleep. Or, more specifically, about where she’d fallen asleep, and she couldn’t help but think that apologizing for using his lap as a pillow would have made the situation ten times worse.