by Shyla Colt
“You want to tell me who the lady in pink you ditched me for is?” Preston asks as I return to greet Elise with a kiss on the cheek and ruffle the boy’s hairs.
“That’s Olive Bateman. She’s helping coordinate details for Rachel’s wedding.”
“Wait, the local jewelry maker and beauty product creator?” Elise asks.
“Yes?”
“Wow, she’s been getting a lot of buzz recently in the papers. I didn’t realize she was working for you. This is going to be huge for her career.”
“Are you a fan?” I ask amused.
“I like to support local and small businesses. She’s been at this for years. She deserves to have her big break,” Elise says.
I glance over at the woman shaking her head at Kane. Don’t fall for his lines, sweetheart. You’ll be another name on the lengthy list of the brokenhearted.
It takes time, but I manage to get Ms. Bateman on the back patio away from the crowd.
“I wanted to speak with you privately.”
“Have you come up with an idea for the wedding?”
“No, this is about us.”
She tenses.
“You said something that bothered me today. You think I don’t like you?”
“Think? You won’t even use my given name. I’m on a first-name basis with the rest of your family, and yet you remain Mr. Davenport. What else do you think I’d take from that?”
“I simply wanted to keep things professional. Clearly, that ship has sailed because my family is absolutely enchanted by you.”
“But not you?”
“Did I say I wasn’t?”
“You treat me like I carry the plague.”
“I treat you the way I do people I know are capable of delivering the greatness I expect from them.”
“Oh.”
“I don’t dislike you, Olive Bateman. That would make things easier.” I step forward into her space. “I like you too much, and we’ve got months ahead of us to work together.”
My breathing picks up, and I can’t stop the flow of words spilling from my lips. “In a world of black and white, you’re color. Eye-catching, impossible to ignore, and utterly fascinating. I like my world ordered. You live in chaos. It’s controlled, mind you. But there’s a wildness to you.” I shake my head. “I’m more aware of you than I should be, and that bothers me.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t like wanting what I can’t have.” I give into my urges and wind a curl around my finger.
“Who said you couldn’t?” she whispers quietly before covering her mouth with her hands. “I didn’t mean to say that.”
Her words are fireworks going off in my skull. “And yet, you did.” My lips curve into a smile, and I study her with new eyes.
Perhaps I’ve been so busy assuming, I’m in danger of making an ass out of myself. “Tell me.”
“There’s nothing to tell. He, I mean we rub each other wrong,” she says with a shrug.
“I don’t agree. I think maybe it’s the exact opposite.” I caress her face with my eyes.
She licks her lips and swallows. “Mr. Davenport—”
“I believe it was you who pointed out it’s past time you call me Luka.”
“Luka.” She presses her palms to my chest, and a jolt of pure energy runs from the top of my head to the soles of my shoes. Her tiny gasp confirms I’m not alone.
“Olive.” Her name rolls off my tongue like the sweetest honey. She stands out against the lush greenery of the surrounding trees and bushes with pink buds that are just beginning to open. The state of denial I’ve been living in has been fractured. “You’re as lovely as a picture today. Easily the prettiest thing out here in the courtyard, despite the display nature is putting on.”
Her brown eyes soften. I want to see more of that, her not on her guard around me. We’re always so busy sparring verbally, I’ve somehow missed a treasure. My mouth rivals the Sahara, and my heart becomes a drum beating a steady rhythm in my chest. She’s unlocking the door to things I haven’t dared let myself experience in years. Her sincerity lulled me into a false sense of security. I had no clue she was as potent as any intoxicating substance. I’m a man who thinks everything through, but right now I’m moved by something more than my head.
I step closer, and she tilts her head up to meet my gaze. Her lips part and I’m helpless to resist their appeal. I bend down and brush her lips with mine, pausing to hold her gaze. Her eyes are glossy, and the hands against my chest, grip my lapels. I tilt my head and deepen the kiss desperate for a real taste of her. Cotton candy, vodka, and heaven rolled into one. I close my eyes and hum. She slides her hand up to wrap around my neck and leans into me. I pull her to me and tingles run up my body.
The sound of voices reaches me as if we’re under water. I stumble back, and we stare at one another, breathing heavily.
“There you are!”
I turn to Rachel still dazed.
“Come on. It’s time to cut the cake.”
I nod my head. As we leave, I grab her hand and tug her along. I’m not letting go of this.
Olive
What the hell did I do? The kiss with Luka had been the stuff of fairytales. I mean my toes literally curled in my heels, the world stood still, and he tasted better than any chocolate that had passed my lips. I could live off that man’s lips. Maybe over time the sugar from the candy factory has seeped into his blood stream and become a part of his DNA. I touch my lips gobsmacked by the way one evening changed everything I thought about the man I loathed a day ago. Now I can see there’s so much more going on beneath that cool façade. I want to open him up and investigate him from the inside out. And that’s a problem, seeing as how he’s still my client.
The rest of the birthday passed in a blur. If his siblings noticed the shift between us, they didn’t let on. Luka kept me close for the rest of the night. His hand rested on the small of my back, and I was constantly introduced and brought into conversations. I made solid contacts that evening. Some had even contacted me about customized orders. Was the kiss a one off? Perhaps some birthday magic at play that made us forget ourselves. I would’ve sworn before that night the man despised me.
His words of admiration are playing on a loop in my head. Not the compliments about my appearance, the ones that praised my spirit. I’d dated my fair share of men, and none of them ever spoke to me the way Luka had. I have pop rocks in my belly and stars in my eyes. It’s a dangerous combination. This man has turned me inside out. I slunk out of the Bed and Breakfast like a thief. I waited until he was caught up with a group saying his goodbyes and slipped out into the afternoon sunshine. I’m on autopilot as I continue my rhythm with the cufflinks, hammering the round circles I’ve made to add texture. The ting of the hammer against metal mingles with the Twenty-One Pilots record playing on my record player.
A knock on the door makes me tense. Oh my God, is it him? I set aside my tools, turn off the record player, and rise. I look a fright in a pair of black leggings, and an oversized ripped up Black Johnny Cash t-shirt. I dress for comfort, not fashion when I’m working. My nerves are taut as a bow about to fire an arrow as I walk to the door and peer out the peephole. Rachel? I open the door.
“Rach is everything okay?” She looks distracted. Her sky blue eyes are cloudy and her body language is off.
“I’m not sure,” she says almost thoughtfully.
“Please, come on in. We can talk.”
“I should’ve called you first, but I didn’t mean to come here. I was driving around, and somehow I ended up here.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I saw you at the party yesterday.”
Ice cubes fill my stomach. “With your brother?”
“Yes, I pretended like I didn’t see you kissing, but I did. The sight shocked me. He’s so…reserved and closed off with most people, and it’s no secret that you two butt heads. Yet…together you made sense. It was like someone pulling back a curtain and letting
in the light. The two of you are opposite in the best possible ways.”
“Wait, what?” It’s the last thing I expected her to say.
“My brother comes across as overbearing and controlling, but it’s only because he had to take on so much so young. When my parents died in that car accident, we were all reeling. I had three years until I finished high school, Micah had one last year in high school, and Kane was in the summer of his sophomore year of college, and Asher was in his junior year. He had to take over our care and run the business. He did it beautifully, but it cost him. He lost out on his youth. Imagine being twenty-five and burdened with the weight of the world?” She shakes her head. “He rose to the occasion, but we all saw him change. He aged overnight. The carefree, outspoken brother was gone. He retreated into himself, lost touch with his creative side, and started micro-managing everyone and controlling everything. He used to be so full of life. His charisma now is an ounce of what he used to possess. God, I loved being around Luk. He was the fun brother who took chances, and encouraged risks.”
“Luka?” I say unable to picture.
She gives a sad smile. “The accident changed all of us in very different ways. It sucked the life from him.”
I cover my mouth. “Oh my God.”
“So you see why I’m ecstatic that this, whatever it is between you, is happening.”
“Wait. I don’t want you to jump to conclusions. This is not some secret we’ve been harboring. There’s nothing more to the story. Last night was a first.”
“And isn’t the start of the story the most important part?” Rachel asks.
“Rach. I don’t want you to get your hopes up. We’re very different people, and we haven't talked since it happened.”
“You mean since you snuck out behind his back?” she asks.
The words make me cringe. “I know it was cowardly.”
“Yes.” She nods and narrows her eyes.
“You’re mad,” I say softly.
“I don’t like seeing my brother upset. He deserves to find his own happiness. I think you’re the key to that. If you don’t want to pursue this, let him know now and walk away, but don’t. Don’t string him along.”
“I’m not.” I place a hand over my neck and shake my head.
“You don’t know Luk. Not like we do. But if you did. You’d understand he has so much more inside of him than what you’ve seen. I guess what I’m here doing is asking you to give him a chance.”
My eyes widen. Truly, she’s as devoted to him as he is to her. This insane power trip is his way of trying desperately to give her everything she wants and needs. There’s no mother-of-the-bride, just an older sibling trying to do the best he can. God, I wonder what he thought when I ran off.
“I can see I had Luka figured all wrong. Thank you for giving me the other side of the story.”
She grins. “Luka?”
“Well, he said to…” I trail off and shake my head. My decision has been made whether I wanted to admit it or not.
“Please don’t tell him I came by to see you.”
“I won’t,” I promise.
She grabs my hand and squeezes. “I like you, Olive. I think you’d be great for him, and vice versa. If I didn’t believe that with all my heart, I would’ve kept my mouth shut. This time, though, I’m going to be there for my brother and try to make his dreams come true.”
I walk her to the door, still digesting the new information.
“We still good for coffee next week?”
“Of course.”
“Good.” She walks out of the apartment.
I find myself wondering what young Luka Davenport was like. I close and lock the door behind her and move to the couch. I grab the phone and look up old pictures and articles. The cocky dimpled smile and joy filled blue eyes are always present. It’s like I’m looking at a twin of the almost somber man I know now. When’s the last time he looked like this? I saw hints of this man yesterday. I’m intrigued. What happens when we met again?
I wave to Petunia from the blue vinyl couch against the wall as she walks into Sidewinder. The coffee shop is one of our favorite places to catch up and get caffeinated. She heads toward me with a grin. I slide the caramel latte toward her.
“I got your favorite.”
“Thanks, O. Are you okay? It’s not like you to call an emergency get together over nothing.”
“Remember how I was invited to Rachel’s birthday party?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, it turns out she shares the same birthday as Luka.”
“Oh, Lord. Did you two get into it?”
“Arguing was the last thing on our mind,” I mumble.
“Oh my God, what happened?” she whispers.
“He kissed me.”
“What!” she squawks.
“You think you’re shocked.”
“Did you slap him?”
“No, I melted like chocolate in the sun.” My lips tingle with the memory of his plump lips moving over mine.
“Oh my God, you look dreamy right now. You liked it.” She takes a sip of her coffee and points to me.
I nod my head, excited, and nervous at the same time. “I did,” I whisper.
She bounces in the seat beside me. “I told you.”
I cover my heated cheek with my hand. “I know. I should’ve listened. I was caught completely off guard.”
“And.”
“And I responded like the sex deprived woman I am.”
“Oh bully.” She shakes her head. “I’m not buying that. You wouldn’t be this freaked out if it was a sexual thing. Attraction is a human response.”
“Yeah well. He has a hidden side I’m apparently a sucker for.”
“What?”
“He was so sweet. I mean romance book sweet.”
“Are you serious right now?” Petunia asks.
“As a heart attack.” I relay the story, and she sighs.
“Oh, Olive, you have to give this man a try.”
“I ruined it. I freaked out and bailed when he wasn’t looking.”
“Have you talked to him since?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“It has to come from you. You put the ball in your court when you left early. If you don’t make the next move, the poor man never will.”
I sigh. “I know. I thought about that.” I want to take that step, explain myself, and take another shot at romance. I haven’t so much as dated in two years. There’s been no time or desire. Now my interest is peaked, and I sense something different about the complex man I happen to also work for.
“I can see the wheels in your mind turning.”
“Yeah, it’s crowded up here. Why now? Of all the times and places for me to meet a man whose too unbelievable to pass up?”
“Because life has a very skewed sense of humor. I’m living proof of that. All these years and my soulmate's been under my nose.”
“To be fair, I did point that out one or a million times,” I say.
“Oh, the same way I pointed out this thing with Mr. Davenport?”
I roll my eyes. “So not the same thing.”
“Right. It’s never fun when the shoe is on the other foot,” she says with a grin.
“Could you enjoy this more?”
“I can try. Let me ask you this, what are you afraid of?” Petunia peers at me over the rim of her mug.
“This ending badly. We know mixing business with pleasure is a fool’s errand. What happens if we have a falling out and I’m stuck working in an obnoxious environment, or he gives me a bad review?”
“What if it doesn’t?” Petunia asks.
“Oh, come on, It’s not that simple.”
“Look, we’re in the middle of March. The wedding is in May. What’s the worst that can happen between now and then? It’s worth the risk. The alternative is spending the rest of your life wondering what-if. That’s never been your style.”
“Yeah and look at where it landed me.”
>
“We all know you have to kiss a few frogs before you find your prince.”
“You believe that?”
“I think I’m proof of it,” she says.
I sigh. She’s right. I hate having regrets. “I have to bite the bullet on this one, don’t I?”
“Yeah, babe. You do.”
“I hate coming across as an asshole.”
She laughs. “Well once you apologize you won’t.”
“Laugh it up, chuckles,” I grumble as I nurse my mocha coffee.
“Cheer up, I got a good feeling about this, O,” she says.
I wish I could say the same.
Luka
“What was with you and Olive last night?” Asher asks.
“Is that the reason why you came by today?” I ask as I set the newspaper down on the patio table.
“Can’t a man visit his older brother?”
“He can, but we both know you like to be nosey,” I say.
“Are you actually going to answer me?”
I sigh. Just two years younger than me, Asher has always been my closest confidant. “It would appear nothing is happening.”
“But not because you didn’t want it to?” he says.
I scrub my face with my hands. What man likes to admit rejection? “No. We kissed. It was good. At least I thought so. Then next thing I know, I turn around, and she’s slipped away.”
“Well you are her boss, perhaps she feared it was inappropriate?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t had the pleasure of a conversation with any sort of clarification.” I shake my head.
“What are you going to do when you meet again?”
“Act like nothing ever happened?” I shrug.
“I saw you yesterday. You were happy.”
“Well, I certainly don’t make a habit of going around miserable.”
“Not miserable, just not fully engaged. You were all there at the party, and no one missed the protective hand you kept on the small of her back. You looked good together.”
“What’s your point, Asher?”
“You deserve some happiness too. I think you should pursue this further. You used to like a good challenge.”