Just for Appearances

by Jenna Rutland

  Chapter Seven

  When they walked through the doors of Rosie’s Pizza, the smells of tomato sauce and fresh-baked pizza wafted through the air. She’d spent many happy times here over the years with friends and family, and after a quick glance at the other patrons, tonight would be no exception.

  Rachel and John were waved over to a table in the back of the restaurant. “Do you mind if we eat with my friends?” she asked. “I think you’ll enjoy meeting them.”

  “Lead the way,” he said, placing his hand on the small of her back.

  At the table, she introduced Dani, the friend who’d gotten her the job. John had met Dani’s husband, the sheriff, at the hospital the other day. On the other side of the table was Rachel’s brother, Jack.

  Elbows on the table, Dani leaned over and got in Rachel’s face. “Since we’re best friends and you haven’t said a word to me, I’m guessing the engagement rumors aren’t true.”

  “Whose engagement?” Rachel asked.

  “Yours and John’s.”

  Good thing she hadn’t taken a sip of her water yet or she’d have spurted it into Dani’s face. She gestured toward Dani’s pregnant belly. “I know you haven’t been drinking, so what the hell are you talking about?”

  As if on cue, the elderly woman who owned the flower shop across the street stopped by their table. She placed a gentle hand on Rachel’s arm and gave her an approving smile. “Any time you’re ready, dear, stop on over to the shop, and we can pick out the perfect bridal bouquet.”

  “I’m afraid I don’t understand, Mrs. Morgan.”

  She shifted her focus to John. “I heard that you proposed to our girl here.”

  Only in Lake Bliss could the sight of his pickup in front of Rachel’s house turn into a marriage proposal in mere hours, courtesy of the gossip grapevine. He gave Mrs. Morgan a slight head shake.

  “Why don’t you want to marry her?”

  “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we haven’t talked marriage yet.” He winked in Rachel’s direction.

  With an elbow to his rib cage, she shifted her attention to Mrs. Morgan. “What he means is that there must be some misunderstanding. He’s taking care of my kids this summer, so I can work. I’m helping him with a project in return. There’s nothing more to it.”

  Mrs. Morgan hunched her shoulders in apparent disappointment. “I see. Then I guess you don’t want to talk about boutonnieres and altar flowers.”

  Rachel bit her lip to keep from laughing.

  “No, ma’am. I don’t think we’ll need to discuss flowers.” John patted her hand in an empathetic gesture.

  Without another word, the shop owner trudged back to her own table.

  He leaned in to whisper in her ear. “I think I’ve got another strike against me as far as the town is concerned.”

  “Not sure. She didn’t seem to mind the idea that you were engaged to me. You might’ve gone up a few notches.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. God, she’d missed that sound. She took a moment to study him. He truly was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. She loved his infectious laugh and how fine lines appeared around his eyes when he smiled. How she’d love to trace those lines with her fingers, her lips. Memorize by touch the crease of his cheek when he smiled. Run her fingers across his Adam’s apple, followed by her mouth.

  This man will continue to be a hunk even when he’s old. The realization struck her that she’d never know. This friendship, or whatever it could be called, would end in September.

  They finished their food, and John filled the lull in conversation with talk about the center, explaining its goals and how many kids could benefit from the facilities if he had the right amount of community backing. He answered a few questions, then asked the waitress for their check. He handed her some bills as soon as she returned. Rachel reached for her wallet.

  “Don’t even think about it,” he growled.

  “I can at least pay my share.”

  “Save it.” He tossed his napkin down and stood. He reached for her hand and pulled her to her feet. He turned to the group. “Nice to meet you all. Hope to see you again.”

  “Don’t forget the party next weekend,” Jack called after them. “Hope you guys can come.”

  After a quiet trip through town, John pulled his truck to a stop in her driveway. Rachel hadn’t been out in ages. The night had been fun. Kind of a twofer for her and John—she’d gotten a night out with friends and, from the positive comments they’d made about the kids’ center, he’d probably gained a few interested townspeople. Mission accomplished. She’d no sooner unbuckled her seat belt when John opened her car door. He placed his hand on her elbow to guide her out. She failed at ignoring the zing that he’d created by that simple gesture. When they reached her front door, he moved so they were face-to-face. He was so close that if she leaned in just a little, she could bury her nose in his neck. But that shouldn’t happen, so instead she took a few steps back. “I had fun.” She figured short and sweet was the way to go. Much better than the grab-and-grind that tempted her.

  He looked down into her face. His expression softened and for just a second, she was faced with the same look he’d given her the first time they’d kissed. She held her breath in anticipation.

  “Same here, Einstein.” He placed a chaste kiss to her forehead.

  “Thanks again,” she managed to say, then turned and entered the house, closing the door softly behind her.

  …

  The following Saturday, John arrived at the Lake Bliss community baseball field, excited about the first game of the season. He was also anticipating his evening with Rachel, but for now he’d put those thoughts aside to concentrate on the game.

  As he removed bats and helmets from his duffel bag, he had a good feeling about today’s game. The team had worked hard, and he was proud of them. He heard his name called and scanned the parking lot. Zak darted off in John’s direction, the other two boys right behind him. He designated Zak to be the official batboy for the team. He jumped up and down, thrilled to sit on the team’s bench. Rachel headed toward the bleachers, which were filled with parents and siblings.

  After talking with some of the players for a few minutes, John directed his attention toward their mother. “Morning.” He leaned an arm on the bleachers. Because of his height and her high seat in the stands, they were at eye level. She had the most amazing eyes. Eyes that had a personality all their own. He had seen them filled with laughter, anger, tenderness, and once upon a time, desire.

  “We’re still on for tonight, right?” Jack had invited them to his party the night they’d gone out for pizza. It sounded like a good idea to John. He could meet and greet more Lake Bliss residents and tell them about the center. And spend some time dancing with Rachel.

  But dancing meant touching and holding each other close. Not a good thing. He’d limit it to one dance.

  “Tonight?” she asked.

  Yeah. Try to sound innocent. Like she had forgotten they were going to the party tonight. His brain had been occupied with little else. “Thanks a lot. You’re great for my ego.” He feigned hurt feelings. “Guess I’ll have to make sure it’s memorable for you.” After squeezing her hand, he turned and headed toward the dugout.

  A guy maybe twenty years older than John approached. He was a man he’d never forget—his high school football coach.

  “Coach Dempsey. It’s great to see you.” John held out his hand, and Coach grasped it with a firm handshake.

  “How you doing, son?” He patted John on the back. “Nice to have you back.” The coach pointed to a freckled, dark-haired boy taking practice swings with a bat. “That’s my grandson. Make sure he plays.”

  “Yes, sir. I was taught that a great team utilizes all its players.” Until they run away and disappoint the whole damn town.

  As if Coach Dempsey could read his mind, he said, “Unlike the rest of the people here, I know the whole story. You were a young kid and didn’t have a choice. No grudg
e from me.”

  John shifted on his feet. “Appreciate that, sir.” Out of his peripheral vision, he caught sight of Rachel at the dugout handing the boys their ball caps.

  “I’m still coaching the high school kids. I could use some help this fall.” He slid his ball cap back off his forehead.

  “I won’t be around in the fall. After the kids’ center is built, I’ll be leaving town.” And why did that statement cause a kick to his gut?

  Rachel was making her way back to the bleachers. Her steps faltered a bit, her face paling slightly. Interesting reaction. Coach shook his head. “That’s a shame. I need a mentor for a young quarterback. I see a lot of you in him, but I don’t have the manpower to help him.” He turned and started toward the stands. “Let me know if you change your mind.”

  …

  Rachel put away the last of the groceries and folded the brown paper bags when John arrived.

  “Shopping all done?” he asked, throwing that incredible smile in her direction. Amazing how he appeared right at home coming in her back door as if he lived there. Tantalizing image.

  She nodded as she gathered the cleaning supplies.

  His expression grew serious. “We need tunes this time.”

  “Tunes?”

  “Music to work by. Where’s your iPod dock?”

  She pointed to the family room. “No iPod. Only CDs.”

  He strolled past her toward the stereo equipment in the family room.

  Placing the cleaning products in a bucket, she followed him. She pointed to the bookcase. “They’re in the top cabinet.”

  As he studied her meager CD collection, he rubbed his hand over his whiskers, which, she noticed, were longer than usual. Why the heck would that realization kick up her pulse? “Is there a problem?” she asked, setting the bucket on the floor.

  “Johnny Mathis? Barry Manilow?” He flipped through the selections, calling out the artists’ names. “Rod Stewart?” He pulled the disc off the shelf and turned to face her, one eyebrow raised. He studied the song titles. “These are all oldies love songs, Rach.”

  “So?” She shrugged. “I like them.”

  “What’s your favorite song?” he asked, holding up a CD case.

  “The third one down,” she answered solemnly, as if confessing a sin.

  “So, ‘horse face’ sings a mean ‘The Way You Look Tonight,’ huh?”

  Rachel tried to ignore that slow, sexy grin. Didn’t work. She picked up the bucket and stepped forward, stopping when she stood before him, needing to raise her head to meet his gaze.

  “Horse face?” she repeated, trying not to reveal that she found the nickname humorous. “Did you just call one of the most talented singers of the past five generations ‘horse face?’”

  Nodding his head, he bent down until they were nose to nose. “Yep, that’s what I called him.” It was a standoff that would make General Patton proud.

  Holding the bucket with both hands, she shoved the cleaning supplies into his chest. She’d caught him off guard and he stumbled back a few steps. She bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to prevent her smile from showing. “Just for that, you’re cleaning the bathrooms.” She turned and walked back into the kitchen, but not quickly enough to escape the sponge he propelled in her direction.

  He was making her laugh more than she had in a long time. This really wasn’t good.

  …

  John made his way through a small gathering inside the doors at the new Chinese restaurant that had recently opened in town. An elderly gentleman stood behind a small lectern. Hopefully, John could pretend he didn’t recognize his old homeroom teacher.

  He cleared his throat. “Reservation for two for MacDonald.”

  The man glanced down at a notebook and nodded his head. “I see that.”

  He made no move to grab menus or lead John into the dining room.

  “Is there a problem with the reservation?”

  “Just surprised is all.” The host slapped two menus into his hands. “Saw your name on the register. Figured you’d want takeout. You know, so you could head on out of here at a moment’s notice.”

  John gritted his teeth to keep his mouth shut. Hopefully once the center was up and running, he wouldn’t encounter ticked-off people everywhere he went in Lake Bliss.

  Rachel entered the restaurant and noticed him immediately. She licked her top lip and played with the buttons on the front of her dress—exactly what he’d like to do. When their eyes met, he was pleased when she smiled. “Hey. Glad you’re here.” Glad you didn’t stand me up.

  “Sorry I’m late. I couldn’t decide what to wear. This is my first time here.”

  He studied the sundress she wore. Small red and white flowers on a black background with a row of tiny buttons down the front. Short skirt and sleeveless. Innocent yet sexy as hell. If he ever had the honor, those buttons would test his patience, and he had the fleeting image of those same buttons scattering across the room as casualties.

  “Well, since you look so beautiful, I don’t mind the wait.”

  The host scoffed.

  “I could use a little help here. This dude isn’t too happy with me.”

  “Charlie,” she said to the host. “Your grandkids are going to love the activity center that John’s in town to build.”

  Another harrumph. “We’ll see if he sticks around long enough for completion.”

  She patted his arm. “He will. You have my word on it.”

  He glanced sideways at John under bristly gray eyebrows, his expression softening slightly in the face of Rachel’s sweetness. “Good enough for me.”

  As they were guided to their booth, John let his hand rest on the small of her back. A wave of her flowery perfume drifted past him. She had put on perfume. For him. Another rush of desire attacked him. At this rate, how in the hell would he get through the evening? Agony. He would spend this night in agony.

  Chapter Eight

  After dinner, they arrived at Jack’s, where a makeshift sign out front said Lake Bliss Bistro. They followed the sounds of laughter and music to the back of the house. Jack had constructed a two-tier wooden deck, one for the band and one for dancing at his famous parties. He stood at the microphone, guitar in hand.

  “Looking forward to a great time tonight. There’s beer in the coolers, snacks on the tables, and my amazing band to entertain you guys. Let me know throughout the night if you have any requests—and I’ll ignore them.” People laughed, and a few flipped him off. He caught sight of Rachel and John, and the band broke into a classic wedding reception medley. “We can be hired for a reasonable rate,” he said smoothly, with no expression on his face.

  She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled over the crowd. “Too bad I’m not getting married!” The crowd booed, and she laughed.

  They spent the evening talking and laughing and enjoying being outside near the lake. As the night was winding down, she saw John talking with the band. He turned and crooked a finger at her. When she heard the first few notes of “The Way You Look Tonight,” goose bumps spread over her body at the same time tears formed. Her favorite song. He had requested the band to play her favorite love song.

  Paralyzed with emotion, she stood and gaped at him until he beckoned her to dance with him. She shook her head, turning to head back toward the others, but as she took her first step, John placed his hand on her elbow and reversed her direction.

  “Dance with me?” he asked.

  “I, uh…” She shrugged and shook her head.

  “Come on, sweetheart. You can’t leave me standing here alone. Remember my ego?”

  She remembered a lot about him. Like the sexual zing that rushed through her body whenever they touched. Up until this point, their contact was limited to simple hand-holding. A small touch on her arm. A hand on her back. And tonight a few fast dances. What he suggested now was full-body contact.

  He’ll be gone in September. Remember that.

  Trembling, she walked into
his arms. She put her head on his shoulder, and he pulled her closer. His lips moved against her hair. She closed her eyes as they glided over the dance floor. She was lost. Wrapped up in a world where she didn’t belong. Falling so fast and so deep, she’d never recover.

  Each location where their bodies touched created hot spots—hands, shoulder, back—until her entire body was on fire. She tried to concentrate on the music, but the beating of her heart crushed any sound that came through her ears.

  One slow song led to another until, during the third one, the increased pressure from his hand on her back persuaded her to move closer. The clasp of their palms became a little stronger. And then the inches between their bodies became nonexistent. She could feel his heat. His strength. His hardness.

  “God, you smell good, Rach.” He pulled her closer. “I could hold you like this all night.”

  His mouth, close to her ear, made her uncertain if she felt his breath or if he touched her skin. Either way, she’d made it to heaven.

  While they danced, he never took his eyes off her. His lips mesmerized her, and she became obsessed with what it would feel like to kiss him again. To have his mouth on hers. As the song ended, she stopped moving. She stood on tiptoe, placed her hand behind his neck, and pulled his head down. Tired of remembering, she wanted to feel.

  The first contact was incredibly sweet. Soft, warm lips greeted his, but for a moment he hesitated. Then in the next instant, he pulled her against him, one hand snaking into her hair. He deepened the kiss, and she wasn’t surprised when a low moan escaped her throat. It seemed to ignite him, and he coaxed her mouth open, turning his head to deepen the kiss. She wound her other arm around his neck, causing their bodies to mesh. He moved his hand lower on her spine and pulled her closer against him. She moaned again when his hardness pushed against her belly.

  But as quickly as he had pulled them together, he broke them apart. “Baby, wait. We need to stop.”

  She stared at him as realization hit of what she had done. The erratic beating of her heart made her weary. “Oh my God, I’m sorry.” She pulled away from him, grabbed her purse, and bolted out toward her car. He may have called out for her; she couldn’t be sure. How could she have done that? She had kissed him! Initiated it and then held tight. Even having escaped, and almost to safety, she could feel her face heat up. What had possessed her to do such a stupid thing?