Frowning, she yanked her hand away from his. “Calvin, I don’t want to talk about that. You know my feelings, and they’re not going to change. You can be as charming as you want, but I’m still planning on marrying Eddie once our divorce is final.”
She jumped off the stool and marched to the archway leading toward the bedrooms. “Which one is mine?”
He groaned and rubbed the pounding beginning in his temples. “Your room is the second door on the left.”
“Good night, Calvin.” She marched down the hallway and into her room, slamming the door behind her.
“Good night, my bride,” he whispered sadly, realizing that although it was Valentine’s Day, Cupid’s arrow had missed Calvin and Rayne completely.
SEVEN
Rayne moved from dress to dress, checking for the hundredth time, if they were ready for shipping. Lacey Stoddard and Dusti Miller, Rayne’s assistants, also hurried throughout the warehouse, checking to make sure this large order would go out without any complications. Rayne was blessed with a miracle – literally – when a buyer in New York City had called out of the blue, ordering two hundred of her gowns. Rayne had paid the seamstresses to work extra hours, along with her assistants, so that they would have the order ready in time. They’d all been busy for a straight month, which helped Rayne’s married life only because she didn’t have time to talk to Calvin or see the rejection in his dreamy green eyes.
Once the dresses were thoroughly checked, they were handed to Lacey, who carefully wrapped each one separately in a garment bag, folded them carefully, and placed them in the shipping box. Rayne wanted everything to go as perfectly as she could make it. This was her chance to show how professional she was, and why this buyer in New York City should trust her again.
A lock of hair fell in her face, and she pushed it back on her head, trying to fit it in with the rest of her hair gathered in a ponytail, but the stubborn piece of hair just wouldn’t do as she’d wanted. She tucked it behind her ear, instead. With a chuckle, she realized her marriage was a lot like that lock of hair. Obstinate and not going the way she wanted.
What had she expected? Her father and Calvin’s father had secretly matched them as they tried to control their children’s lives. None of it was fair, but Rayne knew what had to be done. However, she never thought she’d start feeling differently about Calvin the longer they were together. Although they didn’t go around town showing themselves off as a newly-wedded couple, the few places they went together, she’d seen how kind and generous her husband really was. He wasn’t fake like some men she knew.
Immediately, Eddie popped into her head. She wished she’d stop thinking this way. Just because she’d seen his fake way of talking to some people didn’t mean he’d always act in such a way... Or did it?
“Rayne, I think we’re ready to ship them.” Dusti threaded her fingers through her shoulder-length wavy brown hair and leaned against a table. “I’m almost disappointed that we’re done. Putting these dresses together was exciting.”
“I know what you mean.” Rayne grinned. “My heart is still thumping with enthusiasm... and worry.”
“They already love your work,” Lacey said, hooking her arm around Rayne’s shoulders, “or else they wouldn’t have purchased so many dresses.”
Rayne chuckled and shook her head. “I still wish I knew how they found out about me.”
“Do you have any relatives in New York City?” Dusti picked up her can of diet soda and sipped. “When I first talked to them on the phone, they made it sound like your name was referred to them.”
“No, I can’t think of any extended family who live out that way.” Rayne gulped down her spring water.
“Well, it had to be someone who knows your work.”
Rayne sighed heavily. “I’m afraid to ask them who it was.”
Her assistants laughed. Lacey pointed to Rayne’s cell phone lying on the table. “Call them and let them know the delivery is going out tonight.”
“Yes. I promised to let them know.” Nervously, Rayne picked up her phone and called the man she’d been corresponding with in New York City. She cleared her throat and breathed slowly.
“Hello,” the man answered in a gruff voice.
She stiffened. “Hi, Mr. Patterson. This is Rayne Ken... um, Gates from Rayne Drop Creations.” Inwardly, she scolded herself. It was hard to use her married name.
“Oh, hello, Mrs. Gates.” The man’s voice became lighter. “I was just thinking about you.”
Her heartbeat quickened again. “I hope they were good thoughts,” she ended with a chuckle.
“Of course, they were. How are the dresses coming along?”
“We’ll be shipping them out tonight.”
“Tonight?” His voice lifted. “That’s earlier than you’d planned.”
“Only by a few days, but I’m glad we’re able to get them out to you sooner.”
“Good, good.”
Rayne was relieved that Mr. Patterson seemed to be happy, which in turn, made her happy. “Great. Well, I just thought I’d call you and let you know.”
“Thanks so much, Mrs. Gates.” He paused for only a moment. “I feel very fortunate that my attorney’s associate gave me your name. I think your creations are absolutely brilliant.”
She stilled as her mind clicked into overdrive. “Your attorney’s associate?” Both Dusti’s and Lacey’s eyes widened. Lacey had been twirling a long strand of her wild blue hair around her finger, but stopped and gaped. “Who is your attorney?” Rayne wondered.
“It’s Bill Larson. One of the firm’s partners is your husband, Calvin Gates.”
She couldn’t breathe due to the way her heartbeat kept tripping over itself. Calvin had done this? “My... husband told you about me?”
Rayne’s assistant’s faces brightened as their smiles stretched from ear to ear. Lacey nudged Dusti and they silently communicated with a wink.
“Yes. Your husband couldn’t stop telling me about your designs.”
“But... you’re in New York.”
The man chuckled from the other end of the phone. “Yes, but I also have business in California. That’s why Bill Larson is my attorney.”
“Oh, that makes sense.” She laughed lightly. “Well, my husband hasn’t said anything about this, so I’m sure you can imagine why I’m surprised.”
“Of course. Well, you tell your husband thanks for me.”
“I’ll certainly do that, Mr. Patterson. Goodbye.”
Rayne realized her hand shook as she clicked off the call and slid the phone into the pocket of her jeans. Her two giggling assistants decided this was the perfect time for a group hug. Rayne laughed, but she still didn’t know what to think.
“Calvin is such a sweetheart.” Lacey nodded. “I knew it from the moment I met him at your wedding.”
“He practically worshipped you that day.” Dusti sighed. “Made me want to find a man like him for myself.”
Rayne shook her head and pushed away from her friends. “But we’re married in name only. I told you that already.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Dusti lightly punched Rayne’s shoulder. “You’re smitten with him, and you know it.”
Breathing calmly, she narrowed her gaze on Dusti. “Calvin is a sweet man, and he’ll make some woman very lucky, but not me. As soon as the year is over, I’m marrying Eddie.”
Lacey shrugged. “That’s if you want to marry him. You might already be half in love with Calvin by then.”
Rayne rolled her eyes and moved past her friends. “You two will drive me crazy. I just know it.” She grabbed her purse and her car keys. “I’m hungry. What do you want to eat?”
Lacey flipped the long strand of blue hair away from her face. The brunette with short hair always had one lock longer than the others – and it was colored something different every month. “Why don’t you go home to your hunky husband, and Dusti and I will clean up. We’ll take the boxes to the UPS store before they close.”
&n
bsp; “Well, not that’s it’s any of your business, but my hunky... um, I mean Calvin, is working late tonight. Their firm has a big case that’ll be going to court soon.”
“You look really tired.” Dusti gave Rayne a sympathetic look. “Go home and rest. Lacey and I have got this.” She made shooing motions with her hands.
“Fine.” Rayne sighed. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
If it had been anyone else but Dusti and Lacey, Rayne wouldn’t have trusted them to take care of the shipping and closing up, but she’d known these two women since college. They’d all been in the same fashion design class. It made her happy to know she had help running things, and that they would always have her back – just as she’d always watch out for them.
The drive home was relaxing. She couldn’t get Calvin out of her mind now. It was as though she saw him in a different light. And yet, she’d known about his kind heart from the first day they’d met.
Still in shock from finding out Calvin was the one responsible for her large order, her mind argued with her heart about how to feel. When her heart began to soften, she quickly stopped it. She didn’t want to feel that way about him, and yet, she worried that she was already having those feelings.
The first two weeks of marriage had been hard, especially when she’d clutched her pillow to her chest while in bed, wondering what Eddie was doing. Each night she’d prayed for God’s help so that she could make it through another day with a positive outlook. But as each day of marriage turned into weeks, Eddie got farther from her thoughts and Calvin replaced him in her heart.
She pulled into the garage, and immediately, she noticed Calvin’s British racing green Jaguar XF. She sucked in a quick breath. He was home?
Rayne tried to keep her nerves steady as she parked her car and went into the house. She listened for any movements but didn’t hear anything. Maybe he’d already gone to bed. After all, he’d been putting in late nights, just as she had.
Today, she’d worn comfortable jeans, a T-shirt, and athletic shoes since she was working in the warehouse. She’d worked up a sweat today, which didn’t happen often. She headed toward her room to take a shower and get a change of clothes.
She stepped quietly into her room and then toward the bathroom, not wanting to disturb Calvin if he had already gone to bed. But just as she reached the bathroom, the door opened and out walked Calvin. He wore a pair of jeans – but nothing else. A towel was looped over his neck as he used one of the ends to dry his hair.
When he looked up and saw her, he stood dead still. The look of surprise on his face gave way to a wide smile.
“You’re home!” he exclaimed.
“And... so are you.” Rayne’s mind went blank. His muscular bare chest and his dreamy eyes did that to her. “I was just heading in to take a shower.”
He stepped aside and motioned with his hand. “It’s all yours. What do you want for dinner?”
“Oh, don’t worry about making—”
“I thought about ordering Chinese.” He winked. “I’m too exhausted to cook tonight.”
She smiled. “Then Chinese sounds heavenly.”
“Do you want your regular – Chicken Broccoli with no rice?”
Could her heart melt anymore? He’d actually memorized her favorite dish. “Yes, my regular. Thanks.”
His gaze stayed on her as she slowly walked into the bathroom and closed the door. His smile made her breathless. Why did he have to look at her with so much emotion and so much desire?
She hurried through her shower, anxious to see him again, but especially to talk to him. She really wanted to thank him for telling Mr. Patterson about her designs. She couldn’t stop thinking about the time when Calvin told her to live her dreams and not let anyone stop her. And, here he was, helping her to live her dreams.
Guilt was no longer part of her emotions when she thought more about Calvin than she had of Eddie. Surprisingly enough, Eddie didn’t fill her mind – and her dreams – as much as Calvin did. Perhaps she wasn’t meant to be with Eddie. After all, they really didn’t have a lot in common. Sometimes she’d forget what had brought them together in the first place.
Was this God’s answer to her prayers?
As she toweled herself dry, she realized she needed to figure out her own heart before she did anything that might ruin her relationship with Eddie or with Calvin. She didn’t want to hurt either guy, but someone was bound to have their heart broken.
After dressing in her flannel jammie pants and over-large T-shirt, she quickly brushed out the tangles in her hair before leaving the bathroom. She’d probably only been in there twenty minutes, but her senses picked up the smell of her favorite Chinese dish. Her stomach grumbled, making her quicken her steps toward the kitchen.
Calvin was setting the table when she walked in. His gaze snapped to her, and he smiled.
“Just in time,” he said.
“I hadn’t realized just how hungry I was until now.” She moved to her chair, and he pulled it out for her. Shaking her head, she grinned. He was really trying to be a gentleman. Then again, he wasn’t trying to do anything. All of this came naturally to him.
Her mind slowed as she tried to recall if Eddie had ever done that. In fact, she couldn’t remember if he’d even opened the car door for her – or any door for her.
“Thank you.” She sat and reached for containers of food. “Did you get your usual sweet and sour chicken?”
Nodding, he sat across from her as his smile stretched wider.
She took a couple of bites before closing her eyes and sighing. This was the best place to go for take-out. From across the table, she heard Calvin chuckle. She blinked open her eyes, staring at him.
“What’s so funny?”
“You are.” He took a bite of rice. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman enjoy her food quite as much as you do.”
She laughed and took another bite – bigger this time. Laying on the dramatics, she closed her eyes and released a heavy, satisfied, sigh. He laughed harder.
“I can’t help it.” She met his stare again. “I’m really hungry, and this food is to die for!”
His answer was to nod as he stuffed more food in his mouth. Their gazes locked as they chewed their mouths full of food. Why did he have to look so incredibly desirable right now? No shirt hid his chest from her view, and yet, although she liked his muscles, she was content just to get lost in his eyes.
He swallowed noisily. “How was work?” he asked. “Did you get your big order finished?”
She sipped her water and nodded. “I did – ahead of schedule.”
“I knew you would.” He winked.
“And I found out something remarkable tonight.” She leaned her arms on the table, keeping her eyes on him.
“What’s that?” He took another bite of his food.
“Mr. Patterson let slip who had given him my name.”
Calvin’s eyes widened. He swallowed and licked his lips. “Who?”
“I think you know very well who it was, my dear husband,” she said with a chuckle.
He relaxed back in his chair. “Yes, it was me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want you to think I was prying into your life. And you have to admit, you would have tried to stop me.” He arched an eyebrow. “You have been pretty stubborn since our wedding.”
She sighed and reached across the table toward his hand. Immediately, he grasped her fingers.
“Thank you, Calvin. It wasn’t until earlier this evening when I realized you were just trying to help me with my dream.”
“I was.” He stroked his thumb over her knuckles. “Because you deserve it. You’re a very talented woman, and more people need to know about your creations.”
“Thanks. It was a glorious feeling to be wanted like that.”
Slowly, his expression waned. “It’s the most wonderful feeling in the world. I’ve felt it a few times during my life. But it seems like the people I
desperately want it from don’t want to give me that acceptance.”
Rayne held her breath. Was he talking about her? She was afraid to ask, and yet, she needed to know, or it would drive her crazy. “Who won’t give you acceptance, Calvin?”
“Well, there’s my mother.” He shook his head and frowned. “But she’s always been that way, not only to me, but my siblings. So, I think she’s a lost cause.”
A wrenching pain took hold of her heart. His own mother? A knot formed in Rayne’s throat. “Oh, Calvin, I... I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
He tenderly squeezed her hand. “I should be used to it by now.” His smile returned, but it wasn’t as full.
“And who else do you feel that way about?”
He lifted her fingers to his mouth and softly kissed her knuckles. “I think you already know that answer.”
Her chest tightened, and her mind turned blank. Could she really answer him now, especially when she had such mixed feelings? And yet, the longer she gazed into his incredible eyes, the more her heart warmed to him.
EIGHT
Calvin didn’t want her pity. Now he wished he hadn’t told her of his deepest yearning. If only he could take it back. Feeling foolish, he released her hand and quickly took another bite of his food. For some reason, it didn’t taste as good as it had a few minutes ago.
“Calvin, I—”
He held up his hand, stopping her. “No. Don’t say anything. Just eat.”
She took a small bite, but her gaze wouldn’t leave him. “I didn’t know that about your mother.”
He shrugged. “Only close friends of the family know. It was obvious she was more involved with her circle of friends than caring about her family. My father tried to make our family look normal for as long as he could, but when Karen ran off to Paris with a painter and divorced my dad, that’s when he started losing his mind.” Calvin sighed as he stared at his food. “Over the years, it became quite noticeable. It was all we kids could do to hide it from everyone. I think he finally lost the will to be normal, so he didn’t care what happened to his sanity.”
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