Where the Heart May Lead: A Clean Romance (Harlequin LP Heartwarming)

by Elizabeth Mowers

“Not modest, though.”

  He smiled wider. “I could feign modesty if it would keep you in the truck longer.”

  “Look, Charlie,” she said, shifting in her seat. “It’s not that I don’t like you...”

  “Not handsome enough for you?”

  She blinked hard at the perfect lines of his rugged face and playfulness in his eyes.

  “I don’t think either of us are in a place to get involved.”

  “I don’t either.”

  “You don’t?”

  “Nope. I do not want to get involved with you, Paige Cartman. It’s a bad idea right now. In fact, I should kick you out of my truck and drive away forever. But...” He lowered his eyes. “I also really like having you around.”

  “You do?” Paige whispered.

  “So much.”

  “I don’t know. Maybe if we’re just friends—”

  “We don’t have to name it. There are people I like to spend time with and people I don’t. Maybe you could be a person who I like to spend time with. How can there be any harm in that?”

  Paige looked away if only to break the lovable trance he held her in. He certainly made it difficult for her to cut and run. The truth was, just sitting beside him filled her senses with a peace she hadn’t known in years. And that smile...

  “I think... I think I’m tired.”

  He fired up the truck engine. “Rest up. You never know when I’ll bump into you at Angelo’s.”

  Paige slipped out of the truck and into her motel, hesitating at the front door to glance back at Charlie. As much as she knew she shouldn’t see him again, the possibility that she might had her grinning all the way to her room.

  * * *

  PAIGE FLOPPED ON her bed and dialed her aunt, but it went to voice mail. She quickly shot off a text; she had so much to tell her.

  Call me. I need to talk.

  She startled when her room telephone rang immediately.

  Bringing the phone slowly to her ear, she paused a few seconds before speaking.

  “Hello?”

  There was a pause on the other end before a familiar voice came over the line.

  “I forgot to mention something.”

  Charlie.

  Paige made herself more comfortable on the bed, cradling the phone in the crook of her neck.

  “Aren’t guys supposed to wait a few days before calling after a date? I think you’re breaking some sort of guy code.”

  “Nope. It’s not guy code.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you and I weren’t on a date. We are two people who like to spend time together, so you joined me while I hung out with my niece. Easy peasy.”

  Paige laughed. “Did you just say ‘easy peasy’?”

  “Yeah. Do you have a problem with easy peasy?”

  “It’s ridiculous.”

  “What did easy peasy ever do to you?”

  “Every time you say it, it sounds weirder!” Paige laughed as she tucked a pillow under her head. “What did you forget to mention?”

  Charlie’s voice crackled like a fire, warming her ear. “I called because I wanted to hear your laugh again.” Paige closed her eyes. He was an open book, just saying what he felt and asking for what he wanted. She didn’t know people like that really existed in the world. They had never existed in hers.

  “Give me something to laugh at.”

  “Is easy peasy all used up?”

  She grinned. “Yup. You have to try harder.”

  “How about if I try harder tomorrow night? Remember the Holy Smokes Food Festival? The signs are plastered over every square inch of this town.”

  “You’re a barbecue meat kind of guy?”

  He sighed. “I’m a takeout kind of guy. I only eat well if Mara invites me over for dinner.”

  Paige’s smile faded as she thought of Mara, tooling around in her kitchen, her mind reeling with worry of the unknown.

  “Is she okay? I mean, really okay?”

  “Hard to tell. She has a legitimate reason to be worried, but her emotions have also been exaggerated for months now.”

  “Is she a good mom?” Charlie paused on the other end of the line, sending a nervous wave over Paige’s skin. “I mean, she seems like a good mom, but...”

  “She’s the best mom I’ve ever met.” Paige nodded silently, momentarily forgetting she was on a phone. “You’re catching her at a low point. We all get them.”

  No truer words had ever been spoken, Paige thought. If Mara had met her ten years ago, she might have judged her harshly too. Anyone would. Heck, she still did.

  “What are you going to do about Lucy’s storybook costume?” she said, eager to change the subject.

  “Why? Have you been brainstorming ideas since I dropped you at your motel?”

  “Yeah. I have my sketchbook open in front of me.”

  “Ooh. Ms. Cartman can dish the sarcasm.”

  She smiled. “I can give you a hand with the costume, if you want?”

  “Lucy would like that. She likes you.”

  Paige tucked her hair behind her ear.

  “I like her. She’s a great kid.”

  “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

  She wanted to see everything. She wanted to be a part of Lucy’s life, and nuzzle a nose into her hair the way Mara had. Paige wasn’t sure the bond of family would mean so much to her after all this time, but now that she’d met Lucy—touched her, listened to her giggle—she wanted it all.

  “I’m here to help,” she said in a peppier voice than she had meant. She knew she was trying to convince herself as much as Charlie. That was why she’d sought out Lucy, wasn’t it? To help?

  “We can discuss it over barbecue tomorrow afternoon. My shift ends at five.”

  “Are you bringing Lucy?”

  There was a brief pause. “I suppose I could...since it’s not a date.”

  “Bring whoever,” Paige said, hurrying to hide her eagerness to see the little girl. “Maybe it would be good for Mara to get out too. I can meet you all there.”

  “What’s your cell number?” he said just as Paige’s cell phone rang. “As much fun as it was calling the motel and having them connect me—”

  “I’ve got to go, Charlie. I’ll see you tomorrow after five.” Replacing the phone on its base, Paige answered her cell.

  “Hi, honey.” Her aunt’s homey voice sang over the line. “I may have jumped to conclusions a wee bit when I read your text message. It is good news, isn’t it?”

  “Where are you?”

  “Hospital. But Craig’s doing much better.”

  “You stayed all night, didn’t you?”

  “Guilty as charged,” she said as Craig called out something in the background. Joan laughed. “Your uncle thinks I like it here because of the fancy furnishings.”

  Uncle Craig was chuckling. Paige sighed with amusement. Charlie was right—listening to someone’s laughter was reason enough for a call.

  “Now, what’s your news, honey?”

  Paige had so much to tell her aunt and uncle. So much to ask them. She needed their guidance about what she should do and what she shouldn’t. But as Uncle Craig said something else to make Aunt Joan giggle and cover the phone before responding, Paige knew it could keep for another night.

  “I wanted to hear your voices, that’s all.”

  “Aw, honey, I’m glad, and don’t worry. You’ll find her. If she has your same sparkling green eyes, she’ll be difficult to miss.”

  * * *

  CHARLIE ARRIVED AT The Copper Kettle, the best breakfast nook within a thirty-mile radius of Roseley, and immediately spotted Tully at the far end of the counter. As it was usually packed with locals coming off the night shift, he was glad Tully had snagged them counter stools.

 
“Coffee?” Gemma asked, turning Charlie’s mug over. He nodded.

  “How are you doing today, Gemma?” He and Gemma had gone to high school together. After marrying Rick Murdock, a fellow Roseley High alum, and quickly becoming mom to three little boys, she had settled into managing The Copper Kettle. Whenever he had come home to visit, he’d usually stop in for a chat with Gemma and a tall stack of buttermilk pancakes.

  “Ricky Jr. was up sick all night. My mom’s watching him today, but was he ever sour with me for leaving this morning.” Her wide brown eyes drooped with guilt.

  “Motherhood’s the hardest job there is, Gem.”

  “You’re telling me, Charlie. I gotta work my job like I ain’t a mother, and I gotta mother like I don’t have to work a job.”

  “He’s still pretty young,” Tully said. “He’ll have a better understanding when he’s older.”

  “He’ll be eight in July. He’s my fierce and quiet one, you know. He communicates just as much in what he doesn’t say. Anyhoo, what’ll I get you, fellas?”

  “The special,” Tully said, passing her his menu. “As is.”

  “I’ll just stick with coffee, Gemma.” She winked and slid an order slip to the back kitchen.

  As soon as she had gone, Tully smoothly switched into detective mode, turning his full attention on Charlie. “What is it?” he asked in a low monotone.

  Charlie raised a brow. “What’s what?”

  Tully leaned an elbow on the counter and sized up his friend. “I know when something’s up. You’re as jittery as Mara on two pots of coffee, and I’ve never known you to come here and eat anything less than a tall stack of pancakes. It’s your new lady friend, isn’t it?”

  “My new lady friend?” Charlie chuckled. “Is that what we’re calling her?”

  “I was hoping you two were still just friends since you only met her yesterday.”

  “Technically it’s been two days—”

  “Two whole days—”

  “And, yes, we’re just friends.” He could feel Tully boring holes into his temple, waiting for the other shoe to drop. His friend sometimes knew him better than he knew himself. Charlie raised his coffee to his lips, holding it there for a moment before muttering, “For now.”

  “There it is.”

  “What?”

  “Tell me you’re not jumping in too quickly.”

  “Define quickly.”

  Tully curled a discerning lip. “When are you seeing her again?”

  “You mean when are we seeing her?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m meeting her at Holy Smokes tonight...”

  “And?”

  “And I’m bringing Lucy...”

  “Because?”

  “To keep it light. You know, like you said. We’re just friends and going to Holy Smokes together will feel like a date if we’re alone. I don’t want to scare her off.”

  “Why would she scare so easily?”

  Charlie hesitated. He hadn’t told Tully about how she’d run out on him the other night at Bayshore Bar. Tully would take it as a red flag that something was wrong. He’d warn him not to ignore the incident. He’d tell him to stay more guarded and take things more slowly. And if he had to admit it, Tully would probably be right. He still didn’t understand why Paige had run out on him and then why she seemed to warm up again on the sidewalk in front of the shop the next morning. It didn’t make sense, and at the same time, he didn’t want to overthink it. The bottom line was, he just wanted to see her again.

  Charlie looked up, realizing he’d hesitated too long. Each second was making Tully more suspicious of his plan.

  “I want to start things off on the right foot, on a good foundation. So I invited her to join Lucy and me and...you.”

  “Me?”

  “I need your help, Tully. After we all eat—”

  Tully nodded knowingly. “I can take Lucy and give you two some alone time.”

  “Don’t act as if you weren’t going to go anyway. Barbecue meats and all?”

  Tully shrugged and readjusted his suit blazer. “I think I can make it work. I don’t get off until five—”

  “That’s fine.”

  “Unless a case comes up—”

  “We’ll make it work.”

  Tully smiled. “Anything to help you out, buddy. You really like this woman, huh?”

  “She has my head spinning.”

  “And what’s her name again?”

  “Paige.”

  “Last name?”

  Charlie shot him a scowl. “Oh, no you don’t.”

  “What?”

  “No, Tully, I like this woman. If she has anything dark in her past, I’ll leave it up to her to tell me in good time.”

  “So, you think there might be something dark in her past,” Tully said slowly with a suspicious nod.

  “That’s not what I said.”

  “I surmised.”

  “No running her name in the database. No background checks or calling in a detective favor.”

  “There’s no harm in having a full picture—”

  “I have the full picture,” Charlie said, knowing it was a lie. He flashed back to the look in Paige’s eye just before she sprinted out of Bayshore Bar.

  “I’m only giving you a hard time, buddy.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “Well,” Tully sighed, slapping a hand on Charlie’s shoulder, “I’d run her name if you let me, but only if you gave me the green light. The truth is, I can’t wait to meet her.”

  “You’ll love her.”

  “Just promise me something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Don’t fall in love with her too quickly.”

  Charlie grinned and waggled his eyebrows over the rim of his coffee cup. “I can’t make any promises, Detective.”

  “Yep,” Tully said, running a hand down his face, but grinning all the same. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  PAIGE LOCKED HER bicycle to the rack in front of a sushi restaurant she’d found online and reached heavenward in a long stretch. She’d put a lot of miles on her Schwinn and would have the aching muscles the next day to show for it.

  Kicking around Roseley for the morning, counting the minutes until she could see Charlie and Lucy, had left her looking for ways to pass the time. She’d checked online for where the school district lines were drawn so she could remember which school might be Lucy’s.

  She’d then considered biking past Little Lakeside Sports in the hopes Charlie would be outside on a break but decided against it. As much as she wanted to believe they could just be friends, the truth was that she was aching to see him again.

  Was this what it felt like to fall for somebody? It was a first for her, because she’d never let herself get close enough to men to try. Aside from her aunt and uncle, she’d never let herself get close to pretty much anyone. Forget dating. Over the years what she could have used the most was a good girlfriend or two to gossip and share secrets with and lean on during the hard times. So as much as her excitement grew whenever she was around Charlie, the prospect of making a friend, a real friend, had her heart bursting with hope.

  From the sidewalk, Paige scanned the street blocked off for the Holy Smokes Festival. Food trucks, tents and tables lined either side, stretching several blocks in either direction. The permeation of hot grease and smoked barbecue delighted her senses and saturated her skin along with the humid evening air. As police officers trotted by on horses and pedestrians swarmed at the entrances, Paige realized it might take a while to find Charlie. She’d no sooner kicked off the curb to begin looking for him when she heard a bubbly voice.

  “We thought we might see you here!” Angelo and CeCe hurried up to her. Each was holding a tray of barbecue ri
bs and a beer.

  “I heard this was the place to be,” Paige said. Angelo nodded.

  “The first year they did this, they had a surprisingly large turnout. It practically guaranteed it would be an annual event. Plus, the fact they can get away without charging an entrance fee—”

  “No need to,” CeCe said. “The shops around here think of it as Christmas. Helps get them in the black before the summer tourists turn up.”

  “Is The Sandwich Board open tonight?”

  “Oh my, yes, but we’re not working!” CeCe laughed. “Angelo and I couldn’t miss this. It’ll be an annual tradition for us, don’t you think, Angelo?”

  “Whatever you want, C.”

  CeCe turned her attention to Paige again, motioning for her to follow her to an open picnic table. “Now, honey, tell us about yourself. Where you from? How long are you staying?”

  Angelo and CeCe slid onto the picnic bench next to each other, leaving Paige to reluctantly slide across from them.

  “I’m from Ohio.”

  “Where exactly?”

  Paige swallowed and shrugged. “Near the lake.”

  “I have a niece near Shaker Heights. Where are you?”

  Paige fumbled to her favorite distraction: follow-up questions. “Shaker Heights? What does your niece do there?”

  CeCe’s eyes set into two little slits. Paige could tell she was the one used to asking the questions.

  “Married with two kids. Where near the lake?”

  Paige wondered if she should lie. There wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with telling CeCe a little information about herself, and remembering a lie was always risky. Still, she wasn’t in Roseley to make friends and build relationships. Chatting with locals was the last thing she needed.

  Just as she was about to draw a breath, she heard the voice of an angel, soaring in to save her.

  “There she is! Paige! Paige!”

  Lucy’s dark brown hair streaked through the crowd like a swooping raven. At the pace she moved, Paige expected her to leap directly into her arms. She stood and held out her arms haphazardly in front of her in anticipation. But at the last moment, Lucy stopped short and beamed up at her, her cheeks pink and round like two little macarons. After a moment’s pause to catch her breath, Lucy slung an arm around Paige’s waist and squeezed her in a hug. But Paige dared not bend to kiss her head, as much as she wished to.