One Hundred Decisions: An Aspen Cove Romance

by Collins, Kelly

  “Seems as if I have you and your sister as hostages for a bit. I thought maybe if you’re game, and your sister doesn’t complain too much, we can look for bean bags for the kid’s nook. If you’re hungry, I hear there’s a great pizza place called Piper’s.”

  Natalie shook her head. “Oh, we can’t—”

  “Pleeease,” Will begged. “I haven’t had pizza in a lifetime.”

  Natalie looked at her brother, and he could see her waiver.

  Jake moved in front of her. “Pleeease,” he mimicked Will.

  “You two are impossible.”

  “So that’s a yes?” Will asked.

  Her lips pulled into a thin line. “I guess, but don’t think begging works all the time.”

  Will leaped into the air with a “Woo hoo.”

  Jake opened the back door. Will walked out first and before Natalie could follow, Jake stopped her and pulled her in for a hug. “This one was for me, and if it helps you along the way, that’s a bonus.”

  After the shock wore off, she tilted her head and smiled. “You’re too much.”

  “Sweetheart, I’m just enough.” He got everyone in the SUV, and before he started the engine, he said, “What’s first? Food or shopping?”

  The unanimous decision was to forage for food first, so they’d have the energy to shop.

  “Nice car,” Will said from the back seat.

  “It’s a rental.”

  “Still nice,” Natalie added. She leaned forward and brushed her fingers across the wood inlay on the dash. “Acura?”

  “RDX,” he answered. “I heard the weather was unpredictable, and I didn’t want to get caught unprepared.”

  “Good thinking. I have an old Subaru. When it’s working, it’s great, but today not so much.”

  “What’s wrong with it?”

  She let out a long exhale. “No idea. I was looking at a potential rental property, and on the way back, it spit and sputtered and then died.”

  He felt awful for her. That was the way of the world it seemed. Life always kicked a person when they were down. It had him. He’d gotten the news that his kidneys were failing, and a week later, his fiancée Jenny had left him. She couldn’t handle the implications of being with a man who had a life-threatening disease.

  “Where is it now?”

  “Doc had Louise’s husband, Bobby, tow it to his shop.” She twisted her hands together in her lap. “Doc saw me for free and said he’d be happy to do Will’s school physical. Bobby is fixing my car. I hate owing anyone, and now I owe so many people.” A little growl escaped before she could stop it.

  He reached over and took her hand. “You don’t owe anything. Sometimes people do things because it makes them feel good. Don’t take that away from them.”

  He kept his hand wrapped around hers until they reached Piper’s Pizza.

  Will jumped out as soon as they came to a stop. Jake turned to Natalie.

  “Bringing you two to dinner makes me feel good. Just go with it. Besides, Will works hard when he’s at the bookstore. He deserves a night out. Let the stress of the day go and enjoy the moment.”

  He got out and raced around to open her door. When they walked inside the restaurant, Will was already seated in a booth, looking over the menu.

  “Will?” He raised a brow. “You and I will have to chat about manners.” He glanced at Natalie to make sure he wasn’t overstepping his boundaries. He moved aside so she could slide into the booth, and he sat beside her. “You should have opened the door for your sister and walked her inside.”

  Will frowned. “She’s not my date.”

  “She doesn’t have to be. It’s a common courtesy. When you grow up, you’ll want people to respect you, but respect is earned through small actions every day. Watch how a person behaves in their personal life, and you’ll know how they are professionally.”

  He let his head hang, and his shoulders slump. “I’m only twelve.”

  “And a role model to so many kids in town. Look at how they look up to you at the bookstore. You’re like a rock star.” He watched as Will grew taller with each compliment. “Being a role model comes with responsibilities. Are you up to the task?”

  Will seemed to ponder his options. “As long as I don’t have to pick Bailey’s nose, I’m in.”

  Natalie laughed. “I’ve heard about her.”

  Jake chuckled. “Her mother says she’s a Houdini with beans.”

  The waitress arrived to take their order. They ordered one meat lovers and one vegetarian. He rarely indulged in pizza because the salt content was so high, but today he’d follow his own advice. He’d let it all go and enjoy the time he had with Will and Natalie.

  Will pointed to the game room. “Can I have money to play pinball?”

  Natalie dug through her purse for quarters, but Jake gave Will a five and told him to be back in fifteen minutes.

  “You’re spoiling him,” she said after he dashed away.

  “I’m indulging him. I’m not spoiling him. There’s a difference. I don’t think Will is the spoilable type.”

  “I suppose you’re right. He’s had so little in his life.”

  The waitress dropped off Will’s root beer and Jake’s and Natalie’s waters.

  “I get the impression that you haven’t had much more.”

  “Oh, I do okay. When I was his age, it was the same. If it hadn’t been for free lunch at school, I would have had one meal a day.”

  “That’s why he’s so important to you.” It wasn’t a question but a statement. “You say you’re not a nurturer, but you took in a kid you didn’t know, and you’re doing everything you can to make sure he’s better off than you were. I’d say that’s supportive.”

  A blush flooded her cheeks with color. “I’m trying, but I’m failing.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Have you got a week?”

  “I do. Turns out, my plans have changed a bit. I was desperate to be out of town as soon as possible, but I’ve hit a snag.”

  She turned, and her knee brushed against his thigh.

  “Would you like to talk about it?” she asked.

  Natalie was great at deflecting. He was certain it was a learned trait.

  “After you. Tell me about Social Services.”

  She moved her head around.

  He could hear her neck pop into place.

  “You’ll see when you drop us off on the way back. We live halfway in between here and Aspen Cove.”

  “Really? Me too.” He lifted his shoulders. “I don’t live here, but I’m staying in a one-room cabin next to Tilden Cool’s house.”

  She cocked her head. “Oh, then we’re neighbors.” She pulled a pen from her purse and drew on her napkin. “If you take the first right instead of going straight on Country Road 5, you’ll find me. I’m that tiny trailer-like house on the right.”

  “I pass that every morning.” He slapped the table. “This is perfect. I can pick you up and take you home every day while your car is in the shop.”

  She shook her head. “Oh no, you don’t have to.”

  He set his hand on top of hers. He did that a lot. He liked the way his palm covered it, the way the heat somehow traveled from her body into his. There was definitely a connection between them. Each touch sent a thread of heat weaving through his body. This one landed in his heart.

  “I want to. Don’t take that away from me. Helping you gives me purpose and value.”

  “You’re a life coach. You have value and purpose already.”

  “By whose measurement?”

  The pizza arrived, and Natalie stretched her neck to see if Will was coming. “Should I get him?”

  “Let’s wait.”

  “But the pizza will get cold.”

  “Not for us. If he’s not back, then that’s a consequence for him.”

  They started eating. Will returned fifteen minutes later.

  “Ah, the cheese isn’t melty anymore.”

 
Jake looked at Natalie to see if she would address the situation. She nodded.

  “Will, Jake asked you to be back in fifteen minutes. It’s been thirty. If you would have come back when he said, then your pizza would have been hot and melty.”

  “But I was winning.”

  Jake understood. He’d been a kid once. “You made a choice. Now you have to live with the consequences.”

  Will narrowed his eyes and frowned. “Consequences suck but okay. Cold pizza is better than no pizza.” After his first bite, the furrow between his brows smoothed. “Cold pizza isn’t that bad either.” He shoved in another bite and opened to talk around it.

  Natalie reached over and chucked his chin. “Eat or talk, but don’t do both at once.”

  Will swallowed. “Jeez, you’d think I was dining with the president.”

  Jake shook his head. “Wouldn’t it be great if you could? Better yet, what if you had table manners that wouldn’t make you question yourself if you were dining with him?”

  The good thing about Will was that he wanted to do better.

  “Do you think I’d ever have a chance to eat at the White House?”

  “Sure, why not? You realize that the president was a twelve-year-old boy who probably ate with his mouth open once too. When you know better, you do better.” Jake flagged down the waitress and asked for a box to take the leftovers home in. “How about you finish up, and we go to Costco and see what they have for the Winding Down with Will time at the bookstore?”

  He smiled and was about to talk with his mouth full but held up a finger and swallowed. “I feel like Oprah. I have my own talk show.” He laughed. “My audience isn’t all that old, but hey, it’s a start.”

  Jake reached over and ruffled Will’s hair. “Everyone’s got to start somewhere.”

  He paid the bill, and they headed toward the big-box store. Taking Will to Costco was like leading a starving man to a buffet. By the time they left, they had a flatbed of stuff like markers and paper for Saturday crafts, and a Lego table to occupy the kids while their parents shopped. Jake couldn’t say no. He loved the light shining in the boy’s eyes. Will was no longer thinking about what he could take, but what he could give.

  They also piled the cart high with food, from fruits and veggies to bulk meats and grains. The only time he put a kibosh on anything Will suggested was when he asked for bowls of candy. Jake had to remind him that candy would have the opposite effect on what winding down set out to do.

  Back in the SUV, Will chatted about all the things they could do on craft Saturdays. Things like make bookmarks and book collages. He was so excited that as soon as the car stopped, he raced to the front door, talking about making samples. When he turned around, his eyes grew big, and he ran back and opened the door for his sister.

  “Sorry, I forgot.”

  “They say it takes a month to create a habit.” Natalie slid from the seat to the ground and turned around to look at Jake. “Thank you for everything.”

  Jake exited the car and walked around to open the back. “Hey, Will, come and help me.”

  Natalie rushed around to where he stood. “What are you doing?”

  “You get half the food. Do you think I can eat all that by myself?”

  “No. We can’t take it.”

  Will picked up the case of Pop-Tarts. “Yes, we can.” He took the keys from his sister’s hand and ran to the door.

  “Jake, it’s too much.”

  “You’re right, that’s the problem with buying in bulk. It costs about half the price, but you have to buy so much of it. You’d be helping me out.” He squatted down, so they were eye to eye. “Take it, Natalie. Don’t say no.”

  She forced a smile to her face then nodded. “Thank you.”

  He helped unload items from the car and brought them into her home. It surprised him how small it was inside. If he stood sideways and stretched out his arms, he could almost touch both walls.

  “I know it’s not much, but when I was alone, it was perfect. Kind of like a hug.” She unpacked items and used the zipper bags he’d bought to divide it up.

  “It’s small, but it fits you.”

  She kept the place tidy and homey looking. There were small touches around that made him smile. Little plaques that had affirmations like Stay Strong, and Always Remember That You Are Braver Than You Think, and Stronger Than You Seem. Those were often the things he said to his clients.

  “It fits like a glove that’s a size too small now. If I don’t find a place soon”—she looked for Will, who was up in the loft cutting paper strips—“I might lose him.” She swallowed hard. “Social Services gave us a list.” She pointed to a page of notes written in purple crayon. The first line said, New house.

  “That’s quite a big list.” He ran his finger down the items. Most were reasonable. On the bottom was a date circled several times.

  “I’m running out of time.” Her voice cracked.

  “You’ve still got a few weeks.”

  She sniffled and nodded. “Yep. A few weeks.” A tear ran down her cheek.

  He looked up at Will, who was oblivious to anything going on around him. “Hey,” he said, wiping the tear away. “A lot can happen in three weeks.”

  He stared at her lips. They were rosy red and quivering. How much energy did it take to hold it all in?

  “Sorry, I’m not usually so emotional.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about.” He wanted to comfort her—needed to comfort her. “Help me take my half to the SUV?”

  “You bet.” She picked up the Ziplock bags and led the way. “Will,” she called over her shoulder, “I’ll be right back.”

  He lifted his head and lowered it to go back to work.

  They tucked the groceries in the back and closed the hatch.

  “Thank you for being such a great role model for him. He never stops talking about you.”

  “He’s a smart kid.”

  She raised a brow. “Arrogant much?”

  “Not what I meant.”

  She rocked back on her feet as if gaining momentum. On the third surge forward, she lifted onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

  Not willing to let that go by, he held her shoulders and leaned down to brush his lips against hers. He waited for her to shrug him off and move away, but she didn’t.

  Her arms slid up his back, and her head tilted while she moved in for another kiss. It was a gentle pass, an almost imperceptible touch, but he felt it on a deeper level. She was letting her guard down for a moment with him. Her hold grew tighter, and she leaned back to stare at him.

  When her tongue slicked out to moisten her lips, he lost all sense of right or wrong. All he knew was that in the next second, her mouth would be his. One hand moved to her hip while the other cradled her head, holding her in place, waiting for her to say no.

  He leaned forward and touched his mouth to hers, licking at the seam of her lips until she opened them. He wasted no time exploring the taste and texture of her. This wasn’t the sweet and gentle kiss it had started out to be. This was more.

  It was filled with desperation and loneliness, but he wasn’t certain if it was his or hers. The vibrations of her moan made him want more, but clarity came crashing back, and he ended the kiss with a nip at her bottom lip and a step backward.

  “That probably shouldn’t have happened. I will only say I’m sorry for one reason, and that was because you were vulnerable, and I took advantage. But that kiss … I’ll never be sorry about that.” He leaned against the SUV and watched for her reaction.

  “I’m stronger than I seem.”

  “In that case—” He leaned in and kissed her again. Only this time, he switched their positions and pressed her between his body and the SUV. The pressure of his mouth on hers was all he craved. She was like a sweet liquor that he wanted to drink in. No, he needed to devour. She was the perfect mix of sweet, sexy, and vulnerable. It was a heady concoction for a man like him. A man who gave up love for work. He mentally shook
that thought away. He hadn’t given up on love; love had given up on him.

  Kissing Natalie reminded him how much he needed this connection. How much he wanted to stay there and kiss her longer. How much the touch of a human being could change a life. At that thought, he broke the kiss.

  His head shook, but his eyes focused on her mouth. “It’s not right for me to kiss you like this, not when I know I’m leaving.”

  She slicked her tongue over her lips. “That’s okay; you’re my favorite kind of guy.”

  He quirked a brow. “What kind is that?”

  “Temporary.” She pressed a kiss to his lips and turned to walk away.

  Chapter Eleven

  She’d kissed him. Or had he kissed her? She touched her lips, remembering yesterday’s temporary lapse in judgment. Men like Jake were hazardous. They pulled her in with their kisses and kind words and left her wanting more. More was always dangerous.

  As she waited outside with Will, she couldn’t figure out why she’d agreed to have Jake pick them up. There was no pressing business in town. Doc had arranged for Louise to cover her shift, which meant she had nothing to do. The time was better spent looking for a place to live, but that required a car.

  Her heart galloped inside her chest. What would Social Worker Fran say now? Things were worse than before. She had less money because of the loss of her shift. Her car wasn’t working, and she still didn’t have a suitable place for Will to live.

  Feeling the panic set in, she took several deep breaths.

  “When is he coming?” Will asked. He circled her like an excited puppy. In one hand was his backpack filled with bookmarks he’d made the night before. In his other hand was his fourth Harry Potter book. Jake had given it to him a few days before for his hard work.

  “He’ll get here when he gets here.” Her eyes focused on the cloud of dust rolling down the road. “Looks like he’s here.” She pointed to the blue SUV turning into her long gravel driveway.

  Jake came to a stop in front of them. He jumped out of the car and moved to Natalie’s passenger side door.

  “Are you going to nag at me for not opening it?” Will asked. “It’s too early to think about manners.”