Dating for Keeps (Pine Falls)

by Coleen Kwan

  “Oh my God. Do you carry an EpiPen with you?”

  “No. I just need some Benedryl. That usually takes care of it.” He began to clamber to his feet. “Uh, if you don’t mind, I’ll call it a day. It was nice meeting you—”

  “Not so fast.” She grabbed her purse. “I’m taking you to the first aid tent.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” he mumbled, shielding his mouth with his hand. “I’ll be fine.”

  His left eye was twitching, and it sounded like his mouth was full of cotton wool. There was no way she could let him leave on his own.

  “You’re going to see a paramedic,” she insisted. “And that’s that.”

  …

  Two and a half hours later, Lily climbed into her car and heaved a deep sigh. Well, that was a novel way of ending a date: dragging a reluctant man through the county fair to the first aid tent to check that he was in no imminent danger, driving him to a drugstore to buy his medication, and then finally dropping him off at home. Dudley had scarcely managed a mumbled goodbye before he’d scurried into his house, clearly desperate to be rid of her.

  As she slid her key into the ignition, her cell phone started to buzz. It was her friend Maddie.

  “Hey, sweetie, just checking in for a chat!” Maddie burbled on for a few minutes while Lily tried to make interested responses. “I hope I’m not interrupting some heavy date with your hot new boyfriend.” Maddie giggled. “I can’t wait to meet him. Can’t you at least tell me his name, even if you won’t send me a picture?”

  Lily’s free hand tightened on the steering wheel. This was her chance to come clean with her friend and confess there was no boyfriend. Maddie would understand.

  “Oh, by the way, I bumped into Shari and some of the other girls this morning,” Maddie continued before she could say anything. “God, that woman likes to spread nasty rumors. Someone or other is a secret alcoholic, and this person is on the brink of bankruptcy, and another has an eating disorder. I shouldn’t tell you this, but I asked her why she’d made that mean comment on Facebook about you, and she just shrugged and said even if you did show up she doubted the existence of this ‘hawt’ boyfriend of yours. I didn’t let her get away with that. I told her straight up that you’re the most honest person I know, and you’d never lie about something like that. She just smirked and said ‘We’ll see.’”

  Lily’s heart sank. How could she disappoint Maddie after she’d defended her so strongly? “Thanks for all your support, but you don’t have to antagonize Shari just because of me.”

  “Of course I do! I can’t let that woman go around spreading false rumors about you. Oh, and I can’t wait to see Justin’s face when you show up with your new boyfriend.”

  “Justin? But—he’s not going to the reunion, is he?”

  “Yeah, just heard the other day he’s coming. That slimeball.” Maddie’s voice darkened. “You dodged a bullet there, sweetie.”

  “Uh-huh.” Lily kneaded the steering wheel, her stomach a muddled knot. After the breakup, she and her ex had gone out of their way to avoid each other. She wasn’t sure she was ready to meet him again. And what if she didn’t have that fabulous boyfriend on her arm? Justin had probably heard about her boasts; if she showed up on her own, he’d be so smug and unbearable.

  Maddie was still babbling on. “I hope you’re going to wear something really sexy just to rub his face in it. I never did like that weasel. So, have you booked your hotel room?”

  “Um, I haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

  “Oh, Lily. It’s only three weeks to go, and there’s a big convention in town that weekend. You gotta get in quick or you’ll end up in a crappy motel.”

  “I’ll try to do it soon.”

  “No, I’ll do it for you. I know someone who works there. I’ll get you sorted in no time.”

  “That’s okay. I’m sure you’re busy.”

  “Not too busy for you, hon. I’m not missing out on seeing you. And your secret boyfriend. I’ll make sure to get you a room with an extra big king-size bed, okay?” She chuckled.

  “Oh, Maddie.” Lily sighed. “What would I do without you?”

  “Exactly. What would you do? Okay, I gotta run now. Talk to you later. Byeee!”

  Lily said goodbye, her heart feeling even heavier after Maddie’s effervescent chatter. Glancing at her phone, she saw there was a message waiting for her on the eCherish app. Opening it, she saw it was the standard “Sorry it didn’t work out” goodbye notice from Dudley. Hardly surprising, but boy he’d been quick to cross her off his list. Not even a thank you for making sure he didn’t go into anaphylactic shock.

  She tossed the phone onto the passenger seat and tried to turn on the ignition, but her arms felt like wet cement. Lethargy dragged at her, and she didn’t seem to have the strength to do anything. The letdown of another dud date, she told herself. That, and the prospect of seeing her ex again. And being forced to admit to everyone that she didn’t have that fabulous boyfriend she’d boasted about.

  As if that wasn’t bad enough, she had another concern: after bumping into Dolores at the grocery store, her dad had found out she was going to the reunion and was deeply pleased about it. I’m glad you’re going, pumpkin. You’ve come a long way since those troubles in high school.

  So, yeah. She’d had a lot riding on today’s date, and it hadn’t so much crashed and burned as shriveled up and died. Either way, she’d struck out again. Maybe she should just find a cave and disappear for a month… Her throat tightened, and her eyes prickled. Crap, she did not want to blubber.

  Her phone on the passenger seat beeped, and the screen lit up with a name: Caleb. She sucked in a breath. Here was the one person in the world she wanted to speak with right now. She rubbed her eyes and swallowed hard. She needed to hear his voice, but she’d rather he didn’t know how close to tears she’d come again.

  “Hi, Caleb,” she said, surprised at how steady she sounded.

  “Hey, Lily.” His deep, familiar voice soothed her like a balm. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Have you left the fair already?”

  “Yeah. The date’s over.” She hesitated, her thoughts filled with seeing him. “But I was thinking of returning.”

  “That’s great, and hey, congrats. Amelia and I saw your dress got second prize. We both agreed it’s stunning.”

  She gulped and murmured, “Thanks.”

  “I’m just about to take Amelia to the restroom before we head to the rides. Call me when you get here.”

  “I will.”

  She put down the phone, suddenly energized and on edge again, but in a much more pleasurable way.

  …

  “No, sweetie, no more cotton candy.” Caleb steered his niece away from the vendor. “How about the Ferris wheel?” He glanced at Lily. “Okay with you?”

  “Of course.”

  They ambled over to join the line for the Ferris wheel. The sunny afternoon was merging into a gorgeous evening. The setting sun cast a golden glow over the fairground, the scents of buttered popcorn and hot dogs lingering in the air. Caleb had had a great time entertaining his niece, but all the while at the back of his mind he’d been thinking about Lily and her date.

  “So.” He angled closer to her. “Tell me about Dudley.”

  She opened her mouth, looking ready to pour out her story, but then she stopped. “Later.”

  From the moment he’d heard her on the phone he’d sensed things had not gone well. He frowned at her, fearing the worst.

  “Do I need to teach this guy a lesson?” he said in a low voice while his niece was distracted by a balloon.

  “It wasn’t that bad,” she said quickly. Her gaze veered away as she nudged with her chin. “Look, it’s about to be our turn.”

  All right, so she didn’t want to talk about it now. Fair enough, considering Amelia was with them. Besides, it would do Lily good to relax a little and have some fun, since fun had obviously been in short supply on her date.

  They
shuffled forward in the line, and an attendant ushered them into a gondola. Amelia clapped her hands in excitement. When Caleb placed her on the seat, she swung her little legs back and forth, grinning like a monkey.

  “Sit there,” Amelia said to Lily, pointing at the space next to Caleb.

  “Better do as she says.” Caleb grinned at Lily. “She can be mighty bossy.”

  Lily gingerly sat next to him. The narrow seat meant she was squeezed right up to him. As the Ferris wheel started to move, he wrapped an arm firmly around his niece, but he was still conscious of Lily’s curves pressed up against him. His senses danced, skipping with an intensity he’d never felt before.

  Amelia was wriggling about like a fish, keeping him occupied, but gradually she settled down, allowing him to sit back. He was all too aware of Lily sitting quietly next to him. As the gondola rose above the treetops, the town revealed itself, spread out before them like an undulating picnic blanket. Lights were coming on, tiny glowing pinpricks like fireflies in the forest. His gaze wandered over the rows of stores along the main street, houses and clusters of trees, playing fields and winding roads, then farther in the distance the shimmering lake, with the mountains as its backdrop. He let out a sigh. This was home; this was where he’d always wanted to be.

  “Sublime, isn’t it?” Lily murmured beside him. “Simple, but sublime.”

  “Yeah, that’s a great way of putting it.”

  Great that she thought the same way he did; great that they could sit together and drink in the scenery without needing to talk.

  “Up again, up again!” Amelia protested as the gondola descended.

  “Yes, soon,” Caleb said.

  Amelia was part of the reason why staying in Pine Falls was important to him. When he’d made the decision that long-term relationships weren’t for him, he’d known that ruled out having kids, too. It pained him, but it was a choice he’d have to live by; which made his niece all the more precious to him.

  Speaking of precious, the munchkin was squirming too much for his liking. He picked Amelia up and placed her firmly on his lap, the movement bringing him even closer to Lily. She smelled of jasmine and warm summer evenings. Unable to resist, he lifted an arm and draped it behind her, acting as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She tensed for a second but then relaxed into his embrace. As her body softened against his, his senses sparked again. Need shot through him, hot and irrepressible. He brushed his fingers against her upper arm. Her skin was smooth, seductively creamy. Temptation personified. Was he overstepping the mark?

  She arched him a sideways glance, her eyes like rum, drawing him in. The corner of her mouth twitched. Then she crossed her legs, allowing her foot to come to rest against his ankle. With slow deliberation, she rubbed her foot against him. Her green-and-white low-top sneaker might as well have been a red stiletto, triggering a flood of heat through his veins. He grinned at her with sheer pleasure. If only he had Lily to himself, he’d—

  “Wee!” Amelia squealed as they began rising again. She lifted her chubby arms in the air. “Wee!”

  The moment was broken. Lily shrugged philosophically, still smiling.

  Amelia patted Lily’s arm. “Wee,” the toddler insisted.

  With a laugh, Lily obeyed, raising her arms and calling out, “Wee! Is that how you do it?”

  The little girl beamed. “You, too, Unca Cabah.”

  Caleb obliged her, adding a few honks and snorts for good measure, and then they were all making farmyard noises as the Ferris wheel slowly revolved. Eventually the attendant brought their gondola to a halt at ground level and told them their time was up.

  “What a ruckus,” he mumbled after them as they strolled away.

  “Wee!” Lily whispered, looking like a subversive teenager.

  Caleb snickered and was about to take her hand when he remembered himself and instead scooped his niece into his arms.

  Amelia sighed and laid her head on Caleb’s shoulder. “I tired.”

  Shifting the girl’s weight in his arms, Caleb turned to Lily. “I think it’s bedtime for this little munchkin.”

  “Yeah, she looks exhausted.”

  He paused. “Want to come with me? We haven’t really talked yet.” He didn’t want her to leave him even though he was sure what they’d done on the Ferris wheel was unwise.

  Lily didn’t appear to have the same reservations. “Sure,” she said. “I’ll follow you.”

  Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Hannah and Derek’s house. Caleb carried his sleeping niece upstairs, telling Lily to make herself at home. Luckily, Amelia was tuckered out and barely stirred as he put her to bed. Despite the tufts of melted cotton candy in her hair, she looked like an angel. He tucked the blanket around her, switched on the baby monitor, and then hurried downstairs, where he found Lily in the kitchen.

  “That was quick,” she remarked. “I thought you’d have to read her a story or something.”

  “Not this time. She was out like a light. I think she’ll sleep through until tomorrow.” He opened the refrigerator. “Want something to drink? There’s beer, wine, apple juice.”

  “Water would be nice.”

  He pulled out a bottle of mineral water and poured two glasses.

  “So…” he said as he pushed one of the glasses toward her, “want to talk about the date?”

  She sat on a barstool at the kitchen island and smoothed down her unruly curls. With mouth straight and eyes sober, the teasing, flirtatious woman on the Ferris wheel was nowhere in sight. “It wasn’t knee-in-balls bad. It was a different kind of bad.”

  Caleb braced his arms on the marble top. “Tell me.”

  “For a start, he seemed more interested in my tax knowledge than my personality. We must have spent at least an hour discussing tax deductions, specifically his.”

  “He asked you for tax advice? On a first date? What a lunkhead.”

  “Then his face started swelling up because of some food allergy, so I took him to the first aid tent. The paramedic checked it wasn’t a medical emergency, so I drove him to the drugstore, picked up his medication, and finally dropped him off at his house. He barely said goodbye, just rushed inside. You know, I was willing to give him a second chance—I mean, I’ve had so many embarrassing things happen to me on dates—but five minutes later, I got the ‘Sorry it didn’t work out’ message on eCherish.”

  Caleb scraped his fingers across his jaw. Jeez, why did this have to keep happening to Lily? Were there no decent guys left out there? He looked her over, noting the faint lines bracketing her mouth.

  “Did you like him?” he asked, his tone gentle.

  “Oh, not particularly. Why do you ask?”

  “Because when I saw you at the fair, you looked like you were putting on a brave face, and I hate to think you’re hurting inside because of this idiot.”

  “I-I’m not sad about Dudley.”

  The slight quiver in her voice made his hand clench. “Then what? And don’t tell me nothing because I know there’s something.”

  She looked away, her fingers nervously toying with the glass of water. The darkness rippling in her eyes told him there was a storm of emotion banked up in her.

  “Okay, there is something,” she said. “A couple of weeks ago I did something stupid, but if I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh at me.”

  “I’ve never laughed at you, Lily. Remember? Only with you.”

  He pulled up a stool, folded his arms on the counter, and waited for her to continue.

  Drawing circles with her finger on the stone surface, she slowly told him—her difficult days in college, the friendship with Maddie that had saved her, the college reunion in San Francisco, the disparaging Facebook comments by Shari and her gang, and her rash promise to appear at the reunion with her hot and gorgeous new boyfriend. Her voice choked up as she related how her dad had reacted when he’d found out she was going to the reunion.

  “He was so pleased,” she said, her fingers playing
with a recipe book lying on the counter. “Dad doesn’t show his feelings much, but I could tell how happy he was. He’s always been so protective of me. That’s why he decided to homeschool me, to get me away from the bullies who were making my life miserable. If I pulled out of the reunion, I’d feel terrible about letting down Maddie and my other friends, but I’d feel even worse about my dad, because I know he’d be so disappointed and worried, even though he wouldn’t say a thing.”

  Caleb’s brow puckered. “Wait a minute. Did you say you were bullied in school?”

  “Is it such a surprise? I’ve always been a little weird—some would say a lot weird. I had a learning disability, too, that made me even more of a target. I sort of handled the name-calling and teasing when I was a kid, but everything became ten times worse in high school. In the end I had to tell my dad.”

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

  “Homeschooling saved me, but it didn’t prepare me for college life. Which is why I owe so much to Maddie. Whenever I felt down, she was there to cheer me up. She’s an amazing friend. You can see why I don’t want to disappoint her.”

  “Yeah.”

  Sighing, Lily pushed her fingers through her curls. “And to cap everything off, Maddie called me tonight and told me that Justin is going to the reunion, too.”

  “Justin, the scumbag ex?”

  She nodded. “I’m over him, but I’m not sure I want to bump into him at a reunion, especially since he’ll know about my boasting on Facebook.”

  Caleb rested his elbows on the counter. He’d always sensed Lily hadn’t had an easy life growing up, but hearing firsthand about what she’d endured made him sick to his stomach. It also earned his respect. Lily was a fighter, a survivor, and she’d done so without changing who she was.

  “That’s why I agreed to our deal,” she continued. “I drank too much one night and made those stupid promises on Facebook. I didn’t want to eat humble pie, so I took you up on your offer. I need your help to find me that boyfriend everyone thinks I have.”

  “I haven’t been much help, though, have I?” Caleb kneaded his temples. “So far you’ve had Grabby-hands Greg and Dudley the Dud. Not much help at all.”