by Coleen Kwan
His drawling voice painted a vivid picture of exactly how she’d reacted to his kisses. Her cheeks flushed, and there wasn’t a thing she could do about it. She lifted her chin. If there was one thing she’d learned from Caleb it was not to shy away from difficult things.
“Oh. Okay. I’m sorry if I dented your male ego.”
He straightened up. “Nothing wrong with my ego. I’m just giving you some general advice.”
“Thanks. I’ll remember that next time I find myself in the throes of passion with a man. And I’m glad I got in a practice run with you.”
He stretched out a hand to scratch Noodles on the head. “Glad I could help.”
“Yes. You don’t mind, do you? I mean, kissing comes as naturally as breathing to you. And you don’t get emotionally attached, so I assumed you wouldn’t mind me trying out a few things on you.”
“I guess so.” Caleb stroked her bearded dragon’s cheek. Lily found herself jealous of her pet.
“Well, what did you think?”
“About what?”
“About my kissing.” She couldn’t seem to stop her babbling. It was as if she wanted to goad him into a reaction, and she didn’t even know why. “Was it too sloppy? Too dry? Too tentative? Too much tongue, maybe?”
Caleb made a choking noise. A pink tinge colored his cheeks. “Definitely not too much tongue. You were…” His gaze swept over her, hot and forceful, as potent as his touch. “Sublime.”
“Sublime?” Suddenly all her blabbing dried up.
“Yeah.” He braced his arm against the doorframe and leaned in, bringing him inches from her. “Although…”
“Although what?”
He shook his head. “Nah, it’s nothing.”
She clenched her jaw. “Are you playing some twisted game with me?”
“No!” His azure eyes widened. “I’d never do that.”
“Then what were you going to say?”
He leaned in even closer, his voice deepening as he said, “I was going to say I wouldn’t mind another practice run, but we both agreed it would be inappropriate.”
Her heart rate sped up. Noodles was squirming in her grip; he could probably sense her tension.
“Anyway”—he stepped back—“I texted you earlier saying I was coming over. I wanted to tell you in person. I think I may have found you your next date.”
“Oh. Right.” Her brain felt woozy from the abrupt change in conversation. “That was fast. We only talked about it this morning.”
Maybe that was why he’d worked so quickly. Because he wanted to nip any misguided feelings she might have in the bud.
Caleb palmed the back of his neck. “It’s only three weeks to your reunion. We don’t have much time.”
She opened her mouth to insist once again that the college reunion and her rash promises didn’t matter anymore. But the thought of disappointing not only her friends but, more importantly, her father, made her bite off her protest.
“So tell me about this potential date,” she said.
“His name’s Ryan Claybourne. I’ve met him; he’s a friend of a friend. He’s in his early thirties, the CEO of a not-for-profit childcare organization. According to my friend Amber, the man’s decent and honest, doesn’t play the field, and is an all-round sweetheart. He’s not bad looking, either. About my height, trim, healthy.”
Lily absorbed his words. “Is he any relation to the Claybourne law firm?”
“Yeah, that’s his family. Apparently he’s the only one not to go into law. What do you think?” When she didn’t answer, he added, “I’ll check his background more thoroughly before I set anything up. I just wanted to know if you’re interested before I did that.”
He looked so earnest. He really was serious about finding her a boyfriend, a real one, not just a bit of fake arm candy she could parade at her reunion. Maybe he honestly cared about her as a friend, or maybe he was in a hurry to get her attached to someone else, just in case.
“He sounds perfect,” she said, her voice steady. “Go ahead and set up the date. No need to do the background check.”
“Are you sure? You haven’t even seen the guy.”
She flipped a stray curl away from her face. “Looks aren’t that important to me. Besides, you said he was cute.”
“I didn’t say he was cute.”
“Well, you said he was tall and trim and not bad-looking. That’s enough for me.”
“But you were so careful choosing your dates on eCherish. Don’t you think you’re rushing it now?”
Lily huffed out a breath. “You said yourself I don’t have much time. If Ryan’s a member of the Claybourne family, then I expect he knows how to behave. And I’ll only meet him during daytime, for coffee or lunch. I’m not stupid. I won’t take any risks.” She paused. “You suggested him, so why are you reluctant all of a sudden?”
“I’m not reluctant. I’m just…” He scratched his hair and sucked in a breath. “Okay. I’ll talk to Amber and set something up. And I’ll try to find a photo of him to show you.”
“You don’t have to do that. It’ll be a surprise for me.”
“What’s with the sudden recklessness?”
“I’m not being reckless because you’re doing the matchmaking. I trust you to have my best interests at heart.”
“I do.”
“Great. I’ll wait for your call.”
“All right. Sure.” He rocked on his heels as if he had more to say, but then he raised a hand in farewell and took his leave.
Lily watched him go, his loose-limbed saunter drawing her attention to his lean hips and taut butt. She bit her lip. Noodles twisted his knobbly head and stared at her.
“That was Caleb,” she said to him. “And I’m not going to think about him or his kisses anymore. He’s setting me up with someone, someone better than him, and the sooner the better.”
Noodles blinked, his bulbous eyes swiveling about. He made no comment. Sometimes, that was the best thing about owning a pet.
…
“This is coming along nicely.” Bill Baker ran his hand over the basin that Caleb had recently installed.
“The bathroom fittings are almost done,” Caleb said. “The tilling will start tomorrow.” He’d pulled a few favors to get the skilled tradesmen he preferred. With any luck they’d be here tomorrow, but if not, Caleb was prepared to start without them. Not that Bill Baker needed to know all the nitty-gritty details. All he wanted was a home finished to specifications and to the high standards he expected.
The older man rested his spirit level on the basin and bent over to squint at the bubble. “All good.” He straightened up with a slight wince, pressing a hand to his back. “To be honest, I didn’t expect you to get this far in just over a week, and the workmanship is top-notch.”
“I’m serious about this challenge,” Caleb said. “And I also know quality will win out in the long run.”
Bill nodded. “That’s how you build and maintain a good reputation in this business.” He clapped a hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “Want to have some coffee with me? I got a Thermos in my truck.”
“Sounds great.”
He and Bill went downstairs. Several workmen were busy finishing off walls and ceilings, their portable radio blasting out pop music. Caleb followed Bill through the house to a Chevy pickup truck parked outside. The Duco was slightly dusty, but the interior was impeccable. Bill pulled out a Thermos, which came with two mugs, and poured out the steaming hot coffee.
“Cheers,” Caleb said as he accepted a cup.
Bill reached back into the truck, hauled out a large Tupperware box, and plonked it on the hood. “Want one of these?” He peeled the lid back, revealing a boxful of muffins, their sweet blueberry scent making Caleb salivate.
“Thanks.” He helped himself to a muffin, and the first bite sent his taste buds to heaven. “Mmm.”
Bill chuckled. “One of Lily’s many talents.”
Caleb swallowed his mouthful. “Yeah, that and makin
g those radical yarn thingies.”
“And she’s a whiz at accounting. I’m so proud of what she’s achieved.”
“Yeah, she’s really good at her job.”
“Yup.” Bill chewed on his muffin for a while. “Wasn’t easy for Lily, what with her mom dying so early and the problems she had at school.”
Caleb shook his head. “I hate bullies. No one should have to go through what she did.”
The older man squinted at him. “She told you, then, about the bullying?”
“Uh-huh.”
Bill gazed down at his coffee. Caleb finished his muffin in silence. Had he said something wrong? He couldn’t imagine what.
“So,” Bill eventually said. “You understand why I’m so protective of my daughter. I’ve got good reason to be. When she finally told me what had been happening at school, I felt so terrible, so useless. I wanted to grab those students who’d made her life a misery and yell at them and punish them, but that wouldn’t have accomplished anything, and besides, they were just kids.”
Caleb nodded. There was nothing he could say that wouldn’t have been just filler.
Bill sipped his coffee. His craggy face was even more granite-like now. “I like you, Caleb. I like your work ethic and your gumption, and I like you as a person. But I also know your reputation, and I won’t lie to you. It worries me knowing you’re spending time with my daughter.”
Caleb’s hand jerked, sloshing coffee out of the metal cup. “Sir—”
The older man held up a hand to silence him. “I’m not here to criticize you. I just want you to know that Lily means everything to me, and I do not want to see her hurt. Do I make myself clear?”
The older man lowered his head and squared his shoulders, like a bull threatening to charge.
Caleb faced him head-on. “Lily and I are just friends.”
Bill continued to give him the eagle eye. “She doesn’t like talking about the bullying. You must be good friends if she told you.”
“We are.” Caleb finished off his coffee. It was a mistake, the hot liquid exacerbating the knot in his stomach.
“And you’re sure there’s nothing going on between you two?”
A memory of Lily’s soft lips and generous curves shafted through him. If Lily hadn’t stopped, they would’ve ended up naked on his sister’s couch, and there was no way he would’ve been able to stop. Thank God she’d had the sense to pull them back from the brink.
“Mr. Baker, I like Lily a lot, and I would never hurt her.”
Bill grunted, and his stance relaxed. “Guess I sound like an old fogy, asking your intentions toward my daughter, but, like I said, I’d do anything to protect her.”
“Sure, I understand.” If Caleb needed any further reason to cease lusting after Lily, this was it. He’d more or less promised Bill he wouldn’t make a move on Lily now.
Leaning against his pickup truck, Bill squinted at him. “I’m assuming she told you about the college reunion she’s going to in a few weeks?”
“Yeah, I know about that.”
“To tell you the truth, I was surprised. She made a couple of good friends in college, but I didn’t think a reunion would be her thing. Too many comparisons and envy. But I’m glad she’s going. She deserves to have a nice weekend away, catching up with old friends. I hope she has a good time.”
No wonder Lily didn’t want to cancel the reunion and disappoint her dad. Beneath the crusty exterior, Bill was a softie, perpetually worrying about his daughter’s happiness. His greatest wish, Caleb was willing to bet, was to see his daughter walk down the aisle with a decent man, and then to look forward to playing with his future grandkids.
Caleb exhaled a long breath. Suddenly it was more imperative than ever that he find the right man for Lily.
So why was he dragging his feet about Ryan Claybourne? It was Tuesday already; he’d had three days since Lily had agreed to a date with the guy, but he’d been procrastinating. No more of that. Time to get his ass into gear. Time to set up that perfect date.
Chapter Eleven
“Lily Baker?” Amber canted her head. “Bill Baker’s daughter, the man you want to go into partnership with?”
Caleb put his hands on his hips. “Yes.”
“Is there something going on between you and Lily?”
“Of course not,” he retorted. “Or I wouldn’t be asking you to set her up with Ryan, would I?”
Following his chat with Bill this morning, he’d lost no time in coming to see Amber at her manager’s office in the hardware store and stating his request.
“Just making sure…” Amber tapped her pencil against her chin. “Got a photo of her?”
“Yeah.” Caleb produced his cell phone, tapped on it a couple of times, then passed the device across the desk to his friend. He’d gotten the photo by downloading Lily’s profile picture off Facebook.
“Oh, she looks interesting, different.”
Caleb folded his arms. “Yeah, she is.”
Amber lifted her eyebrows. “Are you sure there’s nothing going on?”
Why was everyone asking him that? “Yes,” he insisted. “Well?”
“Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll call Ryan, give him Lily’s number, and he’ll arrange a date.”
“You sound pretty confident he’ll say yes.”
Amber waved a hand lazily. “I told you, he’s a sweetheart.”
Also Amber had a way with men, and even though she was crazy about her fiancé, it hadn’t diminished her powers of persuasion.
“Fine.” Caleb retrieved his phone, gave her Lily’s details, and rose to his feet. “I’ll leave it to you, then. I’ll let Lily know to expect a call.”
“This might be just what Ryan needs,” Amber said as she also stood. “He’s been feeling low lately. A nice date with a cute girl like Lily will surely put the zing back into him.”
The zing? Caleb wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that, but it was too late to back down now.
Amber skirted around the desk and pecked him on the cheek.
“Don’t look so worried,” she said. “Ryan’s a great guy. Your friend Lily’s in good hands.”
Somehow that did nothing to ease the snarl in Caleb’s gut.
…
Lily exited the restroom and made her way across the café toward the table by the window where Ryan waited for her. When she’d agreed to meet him, she’d had fluctuating expectations, but she shouldn’t have worried. Ryan wasn’t just good-looking; he was polite, attentive, and, as she had found out over lunch, an interesting man who’d gone against his family’s traditions to pursue his own career.
As she approached their table, he glanced up from his phone and stood. His manners were impeccable, even a little old-fashioned, but, after all the dud dates she’d endured, it was a refreshing change.
“Would you like more coffee?” Ryan asked. “Something else to drink?”
“Thank you, but I think I should go now.”
“Oh right.” When they’d first arrived, the café had been bustling with the usual Saturday lunch-time crowd, but now, two-and-a-half hours later, the room had emptied and some of the staff had left. “They’re probably waiting to clean up after us.” Ryan pulled out a wad of bills to cover the check plus a very generous tip. The waitress waved them a cheery goodbye as they left the café.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Ryan said to Lily.
“Thank you for the lunch,” she said as they strolled toward Kermit in the parking lot. “I had a great time.”
She really had. A couple of days ago Ryan had called her, and they’d chatted on the phone for a while before he’d asked her to meet him. A Saturday lunch at a café in the middle of town sounded ideal for a blind date, and it had gone off remarkably well. The conversation had barely flagged since they’d sat down.
Ryan beamed at her. “So did I. I’m glad Amber gave me your number. She said it was actually Caleb Willmett’s idea. Do you know him well?”
“I know him th
rough my job. I’ve done a bit of work for him.” She didn’t want to talk about Caleb. She’d tried really hard not to think about him all week and especially during the lunch date, and she’d succeeded. Mostly. “Here’s my car,” she said, pausing next to Kermit and digging in her purse for her keys.
“Cute wheels,” Ryan said. “Do you like sailing?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been sailing.”
“My family has a yacht on the lake. I thought we could go for a sail tomorrow. The weather’s supposed to be perfect—south-easterly breeze and sunny.”
Lily nearly dropped her keys. An attractive man wanted to take her sailing on his yacht? Pinch her, this had to be a dream. And tomorrow, too. That meant Ryan was eager to see more of her. That hadn’t happened after a first date in ages.
“Too soon, is it?” Ryan rubbed his lip. “Tell me if I’m overstepping. I haven’t done this dating thing in a while.”
She laughed. “Well, I’ve been at it for some time, and believe me I’m still not very good at it.” She took a breath. “I’d love to go sailing with you.”
“Great. How about twelve noon? I can pick you up, if you like.”
“Just remember I’m a complete novice,” she said after she’d given him her address.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you.” He stepped forward. For a second she thought he was going to kiss her, and she found herself freezing at the prospect, caught between panic, anticipation, and something else she couldn’t define. But instead he reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. “Take care, Lily. See you tomorrow at noon.”
“Yes. See you.”
She climbed into her car and started the engine while he stood back and watched her. She tooted her horn, and he waved. As she drove off, he was still gazing after her.
That had to be the best date she’d had since…forever. Everything had gone off without a hitch. And he wanted to see her again. Tomorrow, no less. On his family’s fancy boat.
It was a miracle, more than she’d ever expected. She ought to be dancing with excitement. So why wasn’t she? Why wasn’t she thrilled to have met such a nice, attractive man? Why wasn’t she bursting to sing it out to the world?
