Dating for Keeps (Pine Falls)

by Coleen Kwan

  Rubbing her temple, Lily rearranged the pencils in her pen holder. “How did what go?”

  “Finishing those tax reports for the boss.” Her friend spread her arms apart. “No, I meant your date at the cookout on Saturday night, of course! I expected you to call me yesterday and tell me all about it, but when you didn’t, I thought to myself it must have gone really well, huh?” She winked suggestively.

  Lily chewed on her lip. Yesterday, Sunday, had dragged like the night before a dentist appointment. She’d spent ages fretting over her feelings for Caleb, swinging wildly between hope and despair, with the pendulum set mostly at fear. She’d thought he might call, but he hadn’t. He was hard at work, she told herself. He had a lot riding on that house and anyway, he’d seen her with Ryan at the cookout, so what was there to talk about? Later that day, she’d had dinner with her father, where she’d had to pretend that everything was just peachy in her life.

  After a weary Sunday, it was a relief to come to work, although she still couldn’t put Caleb completely out of her mind.

  “Lily?” Dolores tapped her on the shoulder. “Just tell me to mind my own business if you don’t want to share the juicy details.”

  Lily blinked up at her. “About what?”

  “Spending the night with Ryan Claybourne.”

  Lily sputtered. “N-Nothing like that happened.”

  “Oh.” Dolores’s face fell. “But you did kiss, didn’t you?”

  “Yes…” Lily hesitated. She so didn’t want to think, let alone talk, about that kiss.

  Her friend chuckled. “Okay, I won’t force you to spill the beans. But you are taking him to your college reunion, right?”

  Lily chewed on her lip. Her college reunion, the whole reason she’d made her pact with Caleb. Ryan would be the perfect man to take as her date, and she wouldn’t even be lying—he was the “hawt” boyfriend she’d drunkenly boasted about to everyone, including Shari.

  “Well, I haven’t told him about it yet,” she said hesitantly.

  Dolores looked concerned. “But it’s in a week. You don’t have any time to waste.”

  No, she didn’t. She should’ve called Ryan yesterday and asked him. If he was free that weekend, she was sure he’d say yes.

  “You’re right,” she replied with more firmness. “I’ll talk to him as soon as I can.”

  …

  On Wednesday morning Caleb exited the drugstore and strode down the sidewalk toward his pickup truck. He was in a hurry. He didn’t really have time to pick up his dad’s medications from the drugstore, but with his stepmom at a doctor’s appointment, he’d volunteered. If he got a move on, he’d be back at work within fifteen minutes.

  He was tramping past the florist when a man walked out holding a bunch of flowers and almost collided with him.

  Caleb halted and stiffened as he saw who it was. “Ryan.” He gave him a curt nod.

  The other man raised his eyebrows, as if surprised by the brusque greeting. “Hi, Caleb,” he said. “How you doing?”

  “Not bad. You?”

  “Great.”

  Great? Because he’d had such a great time with Lily? The tightness under Caleb’s ribs grew even tighter. He hadn’t spoken to Lily all week. The last time he’d seen her was at the cookout, cuddling up to this guy.

  He tilted his head at the flowers. “Special date?”

  “Something like that.”

  The bouquet was a mixture of red and white flowers. Did that mean they’d slept together? Caleb’s fist crushed the paper bag in his grip. So what if the guy had slept with Lily? She was looking for a boyfriend, and Ryan seemed to fit the bill, so why shouldn’t she have some fun with him?

  “Hey, I hear it was your idea to set up Lily and me,” Ryan said, startling Caleb.

  “That’s right.”

  “Well, I’ve got to thank you. Lily’s a wonderful person.”

  “Yeah, I know that.” He didn’t intend it, but his words came out on a snarl.

  Ryan blinked. “I might be way off base, but I can’t help feeling there’s something you want to get off your chest.”

  Caleb spread his feet apart, folded his arms. “Not really. All I have to say is that I’ve got Lily’s back. That’s all.”

  “Right.” Ryan shifted the bunch of flowers into the crook of his arm. “You’ve got nothing to worry about from me. Just so you’re aware.”

  “Good to know we’re all on the same page. See you around.”

  Caleb stalked off, his brain seething as he forced himself to release his death grip on the bag of medication. Ryan was perfect for Lily. He was the flower-buying, relationship-ready guy she’d dreamed of. She could take him to her college reunion, and everyone would congratulate her on landing such a dreamboat. And Caleb had helped her find her prince. He should be relieved and glad; he’d upheld his end of the bargain and everything was turning up roses. Of course he was happy. He was ecstatic.

  …

  Bill Baker smoothed his palm over the granite fireplace surround. “This is an excellent finish,” he said. “As solid as I’ve ever seen. You got a good installer.”

  “The best,” Caleb replied. “He takes longer, but he’s worth it.”

  Bill strolled around the living room, inspecting the painted walls and coffered ceilings. “You’ve done a great job so far. If you keep this up, the clients will be really happy.”

  “Thanks.” Caleb wiped his hands on a rag. “As you can see, there’s still plenty to do, but I’m confident I can get it done on time.” As long as he worked his butt off and there were no unexpected delays. It was Friday, and he’d kept at it the entire week, glad that the house consumed all his hours, leaving him little time to brood.

  “Well, that’s why I wanted to talk to you.” Bill crossed over to the double doors and shut them, giving them privacy from the workmen busy upstairs.

  Caleb tossed the rag aside, sensing he was about to learn something important.

  “I’ll get straight to the point,” the older man said. “If you can get this house complete by the end of next week Sunday, then we can talk about making you a junior partner in Baker Construction.”

  Caleb gawped at him. “You mean that? But I thought Oliver was way ahead of me.”

  “He is, but…” Bill’s craggy features screwed up. “But he’s been going around saying he’s got this partnership in the bag. I don’t like braggarts, Caleb, and I don’t like people talking about me as if I’m ready to retire to my rocking chair. I might have a weak back, and I’m not as quick on my feet as I used to be, but there’s nothing wrong up here.” He tapped his forehead, scowling, and hitched up his pants. “I told Oliver this morning he’s out of the running. He wasn’t too pleased, but my mind’s made up.”

  Caleb remained silent while his thoughts milled around inside his head.

  “And don’t you go thinking you’ve got this in the bag, either.” Bill wagged a thick finger at him. “I don’t need to have a partner at all.”

  “I’m not assuming anything, Mr. Baker.”

  “Good. Well, you know what you got to do. Finish this house by next Sunday. The clients will inspect it the following Monday, and if they’re happy, then you and I can sit down and work out the particulars of our partnership. Any questions?”

  “No. That all sounds fair to me.”

  For the first time in a while, he felt a stirring of excitement. He’d been obsessing too much over Lily and forgetting the real purpose why he’d agreed to their bargain. But finally the goal he’d been striving for was within his grasp. Finish the house by the end of next weekend, impress the clients, and he could be Bill Baker’s business partner. He could stop traveling for work, spend more time with his dad, with friends and family, build a future here in Pine Falls.

  “All righty.” Bill adjusted his ball cap. “There’s just one other thing. Lily’s pet dragon managed to get out of his cage yesterday. Lily was frantic.”

  Caleb’s blood ran cold. “Shi—sorry to hear th
at. I know how much Noodles means to her.”

  “She found him eventually, sunning himself in the backyard.”

  “I’m sorry. I was supposed to go back and put in a more permanent fix, but I…” He’d been avoiding Lily all week, there was no denying that. A hundred times he’d contemplated calling her or dropping by, but every time the memory of Ryan with his bunch of flowers stopped him. If things were heating up between Lily and Ryan, then it was best he leave them to it. He told himself he was happy for Lily. But as he gazed at Bill Baker, he realized he was far from happy. Even with the partnership within his grasp.

  He squared his shoulders. “I’ll go over soon and do it.”

  “I understand if you’re too busy. I’ve put you down to the wire with this here house.”

  “No, I started the job, so I’ll finish it.”

  The prospect of seeing Lily again made his spine tingle until the sensation verged on pain. It hit him that he missed her. Missed seeing her, being with her. And it was all his fault. He could’ve engaged with her at the cookout, but he’d barely said two words to her. Because she’d been with Ryan, and he wanted to show her he was cool with that. But he wasn’t. He wanted to be the guy monopolizing Lily at the cookout, not smooth-talking, bouquet-bearing Ryan Claybourne. He wanted to be the one making her laugh, taking her home, holding her in his arms and kissing her.

  He wanted to be the guy she took to her college reunion.

  Everything inside him clenched as the realization hit him out of nowhere. This was too much to take in. Beads of sweat popped out on the back of his neck. He couldn’t believe what was going through his head. Was he actually contemplating being in a relationship? Being the guy Lily wanted and deserved?

  Bill seemed to have no idea of the tornado of emotions whipping inside Caleb. “Okay,” the older man said. “But only if you’re sure.”

  Caleb was sure of only one thing—he had to see Lily again. Soon. If she was already head over heels in love with Ryan, then so be it. But if not, then maybe he could find a way to bare his soul to her, reveal what he thought he was feeling, and maybe, just maybe, it would all work out.

  “I’ll do it this weekend.” Caleb swallowed. “Sunday.”

  …

  Standing in front of his bathroom mirror, Caleb gave his hair one final swipe to tame the willful strand at the back. Enough of this. He had texted Lily that he’d be at her place around two p.m. Sunday, and it was a quarter to two already. He brushed his hands down his jeans, then headed for the front door, grabbing his keys on the way. He’d locked his house and had almost reached his pickup truck parked in the driveway when he became aware of movement on the street.

  An orange, older model, muscle car sat at the curb, and a blond woman wearing sunglasses was climbing out of it. She paused for a moment, facing Caleb, then began walking quickly toward him, her high heels clicking on the driveway.

  Caleb didn’t recognize the car or the woman. But as she approached, he felt a coldness starting at the base of his spine. There was something painfully familiar about the way she walked and the tilt of her head… No, it can’t be.

  The woman halted a few feet away from him and pulled off her sunglasses. A smile wavered on her lips. “Hello, Caleb.”

  It felt like he’d turned to wood. “Mom,” he muttered, and then wanted to kick himself. This woman wasn’t his mom anymore. “Tracey,” he hastily corrected himself.

  Ever since his sister had alerted him about Tracey, he’d done his best avoiding thinking about the woman. Now, with no choice, he skimmed her features, reluctant yet compelled. She wasn’t what he’d expected. In his more cynical moments, he’d imagined his mother degenerating into some kind of Botox junkie, obsessed with clinging to her youth. But he had to admit that any enhancements she had were subtle. There were wrinkles under her eyes—blue, just like his—and a few gray hairs had been allowed to show at the temples. She was stylishly and simply dressed in jeans, white shirt, white heels. A gold chain bracelet clinked on her wrist as she twitched at her collar.

  “You…you look well.” Her gaze traveled over him compulsively.

  Caleb held himself stiffly. It was the only way to stop the pent-up emotions from bursting out and overwhelming him. He wasn’t an eleven-year-old kid anymore. He was an adult. He was in charge of his life, and she couldn’t hurt him again.

  “What do you want?”

  She was still staring at him. She blinked a few times as if she were holding back tears. “I can’t believe how much you’ve grown,” she murmured, her voice unsteady.

  “Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you dump your family and run off. They tend to grow up while you’re off doing whatever it is that’s so goddamn important.”

  He hadn’t intended to say that. The words had just snarled out of him.

  Tracey winced. “I deserve that, and I apologize. I hurt a lot of people when I left, especially you, Caleb. And I’m sorry, I truly am.” She twisted her hands together, the gold bracelet glinting. “I’m not asking you for forgiveness. I don’t expect you to. At least, not right away. But I’m hoping that maybe this could be the start of something new.”

  “No.” Caleb was already shaking his head even before she’d stopped talking. “No. You don’t get to just waltz in and say let bygones be bygones. You don’t get to wipe the slate clean so easily. And let’s not kid ourselves about why you’re here now. You don’t care about me. You never did, or you wouldn’t have walked away so easily. The only reason you’re sucking up to me now is because of Amelia. You want to see your granddaughter, and Hannah might let you, but it would be so much easier if I didn’t stand in your way. That’s it, isn’t it? You’re only here because you want something from me.”

  Tracey’s mouth had fallen open. “N-no, that’s not it. I—I really do want to make it up to you—”

  “There is no way in hell you can ever make it up to me.” He strode to his truck, barely able to see through the white-hot rage blinding him.

  “Please, Caleb. If you’d only give me a chance.”

  A chance to do what? Lull him into a false sense of security before dumping him again?

  “I’ve got to go. I’m late.”

  He brushed past her and jumped into his truck. As he roared away, he was struck by a memory he hadn’t even known he’d retained. His mom had turned up unexpectedly at school and taken him out of class. They’d gone to the movies, and she’d bought him a huge tub of caramel corn. He’d been so pleased and excited he hadn’t even asked her why she was being so nice to him. But three days later he had walked into his parents’ bedroom to find his mom’s dressing table cleared of all her belongings and instead a plain white envelope addressed to his dad. He was too young to fully understand, but the stone weighing in his belly had told him that this was only the start of the pain.

  And now she thought she could brush aside all the heartache she’d caused with a pat apology? No. It didn’t work that way. She should never have married his dad if she couldn’t take the rough with the smooth. Should never have made promises she couldn’t keep.

  Caleb’s hands trembled on the steering wheel as he turned a corner. The stone in his gut was back, except now it seemed to be expanding into his chest, wrapping his heart in quartz. He was never going to make the same mistakes as his mom. Never going to promise what he wasn’t capable of delivering. Never going to hurt the people he cared about.

  …

  Lily winced as another thud sounded from the backyard, followed by a muttered curse. She stroked Noodles, running her fingers over his knobbly head as she peered out the kitchen window. Caleb was crouched over the enclosure while he fiddled with one of the sides. Unable to see his face, she knew he’d be scowling.

  He was in a very strange mood today. Ever since he’d arranged to come over she’d been on edge, wondering if he would say something to her, something that might give her a smidgeon of hope. Wondering if this was her opportunity to tell him how she felt.

  But
when he’d arrived he’d barely looked at her or said two words before marching outside and starting on his task. Ordinarily, she would’ve asked what was wrong, but her vulnerability rendered her mute.

  She stared at the back of his head, reliving how she’d slipped her fingers in and out of his thick, dark hair. A shiver ran through her. If only she could go outside, smooth her hands over his rigid shoulders, and coax him to tell her what was bothering him. She wanted to be with him, not just when he was fun and teasing and happy, but also when he was troubled and down. Especially then. Her throat tightened with longing. Who would’ve thought being in love could be so visceral? When she’d opened the door to him, her heart had jackknifed in her chest, even though she’d been expecting him. And now she could hardly take her eyes off him.

  Was she just going to moon over him from afar? Or could she scrape up the courage to talk to him? She’d told herself the best thing to do was to keep her feelings secret. That telling him would put him in an awkward position. But this helplessness was horrible. At the very least she should be able to have a conversation him.

  Cradling Noodles in her arms, she exited the kitchen and walked up to Caleb.

  She cleared her throat. “Hey, Caleb. That’s, uh, looking good.” She nodded at the enclosure, though she had no idea what he was doing to it.

  He grunted, not looking up from his task. A screw dangled from his lips while he used a drill to fix another into the wooden frame.

  “Hope I haven’t taken you away from your work.”

  “You haven’t.” He took the nail from his mouth. “Your dad talked to me on Friday. Seems he’s grown cold on Oliver. He told me if I finish the house by next Sunday, and the clients are happy, then he’ll take me on as a junior partner.”

  She started. Why hadn’t her dad told her? “Oh, Caleb, that’s wonderful news! I’m so happy for you.” She found herself stepping forward, wanting to congratulate him, before his standoffishness discouraged her. “Well done. I knew you could do it.”

  “I haven’t done it yet. I still need to complete the house.”