Just Maybe (Home In You Book 3)

by Crystal Walton

  Her voice grew small. “You can’t really believe that.”

  Still staring across the lake, Cooper skimmed the last acorn over the placid water. He clutched the edge of the dock. “We’ve already been through all this.”

  “But you’re not listening.”

  He pivoted toward her then, eyes laden with beliefs they were never meant to carry.

  “Can’t you see it?” she pleaded. “He loves you, Cooper.”

  “And one day he’ll understand how much love motivated my choice to give him a reliable home to grow up in.”

  Quinn clamped her lips shut, but the question broke through anyway. “Are you sure you’re not mistaking fear for love.”

  He angled his head at her. “Are you?” With a flick of his chin at the lake, his mischievousness chased away the gravity he obviously wanted to avoid. “If you’re not ruled by fear, then jump.”

  Of course it had to come back to that. She wasn’t going to win this argument. Not today.

  She breathed in the fresh cedar and redirected the conversation to his dock project instead. If nothing else, maybe he’d at least recognize he had things to offer besides just money.

  “You’ve really done a great job on this, you know? At some point, you should check out some of my dad’s woodwork. Working with your hands like that . . . creating something new . . . it’s kind of an art form.”

  “Sorta like writing.”

  She made a face. “They’re just words.”

  “Words that matter. If you don’t share them, who will?”

  “Anyone can tell a story, Cooper.”

  “But maybe someone needs to hear yours.” He walked to the bench, opened it, and pulled out a small bag.

  “You make it sound like I have some big gift to share or something.”

  Cooper strode back over and handed her the bag. “I’d wager you’re the only one who believes you don’t.”

  Torn between caution and curiosity, Quinn slowly unfurled the bag to find an embossed leather journal inside. She was supposed to be helping him see what he had to offer, not the other way around.

  “If writing’s your passion, you should pursue it.” He nudged his shoulder into hers. “Even if that means taking a leap.”

  “A leap.”

  “Sure.” He shrugged. “Pick up your old blog again or start a new one. An online magazine, a book—anything.” Genuine belief looked back at her. “You never know who your words will reach.”

  Quinn willed down the tears clawing to the surface at his unexpected thoughtfulness and sincerity.

  Instead of pressing, Cooper returned to his spot beside her and seemed content to wait for her to respond.

  Start her own business? It wasn’t that she hadn’t thought about it, maybe even had wanted to a long time ago, when it was safe to dream. But things had changed.

  She held the gift to her stomach and watched distant dragonflies glide along the top of the water. “My dad used to say God whispers our destiny to us through little moments every day.” Shaking her head, she pulled her knees up to her chest. “It sounds cheesy now, but I used to listen for them.”

  Cooper pressed his warm arm into hers. “Seems like you had it figured out once.”

  She thought she had. “Have you ever felt like you knew for sure you were supposed to do something—go in a certain direction, make a specific choice—only to end up on the other side, feeling like you must’ve gotten it completely wrong?”

  “More than I want to admit.” He rubbed his stubbly chin.

  “I don’t know. I’m probably not making any sense.” She twisted toward him. “It’s just . . . do you think you can be afraid of losing something you’ve never found?”

  His eyes searched hers with such depth, her pulse quickened. “I think I’m starting to.”

  Neither of them moved. Still half wet, his hair lay flat against his forehead in an image of the tender boy trapped beneath a persona few people saw past. Her hands slid from her knees to her ankles, wanting so much to reach for him. To show him—

  What did she think she was doing? She was supposed to be writing a news article, not a romance novel, for crying out loud.

  Breaking the connection, she pushed on the boards and shot to her feet. “I should, um, go get something started for dinner.” And give herself a solid head slap for being that vulnerable with him, while she was at it.

  “Why don’t we go out tonight? My treat.”

  Her head nodded on its own, succumbing to his impossible-to-turn-down eyes. At least in a public restaurant, maybe she stood a chance at thinking clearly enough to talk to him about the feature.

  A whack to the back of her leg whirled her around to a nonchalant-looking expression.

  “Did you just swat my thigh?”

  Cooper hopped up and wiped his hands. “Nope. You didn’t see that? The Loch Ness Monster’s tail just swept up and almost got you. It was close. Lucky I’m here.”

  “More like you’re lucky I don’t shove you into the lake right now.” She hedged him backward, welcoming the distraction from the earlier intensity. “Keep laughing, and you’ll get to meet that monster personally.”

  His feet teetered on the edge, and he roped his arms around her waist. “If I go, you go.”

  Her hands linked around his neck, panic spiraling. “You wouldn’t.”

  “Oh, c’mon. You wouldn’t be going in alone. I’ve got you.”

  This close, panic escalated for a whole different reason. Fear of drowning in the lake was nothing compared to drowning in those hazel eyes. Problem was, she’d been sinking since day one. Unless he was blind, he saw it too. Felt it. Even now, her pulse surged.

  But instead of letting go, her insubordinate hand slid from his neck across the whiskers on his cheek. In a mirrored dance, his hand found her cheek in return. The rhythm of their breathing deepened, the cadence of the breeze drawing them closer. His gaze roved to her lips, already parted. Ready, waiting. Full of yearning and fear and—

  “Awkward.” Ginny giggled from the top of the deck.

  Quinn flinched away, and Cooper had to catch her hand to keep from falling backward into the lake. Once stabilized, they both looked in about every direction but at each other.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” Ginny called on her way across the lawn. “But my mom’s here.”

  Quinn’s erratic gaze finally landed on Ginny and Brayden. “Is it six already?” She hurried up the dock to take Brayden from her. “Thanks for coming out today. It was fun.”

  Ginny leaned in and whispered, “I think you mean electric.” She bobbed her brows just when Quinn thought the mortification couldn’t get worse. At least Mama hadn’t been there.

  Once Ginny disappeared around the side of the house, Quinn turned. “I should probably . . .” Go crawl under the house.

  “Here.” He reached for Brayden. “I’ll take him while you get changed.”

  “Changed?”

  “We’re going out to eat, right?”

  “Right.” She shook her head as if it would cause sense and dignity to magically regain a foothold. “I should probably put some clothes on. Not that I’d ever be around you without clothes on. I just meant fresh clothes.” And was clearly aiming to win an award on how many times she could say clothes in one breath.

  Cringing at Cooper’s amusement, she closed her eyes and gestured behind her. “I’m leaving now.”

  She made an awkward about-face and half jogged up the hill. Almost to the deck, her cell buzzed from her pocket. Mama. Perfect. The woman’s timing was almost as attuned as Cruella’s.

  “Hey, Mama.”

  “Oh good, I was hoping I’d catch you. How’d you all like to come over for supper tonight? Just the four of us.”

  “Sounds lovely, but Cooper and I already have plans.” Thank heavens.

  “Really?” she said in a simpering voice. “Well, then, you two have fun on that date.”

  “It’s not—” Quinn cut herself off. No point. “Thanks. W
e will.”

  “Be careful driving. It’s going to be a real gully washer tonight.”

  Quinn craned her head toward the clouds moving in. “Thanks for the heads-up. We’ll be fine.”

  “Okay, sugar. But make sure you’re free on Friday. We’re having another cookout.”

  Massaging her forehead, Quinn plastered on a compliant smile. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

  The doorbell rang from Mama’s end of the line. “Nurse Murphy just got here, honey. Let me go. Your Daddy’s got a real burr in his saddle today.”

  Quinn wasn’t about to ask. “See you Friday.”

  “If the good Lord’s willing and the creek don’t rise.”

  Right. Quinn overlooked the flood of crazy southernisms while stopping at the bottom of the stairs. “Mama?” She swirled her toes in the grass and tried to untangle her voice. “Tell Daddy I said hello.”

  “I will, sweetheart. Bye.”

  Quinn stayed in place after hanging up. Maybe Cooper wasn’t the only one confusing love and fear.

  She peered behind her to the dock where he was dangling his keys in one hand while holding his son with the other. Brayden planted two pudgy palms to Cooper’s scruffy cheeks and leaned in to kiss him as he’d done with Quinn earlier. The moment he nestled his head under Cooper’s chin, Quinn’s insides split in two.

  How could she tell a guy who wanted no roots that they already held her heart?

  Chapter Fifteen

  Storm

  Cooper dragged a hand along his face after trimming his scruff. He rolled up his shirt cuffs, took one last glance in the bathroom mirror, and then flipped the lights.

  It didn’t matter what he looked like. This wasn’t a date. Just a guy giving a girl a break from making dinner for the night. If he really wanted to get technical about it, Quinn was actually an employee.

  Yeah, and when did employers ask their staff to dinner? Smart move, Anderson. He hadn’t exactly meant to ask her out. The question just sort of came out on its own.

  Around the door to the nursery, Cooper stopped and grinned. Brayden was standing up in his crib, holding the railing.

  “You ready to eat?”

  “Eat.” He bounced up and down the closer Cooper neared. “I sweam!”

  “Ice cream?” He laughed. “Wow. Loraine really did spoil you, didn’t she?”

  Brayden extended both arms to him, and Cooper’s chest tightened at the open trust and acceptance Brayden offered him so easily.

  Curbing his reaction, he hauled him out of the crib. “I’ll tell you what. You’ll get some ice cream if you help me get through dinner first. I need you on your game tonight, hoss. No letting me slip up and almost make a move like I did on the dock today. Deal?” He couldn’t afford to complicate things.

  Brayden swung both hands over his mouth.

  “Uh-huh. Don’t even act like you haven’t fallen for Quinn too. I saw you earlier, smacking that kiss on her chin.”

  Brayden flung his hands away and blew his lips in a blubber sound.

  Cooper laughed. “Yeah, well, let’s hope I at least didn’t look like that.”

  He kicked his legs in excitement. “I sweam! I sweam!”

  “You’re gonna be a lot of help, aren’t you?” Shaking his head, Cooper got him dressed and carried him into the hall.

  Two steps into the living room, he halted at the sight of Quinn coming down the hall in the same outfit she had on the day she first arrived. She’d caused a double take then, but now, he couldn’t look away.

  Long brown waves flowed over her shoulders and onto a cream blouse that shimmered in all the right places. She bent her leg behind her and adjusted her heel, the simple pose causing an unjustified spike in his pulse.

  Brayden squirmed in Cooper’s arms, obviously wanting Quinn.

  She turned and smiled at him. “Look at you in your cute polo.” She smoothed her hands down her skirt and met Cooper’s gaze. “I wasn’t sure what to wear. Is this too much?”

  For him? Right now? Maybe. “You’re perfect.”

  The implication behind those two words zinged inside him like a pinball. He started forward to hide it. Surely, movement would help.

  Fat chance.

  Brayden practically soared from his arms in an attempt to settle into hers, and whatever acrobats his insides were doing, seeing his son’s affection for Quinn upped the intensity tenfold.

  What was his problem tonight? Nothing had changed. So, they’d almost kissed. And something in him came alive while watching her thrive on the WaveRunner. And the way she viewed him—believed in him—left him more than a little undone. And—

  Stop, just stop.

  “Cooper?”

  He snapped his head up. “Sorry?”

  “I asked if you’re ready to go.”

  “Of course.” He opened the door for her. Behind them, he eyed Brayden’s bubbly grin above her shoulder. Way to help me out, hoss.

  Outside, wind tunneled up from the backyard and whirled Quinn’s hair in a beautiful mess. Cooper clicked the fob to his SUV. While she fastened Brayden in his car seat, Cooper peered toward the shadowy sky. A single raindrop splattered onto his forehead. He looked from the clouds to Quinn’s unassuming smile, knowing full well he’d already lost to the one storm he’d never seen coming.

  By the time they turned onto the street for Watersview Restaurant, an all-out downpour was assaulting the pavement. Quinn darted a glance from the sheet of rain cascading down the windshield to her open-toed shoes as Cooper pulled into the full parking lot.

  A Ford pickup backed out of a spot directly across from the entrance.

  “Go! Before someone else scoops it up,” she said in response to the hesitation on Cooper’s face.

  “I can drop you off at the door.”

  “It’s fine. We can run for it.” She slanted a brow. “You should really take more leaps in life, you know.”

  One dimple reached for the other. “I’ll try to work on that.”

  Meanwhile, she’d better work on not blushing when he looked at her that way.

  Parked, he flipped the locks and handed her his jacket. “I’ll get Brayden. Ready? On three.”

  Quinn tossed the jacket over her shoulders and grabbed the door handle. On cue, she sprang into the rain, squealing at the cold pellets beating onto her hair. Puddles engulfed her shoes, but she kept running. At the entrance, she wiped down her legs while laughing.

  At least Brayden had a blanket draped over him. Cooper, on the other hand, got as drenched as she did. His white button-down clung to his skin, accentuating muscles defined through both work and play.

  “Good job, QT.” He shook his wet hair back from his face. “See? A little water isn’t so bad. We’ll get you in that lake yet.”

  She lifted on her toes to pull a leaf from his hair. “Don’t hold your breath.” Her hand slid down to his collar as her heels eased back to the ground. The look in his eyes deepened, and holding her breath was about all she could do.

  A hostess opened the door. “Welcome to Watersview.”

  Quinn flung her hand back to her side, where it belonged, and slipped inside. “Thank you,” she said on her way past the young girl.

  Goose bumps peppered her skin from head to toe under the waves of A/C circulating mouthwatering scents throughout the restaurant.

  Once seated, Cooper set a pen with Watersview’s logo on it beside his silverware.

  “What is that?”

  He looked from the pen to her and shrugged. “They were giving them away up front.”

  “Because you needed one more to add to your endless collection?” She picked up her menu. “You know there are steps for overcoming addiction, right?”

  While he laughed, she tried to ignore the way her toes were sliding over her wet shoes.

  “What’s wrong?” Cooper asked, surveying her face.

  “The rain. My shoes are all slimy now.”

  He reached under the table, cupped a hand to her ankle, and slid her sh
oe strap off. “There’s an easy remedy to that.” He unrolled his silverware and shook out the cloth napkin.

  “Cooper, don’t you dare.”

  “They have to wash it anyway.”

  Solving problems, once again.

  She covered her face. “I can’t believe you.” But worse than embarrassment, a sensation far more dangerous followed his gentle touch to her ankle. With the way he was tending to her foot, she was going to need an entire carton of napkins to mop herself up off the floor when he was finished.

  Brayden waved the menu in the air and swatted it against the tray on his high chair, rescuing them from yet another moment she couldn’t keep letting herself get drawn into.

  They both turned to Brayden and laughed. He’d teepeed the menu over his head as though expecting applause.

  She stole the opportunity to collect her focus and scanned the menu.

  A waiter, probably in his early forties, stopped by the table. After a quick introduction, he turned his attention to Quinn. “Can I get a drink started for the lovely lady? A red wine, perhaps? Something to complement her natural beauty.”

  Cooper coughed.

  “Just a water, please.” She returned the drink menu to him.

  “Same for me,” Cooper added. “And a milk for the little guy.”

  “My pleasure.”

  When he left, Quinn met an unreadable grin from across the table. “What?”

  He ran a knuckle along his brow. “Nothing.”

  Rather than press, she let it drop. Probably better not to get sidetracked. The talk they needed to have tonight was going to take every ounce of strength she had as it was.

  No one there could’ve known the anticipated conversation was already choking her, but chatter throughout the noisy restaurant seemed only to heighten the silence at their table.

  The waiter returned to take their orders. As soon as Quinn got her drink, she sucked down a third of her water like she’d find the words she needed at the bottom of her glass.

  Cooper stared across the table. “Are you all right?”

  Of course he’d notice. She set her fidgety hands in her lap. “Cooper, I . . . I need to tell you something.” Except, that required intelligent sentences, breath—things failing her in every way right now.