Dating by Design Series Box Set

by Jennifer Peel

  He grabbed my hand.

  Oh, no. That was not part of the package.

  I held very still, like unnervingly still, telling my ovaries this was not what they wanted even if my body was singing a loud chorus of YES YOU DO.

  “Thank you,” he whispered intimately.

  “You’re welcome,” I could barely breathe out. I pulled away from him.

  Skye waited for me and studied me. I hoped she didn’t think there was anything going on between her dad and me.

  “Where would you like to head?” I asked her.

  She shrugged.

  “How about the teen section?” I suggested. It was the farthest away.

  She didn’t say anything but followed next to me.

  I didn’t have a lot of experience with teenagers other than having them as patients. I wasn’t sure exactly what to say, but I knew teenagers liked to talk about themselves.

  “Are you enjoying your summer?”

  “Yeah, kind of. I like being with my grandpa, but I miss my friends and my pool.”

  “That must be hard. Do you have any friends here?”

  Her cheeks pinked. “Sort of.”

  “Sort of?”

  “I know this one guy, Liam. We’ve known each other since we were little.”

  “That’s fun.”

  She twisted her hands together. “He’s a few years older than me and I don’t know if he likes me anymore.”

  I stopped to take a good look at her. “I can’t imagine him not.”

  She blushed again. “Maybe. He’s acting weird around me now.”

  I grinned. “That’s not surprising.”

  She stiffened. “Why?”

  “Well, I don’t know for sure, but I would say his feelings for you now that you are both older are no longer only friendly.”

  “Do you really think so?” Her face was all alight.

  “I take it you would like that.”

  She nodded. “But don’t tell my dad. I don’t know if he would like it.”

  “Most dads don’t. Your secret is safe with me.”

  There was more of a skip to her step while we headed toward the teen section.

  “Are you more of a romance, fantasy, or dystopian kind of girl?” I asked once we arrived at our destination.

  “I’m not much of a reader unless it’s for school assignments.”

  “Huh.” That was a shame, but I didn’t mention it. Maybe I could change her mind. “I could recommend some books I read as a teen that are probably too cheesy now, but one of my patients loves this new YA fantasy romance about dragon shapeshifters.” She’d told me it was all the rage now. I promised her I would look into them. I guess now was a good time.

  Skye looked mildly interested. “I might read something like that.”

  “Let’s see if we can find them.”

  She gave me a dazzling smile. “I like you, Kate.”

  I tilted my head. “You do?”

  “Yeah. It’s nice that you don’t throw yourself at my dad. I never know if someone is being nice to me because they want to get to my dad.”

  Ouch. That made my heart hurt. “I can’t imagine how difficult that is.”

  “Where we live, you kind of get used to it. Everybody wants a big break or to hand you a resume and a headshot. Or they want to be my dad’s next girlfriend.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that with me. I don’t like your dad like that, or at all.” I gave her a wink.

  She giggled. “I think that bothers him.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “He told my grandpa that he doesn’t know what to do around you. My grandpa said that was a good sign.”

  “A good sign for what?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know—I turned up the volume on my phone.” That sounded like typical teenage behavior.

  “Let’s go get those books.”

  It took us no time to find the books and make our way back to her dad, who was helping himself to my books, smirking as he read my copy of How to Maintain a Professional Relationship with Someone You Are Attracted To.

  “I thought you were writing?”

  He looked up from the book, amused. “I couldn’t resist.”

  I swiped the book out of his hand.

  “Are you attracted to someone at work, Kate? I noticed Todd seemed to have an eye for you.”

  “He does not. And the answer is no.”

  “Then perhaps it’s one of your patients.”

  “Perhaps I should go.”

  “Wait.” He sat up straight. “Where do you have to be?” He was so blunt.

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but I was thinking of grabbing some lunch and going purse shopping.” I was treating myself for enduring him all week.

  “Ooh, I love to purse shop.” Skye beamed.

  Her dad and I both turned to her. She was too sweet to be his.

  Don’t ask me why, but this came falling out of my mouth, “You wouldn’t want to go with me, would you?” That was too bold. She hardly knew me and I’m sure Nick wouldn’t like it, as he was so protective of her.

  “I would love to. Anything but hanging out here.” Skye’s gorgeous green eyes owned her dad. “Can I, Dad?”

  I peeked at Nick to gauge his reaction to his daughter’s reaction. The tender smile was one he obviously reserved for her.

  I took a deep breath and threw more caution to the wind. “I would love the company, if that’s okay with you, Nick.”

  That tender smile hit me too, and I had to look away.

  “Please, Daddy?” Skye flashed her own brilliant smile.

  “Okay,” he easily gave into her. “But why don’t we all do a late lunch together after you’re done shopping?” Nick’s presence drew me back to looking right at him. “We could head to Jack’s. My dad would love to see you again.”

  Skye bent down and kissed her dad’s cheek before I could agree or process.

  “What say you, Kate?” Nick was doing that thing again where he was looking not at me but into me.

  What did I say? I say I was in over my head.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Where are you?”

  “Well, hello to you too. I’m fine, thank you for asking. Skye’s great too.” I gave Skye a little wink while we walked out of Michael Kors with our bags. I’d picked out a gorgeous pebbled bag in soft pink.

  Skye had whipped out her dad’s credit card and bought a few things, including a darling floral lace dress that she looked beautiful in, along with a bag and matching shoes. The total made me squeamish, but she said she had a thousand-dollar-a-month allowance. Yes, I said a thousand dollars a month. We obviously came from very different worlds, but I enjoyed my time with her. She was infectiously upbeat and caught me up on all the new teen lingo like, “that’s so extra” and “hundo p,” which meant hundred percent sure. Who knew?

  She smiled back at me. I sure did like her. The gruff voice on the other end of my phone, I wasn’t sure about. At all.

  Nick sighed in frustration. “Hello, Kate. Better?”

  “Much. How are you?”

  “Hungry. Are you still shopping?”

  “We just finished. I can meet you at the restaurant with Skye.”

  “How about I meet you at your place and we can drive together?”

  “That makes no sense. We’re closer to Jack’s, and you would have to take me home if we drove together.”

  “And?”

  “And . . . that’s unnecessary.” On so many levels.

  “Right. Your rules. Two successful dates before a date can pick you up.”

  There was that. And there was him. “Yep. And since that will never happen between us—”

  “Technically we’ve been on three.”

  I cleared my throat and whispered into the phone since his daughter was walking next to me in the shopping center’s parking lot. “Technically it’s none, because I’m your relationship manager.”

  “Then the rules shouldn’t
apply to me.”

  The rules applied to him doubly.

  “I’ll meet you there.” I wasn’t backing down.

  “If you must,” he growled. “But there’s been a change in plans—we’re eating at my dad’s house.”

  “Oh. Okay. Why?”

  “I thought it would be more comfortable for you that way. You don’t seem to like the attention being in public with me sometimes garners.”

  I paused before I clicked the key fob to unlock my car. “That was actually very considerate of you. Thank you.”

  “You sound surprised, Kate.”

  “I am.”

  “Good. I’ll send you his address. See you soon.”

  I stood dazed for a second.

  “Are you okay?” Skye asked, bringing me out of my Nick fog.

  “Yes. Thanks for coming with me. It was nice to have a shopping buddy.” I lacked in that department. Mom was a no-go for this trip unless I wanted to hear about how I was cruelly slaughtering cows so I could have a nice purse. Meg was dealing with Zander and pregnancy, Kenadie was still in the newlywed phase, and I hadn’t really gotten to know any of the other doctors at the clinic I volunteered at. Not to mention my cautious nature had gotten in the way of making attachments. I needed to do better.

  “Anytime. I love to shop.” Skye sounded like she was volunteering for any future trips where shopping was involved.

  We got ourselves and our bags situated in the car. I looked over at Skye and hoped someday I would have a daughter like her to go shopping with. I wondered about her own mother. All Nick put on his questionnaire where it asked about ex-spouses was “out of the picture.” Was she out of Skye’s as well?

  Skye was also good enough to catch me up on the new music kids were listening to. She plugged her phone into my car and I was treated to Ed Sheeran, Drake, and Charlie Puth. She had pretty good taste, but she wrinkled her nose when I played her some Nina Simone. She offered to make me a list of “hip” songs and artists to download. I blamed my “old” taste on my parents and a jazz artist I dated my junior year of college.

  We also decided to read the dragon books together. Who didn’t need a little dragon shapeshifter love in their life?

  So when Nick told me his dad had a little place near the restaurant, he meant he had a mini mansion by the riverfront.

  “Is this the right place?” I pulled up in front of the breathtaking, sprawling home set in the middle of the Garden of Eden.

  “This is Grandpa’s,” Skye confirmed.

  Skye ran in with her bags while I looked up at the home that reminded me of a Better Homes and Gardens cover. The two-story home, white with green shutters, was perfectly classic. The deep porch and second story veranda spoke of its Southern flair.

  Jack came out smiling, drying his hands on the dish towel he carried. He had to be the most distinguished looking gentleman I’d ever met. Besides his son, who was his clone.

  “Darlin’, it’s good to see you.”

  “Hey, Jack.” I returned his smile before he embraced me. I soaked in his fatherly warmth. “How are you?”

  “Better now that you’re here.”

  I pulled away from him, grinning from ear to ear. “You are a flirt.”

  “You’re worth every effort.” He held out his arm to me. “Shall we, darlin’?”

  I happily took his arm tattooed with his wife’s name, Barbara, and what I assumed was the date of their anniversary. “We shall.”

  Jack held the screen door open for me. “Nick should be here soon. He stopped by the restaurant to pick up the food.”

  “I hope I’m not putting anyone out.”

  “You’re not, but even if you were, it would be good for Nick. He needs to think about someone besides himself and Skye.”

  I looked up at him and decided to be more daring than I usually would be. I wanted to put all the pieces of Nick together until it gave me a clear picture of who he really was. “Would you consider Nick self-centered?”

  Jack’s laughter filled his large entryway. “I would consider most men self-centered.” He took a thoughtful pause. “Maybe Nick is more than most, but . . .” A twinkle appeared in his eye. “Never known anyone more generous than him.”

  My brow furrowed.

  “What’s got you vexed, darlin’?”

  I took a deep breath, trying to form my thoughts into words. “He’s a walking dichotomy. I can’t figure him out.”

  A sly smile appeared on his handsome, lined face. “Are you trying to?”

  Some heat crept up my neck. “It’s my job.”

  “Uh-huh.” Jack patted my hand that was wrapped around his arm. “You keep doing your job, and I have a feeling you’ll both figure each other out.”

  “That’s not necessary.” There was a fair amount of alarm in my voice.

  Laughing to himself, Jack led me back through his beautiful home to the kitchen that opened up to the large family room. “This is going to be fun to watch.”

  I was going to ask him what he meant by that, but Nick came in through the nearby garage entry carrying bags that smelled amazing. Unfortunately, the man carrying them looked more so. My ovaries needed to get over him. I got their message—he would give me beautiful babies. No one was denying that.

  “Hello, Kate.”

  “Look who found some manners,” I teased.

  Jack smiled between us. “I’m glad I’m getting a front row seat for this.”

  Nick narrowed his eyes, confused by his dad’s statement.

  Jack headed for Nick and relieved him of the bags. “Why don’t you show Kate the gardens out back while I put this all together.”

  “I can help,” I was quick to volunteer. Anything to not be alone with his son.

  “You are, darlin’. Now get out of here.” Jack wasn’t giving me an out.

  I dared a glance at Nick, whose gaze was already set on me.

  My hands found their way through my hair, trying to offset the nervous energy coursing through me as Nick approached. A kaleidoscope of brooding and amusement played in his eyes. “Ready?”

  Not at all, but I followed him out the back door that led us to a massive deck that was a garden in and of itself. Strawberries were bursting to overflow several containers. Raspberries climbed the walls. Pots of flowers outlined the perimeter and sat on the small tables near the patio furniture. It was paradise.

  “This is amazing. But I thought you said your dad had a small place?”

  “You should see my place,” he whispered too close to me, causing me to shiver in the hot, humid air.

  I had no doubt it would be grandiose. But I would never see it. I took a moment to get my bearings back. He had a way of knocking me off balance. I took in the view of the river below and the garden of trees and flowers. It was breathtaking.

  “Did you get a lot of writing done?” I asked, hoping that would help set me straight.

  He shook his head. “I was hit with a case of writer’s block, and I found I was distracted.”

  “Did your fan club show up?”

  “Other than you? No.” His smirk was off the charts.

  “Just because I own some of your works doesn’t make me a fan. I was given a copy of Sharknado once as a joke and that movie was awful.”

  His eyebrows zoomed up. “Are you comparing me to that drivel?”

  I gave him my best patronizing smile. “You can comfort yourself knowing you’re better than a movie that mixes cyclones and terrorizing sharks.”

  “Thank you for that ringing endorsement.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  He rested his hand on the small of my back, leading me toward the stairs. “You don’t have to admit it. I know a fan when I see one.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Wishful thinking.”

  His eyes hit me. “Oh, I have some wishes, Kate.”

  In the name of self-preservation and all that was good for me, I stepped away from him. I cleared my throat. “Don’t we all.” Like right now I wished he w
as a thirty-five-year-old surgeon or chemical engineer who had never been married. Statistically speaking, they had very low divorce rates.

  “What do you wish for?”

  “Um . . .” I couldn’t think. I swore his breath contained some brain-numbing seducing agent. No. No. I had to think. I had this under control. “Tell me what producers do.”

  The abrupt but much-needed change in subject had him halting on the last step and giving me a look that said, what?

  I bit my lip and shrugged, not planning on explaining myself to him. “I’ve always wondered what role producers play. You see their names in the credits, but what do they really do?”

  “You are an interesting woman, Kate Morgan.”

  He had no idea, but I wondered why he thought so. “What makes you say that?”

  He leaned against the rail and crossed his arms. “For someone whose chosen profession necessitates her delving deep into the personal lives of her patients, you give away very little of your thoughts.” He cocked his head. “Why is that?”

  Why was he so perceptive? I swallowed hard. “I have my reasons.”

  “Some of your rules?”

  “They’re connected.”

  “How many are there?”

  “According to my mother, twenty.”

  “Can I get a list?”

  I shook my head no.

  He pushed himself off the rail and came dangerously close to me. “I guess I’ll have to do my best to learn them. One,” he paused, “by one.”

  “I don’t know why you would want to know them,” I stammered, trying to remain calm.

  “Something for you to learn, then.”

  If he was acting, he deserved an Academy Award. I felt every word he said from the top of my head to my littlest toe. He drew me in and made me want to hang on every arrogant word.

  “All I want to know right now is what producers do.”

  His eyes smiled. “Okay, Kate, but someday, I predict you’re going to open up to me.”

  “I look forward to proving you wrong.”

  His face came within inches of my own. “Me too.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Things I learned today was a nice exercise I used to do with my dad when I was growing up. At the dinner table every night, he made me list ten things I had learned and one thing I had failed at. He thought failure was the best teacher. It was a nice exercise, but now, lying here in my bed, it was kind of excruciating because, oh, had I failed today. I had blurred the personal and professional lines by entwining myself with a client’s family, which was kind of fabulous, by the way. More importantly, I’d let my pheromones rule my day. They had me feeling like old, naïve me who believed in kismet, serendipity, magical moments, and Nick.