by Melody Grace
Talking . . . laughing . . . making plans for a romantic date perhaps . . .
She felt a jolt of jealousy, but she tried to push the feeling aside. She had no right to be jealous—especially since she was the one who’d literally shoved him into her arms. She would need to get used to him dating somebody else, especially if they were going to be friends. Yes, she thought determinedly, she should be supportive. A good wingwoman. Even if a part of her craved to be the one he was smiling at.
Even if she would go to sleep tonight still replaying their dance together, wishing it would never end.
8
Luke woke with a pain in his stomach and a strange woman’s phone number in his wallet. He winced—at which one, he wasn’t sure. Tish had been so friendly after their dance, he hadn’t wanted to be rude. “I’m in town for the rest of the week,” she’d said with a flirty smile as she’d scribbled the number on a napkin. “Let’s do something.”
He’d given her a vague nod and a smile, but he already knew he wouldn’t be using it. The only thing Luke wanted to do was call Natalie and find out why she’d bolted, but he already knew the answer to that.
He’d pushed it. Again. Blurred the line he’d been so determined to respect and sent her running, all in the space of a single, seductive song.
He should have been stronger. As soon as he’d pulled her close, he’d known they were in dangerous territory, but he hadn’t wanted the moment to end. The way her body had swayed with his had been intoxicating; the world around them disappeared. And when she’d tucked her head against his shoulder, like she’d been made to fit right there?
Luke had never felt a sense of belonging like that: so undeniable, so right.
Cyndi Lauper had a lot to answer for.
He hauled himself out of bed and took a shower, turning the water as cold as he could take to try to banish the heated memories from his mind. Maybe it would be best to keep his distance from the chocolate shop today, he decided ruefully. The shelves were as good as done, and he had a list of other projects to get started on. So, instead of following the route he knew by heart to Natalie’s doorstep, he drove the long way around and went in search of coffee at the local bakery.
“You look wrecked,” his brother greeted him cheerfully the moment he stepped through the front door. “Let me guess, Franny’s punch? I should have warned you, that stuff can strip paint.”
Luke shook his head, yawning. The bakery was full, and from the looks of the crowd clutching their coffee cups, he wasn’t the only one who’d had a late night. “Since when are you a morning person?” he asked, taking in Jackson’s clean-shaven appearance. “You’re usually passed out until noon.”
“Since Alice needed me to snag a place in line before the morning pastries ran out.” Jackson grinned. They shuffled forwards, closer to the counter. “The things we do for love. So, are you buying breakfast for one person or two?”
Jackson cast an eye behind Luke, as if he was expecting someone to join him. Luke tensed, ready to insist that he and Natalie were just friends again, but instead his brother gave a knowing look. “I heard about your blonde,” he said. “News travels fast in a place like this.”
His blonde? Luke stared blankly before he remembered. Tish.
“No, we’re not . . . That was nothing,” he said quickly. “We just danced together.”
“Man, you really are striking out all over town,” Jackson teased. “Do you want some pointers? I could have Alice ask around if she has any single friends—”
Luke silenced him with a playful jab. “I’m capable of finding my own dates, thanks very much.”
But of course, his brother wouldn’t quit. “I heard the blonde was into you,” he insisted. “You should call her, it can’t be hard to track her down. Mac!” he greeted a friend as they reached the counter. “What’s the best way to find out about— What was her name?” he prompted Luke.
“Tish,” Luke said reluctantly. “But really, it’s OK—”
“My brother needs to find her again,” Jackson said over him. “She made an impression last night and didn’t leave a glass slipper behind.”
Mackenzie looked thoughtful. “Cal has a cousin called Letitia . . . Maybe it’s her? Either way, Aunt June is probably your best bet. She knows everything—before it even happens. She’ll be able to find your Cinderella for sure.”
“She’s not my Cinderella!” Luke protested . . .
. . . just as Natalie emerged from the back room.
He stopped, suddenly forgetting what they were arguing about. “Hey,” he said, blinking at her like some kind of idiot. Even in jeans and a simple black sweater, she somehow looked elegant and stylish. It was clear she hadn’t been up half the night, replaying their dance in her mind.
“Hey,” she said back with a smile. “Who are we finding?”
“Luke’s dance partner from last night,” Jackson answered.
“I don’t need to find her,” Luke ground out, wanting to throttle his brother. “She gave me her number, I can reach her anytime.”
“So what are you waiting for?” Jackson asked, turning to him.
“Yes, you should call,” Natalie agreed.
Luke paused. “I should?” he asked, watching her expression. But if she had any flicker of emotion about it, it didn’t show.
“Of course, I told you she seemed nice.” Natalie flashed a smile. “Go for it.”
Luke nodded slowly. “Maybe I will,” he lied.
“So, how’s the chocolate business?” his brother asked.
“Good!” Natalie replied. “Well, kind of. I’m trying to find a refrigerated van to borrow for the day. I have to get 500 gift bags up to Boston,” she explained, “and it would help if they didn’t arrive melted into gloop. I don’t suppose you guys know of anyone?” she asked, looking anxious. “The place I booked just canceled on me.”
“Sorry,” Jackson said. “But I can ask around.”
“I know a guy,” Luke found himself saying before he could stop himself.
“You do?” Natalie brightened. “Oh my gosh, that would be a lifesaver! I’ve been running around like a madman all morning, trying to find a way.”
“Sure, consider it done,” Luke promised. “I can even drive you, if you like.”
His brother made a snorting noise beside him. “Now, isn’t that generous?” Jackson drawled, teasing. “All that way?”
“It’s not far,” Luke said, ignoring him. “I have a client up there I’ve been meaning to meet with anyway,” he added. “So, it would be killing two birds with one stone.”
“That sounds perfect.” Natalie beamed. “Thank you! I hate taking road trips alone,” she added. “I always feel like I’m going to break down and wind up stranded on the side of the road with no cell signal.”
“Hey, don’t jinx us!” Luke joked, and she laughed.
“Sorry! I’ll bring the snacks. Pick me up Friday at four?”
“Better make it three, with traffic.”
“I’ll be there.” Natalie gave him another smile and headed out.
“A client, huh?” Jackson cut in again, but Luke didn’t rise to the bait. It was true. Technically. He had clients all over who’d leap at the chance for a last-minute meeting. And if it just happened to help Natalie in the process?
A convenient bonus, that was all.
“I guess we know why you won’t be calling this Tish,” Jackson continued. “Man, have you got it bad.”
Luke wasn’t going to deny it.
“Are you going to stand there giving me a hard time?” He finally turned to his brother. “Or, are you going to help me find the damn van?”
* * *
The Kinsella siblings may have liked to joke, but they were also the loyal type who could be counted on in a crunch. After calling in every favor Luke could think of—and a few more from his brother, besides—he pulled up outside Natalie’s shop on Friday with a gleaming, gassed up, fully refrigerated van.
“Look, it’s
so clean!” Natalie exclaimed in delight, bringing out the first box of chocolates. “And temperature-controlled!”
“Are you swooning over a thermostat?” Luke watched her. All the teasing he’d had to take from Jackson was worth it now to see the smile on her face.
Who knew a chilled compartment could be so romantic?
“Look, I’m a complicated woman,” Natalie shot back. “Some people love fresh-cut roses, I go crazy for a space that can pass a department of food safety inspection.”
“I’ll remember that,” Luke chuckled, and he went to grab the rest of her cargo. Soon, they were packed up, and they hit the road, with Natalie riding shotgun beside him in the front cab of the van. She settled in: wrapping her black dress in a woolly cardigan, peeling off her boots, and sitting cross-legged in the seat.
“Comfy?” Luke asked, arching an eyebrow. “The seat goes way back, if you’d like to take a nap.”
“Maybe later,” Natalie replied with a smile. “Where did you get this thing, anyway? The guy at the rental company told me there weren’t any available in the state!”
“I told you, I know a guy,” Luke lied. It had taken the promise of a custom leather armchair to secure the vehicle, but what was a few dozen hours of work between friends? “Now, where are those snacks you promised me?”
Natalie laughed. “We haven’t even left the county limits!”
“And?” Luke countered, grinning. “What kind of crazy road trip rules do you follow? Don’t tell me you’re the kind of person who goes to the movies and won’t start eating their snacks until after the trailers have rolled?”
“Well . . .” Natalie replied, and he groaned.
“You don’t?”
“Then you have nothing left to enjoy with the movie!” she protested.
He made a show of shaking his head. “That’s why you have to stagger it. Start with nachos, move on to the popcorn, keep the M&Ms for when all of that is gone.”
“You have a plan for everything.” Natalie paused, looking over at him. “How is it we always wind up talking about food?”
Because it was a safe topic that didn’t involve feelings or history or why just a smile from her could stop his heart in its tracks.
But he couldn’t say that, so instead, Luke gave a casual shrug. “What can I say? I’m a simple kind of guy.”
“That’s not true.”
Natalie’s reply was quiet, but sincere. Luke felt a strange sense of pride, but before he could react, Natalie’s voice turned bright. “So, did you call Tish?”
Luke exhaled. “Nope.”
There was a pause, and then Natalie ventured, “Why not? You guys looked like you were having fun.”
She’d watched them together? For some reason, that made Luke feel all wrong, even though she was the one who’d insisted on it. But what was he supposed to say? He would have happily kept dancing with Natalie all night long.
For the next hundred years.
“How about we make a rule?” Luke said before this could go any further. “No more talk about relationships for the rest of the trip: past, present, or future.”
“OK,” Natalie agreed, so quickly, Luke could have sworn he heard relief in her voice. “That works for me.”
* * *
It was a good thing they’d left early, because they were barely off the Cape before they hit brutal traffic, which continued all the rest of the drive. Luke saw Natalie anxiously checking her watch and tried to distract her with conversation about family, their favorite movies, and everything in between.
“You haven’t seen Star Wars,” Luke repeated in disbelief as the skyline of downtown Boston finally came into view, an hour behind schedule. “I can’t . . . I mean . . . I don’t even know what to say to that.”
“I’ve seen the new ones!” Natalie protested. “I liked them. But I just never got around to the old ones.”
“The classics,” Luke corrected her. “And seriously, what were your ex-boyfriends playing at, if they never sat you down and showed you what you’ve been missing out on?”
Natalie’s laughter faded. “I thought we weren’t talking about exes,” she said quietly.
Damn.
“You’re right, I can’t blame them,” Luke tried to keep the mood light. “You’re a grown woman. You can take full responsibility for your own cinematic failings.”
Natalie smiled. “Says the man who’s never watched Strictly Ballroom.”
“OK, OK, I’ll watch your dance movie if you promise to see The Empire Strikes Back,” Luke offered.
“Deal.”
Natalie fell silent, and Luke found himself wondering again about her big breakup. She hadn’t said a word about it. In fact, she didn’t talk about her past at all. It was so subtle he almost hadn’t noticed it, but even though Natalie shared stories about growing up, her family, and her old catering career, he realized there were never any concrete details to pin down. Names, places, dates. He didn’t even know what town she’d moved to the Cape from, but now, it felt like overstepping to ask.
She was still a mystery, even though he felt like he knew her better than ever.
Natalie looked out the van window at the traffic, wincing at the standstill. “Do you think we’ll make it in time?”
“It’s not far now,” Luke reassured her. He followed her directions through the city until they finally reached a posh-looking neighborhood with moments to spare. He whistled, looking around at the ivy-covered mansions. “Swanky.”
“OK, maybe I don’t feel so bad about charging my regular fees now,” Natalie agreed as they pulled up outside the biggest, most impressive house on the block.
Sleek chauffeured cars were dropping off their black-tie guests out front, but one of the valets waved them around through a set of gates to the back entrance. Luke parked and was helping Natalie unload the ice-boxes full of treats when Eliza appeared, wearing a long black gown and a harried expression.
“You made it!” she exclaimed, greeting Natalie with a hug.
“I’m so sorry we’re late!”
“You’re fine,” Eliza reassured her. “The guests are only just starting to arrive, which means I have to go entertain them. Hot tip, don’t date a guy with his own charitable foundation,” she added, clutching her clipboard like a life raft. “Because somehow you’ll wind up planning massive events with zero experience!”
“I’m sure Cal makes up for it,” Natalie said with a smirk.
Eliza grinned back. “OK, maybe he does. The poor guy has been stuck hosting twenty of the snootiest people in Boston for pre-gala cocktails. I’d happily hoist a dozen ice sculptures to stay out of that room!”
“No hoisting necessary,” Luke told her. “I’ve got everything right here.”
“Then follow me!”
Eliza led them in through a warren of service corridors to where dozens of black-clad staff were already greeting guests and circulating with trays of champagne. “I put you here, in the lobby, so people can grab the goodie bags on their way out. After they’ve written a truly impressive check,” Eliza said with a smile. Right away, two servers leapt to take the first box from Luke.
“Is there anything else you need?” Natalie asked, looking around.
“Just some business cards, for when people ask who made these delicious treats.” Eliza peeked into one of the bags. “I’m just going to take this one . . . for quality control,” she said with a wink.
Natalie smiled. “Don’t worry, I packed a few extra, just in case.”
“Perfect!” Eliza said, then spotted somebody waving desperately at her. “Oops, got to go. But please, stay for the party. There’ll be dinner and entertainment. I already put you both on the list. It’s the least I can do to thank you!” She hurried away towards a snooty-looking blonde who was holding up a butter knife with dismay on her face.
“She must really love Cal,” Natalie cracked, watching Eliza tend to the latest black-tie disaster.
Luke smiled. “What do you think?
Want to stick around?” he asked. Fancy galas weren’t exactly his scene, but he wasn’t about to look a gift hors d’oeuvre in the mouth—especially if it meant prolonging his evening with Natalie.
“But what about your client meeting?” she asked.
Right. That.
“Actually, the timing didn’t work out,” Luke covered. “So I’m all yours. For the evening, I mean,” he added quickly.
“Oh.” Natalie looked around. “I don’t want to be rude to Eliza, but . . . these parties aren’t really my thing,” she confided, lowering her voice. “I always feel like the hired help. Do you think she’ll mind if we don’t stay?”
“I think she’d tell us to run for the hills. Or the nearest dive bar,” Luke replied, relieved. “How about we get set up here, then grab a bite somewhere before we drive back? I know a great place for a burger. No tuxedo required.”
Natalie relaxed into a smile. “That sounds perfect,” she said.
“I’ll go grab the rest of the boxes.”
Luke left her arranging gift bags and headed back out to the van, relieved. A quick stop for junk food at a busy fast food place was way less romantic than a fancy gala: no candlelight, no champagne, and definitely no dancing. He’d learned his lesson there, that was for sure.
See? He could do this. Just a simple road trip, no sexual tension allowed.
Luke grabbed the last boxes of candy from the back of the van and headed back inside, determined to deliver Natalie back to Sweetbriar Cove without any more awkward moments. He couldn’t stand the guys who pretended to be friends with women, just waiting around in hopes that one day, she’d decide to date them. He liked hanging out with Natalie. He genuinely wanted to be friends with her.
He just had to shake the inconvenient desire to kiss her senseless every hour of the day.
