One Hundred Glances (An Aspen Cove Small Town Romance Book 14)

by Kelly Collins

  “Riley, we’re hungry.”

  Suddenly, the heat from a thousand suns warmed her. “Riley.” If anyone knew how devastating her loss was, it would be a fellow artist. “It’s so good to see you.” She always thought that sounded weird because she saw nothing. “Well, not see you, but you know what I mean.”

  “I do.” She gave her another squeeze and lifted from the booth. “I’ve got a meatloaf blue-plate special and a fresh cherry pie.”

  “I’m in,” said Baxter. “What about you, Sosie? You want to live on the edge with me?”

  Bubbles of laughter rose and tickled her throat. “Meatloaf is living on the edge? Geez, you need a more exciting life.”

  “He’s a regular choir boy. You could do better,” Riley said.

  By the way the callouses brushed across her hand, she knew it was his that covered hers. “She could do better, but she’s slumming this week.”

  Several thoughts crossed her mind. He’d touched her possessively in front of his sister and implied that she’d be here for the week.

  She turned her head to where she thought Riley stood. “If I’m staying the week, I’ll need sustenance. Make that two blue-plate specials.”

  He squeezed her hand. “That’s my girl.”

  “Coming right up.”

  “Bring two sodas as well,” Baxter called after his sister. “Is soda okay with you?”

  She smiled, “You’re not really an asshole.”

  “Glad you think so.”

  Riley swept by and put two sodas on the table.

  “Why did you tell her I’d be staying the week?”

  She could hear him unwrap a straw. He pressed it into her hand. “Doc said something last night. He reminded me that in Aspen Cove, we take care of our own and you're ours Sosie. I got a look at that studio, and frankly, we’ll be lucky to pack it up in a week.”

  The heavy weight of the task at hand pressed on her. “It doesn’t really matter anymore. How Theresa thinks I will produce ten canvases for a show is beyond me.” She put her straw in the drink and took a long draw. “Is there anything finished there? I really can’t remember?”

  “I don’t think so. I’m not exactly familiar with your work, but most of them have blank sections on the canvas.”

  She left out a breath. “I’ll get sued.”

  Riley dropped off their meals.

  “Meatloaf at twelve, mashed potatoes at four, and green beans at six,” Baxter said.

  “Thank you. You’re very good at this. No one’s ever really clocked my food, but it’s helpful.”

  “Looks like we’re both learning. I’m really the shits at taking care of people, which was why I was reluctant to have you as a guest, but you’re resilient.”

  She swallowed a bite of potatoes and gravy. “Hardier than a carnival goldfish?”

  “I’m sorry about that, but I have a bad track record.”

  She smiled. “Well, you’re doing okay with me. Thankfully, I don’t need a babysitter.” She thought about that. “Except for today. I needed everything, including a seeing-eye human, for you to bring me to lunch, and clean underwear.”

  “I can help with the first two, and you’re welcome to borrow my boxers to solve the third.”

  “I can wrap your boxers around me twice.”

  “You’re wearing his boxers?” Riley asked.

  The heat of a blush rose to Sosie’s cheeks. “It’s not what you think. I wasn’t expecting to be stranded in Aspen Cove, and your brother was kind enough to lend me something to sleep in. Now that I’m here for a bit, I need to figure out my clothing situation.” She skimmed her hands down her shirt to her jeans. “This is all I’ve got.”

  “I’m on it. If there’s one thing about this town, it’s that they take care of their own.”

  “So, I’ve heard.”

  “You look like a six. Am I close?”

  “Spot on. Once I get my phone back—”she made a face at Baxter, or at least she thought she made it at Baxter, but it could have been seen by everyone,—”I’ll order some things from Amazon.”

  “Women.” Baxter shook his head. “Even the lack of sight doesn’t stop you from shopping.”

  “No, only lack of money stops me from shopping, but good credit helps.” Lord knew she had no money. All she could count on was the eight hundred dollars and change the state gave her for her disability payment each month. Really, how was a person supposed to live on less than a thousand dollars a month?

  “I bet you I can have a change of clothes or two here by the time you finish your pie.”

  “It’s okay,” Sosie said. “If wearing the same clothes is the worst thing that happens to me today, then I’m doing good.” Perspective. It’s all about perspective. She would be smart to remember that.

  Alone again, she asked, “Tell me, Baxter, what exactly do you do?”

  “I’m in construction. I do lots of things, but mostly I’m known for my finish work.”

  She giggled. “Now, you’re bragging. Leave it to a man to boast about his ability to finish.”

  “What? No, I meant...”

  She knew exactly when he figured out she was teasing because he moved to her side of the booth and leaned close to her ear. “You will be trouble for me, Sosie. You’re the perfect mix of sassy, sweet, and sexy for my palette.”

  “Me? Trouble? You bet your ass.” She stabbed a bite of meatloaf.

  The sound of his plate sliding across the table made her smile. She scooted over to give him more room.

  “What’s on the agenda after lunch?” she asked, expecting him to say he was taking her back to the studio.

  “We have to visit some homes. You can be my assistant.” He gently shoulder checked her. “It’s the least you can do since I’m buying you lunch.”

  “Your assistant? Doing what?”

  “You’re great with color. I think you can help me with the finish work.”

  “You’re nuts.”

  “Maybe, but this will be fun.”

  “Will the client be there?”

  “Owen Cooper will be.”

  She didn’t know who that was. “Imagine how pleased he’ll be when he sees you’ve brought a blind woman to help design his house.”

  Baxter clapped his hands. “I can’t wait.”

  A few minutes later, Riley was back with pie and a bag of clothes. “Told you I could get it done. There are a few pairs of jeans, a T-shirt, and a sundress. I failed on the underwear, so you might have to go without.”

  Baxter groaned. “I didn’t have to know that.”

  His sister laughed. “Something tells me you won’t mind having that vision in your head.”

  Sosie laughed. “I miss my brother.”

  “Where is he?”

  She was tired of covering up for him. “Rehab. He’s part of the reason I’m in such a jam.”

  “A pickle,” Baxter added.

  “I’m thinking I might like pickles if they include people like you,” Sosie said.

  “Cute,” Riley said. “You two are cute together. Who would have thought?”

  “What?” They both said together. “No.”

  Chapter Eight

  “You want to help me play a joke on a friend?” He drove down Main Street and made a right on Lily Lane.

  “Depends. Do I have to get naked and dance on a table?”

  His foot hit the brake, and he came to a full stop in the middle of the street. “What? Is that a thing?”

  “Could be.” She giggled. “It hasn’t been for me, but who knows, I’m just defining the rules before I get in too deep.”

  He considered her statement of getting in too deep and wondered if he’d crossed the line earlier.

  “Speaking of too deep.” He cleared his throat. “I may owe you an apology for earlier when I held you.”

  She turned to him with those big eyes. “You’re apologizing for offering me comfort?”

  He shook his head and then remembered that she wouldn’t see his g
esture. “No, I’m apologizing for not asking you if you wanted to be comforted.”

  She reached her hand out until she found him. Her fingers gripped his arm. “I’m grateful you saw I needed something. I wasn’t sure what I needed, but you intuitively knew I needed to be held.”

  He let out a sigh. “I just don’t want to overstep, or put you in an uncomfortable position, or make you think I’m taking advantage of your, I mean, you.” He would say disability, but that sounded so harsh. Sure, she had some issues, but when he looked at Sosie, all he saw was an amazing woman.

  That scared the hell out of him because he felt things for her that he had no right to feel. She was a woman who would always need extra, whether it was help, or encouragement, or possibly love. How did a person lose something as important as her sight and not need more? He wasn’t the man to give that to her.

  “You’re safe. Besides, I enjoyed being in your arms. For the first time in a long time, I felt safe.”

  “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I’d do the same for my sister.”

  She let her hand slip from his arm. “That makes you a good brother.”

  Or an asshole. He eased the truck forward and came to a stop in front of the new build. He had to give the Cooper Brothers credit; they could put up a house quickly.

  “Are we here?”

  “Yes.” He killed the engine and sat staring straight ahead. “Look, Sosie. I like you, and I didn’t mean that I thought of you as my sister. When I look at you, I don’t see my sister.”

  When he looked at her, he saw beauty and intelligence and strength. And yes, his sister was all those things, but she never made him feel all warm inside. Thank goodness because that would be wrong.

  She smiled. “When I look at you, I see nothing.”

  Could a heart crack? He hated that she couldn’t see him. There were so many silent messages exchanged with a look.

  “I’m not much to look at.”

  “Do you look like Riley? I mean ... she’s an attractive woman.”

  “We’re twins.”

  “Literally?”

  “Yep, but I don’t look like her. I favor our father, who has darker hair and a stockier build.”

  “And your eyes? What color are they?”

  “Brown.”

  “No eyes are simply brown. Give me more detail.”

  He pulled down the visor and looked in the mirror. “They’re brown.”

  “Not true. What kind of brown?”

  He never considered that his eyes could be considered anything else. He had to look at them through her eyes—an artist’s eye.

  As he took in the depths of his irises, he saw flecks of gold and onyx. The canvas of his eyes was indeed brown, but more of a reddish-brown.

  “They’re nutmeg with flecks of amber.”

  She closed her eyes as if she could see them in her mind. “Beautiful. And your hair?”

  “A rich brown like dark chocolate.”

  “Thank you for that.” She brushed her hands through her hair. “So, what’s this joke we’re playing?”

  Now that he thought about it, it seemed ridiculous and insensitive. “Oh, nothing.”

  “There was something. Tell me. I have a great sense of humor, and I’d love to be in on it.”

  “I was going to give you a clipboard and tell him you were the designer, but in hindsight, I can see that was inconsiderate of me to use your loss as a joke.”

  Her lips lifted into a devilish smile. “I’m totally in. I’ll need something to write on.”

  He reached into the back seat, where the torn painting sat, and picked up a clipboard from the floor.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Totally. It might be nice to find some humor in my situation. Let’s take it over the top. Who is the client?”

  “The builders are the Cooper brothers, but it’s Owen we are meeting along with the lead guitarist from Samantha’s band. His name is Gary, but he goes by Gray because Gary is far too common a name for a musician.” He handed her the clipboard and a pen.

  “Oh, brother.”

  “Are you ready?”

  Her eyes sparkled. “I am. Let’s hit it.” She opened the door. “I’ll still need your help to get inside. I’ll pretend to look normal until you ask me a question, and then I’ll put on the show.”

  He leaned over and touched her arm. “You are normal, Sosie. Never let your lack of sight, or anything else, make you feel you’re not.”

  “I like you, Baxter, with the nutmeg eyes and dark chocolate hair.” She slid out of the truck and waited for him.

  I like you too, Sosie. More than I should.

  He walked to her side and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. “Let’s do this.”

  “Is it a single story?”

  “Yes, it’s a rancher with an open floor concept. We’ll walk into the great room, and straight ahead will be the kitchen. There’s no tile or paint or trim or flooring. That’s what we’re here for.”

  “Got it.”

  He walked her forward and knocked on the door.

  Owen opened it. “Baxter, come on in.” He called over his shoulder. “Gray, Baxter is here.” The thunk of shoes against the subfloor got louder as the man got closer.

  “Hey man, good to see you.”

  Sosie smiled and held out her hand. “I’m Sosie, your interior designer.”

  Owen’s eyes opened wide. “Wes hired an interior designer?”

  “Only the best for you guys,” Baxter said. “She’s great with color.”

  “What were you thinking?” She asked.

  He didn’t know how she did it, but she stared straight at Gray.

  “I wasn’t thinking anything, so it’s great to have a professional around. Let’s get started.”

  “Do you mind if I do my thing? I’m more of an intuitive designer.”

  “Have at it.”

  She pushed the clipboard into Baxter’s hands and said, “Follow me and take notes.” Her hands reached out in front of her as if she was grasping for something in the dark. And, of course, she was. She touched the wall and laid her hands flat on the surface. “Feels white. Boring. How about a soft beige?”

  “Beige is better than white?” Gray asked.

  “Infinitely. Or we can pick a gray to go with your name. Something like a dove gray, which has a hint of blue to it. It’s not enough to think it’s blue, which is why it’s called a gray.”

  “I like it.”

  She turned to look at Baxter but missed her mark and stared off in a different direction. “Write that down.” She dropped to her knees and touched the floor.

  “Tile, wood, or carpet?” She crawled across the floor on all fours until she head-butted Owen’s shin. “Oops, sorry. It’s a bitch to be blind.”

  “What the hell?” Gray said.

  Baxter rushed to her side. “She’s blind.”

  “And she’s picking out the colors for my house?”

  “Yes, because to tell the truth,” he pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arm over her shoulder, “she is incredible with color.”

  “You’re screwing with us, right?” Owen moved his hand in front of Sosie’s face, but she didn’t flinch.

  “Yes, and no, she’s not really the interior designer; she’s a friend, and we thought we’d mess with you.”

  Sosie laughed. “It was his idea, but I was game.” She leaned into Baxter. “In all seriousness, I think the color scheme is still good.” She reached for the clipboard and pulled the pen loose. In front of them, she drew a 3D rendering of a room. Her fingers moved over the pencil lines. “The walls would look amazing in dove gray. I’d either go with a weathered wood floor in a darker gray range or tile that looks like wood. It’s durable and easy to clean.”

  Both men looked at Baxter with wide-opened eyes, but it was Gray who spoke up. “I like it. What about the kitchen, Sosie?” He rested his hand at the small of her back and guided her forward.

  Gray’s hand on h
er filled Baxter with raging heat; he didn’t like another man touching her. Even though he knew the emotion was ridiculous, it was still there.

  He followed them into the kitchen, where she leaned against the cabinet.

  “What would you do in here?” Owen asked, obviously intrigued by the woman in front of him. Baxter didn’t worry about him, though because rumor had it, he was sweet on some lumber mill owner named Carla. Owen’s interest was purely professional.

  “What color are the cabinets?”

  “They’re a true white with cool undertones,” Baxter gave Gray a smug smile. “She likes details.”

  It fascinated him to watch her move her fingertips over the paper and jot down notes and drawings. Her scale was nearly perfect.

  “With everything monochromatic, you can do something bold in here with the countertops. Solid surface would be my choice. It’s prettier, and there are no grout lines.” She giggled. “I’d never be able to see them close enough to keep them clean.”

  “What about granite,” Owen offered.

  “That works, but I’d go with something that had a lot of movement to it. Pull out the grays and whites with maybe a splash of black veining.”

  “She’s good. Tell me, Sosie, were you always blind?”

  She smiled. “We are all blind to some things, but I lost my sight just six months ago.” She turned toward the window and rubbed her eyes. “Your yard is beautiful. Love that big tree.” She shook her head and rubbed at her eyes again.

  Her comment didn’t faze anyone but Baxter. He moved behind her and looked at what was out back, and to his surprise, there was an enormous oak tree.

  Sosie massaged her temples and winced.

  “Are you okay?” Baxter asked.

  She nodded, “Just a headache. Do you mind if I sit the rest out in the truck?”

  He put the clipboard on the cabinet and walked her outside. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yes, I’m sure. I’m probably dehydrated.”

  He helped her inside the cab and pulled a bottle of water from the back seat. “Did you see that big oak tree in the backyard?”

  Her eyes opened wide. “No, I just assumed there would be one.”