“Looks like it.” I climbed back out, watching her pull away, and was smiling up at the sun when my phone dinged.
My grin only grew when I saw his name. I’d saved his number immediately after our conversation the previous night, hoping to hear from him again.
Caleb, 12:15 p.m.: You gonna just stand there or come say hi?
My head jerked up toward Haven. There he was, outside again, watching me. I bit my bottom lip, containing my grin. I offered an awkward wave that was returned with a head dip, sending a flurry of butterflies through my stomach.
Me, 12:16 p.m.: I’ll be there in 20.
And I would, but not before checking up on someone more important first. With one last smile and wave, I jogged across the street to Bell’s Market.
Chapter Seven
“Hey, I tried calling you about twenty times this morning.”
I surprised Cassandra, stepping beside her as she tossed a bunch of Kleenex boxes into her already-full shopping cart. “Are you all right?”
She turned and smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yeah, sorry. I turned my phone off. Just needed a day to myself, but I’m good—promise.”
I didn’t buy it, but I also knew she was stuck in her head way too much lately, so coming at her straight wasn’t going to work. I stared, hoping to wear her down, and was debating a play when she cocked a brow and made a goofy face. She knew me too well. With a tiny laugh, she began pushing the cart forward.
“Got enough tissues?” I chuckled, browsing through the cart.
She smiled to herself, this time genuinely, scanning the aisle for God knew what. We’d already stocked up on every school supply a teacher could use a few weeks after we’d accepted the positions, so her buying more meant only one thing: She was stressing.
It had to be one of two issues: a classroom full of pint-sized kids depending on her to help them learn all too soon, or a certain smoldering guy next door. And since I knew she’d never bring him up herself, I proceeded with plan B.
“So Caleb called me last night,” I confessed, way more calmly than I was feeling. The fact that he was outside a few minutes ago meant every eager sensation he triggered was still rumbling around in my head.
“I didn’t know you gave him your number,” she said.
“I didn’t.” I couldn’t contain my lip muscles that were working against my control, fighting to curl up into a stupid grin. “He said he has ways to find out things worth knowing.”
“How cocky of him.” She laughed, heading to the registers. “So what did he want—to prove his stealthy abilities at getting a phone number in a town of less than a thousand people?”
I rolled my eyes but caught her playful grin thrown my way. “He’s having a thing at Haven this Saturday and wants me to come and bring you along.”
At least, I assumed he would. She was always friendly with him growing up and he looked genuinely pleased to see her the previous night, so I knew he’d want her invited. But how the hell could I persuade her?
“What kind of thing?” Standing in line, she gave me an inquiring look. “He just had his opening. I didn’t realize Caleb was going to be livening up the town with parties every weekend.”
Here goes nothing. “It’s not a party, it’s an…event.” Only Caleb could have me selling this so-called “event” to my best friend. Not our typical weekend plans.
I now had her full attention. “What kind of event, Hilary?”
I chewed my nail, staring aimlessly at the magazine rack, preparing for her reaction. “Will you promise to come with me?”
“Not until you tell me what it is.”
No way could I give out the details before she committed. I was well aware I’d owe her one, but prepared to pay up when the time came.
I looked her square in the face and did my best to flat-out beg her. “Please? Caleb wants me to help out, and inviting all my single friends will really help him.”
She frowned. “Hilary—”
“Promise you’ll come with me and I’ll owe you one. Please?” I pursed my features tightly, giving her my best sappy face.
Her shoulders fell. “Ugh. Fine, I’ll go,” she grated. “But I’ll collect this debt when you least expect it.”
I nodded, my smile widening into a full grin as Cassandra began unloading her cart on the register’s conveyor belt.
“Don’t freak out…” I began slowly, “…it’s speed dating.”
“What!?” she yelped, whirling around and almost smacking me with a box of markers. “Speed dating!? No, not happening.”
“Come on, you can’t back out now! You promised.”
That was all I had to say, wanting to leave quickly on that note. I blew her a kiss, making a hasty retreat toward the front doors.
“I’ll see you Saturday at eight,” I called back. “I’ll meet you there. And wear a dress!”
Mission one complete!
Haven looked entirely different during the day. It was brighter and more casual, but still just as cool and almost sexy. It wasn’t just a bar, but a grill as well—a classy Applebee’s, on a smaller scale. The tables were all dark mahogany with matching chairs and bright white linens. The walls were a textured grey with bronze sconces and old jazz posters precisely placed to not feel tacky or crowded, but as though they were custom designed.
With a skip in my step and a giddiness bustling through my entire body, I made my way to the bar, giving the curls in my hair a little extra tousle along the way. Subtly, I tugged at the frayed edges of my jean shorts to ensure full coverage. I wasn’t rail-thin, so I had an ass that sometimes liked to play peak-a-boo in those shorts. I wouldn’t be one of the girls in town showing off their assets to gain Caleb’s attention or affection. I wanted more than a one-night stand; my stomach somersaulted at the thought of him lumping me into that category.
If he only knew the fantasies I had about him were more than sexual. Hell, what was I thinking? He’d file for a restraining order if he knew half of them. I barely even knew the guy, yet I’d planned our entire wedding and named our children by the time I was fifteen. Whatever happened, I was open to it, but above all the lust and intrigue, I just wanted to see what he was really like. And the best way to do that was to be myself.
“Hey there, Honey Pie.”
Caleb appeared from the back just as I reached the long, meticulously carved bar. It was made of the same dark wood as the rest of the furnishings, but the craftsmanship was stunning, as were the bronze barstools with black leather tops. I hadn’t noticed anything other than him during the opening, so taking it all in now left me even more impressed.
“Hey,” I mustered, staring way too hard as he approached. His hair held a just-washed sheen yet it was still completely unruly, as though someone’s hands had spent the night tugging through it…the way I hoped to one day.
I gulped, unable to look away, allowing my eyes time to roam down his fitted black tee, snug just enough to display his toned, tight abs. Caleb wasn’t the beefy type like the football players I’d fooled around with in high school. He was lean and strong, in an even more intimidating way.
It was his confidence—the cool, unaffected expression he never dropped—that made my thighs tighten in a failing attempt to squash the desperate, tingling sensation building between them.
“You might need a drink to cool you off.”
My head jerked up, wide eyes meeting his glistening green stare. “Huh?”
He stepped behind the bar. “Close to a hundred degrees out there. You look hot.”
I felt my cheeks go aflame. “Um, sure, yeah. Water, please.”
With a knowing smirk, he walked halfway down to the center of the bar and grabbed a bottle from the long cooler.
“Thanks,” I said, watching him open the lid before handing it to me. I took a small sip and slid down onto a stool.
“The place is pretty busy today,” I noted, gazing around at the patches of families laughing with their kids, enjoying lunch. It w
as the very essence of a bar and grill. Caleb would do well if the food was any good. The place was perfect for families and fun for adults—what more could Harmony want?
“I can’t complain,” he said, walking around the bar and pulling out the stool beside me to sit, his focus entirely on me.
My smile was embarrassingly wide, cheeks warm and stinging. I bit my lip in a hopefully successful attempt to reel it in.
The attraction was undeniable on my part, and I was pretty sure he knew it. But the way he stared at me, with the open expression on his handsome face, made me hopeful it wasn’t one-sided.
A waitress appeared from the back, holding a tray of food, yet his attention never wavered. Mine, on the other hand, moved swiftly from her perky chest sporting a “Jill” nametag to her pretty face as she approached us.
“There’s some big guy in the back that needs you,” she told Caleb with an almost-scathing glance my way. Not so pretty anymore.
Caleb swiveled his stool slowly in her direction.
“He’s at the back door. Said it’s urgent.”
He stood, responding with a simple dip of his head. I’d already begun to feel the sting of his approaching absence when he reached for my hand. My mouth fell open, stomach knotting as he peered down at me.
“How about a quick tour?”
“Um…” Somehow, I pulled my bulging eyes away from our connected hands and gave a wobbly smile. “Sounds great.”
The waitress didn’t look as impressed, rolling her eyes once she’d passed Caleb.
My heart pounded, echoing in my ears harder and more loudly than I knew was possible. It was all I could hear while every single nerve ending intensified and focused solely on the acute awareness of his hand clasped around mine. His grip was warm and firm, and something I never wanted release from.
I followed blindly as he led me through the swinging door into the back, spotting two cooks at the sparkling-new industrial stoves. A few waitresses buzzed around as we walked through to a large door propped open with a bucket, leading to the gravel alley behind the building. I only saw the back of a man, his shoulders wide and frame mammoth, wearing a fitted black suit. His phone was to his ear, and he was leaning against a slick black sports car—one I’d never seen outside of the movies.
“Hilary?” Caleb was facing me, his expression perplexed.
“Hmmm?” I asked, dazed.
The corner of his lips curved up the slightest bit, his eyes bright. “I asked if you’d mind waiting in my office a moment.” He nudged his head to the right and I noticed a small room with a large black leather office chair in front of a long desk.
Nodding dumbly, I smiled. “Of course.”
Caleb turned around a second later, releasing my hand in the process. “Just give me five,” he told me.
The man outside twisted toward us, his severe face shielded behind classic black Ray-Bans and the bright sun. “About fuckin’ time,” was all I heard before Caleb kicked the bucket smoothly to the side, allowing the door to shut between us.
I glanced into his office, curious to snoop but more so about the man out back. He wasn’t a local and judging by his ride, I’d say not a Haven employee either. Maybe a business partner, I figured, focusing back on the office.
The moment I stepped inside, I was swathed in Caleb’s heady scent: a clean, crisp, almost aquatic blend with a hint of citrus. My nostrils flared, and I inhaled deeply. His desk fit the space well, with a filing cabinet and bookshelf on the sidewall. I sat slowly, the supple leather a warm welcome. The desk was neat and organized with two stacks of papers, purchase orders, and receipts, with a closed laptop in the middle.
There were no photos or personal touches other than two pieces of art with a familiar name etched in the bottom corner. The signature was undeniably Logan West’s. Cassandra’s neighbor was an artist?
I stood, taking in the images: one of the diner prior to renovation and the other of Haven as it stood today.
“So, you ate here a lot?”
I jolted at his voice. “You scared me!” I exhaled a shaky laugh. “How long you been standing there?”
“Not long enough.”
My cheeks blazed, as they did all too often around him. “Did Cassandra’s neighbor do these? That Logan?”
“He did,” Caleb said, stepping inside the room and adjusting his chair to face me in the tight space before sitting.
“They’re amazing.” I attempted to focus on the paintings and not on the fact that if I moved two steps backward I could practically fall into his lap.
I glanced his way. “So you guys are…friends?”
“Most of the time,” he said with a chuckle as his head tilted to the side, eyes on me.
I’d never been shy around guys—the opposite, most of the time—but under his inquisitive gaze, I felt thirteen again.
“Would you say he’s a good guy then?” I asked, hoping my instincts were right about him.
“I wouldn’t say he’s a bad guy.” Caleb’s lips twitched, causing my insides to squeeze and heart to accelerate. “Good to see you and Cassandra are still friendly.”
I swallowed, surprised he really had paid attention to us back then. “She’s like a sister to me.”
His mouth curved with tenderness, fingers caressing his scruffy chin in thought. “Seems to be. Always was a sweet kid. Think Luke had a lil’ crush on her.”
I turned, leaning against the wall. “What’s Luke been up to, anyway? I used to see him every now and then, but not much the last year.”
“He got his bachelor’s last year.” He smiled, with something teasing behind it. “Pretty sure he’s gonna work with my father as he finishes law school. One of us has to take over the firm when he kicks it, right?”
I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.”
“My father does little guessing. All about the definite with him.” Caleb looked away, opening his laptop. “Luke signed a lease for one of the apartments over on Jefferson Street. Should be moving in any day.”
“Heard those are really nice apartments,” I said, wondering how much rent was. I’d forgotten they’d built them a few years ago. They’d be perfect for my new place, if affordable.
“A bit crowded for me, but nice enough.”
“Where are you staying?” I asked without thinking. “I mean, I assume you didn’t move back in with your dad.”
An impish grin sharpened his features. “No, definitely not. Got a place here.” He glanced up at the ceiling, and my confused gaze followed. “There used to be four apartments up there. Now it’s just a few rooms and my place.”
How had I forgotten about them? Most of the buildings on the main strip had old apartments on top, which was another option I’d be looking into. But the ones above Haven were even more rundown than the old diner below them, from what I remembered. I had only gone up there once and didn’t stay long. It was a party I wasn’t interested in attending, since there were more drugs on the coffee table then booze.
“So you own the entire building?” That shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did. I crossed my legs at the ankles, attempting to look casual and not at all apprehensive.
His eyes brightened. “Yeah.”
“What happened to the guys living up there?” Probably in jail.
“Does it matter?” He cocked a wicked brow. “They’re gone now.”
My insides tightened at his stern tone, doing less to intimidate me and more for my building arousal. “Right.”
“Excuse me, Caleb?” Jill the waitress appeared in the office doorway. “The drunk from the other night just walked in.”
My blood ran cold. Shit, is she talking about my dad?
I pushed away from the wall so quickly that my legs bumped into Caleb’s.
“And what exactly is he doing?” Caleb asked, peering at me from out of the corner of his eye, then back at her.
“He’s, uh, at a table. Just ordered a water,” she said, looking puzzled. “Should I give him a menu? Or—”
“Um, well, I just thought that maybe…maybe you wouldn’t want him back.”
The longer I stood, the faster my anxiety spiked. I needed to see my dad, if it was him, and take him home—and also begin the plans to kick the ass of this girl and anyone else who even considered throwing him out.
“Uh, sorry. I’ll let you two talk. I need to use the restroom anyway.”
Caleb’s arm shot out, blocking my escape, yet keeping his attention on the waitress. “As long as he’s not hassling anyone, he’s more than welcome here,” Caleb told her. “Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” she said quickly before scurrying away.
Caleb stood to face me, standing so close his warm, minty breath brushed across my cheek. “I’ll have a table prepared for us to discuss speed dating. You a salad type of girl or a burger type?”
Restless, I answered quickly but honestly. “I’m the BLT type.”
His lips curled up, arm lowering to let me pass. “You got it.”
My legs raced faster than my feet could keep up, pummeling through the crowded kitchen out from behind the bar and scanning the room full of diners. Only two tables were occupied with a group of men. The rest were packed with women or families. My dad was nowhere to be seen, yet I felt no relief. Did someone tell him to leave?
My concern merged with anger, despite realizing how absurd it would be for him to come back after our argument this morning. Still, how many so-called town drunks did Harmony have?
Jill passed me to head into the back, and I snagged her arm. “Sorry,” I said, playing coy. “The, um…drunk guy from last night—he still here?”
“And you need to know this because…?”
Her catty tone didn’t even faze me. “Because Caleb wanted me to check on him,” I lied all too smoothly.
When she pointed at a table in the corner with three men in their late twenties at the oldest, the sigh of relief I exhaled nearly doubled me over.
“The restroom’s that way,” Caleb said somewhere behind me. I straightened, noticing that Jill was gone. Did he hear me use his name? Shit. I couldn’t catch a break with him.
Inferno (A Harmony Love Story) Page 7
