“It’s too slippery,” Colin said, but I had already taken a step.
The ground seemed to move beneath me as I lost my balance. My arms were moving through the air as I slid forward and crashed into Colin. He caught me around the waist and, for a second, I thought it would be okay but then I realized the force of my fall would cause us both to tumble backward. I closed my eyes and waited for death to come.
When we didn’t fall, I opened my eyes and found that I was still in Colin’s arms. Worry flickered in his expression as he inspected me to confirm I was okay. “That was brave, but not the greatest move.”
“How did we not fall backward? I can’t believe you held me steady.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, to be honest. I just knew I wasn’t going to let you go. God had a hand in it for sure.”
We had our arms around each other, and I felt safe and warm in his embrace. Well, it wasn’t exactly an embrace—he was just holding me still so I wouldn’t fall.
“How much farther do we have to go?” I asked.
“We’re almost there.”
I followed his directions without question this time, and we made it down to the bottom unharmed. When we were no longer on the mountain and had reached the path leading back, I almost kissed the ground in my relief. I had a hand over my chest and I kept saying, “Thank you, Lord. Thank you.”
When I glanced at Colin, he appeared almost pale. He furrowed his brows and pressed his lips into a grim line. His eyes held a hopeless look that made my heart stop.
I placed my hand on his arm. “What’s wrong?”
He shook his head. “I shouldn’t have taken you up that mountain. I’m so sorry, Abby.” He ran his fingers through his hair and blew out a harsh breath. “I’m angry with myself right now.”
“I won’t lie, there was a moment up there when I wanted to smack you for not giving me more of a warning, but now that we’re safe, I’m okay. It’s not your fault. You thought—”
“It is my fault, and I take full responsibility.” He sounded frustrated, angry. “For a while there, it seemed like I was growing, but maybe this is a sign that I’m better off on my own.”
I took one of his hands and tugged on it until he stopped walking. Circling around to face him, I took his other hand as well. “You listen to me Mr. Fitzgerald—Colin. That was crazy up there, but you held yourself together. You knew exactly how to calm me down and that takes skill. I know for a fact that others wouldn’t have handled me so well.” I was actually thinking of Nick but didn’t want to bring him up. “You were brave and strong and you kept your cool—”
He wouldn’t look at me. “I’ve done this hike many times. It didn’t take courage or any kind of bravery. What I needed most was discretion, and I didn’t use it.”
“Colin, you’re not listening to me. I’m trying to tell you something.”
He finally met my gaze, his jaw tight, his brown eyes swallowing me up.
“I know you didn’t intentionally try to upset me. When you saw I was freaking out, you took care of me. No one has ever made me feel protected like that before.” Surprise filled me as the words came out of my mouth. It was true. The trek down the mountain was terrifying, but he’d kept me safe…made me feel safe.
He didn’t say a word but continued to watch me intently, his gaze fixed on my face for several long moments. There was a connection between us, a spark—I definitely felt it—but then he closed his eyes as if coming to terms with something and he started walking again. “Let’s just put it behind us.”
For some reason, I didn’t want to put it behind me. I wanted to remember the way he’d held me, his arms strong and secure. My stomach twisted from the memory and a warm sensation washed over me.
We came to a fork and were able to take a different path back that didn’t involve crossing the stream. When we finally made it to his car, I felt like something had changed between us, or at least changed for me. I didn’t see him the same way anymore. He wasn’t stiff, and he wasn’t boring.
No, he definitely wasn’t either of those. He was downright amazing.
Chapter 12
Colin
Since fifty percent of my job was strictly research, a good portion of my time centered on analyzing experiment results and using the information to compose papers for scientific journals. It was a fascinating business, one I enjoyed very much, but my mind was divided today.
Abby kept sneaking into my thoughts, and I had to keep pushing those thoughts aside because I had too much work to do. I refused to dwell on why I was spending time with her when she didn’t return my interest—chalk that up to my own stupidity and propensity towards trouble. Still, I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I had one more session with her and then I might never see her again. Sure, she’d probably be amicable to remaining friends, but I didn’t know if I could handle that. My feelings for her grew each time I saw her, and that left me in a vulnerable position, one I couldn’t tolerate—or shouldn’t at the very least. Not if I wanted some semblance of control over my life.
Normally, I didn’t have a moment to spare, but after memories of Abby’s quick smile and easy manner threw off my focus yet again, I left my office and headed to the lab to check on Wilhelmina. It was time for a distraction.
When I walked in, she was deep in concentration at the lab table. We studied all kinds of fungi, not just mushrooms. I watched her as she took a soil sample, added water, and then arranged it on a petri dish. She was growing more samples in incubators that looked similar to refrigerators though we’d set the temperature for a comfortable eighty degrees. There was a lot of work that went into research. A lot.
Wilhelmina’s head shot up. “Colin, I didn’t realize you were standing there.”
“Just needed a break. I have a lot on my mind today.”
“I bet.” She gave me an impish grin and returned to her task.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Abby told me about your hike the other day.”
“Oh, that.”
“Yes, that.”
“What did she say?”
She handled a few tasks without even looking up, and after a couple of minutes of being ignored, I cleared my throat. “What did Abby say?”
Grinning, she put her hands in the pockets of her white lab coat. “You want to know this time?”
“Yes.”
“Just yes?” she asked, tilting her head to the side. “That’s all you have to say on the matter?”
“Why do you have to make this a thing? I asked a simple question—that’s it.”
Her grin widened. “Oh, but I love to play with you, Colin. I want to see how much you need the information I hold in my grubby little hands.”
“I don’t see anything in your hands at the moment.”
She walked to the other side of the room and turned on the radio. “That was just a figure of speech.”
I sighed. “Obviously. Now, what did she say about the hike?”
“Oh, so you do care.”
“We both know I do.”
She met my gaze, and her eyes glittered. “She said there were a few bumps, but overall, she immensely enjoyed it.”
“She actually said that? Or are you embellishing?”
She considered for a moment. “I believe those were her exact words.”
I didn’t want to push my luck, but I had to know. “She, not you, used the word immensely?”
Her head dropped, and she chuckled. “Yes, it was her word.”
A feeling of satisfaction swept over me, unlike anything I had felt in a long time. Maybe that hike hadn’t been all that bad. For the past couple of days, I had worried that Abby might completely write me off, especially after the mountain incident. I shouldn’t have taken her on that part of the hike. It was just another example of how inept I was at reading people. The terror in her eyes as we went back down the mountain would remain with me for quite some time.
“You’re not saying anythin
g,” Wilhelmina prodded.
“I’m glad she enjoyed it.”
“By the way.” Wilhelmina cleared her throat and glanced at me uncertainly. “I’d like to invite you to dinner tonight with me and my husband…and Abby.” She mumbled something under her breath, and it sounded like she said, “Sometimes you need someone to help move things along.”
“Abby will be there?” My voice cracked, sounding much too hopeful, and I flushed with embarrassment. Thank goodness it was only Wilhelmina seeing how ridiculous I was.
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re trying to throw us together for a double date, and I don’t want to make Abby uncomfortable.”
“She knows I’m inviting you, and she’s fine with it.”
I nodded slowly, reluctantly. “You sure?”
“It’s not a double date. I’m inviting a friend from church, so there will be an uneven number of people—definitely not a date.”
“In that case, yes, I’ll be there.”
“Good, I’ll see you this evening at six.”
***
Blood throbbed in my veins as I stepped onto Wilhelmina’s porch and knocked on the door. I wanted to see Abby—couldn’t wait to see her actually—but I was trying to hold it together and play it cool so I didn’t come off like someone who’d already lost his heart. Just thinking that made my face go hot, and I had to shake my head to clear it.
The door flew open, and Abby stood before me in a red skirt, black tights, and a black turtleneck. She had a red beret on her head, and her hair fell loosely past her shoulders. Her blue eyes lit up like she was happy to see me, and I really hoped that was the case.
“Colin, you made it.”
I nodded and smiled. “Yes.”
“Come in. Wilhelmina is in the kitchen preparing dinner.”
I walked into the home and took off my long black jacket, hanging it on the hook at the entrance. “Smells good in here.”
“Wilhelmina outdid herself. She’s making roasted duck, Au gratin potatoes, and…” She put a hand on her forehead as if trying to remember.
“Acorn squash with a balsamic glaze,” Wilhelmina yelled from the other room.
“Nice,” I said.
“Have you had acorn squash before?” Abby asked.
“Never.” I was back to one-word responses, but I couldn’t think straight when those lovely eyes of hers watched me so attentively.
“It’s so good. You’ll love it.”
“I’m sure.” The muscles in my shoulders tightened and jerked a little as I slid my hands into my pockets, wanting to shake off my anxiety.
“Man of few words,” Abby said, eyes sparkling.
“Sorry.”
“No apology necessary. I admire…” She didn’t complete her thought but touched my arm gently and then pulled away quickly, almost as if she were nervous. That wasn’t like her.
I studied her with what must have seemed like a confused expression. “I thought you were trying to get me to talk more.”
“Yes, but I don’t want to change who you are. You happen to be a man of few words, and that’s not a bad thing. You make every word count.”
I couldn’t hold back the smile that slid across my face like a baseball player sliding into home plate. “I’m glad you see it that way.”
“Well look at this,” she said, grinning. “With that smile, you’d better be careful or you just might win my heart.” She winked and headed towards the kitchen. She glanced at me over her shoulder. “Have a seat. I’m going to check on Wilhelmina for a second.”
My jaw dropped open, and I continued to stand there even after she’d left. Had she meant that? Or was she playing with me? I couldn’t figure her out sometimes.
Shaking my head, I sat on the couch and crossed a foot over one knee. Best not to read into things too much. Abby was outgoing and friendly, and she had a great sense of humor. She probably said stuff like that to everyone. I got the feeling she enjoyed teasing people—she and Wilhelmina had that in common.
The doorbell rang, and Wilhelmina trotted out of the kitchen to answer. “Danielle, I’m so happy you were free tonight, especially since it was very spur-of-the-moment.”
“Thank you.” A tall blonde walked in, her eyes scanning the room and falling on me. “When you said you were making your famous roast duck, I knew I had to come, and who is this?” She ran it all together in one jumbled sentence.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you? I invited Colin. He’s the professor I work with at UC Redwoods.”
“Professor Colin, what a delight to make your acquaintance.” She stepped into the living room and extended her hand. She stared at me with an I-want-to-eat-you-alive expression that made me a little uncomfortable. In the past, when I’d seen that same look on a few of my grad students’ faces, I’d taken it as my cue to get out of the way.
I rose from the couch and took her hand. “Nice to meet you, Danielle, and you can just call me Colin.”
Abby joined us from the kitchen. “Danielle, good to see you.”
Danielle continued to stare at me and didn’t even bother responding to Abby.
I cleared my throat and glanced away. Well, this was awkward.
“Yoo-hoo,” Wilhelmina said, snapping her fingers. “Danielle, Abby just spoke to you.”
Danielle touched her hair and moved back, flustered. She glanced at Abby and winced for a fraction of a second but then plastered on a fake smile. “Abby, my friend. I didn’t realize you’d be here this evening.”
The two of them chatted for a few minutes like they were old acquaintances.
I glanced at Wilhelmina. “Where’s David?”
“He should be coming home from work anytime now.”
There was a sound of a car pulling into the driveway. “His ears must have been burning. That’s probably him,” she said.
David walked in a minute later, a broad smile on his face as he leaned in to kiss his wife. “Sorry, I’m late. We had a mediation hearing today that took longer than expected.” The two of them had a moment as they embraced.
I looked away, not wanting to intrude. They were very different in many ways, but they made sense together, and I’d always admired the love they had for each other.
After a while, David directed his attention to me. He was a tall, slender man with salt and pepper hair and a confident gait. Every time I saw him, he wore a black suit and carried himself with a professional air as if he were still thinking about work though he always had a friendly smile for me. “Thank you for coming. Glad I’m not the only man at this shindig.”
I nodded. “Me too.”
“All right, everyone,” Wilhelmina said, motioning for us to move to the dining room. “Let’s eat.”
Abby helped Wilhelmina in the kitchen, and together they brought out the food. David sat at the head of the table, and I joined him at his right. Danielle sat next to me, and I was disappointed I wouldn’t get to sit next to Abby, but then I realized I would have the privilege of looking at her across the table.
Danielle put a hand on my wrist, and I shifted away while still trying to remain polite. She was Wilhelmina’s guest, and I didn’t want to come off as rude. She tilted her head to the side, a confident smile gracing her lips. “I’m glad we have the chance to get to know each other.” She made sustained eye contact. “Wilhelmina mentioned you in passing a few times, but I had no idea you were so…” She hesitated.
“Amazing,” Abby filled in. “He’s an amazing man.” She met Danielle’s gaze, and the two of them sized each other up as if seeing one another for the first time.
Amazing? Had Abby just called me amazing? What was that about?
Danielle glanced at me with a smile. “I take it you and Abby already know each other.”
“Yes, we do,” I said.
David started talking about work, and we all turned our attention to him. Danielle asked him a question, and while the two of them conversed, Wilhelmina discretely leaned over to Abby and whispered something.
They looked first at Danielle and then at me. Abby shook her head dismissively, and Wilhelmina lifted her hands in the air as if to say, why not? I frowned. What were those two up to?
The rest of dinner went by faster than I anticipated, and I found the acorn squash to be reasonably good. I generally didn’t like to try new foods, but Wilhelmina did a great job with that one.
“That was delicious,” David said, turning to his wife.
“Thank you,” Wilhelmina said. “Let’s clear these dishes and play a board game.”
Danielle clapped her hands together. “A game. I love games.”
I hated board games. Really, really hated them. The old, classic ones such as Monopoly and Scrabble were fine, and those that required strategy like Settlers of Catan were okay in my book. But knowing Wilhelmina, she wanted to play one of those interactive games where you had to act out a scene or share your deepest darkest secret. No, thank you. “I think I’ll pass this time and watch you all play.”
“Oh, no you don’t,” David said with a grin. “If I have to play, you have to play as well.”
“Who says you have to play?” I asked.
He glanced at Wilhelmina, and she narrowed her eyes. “This one. I like to please my wife when I can.”
“It’s a good thing I’m not married then.”
“We’ll have to help you fix that,” Danielle said in a playful tone. She smoothed a piece of hair behind her ear and peered at me from underneath her eyelashes. “I’m single, and I have a few friends who might be interested as well.”
Abby had a startled, frustrated expression on her face, and her eyes bounced from me to Danielle. That didn’t make sense. Maybe she took her job as my dating coach seriously and didn’t like Danielle encroaching on her territory.
“Colin is free for set-ups,” Wilhelmina said in a sing-song tone.
“I might know of someone,” Danielle said with an eager smile.
“I bet you do.” Wilhelmina rose and cleared the dishes from the table.
Blind Date with a Billionaire Professor (Blind Date Disasters) Page 12
