Bayside Evenings

by Stacy Claflin

  Clay pulled the phone down and stuck it into his pocket before coming back to the table. He sat and took a sip of his drink, looking deep in thought.

  "Is everything okay?" Dakota asked.

  "It would appear that our bride is getting cold feet."

  Dakota's eyes nearly popped out of the sockets. "What?"

  "I talked her down, but I'm not sure how long that'll last."

  "Are they arguing?"

  He shook his head. "I think things are moving faster than she expected. If you think about it, her entire life has changed in the last year and half since she was on the Real Homemakers of Seattle. She went from an unknown to a celebrity overnight once the world fell in love with her."

  Dakota nodded. "That's true."

  "It sounds like she might be worried it won't last. It was hard to tell, though. She was talking so fast, and kept going around in circles. It was making me dizzy."

  "Thanks for taking the time with her."

  "It's no problem. I just told her how great she and Hugh are together, and got her to tell me about the good times. It seemed to help boost her spirit."

  "I don't know what I did without you."

  Clay met her gaze and smiled. "Obviously, you did quite well for yourself. The Chateau is a booming business. Good enough to land Charlotte Pemberley as a client."

  "I'm not sure what I'll do when her friends want to get married here."

  "It won't be so bad. We'll have the experience of dealing with her."

  We? Dakota smiled.

  "I'll tell you what," Clay said. "First thing Monday morning, I'll start working on a checklist for dealing with famous clients. We'll come up with a separate set of forms and whatever else is needed—next week. I don't know about you, but I've never been so tired."

  Dakota laughed. "Yeah, there's a reason I like to limit it to just two weddings in a day."

  "I'd keep that rule if I were you." Clay yawned.

  "We should probably get going. I don't know about you, but I could sleep until Monday."

  "I could sleep 'til Tuesday." He grinned, making her heart skip a beat. "Good thing my beautiful boss gave everyone an extended weekend."

  Her heart fluttered. "It's hardly extended when we all worked so hard today. Let me just take care of the check."

  "Are you sure? I can get it."

  "It's my turn." She flagged down their waiter and gave him her card.

  "Thanks," Clay said. "I had a great time. Sorry I wasn't more talkative."

  Dakota yawned. "I wasn't the greatest company either, but I had fun."

  The waiter came back. Dakota signed the receipt and they left for her car, laughing about some of the mishaps from the day.

  When they arrived back at The Chateau, she parked next to his bike. Clay held her gaze. He seemed hesitant.

  Dakota wanted to lean over and kiss him, but after all the confusion from earlier with the ring, she paused. It was probably better if things slowed down and she followed her rule of mixing business with pleasure.

  Finally, he took her hand. "I hope we can do this again."

  Dakota smiled. "I'd like that."

  So much for not mixing business with pleasure. She could always let him go, and then they could date all they wanted.

  He kissed her hand. "Have a restful night."

  "You, too." Dakota held his gaze for a moment longer, until he climbed out of the car. She wanted to run out and kiss him, but at the same time, she was relieved to take it slower. They still had to focus on Charlotte's wedding, which would be there before they knew it. Once that was taken care of, she could figure out what to do about Clay.

  Clay slid on his helmet and waved before getting on his bike.

  As much as Dakota wanted to climb on behind him, her aching muscles urged her to head home and go to bed. She really did feel like she could sleep the rest of the weekend away.

  She watched him drive off, longing to go with him and leave her car behind.

  "Business and pleasure." She sighed. "Why do you have to be my assistant?"

  Dakota went home and climbed into bed, barely taking the time to put on pajamas.

  When she woke up, the sun shone brightly through the blinds and her stomach rumbled. She glanced up at the wall clock. It was almost one in the afternoon.

  "So much for sleeping until Monday." She yawned and rubbed her eyes. Her legs still ached from the day before. At least the four happy clients were married and on their honeymoons.

  She really should come up with a policy about closures due to weather so she could avoid four-wedding days in the future. Not that she didn't mind a good challenge—it was just a bit much, especially when so many things had gone wrong.

  Dakota lay in bed for a while, thinking over the previous day's events. She had to remember to make sure the kitchen staff had made the appointment to have the oven looked at. And that was only the first item on a long list of things to write down and manage. If only she wanted to get out of bed. It was so warm and comfy.

  She closed her eyes and thought about Clay. A wave of giddiness ran through her. She really needed to figure out what to do there. The only thing that made any sense was to let him go after Charlotte's wedding was over. Then they could be free to have any kind of relationship they wanted—and she much preferred romance over business.

  Then there was the matter of discussing that with him. What if he wasn't ready for the position to end? He might not feel ready to jump out there and do his own thing yet. Or what if he took her letting him go the wrong way, and thought she didn't want to be around him anymore?

  Dakota didn't want to have to handle the whole thing with kid gloves, but at the same time, she couldn't deal with another miscommunication. That might be just enough to send him running.

  Her stomach grumbled, so she forced herself out of bed. Bleary-eyed, she stuck some cinnamon rolls in the oven and started a pot of coffee, even though it was past lunchtime.

  The doorbell rang.

  "Please be a package." She looked in the mirror on the way to the door and saw her hair sticking out in a dozen different directions. She also forgot to wash her makeup off, and it was smudged all around her eyes.

  Out the peephole, stood her mom. She sighed in relief and opened the door.

  Mom arched a brow. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

  "No. Come on in." Dakota stepped back and closed the door. "Yesterday was crazy."

  "That's what I gathered when Freya said she was helping out."

  "Yep. Are you hungry? I'm making rolls."

  "I'd love to join you." She slid off her jacket and hung it on the rack. "How are you doing, hon?"

  Dakota yawned and headed back for the kitchen. "Just tired, but that's good. Business is booming. What brings you here?"

  "Dad and I just got back from church. He had a few houses to show and I thought this'd be a good time to stop in and see you. I feel like I've hardly seen you lately."

  "Yeah, I know what you mean. I feel kind of disconnected from everyone." She poured herself some coffee and handed Mom a mug.

  They sat at the table, sipping coffee. Mom set hers down. "Dad said you seemed pretty upset the other day."

  Ah, the real reason for the visit. Dakota couldn't help smiling, though. It was nice to have a family who cared. "I just had a misunderstanding with… uh…" How could she describe Clay? "One of my employees."

  Mom tilted her head, clearly knowing there was more to the story.

  "Did Sullivan tell you about it?"

  She shook her head. The corners of her mouth curled up. "Not that I didn't try."

  Dakota laughed. Some things never changed. "Well, it would appear that my luck with guys has taken a turn for the better. Unfortunately, he's my assistant."

  "I see." Mom nodded knowingly. "And you still don't want to date anyone from work?"

  "It's not that I don't want to. I definitely want to—that's the problem."

  The oven timer dinged. Dakota got up and pulled out the steam
ing rolls. She found some fruit in the fridge and rinsed it off while the rolls cooled. Once everything was ready, she sat down and dug in, unable to take the hunger any longer.

  "You know," Mom said, "it's fairly common for relationships to form on the job."

  Dakota swallowed. "And there's also a reason why they're taboo. It makes things too complicated when relationship issues get in the way of work."

  She nodded. "Did you know I started out as your dad's secretary?"

  "Wait. That's how you two met? Why did I never know this?"

  Mom shrugged. "Well, we always knew of each other. And we always talk about our first date rather than humdrum days at the office."

  "They don't sound so boring to me." Dakota smiled. "Still, I'd think you'd have mentioned it before."

  She paused, looking lost in thought. Finally, she sighed and looked at Dakota. "I always knew about Gary Hunter. Who didn't? He was the most popular guy at the beach—and for good reason. Your dad was also the hunkiest."

  "I'll have to take your word on that one." Dakota smiled.

  "He was kind of a wild boy," Mom continued. "Loved to dance, surf, and party. He could go out with any girl he wanted, and usually did."

  Dakota arched a brow. "Really?"

  She nodded. "I always admired him from afar. Then he opened his real estate business and needed some help. I jumped on the opportunity. One thing led to another… and now here we are with five grown children." Mom shrugged with a sparkle in her eyes.

  "Why have I never heard any of this?" Dakota asked.

  "I suppose it just never came up."

  "What did you do when you guys started to fall for each other?"

  Mom sighed with a dreamy expression. "Oh, I always adored him. I should show you my sketchbook full of my drawings of him. There were more pictures in there of him as a groom than I ever would have wanted to admit to back then."

  Dakota's mouth dropped.

  "What?" asked Mom.

  Her face heated. "The other day, I couldn't focus on work, and I sketched a picture of my assistant."

  Mom rested her chin on her palm. "Wow. We're more alike than I thought."

  Dakota cleared her throat. "Okay, so what happened when Dad fell for you?"

  "He took me out for lunch one day, and we ended up eating in his car, watching the bay and talking. One thing led to another, and Dad asked me on a date. We had a great time, so we went out again and again. Then we got married."

  "Did you keep working for him?"

  "Until I first got pregnant. Then he insisted I stay home and rest."

  "So, it can work?"

  "It did for us, but only you can decide what's going to work for you."

  Dakota thought of Clay. It was definitely worth a try.

  Twenty-Four

  Clay parked his bike at The Chateau and took a deep breath, preparing himself for the day ahead. It was Friday, and he was exhausted from the busy week—even with having taken Monday off.

  Charlotte had had him and Dakota running around like crazy all week. She was finally concerned about the wedding—obsessed, actually. She'd even called him at two o'clock in the morning, asking something about caviar. Clay still didn't know the answer.

  It was only a matter of weeks until Charlotte's wedding day, yet thinking ahead to the day felt like looking light years into the future. He'd really wanted to take Dakota out tonight, but with as tired as he was, Clay wasn't sure he could stay awake until closing time, much less any later.

  He went inside, and everyone was bustling around.

  Aria stopped. "Will you be able to help with either of the weddings tomorrow?"

  Clay held in a groan. All he wanted to do was sleep. "I'll have to talk to Dakota. All my attention is on Charlotte Pemberley right now."

  His phone rang, as if to prove his point. He pulled it out, and sure enough, it was a video call from the famous bride-to-be.

  Aria waved him off and walked away, muttering something about needing an assistant of her own.

  He found an empty meeting room and took the call, forcing a smile. "Hi, Charlotte."

  "Did you figure out the caviar situation yet?" Her eyes were bloodshot and she wore no makeup.

  "I literally just got to The Chateau. The first thing on my to-do list is to find out about that."

  "And you'll call me as soon as you know?"

  "The moment I know, you'll know. Anything else?"

  Charlotte pursed her lips. "I'll let you know if anything comes up."

  "My phone is glued to me—just for you."

  Relief covered her face. "Thanks, Clayton. Call me."

  "I will."

  The call ended.

  He stared at the phone for a moment before turning off the screen and putting it back into his pocket. Every muscle ached and his eyes were trying to close.

  Why hadn't he stopped off for coffee? Maybe after talking caviar with Dakota, he could run out and grab one for both of them.

  Clay went to her office. She was so busy typing, she didn't notice him entering.

  He cleared his throat.

  She glanced up. Her hair was wild and her makeup was smudged. Come to think of it, she was wearing the same turquoise shirt she'd worn the day before. "Sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

  "Did you stay here all night?"

  "I slept on the loveseat for a few hours." She yawned.

  "And I thought I was tired. Why don't I take you for some coffee and breakfast? We can discuss Charlotte's wedding."

  Dakota rubbed her eyes. "That sounds like a good plan. Just let me save everything to the cloud so I can bring it up on my phone."

  "Sure." He walked around the office, picking up crumpled papers and other things out of place.

  "All set," Dakota said. "Did Charlotte call you about the caviar?"

  "At two in the morning. Hope you don't mind if I put my phone on silent when I sleep from here on out."

  "You should." She slid on her coat and grabbed her purse. "You need your sleep."

  "So do you." He held her gaze, longing to wrap her in his embrace. But it was business hours, and he always got the feeling from her that affection was off-limits then. Unfortunately, that had been the only time he'd seen her all week.

  She smiled weakly. "Thanks. I will tonight—neither of us are touching either of tomorrow's weddings. After how many hours we've put in this week, we deserve the weekend off. If you need to discuss the wedding, you can, though."

  He took a couple steps closer and cupped her chin in his palm, staring into her eyes. "I'd rather go for a ride and tell you how beautiful you are."

  Pink entered her cheeks. Clay loved how easy she was to embarrass. Not that he would ever be relentless with her, but it was a trait he didn't often see, and it made her all the more desirable. Oh, how he wanted to just brush his lips against hers.

  "Are you ready for that coffee?" he whispered.

  She nodded. "Thanks, Clay. I really appreciate that."

  "Someone has to take care of you, if you aren't going to do it yourself." He stepped back before he found himself kissing her. That could wait for the weekend. He imagined stopping in a little hidden place in some woods for a picnic lunch.

  More color entered her cheeks. "I'll meet you in the parking lot. I just need to freshen up."

  "You couldn't be more perfect."

  She held his gaze for a moment, before turning around and leaving the office.

  Clay smiled. It was amazing how much his life had changed since he first walked into The Chateau. It had been the best decision of his life. Dakota had showed him how great someone could make him feel—he'd forgotten after so many years just existing in a relationship—but she'd given him the courage to break up with Lauryn. Not only that, but to happily sell the engagement ring that had been languishing in his drawer.

  Footsteps and conversation out in the hallway brought him back to the present. He hurried to the door, accidentally knocking some papers from the desk. Clay picked up the pap
ers that had spread across the floor.

  He froze when he picked up a white sheet with a sketched image of his face. Dakota had drawn a picture of him? His heart fluttered as he took it in. It was actually really good—she had some talent. He couldn't believe she'd taken the time to draw that.

  Clay was tempted to snap a picture, but he hadn't been meant to see the sketch. If she wanted him to see it, she'd show it to him. He straightened the stack, making sure to stick the drawing in the middle, and then set it on the desk where he thought the pile had been.

  He rushed outside, hoping Dakota hadn't beat him outside. She was nowhere in sight. Clay sighed in relief.

  Marina followed him out onto the sidewalk. "Can you help with the—?"

  "No, sorry. Dakota and I are heading out to work on Charlotte's wedding." Well, sort of. He was sure they would probably discuss it at some point.

  "Would you tell her the refrigeration unit at the florist died last night, and the majority of the flowers are ruined. Well, they're not in good enough shape for a wedding." Marina frowned and sighed. "This weekend is going to be as bad as the last one was."

  "With that attitude it will be." Clay paused and shook his head, embarrassed. "I think my dad just came out of my mouth."

  "That's when you know you're getting old," Marina teased and then chuckled. "Thanks for the laugh, anyway." She went back inside.

  Clay went over to the bike, took out the helmets, and put his on. He wiped some dirt from the front tire while he waited for Dakota.

  She came out a few minutes later, with her hair brushed and makeup fixed. "I can't believe you saw me looking like that. I'm horrified."

  He brushed his hair from his eyes and stood up, smiling. "You looked great to me."

  Dakota grabbed the other helmet. "I could use some coffee."

  Clay climbed on and started the bike. She got on behind him and wrapped her arms around him. He drove to a cozy diner not far away. It was filled with people eating breakfast, most of whom appeared as bleary-eyed as he felt.

  "Counter or booth?" Clay asked Dakota.

  She yawned again. "Booth, please."

  They found a quiet one in a back corner and settled in. Clay studied her as she read the menu. He wanted to ask about her artistic skills, but couldn't without admitting he'd seen her sketch—and she surely didn't want him seeing it.