by LuAnn McLane
When Easton got older, he escaped with sports, excelling in baseball and basketball. Carla turned to music and books, and to this day, she’s remained quiet and thoughtful. He was certain that Carla and Tommy, who had been high school sweethearts, loved each other but Easton wished that Carla would stand up for herself more often.
Easton gripped the cold metal handle of the park bench thinking it was a damned shame that he couldn’t have shed the ghosts of his past sooner and Carla needed to do the same thing. But then he grinned remembering that Avery had told him that he had a lot of life left to live. Well, I’d best get on with it, Easton thought, and pushed up to his feet.
“Flowers,” Easton whispered. “Carrie Ann needs flowers,” he repeated as he stood up. He felt slightly dizzy, almost light-headed, and then realized that he was feeling giddy. At least this was how giddy must feel, he thought. He wondered if he was capable of jumping up and kicking his heels but decided he was probably better off not trying.
Whistling under his breath Easton was happy to see that Flower Power was still open. When he pulled the door open bells tinkled announcing his arrival. He was hit with a sweet, earthy scent and mystical music and as if standing guard, whimsical garden statues, mostly gnomes and angels, mingled with the wide variety of potted plants and freshly cut flowers. Circular racks filled with greeting cards were crammed into the center of the shop. Shelves displaying local arts and crafts hugged the wall to the left. Easton smiled, knowing most of the offerings were from senior citizens living in Whisper’s Edge, the retirement community down by the river.
For a moment he simply stood there, overwhelmed by it all.
“Can I help you?” called a cheerful voice from the rear of the shop.
“Yes,” Easton answered and weaved his way through the maze until he found the source of the voice. He smiled when he spotted Gabby Marino, the cute little florist who owned the place. She was seated at a long table behind the counter and was surrounded by what appeared to be a million flower clippings and ribbons.
Gabby gave him a bright smile. “Well, hello there, Easton. You’re certainly becoming a regular here, which means either you’re a really sweet boyfriend or you have a lot of making up to do.”
Easton laughed. “I just love giving Carrie Ann flowers. And your arrangements are so pretty, Gabby.”
“I already knew that. I was just teasing,” she said, and then pushed up to her feet. She put her hand to the small of her back and waddled over to the counter.
“When is the baby due?” Easton asked. “I know I keep asking but I keep forgetting.”
“That’s okay.” Gabby chuckled. “I know I look ready to pop but I’m not due for another couple of months. When I enter a room I make people nervous like they need to start boiling water or something.”
“Well, that’s because you’re so tiny.”
“Seriously?” Gabby looked down at her tummy and laughed. “I’d hardly say I was tiny.”
“Well, you’re a little bitty thing so there’s not much room for a baby,” he said.
“It doesn’t help that Reese brings me food from the pizza parlor and insists on including dessert.” She shook her head. “He keeps telling me I’m eating for two when I protest. I’m getting huge!”
“You’re cute as a button. I’m sure Reese just loves to pamper you.”
“He takes pampering to the next level.” Gabby shook her head. “Reese gets all wound up when he comes in here and I’m on my feet.” She rolled her eyes but the love that glowed there told the true story. Reese and Gabby were a star-crossed love story that people still talked about. “Now how in the world can I run this flower shop without being on my feet?”
Easton shrugged. “Well, I don’t know.”
“I have promised not to get on any ladders. Reese gave me this.” She held up a stick with a grabber thing on the end. When she squeezed the handle it opened and closed. “As seen on TV,” she said with a giggle.
“Does it work?”
“Not very well but it’s good for pinching his rear,” Gabby replied and laughed again. Easton had gone to school with Gabby’s mother, a sweet girl who’d had a knack for choosing the wrong guys. She’d raised Gabby on her own, working double shifts at Sully’s and had tragically died of cancer at an early age. It did Easton’s heart good to see Gabby so successful and happy. “So what will it be today? A spring mix? Roses?”
“A dozen long-stemmed red roses,” Easton replied.
“Well, now.” Gabby tilted her head to the side. “A special occasion?”
“Yes,” Easton said, thinking proposing is as special as occasions come.
“Well then, I’ll round up a pretty vase and add some sprigs of baby’s breath.”
Easton wasn’t sure what baby’s breath was, but he nodded. “Thank you, Gabby.” While she arranged the roses Easton browsed around the shop picking up items here and there but his mind wandered to what Carrie Ann’s reaction would be to his proposal. After purchasing the flowers, he intended to head over to Designs by Diamante and pick out an engagement ring. He wasn’t going to make a big fuss or do something public. No, he wanted to ask Carrie Ann to marry him in the privacy of his home on the back deck beneath the light of the moon, which happened to be full tonight.
After putting the flowers in his truck, Easton headed to the jewelry store. He was a man on a mission and hoped that he found a ring that matched Carrie Ann’s personality. He didn’t want to wait one more day to ask her to be his wife. But when he reached for the door handle of Designs by Diamante, the door was locked. Disappointment flooded him and he sighed. Proposing without a ring wasn’t going to happen. Just as he started to turn away, the door opened.
“Come on in,” said a gorgeous woman with midnight black hair and a wide smile.
“Are you still open?” Easton asked hopefully.
“It’s been my experience that when a man walks into a jewelry store he has something special on his mind so I will stay open for you.” She stepped back for him to enter, and then extended her hand. “I’m Nicolina.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said, but recognized her from photographs of her and her husband, Chicago business tycoon Mitch Monroe, who’d developed Wedding and Restaurant Row after moving to Cricket Creek. “I’m Easton Fisher.”
“What can I show you today, Easton?”
“I’d like to look at engagement rings.”
“Oh . . .” She rubbed her hands together. “How exciting!” She waved her hand for him to follow her across the store. After heading behind a glass case she pointed to the display. “I’ve designed everything you see here. If you don’t see something that you like we can do some sketches and come up with a ring she will love.”
Easton nodded. His heart hammered with excitement.
“Do you know her size?”
“Oh . . . no.” He felt a pang of disappointment.
“Well, if she is average she should be about a size eight and if you get it wrong we can resize the ring.”
He blew out a sigh of relief.
“Now describe your lady to me and we’ll pick something out that she will adore.”
“You probably know her. She’s Carrie Ann Spencer and is opening White Lace and Promises with Sophia Gordon.”
Nicolina raised her hands upward. “Well, you don’t say! I love those two. Carrie Ann does my hair at her salon up in town.” She leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, “Not that I color my hair . . .”
Easton laughed and took an immediate liking to Nicolina. With the kind of money that Mitch Monroe had, she could get her hair done at some fancy schmancy salon outside of Cricket Creek and here she was at her shop working overtime.
“Oh, this is such exciting news!”
“Well, she hasn’t said yes, yet,” Easton joked but felt a little flash of alarm. Maybe he was going way too fast, he
thought—not for him, but for her.
“Oh, get that look off your face. She’s going to say yes.”
Easton nodded and started looked at the selection she presented. After carefully looking at each ring he put his three favorites to the side. Nicolina, bless her heart, remained patient while he pondered, choosing one and then the other. When he finally chose a white gold diamond ring with a rose in the center surrounded by petals, Nicolina nodded. “Excellent choice.”
“I like the delicate leaf on either side. Carrie Ann loves roses.”
“I think she will absolutely adore it.” She held up one hand. “I handpick my diamonds for the color, clarity, cut, and carat, and this one is a beauty. This ring is delicate but with enough pizzazz for someone with her big personality. Perfect, Easton.”
Easton inhaled a shaky breath making Nicolina smile. She put her small hand over his. “Congratulations!”
“Thanks for your help and patience.”
“Oh, no problem.” She waved a dismissive hand. “This is an important purchase. And if it doesn’t fit just right just stop by and I’ll size it for you.”
“Thank you,” Easton said. After he was back outside the cool air helped to calm his sudden bout of nerves but only slightly. Should he wait or ask her tonight?
Knowing he’d never be able to concentrate at trivia he called Avery and begged off. He needed to go home, take a long soak in the hot tub, and do some stargazing while he rehearsed his proposal speech.
17
The Long and Winding Road
Carrie Ann drove her mustang over the winding road leading to Easton’s cabin thinking that she was exhausted down to the bone. Her hair even felt tired. When she’d left White Lace and Promises, Sophia was still buzzing around the salon doing this and that.
“Ah, the energy of youth,” she said and yawned so big that her jaw popped.
Easton’s big king-size bed and strong arms wrapped around her would never feel so good. “Mmmm,” she said with a little shiver of anticipation. The thought hit her that she hadn’t slept in her own bed for the better part of a week. Now when she got in her car after work, she naturally turned left instead of right and headed to the cabin—it was almost as if her car was programmed to do so. A little unexpected jolt of anxiety chased away some of her fatigue and she gripped the steering wheel tighter.
Maybe she should have gone home tonight?
Carrie Ann mulled that over for a moment. Was she overstaying her welcome? Did Easton want a break from her once in a while? Well, he did ask for her to bring the leftovers from dinner, Carrie Ann reasoned to herself. She eased her grip on the steering wheel just a tad. But she decided to have a little chat with him and ask if he wanted her to spend some time at her own house and not stay at the cabin for days on end like she owned the place. Perhaps Easton would want to stay over at her house sometimes too. Yeah, they needed to talk.
Carrie Ann’s tires crunched over the gravel lane leading up to the cabin and she had to smile at the lights glowing through the windows as if in warm welcome. She hoped Easton wanted a late snack because a cold piece of crunchy chicken suddenly sounded pretty doggone good.
Carrie Ann wondered how he’d done at trivia and hoped that Easton and Avery had come to a conclusion about adding another truck to the fleet. Like her, Easton worked his tail off, and she thought that maybe it was time that they slowed down a bit. It seemed like a funny thought since she’d just become a partner in another salon. But Sophia seemed to have everything under control. The girl was as organized as they come—almost too much so.
After parking in front of the big garage, Carrie Ann hefted the bag of leftovers from the passenger seat and headed up to the front door. She shouted a cheery “Hello!” as she entered, and when there wasn’t an answer she headed to the kitchen and smiled at the gorgeous bouquet of red roses sitting on the granite island. After putting the food in the fridge, she paused to sniff the flowers and touch a soft petal. And then she spotted a note requesting her presence in the hot tub, no swimsuit needed.
Carrie Ann felt a pull of longing and she had to shake her head. Maybe it was because she was making up for lost time, but she sure didn’t know that she had this oh-so-lusty side to her. Of course Easton was, in her opinion, quite a good lover so maybe that little detail had something to do with it. The man loved to kiss every inch of her body, making Carrie Ann feel incredibly beautiful in her fifty-six-year-old skin. Feeling confident in her body had her tossing any inhibitions out the window, making their love sessions something of a workout. Much more fun than a treadmill, she thought with a laugh.
Being head over heels in love with Easton had a lot to do with lovemaking that often lasted for hours. Not that early-morning quickies weren’t fun as well. “It’s all good,” she said. Touching, tasting . . . exploring; God she was suddenly oh so hot and bothered.
Fatigue vanished, leaving lust in its wake. While hurrying to the bathroom to freshen up, she thought to herself that she and Easton were the poster couple for finding love late in life. While they’d discussed how they wished they’d taken their friendship to this level several years ago, there was something to be said for treasuring each day instead of taking each other for granted the way Carrie Ann witnessed her married friends do.
And of course Carrie Ann knew better than most that life could be snatched away without a hint of warning. The thought made Carrie Ann frown. Now that she knew how good it felt to be in a committed relationship, had she been a fool for letting so many years go by without allowing love in her life? What would it feel like to have a family like her sisters or to have a daughter like Sophia?
And why in the world was her line of thinking going down this unusual path?
“Just enjoy the moment, you silly woman,” Carrie Ann said as she shed her clothes. After pulling her hair up into a bun she found a big fluffy towel in the linen closet and headed for the back deck where her very sexy boyfriend awaited.
The sliding glass door opened with a quiet whoosh and she stepped out into cool night air. A gentle breeze lifted the tendrils of hair framing her face and she shivered, hugging the towel closer. The wooden deck felt cold and damp against her tired feet as she walked closer to Easton. His arms rested on the back of the hot tub and his head was tilted up to gaze at the stars.
Fat vanilla-scented candles flickered, illuminating the deck with a soft glow. Apparently the sound of the hot tub’s jets kept Easton from hearing Carrie Ann approach, allowing her the opportunity to admire his profile. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. He really was a handsome man, she thought with a measure of pride. Nearly silver hair, skin kissed by days spent outdoors, and arresting blue eyes made him one of those sexy mature men who would turn female heads forever. He remained fit and toned from physical work and playing sports but his biggest lady-killing weapon was his charming smile.
Carrie Ann crept closer with the intention of surprising him with a kiss on the back of his neck.
“I know you’re there,” Easton said with a hint of humor in his voice.
“Do you now?”
“Mmm, yes.”
“You have good ears.”
“No, I could smell your perfume,” Easton said just as the jets turned off. The bubbles ceased and the sudden silence felt almost physical, like you could reach out and touch the night. “I do love that sweet, sexy smell, Carrie Ann.”
“And I love that answer.”
“Especially because it’s true. Come on over here, sugar. I need a kiss.”
Carrie Ann leaned over to kiss him on the cheek but he turned his head so she could get his mouth. Oh, his lips felt so warm and soft but firm, masculine. She rested her hand on his damp shoulder while holding the towel around her with her other hand. When his tongue touched hers she felt a jolt of desire that had her kissing him deeply. She pulled back and ran her fingers through his wet hair. “You sure kno
w how to kiss a woman, Easton Fisher.”
“No, not any woman . . . only you.”
“Good to hear.”
“The truth again. Are you going to join me?” he asked, and the heat in his voice made her melt.
“Of course.” She walked around to the front of the tub where he could see her and let the towel slip from her shoulders to pool at her feet.
“Now that’s a pretty picture.”
“I would stand here longer but I’m cold.”
“It’s warm in here,” he said, and stood up to help her over the edge and into the hot tub.
“Oh wow, this feels amazing,” she said and scooted close to him. “Whoever invented the hot tub should get some kind of award. Like pizza for life or something.”
Easton laughed and reached over and took her hand. He pulled her fingers up to his mouth and kissed each one.
“You missed the thumb.”
“I can fix that.” He kissed her thumb and then sucked the tip into his mouth and ended with a little nibble.
“Are you trying to get me naked?”
Easton laughed again. “Worked like a charm.”
“So did you win at trivia?”
“Didn’t go.”
Carrie felt a flash of surprise. “Why not?”
Easton shrugged. “I got a little bit distracted.”
When he failed to elaborate she nodded. “Happens.”
“I felt the need to do a little bit of stargazing.”
She scooted close to him thinking she’d like to straddle his lap. “Always relaxing, especially out here away from the city lights.”
“Do you like it up here in the woods?”
“I love it,” she said, but felt a little bit of . . . what? Apprehension? Excitement? Was he going to ask her to move in with him? Perhaps he wasn’t so tired of her after all, not that she really ever thought so, she supposed. “But I also love being up in town where I can walk everywhere,” she added carefully.
