by Sharon Kleve
“Hey. Lots of guys get them. We clip the cuticles and buff the nails. It’s a nice service for business men.”
“If you say so…” Tegan said.
“I do. Now I’ll tell him that I’m sending you out to Desert Wind Winery to meet him. I’ll make up some story so it doesn’t seem like the setup it is.”
“I have Tanner Chase,” Becca said. “Sexy name. What does he do?” Becca looked around.
“He’s a firefighter.” Laura grinned. “We went out on a date a few months ago. It didn’t progress past a first kiss, but we’ve stayed friends. He’s a nice guy too.”
“I picked Roy Tyson,” Chloe said. “Who’s he?” Chloe didn’t show much enthusiasm for her choice.
“I’ve known him for over twenty years, we grew up together. He lived just down the street from me,” Tegan said. “He runs Roy’s Pet Rescues, and he owns his own home. I think of him as a second big brother, so I can’t look at him romantically, but I’ve heard other women say he’s cute. He told me he wanted to find someone special in his life. Maybe you might just fit the bill.” Tegan winked and Chloe blushed.
“I doubt that. But it would be fun to go on a date,” Chloe said and stuffed more cheese and crackers in her mouth. Food was a poor substitute for male companionship.
“That leaves Laura with my friend, Travis Jerome,” Becca said. “He’s a really great guy too. He moved to Vine Grove about six months ago, from Seattle. He’s looking for work right now, but he’ll find something soon. He’s really friendly and nice.”
Tegan lifted her glass. “Here’s to new adventures. That’s what life’s about. This may work, or it may not, but hey, at least we tried.”
Chapter Three
Present
Tegan, brave and determined, contacted Richard right away. What a jackass Richard turned out to be, but Tegan inadvertently met and fell in love with August. So Chloe got partial credit for that matchup.
Chloe went on her date with Roy. They had a fantastic time. Her friends sat, waiting patiently for her to talk about the date with Roy as they sipped a crisp California chardonnay and nibbled on sharp cheddar and crackers.
Chloe watched as Tegan fiddled with the stem of her wine glass and looked especially anxious because Roy was her longtime friend and she’d suggested him. Chloe spent the night at the County Fair with Roy and had the time of her life. Unfortunately, he was already in a relationship with a software executive named Ken. Because Roy wasn’t ready to introduce Ken to his family and friends, Chloe fretted all week over what she’d tell her friends to the point that she’d chipped away at all the sunny-orange polish on her thumbnail.
“Geez…will you tell us already? Was it love at first sight?” Becca popped a cracker into her mouth.
“August is such a great guy, we all have high hopes for the rest of us. So… spill the beans,” Laura insisted.
“Listen guys, Roy is the best… “ Before Chloe could finish, her friends hugged her like she’d won the lottery.
“We are sooo happy for you. When can the rest of us meet Roy?” Becca did a little tap-dance in place.
Chloe drained a full glass of wine and picked at what remained of her nail polish. She didn’t want to lie, but she also didn’t want to reveal Roy’s secret. “Um…Well...I met someone else. But don’t worry, Roy completely understands.”
She thought about Mitch with his dark, intense, sexy eyes and how they watched her as she moved around the store. Roy called her five minutes after Mitch left and said he’d asked about her. Maybe there was some truth to what she said after all.
“I think our Love List is fickle.” Becca giggled.
“I wonder how my date will go and who I’ll end up going home with?” Laura slumped in her seat. “I hope he doesn’t pass me off to a friend or some stranger.”
“That won’t happen. You’re beautiful and smart. He’ll love you,” Tegan reassured her.
“You said Roy was great and you had a wonderful time on your date. How is it you ended up meeting someone else?” Tegan asked, curiosity heavy in her words.
“After our date, we talked and decided we’d make better friends. Now we hang out like old buddies.”
“Good for you. And Roy has a never-ending supply of animals for you to spoil and play with,” Tegan said with a laugh.
“I know. When I need to decompress I head over to Roy’s Pet Rescues. I bring him a coffee and I get to play with his animals. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
“We get all that but how did you meet this other guy?” Becca persisted.
“A couple days ago, I was on my break hanging out at Roy’s and in walks this guy. He was well over six-feet, shoulders like a lumberjack and his green eyes… holy-moly they were intense.” Chloe fanned her face. “When he stopped and reached down to sooth a frightened dog he changed, softened, and seemed to relax. That instant change intrigued me.”
Chloe touched a colorful hummingbird windchime with her index finger. The musical tinkling sound was beautiful. Tegan sold all kinds of beautiful trinkets in her shop. She had shelves filled with wine but also handmade vases, delicate bird feeders, and beautiful picture frames.
“What’s his name? Do we know him?” Becca selected a chocolate and popped it into her mouth.
“No, I don’t think so. His name is Mitch Broden. He’s a little rough around the edges, but sensitive—the strong, silent type.”
“Why was he at Roy’s?” Becca asked.
“His cat had kittens and he wasn’t expecting them. That’s a long story but Roy helped him out and now they’re friends.”
Chloe topped off each of their wine glasses. She knew they weren’t done interrogating her.
“What does Mitch do for a living?” Tegan asked, taking a sip of wine.
“I asked Roy about that. Roy said he works as a corrections officer at the state prison.”
Chloe tilted her glass and swallowed the smooth, slightly sweet, and tart wine and planned to buy a couple bottles to take home. She loved to cook and the chardonnay would go great with salmon cakes topped with her creamy dill sauce. She tapped her chin and wondered if Mitch liked salmon.
“I hear that’s a pretty stressful job. Lucky for him he has you—the master of relaxation techniques. Have you given him one of your green tea mud masks yet? I’m hooked on them.” Becca’s eyes looked dreamy.
She couldn’t picture Mitch relaxing long enough for the liquid to dry, but it would be fun to try. “Hey, guys. I know you have more questions for me but I have early appointments tomorrow. I’m heading home.”
“Okay, but next week we want more details and hopefully Becca and Laura will have good news too,” Tegan said as she picked up their wine glasses. She never let them help. She always said her shop—her job.
August pulled up as they were leaving. He came by every night and helped Tegan close up. He’d been very protective ever since Richard burned the wine shop to the ground.
“Did you all have a fun evening?” August asked as he got out of his truck.
“Yes. As always,” they all replied and got in their cars.
Chapter Four
Mitch’s visit to The Grape Vine Day Spa was two-fold: he wanted to ask Chloe a favor and also ask her out on a date. Roy said Chloe loved the fancy blended coffee drinks from the shop down the street from her shop. Mitch figured a coffee would be a good ice breaker, and he needed all the help he could get. It had been over a year since his last date. In the past, the hoopla of asking, and figuring out where to go, and then carrying on an intelligent conversation seemed like more trouble than it was worth. But when he thought of Chloe, he saw himself relaxed, laughing and having a good time.
Twenty minutes before, Mitch stood at the counter at the Cup of Joe Coffee Shop and froze when the clerk asked what size and flavor h
e wanted. He wrongly assumed there was only one kind and felt way out of his comfort zone. He’d heard movement and turned. A line formed behind him and by the looks on their faces, the others customers were contemplating a lynch mob if he didn’t make up his mind soon.
“I’ll take the most popular size and flavor,” Mitch blurted. The kid looked relieved.
“I need a large, caramel, swirl iced coffee,” the clerk shouted. “That’ll be six dollars and seventy-five cents please.”
Mitch forked over eight dollars; the guy deserved the tip. He’d been tempted to take a large sip. He’d never tasted a seven dollar coffee before. But the whipping cream was topped with a caramel swirl that he knew he’d mess up.
Mitch sat in his Jeep outside Chloe’s day spa with a melting caramel drink in the cup holder. He felt as apprehensive as he had in his teens on prom night—back when he was pimple-faced, gangly, and shy.
A shadow passed by his window and he turned. Chloe stood next to the Jeep with her head cocked to one side—not frowning but not smiling, either. He rolled down his window and handed her the coffee. “Here. I bought this for you. It’s a large, caramel, coffee drink.”
“Yum. My favorite. Thank you.” Chloe took the drink and sucked a quarter of it through the straw. “Ow! Ow!…Brain freeze!” she exclaimed.
Mitch laughed at her funny expression. “You’re welcome.” She wore a dot of whipped cream on her chin, right next to that sexy dimple. It must’ve dripped from the straw. Mitch reached out to wipe it off and then stopped. What was he doing?
“Do I have something on my face?” Chloe asked touching different places.
She wasn’t even close to it. He stilled her hand with his, and with the other one, gently wiped the smudge away. He felt tempted to taste it, but instead removed the smudge with a napkin. Chloe smiled, stirred her drink and swirled everything together.
“Would you like some? I can’t possibly drink all this,” Chloe said as she tilted her drink from side-to-side, swirling the mixture even more.
He hesitated even though he was tempted.
“Oh, come on. It’s like heaven in a cup,” she insisted.
Mitch took a small sip to pacify Chloe, but once the cold liquid slid down his throat he wanted more. He stopped before he chugged it all down, but not before a loud slurping noise erupted from the bottom of the cup. Mortified, he felt his cheeks heat from embarrassment. “Uh, it looks as though I might owe you another one.”
“You liked it, huh?”
“I guess you could say that.” Mitch laughed.
Chloe smiled and gathered her long hair in one big bunch, twisted it and pulled it to the side of her head. He’d noticed her do that at Roy’s shop too.
“Did you plan to come in or just hoped I’d walk around the parking lot looking for a free coffee?” she joked and shook her hair back into place.
Mitch ached to touch her beautiful, golden hair. When he didn’t answer right away, Chloe laughed and opened the Jeep’s door.
“Come on in. I’ll show you around the spa.”
“I’ve never been in a spa before,” Mitch confessed but he wasn’t embarrassed. Chloe’s fun, quirky personality put him at ease.
Chloe looped her arm through his and pulled him through the door of her spa. Did she think he’d run away?
She let go and spread her arms wide and spun around. “Welcome to the Grape Vine Spa.”
Mitch was impressed. The spa was open, bright, and smelled fresh, like the sea. Light, tinkling music played softly in the background. “When did you open?”
“Last year. We’ve built a steady clientele and I’m hiring three new employees to cover the busy summer months. The wineries are bringing in the new jobs and tourisms is booming.”
Chloe led him back to a small alcove of an office and he sat in an overstuffed, bright yellow chair. He felt as though he sat in a big lemon. Chloe sat behind a small desk, steepled her fingers under her chin and watched him while he fidgeted in the lemon chair. Her blues eyes seemed to sparkle with humor.
“Do you like white wine with salmon cakes and dill sauce?” Chloe asked.
“I don’t drink much wine, but I’ll eat anything. I pretty much live on pre-packaged frozen food,” Mitch confessed. “Why?”
“I’ll tell you, if you tell me why you stopped by,” Chloe said, still smiling.
Mitch didn’t answer right away. He liked watching Chloe. She reached into a small refrigerator, grabbed two bottles of spring water and handed him one. He took it, twisted the top off and guzzled half the bottle. It was hard for him to ask for help. His father taught him to be self-sufficient—and not to need anybody—ever. But this was about the kitten’s welfare, not his.
“I wondered if you’d be willing to post a sign or ask around to see if anyone would be interested in one of Zeke’s kittens. They’d have to be reliable, kind, and love cats. And I’d like to meet them before I agree to the adoption.”
“Of course, but is that the only reason you came by? You could have called to ask me that.” Chloe looked away, and an uncertain look replaced her smile.
Mitch needed her to smile again. The weight that sat on his shoulders lifted when he was around her. “No. That’s not the only reason. I wondered if you’d like to go on a date.”
Chloe smiled and her eyes widened. “I’d love to. When?”
There was a light tap on the door and a tall, slim girl appeared. “Hey, Chloe. Gloria is here for her wax. She’s waiting in the Dahlia room.”
“Thanks Kyla. I’ll be right out.”
“No problem. Take your time,” Kyla said. She winked at Chloe as she left.
Chloe winked back at Kyla and then rummaged around in her desk. “Uh-huh. There you are.” She handed him her business card. “Why don’t you call me with the details?”
Mitch took the card. It had bright yellow lettering with entwined grapevines around the border. “I will. Out of curiosity, what’s the Dahlia room?”
“The room designated for wax treatments. It’s not the most relaxing procedure, so we decorated it in bright colors with beautiful flowers. We have different rooms for massage, facial therapy, and other beauty treatments.”
“I’ve never had a massage or facial therapy—or any treatment for that matter.” His idea of relaxation was eating a pepperoni pizza while he watched football.
“I’d love to give you a tour, but I have an important client waiting. Gloria is going on a Caribbean Cruise with her husband of twenty-five years. Why don’t I schedule you for a Swedish massage? I think you’d really like it.”
“Let me think on that. I’ll call you later today about our date.” Mitch struggled to get out of the lemon, trying not to look clumsy. His muscular build was detrimental in such a delicate chair.
Chloe extended her hand. “Let me help you.”
Once he got to his feet, Chloe did the most unexpected thing—she grabbed him by the shoulders, pulled him close, and kissed him on the cheek. Her fragrance wafted by his nose. His mouth watered and it reminded him of the squirt of citrus that sometimes exploded in his mouth when he bit into a juicy orange slice.
Mitch couldn’t help himself, he sighed. “You smell good.”
Chloe beamed. “Thank you. It’s all the lotions and potions we use here. I’ll see you soon?”
It sound like she wasn’t sure he’d call. “Yes. Very soon,” Mitch reassured her. Chloe touched his cheek and he stared after her like a lonely puppy in Roy’s shop.
On his way out, he walked past several women who either read a magazine, or a book or chatted while they waited to be called for their appointment. And they all looked happy about it too.
Mitch spent his days at the state penitentiary, around the worst-of-the-worst criminals and God knows they never smelled fresh or looked happy. No wonder
Chloe was a ray of sunshine.
Back in his Jeep, Mitch checked the mirror and saw an outline of bright pink lips imprinted on his face. If he didn’t need to go to the store he might’ve left it on for a bit. Instead, he grabbed a leftover fast food napkin out of the car door pocket to wipe the smudge off and started his Jeep.
When Chloe agreed to a date, he felt like he was seven years old again, on his first fishing trip with his dad. He’d never expected to catch a fish; he just wanted to spend time with his often absent dad. When a trout latched onto his line and Mitch reeled the squirming fish into the boat, he was ecstatic but had no idea what to do with it. Mitch felt the same way about Chloe. Now that she said yes, what was he going to do with her? She was vivacious, unpredictable, and fun, while he was methodical, predictable, and well…cynical.
He headed back to Cup of Joes for another swirly coffee drink, for Roy this time. Luckily, the same guy worked behind the counter.
“How was it?” the kid asked.
“Great. I’ll take one more, please.”
“You got it.” The guy shouted out his order as Mitch paid for a second fancy drink that day.
On the way over to Roy’s, Mitch thought about Chloe and her zest for life and tried to remember when he’d lost his. It was time he got his back. Chloe’s bubbly personality reminded him of her lemon yellow chair—bright, clean, and fresh. He looked forward to spending time with her.
Mitch was more careful this time when he entered Roy’s pet shop. He squatted next to Suzie’s cage and scratched behind her ear and waited until Roy finished up with a young woman and her small son. They had one of the golden puppies snuggled in a carrier. The boy couldn’t keep his little fingers out of the cage, stroking and playing with the excited dog as they walked out.
“Hey, Mitch. How are the kittens doing?” Roy asked as Mitch approached the counter.
“Great. You were right. Zeke is taking great care of her babies. I make sure they have fresh water and litter and Zeke takes care of the rest.”
