by Misty Simon
Clearing her throat didn’t remove the snicker, but Lore tried. “No one. Just finishing up.”
“Yeah, right. Who?” Melanie moved fully into the kitchen with determination glinting in her eyes.
Well, Lore wasn’t showing her hand before she even got the guy’s name, and she wasn’t going to ask Miss Know-It-All. “No one, really. I’m just happy everyone seems to be having fun out there.”
That distracted Melanie enough to get her onto her favorite subject—the party. “It is going well, isn’t it? I see at least four sets of people who are probably going to see more of each other, and that makes me happy.”
“I’m happy you’re happy, then.” Lore folded the towel onto the counter, looking for something—anything—else to do.
“I’d better get back out there. You’re coming out soon, right?” The light of battle had come back into her friend’s eyes, and Lore knew she had to distract her again.
“Absolutely! Hey, why don’t you take this punch out to make sure the bowl is filled? I didn’t get a chance yet.”
Melanie gave her one more meaningful glance before she headed back out into the fray.
Dillon walked past the small space near the door where Lore’s head poked out, making sure Melanie had been caught up with something else. She grabbed his arm and yanked him into the kitchen.
He seemed surprised for a moment, then smiled. “What’s up? I can’t believe Melanie is letting you hide in here.”
Scoffing, she brushed her hands over her sweater at her hips, not looking him in the eye. “She’s not letting me hide. She told me I can help as long as I play the last game.”
“Got it,” he said, tipping her chin up. “I think you’ll like the last game.”
She raised her eyebrows at him to let him know he was not off the hook. “You also thought this was a good idea to have a singles’ party with middle-school games. Your judgment is currently in doubt.”
Dillon’s smile grew. “No, you’ll like it, I swear.”
“Fine, I’ll love it.” She crossed her arms and girded herself to just ask, already! “In the meantime, escort me out, so I don’t get caught in some conversation with one of your desperate friends. I’m out of things to do in here.”
It was a likely story and obviously better than telling Dillon she wanted to meet the big guy. She had remembered at the last moment that Dillon could be as bad if not worse than Melanie.
Dillon swung open the kitchen door for her, and the resulting space perfectly framed the man she’d been overly aware of all night.
****
He’d know her if he could kiss her again. It was a stupid thought to even entertain, but Caleb couldn’t shake it. Yeah, right, like that was going to happen, anyway. Even if he could catch her under that ugly kissletoe, he still might not be sure.
But somehow he thought he’d know.
And coming face to face with her only made that desire thicker and stronger, and made it harder to resist dragging her to the front door to test out his theory. He looked over her head to Dillon, who winked at him.
“I don’t know if you two have had a chance to meet yet,” Dillon said. “Lorena Weber, this is Caleb Manning. He works at the radio station on the overnight shift, as a DJ. Lorena works with kids at risk, and waitresses in her free time.” He edged his way around them as they stood, she in the kitchen and Caleb blocking the door. “I think I see Melanie waving me over. Perhaps we need more fruit. You two kids get to know each other.”
“He’s as bad as his wife,” Lorena said.
Caleb smiled into her mismatched eyes. “You took the words right out of my mouth.”
And then there was that laugh again, the one that was throaty and joyous at the same time. He wanted to hear it again—softer, at some private joke between them, or louder over some antic that one of his late-night listeners tried to pull when they thought no one else was awake. Or huskier as he whispered something into her ear that made her want to rush to the nearest bed.
They stared at each other for a few moments, until their silence almost edged on awkward. He was terrified of awkward, since it might mean she could walk away without him ever knowing if she was the one—the one from New Year’s, that is.
“So, um, at-risk kids. I bet that’s rewarding.” He clamped one hand to the back of his neck and prayed he didn’t sound like an idiot. It had been a long time since he’d tried out his flirting skills.
“Very rewarding.” She nodded and then cocked her head to the side. “And DJing. Do you also rent out for parties and that kind of thing, or just do the overnight?”
“I’ve only been here six months, still trying to get my bearings, so I haven’t set up any side business yet.” Not to mention he had barely finished, just before moving here, the extra college courses that got him the DJ gig. He didn’t know if he was the right kind of material for parties.
“Interesting.”
He watched her gaze stray beyond him and knew he was losing her. If she walked away, he was going to ask his question before she got too far or forever hold his peace.
He squeezed his neck, then let go to stick his hands in his pockets. “Look, this is going to sound really weird, but were you at that wrench-drop thing on New Year’s?”
She eyed him up and down, from the brown casual dress shoes he’d slipped on instead of sneakers to the light green shirt he’d pulled out of his closet four times and returned just as many, only to pull it out again and put it on with the fifth look.
Crossing her arms, she smiled. “You were alone and hugged a stranger because she was alone, too, and no one should be completely alone on New Year’s Eve.” She said it so matter-of-factly it took him off guard for a moment.
She’d left off the kissing part, but he wasn’t going to squabble over that. His face was going to crack if his grin got any wider. “I knew it. I knew it was you when I saw your eyes.”
Her lashes lowered to cover them, and he wondered if he’d said something wrong. She couldn’t seriously think they were anything but gorgeous. He wanted to ask if he could get a repeat on the kiss, but of course Melanie chose that moment to announce the next game, loud enough to be heard through the door.
“Could we hide in here?” he asked.
“I might be able to, but I think the ladies will all know you’re missing.” She folded her arms over her chest.
“Ah…well…”
She snickered, and he could feel a blush crawl up his neck.
“You want me to come out and protect you, big man?”
“Yes, actually, I do,” he said, smiling back at her.
Chapter Four
Everyone was forming a circle in the great room and standing shoulder to shoulder. He got nudged into the circle, dragging Lore with him. Dillon placed a coffee table in the middle and set an empty wine bottle on the top. They were not going to play Spin the Bottle. Were they? He tried to catch Dillon’s eye, but he was looking at his bride and chuckling at the gasps going around the circle. Chatter started up, but Melanie quickly hushed them.
“Okay, okay! I know some of you think I’ve gone overboard on this whole thing and that playing middle-school games is not that fun. However, there was a lot of laughing going on when we played Pass It on Down, with the whisper changing so drastically at the end. And tell me you didn’t like Pin the Cloud on Cupid!”
More laughter and several agreements followed. He hadn’t played any of those, but he did have to admit so far he’d liked the party atmosphere more than he’d expected to. And even though several people struck him as desperate, for the most part there had been some interesting conversations and definitely good food. And now he had Lore by his side.
However, he also had another woman, to his right, who was holding onto his elbow like she was going to fall to the floor any second if he didn’t shore her up.
“Okay, everyone!” Melanie yelled with her exclamation-point fetish. “This is how it’s going to work. Everyone take a step back.”
“We’re going to play Pass the Orange!” Oh, no. The exclamation point really was back. “The bottle is going to spin to see who starts it out! We’ll have prizes for those who don’t drop the orange! Get ready! Set! Go!”
He braced himself to be picked. It wasn’t that he minded tucking an orange under his chin and then having the woman next to him only use her neck, chest, and chin to take it from him, and so on around the circle. It wasn’t even that he had a feeling the elbow toucher would be more than happy to get back into his space. It was simply that the more time he stood here, the less time he had to spend with only Lorena.
He’d just drop it early, maybe after a few times around the circle. Not too early or Melanie would be on him, but a few times should let him off the hook. Maybe he could entice Lore to also drop it, and then they could watch everyone else try to win. No need to get whatever fabulous prize Melanie had in mind.
And it would get him more time with Lore. That “ninety minutes” promise he’d made to himself had flown right out the window.
****
Lore could throttle Melanie right now. The other woman kept beaming at her and making smoochy faces at her while cutting her gaze between Lore and Caleb. However, it was better than what Lore had originally thought was going to happen, when Melanie’s eyes lit up as Caleb led her out of the kitchen.
In an effort to ignore Melanie and her antics, Lore concentrated on the orange being passed around the circle. It was ten people away from her, and it would come to her first, for her to then pass it to Caleb. Should she play it cool? Or should she use the opportunity to see how firm that chest really was without the bulk of a winter coat?
She played it cool the first round but did brush up again him and felt his breath soft on her ear as she locked necks with him to pass the orange. He grinned with that wide mouth, and her heart tripped in her chest even as heat pooled low in her stomach.
They shared a smile before he turned to the next woman. This one totally smooshed herself up against him and used those massive biceps to hold herself steady. And once she had the orange, she’d patted his shoulder and told him she looked forward to the next round. He blushed to his ears, and Lore laughed, knowing she was going to enjoy this game, maybe more than she should.
When the orange came back around to her, she didn’t exactly weld herself to Caleb, but she did brush some important parts of her against certain important parts of him. Interest sparked in his eyes, and he grinned at her.
“I’ll get you for that,” he whispered before turning to the woman next to him. Sure enough, the lady next to him didn’t use just his biceps. She grabbed his forearms and wrapped them around her waist before she went in for the orange with her neck.
By round three, Lore wanted to see if he’d anticipate her next move or not. This time he stepped into her and tilted her back over his arm to get the orange from her neck. He placed a soft, whispery kiss on her ear that had her knees quaking before he brought her upright and tilted her world on its side.
But when it came to his turn, somehow, even though he’d done it perfectly every other time, he missed and the orange dropped into his waiting hand.
He wasn’t the first to drop it, but his departure was the loudest as far as protests went. About nine women voted to keep him in. Instead, he bowed out and wished everyone good luck as he stepped back. Some rearranging was done to keep the circle boy-girl-boy-girl, and then they were off again.
She’d drop it next if she had to throw it across the room.
The orange came around, and there was Brand standing next to her. She hadn’t noticed, since she’d been focused on watching Dillon and Caleb talk and wondering what they were saying as they both eyed her from across the room.
Brand came in, trying the same move Caleb had and mucking it up, making her drop the orange without having to cheat.
“Oops,” she said to the disappointed Brand.
He shrugged good-naturedly, though, and passed it to the handsy woman, who took the opportunity to try to bend him backward for the orange. They both ended up laughing and sharing a glance.
Maybe they were made for each other, Lore thought to herself as she headed for the man she hoped was soon going to be a part of her future and not just a flash in the past.
“What kind of flub was that?” she asked as she nudged Caleb. He immediately put his arm around her shoulders. She stepped in closer just to see if he’d pull her in a little more. And he did, smiling down at her.
“It was the good kind,” Dillon answered for Caleb. “I like Amanda, but she’s a little too pushy. She and Brand could be perfect for each other.”
They all turned to watch the game progress and were not surprised when Brand and Amanda ended up as the winners of a romantic dinner for two at Wilfred’s. Lore would be happy to serve them and add the little extra touches she did for those she thought were perfect for each other.
She put her arm around Caleb’s waist and felt his lips brush her crown. Those tingles started again. She snuggled in closer.
****
Lore up close and personal was far more than he could have hoped for. Her curves and dips fit into his side like she’d been built for him alone. His hand slipped down to her hip, and she tilted her head up. Those lips were pure temptation, and he wanted to indulge.
Melanie, of course, chose that moment to announce the last game of the night.
“All right! I need all the ladies in the living room! All the men in the dining room, since that’s where you eat, and we all know you often think with your stomachs!”
There was general laughter, and the mood had mellowed. He saw several couples with their arms around each other or standing closer than someone would with a person they didn’t know or like. Melanie would be pleased with the success, he was sure. And he would be beyond pleased if he got to talk with Lore a little bit more, maybe ask if he could see her in a few days. After hearing that she’d been out of the dating game for years, he didn’t want to rush it, but he also knew when to grab an opportunity and not let go. It was one of the things that had made him on Wall Street.
People started splitting off to the announced rooms.
“Can I find you after the game, if we survive it?” he asked, hooking his fingertips around hers on her left hand.
She looked down at his touch, then back into his eyes. “I’d like that.”
“Count on it, then.” And he watched her walk to the living room, hoping she didn’t leave before he could find her again. Prince Charming had only had a shoe to go on, but Caleb had a name and a possible ally with Melanie, if the need was desperate enough.
****
Lore walked into the living room with a small sense of wonder—she wasn’t going to lie to herself. He was the guy. Caleb was the one from New Year’s Eve. The one who had been bundled up to his ears and had hugged her on one of the hardest nights every year—the night that should have been her wedding night. Normally she stayed home, declining invitations to parties or small get-togethers. Even Melanie’s annual bash with board games until you fell over asleep.
But this year she had decided to go out. To be anonymous and simply be, for the night, alone but alive. And she’d met a stranger. One who had been as alone as she was, no friends in the area, she guessed, since he too had been standing out in the town square alone, watching the huge wrench drop as the countdown was started. He’d had no one to turn to and wish happy New Year as the clock struck midnight and ushered in the first day of a new year. She’d opened her arms because something had told her it was the right thing to do. He’d kissed her and had made her feel something more than sadness. The only thing she could liken it to was that a door seemed to have opened at the moment his mouth touched her
s. She’d alternately been trying to throw it wide open and close it back up tight for the last month and a half. But now that she’d found Caleb again, she wasn’t closing it. Not this time. She wanted that door taken off its freaking hinges.
Coincidence or awesomeness? Right now she was leaning toward the latter.
“So.” Melanie walked into the room with a basket hanging from her arm. Thirty feminine heads turned in Melanie’s direction to see what the next adventure would be.
Lore braced herself for the final game. She could have snuck back into the office. But she’d promised, and now there was something to look forward to when the game was over.
“I have here a basket of those little conversation hearts. You know the ones—Be Mine, True Love, You Rock!” She made a show of tipping the basket that had thirty little plastic bags, presumably filled with the little candy hearts. Hopefully she wasn’t going to make people trade the heart from their tongue to another person’s…
No, that was too much, even for Melanie.
“Now, before anyone starts having any weird ideas of how this is going to work, let me explain. Each bag has one heart in it.” She held up a small plastic bag decorated with hearts and, sure enough, there was one sugar heart in it. “You will each get one, and then you will have to find the man who has the same heart.”
There were several giggles and a lot of whispering amongst the ranks. Caleb’s name came up several times in sentences like “Oh, I hope I get the same one as…”
Well, they would have to step aside, because even if Lore didn’t get his heart, she knew she was going to spend time with him afterward. And at this point, she wanted that, enough that it surprised her. Perhaps it really was time to move on. What better way than with a big, sexy guy who blushed and wasn’t afraid to possibly come off as an idiot if he’d been wrong about her being the one he’d kissed in the square?
She only hoped she got his heart, though, and not that of some other guy. Like Brand. She shivered involuntarily and tuned back in.
