Steele Family Romance Collection

by Cami Checketts

  Slade kept glancing around and around, and then his face drooped. He chatted with the hostess briefly, and she led him to a two-person table across the restaurant from where Mae was sitting. What had just happened? Why wasn’t he coming to her?

  Her phone buzzed, finally breaking her concentration on Slade, and she picked it up with clammy fingers.

  Did you give up on me? I’m so sorry I’m late.

  Give up on him? He hadn’t recognized her. So many weird emotions were rolling through her. What should she say? What should she do? All her insecurities and fears surfaced, and all she wanted to do was run and hide with a Diet Coke and her friends Ghirardelli, Lindt, and Cadbury. How could Slade not know her? She didn’t know how to respond, but she finally texted: I had to run. Sorry. Maybe we’ll make it happen next time you’re in town.

  Mae bit at her lip, then remembered that Kit would be ticked if she messed up her makeup. She was more worried that she was letting her self-doubt rule her. She was messing up the entire night. Yet something inside had shriveled when he hadn’t recognized her. She snuck a glance across the restaurant, but his head was bowed over his phone and she couldn’t see his expression. Something in the defeated round of his shoulders made her want to rush over and hug him, but she was frozen to her chair.

  Finally, the dots appeared. I can’t pretend I’m not disappointed. I can wait if there’s any way you can make time to meet me tonight.

  Oh, man. That was sweet of him. He really wanted to meet her. Mae sat there, debating. What should she do?

  “Is he still coming, or is it time for me to find a work replacement so I can officially ask you out?”

  Mae glanced up at the waiter. She didn’t know what to say.

  “Is he going to make you cry again? I’m really starting to hate this guy.”

  Mae smiled. “I don’t know what to think. He came, but … he didn’t recognize me.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “We’ve only done video chats.” She shook her head. “But it hurts, you know? Why wouldn’t he recognize me?”

  The guy nodded. “I can see why that would hurt. What are you going to do?”

  “I told him I had to leave because he was late. Was that wrong?”

  “I kind of feel like he had it coming.”

  Mae shrugged. “I don’t know about that, but it’s … we don’t have a relationship, but I’m head over heels for him, and now he didn’t even recognize me. Honestly, I’m thinking I should have you go over and tell him this dolled-up version of me wants to have dinner with him. See if he’s even committed to the real me, or if he’d go for the pretty girl because he thinks I left. Does that make any sense?”

  He tilted his head. “Do you not usually dress up? Is that why he didn’t recognize you?”

  She nodded miserably.

  “Hmm. It could be fun. So we’ll see if he’ll have dinner with this ‘dolled-up version’ of you. If he refuses the offer, then you’ll know he’s fully invested in the real you and might even be worthy of you.” He gave her a kind smile. “Then I’ll tell him your real name, and he gets the prize of dinner with you. If he takes the … not real you up on your offer to have dinner together, and especially if he hits on you, not knowing it’s you, then he’s not worthy of you and you’ll at least give me a chance.”

  “So, we give him a test? That’s what the riddle we both keep spinning means, right?”

  He laughed. “Yep. A test it is. And I’m praying he fails so I get the chance to officially ask you out.”

  That was really kind of the waiter, but Mae was praying Slade passed. She thought it was a good test. If Slade would come eat with her, flirt, and even kiss someone he’d just met, then all of Mae’s inflated hopes were stupid. All her dreams were one-sided. She realized they didn’t have a relationship, so it wouldn’t be wrong of Slade to take someone else up on a dinner offer, but she could prevent a lot of heartache for herself by finding out what he’d do with the offer. “Okay, let’s do it. Tell him my name is … Josie. Tell him my date couldn’t come and I’d love to not eat alone.”

  “Okay.” He winked. “Here’s to him failing.”

  Mae laughed, but she was wringing her hands together as he walked away. Please don’t let him fail. Please don’t let him fail.

  Chapter Five

  Slade rushed into the restaurant thirty-five minutes late, praying that she hadn’t given up on him. There was just something about Mae, and he really wanted this chance to spend time with her in person. He needed to see if their friendship had the possibility of more.

  He glanced around the restaurant, his eyes landing on an absolutely exquisite brunette. For a brief second, he thought he’d just seen the woman of his dreams. He tried to tell himself he was acting shallow and only basing that on outside looks. Yet there was light, intelligence, and humor that shone from her beautiful deep brown eyes that said she was much more than her perfect exterior.

  No ... He blinked as if coming out of a daze. He wasn’t going to check out another woman when he’d asked Mae out, no matter how intrigued he was by the woman. He nodded to the beauty and kept searching for Mae. His shoulders felt heavy as he realized she wasn’t anywhere in the restaurant. He’d really been looking forward to spending time with her. The hostess escorted him to a table, and he texted Mae.

  Did you give up on me? I’m so sorry I’m late. He waited impatiently, hoping she was just in the restroom.

  I had to run. Sorry. Maybe we’ll make it happen next time you’re in town.

  Disappointment ripped through him. She’d left. Shoot. I can’t pretend I’m not disappointed. I can wait if there’s any way you can make time to meet me tonight.

  Slade waited and waited. His gut churned as the seconds ticked by and no response came. Frustrated, he wondered if he should’ve left the San Francisco offices earlier. Yet it wasn’t his fault there was a wreck on the bridge. He and Mae had developed a friendship over the years, and now, when he was going to finally spend some time with her in person, she’d ditched him.

  The waiter approached him. Slade forced a smile.

  “Hey, man,” the waiter said.

  “How’s it going?” Slade asked.

  “I think it’s going better for you than for me.”

  “I doubt that.”

  The waiter raised an eyebrow. His blue eyes had an appraising look in them. “You see the woman sitting alone?” He gestured his head across the restaurant to the brunette Slade had noticed as he walked in. She glanced at them, then quickly looked away. She seemed almost unsure of herself or shy, which made no sense with as stunning as she was.

  Slade nodded.

  “Her date’s not coming, and you’re the luckiest guy I know. She wants to eat dinner with you.”

  Slade studied the woman, wondering how her long, shiny hair or the smooth curve of her jaw would feel under his fingertips. It was hard to say no to such an appealing beauty, especially with the instant connection he’d felt to her, but he felt like he’d be betraying Mae if he went over and met his dream woman. Yet it wasn’t like he and Mae were even dating, and that woman was more enticing than anyone he’d noticed in a long, long time.

  He debated a few more seconds then shook his head. “Will you please tell her thank you for the compliment, but I’m meeting someone?” His shoulders lowered. “Or at least I was.”

  The guy arched an eyebrow. “So, are you meeting someone, or aren’t you?”

  Slade glanced at his phone. No new messages. Nothing from Mae. He was surprised how disappointed he felt. He and Mae were only friends, business associates, but he’d really wanted to meet her in person and spend some time with her. “I guess she isn’t coming,” he muttered.

  “So, your date isn’t coming and you’re turning down the opportunity to eat dinner with a woman as incredible as that one? I can promise you that if I wasn’t working, I’d be begging her to go out.”

  “What’s her name?” Slade asked. He needed time to think. There was no
thing wrong with eating dinner with a beautiful woman, but he was still wrapping his mind around the lost opportunity of being with Mae.

  “Josie.”

  “Hmm,” he grunted. He really wanted to be with the funny and intriguing Mae tonight, but she’d ditched him. He’d eaten alone last night, and he hadn’t minded it, but it would be nice to have someone to talk to, take the sting out of Mae ditching him. Was it going to be awkward the next time they video chatted for work?

  Josie glanced over at them, and something in her dark gaze tugged at Slade. She appeared uncertain and vulnerable, which was surprising for a woman that perfect-looking. It made her even more fascinating.

  “Come on, man. How could you turn her down? It’s just dinner.”

  Slade knew the waiter was right. He was making the situation too complicated. It was just dinner, Mae had left, and Josie was more than another pretty face; he felt like he was being tugged by invisible tendrils from across the restaurant.

  He stood and extended his hand. The waiter took it, and they shook. “Thanks. Slade Steele.”

  “Dirk Miller.”

  “Nice to meet you.” The guy seemed familiar to him, but he couldn’t quite place why. “Do I know you?”

  “Nah.” Dirk clapped him on the shoulder. “Enjoy your dinner.”

  “Thanks.”

  The waiter gave him a thumbs-up and stepped back, something glinting in his blue eyes that Slade didn’t like. It was almost like the guy was setting him up, but Slade didn’t really care. He’d already been ditched by the woman he wanted to be with. If the brunette beauty didn’t turn out to be as incredible as she appeared, it was no sweat off his back. It only meant that his intuition was off.

  Slade strode across the restaurant. As he approached her table, Josie turned to him. Her deep brown eyes widened. She stood quickly and faced him. Slade stuttered to a stop and his mouth went dry. He’d been around many beautiful women, but everything about this woman was simply perfect—long, dark hair with golden highlights; flawless skin, large eyes, and full lips; and a fit body encased in a pale blue dress that showed off her smooth, tanned skin.

  “Hi,” he managed to get out.

  Her lovely mouth turned down and she clung to the chair. “You failed,” she muttered.

  “Excuse me?”

  Shaking her head, her long, silky hair brushed across her shoulders, and he had the insane urge to see how both felt under his fingertips. “I thought you were …” She swallowed. “Someone different.” Releasing the chair, she turned and hurried toward the exterior exit. She didn’t move quickly, as it was obvious she wasn’t comfortable in her three-inch heels.

  Slade stared after her, confused and more certain that the waiter had set him up. He turned, and the guy was watching him with a smirk. Slade raised his hands in confusion.

  “Go after her,” the waiter mouthed.

  Slade was about sick of taking that guy’s advice, but he didn’t want her to leave like that. Throwing down a couple twenty-dollar bills on her table, he hurried around the barrier and saw her pushing through the door and heading outside, talking on her phone. He had no clue what was going on, but he was almost as frustrated as he had been when Mae ditched him. Women didn’t just walk away from him. He needed some answers, and maybe the chance to touch her hair and shoulders.

  Chapter Six

  Mae pushed through the exterior door as Kit answered the phone.

  “Why are you calling me?” Kit demanded. “You should be with Slade.”

  “It all went wrong,” Mae got out, her voice trembling. “He was late, then he didn’t even recognize me, then he failed the test.”

  “What? What test?”

  Mae walked with mincing steps along the sidewalk, wanting to put distance between her and Slade and the mess in the restaurant. She probably should’ve taken the good-looking waiter up on his offer to go out, but that would make her no better than Slade, just wanting the next hot date. Yet was that really true? Slade had always seemed so genuine to her, and she knew the real reason she’d never date the handsome waiter was because she only wanted Slade. Why, then, had she freaked out and acted so weird when Slade came over? Being in that close of proximity to him had fried her brain. He’d said his cologne was Armani Code. It was delectable, like a sexy man sitting by a warm fire on a winter’s night. What she wouldn’t give to hold Slade close in front of a fire.

  “Too much to explain,” she told Kit, “but basically, he thinks I’m some girl named Josie and I just made a fool of myself and walked out on him and … Oh, Kit, why didn’t he even recognize me?”

  “Well, the Coke bottle glasses that usually cover half of your face might be the root of the problem. Go back in there and tell him who you are!”

  “No, I can’t. He’ll think I’m insane.”

  “Then go back in there, pretend to be Josie, and have a great date with him.”

  “But I want him to love me as Mae.” She felt whiny, confused, and so miserable.

  “Josie? Josie?” someone called from a few feet behind her.

  Mae froze. “He’s coming after me,” she gritted out.

  “Yes! Yes! I told you, you were irresistibly gorgeous. Pretend to be Josie or tell him the truth. Either way, I want you to make out with that man tonight. Love ya!” Kit hung up.

  Mae heard his strong, sure footsteps as he approached. She slid the phone back into her purse and slung the purse over her shoulder, but she didn’t turn around. The water from the bay gently lapped onto the ground ten feet away. A car drove by. People’s voices carried from the open-air restaurant across the street. All she could concentrate on was Steele Slade standing right behind her, and she couldn’t get her body to cooperate and turn around.

  “Josie?”

  Oh shoot, he’d called her Josie. He thought she was somebody else completely. Mae wanted to correct him, but she wasn’t brave enough.

  He slowly walked around her on the sidewalk until he was standing right in front of her. He didn’t get in her space, but he was close enough she could appreciate all his gloriousness. Even though she was wearing her heels, he was much taller than her. He exuded confidence, manliness, and charm, and he hadn’t even said anything. She put a hand to her heart. Oh man, she was in trouble.

  “Are you okay?” His rich voice was so familiar from all their chats, but hearing it in person gave it a depth that made her stomach quiver.

  She wanted to ease in close and touch him. Slade was finally here, right in front of her, but because she was socially stunted she’d messed it all up, and now he would think she was insane. She took a step back, and his dark gaze got even more serious. She was used to Slade laughing or smiling at things she said. She didn’t like seeing him serious and almost sad.

  “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “This night has not gone anything like it should.”

  He nodded. “Tell me about it.”

  Mae tilted her head to the side. “Was that a serious ‘tell me about it’ like you actually care about my ruined night, or a sarcastic ‘tell me about it’ as in your failed night is worse than mine and you can commiserate?”

  Slade smiled, and everything was suddenly all right again. She’d made him smile in real life and without him even knowing who she was. Now if she could only touch him, she could live in her daydreams of tonight’s experience the rest of her life.

  Actually, that might be exactly what she should do: flirt, have fun, and kiss this perfect specimen. There was no world where Slade Steele would be interested in frumpy Mae Delaney, but he was obviously interested in Josie … whatever her lame last name was. Why not enjoy it? Tomorrow morning and her reclusive, sad life would come soon enough.

  “Truthfully, a little of both,” he said. “I am interested in why your night is a failure and my night did not go anywhere according to plan, so I can definitely ‘commiserate.’”

  She smiled. Why did she have to like him so much?

  “Do you want to tell me about it?” he asked.
<
br />   She shrugged. “Same old story, actually. Girl loves boy, but he’s out of her league.”

  Slade held up a hand. “Excuse me, I have to stop you right there. No man could possibly be out of your league.”

  Did he truly mean that? Tingles erupted on her skin but she was even more confused. He meant Josie, not Mae, right? Gesturing to her perfectly made-up self, she asked quietly, “Because of this?”

  He appraised her and arched an eyebrow. “I won’t lie and say you aren’t the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen …”

  Mae swallowed hard and almost fell off her borrowed three-inch heels. Would Slade hand out inflated praise like Tic Tacs? That didn’t seem like him, but what did she really know about him besides their video chats for work and what the media portrayed? Yet her chest warmed with his kind words. Could he truly think the made-up Mae was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen?

  “But it’s more than that.” He took a step closer, and she was overwhelmed by that glorious amber-scented cologne. “There are so many things shining from your eyes. Intelligence, humor, and light. I can tell that you’re kind and funny. There’s also a sweetness and humility about you that I’ve rarely seen in a woman as incredibly beautiful as you.”

  Mae couldn’t have spoken if she wanted to. Slade really saw all that from a few glances and a short conversation? Yet he was saying all of this to Josie, not to her. Or was he saying it to Mae? She was so confused right now.

  He gave a forced smile. “I’ve revealed too much. My sister would say I don’t know how to play hard to get.”

  “Why would you ever have to play any games?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re … perfect.” She admitted, gesturing to him. “Any woman would want to date you.”

  “Would you?” He cocked a challenging eyebrow.