Steele Family Romance Collection

by Cami Checketts

  Mae’s stomach churned. She might not be able to eat any of the seven rolls they’d ordered. Forget the terror of flying. What about the terror of strutting into Slade’s office? They’d gotten comfortable again, teasing and laughing on video calls, phone calls, and through texts. Last Saturday, she’d texted the secondhand vegetarian quote. He’d told her he loved her sense of humor and couldn’t wait to see her in the T-shirt. Then he’d taken it to the next level and said he was game for tacos anytime. She probably should’ve asked him right then to meet up, but she’d chickened out. She’d still gone to bed with a huge grin on her face, thinking through their conversations. Slade was amazing, but she didn’t know if she could overcome all her fears to tell him the truth, kiss him, then tell him how much she loved him. Couldn’t he just fly here and they try out the kissing part again?

  “Hey,” a deep male voice said from above them. “You’re back.”

  Mae glanced up and saw that the handsome waiter with the bright blue eyes from the other night was grinning at her.

  His gaze slipped to Kit, and his grin got even more appealing. “Is this the friend?”

  Mae laughed. She’d forgotten she’d told him she’d set him up with her gorgeous friend. “Yes, sir.”

  “What do you mean, ‘the friend’?” Kit’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, but Mae could see the glint in their blue depths. She was interested. Definitely.

  “I’ll explain later,” Mae said.

  “I’ll take the setup anytime,” the waiter said.

  “Who are you and why should I care?” Kit asked, giving him a flirtatious flutter of her eyelashes and making the smart-alecky words sound like a sassy come-on. Dang, she was good. Mae had a feeling this guy may be just as practiced in the art of flirting. Might be a good challenge for Kit. Every man fell for her upon the first wink or teasing comment.

  “He’s the waiter who … helped me,” Mae explained.

  “Dirk,” the guy offered, smiling at Kit. He turned to Mae and chuckled. “I like your shirt.”

  Mae glanced down, unsure what she’d thrown on today. She’d been making an effort to wear her contacts, put on minimal makeup, and brush out her hair after Slade and she had their video chat done for the day, but she still wasn’t dolled to the nines like Kit. Her shirt read, “That’s too much bacon,” said no one. Ever.

  “Words to live by,” Mae said.

  Dirk laughed again, then dropped a bomb in her lap. “Slade Steele called me.”

  Mae leaned back. “What? I didn’t know you knew him.” Had he and Slade set her up that night?

  “I don’t. He tracked me down, asking about … Josie. He asked me, if I saw you, to tell you sorry and he’d love to see you again. I didn’t feel right telling him any more information about you, but when you walked in, I wanted to at least relay the message.” His smile slid quickly back to Kit. “And take you up on your offer.”

  “Sorry? He said he was sorry?” Sorry that he sent her away that night? Sorry that he kissed her? Sorry that he called her Mae after he kissed Josie?

  He’d tried to track her down and told Dirk that he wanted to see her again. That was incredible news and truly all that mattered. The poor guy didn’t know how she was playing him, and she didn’t want to be playing him, but it was too scary to get on that plane to Boston. She’d teased and tried to get him to come here again, but he hadn’t taken the bait yet. Maybe she should just tell him in a video chat who she was, but it didn’t suit. She wanted to tell him in person, apologize, and then kiss and kiss and kiss until she ran out of oxygen and passed out in his arms.

  “He really seemed desperate to find you again.” Dirk shrugged. “Sorry, that’s all I know. That, and I do have his number on my call list if you want it.”

  “I know it already.”

  He smiled at that. “I thought you might. Good luck.” He nodded to her then turned to Kit. “I’ll see you around.” He winked, handed a business card to Kit, and then he was gone.

  Kit fanned herself with the card. “Sheesh. You do attract the hot, confident men.” She glanced at the card. “Dirk Miller.” She turned it over. “Weird. No title. Only a phone number. Does that mean I should call him? He was your waiter?”

  Mae nodded, distracted. Not that she didn’t care about Kit’s love life, but Kit went through several men a day. Falling in love and settling down was such a future concept to Kit, discussing it would be fruitless. The hot waiter would mean nothing to her, and Slade meant everything to Mae.

  “What do I do?” Mae asked.

  “Well, it sounds like Slade is still interested in Josie, but he’s been super cute with you as Mae, right?”

  “A few nights ago he said he loved my sense of humor and couldn’t wait to see my T-shirt in person.”

  “Okay. I think we’ve confused the poor man enough. It’s time to take action.” Kit took a deep breath. “The day the first T-shirt arrives, we catch the next plane to Boston. Agreed?”

  “I’m so scared, Kit.”

  “Of what?”

  “Of everything!”

  “I’ll be there. The Lord will be there. Between the two of us, we can help you secure your destiny.”

  Mae reached for her friend’s hand. “Can we pray right now?”

  “For sure. And don’t worry. I’ve got lots of ideas of how to keep you calm.”

  “Good, because I’ve got none.”

  Chapter Ten

  Mae straightened her ponytail and her T-shirt, pushed her glasses into place, and answered the call from Slade. “Hey, you, how goes the morning?”

  “Better now.” He gave her his full smile, and Mae barely stopped herself from sighing and putting a hand to her heart. “How about you?” he asked.

  “Well, to start, Kit made me do fifty burpees, a hundred split jumps, a hundred air squats, a hundred bridge walkouts, fifty tuck jumps, and gym slides until I cried uncle at five a.m., so I can hardly sit in this chair.”

  “And all I did was run along the piers and through Boston Commons.”

  “You’ve got a cush life, my friend.” How she wished they were more than friends. Maybe today would be the day her T-shirt would arrive and she and Kit would hop a plane to Boston. Nerves assaulted her at the very thought.

  Slade let out a bark of a laugh. “Yeah, owning and managing over a dozen loan offices is easy stuff.”

  “Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Good thing you have me.”

  His smile softened. “Good thing.” He squinted and read her shirt. “‘I kiss better than I cook’?” His voice went low and husky. “Is that true?”

  Mae shrugged, biting at her lip and wishing she knew how to flirt. The mere tone of his voice gave her heart palpitations and sweaty palms. “For sure. But that might only be because I’m a horrific cook, so I’m not sure the kissing would be up to your high expectations.” She gasped after she said it.

  Slade’s eyes widened; then he chuckled. “Maybe we’ll see when we meet up for tacos.”

  “M-maybe.” Oh my goodness, did that mean he wanted to kiss her? As Mae! That was the way she was interpreting it. She wanted to scream and dance and find Kit and scream and dance some more. She really wanted to kiss him, but that would require flying to Boston. Please help me be strong, Lord, she repeated over and over again in her mind.

  “Mae? Mae?”

  “Oh, sorry, got distracted.” She gave him a bold wink, even though he probably couldn’t see it through her glasses. She was very impressed with herself at the moment, and even more impressed with Slade. He wanted to meet for tacos and maybe kiss her. Yeah, baby!

  “I can see that.” He chuckled again and then said, “The Phoenix office is misinterpreting some of the guidelines on the FHA changes. Can you do a chat with them today, and have them go through all the FHA loans they’ve closed since the changes took effect to catch any errors?”

  “Yes, sir.” The business end of the conversation continued, and before she knew it, they were saying goodbye.

  “So, about
those tacos?” Slade said before he hung up, staring intently at her as if he could peer past her glasses.

  Mae was so happy right now. “Yeah, about those tacos …”

  “Are you coming to me, or am I flying out there?”

  Mae blinked at him, praying she wouldn’t pass out from happiness. He’d come to her, even after he thought she’d stood him up last time. She loved him even more. It would be better to have him come here. She wouldn’t have to conquer any fears.

  “How soon could you come?” she asked, her voice quivering.

  “Let me look.” He paused and searched through his phone, his brow furrowed. “It’d be late next week before I could get away for a few days.”

  A few days? He wanted to spend a few days with frumpy Mae and her big glasses? What reality was she living in? She was deliriously happy right now. How would he react to her in contacts and with her hair down? Yet he might be upset that she’d pretended to be Josie and had been too big of a wimp to tell him the truth.

  “Do we … need a few days for tacos?” she asked.

  Slade looked her over and nodded. “I think a few days might be a good start to our taco time.” He smiled. “I really want to get to know you better, Mae.”

  She did squeal then, and it made him laugh. “What if I came to you?” She clapped her hand over her mouth. She couldn’t believe she’d just said that. He was willing to come to her, but not until next week. She didn’t want to wait until next week. She’d put this off long enough. What if he changed his mind before then, found someone else, or decided he wanted Josie instead of her?

  Slade’s eyebrows rose, and he said, “I’d love that. How soon could you come?”

  “You’re my boss. You say.”

  “I’m sending my plane in the next few minutes. It takes five hours to fly there. I’ll text you the coordinates to the private airport in San Francisco. A driver will be waiting to bring you straight to my apartment.”

  Mae’s head spun with his decisive words. It was so appealing how he’d phrased that. She tilted and almost fell off her chair.

  “Mae?” he asked when she didn’t respond. “You okay? I can get you a hotel room as well.”

  She swallowed hard and squeaked out of her very dry throat. “Okay. Definitely okay. I can get my own hotel room.”

  His brow furrowed as if he wanted to plan every detail of her trip, but he only said, “I’ll see you tonight, then?”

  “Yes, sir, you will.”

  “I can’t wait.” He grinned at her, and she grinned back. The moment was beautiful, and she wanted to freeze-frame it for the rest of her life. The anticipation to see him again, touch him, and kiss him almost overwhelmed her. “See you soon,” he said huskily, and then he was gone.

  Mae fell off her chair then. She landed on the floor and squealed and giggled, and then she rolled onto her knees and prayed. Her dreams were coming true, but she still had to get across the Golden Gate Bridge and onto an airplane. Slade’s airplane. Her wealthy, handsome, charming boss, who might actually want to date her. Whew, it was getting thick and scary. Hopefully Kit truly had some tricks up her sleeve.

  Slade hung up with Mae and smiled. Bringing Mae here felt right. He was interested in her and wanted to get to know her. Mae was so great, and if there were no sparks and it didn’t work between them, he felt like she’d understand and keep being friends and working for him. He hoped so, at least. He’d hate to lose her as an employee or a friend, but he’d hate even more to never take this chance.

  Josie was still in the back of his mind, but she was a dream, a fairy tale, a chick flick that was never going to come true. Lottie wouldn’t be happy with him for giving up that fantasy, as she often brought Josie up and asked when he was going to miraculously find her again. Lottie had even told their military brother, Gunner, the story and begged him to find a private investigator to track down Josie. Slade had been tempted but told Gunner to hold off. If things with Mae didn’t pan out, he’d try that route. Josie felt like a fictitious character at this point, but Mae was real, and he loved every interaction with her. Why not take a chance?

  His visions of taking off Mae’s glasses, tugging her hair out of that ponytail, and seeing if she did kiss better than she cooked were going to come true tonight. He glanced at his watch. It was nine a.m. Best-case scenario, she’d be with him by seven. He’d try to focus on work for a few hours, and then he was going to get his apartment and himself ready. He’d have a catered dinner ready, flowers, romantic music, waiting in a suit, the whole deal. Might as well go all in and see what panned out.

  As he focused back on his computer, he was grinning to himself.

  Chapter Eleven

  Mae called Kit and simply demanded, “Get here now. We’re flying to Boston this afternoon.”

  “No way! Yes!” Kit hung up, and two excruciating hours later, she was banging on Mae’s front door. She had two suitcases and some clothes and shoes in hand. She hugged Mae and said, “Sorry it took so long. I had to finish work and get everything ready. What happened? Tell me all!”

  “Slade invited me to come for … tacos and kissing.” Mae flipped her ponytail and pretended a confidence she didn’t feel. “He’s sending his plane!”

  Kit swayed on the porch, and then she jumped in the air like a cheerleader and started screaming. They hugged and laughed, and Kit made her recite everything Slade had said. Then Kit pushed Mae into the house and handed her a T-shirt. “This is so fate. I ordered several different funny T-shirts that will actually be your size and flatter you, and look which one showed up today. It’s your taco saying!”

  Mae looked at the dusty rose T-shirt that read, “If you don’t like tacos, I’m nacho type.” She thought the good Lord must be answering Kit’s nonstop prayers. Maybe her parents and sisters were up in heaven orchestrating this day. She didn’t know how things worked on the other side, but indescribable peace and warmth settled over her. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, then spilled over.

  “Don’t cry,” Kit exclaimed. “You don’t have to wear it. I thought he said something about tacos.”

  “It’s perfect, Kit. It’s absolutely perfect. I’m crying because I’m so happy. I feel like my parents and sisters have a hand in this too.”

  “Ah, sweetie.” Kit hugged her tightly. “I’m sure they do. You deserve every happiness.” She pulled back and smiled, and her eyes got a cunning look in them. “Okay, my turn to have fun!”

  Kit burned the remaining time by fixing Mae up. Mae protested that she needed to get some real work done, but Kit said she’d let her work on the plane.

  She kept making Mae rehearse exactly what Slade had said; then she’d squeal and repeat, “He honestly said he was sending his plane in a few minutes, all decisive, sexy, and alpha male?” Kit clapped her hands together and grinned. “I’m so in love with him.”

  “It was very sexy,” Mae agreed, reliving it in her mind. “And I’m the one in love with him. Remembering the whole conversation just gives me the butterflies. Do you really think he wants to kiss Mae?” She wrinkled her nose and looked herself over in the mirror. From top to bottom, she was perfect and mostly Josie—fitted black skirt, high-heeled teal canvas shoes, hair and makeup expertly done—but the T-shirt was all Mae. Slade would be waiting for her at his apartment, so he’d know it was Mae coming in, but what if he got mad that she’d tricked him?

  “I think he does. He’s a great guy, Mae, and he’s obviously not only concerned about looks. He’s fallen for you with glasses covering your eyes and half your face, no makeup, and your hair not done. That’s really cool and really rare. I’m not trying to say most of the world is shallow, but …” Kit shrugged. “We are, but you’re not. You’re genuine. Please don’t second-guess this. You’re going to strut in there, and he’s going to pass out. Then you can resuscitate him with your kiss.” She giggled.

  A honk sounded from outside, so Mae didn’t have time to respond to all of her friend’s sweet words.

 
; “There’s our Uber. Let’s go!”

  The expected nerves washed over her, and she grabbed Kit’s hand. “I’m scared, Kit.”

  “Of what?”

  “Of everything.”

  Kit nodded. “I know, sweetie. I’ll be right there. Oh, I almost forgot! I talked to Dr. Gray a few days ago, and he called in a prescription for you for Valium. Will you take it? He says one should be enough to help you be relaxed on the bridge and the plane. I was supposed to give it to you an hour ago, but I forgot.”

  Mae’s stomach was rolling. She didn’t want to take a prescription drug, but she really needed some kind of help, or she was going to be an absolute mess before she even got to Slade. She trusted Dr. Gray and Kit. They both knew her and her issues well. Maybe the Valium was help from above too and would sustain her through the next five hours. She nodded uncertainly.

  Kit placed two small blue pills in her hand and handed her a bottle of water as the Uber driver honked again. She hurried off to open the front door and wave to let him know they were coming. Mae slipped one pill into a small pocket of her purse, threw the other pill in her mouth without letting herself second-guess it, and then chugged some water. Taking a deep breath, she clutched her purse and her carry-on suitcase. All kinds of cute clothes, dresses, and shoes were packed inside from Kit and Kit’s mom for Mae to spend the next few days with Slade. She grinned. She was doing this, and it was going to be awesome.

  They loaded into the Camry, the driver helping them with their suitcases. He was a nice guy, about their age. He immediately started hitting on Mae, making a quip about her T-shirt and how he liked tacos. She tried to be nice, but he had no clue what he was competing with. Ah, Slade.

  When she gave one-word answers, the driver turned his attention to Kit. Mae looked out the window, her stomach getting tighter and tighter as they went up the hill, leaving Sausalito behind and approaching the Golden Gate Bridge. Nausea rose up her throat, and she started sweating. The driver was oblivious as he flirted with Kit.