by Leanne Banks
“I’m a lightweight, so I’ll take water to start,” Abby said.
“Me, too. I’m driving, so I don’t want to take any chances,” Rachel said.
Char frowned. “Okay, but I don’t think he’s going to like the tip he gets from water.”
“We can order some food,” Rachel suggested, grabbing a menu. “The ribs look good.”
“Not for me,” Abby said. “Those are LipSmackin’ Ribs and I don’t want to have anything to do with that company.”
“Such passion about ribs,” the server said from behind her and gave her a once-over, twice. “You could give their waitresses some competition.”
Abby felt her cheeks heat with color. “I’m not interested in competing with LipSmackin’ Ribs’s waitresses. I would, however, like a hot-fudge sundae with whipped cream and nuts.”
“Cherry on top?” he asked, and she saw a look of sexual interest in his gaze. After her recent depressing experiences with Cade, it gave her a little thrill. At least some males found her attractive.
“Yes, thank you,” she said.
“What else can I get you lovely ladies?” he asked and took their order. “I’ll be back,” he said, looking deliberately at Abby.
“Ooh, he’s definitely interested in you, Abby,” Jules said. “And he’s cute. Maybe you should hang out with him.”
Abby felt conflicted. “I don’t know. I’m really busy right now with school and ROOTS. This probably isn’t a good time.”
“When is a good time?” Rachel asked. “Come to think of it, you hardly ever give a guy a chance. Unless you’re still holding out for—”
Abby shot Rachel the look of death, which thankfully caused her to close her mouth.
“Oops,” Rachel said.
“Holding out for what?” Jules asked.
“Or who?” Char said.
A friend since junior high school, Rachel was one of the few people in the world in whom Abby had confided about her crush over Cade, and since Laila had started dating him, the two had made a deal not to discuss him unless Abby brought up the subject, which had been nearly never.
The server returned with their drinks and orders. He set her ice-cream sundae in front of her along with a piece of paper. “Text me,” he invited, then turned to the rest of the group. “Anything else I can get you?”
“Three more just like you,” Char said, flirting outrageously.
He chuckled. “I’ll see what I can round up,” he said and went to another table of customers.
“You have to text him,” Jules said. “He’s cute and I bet he would be a lot of fun. You could use a little fun.”
“We’ll see,” she said. Maybe Jules was right. Maybe she shouldn’t be spending all her time waiting for Cade. It’s just that no other man had come close in her eyes.
“Speaking of fun, is anyone leaving town during the holidays?” Rachel asked. “I’m stuck here.”
Abby shot Rachel a look of gratitude for taking the focus off of her, and the women discussed dreams of a trip to the Caribbean. It was all in fun. Abby visited the restroom and when she came out, her gaze collided with Cade’s. Her heart immediately slammed into her ribs.
His gaze traveled up and down her and he gave her a slight nod before he turned back to the football game. She felt a shot of something like humiliation travel through her at his muted, unfriendly response. He might as well have snubbed her.
Indignation rose within her and she refused to let him get away with it. The last time she’d been with Cade, he’d been practically making love to her and she wasn’t going to let him forget it that easily.
Stiffening her spine, she sauntered toward him and tapped him on the shoulder. “Nice to see you. How you been lately?” she asked and deliberately licked her lips.
“Okay,” he said, barely sparing her a glance. “Been busy at the shop.”
“Yeah, it’s that season,” she said. “It must get terribly frustrating being cooped up in that shop all day and night. I don’t know how you do it.”
“You do what you have to do,” he said.
And she would, too, she told herself, taking her courage in her hands. “That beer looks good. You mind if I have a sip of yours?”
He glanced at her. “I thought you didn’t like beer.”
She shot him what she hoped was a seductive look. “I might like yours,” she said.
He gave a muffled sigh and lifted the beer toward her. She lifted her hand at the same time and between the two of them, the mug was jiggled and cold liquid spilled onto her chest.
Abby gasped. She had not intended that to happen.
Cade swore under his breath. “Hey, give me some napkins,” he said to the bartender. Seconds later, he was pressing them against her chest. “How the hell did that happen?” he muttered.
Abby’s heart stuttered at his closeness, her body conjuring memories of how he’d caressed her and kissed her. “It’s not the only thing that could happen again,” she murmured.
He jerked his head upward and met her gaze. He looked at his hands and her chest for a long moment, then picked up one of her hands to give her the napkins while he backed away. “Go away, little girl.”
His insistence on calling her a girl made her crazy. “You know very well I’m no little girl.”
“This isn’t going to work. Do you realize that I babysat for you once?” he asked.
Abby felt another wave of humiliation, but she pushed it aside. “That was one time and it wasn’t really babysitting. It was a swimming camp and my mom asked if I could stay late because she had to take one of my sisters to the doctor.”
“Close enough for me,” he said. “You’re too young and immature for me. I need a woman, not a girl.”
Abby felt her anger explode like a Fourth of July firecracker. Straight through the roof. Her heart hammered like a shotgun that wouldn’t stop. She narrowed her eyes at Cade, picked up his half-spilled beer and dumped the rest of it. In his lap.
His eyes widened. “What the—”
“That’s what this woman does when she is roaring mad,” Abby whispered. “Maybe you can remember the cold feeling down below when you start thinking about the fact that you want me more than you’re willing to admit.” Turning on her heel, she strode to the table where her friends were chatting and drinking.
Rachel glanced at her and her brow furrowed. “You okay?” she whispered.
“Never better,” Abby said, adrenaline still coursing through her veins.
“You’re lying,” Rachel said, looking over Abby’s shoulder. “What happened?”
“I just did something a sweet, good little girl wouldn’t do,” Abby said in a low voice, taking a sip of her water and wishing it was a martini.
“And that is?” Rachel asked.
“I poured half of Cade Pritchett’s beer in his lap.” The revelation was more satisfying than she could have ever expected.
Rachel gasped, then laughed—then laughed again. “You didn’t?”
“I did,” Abby said.
“Oh, I wish I could have seen that.” Rachel lifted her hand for Abby to give a high five. “You just kicked butt. I can only hope I’ll have enough guts to do the same thing to Rob.”
“I didn’t plan it,” Abby said, feeling a sliver of guilt.
“Of course not,” Rachel said.
“What are you two whispering about?” Char asked.
Abby paused a half beat, then manufactured an excuse. “I didn’t want to tell everyone I was pooped. It’s embarrassing.”
“Hey, we’re all overbooked with exams and papers,” Char said. “We understand. Plus we can always insist you give a rain check. And maybe you can bring that server and a few of his friends with you.”
For the first time in a long time, if not forever, Abby considered taking a chance on someone other than Cade since Cade was rejecting her completely. She didn’t know how much humiliation she could take. Even now, she felt a twinge of regret for dumping Cade’s beer in his lap
. It wasn’t her nature to be so impulsive and, well, aggressive.
Abby rubbed the piece of paper with her server’s contact information between her fingers, wishing it were a lucky charm that would release her from her passion for Cade. “You never know,” she finally said. “Anything is possible.”
Cade couldn’t believe sweet little Abby had dumped his beer in his lap. He stared after her as she returned to her table.
“Need some more napkins?” the bartender asked innocently.
“Yeah,” Cade muttered. He didn’t want to leave the bar with his pants so wet.
“And another beer?” the bartender asked as he gave Cade some napkins.
“Not right now,” he said then swore under his breath. Women. Who would have thought Abby could be so impulsive? So emotional? So passionate and hot…
A slew of images and memories conspired against him, making him want to take her to his bed for at least a night. Or thirty nights.
All wrong, he reminded himself as he forced himself to remember that he had once been her babysitter. He had once been involved with her sister. Cade knew Abby would want more from him than he could give. Unlike Laila, Abby would want all of him. His mind, body and heart, and Cade had no intention of giving away all of himself to any woman.
A few days later, Cade walked toward the diner to get a decent cup of coffee since the coffeemaker at the shop had taken its last gasp. He ended up getting an extra cup for his brother Dean and headed back to work. Passing by the community center, he heard the sound of children singing. He remembered that the kids were preparing a Thanksgiving program and wondered if this was part of it.
He’d successfully avoided Abby since the incident at the Hitching Post. Her words, however, grated on him. It still wasn’t acceptable for him to get involved with her. Abby had a soft heart and he would hurt her. Hell, he already had.
He hated himself for it, but he missed seeing her. He’d spent a lifetime not thinking about Abby, and now thoughts of her crept up in his mind at the oddest moments. Cade should just continue on his way back to the shop. No detours.
Or he could stand in the back where no one would notice him. Just to see if the props from Pritchett & Sons were working out okay. Sipping his coffee, he stepped inside the center and nodded at the woman at the desk as he made his way to the gymnasium.
It must have been a dress rehearsal because the kids were in costume. He had to admit they looked cute. A bunch of little pilgrims stood on the bow of the faux ship singing their little lungs out. One of the pilgrims pulled off her hat and started playing with it. In front of the ship, a group of mini–Native Americans wearing headdresses squirmed and wiggled. One little Native American started tugging on his neighbor’s headdress.
He spied Abby stepping toward the tugger and shaking her head. The boy immediately stepped in line. He chuckled. The boy must have learned, as Cade was learning, that despite her sweet smile and nature, Abby had a kick to her personality. The song about making friends and sharing ended, and Abby and the director applauded the children’s efforts.
Cade knew that most of these preschoolers came from disadvantaged homes. Their time at the community center provided a hot meal, early education and exposure to learning all kinds of things they might never experience otherwise. With all her other activities, he had to admire Abby for helping the children.
As she bent down to untie a headdress, the children swarmed around her like bees to a flower. No surprise that she was good with kids. He felt the dark longing for his own family yawn inside him again and tamped it down. Maybe someday, but not with Abby. He would only hurt her.
Chapter Five
Between school, her work at ROOTS and filling in at the community center, Abby’s schedule switched into high gear. In theory, she was too busy to think about Cade, but that’s why theories were only theories. Real life was something else. The good news, however, was that she was too busy to be overly bothered with Laila’s wedding. Sure, she felt a twinge every now and then, but with her current demands, it was easier to push aside.
After one of her night classes, she grabbed a hot chocolate with marshmallows at the diner while she sat in a booth and reviewed notes for an upcoming exam. A shadow fell over her and she glanced up to see the server from the Hitching Post looking down at her.
“You didn’t call or text me,” he said.
“I’ve been crazy busy with school and other things,” she said.
“Too busy for a little fun?” he asked, sitting across from her.
“Too busy for any fun,” she said.
“You don’t remember my name,” he said.
She searched her memory. Started with a D. “Daniel,” she managed.
He raised his eyebrows. “Well done.”
She shrugged, knowing she’d just gotten lucky and tried not to squirm at the way he studied her.
“I’m not just a waiter for the Hitching Post,” he said. “I’ll be studying law in the fall.”
“I wasn’t judging you,” she rushed to say, although she was somewhat surprised.
“But you couldn’t be less interested,” he said.
She was impressed by his perceptiveness. “You’re good,” she said and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. “The truth is I’m cursed,” she confessed.
His eyebrows lifted. “Cursed? That sounds a bit dramatic,” he said.
“Well, it is dramatic, and I am, indeed, cursed. I fell head over heels for a man when I was a teenager, and even when I tried my very best not to care for him, I did. I failed at ignoring him. I failed at not thinking he was the best man in the world.”
Disappointment flitted through his gaze. “Oh. Damn. How come no one like you went crazy for me as a teenager and couldn’t be seduced away?”
“Ha, ha. I’m sure there were plenty of girls falling for you. You just probably didn’t notice them because there were so many. You’re not exactly hard to look at, and you’re full of charm.”
“Not enough charm to turn your head,” he said.
Abby sighed. “I’m just sick. It’s a sad thing, but I’m sick.”
“You should give me a chance,” Daniel said. “Maybe I could cure you.”
She laughed, wishing she felt remotely tempted, and shook her head. “Maybe not me, but I could refer you to at least eight of my friends if you promised not to break their hearts.”
“Eight at once and no hearts broken? That’s a tall order,” he joked.
She laughed, again wishing her heart were as free as it should be. Free enough to enjoy and exchange interest with another man. Darn Cade Pritchett. Why had he captured her heart if he would never return her feelings?
The weather forecast was wicked bad. Blizzard coming. Fifteen inches. Zero visibility. Abby thought about Mr. Henson. She’d packaged several meals from the Cateses’ freezer and taken them to him several days ago, but she hadn’t checked on him recently.
Guilt slashed through her. She should have visited him. She should have… Well, no more should haves. She would go check on him now before the storm hit full force.
Abby drove her VW Beetle as the snow was flying. She pulled in to Mr. Henson’s driveway with more food and rushed up the steps to knock on his door.
“Coming,” he called from inside.
Abby waited impatiently, glancing at the snow pouring sideways.
Mr. Henson opened the door and smiled. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his grumpy tone at odds with his expression.
“I wanted to make sure you’re okay,” she said. “A blizzard is coming and I brought you some more food.”
“I like your mama’s cooking,” he said. “Yours isn’t too bad, either,” he added, waving her inside. “You shouldn’t have come out in this weather.”
Abby stepped inside. “I was worried about you.”
“No need to worry about me. I’ll go when I’m supposed to and—”
“—not a day before,” she finished for him. “I just don’t want you
rushing things.”
He met her gaze. “Why is that?”
“I like you.”
His lips lifted in a small, craggy smile. “You shouldn’t get too hung up on me. My Geraldine told me I was dangerous to women. I never believed it, but—”
Abby stifled a laugh, but smiled. “Geraldine was right. How’s your ankle?”
“Damn slow healing,” he said as he shuffled toward the kitchen. “If I was just a few years younger, I’d be better fast, like that,” he said and snapped his fingers. “This one is taking a while. Gotta say the ice and meds help a little. A little,” he added with emphasis. “It’s no miracle.”
“I hope you’ll turn a corner soon. I’m glad you’re not hurting quite as much. In the meantime, I want to make sure you’re ready for this blizzard headed our way.”
Mr. Henson lifted his head as if he were offended. “I’ve lived through more blizzards than years you’ve been alive, missy.”
“I’m sure you have,” she said. “But I’m a neurotic whippersnapper who wants to make sure you make it through this one, too.”
He stared at her for a long moment. “This younger generation is strange.”
A knock sounded at the door, startling both of them. “I’ll get it,” she said and strode toward the door. She opened it, stunned to see Cade staring back at her. Her heart felt as if it lodged in her throat.
“What are you doing here?” she and Cade said at the same time.
Abby blinked, reining in her heart, mind and soul. Oh, not soul, she told herself. Not soul. That was too much, too deep. “I’m here because of the blizzard.”
“So am I,” Cade said. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s already started.”
“My car is good in the snow,” she said, lifting her chin.
Cade gave a short, humorless laugh. “In this weather? I don’t think so.”
