Someone Like You

by Victoria Bylin

  Ladybug bleated again.

  Mr. Carter faced Zeke, his hands still on his hips and his face beet red. “Is that a goat?”

  Zeke straightened his shoulders. “I’m afraid it is.”

  The bushes snapped and swayed. Ladybug stayed out of sight, but Orphan Annie trotted out from behind the hedge.

  Mrs. Carter bounced out of the cart. “Oh, Larry, look. A goat! Isn’t she cute?”

  Mr. Carter wasn’t amused.

  Zeke strode toward him, his phone in hand so he’d look like he was doing something. “Our stable manager is on the way. I’m sorry for the interruption. The equestrian center is up there.” He pointed to the hill shadowing the course. “The goats belong to Ginger Travers.”

  Mr. Carter scratched his head. “Do they graze out here?”

  “No, sir. It’s—”

  Before he could finish, Ladybug popped out from behind the shrubs. She took one look at the shiny watch on Mrs. Carter’s wrist and lowered her head.

  Julia called to Mrs. Carter. “I think we should go.”

  “Oh, I’m fine,” she called with her back to Ladybug. “I grew up on a farm. I love baby goats. They’re just precious.”

  Julia turned to Zeke, her eyes wide with dread. Zeke stared at Ladybug, and Ladybug looked at Mrs. Carter. Or more precisely, the goat was eyeballing Mrs. Carter’s backside with an evil gleam in her dead brown eyes.

  “It wasn’t that bad,” Julia said to Zeke back at the pro shop. Actually it was horrible, but she wasn’t about to point that out to him right now.

  They were sitting on a bench shaded by the long eaves of the building. Zeke’s knees were covered with grass, and he’d skinned both hands in a tackle worthy of an NFL defensive end, but the worst was over.

  At least she hoped it was. The Carters, rather than ride back to the hotel with Zeke and Julia, had left quickly with Security Chief Rex Hayden.

  Zeke leaned his head back against the stucco wall, banging it just hard enough to make a thump. “Don’t kid yourself, Jules. Anytime a cowboy gallops a horse onto a golf course and lassoes a goat, it’s bad.”

  “I still can’t believe it.”

  The scene played through her mind. Zeke had tackled Ladybug before she butted Mrs. Carter, but not before she chased the woman a good forty yards. The former gym teacher managed to circle around and leap into the golf cart with Julia, which was fortunate because Ladybug squirmed away from Zeke. Finally, Chet, saddled up because he’d been checking the hills, arrived at a slow gallop, lassoed Ladybug, and scooped Orphan Annie onto his lap. With a tip of his hat to the Carters, he rode off as if goat wrangling were a daily occurrence.

  Julia banged her head against the wall just like Zeke. “Maybe it’s like trouble at a wedding. The worst things make the best memories.”

  “I hope so, but you should have seen Mr. Carter’s face. I thought he was going to have a stroke.”

  “So did I,” Julia admitted. She knew how badly Caliente Springs needed the Carter business, but she also knew Mr. Carter. When it came to his business, he demanded the best of everything. “We’ll just have to wow him at dinner tonight. He’s a good man. Eventually he’ll laugh at this.”

  Zeke was quiet for a minute, then he leaned his head just enough to touch his cheek to the top of her head. “You’re good for me, Jules.”

  He didn’t seem to care if someone saw them. It was a slow time of day, and they were alone except for a blue heron standing in the pond and an old man on the putting green. The warmth of his cheek soaked into her hair, then her scalp. Their breathing synchronized, and she longed to hold him even closer.

  His words drifted into her ear. “I’m glad you’re here. Somehow you give me hope when things are crazy. But do me a favor, okay?”

  “Anything.”

  He pulled back to put them eye-to-eye, and she saw the old twinkle that belonged to Glitter Man. “Whatever you do tonight, don’t wear plaid. It’s not as lucky as I thought.”

  Tonight wasn’t a date, but it felt like one to Julia. As she walked through the hotel lobby to the steak house, her three-inch heels clicked with a happy beat on the marble floor. The hem of her little black dress brushed above her knees, the sleeveless bodice showed off her shoulders, and instead of her portfolio, she carried a tiny red purse with a bit of bling.

  In spite of the Ladybug fiasco, tonight was going to be good for Zeke. Earlier that afternoon, when they were back at the office, he had asked her to call Mr. Carter to make sure Mrs. Carter was recovering from the chase. Mr. Carter let her know they were both just fine and laughing about the goats. He didn’t say anything about the contract, but he indicated dinner would be more than enjoyable. When she told Zeke about the hint, the tension in his face instantly eased. If they could nail the Carter contract, he’d have some ammo against selling the resort to Uncle Maury.

  But first they needed to finalize the contract. And fast. The Applegate visit was scheduled for next Wednesday, exactly one week from today.

  Hopeful and relaxed, Julia walked into the steak house. Zeke was speaking to the maître d’, his back to her and his hands in the pockets of a classic black suit. His hair was freshly cut, and the suit framed his broad shoulders perfectly. Even from behind, he looked like the man in charge. When she walked up behind him and tapped his shoulder, the maître d’ politely disappeared.

  Zeke turned to her and his eyes widened. Just like she hoped, his gaze skimmed slowly from her face to her toes, then back up to her tanned shoulders. By the time he met her gaze again, her cheeks were warm and his jaw was hanging open. “Wow.”

  “Not a scrap of plaid in sight,” she said with a grin. “You look good too.”

  “Not as good as you.” Giving a faint whistle, he looked her up and down a second time, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? You were beautiful in Berkeley, but now you’re even more amazing.”

  Her cheeks heated past a blush to a tingle. “No one in college would recognize us, would they?”

  “Probably not. And tonight I like the changes.”

  “Me too.”

  He glanced at his watch. “The Carters should be here any minute.”

  The maître d’ returned, and the three of them chatted about work for another ten minutes. It wasn’t unusual for the Carters to run a little late, especially Mrs. Carter, but after fifteen more minutes they still hadn’t arrived. Zeke asked the maitre d’ to seat them and bring the Carters to the table as soon as they arrived.

  When she and Zeke were comfortably seated at a U-shaped booth, her phone vibrated. “It’s Mrs. Carter.” She managed a normal hello in spite of Zeke’s concerned stare.

  “Julia!” Mrs. Carter sounded out of breath. “I’m so sorry to call so late, but we flew out of there two hours ago and I couldn’t get good reception until now. We’re halfway back to Los Angeles.”

  “Oh no.” Her gaze flew to Zeke. “Are you all right?”

  “We’re fine. But our youngest daughter went into premature labor and they can’t stop it. The baby’s nine weeks early. We need to be there.”

  “Of course you do.” Julia mouthed It’s okay to Zeke. But it wasn’t okay. Her heart ached for the Carters.

  Mr. Carter said something in the background. Julia couldn’t make it out, so Mrs. Carter repeated it. “Larry says he’ll call Zeke next week. We had a lovely time, but right now our lives are on hold until we know how baby Emma is doing.”

  “So it’s a girl,” Julia said.

  “Assuming the ultrasound is right.” Mrs. Carter choked up. “Our first granddaughter. I just love frilly little dresses.”

  “I’ll be praying for you.” Like you prayed for my mom, brother, and me when my dad died. “And I’ll tell my mom about Emma. Keep us posted, okay?”

  Julia ended the call, gave Zeke the details, and blew out a breath. “I’m sorry for everyone. Nine weeks early is rough.”

  “It sure puts things in perspective,” he said quietl
y. “A baby is a far bigger worry than a business deal.”

  They sat in respectful silence until Julia broke it. “I really thought we’d be celebrating the contract tonight. Instead”—she shrugged—“here we are.”

  “Two hundred jobs,” he said, shaking his head. “I can’t seem to catch a break these days. The harder I try, the more things go wrong.”

  He looked at the sparsely filled restaurant, his expression haggard and weary. She hated to see him this way, but at the same time, she recalled the conversation with her mom at Panera about new strength coming from brokenness.

  She put her hand over his solid wrist. “We can’t change what just happened, but the night doesn’t have to be a total bust. How about a burned steak for you and a medium one for me?”

  “Sure.” He flung an arm over the back of the booth. “Why not?”

  He signaled the maître d’, passed on the news about the Carters, and ordered her favorite appetizer along with the steaks. They chatted through the meal about work, Tiff’s wedding, and Ginger’s latest worry, namely that summer temperatures would soar and the new asphalt would turn to glue.

  Zeke traced the condensation on his water goblet. “The way things are going, it wouldn’t surprise me. At this point, I’m ready for the San Andreas Fault to shift, or for a tropical storm to roll up the coast, flood the hotel, and sweep it away in a mudslide.”

  Julia ached for him. “That’s California for you. But as far as the wedding goes, we’re ready for rain.”

  “Good. But what about the surprises we can’t imagine?”

  He sounded even more beleaguered than before. There wasn’t much she could do to lighten his load, but she could reassure him about the backup plans for the wedding. “Let’s walk over to the banquet room on the other side of the pool. I’ll show you what I have in mind in case of rain.”

  They left the restaurant at a leisurely pace, exited the lobby, and ambled down a stone path to a brightly lit swimming pool. It was closed for the night, so they were alone.

  As they walked around the deep end, Julia couldn’t help but compare the color of the shimmering water to the geode she’d given to Zeke in Berkeley. Bright, clear, shining. The underwater lights cast a subdued glow, giving the water texture and depth like the geode, while inviting a person to dive right in.

  When she stopped to breathe in the smells of chlorine and the warm night, so did Zeke. He touched her arm, turned her to him, and stared into her eyes. For the first time that day, the weariness drained from his face. Something powerful glinted in his eyes, something profound and human: The need to be understood. The desire to be loved. The instinct to connect in the most elemental, unspoken ways.

  He kissed her then. Sweetly. Softly. The kiss brimmed with desire, but he tempered it with restraint. She softened against him, a shiver running up her spine. There was no doubt now. She’d fallen in love with him for the second time. Or maybe for the first time, because her idea of love now was light years beyond that cheesy Valentine’s Day card. Love wasn’t something to be enjoyed just for a season. It was meant to last a lifetime. A commitment of body, heart, and soul that made a woman vulnerable to terrible pain while promising the sweetest of joys.

  Lord, what do I do? She’d fallen in love with a man whose faith was packed away in a cardboard box.

  Intending to push back, she placed her hands on his chest but looked into his eyes instead. They were stormy blue, bright from the reflected light of the pool, and burning with undefined emotions.

  He reached up and took her hands, knotting his fingers in hers. “Jules . . .” He breathed her name. “Something strong is happening here. Something good.”

  Her breath caught. “Yes.”

  “But we have to be careful.” His voice rasped against the silk of the still air. “I’m not in a good place with God. I’m bitter right now, and that bitterness might be contagious. I don’t want to do anything to risk the peace I see in your eyes.”

  “Too late,” she said.

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m in love with you.”

  Lord, is that okay? I don’t know what to do here. All she knew was that Zeke was looking at her like a man drowning in the ocean, flailing desperately against the sucking pull of a dark tide. Lord, help him. He’s lost, but he wants to be found. Julia didn’t have the power to rescue him, but she could be waiting for him on dry sand.

  Zeke pulled her more tightly into his arms and tucked her head under his chin. Bending to her ear, he whispered. “Pray for me, okay?”

  “I will.”

  Every night. Every hour of the day. Whatever it took for Zeke to find his way back to God and into her arms.

  twenty-four

  The next five days bordered on torture for Zeke.

  After they parted, he couldn’t stop thinking about Julia. He loved her. He was certain of it. And this love was completely different from what they had shared in college. Deeper. Richer. Possibly forever. But he couldn’t tell her until he was right with God.

  At home, he took his old Bible into the house and tried to read it. Instead of finding peace in the familiar verses, he saw only his failure documented in savage underlining and margins full of pointed notes about resisting temptation. The Bible ended up in a drawer in his nightstand, hidden from view but not forgotten.

  On Friday the front desk manager quit without notice, and the hotel computer system crashed.

  On Saturday a water pipe broke on the fifth floor, damaged six rooms, and forced an elevator shutdown.

  On Sunday a crazy person set a dumpster on fire and the main building had to be evacuated.

  And on Monday, Hunter Adams checked in. Within six hours, he had complained about low water pressure, demanded regular clothes hangers instead of the anti-theft kind, made a noise complaint to security, and returned a room service meal because it was allegedly cold.

  How did Julia stand the guy? Zeke didn’t know, and he wasn’t about to ask her, mainly because she was driving him a little nuts too. Every time they passed in the office, she gave him a worried look or an awkward smile. She’d taken to hovering over him, which he couldn’t stand. She meant well, but the TLC made him feel like a baby that couldn’t feed itself.

  By Tuesday afternoon his teeth ached from a permanently clenched jaw. Helpless . . . that was how he felt. Seated at his desk, he was scouring the budget for extra money for Golden Point when a tap sounded on his door and he looked up.

  Julia lingered at the threshold. “You skipped lunch. Can I get you something?”

  “No.”

  “A burned hamburger?”

  “No. But thanks.”

  “Coffee?”

  “No. I’m good.”

  She bit her lip. “How about—”

  “Julia. I’m fine.”

  He ached to call her Jules, but the nickname stirred up the feelings he needed to keep in check. Unlike in Berkeley when he’d given in to impulse, he was determined to keep his promise to be careful with their relationship.

  He stood and palmed his keys. “In fact, I’m going to get out of here for a while. I need to check on a few things before Applegate’s visit tomorrow.”

  Without meeting her gaze, he left and drove to the pro shop. The instant he stepped through the door, John put his hands on his hips and glared. “Is it true?”

  “Is what true?”

  “That Caliente Springs is being sold to some big-shot developer from Los Angeles. I have alimony payments, Zeke. And a kid in college. Jobs like this are hard to find.”

  Zeke hated rumors. He hated them even more when they upset the good people on the CS staff. He sucked in a deep breath. “I’ll be straight with you, John. What you heard isn’t true, but there’s some serious interest.”

  “Great. Just great.”

  “It’s very preliminary.” Zeke told him a little about Applegate’s visit. “Don’t start looking for a job yet. We need you here.”

  “Well, rumors are flying. I heard it this
morning.”

  “From who?”

  “Shirley at Katrina’s. The guy who left that big tip ate dinner there last night. She overheard him on his phone.”

  Sabotage. Zeke was certain Hunter had deliberately dropped a rumor-bomb while Shirley refilled his coffee cup. He glanced at the wall clock and decided to visit Chet to see what he might have heard.

  “I have to run,” he told John. “Try to hang in there.”

  The instant Zeke walked into Chet’s office, the old cowboy launched to his feet. “What’s this talk about some yahoo snob from LA buying this place and firing everyone?”

  “Where did you hear that?”

  “From Ricky.” A teenage stable hand. “He heard it from one of the lifeguards. And she heard it from—”

  “Shirley at Katrina’s.” Zeke couldn’t clench his teeth any tighter. “Here’s the truth, Chet. All of it. Ginger is interested in selling, and there’s a potential buyer. The key word is potential. This is nowhere close to being a done deal.”

  Chet snorted. “Boss, you’re lying to me. I never thought you’d do that.”

  “Lying to you?”

  “Yes, lying.” Chet aimed a finger at the window. “I heard about the sale from that friend of Miss Julia’s. He was here about an hour ago with her little boy. He’s already acting like the boss.”

  “Well, he’s not. I am.” At least for now.

  Zeke held Chet’s stare, but his stomach sank to his feet. As a single guy, he could live on ramen and cheap canned soup. He was also free to pack up and move anywhere for the sake of his career. But that wasn’t true for the two hundred employees under his wing. And it wasn’t true for Julia. She was tied to Los Angeles, at least Southern California.

  In his mind, Zeke heard his dad’s booming voice. “Your first job is to pray for your family. Your second is to feed them.” Prayer was already missing from the life he wanted to give to Julia and Max. Without a job, he’d be even more incompetent. For once, Zeke agreed fully with his father. Even if he made peace with God, he couldn’t imagine pursuing Jules without the ability to put a roof over her head.