Secret Hunger (The Harper Sisters)

by Satin Russell

  Thinking it was probably best to leave before he became too obvious, he took a final swig of the still steaming coffee and left a few bucks by the ticket. He smirked as he headed out the door. Damned if he was going to leave a tip for that upstart little bitch.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The rest of the week seemed to fly by for Olivia. With Jackie still out sick, the hours her café were open smeared into one big blur. At night, she pored over cookbooks and tested out various recipes for her dinner menu.

  By the time Friday morning had rolled around, Jackie was finally back, recovered from the bug she’d had. Olivia was relieved to be working the grill beside Tom again.

  She hadn’t seen Mason all week, but had been surprised to find the little gifts he’d left her. She wouldn’t have thought he’d be the type to leave notes and flowers. His style had seemed more straightforward than that.

  And where was he, anyway? He’d asked her out for a date on Friday and then practically disappeared. Couldn’t he have come in to say hi when he left the flowers on her car yesterday?

  She was baffled. Maybe he was just trying to build up anticipation, she thought. Hell, it had been forever since she’d dated anyone. What did she know? Maybe this was how it was done now.

  Thinking that must be it, she finished plating the order she was working on and tossed it up into the window, calling out for pick up.

  As she did so, she felt the heat of someone’s gaze on her. She didn’t even have to glance over to know that Mason was sitting at the counter. Her eyes collided with his and everything else stopped. The clink of silverware, the murmur of voices, the sizzle and scrape of Tom flipping bacon, all faded into white noise.

  Speak of the devil, she thought. Olivia could feel her heart lurch. “Tom, I’m taking a quick five minutes.”

  “Okay, I got this.”

  She swung out of the kitchen door and headed towards him, relieved to see that it wasn’t too busy. Flipping a mug over, she poured him coffee. “Hi.”

  “Hey. Sorry I haven’t been in to see you this week. I went into Boston for a few days to check on my partner’s daughter and drop off a few Christmas presents.”

  “Oh, that’s sweet of you.”

  “I just wanted to make sure we’re still on for tonight?”

  “Yes!” Inwardly, Olivia cringed and reminded herself not to sound too eager. “Yes, of course.”

  “Okay, great. So, I’ll be by to pick you up at 5:30, then. I’m hoping you know where the play is going to be held.”

  “Oh yeah, don’t worry about that. It’s held at the Chocolate Church. You can’t miss it, since its right in the middle of town. Be prepared, though. You’re probably going to end up meeting everybody tonight.”

  He flashed a smile. “I’m looking forward to it.” He got up from his seat and left some money to pay his bill. “Don’t work too hard.”

  She smiled and watched him leave the café, catching herself before she sighed out loud.

  “Well, well…I seem to have missed quite a lot this week.” Jackie said, from behind her. She leaned on the counter and watched her watch him leave the café. “Who is that intensely sexy hunk?”

  “His name is Mason. Remember me telling you about my car breaking down and getting a ride home after the storm last week?”

  “Lucky woman. Is it weird that I’m now wishing my car would break down?” She laughed. “Of course, with my luck it would be some backwoods hillbilly with missing teeth stopping to pick me up.” Her eyes wandered over to Tom and she gave him a saucy wink. He just shook his head and stacked another plate with breakfast potatoes.

  Olivia laughed and gave her a hug. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. I missed you.”

  “So, what’s the deal? Did I hear him say he’s going to pick you up tonight?”

  “As a matter of fact, you did. I haven’t had a chance to fill you in, but I happen to have a date with that very sexy man tonight.”

  Jackie clapped her hands with excitement. “Details! I need details. Where’s he taking you?” Just then, a woman called out, “Ma’am?”

  “I’ll be right there.” She turned back to Olivia, “We have a date after shift and are going to talk, missy. We have some catching up to do.”

  She smiled and gave Jackie another quick hug before heading back to the kitchen. “You got it.”

  That afternoon, the two friends chatted over sandwiches. Olivia told Jackie about her date with Mason, the impromptu afternoon she’d spent with him, touring his sister’s bed and breakfast, as well as the supercharged kiss they’d shared when he’d dropped her off. She also described how she’d been finding flowers and notes left for her all week, but hadn’t seen him since last Tuesday.

  “Life must be so tough for you, Livvy. Here you have a hot guy leaving you romantic gestures and you’re wondering if it’s normal.”

  Olivia rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. You know me better than that. I’m just not used to this kind of attention.”

  “At least you’re getting some. I say count yourself lucky and have fun with it.”

  “You’re right. How about you? Anybody catch your eye lately?”

  “There aren’t a lot of good men in this town looking to start a relationship with a single mom. And, to be honest, I’m too busy to worry about it that much…” she hedged. “The only man I saw this whole week was Tom when he dropped off some ‘get well soon’ soup.”

  Olivia was so caught up in her own situation that she didn’t catch the hesitancy in her friend’s answer. “I completely understand. Well, who knows? Maybe some hunky guy will come into town and sweep you off your feet.”

  “I think the hunky guy already came into town, only it wasn’t my feet he was sweeping.” Jackie glanced at her watch and got up. “Speaking of being a single mom, I’ve gotta go pick up my kid from school. I expect to hear all about how the date goes tomorrow.”

  “Will do. Oh, by the way, I have Tom opening for me, since I’ll be up later than usual tonight. Would you mind coming in a bit early just to make sure he doesn’t need any extra help?”

  “Not a problem. But, like I said…details! I’m fully planning on living vicariously through you.”

  “Agreed,” Olivia got up and began clearing the table. “Don’t worry about the dishes. I’ll take care of them. Say hi to Abby for me.”

  With a little wave, Jackie took off, leaving Olivia to clean up. Now, she’d just have to figure out how to fill the next few hours without going crazy.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Olivia rushed to finish her final brush of mascara right as she heard the doorbell ring downstairs. Nervously, she took one last look at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t used to seeing herself all done up like this. Most of the time, she didn’t wear more than a swipe of lip gloss. She liked how the gold eye shadow made her eyes shimmer in the light.

  With a final toss of her hair, she headed down the stairs and took a deep breath before opening the door. Instantly, she noticed that he had trimmed his beard, but was secretly happy he hadn’t decided to shave it off. She wondered how the scruffy texture would feel against her skin.

  How he could make a simple V-neck sweater look so good was beyond her. She liked the way the dark blue set off his eyes. He wore a bomber jacket and dark wash jeans. Even though he’d cleaned up, he still had an air of danger to him. Her blood thrilled as she watched him rake a glance up and down her body and take in her appearance.

  “You look gorgeous.”

  She stepped back to let him in. “Thank you. I could say the same about you.”

  She quickly grabbed her purse, but before she could head towards the door, he shifted and wrapped his arms around her waist, gently drawing the length of her body against his. His eyes sharpened into twin blue lasers. It was all she could do to grab hold of his hips and hang on.

  He held her there, staring into her eyes, like he was making up his mind about something. Slowly, he brought his mouth down and brushed his lips ever so gentl
y to hers. Just the barest of touches, but it sent electricity streaking through her bloodstream.

  Her eyes fluttered closed and she leaned in towards him, but he didn’t deepen the kiss. Just teased and savored all the potential in that smallest of caresses. Idly, he stroked his thumb along her jawline and down her neck before releasing her.

  Dazed, she opened her eyes and stared up at him for a moment before gathering her wits. “Well…” she didn’t know what to say after that. How could a kiss be so light and gentle and pack that kind of heat? Desire was already beginning to curl low in her belly.

  “I’ve wanted to do that all week. I hope you don’t mind.” Gently he pulled away from her. “Shall we?”

  Just then, he glanced up through the archway and noticed a vase holding a dozen roses on the kitchen island. Light shining from the pendant lights highlighted the crimson blooms, causing them to be prominently spotlighted and displayed.

  “That looks nice.”

  “Oh! How rude of me. I forgot to thank you for the flowers and note you sent this week.”

  Mason’s attention swung back to her, giving her a blank look. “Flowers? Note?” At her nod, he said, “Olivia, I didn’t send you anything this week. Remember? I was down in Boston all week.”

  Startled, her brows furrowed at the revelation. “Huh. I just assumed they came from you. It’s not as if I’m routinely receiving gifts like these. I can’t imagine who else would have sent them.” She gave Mason a little shrug, beginning to feel self-conscious, “I wonder who they could be from.”

  Curious, he walked over to the vase. “Where were they left for you? Did they get delivered directly to the house?”

  “Well, the flowers were placed on the windshield of my car. The note was left in my mailbox.”

  He cast a disturbed look at her with that tidbit of information. “In your mailbox? Maybe they’re a belated birthday present. Was there an envelope or any kind of postmark?”

  “Nope, just the note. I didn’t think much of it because I figured you must have dropped them off.” Olivia watched Mason closely, trying to figure out why he seemed so disturbed by the innocuous gifts…unless, maybe he was jealous?

  “I’m sure it’s nothing. It’s probably just my sisters giving me a hard time and teasing me since they knew I was going out on this date tonight. Speaking of which…we should probably get going if we’re going to make it on time.”

  He nodded and followed her out, waiting for her to lock the door. As she mutely followed him to his truck, he seemed to be preoccupied, lost in thought. She wished they could recapture the feeling from when he first came to pick her up. Her lips still tingled with the memory of his.

  As they turned the corner into town, Mason admired the impressive architecture of the church rising up into the dark sky, its brown gothic spires lit from within. Snow coated the roof and created a nimbus effect at the top of its tower.

  “Wow, pretty impressive for a high school concert.”

  “They call it the Chocolate Church, although it isn’t used as a church anymore. Now it’s an arts center. It was almost torn down at one point and turned into a parking lot. Luckily a group of town members got together and saved it, back in the seventies. Wait until you hear the acoustics.”

  As impressive as it was, Mason was surprised to find there wasn’t a parking lot. He had to circle around a few blocks before he could find a spot.

  Walking back towards the building, he was once again struck by how wholesome everything seemed in this town. Families with younger siblings, high school kids, and teachers all streamed towards the double doors.

  At that moment, a familiar prickle of sensation ran down the back of his neck. He surreptitiously scanned the crowd of people making their way into the church, trying to figure out why he felt like he was being watched.

  He spotted a lone figure about a block and a half down, leaning against the wall. It was too far to get a good look. All he could make out was the soft glow of the end of a cigarette.

  “Is something wrong?” Olivia asked, craning her neck to look in the direction he was focused on.

  Shrugging, he turned back to her. “It’s probably nothing. Just a guy trying to get a smoke in before the performance. I must be a little jumpy, that’s all.”

  She wound her arm through his. “I’m afraid your city instincts are wasted in this small town.”

  With a final glance, he thought she was probably right. As they made their way through the doorway, he noticed there was a display for the upcoming holiday events posted at the front of the building.

  “I have to admit, this is a first for me. I’ve never had occasion to come to a high school concert before.”

  “So, I take it no kids?”

  “No kids, no ex-wives.”

  “No nieces or nephews?”

  “Melody is my only sibling, so no nieces or nephews, either.”

  “Well, then I can understand why this would feel so weird to you.”

  “What about you? How are you so familiar with all of this?”

  “Fiona liked the theater when she was in high school, and I got into the habit of coming here. Besides, I try to support the town and school whenever I can. I figure the cost of a ticket once in a while won’t kill me. I think you’ll be surprised. They tend to put on a pretty good show.”

  Olivia liked the way he gently placed his hand on the small of her back to help guide her through the crowd as people were funneling in the door. She wasn’t used to being escorted by a gentleman.

  That must be one of the differences between dating now and in the past. Back then, the few college guys she’d gone on dates with had felt showing up in a clean shirt was an accomplishment.

  She watched as he scanned the crowd and his surroundings. His eyes never seemed to stop for too long. It wasn’t that she got the impression he was restless, just constantly alert.

  “Olivia, Mason. I’m so happy to see you could make it.” Frank called out to them as they were turning in their tickets and being handed a concert program.

  “Frank, great turnout tonight. How’s Rosie doing? Any first night butterflies?”

  “She had the jitters earlier.”

  “Aww, well, I’m sure she’ll do great.”

  As they both entered the auditorium, Mason appreciated the way the ceilings soared above him. The dark wooden beams and arched entrances created a sense of drama. She checked their tickets. “Looks like it’s open seating. I see a couple of spots over there.”

  As they weaved through the crowd, he noticed she was greeted by a number of people and seemed well liked, and was comfortable in the room. Most of them had probably eaten at her café in the past week. He noticed quite a few of them cast him curious glances as they chatted with her.

  Again, he got the uncomfortable feeling of being watched. As casually as possible, he continued to search the crowd, trying to pinpoint what was causing it. He had just spied a man in a baseball cap a handful of rows back that seemed to be looking in their direction when the auditorium lights started to dim. Reluctantly, he shook off his concern, chalking it up to having spent the past week in Boston and feeling jumpy.

  Making the conscious decision to relax, he reached over and wove his fingers through hers. This had to be one of the most original first dates he’d ever been on. High school holiday concerts weren’t his usual scene. He could only hope they were as talented as Olivia had led him to believe.

  ***

  An hour and a half later, Olivia wound her arm though his as they made their way back to the truck. “So? What did you think?”

  “I’m impressed. Actually, they weren’t bad.”

  “I thought the a Capella version of Carol of the Bells was the best.”

  “That was good. Rosie did well with her solo for Silent Night, too. Frank looked very proud.”

  “We’ll have to be sure to let him know we enjoyed it.” Suddenly, her stomach growled and he laughed.

  “Good thing I made reservation
s for dinner.”

  She blushed. “I don’t usually eat so late. Most of the time, I’m in bed by 9:30, 10 at the latest.”

  “Well, don’t worry. The place we’re going isn’t too far from here. I hope you like Italian food.”

  “I love Italian food. Actually, I’m pretty adventurous when it comes to trying all types of food. As a chef, I think it’s important to be open to new flavors and taste combinations.”

  “Have you always wanted to be a chef?”

  “Ever since I was little. My mom and I used to spend hours in the kitchen together trying out new recipes. When I was younger, she’d let me wash the vegetables, stir the pots and lick the spoons, but as I got older, we’d try more complicated things.”

  She laughed in remembrance, “We used to pick a country or region as a theme and try to cook a whole week’s worth of recipes from that area. One week we’d eat all Spanish food like paella and various tapas. The next week it would be French food. You should have seen us after we made our first successful soufflé. You’d have thought we’d won the lottery. It was our time to bond. I got my love of cooking from her.”

  “She sounds amazing.”

  “She really was. Even though we lived in a small town, she managed to make the whole world feel accessible and brought it to us. I wasn’t a very popular kid growing up. With all that cooking, I was a bit chubby and shy, but I always knew I had a place to go that I was understood and loved.”

  He reached across the seat and grabbed her hand. “Looks like you grew up well to me.”

  She laughed. “That’s because after I graduated high school and left for college, I finally came to the realization that if I was going to keep cooking and eating the way I wanted to, I had to learn to love exercise just as much. I started running every week and have never stopped. How about you? Have you always been fit?”

  “Well, I was always into sports and physically active, so yeah. It came with the territory.”