by Leanne Banks
He nodded as he saw her coming. “Hey, Cecelia,” he said and tipped his hat. “You know Nate Crawford, don’t you?” he asked.
“Of course,” she said. “How are things?”
“Pretty good,” Nate said and smiled, then his eyes widened in recognition. “Hey, are you the one who made Nick become a matchmaker?”
Cecelia took a quick breath and fought a surge of self-consciousness. “Oh,” she said and forced a smile. “That could be me. He’s been determined to match me up for a while.”
Nate nodded. “How’s that working out?”
She wiggled her shoulders. “No jackpot quite yet.”
Nate chuckled. “Good sense of humor,” he said.
An attractive brunette stepped in front of Cecelia. “Nick, where have you been lately? I’ve called and called you. I have dinner and some cuddling waiting for you at my trailer.”
Nick looked a little startled. “Uh, hi, Brenna,” he said.
Cecelia looked at the pretty, curvy brunette with perfectly coiffed long hair, false eyelashes and makeup that made her look like a movie star. Her jeans looked as if they’d been painted on. She poofed her lips in a perfect moue and wiggled her backside. “I’ve missed you, baby.”
Cecelia felt her stomach turn. Nausea rolled through her. “Uh, I think I need to head back to the rooming house. It’s been a long day. You guys have a nice night,” she said and headed toward the door.
“Cecelia.”
She heard Nick call her name, but she’d reached her emotional tipping point. She just couldn’t handle their secret relationship any longer. She couldn’t handle Nick’s harem, either. She was going back to Thunder Canyon. It was just a matter of time. She knew it in her head, but hated it in her heart. Until then, though, she was locking her bedroom door and putting cotton balls in her ears. She couldn’t give in to her desire for Nick anymore. It was hurting her more than it was thrilling her.
* * *
Nick called after Cecelia, but she kept walking away. Then Brenna waved her hands in front of his face.
“Baby, when are we getting together?” she asked and gave another pout.
Why was she calling him baby? he wondered. He’d taken care of a few handyman issues in her apartment and shared a beer with her. That had been the extent of their relationship. “Sorry, but I’m booked up right now. There’s just too much going on. But take care of yourself,” he said in a kind but dismissive tone.
Brenna left and Nick sighed in relief, but he was still bothered about Cecelia.
Nate chuckled. “You’re a busy man. Between your carpentry and all these women.”
“There aren’t really that many women,” Nick said, his irritation ratcheting upward.
Nate shrugged. “Looks like a lot to me. And the way you were staring after Cecelia? You say you’re trying to fix her up with a man, but it looks to me like maybe you want to get together with her.”
Nick sat down. He was losing patience with this evening. “What did you want to talk about with me?” he said in a voice that he knew was a bit cool.
Nate paused and lifted his hands. “Sorry. Sounds like I hit a sore spot.”
“It’s just been one of those days. What do you have on your mind?”
“Okay,” Nate said. “I want more custom cabinets at the lodge. I’ve been looking at what you’ve done with the cabinets in the public areas, and I’ve liked them so much that I want to add them to some of the exclusive suites. They give this great feeling of warmth and luxury. Our guests are going to love them. After they spend a night in these suites, they’re going to want to stay there forever.”
“Sounds expensive,” Nick said, but he appreciated Nate’s enthusiasm.
“For the guests?” Nate asked. “Or for you to do more cabinetwork?”
Nick laughed. “Both, of course.”
Nate shook his head. “You’ve reeled me in with the stuff you’ve already done. I have no choice. Let’s negotiate a price,” he said.
They hammered out the schedule and financials. Nate extended his hand. “Good to do business with you.”
“Same here,” Nick said. “Glad to hear the whole project is coming together so well. This is going to be great for Rust Creek Falls. I hope you don’t mind excusing me, but I’ve had a long day today and I’m bushed.”
“Not at all,” Nate said. “Part of the reason you’re beat is because of how hard you’re working on the lodge. But before you leave, I was wondering. Have you heard about a strange old man named Homer Gilmore who was found wandering in the woods outside Rust Creek Falls? I hear he’s telling whomever he meets that he is the Ghost of Christmas Past.”
“That is strange,” Nick agreed. “The name is familiar, but I can’t place it. I wonder how he ended up here.”
“I don’t know,” Nate said. “It’s the big unsolved mystery right now.”
“Hmm,” Nick said, thinking he had a few unsolved mysteries of his own. “Well, I’m gonna head on out. Take care, now,” he said and walked out of the bar. He had a bad feeling about Cecelia. The expression on her face haunted him. He had felt a part of her pulling away from him for a few days now, and he didn’t like it. He wanted her to give herself to him with complete freedom and abandon.
At the same time, Nick gave all of himself to no one. So why did he feel vulnerable? Why was what he felt for Cecelia so different from what he’d felt for any other woman? That thought scared the hell out of him.
He strode toward the rooming house and climbed the steps to the second floor and then to Cecelia’s room, which from the hall looked totally dark. He tapped lightly. No answer.
“Cecelia,” he said in a quiet voice.
No answer.
His gut clenched. She had never refused him. He tapped one more time, but she still didn’t answer.
He was either officially in the doghouse or permanently out the door.
Nick barely slept that night. He arose the next morning and felt more cranky than during his worst hangover. Striding downstairs, he tried to push thoughts of Cecelia from his mind. Other women wanted him. Why should he be concerned about her rejection of him?
Because he wanted her. Not those other women.
He walked downstairs to get a cup of coffee and something he could carry with him to his first assignment. If he met up with Cecelia, though, all bets were off. He was going to talk with her. He was going to convince her that they had a good thing going.
Grabbing his coffee, Nick noticed that Cecelia was nowhere in sight. Melba shoved a muffin in his face.
“I need to talk to you for a minute,” she said and gave a sharp shake of her head. “Come on in the den.”
No one turned down Melba when she spoke in this tone, so Nick followed his landlord to her den. “Good morning, Melba,” he said, focusing on politeness.
“Not for you,” she said and put her hands on her hips. “Cecelia gave me notice this morning. She’s moving out in two weeks.”
His gut clenched. “What do you mean?”
“I mean she’s leaving,” Melba said. “So you need to figure out how to keep her here. You need to step up your game.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
“Then you’re a fool and you’re going to lose her,” Melba said and brushed her hands together. “I’ve warned you,” she said. “I’ve done my part. I’ve got things to do. Move along, now,” she said and stepped around him.
Second snub of the
day, he thought and started to feel a bit nervous. He wasn’t ready to let go of Cecelia. He needed to figure out how to keep her with him, but she seemed completely disenchanted.
Nick went to work, but he was distracted the entire day. It was a wonder he didn’t cut off his or one of his coworkers’ fingers. He figured he’d better not show up at the rooming house empty-handed, so he bought some roses for her and knocked on her door to deliver them. Twice, he knocked. Twice, she didn’t answer.
Melba was right. He was going to have to up his game.
* * *
For the first time in a couple of weeks, Cecelia had an opportunity to meet with her best friend, Jazzy, for a quick lunch at the doughnut shop.
“So glad I got to see you,” Jazzy said. “I’ve been working crazy hours.”
“Me, too, but maybe mine haven’t been as crazy as yours,” Cecelia said. “I’m just glad to get together with you. How are you doing?”
Jazzy smiled. “I’m doing great.”
“I’m glad one of us is,” Cecelia said.
“What about you? You’ve been dating more lately. Anyone promising?” Jazzy asked as she took a bite of her sandwich.
“Nothing promising,” Cecelia said glumly and sipped her hot chocolate. She couldn’t help remembering that special night when she and Nick had shared hot chocolate and sandwiches under the stars on his new property. That night had felt like magic to her, but she’d only been fooling herself. Nick had just wanted an affair with her. She’d been so easy for him.
“You don’t look happy,” Jazzy said, her face full of concern. “Are you sure you’re okay? You haven’t fallen more for Nick, have you? I was hoping you would focus on having fun.”
“I’m okay,” Cecelia said then shook her head. “I’m not okay. I’m crazy for a man who won’t ever get married. He’s not into commitment, so I’m doing my best not to have strong feelings for him. But I can’t help myself. I’ve gotten calls from plenty of guys, but I can’t think straight because of the guy I’ve fallen for.” She paused. “I think I’m going back to Thunder Canyon,” she confessed.
Jazzy stared at Cecelia. “So it is Nick. No. Don’t tell me that. I want you here.”
Cecelia shook her head again. “You’re my best friend ever, but you’re busy in the best way. Earning a new degree and building your marriage. But Rust Creek Falls hasn’t worked out as well for me. And now I’ve made a terrible choice to be with a man who is committed to not committing.”
“Oh, no,” Jazzy said and squeezed Cecelia’s hand. “I can’t believe any man who had a chance with you wouldn’t want to hold on to you forever.”
“It happened in Thunder Canyon,” Cecelia said. “I didn’t want to tell anyone because it was so embarrassing. I thought he wanted to keep our relationship secret because it was special and he didn’t want people talking about us, but I think he was really ashamed. And I’m afraid the same thing may have just happened to me again.”
“Nick can’t be that callous. Just how involved have you gotten with him?” Jazzy asked.
Cecelia just bit her lip. She couldn’t talk about the nights she’d spent in Nick’s arms. Just the thought of it made her chest ache.
“I know Nick has been noncommittal, but I can’t believe he would act that way with you. You’re too important to him. Maybe you should give it another chance,” Jazzy said. “My forever man took more than one chance.”
“I’m not sure Nick is interested in forever,” Cecelia said.
“Then he’s a fool,” Jazzy said.
Cecelia felt as if she were caught in a web of reality and unreality. “Can’t focus on that,” Cecelia said. “It’s out of my control.” Cecelia thought about going straight back to her room to pack for her to return to Thunder Canyon, but she couldn’t do it all right away, as much as she wanted to vanish immediately. She had to tie up some loose ends. Until then, she would just need to avoid Nick as much as possible until she left.
The next two mornings, Cecelia found flowers when she opened her door and dumped them in the garbage can outside the rooming house. She couldn’t bear the sight or scent of them. She was already crying every night. The next night, she found candy. She also dumped that. She’d bought a pair of earplugs so she wouldn’t hear Nick knocking on her bedroom door every night.
She wondered if she should have left Rust Creek Falls before she let Melba know she was determined to leave. She did everything she could not to run into Nick. It was tricky, but she was able to accomplish it.
When he knocked on her door on the third night, it was all she could do not to let him in. Cecelia held her breath and forced herself to keep calm. As long as Nick wasn’t allowed into her bedroom, then she was on the road to getting over him. So she thought, but wasn’t sure, because she still wanted him more than ever. But she truly needed to get away from him. For her very own survival.
The next morning Cecelia opened her door and Nick was waiting for her. Her stomach fell to her feet.
“We need to talk,” he said and stepped toward her as if he was going to enter her bedroom.
Panicking, she pulled the door closed and squeezed past him. “You can say anything you need to say to me out here in the hall,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
Nick glanced down the hallway. “This is just between you and me.”
“We’re not going in my room,” she insisted. “If you don’t want to talk to me here, then I’ll just leave because I really don’t think we have anything to discuss.”
Nick stared at her in shock. “Melba told me you’ve given notice and that you’re leaving. I don’t want you to leave.”
“Well, I’ve decided that leaving is best for me.”
He moved closer to her and locked on to her gaze. “Are you telling me you don’t want to be with me anymore?”
She glanced away then stared back at him, her eyes wounded and hurt. “Not the way we’ve been carrying on,” she said. “Sneaking around. Keeping everything secret. Getting women is so easy for you. Getting me was easy. Too easy. I think you were right when you said I shouldn’t sell myself short. I’m tying up some loose ends before I leave because it wouldn’t be fair to leave a lot of people in the lurch, but you and I are just going to have to go back to being friends.” She swallowed and looked as if she were ready to cry.
It was all Nick could do not to hold her in his arms. He reached out to her, but she backed away. Stunned by her response, Nick, for once in his life, was speechless. He thought all he would have to do was to ask her to stay, but he could tell that Cecelia felt burned by her experience with him. She clearly wanted nothing to do with him.
“I need to go,” she said. “I’ve got a job I want to finish today.”
Nick stared after her and felt completely lost. Flowers, candy and his persuasiveness weren’t making a dent in Cecelia’s resolve. After all his talk about the man being the customer, the tables had been turned on him. Now he had to figure out how to keep Cecelia in his life, and she was so determined to leave him in her dust that he wasn’t at all sure he would be successful. The possibility made him break into a sweat. He swore at the sensation, at the reality of how much he needed her. He’d never needed anyone. He’d sworn to himself he never would. He’d learned firsthand that he couldn’t count on anyone. They could be taken away in an instant, just as his mother had been. But now...
He had no choice but to leave for work. He was distracted all day long. It was a wonder he got any work done. That nigh
t, he walked past Cecelia’s room and lifted his hand to tap on her door. Holding his breath and praying she would respond, he waited. But her door remained firmly closed.
Nick went to his own room and paced from one end to the other. Unable to bear the quiet in his room and disquiet in his heart, he wandered downstairs and outside. After walking around the block a few times, he returned to find Melba watching television in the den.
“Is that you, Nick? You’re prowling around like a cat who got his tail caught in a swinging door.” She stood and walked to the hallway then studied his face. “How about I fix you some hot chocolate with a shot of something stronger in there?” she offered.
“Sure,” he said and followed her into the kitchen. Sitting in one of the chairs, he couldn’t remember feeling this miserable. This was why he’d never wanted to get emotionally involved with a woman. He’d seen it happen to too many of his friends. “They kiss you, then wrap you up in fishing line then gut you like you’re a fillet,” he muttered.
“What on earth are you talking about?” Melba asked and put his cup of doctored hot chocolate in front of him. “What’s wrong with you? I’ve never seen you this way.”
Nick sighed. “I think I’ve lost Cecelia for good. I’ve tried flowers, candy. I’ve asked her to stay and she turned me down flat.”
Melba sat across from him with a worried frown on her face. “Have you told Cecelia that you love her?”
Caught off guard, Nick stuttered, “Uh, uh. Well, no. What if she doesn’t care? What if she doesn’t have feelings for me anymore?”
Melba shook her head and looked at the ceiling as if she were searching for help from above. “Young people.” Then she looked him straight in the eye. “You have to show her that you care. You have to tell her your feelings and make her feel special. You’ve been dating nearly every girl in town. No wonder she doesn’t believe you. If you really want her, you better be willing to show her your heart.”
