by JoAnn Durgin
Reaching for her hand, he pulled her around to face him. “You are Rebekah Grant, are you not?”
Her eyes narrowed as she yanked her hand away. That was a low blow even though she’d wondered the same thing. “I’m not going to dignify that with a response considering the Kevin Moore I know wouldn’t be caught in an intimate French restaurant dining with Mrs. Robinson over there.”
“Who?” He shook his head, confused.
She tapped her foot. “The Graduate. Ring any bells?”
He frowned and blew out a deep sigh. “That’s not fair.”
Darting a glance at their table, Rebekah felt Kevin’s eyes on her as Adam nodded and waved. More than anything else, she wanted to wipe the smug grin from his face. He obviously didn’t think he had reason to worry. She lowered her voice. “I saw that woman with her hands all over you.” Okay, it was just a hand, but I didn’t like it. I don’t care if I sound jealous.
“Well, if the circumstances were different, I might introduce you.” It was clear he was attempting to calm himself and keep his voice steady. “From my perspective, it’s a business lunch, nothing more. But your friend over there certainly looks like the cat that swallowed the canary.” Just the way he said it, with an edge in his voice she’d never heard before, made her cringe. He nodded his head in the direction of their table. “I suppose that’s him.”
She crossed her arms. “Yes, that’s Adam.” A devilish grin crossed his face and Rebekah watched, wide-eyed, as he spun on his heel and headed straight toward the table. She needed to stop him. “Kevin!” she called, hurrying to catch up with him. What is he doing?
“Hello. I’m Kevin Moore,” he said, head held high, extending his hand in greeting as he reached the table. “I understand you have a date with our lovely Rebekah.”
Her heart falling to her feet, she couldn’t miss the sarcasm in his voice at the use of the word our. He’d suddenly adopted Adam’s annoying habit of using plural pronouns.
“Hullo there. Adam Martin,” he said, employing his most pompous—proper—English accent as he rose to his feet—equal height with Kevin—and pumped his hand. “I’d invite you to join us, but we’re having a bit of a romantic date here, you know? Right, Becks?” He gave Kevin his most winning smile. His best I-want-you-as-my-client smile.
She’d seen the effects of that charm before and it made her heart sink to even lower depths. Oh, Lord, just come back now and take me with You. I can’t believe this is happening. I should have known it would come down to something like this.
“I wouldn’t dream of interrupting your date,” Kevin told him, turning to glare at her. Rebekah loved it when Kevin gave her chills but not like this. He had a fire, a passion in his eyes she’d never seen before. In a weird way, she liked it. “Becks and I are old friends.” Oh, that did it. He’d used the name “Becks.” The normal, sane, rational Kevin would never use that name. If he wanted to get her angry, he was doing a mighty fine job. What’s gotten into him?
“Do you mind if I borrow her for a moment?” Not bothering to wait for a response, he took Rebekah’s elbow and steered her away.
Rebekah didn’t dare look back at Adam, not wanting to be the cause of a fistfight in the middle of one of Baton Rouge’s best French restaurants. Still, she was surprised when he didn’t call after her, much less try to stop them. Does he even care? She had to wonder.
Kevin headed toward a door leading to an outdoor deck and pulled her out the door behind him, releasing his hold only after he closed the door. Thankfully, the deck wasn’t being used and was vacant and empty of patrons. She could almost see the steam curling from the man’s ears, and his cheeks were flushed with barely-contained anger. “What are you doing, Rebekah? I know I said I’d step aside, but I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”
She felt the heat creep into her cheeks as Kevin took a slow appraisal from the loose curls piled on top of her head down to her four-inch strappy sandals. She needed to add humiliation to her growing list of shame. The length of her dress was higher than normal, but respectable, and no more revealing than when she wore shorts. This being Louisiana, Kevin had seen her wear those enough times. The top of the dress dipped a little in the front if she moved a certain way, but she’d made a conscious effort to appear modest. Uncomfortable, she squirmed under his scrutiny. “Are you actually jealous?”
Kevin’s gaze was unrelenting. “I’m angry you’re allowing this man to turn you into someone you’re not. Do his charming looks and British accent have you so bewitched you can’t see what’s happening to you?”
That was a shocker. She pulled her wrap around her, feeling a sudden chill. “What do you mean?”
“I wish I had a mirror so you could look at yourself. This,” he said, gesturing the length of her, “is not the Rebekah Grant I know, the sweet, simple, unassuming school teacher. The woman I see standing before me now is not you.”
Her ire rose and she tried to tamp it down. Didn’t work. “Making it worse, Kevin. Now you’re calling me simple?” That one hurt, although she knew he couldn’t mean it the way it sounded.
The muscles in his cheeks got quite the workout. “There’s nothing simple about you and you know it.”
To his credit, he kept his voice low and controlled, but she suspected that might change soon enough. Business lunch or not, she couldn’t miss he was dressed in a nice sports jacket, shirt and tie. He rarely wore those with her except when they were in church, and even then, he usually had the jacket draped either on his chair or around her shoulders. She’d never fought with him before and couldn’t believe this was happening.
“It’s called makeup. Most women of a certain age wear it, and what’s wrong with my dress?” She couldn’t help taunting him. Defensiveness had taken over and that was never a good thing. Swallowing the huge lump lodged in her throat, Rebekah fought to control the threatening tears. By staying angry, perhaps she could keep them at bay.
“Don’t even go there,” he said, “except to say it’s too revealing.”
“Oh, so now you’re being puritanical? Kevin, you’ve seen more leg when I wear shorts.” She resisted the urge to tug down on the hem.
He had the grace to flush. “I’m not talking about your legs.”
“Well, then what are we talking about here, exactly?” Her eyes bore into his.
“I’m talking about points north.”
She could tell he kept his gaze trained on her face while she looked. Rebekah gasped. The décolletage of her dress had slipped down, revealing more of her cleavage than Kevin—or any man—had ever seen. He probably thought she wasn’t even wearing anything beneath the dress. Guess that’s what she deserved for allowing some saleswoman at the lingerie shop talk her into buying this ridiculously overpriced nothing of an undergarment. A single woman shouldn’t even need such a thing. Oh, the shame. Her level of humiliation reached a new low as she moved both hands to her cheeks. Of course, humiliation being what it was, the lightweight wrap draped around her shoulders slid off and puddled to the deck in a silky, colorful heap.
“You’d better let me pick that up unless you intend to give me a cheap thrill,” Kevin said. That devilish glint surfaced in his eye again as he bent low and retrieved it. Holding the wrap between his hands, he reached over her head and brought it around her shoulders. Being Kevin, he was careful not to allow his hands to brush against her bare skin in the process.
Rebekah couldn’t dig deep enough to find the words to defend herself. Finally, she managed to find her voice. A small one, but it was there. “I am not cheap, Kevin.”
“My point exactly. But Adam’s got you dressing like someone you’re not, all painted up like a china doll. You don’t need any of it.” His eyes softened. How she loved that he cared but her heart—or her words—might betray her if she dared to speak.
“Don’t you know your beauty is what’s inside you as much as what the outside world sees? You don’t need to cover it up with the pretense of being someone you’re not. Y
our beauty is breathtaking, and you’re special the way you are. You don’t need to put on airs, wear fancy clothes and doll yourself up to impress anyone. That’s not the real Rebekah. I miss that woman.” When she still didn’t speak, he moved in closer. His hands dropped from his hips. Probably gathering more ammunition.
She swallowed hard. “You pretty much gave me your permission to continue seeing Adam and to see this thing through. It’s lunch. That’s all.”
He shot her a look of disbelief. “I’m quite sure Mr. Smooth also has after lunch plans with you.”
“What are you implying? I’ve never seen this side of you before. You’re acting so jealous you can’t even think straight. Furthermore, it doesn’t sound like you trust me very much.”
“I trust you, but I don’t trust him. I’ve seen his type before. He’s got you so swayed by his money, his looks, and his his car, his accent, his clothes or whatever that you aren’t thinking clearly. Unless you’re not the girl I think you are, and unless I’m giving you more credit than you deserve, I’m sure you can see straight through that and focus on the heart.”
She’d never seen Kevin so animated and his eyes sparked with unbridled passion. “I don’t believe this! Now you’re accusing me of being shallow?” That stung—all his words did. Rebekah crossed her arms and her gaze dropped to the ground, staring at the shoes an hour ago she’d thought the height of sophistication. Ditto the dress. She forced her voice lower. “Where’s the sweet, gentle Kevin I know? Is he in there somewhere?”
“Do you like this side of me?” Kevin took another step toward her. He was so close she felt his warmth. If he moved any closer, he’d knock them both over.
She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling exposed and vulnerable. “Well, at least you’re not making me wait three years to see this side of you.” The way his eyes flashed told her she’d pushed too far.
“I can be as forceful and demanding as the next guy when pushed to the limit, and I think I’ve reached that limit now.”
“Oh, so now you’re being forceful and demanding, are you?” She took an involuntary step back. Kevin’s cheeks were flushed, and he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Bottom line, Rebekah? If you want some hotshot guy to parade you around on his arm like a pretty ornament, then Adam Martin’s the guy for you. If you can tell me right now that’s what you honestly want, then I’ll march right back in there,” he said, nodding over his shoulder, “shake the man’s hand and say, ‘Congratulations. You won the girl. Have a wonderful life.’”
She cringed. “You knew when we went to Montana that Adam had proposed to me and I was trying to make my decision.”
“I know that now, yes, but you never said one word—at least to me—about it while we were in Montana. I had to find out from someone else after the fact. Even when I sat by your side after you’d fallen in the creek, feeding you, reading to you, playing my guitar, watching you sleep. . .” He paused and shook his head. “I suppose it conveniently slipped your mind to tell me you had a guy back home who wanted to marry you? How do you think that made me feel?” He shook his head. “I’m not buying it.”
“Give me a break,” Rebekah groaned, her voice breaking. “I’d only known the man a couple of months and he wanted me to marry him and move to England. You and I worked a few of the TeamWork missions together, but you never once let on you were interested in me as anything other than a friend. It came as a huge shock to me when you finally let me know you liked me. It confused me a little. . .no, a lot, actually. And sure, you let me know you liked me when we were in Montana, but then you didn’t ask me out for months after we got back home.”
Kevin shoved his hands in the pockets of his dress pants. “I thought when you came back from Montana and told Adam you wouldn’t marry him, he’d go find someone else. I’ve always been too shy for my own good. I’ve been concentrated on the lumberyard and the store, but I should have staked my claim earlier.”
She scoffed at that one. “Now you make me sound like territorial land rights—”
“The biggest shock,” he said, cutting her off, “was discovering you’re still seeing him. I suppose that also slipped your mind? Until I saw that notation on your calendar about London Bridge, I never considered the possibility you were seeing anyone else. That, and the fact that one of your students thought my name was Adam. Wonder where he might have gotten that idea?” Kevin’s hands moved out of the pockets and settled on his hips.
She didn’t know that, and wasn’t sure how one of her students would know unless they’d overheard her speaking with Hannah. Adam had certainly never come to the school. “I’m sorry if you’re hurt by that. I really am.”
Fight for me, Kevin. Deep shame engulfed her like a physical blow. The man shouldn’t need to fight, but he stood in front of her now, doing that very thing.
“For whatever reason, you haven’t told him to fly back to London Town.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Look, I thought if I stepped aside, you’d see for yourself he’s not the man for you. Sure, he might take you fancy places, buy you nice things,” he said, his eyes resting on the bracelet Adam gave her earlier in the day. His eyes traveled back to her face. “Does he share his heart with you, Rebekah? Does he take care of you when you’re sick, care about your family, take the time to find out who you really are?” Kevin sure was heaping on the guilt now but it only served to up the ante.
Rebekah stared. Not knowing what to do with her restless hands, she wrapped her arms across her middle, forcing her fingers still. “Are you more upset by the fact that I’m dating someone else or that it’s Adam? A girl’s got to keep her options open. Besides, I’d like to start a family sometime before menopause.”
“So I’ve waited too long? Is that what you’re telling me?” His eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms again. How she hated this tension between them, but when he was all fired up, Kevin’s eyes were more intense, more incredible.
“I’m not telling you that, no. You don’t know,” she said, “how happy I am you finally worked up the nerve to tell me you like me. You encouraged me to make my decision and that’s what I’m trying to do. But now I’m so confused, I honestly don’t know what I want.” She fought the tears again, not willing to let him see her cave into the overwhelming emotion. If she allowed the tears to fall, she’d be hard pressed to stop them.
Kevin dropped his arms to his sides. “It’s pretty clear relationships aren’t my strong suit. Maybe I’ve been too shy, but you’re either a better actress than I thought or else you feel the same way about us and you’re too proud or stubborn to admit it.”
She didn’t bother covering her gasp. “Are you saying I’ve lied to you in some way?”
“No, I’m not. Look,” he said, his tone calmer, “I’m sorry for charging at you like an angry lion, but you have to know how much I care about you.”
A tear slipped down her cheek, and she didn’t bother wiping it away. Raising watery eyes to his, she willed herself not to crumple at the man’s feet. “And what way would that be? Tell me.”
“I might not have said the words. I thought you knew by the way I look at you, the way I speak to you, the way I hold you and kiss you. I can barely get enough of you. If I could, I’d spend every waking moment with you. When you’re not with me, I think about you and—call me crazy—but sometimes I hear your voice in my head. I wonder what you’re eating for breakfast, what you’re teaching your students, what you think about before you go to sleep, what you’re reading in your Bible. . .”
Putting one hand on the side of her face, Kevin leaned close. “If all that doesn’t tell you how I feel, then I’ll spell it out for you so we’re perfectly clear.” He cradled her face between his big, callused hands. “I love you, Rebekah.” He kissed her hard before stepping away, his eyes never leaving hers.
It all happened so quickly, she didn’t have the opportunity to react. Her lips felt bereft as she stared at him, stunned into silence. Her hand traveled to
her mouth, her fingers over her lips.
“I’d better leave some of that soap on your lips for the Brit to kiss off you. Tell me,” he said, “does Adam give you what you need? Does he give you something I can’t? Do you like it when he touches you, kisses you? Does he fulfill some need I don’t satisfy?”
“Stop it, Kevin. Please.”
“I think it’s best if I leave. If I don’t, I’ll say something we’ll both regret. I’ve already said enough. Enjoy your cuisses de grenouille.” He turned to leave.
“What in the world does that mean?”
Kevin turned. “Frog legs. Whether you realize it or not, you’re eating frog legs and seem to be enjoying them.” Surprising her, he planted a feather-soft brush of a kiss on her cheek. “Bonsoir, Rebekah. Je t’aime pour toujours.” Without another look back, his head held high, Kevin opened the door leading back into the restaurant and disappeared from view.
In that moment, she wished she’d taken three years of high school French instead of German. Everything in French sounded romantic but the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach clued her in that whatever Kevin said hadn’t been complimentary. In her shock, the words had already escaped her confused mind.
Dragging fresh air into her lungs, Rebekah put one hand on her stomach and tried to catch her breath. She couldn’t remember anyone in her life speaking to her the way Kevin just did.
Movement inside the restaurant caught her attention. He’d left the door to the patio open and she moved forward in time to see the back of Kevin’s head as he left the restaurant with the woman. Part of her—the part that didn’t care what anyone else thought—wanted to run after him, fall to her knees in this elegant, upscale restaurant and beg him to tell her again that he loved her. Another part wanted to run home, throw herself on the bed and cry until she had no more tears. Then she’d figure out what to do next.
