“Nope.” Ava shook her head. “Maybe Rebecca’s heard.”
Lauren waited while Aubrey unclipped the barrette from her hair and Ava handed over a comb. Aubrey went to work brushing out Lauren’s hair.
All this help and solidarity did feel sisterly. Lauren relaxed, deciding to savor each moment. “Is this what you guys do for your dates?”
“Well, for me. For a long time before William, Aubrey had a no-dating streak going.” Ava squinted again and considered Lauren’s hair. “Definitely pulled back, Aubrey. You have Mom’s high cheekbones, Lauren. We want to emphasize them. And maybe a little curl. I’ve got a curling iron.”
The door squeaked open. Rebecca slid her backpack to the floor. “This is so exciting,” she said with a smile. “I saw Caleb outside. He’s feeding the horses. Early. You know what that means?”
“He has a late evening planned.” Aubrey finished as she handed over the right kind of barrettes. “Wait—a romantic evening planned. I think he’s pretty serious. You know, he’s such a good guy.”
“Plus, I think he’s sweet on you.” Ava rolled her eyes, gently teasing Lauren to get her to smile. “Did you see him at Tyler’s party last night?”
“He couldn’t look anywhere but at her,” Aubrey answered.
“It could be true love.” Rebecca sighed.
Aubrey pulled a case out of one of Ava’s totes. “Caleb gets up early so he can feed the horses and have time enough to take Lauren on a ride. That’s commitment.”
“And sacrifice for losing sleep,” Ava pointed out. “The pearls, Aubrey. What do you think, Becca?”
They all leaned to consider the lovely string of perfect pearls. A bad feeling crept into Lauren’s stomach. “Are those real pearls?”
Aubrey didn’t answer, for she was still considering the choices. “Definitely the pearls.”
“They’re perfect,” Rebecca agreed as she unzipped her bag.
It was wonderful to be here, surrounded by caring people—her sisters—and feeling everything change around her, the snow in the snow globe settling. She took a look at those classy pearls and the expensive dress. “I don’t want Caleb to think I’m someone I’m not.”
“I’m your big sister, so you have to listen to me, right?” Aubrey asked gently, with kindness and affection.
“Me, too,” Ava added, while Rebecca protested, “I’m not your big sister, but I count, too.”
Just like that. Her heart opened even more. She had sisters who cared. And she cared about them, too.
“The pearls aren’t important,” Aubrey said softly. “They’re just pretty things. What’s important is that you’re here with us again. You don’t need to worry about being someone you’re not. You’re lovely, in pearls or not, in a lovely dress or a simple one. Caleb knows quality when he sees it, don’t you worry.”
“Yeah,” Ava chimed in. “I so know how easy it is to see doom everywhere you look—”
“—especially when it comes to romance,” Aubrey added.
“Especially. Nothing’s more perilous than romance.”
“Unless it’s the newest tax laws,” Aubrey lightly argued.
“Or interest amortization. That’s tricky. But those things aside, you have to try to expect the best. Because you never know—true love just might happen.” Ava leaned over to approve of Rebecca’s choice of sandals.
“What do you think?” Aubrey asked, while Ava produced a hand mirror. “Pretty, isn’t it?”
Lauren stared at her own reflection, at the wisps falling gracefully around her face, at the fall of her hair from the barrette and the bounce of her slight curls. She looked at herself, a woman who was no longer alone, who had joy sparkling in her eyes.
There was hope for the future in her heart.
Could she remember the last time she felt so nervous? Lauren frowned at her reflection in the antique bureau’s beveled mirror. Caleb should be arriving in the next few minutes. The only thing that equaled this mix of anxiety and anticipation were her feelings on the drive here and that worry had been for nothing.
Maybe this would go even better. She saw herself in the mirror, fancied up, sure, with Katherine’s expensive pearls and Aubrey’s lovely dress and Ava’s butterfly barrettes and Rebecca’s silver sandals, but she was still just herself. Why did it feel as if so much was riding on this date?
It’s just dinner, she reminded herself. Dinner. Her sisters’ enthusiasm was rubbing off on her and she had to be careful. She didn’t want to start getting ahead of herself. That’s how a girl got disappointed or, worse, devastated. She’d been disappointed enough growing up that she’d learned how to stay in the moment, not to wish for too much. It paid to be a realist; at least, it was easier on a girl’s heart. So, then why couldn’t she seem to keep her wishes from carrying her away?
“He’s here!” Rebecca’s excited call echoed through the house. “He’s coming up the walk. Wow, does he look like Mr. Totally Wishable. He’s wearing a suit.”
“A suit?” As if that were shocking in itself, the sisters all hurried up to the living room window to check it out. Even Madison hung on to the old-fashioned wood window sill with her little chubby hands, babbling away excitedly.
Should she go take a peek, too? Lauren planted her feet in the bedroom doorway, torn. If she listened to her heart, it was saying, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” But what was her head saying? “Take it slow. Casual. Stay reserved.”
“He sure dressed up for you,” Ava commented. “Wow.”
“Super wow,” Aubrey commented. “I don’t think he’s dated at all since his breakup.”
“He hasn’t,” Rebecca agreed. “My friend Jenna knows his cousin. I can get more inside scoop if you want.”
“That’s good to know.” Aubrey winked.
“Gup, bop!” Madison agreed.
“This is totally a big deal. Look at him. He seems nervous.” Aubrey sighed.
Ava sighed, too. “Totally.”
Is this what I’ve been missing all my life? Lauren leaned one shoulder against the door frame and watched her sisters. How many first dates had she missed? First declarations of love? Proposals? An equal mix of sadness and longing twisted through her soul and she deeply hoped that she wouldn’t miss too much more with these sisters.
Whatever you do tonight, Lauren, don’t close up your heart. She took a deep breath, summoning fortitude and the strength she needed to do this right.
“He’s coming!” One of the twins said and they scattered, scrambling to look casual, as if they hadn’t been watching Caleb from the window.
Rebecca answered the door, balancing Madison on her hip and invited him in. Everyone called out hello to him, but what did she do?
Stare. It’s all she could do. He was wearing a navy blue suit and matching tie. Her sisters hadn’t been kidding. Caleb was wow. Super wow.
“Hi, Lauren.” Caleb’s easy baritone had to be the most wonderful sound in the world. “Are you ready?”
The way he looked at her, why, it was as if he thought she was the most beautiful woman ever. He made her feel lovely. Did her feet touch the ground as she sailed into the living room? Probably not. She floated all the way to him.
“You’re here, right on time.” Lame, Lauren. Real lame.
Caleb didn’t seem to notice as he held out his hand, palm up, with a question in his eyes. “I wanted to make a good impression. How am I doing?”
She held back her praise but not a part of her heart. “Passable.” Fantastic. Magnificent. As the twins would say, totally super-duper.
“That’s better than I’d hoped.” His dark eyes warmed and those bronze flecks in his irises seemed to glint with humor. “I see you have your support group here.”
“It apparently takes a crowd to get ready for
a date. I guess I’m r-ready.” She placed her palm to his and his fingers tightened around hers. Yes, she was definitely sweet on him.
It was hard to notice anything else as he guided her through the door. Aubrey shoved a little silver purse into her free hand. They were calling out things: “Have a good time!” “Have fun!” “Order the lobster.” “Bup!”
She and Caleb walked down the steps to the walkway in silence. He kept his hand over hers while she searched her brain for something clever or entertaining to say. Was she overwhelmed? To say the least. They saluted Tyler for his good work and service as they passed him by.
“Danielle’s at the hospital again?” he asked as they cut through the back garden.
“She’s spending time with her husband.”
“Well, that’s encouraging. Good for them.” He fell silent.
Okay, maybe the date wasn’t going so well. It was only the first minute, so things should improve. His truck was parked close to the garage and looked polished to a new shine.
He broke the silence. Again. “You look gorgeous.”
“You look pretty good yourself. On a scale of one to ten, I might have to give you an eleven.”
“I’d give you a one hundred.” He opened the passenger door for her, pure gentlemanly respect.
He was a one hundred, too. The way he looked at her, the way he made her feel amazing.
“Uh, do you want to get in?” he said.
Uh-oh. She’d been staring at him. Embarrassment heated her face, and she hoped she wasn’t blushing. She let him help her onto the comfortable leather seat and hoped that he hadn’t noticed, at least too much.
“Looks like you and your sisters have bonded,” he was saying.
“I think so. It was nice of them to come and offer…support.” She tried her best to sound normal over the click of the seat belt. “It was fun, really. I’ve never had anything like that.”
“I’ve been operating on the notion that you and your mom weren’t close.”
“No.”
He closed the door and studied her through the open window. “It was nice of the girls to help you get ready.”
“Not that I needed a support group.” Was admitting that a major mistake? “I have to trust someone a lot before I can go out to dinner with them, apparently.”
“Then I’m glad you trust me.” He flashed her a megawatt grin before circling around to the driver’s side.
She watched him, her nerves fluttering on high. It was hard not to appreciate the man he was, all goodness and steely character. The dark jacket emphasized the unyielding line of his shoulders and his back. He climbed behind the steering wheel, buckled in and started the engine. “Can you see Tyler hosing down the cottage’s roof?”
She had to strain against the seat belt to see over the top of the garage. “I can barely see the arc of water. He’s a funny—but great—kid.”
“He’s a great kid. The kind everyone wants to have.”
Okay, she knew what he was really asking, but she wasn’t about to be obvious. A girl had her dignity and this was all so new to her. It was smarter to keep her expectations under tight reign.
“Where’s Mary?” he asked as they rambled down the driveway. “I thought she’d help to send you off, too.”
“She had an appointment with her financial or broker guy. I didn’t ask for details. I was kind of relieved that she went straight to the appointment after our family lunch, so I didn’t have to discuss our—” Did she really want to say the word date out loud? “—dinner together.”
He didn’t seem fooled. “It’s okay. You didn’t want any more pressure on this night than there already was?”
“Something like that. You know she’s going to leap to the wrong conclusion.”
“And what conclusion would that be?”
“That she had anything to do with this—” She couldn’t say that word, either.
“Sure, because we’re just pals, right?” His mouth quirked up in the corner, completely amused.
“That’s right. Friends.” A different word took root in her heart. For this was more than friendship. The start of much more. And they both knew it.
Chapter Thirteen
Caleb pulled the truck into the restaurant’s parking lot and looked at the jam-packed lot. Good thing he’d made a reservation. Plenty of other folks had gotten the same idea he had and there was a line going out onto the sidewalk. He hadn’t mentioned to Lauren that he hadn’t dated since Jayna had broken things off with him. That disappointment had been a lot to get over, but it was gone now. He had no real memory of it as he opened the passenger door for Lauren.
“I like your manners.” She eyed him up and down as if taking his measure before she accepted his hand to help her out of the truck.
“You’re taking inventory?”
“Notes. I’m on the lookout for flaws, you know.”
“That’s why I’m on my best behavior.”
Caleb fell in alongside Lauren as they headed the short distance in the heat to the restaurant’s crowded entrance, hoping luck was on his side tonight. He needed all the help he could get.
When he’d told her she was lovely, he realized now that he hadn’t been accurate. She was a stunning woman and the way her golden hair had been styled to emphasize her sweetheart’s face only added to her loveliness. Not to mention the lavender, pearls and gold, which only enhanced her beauty. But that was just on the surface. Now that he’d had the chance to know her better, every time he saw her, he found her more beautiful. He felt glad to be with her.
Then he realized that several minutes had passed in silence. Good going, Caleb. Not exactly a successful way to charm her. He cleared his throat, trying to sound unaffected. “I hope you like steak.”
“Are you kidding? I love steak. Oh, I see. You’re afraid I’m a vegetarian or something.”
“Well, you California girls. You are a complete mystery to a Montana man like me.”
“Me? How can I be the mystery? I’ve been the one who’s done nothing but talk about my family and my issues and you’ve been good enough to listen. Which means you are the mystery, sir.”
“Wow, I think I like that. I’ve never been mysterious before.”
It wasn’t a word she’d use to describe him, not at all. He might look as tough as the mountains rimming this peaceful valley, but he was wholesome—a totally good guy. She’d never felt like this; she’d never let a man get so close. It was a good feeling. It was nice to be at his side.
Then she noticed the big sign over the door. “Oh, is this the place the twins told me about?”
“The one where your oldest sister had a disastrous date with the assistant manager a few years back and now the McKaslins get terrible service whenever they come here? Yep, this is the place. It’s my opinion that we shouldn’t mention that you’re Katherine’s little sister.”
“I was afraid the twins were exaggerating. You know how they can make anything seem so funny?”
“No, it’s the truth. Do you want to go somewhere else?”
“No way. We just won’t tell them who I am.”
“Good solution.”
While it was crowded with people without reservations waiting for a table, Lauren followed Caleb through the doorway and into the waiting area. The hostess showed them to a lovely cloth-covered table beside a wide picture window that viewed the mighty Rocky Mountain range.
Caleb helped her with her chair. Normally, she might take offense at that—goodness, she could scoot in her own chair, but the attentive way he did it, caring and kind and courteous, made her revel in old-fashioned gallantry.
“You can see why Lewis and Clark called them the Great Shining Mountains.”
“Lewis and
Clark, the explorers? They came through this part of Montana?”
“Yep. Those mountains rise straight up to like, I don’t know, seven thousand feet. The men could see them a long ways off. Imagine canoeing along the river, coming closer and closer as those mountains got more enormous and thinking, I wonder how we’re going to get our boat over that?”
“Actually, I’ve felt something like that before in my life.” She’d had a few insurmountable things that had seemed impossible. Now, she thought, maybe it was a matter of perspective. Like those mountains, she knew that the closer a person got to them, the more they might look impossible. But there were foothills and natural trails in the land that offered possibility. Wasn’t her trip here kind of the same way? Metaphorically, of course. She was very glad that she was here tonight with Caleb, feeling full of possibilities. She had hope for the happy future that she’d never quite been able to imagine before.
Not that she was letting herself get carried away here and start planning their wedding. But because of him she was no longer afraid. He had proven to her that there were trustworthy men. He’d taken care of his ailing grandparents and lived a life of service and integrity and kindness. Her heart gave a little flip-flop, as if it was going to start falling and never stop. Somehow, she had to keep a good hold on her feelings.
Disappointment had become a pattern in her life—one she was determined to break. The trick was not letting her expectations get ahead of her. To take this one step at a time.
Caleb circled around to his chair and folded his big frame into it. “Insurmountable obstacles are opportunities in disguise. Surely you know that, right?”
“I’m starting to believe. I guess the trick is to just keep on going until you get things figured out.” Like making herself sit here and not see disappointment up ahead, and not to let herself expect it. Maybe she could start a whole new pattern in her life, right here, right now, believing that there was much more good to come. Without getting too hopeful—it was apparently a very careful balance.
Sweet Home Montana (The McKaslin Clan) Page 14
