by Aileen Fish
You’re reading that upside down, he responded.
From there, the ice broke and over the next few weeks, they talked more about their days, and their lives. Then one night Chase asked something she wasn’t ready for.
I’m flying to Ava to look at some stock. Is that anywhere near you? Wait, I’ll have a rental car so I can meet you wherever you want. Oh, guess I should ask IF you want to. Coffee is fine, no big deal.
He hadn’t gone through the normal online dating routine: email from a special email account, not your regular one, to protect your identity from stalkers; pictures exchanged; phone numbers; lots of really awkward, then just stilted, conversations; random texts during the day; then meet up. Maybe others did things differently, now that there were apps that start with photos, however, she was old fashioned.
She was also dying of curiosity, she had to admit. So she said yes.
A wall came down between them in the two weeks leading up to their coffee date. Chase seemed more like a friend and less like an online hookup. They’d never sent clearer pictures of themselves, so she had no idea what to expect as she waited in a booth at her local coffee shop.
What walked through the door was nothing like she’d imagined. He was so tall, he had to duck a bit to keep his hat from being knocked off in the doorway. His frame was broad and clearly muscular. His gaze scanned the room and stopped when it lit on her. His hesitant smile made her wonder what he thought now that he’d seen her.
He walked directly to her table, took off his hat, and said, “Hello, Hope.” Then he sat, setting his hat on the bench beside him, and ran his fingers through his wavy black hair, smoothing the crease from the brim.
“You’re that certain I’m Hope? I could be anyone.” Yet she knew he was Chase.
He grinned, his eyes twinkling. “I recognize your eyes.”
Right, she wasn’t falling for that. Had he done some research on her? They hadn’t exchanged last names, so he couldn’t have found anything.
After letting her stew for a few moments, he chuckled and pulled out his phone. He swiped and tapped his way around, then handed it to her. She saw an enlargement of the photo she’d sent, which showed the shelves behind her desk. There, plain as day, was a framed picture of her hugging Jayden, the two of them laughing at the camera.
Shaking her head, Hope had to grin. “Not very stealthy, am I?”
“Is that your son?”
Oh, lordy, the fact that Jayden’s photo was included hadn’t hit her. She wanted that part of her life private. “Yeah, he is.” She wouldn’t say more.
“He looks like a happy boy.”
“Most of the time.” She changed the subject. “Did you take care of your business yet?”
“Yes. I’ll have to make arrangements to transport the cattle, but the rest is done.”
“Great.” She’d hoped their phone calls would have kept the awkwardness at bay, yet she was still self-conscious. His expressive brown eyes were friendly, turned up at the corners from his smile. His face was tanned, the upper part of his forehead slightly paler, showing how much time he—and his hat—spent in the sun.
“How’d you end up throwing the bottle in the ocean? You said your friends did it, too?”
“Crazy, isn’t it? I can’t even remember who suggested it. None of us were in a relationship, so no one would get hurt. We had some empty bottles on hand, so why not? The wine was good, though. That part I don’t regret.”
His dark eyebrow lifted, making her realize what she’d implied.
“No, I don’t regret meeting you! I just…I don’t usually play the sheep in our group. While I don’t come up with crazy ideas, I don’t follow them blindly either. I have responsibilities.”
“Your son.”
Nodding, she said, “Exactly. And I work at an elementary school, so I should set an example to the kids. Nothing headline-worthy, for sure.”
“I don’t know you very well, but I can’t see you making a scene.”
She sounded pretty dull, she’d admit, and yet he was here. What was he thinking as he sat across the table watching her? She’d probably never know. “Tell me about where you live.”
“White Oak is in the mountains northeast of L.A. We get snow, though usually no more than one bad storm in a season. It’s a small town where everyone knows what everyone else does, yet they’re supportive, not gossipy. Young people go off to college, get jobs in the city, and many of them come back home when they’ve had enough of the faster lifestyle.”
“That’s great. You can see Mt. Vernon is the same, except the kids who leave don’t come back. I guess small town is either in your blood, or not.”
“I take it it’s in yours.”
“Yes, I love it here.” At times, she wondered if moving would help Jayden’s anger issues. A change of scenery, living somewhere he didn’t have so many memories of father figures walking away. Yet his friends were here, as was her mom. That meant a lot.
Chase shifted in his seat, the old vinyl creaking as he moved. Leaning his forearms on the vintage Formica table, he drew in a breath, then hesitated. “Look, I have a motel room…”
Hope’s eyes widened. They’d reached the end of this chat—it was time to leave. She wasn’t interested in what he was about to offer.
He held up a hand. “No, no, that’s not what I meant. I don’t fly home until tomorrow afternoon. Will you have dinner with me? Maybe take in a movie?”
As pleasant as their visit had been, this came as a complete surprise. Nothing they’d said indicated an interest in each other. Yet she was. “I—yes, I’d love dinner.” Mom would be pleased to keep Jayden overnight, only Hope would have to reveal her friendship with Chase. While she didn’t hide her social life from her mother like she did her son, this was different. Chase was different.
“Great. I’ll pick you up around seven?”
She gave him her address. “I warn you, the nearest movie theater is in Joplin.”
“What do people do around here at night?”
“There’s a bar outside of town where people dance…”
“I’ll wear my dancin’ boots.” He laughed and his entire face lit up, and those handsome eyes sparkled.
Hope was in deep trouble. He was incredibly handsome, quietly charming, and he’d slipped under the protective shell she wore around men. Too much time with this guy and she’d be thinking of a future.
****
The bar was crowded, the jukebox loudly playing a country hit song. Chase felt right at home. With his hand on Hope’s back, he steered her toward a small, empty table. When she sat, he asked, “What are you drinking?”
She surprised him by saying, “Pale ale on tap.”
A woman after his own heart. He returned with two mugs. Taking in the room around them, Chase saw guys in t-shirts or dress Western shirts, girls in slinky dresses or jeans. The bar was truly one size fits all. A familiar song began to play and he held out his hand to Hope. “Dance?”
Her head tipped to one side as she said, “Yes.”
Guiding her onto the tiny floor filled with dancers, he took her hand in his and placed his other hand on her shoulder blade. Catching the beat, he led her around the floor in a two-step. She was a good six inches shorter, yet they moved as smooth as glass.
“I don’t know why,” she admitted, “but I didn’t expect you to be a dancer.”
“I’m full of surprises.” He winked.
She tipped her head again as if unsure what to make of him, though her smile remained in place. He wished he could read her mind.
“You’re even prettier than in your photo.” He brushed her hair over her shoulder without breaking step. “Your hair is amazing.”
Amazing. What a stupid word. Yet he couldn’t come up with any word to describe the thick, wavy locks. So much hair…waist length, a rich shade of brown, and he’d bet it was soft as a newborn lamb. He’d noticed at the coffee shop her eyes were green. Green, not hazel, and they glimmered when she laughed
. The jeans she wore fitted her curves without being tight enough to look desperate. And she wore boots. He refused to read into that anything along the lines she rode horses, yet the hope passed through his thoughts.
“Thank you. You’re a lot more visible than in your picture.”
He frowned, then recalled the silhouette he’d sent her. “Yeah, well. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Had I known who I was talking to, I might have sent a better one.”
The likelihood of that was nil. He hated getting in front of the camera. His friend, Cheyenne Miller, had asked to take some scenic pictures on his ranch, and she’d snuck in a few with him, too, including that one. She was one of the few people he trusted enough to be himself when a camera was in the room.
“It was creative, and totally caught me off guard. I was a little afraid that meant you were part troll, yet you intrigued me. You know, I never expected anyone would contact me about the bottle, and I’m surprised to discover it’s someone interesting.”
He groaned and rolled his head back. “Ow, a direct strike to the ego! Is that the current version of ‘nice personality?’”
Her laugh was warm, easy to listen to. “Wow, ego is right.”
“You’ve said I’m more visible, and I’m interesting…”
“And you’re fishing for a compliment, aren’t you? Hard to pin you down. I’d say you’re somewhere between Trace Adkins and one of the Hemsworth brothers.”
Her response was better than he expected. He’d heard Cheyenne and her friends at the Royal Oak going on and on about those guys. “I guess I’ll settle for that. For now.”
Chase twirled her out into an opening in the crowded dance floor and followed while reeling her back in. Taking her in hold felt so natural, like they’d danced together for years. Drawing her even closer, he inhaled her sweet citrus scent. Hope was easy to be around. If she lived a few states closer, he might consider seeing her again.
Who was he kidding? He already wanted another date and she was still in his arms. Leaning down, he spoke next to her ear so she could hear him above the music and chatter. “I want to see you again.”
“What time is your flight tomorrow? We could do breakfast or lunch.”
“No. I mean come out here again. Valentine’s Day is in two weeks. Do you have plans?”
She studied him for a moment, her brows drawn together forming a vertical line. “I don’t have plans.”
Was he moving too quickly? He didn’t care. “Dinner. Friday night?” He held his breath like a high school kid.
“Okay.”
Her enthusiasm was underwhelming. It didn’t matter. They had a date.
Chapter Five
Staring blindly at the computer in the school library, Hope couldn’t remember what she’d come there for.
“You’re getting nervous about tonight, aren’t you?” Marni asked.
“Why should I be nervous? We’ve already met.” She knew Marni wouldn’t believe her. She was a wreck. She’d sworn off dating. The fact Chase lived so far away had made him safe to flirt with online. He took this seriously though, it appeared. “To be honest, I thought that one night was a fluke. He was in the area. But he’s flying back today just to see me. That’s not cheap. I feel pressured to make sure he has fun.”
“You’re crazy,” Marni argued. “The decision to come is his. Whether or not he enjoys himself is up to him.”
Hope stared at the monitor again.
“You had a blast dancing with him. You come to work smiling every day, after so long. He’s good for you.”
“What’s good for me isn’t necessarily good for Jayden.” Her mom insisted that a happy parent was better for a child than one who’s afraid to live normally. Jayden did seem to be improving; she credited that to the counselling he was receiving. He hadn’t met Chase, and he probably never would. A long-distance relationship was hard enough on the adults involved; a child with abandonment issue like Jayden’s could be destroyed.
By quitting time, Hope’s nerves were strumming with excitement. While she’d spent two hours the night before choosing what to wear, she went through her closet again when she got home. Chase hadn’t said where they were going, yet Valentine’s Day and usually implied pretty fancy. He didn’t seem the suit and tie sort of guy, so she chose a navy dress with lavender flowers and navy flats to go with it. Wearing her hair down was suitable for anywhere other than a black-tie event, although she could probably get away with it there, too.
As she applied pale lavender lipstick, it occurred to her he was picking her up at home. She’d only met him once, and she’d told him where she lived. Women like that ended up in the headlines, and on a coroner’s table.
She sighed with a laugh. He was a nice guy, just like he seemed. She needed to relax.
The doorbell rang and her heart jumped. Second date jitters were the same whether you’d been talking for weeks or meeting for the second time. Still, she hurried to the door.
He was even more handsome than she remembered. His smile twitched slightly as if he was also nervous. Holding out a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses intermingled with white baby’s breath, he said, “You are beautiful.”
Word-lover that she was, she noticed the difference between “you are” and “you look” beautiful. While he probably hadn’t made the distinction, she decided to enjoy the fact he believed she was always beautiful, no matter how she looked.
“Thank you. Let me put those in water before we go.” She stepped aside to let him in.
She went into the kitchen, where she filled a cut crystal vase with water and put the flowers in one at a time. She observed him circling the family room, checking out her décor, pausing in front of her tightly packed bookcase. “Where are we going?” she asked. “Were you able to get reservations so close to the holiday?”
With his back to her, she couldn’t see his expression, “Well, I called Hogs and Hotrods on Route 66 in Joplin, but they were booked up.” He turned around, grinning widely. Her heartbeat fluttered. Dangerous. His smile was oh, so dangerous.
“Oh, that’s too bad. I love to stop there on my weekly Harley trips.”
“Then I thought about Bonnie and Clyde’s garage apartment hideout—now there’s a must-see spot. However, it’s too dark to get a good photo tonight.”
“Those are intriguing choices. Care to tell me what won?”
“You’ll see. Don’t worry, you’re dressed appropriately.”
That was a relief. His playfulness explained why he’d gone along with her fantasy world emails. Why did he have to be so fun? At least she’d have happy memories after the weekend, when life went back to normal—being single and happy with it.
****
Their conversation on the trip to Joplin was light, slightly more personal than on his last visit. Chase felt like they’d become friends. What scared him was how much he was ready to push for more. The distance between their homes was a major hurdle, and her son could be a complication, not to mention they’d only known each other six weeks. He could barely spend fifteen minutes with her before wanting to ask when he’d see her again.
After a nice dinner, he took her to a small piano bar where two pianists entertained the customers. Although the room was crowded, they found a table and ordered drinks.
“Don’t forget to write down a song on the pad of paper,” the waitress said. “I’ll drop it in the giant snifter on stage. If your song is drawn, one of the guys has to be able to play it or you win a free round of drinks.”
Pushing the pad in Hope’s direction, Chase asked, “Do you know any obscure music?”
“The theme song to ‘Little Einsteins?’ No, that’s classical music. Hmm…”
“It’s Valentine’s Day. Make it a love song.”
“No one’s stopping you from choosing one.”
Wracking his brain for some of the offbeat music his mom loved, an idea struck. “Okay, give it here.” Taking the pad, he scrawled a random song.
Tilting her
head to read what he wrote, Hope said, “You’ve got me stumped.”
“Mom used to tell Dad it made her think of their lives in winter. He’d ride off into the fog or snow each morning, but it was the lowing cows calling him home, not a fog horn.”
“How sweet.”
“She can connect almost every song she plays to some memory of Dad.”
“Has he been gone long?”
“He died seven months ago.” And Chase still hadn’t gotten over it.
Hope nodded. “I’m sorry. My ex-husband decided he wanted a wife who made more than he did. He married a CPA, had a kid, and left us behind. Life is better without him, though. I hope your mom has been able to go on with her life without your dad.”
“She has. Between my brothers, nieces and nephews, she’s overflowing with love.” The shadows beneath her eyes never faded, so he knew the pain was still great. Looking into Hope’s eyes, a revelation struck him. “She’d like you.”
Smiling sweetly, Hope didn’t respond. He ducked his head to hide his embarrassment. A second date was too soon to mention meeting parents—he knew that. Still, he could already picture her at the ranch, sitting on the porch beside him drinking sweet tea from a mason jar. Jayden would enjoy throwing a ball for ol’ Blue…
Wow, was he getting ahead of himself. He didn’t even know if she liked sweet tea.
****
On the ride home, Hope knew she needed to let him know she couldn’t think about anything long term. They could continue to talk on the phone, and all, but it might be years before Jayden was emotionally strong enough to have another man in his life. “I need to tell you about my son.” She detailed the highlights of his experiences since her divorce, and the way he expressed his emotions now.
“So you can understand why I don’t involve him in my social life,” she finished.
“I see. That’s been rough. Poor guy. You’re a good mom to protect him that way.”
