by JoAnn Durgin
“They work for everything they have.” She ducked her head and smiled. “I’ll say one thing, though—they all drive really nice cars.”
“That doesn’t bother you? The money thing? Nice cars generally cost a lot of money.”
She felt like sticking her tongue out at him like Gracie had done earlier to her. That would be mature. “No, it doesn’t bother me. A car is a necessary evil, as my grandpa used to say.”
“I don’t even own a car.” He sounded quite proud of that fact.
“I’m sure you don’t need one in the city. Plus, it’s got to be expensive to store or park.”
“Exactly,” Mitch said. “A friend in Boston paid seventy-five thousand dollars for a parking spot. That’s crazy. Mid-town Manhattan’s even higher. Not worth the hassle. The public rail system is terrific and takes me anywhere I need to go. Tell you one thing: I don’t plan on flying again in my lifetime after what happened yesterday.”
Cassie arched a brow. “I can understand why you might be a little skittish about getting on a plane, but I can’t imagine you’ll never fly again, Mitch. How do you plan on getting back to New York?”
“I’ve already reserved a rental car. A road trip sounds like fun. I have vacation time I never take, so I figure why not? I’ll take the scenic route. Wanna come?”
She averted her gaze. “That’s pretty much what Amy and Landon did.” Why, oh why, did she bring that up?
“Right, and it worked for them. Fell in love in record time. Are you saying you don’t want to fall in love with me? I’m very competitive with Amy. We could try to beat their record.”
“I don’t think so.” Did he believe falling in love was a game or a laughing matter? Not that she expected to experience an earth-shattering, life-changing moment where she knew the guy was the one at first sight or even within hours or days after meeting him, but that was ridiculous. “When are you leaving?”
“That eager to get rid of me, huh?” His grin made her pulse sputter. “I’ll be out of your life on Tuesday morning. Bright and early. Amy might come on the road with me, but Landon booked a flight back on Monday afternoon.”
“Want to go outside for a few minutes?” For one thing, she needed the fresh air.
“Sure.” He opened the door and waved his hand. “Lead the way.”
As they approached the cottage, Cassie heard Sam’s voice coming from inside.
“Dada.” That sweet little voice belonged to Leah, the more vocal of the twins although at this point it was mostly babbling. Moving over to the window, Cassie peeked inside.
“Once upon a time, there were two sisters,” Sam said. Stretched out on the finished floor of the cottage, he balanced a baby girl on each knee. “They looked a whole lot alike—one with blonde hair named Hannah and one with dark hair named Leah—and they lived in a majestic castle under tall, towering trees in a kingdom called Houston.”
Cassie’s heart caught in her throat at the tender scene. She only had one or two memories of sweet shared moments like this with her father. But she clung to those memories when it seemed she was all alone in the world.
“Sam’s the coolest dad ever.” Mitch kept his voice quiet as he followed Cassie to the opposite end of the massive backyard. “Speaking of tall and towering.”
“Kevin made sure the playhouse was big enough to accommodate him.” As she leaned back against the trunk of a sugarberry tree, Cassie heard Sam’s rich tenor. The happy giggles of the twins swelled her heart. Wait a minute. Another voice—a sweet, feminine one—joined in singing Sam’s song.
“Is that Lexa?” Mitch asked.
“I do believe it is. She’s so tiny, she was probably tucked in a corner of the cottage.”
“They’re a great couple. Great family.” Mitch sounded almost wistful.
“Yes, they’re the best. Tell me about your dad, Mitch. What was he like?”
He stared out over the yard, his gaze narrowed. “Strong in his faith. Honorable. Loyal. Trustworthy. He also expected too much of people and, in that regard, they always let him down. It’s like that song by the Carpenters. I know I ask perfection of a quite imperfect world and fool enough to think that’s what I’ll find.”
How true. “When we expect the same of others that we expect of ourselves, that’s when we’re destined to be disappointed.”
Mitch lowered his gaze to hers. “I’m sorry you’ve been disappointed, Cassie.”
She shrugged and gave him a small smile. “It’s part of life, so I’ve learned to adapt and go on the best I can.” Drawing in a deep breath, Cassie slowly released it. “Don’t you love how the earth smells after the rain? It’s like a fresh renewal all over again.”
“That’s a great perspective. I don’t enjoy the outdoors as much since I’m usually surrounded by the concrete jungle. Sometimes in the middle of the day, I’ll go for a walk in the park. I take off my shoes and socks and sift my toes through the grass.”
She slanted a grin his way. “You do not do that.”
“Sure, I do. I don’t have photos to prove it, but it’s where I go if I need to escape and blow off steam. That’s why they have parks in cities, you know. For harried executives to ditch their shoes, walk around and count their blessings. Keeps me sane.”
“I imagine your job is very stressful,” Cassie said. “Are your clients demanding?”
Mitch rested his hands on a low-hanging branch of the tree as he considered her question. “Probably no more than one of your fussy clients who wants a specific menu for a catering job. Or complains about a spice she hates and doesn’t want in any of the food. We might have different occupations, but in theory, you and I both deal with the whims of people. Keeping them happy is job one. By the way, Lexa sang your praises as she drove the three of us stragglers to a mall this morning. She told me you’re the solid backbone of Doyle-Clarke Catering and how she and Winnie couldn’t do it without you.”
Lexa and Winnie always made her feel valued and appreciated, but it was good to hear, especially from an objective viewpoint. “I don’t know about that, but I enjoy it.”
Mitch surveyed her. “What do you like most about the job?”
“The administrative part, I suppose. Brings out my bossy gene, and I’m an absolutely horrible cook. The worst. Terrible. Really bad.”
“Not sure I believe that. The peach pie you made for Sam tasted great.”
“Fooled you. I stayed up late baking a second one after I fell asleep and burned the first one.”
“So, you’re not a great baker or whatever. It’s not poor baking skills but more a lack of setting an alarm. Lexa did say that—hands down—you’re their best server. You swoop, dip, juggle, balance, schmooze and charm clients like no one else.” Releasing the branch, he held up one arm as if balancing a serving tray and bowed low before her with a flourish. “Something else we have in common.”
She laughed. “The schmooze factor?”
“You know it.” Mitch nudged her shoulder. “Scoot over and share the real estate.” He leaned against the tree beside her, close enough to smell his terrific aftershave—nice, but not overpowering. “Rumor has it you also run the catering office like a general. In the best of ways. If you don’t mind my saying, I find that a little hard to believe.”
“Why do you say that?” She liked being this close to him but felt heated in a way that had nothing to do with the rising humidity.
“You seem too. . .sweet.”
She stiffened. “Watch your language. Maybe I don’t want to be called sweet.”
He shot her a curious glance. “Didn’t mean to offend. Last time I checked, sweet was a good thing. On the flip side, what would you want to be called? Stinky sourpuss? Old battle-axe?”
She laughed. “No, thanks. How about sophisticated? No, forget that one. I could never pull that off.”
Mitch rolled his eyes. “There you go again. We’ve already had this discussion. Get over it.”
Not to be deterred, Cassie kept going. “Take Marta
, for instance. Now, she’s the epitome of sophistication. You and Marta would make a great couple. She’s incredibly pretty with those blonde curls and gorgeous violet eyes. You don’t find that combination every day. Don’t you think she’s pretty?”
Mitch grunted. “I’d be blind if I didn’t notice she’s pretty, but she’s too—”
“Too. . .what?”
“I don’t know, but nope. Marta’s not the one for me. Plus, Amy’s mentioned a guy named Eliot a few times and how she thinks something might be going on between the two of them.”
“She’s right. Those two play cat and mouse all the time. Eliot has a habit of disappearing for months-on-end sometimes. None of us really know what he does for a living, but I’m sure Sam does. One of these days, maybe Marta and Eliot will realize they could have something really great together.”
She snapped her fingers. “How about Gayle? Her last name is Ferrari. Need I say more?” Mitch’s startled expression made her laugh. “No relation to the Italian motor company. At least none that I know of, but with this crew? Anything’s possible.”
“Please don’t tell me you believe I’m that shallow.” Crossing his arms, Mitch leaned close, staring her down. “Why are you trying to pawn me off on one of the other TeamWork girls? Give me one good, valid reason I shouldn’t be attracted to the woman standing here beside me right now.”
“Because that’s what they”—Cassie lifted her shoulder and nodded in the direction of the house—“want. We can’t give in.” She avoided looking at those distracting muscles that made themselves known every time he crossed his arms.
Mitch blew out a breath. “I know I was tired last night, but didn’t we already talk about this? We have minds of our own, so I vote we go with it and see what happens. Have some fun this weekend and get to know one another.” Shifting his position to face her, he leaned his hip against the tree. “I thought that’s what we’d agreed to do. Am I wrong?”
“No, you’re not wrong. I’m. . .confused, I guess.”
“That makes two of us. I like you, Cassie. A lot. Marta and Gayle are great in their own way, but I don’t think you realize how fantastic you are. Am I being clueless here in believing you like me, too, in spite of my numerous faults and flaws?” He tipped her chin, waiting until she looked up at him. “Am I?”
She held his gaze. “No, Mitch.”
He dropped his hand. “So, tell me what’s happening later on tonight before I forget about everything except how pretty you are and how much I’d like to kiss you.”
Not used to a man saying such things—especially a man she barely knew—Cassie swallowed and tried to focus on answering his question. “Not sure. Dinner and then more of the same, I guess. I heard rumors about going out for some Texas line dancing. That’s always a favorite, and it’s fun.”
He glanced at his watch. “We probably have a few hours to kill before then. “Want to get out of here? We can tell them we’ll grab dinner on our own.”
“Depends. Do you have ADHD, by any chance?”
She liked his laugh—deep, hearty and masculine.
“Why? Because I like to keep moving? If I don’t have something to occupy my attention, I might as well march upstairs and fall asleep. And I didn’t come to Houston to sleep, at least not during waking hours. If you’d rather not—”
“We could go critique the paintings at one of the art museums.”
His grin surfaced. “Now you’re talking, but that really would put me to sleep. Not that I don’t appreciate an ugly woman every now and then.”
That made her giggle. “As I recall, you said they were beautiful.”
Mitch scratched his head and gave her a skeptical look. “I did, but in their day and age. Doesn’t change the fact they’re framed and on a wall. As in inanimate and flat. Lifeless.” He raised his hands. “Suffice it to say, it’s not what I prefer to do on Valentine’s Day.”
She quirked a brow. “What does Valentine’s Day have to do with anything other than being February the fourteenth? And it’s Saturday?”
His mesmerizing gaze brushed over her. “I want to spend time with a three-dimensional woman. If I’m not going to kiss anyone, I’d still like to have some fun. Staring at a painting and making pretentious comments about its texture and composition doesn’t sound like my idea of fun. Does it to you?”
“Frankly, Mitch, you make anything entertaining.” Why did he have to bring up kissing? Probably to plant the idea in her head. To her chagrin, it worked.
“How about another walk around the neighborhood? We might run into the Dinglebats.”
“Bicklebing.” Cassie shook her head. “Are you talking sightseeing, touristy kinds of things?”
“Not really. Something different and—”
“Fun. Right,” she said. “Here’s an idea. Ever been to a county fair?”
A slow grin lit Mitch’s face. “Probably not since I was about ten, and never in February. You’re talking fun house, bendy mirrors, bearded lady, funnel cakes and cheesy rides, right?”
“As much as I hate to admit it, the answer is probably yes to all those things. They’ve had a local fair on the weekend closest to Valentine’s Day for a few years now. I saw it advertised on a billboard the other day. It’s about five miles outside the city. I think the rain’s cleared out now for the rest of the weekend.”
“Then count me in. You’re deceptively fun. It’s a very appealing quality.”
She laughed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Beneath this aura of cool, ethereal beauty lies the heart of a kid.” He tugged on one of her long curls. “Come on, kid. What do you say, let’s go have some fun?”
She started to remind him that she was, in fact, not a kid. Something in his eyes silenced her. He knew it as well as she did.
Cassie pushed away from the tree, her cheeks warm. “You’re on.”
Chapter 12
Cassie walked beside Mitch toward the ticket booths at the county fair. “What do you want to do first? Do you prefer the stay-on-the-ground-rides that spin or the ones that toss you all around in the air?”
“Tell you what, I’ll get our tickets and then we’ll get something to drink and negotiate.” He’d changed from his jeans into a pair of khaki shorts, tennis shoes and a light yellow T-shirt. She couldn’t decide which look she liked best, but the man obviously worked out.
“Sounds good. Thanks.” Shielding her eyes with one hand, she squinted in the blinding mid-afternoon sun. “I’ve got some sunscreen in the car. You’re not used to this Texas sun. Even in February, it can be pretty strong.”
“See? That’s sweet, like it or not. You’re thinking of my needs.”
“I was talking about me,” Cassie said with a smirk, “but yes, pasty New York boys need protection if they don’t want to get a bad sunburn.”
He laughed. “Would you rather I have one of those fake, spray-on tans? That doesn’t equate with manliness in my opinion.”
“You’re silly.”
“And you’re practical and incredibly pretty.”
“Stop it,” she snipped. “To be clear, this isn’t a date. We’re two people trying to kill time and have some fun.”
“Whatever you say. I’ll walk you back to the car.”
“No, don’t bother. It’ll only take me a few minutes. I’ll run back and get the sunscreen while you wait in the line for our tickets.” Without giving him a chance to protest, Cassie sprinted back toward the parking lot. Opening the passenger door, she leaned inside and quickly sorted through a few brochures and manuals in the glove compartment. Hadn’t she put a new bottle in here a month ago? She jumped when two hands encircled her waist from behind. Stiffening, Cassie whirled around, fully expecting Mitch although she might have to smack his face. “What are you—”
Not Mitch. Her eyes widened as she met a hard, steely gray gaze.
“Don’t do anything stupid.” He pushed her back around, against the side of the car. The man’s voice was low and rou
gh and the stubble on his jaw pricked her skin as he leaned close from behind. He tightened his hold on her and moved one hand across her lower abdomen in an invasive manner.
“Get away from me!” Jabbing both elbows into him as hard as she could, Cassie tried to scoot around him, but she was no match for his beefy arms.
Spinning her around again, he pinned her against the car with his body. “Shut up and take it like a woman, and I won’t hurt you.”
Cassie’s mind was jumbled as she tried to recall something—anything—from the self-defense class she’d taken last year. Don’t let him see your fear. Cassie spat in his face and tried to wriggle free. Scanning her surroundings, she couldn’t believe the parking lot was deserted. Not one other person was in sight. How was that possible?
Cursing under his breath, the man clamped a big, dirty hand over her mouth. Biting down hard on the fleshy part of his hand, Cassie turned her head and screamed although her voice came out raspy and not as loud as she’d hoped. Kneeing him in the groin as he cried out in pain, she wrenched her arms free and started to run toward the entrance. From the heavy breathing coming from behind her, she could tell he was close on her heels. Although he was big, he moved unbelievably fast.
Only a few hundred more yards and she’d be in a safer area, visible to those near the ticket booth. She spied people waiting near the entrance and increased her pace. Mitch, where are you? Catching up to her, the man crushed into her from behind, wrapping his arm around her waist in a viselike grip. The choice name he called her under his breath repulsed her, making her cringe.
“Don’t do that again,” he rasped in her ear. “You’re coming with me nice and easy now. I’ve got a knife in my left hand.” Something cold and hard pushed into the small of her back. “If you don’t cooperate, I’ll use it.” He ran one finger along her neck and a jagged fingernail scratched her skin. “Time to play nice. I wouldn’t want to have to cut any of that lovely skin of yours. That’d be a real shame.”
Cassie swallowed her fear and fought the tears stinging her eyes. Lord, please give me Your words and Your strength.
