“Won't start?” He leaned closer.
“No.” She looked down at her car gauge. The engine light was on.
“Might need a new battery. If you want, I can take you home and you can deal with it in the morning.”
She looked straight ahead and felt the shaking starting again. “No, that's okay. I live just a few—”
“Lady, I wouldn't let my worst enemy walk a block in this weather. Gather your stuff up, I'll drive you wherever you need to go.” He opened her door and stood back, waiting for her to get her things.
Again, she felt like she was left no choice. She knew he was the commander at the Coastguard, so he was probably used to getting his way. That didn't mean he could boss her around. She gathered up her purse and decided everything else in the car could wait until the morning.
When she got out, she realized how tall he was. She had to look up to him when she spoke. “It's very nice of you to offer, but I'll be just fine. I only live two blocks away.”
“I'm just trying to be neighborly. I'm Allen Masters, by the way. We weren't formally introduced.” He stood there and smiled at her. She felt a little of her resolve melt; he had a great smile.
“Yes, I know. I'm Sara Lander. It's nice to meet you.”
During the basketball game, Allison had told her all about Allen. How he'd come into town and taken charge of all the construction, turning the old mill into the newly renovated facility the Coastguard now used. Apparently, he was also a pilot and went out on rescues all the time. Surely she could trust someone who risked his life every day to save others.
“Well.” She looked up at him and realized how good looking he was. Too much man, she thought. She felt like a teenager standing next to Tom Selleck in his heyday. What would she do with a man like him? She'd only dated one person seriously before and he didn't look like this. Allen was probably in his early thirties. His dark hair was covered with a ball cap with a Coastguard patch. His brown leather coat looked loved and worn in places. His jeans were the same, faded and worn out.
According to Allison, he'd been overseas in the war. She probably had nothing in common with him. He most likely found her to be irritating. Especially since she'd kept him standing on the sidewalk for a few minutes now.
Pulling her bag close to her, she nodded her head and raised her chin. “Fine. You can drive me home.” She started walking towards his truck and thought she heard him laugh. “Did you say something?” She turned and looked at him, her eyebrows raised in question.
He smiled. “No, ma'am.” He rushed to the passenger side of his truck and opened the door for her. She stood there looking at the large truck, trying to figure out how to get in it.
“If you grab onto that handhold there, you can step on the running board and pull yourself in.” He smiled.
She did as he suggested. It took her two tries to pull herself into the large vehicle. As he walked around the front of the truck, the heat hit her full force and she realized she was freezing. Her teeth started chattering the second he opened his door. She clenched her jaw to keep from letting him know how cold she was.
“I'm sorry, I guess I didn't realize how tall my truck is.” He smiled at her and she could tell he was trying to hold back laughter.
She nodded her head, not wanting to open her jaw in case her teeth should start banging together. He pulled into Main Street and started driving up the hill slowly. “Where to?” He looked over at her.
“Two blocks up, one to the right.” The warmth inside the cab was quickly heating her. When he looked at her, she felt heat spreading from her insides as well.
“So, are you going to tell me why you were really looking at the empty building?”
She quickly looked at him, trying to figure out how he knew she'd lied to him. When he just continued to smile, she told him.
“I'm thinking of opening a bakery. Well, I've been thinking of it ever since I saw the empty building.” She looked out the window. He was driving too slowly for her liking.
“Bakery, huh?” She turned and saw him looking straight ahead, thinking. “Are you any good at baking?”
“It does help to be good at it, in order to run my own bakery.” She laughed.
“I like that.” He smiled at her and she felt her stomach flutter.
“What?” She tried not to notice how nice his smile was. “That I can bake?”
“No, your laugh.” He glanced at her again. “You should do that often.”
She frowned a little. She didn't know what she should do now. Thank him? She was saved when he continued on.
“What kind of things would you sell in your bakery? Cakes? Brownies?”
“Yes, a little of everything. The nearest bakery is in Edgeview. They do a lot of cake orders for birthdays, weddings, and everything. But I was also thinking of doing sandwiches. Cold and hot.”
“Do you know how to make bagels?” He shook his head. “I haven't had a good bagel since Boston.”
She laughed. “Yes, actually, they are one of my favorites as well.”
He looked over at her and smiled. “I'd do just about anything for a loaded bagel with whipped strawberry cream cheese on top.”
She imagined exactly what she'd like him to do, causing her cheeks to heat. “There, it's the last house on the left.” She turned her face away, hoping he hadn’t noticed them turn bright red.
He pulled into the drive and quickly got out. Before she could gather her bag, he was opening her door and holding his hand out for her to take.
She put her gloved hand in his while trying to step down on the running board, but ended up falling forward straight into his arms. His muscled arms wrapped around her and she felt how solid his chest was against her own. He smelled of shampoo and leather, a wonderful combination. She looked up and started to apologize, her face so close to his she could feel his breath on her face.
“I'm—” Then his lips were on hers and she forgot where she was and what was happening. He tasted like heaven and just the feel of his warm mouth on hers sent every remaining chill from her entire body. Not only did she forget to breath, she forgot to move and stood encased in his arms like a statue as his mouth moved over hers.
He pulled back and smiled down at her. “Sorry, I must have slipped.”
She would have laughed if she'd regained any of her senses, but instead she just nodded her head and lowered her eyes to the V of his jacket.
What did someone do with someone like him? A more sophisticated woman would have laughed and flirted with him. But she was having a hard enough time putting two words together to make a sentence.
Just then the front porch light went on and she pulled out of his arms, almost slipping on the ice in her driveway.
“My mother.” She didn't know why she'd felt the need to explain things to him, but he smiled and dropped his arms.
“Well, if you can't get the car started in the morning, give Rusty a call. He'll fix it up for you real fast.” He shoved his hands into his pockets.
She hoisted her bag over her shoulder. Everyone from Pride knew about Rusty, the only mechanic in a thirty-mile radius. Sara didn't know what to say, so she just nodded and started walking towards the front porch, then stopped and turned around.
“Thanks for the ride.” She didn't want to seem rude. Her mind had just clicked into gear and she realized she was about to walk away without thanking him.
He nodded and smiled. “Anytime.” He turned and got back into his truck, waiting in the driveway until she was safely inside.
When she closed the door, Becca, her sixteen-year-old sister jumped on her. “Who was that?” She sat on the edge of the couch and peered out the front blinds.
“Allen Masters. My car wouldn't start, and he stopped and offered me a ride.” She tossed her bag onto the couch and walked into the kitchen to find her mother sitting at her desk in the corner, working on her computer. Her mother looked more like Becca than Sara. They had the same build, tall and skinny. Her mother's short
gray hair looked stylish and her silver earrings bobbed up and down. Her mother was a chain smoker, but had recently quit. Now she chose to compensate by chewing on Nicotine gum all the time. “Evening, Mom. What would you like for dinner?”
It had been the same every night for the last several weeks since she'd gotten home. If Sara didn't cook dinner, Becca and their mother would eat something microwaved that had more chemicals in it than the boxes the food was packaged in.
Even though she loved her family, she was ready to find a place of her own. Becca had been allowed to run wild since Sara had left several years ago. It wasn't Becca's fault, really. Their mother had spoiled her from the moment she'd been born. Sara, on the other hand, had taken over the parent role since the fifth grade, when their father had packed his bags and moved to Vegas with their mother's best friend. Neither Becca nor Sara had seen him since.
“Whatever you want, dear. I can always heat something up.”
“No.” Becca jumped in, walking over to the countertop. “Sara doesn't mind cooking, do you?” Her sister was a lot taller than Sara’s own five-foot-five frame. Not to mention she had more curves than her and her hair was lighter than her own. Basically, Becca was the pretty child. Sara had curly, raven hair, but she'd never really looked at it as beautiful, just a nuisance to take care off. Mostly, she kept it tied back out of the way as she baked. Tying it back now, she got to work making spaghetti for her family as she thought of Allen Masters and the kiss that had baked her insides.
Chapter Two
Afew days later, Allen bumped into Sara at Aaron and Lacey's house. Everyone in town was there to celebrate the arrival of their son, George. He'd been hoping he'd bump into her again. He didn't know what had come over him in her driveway, but he couldn't deny what the kiss had done to his system. He'd thought of little else since then and knew he wanted to kiss her again.
She was wearing tight red pants with a large black sweater hanging over her hips. Her hair was tied up in a roll with curly wisps falling all around her face. He'd noticed her eyes, how dark brown and beautiful they were, the first time he'd seen her. But the way her lips tasted like strawberries, and the way they felt like silk, had sealed his interest in her. Her body had been soft next to his and somehow fit perfectly against his own.
When he walked across the room and came up to her, he could see her cheeks turn a little pink and a slight fear come into her eyes.
“Hello.” He smiled when she almost dropped the plate of food she'd been holding. “Easy.” He reached over and took her hand under the paper plate to steady her.
“Hi…hello.” She looked around the room quickly, making it appear as if she was looking for a way to escape. Why did he get the idea she was afraid of him? He'd just have to show her he was an all-around good guy.
“Here.” He motioned towards a small couch that had been abandoned. “Why don't we sit so you can finish that?” He took her elbow and steered her toward the darkened corner.
When they sat, he made sure to give her plenty of room. She looked down at the food and he could tell she had lost all interest in finishing the plate.
“How's the bakery idea going? Have you had a chance to talk to Allison yet?” He watched as she leaned over and set the plate on the small table next to the couch.
“Oh!” Her face lit up. “Yes. You won't believe it. She's had the place up for sale for several years now. When I talked to her, she took my first offer, no questions asked. You are now looking at the proud owner of 12 Main Street, the sight of Pride's very own soon-to-be bakery.” She smiled and her whole face lit up. At that moment, he realized he'd do anything to see her smile like that again.
“Congratulations. It must be exciting to have the first step done. What is your next move?”
He leaned back and listened to her talking about equipment and building permits, hanging on every word she said. He'd never thought about what goes into starting your own business, but after listening to Sara talk, he now wondered how she'd find all the time to do everything she had planned.
“You're doing this all yourself?” He hadn't realized that he'd moved closer to her until their knees touched and she stiffened.
“Yes, well.” She looked around the crowded room, no doubt trying to find an escape. “I better go check on my sister.” She started to get up, so he rose with her.
“I know a few people that could come in handy if you need help with some of the carpentry work.” He smiled when she took a step back so they weren't standing too close.
“Oh, that won't be necessary. I have connections in Pride, as well.” She smiled and nodded towards a group of Allen’s friends who were currently acting like fools over the new baby. Iian, Todd, Luke, and the proud papa, Aaron, were giggling as they hovered over George. They held up a small basketball outfit including the smallest basketball shoes he'd ever seen. Allen smiled.
Sara chuckled. “You'd think Lacey had given birth to a seven foot boy with a basketball in his hands, ready to go.”
He laughed. “Wait until they open my present. Aaron will get a kick out it.”
She turned and crossed her arms over her chest. “What did you get him? Nothing as ridiculous as a basketball, I hope?”
His smile dropped. “Why? What's wrong with a basketball?”
“Well, nothing if you were giving it to a toddler, but a newborn?” She started laughing. “You gave George a basketball, didn't you?”
Now it was his turn to cross his arms over his chest. “Maybe.”
“You haven't been around too many newborns have you?”
He shook his head. “My sister has a few kids, but I wasn't around when they were little.” He looked around as a loud roar came from the group of men, then Aaron yelled over to him.
“Allen, where on earth did you find the smallest basketball known to man?”
He shuffled his feet and smiled as his friends rushed upon him. He watched Sara relax and melt into the rush of his friends, looking very comfortable.
“Last week I made a trip into Portland to do some Christmas shopping and saw it in a toy store window.”
Aaron patted him on the back as the group of men pulled him into an impromptu game of basketball right there in the living room. They had a few seconds of tossing the ball among the crowded room, all to cheers, before they heard:
“You boys know better than to play ball in my house.” Lacey was still sitting across the room, holding the very small and sleeping baby, George. Her voice didn't really need to carry across the room for the power and command to be heard. The group of grown men stopped tossing the ball immediately and hung their heads, even though their smiles were still in place.
Lacey looked beautiful sitting in a recliner in a pair of dark purple leggings and a large black sweater. Her short hair looked perfectly in place and her smile told everyone in the room she ruled the roost with love.
Aaron walked over and sat next to his wife and new son. Their three-year-old daughter, Lillian, crawled up into her father's lap, her curly dark hair bobbing up and down. They looked like a family taken right off the cover of a Hallmark card.
“They look happy,” Sara said beside him. He'd forgotten she was still standing next to him; he'd been caught up in watching the family moment.
“Kinda makes you feel like you want to be a part of it all,” he'd said and looked at her, focusing on her eyes. He watched them go wide and he could tell she was thinking about what he'd said, imagining them in place of Lacey and Aaron. The silence between them was almost deafening.
Just then Allison approached, carrying her and Iian's son, Conner. The boy was almost asleep in his mother's arms, his dark curly head resting on her shoulder.
“There you are.” She sounded a little winded. “I have a few more details to discuss with you, if you have time.” Allison looked between the pair of them, a slight smile on her lips.
Sara blinked a few times and focused on her friend. “Yes.” She grabbed her friend’s arm like it was a life
line and made a quick excuse to Allen, then walked out of the room with Allison in tow.
He sighed and shook his head as Iian walked up laughing. “You did it now, Masters.”
He narrowed his eyes and took the beer his friend offered him. “What?”
Iian clinked his beer against his. “Scared the girl away. But she's thinking about you now.” Iian laughed. “Didn't know you had it in you.”
“What?” Allen took a sip of the cool beer, beginning to feel a little frustrated.
“You know, I've known Sara all her life. I've never seen her look at someone the way she was looking at you just now.” His friend chuckled.
My Sweet Valentine Page 2
