Romance Through the Ages

by Amy Harmon

  “I have to be honest,” Jake continued, still caressing her hand. “I never expected to like you this much.”

  No, no, no. Taycee’s fingers quelled in his. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat. “What are you saying, Jake?”

  “I’m saying I want to keep seeing you, even after this is all over. Under normal circumstances—without all the cameras and publicity. I’d like to give us a chance.”

  Taycee couldn’t look at him any longer, so she pretended to stare out the window. But what she really stared at was the reflection of Burt and Megan, filming everything. Jake’s words. Her reactions. A pit formed in her stomach. She couldn’t handle hurting someone as great as Jake. It wasn’t right. Or fair. Why did love have to be so complicated and hard anyway?

  “Who ordered the chicken?”

  Taycee could have hugged the waiter for his perfect timing. She’d never been more relieved to see anyone. If only he’d pull up a chair and hang out for the rest of the night.

  If only.

  “That would be me,” she said.

  The waiter set a plate in front of her and another in front of Jake, and then left. An awkward silence descended, but Taycee had no idea what to say or how to right this horrible wrong. She wanted to open up and tell Jake that she was a fraud, that her heart belonged to someone else. The desire weighted her down with its desire to be let out. But what would happen if she did that? How would Jake react? Would he get up and leave? Walk away from the show like Greg had done? Would Miles?

  Two voting opportunities remained. If they didn’t get those votes, what then? What would happen to the farmers, to Jessa’s aunt and uncle? Would they be able to find another way to make up the difference in only a few weeks? Or would they end up losing everything? All because of Taycee.

  Thankfully, Jake switched to a different topic during the rest of their dinner. It wasn’t until later, when they meandered around the walkways of a dimly lit park that he brought it up again.

  “So, about our conversation from earlier,” he said, swinging her around to face him.

  “Which one would that be?” Taycee frantically tried to think of a way to change the subject. “The one about organic farming or the one about all the scientific names of my favorite flowers?”

  “The one about us.” Jake’s hands travelled up her arms. “The one that got interrupted by the waiter.”

  “Bringing us the most amazing meal,” Taycee inter-jected. “Speaking of which, have I thanked you for that yet?”

  “Yes.” Jake grinned as his hands arrived at her chin and framed her face. “You’re avoiding the subject.”

  Taycee’s gaze flickered toward the cameras that were undoubtedly zooming in on them with the expectation of a romantic moment. “Please don’t ask me this right now,” she pleaded.

  “Forget about the cameras,” he whispered.

  “I can’t.”

  His eyes probed hers, searching, seeking. “Just answer one question for me: Do you like me?”

  “Of course I do.” Just not in the way you want me to.

  “Do you want me to stick around after?”

  “That’s two questions.”

  “Taycee,” he warned.

  A battle waged in her mind. Jake’s heart versus the lives of a whole lot of farmers. Was this one of those situations where it was okay to hurt one person for the greater good? Because it didn’t feel okay. Not by a long shot.

  Jake searched her face, waiting for an answer.

  “Yes,” she breathed finally, even as the pounding in her head screamed “no.”

  Warmth and hope sparkled in Jake’s eyes right before his lips found hers. Taycee kissed him back, putting all of her apologies into it. But when two brown eyes appeared in the back of her mind, she broke away and hugged him instead.

  * * *

  Taycee’s date with Alec went better in some ways, worse in others. Although the fear of breaking his heart wasn’t a concern since she really didn’t think Alec had a heart, he couldn’t keep his hands off her the entire night, making Taycee want to throw him into the nearest river to cool him off. She played along as best she could, even let him steal a kiss or two, but she detested every second of it.

  By the end of the date when she could finally close the door on Alec, all Taycee cared about was that she had another week behind her and three days of peace before she’d have to start the act all over again.

  Why had she ever agreed to do this?

  Taycee wandered toward her bathroom and twisted the knobs on the bathtub. Minutes later, she soaked in a much needed hot bath that wafted smells of vanilla. She breathed it in, letting it soothe her. When her phone buzzed with a text message, she picked it up. Her heart raced the way it always did when she saw Luke’s name. Which was a lot lately. Although she hadn’t seen him since the night they’d gone star-gazing, every day since, sometimes even twice a day, he called or texted. Sometimes both.

  Have plans tomorrow? he asked.

  No, she quickly answered.

  Want to?

  Depends.

  On what?

  Who? When? Where? What? Why?

  His response came fast. Me. 7. Denver. Surprise. Miss you.

  A smile spread across her face as happy flutters raced inside her. Her fingers shook so much she nearly dropped the phone.

  Miss you too. What should I wear?

  Whatever you want.

  So . . . sweats?

  You’ll look beautiful regardless.

  Her stomach flip-flopped as she set down the phone. It all felt so surreal, so unbelievable. She’d dreamed about this happening for more than a decade and suddenly it was here, at her doorstep. An un-coerced, voluntary, real date with Luke Carney.

  Giddy—that was the word for it—only it still didn’t do it justice. Times giddy by a few hundred million and it might be close.

  Her phone buzzed again.

  7AM not PM.

  You’re kidding.

  See you bright and early. Don’t eat breakfast.

  Taycee let out a happy sigh as she settled against the back of the tub. Only seven more hours and she’d get to see him. No cameras. No pressure. No expectations. And no acting. Only her and Luke.

  She couldn’t wait.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Taycee’s stomach grumbled as Luke drove past the diner. She looked back longingly, and then frowned when Luke turned on the highway and headed toward Denver. “You did say not to eat anything, right?”

  “Patience, Taycee Lynne.” His hand found hers, and he lifted it to his smiling lips, kissing it, before placing it on his lap and covering it with his own. Taycee didn’t think she’d ever get used to how it felt to hold his hand. The initial touch made her stomach drop every time.

  “Will you at least tell me where we’re going?” she asked.

  “I already told you, it’s a surprise.”

  “You won’t even give me a hint?”

  “Nope.”

  “Meanie.”

  He chuckled, rubbing slow circles over her hand. Was this really happening? Her? Luke? Out on their very first real date? The whole idea seemed too-good-to-be-true. As though she were cocooned in a beautiful dream that she’d be nudged awake from any second.

  “Do you have to be back by a certain time?” Luke asked.

  “Nope.”

  “Good.”

  Taycee eyed his profile. His near perfect nose with the slight bump on it from when he’d broken it after getting thrown from a horse. The lines at the corner of his eye that crinkled when he smiled. His thick, dark eyelashes that most girls would kill for. And his lips—the ones she’d fantasized about kissing so many times. She swallowed and dropped her gaze to his hand covering hers. They’d spent plenty of time together when they were younger, but now she was no longer his best friend’s little sister tagging along. Now he wanted to ask her out. Wanted to be with her. Even wanted to hold her hand.

  True to Luke’s word, they stopped at a small, ou
t-of-the-way restaurant just outside of Denver for breakfast. Taycee had never tasted such fluffy pancakes. With juicy blueberries and rich syrup, they melted the moment they touched her tongue.

  “How did you find this place?” she asked. “These are incredible.”

  “By accident,” said Luke. “The owners have a horse they needed me to look at, so they googled veterinarians near Denver and randomly called me. They didn’t realize that I lived so far away.”

  “But you still came.” Of course he had. Luke never turned down someone who needed him. Like the time he’d missed going to the swimming hole because a neighbor asked him to watch her kids. Or the summer he mowed the lawn of a recently widowed woman without pay. It was one of the many reasons she fell for him way back when.

  “I would have never found this place if I hadn’t.” He leaned across the counter and lowered his voice. “They even have the most amazing curly fries—not to mention very fast service—and I know how much you hate to be kept waiting on curly fries.”

  “Yeah, well, Liza did serve me pretty fast the day she went out with you.” Taycee paused. “Come to think of it, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if you kept dating her.”

  Luke picked up the maraschino cherry off the top of her pancakes and dropped it in his mouth.

  Taycee’s mouth fell open. “Hey, those are my favorite!”

  “I know.” His eyes glinted at her. “Serves you right.”

  She shook her head, and then finished her breakfast. Luke left a hefty tip, chatted with the owners for several minutes, and returned with a small bowl full of maraschino cherries. She laughed, nodded her thanks to the couple, and before long, they were back in Luke’s truck, driving toward Denver once again.

  “How’s business going?” she asked.

  “Pretty slow, which is actually a good thing because I’m still trying to figure out an effective billing and filing system, as well as a decent way to advertise. And then there’s the whole tax issue. What stuff do I need to save? What can I pitch? I have stacks of receipts and copies of invoices sitting around that I have no idea what to do with.” He sounded a little lost and worn out.

  “Sounds like you could use an office manager,” Taycee said.

  “Someday that would be great, but I can’t afford to pay one right now.”

  “If you want, I could help,” Taycee said. “I’ve learned a little about how to run a business over the years.”

  Luke shot her a look. “You’d do that for me?”

  “Of course.” As if she’d ever turn down any excuse to spend time with Luke. Or to help him. “In fact, I don’t have anything going on Monday night. I could come over after work.”

  “That would be great, thanks.” His hand squeezed hers. “Just promise not to think I’m a disorganized slob when you see the mess that is my office.”

  “I make no promises.”

  He chuckled.

  Thirty minutes later, they pulled into a parking lot of a large convention center. A sign above the door read, “Rocky Mountain Bridal Show.”

  Taycee blinked. Did Luke know where he’d taken them? Was he lost? “Um… you brought me to a wedding expo? Are you planning to propose or something?”

  “Well, it’s never too early to start picking stuff out, right?” The words were loaded with teasing insinuation.

  Taycee refused to let him make her blush. “Right. But just so we’re clear, I get to pick the cake flavors.”

  “What’s wrong with the flavors I would choose?”

  As if this needed an explanation. “Funfetti and weddings don’t go together.”

  Luke gave her a lopsided smile. “Believe it or not, my tastes have matured a little since high school. For all you know, dark chocolate ganache with raspberry filling is now my favorite flavor.”

  “Please. You asked for a Funfetti cake for your eighteenth birthday—with sprinkles no less. There’s no way your tastes have risen to the level of dark chocolate ganache in only ten years.” She pointed a finger at him. “Admit it, Funfetti is still your favorite.”

  He took her hand and raised it to his lips. “Maybe,” he murmured against her fingers.

  Taycee suddenly wanted to blurt out that Funfetti was the perfect choice for a wedding cake. In fact, if he was the groom and she the bride, Taycee wouldn’t care about anything else. Not even the flowers. He could insist on red roses, orange sunflowers, and purple pansies and she’d happily comply. Standing next to him and saying “I do” would be all that mattered.

  Luke gave her hand one last squeeze, and then jumped from the truck. Taycee breathed in deeply, trying to slow her racing heart—not that it obeyed. Probably because she couldn’t keep her eyes off Luke as he walked around to open her door. Normally, she was a jump-from-the-truck-on-her-own type of girl, but she couldn’t get her brain to tell her hand to pull the handle.

  Luke opened her door, and she slid out, somehow managing to land on her feet.

  “Seriously, what are we doing here?” Taycee asked as he pulled her toward the building.

  Luke stopped and waited for a car to pass, and then moved forward once again. “Turns out that people in the wedding business from all around come here every year. DJ’s, caterers, wedding planners, cake decorators—oh, and florists.” He shot her a sideways look. “You did say you wanted to start doing flowers for weddings, right? When you’re ready, this is a great place to drum up some business. I figured we could check it out.”

  Taycee stared at him. She had mentioned that once—weeks ago—and he’d remembered. He even planned a date just for her, because coming to a wedding expo was the last place Luke would ever willingly go.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat and stopped just outside the doors. “Wow. Thanks, Luke. This is really… sweet.”

  “You sound surprised.” The way he said it made it sound like he didn’t want her to be surprised.

  In that moment, when Luke watched her with a half-teasing, half-hurt expression on his face, Taycee realized something. She hadn’t been fair to him. It wasn’t that Luke didn’t remember the past. It’s just that his memories were fewer and far between and perhaps different than hers—the kind of memories a guy would have of his best friend’s kid sister.

  “No,” she said. “I’m not surprised at all.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Inside the expo, hordes of excited girls buzzed around with bored fiancés in tow, collecting brochures, tasting samples, talking to florists, designers, caterers, DJs, and representatives from other companies.

  An energy and excitement filled the building and bubbled over onto Taycee. There was something about weddings, about the idea of love and two people wanting to spend the rest of their lives together. It was a blissful, wonderful time, and Taycee couldn’t imagine anything better than creating beautiful floral arrangements to accent such a life-altering day.

  They milled through the booths, stopping at some, breezing by others. A florist booth with the most amazing display of bridal bouquets drew Taycee’s attention. Everything from clusters of deep red roses to simpler, equally beautiful, bouquets of wildflowers tied with a satin ribbon. Her fingers itched to touch the soft petals and breathe in their sweet fragrance.

  “These are gorgeous,” Taycee told the woman seated behind the counter.

  “Thank you.” The woman handed Taycee a brochure, and her eyes flickered to Luke. “You two make a handsome couple.” The comment made Taycee’s day. If only they really were an engaged couple picking out flowers for their wedding.

  Luke’s arm came around her shoulders. “That’s exactly what I keep telling her,” he deadpanned. “But it still took years to convince her to marry me. Can you believe it?”

  Taycee fought the urge to roll her eyes. As if any woman would ever believe she could be that brainless.

  “Really?” the woman said. “Not many guys would be that patient.”

  It was comical, the lovesick way Luke peered into Taycee’s eyes. “Yeah, well, she was wort
h the wait.”

  “So sweet.” The woman smiled. “When’s the happy day?”

  He didn’t miss a beat. “January first. I’m planning to start the new year off right with my new bride.”

  Taycee almost choked on the laughter bubbling up inside her. Could he sound any cheesier? She patted his chest in an indulgent way. “Actually, there’s a curse in his family. Everyone has to get married on the first day of a new year or else their marriage is doomed to end in a tragic way.” Her voice lowered. “His uncle made the mistake of marrying on January second and lost his new wife only two months later in a roller derby accident.”

  The woman’s smile now looked forced. Her eyes darted past them, as if searching for normal people to talk to. “I’m so sorry. That’s uh… interesting.”

  “It is. Very interesting,” said Luke. “Have a good day.” He shot Taycee a look, and then grasped her hand, pulling her toward the next booth. “Superstitious? Really? That’s the best you could come up with for me? I told her I loved you enough to wait years, and you had to go and turn me into some irrational psycho. Thanks a lot.”

  “No. You told her that I was the irrational one for stringing you along for so long.”

  Luke stopped her with a hand on her arm, guiding her around to face him. “Wait a sec. Did you just say that you would have to be crazy to not want to marry me?”

  Taycee’s cheeks burned. She might as well get down on one knee and declare her love for him right now. Why did he have this effect on her? Why?

  “No,” she said, and then pulled her arm free and headed toward the next kiosk, ignoring the low laughter following her. She picked up a catalog and pretended to browse various place settings.

  Luke leaned casually against the counter next to her. “Next year I think your booth should go right there.” He pointed across the room from them, toward a table near the front. It was a good spot—one of the best, actually. Taycee tried to picture it. What would her booth even look like? What floral arrangements would she bring as samples? What sort of brochure and information would she hand out to people? A nervous pit formed in her stomach. Every kiosk looked so nice, so professional. It suddenly made her feel like an amateur. “I’m not sure I’m ready for something like this.”