Dahlia couldn’t seem to breathe or swallow. Unshed tears heated her eyes.
“She’s not the last person I want to see before I fall asleep.” Ike didn’t touch her, but he didn’t need to. She felt the sincerity of his words.
“She’s not?” The hoarse whisper was barely audible to her but he seemed to hear.
“No.” A smile spread across his face. “You’re the one I want to be with. Only you. And the last thing I want to do is make you feel torn. But I also have to be honest. With you. With myself. And with Dr. Jolly.”
“Honesty is good.” She reached for his hand. She didn’t have nearly as much willpower as he seemed to.
Ike weaved his fingers through hers. “I told Dr. Jolly I consider her a great friend while we were at lunch, but I also told her I’m not available. My heart is not available.”
A couple of tears broke free, and she didn’t try to wipe them away. “How come?”
His gaze gently chastised her. “You know why. I’m not in a hurry, Dally. I’ve waited thirty-four years to feel like this about someone, and I would wait thirty-four more.” He ran his thumb over her knuckles and then let go of her hand. “It’s okay if you’re not ready, if your kids aren’t ready. I’m fine. I wouldn’t trade something real for something pretty or lovely, when I already see the most beautiful person in the world standing right in front of me.”
Ike shoved his hands into his pockets. “That’s all I wanted to say.” He started to walk away, but Dahlia couldn’t let him.
“I think about you first thing in the morning too.” And she typically shed a few tears, knowing she couldn’t do a damn thing with those thoughts. “And all I want right now—all I want—is for you to sit and hold me on the couch while we watch a movie.” She had never experienced the feeling of full contentment like she did every time Ike had wrapped her in his arms.
“I’m in love with you. I have been since last Christmas.” The words coaxed out more tears. “Sometimes those feelings makes me want to hide. Sometimes they make me want to sing in the shower.” As with any kind of love there were moments of joy and moments of pain, fear and courage. “I am in a hurry, and yet I can’t do anything but wait.” Well, maybe there was a little something she could do. Only this once. Dahlia stood on her tiptoes and brushed her lips over his.
“What are you doing?”
It took a few seconds for her daughter’s voice to register. “Maya?”
Dahlia looked to the left, her breathing still shallow.
Her daughter stood there glaring, hands on her hips. Lillian wasn’t far behind.
“You said you weren’t going to date anyone! And you were kissing him!” Maya took off running in the direction of the pond.
“I have to go after her,” she called over her shoulder, already running away from the man minutes after she told him she loved him.
“Dear heavens, I’m sorry.” Lillian hurried to keep up with Dahlia. “I didn’t realize you would be with Ike out here. We didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”
Whether they’d meant to or not, they had. They had caught her in a moment of weakness that her daughter would likely make her regret. “What’re you doing here?” she asked, moving quickly along the path.
“The kids wanted to play at the pond.” Her mother’s voice got short. “I asked Elroy to give us a ride over here. I had no idea there was a party. What’s it for?”
“Oh. Well…uh. It’s kind of a grand reopening thing.” If she told her mother the whole truth before Sassy arrived, Lillian would leave. “We can talk about it later. Right now I have to go find Maya.” She moved faster, leaving her mother behind, and broke free from the trees.
Her daughter had made it all the way to the banquet tables, and she was crying on Rose’s shoulder.
Dahlia rushed over before everyone heard what had happened. “Honey…” She gently tugged her away from Rose. “Nothing has changed. I meant what I said to you. Ike and I aren’t dating.”
“Leave me alone.” Her daughter turned away.
“Look at me, Maya.” Dahlia had always been painfully honest with her kids. She’d always made it a point to apologize to them when she was wrong, and this moment wouldn’t be any different. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry that what you saw upset you. It shouldn’t have happened. You have to understand that I care about Ike very much. And he cares about me. But we have talked about it a lot, and we both want what’s best for you and Ollie. That’s the most important thing to us. So we’re not dating. And you have my word that I will not kiss him again unless you feel ready to let him into our lives.”
“You promise?” Maya’s bottom lip trembled.
“I promise.” She would give it time and find a way to be patient.
“Okay.” Mistrust still lingered in her daughter’s eyes, but at least she wasn’t crying anymore.
“Come on, sweet girl,” Lillian cooed, reaching for her granddaughter’s hand. “I’ll walk you up to the house, and we can get you cleaned up before the mystery party.”
Dahlia almost followed them, but she still had to help Rose finish up the decorations.
Before she could do anything, Ike walked out of the woods and approached her. “I’m so sorry. I never intended—” He stopped and shook his head. “Maybe I should go.”
“No. Don’t leave.” That wasn’t fair to him. “Maya will be fine. And Sassy will want you here. You’re her friend and you should be able to celebrate with us.”
She would simply have to keep her distance.
No matter how much she felt for Ike, she wouldn’t break her promise to Maya.
Chapter Twenty
Rose
Rose watched Lillian lead Maya up the hill.
Wasn’t this peachy? Her mother had shown up early and unannounced—two things a Southern woman never did. Now Rose wouldn’t be able to control the situation when Sassy arrived in forty minutes, give or take. Maybe she should text Colt to ask him to meet her at the barn. Or maybe she should hide her mother somewhere for a while…
“What do you think happened with Dally, Ike, and Maya?” Mags rushed over from the makeshift bar they’d made out of wooden pallets. There was plenty of wine and beer, but Mags’s drink smelled like a ginger ale, complete with a pink umbrella sticking out of a lime on the rim of the glass.
“My guess is Maya interrupted something.” At least based on what she’d caught between her niece’s sobs. Ike and Dahlia were still talking at the edge of the trees, and neither of them was smiling. “I doubt it was anything more than a kiss though, since Dally is determined to honor her daughter’s wishes that she doesn’t date.”
She could see how much Dahlia loved the man, and how much he loved her sister back. It had to be torture for them to see each other all the time while ignoring the chemistry between them. “Maya tends to have a dramatic streak.”
“Kind of like someone else I know.” Mags winked at her.
Yes, there might be a slight resemblance between her and her favorite niece. “She’s got moxie. Nothing wrong with that.” Maya would learn how to harness her emotions just like Rose had. For the most part.
“Think Dahlia will ever be allowed to date?” Mags set her drink on the table and seemed to do a visual check on Eric and Luca, who were hanging out with Ollie near the pond.
“Give it six months.” Rose spread out the yellow and coral-colored rose petals she’d scattered across the white tablecloth earlier. “By then, Maya will have a ton of friends. She’ll be in school. I think in time she’ll feel a lot more secure.” Rose would help her in any way she could.
“Auntie Rose,” Ollie called. “Can we go swimming?” He pointed to a few of his new best friends—kids from the Cleary family. Everyone had started to gather in the area, anticipating the moment Sassy arrived. Rose looked at her watch again. Which should happen in just thirty-four minutes.
“I already put my swimsuit on,” the boy informed her showing off his Star Wars swimming trunks.
She smi
led, remembering how much she’d loved to swim in the pond. “Sure, honey. But you know the rules. An adult has to be out in the canoe with you so we can make sure everyone stays safe.”
“I would love to chaperone the swimming, but I have to feed the baby in a few.” Mags drifted in the direction of her husband.
With Dally otherwise occupied and the Cleary adults all enjoying themselves around the bar, she was about the only option left.
“Pleeeaaase, Auntie Rose?” her nephew begged. “I love you! You’re the best aunt in the whole world!”
“Never forget that, kiddo.” Rose glanced at her watch again. She had roughly half an hour. Lillian hadn’t come back down from the house. Maybe she and Maya would hang out up there for a while, and Rose wouldn’t have to worry about a confrontation between the sisters until she could get Ollie out of the pond.
“Fine.” Cue the dramatic sigh. “I’ll go out in the canoe to watch you swim. But only for twenty minutes, then you all need to get out and dry off so we can get ready to surprise Sassy. Capisce?”
“Yes, ma’am!” Ollie kicked off his flip-flops and started to wade into the water.
“I’ll go out with you.” Nolan seemed to appear out of nowhere. Last she’d seen him, he’d been taking pictures of the picture boards. “This might be a good time for you to teach me how to paddle.”
“It’s really easy.” Rose couldn’t help a smile. “I’m sure you could figure it out all on your own.”
“I probably could, but it wouldn’t be as fun.” She wished that glimmer in his eye would do something for her. Anything. He had nice eyes. But she didn’t see into them the way she saw into Colt’s.
“All right. We’d better get out there then.” She knelt to unbuckle her wedge sandals.
Nolan kicked off his shoes too, and together they slid the boat into the water. “Climb in nice and easy,” Rose instructed. She remembered all too well how quickly this old canoe could tip. She stepped into the boat and wobbled to the seat at the back, while Nolan took the one in the front.
Eight kids—including Ollie—were already splashing in the water, safely secured in their life vests.
Rose picked up her paddle and maneuvered the boat to avoid getting drenched. “So I’ll paddle on the left side if you paddle on the right.”
“Sounds like a plan.” The man dipped his paddle into the water like an expert.
“You’re a natural,” Rose told him.
“So I am.” Nolan laughed. “You’re right. It’s pretty easy.” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Maybe I just wanted to spend some time with you. I enjoyed our photo shoot yesterday.”
“Oh. Uh-huh. I enjoyed it too.” But not exactly in the same way he seemed to. Rose could feel her smile fading. This was the conversation she should’ve had with him earlier. “Nolan—”
“Auntie Rose! Watch this!” Ollie doggie paddled up next to the boat. “I’ve been taking swimming lessons, and I’m getting really good!”
“You certainly are.” She splashed him with the paddle, making him giggle.
“Better watch out I’ll get you back,” the boy threatened, sending a spray of water in her direction. “Ahh!” she squealed. Mountain water was so much colder than she remembered.
“You seem to have a great relationship with your sister’s kids.” Nolan snapped a few pictures of Ollie.
“I do. I’m so thankful they moved here.” Rose paddled the canoe along, following Ollie to the middle of the pond. “It was harder to stay close when we all lived so far away from each other.” Really, Sassy had brought her and Mags and Dahlia back together. And now they made sure to talk as much as possible, and she would get to be part of Maya’s and Ollie’s growing up. She couldn’t imagine anything better.
“I love living close to my family too, being part of everyone’s life.” Nolan secured the camera strap back around his neck.
“It must be fun to have such a big family.”
“It is,” Nolan agreed. “Though I’d still like to have my own family someday too.” He hadn’t said the words with any undertones of an innuendo, but they still made Rose squirm. She’d already learned that superficial attraction wasn’t enough. Gregory had been charming and handsome and thoughtful. But after she broke off the engagement, Rose had realized she’d never felt that deeper stirring for him. That intensity. She hadn’t known what she was supposed to feel until Colt had rescued her on the roof. Now that she knew, she couldn’t settle for anything less, even if Colt was moving. “Nolan—”
“Surprise, Sassy!”
Whaaaa? Rose turned her head toward the sudden chorus of happy birthdays coming from the Cleary family.
Her aunt was walking down the hill!
“Wow!” Sassy hurried the rest of the way to the table. “A party for me? I can’t believe this!”
“Oh no!” This wasn’t how the surprise was supposed to go. Rose furiously started to paddle. She hadn’t even heard Colt’s truck. The kids had been too loud. “Don’t be early! I specifically told him not to be early!” In her haste to get them back to shore, she lost her grip on the paddle and the thing sank beneath the water’s surface. “Shoot!”
Sassy and Colt had arrived at the table, where Dahlia was giving her aunt a great big hug.
“I can paddle us back,” Nolan offered calmly.
Rose nodded, but she was too busy looking at Colt to respond. Colt, who was staring at her and Nolan in the canoe together. Colt, who made her pulse race and her body ache with longing. Colt, who was now walking away, retreating back up the hill. Leaving like he had when he saw her with Nolan the other day.
“Wait!” Rose scrambled to her feet, the canoe rocking beneath her. She couldn’t let him go. She couldn’t let him think there was anything going on between her and Nolan.
“Whoa.” Nolan stopped paddling. “Easy. I’ve got my camera with me.”
“I’m sorry.” But she couldn’t make herself sit down. Colt was still moving. He hadn’t even turned around. “Colt!”
Now everyone had gone silent and they were all staring at her—the Clearys, Dahlia and Ike, Mags and Eric. She didn’t care. Dahlia had been right. Colt had a right to know how she felt about him. Rose couldn’t bear to let him walk away upset.
“I don’t want to paddle until you sit down,” Nolan said slowly, as though suddenly concerned about her.
Damn it, Colt was still walking up that hill. “Paddle,” she instructed Nolan. “Hurry. Please.”
The man mumbled something inaudible and dipped the paddle into the water again. The sudden movement knocked her off balance. Rose scrambled to find her footing, but pitched to the left and couldn’t steady herself before she toppled into the pond.
“Auntie Rose! I’ll save you!” Ollie swam to her, but she managed to get her feet underneath her, able to stand on her very tiptoes and keep her head above the surface. Cold! So freaking cold!
“Rose!” Sassy cried. “Dear God! Are you all right?”
Finally—finally—Colt seemed to notice the commotion. He turned around and immediately started to jog back to the pond.
She flailed and moved, half running in slow motion and half swimming until she dashed out of the water and met him, soggy and gasping.
“What happened?” The man hastily looked her over. “Are you okay?”
Everyone standing around the table and the bar seemed to wait for an answer. They were all staring at her—Sassy and her sisters and the Clearys and the kids who’d been swimming…
“No.” Her lungs seized with lack of oxygen and emotion. “I’m not okay. I know how it looks with Nolan and I out in the canoe together. I know how it looked the other day when we were doing the photo shoot.” She tried to slow down the words, to speak clearly, but her chattering teeth made that difficult. “You’re the one I can’t stop thinking about though. You’re the one who makes my heart beat faster. You’re the one I’m falling in love with. So don’t leave the party. Please.”
Colt’s eyes were as wid
e as a deer’s that had run in front of a car. “I…wasn’t going to leave. I was going to get Sassy’s present out of my truck.”
“Oh.” The burn of humiliation took care of the chill in her body. “Right.” Rose backed up a step, feeling the weight of every stare aimed in her direction. It seemed she’d gotten a little carried away, as per usual. “Well, good then. Whew. That’s a relief.” She laughed awkwardly, unable to control the sounds coming out of her mouth. “You know, I should go change.” Her bare feet moved clumsily over the ground. She had to get up to the house so she could hide in the closet where she kept her vast wardrobe. No one would ever find her there.
“Rose,” Colt called behind her.
“I’ll be back in a few!” She couldn’t stop, couldn’t turn around. There were too many eyes focused on her. “I’m pretty wet! And cold!” And mortified. Nope, that didn’t quite cover it. Disgraced. Yes, disgraced and insane. What had she been thinking, practically leaping out of a canoe to ruin Sassy’s party by making a scene in front of everyone?
Footsteps scuffled behind her, but they only drove her to move faster. Get away. She had to get away.
“Will you wait up?” Mags wheezed behind her. “I’m not used to the altitude and I just gave birth.”
“I have no excuse.” Dahlia panted as she fell in step with her. “Other than I’m out of shape and have a serious chocolate addiction.”
Rose couldn’t even muster a smile to indulge her sisters’ attempts to pretend nothing had happened back there.
“Come on, Rosie.” Mags tugged on her arm until she slowed her footsteps. “Are you okay?”
“I’m great! Fantastic!” There went the maniacal laugh again. “I just made a complete fool out of myself by professing my undying love for a man who doesn’t love me back in front of at least forty people. I have never been better!”
Dally snuck in front of her. “You don’t know he doesn’t love you back.”
“Yeah,” Mags added. “You didn’t even give him a chance to talk after professing your undying love.”
The Summer Sisters (Juniper Springs Book 2) Page 21
