California Girls

by Susan Mallery

  She had an early hair appointment followed by a mani-pedi. When she got back, Daniel had promised her a day of fun. She knew he was going to take her out to the track so she could try motocross. Anything to keep her mind off what the day was supposed to be. She might be grateful she wasn’t marrying Glen but that didn’t mean she wasn’t feeling a little regretful about the day itself.

  Two hours later, she had highlights, a new, flattering bob, along with freshly painted nails. She’d gone with a bright aqua on her toes and a pale pink on her fingers. She felt sassy and sexy and more than a little adventurous.

  “I’m ready for my motocross lesson,” she said as she walked into the house.

  Daniel stood in the kitchen. He stared at her from across the kitchen island, his eyes wide.

  “What?” she demanded, then remembered her haircut. Her heart instantly sank. Did it look bad? Did he think she’d made a mistake? No! She loved her new hairstyle and if he didn’t then he was stupid.

  “You look incredible,” he said, setting down the coffee mug. “Your eyes look bigger and your face is just...” He motioned vaguely in her direction. “You look great.”

  “Thank you. I feel good. Now let’s go conquer some motorcycles.”

  He put his coffee mug in the sink and pointed to her flip-flops. “You’re going to need closed-toe shoes. Also a long-sleeve T-shirt. The jeans are fine.”

  She collected tennis shoes and socks, along with a jersey, then met him by the truck.

  “My pedicure will have dried by the time we get there,” she said. “I’ll put on my shoes and socks then.”

  “Beauty over safety.”

  She wiggled her toes. “Duh!”

  He grinned and held open the door for her.

  On the way to the track, he talked to her about the class she’d be taking. “It’s for beginners, so expect there to be little kids.”

  “How little?”

  “Seven or eight years old.”

  She groaned. “Great. I’ll feel large and uncoordinated. That’s perfect.”

  He grinned at her. “You’ll do fine. The instructor will take you over the safety basics, then we’ll get you your protective gear. You’ll need body armor, goggles and a helmet.”

  “Body armor? Seriously?”

  “We dress for the crash, not the ride.”

  “Oh, that’s a cheerful saying. Note to self—avoid crashing.”

  They got on I-5 and headed north to Sun Valley. Ali had been to Daniel’s business a couple of times with Glen. She knew there were three different tracks, a grandstand, a service center where bikes were repaired and modified, along with several buildings that were used for everything from classrooms to locker rooms to the office staff. From what she’d been able to piece together, the business had been a lot smaller when he’d inherited it. Daniel had worked hard to grow it into a success.

  She was impressed by how he’d taken something good and made it better—not that she was surprised. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, remembering their kiss. She still wasn’t sure what it had meant, but it had been pretty fantastic. She was willing to admit there was something between them. At this point, she had no idea what, but whatever it was, she liked it.

  Two hours later she’d gone through a forty-five-minute safety class, been fitted for gear and had survived her first two laps of the track. She stopped by the instructor and pulled off her helmet. Eight-year-old Brandon pulled up next to her and give her a high five.

  “You were really good, Ali,” he said with a grin.

  “Thanks. You were better. You went so fast.”

  His chest puffed out a little. “I’m going to be the best. You’ll see. When I’m famous, we can hang out if you’d like.”

  She did her best not to smile. “That would be very cool.”

  Daniel strolled over. “Hey, my man,” he said to Brandon. “Have a good time?”

  “The best! My mom’s gonna sign me up for the summer session. I can’t wait.”

  “I look forward to seeing you around.”

  Brandon flipped his visor closed, then headed off for another circuit. Daniel leaned close.

  “It seems I have competition.”

  She laughed. “When he’s famous we’re going to hang out, so yes, I would say you do.”

  “How’d you like it?”

  She thought about the speed, the dirt track, the way the bike had leaned into the turns. “I was scared and I loved it. I want to come back and learn more.”

  She stood up and felt her legs protest. Muscles not used to that kind of workout were going to be sore later.

  “I’m glad,” he said, taking her bike from her and walking it toward the rental building. “Motocross is intense. You really have to concentrate, which means it’s a great way to clear your head. When you’re out on the track, you can’t think of anything else.”

  He returned the bike while she stripped out of her protective gear. Her clothes were covered in dust and she felt a little gritty all over.

  “I need a shower,” she said.

  “That is a hazard of the sport. Let’s head back to the house. You can clean up, then pack a bag.”

  She looked at him. “For what?”

  His dark gaze met hers. “We’d agreed we were going to fill the day.”

  For a second she had no idea what he was talking about. Learning how to ride the bike and navigate the track had taken all her concentration. There’d been no room left for anything else, including remembering that today was supposed to be her wedding day. And the fact that he’d promised her dinner.

  “We did,” she agreed.

  “I thought we’d head up to Santa Barbara for the weekend. I’ve booked us a couple of rooms at a great hotel. We’ll walk around town, have a nice dinner, drink a little too much wine and call Glen names.”

  She was kind of stuck on the “couple of rooms,” then told herself not to be greedy. Daniel had been fantastic to her in more ways than she could count. And he was a gentleman—of course there would be two rooms.

  “You don’t have to do that,” she told him. “I mean it. This morning was plenty. You probably have lots of other things you’d rather be doing than spending the day with me.”

  “Not a one,” he said lightly.

  Her natural inclination was to push back again, only she didn’t want to be that person anymore. He’d offered, she’d given him an out and he’d refused. She was going to take him at his word and go with him to Santa Barbara. They would have a great time together because they always did.

  “Sounds wonderful. It won’t take me long to pack, then we can be on our way.”

  The weather was LA movie perfect, with beach temperatures in the low seventies and the skies a stunning California blue. They took the coast road north, passing through Ventura, then Carpinteria on the way to Santa Barbara.

  They stopped at a little hole-in-the wall taco place for a late lunch and ordered a half dozen pulled pork tacos with extra avocado. The tortillas were homemade, as was the salsa. The juices dripped down their chins and onto the plates but were delicious enough to be worth the mess. They took their beers down to the patio by the beach and sat in the shade, watching the ocean.

  “This is bliss,” she said, resting her feet on the railing and closing her eyes.

  “I agree.”

  “What time is it?” she asked.

  “Three.”

  “Let’s see. I would be getting ready right now, and the makeup lady would be doing her thing. I’d be nervous, but not scared. My mom and sisters would be with me.”

  She opened her eyes and looked at him. “Is it weird of me to say that?”

  “No. I’m sure talking about the wedding helps.”

  “The whole situation feels really surreal. Like the engagement and breakup happened to someo
ne else.” She sipped her beer. “Daniel, I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me. From the first second you told me about Glen until now, you’ve been amazing. I’m not sure I would have gotten through this without you.”

  “Happy to help.”

  She studied him, taking in the firm line of his jaw and his broad shoulders. “Tell me why you’ve done it. I get the first part—Glen put you in a horrible position and you were being a great guy. But why do you keep rescuing me?”

  “I’m not rescuing you. I’m being a friend.” His gaze was steady. “I like you, Ali. I thought I made that clear.”

  What did that mean? He liked her as in she was cute like a puppy and they had fun together? Or he liked her the way a man liked a woman?

  One eyebrow rose as if he guessed what she was thinking. She waited, hoping he would cough it up, but he was silent.

  “You’re going to make me ask, aren’t you?”

  “You’re the one who complained about agreeing to spice cake when you didn’t want to. Maybe it’s time to demand a little chocolate.”

  She went hot, then cold. Embarrassment battled with frustration. He wasn’t wrong, she thought, as resignation joined the emotional stew. She didn’t ever ask for what she wanted—she took what was offered and was often disappointed, be it at work or with her mother and the stupid clock or in her personal life. She always had.

  “What if I’m invisible because that’s how I want to be?” she blurted. “What if I’m making a choice? It’s not that people can’t see me, it’s that I don’t want them to?”

  She had no idea if she was right, only that the concept felt right. Empowering, even. She had to take charge. If she wanted something, she should go for it. She should respect herself and demand the same from others.

  “I want to steal the clock.”

  “Good. When we get home, we’ll come up with a plan. Anything else?”

  He was watching her carefully, as if he was hoping for something else. Something more. She thought about the initial question, screwed up her courage, sucked in a breath and asked, “What do you mean when you say you like me?”

  His expression relaxed. He leaned back in his chair, his posture very “I am the man,” in a sexy kind of way.

  “I enjoy your company. I like spending time with you. I look forward to seeing you. I like how you look and move and talk. I like the sound of your laugh and I like kissing you.”

  “Oh.”

  She opened her mouth to say something else, then couldn’t think of a single thing. Her mind was too busy turning over his words, looking for a meaning beyond the obvious, which was he like liked her. As in boy-girl like. As in there could be more kissing.

  Feeling both empowered and incredibly shy, she ducked her head, then looked at him from under her lashes. “I like you, too,” she whispered.

  “We probably should have gotten that out of the way before heading off for the weekend,” he teased. “But at least we know now.”

  She laughed. “Yes, we do.”

  He tossed his bottle into the recycling bin, then took hers and did the same. He pulled her to her feet, then tugged her against him and lightly kissed her.

  “Ready to go?”

  She nodded. Anticipation quivered in her belly. She had no idea what was going to happen, but she knew whatever it was, it was going to be good.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The Four Seasons Biltmore, an old Spanish-style compound, had been built around the turn of the previous century. Still elegant, with an old-world air, it was a celebrated piece of Santa Barbara history.

  After leaving the car with the valet, Ali and Daniel went inside and checked in. A bellman led the way to their rooms. The two-bedroom bungalow had been decorated with plenty of Oriental rugs and botanical prints. There was a large sofa and a coffee table, and on one end was a dining room table that seated six. Outside was a patio with comfortable seating, along with a fire pit and the ocean beyond.

  There was a brief argument over the master bedroom versus the smaller, second bedroom. Ali thought Daniel should take the master, and she wanted him to have it. He was insistent and she acquiesced, hoping against hope that come the night, they would share it.

  Once they’d unpacked, they headed into town to walk around. They strolled along State Street and wandered in and out of stores.

  Daniel insisted they buy a kite to fly on the beach in the morning, then they spent time in a little bookstore. He surprised her by buying a couple of biographies on Civil War generals while she bought a workbook to help her decide on the next stage in her career.

  They returned to the hotel and went back to their room. Ali spotted an ice bucket filled with champagne next to a tray of what looked like delicious appetizers.

  “I thought we’d eat in,” Daniel said. “Is that all right?”

  She looked from the champagne to him. Courage, she reminded herself. It was going to be her new mantra. “Are you trying to seduce me?”

  “Yes.”

  She smiled. “Okay, then. Good to know. I’m going to go put on something seduction-worthy.”

  She put on her dress and touched up her makeup, then smoothed her new bob and hoped Daniel had brought condoms. Anticipation danced with her nerves, making her stomach jumpy. She was scared and excited and wondering if this was all really happening.

  Back in the living room, she found Daniel had turned on music and opened the champagne. He handed her a glass and they went out onto the patio.

  He pulled two chairs close together with a small table in between. They sat next to each other, watching the ocean rush into the shore. He was the first one to break the silence.

  “I always knew I was the marrying kind,” he said with a quick shrug. “Given my profession, you’d probably think I was a player, but that’s never been my style. I’m conventional. There were women, but only one at a time. Volume was never that important to me.” He flashed her a smile. “I guess I burned up my restlessness on the track so I could be steady everywhere else.”

  “Good to know.”

  “I meant what I said before about my first marriage. There was no great drama. We fell in love and then we fell out of love. I think we were more interested in getting on with the next part of our lives than figuring out if we could actually spend the rest of our lives together. She’s a good person, we weren’t awful during the divorce. I don’t miss her. But I do want to find the right person. I’m not looking to play around.”

  It was a lot of information, she thought, not sure what to do with it.

  “You know my sad history with Glen,” she said, hoping her voice sounded light instead of stunned. “Before him, I’d had a few boyfriends but nothing that lasted a long time. I want to say they didn’t really see me, but with my recent revelation that maybe I’ve been trying to be invisible, now I’ll tell you maybe I was the one afraid to want more than I had. Maybe I’m the one who always kept myself so protected that no one could get in.”

  “Until Glen.”

  “Yes, until Glen. I’m not sure why I was more comfortable with him.” She looked at him. “Honestly, I wonder if maybe it was because there wasn’t any real passion between us. Being with him was comfortable, but not exciting. I think maybe I’ve been afraid of exciting.”

  “Are you still?”

  She smiled. “I’m willing to take a chance.”

  “Good.”

  She couldn’t believe they were talking like this—putting it all out there. She felt vulnerable, but strong, too. She trusted Daniel. She knew in her gut that even if things went south, he wouldn’t be a jerk. He would never send his brother to break up with his fiancée.

  The background music—a soft jazz version of old standards—went silent for a second before starting up again with “I’ll Be Seeing You.” Daniel rose and held out his hand.

  “
Dance with me.”

  She rose. He led her inside and pulled her close. They swayed together with the music.

  “The first time I saw you was on a Sunday morning,” he said.

  “I remember. We had brunch with your parents. You barely spoke to me. I thought you hated me.”

  He drew back just enough to look in her eyes. “You wore jeans and a white sweater with a V-neck. You had your hair in a braid and your perfume smelled like vanilla. The second I saw you, it was like being kicked in the gut. I couldn’t think, I couldn’t breathe. I sure as hell couldn’t talk. Not without saying something inappropriate.”

  They’d stopped dancing. Ali was having trouble processing what he was telling her.

  “You liked me back then?”

  “I wanted to run away with you. I’d never felt a lightning strike before, but I felt it with you. I wanted to take you somewhere so we could talk for hours. I wanted to throw you over my shoulder and find a quiet corner to make love with you. I wanted to challenge Glen to a fight to the death over you. Instead I ate quiche.”

  Her chest was so tight and her legs were shaking. Nothing he said made sense, but there was an intensity in his gaze that told her he was telling the truth about all of it.

  “Me?” she asked, her voice a squeak.

  “You. Glen telling me he was calling off the wedding was the best and worst day of my life. Finally you were free of him, but first I had to break your heart. I hated him for what he was doing to you and at the same time, I was relieved you would be single.”

  She couldn’t quite connect the dots. Daniel had liked her all along? He thought she was a lightning strike?

  “You never said anything.”

  “What was I supposed to say?” He ran his hand through his hair. “Hey, Ali, I’m crazy about you. Dump my useless brother and run off with me.”

  She heard the frustration in his voice, and the pain. She had no idea what to say, so she decided to act instead. She put her hands on his face and kissed him. He responded instantly, his mouth hungry against hers. Then they were a tangle of arms pulling close and tongues stroking. Want and need flared, melting every part of her.