Not Quite Broken: A Callaghan Family & Friends Romance

by Abbie Zanders

  He grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment. One is fine. Especially if we can have some of that for dessert.” He pointed to a covered cake dish. “Is that what I think it is?”

  “If you think it’s strawberry shortcake, then yes.”

  Tori began to cut up lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, then pulled out a bag of frozen sweet potato fries. “These okay?”

  “Perfect.”

  “I don’t have any soda, but I do have cold-brewed tea and bottled water.”

  “Tea is fine. And Tori?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Relax.”

  She smiled. “Sorry. It’s just... I usually only prepare meals for myself, so I’m not well-stocked for company.”

  “You’re stocked just fine.” When her eyes flashed again, along with that uncomfortable heat in his groin, he added, “Everything you picked is something I would have picked myself.”

  The small space meant that he remained in close physical proximity with Tori as they prepared lunch together. It also meant occasional, incidental contact, which only heightened his awareness of her as a young, attractive woman and reminded him that it had been a while since he’d been with someone. More than once he was tempted to turn one of those innocent brushes into something more, but kept himself and his spiking libido in check.

  When everything was done, she grabbed her plate and said, “Come on. Let’s eat outside.”

  Instead of going toward the front door, she led him into the next room, which turned out to be her bedroom. It was small, and like the living area, sparsely furnished. A double bed took up most of one wall; a small nightstand and dresser filled the rest of the space. He was confused as to why she’d led him in here, though his cock found the possibilities promising.

  She crossed over to a large window on the far side. “Here, hold this.”

  She handed him her plate, then grasped the two handles about two feet above the floor and gave a mighty tug. The window opened with squeaks of protest. “It sticks when the weather’s damp,” she said in explanation, then reclaimed her plate and stepped out over the sill.

  He followed, surprised by the small, covered balcony.

  “My favorite part of the apartment,” she confided. She took a seat on one of the two cheap white plastic chairs, leaving the other for him. “I love sitting out here, especially when it rains.”

  It was nice. The balcony was positioned in such a way as to not be easily visible from nearby homes, and tall, full evergreens placed along the property line took care of the rest.

  The rain was back to a steady downpour, providing nice background music for their shared meal. The burgers were amazing, and he told her so. Tori blushed and said she made her own patties, mixing chopped sweet peppers and onions in with the beef, confessing that it was one of the ways she snuck more veggies into her diet.

  Afterward, she made coffee and cut them each a big slice of strawberry shortcake. They talked about a lot of things over the course of the next few hours, though nothing overly personal. Tori didn’t ask intrusive questions, which he appreciated. He tried to return the courtesy, even though the more they talked, the more he wanted to know.

  He discovered that she moved around a lot. That explained the general sparseness of her apartment and the lack of personal touches. Unexpectedly, the thought of Tori moving on bothered him.

  “What were you just thinking about?” she asked suddenly.

  His eyes snapped up to hers. “Why?”

  “You got a sad look on your face.”

  Tori did see a lot more than most. Then again, he had to shoulder some of the blame. Tori was so easy to be around, he had let his guard down. “Did I?”

  She dropped her gaze and took a sip of her coffee. “I’m sorry. That was rude of me. It’s none of my business.”

  “Actually, it is. I was thinking that I don’t like the idea of you moving on. We’ve just barely started getting to know each other.”

  “Oh.”

  Clearly, he had surprised her with his honesty. He’d surprised himself, too.

  She sipped her coffee again and cleared her throat. “Well, I’ll be around for a while longer. I’ve got a few more months on my contract with Birch Falls.”

  “Then what?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t like Pine Ridge?”

  “I like it just fine. It seems like a nice, family-oriented community. A place where roots are meant to run deep.”

  “You got something against roots?”

  She smiled at that, but it was a smile tinged with sadness. “Not at all. Someday, I hope to plant my own.”

  The topic had become more personal; the air between them, slightly charged. Those pesky warning bells started tolling deep in the recesses of his mind, suggesting he back off. He forged ahead anyway. “So why haven’t you?”

  She thought about her answer for several moments before saying, “I guess I just haven’t found the right place yet.”

  “How will you know when you do?” he pressed, genuinely curious.

  She stared out into the rain. “I just will.”

  She spoke in the same, soft tone she’d been speaking in all afternoon, but something had changed. Tori got up and gathered their plates. Brian took the hint.

  “I should be going.”

  She nodded. “Will you take some cake back with you? I’ll never eat it all and I hate to see it go to waste.”

  “Well, if you insist.”

  She laughed softly, cutting what remained of the cake into slices. She kept one for herself and put the rest into a plastic tub for him.

  “I had a wonderful time today,” she said, walking him to the door.

  “I did too. Maybe we could do it again sometime. There’s lots more to see and do around here. The area is rich with local history.”

  “I’d like that.”

  He pulled out his phone. “Mind giving me your number?”

  She rattled off the digits. He tapped the keys, and her phone vibrated on the counter. “That was me texting you, so now you have my number, too. Are you free next weekend?”

  “Yes.” No hesitation, no checking schedules.

  “Great. I’ll be in touch.” Before he could stop himself, he leaned down and did what he’d been wanting to do all day. He kissed her. It started as a brush of lips and quickly deepened. The taste of strawberries was just too tempting to resist. After a brief moment of surprise, she opened for him, allowing him to sweep his tongue against hers.

  The plastic tub in his hand kept him from wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. In a matter of seconds, his heart was pounding and he was pulling back, his body protesting all the way.

  “What was that for?” she whispered.

  He wished he had a good answer for that, one that wouldn’t complicate things. Then he realized he didn’t care if things got a little complicated. “Is it enough to say that I wanted to?”

  “It is for me,” she said warily. “You’re not going to apologize again, are you?”

  “Not a chance. Bye, Tori.”

  “Bye, Brian.”

  He stepped out into the rain and whistled all the way to his Jeep.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Tori brought her fingers to her lips, lips that were still tingling, and watched through the window as Brian walked back to his truck. Hands in pockets, his pace was unhurried, despite the rain. To anyone watching, he looked like a man quite pleased with himself.

  As well he should be. The man knew how to kiss!

  She wasn’t sure what had precipitated the sudden change, but she wasn’t complaining, either. The day was definitely going into her mental books as one of the best ever. An even better thought: if Brian meant what he’d said and didn’t have a change of heart, there might be more days just like it in her future.

  Lots more to see and do, he’d said. Yes, please.

  In addition to being a generally nice guy, Brian also seemed to share her love of t
he outdoors. She imagined more biking, some hiking, maybe some kayaking or canoeing. There were plenty of fun and interesting possibilities. The hardest part would be trying to live up to what she’d told him: no serious relationships, no expectations. She could do that, right?

  The skies remained overcast for the next couple days, courtesy of a low-pressure system hugging the east coast. Tori didn’t mind. It made for comfortably cool running weather. Now that she was no longer going to BodyWorks, she’d gotten in the habit of taking a five-mile run most evenings. She preferred working out in the morning, but fewer people were out and about that early, so she felt safer going after work, especially with everything going on. An added benefit of that was being able to stay in bed longer each morning, linger over a second cup of coffee, and catch the early news.

  Pine Ridge wasn’t a high-crime area, so the serial attacker dubbed as the Lonely Hearts Killer remained the top story. The woman from Birch Falls was still missing and no new clues had been found, creating a source of frustration for both authorities and the locals. Everywhere, people —especially women—were looking over their shoulders and traveling in groups of twos and threes.

  Tori didn’t have a running buddy, but she was being more careful. She was aware of her surroundings at all times, carried a whistle and a can of pepper spray, and kept her phone within easy reach. Truthfully, it wasn’t much of a change. She had been on her own for quite some time and being careful was just smart.

  Wednesday came and Brian still hadn’t called or texted. Tori began to think that he might have changed his mind about getting together again. Sure, she had his number and could have called him, but she didn’t. He said he would be in touch, so she just needed to be patient and trust that he would.

  On Thursday, she got a call, but it wasn’t from Brian, it was from Phoebe. She and Josh were back from their honeymoon, and she was calling to ask Tori why she’d stopped coming to BodyWorks.

  Phoebe had undoubtedly heard about what happened with Cole. There was no sense in perpetuating the drama and she didn’t want to hurt Phoebe’s feelings, so she kept her answers deliberately vague and changed the subject by asking about the honeymoon. That worked like a charm. Twenty minutes later, Tori hung up the phone, chuckling. Apparently, an all-inclusive, tropical island resort was a great place to honeymoon. That was something to keep in mind if—and that was a big if—she ever got married.

  She was just getting into bed when her phone chimed again. She considered letting it go to voice mail but was glad she didn’t when Brian’s number popped up.

  “Hey,” she greeted.

  “Hey. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

  “No.”

  “Good. I meant to call earlier, but we got slammed.”

  “You’re working at the pub tonight, I take it?”

  “Yeah, all week actually. It’s been crazy. Are you still up for doing something this weekend?”

  Tori did a mental fist pump, her inner voice whooping out a silent “hell yes!”, but she sounded calm and mildly interested when she asked, “What did you have in mind?”

  He rattled off a few ideas, all of which sounded fun. They decided on hiking after Brian told her about a nearby wildlife refuge with plenty of trails, lookouts, and scenic vistas.

  Brian picked her up bright and early Saturday morning. Their hiking trip went just as well as their biking had. Brian once again proved his extensive knowledge of the area, this time incorporating the area’s logging and mining history into his stories.

  She’d packed protein bars, apples, and water, but all the climbing burned those calories off quickly. By the time they left the mountain preserve, their stomachs were growling. Brian suggested stopping at a small diner on the way back, saying it had phenomenal barbecue. He wasn’t wrong.

  It had been a lovely day. When Brian dropped her off at home, Tori was physically tired but emotionally happy. The only downside was that she knew that some parts of the trek had been challenging for him. She’d noticed subtle tells as the day had gone on. The slight strain around his eyes. The careful, precise movements. The increasingly extended breaks they took to watch the flight of migratory birds or to tell another relevant story. He seemed to do well as long as he stayed moving, but after the ride back into town, his steps once he got out of the Jeep were stiff and deliberate.

  She remembered his scars and how physically taxing the day must have been for him, he yet hadn’t complained once.

  He leaned forward and drew her in for a kiss. Beneath her hands, she could feel the knots in his back.

  “I could help you with that,” she offered quietly. “Massage away some of those kinks.”

  His eyes flashed with heat.

  “It is kind of what I do,” she added, just in case he thought she was being too forward.

  “I appreciate the offer, but that’s probably not a good idea.”

  Probably not, she silently agreed. Brian wasn’t a client, and despite strict adherence to her own rules, her feelings for him were deepening. If she got her hands on him and started working those corded muscles, there was a very good chance she wouldn’t be able to remain professional.

  She nodded and smiled. “Understood. Goodnight, Brian.”

  “Goodnight, Tori.”

  The next couple times Brian called with options, she chose things that weren’t quite so physically taxing. One night they went to an old-fashioned drive-in movie theater. Another evening, they did a historic “ghost walk” through town. With each excursion, she grew more comfortable around him, and he seemed to be growing more comfortable with her as well.

  The best part? Each “date” ended with one of those breath-stealing kisses.

  The worst part? Each “date” ended with one of those breath-stealing kisses. As wonderful as they were, she was growing hungry for more. She wanted to feel those large hands roaming over her flesh. Feel those talented lips and tongue kissing more than just her mouth.

  Even more, she wanted to map out every inch of him with her hands, lips, and tongue.

  Physically, at least, Brian seemed to be right there with her. She’d felt the hard proof of his arousal during those kisses, yet he didn’t seem inclined to do anything about it, which was both a testament to his gentlemanliness and a huge source of frustration. It was becoming harder and harder to let him walk away at the end of the day.

  He’d taken to calling her at least twice a week, once on Tuesday to see how she was doing, and once on Thursday to make plans for the upcoming weekend. This Thursday was no exception.

  “I was thinking we could head up to the lake, maybe do some jet skiing.”

  Jet-skiing! She loved jet-skiing! It was as if Brian McCain had some kind of inside track on things that made her heart beat faster (his kisses included). “Sounds awesome.”

  “I knew you were the adventurous type. Pick you up Saturday morning, around seven?”

  “Perfect.”

  “Looking forward to it. See you then.”

  Feeling much happier, Tori turned out the light and closed her eyes, then popped them right back open again when she realized she didn’t have anything suitable to wear for a day of water sports.

  After work Friday evening, Tori ran to the nearby outlets, hoping to find a decent bathing suit. Since it was already summer, she didn’t have much hope of finding one, but four hours and six stores later, she claimed victory.

  The suit was a sporty one-piece, a pretty dark green that made her eyes stand out and managed to keep everything tucked where it was supposed to be. She hadn’t been jet-skiing since her early college days, but she remembered just how hard it could be on swimwear that wasn’t up to the challenge.

  It concealed the scars on her lower back, belly, and torso, but not the ones on the backs of her upper thighs. Nothing short of a wet suit would. She would just have to hope that as a man with scars of his own, Brian would be more accepting than most.

  Darkness had fallen by the time she walked out to the parking lot. She wa
s halfway to her vehicle when the hair on the back of her neck prickled. When she got closer to her Jeep, she noticed a man in a big pick-up truck in the spot next to hers, watching her progress. Without slowing her stride, she kept on walking, staying in the well-lit areas while avoiding getting too close to parked vehicles. For added measure she pulled out her phone and unlocked it. She didn’t realize she’d accidentally pressed the call button until she heard Brian’s voice coming through the small speaker.

  “Tori? You’re not calling to cancel on me, are you?” The amount of noise in the background suggested he was working at the pub again.

  “No, I didn’t even mean to call. I hit the button by accident. I’m sorry.”

  Her voice must have conveyed some of her fear, because Brian’s voice lost its friendly, teasing quality and turned hard. “What’s wrong? Where are you?”

  “Nothing’s wrong. I’m in the parking lot at the outlets.”

  “Alone?” He growled the word.

  “Yes.”

  “Tori, what’s going on? And don’t tell me nothing. I can hear it in your voice.”

  She wondered at how easily he could read her over the phone. Should she lie and run the risk of sabotaging this budding trust between them? Or should she be truthful and assure him that she had everything under control?

  It was a no-brainer. Brian was the closest thing to a real friend she’d had in a long time and she wasn’t about to jeopardize that, even if they never did manage to get out of the friend zone. “There’s a creepy looking guy parked next to my Jeep and I’m waiting until he leaves.”

  He cursed softly. “Hang on, I’ll be right there.”

  “No! That’s not necessary. I’m fine, really. I’m heading back into the outlets now, and there are plenty of other people around.”

  “Tori...”

  “Seriously. I’m fine. I should probably grab something to eat, anyway. I came right after work and ...” She shook her head, realizing that she was babbling on. “I’ll even text when I get home safe if it will make you feel better, okay? Bye.”

  She disconnected the call, feeling like an idiot. She wasn’t the damsel in distress type and she worried about appearing that way, especially when things were going so well with Brian. The last thing she wanted to do was make him think she was some clingy ditz who was going to call him every time she got a little spooked.