He sent me flowers? And to the school? My heart began to race, a stupid grin spreading uncontrollably across my lips. “You, uh, sent me…flowers?”
He moistened his lips slowly—an act I stared a little too intently at. “Yeah. Figured that was why you texted until I read it. You never got ’em?”
I shook my head. “No. Was there a note with them? I mean, like, was my name on them?”
Caleb took a step forward, closing the gap between us. “There was supposed to be a note, yeah.”
Our breaths mingled, bodies so close a current slid between us. “W-what did it say?” I whispered, swallowing hard as he leaned in, his lips to my ear.
“‘Thinking of you,’” he murmured, adding as he stepped back again, “At least, that was the gist of it.”
My entire body sizzled, thighs pressing together so tightly I nearly came undone. “Too bad I didn’t get them.”
“Yes, it is.”
Just then, Kurt appeared outside of Haven, calling Caleb’s name.
“Looks like you gotta go,” I said, needing desperately to either mount him then and there or race home to visit the toy I hid under my bed.
“See you tomorrow, Hilary,” was all he said before turning to leave.
I’d never run faster in my life than I did to the local flower shop three blocks over, hopeful he’d ordered them there, to find out exactly what that note said.
I made it to the flower shop in record time, discovering a perky blonde coed behind the counter who was a regular Haven groupie. Turned out she was to blame for the lack of delivery, with a flimsy excuse of forgetting that she’d left the order tucked beside the cash register.
I couldn’t blame the girl; jealousy can cause good people to go insane. God knows I’d spent plenty of my teen years acting crazy every time Caleb even spoke to other girls. Luckily, he was the only guy who had ever made me feel that way…and would hopefully be the last.
The manager’s apology was nice but unnecessary, my anxiety rising as I waited for her to stop talking. I shuffled from foot to foot as she offered to put the bouquet together there on the spot. And although I loved calla lilies, it wasn’t the flowers that I wanted, it was the note—the one the coed explained that Caleb had personally stopped in and written himself before leaving last week. To my extreme relief, that, too, was tucked away with his order.
Good luck on your first day of school. I’ve no doubt they’ll adore you, Hilary. — Caleb
No matter how many times I reread it, my grin never wavered. It was so much better than a simple, Thinking of you.
“Thank you!” I exclaimed, bouncing out of the shop while holding the paper close to my heart. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
The moment I stepped onto the sidewalk, I crashed into something hard that knocked me backward into the door.
Strong hands gripped my forearms, steadying me on my feet. His enticing scent consumed my senses as I peered up slowly, praying he hadn’t seen my giddy skipping.
“Caleb, hey! So sorry. Wasn’t paying attention,” I apologized. I could feel my cheeks reddening.
His green eyes were bright, lips turned up into a beautiful smile that made my heartrate spike.
“You get an answer?” he asked elusively.
“Huh?”
Gently, he seized the note from my hands, reading it over before handing it back. “No flowers, though?”
“Oh, uh…they offered them, but they seemed pretty busy already.” Between the heat of the searing August sun and my complete embarrassment, I felt a trickle of sweat beading on my forehead.
“Considering I paid for the flowers, I insist you receive them.”
My face broke into a giant smile. Whatever he said sounded good to me. “Thank you, that’s sweet.”
“No.” He leaned in. “You’re the sweet one. Sweetest peach Harmony has to offer.”
I swallowed, an awkward giggle bubbling up. I was unsure how to respond. To my relief, I didn’t need to. Luke’s voice interrupted the moment.
“So much for promises,” Luke scoffed, heading our way on the sidewalk.
“Ah, come on, brother. Always so serious,” Caleb responded, stepping back and putting distance between us.
Promises? About what?
“That’s because one of us has to be. Hey again, Hil.” He peered through the flower-shop window, then back to me. “He buying you flowers?”
In all my life, I’d never felt more uncomfortable as I did with the tension swelling among the three of us. Unsure whether Luke wanted an actual answer, I just stood there, shuffling my feet.
“Let me guess: calla lilies.” He released a humorless chuckle, staring at Caleb. My eyes widened slightly, unable to hide my surprise.
Luke shook his head. “Sorry, Hil,” he said softly, “but you deserve better than to be played.” He glared at his brother. “You promised you wouldn’t toy with any more of my friends.”
“I wasn’t aware you and Hilary were such things.”
Luke didn’t seem to buy it. “Bullshit. I’m so tired of you thinking you’re better than everyone else. Who you gonna play with next—Cassandra?”
Caleb straightened. “You really think that low of me?”
Luke didn’t answer, a flash of regret in his eyes. “I’m not doing this again, Caleb. We’re not kids anymore. That girl Marcie you screwed around with last month? She won’t stop blowing up my phone, asking about you. When are you gonna grow up and settle down for a while?”
“I’ll meet you at Haven as planned in ten minutes. We’ll finish this conversation there.”
“Right. Or you’ll ignore my issues, just like you always do.”
“Enough!” Caleb barked, his jaw ticking.
“Why are you even here, huh?” Luke asked, deflated. “Haven’s open and running smoothly. Figured you’d have hired a manager by now and run away again.”
Caleb was suddenly in front of me, toe to toe with his brother. “You want to be pissed at me and blame me for your shortcomings? By all means, have at it. I told you I’d meet you at Haven and I will, so unless you want me to change my mind about our agreement, I’d move your ass. Now.”
Luke puffed out his chest, mouth open, prepared to argue. But instead, he released a heavy, disappointed sigh as he stepped around his brother and walked away.
“A bit harsh, don’t you think?”
Caleb turned on his heel, his expression hard. “And this is your business how, exactly?”
“I just…it’s not, but Luke’s a good friend. I don’t like to see him hurting.”
“Really?” He moved in closer. “And what am I, Hilary?”
My pulse raced, his breath warm and beachy scent intoxicating. “I…I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” he asked, dominating my every sense.
I shook my head, breathless.
Suddenly his arms were outstretched, and I was being walked backward until I felt the glass of the flower-shop window against my back. His hands braced there on each side of my head, locking me in place.
“Then tell me what you want me to be,” he nearly demanded. “Another Rafe to take care of you?”
That got my blood flowing. “No!” I snapped. “I don’t need a man to take care of anything for me!”
His features sharpened, lips curling up. “That’s right, you don’t. Do you want to know what I want?”
His body pressed against mine, with his mouth lost somewhere in my hair, breath caressing my ear. “For you to trust me. If you can do that, I’ll give you what you really want.”
He pulled back, leaving me speechless, and tipped his head to the side in thought. “Do you know how to trust a man, Hilary?”
I didn’t have the answer to that, and must’ve made that fact transparent.
“Then we have something in common. Because I’ve never trusted a woman.” He slid his finger languidly down the strap of my tank top, skimming my flesh along the way.
“Maybe we can figure that
out together, or at least have a little fun for a while. That so bad for me to want?”
“No.” The word fell from my lips as if pulled by a string.
“Every family has issues. Mine’s no different,” he said, finally giving me a glimpse inside.
“But I love my kid brother, and I’m always looking out for him. He hates me right now because he wanted to go with me when I left years ago.”
“But he was still in high school.”
“Exactly. And where I went, I couldn’t look out for him. He had to stay, and he hasn’t forgiven me since.”
“Your dad, he seems like a nice guy. And Luke was living with your mom anyway, so why did he want to leave so bad?”
“Appearances mean everything to some people,” he said somberly. “And I think you can understand better than others that every family has their secrets.”
I winced, understanding all too well. Slowly, I nodded.
“Noon, tomorrow, your apartment.” He changed his expression quickly, even offering a tiny hint of a genuinely warm smile. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I offered a smile back, unsure how we’d gotten so off track but grateful for a peek inside the barrier he usually hid behind.
Chapter Thirteen
The moment my clock struck noon the next day, there was a knock on my front door. Punctuality: a good quality in a man, but one I rarely succeeded at having myself.
Thanks to an exhilarating mix of excitement and desire, I’d awoken to my internal alarm before 8 a.m. I’d nearly jogged into my bathroom, impatient to start the day. After a long bath in which I’d shaved every last bit of hair on my body from the neck down, I’d lathered on some sunscreen and started my makeup.
Sitting at my vanity, I’d stared back at the reflection. And as I’d patted on the usual foundation-concealer-powder routine, I realized today was different—Caleb was different. And being with him made me feel different—better, actually, which was why I’d grabbed a makeup wipe from my drawer and removed it all as quickly as I’d put it on. I didn’t know how to show him the real me since I’d never wanted to with anyone else, but uncovering my face was the first step that felt right.
With nothing more than a light facial sunscreen, mascara, and nude gloss on, I pulled my hair into a high ponytail. It was the most freeing yet terrifying feeling, putting myself out there in such a superficial way yet letting him really see...me.
I opened the door wearing a black jumper with an abstract floral print and tan leather sandals; simple and comfortable yet stylish. Caleb appeared to approve, giving me a slow perusal before extending his hands. They were holding a single long-stemmed flower.
“Thank you,” I said sweetly.
“Not the same as lilies, but this one means more.”
I smiled, moving aside for him to enter. “Really?”
His mouth quirked up. “That flower in your hand there is the first I’ve picked for anyone other than my mother, and that was back when I was still a tot.”
I bit my bottom lip in a failing attempt to contain my smile, internally gushing over the simple but meaningful gift. “Then I’m honored.”
“Not as much as I am that you’re going with me today. You look beautiful, even more so than yesterday.”
I dropped my head, flames prickling across my skin, unsure how to respond to his compliments. “Thanks,” I murmured, steering my body to the kitchen for a vase.
Caleb gazed around my apartment with a slight chuckle as I filled a champagne flute with water, trimming the length of the single hot-pink tulip before placing it inside.
“You moving?” he asked, lifting a notepad full of scribbles listing all my housing options in town. “How come you scratched out the Villa? I’m helping Luke get an apartment in there. Great place.”
I snatched it from his hands. “Yeah, gorgeous, but I want something a little more low-key.” And cheaper. “I’m not in a rush. I’ll find a place soon, I’m sure.” I grumbled the last bit, not wanting to discuss my lack of options.
“Considering you have more boxes packed then not, it looks like you’re ready to go sooner rather than later,” he said. “I can put in a word for you at the Villa.”
“Thanks but I’m good, really.” I grabbed my crossbody bag and slipped the strap over my head. “You ready?”
He began walking toward the front door, then stopped. “They have about half a dozen empty apartments over there. You sure you want to look elsewhere? They also have top-notch security, plus with Luke living there, he’ll look out for you. I could take you over to check it out.”
“Thanks, but it’s not for me,” I said sheepishly.
“Not for you?” His tone dropped in confusion. “It seems like it would be a perfect fit. They even have a fairly nice pool.”
“I can’t afford it!” I admitted, casting my eyes to the ground.
Caleb didn’t speak, and I refused to lift my head, feeling humiliated. “I…I just need to keep looking.”
“Hilary.” He lifted my chin. “My apologies. I just figured you’re paying a lot more here than you would over there, so it made sense—”
Our eyes connected. I pleaded with him to understand and he did, slowly releasing my face. “Rafe owns this building.”
I nodded, bowing my head again.
He kneaded the back of his neck. “Right. I forgot.”
“Look, we should get going. Parking can get crazy off Main Street.” I made my way to the door, turning back when I didn’t hear him following.
He stood in the center of my living room, hands balled at his sides, gazing around the room before walking toward me. “Let me help you get out of here. I’ll get you in the Villa—”
Shaking my head, I held up a hand. “I need to do this on my own.”
“I understand. You can pay me back.”
I moved toward him, grateful for the offer but aware just how wrong it would be to accept. “Thank you, but really, I can do it on my own.”
He appeared to concede after a few moments, walking to the door and holding it open for me.
“I’m not trying to own you, Hilary, and I have no intention of ever controlling you, but there’s nothing wrong with accepting help.”
“Would you?”
“Would I…?” he questioned, brows puckered.
“Accept help, if you were me?” I asked honestly, testing just how well I understood him already.
He appeared to think it over. “No, but then again, I’m a stubborn son of a bitch. You, on the other hand, are a gorgeous young woman who doesn’t need to struggle.”
“I’m not—”
“But I respect your decision,” he cut me off, wearing a genuine smile. “You’re gonna be all right, Honey Pie. But in case you ever need it, I’ve got your back.”
I smiled, grateful. “Thank you. Now how about I let you help by buying me a giant blue cotton candy?”
Caleb laughed, leading me to the elevator. “Cotton candy, huh?”
“Unless that’s too much for you,” I teased.
“Oh, Hilary.” The elevator door opened, and we stepped inside. “There’s nothing I can’t handle.”
We made it downtown to the carnival shortly before one, stopping by Haven to park the Jeep and walking from there.
The streets were crowded with laughing families maneuvering among parked cars and others still searching for a spot, so I didn’t mind the walk—especially when Caleb reached out and took my hand, weaving his fingers through mine. I bit my bottom lip, adrenaline pumping, butterflies running rampant through my entire body as I stared down at our joined hands.
When I peered back up, Caleb peeked my way and winked—just like he’d done all those years ago after granting me my first kiss, which was something I was dying to ask if he remembered. And as we crossed the street toward the ticket booth, I felt confident that his actions today meant I’d have my chance soon enough.
“An arm band, really?” I giggled as Caleb took my hand to snap it on.
&nbs
p; He paused momentarily. “You like to ride, don’t you?”
Definitely yes, if riding anything involves having him there.
Whatever he saw in my expression, he chuckled.
“Yeah,” I stammered as he secured the band to my wrist, then put on his own. “Just surprised you do, to be honest. Never saw you on these rides when we were younger.”
He took my hand again, leading me toward the Tilt-A-Whirl. “You kidding me? Every year, I was here the day before, around midnight. I used my dad’s credit card to convince them to let me and my buddies test out the rides.” He stopped in the line. “Been a long time.”
“Caleb!” The old man in the operating booth was standing, waving down at us.
“Saul, hey! You still working this hunk of metal?” Caleb hollered back.
“Damn skippy. As long as I can keep it running, I’m sticking with it!” He laughed.
Caleb seemed to approve. “Good for you.”
We moved up in the line a spot, but there were still another twenty kids in front of us.
“Hey, come on up here!” Saul called out. “I’ll get you on next.” He pointed to the exit area, but Caleb shook his head.
“Thanks, buddy, but gotta be fair to all these kiddos waiting in this heat. Plus,” he squeezed my hand, “I got a gorgeous girl here with me. Not in a hurry today.”
I smiled down at my feet.
“Ah, understood,” Saul said, smiling my way.
“That’s nice of you,” I said softly.
“What’s that?” Caleb asked, watching the little girl in front of us twirl in circles until she landed at her dad’s feet, only to stand back up and do it again.
I peered up at Caleb. “Not cutting the kids. Most guys would have, just to show off.”
He inclined his head. “I don’t need to show off. That’s something most guys never figure out.”
“Did you always know the right thing to say, or is that something you learned while away?” I strived for teasing, attempting to hide my subtle attempt to pry into his past.
“I’ve never been a very good student. Learning comes from experience.”
“Maybe you needed a better teacher,” I said, gazing at his strong jaw, my mind reeling with thoughts way too inappropriate to say out loud around little kids.