Chapter Thirteen
Dim lighting, enticing aromas, and low conversation created the seemingly perfect romantic atmosphere for date night at the Poseidon Grill. Leah picked at her tofu stir-fry. Across from her, Ryan savored a steak that oozed blood each time he cut into it. She shuddered.
Finally, he laid down his fork. “What’s wrong?”
She tried to smile. “Nothing. I’m just not very hungry.”
“I should have waited until after dinner to tell you Brock was in town.” He laid a hand over her closed fist resting on the tablecloth. “My mistake, but don’t let it ruin your evening.”
“I’m doing my best, which isn’t very good, I’m afraid.”
He tightened his grip. “You have every right to feel anger or irritation or anxiety, whatever emotion is turning your knuckles white. I just hate to see you upset.”
She relaxed the hand beneath his, certain she didn’t deserve his consideration. “Sorry. I shouldn’t let the man affect me, but he does. He’ll stop by the house at some point, ostensibly to visit Barney, and issue some derogatory comment that raises my blood pressure and makes me wonder why I ever married the jackass in the first place. Then I’ll spend the next few days trying to remember the good parts of our relationship so I won’t feel like such an idiot for falling for him. It’s a vicious cycle.”
“Sounds like it. A restraining order might solve your problem.”
Finally, she smiled. “God, I’d love to see his face if I had him served with one of those. But he hasn’t done anything to warrant it, except make a few rude remarks. A judge would laugh me out of court.”
“I’m glad he isn’t physically threatening.”
She grimaced. “Only to my ego.”
Ryan turned her hand over to thread his fingers through hers. “Do you still have feelings for him? Is that why he upsets you?”
“No!” The word came out louder than she’d planned, and a few heads turned as nearby diners glanced their way. She lowered her voice. “His cheating killed any love I had left for him, well before our divorce was final.”
“Then don’t let the jerk get to you. I’ll hang around to supervise any dog custody visits, and you don’t even have to talk to him.”
Some of the tension filling her chest eased. “You’d do that?”
“Sure. He doesn’t intimidate me, despite all those bulging muscles.”
A second smile slipped out. “He’s obsessed with working out. But, while you’re no slouch when it comes to abs, you have a brain to complement them.”
His blue eyes glimmered with amusement. “I guess brain before brawn is a good thing.”
“Definitely.” She pulled her hand away and forced herself to eat. After a few bites, she laid down her fork. “Hey, if bad luck comes in threes, I should be in the clear after this. First Grandma’s con man, then the break-in at my house, and now Brock showing up in town. Karma may be sending me a message, but hopefully her point has been made.”
He chewed and swallowed. “What point might that be?”
“That you have to take the bad with the good. No one said life is easy.”
“And the good would be . . . ?”
“You, back in my life again.”
“Is that what you want? I’ve been wondering where our relationship is headed.”
The caution reflected in his steady gaze set off a warning bell. Had she completely misjudged his feelings? The last thing she needed was for—
“Leah?”
“Haven’t we been getting along really well? Is there a problem I don’t know about?”
He reached for her hand again and held tight when she tried to pull away. “No problem. I’d love to build on what we have and take it to the next level. But I won’t pretend I’m not a little worried you’ll shut me out at some point.”
Her heart ached. “You don’t trust me?”
“Let’s just say I’m wary.” He held her gaze for a long moment. “I don’t want to get hurt. I don’t want either of us to get hurt. If our expectations are different—”
“I expect us to enjoy each other’s company. I expect to take some time to learn more about Ryan the man, who is a whole lot more complex than the boy I knew so well. I don’t want to rush into anything and make another mistake.” Her hand tensed beneath his grip. “God knows I’ve made enough of those in the past. I also don’t want to lose you again.” Her voice cracked. “I care about you. I value our friendship.”
“Hey, I do, too, and I don’t want to blow this. We’ll . . . date. I’ve never rushed any other relationship without a long test period first. I don’t know why this one should be any different.”
“Because we have a history. In some ways, it feels like we’ve jumped into the deep end right off the bat instead of wading through the shallows to get used to the water first.”
“Then I’ll back-paddle until I have both my feet beneath me.” His smile looked a little forced, but he was obviously trying. “No worries. We both have plenty of reasons to be careful. We’ll take this slow and get it right this time around.”
“I really hope so.”
He released her hand. “Let’s finish our meal and get out of here.”
“Good idea. Tonight was kind of a bust, which means we have nowhere to go but up. Right?”
“Everyone has an off night, but we still have time to turn the evening around. Let’s not talk about anything serious. Just fun stuff. Surely the fifth-graders in your class did something today to make you laugh.”
Her morose mood dissolved with a smile. “One of the boys asked if he could put a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the time capsule we plan to bury, as an experiment to see what it would look like in twenty years. Can you imagine?”
“Now why didn’t I think of that? The kid obviously has a brilliant scientific mind.”
She snorted then choked on a piece of zucchini. All the awkwardness between them fell away as their conversation became progressively sillier. By the time she’d cleaned her plate, her mood had been restored. “That was the perfect way to destress. How did you know laughter was exactly what I needed?”
“Because after all these years, I may know a thing or two about you.” His tone was light, and he gave her a quick smile. “Shall we order dessert?”
“I’m too full, but go ahead.”
“Then I’ll pass.” He raised a hand to signal their server for a check.
A minute later, the restaurant’s owner approached to lay the bill on the table. “How was your meal? I hope you both enjoyed it.”
“Excellent as always, Mr. Dorsey.” Leah smiled at the older man. “You did a superb job with our reunion party. Everyone loved the food.”
“Great to hear. George told me he and his buddies had a good time.”
Ryan glanced up as he pulled out his wallet and removed a credit card to place on the tray. “I saw your son a few hours ago at Castaways. I’m afraid I didn’t have a chance to talk to him at the reunion, but I hope his move back to Siren Cove has been successful.”
“So far so good.” Arnold Dorsey picked up the tray. “I’ll give this to your server. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
“Thanks, Mr. Dorsey.” Leah lowered her voice after the man walked away. “Was George with Brock at Castaways?”
Ryan nodded. “Pete, too.”
“Perfect. Pete Brewster was always a horrible influence on Brock. Hopefully they’ll hole up somewhere drinking and pass out. As long as Brock doesn’t come looking for me later, I don’t care what he does with his old pals.”
Ryan signed the receipt when their server returned with it, slid his credit card into his wallet, and stood when Leah pushed back her chair. “I’ll stay with you tonight if you want. Mom isn’t going to wonder where I am if I don’t show up.”
A smile slipped out as she lifted her bag off her chair and slung the strap over her shoulder to head across the restaurant beside him. “You’ll make that sacrifice, huh? Strictly for noble reasons?”
He grinned back as he held open the door. “Of course. Do you doubt my motives?”
“Of course not.” She waited while he dug out his keys to unlock the Jeep and glanced over as a green sedan turned into the parking lot. “Hey, that’s Sloan’s car.”
Her colleague parked near them, got out, and slammed the door. “Evening, Leah. Ryan, good to see you.” Sloan strolled toward them. “How’d your appointment go at the bank? I missed seeing you after school let out.”
“Not well. Unless the police catch the creep preying on seniors, I seriously doubt my grandma will get her money back.”
“That sucks. I—” Stepping forward, he flailed and grabbed onto her shoulder. “Sorry about that.” He regained his balance. “I stepped in a damn hole. Well, I won’t keep you. My takeout order’s probably ready by now, anyway.”
Leah opened the car door. “Enjoy your dinner. I’ll talk to you at school tomorrow.”
“Sure thing. See you around, Ryan.”
She climbed in the Jeep and glanced over as he started the engine. “Once a klutz, always a klutz. The fire department has been out to the school twice after Sloan jumbled up the chemicals during an experiment. Luckily, the only damage was a singed spot on a table and a huge cloud of smoke.”
“That must keep everyone on their toes.”
“Yeah, right now I feel like I need to be on high alert, waiting for the next disaster to strike.”
Ryan shot a quick glance her way before returning his attention to the road. “Your luck is sure to change. Karma is on your side, remember?”
“That’s right, but I hope she’s wearing protective padding, just in case.”
He laughed out loud. “I love your sense of humor, Leah. You never fail to amuse me.”
“Good to know.” She leaned an elbow on the armrest and sighed. “I can handle Brock, but I’m worried about my grandma. That problem isn’t going to go away.”
He turned down her driveway. “If she needs a loan—”
“She has no way of repaying it. I don’t want to think about it anymore tonight.”
“Then we won’t.” After he stopped the Jeep near the carport, the cooling engine pinged in the silence. “Do you want me to come in?”
More than anything. But they’d talked about slowing things down, taking time to make sure they were on the right track. She bit her lip.
“Leah?”
“Yes, I’d like you to come in. If you want to . . .”
“Of course I do. I’m a guy. I may have a brain to go with my brawn, as you pointed out, but I still think with my—”
Paws hit the window by his head, shaking the glass.
Leah grinned. “A timely interruption. Apparently we were taking too long to get out.”
He opened the door and gave Barney a shove. “The good news is no one is lurking in the bushes this evening. Your oversized mutt is a good alarm system, even if he is too sweet tempered to bite the bad guys.”
“Everyone has to have a skill.” She got out and stroked Barney’s ears, then strolled beside Ryan toward the house. When he wrapped his arm around her, she leaned her cheek against his shoulder. “Thanks for listening to me whine and cheering me up. I appreciate it.”
“Hey, what are friends for, right?”
“True, but I seem to be the one with all the issues.” She stopped in the pool of light cast by the outdoor fixture and dug through her bag for her keys. “This is why I never lock my door.”
“You could carry a smaller purse. Not locking up isn’t an option after what happened yesterday.”
“I know, but it pisses me off. I can’t remember the last time I felt the need to turn my home into a fortress. Ha, found them.” She glanced up and frowned. “Did you roll your eyes at me?”
He grinned. “Only a little. A fortress, really? I could disable that wimpy excuse for security with a credit card.”
“I don’t do locks.” She shook the keys at him. “I’m the trusting sort.”
“I’m not.”
Her stomach dropped. Once upon a time, he’d been trusting. Was his current cynicism her fault for ending their relationship all those years ago? The thought made her heart ache.
“Are we going inside?”
“Huh? Oh, sure.” She unlocked the door, pushed it open, then flipped on the light. “What do you know, clean and tidy just the way we left it.” She shrugged off her jacket and hung it on the pegboard near the door.
“That’s a relief.” He took her hand and followed Barney toward the living room. “Let’s sit on the couch, watch some mindless TV, and chill.”
“Sounds good. We can even make out like we did in the good old days.”
“Except back then I went home frustrated and horny.”
“Not tonight.” She pulled him down beside her and reached for the remote. When she met his heated gaze, her fingers quivered over the buttons. They weren’t the only things quaking in anticipation. “What do you want to watch?”
“I don’t care.” Pulling her close, his lips trailed down the side of her neck. “I’m not going to be paying much attention.”
She let the remote fall to the floor. “In that case, why turn it on?”
“No reason.” He turned her to lie full-length against the cushions and came down beside her, then kissed her like he never intended to stop.
“We could just go to bed.” She was breathless when they finally came up for air.
“This is kind of fun.” He squirmed against her. “Letting the anticipation build.” One hand stroked up beneath her shirt to cup her breast beneath the lace of her bra. “Isn’t it?”
“Torment of the best kind.” She cradled his face in her hands and caressed his lips with one thumb. “I missed this closeness after . . .”
“We had some issues, but chemistry was never a problem.” He nipped her thumb with his teeth. “That hasn’t changed.”
“The attraction has only grown stronger. But what we have going for us is more than simple passion. At least I hope it is.”
“Friendship.” He rocked with her, holding her tight against him, increasing the tension. “Caring. You matter to me, Leah. Never doubt that.”
“The concern and respect and genuine liking I had for you never stopped. I missed you so much, Ryan.”
“Me, too.” He kissed her again, taking his time.
She savored the moment, so caught up in their connection she didn’t register the squeak of the kitchen door opening until it smacked against the wall. Barney leaped up from the rug, barking like a one-dog destruction squad to skid out of the room. The barks turned to whines moments later as a deep voice greeted him.
Leah stiffened. “Shit!” She and Ryan were still trying to get untangled and sit up when footsteps stopped in the doorway.
“Real nice, Leah. I just might puke.”
“What the hell are you doing here, Brock?” She planted a hand on Ryan’s thigh to push herself upright.
“I thought I’d come visit my dog, maybe see if you were lonely.” He swayed a little and braced his feet farther apart. “Guess not.”
“Using Barney as an excuse is just plain lame.” Her grip on Ryan’s thigh tightened. “You’re drunk. I hope you didn’t drive yourself out here.”
“George dropped me off.”
“Then call him to come pick you up again. What were you thinking?” Her voice rose, and she took a calming breath.
“That my wife—”
“Ex-wife.”
“Whatever.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I was thinking about crashing here tonight.”
“Then think again. I don’t want to see you or talk to you. Go away, Brock.”
“God, you’re a bitch.” His gaze settled on Ryan. “Good luck with that. Always nagging and complaining about everything I did wrong. But maybe you’re into controlling women. Not to mention sloppy seconds.”
Leah gritted her teeth. “Get out. Now!”
“Fine.” Brock spun around then gripped the wall to steady himself. “I sure as hell don’t need you.”
His footsteps sounded against the wood floor as he retreated, and after a moment the back door slammed shut. Barney lifted his nose and howled.
“Exactly how I feel.” She turned to face Ryan. “I’m sorry.”
“Why? It’s not your fault he showed up . . . unless you’re in the habit of letting him stay here when he’s in town.”
She jerked back. “Of course not!”
“Then don’t apologize.”
Putting a little distance between them, she reached out to stroke Barney’s ears when he sidled over to press against her legs. His whole body quivered.
“He gets upset when Brock and I yell at each other. He was still a puppy when I kicked the idiot out for good, but Barney remembers.”
“Tension isn’t pleasant for anyone.” He rose to his feet. “I should probably go.”
A lump formed in her throat. Since she couldn’t speak, she just nodded.
He took a few steps then turned back and studied her as she blinked away tears. “Are you okay?”
“No.” Her voice croaked. “I hate when he comes here. Everything about divorce sucks.”
“I imagine so. Even a straightforward breakup is bad enough, not that ours was exactly smooth.” He stepped closer and drew her up off the couch beside him. “Do you want me to stay? I figured after that little scene you wouldn’t exactly be in the mood.”
“Maybe not, but I don’t want to be alone, either.”
“Will he come back?” His tone sharpened. “If you don’t feel safe—”
“Not threatened.” She sighed. “Just vulnerable and a little lonely.”
“Then I’ll stay.” He wrapped an arm around her and walked her toward the stairs. “Head up to bed. I’ll check around outside to make sure Brock isn’t hanging around then lock up.”
“Thank you.” With an effort, she forced back tears. “There’s no one I trust more than you. I can’t tell you how important that is to me.”
His lips tightened. “Steadfast and reliable, that’s me, but you already have a dog.”
“I didn’t mean—”
“I know. I’m a little on edge. Go on up, and I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
She turned away to plod up the stairs with Barney at her heels. Exhaustion weighed on her. Ryan had every right to be irritated by Brock’s comments, but the last thing she needed was attitude. When it came to men, she was sick to death of taking their crap.
Not happening this time around.
Her back stiffened as she stomped up the last few steps.
If Ryan thought otherwise, he was in for a rude awakening.