Chapter Seven
“I still feel awful about tonight,” I said over my shoulder to my sister. “I can totally cancel.”
“Ha!” My sister laughed. “Not on my watch.”
My butt was sticking out of the car as I ran the shampooer over the passenger seat for the fourth time.
“No, seriously. Let me cancel. I can’t believe I forgot you were coming early when he asked me. It was like my mind went blank.”
Stacy bent down and stuck her head across from me. “In all honestly, I’m so exhausted that nothing sounds better than crawling into bed early. Flights at four in the morning should be illegal to sell to the public. Trust me. You don’t want to stay home with your crabby sister.”
I smiled at Stacy and shook my head as I switched off the shampooer. “I don’t even know why I’m going out with him. He’s headed out of town and—”
“That’s exactly why you’re going out with him. He’s headed out of town and you know that nothing more can come of an innocent dinner out.”
I scowled at my sister.
“I’m right, aren’t I? You probably turned him down multiple times until you found out he was leaving.”
“You’re so annoying.”
“Because I’m right.”
“Yes.” I turned the shampooer back on and sucked the remaining soapy water out of the seat.
“If it makes you feel any better, I can’t smell puke any more.” My sister crawled out of the car. “But I’m still glad I’ve got this rental.”
I glanced at her mid-size car and chuckled as I got the last little bit of liquid out of the cushion. It was so nice having my sister in town, even if this wasn’t the most exotic way to start her vacation.
When I was certain the last squirt of water ran clear, I turned off the shampooer and hauled the machine out of the car.
“Don’t you think that’s odd, though?” My sister folded her arms across her chest.
“What’s odd?”
“That he’s asked you out multiple times, and it wasn’t until you found out he was leaving town that you agreed?”
“It’s not that odd.” I cleared my throat. “I mean it’s safer.”
“Safer?”
“Yeah, safer. I don’t have to have unrealistic expectations about what this is. I can just have a little fun and not worry about anything.”
“If you say so.” Her arms dropped by her sides as a sly grin spread across her face. “At least my little sister will finally be going out on a date after how many years?”
I shot a playful grin in her expression. “Says the woman who excels at avoiding relationships herself.”
“But at least I go out on dates,” she challenged.
“With men who are emotionally unavailable.”
She laughed and leaned against her rental car. “It’s amazing mom and dad have been together for so many years, isn’t it?”
“Forty years of marriage coming up at the end of November.” I let out a wistful sigh. “They set a high bar.”
“You think that’s what it is?”
I shrugged. “I guess. I don’t really know. I think things were different back then when it came to meeting people.”
“True. Nowadays, if you find someone you really like and you’re under twenty-five everyone assumes it won’t last.”
“And I’m not sure that’s true. The couples I know that seem to last have started young.”
“Same.” I unplugged the machine. “Although, I didn’t actually meet anyone I liked enough before that age sooo…”
My sister chuckled, following me back inside the house. “Neither did I. So tell me more about this hunk.”
I held in a giggle. Just the thought of Billy got me excited. “He’s tall, lean, strong…” I let out another sigh. “He has the most beautiful green eyes. He’s got ink all over.” I blushed. “Or at least the parts I can see. He recently started licensing his business out to franchisees and it sounds like it’s going really well.”
“Interesting.”
“Oh, and he has a little black Pomeranian named Lady. She was a rescue and will be going on his cross-country adventure.”
My sister sat on the couch and scratched Lucky’s ear. He didn’t even bother to wake up.
“Sounds like you know an awful lot about him for not really being interested.”
“It’s my duty. Besides, one of the gals I met just went on a blind date with him and happened to fill me in on everything.”
“And she doesn’t care that now you are going out with him?”
I laughed and sank into the recliner by the fire. “No, I called her last night to make sure she wouldn’t care and she promises she has absolutely no feelings for him.”
“Do you believe her?”
I nodded. “I do. She’d said there was no spark for either of them. I don’t think she’d lie about that, and she seemed genuinely happy for me to take him off her hands or maybe take Maddie off her hands.”
“Who’s Maddie?”
“The one who set them up.”
“Now that makes sense.” My sister stretched out her legs and let out a happy sigh. “This house is incredible.”
“It’s pretty sensational,” I agreed.
“What do you think it’s like living on an island this small long-term?”
“Ask me again in three months.” I grinned and glanced out the front window.
The house wasn’t set back very far from the road, but so few people traveled on it the proximity didn’t matter.
“I have to confess that so far I kind of like it. Everyone’s super sweet. They do seem to be pretty nosy, but I think that’s just because everyone knows everyone. It’s probably less nosy and more necessity.” I shrugged. “So far I kind of like it.”
“Nothing wrong with that.” She looked at Lucky. “Do you want me to stay with him while you’re on your date?”
“It’s not exactly a date, but I thought you wanted to crawl into bed?”
“I can always crawl onto your couch until you get home.”
I smiled and shook my head. “I won’t do that to you. You need your beauty rest for our big day tomorrow.”
“Is that so?” Her brow curled slightly.
“Yup. I’ve got big plans.”
“Now you’re starting to worry me.” She grinned and curled her legs underneath her. “So isn’t he going to be here in less than thirty minutes?”
“Should be.”
“And don’t you want to maybe… change your clothes?” She wiggled her brows and stared at my outfit of jeans and a grungy sweatshirt.
I groaned into my hands and sat back. “Yeah. I probably should. Thanks for the reminder.”
“Just glad I showed up in time.”
I rolled my eyes but secretly had to agree. “There’s some chips on the counter and dip in the fridge if you need a snack.”
“Sounds good.”
I dashed up the stairs and grabbed my other maxi dress that he hadn’t seen me in and hurried into the bathroom where I quickly showered, brushed my teeth, and dabbed on some mascara.
By the time I’d made it back downstairs, my sister was eating potato chips and dip and Lucky was begging her for just a taste. Right when I sat down in the recliner, Billy drove up to the house, and I suddenly felt like I was waiting for my prom date. My hands got clammy and my belly filled with butterflies.
“What? Is he here?” My sister sounded far too giddy for her own good. She quickly got off the couch and spun around to look out the window.
Billy got out of his car and started toward the front door. My pulse spiked as I watched him make his way toward the door.
My sister immediately took notice and let out some sort of low chortle I’d never heard before.
“He’s sex on a stick, Tiff.” She patted my shoulder. “You did good.”
I hopped up from the chair and plopped my hands on my hips. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You did something.” Her smile stretched from ear to ear. “Oh, you did something.”
“Whatever.” I laughed.
“I can’t believe you ever turned this specimen down.”
“Stop,” I whispered. “He’s not an animal.”
“He can’t hear us through the windows.”
“You never know.”
The knock on the front door froze me in place, but Lucky flew toward the front door, barking and spinning in circles.
“He’s found his calling.” I smiled, still not moving.
“Are you going to open the door or just play really hard to get?” My sister pulled me out of my frozen state and pushed me to the foyer, hushing Lucky on the way.
“You want to meet him?” I whispered to my sister who shook her head frantically.
“That’s not how it works.” She scowled and slid Lucky back with her to the living room just as I opened the door.
“Don’t you look gorgeous.” His eyes ran along my body, and I for the first time in a long while, I actually felt pretty.
But still not nearly as gorgeous as he did with his dark jeans wrapping around his thighs and a grey jacket opening enough for me to glimpse a black button down stretched perfectly across his chest.
All I could think of was fun with Billy and it was my kind, not his.
“This is the only date you get because it’s the last dress I have with me,” I blurted out.
My sister groaned in the background, and Billy’s eyes locked on mine when he heard her.
“It’s my sister,” I explained and surprise filled his expression.
As I passed through the door onto the porch, our bodies touched and he sucked in a quick breath. My insides warmed as I stayed for a second longer enjoying the crackle of chemistry zipping between us. A warm sizzle of electricity zoomed through me being this close to him, and I didn’t want to move an inch.
“You thought I was lying?” I finally moved away and he closed the door.
“I wouldn’t have called it lying. Maybe bending the truth.” He placed his hand on the small of my back, and I felt my body tighten with desire. “Honestly, I’m still in shock that you opened the door, so no. I didn’t expect your sister to actually be in town.”
I laughed and we walked down the driveway. I felt more than one set of eyes on me and quickly glanced behind me to see my sister and Lucky peering out the window at us.
“How’s your car?” he asked, glancing in its direction.
“I managed to spend the day shampooing it. I think it’s going to be just fine. Maybe not now, but someday I’ll be able to let others inside again.”
He let out a low chuckle, and I snuck a look in his direction. He looked truly happy, relaxed.
“So are we going to the Hound Dog Café for dinner?” I asked.
Billy’s laughter only continued as he opened the car door for me.
“Now that would be something, wouldn’t it?” He shut the door, not answering my question, and I felt like I could finally breathe.
How Gina couldn’t feel an ounce of anything for this man was beyond comprehension. All it took from him was a smile or a glance, and I felt like my world was a little brighter—okay, a lot brighter.
And all I could think about were the many things I’d love to do with him, to him, or for him.
Billy climbed into the car and his gaze caught mine.
“You’re blushing.”
“No, I’m not.” I shook my head. “It’s just the cold weather.”
“Oh, okay.” He winked at me, which literally undid me even more, and I quickly looked out the windshield. “Whatever you say, Tiffany.”
“Well, what else would make me blush?” I pressed my palms into the leather seat and slid my gaze to his. “All I did was climb in the car.”
“Why don’t you tell me? It sounds like you’ve got an awfully active imagination.” He seemed completely amused.
Without answering his question, I cleared my throat and looked back at the house. “Looks like we’ve got an audience.”
Billy craned his head to get a look and waved at my sister, who looked mortified as she slunk back onto the couch.
“You guys look a lot alike.” He turned on the car and pulled us onto the main road. “Where is she visiting from?”
I smiled and relaxed into the seat. These were questions I could handle.
“She lives in Utah.”
“Is that where you’re from?”
“No. We grew up in Northern California, but my parents are in Oregon now.”
“Did you grow up here?” I asked.
“No. My life probably would have been a lot different if I had.”
“How so?”
He shrugged. “Let’s just say my childhood would probably have been a lot calmer.”
“So where’d you and your brother grow up?” I turned in my seat to get a better view, and my insides immediately coiled into a knotted mess of attraction. Between his strong jawline and hard body, I almost didn’t catch the softness resting behind his gaze, or maybe it was sadness.
“Stone and I actually grew up apart more than we were together.” He smiled and flashed a quick glance in my direction.
“Oh. Divorce or something? A different mom or dad?”
He shook his head. “No. Same parents with the same problem. We didn’t really have a traditional upbringing. Most of our time was either in Southern Oregon or Idaho when we were together.”
I cocked my head and waited for him to say a little more, but he didn’t.
“It seems like you’re close with your brother.”
“He knows me better than anyone.” He smiled and turned down the road toward the lavender farm.
“As much as I hate to admit it I’d say the same about my sister.” I glanced out the window before turning my gaze back to him. “She even knew why I finally agreed to a date with you.”
“And why did you?” Billy found a parking spot and turned off the car.
“I just thought having a little fun wouldn’t be so bad before you head out of town.”