A Moment on the Lips (A Whistle Stop Romance, #3) (20 page)

Before she had a chance to move, Joe stepped into the brightly lit kitchen. His hair was a bit scattered, but it was the uncertainty in his eyes that held her attention. She didn’t think in all of the time she’d known him that he’d been uncertain of anything. The man wore ego like a second skin. So what had changed?

“Joe, I really don’t have time to talk. I have work to do.” She pointed to the chocolate cake layers with raspberry ganache filling that she was just about to cover with a smooth layer of white fondant. “I’ve got a long night of work ahead of me.”

“Then let me help.”

He was offering to help her? She inwardly groaned. Barely over an hour into her resolution to keep him at arm’s length in order to focus on her work and here he was putting a serious chink in her armor.

She knew she should tell him to buzz off, but what came out of her mouth was totally different. “What do you have in mind?”

“For starters, have dinner with me.”

Oh no. She wasn’t falling for that line...no matter how tempting she found the invitation. She had to stick with her priorities. “I can’t go anywhere. I have to get this cake decorated.”

Joe moved his hands from behind his back and revealed two wrapped dinner dishes. “I came prepared. I knew you wouldn’t be able to get away. I hope you like steak and a potato.”

The refusal caught on the back of her tongue. Her stomach rumbled. That PB&B hadn’t gone far.

He moved past her and put the plates on the counter as though he knew she wouldn’t be able to resist his invitation. And what bothered her most was that he was right.

Without saying a word, she grabbed some utensils, and they each pulled up a stool at the counter. Piper’s mouth watered. The aroma was divine. The meat was tender, and the spices brought her palate to life. The man was wasting his time with a coffee shop. He should have his own restaurant.

“Did you make this?” she asked, just to be sure.

He nodded and swallowed. “Why? Are you surprised I know my way around a kitchen?”

“When I’ve been running in the evening, I’ve noticed you spend a lot of time at Benny’s Burger Joint or the local café.”

His fork paused on the way to his mouth. He sent her a guilty smile. “So I’m busted, huh?”

“Pretty much.”

He lowered the still-full fork to his plate and smiled. Her insides shivered with excitement. No man had ever affected her with a mere smile.

“I had to wait until the wiring had been replaced and the stove was delivered before I could fend for myself. So I sampled the local cuisine.”

“Find anything you like?”

His eyes lit up as he stared into her eyes before his gaze lowered to her lips. “Definitely. Something I wouldn’t mind having thirds and fourths of.”

Her stomach fluttered like she’d just hit a big dip on a roller coaster. She swallowed hard and tried to pretend that the implication of his words hadn’t just rocked her world.

“This...this steak is really tasty.” She failed to keep the slight tremor of awareness out of her voice. “What did you use on it?”

“A little of this and a little of that.” He took a bite of his potato, while his eyes remained trained on her.

Suddenly, her appetite fled. But she couldn’t let him see that he was getting to her—again. She scooped up some baked potato and took a bite, no longer tasting the food. All she could think about was Joe, here, alone with her, feeding her, staring at her.

Silence enveloped them as they worked their way through the meal. When they finished eating, Piper patted her stomach. “I think I ate too much. But thank you. It was delicious.”

“You’re quite welcome. Now what can I do to help?”

“You just did it. That meal will keep me going all night.”

He shook his head. “I want to give you a hand with the cake. I know I can’t decorate or anything, but I can help with cleanup. I might even be able to mix up frosting or whatever it is you need.”

He was serious? She searched his face, finding a perfectly sober expression on his face. Maybe she’d jumped the gun with him. Maybe he was willing to let down his guard and let her in. Her heart thumped at the thought.

She calmed herself. She was rushing ahead. It was best to take this thing between them one step at a time. She assured herself that letting him stay didn’t constitute anything serious. After all, she could use the help. She had more work ahead of her than she cared to think about, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had to pull an all-nighter.

“You’re sure about this?” she asked, giving him an out. “You won’t mind getting dishpan hands?”

He rolled up the sleeves of his chambray shirt. “I think I’m up for the challenge.”

“The good news is, I have a dishwasher, but everything will be caked with sugar that’ll need to be cleaned off before being placed in the dishwasher. There’s already a heap in the sink.”

“Say no more. I’ll get to work.”

And that was it. He set to work. She tried to pretend he wasn’t in the room as she mixed together a batch of white royal icing to begin the string lace. The bride loved the detailed decoration, and Piper had to admit that she enjoyed the challenge of creating an edible work of art.

She’d worked out a plan of attack ahead of time. And considering the lateness of the hour, she referred to her handwritten notes regularly, not wanting to forget anything. As she got absorbed by the art, she forgot about the man who was lending her a hand.

She had no idea how much time had passed when she heard approaching footsteps. She finished anchoring the arrangement of handmade fondant flowers to the top tier and turned to Joe.

“Are you done already?”

He pointed at the now-empty sink. “I’ve been done for a while now. I was just watching you work. You’re an artist.”

“Thanks. What time is it?”

He glanced at his watch. “It’s after midnight. Just tell me what else I can do to help so that you can get some sleep tonight.”

“Thanks, but I have to do the rest. I have more flowers to make. They’ll cascade down the sides.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing I can do?”

She nodded. “But thank you for dinner and the help. I owe you big-time.”

He waved away her words. “Don’t worry about it.”

She had to pay him back. It wasn’t in her nature to be indebted to someone. “You know, I had some thoughts about how to do the sitting area in your coffeehouse. I could come over to your place tomorrow, and we could—”

“No. I don’t need your help.”

His short, harsh words were like a slap in the face. They shattered the illusion that he was letting down his wall and letting her in. Why in the world had she let herself think it could be any different between them?

Because she was a romantic fool. Well, she wasn’t about to be anyone’s fool again. “You should go now.”

He didn’t say a word. The only sound was that of the back door drifting shut. There was a finality to the sound.

Suddenly, Piper felt isolated, miserable, and, most of all, frustrated for overacting. As much as she wanted to go after him and soothe things over, maybe it was best to put a little distance between them.

Because every time he was around, she had the strongest urge to continue that kiss where they’d left off. And that was a very bad idea. She couldn’t afford to get rejected again. The scars on her heart hadn’t fully faded.

P
iper dressed for a night out on the town.

She’d delivered the wedding cake that morning and the bride readily approved of it. It wasn’t until then that Piper realized how tense she’d been about getting the cake just right. She took numerous photos to add to her bakery website, which had been woefully neglected lately, and quietly slipped out the back door before the guests arrived.

Thankfully, she had dinner plans for the evening. Alexis had texted the Bachelorettes of Whistle Stop to meet at the Green Chile Cantina. Most likely, it was to celebrate her engagement. Piper was so happy for her and Cord. For tonight, Piper would forget her own problems and be happy for her friends. Dressed in her slimmer-sized jeans, a tiny pink tee with a sparkly smiley on the front, and her cowboy boots, Piper let herself down the back steps of her building. She’d just stepped into the alley when she glanced around, finding Joe headed in her direction.

She quickly turned away, needing a moment to gather herself. And though she never bothered to lock her doors, because it didn’t get any safer than Whistle Stop where the biggest crime was a bar fight at Cactus Mike’s Saloon on Saturday night, she nonetheless made the pretense of locking her door.

She knew she was being ridiculous. She took a calming breath.
Just act normal. Everything will be fine.

She settled her purse strap on her shoulder and turned toward him. What should she say? Should she apologize again? Her hands grew clammy. Or should she pretend the whole fiasco had never happened?

Then she realized he wasn’t alone. He had a dog with him. Interesting. For a moment, she wondered if at last he’d let go of the ghosts of his past and adopted a furbaby. But upon closer inspection, she realized it was Java.

When they were within a few feet of each other, he finally met her gaze. Not good with awkward silences, she said, “Hi. Beautiful evening, isn’t it?”

He nodded as he kept coming closer. “I hope you have a good evening out.”

She slowed to a stop. “Thanks. I hope to. I see that Java has been out for another jaunt. I bet Mr. Wilks is worried.”

“I’m just about to call him and then run Java home.”

“Can I do anything?”

“Thanks. I’ve got it.”

He kept walking—past her. She glanced over her shoulder to see him and Java heading for his door. Their buildings shared a wall. Their apartments shared a wall. But the most noticeable wall was the one between them. She knew she was partly responsible for putting it there... But for the life of her, she didn’t have a clue how to get around it.

Not about to let him catch her standing there gawking, she continued walking. She wondered what he’d do if she were to get him a puppy. She could just see him getting lathered in puppy kisses. It’d be absolutely adorable. The puppy would have Joe wrapped around its paw in no time.

But the reality was that Joe had a wall up between himself and the rest of the world. And though he had every right to a protective barrier after all he’d lived through, it still frustrated her. What would it take to show him that he could trust her?

If she were to get him that puppy, she worried that he’d refuse it. Though how anyone could turn away a sweet, loving furbaby was beyond her. Perhaps it was best if she left that idea alone.

“Hey, Piper.”

She glanced up to find Alexis waiting for her outside the Green Chile Cantina. Piper waved and picked up her pace.

She’d been so caught up in her thoughts of Joe that she hadn’t even noticed her walk much less anyone she’d passed along the way. Not good. She had to put Joe out of her mind before her friends noticed and started questioning her.

Piper crossed the road and stepped up on the sidewalk where Alexis was waiting for her.

“I’m surprised you wanted to be out and about, what with just getting engaged.”

“Ah, but you’re forgetting that my fiancé is a cowboy. So he’s camping out on the range tonight. They’re moving the cattle to a different pasture.”

Piper nodded as though she were actually familiar with cowboying. She wasn’t. “Well, his loss is our gain.”

“I just hope everyone is able to show up.” Alexis pulled open the door of the Green Chile Cantina.

Golden oldies music greeted them. It played on the local radio station only on Saturday evenings. And right now, her favorite song, “Rockin’ Robin,” started to play. The best part was that the whole staff sang along. It never failed to put a smile on her face, and tonight was no exception. Her head started bopping, and she started singing the fun tune.

That’s what she loved about the Cantina. It was full of character, from the music to the red and white décor and the colorful Southwestern decorations. Her favorite part of all the artwork were the paintings displayed there on consignment by local artists. They had a Southwest motif, from canvases of colorful pottery to the majesty of the Rocky Mountains. It seemed like every time she stepped through the door, something new was on the walls.

This place was what had given her the ambition to give her bakery a makeover. Sure, her bakery wasn’t as lively as the Cantina, but she hoped the cross she’d made between a café and a spring garden was welcoming to people.

Ana was already seated in the big, curved corner booth, and she wasn’t alone. Ella Granger, Whistle Stop’s newest newlywed, still had a golden glow from her time in Hawaii with her very own cowboy. It seemed her friends were finding their happily-ever-afters. So what was wrong with her?

Piper followed Alexis as they made their way through the crowded dining room where almost every cherry-red, ladder-back chair was occupied. At last they made it to the booth.

“You’ve got a great crowd tonight.” Alexis took the words out of Piper’s mouth.

“If you think this is something, you should have been here earlier.” Ana shook her head. “It was a zoo. This is the first time I’ve had a chance to sit down. As my mother would have said, my dogs are barking.”

“I totally understand.” Piper knew what it was like to be on her feet all day.

A couple of baskets of fresh-made tortilla chips and bowls of homemade salsa were delivered to the table. Piper eyed the food. Her mouth watered. She knew she shouldn’t indulge. But since when had that ever stopped her?

They all munched on chips while catching up on each other’s lives. They used to get together regularly, but lately everyone was too busy. Piper didn’t even want to think about when all of her friends started having children. There’d never be time to get together.

“How’s Autumn Fest coming?” Ella asked while dunking a chip in one of the bowls of salsa. “It’s all the kids at school are talking about.”

“That’s good. I’m relieved to hear someone’s getting excited about it. We’re even trying to line up a hot air balloon for the event.”