Authors: Cerian Hebert
Gwen sighed and turned toward her daughter. “Autumn, go tell Daddy that dinner will be ready in ten minutes.”
The little girl nodded and jogged out of the dining room. Nell watched her go, wondering if Gwen sent her off because she didn’t want the child to witness the rant that was about to come.
But Gwen didn’t launch into a rant. She stirred the bubbling spaghetti and quietly stressed, “He’s not like that. If he was in high school, he’s not anymore. Seriously, he’s the nicest guy I know, next to Mark, of course. Maybe he was a jerk all those years ago, but he coaches for Special Olympics and, well, you’re going to have to take my word for it, Nell, he’s just a regular guy, a great dad, and he tried his hardest to be a good husband. This bully image just doesn’t fit him any longer. If you changed so much over the years, why couldn’t he?”
Nell sank into a chair at the table and fiddled with the napkins. “Guess that makes sense.” After all, he sure didn’t fit the ‘jerk’ category she’d expected. And as Gwen had stressed, he’d been blessedly regular. She hadn’t thought about it that way, and suddenly felt a little guilty.
But that didn’t mean she was ready to put aside her plans. Nice guy or not, she was still going her separate way at some point in the near future. Nothing was different.
“What’s done is done,” she told her sister and stood quickly. She took the spaghetti spoon out of Gwen’s hands. “Go relax. I’ll finish up.”
Throughout dinner Nell stayed quiet and caught Gwen giving her several covert glances while trying to maintain the semblance of a normal conversation with Mark. Nell didn’t taste much of the food because the more she thought about lying to Eli, the worse she felt. But she clung to knowing that after she finished up here, she’d have no reason to see him anymore. He’d move on and so would she.
No harm, no foul, she decided, but this time with a bit less enthusiasm.
Eli was picking her up at eight, so she did the dishes for Gwen before getting ready. Tonight would be casual again. Through her open window, warm, humid air drifted in. She pulled out a pair of faded denim capris and a deep red, scoop necked tee-shirt. Casual, yet it showed off her curves to their best advantage. She added a pair of black leather sandals and braided her hair into one thick length.
Determined to get her mind off her guilt and get back to the original plan, she’d enjoy Eli’s company while she was in town.
“Wow, you’re going to knock some eyeballs out of their sockets,” Eli said when she climbed into his truck.
“Ugh. I’m guessing that’s a good thing.” She laughed and leaned over to press a kiss against his mouth.
“Yes. It’s a good thing. Except I’ll have to fight off a few men. You look absolutely gorgeous.”
“Thanks. And you, too.” Just the sight of him, in a tight black tee that stretched across his well-muscled chest, was enough for her to rethink her ’no playtime’ decision.
We’ll just have to see how the evening goes
.
Eli drove out of Harper’s Grove to the next town over. Croweville hadn’t changed much at all, not as much as Harper’s Grove, but there was a new VFW perched on a hill just off the highway. Further along, closer to the little downtown area, sat a bar she didn’t recognize at first. Eli turned into the crowded parking lot. What had once been Kaminski’s Grocery was now The Road Dog Roadhouse. Nell had to chuckle at the name. As music boomed from inside, Eli took her hand and pulled her to the door.
The Road Dog seemed to enjoy an excellent reputation, because the place was packed on a weeknight. All at once, Nell felt unsure of herself, the same way she felt when she walked into her old high school gym on Friday night. She quickly picked out a few familiar faces. Would someone finally recognize her? She hoped not. She wasn’t ready to give up her charade yet.
The place was a typical roadhouse. Lots of neon, exposed beams, a well-worn wooden floor, and plenty of pool tables. The walls were lined with booths and tables scattered along the perimeter, but predominately the pool tables ruled the room.
Somewhere a jukebox cranked out Lynyrd Skynyrd. Of course. That was only appropriate. They might be in some small New Hampshire town, but the place looked like it belonged somewhere else.
Nell loved it. If not for her worry about being recognized, she might truly have a great time here.
Two men at one of the pool tables waved Eli down. With his hand still holding tightly to hers, he led her to them. One she didn’t recognize. He wore a Croweville Fire Department tee shirt, and looked to be about eighteen years old except for the silver hair. His smile was wide and engaging and as Eli predicted, he studied Nell thoroughly, with a little too much familiarity.
Eli smacked him in the chest. “Down, boy. This is Nell Moreno. Nell, Curt Nylander. And this is Howie Malone.”
She knew Howie Malone and was a little more than shocked to see him. Back in high school he’d been just as persecuted as she’d been. Taller than most boys in the school, she’d forgotten just how he’d towered over everyone. Six foot six, she guessed, because he even dwarfed Eli. Once he’d been skinny and slouched, maybe to disguise his height, maybe because his self-esteem was just as low as hers used to be. Freckled and blemished, he’d usually kept his soft blue eyes downcast, hidden behind black-framed glasses. To her mind he’d been a kindred spirit.
Oh, God, please don’t recognize me.
Of course, she wouldn’t have recognized him. He had bulked up and now stood tall, taking advantage of his height. The glasses were gone and his eyes were just as blue. As if everything else wasn’t enough, he used to wear braces, too.
Damn, now the guy is a hunk.
“Howie,” she said and took his hand in a strong grip. Thankfully, she didn’t see any spark of recognition.
He gave her a friendly grin. “So you’re the high bidder,” he said. “Made all the other guys jealous.”
“Hope you got your money’s worth,” Curt tossed in, digging an elbow into Eli’s side.
Nell slid her arm around Eli’s waist. “I worked him hard. He’s been helping out at my . . . Gwen’s mom’s house. Painting. I did get a couple dinners out of him, too. So, yes, my money was well spent.”
Eli draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her so she was tight against his side. “I think I got the better end of the deal.” He grinned.
“You two know each other before?” Howie asked the question and a cold rush slid through her veins.
Time to lie and hope Howie believed her. “Nope. Though Gwen speaks highly of him.”
“How long you visiting?”
“Longer than I’d planned. I have some work I’m doing at Mrs. Goodwin’s place. I’ll be here at least another month. Eli brought me out to celebrate my last night of freedom before I have to put my nose to the grindstone.”
“Well, then,” Curt grandly declared, “give the lady a pool cue and let’s play.”
If the guys thought she was going to be a pushover, they were sadly mistaken. After clobbering them at four games, Nell finally called a break. She brushed a kiss against Eli’s cheek and handed him her stick. “Be right back.”
After leaving the ladies’ room, she went to the bar to get another round. As she waited, Howie leaned on the bar next to her. “You’re a hell of a player.”
“We had a pool table in my dorm at college. While all the girls were out partying, I played. Good way to spend lonely evenings.”
Howie nodded. He watched her closely, unsmiling. Then he said, “You’re looking really good, Penny. The years have been kind to you.”
Chapter 9
There was absolutely no reason to play dumb and pretend she didn’t know the truth. Instead, Nell met Howie’s level blue gaze and smiled. “Thanks. And same with you. That lanky frame of yours has really filled out.”
“Lots of determination.”
The bartender set four bottles of Sam Adams in front of her. She handed one to Howie, picked up hers and tapped the neck against his. “Here’s to determination. Gets us far in life.”
“Why haven’t you told Eli the truth?”
“Well, it’s really not so complicated. I didn’t want him to remember ‘Penny.’ I’ve been Nell since I left town.”
Howie took a long drink from his bottle and nodded. “I like it. Fits you. Yeah, Eli was one of
those
guys back then. I can understand your reasoning.”
“It’s not like I planned on getting cozy with him or anything. When I went into that auction and saw so many familiar faces, everything, all those ugly memories came back, and smacked me in the face. It was bad. You might not understand since everyone got to witness your transformation. But I was like a completely different person. I had a chance to start fresh, so I took it. I thought it would be easier to deal with Eli if he didn’t know.”
“Did you bid on him for a little revenge?”
Nell chuckled, then shrugged. “Yeah. The thought crossed my mind. But it was going to be contained to just working his ass off at my mom’s place. Maybe a little flirting so I could shut him down. I didn’t make it to the ‘shutting down’ part. I never figured . . .”
“That he might be an okay guy?” Howie offered before Nell finished her sentence.
She nodded. “That he might be an okay guy.”
“And now you’re stuck.”
“Not stuck. I’m not looking for anything serious. Just some companionship while I’m around. When I go back to New York I won’t see him again and I’ll be just a fond memory to him.”
Now it was Howie’s turn to laugh. “Have you seen the way he looks at you?”
“Looks at me? Howie, we’ve only ‘known’ each other for three days. He’s not looking at me in any particular way.”
Howie nudged her in the arm with his elbow. “Nah, he likes you.”
“Don’t say that. Come on, he’s going to wonder what two strangers could possibly be talking about for so long.”
“Maybe he’ll think I’m trying to pick you up.” A wolfish grin spread across Howie’s face.
Nell jokingly swatted his arm. God, it was good to see how another of the outcasts made it out of the shadows.
Then she glanced at his hand. “I hope not. By the looks of that wedding ring, someone would be mighty displeased if she thought you were coming on to me.”
“Paula. Maybe you remember her. Paula Vaillencourt. We’ve been married ten years now.”
“I do remember her. Congratulations. You done good, Howie.”
“Same to you, Nell.”
“I think Howie’s hitting on your girl.”
Eli turned around and saw Nell in a deep conversation with Howie. Only for a split second did a wave of suspicion and jealousy sweep through, but it passed quickly. Howie was the least likely guy to make the moves on a woman not his wife. Hell, it took him years before he had the courage to ask Paula out. Howie was not a flirt.
Now, if it had been Curt with Nell, then maybe he’d be concerned. Eli dragged his attention back to the pool table. “Get your head out of the gutter.”
“So what’s really going on between the two of you?”
Eli could’ve said, but he wasn’t the type to kiss and tell. He didn’t want the world to know that he and Nell had been intimate, had spent the night together, and if he could talk her into it, tonight as well.
“Just hanging out. I helped Gwen and Mark out at the Goodwin place, took Nell out to dinner, and now we’re here playing pool and having a few beers.” He decided to exclude the previous night. “I’m not planning on proposing. Really, a man and a woman can go out and have a good time without any expectations.”
“Well, she’s a hell of a pool player, got to give her that. I have the deepest respect for a woman who can whip my ass at this game.”
“Then prepare for more ass whipping,” Nell suggested as she sauntered up behind Curt. She held out a beer for Eli and Howie handed one to Curt.
“Bring it on,” he replied with a grin.
By the end of the second game, Eli was ready to cut loose from his two friends and have a little alone time with Nell. “Okay, guys. It’s been real fun, but I didn’t intend on spending my entire evening in your company. So, if you’ll excuse us.”
Nell said goodbye to the two men and Eli escorted her to one of the booths that had become available. “Finally,” he sighed and sat across from her. He took her hands in his, feeling a little as if he were in high school again and out on a date. But the only girl he dated in high school, and middle school for that matter, was Shelly. And he found no comparison between Shelly and Nell. They were completely different women.
Thank God for that
.
“Yeah, it was getting embarrassing, beating you guys like that,” Nell said with a wink.
“What a way to crush a man’s ego. You hungry?” He grabbed two menus from the end of the booth and handed her one.
Nell patted her tummy. “I had a big spaghetti dinner with Gwen and the gang.”
“Dessert, then. You wouldn’t know by looking at it, but this place actually does really good desserts. The cheesecake is incredible.”
“You trying to get back at me for beating your pants off by sabotaging my diet?”
“Diet? Don’t believe in them. I’m ordering the cheesecake. If it’ll make you feel better, we can share a slice.” He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. “But I’m having cheesecake.”
By the look on her face when she took her first bite, he could tell he’d made the right decision. Her eyes fluttered shut and a smile crept over her mouth. A trace of red strawberry sauce lingered on her bottom lip and he longed to kiss it off, but she beat him to it, the tip of her tongue sweeping it away.
Heat surged through him to think she could make eating cheesecake at a roadhouse a sensual act. Now he’d have to ask her to come home with him.
“So, you’re going to be buried in work tomorrow?”
“Yeah. My assistant, the faithful one who’s going to get a hell of a raise, is arriving with everything I own shoved in the back of a U-Haul. Then we’re going to work. It’ll stink being short a pair of hands, but what can I do? I’d rather be one pair short, than have a pair that would sell me out.”
“You know, Howie’s wife is pretty handy with a sewing machine. She teaches Home Economics at the middle school. Maybe she could—I mean—if you’re just looking for a good seamstress—”
“Hmm. That’s a thought. Thanks. Should I call him over?”
“Only if he doesn’t stay for more than a few minutes.” He didn’t want to share her any longer than that.
Nell waved and caught Howie’s attention, motioning him over.
“Yeah?”
“I hear your wife is good with a sewing machine.”
Howie nodded. “She holds her own.”
“Do you think she’d be interested in a temp job? I really need another assistant over the next few weeks.”
Eli watched his buddy’s eyes light up. The man was still crazy in love with his wife after all these years and wanted nothing more than to make her happy. And Paula was just as in love. The honeymoon hadn’t ended for them, and marriage should be about that kind of love.
“I’ll ask her. I think she’d go nuts for the opportunity. She talked about going to New York once, to become a designer, but I think the city intimidated her.”
“I can understand that. But maybe she can get a taste of being a designer right here.”
“Just don’t go stealing her away when you go back to New York.” Howie’s friendly tone held a mock-stern warning.
Nell shook her head. “Wouldn’t dare. And who knows, maybe she can start her own design company in New Hampshire. Who says you have to live in New York to design?” On a drink napkin, Nell wrote her phone number and handed it to Howie. “This is my cell. Have her call me, or stop by the Goodwin place. I’ll be staying there starting tomorrow.”
“She’ll probably be camped on your doorstep tomorrow morning.”
“Well, just warn her that if she comes that early, she’s going to have to unload a U-Haul. She may want to wait for another day.”
Howie thanked her again and let them be alone.
“Can you really design as easily up here as in New York?”
Nell offered a small smile and a shrug. “It would be more of a challenge and involve more traveling, but sure, why not?”
Eli nodded. Interesting. And here she’d begun to set up shop right in Harper’s Grove.
Quickly, he made himself stop thinking like that. They’d started a casual fling, nothing more. He couldn’t imagine her settling in town and looking for a deeper relationship. Neither of them wanted that. She was a city girl, no doubt used to a life more active than the slow pace of a little town.
But she had fit right into things here. He could well imagine most city people eager to return to New York, a Bluetooth attached to their ear and constantly talking business to another city dweller. No, she wasn’t like that at all.
“Shall we head out?” He stood. “It’s already eleven.”
“Yikes. I have a long day tomorrow. Maybe we should get out of here. But this was fun. A good distraction I may have to partake of again.”
“Name the time.”
Eli paid for the cheesecake and coffee and they headed out of the roadhouse. Cool air washed over them as they stepped through the door, pleasant after the stuffy room they’d left.
“Will you come home with me? One more night before you plunge into work tomorrow?”
Nell sighed and leaned up against him. “I’d love to, but I’ve got so much to do.” He heard real regret in her voice.
“How ‘bout I give you a hand when that U-Haul comes in?”
“You have your own work to do.”
Eli kissed the top of her head. “Which can wait for a few hours. It would be worth it.”
“Then in that case, yes. I’d love to spend the night with you.”
It was strange that only after three days, Nell entering his place seemed perfectly normal. Even she appeared relaxed and at home.
“Going to have to start bringing a change of clothing,” she joked lightly, and offered a smile that sent shivers right to his toes.
“Toothbrush, too?”
“Is this going to become a habit? I’m not sure what the arrangement is with your kids, but honestly, I don’t want them affected by this.”
“They’ll be over next week so we’ll have to curtail our time together, but by then you’ll be busy anyway.”
“That’ll make me sad, but at least we have tonight.” Nell slid her arms around his neck and scattered kisses along both sides of his jaw before closing in on his lips. She drank from them slowly, her tongue lightly running along his bottom lip before he allowed it entrance to play with his own. She had a stunning way with her kisses, so soft yet bold and demanding.
Tonight he brought her straight up to bed and undressed her, touching each part of her body as he exposed it, delighting in her generous curves and soft, warm skin. He inhaled her fragrance, today a light musky scent. It drove him crazy, made him want to fill all his senses with her.
There was no rushing this time. Instead of the hot wildfire that burned through them both the night before, tonight simmered, just as hot, but slow and easy, as if this might be the last time he’d be able to hold her in his arms. Eli wanted to commit each second to memory.
As the embers continued to glow, Eli gathered her close, and stroked her cheek and hair until she slept. He didn’t think he’d fall asleep quite as quickly, but soon after he heard her quiet, even breathing, he slipped off as well.
The sunlight streaming through the curtains surprised Eli when he awoke; he hadn’t expected to sleep the entire night away. Even more surprising was the empty bed next to him. That brought him fully awake. He threw on a pair of sweatpants and left his room, hoping that Nell was only downstairs.
She hadn’t even made it that far. She stood in the middle of Emma’s room.
“Morning.” He knocked gently on the door frame to get her attention.
She swung around, her eyes wide and her full lips in an ‘O.’ Then she smiled, rather guiltily. “You caught me snooping.”
“It’s okay.” Eli joined her in the room and wrapped an arm around her.
“You didn’t tell me your daughter sews.”
“My daughter sews. She decided about two years ago that she wanted to give it a try, so I got her a sewing machine and let her have at it. She’s not too bad, but that could be a father’s pride talking there. During the winter she spends hours working on various projects.”
“I was atrocious when I first started. If I’d had any sense I would’ve given up, but I guess I didn’t have much of that. Maybe you have a little designer in the making right here.”
Eli grinned. “I’d like to think so.”
“Does she have a similar setup at her mom’s house?”
“Doubt it. Shelly doesn’t want to encourage her in that direction. Doesn’t want her to be one of those girls who lives for Home Ec, or whatever they’re calling it these days.”
A red flush crept into Nell’s cheeks and he felt a bit bad for saying that. He didn’t mean to imply that he believed it to be a negative thing.
But she only smiled. “Well, at least you’re letting her follow her dreams. Good for you. She’ll appreciate that.”
“I want my kids to do what they want with their lives instead of telling them how to live them.”