“I like it up here. It’s high!” Dani said, squeezing Matt’s neck a little tighter.
“Come on, Dani. Get down and say thank you to Dr. Matt.”
He kneeled and lowered Dani to the ground. “Thanks,” she said, beaming even though Ariel could see the girl was disappointed. Then she ran over and hugged Matilda.
“Will I see you at church tomorrow?” Matilda asked Dani, eyes on Ariel.
“Uh-huh.”
“Good. It’s good to be there, a nice reminder of what the Lord expects.”
Ariel wanted to roll her eyes at Matilda’s lack of subtlety but a part of her appreciated the reminder. In addition to keeping her focus on Dani, this reaction from Matilda, which Ariel knew would not relent if Ariel got out of line, was a hassle that Ariel didn’t have the time or inclination to deal with.
“I’ll drop her off in the morning.” She turned to Matt. “Thank you, Matt,” she said.
Ariel felt a stab of regret when his expression dampened. She didn’t want to get him mixed up in this either, and she didn’t want to play with him.
“You’re welcome,” he said. “See you around.”
He strode off without looking back.
Chapter Five
A few hours later, Matt was back home and still shaken by his meeting with Ariel. By the easy chemistry between them, and by the less-than-pleasant way the encounter had ended. He’d felt that pull between them, knew that she had too, but there had been some resistance in her, no more so than when they’d run into a looming Matilda. In an instant, Ariel had gone from reluctant but game to chastened.
He understood, he really did, and couldn’t imagine what it was like to have that woman be so intimately involved in her life. But he hadn’t liked the way she’d pulled back when Matilda had arrived.
His doorbell rang and Matt went to answer it, surprised when he saw his father standing on the steps.
“Dad?” Matt said.
“Mathias, can I come in?”
“Of course,” Matt said, standing aside.
His father entered and looked around. “You did an amazing job with the place. Your mother would be so happy.”
Matt said nothing and just watched as his father moved through the foyer and on to the kitchen, eyes misting, though no tears fell.
“She would have loved this,” his father said, running a hand across the smooth quartz countertop. Then his gaze turned to the French doors and into the backyard.
“May I?”
“Of course. You want something to drink?”
His father nodded and then went to open the doors, and out of the corner of his eye, Matt watched as the old man drifted outside. He soon joined him but didn’t say anything as his father floated through the space.
“She would have loved all of this,” he repeated as he sat at the patio table.
“Is everything okay, Dad?” Matt asked. His father hadn’t been back to the house since Matt had bought it, so this visit was unexpected to say the least.
“No…I just wanted to apologize. For the cemetery.”
Matt looked up sharply.
“It’s just hard, and I got overwhelmed.”
“I know it hurts, Dad.”
“It does, but you don’t deserve that. Never did. I’m sorry, son.”
They’d had this conversation a thousand times before, and though Matt often felt resentment, it was absent today. He couldn’t find it in his heart to be angry with his father, not when he looked so broken and so remorseful.
“Have you thought about talking to someone like I suggested?”
His father looked away. “I know I have to move on, but I don’t know, it feels like I’m going to forget her.”
“Dad, you loved her, but she’s gone. And just because you aren’t living in grief doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten her. We’ll never forget her.”
“I know…maybe.”
“I can give you some names,” Matt offered.
“Maybe,” his father said.
He wasn’t relenting and agreeing to go to grief counseling, but it was something.
“I’m proud of you.”
“Why?”
“Because you did what I couldn’t. You’ve honored her in a way I never have, doing all this,” he said, waving his hand around.
“It’s not all bad, you know. I feel closer to her here, and it helps me remember the good times and not the pain.”
“The good times…” his father said, looking wistful. “I should think about those more.”
“We both should,” Matt said.
••••
His dad stuck around for a couple of hours, and they had a nice time, his father almost reminding him of the man he’d been when Matt was younger. But when he left, Matt felt at loose ends, and he knew why. A certain mechanic had burrowed her way into his mind, and he wasn’t quite sure how to get her out.
This wasn’t like him. Matt enjoyed dating and the occasional distraction, but no one had ever touched his heart, and he doubted anyone ever could. He’d run the odds, seen firsthand how things went—or didn’t go—and decided the chances of a relationship lasting were infinitesimal. So reason dictated he avoid them altogether. But this felt different;
she
felt different, and he had no idea why. And it occurred to him then that he was thinking of him and Ariel and “relationship” in the same breath. Something he didn’t understand.
But understanding, more accurately, lack thereof, aside, he did know he wanted to see her again, so, moving before he could talk himself out of it, Matt grabbed the phone and dialed.
“Hello?” she said.
“Ariel. Hi. Did I wake you?” he asked, belatedly realizing the hour might be too late.
She laughed, the low, husky sound crossing the phone line and curling around his cock like a caress. “It’s a struggle, but I manage to stay awake until at least eight most nights. Having more car trouble you need a hand with?” she asked.
No, but he did have a hard-on that he could use a hand with. Deciding that answer might not be the best way to begin this conversation, he said, “It was nice, running into you today.”
“It was,” Ariel replied.
After a few moments of silence filled the line, Matt said, “I hope you didn’t mind me carrying Dani. She looked so heartbroken when you said no.”
“She did, didn’t she? But if I fell for that, I’d be her personal Sherpa, so no thanks. But feel free to put your back to the test whenever you’d like.”
Matt huffed out a chuckle. “Ariel, how many times do I need to tell you my back is in perfect working order? You’re going to have to test it out if you don’t want to take my word for it.”
“You keep offering, I’m going to take you up on that,” she said, voice going even more husky.
“How about next Saturday?” he asked.
She laughed again, the sexy, slinky sound making his throbbing erection stiffen further. “You’re serious?”
“Well, maybe not about that, but I would love if we could get together again. And you’re welcome to bring Dani, too,” he added hastily.
“And if I don’t want to bring Dani?” she asked. Then she quickly said, “I can’t believe I said that.”
“Why?”
“What are we doing, Matt?” she asked, voice serious all of a sudden.
“I don’t know,” he said. “But I want to spend time with you, and I think you feel the same.”
She exhaled, and Matt could hear her internal struggle. “I shouldn’t do this,” she said.
“No pressure, Ariel.”
“But I will,” she said.
Matt wanted to give a victory yell, but managed to swallow it.
“Great,” he said instead.
“So I’ll bring the food and you’ll supply the place?” Ariel asked.
“Yes. Saturday?” he asked.
“Saturday it is,” she said, and Matt would swear that she sounded as excited as he felt.
Chapter Six
Over the days between Matt’s call and Saturday, Ariel had decided to cancel the date countless times but couldn’t bring herself to do it. And by the time Saturday rolled around, Ariel had given up the fight. If she was going to go through with it, and it seemed she was, she might as well enjoy it.
She had gone easy and settled on salad and grilled chicken breasts. If only her wardrobe was that simple. Ariel wanted to stick to her casual vibe but look nice and available without being too formal or too available. Problem was, though her closet was full, the variety of jeans, khakis, and coveralls didn’t quite hit the mark.
The urge to call Blakely to get advice, or Mandy to gossip with, was strong, but Ariel resisted. First, she wasn’t exactly sure what she’d say, and second, she refused to act like a giddy teenager giggling with her friends over a date. She was a grown woman for goodness’s sake; she could pick out her own clothes. Resolved, she decided on a pair of dark wash jeans and a black V-neck T-shirt. Not exactly attire that would have him falling at her feet to worship at the altar of her beauty, but she’d do. One last look and she was on her way.
••••
Matt deliberately slowed his pace as he hurried to the front door after Ariel rang the doorbell. He couldn’t have her knowing he’d been waiting for what felt like hours, turning his ear toward every car that had passed silently, hoping it was her. And now that she was here, he was almost giddy with excitement, something he didn’t think he’d have been able to claim in a decade and a half.
When he opened the door, her face was slightly turned away, the impending dusk giving her skin a luminous glow. Her hair was unrestrained, wild curls blowing in the slight breeze. He glanced down and tried not to let his gaze snag on the intriguing V of her T-shirt, or the large breasts underneath, and then tried not to let it snag on the fullness of her hips.
“Ariel, come in,” he said, reaching for the bag she held and then quickly stepping aside.
She flashed a quick smile. “Thanks. And I forgot to ask about dress code, but it looks like we were on the same page,” she said, gesturing toward his own jeans and T-shirt.
“Yeah, I try to keep it casual,” he said as he led her into the kitchen. “Please have a seat.”
“I also didn’t ask what you like to eat, so I hope salad and grilled chicken is okay,” she said.
“Perfect. You mind if we sit outside? It should be cool enough.”
She shook her head. “Nope. I love it out there.”
“If you’ll grab the wine, I’ll take this,” he said, and together, they went to the patio.
“You should open your own shop. You’d make a killing,” he said around bites of chicken once they’d been seated.
She took a bite of her own and then leaned back, face turning introspective.
“I had one back in Charlotte, but when I moved here, I was focusing on settling in, and then after… Dani needed me, still does, and I can’t build the business because she’s still young. Maybe as she gets older, I’ll think about it, but for now I’m happy where I am. I have pretty flexible hours and the money’s good enough, so it works.”
“How did you become a mechanic anyway?”
Ariel laughed, and the smile on her face almost took Matt’s breath away and set his heart to gallop. It was a dangerous thing, that smile.
“I was lucky. I went to one of the last high schools that had hands-on classes like body shop. I had a bit of an affinity for it and showed some aptitude, so that was it. Of course, I’ve had to learn more about computers than I ever wanted to.”
“Why?”
“I sound like a grumpy old man, but these new cars are loaded with computers. Now, most mechanics spend most of their time reading what the machine tells them is wrong and then adjusting this sensor or that. Not as much fun as getting under the hood and playing around but a necessity in these times we live in. I still like to think I know a little bit better than the machine, so I have a little competition to see who’s right more often.”
“And…?”
“The machine usually kicks my ass, but there’s time yet,” she said.
“I’m in awe. What?” he said when he saw her trying to bite back another smile.
“You’re a SEAL, right?” Ariel asked.
“No longer active, but yeah,” he responded.
“So you’re the best of the best, right? Modern warrior, leap tall buildings, etc.”
“Sure, I can do all that,” he said, not bothering to try and hide what he knew was a cocky smile.
“But you can’t change a tire?”
“‘Can’t’ is such a limiting word…” He trailed off and barked out a laugh at her skeptical expression. “And no, I
can’t
, a fact that I’ve taken a tsunami of shit for over the years”—he paused to smile at her—“but nobody’s perfect.”
“Nope, and I assume you have other talents,” she said, voice dropping ever so slightly.
“I do,” he said, his own voice lowering.
Ariel flushed and looked away guiltily. “I swear I don’t always go around dropping sexual innuendo at every turn,” she said.
“Have I done anything that suggests I mind?” Matt said, lifting a brow in question.
“Nope,” she said and then took a swallow of wine.
••••