8. Ren
Chapter 8
Ren
T his was not a real date.
Those words were hard to believe when I stood outside Piper’s door wearing my best suit and tie, about to pick her up for dinner.
Three knocks and one doorbell ring later, I heard the click of her footsteps approach the door, and my heart surged in my chest.
Fake? Yeah right. Nothing about the way my body reacted to her was fake.
The door swung open, revealing Piper in a stunning blue dress that hugged her curves.
Her hair cascaded in loose waves down her shoulders, framing her beautiful face with an elegance that took my breath away. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of excitement and adorable nervous energy, and her lips curled into a soft, welcoming smile as she met my eyes.
“Wow,” I breathed as, unable to help myself, my eyes roved over her. “You look stunning.”
“Thanks. You look pretty good yourself.”
I offered her my arm, and she slipped her hand through the crook of my elbow. As we made our way to my car parked in my driveway, the crisp evening air filled with a subtle tension that neither of us wanted to acknowledge.
“We could have walked,” she stated as she buckled her seatbelt. “It’s close enough.”
“Would you rather?” I asked, trying to gauge her mood. She glanced up at me, a small, appreciative smile on her lips.
“Kind of. I’m a bit nervous,” she admitted, her voice a soft murmur. “Maybe the walk will clear my head before we get there.”
“I’m nervous too,” I admitted. “This feels like—I don’t even know what it feels like, if I’m being honest.”
“I don’t either.” Her eyes met mine across the console. “But I still want to have dinner with you.”
“Let’s walk,” I decided. “Stay put.” Walking there and back would give me more time with her.
I got out, rounded the car, and opened her door, offering her my hand and keeping hold of it as she got out. I didn’t want to let go. “May I hold your hand? Like this is a real date?”
“Do you want to?” Shy eyes met mine, then quickly looked away.
I squeezed her hand slightly, feeling the warmth and softness of her skin. “It would be good practice, don’t you think?”
“Yeah. Good idea. I reserved the corner table in the back. It’s pretty private. We can ease our way into this thing.”
This thing.
Whatever this thing turned out to be, I was into it.
The evening was cool, and the sky was dotted with twinkling stars peeking through the wispy clouds. Our footsteps echoed softly against the sidewalk in a gentle rhythm that soothed our simmering nerves.
We walked in comfortable silence. She was gorgeous in the early evening twilight. It felt almost magical out here. It felt real .
The Honeybrook Inn was just down the street, but every step felt significant. I stole glances at her, noticing her hair ruffling in the slight breeze and how the old-fashioned street lamps cast her in a golden glow. The way her lips curled into a slight smile when she thought I wasn’t watching sent my heart racing. She was beyond beautiful.
“This place is bigger when you walk up to it,” I remarked as we reached the Inn’s parking lot entrance. “Driving by doesn’t do it justice.”
We stopped at the archway that led into the parking lot, and she turned to look up at me.
“Oh, yeah. It’s huge, over fifty acres. You’re going to love the restaurant. I already know what I’m getting.”
“I do too,” I said without thinking.
She tilted her head. “I thought this was your first time here.”
“Oh, it is. I always look at the menu before I try a new place. Otherwise, I get lost in all the choices and take forever to order. It’s embarrassing.”
“You’re cute.”
“I am far from cute. I have a terrible reputation as a grouchy hardass divorce attorney, I’ll have you know.”
She laughed and we continued walking, our hands brushing against each other, until I grabbed hers again and held it tight.
“If you say so. You’ve been nothing but sweet to me.”
“Of course. Who could ever be mean to you?”
Her face fell briefly before she caught herself and plastered on a smile. “I can think of a couple of people,” she murmured. “I need to toughen up.”
I stopped and turned to face her, catching the hint of vulnerability in her expression. “There’s nothing wrong with being soft. It means you care, and that’s a rare quality.”
She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine. “Maybe, but it also means people think they can walk all over me. Like I said, I need to toughen up.”
“You will do no such thing. You’ll stay soft. And I will beat the living shit out of anyone who makes you lose that smile.”
Her hand tightened in mine as a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “God, Ren. Why do I like that so much?”
“Because it’s what you deserve.” Her smile widened, and I felt a warmth spread through me, knowing I’d managed to lift her spirits, even just a little bit. “You’re perfect the way you are?—”
“Piper, sugar, come on in!” Our heads whipped to the side in sync at the sound. I squinted into the dusk to see an older woman on a Segway riding toward us, with three little pugs running along beside her.
“Grandma? What are you doing out here?”
“They have to do their business before bedtime. Grandpa is busy watching the TV. Your table is all ready. Is this him?”
“Oh. Yes. Excuse me. Grandma, this is Ren Moretti. Ren, this is my grandma, Mabel Darlington.”
He offered his hand. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Darlington.”
“Nice to meet you in person. I know all about you from Paige, and I like you already, honey,” she said as she stepped off the Segway and shook his hand. “Do you like dogs?”
“Love them.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Cats?”
“Love them too.”
“Sweet girls who need a nice man to take care of business?” She shot me a wink. Subtle, she was not.
“Grandma!” Piper squealed as I burst into laughter.
“Those are my favorite,” I grabbed Piper’s hand and kissed the back, grinning as her grandmother eyed me speculatively.
“What?” she smiled innocently at Piper. “You need someone to help you get Cody back, and he sure as heck helped your sister get what she needed.”
“Ren and I are just seeing where this goes—it’s casual. We have reservations, we can’t be late. I’ll catch you up about Cody later.”
“Reservations,” she scoffed. “Family is family. You sit wherever you want, whenever you want. Reservations…” she muttered as she hopped back on her Segway to follow after the dogs. “Have fun tonight,” she called over her shoulder.
“She means well. I don’t—I don’t even know what to say, other than I should have warned you about her and her nosy ways. How did I do, though? Casual? Seeing where things go?”
“Perfect.” I grinned at her. “Exactly as we planned.”
“Let’s go inside.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me after her.
As we walked the rest of the way toward the entrance, the soft crunch of gravel under our feet mingled with the distant hum of the pugs barking in the distance. The Inn stood majestically, its old-world, log cabin charm a perfect complement to the mountains dotted with spiky pines against the misty moonlit sky beyond the roofline.
“It’s beautiful, Piper. Did you grow up coming here?”
“Yes, it’s been in the family for generations. I love it here.”
Stepping inside, we were greeted by the cozy, rustic elegance of The Honeybrook. The wooden beams overhead and the big, crackling fireplace in the corner were homey, yet refined. The check-in desk was off to the right, while to the left was the entrance to the restaurant.
The lobby was grand, with multiple places to gather. Leather couches flanked the fireplace, and a sitting area with a huge shelf full of books was in the far corner. I could tell this was a place to spend hours exploring.
I followed Piper toward the restaurant, smiling down at her as she led the way and shaking the hostess’s hand after she introduced us. Flickering candlelight cast soft shadows on the tables and décor as the hostess led us to our booth. I wanted to stop in the middle and look my fill, but figured I could do that once we were seated.
Piper ordered a bottle of wine, then we looked at each other, smiling as the hostess left our table.
“Do you remember the first time we met?” she asked.
My cheeks heated because, of course, I did. I remembered everything about her. “I do. It was one of Violet’s coffee shop parties. You wore a bright red dress, and your hair was platinum and rolled up like a 1950s pinup girl. You were stunning. I asked Jake about you.”
“You did?”
“I did.” The sommelier interrupted to pour our glasses. “Thank you.” I waited until she was out of earshot. “Um, yeah. I had to know who that beautiful blonde ray of sunshine was, so I made him tell me who you were.”
“I asked Violet about you, too.” I sucked in a breath, pleased that she’d noticed me back then. “You want to know something funny?” she asked.
“Always.”
“Years ago, after my divorce, Violet tried to set me up with Jake. It was before they got together, of course. We were barely out of college.”
I felt a pinch of discomfort. “I didn’t know you were married.” It wasn’t the marriage; the thought of her and Jake is what bothered me. I shrugged it off, it was moot anyway.
“I was barely even married. It lasted about a year. We weren’t even at the legal drinking age yet, and we both swore we were ready to be man and wife. Wild, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, that’s way too young.” Tabby flashed through my mind, and I cleared my throat to cover my sudden burst of emotion. Should I mention her?
“Did I strike a nerve? I’m sorry.”
My smile faltered for just a moment. “No, uh—I was married. She passed away a few years ago.”
“Oh, Ren. I’m so sorry.” She reached across the table, her fingers brushing mine. “I didn’t mean to bring up a painful topic. I feel terrible for making light of marriage. I knew you were a widower, Violet told me. It slipped my mind. God, I wasn’t thinking?—”
“No, please. It’s okay. She was my best friend.” I cleared my throat, not quite believing that I was about to tell her everything. “We grew up together. She was sick, and her husband left her. I married her so I could take care of her. Make medical decisions, things like that. No one knows that part, that it wasn’t real.”
“How are you real?”
“What?”
“The more I learn about you, the more I admire you. You are selfless.”
“I’m not,” I stammered, embarrassed. “Not really.”
“I won’t say anything.” Her eyes lit up with understanding, and it made me feel seen, truly seen for the first time in a long while. “You said no one knows…”
“I’m not sure why I told you, other than somehow, it felt right. I didn’t tell Jake because he always encouraged me to focus on myself. He was the youngest, and with our dad the way he was, I sort of filled that role in the family.”
She covered my hand with hers, squeezing lightly. “I’m honored you told me. I think you’re amazing. No wonder you don’t want to date anyone for real.”
I picked up my menu, nodding, unsure if that was true anymore now that I was sitting across from Piper and her big brown eyes filled with sympathy. I desperately needed to change the topic and was afraid that I’d said too much. “Um, what are you having?”
Taking my not-so-subtle hint, a smile unfurled across her face. This dinner was turning into something unexpected. I felt a strange connection to her, like an inexplicable bond was forming between us.
“So, I always get the same thing when I’m here. It’s my grandma’s recipe, and it’s my favorite thing in the world. But you have to tell me what you’re getting first.” Her eyes twinkled in the candlelight, lighting me up inside.
“Is this a test?” I joked to cover the feelings I was finding it increasingly harder to hide.
“No.” She laughed, her cheeks turning pink from the wine. Or maybe it was me. I couldn’t help but wish I was affecting her as much as she was affecting me. “Well, maybe it is. Let’s see how much we have in common.”
“Okay. I decided to order the chicken pot pie and mashed potatoes. What can I say, I’m a fan of comfort food.”
She clapped her hands together, then clasped them under her chin with an adorable tilt of her head. “Me too. The secret is fresh sage from her herb garden out back. It makes it taste kind of like Thanksgiving. I love it.”
“So I passed?”
“Tell me you want marionberry pie after, and you pass with flying colors.”
“It’s my favorite. But I require the vanilla bean ice cream on top.”
“Me too. It’s the little things, Ren. I firmly believe that the small pleasures in life are what keeps me from losing my shit entirely.”
“Right? Where would I be without Coffee Cabin’s iced mochas? My morning jog now includes a stop for my fix on the way home.”
“Ooh, good choice. Those are great. But whatever you do, don’t try a vanilla bean scone or you’ll add another habit to the list. It’s my favorite.”
We ordered, then continued talking about our favorite foods and little quirks between bites of chicken pot pie and sips of the delicious wine she’d chosen. Our connection was effortless, natural, and filled with laughter. I’d never felt like this before, and I didn’t want this night with her to end. It felt like a beginning and not a pretense.
I paid the check, and she took my arm as we walked out of the restaurant with no remark or regard for anyone who may be watching. In fact, the subject of being seen together hadn’t come up once, even after meeting her grandmother.
The street was quiet, the night enveloping us in cool mountain mist as we strolled along as if we were lost in our own little world.
Turning the corner, we reached Loganberry Lane. Her porchlight beckoned, signaling that our evening together was almost over.
I didn’t want to let her go.
I took her hand as we approached the steps leading up to the porch. The air was crisp, and the stars were faintly twinkling through the clouds. Her heels clicked softly across the wooden planks until we reached the door.
“Thank you for tonight,” she whispered, looking up at me. “But we didn’t really practice anything. And I don’t know if anyone noticed us or not. I was having too much fun with you to care, I’m sorry.”
“Never apologize for having a good time. I loved every minute we spent together.”
“I did too. You’re a good dinner date, Ren.” She turned to face me fully; she was nearly my height in her heels.
“So are you.”
Our faces were mere inches apart, and I wanted nothing more than to kiss her goodnight. The world seemed to pause in this moment as I tried to decide what was appropriate.
We stood still a heartbeat longer, and then her hand tightened in mine. She tilted her head back with a sigh, and I wondered if I could trust myself not to take things too far, beyond the realm of practice or pretense or whatever we were doing. I didn’t want to go somewhere I couldn’t come back from.
“I haven’t even known you a month yet,” she murmured. “But it feels like way longer.” Her pretty face was all I could see. Big eyes, full, pink lips, and all that golden hair spilling over her shoulders. I had it bad for her, and I didn’t think she had any idea what she was doing to me.
“We’ve been meeting off and on for the last couple of years, Piper. At Violet’s holiday parties, the wedding, and the reception, don’t forget about that backyard barbeque Jake attempted to throw last summer. So, it’s been way more than a month.”
“You’re right.” Her hand drifted up my chest, fingers curling into my tie to pull me closer. “Maybe you should kiss me goodnight then.”
“For practice?” I whispered, trying to get some clarity, but finding clarity seemed impossible with my hands skating around her waist and her luscious lips so close to mine.
Her eyes shifted from mine briefly before she answered. “Sure, why not, right?”
“Yeah…” I felt the warmth of her breath against my skin and got lost in an overwhelming surge of emotion. Trying not to overthink it, I gently cupped her face in my hands, my thumbs brushing lightly against her cheeks. She closed her eyes for a moment, leaning into my touch.
This was my cue. Slowly, I lowered my mouth to hers, the anticipation almost tangible. When our lips met, it was like a spark ignited between us. She was soft, so soft.
I deepened the kiss, losing myself in her taste and the way she fit perfectly against me.
When we finally broke apart, our foreheads resting against each other, I opened my eyes to find her gazing back at me with a look that mirrored my own.