Chapter 3
Berkley hated feeling guilty, but for an entire week, the awful emotion had gnawed at her.
What she’d said to Lawson had most definitely sounded like an insult. Sucky twist of fate. Yeah, how else was he supposed to take it?
She hadn’t meant it to be mean, but after she’d made a fast exit with the excuse that she needed to get back to work—which hadn’t been a lie—and without even thanking him for the tour of his house, she could only imagine what he thought of her.
Since then, she’d avoided seeing him.
Thinking about him? That she couldn’t avoid. It was worse at night when she could hear a million crickets chirping in the woods behind her house, when stars covered the sky and the scent of the lake filled the air.
She knew Lawson was experiencing all those same things. Probably enjoying them just as much, too.
What would it be like to share?
No.Giving her a head a shake, she reminded herself that she’d been down that stupid road once before and was permanently marred because of it.
Never again.
Midday, one of her two part-time workers, Whitley Teeter, a bubbly, sweet twenty-two-year-old woman who loved animals and possessed infinite patience, arrived to exercise the dogs. Earlier in the week, she and Whitley had cautiously introduced the newly arrived animals to each other to ensure there wouldn’t be any conflicts. Most got along great with zero issues, but there seemed to be some natural pairings taking place. Like friends choosing besties.
Using a few of the enclosed runs out back, they allowed the dogs a chance to frolic in the grass and chase balls and bark happily at each other. Berkley was overseeing that when Betty showed up.
She would never get used to seeing little Betty Cemetery, a spry eighty-seven-year-old, climbing from her car. That seemed to be the woman’s most difficult part of driving—getting in and out. Perhaps her legs weren’t as flexible as they’d once been, but otherwise she did great.
Wearing a loose, flowery dress and carrying a clutch purse, Betty smiled at the animals as she made her way over to Berkley. “Oh, how I love seeing this. Indeed I do. Such a grand idea to get our own shelter. Someday we may need to expand it, even. Every dog and cat should have a loving temporary home until they find their family.”
See? That was why Berkley adored the woman. “My mother would have cheered you on. She loved animals, too.” On impulse, she embraced Betty, giving the elder a snug but careful hug that left her flustered.
“Yes. Your mother.” She smoothed her short, gray hair even though not a single strand was out of place. “Sounds like a lovely woman.”
“She was.” Why had she mentioned her mother now, though? Perhaps that visit a week ago with Lawson was still dredging up memories. “She was ill for a lot of years.” Too many. “But we had an older dog who remained her companion right up to the end. They were practically inseparable.”
Betty’s gaze softened. “When did she pass away?”
“I was not quite nineteen.” Berkley often wondered if the stress she had inadvertently caused her mother was the final straw. Drawing a breath, she looked out at Whitley as she ran along with the dogs, playing. “Our rooms were close together. Her dog, Baby, scratched at my door, and of course I knew.” She could still recall being jerked awake, her heart drumming in dread, and then discovering that the inevitable had finally happened.
Her mother had suffered as she’d faded, but Berkley had selfishly prayed anyway, prayed as she’d stumbled from the bed, as she’d run with Baby to her mother’s room. Prayed as she’d tried to revive her mother...
Tears burned her throat, and it infuriated her. She shouldn’t still be this weepy about it.
“Anyway,” Berkley said, ignoring the scratch in her voice. “Baby lived for another year, but he grieved, maybe as much as I did. We consoled each other, and I’ll always be grateful that my mother had him.”
“And that you had him.”
Berkley nodded. That little dog had saved her from sinking into despair. “Caring for him had kept me going.” Even when she’d wanted to give up. “After he passed away, I knew what I wanted to do.”
“Continue caring for animals,” Betty said with quiet conviction.
“They deserve it.” And Berkley liked to think that she deserved the love they returned so freely.
A perfect example was the way Hero plopped down and leaned against her, almost making her stumble into Betty.
They were quietly laughing when a flash of black sped past them.
“What in the world?” Betty exclaimed.
“Cheese!” Berkley saw her sometimes-feral pet cat, Cheese, leap onto Betty’s car and stop on the roof with something black, like clothing or a towel, caught in her teeth.
Thankfully, it wasn’t a critter. Cheese still considered herself a mighty hunter, and with the woods all around, she had her pick of things to torment.
“I’m sorry,” she said to Betty. “You’ll now have paw prints all over your car.”
Uncaring about that, Betty asked, “What does she have?”
“No idea, but Cheese is a terrible thief, so it could be anything.”
A second later, Lawson burst from the woods, then drew up short, seeing that he’d come onto the shelter property.
With a deep warning bark, Hero had lurched in front of Berkley, but now that he saw it was Lawson, he started a jubilant jiggling dance on his way to greet him.
It was obvious Lawson had been running, probably trying to catch her klepto cat. Although his forehead looked a little damp and his hair was more disheveled than usual, he wasn’t all that winded.
Once again shirtless, he faced Berkley and Betty with a frown. Even though he was clearly irate, he still dropped a hand to idly stroke Hero’s head and neck.
“My, my,” Betty said low. “Are the men getting better looking or is my eyesight deceiving me?”
“I don’t know about all men,” Berkley muttered, “but this one is put together fine.” Even as she said it, she tried to take the words back. She blinked at Betty. “I mean...”
Betty’s grin creased the fragile skin of her face. “I was young once. Believe me, I understand.”
It was a potent mixture, Berkley decided. Lawson inspiring newfound admiration, and Betty being so easy to talk to. Combined, she didn’t stand a chance, so she tried to clamp her lips together and stay silent.
Straightening one long arm to point at Cheese, Lawson growled, “That cat stole my boxers.”
Huh. So it was underwear that Cheese had?
“Do tell,” Betty said. “So you’re...what do the young people call it?” she asked Berkley. “Commando?”
Hearing that from Betty almost made her laugh, but then she wondered, Is he? It took a lot of effort to keep her gaze on his face and off his shorts.
“The cat didn’t steal them off me.” Lawson rolled his eyes. “I was collecting my laundry from the line, and the little thief grabbed them and ran off.”
Berkley confided to Betty, “He hangs his laundry out to dry.”
“No dryer, dear?”
Aggrieved, Lawson said, “Not yet, but I’ll get one soon.”
“He’s remodeling his house,” Berkley explained. “It looks incredible, but I’m guessing with working full-time at the T-shirt shop, he’s had to prioritize.”
“Exactly.” After glaring at the cat, Lawson inhaled and released a deep breath, becoming marginally more relaxed. “I only take my stuff to the laundromat once a week. In between, I hand-wash.”
Berkley folded her arms. “Proprietor, salesman, builder and launderer. A man of many talents.”
He narrowed his eyes at her, but it didn’t feel hostile as much as...intense.
“Ran out of undies, did you?” Betty asked.
His mouth twitched. “Men do not wear undies, Betty. They wear boxers or briefs.”
“And you’re a boxer kind of man, I take it?”
He put his nose in the air in a comical way. “I like variety.”
Unable to hold her standoffish manner, Berkley cracked a grin. “They’re black, though, not white.” In an aside to Betty, she said, “He has a preference for white.”
With his gaze holding hers, he walked closer. “Variety, remember? Black, gray, navy blue, white...”
“Red?” Betty asked, as if there’d be a test. “Green?” She brightened. “Oh, I know. Purple.” She turned to Berkley. “Wouldn’t he look striking in purple?”
Her grin widened. “I dunno.” She pretended to mull it over. “I’m thinking sunny yellow.”
Instead of being embarrassed by their teasing, Lawson stopped right in front of her and said, “You’re imagining me in my boxers.”
He stated it as a fact, causing her face to go hot as she sputtered denials.
Betty quipped, “Well, I am, certainly. What do you expect when your underwear is being tossed around Cemetery?”
“I didn’t toss anything,” Lawson grumbled. “That cat is a crook.”
They all turned to see Cheese now curled up comfortably on the boxers, using them as a bed—on Betty’s car—and watching them with her large yellow eyes.
“Aww,” Betty said. “I think you should let her keep them.”
“Are we talking Berkley or Cheese?”
Berkley choked, and without thinking better of it, she gave Lawson a shove. Or tried to, anyway. The man was rock-solid and didn’t budge. All she managed was to get Lawson and Betty both laughing. Betty even braced a hand on Lawson’s forearm, as if she needed help staying upright in her hilarity.
Many people in the town considered the matriarch stuffy and strict, and they always seemed to be extra proper and mannered around her.
Berkley didn’t know how to be proper and mannered, and besides, around the shelter, Betty was always more relaxed, open and friendly, and the elder had a wicked sense of humor.
Animals did that for people, bringing joy in unexpected ways.
Winding down on her laughter, Betty wiped her eyes, patted Lawson and smiled at Berkley. “I came today to help walk the dogs. You don’t mind, do you?”
Thrilled for a different focus, Berkley said, “Of course not. You’re wonderful with them. Just let Whitley know and she can make sure you don’t get one of the more rambunctious animals.” She didn’t want Betty dragged or tripped. Some of the dogs were still learning manners.
Hero came to attention, his tail swinging. Betty bent to pat the dog’s head. “Is it okay for him to go along, too?”
“Sure. Hero is great with the new animals. He’s not leashed here because he doesn’t stray off, and in fact, he helps to keep the others corralled.”
“Perfect. Come on, then, Hero. Let’s go visit.”
Once Betty and the dog walked off, the air around her and Lawson grew remarkably warmer, making it more difficult to breathe.
“Is it always so chaotic around here?”
Understanding his meaning, she, too, glanced at the scene, with dogs barking, and chatting people coming and going, her workers busy supervising. Birds sang overhead from the trees. From somewhere inside the shelter, she could hear cats meowing. “Yes,” she said. “It is. Not at all the order and neatness you seem to prefer.”
“Oh, I don’t know. This is an enjoyable kind of chaos.”
Because his gaze rested on her, Berkley felt herself tensing.
“You do that a lot, you know.”
She turned up her face to meet his eyes. Lawson was so blasted tall. Not that she was a short woman, but next to him... “Do what?”
He cupped her left shoulder, his fingers lightly massaging while his thumb pressed. “You tense up, like you’re bracing for impact. Am I so scary?”
Working up a very real frown, she said, “You don’t scare me at all.” Such a lie. In many ways, he terrified her.
“The memories do, then.”
Her lungs compressed, and she gasped for air. How dare he say such a thing?
“Relax. I can feel how your muscles are knotted.” He had the audacity to step behind her so he could rub both shoulders.
Oh God, it felt like heaven—but at the same time, she was ready to jump out of her skin from unfamiliar sensations. “This is obscene,” she whispered.
“Do you want me to stop?”
He’d asked that way too close to her ear, and now her ear was tingling, too. Very distracting.
“Should I take your silence to mean you’re at a loss for words?”
It was better than her saying a lot of things she didn’t want to say. “Maybe.”
“How does it feel?”
Like I’m going to melt.“Good.”
“There ya go.”
She heard the smile in his tone, as if she’d pleased him with the admission. It took a lot of effort not to let her head drop back. “I’m sorry Cheese stole your shorts.”
“Where did you get the name Cheese?”
She mulled that over, then decided, Why not? “So, I have a super-susceptible appetite.” An understatement, actually. “Someone mentions food, or I see a snack in an ad, maybe on a commercial, and I want it.” Not entirely accurate. “I crave it.”
“Pretty sure that’s the point of advertisements.”
Definitely for people like her. “On the day I found Cheese, I’d seen a commercial with a ham-and-cheese sandwich.” Good grief, the man had magic fingers. For a second there, she forgot what she was saying while she concentrated on holding back a groan.
“So you wanted a sandwich?”
Right. She had to keep up her end of this convo or he’d probably stop. “I had ham, bread, lettuce, mayo, even a tomato.”
He leaned down near her ear again. “But no cheese?”
Okay, yeah, time to call a halt before he seduced her just by breathing in her ear. Reluctantly, she stepped away, then turned to face him, trying to act like none of it had happened, or at least that she hadn’t reacted quite so strongly to his hands. “I had to make a grocery run, but on the way, it started raining. Not a soft, drizzly rain, but a raging downpour. Buckets of rain, you know? The kind where the wipers can’t keep up.”
“I know what you mean.” Hands on his hips, he listened, appearing engrossed in the story.
Shirtless.
He looked engrossed shirtless, and it should be illegal for a man to look like him, especially in front of a woman like her, meaning a woman who did not want to notice a man’s body.
“So,” she said, trying to regroup and not stare at his chest. Or his pecs. Or that downy line of hair on his abdomen... Oh crap. She was looking!
She snapped her attention up so fast, her eyes ached. “I had to slow down, right?” Saying it quickly helped to distract her, so she zoomed through the rest of the story. “Then I pulled over to the side of the road. I figured I’d wait it out. A lot of other cars were doing the same. I was just sitting there, listening to the rain pound on the hood and wondering if I was nuts for still wanting that damn cheese, when bam! A cat landed against the windshield.”
Lawson straightened with a scowl. “What do you mean, she landed?”
“It almost startled a scream out of me! One second I was lost in the fury of the storm, and then—cat! Not just any cat, either. No, Cheese was a pushy little thing. She stared in at me and I saw her mouth constantly opening with really demanding meows. I couldn’t hear her, not with all the other noise, but I rolled down my window, and do you know what she did?”
Shaking his head, Lawson asked, “What?”
“She jumped off the hood, and before I could open the door to try to get her, she jumped in the window. Into my lap. Soaking wet. For real, her fur was like a sponge. And the stinker just kept rubbing against me. All over me. I thought maybe she was cold, but I didn’t have anything to wrap her in.”
Lawson searched her face, then said, “You were wearing clothes.”
She winced. “Yeah, clothes that were mostly drenched with rainwater and cat fur. A nasty mix.”
A slow smile appeared on his handsome face. “You took off your shirt anyway, didn’t you, Berkley?”
Flushing, she wondered how he could possibly know her so well. “Um...”
“You did, and then you wrapped up the cat to keep her warm, and since you couldn’t go topless to the grocery store for cheese—”
“I was wearing a bra,” she argued.
“—you named the cat Cheese.”
Yup, he knew her. “I got Cheese,” she said, “just not the kind I could put on a sandwich. Instead, I ate ham and mustard, which was okay, because at least Cheese wasn’t still out in the storm.” They both looked over at the cat, who was now dozing...on Lawson’s boxers. “Poor little thing was half-starved and covered in fleas. I fed her in the laundry room, then immediately gave her a flea bath. Let me tell you, Cheese was not a fan. She’s never entirely given up her feral ways.” She gave Lawson the side-eye. “And she’s always been a thief.”
“Meaning I can expect more things to go missing?”
“Probably.” She added in another rush, “I’m sorry, but it’s just her way.”
Lawson smiled. “At least now if I can’t find something, I’ll have a reason to check in here. And that, Berkley Carr, means you might be seeing me more often.” With that, he sauntered over, boldly lifted the cat into his arms and took back his boxers.
Did he not know that cats had murder mitts? Cheese certainly wasn’t declawed—such a thing was inhumane—and she’d just explained that the cat was still feral in many ways.
For most, Cheese was more of a “pet me with your eyes” kind of cat. She didn’t like strangers to touch her.
With Lawson, she appeared too surprised to react, and the man wasn’t even wearing a shirt!
Yet something about the confident, gentle way he handled Cheese must have done the trick, because the cat was on her best behavior.
He returned and handed Cheese to her. “I like that story, especially how it turned out.”
“Me with a thieving cat?”
“You caring enough to save her.” He gave Cheese a stroke, smiled at Berkley and walked away, back into the woods.
Berkley looked at Cheese, who looked back, both of them nonplussed over what had just happened. “Thank you for not shredding that very nice chest. You showed great restraint.”
Too bad she couldn’t claim the same.
Now she wondered if she could convince Cheese to steal something else.
The past eight hours had been the longest of her life. Lark Penny couldn’t remember another time where she’d had to deal with such flighty customers. Actually, flighty was putting it mildly. Vain, verbose and vacuous. A trifecta of V’s, that was what the beachgoers had been. No amount of hairstyling or complimenting had appeased the ridiculous women. Literally, her ears hurt from listening to their complaints, often topped by outrageous laughter.
Usually she liked everyone, man and woman alike. Kids and old people. Introverts and extroverts. Today she’d had to deal with some weird variation of women on the hunt...or something. In between demands, they’d very inappropriately commented on men they’d seen at the lake. Conquests would take place, Lark had no doubt about that.
Thinking to stroll along the sandy beach and clear her head, she drove to the lake instead of heading home, and found a parking spot. The air was clean, early evening was a little cooler, and the sights were incredible. Then she spotted the V’s—the very trio of beach beauties who had tried her patience—still on the prowl. Lark had to admit, they looked great with the backdrop of the early evening sunlight reflecting off the lake.
Maybe if she looked like that, she’d live in a bikini, too... No. With her fair skin, she’d need a bucket of sunscreen. Nothing sexy in that.
Changing her mind on her destination, she left her sporty little car and headed in the opposite direction, away from the body of water.
Being somewhat new to town didn’t slow her down. She’d made a point of finding all the different businesses—a girl liked to be prepared—and had even introduced herself to as many proprietors as possible.
Good Lord, she was the queen of alliteration today.
Smiling to herself, she headed for the barbecue restaurant. Apparently, this was a day for indulgence.
In minutes, she stepped through the door and was greeted by air-conditioning and the laughter of a busy crowd. She didn’t see any empty tables, so she headed to the bar, where she spotted an empty stool. To the right of the seat was an obvious couple, angled toward each other and in close conversation.
To the left was a dark-haired man sitting alone. Broad shoulders strained the fine fabric of his blue button-up shirt worn over faded jeans. He had the sleeves rolled up over hair-dusted forearms. Keeping his concentration on a plate of food before him, he didn’t notice her approach.
Lark cleared her throat.
Nothing. It was as if the rest of the busy restaurant didn’t exist.
Lightly, she touched his shoulder. “Excuse me.”
His neck stiffened, then his head jerked around. Through black-rimmed glasses, he stared at her hand in surprise. Older than her, judging by the faint touch of silver at his temples, but definitely not old. Midthirties, maybe.
Intense.That was the first description to imprint on her brain. So very, very intense.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your meal,” she said while removing her hand.
Dark eyes stared at her in question.
Oh, he wouldn’t be an easy one to win over. Did she want to win him over? Yes, maybe she did. “Is this stool taken? If you’re saving it for someone—”
“Feel free.” He turned back to his food.
Lark barely tempered her smile at his deliberate dismissal. “Is that good?”
His disbelieving gaze swung back to her.
“The food, I mean. I haven’t eaten here yet, but it’s been a rough day, so I need something totally decadent, usually forbidden and terrible for me. If I was a drinker, I’d order a whiskey, but I can’t go that far, so it’ll have to be something fried, even greasy, with a lot of flavor and calories.”
It took the man three whole seconds to react. Casually, he lifted a napkin and wiped his mouth, then turned slightly to face her, a forearm braced on the bar. “It’s my first time here, too, and I had a similar plan in mind.” Wearing a slight frown, he adjusted his glasses. “They don’t serve whiskey.”
Lips twitching, Lark asked, “You tried?”
“No, not really. I researched the place. The whole town, actually.”
“Really? That’s wonderful. When I relocated here a month ago, I made a point of doing the same. I even went around and met as many business proprietors as I could, just to familiarize myself. Not enough people do that. It’s important to know a place, don’t you think?”
He looked at her as if unsure what to make of her.
Yes, she had gotten a little too perky and chatty there. It was like meeting a kindred spirit. She instantly wanted to bond, maybe compare notes on outlooks. It was especially refreshing after her trying day at the salon.
A very handsome young man approached and said, “Hey there. I’m Wheeler and I’ll be serving you.”
She held out a hand. “I’m Lark Penny, new at the salon. Nice to meet you, Wheeler.”
His very engaging smile brightened a few watts. “Nice to meet you, Lark.” His voice was now a degree deeper, and a little smoother. “What can I get you? Or do you need a menu?”
She turned back to her stool neighbor. “The food?”
Blankly, her Clark Kent look-alike glanced at his half-eaten meal. “The loaded burger is great. They have some kind of special sauce that adds a little zest. Fries are perfectly browned.”
“Awesome. I’ll have what he’s having, with a Coke, light ice.” She leaned toward Wheeler. “I need all the caffeine I can get, and ice waters it down.”
“You’ve got it. I’ll be right back.”
She watched him saunter away to the kitchen. Wheeler was closer to her age, blond and had dark brown eyes like the man next to her, though the two of them couldn’t be more different. Where Wheeler was athletic in build, the other dude was thicker, more solid.
And very appealing.
She shifted around to face him. In this position, her knees almost touched his thigh, a fact that her entire body seemed to note. “Now I’ve met Wheeler, and most everyone else in the area.” Holding out her hand, she said, “And you know my name, so you are...?”
His level brows tweaked together once again. “Oliver Roth.” He took her hand in his, and holy smokes, the man had big hands.
The thought darted through her mind that he could easily crush someone with his size, and yet he was so gentle, clasping her fingers only briefly.
“Do you live here, Oliver, or are you just visiting?”
Pensive, he lifted his drink, then took a draw off the straw, possibly giving himself a moment to think. “I’ve rented a place.”
“A home?” she pressed. “Or a business?” Like a quintessential grumpy Gus, his frown increased. “Not to be nosy,” she added with a smile. “Just curious.”
“Both, actually. That is, I’m renting an apartment, and I’ve bought a building.” He held up a hand, no doubt anticipating more interrogation from her. “I’m opening a fitness spa.”
With his overly serious demeanor and lumberjack physique, that didn’t really fit. Drill sergeant would work. Construction worker, maybe. But a spa? Before she could grill him further, Wheeler returned with her order and, heaven, it looked and smelled delicious. “Thank you so much. I’m ravenous.”
Wheeler gave her a crooked grin full of appreciation. At least he wasn’t grumpy. “If you need anything else, let me know.”
Another customer signaled him, and off he went.
She’d just taken a big bite of her burger, which caused a hum of appreciation, when a warm body sidled in next to her. She looked up, and there was Lawson. My, my, my. Hotties all around.
She savored her burger—and the testosterone in the air.