CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The scents of basil and garlic lingered in the restaurant’s air, where Elisabeth sat across from Gabe at the cozy table for two. Dinner was a set three course menu.
She glanced around at the decor, which she would describe as farmhouse chic with flickering votives and rose buds in eclectic glass jars. Cynthia Sterling would fit right in here. So would Henry. Well, the way he’d been dressed the first time she met him.
Elisabeth, however, felt like an underdressed fraud. This place was too nice, too romantic, and too expensive for a night out with her best friend’s big brother, who was just being nice by filling in for Theresa.
Gabe leaned back in his chair. “What do you think?”
She took a sip of water, hoping to soothe her dry throat. “I thought we’d eat in Berry Patch.”
“Did you really think I’m the kind of guy who would take you out to the place you work?”
Yes, but she wouldn’t admit that, especially since he’d taken so much care tonight.
Gabe wore a button-down shirt with a pair of brown pants, not his typical T-shirt and jeans no matter the weather.
His hair had been recently trimmed, and his usual five o’clock shadow was nowhere in sight, so he’d shaved before picking her up.
He’d obviously put in some effort for her, which Elisabeth appreciated. “Well, you got pushed into taking me out tonight after your sister had to cancel.”
He shook his head. “Not pushed. I volunteered.”
That…surprised Elisabeth. She leaned forward. “Really?”
“I could be home with my dog or here with you. Easy decision.”
She wasn’t sure if that was a well-practiced line or sincere, but she would go with the latter. “Well, thanks. I don’t get out much, so this is more than I expected.”
“You should expect more, Bess. So much more. Not everyone is like that stupid college boy you brought home.”
She laughed. Henry had called Toby an idiot. Both he and Gabe were right. “I hope no one else I meet is like him.”
“Me too.” Gabe motioned to her glass of red wine and picked up his. “A toast.”
She grabbed the wineglass stem. “To?”
He grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling, making him even more attractive. “You.”
The guy was handsome, but then again so was Henry. Nope. She needed to stop thinking about him when she was out with someone else. Even if Gabe wasn’t a real date. “I have to hear this.”
“Oh no. The pressure.” Gabe cleared his throat. “To Bess, the girl who grew up to be an amazing woman, friend, sister, server, berry farmer, and dinner companion.”
The words brought a rush of heat up her neck. “That’s so sweet.”
He winked. “All true.”
“Thank you.”
As his gaze met Elisabeth’s, he tapped his glass to hers. “Cheers.”
She took a small sip, lowered her glass, and stared at the wine bottle. The label was from a local winery. “Delicious pinot noir.”
“It is.” Gabe studied her. “What’s on your mind?”
Elisabeth looked at him. “What makes you think something’s on my mind?”
He smiled. “I’ve known you since you were in kindergarten.”
Okay, he had her there. In some ways, Gabe reminded her of Henry.
Both men were attractive and knew the right things to say.
Her farmhand was only there temporarily, and Gabe didn’t want to settle down, no matter how charming he might act.
Both men were off-limits. Yet sometimes it was easy to think maybe they didn’t know what they wanted.
Now she was just being silly. “I just wasn’t expecting to go out to a nice place. No offense, but takeout pizza is about as fancy as we get at the farm.”
“None taken, but I meant what I said about all you do. Theresa suggested a few things we could try, but I’ve heard a few clients talk about this place. Figured this was the perfect night to see if it’s as good as they all say. So you’re helping me out here. Now, if it turns out badly…”
“It won’t. I’m already impressed.”
“Then I have nothing to worry about.” He took another sip of wine. “How’s Henry working out? Any more bee incidents?”
“Luckily, no. But the goats might be out to get him.”
“Poor guy, but he’s right about you needing some time away from the kids and the farm.”
She glanced around at the full tables of adults having soft conversations. “I guess I do.”
“No guess about it. And I have the entire night planned out.”
“You mean there’s more than this place?”
His eyes filled with mischief. “Yes, but it’s a surprise.”
“It’ll still be a surprise if you tell me now.”
“I see where Abby gets her cleverness from.”
Elisabeth’s cheeks heated. Gabe had a reputation of being a ladies’ man, but she’d never seen him in action until tonight. “If you think compliments will get you anywhere—”
“As long as they keep making you blush, I’ll keep saying them. And every word is sincere.”
She had no idea how to respond, so she took a small sip of wine. But she was struck by how much she couldn’t stop thinking about Henry. Something told her he would be very similar to Gabe if they went out on a date. Except that would never happen.
Elisabeth wanted to shake her farmhand out of her head. She smiled at Gabe. “What remodeling projects are you working on right now?”
* * *
Babysitting was going well. The tea party had been a success as well as the ice cream sundae experiments. He’d played house with the girls and handled being “Daddy” without suffering an anxiety attack or needing to call a therapist.
Caitlin had fallen asleep on the couch at eight o’clock. Abby at nine. Both were tucked safely in their beds. Henry had checked on them twice. Now, Ruff slept at his feet while Henry sat on the couch. Ritz was curled up on the recliner. All Henry needed now was for Elisabeth to get home.
“Yes.” Sam raised his hands in the air. “I win.”
“Not again.” Henry tossed his controller on the coffee table and glanced at the clock: 10:06 p.m. Only eight minutes had passed since the last time he’d looked.
Why wasn’t Elisabeth home yet? Dinner didn’t take that long. And there wasn’t much nightlife in Berry Patch.
“Why do you keep checking the clock?” Sam asked.
“Wondering when your sister might be home.”
“Don’t worry about her.” Sam stuck a new game into the video game console. “She’s with Gabe. He’ll take care of her.”
That was what Henry was afraid of. Knowing Gabe Logan’s reputation, he could find plenty of ways to entertain Elisabeth.
Henry wrung his hands.
Sam sat next to him. “Are you ready to play the snowboarding game?”
Anticipation filled his voice. Sam wasn’t so bad once you got past the apathy and the sneer and his being eleven.
His vocabulary even included other words besides “whatever” and “sucks.” Not to mention, he had amazing hand-eye coordination.
Henry needed something to take his mind off Elisabeth.
Maybe a different game would do the trick. “Sure, but I’ve never played that one.”
“It’s not hard,” Sam said. “Even you should be able to figure it out.”
“Even me?”
The corners of Sam’s mouth edged up.
Henry picked up his controller and readied himself like a sharpshooter from the Old West. “I’ll show you.”
By the time midnight rolled around, Sam was asleep in bed. Henry had played enough video games to give him carpal tunnel syndrome, and Elisabeth still wasn’t home.
He didn’t like it.
He didn’t like the way he kept glancing at the clock.
He didn’t like the way he wanted to call the police station and make sure there hadn’t been an accident.
She was his friend. His boss. That was why he was concerned about her.
There wasn’t any other reason. Henry picked up toys and put them in the basket.
He wasn’t much of a housekeeper, but he had to do something to keep himself from imagining Elisabeth lying on the side of the road or kissing Gabe in the front seat of his truck.
Don’t think about either of those things.
Henry carried the popcorn bowl into the kitchen, dumped the half-popped kernels into the garbage, and washed the bowl.
Why hadn’t he been the one to go out with her? He could show her a better time than Gabriel Logan.
The answer hit Henry: Sam, Abby, and Caitlin. If Henry hadn’t suggested that Elisabeth go out, she would be home.
With him.
Henry tossed the dish towel on the counter. He only had himself to blame.
He returned to the living room and plopped onto the couch.
Headlights shone through the front window, and then a vehicle pulled to a stop outside.
A two-ton weight fell off Henry’s shoulders. Now, if he could just see her.
Henry watched the clock. A minute passed. And another. Yet another. The seconds dragged on. Each minute seemed like an hour.
What was going on outside?
It didn’t take that long to say good night. Unless…
Henry sprang to his feet. He was halfway to the door when it opened, and Elisabeth stepped inside.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“I, uh, was going to let Ritz out.”
She hung her purse on a hook by the door. “He has a cat door.”
“I forgot.”
Henry studied her. The circles under her eyes were less noticeable. The rosy glow on her cheeks made her look younger. She was smiling and radiant. Telling her to go out had been the right thing, even if her date was with Gabe.
“How were the kids?” she asked.
“Great.”
She arched a brow. “Even Sam?”
“Especially Sam. He enjoyed the game system I rented. We played after the girls went to bed.”
“I wasn’t sure about you renting that, but it was thoughtful of you to get something Sam would enjoy.”
“He did and beat me badly,” Henry admitted ruefully. “How was your date?”
His jaw clenched. He hadn’t meant to ask, but he was…curious. He sat on the couch.
“It wasn’t really a date.”
Good news. Great, actually. Though he realized whatever she called tonight shouldn’t have mattered. “What did you do?”
“We drove to Dundee for dinner. It was a great place neither of us had ever been to. The food was delicious. Then we went to The Vine to hear a new band. They were good but loud.” She sat next to Henry. “The evening was nice. Gabe treated me like a princess.”
Henry’s hands clenched. “You deserve to be treated like a princess.”
By me. Not him.
“Did he kiss you?” The words rushed out before Henry could stop them.
“Gabe kisses everyone.”
So did Henry. That was a red flag.
His gut told him Gabe Logan was not the man for Elisabeth. Henry had already decided not to play matchmaker, so finding someone else wasn’t an option. What else could he do? He rubbed his chin.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Fine. I’m just fine.”
“Me, too.” Her smile reached her eyes. “Thanks for suggesting I go out. I needed it more than I realized.”
“I’m happy you had fun.” But he wasn’t happy. Not really. And that bugged him. He was her friend, her fairy godfather, and he should be happy she’d enjoyed herself. She had needed tonight. She needed more. And if it turns out she needs Gabe—
She leaned forward and kissed Henry. On the lips. Hard.
She tasted like wine and chocolate. His heart slammed against his chest.
Wanting this kiss was wrong. He didn’t care. Because it felt right. And he wanted more of her kisses and more of her.
He was crossing the line and had jumped without a thought. But she’d been the one to initiate the kiss. Not him. This was her doing. Not his.
And he enjoyed kissing her. A lot.
Still, he held back. Somehow, he managed not to touch her anywhere except on the lips. It wasn’t nearly enough, but that was all he dared.
Achingly, the kiss came to an end.
A slow smile spread over her face. “I thought so.”
He could barely breathe, let alone think. “Thought what?”
“That you kiss better than Gabe.” She rose from the couch. “Good night, Henry.”
He sat there, stunned.
There was nothing good about tonight.
Henry had left the evening up to fate, but Elisabeth had grabbed the reins.
The result? Chaos.
She’d turned everything upside down by looking so gorgeous. By going out with the flower-toting Gabe and kissing him. And by ending the night kissing Henry.
He wanted to be in control but didn’t want to take responsibility. Tonight proved he couldn’t control Elisabeth, yet he couldn’t help feeling responsible for her, either.
Henry didn’t like it.
He was supposed to be her fairy godfather, but that was the last thing he felt like right now.
All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and kiss her. He wanted to shower her with diamonds and pearls and sapphires. He wanted to show her how wonderful life could be if she didn’t have the responsibilities of the farm and her siblings.
But his wanting those things made no sense.
Henry wasn’t there for the long haul. He didn’t believe in the long haul. He wasn’t the man she thought he was. He wasn’t even close. He would never be good enough for her. He would never be the type of man she loved. No, not loved. Wanted.
And that hurt. More than he thought possible.