Chapter 8 #2
“Because they have loco … motives.” Daphne laughed at her own joke.
Price found himself giving a surprised laugh. He liked Daphne Belle. Despite their bizarre conversation, he felt comfortable talking to her. She was funny like Addie was funny, but in an entirely different way. If only Daphne wasn’t asking him to keep a secret from her sister.
“Please,” she begged. “You have to listen to me and trust me. I have good motives, not loco ones. Think about it. Which of us has known Addie longer?”
“You,” he admitted.
“I’m her sis. Her favorite sis, I might add.
I’m sure she’s already told you all about me and how much she looks up to me and wishes she could be as funny as me.
” She laughed. “I know what she’s like and what will work.
Get to know her. Get her to fall for you.
Keep protecting her. I’ll take the wrath of hiding it when the moment is right, but she’ll already love you and of course she’ll forgive you. ”
Price had no idea what to say. If only he was more confident in relationships.
His conscience was saying this was all wrong, but he didn’t want to question the client and of course her sister would know her better than he did.
The last thing he wanted was to lose Addie or push her away before they had a chance to get to know each other.
Was trusting her sister’s advice and instincts the best route?
“If you tell her now, it’ll be over before it’s begun and all of our hearts will be broken,” Daphne said dramatically.
Price feared she was right. He had no response.
“All right then,” Daphne said, as if it were all settled. “Thanks for the chat. Why did the mouse never say goodbye?”
“I have no idea.” He shook his head. Daphne was silly but somehow endearing.
“Because it was too busy saying cheese.” She laughed again. “Okay. Goodbye. Thank you. Stick with the plan. You’re the best!”
The call disconnected. Price wasn’t sure what had just happened.
Daphne had demanded he not reveal the truth to Addie.
Could he do that? Her reassurances that she’d take the fall weren’t great.
He didn’t want Addie upset, and he didn’t want to damage her trust. Period.
He also didn’t want whatever was developing between them to be over before it began.
Daphne had been awfully certain that would happen if he revealed the truth now.
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. A few minutes later, he pulled into the rental. He hurried inside to brush his teeth and spray on some cologne before grabbing the sack of banana pudding and walking the four doors down to Addie’s cottage.
Price rapped on the door, wondering how he was going to keep this secret from Addie but thrilled to see her again. He was a conflicted mess inside. That had never happened to him before.
Addie pulled the wooden door open. Her smile was radiant. She unlatched the storm door and pushed it open. He caught and held it. She looked incredible in a red fitted dress that had long sleeves and fell to the floor.
“Hi,” she whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear and looking down.
“Hey.” His heart thudded against his chest. He’d kissed her. Right against that door. Last night. Could he kiss her again? How could he do that if he was hiding something from her?
She backed away from the door.
He walked in, shutting the storm door and then the wood door behind him.
“I hoped you’d bring banana pudding. I haven’t had any since the last time.” She pointed at the bag in his hand.
“Hoped? You didn’t know?” He arched his brows, liking the tease.
“You’ve surprised me a time or two.” Her gaze flitted to the wooden door and the spot, their spot, and then back to his face.
His pulse spiked and his mouth went dry. “I opted for the cupcakes instead of the pudding.” He kept a straight face.
“Oh …” She laughed nervously. “That was a bold choice. Deeply incomprehensible, but bold.”
A grin split Price’s mouth. There was nothing ordinary about this woman. “I’m teasing.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Oh. Of course you were. Since banana pudding is our thing …” She trailed off. “Please sit. I just have a few things to do.”
“It smells amazing.” He tried to focus on the scents from the kitchen and not on her discomfort. Was he making her nervous? Did she sense his unstable mind and conscience? “Homemade bread and chili?”
“Cornbread,” she corrected. “Nothing fancy.”
“It’s perfect.” He smiled at her. His nerves settled in the face of how nervous she appeared.
If he told her he’d been hired by her sister to watch over her, would she be angry at him or give him another kiss of gratitude like last night?
That made his nerves hop, but he was betting on anger or hurt, which would be even worse.
Price wasn’t one to dwell on fear; he was typically confident and saw things clearly.
But he felt afraid, unsteady, and confused right now.
Was it a wise decision to trust the sister he’d never met over Addie who he wanted to date and get to know better?
According to Daphne, if he told her the truth, it would all be over. That was ominous.
“Just one moment,” Addie said.
She flitted around the kitchen area, obviously on edge, pulling salad dressings and a green salad out of the fridge.
The small table was already set. He glanced around, liking the beach vibe of her home—the white wicker furniture with pale blue cushions, the large windows, and paintings of seascapes.
“Nice place. Nice tree,” he said, tilting his head to the Christmas tree. He’d followed her and her friend doing a variety of Christmas activities and wished he could do them with her.
“Thanks. I’m going home for Christmas, but I still wanted a tree. My sister Daphne is getting married on New Year’s Eve.”
She was going home? When? How did Daphne propose he keep watching over her when she flew to Arizona?
Maybe that was Daphne’s plan. Have him show up in Arizona and she’d explain to Addie what she’d done.
Maybe he could be Addie’s plus one at the wedding.
It would be an interesting way to meet the family, and he was jumping way ahead of himself.
Daphne had a lot more answers to give him.
Stirring the chili, Addie glanced at him from underneath her dark lashes.
Price stood and approached her. She released the wooden spoon and put a hand to her throat.
He took the hand clutching her throat in his, his fingertips brushing the soft skin of her neck, setting off an intense longing inside him.
“Addie …”
Price didn’t know what to say, what he could say.
He didn’t want to hide anything from her, but he’d always been the soldier.
The role of obedient action had been drilled into him.
True, he’d been in charge of his men and a leader as a lieutenant and then a captain, but he’d still had a higher-up calling the shots, telling him what needed to be done and expecting it to be done.
He was conflicted and sick inside lying to Addie, but Daphne would definitely know better than him how to proceed with her sister.
He didn’t want to mess up another relationship.
Especially not one with Addie. Lose her before he even had a chance with her.
How could he solve this dilemma?
“Please don’t.” She held up a hand, tugged her hand free, and backed up a step.
“Please don’t what?”
She knew he was lying and she was asking him not to. She didn’t seem angry. It would be a relief to have it out there.
“Say this is a mistake,” she said. “I can’t handle it. I know you’re out of my league, but …”
“I’m out of your league?” Price had never heard such a mixed-up idea in his life. Her words pushed all his other stewing to the back of his mind.
A buzzer went off on the stove.
“Excuse me.” Addie hurried to the stove and pushed a button to stop the alarm. She pulled the cornbread from the oven and set it on the small counter next to the pot of chili and the salad and dressings. “Let’s dish up here. There’s not enough room on the table to set everything.”
“Sounds great.”
They both got their food and sat at the table. Addie said a prayer. Price put honey butter on the cornbread and tried it first, complimenting her on it.
She thanked him quietly as she ate a bite of chili. He followed suit. It was zesty and hearty. He told her how much he liked it.
There was silence as they ate bites of salad and drank some water. She didn’t even know he was keeping things from her and still he was messing this all up. Price had failed at the one romantic relationship that had mattered to him. Was he destined to fail at loving Addie?
He scoffed at himself. This wasn’t love. Not yet. But he wanted it to go in that direction.
Price watched her eat, trying to swallow bites himself. The food was delicious, but he didn’t like her thinking he was out of her league and he hated what he was keeping from her. At least he could try to clear the one issue up. He prayed he’d say it right.
“Addie …” Her gaze lifted to his. He cleared his throat, took a drink of water, and thrust out the words. “I have no idea where you got the misconception that I’m out of your league. If anything it’s the opposite. You are far out of my league.”
He’d never said such a cheesy line in his life. River would be on the ground laughing. He didn’t care.
Addie studied him as if checking if he was sincere, and then … her radiant smile burst out like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. “Thank you, Price,” she said. “You’re a superhero to me. I guess I got a little intimidated after watching you spring from the darkness and rescue me.”
“I’m no kind of superhero.”
“You’re my hero. You are what my teenage niece Laynee would call ‘super hot, a baddie for sure’.”
Price’s chest swelled and he chuckled. He wanted to be her hero, and more. He wanted to be part of her life.
Could he bury his conscience and kiss her again or did he need to wait until she knew the truth? Her sister would probably tell him to kiss her, after she told him another corny joke.
He ate another bite of chili, confused and longing to tell Addie the truth and then kiss her for a very long time.
If he told her the truth, she might be furious and broken and they’d never get a chance to develop a relationship.
Daphne had more knowledge about her sister than he did. She definitely had an insider’s track into how women and relationships worked. His client’s instructions were to get Addie to fall for him and then sort out the truth.
It made his gut churn with uncertainty. He wanted to grow closer to her, but he loathed lying to her. He prayed for help. Would he mess this up like he had his marriage? Cold sweat pricked at his skin.
Daphne knew Addie better and promised waiting to reveal that he’d been hired to watch over her was the best path. He’d have to trust Daphne. He didn’t trust himself where relationships were concerned, and a relationship with Addie was suddenly his highest priority. Right next to keeping her safe.
Please help, he begged heaven above. Give me the path and the words to protect Addie, gain her trust, and if it be Your will … someday love her.