Chapter 6
BAILEY
What a roller coaster of a day. Start the day jumping out of bed full of energy and thinking about Nate. Then discover my family left without me, taking my purse with them.
And then Nate shows up like a knight in shining armor. Okay, a knight in a charcoal gray corduroy jacket. Still. Handsome, capable, instantly took care of everything.
I’ll admit, when he went out for groceries I took a peek around his house to make sure he's normal. He’s not. He’s better than normal. Organized to such a degree that it makes me feel in control, if that makes sense. Everything is laid out logically, which goes a long way to making me feel calmer.
I was pretty much ready for my practice test when he knocked on my door and presented me with a sandwich, coffee, and a small gift bag with a bunch of incidentals that might have been in my purse – lip balm, peppermints, a small pack of tissues, a mini notepad and spare pen.
How thoughtful is that?
It put me in a fantastic mood for my practice test, which I was frankly quite nervous about, and I aced it. I mean, there were a few sections I didn't get perfect. I go through them, making notes, running through the problems again until I feel totally ready for tomorrow.
By the time I glance at the clock, it's ten past five.
Nate mentioned dinner, so I brush my hair and put it half up in a clip.
Luckily, my makeup bag was in my suitcase, so I add a touch of brown eyeliner, then swipe on my brand-new vanilla lip balm.
With a fresh shirt and fuzzy purple socks as slippers, I almost feel like I'm getting ready for a date.
Is that silly? Just because Nate kissed me doesn't mean he's interested in a real relationship. Still, this heat between us needs to be explored, even if just for a couple of days. When something feels this right, a girl needs to go with her gut. Right?
That isn't usually my style. I tend to analyze, not go where my heart takes me. This new approach has me smiling from ear to ear as I go downstairs to see what smells so good in Nate's kitchen.
"There she is!” He pulls out a chair at the dining table for me.
Oh, wow. He's set the table with a green-on-green leaf patterned tablecloth, charming dishes and silverware. There’s even some white taper candles in green glass holders.
It’s touching that Nate went to so much trouble.
It dawns on me that this really does feel like a date.
A very private, low-key one, as if he’s testing the waters.
If only he knew how I want to dive into the deep end of those waters immediately.
He pours me a glass of white wine, then begins plating dinner. "How did your test go?" He pauses what he's doing to listen to my answer.
It's amazing to have his full attention, like I'm the most important person in the world.
"Really well. Sorry I took so long. I wanted to go over the few things I missed."
"No problem. It gave me extra time to fuss over this." He sets down a plate of Caesar salad and baked pasta. "This is pizza lasagna," he explains, setting down his own plate and sitting beside me. "It's got extra oregano, a three-cheese blend, and diced pepperoni mixed in with the ground beef."
"You're a genius. This smells incredible."
"I thought you might need some downtime, beautiful. A big meal, a cheesy movie, a good night's sleep. Am I right?"
"Sure are." I reach out to clasp his hand, then blink in surprise at our intertwined fingers. Since when did I get so bold?
He raises an eyebrow. "Are you trying to tell me you’d like something before dinner?"
"I…" I think he likes it when I'm saucy. More to the point, I like it when I'm saucy. "Would you like to help me test my new lip balm before it gets covered in lasagna?”
He leans closer, his deep eyes locked on mine. "That sounds like a flimsy excuse. Like you're trying to ask me for a kiss."
"Is that okay?"
"Sure. Or you could just say..." He crooks his finger at me. "Kiss me now."
I lean in, capturing his lips with mine. At first the kiss is tender. Sweet. Light. Then his fingers slip into the back of my hair, pulling me to him, heat and desire building fast.
My mind is already swirling, racing ten steps ahead. What's going to happen when we're on the couch watching a movie together? What's going to happen when I see him coming out of the shower wearing nothing but a towel tomorrow? What…
No. I need to get out of my head. Stop thinking of best- and worst-case scenarios. With a deep breath, I relax into the moment, my hand slowly working up his solid chest to his shoulder, leaning closer.
Time seems to stop as swirls of warmth dance through my stomach, over my nipples, up my inner thighs. He must sense the faint shiver that runs through me because he pauses, kissing along my cheekbone and lightly caressing the side of my face.
"I need to be the responsible adult who makes sure you eat your dinner while it's hot." His deep voice is so smoky, it makes me want to tear his clothes off.
His eyes dart to the clock for a split second. "Also, you met me almost exactly twenty-four hours ago. So…" He grins. "You are completely in charge of any hanky-panky, but maybe we should have a dinner date first?"
"Hanky-panky? I thought you called it… funny business."
His eyes burn into mine again with one of those seductive smiles. Then he lifts an eyebrow. "Canoodling? Whatever we call it, let's eat dinner first. Once you've had five bites, I want to hear every detail about your test."
The meal is delicious. On top of the rest of his admirable qualities, the man can cook. Plus, he doesn’t make a mess in the kitchen. He’s organized, even there.
By the time we're loading the dishwasher, he understands my coding soon-to-be job, and I understand his work as ranger. It sounds like a volunteer position, and reading between the lines, I get the sense that he doesn't need the money but likes to feel useful.
We snuggle on the couch and watch a movie. Just as the credits begin to roll, my phone rings from where it's charging on the kitchen counter.
"Are you expecting a call?" Nate asks.
"Mom's the only person who ever phones me. Let it go to voicemail."
The corners of his jaw tense. "May I answer it?"
I'm already giggling. "By all means, go ahead."
He brings the phone over to the couch, then hits speaker. "Hello?" I notice he's making his voice extra deep and growly.
"Oh. Um. Hello." My mother sounds confused. "Is… Is Bailey there?"
"Who’s calling, please?"
"It's her mother. I…we…need to know if she's okay."
Nate takes a slow breath. "Why the hell do you give a flying fuck if she's okay?"
Mom gasps.
"You took off this morning and left her alone in a strange town,” Nate growls. “Plus, you took her purse, which was clearly marked so you’d know it wasn't yours. You left her with no money.”
“But that’s why I’m calling! To send her money to get home. I didn’t mean—”
“No, you didn’t think. You don’t ever think of others, do you?”
Nate leaps to his feet and begins to pace. His jaw is tight, his eyes glittering. At first, I thought he was just pretending to sound angry to teach Mom a lesson, but no. He's filled with rage, although he is carefully keeping it directed away from me.
"I said I was taking Bailey out for a meal after we dropped off the boys. You didn't even ask who I was. Did you ask your server if they knew me? Ask anyone who the man taking your daughter away was?"
Mom sputters, but Nate talks right over her. "You and your husband are the most selfish, incompetent parents I have ever seen. Thank goodness those boys have each other, because they certainly don't have a mother and father to rely on."
He's still pacing, and his entire body is tense. “Not that you care, but Bailey will be fine. I'm providing a safe space for her to live and take her test. You don't even know what the test is for, do you?"
Another muffled stammer.
"She's a grown woman, and she'll be much better off without you." There's a slight pause, and he straightens up to his full height. "She doesn't need you anymore. Because I will care for her, and protect her, and be everything she needs.”
His back is to me as he ends the call. It's as if his rage were waves of energy rolling off his back and shoulders. Then he takes a breath, straightens up, and plugs my phone back into the charger on the counter. He turns to me with a bright smile.
"Rude? Maybe. Necessary? Definitely."
I'm already on my feet, throwing myself into his arms. "Thank you," I murmur against his chest. "I feel free now."
Nate strokes my back, murmuring against the top of my hair, "Of course you are, Bailey. Free to stay as long as you like, or to leave and go get that job. Everything is up to you."
Since both of us are such planners, leaving everything wide open doesn't feel super comfortable.
But wow, does it feel exciting.