Chapter 2 #3
The secretary wanted him to be a delivery boy? She didn’t have a problem asking for help or favors. He liked this person more and more. She didn’t treat him any differently than those around him. And she’d offered him a tattoo.
Most likely that person in charge was Chelsey. Maybe he’d find Dan later. He’d drop off the drink and get out before anyone saw him. Who was he kidding? He wanted to see Chelsey. He could just peek. Or be a man and talk to her.
“What’s the GP?”
“The Gathering Place. It’s downtown Juniper. Do I need to draw a map for you?” She reached over to her printer to take out a piece of paper.
“I know the way, thanks.” Taylor took the drink and paused, pointing to the stack of fake tattoos. “Maybe I’ll get one to use later?”
Heather grinned as she cut a small strawberry out for him. “You’re gonna love this one. You’ll see. All the cool kids wear them.”
He put the tattoo in his shirt pocket then toasted her with the energy drink. “Until we meet again.” He pushed the down button for the elevator. It opened immediately and he stepped inside.
“The planner is single,” Heather shouted as the doors closed.
Taylor’s heart thumped at her words. He’d tried to push thoughts of Chelsey dating other guys from his mind over the years. The problem was he compared all the girls to Chelsey and had spent the last few years trying to convince himself he was over her. It almost worked.
Taylor drove back toward Main Street. Because of the construction, he had to take the long way around, which was fine by Taylor. He got to view the whole downtown of Juniper Valley. He stopped a block away just to study the GP. It was a beautiful, elegant piece of architecture with a modern twist.
He parked in the well-paved parking lot and shut off the car. The light gray facade hosted two levels of picture windows. Through them, he caught a glimpse of a large, sweeping staircase, huge chandeliers and Doric pillars.
Taylor studied the sleek water feature out front as he made his way to the front entrance.
Water flowed over a sheet of glass and murmured into a shallow pool.
The structure made a natural approach to the front doors.
He stepped over the threshold and stopped to study the activity.
Food, flower—and the harried people who carried them—trooped in and out through another set of wide doors that led into a large room where a banner read Strawberry Festival Picnic Auction.
Taylor rolled his sleeves down as he strolled across the marble floor toward the great room.
Bare, round tables were set up in the middle of the room while long tables leaned against a wall on the other side.
If he had to guess by the busyness and chaos around him, the plans for the auction were going according to schedule.
Taylor glanced around for any sign of Chelsey but didn’t see her nor did he hear her voice. There was no sign of Dan Walker either, who he should’ve looked for first. The only occupant was an older woman sitting at a table eating a sandwich.
“Excuse me,” Taylor said.
She leafed through papers on a table while eating. A little bit of mustard fell onto one of the papers. She huffed in frustration and wiped the spot with a napkin.
She glanced at him over the top of her reading glasses, which sat halfway down her nose. “What can I do for you, hon?” she said with a soft Southern drawl.
“I’m looking for Dan.” Taylor held out the canned drink he assumed was for this woman. “And I brought this for you? From Heather.”
“Oh good. Our event planner will be ready for that energy boost about now. Just leave it on the table.” She pulled out a piece of paper and looked at him again. “Dan slipped out a few minutes ago to take some client to lunch.”
Taylor shoved his hands in his pockets. He should’ve set up an appointment instead of chasing him all over the valley.
Did it matter what info Dan had about the roller rink in the end?
Would it affect his ability to give reasonable insight?
He shook his head. His own memories were affecting him right now.
“Now that you’re done playing errand boy, what’s your number?”
“My number?” Was she hitting on him? She had to be his mom’s age. Not that age really mattered in a serious love relationship, right?
She took off her glasses and looked at him, a hint of humor in her dark eyes. “I’m assuming you’re one of the bachelors?”
A bachelor? Taylor coughed into his hand to cover a laugh. There was no way on this green earth that he would get up on stage to strut around like a peacock.
“What’s your name? Maybe it’ll jog my memory.”
“His name’s Taylor Compton.”
Taylor froze at the sound of the familiar lilted voice, the gentle rise and fall of the words.
He cautiously turned around until he faced her.
After all this time and all the countries he’d lived in and visited, Chelsey Hooper was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever known.
He hid his grin at the ever-present pen stuck in her hair.
Her eyes held a hint of darker blue more than usual. He remembered those same eyes going steely gray the day he told her he’d been accepted—with a full ride scholarship—to a college out of state.