Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Ryan perched on the edge of a small couch in an alcove at I Do Cakes and sipped from a cup of dark espresso while Nick walked Brianna and Daniel through the process of choosing the right cake for their wedding. He rubbed his eyes. They felt gritty after a long night of tossing and turning in the bedroom of an apartment that suddenly felt too lonely, too empty.

Evelyn's decision to return to the Captain's Cottage alone had baffled him yesterday. He'd been certain she'd accept his invitation to go for another walk along the rocky coast after the tasting at Food Fit For A Queen. He'd seen her looking his way when she'd thought no one was watching and knew they shared a deepening attraction to one another. He was pretty sure she was as eager as he was to pick up where they'd left off with the kiss they'd almost shared the other night. But at the last minute, she'd chosen to return to work. The move had left him standing on the sidewalk outside Food Fit For A Queen with his head full of questions.

Was it any wonder he'd been too restless to fall asleep? Or that when he finally had drifted off in the wee hours of the morning, he'd dreamed of her? He shook his head. The alarm had rung far too early. He gulped another swallow of the strong coffee and studied her over the rim of the cup. She'd pulled her hair off her face and had fastened it with sparkly combs this morning. The green shell she wore under a brown zippered jacket highlighted the green in her eyes.

A slight cough from the woman at the opposite end of the banquette jolted him out of his thoughts. Knowing she'd caught him staring, he gave Evelyn a sheepish smile and lifted his cup in a mock toast. No more woolgathering, he promised himself, just as Nick snapped his fingers. At the baker's signal, a tuxedoed waiter pushed a cart bearing a wedding cake through the swinging doors that separated the kitchen from the front half of the bakery.

Brianna cooed with pleasure while Daniel grunted his approval of the round tiers covered in a blush buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers. Ryan merely nodded. As they listened to Nick's description of mouthwatering flavors and fillings, he spared a single glance at Evelyn. To tell the truth, he expected to see her staring at the cake in childlike wonder. But for the second time in two days, the saucy redhead's reaction completely baffled him. Rather than sitting in rapt attention, she excused herself and hurried out of the room with her phone pressed against her ear.

A frisson of concern passed through him. He tried telling himself the call was none of his business, that she was probably fielding a mundane request from the Cottage's switchboard, but unease plagued him. Especially when her absence stretched through Nick's second option—a beautifully decorated sheet cake—and well into the gold-foiled tower that was his third. Without her there to share the tasting, Ryan pushed bites of filling that had lost its flavor around his plate.

The minutes dragged by until she finally returned to the booth. When she slipped into her seat, twin lines between her eyes begged him to rush to her side and do his best to fix her problem, whatever it was. Only pure strength of will kept him in his seat. Well, that and the fact that he'd have to climb over Daniel and Brianna to reach her. He forked up a final bite and mostly gave noncommittal answers to questions from the Wedding-in-a-Week couple until it was time to leave. Biding his time, he smiled and waved until the car carrying Brianna and Daniel disappeared around the corner. When he was certain they'd gone, he slipped one arm around Evelyn's waist. His concerns mounted when she didn't resist in the slightest but let him guide her to a table in the bakery's cafe.

"Okay," he said when the waitress had brought their coffees. "What's wrong?"

"Why do you think something's wrong?" Evelyn emptied half her cup in one gulp.

"You'd never skip a Wedding-in-a-Week event without a good reason. And those frown lines you're wearing? They tell me there's a problem. Is it Brianna's aunt? She's not worse, is she?"

"No," she answered, putting his biggest fear to rest. Then Evelyn reached across the table and did the last thing he expected her to do—she wrapped his fingers in hers. For a second, his world stood still while the warmth of her touch spread up his arm and through his chest. "You know me well, Ryan. I like that."

When he could breathe again, he squeezed her hand. "I like this," he admitted, aiming a look at their joined hands. When he was just a little tyke, he used to try and shake loose from his mother's firm grip whenever they crossed the street. To this day, she told anyone who asked that he'd always been independent. Now, holding Evelyn's hand, for the first time in his life, he didn't ever want to let go.

"Sheila's on the mend. She'll get out of the hospital tomorrow, but you're right. There is a problem."

"How can I help?" Keeping his arm right where it was, he straightened.

"I have to go to Newport tomorrow."

He lifted an eyebrow. "What about Wedding-in-a-Week? Aren't we supposed to stay with Brianna and Daniel while they choose a dance band?"

She nodded. "And drinks. I spoke to Alicia. Since those activities are being held at the Cottage, she and Jenny were planning to be there anyway. They'll cover for me."

"A road trip, huh? I'm sure there's a good reason." He didn't need all the details. Those could wait until later.

"It's complicated. I'm not even sure I have all the facts straight. I do know a jeweler on Bellview is holding a strand of pearls for Brianna. I need to get them for her. "

"Not quite what I expected." But a month ago, he could never have imagined he'd be sitting in I Do Cakes holding hands with Evelyn Heart. He sat back, considering. The prospect of hanging out in the Green Room with Alicia, Jenny, Brianna, and Daniel for the better part of a day was nearly as appealing as eating wedding cake that had lost its flavor the moment Evelyn had left the table. "What time do we leave?"

"We?"

Seeing her smile sent another jolt of warmth through him. "Of course, we." He gave her fingers a light squeeze. "You weren't thinking of going alone, were you?"

"Well …" Evelyn's voice told him she had considered that exact thing.

"I'll drive. We'll take the truck and make a day of it. If you play your cards right, I might even buy you lunch while we're there." The seafood restaurants that lined Newport's wharf offered some of the best lobster and clams in the country.

"We'll need to be back in time for the rehearsal dinner," she cautioned.

"No problem." After the leaves fell in the fall, he could easily drive to Newport in an hour or so. But at the height of tourist season, they'd need to allow twice that amount of time. " If I pick you up at eight, we can be there by ten when the store opens. That'll give us plenty of time for lunch and maybe a little sightseeing." The views of the ocean and Newport mansions were spectacular along the Cliff Walk, but they'd be pressing their luck to try and take the four-hour hike. On the other hand, he could see them strolling along the shore together or exploring the cavern-like tunnels at Fort Adams.

"Can we afford to be away that long?" Though her eyes sparkled, doubt tugged at Evelyn's lips.

"We're only talking a few hours. After the week we've had, I think we both need a little break."

"It'd be a shame to drive all the way to Newport and back without at least grabbing lunch." Evelyn's lips smoothed. "Eight it is. I'll meet you out front." She thumbed through the messages on her phone with one hand. Her face softened. "I'd better go now if I'm going to be ready in the morning."

He couldn't resist giving her hand one last squeeze before he relinquished his hold. Tomorrow, he promised himself. They'd get to know each other a little better while they explored the neighboring town.

At the door, she leaned up on tiptoe and brushed her lips against his cheek. "Thanks," she whispered. And then she was off, her long strides eating up the sidewalk, her hips swaying and her head held high, while he remained rooted to the spot, rubbing a tiny spot on his cheek.

She'd kissed him. He hadn't seen that coming, but of the many curveballs she'd thrown him today, he liked that one best of all.

A shiver of anticipation passed through Evelyn the moment she spotted Ryan's pickup turn onto the long, curved driveway that led to the entrance of the Captain's Cottage. She darted through the massive double doors. The hem of her sundress swished against her knees, and her heels clicked on the stone steps as she tripped down the steps. Over one shoulder, she carried a straw bag loaded with essentials—a thermos of coffee, a few snacks in case they got hungry, a pair of comfortable walking shoes, and a light sweater. She'd debated about the sweater. No doubt Ryan would gladly wrap his arms around her and keep her warm if the day grew cool. In the end, she decided bringing it along kept her options open, so into the bag it went.

The well-oiled door of the aging truck opened noiselessly at her touch. A rush of air-conditioned air flowed out, and she sniffed. The interior of the vehicle smelled of Ryan's spicy aftershave and his own unique scent. She drank it in, looked up at the man behind the wheel, and just like that, her mind went completely blank. She knew she was supposed to say something, anything. Wish him a good morning. Thank him for driving. She stared silently at the curve of his chin, his freshly shaved jaw, the lips that wore an amused grin, the eyes that crinkled with good humor. The possibility of speaking actual words retreated further.

"Hey, good morning," he said, his smile widening. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good, thanks. And you? Looking forward to the trip?" Ryan's friendly greeting must've jumpstarted her brain, because she'd at least strung a few words together. She climbed onto the wide bench seat and rested her bag in the well at her feet.

"Ready?" Ryan asked.

She buckled her seatbelt. "Ready." As Ryan followed the driveway to the main road, she pulled out the cell phone she'd already programmed. She settled it into a cup holder and hit Go. The GPS squawked out the first set of directions .

"You look nice." His hands on the wheel, Ryan aimed the truck toward Boston Neck, which would take them north along the coast. "Did you sleep well?"

The compliment warmed her, but she was pretty sure he was just being his typical sweet self. She'd had a late night. "Jason called just after I turned out the lights. He wanted me to fill him in on things here. I brought him up to speed on the Wedding-in-a-Week activities." Glad her brain and mouth had stayed in gear, she paused. "He said to tell you hi."

"He and Tara are having a good trip?"

"Sounds like it." She smoothed her skirt over her knees. "They were both going on about the churches they'd toured earlier in the day. How utterly boring." She clamped her hand over her mouth. With his interest in the history of old buildings, Ryan probably thought Jason and Tara's tour of grand cathedrals was a little slice of heaven.

He shook his head. "You'd think I'd be itching to visit all the famous buildings throughout Europe. The truth is, I study enough architecture in my line of work. That's the last thing I'd want to do on my honeymoon."

"Whew! That's a relief." She fanned herself with exaggerated motions .

Ryan pressed his shoulders into the seat back. "Give me a sandy beach and tropical breezes, and I'm good."

Now that was interesting. That was exactly what she'd call the perfect honeymoon. But they'd gotten ahead of themselves, hadn't they? Or maybe not.

"You might not realize it," Ryan said, turning serious, "but I've been looking forward to spending a day like this with you for a long time. Probably ever since you started high school."

"You're kidding, right?" He was already a junior when she'd finally entered Heart's Landing High as a freshman. Back then, she'd hoped that once they were all in the same school, she and Jason and Ryan would start hanging out again. She'd quickly learned that upper classmen had little to do with the younger students.

"No, I'm serious," Ryan insisted.

"Huh." She didn't want to say anything that would dampen their time together, but she hadn't forgotten how much it had hurt when he'd ignored her. "You didn't even know I was alive in high school."

"That's not true. I've always thought you were special."

"Oh, yeah?" she challenged. "If that's so, why didn't you ever ask me out? "

"I did." Ryan tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.

"You most certainly did not, Ryan Court." Grinning, she shook one finger at him. "Most of the girls in my class had crushes on both you and Jason. They envied me because Jason was my cousin and you were his best friend. I would've remembered if you'd asked me on a date."

"But I did." Ryan turned to her, his expression sheepish. "It took a while to get up the courage. There was my friendship with Jason to think about. Plus, those other kids from the theater were always around. But I asked you once. You turned me down flat." He quickly returned his focus to the narrow, winding road.

I what? She stared at him. "Nuh-uh."

"Yessir. It was homecoming my junior year. You were standing outside Mrs. Eller's drama class, waiting for the bell to ring. I didn't want to say anything to you in front of your girlfriends, but those days, you were hardly ever alone. I knew if I didn't ask you then, I'd lose my chance and some other guy would take you."

"Really? I don't …" Something nudged the back of her mind. She shushed it in order to hear what Ryan said next.

"I had it all planned out. I'd wear my best Sunday suit, buy you a corsage. Our moms would take pictures. We'd double-date with Jason and … I think he was dating one of the cheerleaders then, wasn't he?"

"Sandy Robinson. She was captain of the squad." The two of them had been an item throughout high school.

"Perky little blonde?" When she nodded, he said, "That sounds about right. Just a sec." Ryan focused on the road ahead until they'd passed a slower moving car. After he pulled the pickup back into his lane, he picked up the thread of the story. "Anyway, I walked right up to you and asked if you'd go with me to the homecoming dance, and you said—"

"What?" She held her breath. Why would she ever turn him down? She'd thought he practically walked on water ever since the day he'd taught her how to tie her shoelaces.

"You said, ‘Hit the road, toad.'"

"Oh. My. Gosh." Laughter rumbled through her chest. She tried to smother it. She even held her hand over her mouth, but she was powerless against it. It bubbled out of her. She bent over, hiding her face in her hands. "That's … That's a line … That's a line from … from High School Sweethearts ," she gasped.

Looking for all the world like a guy who needed to give his head a good scratch, Ryan stared straight ahead. "I don't get it," he said when her laughter died.

"It was a dreadful little script written by …" She stared past Ryan's nose to the stacked stone fences that lined this section of the road. "That doesn't matter. Sweethearts is about a day in the life of a couple of high school students. There's this scene where the heroine and her boyfriend have had a big fight. She's hanging out with her girlfriends when he tries to win her back. She really loves him, but she's just been telling all her girlfriends how awful he is, so she says, ‘You're no frog. My kisses won't turn you into Prince Charming. Hit the road, toad.'" She shrugged. "Like I said, it was a terrible play."

"You turned me down with a line you stole from a bad play?" Ryan's voice dropped into a lower register.

Hearing his confusion, she sobered. "You're missing the point. Or I'm doing my usual bad job of explaining," she quickly corrected. "We had to perform that dreck in drama class. I played Suzie, the heroine. I must've been running my lines with a couple of the other actors—the girlfriends. It's the only thing that makes sense."

She could practically see the wheels turning in his head. She crossed her fingers, praying he'd reach the same conclusion. There really was no other explanation. Hurting Ryan was the last thing she'd ever want to do.

He lifted one hand from the wheel and plowed his hair with his fingers. "You're saying it was all a big misunderstanding?"

"It had to be. I'd never say something like that to you on purpose."

His head tilted. A sly grin formed on his lips. "So you'd have gone to the dance with me?"

"Oh, goodness, no." Her voice softened. "I might've dreamed of us going steady, of wearing your ring or your favorite sweatshirt. But you were a junior. I was a freshman. My parents would never have let us date. Not even if we'd been friends since we were little. Maybe especially not."

He mulled that over for a few seconds before he nodded, more to himself than to her. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

"But if I'd known …" She put one hand to her chest and fluttered her fingers. "If I'd known Ryan Court, captain of the baseball team, the guy every girl in school wanted to date, if I'd known you wanted to take me to the homecoming dance?" She pressed the back of her other hand to her forehead and pretended to swoon. "I'd have climbed out my window and shimmied down the rose trellis in my party dress. "

"And broken your neck in the process." His face registering shock at the mere suggestion, Ryan stared at her for a long second. "Maybe it's a good thing we had that misunderstanding after all." His attention returned to the road. Almost as an afterthought, he added, "We can see each other now if we want."

"If you're asking me to go on a real date with you, I want you to know ahead of time, I'll say yes." Her pulse hammered in her ears. She was taking a huge leap, and she knew it. Going as his plus-one to a wedding they both had to attend anyway was a far cry from driving into the city for dinner and a movie.

Ryan gave her a grin so wide she could only call it goofy. "Well, in that case, I have a question—"

"What took you so long?" she asked before he could finish, and they both laughed.

Warm tingles rushed through her when Ryan reached for her hand. They rode in comfortable silence for another mile or so before the GPS warned of an upcoming turn. She'd made this trip often enough to know this was the first of several merges that would put them on the Jamestown and then the Newport Bridges. Reluctantly, she withdrew her fingers.

Traffic had backed up at the toll plaza before the Newport Bridge. Letting the pickup inch forward, Ryan said, "So you never told me exactly why we're making this trip. Not that I mind. I'm enjoying the company."

"Right. I promised details, didn't I? It's such a sweet story." She shifted on the leather seat, angling for a better view of Ryan's face. "Sheila Stevens—that's Brianna's aunt—she called from her hospital bed. Can you imagine? She said she was heartbroken at not being able to attend the wedding, but her doctor had given strict orders. No flying for at least ten days."

"Bad timing." Ryan tightened the gap between his vehicle and the next one in line.

"Yeah. To make matters worse, Sheila had some pearls that've been in their family for a couple of generations. Two strands. She said she and her sister Debbie—Brianna's mom—pinkie-swore they'd each give one to their oldest girls on the day their daughters got married. I don't know how Sheila ended up with both sets of pearls, but she'd planned to keep the promise and give her sister's to Brianna before the wedding. Until then, she kept them in her safe deposit box. Only Sheila discovered the catch was broken when she went to the bank as soon as she found out about Wedding-in-a-Week."

"Ouch," Ryan commiserated.

"I guess Geneva's pretty small. There's just one jewelry store close by, and when Sheila took the pearls there for repair, the owner was backed up for a month. She found a jeweler here in Newport who could handle the job for her and had them sent here."

Ryan nodded. "I see where this is going." He braked to let a family in an older van cut in front of him. "She was going to stop and pick them up on her way to Heart's Landing."

"Yeah. But the surgery threw everything out of whack."

"So our job today is to get the pearls and give them to Brianna on Sunday."

"They'll be her ‘something old.' Sheila got all choked up when I told her I'd take care of it for her. She said she could rest easy knowing Brianna would have a little piece of her mom at her wedding." Her eyes had grown misty. She fanned her face.

Ryan tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "Do you know what time the jewelry store in Newport closes?"

"Five o'clock. I checked the website." She noted the concern in his tone and frowned. "What are you thinking?"

"I think it's time for a change of plans."

She held her breath, afraid he might want to cut their trip short. "Do you want to head straight back to Heart's Landing?" she whispered.

His eyes tender, Ryan studied her for a long moment. "No. Not that. But I'd feel awful if anything happened to that necklace while we had it. It's a family heirloom. For all we know, it might be the only thing Brianna has left of her mom."

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Ryan was being incredibly understanding.

"I think we should do our sightseeing first, eat a late lunch, and pick up Brianna's pearls on our way out of town. What do you think?"

Words failed her for the second time that day. Ryan's kindness and concern went far beyond what she'd expected of the man. At this rate, she'd be permanently mute by the time their second date rolled around.

Oh, boy. She was in big trouble. No matter how much she'd told herself she wouldn't risk her heart on the tall, handsome carpenter, she'd already fallen more than a little in love with Ryan Court.