Finding Promise (The Promise Series, A Small Town Romance) (9 page)

Luke saw Caro chatting to Faith at the reception desk. Growing
up, he’d spent his fair share of hours at that desk and knew that reception was
quieter this time of morning. It was after the morning’s check outs and before
the afternoon’s arrivals. General enquiries were few, most of the holiday
makers having already set off for their day’s adventures. The inn did not serve
lunch because of the many neighboring restaurants to be found at the
waterfront. But behind the scenes, the kitchen and dining room would still be
bustling with activity as the morning’s service was cleaned up and preparations
for dinner were underway, while housekeeping’s work at its peak.

With her back turned to him, he admired the view. He thanked
the Lord for the heat as his eyes trailed up her legs to the denim shorts
cladding her great ass. Then there was those arms again, long, lean and naked.
She was using them to prop her head up on the counter. He wanted to kiss the
nape of her neck while twirling that ponytail around with his fingers. Feeling
like a horny teenager, he made his way to them. 

“Hi. Aren’t you two a sight for sore eyes?” And they were.
Faith’s blonde head bent down towards Caro’s, as they shared some joke. “What
are you two gossiping about?”

“Hi.” Eyes dancing with laughter, Faith pulled her brother
closer to whisper. “I was just telling Caro about the people staying is room
105. They forgot to put the Do Not Disturb sign up and there was a bit of
commotion this morning. It seems that the husband went to the bathroom and
hearing footsteps outside the door, grabbed poor, unsuspecting Lucy from
housekeeping. He began kissing the back of her neck, thinking it was his wife
and only realised what was happening when Lucy began screaming and his wife ran
up to them and began pulling him off Lucy. Lucy thinks that the couple had too
much to drink the night before and says she’d never smelled fouler breath
before in her life!” She stopped do breath between laughter. “Top marks for
Lucy though, at least after she stopped screaming. She rushed out the room,
leaving them to it and turned the sign on the door! It now reads Do Not Disturb
Ever.” They all joined in her laughter. Luke knew who Lucy was. She was a
short, heavy woman with about four grandkids already. The image made him laugh
even harder.

“Life running an inn sure isn’t dull, is it?” Caroline
looked up at the two siblings. Laughter suited him.  

“I love it. It’s not the inn; it’s the life within it. For
me, it’s about the people of the town and how they interact with the holiday
makers. There’s always something happening and no matter how serious, it
reminds me of life and living. It’s like a world on its own.” Faith practically
glowed with pride.

Caroline was surprised at this philosophical side that the
usually bubbly Faith was showing. Maybe hat depth is what’s related to Faith’s
art that Laurel hinted at. Caroline checked her assumption, remembering that
she’d recently discovered that in small towns, there were layers to its people.
As you got to know them, over time, you got a chance to peel a layer away and
learn more about its inhabitants. “Should we go?” She gestured to Luke.

Watching them walk away, Faith reflected that they were an
attractive couple. Faith hadn’t missed the look on his face when he came
through the inn’s doors. She’d also seen the same look on Caroline’s before it
was replaced with shyness and a sliver of insecurity well-hidden insecurity.
Knowing a bit of her history, Faith could guess where that came from. Caroline
was still suffering from the effects of her late husband’s abuse. Although
Faith had never been married or in an abusive relationship, she had first-hand
experience with the pain a man could cause a woman. She could vouch for Luke
though and because of that she really that hoped her brother and Caroline got
together. Luke’s track history made him look like a commitment adverse gigolo
but Faith didn’t pay any attention to that. Not when you looked at the type of
women he usually attracted. Gorgeous, easy women with intelligence as an
optional extra, she smirked, cynically. Romantic vacation affairs didn’t lend
themselves well to long term relationships. She knew that from experience. It
was also difficult to become involved with a local. Growing up together in a
close-knit community meant that you saw each other more as siblings than as
potential lovers.

For all his over-protectiveness, Faith really loved her
brother. He was a good guy, a rare find, she reflected bitterly at her own lack
of luck in finding one of those. Luke just needed a nice girl to settle him
down. Besides, if he found someone maybe that would get her momma off her back
for a while. She knew her mother was hankering after a wedding followed swiftly
by grandbabies. Her motives weren’t entirely selfish though. She honestly felt
that they’d be good for each other. Luke’s warm, loving nature would draw
Caroline out a bit more. And Caroline would settle him down; give him a more
personal purpose than work. This could work, if they didn’t stuff it up, she
mused, picking up the ringing phone.

--------

She was really, really glad that Luke was helping her with
the paint. There was apparently more to choosing paint than choosing a color to
put on a wall. When choosing paint, she learnt, you had to consider the
texture, the location and the final effect that you wanted. It was baffling.
Eager to learn more, she listened carefully to Luke’s advice and in the end,
she was glad with her choices. She chose a warm, buttery yellow for the lounge
with its big bay windows that invited the sunlight in. A matted, light shade of
green would help cool down the kitchen on days that the baking bug caught her.
She kept the bathrooms white, planning to brighten it up with accessories
rather than paint. The library would be a rich auburn to complement the
custom-made bookshelves that Luke was going to install. For her room, she
allowed herself to indulge a bit and chose a white paint tinged with a soft,
almost slivery pink. Not planning to have a man share the space with her
anytime soon, she had no problem with the feminine color. She may not live a
fairy tale life with a handsome prince but her room will allow her to dream and
just be. She loved the idea of her home being eventually filled with people but
her room she felt should be her own little private haven. Confident with her decision,
she smiled at Luke’s lifted brows when he saw the girly colour, as he had
referred to it. 

It was lunchtime when they finished at the hardware store
and Caroline thought that she would offer to buy him lunch as a gesture of
gratitude. “Would you like to go get something to eat?”

Luke was pleasantly surprised that she wanted to have lunch
together. In fact, she’d pre-empted him as he’d timed the visit to the hardware
store with exactly that in mind. “Sure. That would be great. Have you been to
The Oyster Bar yet?”

“No, I’ve kind of grown fond of the diner.”

“A local already, I see. But as great as the diner is, The
Oyster Bar is something special and it’s just around the corner. Do you like
seafood?”

“I love seafood actually. With a name like The Oyster Bar, I
assume that they serve oysters?”

“Yes, they have the age-old aphrodisiac on the menu. Do you
like them?”

She caught the double entendre, lips curving, she teasingly
answered, “Aphrodisiacs? Sure, I do. Do you?”

“Well, you filthy minded lady, I was talking about oysters
but if aphrodisiacs float your boat, I’m all for it.” He was charmed and
pleased, “You’re blushing! That’s very cute.” He ran a finger along her cheek.
He was dying to kiss her but they had arrived at the restaurant and although
she’d warmed up considerably after spending some time with him, he could still
feel the skittishness, though well-disguised as reserve, remaining in the
background. She wasn’t ready yet. He needed to spend more time with her alone,
so he slipped Billy, a kid who his sister babysat and who was now a waiter as a
summer job, a twenty, in order to secure a quiet, intimate table. 

The Oyster Bar as a small, relaxed restaurant set in a
corner of the waterfront. It was full of the lunch time crowd but not so busy
that they couldn’t talk to each other. Conversation with Luke was comfortable,
undemanding and she found herself relaxing. She listened to him talk about his
business, giving her insight into not just the man but the town as well.

Luke couldn’t remember when last he’d enjoyed a lunch with a
pretty woman he could speak so easily with. He thought that now may be the
opportunity he was waiting to ask her out on a date, “I know that we barely
know each other but I really enjoy ...”

“Luke!” Darn the fates, Luke swore, watching a stocky,
middle-aged man approach their table. Anxiety was coming off him in waves and
Luke had the feeling that his plans for lunch were about to be cut short. “I’ve
been looking for you everywhere.”

“Excuse me Caroline.” Luke turned towards the man. “Hi
Howard, what’s the matter?”

Seeing Caroline, Howard spluttered, embarrassed, he extended
his hand to her, “Hi, I’m Howard Green. I’m sorry to disturb your lunch. If I
may interrupt, ma’am, I’m desperately in need of Luke’s assistance. I was
driving to the site where his crew is working and got wind that he’s here. I
hope you don’t mind me barging in on you like this?”

“Hi, Caroline,” she shook his hand. The poor man was obviously
in a difficult situation. “No problem. It was an impromptu lunch and we’re just
finishing up anyway.”

“Your understanding is appreciated.” Howard turned to Luke.
“I need your help at the lodge please. The water pipe has burst in the left
wing of the lodge and its flooding the place. I’ve got guests complaining and
packing up and I can’t have that. You know how much I’ve spent on the
renovations. I wish I’d never hired that Brady. Everything he’s touched has had
its issues and I’m mighty embarrassed to keep crawling to you to sort it out. I
tried to get hold of Larry because it’s just a plumbing issue this time around.
It seems that he’s already packed up his family and they’ve gone on vacation.
So, now the only plumbers available are you and those in your crew, so could
you help me? I really can’t afford to lose the business with it being summer
and all.”

Damn! He really wanted to spend some time with Caro and
maybe find the right time to ask her out. He really wanted to spend more time
with her but he also had a responsibility to the town. People in Promise stuck
together and helped each other out. Turning to Caroline he asked, “Is it okay?
I’m sorry. I know this is cutting our lunch short. Maybe we can do this again
soon?”

“Sure, I understand. Good luck and we can certainly have
lunch again. I’m seeing you at your mother’s on Sunday, anyway, too. I guess
that I’ll have to wait for new kitchen then and I’ll make you a lunch you won’t
forget.”

That wasn’t the response that Luke was looking for, as much
as he liked her food. He didn’t want her gratitude; he wanted to see her to
spend time with her and didn’t care if they ate bucket chicken or a cordon bleu
meal. But he let it slide. The timing thing was becoming frustrating. He’d just
have to work a little harder in getting her interested. “Thanks Caro. I’ll see
you then. I’ll settle the bill at the counter.” Sensing her pending protest he
assured her. “No, I insist, it’s the least I can do.”

“Thank you. You really didn’t have to. I wanted to treat you
to lunch to thank you for the help in the first place. But, I guess I’ll have
to make it up to you in some other way then.” Caroline assured Luke, grudgingly
admitting that she’d enjoyed herself. But then again, she’d enjoyed herself
with James too at the beginning of their relationship.

Howard Green was looking so apologetic, she felt sorry for
him. “Don’t worry, Mr Green. Like I said, it was an impulsive decision to come
here for lunch. I’m sure Luke will have things set to right shortly.”

“You’re all that is kindness, Caroline. And please, call me
Howard. You must come around to the lodge sometime. We’ve got a lovely spa. You
treat yourself. It’s on the house.”

Caroline waved them off and finished her lunch. Howard Green
was such a lovely, polite man.  She was really enjoying lunch with Luke.
She couldn’t remember ever having such a relaxed lunch before. With a bit of
time on her hands, she decided to pop in at the real estate office to see if
Suzy had any news on the progress of the sale.

--------

“Hi, Caro,” Suzy called from her desk. The townsfolk had
picked up on the abbreviated name that Luke called her. “I’m so glad to see
you. I was just going to call you. The sale has been finalized and I have the
deed as well as the key to give to you. A courier from the lawyer brought it
around to me this morning when they didn’t find you at the inn.”

“That’s fabulous!” Hugging Suzy with thanks, she had to stop
herself from dancing a jig with her around the room.

After a celebratory cup of coffee with Suzy, she left the
real estate office feeling excited and relieved. Keys in one hand, mobile in
the other, she sent text messages to Faith, Rachel and Bess. Very soon, not
only did they respond with their congratulations, but she received a few
congratulatory text messages from Laurel on behalf of her and John. Luke and
Ronald sent her messages too. It seems that word, and her phone number, got
around quickly in town. Unable to resist, hungry for the new beginning, she
decided to go to the house.