Calling Kupid (Kupid's Cove Book 1) (12 page)

“It’s my favorite. Definitely worth the price.”

I looked up from the hunk of cheese to find Flynn Steele leaning on his cart.

“Hi, Flynn. Sorry I was just thinking about what to make for dinner.”

“It must be a serious meal the way you’re pondering that cheese.” He laughed easily and I tried not to bristle. Chances are Freddie told him about Gideon. Now he was going to tell me how bad an idea it was to hang out with him, too.

I shrugged and put the cheese in my basket. “You know how it is at the grocery store.”

“So many choices you can never decide what to buy if you don’t bring a list. Right?”

I nodded as I looked up and down the aisle for his wife.

“Freddie is in the bathroom. Seems she’s always in the bathroom now. Guess that was a sign we missed, huh?”

I smiled a little, but still didn’t look at him. I focused on the end of the aisle, over his shoulder, hoping I could escape before Freddie came back out.

“She feels terrible about yesterday, Kate. She didn’t mean to upset you.”

I shrugged. “I know she’s emotional right now. Whatever, I’ll survive. Talk to you later, Flynn.”

I went to move around him, but he grabbed the handles of my basket. “She might be emotional, but that isn’t an excuse for being rude. You’ve always been the one to hold her hand to the fire about that, so why aren’t you doing it now?”

“Because I don’t want to argue with her about something she doesn’t understand. Heck, I don’t even understand it. All I know is, I like Gideon Armstrong, and regardless of what he did in the past, he deserves a second chance to make it right. People in this town gave her a chance to make things right. I had hoped she, of all people, would understand that. I guess I was wrong.”

“No, you weren’t wrong,” Freddie said from behind me and my shoulders slumped. “Once I got a lecture from my husband, and had time to think about it, I came to the same conclusion. Growing up, you were always the one willing to give someone a second chance, so I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re willing to do the same with Gideon. I just don’t want you to get hurt again.”

I turned slowly and held the basket between us. “In order to get hurt I would have to let him into my heart. That’s a big assumption you’re making, Freddie.”

She shrugged one shoulder. “I know you, Kate. He’s already in your heart. We both know it, but that doesn’t mean I have the right to act like your mother. I’m supposed to be your friend, so please forgive me for acting inappropriately. I’m worried about you.”

I moved the basket to my side to give her an awkward hug. “Apology accepted, but don’t worry about me, please. I don’t have smoke in my eyes about him.”

“That I know. I’m worried about your heart, physically.”

Flynn reached out and took Freddie’s hand, tucking her under his arm. “She’s been worried all night.”

“Great. Now I feel bad. I told you I was fine. That should be enough.”

“I looked up the name of that drug on the internet. WebMD said it’s for arrhythmias. You’ve never had that problem before.”

I glanced up and down the aisle, wishing someone, anyone, would need to get to the cheese display. There wasn’t a soul in sight.

I resigned myself to having this conversation in the dairy aisle of the grocery store. “You know how this past summer I had a lot of problems and Dr. Sawyer was concerned?” She nodded. “After changing my medications she was able to get the size of my heart back to a normal size, but I started having tachycardia with exertion. She’s trying the medication you saw yesterday for eight weeks to see if it helps.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“If it doesn’t then she wants to go in and look around, maybe do an ablation of the rhythm internally.”

Flynn put his hand on my shoulder. “Is that safe, with your heart like it is?”

“I haven’t talked to her about it much yet, but she would do it at Mayo. You know I have the utmost confidence in her. Hopefully the medication works and that’s all there is to it.”

Freddie looked even more worried now than when she first arrived. I took her hand and lowered one eyebrow, trying my best to give her my lawyer glare.

“You can’t be worrying about this; do you hear me?”

“I hear you, but you never tell the truth about how you’re feeling, so I’m worried you’ve left something out that is important to the story.”

I held up three fingers like a Girl Scout. “On my honor, I have told the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God.”

She stuck her tongue out at me and I laughed, hugging her again. “I should finish picking up what I need. Are you guys going to the snowmobile races?”

Both of them raised a different side of their nose until they were symmetrical.

“No, we’re picking up dinner then plan to read a book or do anything other than watch snowmobile racing,” Flynn said.

I held my fist out and he bumped it. “So glad I’m not alone in how I feel about that sport.” I rubbed the lines by Freddie’s eyes a little. “Maybe you should catch a nap, too. You look tired.”

“It seems like all I do is sleep, but I will, nap that is. I love you, Kate. I don’t want to lose you.” She said the last sentence desperately and I could see tears in her eyes.

I set the basket down to give her a full, tight, best friend hug. I looked up at Flynn and he looked as concerned as I felt. I mouthed, ‘She’s okay’ to him, while I patted her back. “Hey, I’m not going anywhere. I promise. You’ll be sick of me by the time you have this baby. Don’t worry, please.”

I wondered as I stood in my hometown grocery store, whether that was a promise I should make.

I slid into the car and heaved a sigh of frustration. I left the store empty-handed except for a block of cheddar cheese and a bottle of red wine. My encounter with Freddie left me feeling out of sorts and the last thing I wanted to do was finish grocery shopping. What I wanted the most was to see Gideon again, so I could talk to him about what just happened. That wasn’t a good sign. It meant Freddie was right. He was already in my heart. It meant I was falling for the guy who was ten years older than me and ten times, make that ten million times, richer than me. He was crazy handsome, and last night I got a refresher course in how tight his physique really is. He’s everything I’m not, and that doesn’t bode well for this to turn into anything, but heartache. Whatever ‘this’ is.

I heard a knock on the window. I looked up from the steering wheel, still holding the cheese and wine in my hands. Gideon was giving me the oddest look. I put the food on the other seat and rolled down the window.

“Hey, everything okay?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t they be?”

One side of his mouth went up in a smile. He pointed at the passenger seat. “You’ve been sitting there holding cheese in your hand for five minutes. Aren’t you cold?”

“Come to think of it, I am. What are you doing here?” I asked, turning the car over so I could crank up the heat.

“I walked to the café for breakfast and decided to stop at the store for a bottle of wine on the way back to the hotel. Looks like great minds think alike.”

“Liquid courage,” I mumbled.

He leaned in. “Courage for what, Katie?” he whispered-asked. I bit my bottom lip, best not to answer that question right now.

“Do you want a ride back to the hotel? You can be my reason to check the place out.”

His face broke into a full smile and he scooted around the hood of the car to the passenger door. He set the cheese and wine on his lap then buckled his belt.

“Do you want to come up to my room?” he asked.

I felt my eyes widen a little. He must have noticed, because he put his hand over mine on the gear shifter and flashed me an encouraging smile.

“Just to see the hotel, honey, nothing more. We could have lunch in the restaurant if you wish. Heck, you can even watch the snowmobile races from my balcony.”

I backed out of the parking space and aimed the car towards the lake. “You have a balcony.”

“Yes, along with a fireplace, whirlpool tub, and one of those king sized beds that you sink down into.”

“I guess my sofa was miserable in comparison.”

I felt his knuckles on my cheek as I drove. I hated that I loved the way it felt.

“While there was no comparison between your sofa and that bed, it’s not about the comfort. Well, maybe it is, all I know is I would spend every night on that tiny sofa with you versus another night alone in that super comfy one.”

I fought against the smile that wanted to take over my face. “Are you trying to sweet talk me?”

He dropped his hand back to mine on the gearshift again. “No, but I promised to be honest with you about how I feel, right?”

“You did?” I asked, my head swiveling to his direction for just a second. “I don’t remember that promise.”

“Maybe it was a promise I made to myself then. Regardless, it’s how I feel.”

I put the signal light on and turned left into the parking lot of the new hotel, Lakeshore Inn. The name wasn’t very original, but the building sure was. It was a modern day log cabin on steroids. The exterior was ornately beautiful and made you feel like you were about to be spoiled. I put the car in park and stared straight ahead at the building.

“Did I say something wrong?” he asked when I didn’t move after a few minutes.

“I’m scared,” I said quietly.

I could see him nodding from the corner of my eye. “What are you scared of?”

“So many things, Gideon. I shouldn’t be, because I’m a grown woman, but I am. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and felt his hand on my knee.

When you are afraid; trust in me. You should be honest with him. He deserves that much.

I heard the words whispered in my ear. I knew they weren’t from Gideon.

I kept my eyes closed and took a deep breath. “To start, I’m afraid of going up to your room and having something happen that I really want to happen, but not sure should happen.”

“You really want to have lunch, but you aren’t sure you should have lunch?” he asked and I smiled. “Because that’s all I had in mind when I extended the invitation. Lunch, and maybe watching some of those fools jumping snowmobiles over the lake.”

I looked at him from the corner of my eye. I could see he was being sincere. “In that case, let’s go have lunch.”

He climbed out of the car. I swear I saw him do a fist bump in the rearview mirror as he walked behind the car. I handed him the cheese and the wine when he opened my door, then took his hand to get out.

“We might as well take the wine and cheese up with us, so it doesn’t freeze in the car.”

He tucked both under one arm and snaked his other hand through my elbow, helping me across the snow-covered parking lot to the front door.

“It’s alcohol, I don’t think it will freeze, but better safe than sorry.” He winked and held the door open while I went through. I stopped in my tracks when I took in the entryway of the hotel. It looked exactly like a painting of a cabin in the woods. The logs were a deep brown, roughhewn, and plentiful. There were huge chandeliers hanging from the long beams high above us, spilling a homey light upon the high sheen of the wood floor. There were oversized couches and chairs, end tables with lamps, a TV, books, and even a game area for kids.

“Wow, this place is cool,” I breathed out.

He took my elbow again leading me down a hallway. “It’s quite unique in a little town like this. I almost wish I had built the place. I’m sure it’s going to be an incredibly popular place for tourists all year round.”

We stopped in front of an elevator. He pushed the up button then hugged me to his side while we waited.

“The rooms have all the amenities of home. There’s a heated pool and whirlpool on this level and they even have outdoor fire pits for S’more making every night. Families will flock here once the word gets out.”

The elevator lifted us upwards as he stole a long, sweet kiss in the empty car. I was breathing heavier by the time the doors opened and wanted more than anything to have something happen in his room besides lunch. Thankfully, my brain knew that was a bad idea. He tugged me down another hall towards the last room on the floor and inserted his keycard.

“I suppose you got the penthouse suite?” I asked jokingly.

He turned, his hand pushing the handle down as he spoke.

“Nope. I went with a basic, quiet room away from the elevator. I might have money, but I don’t spend it unwisely.”

“Which is the reason you have money,” I finished and he winked, ushering me into the room.

I shrugged out of my coat and hung it on the small rack by the door, glad I had worn something halfway decent out to the grocery store.

He motioned me into the room. “Don’t be afraid. Make yourself at home.”

He stowed the wine and cheese in a small fridge in the corner. I wandered to the balcony doors that looked out over the lake, impressed by the view. People were already gathering for the afternoon event, lining the shores of the lake. I let the curtain fall when I felt him behind me. He slipped his hands around my waist and held me, his mouth near my ear.

“I could order up some fruit and crackers to have with the wine and cheese.”

I chuckled and shook my head a little. “That would be fine. I had a not so good day at the grocery store.”

“Want to tell me about it?”

“I ran into Freddie,” I began.

He leaned his cheek against mine. “She doesn’t like me very much, does she?”

“She doesn’t know you. She knows the guy named Strong who insulted her best friend instead of sleeping with her.” I walked out of his arms over to the bed, sitting on the edge. “I told you last night how she got upset when she found out you were one in the same.”

He nodded while leaning against the wall. He seemed to think getting too close to me was a bad idea. It wasn’t, and wished he would hold me again.

“She apologized and said it wasn’t fair of her to tell me it wasn’t okay to give you a second chance. Everyone deserves a second chance.”

He pushed off the wall and walked over, standing above me. He had my hands in his before I could blink.

“I’m thankful for your forgiving heart. I’m grateful to have a chance to prove to you that guy you met on the beach isn’t who I am now.”

“You’ve proven that, to me. Freddie is going to take a little bit more convincing.”

“Hmmmm, I don’t think I’ve ever had to win over the best friend in order to date a girl before.”

I laughed. “Don’t feel too bad if you never win her over. Besides, she’s a little emotional right now. She was crying in the aisle before I finally got away from them. That’s why I never finished my shopping. I had to leave for both our sakes.”

“Why was she crying? Did she feel that bad?”

“No, she kind of saw the new pill bottle yesterday when I was at her house, but I refused to explain it to her. She Googled the drug name and found out what it does.”

He grimaced as he brought my hand to his lips for a kiss. “I bet she was frantic.”

“I have to take the blame for that. I was mad at her for telling me I couldn’t keep my pants on around you. I didn’t stop to think about her feelings.”

He barked with laughter before he hugged me to him. “What on earth did she mean by that?”

I lay back on the bed and threw my arms out. “Just that I would finish what we started in Hawaii without thinking about the consequences.”

“I can see where that would make you mad,” he agreed.

“I still shouldn’t have stormed out without putting her fears about my health at rest, but what’s done is done. She understands now that I’m not in any danger.”

“So why didn’t you finish your shopping if she understands?”

“I needed to clear my head more than anything, I guess. I wasn’t sitting in the car staring at cheese. I was sitting in the car trying not to cry. I feel so off kilter. You staying over last night was something I enjoyed more than my brain wants to admit.”

He leaned back on one elbow and lifted one brow at me. “Is your head clear now?”

I rocked it back and forth on the bed. “Anything but. If possible, it’s even cloudier.”

He lowered himself to the bed until he was over me, one hand braced on each side of my head as his lips came towards mine. “Then let me make myself perfectly clear,” he whispered before the sound of my whimpering drowned out the warning bells in my brain.

Gideon

She fit so perfectly in my arms it was hard to believe I ever turned her away. She was perfect for me, and I would fight to the end to make sure she knew it, too. I would fight for her because she was the woman He chose for me. Looking at her right now, I almost believed she knew it, too. She was snuggled under the down comforter, her head on my chest, watching the end of Thor.