One Hot Summer Anthology (2 page)

Chapter Two

              “It’s nice to see you again, Ms. Westbrook. Did you enjoy your meal?”

             
Carson bit back a chuckle of amusement as Imani’s spine stiffened. His sister, Kallie, had informed him the instant Imani stepped into his restaurant. After their first encounter he wasn’t certain he’d ever see her again. Within moments of seeing her, his attraction to her went through the roof.

             
Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her lovely milk-chocolate face had high cheekbones, a pert nose, full lips that caught his gaze in a mesmerizing hold. He studied her, taking in the outfit she wore. He wondered if the shorts she wore clung to her curvy waist and hips like the pair she’d worn yesterday. There was a mature lushness about her body that made him hard.

             
While he wanted to eventually hit the sheets with her, he needed to get to know her as well. There seemed to be a permanent frown of concentration on her face and he ached to know why. If there was a chance she did smile, he yearned to be the one to make her do it.

             
For some reason she was also extremely skittish. Something definitely troubled her deeply and he wanted to distract her from it. She appeared to be too lovely of a person to be so sad.

             
But the bottom line was he knew she was attracted to him as well. She wouldn’t have come back to the restaurant otherwise. While the food he served tasted great, it wasn’t that good.

             
Imani glanced up at him out of the corner of her eye. “It was good. Thank you for asking. I’m just waiting on my check so I can pay.”

             
“It’s on the house.”

             
Her mouth fell open briefly before she collected herself. “Oh no, that’s not necessary.”

             
“It’s no trouble at all. It’s not often I have the opportunity to buy a beautiful lady lunch.”

             
Her eyebrows bunched together. “Do you really expect me to fall for that line?”

             
One corner of his mouth curved upward. “If it were a line, no I wouldn’t. Do you mind if I join you?”

             
She opened her mouth, but he sat down across from her before she could say anything. Her mouth snapped shut.

             
“I guess it didn’t matter I was going to say no since I’m leaving.”

             
“Do you have pressing plans?”

             
She put her tote bag aside. “Actually, I do.”

             
“Then I won’t keep you long. I just saw you come in for lunch today and wanted to say hello.”

             
“Well, I appreciate your desire to acknowledge my presence. Is that all?” she asked, gathering up her bag.

             
He reached across the table and placed his hand on top of the one she still had on the table. She quivered and he celebrated silently. Imani wasn’t as immune to him as she would have him believe.

             
The thought thrilled him. In the five years since he’d moved to Myrtle Beach and opened Baxter’s, he’d casually dated his fair share of women, but none excited him the way Imani did. Something told him she had a lot of passion simmering underneath the surface. She just needed someone to help her tap into it.

             
He’d moved to Myrtle Beach to start over. After divorcing the woman who’d put him through the ringer, he’d needed to get away. Life had been serene ever since. Peaceful was okay, but it could also be boring. The woman he sat across the table from could definitely spice things up.

             
“No, that’s not all. Do you have plans for dinner tonight?”

             
She gaped at him. “Excuse me?”

             
“I’m asking you if you would like to go to dinner.”

             
“Why?”

             
He chuckled. “Because that’s usually what two people who are attracted to each other do.”

             
“Who says I’m attracted to you?”

             
He inclined his head toward their hands on the table. She gasped then snatched her hand from underneath his.

             
“Look, Carson, I know life is all fun and games for you, but I’m actually here in Myrtle for a reason. A very important reason, so I don’t have time to waste. I have a lot to figure out in a short amount of time.”

             
He leaned back in his chair. “If I insinuated your time is not valuable that definitely wasn’t my intention. I assure you, my schedule is pretty tight as well so I’d never show a lack of appreciation for another person’s.”

             
She sighed, her shoulders drooping. “I know this may sound cliché, but this just isn’t a good time for me. I’m going through a lot right now. I would love to say more, but it’s personal and I don’t feel comfortable sharing it.”

             
“I respect your feelings on the subject. However, I have to admit I’m sorely disappointed I won’t have the opportunity to get to know you better. I hope you get your problem worked out. Just know if you ever need an ear to bend, I’m here. Or you ever want to stop in for lunch, you’re welcome to do so anytime and it’s on me.”

             
The corner of her mouth twitched, the closest he’d ever come to seeing her smile.

             
“That’s kind of you. I appreciate the offer. Now, I really must be going. Thank you again for lunch.”

             
Carson winked at her and stood as she gathered her tote bag. “Anytime.”

             
Imani rushed from the restaurant as if hell hounds were chasing her, but her brisk pace still didn’t tone down the natural sway of her lush hips. She was a walking wet dream and he didn’t think she had the slightest idea.

             
“Wow, big brother, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman in such a rush to get out of your presence.”

             
He frowned at his sister as she came strolling up. “You aren’t funny, Kallie.”

             
“Wasn’t trying to be. What’s the deal with her?”

             
“I don’t know. I asked, but she didn’t want to tell. I didn’t push.”

             
His younger sister’s brows rose high on her forehead. “Really?”

             
“Believe me, after what I went through with Misty, I know what it feels like to not want to talk about something. I gave her an open invite to the restaurant for lunch and to talk. So any time she comes in her meal is always on the house, in the event I’m not here.”

             
“Do you think she’s going through a bad divorce or breakup?”

             
“Divorce? No. She doesn’t have a line on her finger indicating she’s ever worn a ring. I can’t be too certain of a breakup, but I don’t think that’s it either.”

             
“That sucks because she seems really nice.”

             
“I agree.”

             
“Do you think she’s going to take you up on your offer?”

             
“Who knows? What matters is I put it out there. The ball’s in her court now.”

* * * *

              Imani stared off into the horizon, watching the sun set. It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight. She looked at her easel with the depiction of the wildflowers in the field behind the beach house. It was pretty decent. Pride surged through her at her first completed attempt. The sunset would be her subject tomorrow. She couldn’t wait to try it. For the first time in several weeks she felt lighter.

             
After her brief conversation with Carson at lunch, she’d gone straight home and pulled out her painting supplies. Dragging her comfortable chair outside and setting it up in front of her easel, she’d taken a deep breath and went straight to work.

             
She couldn’t wait to share the news with Naja. Her sister would be stoked. Her mind drifted back to her run in with Carson. When he’d placed his hand over hers, it’d taken everything inside of her not to jump over the table and throw herself into his arms. She’d never been so affected by a man’s touch. It’d been obvious he’d felt the connection as well. She’d read it in his eyes.

             
Yet what stood out to her the most was how he hadn’t pushed her when she told him she had a lot going on and didn’t want to talk about it. He’d immediately backed off, extending her an open invitation if she were ever ready.

             
His response confused the hell out of her. It was the last thing she expected from a guy who appeared to be all about having fun. He wasn’t supposed to be considering and caring. Perhaps she’d misjudged him. Maybe there was more to him than what was on the surface. Did it mean she should take him up on his offer? She truly didn’t know.

             
A strong breeze swept over her, pulling her from her thoughts. A shriek of joy from kids playing nearby in the water had her looking to the water’s edge. Two little boys played under the watchful eye of their mother.

             
Her hand immediately began to itch. She’d have enough remaining daylight to capture their images, but it gave her an idea for another painting she might attempt along with the one of the sunset.

             
Imani smiled. For the first time in a long time she felt like she’d made the right decision by coming to the beach. She just might have a plan in place by the end of June.

             
The peacefulness of the moment was pierced by the shrill of her cell phone. She recognized the ringtone.

             
“Hi, Naja,” she greeted.

             
“Hey, Imani. How did your day go?”

             
“Really good. I finished a painting.”

             
“That’s great. What did you paint?”

             
“A lovely field of wildflowers not too far from the beach house.”

             
“How does it feel to have a completed project?”

             
“It feels good. I honestly have to say up until today I felt like coming up here was a big mistake. I hadn’t been able to focus at all. I’d become frustrated enough to almost call this entire thing off and just go home.”

             
Naja sighed. “I’m glad you didn’t, Imani. I can’t even pretend to act as if I know what you’re going through. This situation would be difficult for anyone, but I know it’s especially hard for you. You’re the one who likes to know what to expect. This time you were completely blindsided. The company you worked for pulled an asshole move. They knew they were in trouble, but to keep you all from jumping ship they lied to everyone and told you everything was fine. Then they pulled the rug from underneath you. Sure, they tried to sweeten the blow with a hell of a severance package, but that’s only a bandage to cover the wound.”

             
“It sounds like you understand perfectly, Naja. That’s exactly what this entire experience has been like. I guess I just never expected this to happen to me. I also feel like I should’ve known this was coming. The housing market hasn’t been good for a while. My judgment was off. I fooled myself into thinking things were better than what they were.”

             
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. This wasn’t your fault. You were operating on good faith. We all have to do that sometimes, some of us more than others.”

             
“Well, I don’t want to make this a complete pity party. Tell me what’s going on in your world.”

             
“Not much. I’m sleeping, eating and breathing events for the local dignitaries. On one hand I’m having a blast. On the other I’m about to lose my mind.”

             
“And you love the chaos.”

             
“Fortunately I do. Even so, some of these folks are a pain in the butt. I’m just grateful I have two assistants who act as buffers. They keep me from having to deal with a lot of the monotony.”

             
“I still don’t know how you do it.”

             
“Probably because it’s in my blood.”

             
Imani laughed. “That’s the truth. You’ve been planning events since we were teenagers. I thought Dad was going to have a massive coronary when you told him you planned to major in hospitality management so you could become an event planner.”