Seeking His Love (4 page)

Rachel stood by the fireplace looking at a framed photo on the mantel of him with his wife and son.

His stomach clenched, and he wished he’d followed his earlier inclination to put it away. Explaining their absence was the last thing he wanted to do.

She turned, questions in her eyes. “You used to have a beard.”

He nodded, but there was more on her mind than that. His gaze flicked from the photo to Rachel’s expectant face. He might as well tell her the truth and get it out of the way. Not the whole truth, of course—just enough to stop her questions. “That’s my wife, Marie, and our son, Tyler.”

She lifted her brows. “I didn’t realize you were married.”

He clenched his jaw and tried to swallow. “They…died four years ago in a car accident. We were hit by a drunk driver.”

Compassion replaced the question in her eyes. “Oh…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

He lifted his hand. “No. It’s okay.” He didn’t want her sympathy. He didn’t deserve it.

She dropped her gaze and rubbed her arms, obviously uncomfortable with the turn in their conversation.

He handed her the application forms and motioned to the couch. “You can sit down and fill them out now if you like.”

“Okay. Thanks.” She took a seat, then pulled a small notebook from her purse and began copying reference information onto the first sheet.

He rubbed Sasha’s head. “I hope you don’t mind if I run a credit check.”

She glanced up at him, her brown eyes still reflecting empathy. “No. That’s fine. There shouldn’t be any problems.”

There was a twenty-dollar fee for that, but for some reason he decided not to charge her.

A few minutes later she stood and handed him the completed forms. “Here you go.” She slipped the notebook back in her purse. “I do have one more question. Do you need a security deposit?”

“Yes, it’s one and a half month’s rent.” His friend who was a realtor had coached him on all this.

Her shoulders sagged slightly as she set the pen on the table.

He couldn’t stand the look of disappointment in her eyes. “If that’s a problem, we could do half the first month and half the second.”

Her face brightened. “Thanks. That would really help. I’ve been making extra payments on my grad school loans, and things are a little tight right now.”

“I’ll run the credit check, contact your references and get back to you in a few days.”

“Okay.” She held out her hand to him. “Thanks. I love the apartment.”

When he grasped her hand, a warm, melting sensation traveled up his arm. As he tightened his grip and looked into her eyes, he made his decision. Even if her reference and credit check weren’t perfect, he’d found his tenant.

“I
t’s just around the corner, number seventy-two.” Rachel checked the house numbers, certain she’d recognize Cam’s place as soon as it came into view.

“Is that it?” Josh Crocker, her friend Suzanne’s husband, slowed his black truck and nodded toward the house.

“Yes.” Rachel surveyed the big front porch and neat yard. It looked even more inviting than she remembered from her visit last Sunday. Leaves had unfurled on the big maple tree out front, and purple iris bloomed in the flowerbed along the driveway.

Cam hustled down the porch steps and tossed a red Frisbee to Sasha. She dashed across the yard and leaped in the air to snag it, then raced back to Cam.

Josh pulled the truck into the driveway, and Rachel’s stomach fluttered. Was she excited about finally having her own place, or did it have more to do with seeing her handsome landlord again? A shiver raced up her back, and she scolded herself. Cam hadn’t given the slightest hint he was interested in being anything more than her co-op partner and landlord. And even those connections seemed an uncomfortable stretch for him.

Climbing out of the truck, she recalled how she’d spent the
first half of the week anxiously waiting to hear if he would rent the apartment to her. They’d only crossed paths twice at the Arts Center, but he hadn’t said anything, so she didn’t bring it up. She didn’t want to rush him or make him feel awkward about the situation.

He’d finally called Thursday afternoon to say her references and credit were fine, and she could move in that weekend. She’d done a happy dance all around the kitchen and celebrated by making a special lasagna dinner for Suzanne and Josh. Then Suzanne sat with her while she packed her suitcase with the few items she kept at their house. All her furniture and boxes had been in storage since she moved from Seattle to Fairhaven five months earlier.

Rachel smiled thinking of the treasures in the back of Josh’s truck. It would feel like Christmas opening all her boxes today. Not that her belongings would be worth much to anyone else, but to her, they symbolized her independence and a fresh start in Fairhaven.

Josh grabbed his baseball hat off the dashboard. “You ready to go?”

“Yes!” She hopped out of the truck and crossed the yard to greet Cam. Josh ambled over and joined them. Rachel introduced the men.

Josh smiled and held out his hand to Cam. “Good to meet you.”

Cam nodded and looked Josh over with a glint of disapproval in his eyes. He finally shook Josh’s hand.

What was Cam’s problem? How could he dislike Josh? He’d just met the man.

A horn honked. Rachel turned as a silver Mustang pulled in the driveway and parked behind Josh’s truck. Ryan Hoffman, Steve Conover and Haley Mitchell, three of Rachel’s teenage drama students, piled out of the car.

“The movers have arrived,” Ryan announced. Seventeen,
tall and athletic, Ryan was a natural leader among the group.

“Hey, Ms. Clark.” Haley waved and tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder. Haley’s beautiful voice and sweet spirit often won her leading roles in the N.C.Y.T. musicals, and she wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty when it came time to paint sets or clean up after a production.

Steve was a natural comic. He grinned and lifted his sunglasses to the top of his head, then nodded toward the house. “Nice place. You’re really moving up in the world, Ms. Clark.”

“Hey, watch it.” Josh gave Steve a playful punch in the arm. “My place is not that bad.”

Cam’s scowl deepened, and he glared at Josh, clearly perturbed about something.

Rachel stepped in front of Cam. “Great to see you guys. Thanks for coming.” Her students were well acquainted with Josh, so she introduced them to Cam. His expression softened, and he seemed to let go of whatever was bothering him.

As they walked back toward the truck to collect the first load of boxes, Josh leaned her way. “What’s up with your landlord? Looks like he swallowed a jar of sour pickles.”

“Sorry. I have no idea what set him off.” She huffed and shook her head. Moodiness was one thing, but rudeness was another.

Josh chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. I probably remind him of some guy who beat him up in sixth grade.”

“Maybe that’s it.” She sent him a teasing grin. “But don’t worry, I still love you.”

“Good thing.” He slipped his arm around her shoulder and gave her a playful squeeze.

She laughed and poked him in the side.

He jumped back. “Hey! You better be nice if you want me to cart all this stuff upstairs.”

She held up her hands. “Okay, okay. I’ll be good. I promise.”

Cam scowled at them, then called Sasha and put her inside.

Three hours later, Cam stopped at the bottom of Rachel’s stairs and rubbed his lower back. He thought he was in pretty good shape, but toting all of Rachel’s furniture up those stairs had been a huge job, even with five other people helping. Hopefully, they were almost finished. Steve and Ryan trotted past with a couple more big boxes.

“Are there any more out there?”

Ryan slowed on the first landing. “Yeah. One more. But Haley’s got it.”

Josh pounded down the step and met Cam on the small side porch. He leaned over the railing to gain a better view of the driveway. “Any more boxes out there?”

“No. This is it,” Haley called as she carried the last one up the sidewalk.

Josh slapped Cam on the shoulder. “Well, guess we’re just about done.”

Cam cringed. “Yeah.”

Josh cocked his head, looking as though he wanted to ask Cam a question, but then turned and jogged back upstairs.

Irritation crawled along Cam’s hot, sweaty arms. What did Rachel see in that guy? Sure, he was friendly and was built like a weight lifter. But if he didn’t have character and respect for Rachel, what good were those qualities? Cam growled under his breath and followed Josh through the door.

How could Rachel spout all that stuff about being a good example to her students and then live with her boyfriend? Talk about a double standard. It totally burst his bubble.
Maybe he was old-fashioned, but he believed you should wait until you were married to live together.

Cam slowly climbed the stairs, trying to put together his first impression of Rachel with what he’d learned today. But they didn’t jive. He joined everyone in the kitchen.

“You sure you don’t want us to stick around and help you unpack boxes?” Josh leaned against the counter watching Rachel place glasses in the cabinet.

“No. I’ll be fine. You guys have done more than enough. Besides, I’ll feel more organized if I put it away myself.” She reached for Josh and gave him a hug. Her petite size next to her hulking boyfriend sent another wave of frustration through Cam. Guys were supposed to love, serve and lead. He ought to protect her, not take advantage of her.

“Thanks for everything. I could never have done this without you.” Rachel gave Josh a final squeeze.

“You’re welcome.” He stepped back. “You know, it’s just not going to be the same without you.”

Ryan and Haley exchanged a smile as they watched them. Cam rolled his eyes, barely able to hold back a gagging noise in his throat.

Rachel thanked her students and promised to invite them over as soon as she had the apartment organized. They called out their goodbyes and followed Josh down the stairs. Cam watched them go with a sad shake of his head. Didn’t Rachel realize how impressionable teens were? How could she expect them to say no to peer pressure when she practically announced to the world she wasn’t waiting for marriage.

Cam spotted Josh’s red baseball cap on top of a box sitting by the bedroom doorway. He snatched it up, debating if he should run after the guy. He decided against it and sauntered into the kitchen instead. Rachel continued her unpacking, lifting a stack of dishes from a box.

He held out the red baseball cap between his thumb and
forefinger like it was last week’s garbage. “Your boyfriend left his hat.”

“My what?” Rachel turned and looked at him with a baffled expression.

“Your boyfriend, Josh. This is his hat.” He couldn’t keep the disgust from his voice.

A slow smile broke over her face. “Josh isn’t my boyfriend. He’s married to Suzanne, my best friend. She’s the former director of N.C.Y.T. I’ve been staying with them for the last five months.”

“He’s married to your best friend?”

“Yes. Suzanne would’ve come today, but she’s six months pregnant and needs to stay off her feet. Doctor’s orders.”

Heat flooded his neck and face. “So you guys are just friends.” He blew out a deep breath and silently berated himself.

“Yes.” She tossed a wad of packing paper in an empty box. “Suzanne and I were roommates in college. That’s where she and Josh met. They got married right after graduation. We go to the same church now. We’re really close, like family.”

“Oh man. I treated that guy like dirt.” He blew out a deep breath. “I thought you two were…you know…living together.”

Rachel gasped and almost dropped a stack of plates. “No! I mean we lived in the same house, but we never—”

“I get it.” He tossed the hat on the table and shook his head. “Josh probably thinks I’m a jerk.”

She waved away his words, her eyes twinkling. She obviously wasn’t too upset about his mistake. “I wouldn’t worry about Josh. He’s easygoing. I’ll explain next time I see him.”

“Thanks.” He glanced around the kitchen, wondering if there was some way to put this embarrassing blunder out of her mind. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Do you like pizza?”

“My favorite.”

“Okay. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He headed down the steps and out the door. Stepping onto the side porch, he stopped and blew out a deep breath. His steps felt lighter, and his tiredness seemed to have disappeared. Maybe his bubble hadn’t burst after all.

Rachel cut open the FedEx box and lifted out the top script for the new summer musical. A smile flooded her face as she scanned the cover. She loved the story of
Anne of Green Gables.
Something about the determined young heroine overcoming all odds spoke to her heart. She flipped the pages, reading snatches of dialog and stage direction. It was the perfect show for her group since most of the parts were for characters about the same age as her students.

The music and choreography would be challenging, but she had several talented kids who could pull it off with coaching from Jack Herman, the music director, and Chandra Wetzel, their choreographer.

“Morning, Rachel. How’s it going?” Lilly Wong peeked in Rachel’s office doorway.

“Great. Come in. We just got the new scripts for our summer musical.”

Lilly glanced at the title and smiled. “Oh, I loved that movie.”

“Me too.”

“I did some baking last night. Thought I’d spread the calories around.” Lilly handed her a small plate of brownies covered with plastic wrap.

“Thanks. Brownies are my favorite.” She grinned. “Actually, anything chocolate is high on my list.”

“Where have you been the last few days?” Lilly asked.

“I’ve been moving into my new apartment.” Rachel set the tempting treats on her desk, determined to wait awhile before she had one. “And we’re still holding after-school drama classes at Grace Community Church on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

“When do the classes start down here?” Lilly took a seat on the chair next to Rachel’s desk.

“In a couple weeks, as soon as school’s out.” Rachel pushed the FedEx box aside and sat on the corner of her desk. “The kids are going to love it here. Having our own stage where we can build our sets while we rehearse is going to make it so much easier.”

“I hope you’re right about the parents shopping in our galleries.”

Rachel smiled and nodded. “I’m sure you’ll see an increase in business as soon as summer camp and rehearsals start.”

“I wish I had your confidence.” Lilly’s smile faded. “It’s been rough the last few months. If business doesn’t improve soon, I don’t think we’re going to make it.”

Rachel stared at Lilly. Was she talking about her own gallery or the whole Arts Center? “Really? Are things that bad?”

“I’ve used up most of my savings. If I don’t make some profit this summer, I’ll have to close my doors. And I’m afraid we’re all in the same boat.”

How could that be? When Rachel signed the lease she expected to be here for at least the next six months and hopefully longer. Cam had given her the impression the co-op’s finances were in good shape with the added income from N.C.Y.T. Why hadn’t he told her things were so tenuous? Irritation zinged along her nerves. She’d have to talk to him about it later.

Footsteps approached in the hallway. “Oh, there you are.” Melanie Howard sauntered into Rachel’s office wearing slim-
cut designer jeans, an aqua sweater and a hand-painted silk scarf that reminded Rachel of one of Lilly’s watercolors. Giving Rachel a brief nod, Melanie turned to Lilly. “Have you seen Cam? I was hoping to give him an update on the plant donations I’ve lined up.” Her gaze flicked to Rachel. “I’ve just about got the list covered.”

Rachel pulled in a sharp breath. Rats! She’d made several calls last week, but she hadn’t connected with any garden centers willing to make the donations.

Well, Melanie might have beaten her to the punch on the landscaping project, but she had some information Melanie didn’t.

“Cam should be back around ten.” Rachel glanced at her watch, trying not to look too smug. “He had a dentist appointment this morning.”

Melanie lifted her brows. “Oh, really?”

Rachel nodded. “He broke a tooth last night. Good thing the dentist could see him first thing this morning. It was pretty painful.”

Melanie’s eyes widened. “Last night?”

“Yes.” Rachel suppressed a smile. Obviously Melanie liked Cam. Did he return her interest? Rachel hadn’t noticed any nonverbal connection between them, but she had only observed them in the same room two or three times.

“So, you two were together last night?” Lilly asked with a delighted grin. “Tell us more.”

Rachel hesitated. There wasn’t really much more to tell, but seeing the shocked expression on Melanie’s face, she couldn’t resist carrying this just a little further.