Chapter Four

The Worthingtons had already arrived, as Katie had feared. She hated to think she was the reason she and Carter were late, but a quick glance at the ornate clock on the fireplace mantel told her they were right on time. Her mother had never been on time for anything in her life, and for Katie, after all the embarrassing times they’d burst in after a school meeting or theater show had already begun, being punctual was important to her.

Malcolm Worthington appeared to be in his early seventies. He was tall, with an athletic build and a ready smile. He stood when they approached the table, which was tucked into an alcove in the elegant dining room. He shook Carter’s hand. “Gloria has a lot of good things to say about you.”

“I can say the same about you, sir.” Then Carter took Katie’s hand and brought her to his side. “This is my friend, Katie Dixon.”

“A pleasure.” Worthington bowed slightly and then gestured to the elegant woman seated to his right. Her tailored ice-blue dress complemented her trim figure and smartly cut silver hair. “My wife, Evelyn.”

“I’m happy to meet you both, Mr. and Mrs. Worthington,” Katie said.

“Please, call us Malcolm and Evelyn,” Mrs. Worthington said graciously. “It’s a joy to be able to chat with some younger people. Friends our age can be so dreary.”

Katie sat between Evelyn and Carter; Malcolm was across the cozy table from her. A trio of candles flickered from a glass-and-iron holder in the center. His scrutiny unnerved her slightly, but then he smiled as if he approved of her.

She blinked and swept her gaze around the room, taking in the old-world charm. Heavy wood and weathered metal dominated the space, contrasting well with the substantial stone walls. Mullioned windows, thick tile floor, and wrought iron light fixtures added to the ambience. “This is a beautiful restaurant. I haven’t been here before.”

“Gloria introduced us to this place,” Evelyn said. “We hadn’t been aware there was a restaurant of this caliber in the area.”

Katie couldn’t help the prickle of irritation that ran up her spine. “You’ll find a wide variety of restaurants and shops here in Lakeside and in the other towns around Lake Margaret. There are also excellent theaters and spas, wineries and golf courses. We have just about anything you’re looking for around here.” Katie never hesitated to stick up for her hometown.

Evelyn’s cheeks pinked. “Oh yes, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to sound elitist. On our first trip to Lakeside, Gloria took us to Bud’s Bar and Grill.”

“Had the best burger of my life there,” Malcolm said. “You don’t have to sell us on the area, my dear. We’re already very pleased with what we’ve seen.”

He called the waiter over and ordered wine for the table, then turned to Carter. “I understand your family has a business in Lakeside.”

“Colburn and Sons Salvage. We rescue architectural details from buildings before they’re demolished or renovated. Then we either resell the items as is or repurpose them and sell them in our showroom.”

“Interesting. And it does well?”

“Very well. My parents started the business before I was born. It’s been going strong for over forty years.”

“And what do you do?” Evelyn asked Katie while the men continued to discuss the salvage business.

“I’m a photographer. I have my own studio, Dixon Photography, in downtown Lakeside.”

“Of course. Gloria was telling us about the family photo shoot she’s planning with all five generations. I didn’t realize you’re the photographer. She had very nice things to say about you.”

It was going to be a challenging session. Katie looked forward to it. “She was over the moon when her great-granddaughter named her baby girl Gloria. I think that’s what prompted the idea.”

“Do you have any children?” Evelyn asked.

“A son. Sean. He left for college in Ohio yesterday, so I have a bit of the empty-nest blues.”

“Oh, I remember those days.” Evelyn’s blue eyes sparkled. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. It won’t be long before you’ll be enjoying your quiet time and worrying that there might come a day when he wants to move back in.”

Katie chuckled. She wasn’t quite there yet, but she admitted, “I can picture that.”

“How long have you and Carter been dating?”

“Not long, actually. But we’ve been friends forever.” The lie rolled too naturally off her tongue. She couldn’t stop her glance from straying over to Carter, but he was still talking with Malcolm. She took a sip of her wine before she could continue. “It’s a little strange, to be honest. To think of him in a completely different way than I have for all these years.” In a way, it was the truth. For the first time, Katie had actually imagined having sex with Carter. For one insane moment, she’d wanted to have sex with Carter. But it was a terrible idea. She knew that. It could only end in awkwardness or tears or both.

“The man you love should be your best friend. I can’t imagine being happy together long term unless he is.”

Even if Katie had been looking for a man to have a long-term relationship with, it wouldn’t be with Carter. He didn’t want anything serious any more than she did. Which would have made her idea to ask for his help perfect if he hadn’t been her best friend. If he didn’t live right next door to her. Still, Evelyn’s words gave her a warm feeling, and Katie found herself reaching over and taking Carter’s hand in hers.

He turned away from his conversation with Malcolm and gave her a curious grin. Then he must have assumed she’d taken his hand to reinforce the idea that they were dating. He sent her an indulgent smile and squeezed her hand. He turned back to Malcolm to continue their conversation, but he kept his hand in hers.

It felt too good to have his fingers wrapped around hers. Time to change the subject. “How long have you and Malcolm been married?”

“We celebrated fifty years last December.”

“Congratulations. You must have been very young when you married.”

“A mere baby,” Evelyn said with a laugh. “Malcolm and I were friends first, too, part of the same group that hung out together. I was dating his best friend at the time, and when I discovered he was cheating on me, I tossed him to the curb. Malcolm was there to console me, and that was the beginning of it all.”

Katie’s heart raced as she realized she was dating her husband’s best friend this very moment. Of course, this was different. She wasn’t cheating. And they were pretending, so it wasn’t really dating. But for a crazy moment, it had felt real.

Katie asked about the Worthingtons’s children, and Evelyn rambled on about their two sons and two daughters, ten grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren until their meals were served.

“So Carter tells me that you two live next door to each other.” Malcolm glanced up from the thick prime rib he was slicing. “Makes it handy for a little romance, I would think.”

Katie swallowed her bite of incredible salmon and then took a sip of wine while she debated how to answer. She decided to go with her gut and answer the way a girlfriend would. The way a woman who was regaining her confidence would. She bumped her knee against Carter’s and tried. “It’s been handy for a lot of things, hasn’t it, sweetheart?”

Carter caught her gaze and cleared his throat. “Definitely.”

“We sat outside and looked at the stars last night,” she gushed. God, this felt so awkward. “It was a gorgeous night. Quite romantic.”

“You looked beautiful in the moonlight,” Carter murmured. He sounded so sincere it made her shiver.

“Aww, thank you, sweetheart.” Katie caught Evelyn smiling at Malcolm. Looked like their plan was working.

Carter took her hand and lifted it to his mouth, pressed his lips to the back of her hand, and gave her another one of those romantic looks. The world seemed to tip for a moment, then right itself again.

Katie wasn’t used to seeing any man look at her that way, much less Carter. She didn’t know what to say, how to react. She could only go with her gut, so when Carter released her hand, she placed it on his cheek for only a moment, long enough to feel the warmth of his skin and the tickle of his scruff on her palm. And those tingles running again through her entire body. She swallowed and dropped her hand into her lap.

Oh, this felt way too real. Way too easy.

The conversation for the rest of the meal was light and mainly revolved around the Worthingtons’ family. Whatever business Carter and Malcolm had discussed while she’d chatted with Evelyn had apparently been finished. She and Carter shared some good-natured smiles. It was refreshing to see a couple still as happy as the Worthingtons seemed to be after more than fifty years of marriage.

If Tim hadn’t died, would he and Katie have still been happy after more than twenty years? She’d loved him fiercely. They’d been so young when they married; he’d been so young when he died. It was hard to picture what her life would have been like if Tim had been there with her every step of the way. And if Carter hadn’t.

Malcolm pushed his empty plate away. “Carter, would you have some time to see me tomorrow in your office? I’ve decided to buy a little place here in Lakeside, and I’d like you to handle the transaction for me.”

Little place? The old Parkhurst mansion was almost as big as the Castle on the Hill. Katie held back a triumphant smile. Carter had done it.

“I’m sure we can work you in,” he replied. “I’ll have Lucy, my secretary, call your office in the morning.”

“Excellent.” Malcolm gestured to the waiter. “Now. You must try the tiramisu.”

…

Carter felt like he must have been grinning from ear to ear, but he tried to tone it down as they headed out of the restaurant. Both Malcolm and his wife had been unexpectedly down-to-earth, but knowing Gloria Burns, Carter shouldn’t have been surprised. No friend of hers could be snooty and remain in her company for long.

He liked the way Katie’s arm felt tucked in his. Her body pressed lightly against his felt even better. The wine had been flowing all evening, but Carter had switched to water long before Katie had. She must have been just tipsy enough to get a little carried away with the flirting and touching at the table. The gestures had been all make believe, just like this date. Katie had played her part well. Though if he thought about it, it had only felt over the top because it came from his friend, Kat. If she’d been a real date, it wouldn’t have seemed unusual at all.

“Can we check out the garden before we go?” She gazed up at him, and he had to shake off the crazy warm feeling that washed over him, had to remind himself again that this was all pretend. “I only got a peek across the dining room.”

“Sure.” They said their goodbyes to the Worthingtons and then followed the pathway to the lush gardens.

“This is so beautiful.” Katie’s eyes were wide as they stepped through the ornate gate. “And it smells amazing.”

The look of wonder on her face surprised him. Yeah, the castle garden was pretty, with lots of trees and ornamental bushes. Colorful flowers were spattered among the greenery. At least a dozen other people strolled the brick paths winding through the garden, some holding drinks. Large windows from the restaurant looked out onto the space. Their table had been on the other side of the dining room, so they hadn’t had that view.

He’d rather look at Katie anyway.

She’d never talked about being enamored with gardens. “If you love gardens so much, why don’t you have one? You have enough space.”

Katie glanced at him as if he were crazy. “Just because I can appreciate the beauty of this marvelous garden doesn’t mean I want to spend all that time and energy on one myself. I can appreciate it even more because I don’t have to spend hours planting and weeding. I have other things I’d rather spend my time on.”

“You mean there’s no ‘plant a medieval garden’ on your list?”

She laughed. “Not even close.”

“Do you want to sit?” He pointed to a bench in a corner of the garden.

“Let’s get a drink first.” She grabbed his hand and tugged him over to a small bar, almost hidden among the greenery along the back wall.

Carter bought her another glass of wine, but he ordered a soft drink. Katie was fidgeting, and he had the feeling he’d need a clear head to deal with whatever was bothering her. Besides, he still had to drive them home.

He drew her back over to the bench. “Is something wrong?”

“Look at all those cozy couples walking hand and hand. Leaning into each other. Smiling. Smoldering.”

“Smoldering?”

“Yeah. Look at that couple over there. She’s wearing that tight red dress.”

He saw them, arms around each other, beneath a flowering tree.

“See how they’re looking at each other? That smolder? I wouldn’t even know how to do that. I don’t even know how to get to the point where I could smolder with someone.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

She downed half the glass of wine. “Now that Sean’s moved out, I’ve started thinking about how I want to live the rest of my life. I’ve been feeling like there’s something missing, and when I came across an item on my list, it made so much sense.”

“Something missing?” He’d turned into a parrot tonight.

She nodded but didn’t say anything more.

It wasn’t like Katie to dance around an issue. “Well, what is it?”

The words spilled out of her mouth so quickly the sentence was almost like one long word. “I want to find my mojo. It’s on my list.”

His brain froze. “What?”

“Mojo. You know. Sexual confidence? I don’t have any.” She glanced around as if she was afraid someone would overhear. “I haven’t felt like a woman in years. At least not a sexy woman.”

I’ve never seen a woman sexier than you are right now. Carter almost slapped his hand over his mouth to stop the words from breaking out. He had no business thinking it, much less saying it out loud. She wouldn’t want to hear it from him. “Don’t talk crazy. You’re a beautiful woman.”

Her cheeks pinked, and she lifted her hands to her face. “See, I blush at a simple compliment. And I don’t even know what to say in response. I have no confidence when it comes to flirting. Or seducing.”

Flirting? Seducing? “What the hell, Kat?”

She chugged the rest of the wine and slammed the glass down on the bench between them. “A woman has needs, Carter. Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”

“Katie…”

“With Tim, it was so easy. We were young and wild and horny all the time.”

Carter winced. How much had she had to drink? He really didn’t want to hear about her and Tim and sex. He glanced around, but no one seemed to be paying attention to them. “I think I should get you home.”

She went on as if he hadn’t spoken. “When Tim died, my passion died with him. There was too much else going on for me to feel desire, and now that I’m ready, I don’t know how to get it back.”

“Katie Kat.”

“I just need practice. I need some help.” She wavered a little as she leaned forward and grabbed the front of his shirt. “Carter, help me.”

He was gobsmacked, as Sean used to say. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

She hopped up from the bench, her eyes sparking. “Forget I said anything. I wasn’t going to ask you anyway. It gushed out somehow. I know it was wrong to ask you. I’m sure I can find another man to help me. You can take me home now.”

Another man? Like hell.

“Wait.” He stood and grasped her by the shoulders. “You took me by surprise. That’s all. What you’re saying doesn’t make any sense to me. I’ve always seen you as a woman.”

He didn’t like the troubled look on her face. “Yeah, but as a woman friend,” she told him, spat it out like it was a dirty word. “You don’t see me as a sexy woman. And I understand that. You’re not attracted to me. You don’t want to date me. Or have…sex with me. I need to be able to hold my own with guys who haven’t spent the last fifteen years raising a son alone, guys who’ve had lots of practice dating.”

Guys who wanted to have sex with her?

Carter found himself stroking her bare arms. If she thought he wasn’t attracted to her, she was crazy. He’d been so careful not to get into a situation like this one. When her hair was twisted up into something fancy that left her neck bare and her throat begging for a nibble. When she was wearing a slip of a dress that hugged her body and tempted his hands to follow her curves. When her skin was so soft that his hands never wanted to stop stroking.

He’d loved her like a friend for years. He knew those feelings had the potential to turn into more if he let them. But he wouldn’t let them. She was his friend. His best friend. And the quickest way to ruin a friendship was to have sex.

She didn’t want sex with him anyway. She wanted him to help her get ready to have sex with someone else. How could he even be considering it?

He slid his hands down her arms until he reached her wrists, and he circled them with his fingers. He caught her gaze and held it. The scent of the flowers at their feet drifted around them like perfume. “I don’t think I’m the right person to help you with this.”

Her eyes widened. “I’ve felt sexy for the first time in forever. I felt like a woman on a date tonight, not somebody’s mom pretending. Now I need to practice until it doesn’t feel like pretending anymore.”

God, what was he getting himself into? What did she want from him? Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, and he wondered what she would taste like. What it would feel like to kiss her, really kiss her for the first time. And what would it feel like to see her kissing another guy? See another guy stroking her soft skin? He dropped her wrists and stepped back.

The idea of her with another man put a fist in his gut. “I guess I can give you some tips.”

“I need my mojo back. Did I ever have any to begin with? I was still in school when I started dating Tim. I didn’t even know what the word meant back then.” She huffed. “I want to be sexy and confident. I want to be able to flirt and not feel stupid. You do it all the time. You must or you wouldn’t be the guy women love to run to.”

Did he encourage her or try to discourage her? But immediately, he was ashamed of those thoughts. Just because he hated the idea of her going up to a stranger in a bar and flirting with him didn’t mean she didn’t have every right.

“Don’t ever feel like you need to pretend. All you have to do is be yourself.”

Katie rolled her eyes. “Everyone says that. If I don’t try to be more than I am right now, I might as well stay home for the rest of my life. I’ll always feel like something was missing.”

“What I meant is you’re a smart, funny, thoughtful woman. Say what’s on your mind. If you have to lie to talk to a guy, then he’s not the guy you want. You have to be able to be truthful. And he has to be someone you can trust with your heart. With your life.”

Somehow she’d taken a step closer to him, and their bodies were almost touching each other. Her soft scent mingled with the flowers to turn into an aroma that made his head spin.

“But I’m not looking for anyone to be serious with. I’m not going to trust anyone with my heart.”

That was because Tim still had it. “Well, then what are you looking for? A casual hookup? A one-night stand? That doesn’t sound like the Katie I know.”

“I’m not a child. I’m a forty-year-old woman, and I know what I want. I’m just out of practice.” Instead of her cheeks pinking with embarrassment, her eyes flashed. “I suppose you’ve never flirted with women at a bar. Never had a one-night stand. Ha. Why should it be any different for me? I don’t agree with any double standards, and I didn’t think my friend Carter did, either.”

“Katie…”

“This was a bad idea. A terrible idea. You’re too close to me. You can’t be objective. I’ll ask Anita to help me. She’s had flings all over the world. She’d be a much better person to help me. Forget I said anything. Then you won’t have to worry about me.”

Like he wouldn’t worry about her even more if he didn’t have any idea what she was thinking. What she was doing. Where she was going. What Noah’s wife-to-be might be teaching her. Who Katie was planning to hook up with.

Katie? His Kat? Hooking up?

“If you need someone to practice with, it’s going to be me,” he snapped. Her gasp sounded breathless, like it might during sex. His body started to react, hardening as it hadn’t in a while now. His gaze dropped to her mouth, and she ran her tongue over her lips. “Anita might be reluctant to do this…”

He leaned in, and Katie met him halfway. At first, he lightly brushed his mouth over hers, tentatively tasting her, testing her. So sweet. She didn’t pull away but leaned forward, rose on her toes, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

If she wanted to practice, they’d practice.

Carter closed his eyes and crushed his lips to hers. She hesitated for a moment and then sank into the kiss. A little noise escaped the back of her throat and urged him to deepen the kiss. He longed to drink in her sweetness. He thought for an instant that he might have to coax her to part her lips for him, but she opened to him with a moan. Their tongues met, dueled. Fueled the fire in his veins.

Her fingers tunneled into his hair, holding him in place while she pressed more fully against him. Breathless, he pulled away for a brief moment, tilted his face slightly to change the angle of the kiss, and dove in again.

When she suddenly stilled, he came back to himself. To the place they were standing. To the woman he was tasting. He lifted his lips and rested his forehead against hers. He swallowed as his breathing returned to normal.

Thank goodness they were in a secluded part of the garden. He cleared his throat and let her go. “Was that what you had in mind? Practice-wise?”

Katie stepped back and nodded, letting out a shaky breath. Her eyes were wide. “I…um…I guess it came back to me pretty quickly.”

“Yeah.” Carter grabbed her hand and headed for the parking lot. “Like riding a bicycle.”