Bittersweet Surrender (28 page)

Katelyn frowned. “Huh?”

“It's a Carpenter song. Never mind.”

“Dad thinks I'm a freak.”

Carly gasped. “Katelyn, what would make you say such a thing?”

“Because he told me to stop dressing like a freak and grow up.”

Nausea coiled in Carly's midsection. She might not know a lot about parenting, but that sure didn't seem the thing to say to a child.

“Well, I think you look just fine. In fact, all that yellow makes you look downright cheerful.” Carly smiled and Katelyn did too.

“Thanks. And thanks for hangin' out with me, Carly.”

Carly dared a glance at her passenger and smiled. “I've had fun. Thanks for hangin' out with an old woman.” She laughed at Katelyn's wide eyes.

“You don't act old at all. Nothing like my dad.”

Carly decided not to touch that one. “Hey, want to stop at the coffee shop? Mocha frappuccino on me.”

Katelyn brightened. “That would be great.”

Carly swung her car into the parking lot and they walked inside. As they headed for the counter, Carly spotted Scott.

“Hey, Scott,” she said.

He brightened, and Carly felt a jolt of pride that he was happy to see her—until the object of his affection walked up to her.

“Hey, Carly. Glad I left the ladies' room when I did or you might have taken my spot,” Melissa said with a smile that clearly said, “Hands off my property.”

Befuddled, Carly wasn't sure what to say next. Scott cleared his throat and offered a look of apology.

“You looking for Jake?” Scott asked.

“No, why?”

“He was just here.”

“Oh, that's right. He's your man,” Melissa said with a wink.

Was that a veiled threat? “This is his daughter, Katelyn,” Carly said before Melissa could say something that might embarrass all of them.

Melissa put her hand to her throat and gave a delicate laugh. “Oh my. Aren't you just the cutest little ol' thing. Little wonder, with a handsome father like that.”

Katelyn just stared at her.

Carly swallowed hard and tried to shake the negative voices that told her there was no way she could compete with the beauty queen before her. “Well, good to see you both.” Carly waved.

As she turned to leave, something in Scott's eyes caught her attention. Remorse? Concern? Anger? She couldn't make it out, but something was bothering him. Maybe he was afraid Melissa would go for Jake.

Wouldn't that just be the icing on the cake?
Oh, why had she gotten involved with someone again? Hadn't she learned her lesson after Gary walked out? Now she'd have to grill Scott. She wanted to know now if Melissa was after Jake. At least she'd be able to bow out of the competition with her dignity still intact.

“Hey, Carly, wonder if you could take
Katelyn bowling tonight?” Jake stood in Carly's office as big as you please, a stupid grin on his face.

No “How about you and I take Katelyn out?” Just “How about you take Katelyn bowling?”

“Well, actually—”

“I know this is sort of last minute—”

Sort of ?

“—but C. J.'s already set up this poker night, and they need me so we're even. Since it's a Friday night, and her old friends have been calling, I hated to leave her alone.” He leaned in here for emphasis. “And, well, the kid has had a tough day.”

So you want me to salve your conscience by taking her out.

Jake was definitely getting under her skin. In fact, the more she looked at him, the more she wondered why she was doing the diet thing. He had a slight gut himself. In fact, if she didn't know better, she'd say he'd put on the eight pounds she'd lost since he'd been there. She didn't care if he was working out at the gym.

“I wish I could help you, Jake,” she said ever so politely. “But the thing is, I'm busy tonight.” There. That would put him in his place. She wanted to be there for Katelyn, but the fact was she was busy. She had promised Scott dinner at Tony's.

“Oh.” He was clearly taken aback and waiting for an explanation. But after that whole thing the other night with Melissa, well, Carly just didn't feel she owed him one.

“Maybe some other time.”

He studied her a minute. “Yeah, uh, that would work. She got a couple of good books at the library today. She could read one of those tonight.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Though she would do just about anything for Katelyn, Carly was enjoying her assertive self just now. Since their last “disagreement,” Jake had only called her a couple of times and they hadn't gone out together at all. Why should she go running to him? She was tired of men expecting her to cater to them.

Hadn't Gary thought she'd come running? No, wait. She had come running. Shamelessly. A flickering thought of her broken, crying self falling at his feet, begging him to stay shamed her. She would never forget the look of disgust on his face when he looked at her. That's when she'd known Gary couldn't stand the sight of her.

If Jake only knew . . .

“Listen, I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have a facial appointment waiting on me. I'll see you later, okay?”

“Uh, yeah, okay. I'll call you.”

“Okay,” she said.

But something in his voice made her wonder if he really would call. And right then, she wasn't sure she cared one way or the other.

Just as Carly slipped her second earring
on, the doorbell rang downstairs. “I'll see you later, Magnolia.”

“Well, don't be out too late. I'm a light sleeper till all the kiddies are in the fold, you know.” She smiled sweetly.

“Good night,” Carly said shaking her head as she hurried down the stairs. She was a middle-aged woman and still answering to a parent.

As crazy as it seemed, she felt butterflies in her stomach just before opening the door. How silly. This was Scott, she told herself. No need to be nervous.

When she opened the door, she had second thoughts.

“Jake. What are you doing here?”

“C. J. told me to stop by and see if Rita was here. I was supposed to be discreet about it, but I figured you'd tell me.”

“She's not here. I already told C. J. that. And if she were, I don't think she'd be ready to talk to him.”

Jake shrugged. “At least now I can tell him I tried.” He looked her over. “You look nice.”

“Thanks.” She suspected he had more than one reason for showing up tonight. He no doubt wanted to find out where she was going.

“Listen, Squirt, let's get together again soon, okay?” He pulled her to him. “I miss you.”

Her back stiffened. Too many conflicting emotions running through her right now. She needed time to sort through things. The familiar smell of musk barely registered. She would not let her emotions run away with her. Jake or no Jake. Before she could pull away, he pressed his lips softly against her temple. “Soon, okay?”

“Okay.”

The sound of tires scrunching on pavement gave her an excuse to pull away. Her head was spinning from the emotional roller coaster she'd been on lately, and she couldn't think with Jake standing so close.

“Scott, hello,” Carly said when he stepped up to them.

“Wow.”

That was all he said when he looked at her but it was the way he said it that pulled Carly from her thoughts and made her face warm. Scott's gaze held hers. She felt uncomfortable, but couldn't force herself to look away. Something about his eyes . . .

Jake cleared his throat. His gaze went from Carly to Scott and back to Carly. “So, this is how it is?” His jaw clenched. “Well, two can play this game. See you around.” He shoved past Scott and stomped toward his car.

Carly wanted to yell out, “Jake, wait,” but her tongue wouldn't move. She just stood there like a gaping fish, watching as he huffed all the way to his car. It wasn't until he finally sped off in his car that she resumed her presence of mind and turned to Scott.

“Was it something I said?” he asked with an innocent grin, though she suspected otherwise.

She wasn't sure what to think about any of it. Something told her she should be upset over Jake's reaction, but she wasn't. “Actually, I think you saved the day.”

Scott leaned into her. “Don't tell anyone, but I'm hiding my cape.”

Carly giggled. “Oops, I see a sliver of red peeking out of your collar.” She reached up and tucked in an imaginary cloth. “There, now we've got it.”

They laughed their way to the car. It felt so nice being with him tonight. No expectations, no pretense. Just being herself and having fun.

“This is great, Scott,” Carly said, “Even if I am paying.”

He smiled. “I'll try not to order the most expensive meal on the menu.”

“You get what you want. You deserve it.”

The sheer elegance of the restaurant caught
Carly off guard. She had heard the place was nice, but she had no idea it was this nice. Ornate carpet and intricate design on wooden chairs, fine linens and china, fancy silverware and gourmet meals. Tart spices, grilled meat, and savory sauces perfumed the air, making her hungry.

As they sat, she noticed something. “Okay, I just have to ask, what is this?” She pointed to a wooden tapestry thing that rested on the carpet.

“I don't know,” Scott said with a laugh. “I'll ask the waiter.” He motioned for the waiter to come to their table. “Sir, could you tell us what that is?”

The waiter smiled as though he'd been asked that many times before. “It's a purse stool. So the lady may rest her purse there instead of on the floor.”

Carly tried not to gape. She obviously was clueless about how the upper class lived.

They were soon eating delicious seafood that she couldn't pronounce. They talked about the business, their personal lives without their spouses, and before she knew it the meal came to an end.

“Are you too tired, or can we stop for coffee?” Scott asked when they got back into town. “My treat.”

“Oh no. You didn't let me pay for the restaurant meal. Coffee is on me.”

“Okay, I'll concede.”

“But it's on your head if Magnolia gets mad at me. She warned me not to stay out too late.” Carly chuckled.

“You're a saint, Carly Westlake. That woman's smile is lethal and we both know it.”

Carly shrugged. “She's just a worrier.”

Scott pulled the car into the parking lot, and after they received their coffee orders, they settled into their seats.

“I've had a great time tonight, Carly.”

“Me too.”

“Just like old times.”

“Except Gary and Ivy are missing.”

He swirled the coffee in his cup. “Yeah.”

She placed her hand on his arm. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.”

“No, it's all right.”

The look in his eyes, the way he studied her, made her toes tingle. Her toes hadn't tingled since . . . since . . . since . . .

She didn't give it any more thought until
she got to bed later that night. Then she began the rationalization process. There was no other way to explain it other than she had been working too hard. The pressure of trying to come up with something to make the spa take off was finally getting to her.

She slipped further into her sheets, thinking of her time with Scott, trying to make sense of it all. They'd had a perfectly wonderful evening. Jake's reaction seemed silly. He'd actually acted jealous of Scott. Why would he react that way?

As unsettling as her tangled thoughts were, she hardly noticed that the one thought that lulled her to sleep was the remembrance of Scott's face when he saw her for the first time that night. He knew she was broken, and his face still lit up. His expression had made her feel beautiful, inside and out. That thought warmed her clear through as she smiled and snuggled deeper into her sheets.

Maybe one day she would come to terms with her body. One day . . .

eighteen

Scott punched his pillow several times, but
it didn't seem to help. He just couldn't get to sleep. He kept thinking of how he'd wanted to slug Jake when he saw him holding Carly that way at the door. Jake had never treated Carly right in high school and Scott just didn't trust him. Jake was C. J.'s best friend. That told him something.

But he knew it was more than that. Something about the way Carly looked tonight seemed different. The way her eyes lit up when she laughed over dinner. The way she tossed her hair over her shoulders. He couldn't put his finger on it. In fact, it irritated him. He didn't like where his thoughts were taking him.

Another punch on the pillow. Superman looked a little disgruntled himself. No doubt upset that he couldn't get to sleep, thanks to Scott's restlessness.