Love Me: The Complete Series (75 page)

She pushed him off and sat up. “You’re right. We should stop.”

No. Wait.

“Stop?” he said. “That wasn’t what I meant.”

She swallowed, trying to soothe the scratchiness in her voice. Why did it suddenly feel like a furnace was blasting her intestines? Unsure how to handle the situation, she chose to do what she did best—bark. “Back off, Roger.”

Caroline was clearing counters when Abby blasted through the door, bringing a wind in her wake that sent ribbons, leaves, and foil paper flying toward the ceiling. A Hail Mary to the forcefulness of her entry.

“I think I want to kiss you.” Abby strode toward Caroline with arms wide, and Caroline half-expected her to actually plant a big wet one.

Jutting a hand up with fingers splayed, she grimaced. “Save it for that threesome Carter keeps talking about.”

“We’re over the hump.”

“Ookkaaay. Glad to hear you guys are keeping it spicy.” Or not—she really didn’t want to hear the details. As much as she loved her friend, some things just needed to stay private.

Abby laughed and leaned over to pick up a few pieces of ribbon and confetti. She tossed them at Caroline. “Not
that
hump. The financial hump. We, as in you and your massively fantastic advertisements, have managed to get our store out of the bind we were in. We’re having a black month.”

“Black month? Don’t you think that will come back to bite us?” She teased, knowing full well her implication.

“Yeah, funny. We need to celebrate. We should go out and have a girls’ night. I can’t believe we don’t have to go to the bank for money this month. This is awesome,
you
are awesome, and I love you.” Abby jumped on the counter and wrapped her arms around Caroline, drawing her in for a tight squeeze.

Caroline’s throat tightened. “Awwg. Stop! You’re choking me—and choking me up at the same time.” She patted one of the arms that had lodged against her throat twice before slipping from the hug. “Girls’ night sounds good. I could go for that. God knows we could both use a little relief.”

That night they locked up and waltzed down the street to the bar across from the police station, an irony that Abby never hesitated to point out to anyone that would listen. Any idiot who walked out drunk and got into a car with the police across the street deserved a DUI. Yet, to her confusion, they’d never heard of even one occurrence. Of course, on any given day, there were three or more off-duty cops saddled against the bar with a frothy beer in their hand. Who would dare argue?

Caroline was deep into a vent about her blog-buddy, Frederick, when a waft of Polo caught her attention. She rotated and peered over a shoulder.
Crap.
“Did you tell Carter where we were?” Trailing behind Carter, with hands in pockets, was the very man she’d practically attacked on her living-room floor. She furrowed her eyebrows at Roger and glared at Abby, who simply shrugged.

“Yeah, that’s okay, isn’t it? He dropped me off this morning, and I needed a ride home.” Abby hadn’t mentioned which home—hers or Carter’s. They’d recently become engaged in a very romantic fiasco at the Astros stadium. As much as Caroline hated to admit it, she’d almost shed a tear for their happiness.

“Do I have a say? I thought this was a
girls’
night out. They don’t exactly fit the description.”

“I know, I know. But sometimes you just have to be flexible. Carter’s leaving tomorrow to go back overseas for two weeks for work. We have to—”

Caroline held up a hand. “Don’t tell me. I get the picture.”

Carter leaned over and dropped a big one on Abby’s mouth. “You ready, babe?”

Caroline’s ears registered the words. “Wait. You’re leaving?”

Carter remained standing, while his accomplice, Roger, made use of the empty space beside Caroline. She probably should have scooted over and given him room, but—what the hell. She sighed and inched away from the warmth of an arm against her rib cage.
Fine, take the seat if you want it.

Abby rose and nodded while taking the last sip of her beer. “Yeah, sorry. We’re making Chinese tonight. You ever tried making shrimp wontons? They’re fun.” She giggled and glanced at Carter in way that suggested some sort of inside joke.

They left. Caroline blinked as the door whooshed shut, leaving her alone with Roger and his massive dimples. The last time she’d seen them—him—she was up close to those babies and trying to taste them.

Awkward.

“Well, here we are.” She focused on her beer glass, inwardly cursing herself for the last order of Corona the barmaid placed in front of her.

Roger held up two fingers. The girl nodded and was gone.

She didn’t dare touch her drink. “I just want you to know the only reason I’m not making a big deal about those pictures—which you’ve shared with the entire world—is because of how much money you raised for the hospital.”

He turned his gaze to meet hers. “Okay.”

“Plus no one can actually tell it was me, and they
were
good. I never knew you liked photography.”

“You inspired me.”

She rolled her eyes.

Roger ran a finger along the rim of his glass. “I’m serious. I remembered all the pictures you took and the excitement you had for that trip. It all sounded so glamorous. I wished ... ” His voice trailed to silence.

She swallowed a tiny lump. “Yeah, well, look how it all ended. I bombed, and here I am now, pursuing—whatever.”

“You own a business.”

“A flower business. Did you ever think I’d be into plants?”

He shrugged. “Actually, I’m not surprised at all. You were always growing something on your porch, so for you to make it a part of your income is great. I just thought your heart was set on journalism.”

She sighed. “People change.”

“Not always.”

He was right. He hadn’t. She admired that now. “True. You, Rog, have stayed on task and kept your promises. Rock solid, that’s you.”

He groaned. “You make me sound boring.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

The cocktail waitress appeared and asked if they were hungry for a snack before the kitchen closed. Roger lifted a brow, and Caroline pulled a menu from the waitress’s hand. “I think he is. Let’s see.”

She handed the menu to Roger and he ordered quesadillas. She had the same. They ate in near silence, talking briefly about the Astros then Carter and Abby’s pending wedding plans. When they left, he walked her to her car. She fumbled with the keys, and he took them. “I’ll drive you.”

“How will you get back?”

“In my car.”

Oh, he planned to drive
his
car. Why’d he take her keys? “But I have work tomorrow.”

“I’ll take you.”

She knew what that meant. “No. You are
not
staying over.”

He groaned. “I meant I’ll come by and pick you up in the morning,
then
take you.”

“In that case, okay.”

He jingled the keys. “Do you have to be so difficult about everything? Sometimes just going with the flow is so much easier.”

“I went with the flow, remember? It didn’t work out so well.” She stifled the twitter in her girlie parts that reminded her of the last time they’d been together in her place. Going with the flow in Roger’s case was tempting—and dangerous.

In her driveway, he waited for her to step from the car before getting out. “Caro, do you still take pictures? I mean, now that you don’t really do news articles any more, does it still interest you?”

She spoke with her back to him as she approached the door. “I take pictures for our website and blog and anything else we use to advertise. I do a lot of selfies with my phone.”

Her attempt at humor had failed to impress him. She twisted her key in the lock and pushed the door open. Roger remained outside. A tinge of cold stung her shoulders. “Thanks for the ride.” She rotated to give a smile. Should she hug him? Or ...

Roger leaned in and kissed her. Short, sweet, and over before she expected. Nice. He hopped to the sidewalk and strode away. Why was she disappointed?

Roger thought about Caroline as he drove the short distance to retrieve her before work. Her store was obviously a compromise, and as much as she loved plants, he knew she was still searching for something. She was on her front step and stood up as he turned the car into her drive. Her store wouldn’t open for another hour and half, so there was no rush.

She’d changed her hair. When had she found the time? It was still short, but the spikes were gone. Instead it curled into her cheeks and lay flat on top. “No wild-colored pants or hair today?”

She shot him a frown. “I was tired of it. Besides, change is good, right? Why are you so early?”

He jingled his keys. “Not too early, apparently, because you were waiting.”

“I’d just watered my plants and was enjoying the quiet morning. I was ... relaxing. You know, seizing the day.”

He couldn’t help himself. “I have something you can s—”

A light shriek emitted from her mouth, and she jutted her index finger at his nose. “Don’t say seize. I’ll call a cab, I swear.”

He lifted both hands and showed his palms. “I’m not saying a word. Are you ready to go?” Until that moment, he hadn’t looked at her feet. They were bare, and her toes had white polish with something painted on the big toes. She padded to the door.

“Give me five minutes.” She returned in two.

She’d changed out of jeans into a skirt, without her usual leggings. It was a distraction, but he wouldn’t complain. He liked the look. “I like your hair.”

“Thanks.” She traipsed to the car with him trailing behind.

“Nice skirt, too. Why?”

“Why not?” she snapped. She clicked the door solidly into place and crossed her arms to stop any further inquisition.

He wanted to put his hand on her head and muss the hair. She looked adorable. Like one of those little baby dolls his sisters dragged around. “I came early because I wanted to show you something before I drop you off. Is that okay?”

“As long as it’s not the inside of your place.”

He laughed. “Damn, and I was so hopeful you’d just jump right back into my life after all these years without any thought or hesitation.”

She stared at the traffic ahead as they moved along. “You’re being sarcastic.”

“Yup. You’re being bitchy.”

That got her attention. She shifted toward him. “Sorry.”

He glanced sideways and grinned. For some reason, this startled her. Her eyes popped, and she looked at the side of his face before turning to stare out the windshield. He decided to give her a few minutes and kept silent until he maneuvered the next two streets then slipped into a parking spot. Putting the car in park, he opened his door. “Hop out. This won’t take long.” He grabbed his camera from the backseat.

“You’re taking pictures?”

He crossed to her side. “I hope so. The days are longer now, and I noticed a while back that we get a really great sunrise over the top of those trees right now. I wanted to get a couple shots.” He pointed to a section of woods that edged around a park.

Caroline had a habit of wearing her emotions a little too close to the surface—it was a trait that endeared and irritated. She gasped, and her face lit up as the cloud of pinks, purples, blues, and oranges filled the morning sky. Her bursts of excitement, anger, and whatever other emotion she felt had always amused him. It drew him into her thoughts and feelings. He enjoyed and even envied the freshness of her unhidden reactions.

A flicker of light through the trees grazed his cheek. The wind was stronger than he’d anticipated. Would it affect the shots? Limbs waved and punched at the air. The light from the rising sun injected between angry foliage.

“I’ve always liked the sound of the wind roaring through the trees.” Caroline’s skirt fluttered in the breeze. She might regret that wardrobe choice soon. He doubted he would.

“It’s pretty nasty this morning. I hope I can get a few good pictures. Can you grab the bag there?” He pointed at his backpack of lenses.

She grabbed the strap with her one hand and lifted. “Geeze, what do you have in here? A body?” Adding her other hand, she hoisted it like a baby and shifted the weight to one hip. “Feels like rocks.”

“Camera lenses.” Should he mention he’d become a little obsessed with them?

“I thought
I
was bad when it came to gadgets. By the weight of this, I’d say you’re worse.”

He shrugged. From experience, he’d learned to take more than expected. He never knew when he’d see something that required a different lens or a new effect.

“See, my fetishes aren’t quite as obscene as you’d think.” He took the bag and laid it on a nearby bench.

“That remains to be seen.”

Was that a promise? The thought baffled him, and he had no response. He pointed at an outdoor slatted seat. “Sit and enjoy.”

He walked a few feet and held the camera to his eye, seeking a good angle and perfect light. Snap. Snap. Snap.

“You know if you hold the button down, it will keep taking shots until you let up.” Caroline’s voice wasn’t snarky, simply informative.

“Yes, I just wanted to try the light first. Think I have it. Now, come here.”

She surveyed the primed camera. “I’m not posing.”

He shook his head. “I’m not asking you to pose. I just want you to help me. I’m going to climb up, and I need you to hand this to me when I get there.” He pointed to the crook of a limb that shadowed them.

Caroline bugged her eyes. “You’re going to climb the tree for a picture?”

He grinned and nodded.

“Why? It’s the same shot from here.”

With all her experience, surely she knew that statement wasn’t true. He pointed at the end of the branch where a spackling of orange-red leaves hung as if grasping their last moments of life. “Definitely not the same shot. Look at how the light comes through the thinness of those leaves and casts a rosy shadow across that patch of bark. And see the area there where something has pulled the bark away? It’s almost fuchsia. I want that. In order to get it, I plan to climb.”

He reached out and grabbed her hand with his free one, then plopped the camera in her palm. She looked skeptical. “When’s the last time you climbed a tree?”