Rumor Has It (15 page)

“You’d better get back over there before the waffle burns.”

“It’s all right. I know a fireman.” She was cute and cheeky and happier than he’d ever seen her.

Raina served up the food, and he brought over the milk. He wanted to eat the feast she’d prepared for him, but his stomach was turning. His body was revolting against him, but he needed to get out what he had to say. The decision he was making was difficult, and his mind was rolling over the words he was going to utter. One of the hardest parts was waiting until she’d eaten the majority of her breakfast, but there was no reason to ruin the meal for both of them.

“Remember you talked about Ethan asking you out for a date yesterday?” He wanted to kick his own ass for the decrease in the wattage of her smile. It had started off so brilliant, but it dimmed quickly. It was about to get a lot worse, so he might as well spit it out.

“Yes,” she said as she looked at her plate and slid the few remaining pieces of her waffle into the syrup, making designs but not really eating anything.

“Well, it might be a good idea to get back into dating.”

“Did you meet someone you wanted to date?”

“No, I just thought it might be a good thing for you to do. Ethan’s a great catch, right? You like him, and he’s really into you. We need to go back to how we were. I really enjoy having you for a friend, and I don’t want to mess that up.”

She lost all color in her face as she stared at him. “Oh…um…I guess that’s…” She got up, took her plate to the sink, and scraped the remainder of her buttered and syrupy waffle. Raina took her time, making sure the plate was rinsed clean. He knew she was stalling for time, and when she turned to look at him, he could tell she was trying to pull herself together.

“Okay…well then…umm.” As she moved closer to him, her beautiful eyes seemed to get bigger. She sat next to him, and he lowered his gaze so he wouldn’t have to look at the mess he had created. He looked at the plate that he probably wouldn’t be able to finish.

“You heard me this morning, didn’t you?” The hoarseness of her voice paid tribute to the tears she was trying to hold back.

He didn’t want to lie to her. “Yes.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have said that out loud.” She sat back down with a sigh.

“You can’t help it, Raina. That’s who you are. You’re giving, you’re helpful, and you want to see permanence in a temporary man.”

“Why are you a temporary man?”

He wanted to tell her. Something about the way she looked at him made him want to break out the full sob story of his mother walking out on him and the sad little boy in him who refused to let another woman have that kind of power over him, but he didn’t want to give her a challenge. And that was what that would be for her—a chance to show him why he was wrong. His little fix-it-up girl wouldn’t stop until the job was complete.

Did he want her to have to do that? No. She needed someone who was ready to start a family, someone not so scared that he had to think about whether or not to risk it. She deserved a man who was all in from the start.

In the time it took for him to decide, he could see she was pale and fighting to hold in whatever she wanted to belt out.

“So you’re just going to give me away to someone else.” It was said so quietly he could almost ignore the question…almost.

“We weren’t going to be starting a relationship, Raina. You said you wanted someone with experience to help you figure out what you like sexually. I was to be like a sex toy or sex instructor.”

“Is that what you were doing? Because I remember you telling me that was one night, and it’s been more than that.”

“I admit I wanted more than I originally planned for, but Raina, you know me. I’m not one for commitment. I’d rather have you for a friend for a long period of time than try to be someone that I’m not and lose you altogether.”

She stood up and hugged him. Squeezing him tight, she held her face in his hair, inhaling his scent. He could practically feel her trying to understand him and debating what she was going to do. She pulled back and gazed into his eyes. “I’d hate to lose you too. I hope you never know how much.”

He really wanted to find out what she meant by that, but she should be able to have her secrets too. Let her think what she wanted, because looking at her sweet face and watching her attempt to maintain her composure, he wasn’t sure he would be able to deny her if she asked him to tell her why they couldn’t give it a try.

He let her hold him as long as she wanted, but after a few minutes, she let him go. She took a shuddering breath and stepped back.

“I’m going to get ready, and I guess I’ll see you around.”

He opened his mouth to say something, but she’d walked from the room without turning back.

He needed to get out of there. Do some of the things he’d been missing out on while he was spending so much time with Raina. He walked out the door and made sure it was locked. She couldn’t know how hard it was for him to do this, but he guessed that was a good thing. She was trying to take care of herself—he knew that, and he wanted that for her. And although he’d broken her heart, he knew she would spend her time worrying about him. She was just that sweet.

Chapter Nine

Crying away her day off wasn’t what she had planned, but that seemed to be the way things were going. She’d managed to take a shower and get dressed, but she really had no plans and had hoped to spend the day with Liam.

He’d been a busy beaver. He’d already called Ethan, and she’d gotten a voice message on her phone asking her to give him a call back so he could take her out on that date. She wasn’t in the mood, but maybe a night out would do her good.

She texted him to see what his plans were, and after a few back-and-forth texts, she had herself a date. Not that anything was going to be happening with him, but he was a funny guy and she needed a mood adjustment. If he could make her laugh, he should be on stage somewhere.

A knock on her door filled her with excitement. Maybe Liam had changed his mind and wanted to make this work. She really didn’t get a lot of friends over, and with Ethan coming over in a few hours and Liam having left a few hours ago, that didn’t leave many people.

The woman on her doorstep looked vaguely familiar, but Raina couldn’t place her. The woman seemed nervous.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes, are you Raina Gibson?”

“Yes.”

“I’m Liam Prescott’s mother, Carol Prescott. I heard I might be able to find him here.”

“He was here earlier, but you just missed him.”

“Oh…do you know what time he’ll be back?”

“I don’t think he’s coming back. He doesn’t live here. We’re just…friends.” It was hard to get that out, but that was what they were going back to, so that was what she’d better get used to saying.

“I haven’t seen him in a while. I left when he was six, and when I went to see him at the firehouse, he was called out to a fire. When I returned this morning, they told me he could be here.”

“Really? I was under the impression…” She stopped herself. It wasn’t good manners to tell someone you’d assumed she was dead. “Would you like to come in?” The woman’s appearance made her feel like she had lived a hard life, but she seemed kind. She had a determined expression on her face that made her features almost exactly like Liam’s.

“I guess I could spend a few moments with one of Liam’s friends.”

“Your son looks a lot like you,” Raina said to the woman when she entered.

Ms. Prescott smiled, and it changed her whole face. She turned to Raina and gave her a hug to go with that grateful smile. “Thank you. I always thought so, but it’s good to hear it from someone else.”

* * * *

This had been a whirlwind day, and there was no end in sight. She’d made plans with her best friend’s mother and was enthusiastic about it. When she’d heard the story, she was excited that there could be closure for Liam. If nothing else, he could start the healing that would, if not set him free, then at least free him up a bit.

She couldn’t believe Liam had never brought up this not-so-small piece of information about his mother, but that explained a lot about why he was a bit wary of women. Her story was sad, and Raina hoped he’d give the woman a chance to tell her side of it. If for nothing else, then to free both of them from the past and possibly start something new.

It was a friendly gesture to help get them back together and one that would be memorable. In the back of her heart, she didn’t want to be one of the women who came and went in his life. She wanted him to have something to remember her by. She shouldn’t think like that; they were friends. They would continue to be friends forever. Damn that Elaine for sneaking into her head at odd times to remind her he didn’t keep conquests around long and the only reason she’d been there for as long as she had was it wasn’t a physical relationship.

Ethan was such a gentleman, and she hoped she was good company for him, because her heart just wasn’t in it. He seemed to be having a good time, but there were none of the fast-and-flirty moves that she had been getting from him recently, and that was a treat because she was just out to prove to herself that she could have fun without Liam. If he wanted to move on, fine; so could she. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t true as long as she could act like it was true.

He pulled up to the Fire Hydrant. “Nightcap?”

“Really? Here? I thought you wanted to go out on a real date.”

“We did, and now we’re here.” The smile was nice, but something about it rang false. What was he up to? Did he know this was going to kill her inside if she had to watch Liam replace her in front of her face?

What was he was trying to do? He gave her that good-ole-boy grin, and she thought she could see something different behind the eyes that always were smiling and seductive.

“Ethan, I don’t know if I want to do this.”

“Come on, live a little. One drink and home you go.”

She thought that was a funny way to put things, but in for a penny, in for a pound.

They got out of the car, walked to the door, and then Ethan seemed to turn into another person. She was surprised at how much he turned on the charm. This wasn’t the carefree man she’d eaten dinner with and talked with. This man was the rascal whom everyone knew and loved.

The bar’s crowd was just as rowdy as ever—the Fire Hydrant never seemed to have a slow night. Their bottom line must be fabulous.

They sat on stools, and he ordered her cherry cola with extra cherries and a beer on tap for himself. He appeared to be very interested in what she was saying, even though she’d started talking about the event and how it was so close. Ethan in this mode made her nervous. Not that he was scary, but the change in demeanor just put her off a bit. He excused himself to go to the bathroom and left her sitting and wondering what she was doing here at all.

Her stomach started to drop, which could only mean one thing. Liam was nearby. She wasn’t going to look. Maybe he’d just gotten there and thought she was following him. Damn it, where was Ethan?

“Hello, Raina.” The words were said in her ear, and she felt the nerve endings he strummed like a guitar string with his voice make a direct line to her clit. The sensation hit her so hard, she sucked in her breath.

“Hey, Liam. How’re you doing?” She’d known this was going to happen from the minute they’d stepped in here. Awkward. That was what this was, because she didn’t want to talk to him right now; she didn’t want to look at him, but she didn’t want to be rude. Wasn’t there some rule that you shouldn’t talk to another man when you were on a date? It probably wasn’t true for her situation; she was just sitting here talking to her friend.

“Good.” He sat on the stool next to her, so she glanced over to the face she loved to see so much and watched him look at her like he’d not seen her in a while and he was going to be drawing a picture later and needed the reference.

“Can I help you with something?”

“Am I not allowed to sit with a friend?”

“Sure, Liam. It’s just…I can’t turn it on and off like you.”

His smile wilted a little; not so much that anyone else would notice, but she noticed everything about him.

“I should have thought about that when I asked for this, but that’s okay. I wasn’t going to see you until tomorrow anyway. Hey, I just remembered. Are you busy for breakfast? Oh, wait, I guess I should make it lunch, seeing as you’re on the prowl.”

One of his eyebrows cocked up, and he gave her that look that said she was being ridiculous. “I’d love to have breakfast with you.”

“Great. I’ll be there about ten a.m. I’m bringing the food.”

“Okay,” Liam said, looking slightly confused but seeming to go along with it.

Ethan returned with a big smile on his face. He’d been forever in the bathroom, so long he could have drawn up plans and created a new bathroom. “Hey, old man.”

“Ethan.” They were friends as well as coworkers, and the camaraderie was evident in the easy way they were with each other.

“Keeping my date company?”

“I just stopped by to say hello and make sure no one else hit on her while you were gone.”

They smiled at each other for a while and seemed to be having a silent conversation in a language she couldn’t comprehend. Ethan sat down and finished his beer.

“Well, I told Raina we’d only have our nightcap here and then go on home.”

“What do you mean go on home? This is your first date, and you don’t—” Liam broke off suddenly from what he was about to say and cleared his throat. “Have a good night.” He leaned down to kiss Raina on the cheek, and the part of her anatomy that had thrummed from his voice earlier seemed to again be affected by the kiss, which seemed to linger more than a friend’s kiss would.

Ethan made a big production about getting her off the stool and ushering her out of the building.

“Ethan,” she hissed, trying to keep the anger from spewing out of her mouth. “What was all that about?”

“What?” Ethan could pull off the innocent shrug, but she wasn’t falling for it. This man was brilliant and he got things done. She just needed him to tell her what he was trying to do.