No Ordinary Love: Sweetbriar Cove: Book Six Read online

  The baker, Summer, swooped by their table and deposited a plate of pastries. “Just a little something from the ‘best, must-taste baker on the Cape.’ ” She leaned down and gave Eliza a hug. “Thank you! I mean, I know I said to say nice things, but you gave me a whole page review!”

  “It’s your fault,” Eliza replied, smiling. “You make too many delicious things. I couldn’t pick only one.”

  “Just for that, I’m going to whip you up some of that quiche you love so much.”

  Eliza gasped happily. “With the extra bacon and three cheeses.”

  “Coming right up.” Summer winked and headed back to the kitchen.

  “Featuring your friends, hmm?” Cal teased, breaking off a corner of a croissant and popping it into his mouth. “Isn’t that journalistic bias?”

  Eliza laughed. “People travel from New York to taste her cakes. I think she’s a safe choice. Besides, that’s the point of the Caller,” she added, digging into a delectable sticky bun. “To let everyone know all the great businesses in the area.”

  “Part magazine, part PR campaign.” Cal was beginning to understand.

  “Exactly.” Eliza sat back and looked around, her expression turning wistful. “My dad and I would have the same routine, every Sunday during summer. We’d pick up two copies, fresh from the presses, and go for breakfast, just the two of us. The bakery wasn’t around then,” she added. “So we’d go to this little café up in Provincetown by the water. He’d get a bacon sandwich, and I’d have donuts, and we’d both promise not to tell Mom. And then we’d sit and read it cover to cover. Just the two of us.”

  She stopped, and Cal could see the heartache in her eyes. He reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

  “It was our thing.” Eliza gave a self-conscious shrug, looking down.

  “I get it,” Cal said gently. “He would be glad you’re carrying on the tradition.”

  “Do you have any?” Eliza asked, glancing up again. “Traditions. From your parents.”

  Cal thought, then he smiled. “Tollbooths,” he said, remembering. “My father would always drum on the steering wheel, like a fanfare, every time. When I was a kid, he would make a big deal at the window, too, asking permission to cross, like he was a knight crossing the troll’s bridge.”

  Eliza smiled. “You still do that?”

  “Just the fanfare part,” Cal chuckled. “I don’t think the poor tollbooth guy would think it was so charming with a full-grown man.”

  “I don’t know about that.” Eliza’s smile turned flirty. “I think you could pull it off.”

  Cal couldn’t resist. He leaned over and kissed her, capturing her mouth in a slow, luxurious moment that seemed to make everything melt away. Her lips were soft and parted for him, sweet from the pastry, and he could smell the scent of her shampoo, something light and floral lingering in the bakery air.

  It was a vacation, a moment of absolute calm, the bright sunshine breaking through clouds on a winter’s day.

  Eliza drew back, looking breathless. “People will talk,” she whispered, her eyes sparkling.

  “Let them.” Cal smiled and kissed her again. As far as he was concerned, they could put it on the front page.

  He was crazy about this woman, and he didn’t care who knew it. But as he sank into the moment, chasing the warmth, that little voice in the back of his head was warning him.

  Even vacations had to end sometime.

  He’d put the real world on hold, his problems at arm’s length. But what would happen when it was time to get back to reality, and the rarefied, pressure-cooker world of the Prescott Group? He was son, heir, CEO. And a renegade like Eliza . . .

  Would she want to fit in that?

  14

  Eliza spent the morning at the bakery with Cal, leaving it to the last minute before leaving for her lunch shift at work.

  “What are your plans?” she asked, kissing him goodbye.

  “I have my appointment with June, to look at some houses,” Cal said. “We’re meeting at noon.”

  Eliza laughed. “Good luck. Watch out for any wandering hands!”

  She headed over to the restaurant, arriving with a moment to spare. She kept a spare hostess-ready outfit in her locker there, and she quickly changed in the back room, but her mind was still at Cal’s place, breathless and naked under the sheets.

  God, that man was good.

  “You look way too happy to be serving salads.”

  Eliza looked up. Jenny was just stashing her bag and tying on an apron. “Good weekend?” the other waitress asked.

  “Pretty good,” Eliza answered, unable to keep the smile from her face. “You?”

  Jenny made a face. “I got stood up by a guy I didn’t even want to go out with in the first place. So, yeah, my self-esteem is about this big.” She held her thumb and forefinger about an inch apart.

  “Ouch, I’m sorry.” Eliza was sympathetic. “Clearly, he’s crazy. And blind.”

  “Thanks.” Jenny smiled. “But it’s the off-season, slim pickings out there until summer starts.”

  “And then your dance card will be full?” Eliza asked.

  “From dawn until dusk.” Jenny winked. “I like the city guys the best. There’s something about a man in a suit, gets me every time.”

  Eliza murmured her agreement, picturing Cal in his smart dress shirt, with the sleeves rolled up over those tanned, muscular forearms . . .

  She flushed. That was definitely not a work-friendly train of thought, but as her shift got underway, she couldn’t shake it. Thoughts of Cal flooded her mind, even as she greeted diners and showed them to their tables.

  Cal kissing her passionately on the street last night, out there in the rain.

  Cal pressing her back against the wet tile and sinking to his knees.

  Cal poised above her in the moonlight, eyes dark with desire as he moved inside—

  Ahem.

  Eliza shook her head and turned to greet the next party of ladies who lunched, certain that her skin was burning bright red. “Hi. Welcome to—”

  “Eliza?” Tish emerged from the pack of perfect, glossy blondes. “It’s me, Letitia. Calvin’s cousin.”

  As if their meeting wasn’t burned into Eliza’s mind. “Hi, Tish,” she said, then paused. “Sorry, is that a private nickname?” she checked. “It’s just, Cal uses it all the time.”

  “No, it’s fine. Great to see you again.” Tish smiled, dressed in a chic navy sundress this time, with a sweater looped elegantly around her shoulders and oversized sunglasses pushed back on the top of her head. “Are you here for lunch? Cal said it was the best around. I know,” she said, brightening. “Why don’t you join us? Eliza’s dating Cal,” she added to her friends, who made an assortment of approving noises.

  Eliza felt her skin redden even more. “No. Actually, I work here,” she answered.

  The group’s expressions changed.

  “Oh. Whoops.” Tish flashed an apologetic smile. “And here I am, holding you up.”

  “No, it’s OK.” Eliza wished she didn’t feel so embarrassed. So she had a job? There wasn’t anything shameful about that. “Party of six, right?”

  “The reservation’s under Prescott,” Tish added, and sure enough, it was right there in the book. If Eliza hadn’t been so wrapped up in her X-rated memories, she might have seen this coming, but instead, she had to grab menus and lead them across the room feeling flustered. She bolted for the kitchen, but still, she wasn’t fast enough to ignore the amused looks and whispers around the table.

  The double doors swung shut behind her, and she let out a breath.

  “Angry mob today?” Declan joked from behind the stove. Eliza gave a weak smile.

  “Something like that.”

  She peeked back into the dining room. Tish and her friends were all deep in conversation, and Eliza could guess exactly what—or who—they were talking about. She wished it didn’t bother her, but it made her feel like she was in prep school all ove
r again: the scholarship kid working weekends, while her moneyed classmates had trust funds to spare.

  It was easy to forget she and Cal were worlds apart until that golden, glossy world was right in front of her, needing water refills and their appetizers fetched.

  She braced herself and walked back out, heading to her hostess station.

  “Excuse me! Lizzie?” A voice came from Tish’s table. Eliza detoured over.

  “Everything OK?” She tried to keep a smile on her face. She recognized one of Tish’s friends now as the blonde they’d run into at dinner in Provincetown. Susie, or Sukie, or something like that. But Sukie stared blankly at Eliza like they’d never met before.

  “We’re ready to order,” she said, sounding impatient.

  “Sukie!” Tish interrupted. “Sorry,” she said to Eliza with a smile, then turned back to her friend. “Eliza’s the hostess. A server will take our order.”

  “So?” Sukie shrugged. “They all work here.”

  Eliza kept the smile plastered on. “I’ll make sure someone is right out,” she said, but Sukie wasn’t done yet. She held up her glass.

  “We asked for bottled, but this is tap water. I can taste it.”

  “The water’s fine,” Tish interrupted again, and she shot Sukie a look.

  “But—”

  Tish glared. This time, Sukie deflated a little. Clearly, Tish was the Queen B of the group, but the politics didn’t matter to Eliza, not when she was the one way out of the loop.

  “New water. Coming right up.” Eliza walked away, counting under her breath. Luckily, a new group of diners arrived, and she didn’t have time to check on Tish and co. for the rest of the afternoon. She was just straightening up the hostess station when the group filed past, towards the exit.

  Tish fell back behind the others. “Sorry about Sukie,” she said, looking apologetic.

  “Nothing to be sorry about,” Eliza replied brightly. “She’s right, we all work here. Did you enjoy your meal?”

  “It was great.” Tish paused. “I’m heading back to the city this afternoon, but maybe we could have a drink sometime. The three of us.”

  “Sure,” Eliza said slowly. She searched Tish’s expression for any hint of her friends’ attitude, but Tish just looked friendly—and curious. “That sounds great.”

  “Perfect. I’ll tell Cal and make a date.” Tish beamed. “Because God knows if I leave it up to him, it’ll never happen. You’d think that with an assistant and a secretary, he’d manage to keep his dates straight,” she added with an affectionate grin, “but if I didn’t call him the night before every dinner, he’d never show up.”

  “Good to know.” Eliza smiled. She was just about to relax, and admit that maybe she shouldn’t feel so defensive, when voices filtered through the open window beside them. Tish’s friends, waiting for her outside.

  “He can’t actually be dating her,” Sukie’s voice came. “She’s just a local side-piece.”

  “I haven’t seen them together in town,” another woman added. “He’s hiding her out here.”

  “Of course he is.” Sukie trilled with mean laughter. “I mean, can you imagine her at the club? Or any of the galas this season?”

  “Not unless she’s pulling waitress duty. I’m sorry, hostessing.”

  More laughter came.

  “I’m sorry.” Tish looked pained. “They can be bitches.”

  Eliza narrowed her eyes. “It’s fine,” she said shortly. “I get it. I’m not his usual type.”

  “Which is a good thing.”

  Tish seemed as if she wanted to say something else, but maybe she could tell Eliza didn’t want to make a scene over it. “Anyway, we’ll get that drink. See you soon, I hope.” She departed. The gossip outside the window immediately stopped, and Eliza could hear the group move off.

  Well, that had been fun.

  Eliza tried to forget the comments as she finished up her shift, but the voices echoed in her mind, polished and smug. She knew, logically, they were probably just jealous. After watching Sukie fawn all over Cal at the restaurant, it was clear he was Bachelor #1 in that world. How could he not be? He had the Prescott name and fortune behind him, as well as those heart-stopping good looks. And now, Eliza had to admit, she knew that he was kind, and sweet and smart.

  Not to mention spectacular in bed.

  And in the shower.

  And—

  Down, girl.

  But even though Eliza tried to brush off their comments, her insecurity flickered, all the same.

  Was she fooling herself?

  It had started out of nowhere; she’d told herself a million reasons why Cal was all wrong for her, but now the thought of being just his side-piece, his little vacation fling, made Eliza’s chest clench. Cal would never think like that or use those words, but he’d said it himself—this was a break from him, away from his regular life.

  Would that life have a place for her in it? Or was she being naïve to even think that way?

  * * *

  She finished up her shift and headed back to the house. Cal called to check in, but Eliza didn’t tell him what had happened. It felt like she would be tattling, and besides, it would only force a conversation she wasn’t sure they were ready to have.

  “So, no drama over the lunch service today?” he asked.

  “Nope,” Eliza replied lightly. “What about you, how was the house-hunting? Or is this call really just to tell me that you’re running off with Aunt June?”

  “Well, I wanted to tell you in person . . .” Cal’s voice couldn’t hide his laughter. “But now that you mention it . . .”

  “The heart wants what the heart wants.” She smiled, unlocking the front door. “But don’t even joke. Rumor has it her new beau is all of thirty-eight.”

  “He’ll be lucky to keep up. She had me all over the Cape today.”

  Eliza snorted with laughter, and Cal quickly added, “You know what I mean.”

  “Uh huh. So, do you want to do something tonight?” she asked. “Or did June wear you out?”

  “I can always find the time for you.” Cal’s voice turned intimate. “Come over. I’ll cook.”

  Eliza got a flash of Cal, shirtless, cooking for her, and was about to agree. Then she paused. “How about we go out?” she suggested instead, hearing Sukie’s voice in her head—and hating herself for it.

  “I haven’t seen them together . . . He’s hiding her out here.”

  “We could grab a drink at the pub,” she continued. “You can get to know everyone.”

  “Without them shooting daggers at me this time?” Cal teased.

  “I’ll protect you,” she joked back. “What do you say?”

  “Sure, sounds good,” Cal replied. “On one condition.”

  “Name it.”

  “That I get you naked in somebody’s bed by the end of the night.”

  Eliza sucked in a breath. Her stomach curled, and she couldn’t deny the heat that rolled through her just to hear him say it.

  “I think that could be arranged,” she said softly. “Meet you there at seven?”

  “I can’t wait.”

  Eliza hung up and paused a moment, the phone against her beating chest. It didn’t sound like he was hiding anything.

  Everything was OK, she reassured herself. She was over-thinking this, that was all. Sukie and her friends were jealous, and Eliza just needed to forget their petty sniping, and focus on the gorgeous, brilliant man promising to ravish her senseless.

  It sounded like a pretty good plan to her.

  “Eliza?” Her mom emerged from the back of the house. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “I just finished work,” she explained.

  “Do you have a moment?” Linda asked. “There’s something we need to talk about.”

  Eliza winced. She’d been hoping her nights spent sleeping over at Cal’s had gone unnoticed, but she should have known: Linda Bennett saw everything. She wasn’t in the mood for one of her mom’s “
giving the milk away for free” talks, so she wrapped her in a quick hug and then bounded for the stairs. “Can’t stop! I’ll be out late again tonight. We can talk tomorrow!”

  * * *

  Cal had to admit, walking into the pub to meet Eliza that night felt like walking into the line of fire. Her friends had made it clear that they were watching out for her, and they’d probably heard the worst of it from when he’d first arrived in town. But stepping through the doors, he realized that holding a grudge was the last thing on anyone’s mind.

  They were singing. Loudly.

  “Karaoke night,” Eliza said by way of explanation, greeting him with a kiss. She dragged him to the bar, elbowing her way through the crowd. “I totally forgot the place is always packed for this.”

  “Why?” Cal asked faintly, watching a couple of older women tunelessly belt out “Memories.” “Are you all gluttons for punishment?”

  Eliza playfully thwacked his arm. “It’s fun. We’re all terrible,” she continued, smiling. “I can’t hold a note, and Mackenzie’s even worse. Cooper’s the only one with a voice,” she said. “But he won’t do it unless Poppy bats her eyelashes.”

  “Sounds like a fun night,” Cal said, but he wasn’t even lying. Eliza was right there beside him, poured into a pair of jeans that were making him lightheaded. He reached out and tugged her closer, closing his arms around her waist and breathing in the scent of her; the heat. “Hey,” he murmured, loving the way her cheeks flushed as she tilted her head up and smiled at him.

  “Hey.”

  “I knew it.” They were interrupted by the bartender, Riley, grinning at them with a smug look on his face.

  “Knew what?” Eliza asked, reaching over to swipe the glass of beer he set on the bar.

  “Knew that the way you two were bickering, you’d be madly in love by the end of the month. Or calling me to help hide the body.” Riley winked.

  “Don’t speak too soon,” Cal said. “I bet you have the perfect spot all picked out,” he added to Eliza, and was rewarded with a sunny grin.