Guarding a Forbidden Love, page 5
Sam continued to intercede for Harper by repeating the same thing over and over again to people all day long. He and Harper were not allowed to talk about the crime. Dallas had told them not to discuss anything.
At a few minutes before five, Sam went out to his truck and grabbed the cooler and carried it inside the bakery. He returned to his table and set the cooler at his feet.
Hopefully she would agree to share the meal with him, and hopefully it would erase the lines of stress that had stretched across her forehead throughout the day.
Finally, the last person inside aside from Sam left, and Harper hurried toward the front door where she turned the sign to Closed and then locked up. She turned off the interior lights although there was still plenty of sunshine pouring in through the windows.
She sank down in the chair across from Sam and released a deep sigh. “Jeez. What a long day. Thank you, Sam, for once again being here for me. I’m sure the last thing you wanted to do was spend your entire day in here fielding questions, but I really appreciate how you ran interference for me.”
“At least you sold a lot of cookies today,” he said, hoping to see a sparkle return to her eyes.
He achieved his goal. Her eyes not only sparkled, but a small laugh escaped her as well. “There is that,” she agreed. “In fact, I sold out of every single one of the cookies I baked this morning. That’s never, ever happened before.”
“So, it was a good day for cookies but a stressful day for you.”
She smiled at him. “Made a bit less stressful thanks to you.”
He reached down and picked up the large cooler and placed it in the center of the table. “What’s all this?” she asked curiously.
“Since you won’t go out to dinner with me, I thought I’d bring a little dinner to you, and I hope you like Italian.” Before she could protest, he opened the cooler and brought out the containers that had been packed inside.
“You’re in for a real treat. I’ve got some of my mom’s homemade lasagna and meatballs. There’s also garlic bread and a bottle of red wine. If you just sit tight, I’ll take all these things back to the kitchen and warm them up.” He knew she had a microwave in the kitchen.
“Sam...” There was a weak protest in his name. “Why did you go to all this trouble?”
“Because I think you’re worth it,” he replied easily. He got up from the table and walked behind the display case where he knew she kept plastic cups. He grabbed two and then went back to the table, where he cracked open the bottle of wine and poured two cups.
He set the cooler back on the floor and grabbed the food item containers. “I’ll be right back with the meal.”
She merely nodded. He was encouraged by her allowing him to do this for her. Once in the kitchen he used the microwave to heat the lasagna and meatballs and threw the garlic bread under the broiler. A few minutes later he plated the food and then carried the two plates back to where she remained seated, sipping her wine.
When he placed her plate before her, she looked up at him with eyes that appeared slightly misty with tears. “Sam, I can’t believe you went to all this trouble.”
He grinned at her. “If Mohammad won’t come to the mountain, then the mountain will come to Mohammad. Now, enjoy.”
“Oh, my gosh, this is absolutely amazing,” she said after taking her first bite.
“Mom cooks something like this at least once a week and she always sends me home with enough leftovers to feed a small army.”
“Do you cook?” She looked at him curiously.
“I do. When I moved out of my parents’ home, I quickly realized the only way I was going to get to eat was if I learned how to cook.”
“Are you any good at it?” she asked.
He laughed. “I don’t know how good I am, but I haven’t poisoned myself yet.” He was rewarded with her laughter. “What about you? Do you cook anything other than sweet treats?”
“Yes, I cook normal dinners,” she replied.
“Are you any good at it?” he asked teasingly.
“I haven’t poisoned myself yet,” she replied, making him laugh in return.
“What’s your specialty?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I make a pretty mean parmesan cheese–encrusted pork chop,” she replied.
“Hmm, that sounds really good.”
For the next few minutes, they ate and talked about different kinds of food. From there, the conversation went to favorite movies and television shows. Like him, she enjoyed watching crime dramas and comedies.
The subjects were safe and easy to talk about and yet gave Sam a little glimpse into who she was as a person...as a woman.
This was exactly what he had wanted, some uninterrupted quality time with her. The more he learned about her, the more attracted he was to her. He was pleased to learn that they seemed to have a lot in common despite their very different jobs.
She liked old country tunes, as did he. She enjoyed long evening walks and crime shows that challenged her. She loved living in Millsville and insisted she would never want to live anywhere else. It was exactly the way he felt about their hometown.
Much to his dismay soon the food had all been eaten and the wine was almost gone. “I’ll take care of the dishes,” she said.
“Nonsense, I’ll help.” He got up from the table with her and carried his plate to the back where she had a dishwasher. She rinsed and loaded the plates and then they went back into the front where he packed his now-empty containers back into the cooler.
“It always seems like I’m thanking you for something, Sam,” she said once everything was cleaned up.
“If you really want to thank me then you’ll agree to go out with me,” he replied.
She stared at him for a long moment. “Okay.”
He looked at her in stunned surprise. “For real?”
“For real.”
“So, you’re saying you’ll go out with me on a date.”
She grinned at him. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“When?” he asked. “How about tomorrow night around six? We’ll go to the café for dinner.”
“That sounds good to me,” she agreed.
“Then it’s a date, right?” He wanted to make sure he was hearing her right.
She laughed. “Yes, Sam, it’s a date.” Together they walked to the bakery’s front door.
“Would you like me to drive or walk you home now?”
“No, I’m fine. I’ve got a few more things to do here before I leave so I’ll just see you in the morning.” She unlocked the front door. “Good night, Sam, and thank you again for the wonderful meal among other things.”
Sam whistled a happy tune as he walked to his truck. He was grateful that the one thing they hadn’t talked about was the body in her backyard. He’d hoped to take her mind off the grisly sight and he believed at least for a little while he had done just that.
What made him even happier was that finally, Harper was seeing him as somebody to date. He wasn’t sure why she had changed her mind about him, he was just glad it had happened. For the first time in years Sam was excited about a woman. She not only drew him in physically but emotionally as well.
The last time he’d felt that way about a woman he had fallen in love hard and fast. He’d been twenty-four years old and had believed he’d found the perfect woman who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
Sharon was funny and smart and pretty and he’d loved her desperately. Unfortunately, she hadn’t felt the same way about him. After six months of dating, she’d broken up with him. He’d been absolutely devastated.
He was finally willing to put his heart on the line once again. He hoped Harper wasn’t just humoring him. His cheerful whistle halted as another thought entered his mind.
Maybe Harper was just toying with him so she could boast to her friends that she was dating a much younger guy. Maybe he was nothing more than a trophy boyfriend for her. Perhaps it would be best that Sam hang on to his heart before seeing where this all was going.
Chapter 4
What have you done? Girl, you must have lost your ever-loving mind. What in the world were you thinking? The next evening at five forty-five, Harper stared at her reflection in her bathroom mirror. What on earth had made her agree to go out on a date with the much younger, very hunky Sam Bravano?
Even as the question shot through her head, she knew the answer. She’d agreed to go out with him because he had been so gentle and caring with her on the night Sandy Blackstone had been found. She’d agreed because he had sung her “Happy Birthday” and brought her dinner.
Ultimately, she’d capitulated because he made her laugh and because he’d been so tenacious about wanting to take her out on a date. Besides that, she’d agreed because she genuinely liked him.
“It’s just one night,” she told the reflection in the mirror. It wasn’t like she was going to sleep with him, although the idea was certainly appealing. She’d go out with him this one time and then not again. The whole idea of him wanting any kind of a real romantic relationship with a slightly chubby, menopausal woman who was years older than him was ridiculous.
She turned away from the mirror and left the bathroom.
Her makeup had been applied and she was clad in a lavender sundress that hid her tummy and hips and instead skimmed the length of her body. White earrings and sandals completed her outfit.
She went into the living room and sank down on the sofa to await Sam’s arrival. She’d spent the day waffling between phoning him to call the whole thing off or biting the bullet and going. She’d finally decided to bite the bullet. One and done, she told herself firmly. He probably wouldn’t want another date with her anyway.
She’d also spent the day doing a little housework and reading a novel by her favorite author. It had been a restful day after a crazy and disturbing week.
The town was all still buzzing about the Scarecrow Killer and his newest victim. The idea of a potential serial killer at work in the small town was frightening, indeed.
Dallas had called for a town meeting in the community hall the next night and she intended to be there. She was sure that most of the people in town, along with all the farmers on the outskirts of town, would also attend.
Still, even with all these things swirling around in her head, it was thoughts of Sam that took precedence. Out of all the women in town, why did he want to spend time with her?
She’d been tossed away by her husband because she hadn’t been young enough, hadn’t been fun enough. She’d been left behind because she wasn’t pretty enough, wasn’t witty enough to keep the man who had vowed to love her forever. So, why on earth would she be enough for Sam?
She was getting way ahead of herself. By the end of this evening, she was fairly sure Sam wouldn’t be interested in another date with her. She supposed this one date wouldn’t hurt anything. All she really wanted from Sam was his expertise as a carpenter. This night was just the result of him catching her at a weak moment.
At precisely six o’clock a knock fell on her door. Her heart did a crazy dance in her chest. She got up, grabbed her purse and then answered. It was Sam...a very hot, handsome Sam. She’d never seen him dressed in anything but jeans and a T-shirt. Tonight, he wore black slacks with a short-sleeved forest green dress shirt that showcased his beautiful green eyes.
“Hi, Harper. You look positively stunning,” he said as his gaze swept the length of her.
She felt the blush that warmed her cheeks. “Thanks. I’m all ready to go.” Even though she didn’t believe him when he said things like that to her, there was no question that it was still nice to hear.
“Are you hungry?” he asked once they were in his truck. He smelled as delicious as he looked with the spicy cologne that she always found so wonderfully attractive.
“I am.” A nervous tension fluttered inside her as she thought of going out in public with Sam. The café was always packed on Sunday evenings. There would be a lot of people there who would see the two of them together out on a social basis. What on earth would they think? “What about you?”
“I’m definitely ready for a big juicy burger. Unfortunately, I don’t think the café does Mexican food very often.”
She was surprised he’d remembered that she’d mentioned in passing that Mexican was her favorite type of food. “They don’t, but I always find something good on the menu.”
“It’s a nice night,” he said. “Although still a little warm.”
“At least it’s cooled off some from this afternoon,” she replied.
The closer they got to the café, the more nervous she was becoming. She should have never agreed to this. What were people going to think when they saw the two of them out together?
“Relax, Harper,” Sam said as if reading her mood. “It’s just a meal out, not a lifetime commitment.”
She laughed. “I realize that.”
“Have you ever been to the Farmer’s Club?” he asked as they passed the place.
The Farmer’s Club was a small bar on Main Street mostly frequented by the older farmers and couples in the area. “No, I’ve never been in there, although I’ve heard about it from some of the people who come into the bakery.”
“It’s a nice place that caters to an older crowd versus Murphy’s, which is much bigger and noisier and caters to more of the singles in town. Maybe next time we go out we can have a drink and relax at the Farmer’s Club.”
She didn’t feel like this was the appropriate moment to tell him there wouldn’t be a next time. “At least you’ll be able to get one of your big juicy cheeseburgers for dinner,” she said in an attempt to change the subject.
“Yeah, and I’m definitely hungry tonight. On another note, I heard that the long-term weather forecast is for a couple of days of rain this week. And just so you know, this man doesn’t work in the rain,” he replied.
“I wouldn’t expect you to,” she replied. “I guess your work is at the mercy of the weather at times.”
“Definitely,” he agreed. “Rain can keep me off a job for days, so I’m not particularly fond of rainy days.”
“Sundays... I don’t mind a rainy Sunday occasionally.”
He shot a quick glance at her and smiled. “And what do you like to do on rainy Sundays?”
“Nothing exciting. I enjoy curling up on my sofa under a nice warm blanket and watching movies all day.”
“So, you aren’t one of those crazy women who like to get naked and dance in the rain?”
“Good grief, no,” she replied with a laugh.
By that time, they had arrived at the café. Just as she had feared, cars were parked not only in front of the place but also all the way down the block.
“Looks like we’ll have a little walk,” he said as he pulled into a parking space across the street and down the block from the eating establishment. He cut the engine and smiled at her. “Sit tight.”
He got out of the truck and then walked around to open her door and help her down. She murmured a thank you and then they started walking side by side toward the café.
It seemed only natural when he reached out and took her hand in his. The warm, slightly calloused hand felt familiar and good and she remembered how he had held her hand the night that Sandy’s body had been found. But she didn’t want to think about that right now.
“It looks like there’s a big crowd here tonight,” she said.
“Yeah. Hopefully we’ll be able to grab a booth or a table without waiting too long,” he replied.
He dropped her hand as they reached the café door and he ushered her inside. A cacophony of sound greeted them, the clinking of silverware and dishes and people talking and laughing together.
Along with the sounds were the heavenly scents. They were the fragrances of cooking meats and onions, of simmering stews and veggies. Finally, there was a hint of yeasty rolls and fresh-baked pies.
The decor in the café was an homage to the local farmers. One wall held big golden hay bales with bright red roosters. Another wall depicted a yellow cornfield with the three tall silos that were part of the town’s skyscape, and yet another was farmland in patterns of browns and greens and golds.
Harper had always found the café to be a pleasant, calming place to eat. But tonight, as Sam spied an empty booth in the back and as they made their way toward it, she was aware of gazes following them and conversations suddenly turning to whispers. She also caught a quick glance of her friend Allie Crawford and her husband, Ed, seated at one of the tables they passed.
She had no idea who else might be in the café that she knew for she tried to keep her gaze straight ahead, not making eye contact with anyone. She didn’t want to see the expressions on their faces, although she definitely felt the stares.
She was grateful to slide into the booth where at least she couldn’t see everyone who had been staring at them. She immediately grabbed one of the menus that stood between the salt and pepper shakers and held it up in front of her face.
“Harper.” Sam’s deep voice made her lower the menu and look at him over the top edge. “Relax. I promise you, it’s going to be just fine.”
She released a small, nervous laugh and lowered the menu all the way. “I felt like everyone in the whole café was gawking at us and whispering about us. I’m sure they’re wondering what you are doing here with such an old lady.”
He frowned at her. “Harper, you have got to stop thinking of yourself that way. You are not an old lady. You are a beautiful and vibrant woman and to be perfectly honest, I don’t care what other people think. I’m here with the woman I want to be here with. Now, smile and at least try to look like you’re enjoying my company.” He grinned, causing his dimple to dance in his cheek.
She laughed again. “Okay, I’m relaxing as you speak.”
