“Oh, honey, you really shouldn’t do that.” She covered her mouth with her hand and looked at me like I was a baby bird that had just fallen out of its nest.

  I stopped what I was doing. “Why? What’s wrong?”

  “You’re soaking your blouse, and now you look like you’ve been in a wet t-shirt contest, not that I would know anything about that.” She pressed her lips together like an old schoolmarm. “Unfortunately, you can see straight through to your bra.”

  I glanced down, mortified. She was right. How had I not noticed that? All I had thought about was getting out the stain. This couldn’t be happening. What was I going to do? I’d have to camp out in the bathroom until someone brought me new clothes. This date was looking more and more like a disaster with every second that passed.

  “I tell you what,” she said. “I’ll let you wear my sweater. I have a blouse underneath.”

  “Oh, but I’d feel bad making you give up your sweater.”

  She unbuttoned it all the way down and took it off. “Don’t feel bad. It’s the least I can do. I was young once, and I remember how nervous I was around a good-looking man.” She nudged my shoulder and gave me a smile. “I’m Mae by the way.”

  “I’m Lindsey.”

  “Nice to meet you, Lindsey. Now put this on.”

  “I don’t want to impose.” The idea of wearing that ugly sweater didn’t appeal to me at all.

  She gave me a stern look. “I won’t take no for an answer. You need to cover yourself. We don’t want that young man thinking you’re too available.”

  She had a point. “Okay, but let me get your phone number and address, and I’ll bring it back to you later.” I hesitated. “Thank you, Mae. I appreciate your help.”

  “No problem, dear. I prayed this morning that God would give me an opportunity to serve someone, and here you are, needing my assistance.”

  “That’s really sweet. Are you a believer?”

  “Yes, I’ve known the Lord for many years now.” She looked at me with eyes that were both wise and kind.

  “I am too. I’m glad God brought you to help me.”

  “Looks like it all worked out.” She wrote down her address and phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to me. “Take your time. There’s no hurry.” She patted me on the shoulder. “Enjoy the rest of your date and don’t worry so much. Just be yourself. If it doesn’t work out with him, someone better will come along.”

  After she left, I took a deep breath and glanced at myself in the mirror. Yep, if I hadn’t looked like a clown before, I certainly did now. But I had to smile because this would make a great story one day. I imagined telling my future children about the catastrophic date I’d once had. And Mae was right. It was time to stop worrying about impressing Gray. He either liked me or he didn’t. Things had gone badly, but it wasn’t the end of the world. I’d felt completely out of control when Destiny did that makeover, and if I wanted to get through the rest of the evening, I needed to take back some of that control.

  If Gray never called me again after this, I’d be just fine. He might be good-looking, but if he couldn’t accept me for who I was, then forget him. I took the wet napkins and wiped the excess makeup off my face, and then I squared my shoulders and held my head high.

  “Let’s get this over with,” I said out loud, glancing at myself in the mirror. The worst had already happened. Perhaps this date could be salvaged.

  Chapter 6

  Grayson

  This was why I hated blind dates. Lindsey was attractive, sure. But she wasn’t really my type. I preferred a more down-to-earth woman who didn’t feel the need to wear stiletto heels on a lunch date. Her clothes, her makeup…It was all too much. It reeked of trying too hard. Even that perfume was over the top. It had been all I could do not to gag when we got in my truck.

  She’d been a good sport about lunch though. I’d seen her eyeing the French Bistro and knew she thought we were going there. The disappointment on her face was evident when she realized we weren’t, but she quickly adjusted and didn’t make any comments about it.

  Normally, I would’ve taken a first date somewhere nicer, but Will’s comment about making the initial three dates as cheap as possible stuck with me. I was tired of women only being with me because of my status, and before I went any further, I needed to know for certain there was a connection that had nothing to do with my money.

  Lindsey walked out of the restroom and joined me at the table wearing a funny-looking sweater. “Sorry that took so long.”

  “No problem. Everything okay?” I eyed the sweater wondering where it came from and why she had it on.

  “Yeah. A kind lady in the restroom loaned this to me so I wouldn’t have to sit here with sauce all over my blouse.” She glanced down at the bright sweater.

  “Oh, come on,” I teased. “Look at me. We could have matched.” I instantly regretted my words since it reminded her that she’d gotten makeup all over my shirt. “Not that I mind. I may not even wash this. It might be fun to keep it as a memento of our date.”

  She put a hand over her eyes and shook her head, laughing. “My floundering has been a bit like a train wreck, but at least we got a good laugh out of it.”

  Okay, she wasn’t so bad after all. I admired a woman who could laugh and not take herself so seriously. I probably misjudged her earlier. She looked different somehow since she’d come back from the restroom. Less makeup, maybe. More confidence, perhaps. I wondered what happened with the rip in her clothing, but I was too much of a gentleman to ask.

  “Look,” she said, sitting up straighter. “I have a confession to make.” Worry lines formed on her forehead, but then she smoothed out her face and lifted her chin as if she wouldn’t allow anything to deter her from what she wanted to say. “My last dating experience was kind of bad.” She shifted in her seat. “Well, not kind of—it really was bad. Because of that, my cousin ambushed me with a makeover right before you came, and I agreed to it because I wanted to impress you. But this,” she waved a hand over herself, “is not the real me. I don’t normally wear tight clothes and mile-high heels. Typically, I put on a fraction of the makeup, and I don’t spend so much time on my hair. I usually let it fall naturally.” She shrugged. “Just thought you should know. I’m not going to pretend to be someone else—won’t even try.”

  Her lips quirked up in a half-smile revealing dimples on either side of her mouth. They were cute. Beyond cute, actually. I may have told Piper I didn’t want a Shirley Temple, but now that I was face-to-face with Lindsey, I had to admit, cute was nice. More than nice.

  She took a small bite of her sandwich and glanced away. “You’re looking at me like I’m a lunatic. I know I must look a sight—”

  “No.” I rested my elbows on the table and leaned in. “You’re not a lunatic. In fact, I’m glad you shared that with me. It’s refreshing to find a woman who isn’t afraid to be vulnerable.” I smiled, my eyes falling on those dimples again. “I’d like to see the real you next time.”

  “Next time? Does that mean you want a second date?”

  I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms. Before her confession, I hadn’t been too sure, but now…Yeah, I’d like to see her again. She’d sparked my curiosity. “Definitely. Maybe sometime this week. Are you free on Tuesday night?”

  “Yes.” She twisted her hands in front of her like she was nervous but then stopped all of a sudden as if realizing what she was doing. “I’m free.”

  “Do you mind if I ask you something?” I finished off my meatball sandwich and chewed quickly.

  “Sure, go ahead.”

  “What happened with the last guy you dated?”

  “Oh. Well.” She glanced down, appearing uncomfortable. “You know what they say. It’s bad etiquette to talk about exes on a first date.”

  I chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so. I was only asking because my last relationship didn’t end well either, and friends have tried to fix me up ever since.”

  She grinned. “Isn’t that the worst? People love to play matchmaker when you’re single, but it’s not easy meeting someone new. There’s so much pressure.”

  “Ditto to that.” I took a moment to take her in. She was actually quite pretty: brown hair, hazel eyes, full lips. And those dimples…I kept coming back to those indentations. She was adorable. She reminded me a little of the actress, Ginnifer Goodwin but with longer hair. “So, Lindsey. Tell me about your job. What’s it like?”

  She took a small bite of her sandwich and chewed, holding up a finger to signal she’d answer in a second. “Well, you know I work with Piper. The restaurant belongs to my parents, and I help manage it. It’s called Clarke’s Homestyle Cookin’. Maybe you’ve heard of it?”

  I shook my head. “No, can’t say that I have. If I were to show up there, what kind of dishes would I find?”

  “Simple, home-cooked meals. Nothing fancy. Something your grandma might make for you.”

  “My favorite type of food. Do you do any of the cooking?”

  She smiled. “Sometimes, if the cook is out sick or has a day off. I fill in for the wait staff as well, but I mostly help manage the place.”

  “Do you like it?”

  She shrugged. “It pays the bills, and it’s nice working with family. My cousin, Wyatt, works there as well.”

  I had a feeling she was holding back on something, but it was too soon to push for more. “Working with family can be a tricky business at times.”

  She laughed. “Yeah, you’re right about that, but, thankfully, we all get along.” She paused. “For the most part.”

  She bit into her sandwich again, obviously enjoying her food. That was another thing I liked: women who ate with gusto. Forget picking at your plate like a rabbit. That just wasn’t for me. I needed a woman who loved life and everything in it.

  “What about you?” she asked. “What do you do for a living?”

  “I dabble here and there, but construction is my business.”

  She nodded thoughtfully. “You’re a construction worker. That explains the muscles.” She blushed as if realizing she’d been blunt.

  I winked. “I try to work out, but it’s more fun getting my hands dirty.” It was true, and occasionally I still joined the crew on certain pet projects. I enjoyed the outdoors and putting in a good day’s work. Because I was the boss, I didn’t have to, but it was nice having the option if I felt like it. There was nothing better than working up a sweat and taking pride in a job well done, so I joined the guys as often as I could.

  “It’s great that you enjoy your occupation. What kind of construction do you do?”

  “Different projects. Right now, my crew is working on a twelve-story building. It’ll be a new hospital when we’re finished.”

  “That’s awesome. I wish I could see it. It’s so exciting to see a project in the works before it’s completed.”

  Wow. Someone who actually took an interest in my job. Most women changed the subject when I brought up my work unless they knew how much money I made. Then they wanted to know all the details. But I’d told Piper not to mention my financial situation to Lindsey, and I trusted her not to do that. I could tell Lindsey had no idea. Not that I wanted to mislead her, but I didn’t have to share everything at this point. “I know today’s Saturday, but some of the guys are working overtime. I could drive us over to the site if you’d like to see it.”

  Her eyes widened. “Really? I’d love that.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  Both of us had finished eating, so I cleared everything off the table and dumped it in the trash. We left the restaurant, and on the way to the site, I glanced at her. “I hear you attend Calvary Community Church with Will and Piper. How do you like it?”

  “I love it. It has great teaching and the people are friendly. What about you? How do you like Saving Hope?”

  “It’s a small church, but everyone is like family. Pastor Taylor is going through an interesting series in Proverbs.”

  We chatted about our churches until we came to the job site. The large structure took my breath away every time I looked at it. It was mostly a framework right now, but it would start looking like an actual building in a couple of months. Crane operators were hard at work lifting structural supports, and the low hum of heavy machinery filled the air.

  I smiled at Lindsey as I pulled into the parking space. “Anyone who enters the premises has to wear a hard hat due to OSHA regulations, but I just so happen to have a couple in the back of my truck.”

  “What are OSHA regulations?”

  “They’re standards employers are required to follow in order to have a safe work environment.”

  She nodded. “I see.”

  Once we parked and exited the truck, I found the orange hard hats and handed one to Lindsey. She put the hat on, and I had a sudden urge to lean in and kiss her on the cheek, but I held back. Strangely enough, after she’d been so open and we’d talked for a while, I saw her in a completely new light. I felt comfortable with her and could even picture myself with her. Still, I needed to step on the brakes. We were just barely getting to know each other, and the last thing I wanted was another Melinda Anderson who saw me as a means to an end. Back then, I’d thought she was nice as well, until I got acquainted with the real her that is.

  I led Lindsey around the property and talked about the HMO that planned to take over the hospital once it was done.

  “This is impressive,” she said. “I’ve never been this close to a building in progress. It’s pretty cool.”

  I put my hand on her back while we circled the construction site. With those shoes, I didn’t want her tripping on anything. She smiled up at me and listened attentively to everything I said. Warmth flooded through me as I looked into her hazel eyes. They were brown around the pupils, but the irises were greenish with little flecks of gold.

  “Has anyone ever told you how beautiful your eyes are?” I asked.

  She blushed. “Not lately but thank you.”

  “They’re very striking.”

  “I take after my grandma, or so I’m told. She died before I was old enough to remember her, but my mom talks about her all the time.”

  “You mentioned your parents. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

  “No, I’m an only child, but I have two cousins that are a lot like siblings. We have dinner together every Sunday.”

  “Must be nice. My parents are retired now. They moved to Florida, and I don’t get to see them as often as I’d like. My older brother lives out there as well.”

  “I see my parents almost every day, and I love it, but sometimes I wish I could pull away a little.”

  “Have you ever thought about moving?”

  She smiled reluctantly. “Can’t. They want me to run the restaurant once they retire.”

  “Is that what you want?”

  It took her a few moments to answer. “Yeah.” She didn’t say it with much enthusiasm, and I noticed a twitch underneath her right eye. She stopped walking and hesitated. “I hate to tell you this, but I should’ve used the restroom before we left. Is there one around here?”

  I grimaced. “The only restrooms available are porta-potties, and they aren’t very nice. I’ll drive you somewhere nearby and find a public restroom.”

  “Oh, no. It’s not a big deal. I can use the one here.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t mind. We can even come back if you want.”

  She shook her head. “Please don’t go through all that trouble.” She winked. “I’ll just pinch my nose before I walk in.”

  I chuckled. “Suit yourself.”

  I led her to a blue porta-potty not too far away and watched as she went inside. She was full of surprises. Funny how initial impressions were often incorrect. When I’d first picked her up at her house, I’d thought she was probably the prissy princess type. How wrong I’d been. No princess would use a porta-potty.

  Dave, one of the foremen, came over and nudged me in the ribs. “Hey, boss. You didn’t tell me you had a new girlfriend.”

  “Actually, today’s our first date. We just met.”

  “How did you meet?”

  “A friend set us up.”

  He grinned. “Hook me up with her sister.”

  “Sorry, man. She’s an only child.”

  He didn’t respond, and the smile slipped from his face. His eyes were fixed on something behind me. “Mark is getting awful close with that crane.”

  I turned around to see what he was talking about. Mark was operating a crane, lifting an I-beam, and he was way too close to the porta-potties. Before I could do anything, the beam knocked against the porta-potty Lindsey had gone into, tipping it over. My eyes bulged out of their sockets.

  “Stop!” I yelled.

  But it was too late. The damage was already done. Dave and I ran over, and I yelled for the other workers to help us, praying Lindsey was okay. As we all worked together to lift up the porta-potty, the door flew open and out fell Lindsey.

  Along with a bucket load of urine and feces that had dislodged from the toilet.

  She was drenched in it from head to toe.

  My jaw fell to the ground. “Lindsey, are you okay? Please tell me you’re okay.”

  I took her by the shoulders and helped her to stand. She appeared stunned, her eyes about to pop out. “What just happened?” Her voice wobbled.

  “I’m so sorry. One of the guys was using the crane to lift an I-beam, and it was too close. It hit the porta-potty and knocked you over. Are you all right? Does anything feel broken?”

  “No, nothing hurts. Nothing except my pride.” She looked down at her skirt. “Destiny probably won’t want this back. And this sweater…What will I tell Mae?”

  “I’ll pay for everything. Just give me the bill. I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

  A sinking sensation came over me. Talk about having a catastrophic date. What woman would agree to go out after something like this?

 

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