Page 16 of Holidate Fail
Heath held open Kelly’s back door and Lacole climbed in, still chatting. Heath got in on the other side, leaving the front for Dahlia.
Surely, it didn’t mean anything. It was hard to have a conversation from different seats in a vehicle, and Lacole and Heath’s discussion had moved on to…contracts for clients? That was unexpected. Dahlia got in the front seat, making sure she was relaxed and natural around Kelly. You know, in case she was reading way too much into his words.
The SUV’s navigation took them a mile away to the crash site. Kelly parked in the shade of a pine tree by a sturdy brick house with a wrought iron fence. Another scavenger hunt group waved as they left the site, shouting encouragement.
The fence creaked when Heath pushed it open. Two older women sat in rocking chairs on the white wooden porch, watching as the group walked up the stone path. Lemonade and chocolate chip cookies sat on the small table between them. Dahlia stood far away from the temptation.
But that put her next to a different form of temptation: Kelly. If only Heath had been on time for the scavenger hunt, she never would have run into him and had the longing from so long ago rekindled. She shook her head and looked at her date. He was beautiful, with his clear gaze and chiseled chin. His touch had warmed her, too. And he seemed to be having fun. These were all good things, right?
“This house has been in my family for several generations,” said one of the women. “The crash happened right out there. This fence is a replica of the original that withstood hurricanes and hail, but couldn’t survive a roadster and whiskey.”
Was that the clue? Dahlia didn’t want to ask out loud. “So you’re related to the judge.”
“He was my great-grandaddy.” She held out the plate of sweets. “Have a cookie.”
Lacole took one of the offered cookies, but both Kelly and Heath declined. Dahlia gripped the handle of her satchel.
“But they’re fresh baked,” one woman said.
“Don’t fuss, Minnie.” The other woman put her hand on Minnie’s arm. “More for me. You know how much I love your cookies.”
“Sometimes I think that’s the only reason we moved in together.” Minnie giggled, then turned to Dahlia and the rest. “I suppose you’ll be wanting your clue now?”
Okay, good. Dahlia didn’t have to ask.
Minnie gave them a piece of paper with a Sudoku puzzle on it. “There’s a café and candy store a few miles up the street. It would be a nice place to do this puzzle and any others you may have come across.”
Chapter 5
The sun was casting long shadows through the trees by the time they stopped at the diner five miles away. The atmosphere of the Ramshackle Café fit its vibe. The walls were covered in roadmaps, and an occasional license plate hung next to old advertisements. The smell of grease hung in the air. Ramshackle Candies stood next to the restaurant, the open archway between the businesses leading to a bright room with rows of chocolates and other sweets.
Kelly took out his phone, readying for another picture. Damn. He might have to hold off. His battery was getting awfully low, though he did get a text from Vin saying there were two more new bookings.
Kelly looked out the restaurant window, at the rows of parked cars and people hanging out in the parking lot. They had to be nearing the end of the hunt. Missing one or two pictures wouldn’t be the worst thing.
The foursome secured a square table in the back next to an empty stage that advertised live music that night. Kelly scoured the full restaurant for other patrons participating in the scavenger hunt as he sat between Dahlia and Lacole, across from Heath. The group that had left Minnie’s house before them either hadn’t stopped here, had already figured out their clue, or had been sent somewhere else.
“No publicity picture?” Lacole had to lean forward and shout to be heard over the clamor of people eating and music playing from the overhead speaker.
“Not anymore. My phone battery is dying and uploading has been slow,” Kelly said. Hopefully the pictures he’d already taken were fun enough to spark interest in Georgia Adventures. He let out a slow breath. The thought of losing what he’d worked so hard for, what he and Vin had envisioned, knocked him sideways.
He looped his elbow over the back of his chair and clamped his hand down, hoping his face didn’t give away the tension spiraling in his body. Kristy had warned him starting a business was risky when he and Vin opened the doors to Georgia Adventures. With her law background, she had been helpful in setting up agreements and the lease for the warehouse. Maybe he just hadn’t been smart enough to figure out how to keep it going.
“My phone’s pretty fried, too,” Heath said as he flagged down a server.
Lacole took her phone out and turned, snapping a picture of them all. “At least that’s something. I can send it to you.”
After they placed an order for food in the noisy café, they gathered around the clue. Sudoku wasn’t easy to do with four people chiming in, so he left it to Lacole. Heath scooted his chair closer to her to help out, which left Kelly alone with Dahlia.
“You okay?” She gestured to the death grip on the chair.
“Oh, yeah. All good.” He forced a smile, releasing his fingers. He scooted his chair closer so they could talk without shouting. Some of his worry calmed down when she talked to him. Other women hadn’t wanted to be involved in discussions about his business, so he’d learned to keep the stress and setbacks and hardships to himself. Would Dahlia be like that?
Lush, curvy Dahlia who had no idea how tempting she was. He’d always thought she was a little weird with unusual interests in high school. Until she threw that paper football back at him in the library. Well, she was still a little weird, but she was her own person and it didn’t matter what he thought about her hobbies.
When she had fallen during the pyramid challenge, he would have gladly stayed under her, her breasts pressed into his chest, for as long as necessary. It was only when his erection became a heat-seeking missile that he rolled her over and got up, but not before her wondrous gaze had sent a jolt of fresh lust through him.
Lust he was feeling now as he looked at her pink lips. His fingers twitched to touch her again. Did she know? Could she tell how desperately he wanted to pull her closer to him and kiss her?
