Built To Last (Sweet Contemporary Romance) Page 2

  Chapter Three

  OH MY GOSH! Oh my gosh! The phrase ran on repeat in Erin’s mind as she drew in a deep breath. Her hands shook and she pressed them down on the bar while she waited for her drink. The man she’d met at the office was standing beside her. Talking to her. She and the girls had left for happy hour before he’d finished with Austin. She’d been disappointed but needed this night out and didn’t want them to go without her.

  He’d come here… for her.

  The bartender slid her soda across the bar and handed another glass to Jake. She had considered ordering a glass of wine but she didn’t drink often… and tonight she wanted to keep her wits about her.

  Jack tipped his glass and she met it with her own. “So, do you come here often?”

  Erin laughed. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh. But you have to admit, that was a cheesy greeting.”

  He joined in her laughter. “I didn’t mean it that way. I don’t normally come to happy hour.”

  “I don’t either. Only once in a while with the other women from the office. Not too often, though. I’ve been busy.” Too busy, yes, but also not interested in the local crowd. Not when she planned to leave town.

  Jake leaned in close. It’s loud in here, she told herself. He leaned so he could hear her better. But his nearness had her heart racing faster. Honestly, it had kicked up a rapid beat the minute he rested his hand on her shoulder. She’d been so bogged down with life, so stifled for the past ten years, that she’d hardly noticed the men around her recently. So when a handsome man sought her out, it had her flustered.

  She stiffened. She wasn’t staying in Laguna Beach much longer. After all of this time, after all of these years of responsibility, she would finally do something for herself. Somewhere else. Meeting a man in Laguna Beach wasn’t in her plans.

  “I understand congratulations are in order.”

  “What?” She shook her head. What could he be congratulating her about? She hadn’t told anyone about what she intended to do.

  “Austin told me you earned your degree.”

  “Oh, thank you. Yeah, it was a long time coming. Ten years.”

  “That sounds like a long time. Good for you for sticking it out. Did you graduate high school around here or did you move in to go to school?”

  “I grew up in Laguna Beach, actually. I was a few years behind Austin and Abby at Laguna Beach High School.” She motioned behind her, “Ashley from the office went to LBHS, too. What about you?”

  “Me, no. I grew up in Oregon. On the coast. Started my business out there, but I had a hard time with the long winters, so I moved south.”

  She would love to see the Oregon coast, to watch the ocean crash on the jagged cliffs so alike but so much different from those in Laguna Beach. “Well, you’ve certainly come to the right place. Our winters last about… three days.”

  The deep timbre of Jake’s laugh washed over her. Add another thing in the plus column. She doubted he had anything in the minus column.

  “The weather is definitely perfect for my business.”

  “What do you do?”

  “I build custom homes. I had an accident on the job site this morning. That’s why I came to see Austin.”

  “I’m sorry. I hope you’re feeling better now.” Austin was a miracle worker with back injuries. Jake was in good hands.

  He tilted his head to the left and then the right with a smile on his face. “Austin did great. Thankfully, there was no major damage.”

  “That’s good.” Erin was usually a much better conversationalist than this. But Jake had her flustered.

  “Listen …” His voice wavered, his words hesitant. “Would you like to have dinner with me? They have a great restaurant here, and…”

  This day was ending up better than she ever expected. Jake was asking her to dinner. But he was also a stranger and it was important that she be safe. “Hold on one second.” She turned to Ashley and whispered, “Operation Savior in full effect. Forty-five minutes.”

  “I’m on it.”

  Erin knew she could count on her friend’s support. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath before turning back to Jake. “I’d love to.”

  He smiled at her then, a huge smile that warmed her and rattled her at the same time. After throwing a few bills onto the bar, he gestured for her to proceed ahead of him.

  His hand settled on the small of her back. The gesture was gentlemanly, but that didn’t stop her pulse from quickening.

  Jake checked in with the hostess and a few minutes later, she led them to a beautiful table for two overlooking the cliffs and the ocean below. Jake stood behind her chair and pulled it out for her before sitting across the table. Such a gentleman. She never thought she cared about such courtesies, but the simple gesture warmed her heart.

  “I’ve never eaten dinner here.” The fancy restaurant was usually out of her price range but a favorite of some of her LBHS classmates. She tried not to let their difference in lifestyles get to her, but it was hard to tell a teenager that it didn’t matter that her friends drove nice cars while she rode the bus.

  “I have to confess, I haven’t either. But I wanted to spend more time with you and didn’t want you to leave before I asked you out.”

  Her heart skipped a beat and her stomach fluttered. Spending the past ten years around mostly college boys, the men she dated typically danced around their true feelings and intentions. But not Jake. He exuded a maturity that intrigued her.

  She stopped herself from following that thought process. This couldn’t be anything more than a simple dinner. Her life as “the responsible one”, the one person who looked out for her father and sister, was over and she finally had a chance to pursue her dreams. She refused to let anything get in her way.

  She rubbed at the tattoo on her wrist, taking comfort from the symbol of her freedom.

  They both sat quietly for a moment, studying the menu. When the waitress approached, they shared a glance to let each other know they were ready. They were already silently communicating with each other.

  “I’ll have the Shrimp Pasta.” Hopefully that wasn’t too expensive. Erin had spent her entire life counting pennies, stretching dollars to cover the bills. The prices at this restaurant were more than she spent on a meal for her entire family.

  “The Mahi Mahi for me.” Jake handed both of their menus off to the waitress and crossed his hands, laying them on the table. “Tell me more about yourself. It sounds like you worked hard to get your degree.”

  She hesitated. The past ten years had been hard, but she had dug herself out from the pit of her life since her mother’s death. She and her sister were both on the right path now. She’d earned her degree and had a great job she hated to leave. But she wanted to see what the rest of the world had to offer.

  Her fingers traveled to her wrist. The image there had been a gift to herself after her mother died, representing their shared dream for her to travel, to experience life outside the boundaries of Laguna Beach. She had the world at her fingertips, literally. She just had to reach out and grab it.

  “I did. It was a long road to get there. I hadn’t planned on taking ten years to finish, hadn’t planned on staying home for college in the first place, but life had other ideas.”

  He leaned in and rested his chin on his hands. It was a bit disconcerting to have his undivided attention. “What had eighteen-year-old Erin planned for her life?”

  “I had so many dreams. My mom and I did. But then she died.”

  “I’m so sorry. That had to be rough for you.” He reached out and rested his hand over hers for just a minute but then pulled it back. His touch comforted her and she missed it when he folded his hands in his lip.

  “Yeah, well, my sister had it worse. She was only eight. And it’s like my father died with my mother. He’s never been the same. He doesn’t leave the house often anymore.”

  Jake’s gaze remained locked on hers. His eyes drew her in, their depths showing comp
assion, and comfort. She could read every emotion swirling in his gaze.

  “Mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. From the day of her diagnosis to the day she died, we only had three months with her. It wasn’t enough time. There was so much left undone. Left unsaid. And when she died, my father just shut down. He drinks more now. Not a sloppy drunk, just a sad one, moping around the house every day.” She couldn’t believe she was talking about her father with a stranger. But Jake didn’t feel like a stranger. His eyes engendered a trust that washed over her and gave her a sense of rightness that she hadn’t felt with a man… or anyone… in a long time.

  “At least you were eighteen and could take care of yourself.”

  “Yeah, but my sister couldn’t. Over time, she became my responsibility. I’m the one who braided her hair. I’m the one who checked her homework and talked to her teachers. I had to talk to her about sex and boys. I was her mother and her father after Mom died and Dad shut down.” She loved her sister and her father. But having to step in and be a parent to her younger sister robbed her of ten years of her life. Her friends had moved on with their futures, many married and settled in their careers, and she was just starting out on hers.

  It hadn’t been fair, but they were family and that was the most important thing.

  Jake’s eyes shifted to watch her rub her wrist. She didn’t even know she was doing it most of the time. She pulled her hands into her lap.

  “Wow, Erin. You did all that and went to school at the same time. I’m impressed.” Jake leaned back, his arms stretched out over the back of the chair.

  “Thanks. I just did what had to be done. What anyone would have.” Her cell phone chimed in her purse. “I’m sorry. I need to check this. It could be my sister or my father.”

  She pulled her phone out. A text flashed from Ashley: Operation Savior in effect. Do you need rescuing?

  She smiled, unable to believe it had been forty-five minutes already. Their conversation had flowed easily, comfortably. No rescue needed. Thx.

  She tucked her phone back in her purse. Just because she’d used Dad and Melissa as her excuse this time didn’t mean either of them wouldn’t have a real emergency tonight. She could only hope they didn’t.

  The corner of Jake’s mouth quirked up like he knew what the interruption was about. “Is everything okay?”

  “Everything’s great. No emergency.”

  The waitress arrived with their dinners and she thankfully escaped additional questions about the text. They’d talked enough about her childhood. She didn’t resent her father for being unable to handle his grief. She didn’t begrudge her sister needing a mother figure at the most important time in her life. It was that Erin had to give up her life for her family, before her life had even begun.

  But ten years had passed, her sister graduated high school last month and Dad was functional enough to make do on his own. This was finally Erin’s time and she was going to be selfish for a while. Do what she wanted to do, not what was expected of her, or what someone else needed.

  She steered the conversation in a new direction. “So, tell me about your houses.”

  Jake straightened up from where he’d been concentrating on his meal. His shoulders relaxed and a comfortable smile formed on his lips, one that flooded his eyes with happiness.

  “We build custom homes, four and five bedrooms. Our current project is in Crystal Cove.”

  He loved what he did. It showed in every word out of his mouth. “That sounds really interesting. What’s your favorite part of the process?”

  He didn’t hesitate before jumping in with a quick response. “Well, I love every aspect of building a home. I love turning the first piece of dirt and the moment I hand over the keys. The last few minutes in the house before the owners take possession, those are for me. Alone. I walk through, imagining what the owner’s life will be like. I love being a part of their future.”

  Excitement filled his words as he described all the personal touches he added to each house to make them unique. His excitement was contagious and she grinned along with him. “Why, Jake, I do believe you’re a dreamer.”

  He laughed. “I think you’re right. I have a lot of dreams and hope to fulfill every one of them.”

  He focused on her, his look intent and piercing. She shuddered. It was as though he could see right through her, straight to her soul. She couldn’t look away. She understood his enthusiasm and intensity. She had her own dreams that were about to be realized.

  Thankfully or regretfully, the waitress arrived to clear their dishes. Jake made quick work of paying the bill and before long, they stood on the sidewalk along Coast Highway.

  “Would you like to take a walk on the beach?”

  She didn’t hesitate for a moment. Anything to extend this wonderful evening with an exciting man. “I’d love to.”

  Chapter Four

  JAKE BLEW OUT a breath and extended his hand for Erin to proceed down the stairs to the beach. He wanted to hold her hand and discover what she’d been rubbing on her wrist all throughout dinner, but it was too soon. He’d be happy just to spend this time with her, to continue to peel back the layers of what made her tick.

  She stopped at the bottom, pulling her shoes off her feet.

  “Sorry. I didn’t think about your shoes.”

  “It’s no problem. They probably weren’t the best choice for happy hour, either. It’s not like I haven’t done this before. Shoot, they should probably have a shoe rack with my name on it for the number of times I’m made a last-minute decision to take a walk down the sand.”

  His heart fluttered for a moment and then settled into a steady, rapid rhythm. Every minute he was spending with Erin had him liking her more and more. When she returned to his side, he guided her to the firmer sand at the water’s edge.

  Other than a few birds walking in the surf, they were alone.

  The brightness of the full moon cast a long white glow along the water that trailed out to the horizon. They stood side-by-side for a moment, staring out at the water. He would never tire of this view, the peacefulness of the beach, the water lapping at the sand in a steady rhythm. A view that had been spoiled by his proposal to Lindsay… and her rejection. She’d spat her response at him, saying she could never live in such a boring town.

  He shook his head. There was no way he was going to let Lindsay ruin tonight. She was gone, out of his life. He was here with a beautiful woman, inside and out, who looked at him with awe and wonder.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked, her brow furrowed and her eyes concerned.

  “Yeah, sorry. I got distracted for a moment.”

  Together, they strolled down the beach toward the cliffs. He drew in a deep breath, the sweet floral scent of her hair mixed with the salty beach air filling his senses. The sounds and lights from the restaurants and shops interrupted the quiet from time to time, cutting bright slices of light on the otherwise dark sand. Once in a while, they would pass another couple, but kept going until the lights grew further apart and the darkness surrounded them.

  They walked for a long time, talking about nothing and everything. Her voice rang with joy when she talked about getting her degree, and sadness laced her words when she spoke about her family. She had taken on so much so young, and he admired her. She was committed to her family. Something that was important to him, too. And his first priority when looking for a woman to let into his life.

  He wanted her to know about his dreams for the future. About his desire for a wife and family. About how he thought Lindsay had crushed that dream but meeting Erin had him imagining a future he thought out of his reach. He opened his mouth but closed it again as they approached an outcropping of rocks at the base of the large, majestic cliffs jutting out into the ocean. This was the end of the walk. But he wasn’t ready to go back. He wasn’t ready for his night with Erin to end.

  The sound of laughing voices wafted on the wind. As much as he enjoyed this time with Erin, he should really es
cort her back to her car.

  Their return trip took about half the time. She rested her hand on his arm. “What’s wrong, Jake?”

  He stopped walking. “Nothing’s wrong. I think I just got lost in my own thoughts. This has been a really great night and I hate that it has to end. I’m trying to find a way to extend our time together.”

  Her mouth opened into an O, a shocked look on her face.

  He refused to be anything other than completely honest with Erin. There was no sense hiding his feelings. He’d learned first-hand how felt if someone was dishonest. “Come on, I’ll walk you back to your car.”

  They stopped at the steps and Erin retrieved her shoes. She started up the stairs but stopped on the first step and turned back to him. With her up a step, he could look her straight in the eye. She leaned close and whispered. “This has been a great night for me, too.”

  Chapter Five

  ERIN FLOATED ON a cloud during the entire trip home to her house in the canyon. She pulled in her driveway but didn’t immediately get out of the car. She instead stared at the house she’d lived in her entire life. The grass was trimmed but the flower beds sat unkempt—she was too busy and her father didn’t care. She’d tried to maintain the gardens that her mother had tended for most of her life, but taking care of her sister and her father, as well as going to school and holding down a job took all of her time. Something had to give.

  How could she leave when there was so much undone? Dad still barely took care of himself and Melissa may be eighteen but she hadn’t shown any initiative or motivation to demonstrate her independence. Why would she when Erin had been doing it for the past ten years?

  Maybe she couldn’t leave now after all.

  But was the prospect of a potential relationship clouding her judgement? Her day started like every other day had for the past ten years. Get up early, make sure Melissa was ready for school, make sure Dad ate, go to work. Who knew that a simple trip to happy hour with friends would end like it did? She had only spent a few hours with Jake but it felt like months.