The ride to her apartment seemed to take just a few moments, and before she knew it they were in her parking lot. Offering his arm, Ian escorted her up the stairs to her door. “I had a wonderful time,” he said. “May I call you again soon?”
“I had a lovely evening too, thank you,” Lily nodded her assent and smiled. When they reached her door, she hesitated only a moment. “Would you like to come in? I could make coffee.”
Ian wavered, but shook his head. “I would love to, but this isn’t the night,” he said. “I will take you up on your inviting offer another time and that, milady, is a promise.”
She gave him a tentative, uncertain smile. When he stepped closer she closed her eyes and tilted her head up in anticipation. It took her by surprise to feel strong hands cup her face, his lips brushing her cheek. His warmth reached out to envelope her and something deep inside her, tiny and buried, came alive with his touch.
When he released her, she stood thunderstruck by the whirlwind of new emotions. It took three shaking attempts to fit the key into the knob, but on the last attempt managed to get the door open. “Good night, and thank you again,” she said, her voice quavering.
Ian placed his hand over his heart and inclined his head. “You are most welcome. Sweet dreams, milady.”
She closed the door behind her, leaning against it to catch her breath. He only kissed me on the cheek, and Claims would write me off as a total loss. I’m not going to survive one full on the lips. Lost in that enticing thought, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard his quiet voice through the door.
“You haven’t locked it.”
She turned the key in the deadbolt with a firm snick and heard him say “Thank you. Good night.”
By the time she got to the bedroom, he was standing next to his car gazing up at her window. Smiling, she raised her hand to wave and he tipped an imaginary cap before getting into his car and speeding off into the night.
6
Beth didn’t wait for the phone call the following morning. She showed up bright and early on Lily’s doorstep. The girls took their coffee to the bedroom and Beth sprawled across the bed while Lily dressed for work. “So start at the very beginning,” she ordered, taking a long sip.
“I swear upon my life I will tell you everything tonight,” Lily said, rifling through the dresses in the small walk in closet.
“Bottom line…are you going out with him again?” Beth asked.
“I hope so. He asked if I would, and I said yes.” Like a runaway black rocket Bella streaked in and made straight for the folding mirrored doors. With a push of her paw she closed the closet door, plunging Lily into darkness. “Not funny, Bella.”
Pushing the door open automatically turned the lights back on, but as soon as she returned her attention to picking out a dress, Bella closed her in again.
“She knows you’re going to see Losers…I mean Lucas.” Beth struggled to maintain a somber tone. “So…have you and Ian picked out names for your kids…uh…made plans for your next date yet?”
Lily nudged the closet door open again, fixing Bella with a stern warning glare. “He may not even call me again. Guys have been known to do that, you know, tell you they’ll call and then don’t.”
Beth snorted in a most unladylike fashion. “Oh, please. He’s going to call, and you’re going to go. Better start thinking about how you’re going to break the harsh reality to Lucas, and even more important, what you’re going to wear. I know it’s going to happen. Ees a gypsy thing, you wouldn’t understand,” she intoned in her best Rom accent. As Lily recovered from the subsequent fit of laughter, Beth studied her friend with a keen eye, cradling her mug in her hands. “You liked him,” she said.
Lily blushed under her scrutiny. “He’s very nice and thoughtful, and really funny. Yes, I liked him. Bella likes him too.”
“So what does he kiss like?” Beth asked with feigned casualness.
Lily batted her eyelashes coyly. “I wouldn’t know,” she said.
Beth rolled her eyes and stood. “Not the answer I was looking for,” she said, glancing up at the clock. “You’re sooo going to be late.” Lily yelped and both girls made a run for the door. “I mean it, all the details later!” Beth yelled after her.
Without missing a beat, Beth pulled out behind Lily and headed straight for the Castle for a little detective work. “Meg? Are you here?” she called out, walking into the main office.
“Be right there,” Meghan Wilde answered in her lilting voice from one of the rear offices. She walked in moments later carrying a pile of folders and upon seeing her visitor broke into a big grin. “Beth darlin’, come in. There’s fresh coffee if you’d like and some pastries too, I think, unless Dan ate them all already. Help yourself and I’ll just be a minute.”
Beth poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down on the couch to wait. Meg placed the folders on Dan’s already cluttered desk in three distinct piles then turned to face her. “What brings you here so bright and early?” she asked.
“I got some questions for you,” Beth said, her tone serious.
Meg frowned. “Well, hopefully I got some answers for you. What’s on your mind?”
Beth got right to the point. “I want to ask you about one of the actors. His name is Ian Kelly.”
“Watch yourself…that Irish devil can charm the knickers off a nun,” she warned. “He bolted out of here yesterday going on about meeting someone later. I got the distinct impression it was a date, although he didn’t come out and say as much.” She hesitated, her green eyes momentarily unfocused. “It wasn’t with you, though,” she said slowly.
Beth gave a start at her perceptiveness. “No…with my best friend. I was just wondering what you had on him so I can decide how best to kill him if he hurts her,” she deadpanned.
Meg burst into convulsive laughter which lasted for several long moments. Wiping away the tears on her cheeks she said, “You do know he’s my little brother, right?”
“Well, I do now.” Beth fell silent and there was a long, awkward pause as she deliberated on whether or not she still had a job. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean–”
“That’s all right, dear, I seriously doubt you’re the first woman to threaten to kill him.” Meg giggled and Beth relaxed, the tension easing. “Your friend doesn’t know you’re here,” Meg said, more a statement of fact than a question. She refilled her coffee and after retrieving the plate of sweet rolls, took a seat on the couch. “Ian is one of the good guys most days. We’d love to see him settle down with a good woman, but she’ll have her hands full for sure.” She took a long sip of her coffee and continued. “Let’s see, he doesn’t smoke, doesn’t do drugs, loves kids and animals. He’s moody as all hell sometimes, and he’ll eat you out of house and home if you let him. Stop me when you’ve heard enough.”
Beth laughed. “I’ll bet he’s got a string–” She stopped, reconsidered the source, and started again. “He just seems like the type of have lots of girlfriends. My friend was pretty swept off her feet by him.”
“Well, he’s not an angel by any stretch, but he’s behaved himself since he moved here,” Meg said. “Couple of dates here and there, nothing serious. He can be charming when he sets his mind to it, I’ll give him that.”
Beth helped herself to a cinnamon roll. “So he works here as an actor full time?” she said in between bites.
Meg smiled. “He wears lots of different hats here. The park guests love him. He’s so authentic-looking in costume. I think it’s all that pretty hair myself.