Love by Design (Crystal Falls Book 1) (17 page)

He moved to one of the art stations and pulled a drape back from a piece of gorgeous marble, something between light pink and white and silver, with shimmers of gold running through the rock. She stood up and went to him.

“I’ve been messing around with this piece a while. It started out as a commissioned hanging but the buyer changed his mind and wanted something else instead so this has been sitting here a while.” He ran his hand over the smooth stone, working his fingers around the chiseled edges. “To tell you the truth, I didn’t know what to do with it anymore. It would take a little more work, but I think if we positioned it right, this could work for what we’re talking about.”

The marble was cold and smooth when she touched it and she tried to imagine it hanging above the bed in the cabin, the light from the fireplace bouncing off it, the rich wood of the walls bringing out each of the colors.

She smiled at him. “This could work. And you think you could have it done by September fifteenth?”

He gritted his teeth and ran a hand through his hair. “It would be tight. But I think it could be done. Of course, I’d have to charge you extra for the rush.”

“That’s no problem. No problem at all,” she replied, her heart racing.

“Then, yeah. I think this could work!”

Finally, things were beginning to look up for her. With this final piece in place, she could clearly see the end of this project. It couldn’t come soon enough.

They discussed a price and terms and she pulled out her checkbook to give him a deposit. She was excited to see what the finished product would look like. She knew it would be a masterpiece. She only hoped her client felt the same.

“Thanks so much for making this work. I don’t know what I would have done.”

“Hey, thank
you
for the opportunity to work on something new. I never would have thought about using one of these as a headboard. Might have to steal the idea from you.” He smiled and shook her hand after taking the deposit check.

“I’ll give you a call when I’ve got it finished and we can arrange for delivery.”

With the headboard commissioned and a potential new supplier to work with, Lily left the studio full of hope.

Of course her excitement didn’t last. She felt a bad mood settle around her as she pulled into her old neighborhood. She’d had a perfectly fine childhood and a reasonably good relationship with her parents other than the few years of high school when she thought she was going to die, but it was always hard for her to go back. She liked her life in Crystal Falls, the glamorous rich with their ski chalets and the faux retro downtown with overpriced cocktails. It was easy when she was there to forget the poor neighborhood she’d grown up in.

But going home reminded her of how frustrating it had been to be poor and to want so much more out of life than what one had. She’d always wanted luxury, beautiful clothes, beautiful surroundings, beautiful people. She’d wanted art and delicacy but her childhood had been full of kitsch, a loud tv, and an even louder mother. She tried to limit visits to only a few hours. Otherwise she could feel it all closing in on her, a feeling she really didn’t like.

“Hey, mom! I’m here,” she called as she walked in the front door, the rusty screen door slamming shut behind her.

“I’m in here, hon,” her mom called from the kitchen. Lily set her bag down by the door and went to find her mother.

The smell of garlic and tomato met her. Her mom might be annoying and overly opinionated. But the woman could cook, there was no denying it.

“Smells good, mom,” Lily told her and planted a kiss on her mother’s cheek. The two looked very alike, despite the decades between them. Barbara Daly had the same light complexion and high cheekbones as both of her daughters.

“I’ve got some wine in the cupboard,” her mom told her with a giggle. “Be a good girl and pour us a glass.”

She wasn’t stupid. She knew her mom was plying her with alcohol so she could loosen her mouth and get the scoop on Noah. “I’ve got to drive.”

“Oh, come on. You’re staying for a few hours still. You’ll have plenty of time to sober up.”

Most children would kill to hear such words from their parents. Lily thought about protesting but only sighed as she went the the cupboard and pulled out a chianti.

“Did your meeting go well?” her mom asked, stirring a bubbling pot on the stove.

She popped the cork and found a couple of glasses.

“It did. It was the last thing I needed to take care of for the cabin, so it feels really good to get it done.”

Handing her mother a glass of deep red wine, she leaned against the counter beside her, sipping her own. “Can I help you with anything?”

Her mother gave her a smile as she began ladling the hot sauce over noodles and ricotta cheese. “Can you get me the Parmesan? It’s in the door of the fridge.”

Lily brought her the cheese and watched as she expertly finished putting together the casserole. Slipping it into the oven and then standing to place hands on her back, her mother stretched and then grabbed her glass of wine. “Let’s sit,” she told her daughter and moved to the kitchen table.

“I don’t want to talk about Noah, mom,” Lily warned her as she slid into her own seat.

“I know you don’t. But I have a few things to say and I want you to listen. It won’t kill you to listen,” she said, sipping the rest of her wine and tapping the glass, signaling for Lily to pour her more.

“You know I’ve always loved that boy,” she said, holding up her hand as Lily frowned at her. “And I’ve never seen you happier than when the two of you were together. I know you have your reasons, and I know it’s none of my business, but it kills me that you two aren’t together any longer.”

Lily had to stand and she began to pace the small kitchen. It was all too much.

“Sit your butt back down here and listen to me. You may be all grown up but I am still your mother.”

Lily sat back down and gulped her wine.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you and him. But if there’s any chance at all of the two of you getting back together, I hope you’ll consider it. True love is hard to find. A good man is even harder. And I think that’s what you had with Noah. You may not get a chance like him again.” She reached over the table and rubbed Lily’s cheek, forcing her to turn toward her mother. “I know I can be nosy. And you girls get tired of my opinions. But I’m telling you this because I love you. Because what I want more than anything in this world is happiness for you and your sister.”

Lily couldn’t help but smile. She felt suddenly like telling her mother everything. But she knew she needed to keep it to herself, for a little while longer at least. Not only would it unleash another flood of advice, Lily still wasn’t sure they really were together again. It would be horrible to get her mother’s hopes up over nothing.

“Thanks, mom. I’ll think about what you said.”

“You’re a good girl, Lily. Now, pour us some more wine and bring that loaf of bread over here. We’ve got some garlic bread to make before your father gets home.”

Once Lily’s mom finally dropped the topic of Noah, Lily’s visit had become much more pleasant. Her dad coming home was a big help - he’d always been of the mind that his girls should make their own decisions and didn’t approve of his wife’s meddling, especially in the girls’ love lives. During dinner he kept the conversation firmly on the Broncos and on Lily’s job.

Now, driving back to Crystal Falls with a full stomach and a contract for the stone headboard, Lily felt light as air. She even found a good radio station and sang along as she drove the mostly empty highway toward the mountains. Letting the worries of the cabin job and the confusion about Noah slip away for a while, she let her mind wander where it would.

Her phone ringing through the speakers pulled her out of her daze. She looked quickly at her phone and saw it was Noah. She frowned, not really sure she wanted to talk to him yet, but pushed the talk button right before it went to voicemail.

“Hey, Noah,” she answered.

“Hey yourself,” his rich voice came loud over the speakers and she felt desire pull at her core.

“What’s up?” She tried to keep her voice level, not wanting him to know how excited she was to hear his voice.

“You busy? I was hoping you’d come over again.”

Oh, boy. She’d spent the night just last night and already he wanted her there again?

When she hesitated he continued. “You don’t have to stay the night. But it’s beautiful out right now and I haven’t had a chance to try out my jacuzzi. We could open a bottle of wine, put some good music on the stereo, sit in the hot tub and look at the stars. What do you think?”

“I’m driving back from Denver right now.”

“You visit your parents?” He’d always had a good relationship with both of her parents and when they’d been a couple they’d spent many hours on the road going to and from visiting them.

“I had to track down the artist for that headboard. But I visited mom and dad too.”

“I can wait, it’s early still.”

“I don’t know, Noah. I’ve got to work tomorrow. It’s getting close to the deadline for this project and there’s still a ton I have to do before I’m finished.”

“I’ve got to work too. You don’t have to stay over all night, or even late. It won’t take you more than an hour to get home, will it? Just swing on by your apartment and pick up your suit.” His voice grew lower, sexier. “Or not. I’m so secluded out here, you could walk around in the front yard naked and nobody would see you.”

Her belly tightened at the thought of being naked in Noah’s hot tub, the starlight and the mountain air the only thing for miles around. It did sound relaxing. And another evening wrapped in Noah’s arms, especially in a hot tub, sounded better than she’d expected it to. Although she’d barely been home the last few days. She was torn between wanting him again and wanting some time to herself, to really think things through.

“I’ll come for a while. But I really need to make it an early night, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“My hopes are already up, darlin’. I’ve been waiting all day to see you. Hurry up and get over here. I’ll leave the door unlocked. Just come in.”

She couldn’t believe she was agreeing to see him so soon. But her body wanted what it wanted. Her heart would just have to follow along.

Chapter Eleven

Noah raised the lights outside and then dimmed them again. He couldn’t decide how he liked them best and growled as he raised them again. He’d checked the temperature of the water as soon as he’d gotten off the phone with Lily and placed a stack of fluffy terry towels and two robes on wooden deck chairs beside the pool. It was chilly out but he knew the hot water would make the crisp air feel good. And probably keep them in the hot tub longer. Which was perfect, in his opinion.

It embarrassed him to be so nervous about Lily coming over. Where was that cool, sexy man who’d appeared on the front of Design Today just a few months ago? Could that really be him? He felt like a teenager as he went to his closet and changed his shirt for the third time.

She had him completely lost. He couldn’t focus on work. He couldn’t eat. All he wanted was to be with her again. To be inside her. Waking up to her had been like a dream and he wanted more. She’d said she had to leave early but he was hoping to ply her with enough high-end champagne to convince her to stay the night again. It felt a little bit deceptive since he’d promised her not to keep her. But it was a small deception and he could live with it.

After checking his watch for the third time he grabbed his phone and a beer and headed to the couch. He started programming a playlist for them to keep himself busy and more than once had to delete something because it seemed too sappy. He felt like he was turning into a hopeless romantic. Part of him wanted to fight it, but part of him just wanted to give in. What could he do? He was in love.

Finally, after he’d shuffled through over a hundred songs he heard the delicate swoosh of his front door opening. His heart raced and he stood quickly, trying to decide where he wanted to be when she came in. He moved to the fireplace and stooped to light it, feeling his entire body tense as the click of her heels grew closer.

“Noah?” she called from the hall, looking for him.

He stood and turned to her, a smile playing on his lips.

“How was the rest of your drive?” he asked as she unbuckled her coat and threw her purse down on the couch. She wore a simple red wrap dress, one that accentuated all her curves. He wanted more than anything to go to her and run his hands over every one. Instead, he tilted back his bottle and finished his beer.

“Fine, easy. Although coming up here in the dark was a little more challenging. You’re going to need snow tires once the season starts.”

“Luckily my truck’s already equipped for that. You, on the other hand. Your little Mini is definitely going to struggle.”

She moved to him and laced her hands behind his neck, pulling his mouth down for a deep kiss. She tasted of mint and cinnamon and he let his tongue slide into her moist mouth a minute, feeling his body tense and harden in response to her own tongue exploring his mouth, before she gently pulled away.

“I missed you,” he told her.