AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He turned for home, thinking of Phae in the moonlight.
Chapter 23
PHAE TOSSED THE BAG OF warm food onto her kitchen table then pulled out her cell. She found Miss Eugenia’s number.
“He’d better be there,” she said, tapping her foot, ticked that Kent hadn’t returned her last calls or texts.
She found it hard to believe that only a few days before, she’d been softening toward him. Kind of. A little. The jerk.
The phone rang five excruciating times before it was answered. “Hello? Miss Eugenia?” Phae asked. “Yes, this is Phae Jones … uh-huh … uh-huh … yes, you too. Listen, Miss Eugenia, … no, wait … look, I just need to talk to …”
Phae stifled a sigh as she listened to the old woman rattle on and on. “Please, ma’am. I’d like to speak to Kent … please … Yes, I know he’s trying hard, but this matter is between him and me and … uh-huh … uh-huh … Trust me, Kent is not going to waste away from hunger … really … no, he’ll be fine.”
She gritted her teeth. “Look, I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I need to speak to Kent … Yes, right now … I’m sorry this has been hard on you … uh-huh … arthritis, so sorry … I can only imagine how painful, but Miss Eugenia … yes, ma’am … I really want to talk to Kent—now!”
She tapped her nails on the table as she waited for Kent to come on the line. She glanced at her watch. Almost six. Kent answered the phone, finally.
“It’s me. Phae.”
“So I heard,” Kent said.
“What’s with ducking my calls and texts?”
“Been busy. Sorry.”
“I’m aware you’ve been busy. That’s what I’m calling about. If you don’t get over to my apartment in five minutes, I’m going to come hunt you down.”
“Hell, darlin’ you know you only had to ask.”
“Enough. Five minutes.”
She ended the call, refusing to acknowledge that the infuriating man had been laughing.
“Stupid man,” she muttered as she stalked to the spare bedroom and climbed onto the elliptical machine. “He has his nerve!”
Her legs pumped furiously as she tried to relieve the tension that had built up over the course of another trying day. When Kent had warned her last week that his efforts to win her were only going to get worse, he hadn’t been making an empty threat.
Her legs began to burn and she welcomed it. She increased her speed.
One way or another, she had to make the man stop. She couldn’t take any more of his antics now that he’d gone too far.
She worked out at breakneck speed until she heard a jaunty knock, which only upped her blood pressure. She snatched up a towel and headed to the front.
She yanked the door open. “Get in here,” she told a grinning, casual Kent.
He strolled into the room, carrying a paper sack under his arm.
“You’d better listen up,” she said as she closed the door. “We’re going to have a talk about your behavior and then—”
“Wait. You haven’t seen what I brought.” Kent reached into the bag and pulled out a bottle of wine and a knife and fork. “See? I came prepared. Where’s the chow?”
“I did not invite you for dinner and you know it. And who brings their own silverware? Stop acting like—”
“Oh, it’s in the kitchen, of course. I can’t wait.” And off to the kitchen he went.
Phae rushed behind him. “We aren’t eating together. We’re doing nothing but discussing your behavior.”
Kent shrugged and pulled out two wineglass, more silverware and two plates from his bag. He ignored Phae as he set the table.
“You can’t do this, Kent. You can’t steamroll over me. I won’t have it.”
“Do you have any napkins? I forgot to bring any.” He opened a few cabinets. “Never mind. I found some.”
He finished setting the table then opened the bag Phae had dumped there earlier. “Hey! What’s this?” He pulled out a white cardboard box. “This isn’t homemade. This came from a restaurant. What’s the deal? She knew she was supposed to make it from scratch.”
“Great Aunt Charmaine has better things to do than fix my meals. Like for instance, she can sit around in her rocking chair being freaking elderly, for God’s sake!”
“Hey, she volunteered,” Kent said. “Oh well. I guess it’ll have to do. I think we’re ready to eat.”
Phae watched in disgust as Kent pulled the cork out of the wine bottle with one easy twist. He filled their glasses and held one out to her.
She shook her head. “Absolutely not.”
“Suit yourself. But this is a great wine.” He began to scoop food onto both plates.
He took a bite of lasagna. “Not bad, considering where it came from. Sit down. Eat.”
“Nope. Not in the mood.” Phae pulled open the freezer door. She gestured to the foil-wrapped containers stacked in wobbly piles. “See? It’s all filled up. Nothing but lasagna. I’ve got it coming out of my ears thanks to you.”
“You should have eaten it all. That’s why I had it sent to you.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that. But lasagna for lunch and lasagna for supper isn’t exactly a balanced diet. Would you knock it off already?”
He took a huge bite of garlic bread and chewed with a thoughtful expression. “I don’t know, Phae. For some reason, I don’t feel like knocking it off. Besides, lasagna is my favorite. You know that. That’s why I send it to you—so you’ll think of me when you’re tasting something good.”
She hated her body for the tingle his last words sent zooming through her lower half. She slammed the freezer door then slumped into the other chair. “It’s impossible to have a rational conversation with you.”
“I can’t help it if I’m excited you’ve finally invited me back over to your house.”
“See? That’s what I’m talking about. I didn’t invite you. I ordered you.”
“Semantics. Besides, I’m a good guy. Surely all of my goodwill ambassadors have proven that.”
She leaned forward, palms flat on the table on either side of her plate. “You’ve got to stop this. I can’t take it anymore. All day people come into the shop, interrupting my business, spouting your praises to high heaven, and it’s all nonsense, stuff you’ve obviously had them memorize.”
“I did not. I simply asked if they wouldn’t mind telling you what they thought about me. And that’s what they’ve done, expressed their honest opinions.”
“Yeah, sure they have. And all of these women you’ve hired to cook for me have done it out of the goodness of t
heir hearts.”
“It’s true. Folks around here like me. I’m kind of flattered by it. The only people I’ve had to pay are those extortionist teenage cousins of yours who handle the picketing and concession stand. And the florist, of course. And the candy shop. Did you get those pecan turtles, by the way? They’re delicious.”
“Just eat up, laughing boy. And you’d better listen, too, because I’m having my say and you’re not going to stop me.”
He shrugged and reached for his glass. “Speak on, fair lady.”
“Listen, the flowers, the picketing, the concerts, the food, the testimonials, blah blah blah, it’s going to send me over the edge.”
“You’re right, about part of that. I was thinking it over and obviously, you’re not a flowers and candy kind of woman. My bad. I’m on it, though. Don’t worry.”
He threw her off her tirade for a moment with his admission, but only for a moment. “Good,” she said. “That’s something anyway. But the bigger issue is this latest stunt. It’s got to come to a halt. Immediately. I won’t have you making a laughingstock out of Captain Nice Guy.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. I know you’ve been out at night deliberately trying to ruin my reputation, well, the captain’s reputation.”
He dropped his fork on his plate, eyes flashing. “I have not! I’ve been trying to be the captain as best I can. If I’m not very good at it, you’ve only got yourself to blame.”
“Not very good at it? Come on. In the last two days you’ve been sighted at least a dozen times. And those are only the ones that people have been talking about in the shop. I can’t even guess how many others have seen you but aren’t telling anyone about it.”
“I admitted I’m not very good at this sneaky, do-gooder ninja thing yet. And I’m pretty sure all the dogs in town are out to get me. Honestly. I tried that dog treat trick of yours, but only that one little dog, can’t remember her name … Fluffy? Feisty? Only she’ll let me get near her.”
Phae rubbed her temples with her palms. “I don’t know what to believe. Some of the stories I’ve heard—”
