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She softened with a smile, glinting her eyes over me. Was I crazy, or did she seem relieved that Lana and I weren't a couple?
“Silly me. Forget I said anything. Now, Keith,” she stepped forward and hooked her arm into mine, leading me over to the work table. “I do have some swatches in several shades of blue like that. Why don’t we take a look? If you insist on changing the color from charcoal, we can discuss the options. But I don’t know if blue is the right pick. Perhaps green would be a better fit for our theme?”
She fluttered her lashes, pointing out that her eyes were green. I wanted to find them appealing, just as much as I wanted to like her color suggestion. But the truth was the charcoal would have been a better pick than green. Even I knew that. Neither could even come close to comparing to the shade of Lana’s eyes, though. It was that fact, above all else, that left me completely and utterly uninterested in Vera or the way she was looking at me.
I went over a few things with Vera while Lana angrily continued painting on the other side of the room. The only reason I was humoring the woman was because it obviously got under Lana’s skin. But apparently, I pushed it too far because a while later, Lana stormed out. I watched her through the window to see she didn’t leave, but instead decided to check on how the rest of the crew was getting along with the docks. I would have gone out after her, but Vera had her claws in me and wouldn’t let me leave.
“It’s all settled then,” Vera announced a while later. “Alternating the blue and charcoal panels will be perfect, I think. It will be very eye-catching.”
“Blue and black it is then,” I nodded. “With that super important matter resolved,” I sighed with sarcasm. “I think it’s about time for us to call it a day. I’ve gotta get out of here for dinner.”
“Dinner?” she perked up. “I’m staying at Joe’s lodge up the road. It’s a…quaint little place for what it is, but his bed and breakfast leaves a lot to be desired for a city girl like me. I’m procrastinating about going back. Maybe you could show me around town?”
She stared me down expectantly. I hesitated, looking her over one last time. I could tell by the look on her face and the suggestion dripping from her tone that she was hoping to end up at my place by the end of the night. Ordinarily, I would have jumped at the chance of making her dream come true.
My eyes drifted over Vera’s shoulder and landed on Lana talking to the guys outside. I hadn’t been myself since she came back into town, so what I normally would have done didn’t matter anymore. I couldn’t believe what I was about to say.
“Actually, I have plans tonight,” I lied.
It was true that I was planning to go over to Derek’s, but any other time, I wouldn’t have hesitated to blow him off for a woman like Vera. She was smoking hot, and the best part was she was from out of town. She was only looking for the same thing I was. To have a little fun and then to go on her way, no strings attached. I wouldn’t have to worry about her flashing me puppy eyes, and guilt trips all the time like Molly Roberts did. Vera was the ultimate jackpot for me. Or…for who I knew myself to be before Lana came waltzing back into town, screwing me up in the head.
Vera’s face melted in disappointment with a tinge of surprise. I imagined she didn’t get turned down very often, or maybe never.
“That’s too bad, but I understand. But…you’re sure you can’t invite me along? I could really use a drink. Joe’s Lodge doesn’t have a hotel bar.”
“You should go to Frank’s on the square. Tell him I sent you, and he’ll treat you right. I’m afraid that’s the only night life we really have on an ordinary night in Silver Point. Maybe you’ll catch one of our barn dances while you’re in town. Those are even better, when they actually come together. But as for me, no, I’m sorry. I have a family obligation.”
“Suit yourself,” she shrugged, coming off as slightly offended this time around.
She gathered up her things and marched out the door, waving over her shoulder. I should have been staring at her ass as she left, because I knew she was swaying it with every step to tempt me. But I didn’t look at it or even hear what she said as her final goodbye because I was too busy watching Lana out the window.
I went back to work inside for another half hour or so, wrapping up for the night. Just as I finished packing up my tools, Lana found me.
“You’re still here?” she stated in surprise.
“Barely,” I told her, slinging my bag around my shoulders.
“Oh, right. Makes sense. I assumed you would have left with Vera, but I guess you’re off to meet her now?”
I smiled to know that such a prospect would matter to her at all. “You almost sound a little disappointed. Dare I say…maybe even a little jealous?”
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Oh, please. Get over yourself.”
“Alright, fine. But for what it’s worth…No, I’m not going to meet up with Vera.”
“I see,” she replied, doing her best to pretend not to care. “I’m a little surprised. The way she was flirting with you all afternoon, I would have bet money that she’d become your latest prey.”
“Prey?” I winced.
“Conquest. Trophy. Whatever you want to call the endless parade of women you sleep with only to ghost them right after.”
I deserved that. In fact, the only thing proving her wrong in this instance was…well, her. If she wasn’t taking up so much space in my brain, I would have been ordering drinks with Vera right that very second.
In normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have mattered if I was interested in someone else or not. I figured there was enough of me to go around. But suddenly, Lana seemed to be the only one I could think about. Whatever I was feeling for her was enough to make me uninterested in every other woman in town, including visitors like Vera. All of that energy and focus on a woman who insisted on hating me. I certainly wasn’t seeing any action from her. It was a damn shame. Here I was, having some kind of identity crisis or change of heart, and it was wasted on someone who didn’t care. Maybe it served me right.
I sucked in a hissing breath, nodding my head as I looked back up at Lana and her unforgiving stare. “That’s fair, I suppose…given my reputation. But people change, you know. When they have a reason to. Besides, Vera’s not my type.”
That was also a lie. The only type I had was attractive and horny. But maybe all that talk of finding the one, or whatever you’d call it, with Lana the other afternoon was what had me out of sorts. When it came to a real relationship, Vera really wasn’t my type. I was starting to think the only woman who fit that description was the one standing right in front of me.
