One Last Promise (A Bedford Falls Novel Book 2) Read online

  Alex sighed into the phone. “I’m sending you a link with some pictures and the address.”

  Damon overlooked the fact that he’d have to deal with Paul because it meant he’d get to spend some time with Kelsey. “This cabin…it’s okay to bring Maxwell House?”

  “You know Kelsey loves dogs, and Marisa likes them too, so it should be fine. How’s he doing, by the way?”

  Max, lying on all fours behind Damon, didn’t budge, but he raised his eyes, curious to discover why his owner turned toward him. Then he took a labored breath and lowered his eyes again.

  “He’s…fine,” Damon said, his heart squeezing at the thought that Max no longer bothered to even raise his head. Apparently, that reaction required too much energy. Intuition told him that Max still had plenty of life inside him, so he didn’t understand why Max wouldn’t let it out.

  “Okay,” Alex said, “I’ll see you over the weekend. Talk to you later, buddy.”

  Damon gave Cassandra a call, even though he felt guilty about asking her to accompany him and Max on the trip, no matter that she had actually first recommended their “couple” arrangement. He also felt guilty about lying to Kelsey. He reconsidered the idea and thought about hanging up, but that’s when Cassandra answered.

  “Hello?” she said.

  He cursed under his breath. Now, he had no choice but to follow through with his intentions. “Hi, it’s Damon.”

  “Matt Damon? Why do you keep calling me? I thought you were married. With kids?”

  “Very funny.”

  “Listen, I’m on to you: I know you’re just calling because you want my money.”

  “Because a multi-millionaire is just dying to get his hands on your teacher’s salary.”

  Cassandra chuckled. “So are we going to the Dells this weekend?”

  “You want to go? I thought it was awkward for you at the Lawfords.”

  “Yeah, for everyone but me. I thought it was a blast. They have a fun family. And I don’t have plans, so I’m ready to go. But only if I can keep pretending to be your girlfriend.”

  A streak of fright made Damon wonder if she was getting attached. “Maybe that’s not such a good idea.”

  “Oh, Mr. Awesome thinks I’m into him, is that it? Rest assured, I’m not. Even remotely. Interested.”

  “Wow, you do wonders for the ego.”

  “You need to get knocked down a few pegs.”

  “And why is that?”

  “It’s healthy. Otherwise, you might end up like the player Kelsey thinks you are. You need to be humbled now and then. And Kelsey is the type of girl who can do that for you. That’s why I want to help you…and also because you’ll owe me that favor.”

  “What favor? You’re holding it over my head like a threat.”

  “Yeah, it’s fun, isn’t it?”

  Damon chatted with her for a few more minutes, finalizing details, then ended the call.

  He would have gotten more excited at the prospect of talking with Kelsey for more than a few minutes at a time this weekend, but seeing Max in such poor spirits robbed him of any joy he would have otherwise felt. He looked at his little buddy. “How do you feel about taking a trip with me?”

  Max raised his eyelids halfway then let them drift down again.

  “Kelsey will be there.”

  This time, he lifted his head with such rapidity that it seemed he’d just shed ten years from his life. His eyes fluttered open. The silver chain on his dog collar embossed with the words, “Bad to the Bone” clinked against his panting chest. He stared at Damon, angling his head to the side as though unsure if he’d heard right.

  “I think she likes you.”

  Max let out a spirited bark. He stared at Damon, waiting. Then he licked his lips.

  “But I know that Kelsey thinks you’re cute.”

  Max let out a huff of air and pawed the ground.

  And that little gesture, that spark of enthusiasm made Damon’s eyes mist up. He’d spent too many years playing with Max to see him reduced to a victim of old age. “I think she’ll be happy to see you.”

  Max nodded his head and barked again.

  “Well, I know she likes you. But do you think she could…like me?”

  His dog lowered his head to the ground. Unmoving, he looked up at Damon and whined. But his tail wagged.

  “Is that a yes?”

  Max looked from side to side, appearing to mull over the question. After a few seconds, he wagged his tail with greater force.

  Damon had no idea if his dog comprehended anything he said or if he had only responded to give his friend a shot of confidence. Either way, Max knew what his owner needed: hope. Damon sucked in a breath of air, felt his jaw quivering with despondence. He bit down hard on his lip and swiveled back to the computer to prevent Max from seeing a smidge of sorrow. Animals were often more attuned to emotional responses than humans, and if Max picked up on any discomfort, Damon would do whatever it took to comfort him like getting up and placing his dog’s head in his lap so Max could receive some strokes across his head, which often calmed Damon as much as Max, but it would probably end with Damon getting even more emotional. And what would that accomplish?

  “Then it’s settled,” Damon said. “You’re coming with me to Wisconsin Dells.” Cassandra had called yesterday and said she’d happily tag along as his “date” if he got invited. “You know,” he said to Max, “I really like Kelsey. Will you help me work things out with her?”

  Max let out a fierce, full-throated bark.

  Damon spun around again.

  Max sat before him on all fours. He raised his right paw. The effort had him sitting upright, dignified. Max smiled wide.

  Damon was shocked to find his old friend holding out a paw to shake on a guarantee to help. He took Max’s paw in his palm. “Then let’s do this!”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  That Saturday morning, Paul suggested hauling the group to the Dells in his Ford Explorer to save on gas, but after Kelsey informed him that Alex and Marisa had also invited Damon and Cassandra, he opened his mouth to object. Then he shut it. “That’s fine.” A complacent smile formed. “I have enough room for everybody.”

  Kelsey hadn’t even gotten into the vehicle, and she could already feel Paul holding back. “I know you and Damon have had your differences, but he’s my brother’s best friend. And Alex invited both them and us, so it’s not really our place to make a fuss.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” Paul’s smile vanished. “But I’m not going to pretend that I like him.”

  A normal person would consider the getaway as a potential fun-filled weekend. But she left her longtime waitress, Nina Gilford, in charge of her restaurants, and while Kelsey trusted Nina to oversee Forever and Always because she’d worked there for three years, she felt more uncertain about letting her manage The Witching Hour – despite mentoring her since it opened to do just that. Kelsey saw a parallel between leaving her new restaurant to someone else and hiring an untested babysitter to watch over a newborn. In the end, Kelsey had to trust that Nina would rise to the challenge, but she still felt apprehensive and expected it would be difficult to enjoy her weekend.

  The purpose of this trip was to find out how she felt about Paul. If she had fun, she’d consider that a bonus. That she hadn’t reversed those expectations made her realize that she needed a vacation more than she first thought.

  Through the passenger window, she spotted Alex and Marisa exiting his home, each of them carrying duffel bags and backpacks. Kelsey joined them to help load their things.

  “Hey, sis,” Alex said, heading toward the rear of the vehicle. “It was nice of Paul to drive.”

  She had to agree with him, but for whatever reason, Kelsey didn’t say so. Perhaps it had something to do with Paul’s unwillingness to get out of the van to assist her. She opened the hatch.

  Marisa wrapped her in a hug. “This is going to be so much fun.”

  “It sure will,” a voice called out
from behind them.

  Kelsey turned to find Damon with a duffel bag slung across the right shoulder of his black leather jacket. The strap dug into his sky-blue polo, giving her a glimpse of his muscular chest and rock hard abs beneath. At some point this weekend, she would get another glimpse of those chiseled pecs and that glorious six-pack. She couldn’t wait.

  “Everything okay?” Damon asked, his face twisted in confusion.

  She was staring! Kelsey couldn’t have been more obvious if she’d been salivating. “Of course.” Turning her attention toward Cassandra, she noticed the couple was holding hands. Jealousy hit her heart. When had she last held hands with Paul? Did she even enjoy it? Before she had a chance to answer those questions, Cassandra, wearing a pink fleece sweater and black slacks, hugged her. “Hi,” Kelsey said, finding the young woman’s enthusiasm contagious.

  Cassandra pulled away from her. “And look who’s coming along.”

  Max, attached to a thin, leather leash, saw her and a big grin formed on his mug. He trotted up to her with his tongue hanging off the left side of his mouth.

  Kelsey bent down to stroke his chin and felt Max’s tongue on her cheek. “Oh, it’s my little Maxi Pad.”

  “Here we go again,” said Damon, cloaking his face with a hand.

  Marisa said, “Pretty gross, Kelsey.” She smiled and hunched over while the dog placed a palm on Kelsey’s left thigh, his nails digging into her jeans. “Come here, Circus Maximus.”

  “That’s a new one,” Damon said. “Sounds like he hangs out with creepy clowns.”

  “Circus Maximus is a progressive heavy metal band,” said Marisa. She patted her knees to get Max’s attention. It didn’t work. He remained with Kelsey. “Come here, Circus Maximus.”

  When he didn’t obey, Damon said, “Guess he doesn’t like the musical connotation. He’s preferential to jazz and soul music.”

  Kelsey giggled as Max lapped his tongue against her cheek and throat. “You have so much love to give, don’t you?” She patted his head and pressed him closer to her heart. Now more than ever, she realized that she needed a dog in her life. She didn’t care that she worked all hours of the day. If having a little ball of love in her life meant coming home during the lunch hour each day to let him out, feed him, and play with him for a bit, then she would do it. And to be completely honest, she needed the company, along with the reciprocal love that came with owning a dog.

  Paul arrived at the back of the Explorer. “Stray dog?” he asked in a tone a little more harsh than the circumstance called for.

  Kelsey ignored the remark. She lowered Max to the ground. “He’s doing well,” she said to Damon.

  “He’s excited to see you.”

  When she looked up and caught the intensity in Damon’s eyes, she noticed that he also looked glad to see her. He didn’t smile, but something told her that he wanted to. And she knew exactly how that felt because she reacted the same way – all because he’d brought Max along, which would undoubtedly brighten her weekend. She couldn’t wait to pal around with the little guy.

  Paul looked down at the dog. “He’s…coming?”

  Kelsey caught the look of disappointment in his eyes before realizing that he’d expressed that emotion. “You like dogs. We met at the Kennel Club, for crying out loud.”

  “Of course, I do,” he said, glancing at Damon then turning his gaze upon Kelsey once more. “They’re beautiful creatures. I just wasn’t expecting one to come along with us.” He looked at Damon again. “Your dog is house-trained, isn’t he?”

  “He sure is.” Damon looked uncertain. “But he’s not car-trained. And it’s a three hour trip, so who knows what might happen. He’s almost sixteen now, so his bowels aren’t as strong as they used to be. But…” Damon produced a white plastic bag from his pants pocket. “I brought protection just in case. Plus, he gets motion sickness. So if you hear some gagging at the back of the Explorer, just ignore it. Oh, yeah…and when he’s uncomfortable, he tends to…dig his nails into stuff, you know, to gain some control of the situation. Scratching – it’s a common phenomenon among dogs that are nervous travelers.”

  Paul glared at him. “Dogs? Nervous travelers?”

  “Why do you think airline officials always put them in the cargo bay of a plane?”

  Paul grinded his teeth but didn’t crack open his lips. He turned around and headed for the driver’s door. “Let’s go, everybody,” he said, disappearing from sight.

  “Not funny,” Kelsey said, even though she found it pretty humorous. She just felt Paul deserved the benefit of the doubt, since he offered to drive. After helping everyone put their travel bags into the vehicle and her friends climbed aboard (Alex and Marisa sat in the middle row, Damon and Cassandra were in the last row, and Max lay on the floor in the back), she went back up front to sit next to Paul.

  “Let’s get this started,” he said and turned into traffic.

  “Aw, shoot,” Damon said. “I think Max needs to stretch his legs.”

  “What?” Paul asked, irritated.

  “He’s the equivalent of a 105 year-old man.”

  “But he just walked to the van. If he’s old, he should be exhausted. You’re serious? He needs to stretch his legs?”

  “No, I was just checking to see if you have a sense of humor.”

  “Oh.” Paul chuckled, but it sounded as authentic as the laughter in the background of a sitcom. Then he sneezed. And sneezed again.

  “Anybody have a tissue?” Kelsey asked.

  “Just allergies,” Paul said.

  “I thought you met Kelsey at the Kennel Club,” said Marisa. “Weren’t you volunteering there? You’re not allergic to dogs, are you?”

  “I sure am.”

  “Then why would you do that?” Kelsey asked. “Make yourself so uncomfortable if you knew how it would affect you?”

  Paul cleared his throat. “Because I have a good, stable career based on that one job.” He turned to Kelsey. “No one gets anything for free in this life. We all have to go out and take it. But sometimes, maybe only a few times in your life, someone helps you, and if you’re honest with yourself, you should give them proper credit and show your appreciation by helping someone else. That’s why I go to the shelter. Yes, it messes with my allergies. And yes, it’s far from home and work. But I haven’t missed one week at the Kennel Club in seven years. And I never will. The owner gave me a chance, and I’ll never be able to pay him back, so going each weekend for a few hours isn’t a sacrifice. It’s an honor.”

  Kelsey waited for more words of wisdom, but Paul tuned them out and stared out the window, perhaps upset that they’d tried his patience. And she couldn’t blame him. For the first time, she felt her soul stir a little in his presence. She wanted to find out more about Paul. She wanted to figure out what inspired him and moved him. But it seemed he had no intention of uttering another word anytime soon.

  * * *

  Damon followed the rest of the group into an enormous, two-story wooden cabin. The air smelled of Downy fabric softener mixed with an undercurrent of dust. The women walked across a lush black rug in the living room and past a caramel-colored leather couch and matching loveseat, then huddled near a cavernous fireplace. Alex hoisted both his and Marisa’s bags across his shoulders and made his way across the shiny hardwood floor then up a creaky wooden staircase until he disappeared around the corner.

  Damon unhooked Max’s leash, and his dog scampered—rather than hobbled—off to check out the cabin with an unexpected burst of energy. While Damon knew he needed a quick getaway, it seemed Max needed one as well. And once more seeing his dog smile and move like he had in years past warmed his heart.

  Sensing a human presence nearby, Damon turned to find Paul glaring at him.

  “Your dog just pissed on my shoes.”

  Damon glanced down to find Paul’s black suede loafers wet. “He probably thought they looked dirty and wanted to clean them off for you.”

  “They weren’t dirty,” h
e said in a low voice.

  “But you are.” He shifted to face Paul, anger swelling inside him, setting his jaw tight. “Now back off, or I’m putting you through that wall,” he said, pointing to the wall behind Paul.

  A cunning smile parted Paul’s lips. “I’ve checked up on you online. A romance writer, huh? I thought only chicks wrote about dicks? Then again, you have first-hand knowledge about that, don’t you?”

  “Sure do. I’m talking to one right now.”

  Paul scoffed. “You want to throw down right here? With Kelsey in full view to see you take the first punch? Go right ahead.” He tilted his head and pointed to his right cheek. “I know you want to.”

  Damon curled his hands into fists and found it difficult to resist the insatiable urge to wallop the bastard. It would feel so good to knock Paul on his ass. The pleasure would almost rival that of planting another kiss on Kelsey’s lips.

  Paul smiled. “The tortured-soul romance writer. Giving women the impression that you’re misunderstood, that you’re just like every woman out there: unable to find that one person to spend your life with.”

  And Damon couldn’t argue that point…because he believed it. Until he met Kelsey, that is. But of course, he’d recounted that truth in every romance novel he’d written, in one way or another, because he lived that solitary lifestyle. And since so many women could relate, he wanted to give them (and himself) hope that they would all eventually meet the person they were meant to spend their life with.

  “That’s so pathetic,” Paul said. “You’ve deluded yourself into believing that you’re a victim. Even when so many of your conquests have rattled off seething comments about how you slept with them then dropped them.”

  Damon stared at him, shocked into silence. It had never occurred to him that the women he had dated would turn to the Internet to vent about their frustrations with dating him. How naïve! Granted, he never spent time searching Google for what others might say about him. Doing so would lead to an overdose of self-importance that would feed into narcissism.

  But his career depended on maintaining an online presence to correspond with his readers. If Paul had found secrets of his past from the various women he’d dated, had his readers also seen those comments? The thought made his heart sink. Anxiety tramped down on him with more power and intensity than any other insult Paul had thrown his way. It gave new meaning to the nickname his readers had given him: The Duke of Disregard. And to think that he’d always suspected that nickname derived from how he’d constructed each male hero: with aloofness, disinterest, arrogance, a reputation for bedding a fair share of women, and a proclivity for reserving judgment on others.