A Beautiful Thought (The Beautiful Series) (5 page)

Surprisingly, I ended up walking into the restaurant a whole ten minutes early. My eyes scanned the room, looking to see if Damon was already here.

A tall blonde woman at the front counter made eye contact with me as I approached her.

“Hello there. Welcome to The Fresh Ketch.” She smiled. “How many are in your party this evening?” she asked in a perky tone.

“Two.” I reciprocated her friendly smile as I searched the crowd for a second time. Then, I quickly gazed back at her. “I’m meeting a gentleman here by the name of Damon Johnson. Is he here yet by chance?”

She glanced down at the computer screen in front of her before looking back at me. “Not yet, but I do see your reservation. Would you like to be seated now?” She pointed behind her. “Or maybe you’d like to take a seat at the bar while you wait?”

“Um…” I stalled. I could really use a drink at the moment, but I realized mixing alcohol with an important conversation was probably not the best idea. All in all though, it was about the only way I would make it through the next hour, so the bar was the way to go. I blinked at her and said, “The bar sounds fantastic.”

“Of course.” She nodded. “Go ahead and take a seat over there, and I’ll send him your way as soon as he arrives.”

“Thank you,” I responded before heading toward the bar.

I noticed an empty cocktail table on the left in the back of the room. It was the perfect hideout spot. I ambled over to the wooden chair and settled into my seat. My nerves were now out of control with anticipation of seeing Damon for the first time since meeting him at Pearl’s party.

A waitress appeared at my side. “What can I get you to drink, hon?”

I rotated to face her, and I chose the first drink that came to the front of my mind. “A screwdriver, please.”

“Going right for the good stuff.” She grinned. “Give me just a few, and I’ll be back.”

“Sure. Thank you.”

Within minutes, the waitress promptly returned with my drink. I sipped on it while watching the baseball game on a flat screen hanging from the ceiling. Oh-so slowly, the tension in my body dulled. At least, that was the case until the second my eyes caught sight of Damon striding through the front double doors. He was wearing a white collared dress shirt with the sleeves cuffed at his forearms. His dark denim jeans had a light-colored stitching.

My pulse pumped uncontrollably as he approached the same woman at the front counter, and he offered her a friendly smile. The young blonde briefly spoke to him before pointing my way.

Damon spun around, searching the crowd. When his eyes met mine, he revealed a heart-melting smile that defined the curve of his strong cheekbones. I was pretty sure my heart faltered for a few beats before kicking into an uneven rhythm. I forced myself to swallow deeply as he began to close the distance between us. His stride was composed, radiating strength and confidence. His brown hair was shorter than I remembered, and his tanned honey skin contrasted his soft blue eyes, making them appear calm and alluring. It was a strikingly hot mix.

I stood to greet him. My knees felt weak, but I ignored the sensation as I smiled shyly. “Hello, Damon.” I kept it short and sweet, so I would not lose control of my voice.

“Nice to see you again, Gail,” he replied, not missing a beat.

The deep throatiness of his tone sent awareness trickling down my spine. I resisted a shiver at the sound.

I gestured to the chairs adjacent to us. “Shall we?”

“Of course.”

After taking our seats, my adrenaline kicked into overdrive. I didn’t have the slightest clue how to get this conversation rolling, so I began with something simple. “Would you care for something to eat or drink?”

“Sure.” He glanced down at my drink and then back up at me. A mischievous grin revealed itself within his expression, making my heart stutter. “I see you already got started without me.”

I shrugged, going for innocence. “Liquid courage and all…” I trailed off, realizing that was probably too honest of a response.

His eyes shimmered, and the corner of his mouth slightly twitched with humor. “Not a bad way to go,” he teased.

I had to laugh. “That’s what I thought.”

The waitress appeared at our table. Damon ordered a full rack of baby back ribs and a Bud Light while I went for the Ketch Burger, fries, and a water.

“So, how long have you known Abbey?” Damon inquired after the waitress left us.

I toned everyone around us out. I wanted to openly talk with Damon, so we could get to know one another better, even if it would only be fractionally.

“Since my first year in college. Abbey and I had an English course together.” I smiled, recalling that first day I’d met her. “I saw her sitting down, waiting for the professor to arrive. She had these dark purple glasses on, and she was organizing her notebook with a pen already in her hand, so I figured she was smart,” I admitted sheepishly.

Damon let out a husky laugh. “So, you assumed you’d sit by the smart one in class?”

“Yep.” I chortled. “I sat in the seat next to her, thinking she could help me get by with a passing grade.”

He perked up one brow at me. “And how did that work out?”

“Well, I later found out that we both sucked at English, but with all our late-night study sessions, we managed to pull off an A-minus for the semester.” I paused, feeling grateful that I had Abbey in my life. That woman was my rock. “But the best part was gaining a best friend along the way.”

“So, it was all worth it then?” he asked sincerely.

The waitress returned with our food and drinks. It was then that I realized how hungry I was.

“Definitely.” My cheeks started to hurt from smiling so much.

The two of us began to eat, and we also made small talk with one another. For being in a bar, I barely heard the noises around us. I was completely zoned in on Damon, and I felt my earlier uneasiness slip further away as we continued to talk.

I told Damon about my occupation as a physical therapist, and I learned he was an architect. He had designed all the floor plans at the office he and Jason had recently purchased with their newest family member and business partner, Kyle Madison. Kyle’s wife, Lily, was Damon and Jason’s cousin, and Kyle was Abbey’s older brother. Kyle, Jason, and Damon were currently in the middle of rebuilding the interior of the building. It sounded like a very lengthy process, but I could hear the excitement and passion in Damon’s voice as he spoke about the details.

It was calming to learn more about Damon, considering the circumstances we were about to endeavor in the near future. I caught myself sneaking glances at him for a few seconds longer than would be considered polite even though I had been trying hard to resist. He was just utterly attractive in every sense of the word.

He seemed very responsible, composed in the way he carried himself, and compassionate about his work and family. He had all the admirable traits I looked for in a man—I mean, roommate.

As the end of our night neared, an immense dark cloud formed, hovering above me. I had yet to ask him about moving in with me, and I needed to get it over with before I chickened out and ran for the hills.

Instead, I found myself avoiding the subject. “So, do you think you’ll make California your permanent home?”

Damon’s soft eyes turned thoughtful as they penetrated mine. It was as if he was trying to get a read on the sudden shift in my demeanor. He bent forward and gently rested his forearms on the table. My attempt to ignore his movement failed miserably as I found myself glancing at the way his biceps hugged the sleeves of his slightly fitted shirt. He was just so damn gorgeous.

“I’m not sure yet, but it’s a possibility. The idea of moving here permanently is still new to me,” he responded honestly. “So far, I’ve really enjoyed being here and learning the area. Lake Tahoe has quite the scenery.”

I nodded in agreement, noting he was not set on this being his long-term home. Maybe that would help reinforce the need to keep my distance, so I would not become attached to him.

“It is beautiful, isn’t it?” I asked, responding to his comment about Lake Tahoe.

He delayed a moment but kept my gaze locked with his, driving my heart rate up again. It was as though something inexplicable was passing between us.

“It is,” he breathed.

His response caught me off guard, and I inhaled a feeble breath. I wanted to ask what he’d meant by that, but I didn’t. I could not go there. I needed to stay in neutral territory and get to why we’d met here. Otherwise, I was going to lose my nerve and run for the exit.

Just roommates…

I need a roommate.

Focus, Gail.

“So…” I trailed off nervously. I attempted to gather my words, but I was coming up empty-handed.

Asking for someone’s help was so damn hard for me, especially when I barely knew the person. To top it off, I was undeniably attracted to Damon.

His gaze stayed focused on me, never wavering, as he chimed in, “Abbey knew that I needed a place to stay, and she thought you might be able to help me.”

I gave him a perplexed look, furrowing my brows, as I tried to understand what he was doing. I needed him, not the other way around. My thoughts whirled.

“Want a roomie?” he politely probed. “You would save me the trouble of living with someone who might end up being a lunatic,” he added, giving me a handsome grin.

My mind was reeling, still trying to pick up the scattered pieces. This was not what I’d expected at all. I was supposed to be pleading with him to live with me
.
I had a feeling that he was saving me from asking for help.

“I do need a roommate,” I admitted softly. But I wanted to give him an out if he needed it. “Then again, we are nearly strangers, so I’ll understand if you don’t want to.”

“No, we’re not. You are my brother’s fiancée’s best friend.” He pinched his brows together and chuckled. “I think I said that right. We were bound to have to get to know each other in the near future anyway.”

He reached across the table, taking my hand in his, with a gentleness that stole my breath. While blushing, I gazed down at our hands with his olive skin tone against my fairer one.

This is crazy.

But I was desperate for assistance since I wanted to continue helping with Caroline’s expenses.

“We don’t really know each other, and this isn’t the most practical situation. But we both knowingly trust Abbey, and she wouldn’t lead us down the wrong path,” he added.

My eyes flickered up to his. His mouth curved and formed the slightest dimple in his cheek.

While lost in his irresistible charm, I found myself saying, “Okay, let’s give it a try.”

~Damon~

After throwing my last bag in the backseat of my four-door black Ford F-250, I walked back into the hotel and checked out of my room. As of tonight, I was officially moving into Gail’s apartment.

I remembered our night at dinner as I jumped into my truck, and I followed Gail’s written directions to her place. She had seemed like the strong and independent type all through the evening. Then, when it had come time for her to ask me to move in with her, her eyes had filled with so much vulnerability, and I’d felt like someone had sucker-punched me in the gut. In that moment, it was as though something unexplainable had come alive inside me while sitting across the table from her, and I’d wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around her and take care of her. I was fucking clueless as to why I’d felt that way. I’d never had that reaction to a woman before. I shook my head in awe. There was just something about her, and I couldn’t put my finger on what it was.

Roommates
. I sighed, tossing around the word in my mind.

I pulled into her parking lot while trying my damnedest to block the images of her that were continuously repeating through my head—the way she’d smiled coyly at me, the unforgettable sound of her soft, genuine laughter, the look she had gotten in her eyes when she was nervous. She was fucking beautiful, and the thought of keeping my hands off of her did not seem to sit well with me. It would be the death of me.

I shut off my diesel truck, grabbed one of my bags from the backseat, and headed for her building. Once I found the door marked 13B, I let out a sigh.
Time to turn my fate over to the big man upstairs,
I thought as I rang her doorbell.