Sweet Serenade (Riverbend Romance 3) (2 page)

Yep, he was going to do this if it killed him. He sauntered closer. “Hi, I’m Reed Daniels. You must be Brittany’s cousin.”

She pulled away from the tight grasp. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Carly Thorbergsen.”

Her hand gripped his with more strength than most girls. But then again, what man went around shaking hands with pretty girls? Had she noticed the sweat on his palm against her long fingers? His gaze snapped to her face, to eyes that hovered somewhere between blue and green, framed with long lashes that didn’t seem heavy with mascara, her face more tanned than made-up.

Brittany leaned close to Carly and whispered something. Carly shrugged as she released his hand. Brittany tossed a plastic grocery bag onto his truck’s tailgate on her way past then pulled her tank top off to reveal a bikini. That was one of the problems with this kind of party. A lot of skin. In Brittany’s case, a guy could count every rib.

Words. He needed to find some. “So, um, hi. What brings you to Riverbend?” Man, he was tripping all over. This was amazingly unsuave, even for him.

She smiled at him. Amazing smile. “Brittany told me Base Camp Outfitters was hiring, so I applied online. I got the job, and here I am.”

His guess had been correct. “I think I saw you with Neil Maddrey out on Sandon Lake in a canoe Wednesday.” At 3:41 p.m. near the north shore. He’d sound like a stalker if he said
that
out loud.

Her face lit up.

Oh, man. She was cute enough without that extra glow.

“Not sure if Maddrey mentioned it to you or not, but a grizzly was sighted up that way last week.”

She angled a look at him. “A grizz? Not a black?”

Ah, she knew her bears. Good girl.

“It’s true we don’t see many in this area, but I trust the person who reported it to know the difference. A big silver-tip, he said. Distinct hump.”

“Neil didn’t say anything, but thanks for the warning. I’ll make sure to watch for it.” She nodded as though filing the information. “But that was you? In the cedar-strip canoe? I have such envy. Paddling around in a red floating cooler like Base Camp’s rentals is almost enough to make me quit my job before I’ve barely started.”

Reed’s spine straightened of its own accord. “You like it? It took me months to build.” He couldn’t keep the pride out of his voice.

Her mouth formed an o as her eyebrows rose. “
You
built that gorgeous canoe?”

“Yeah.” The interest in her eyes made him look down at his sport sandal scuffing the dirt on the path. But it was way easier to talk about bears or canoes than about himself. “Cedar-stripping fills winter hours when I can’t be on the water.”

“A bit of an addict, are we?”

He glanced up again at the teasing tone in her voice. “Just a bit.”

“My dad and I used to talk about building one together.”

What message was he supposed to get from that? “But something always came up, eh?”

“Like cancer.”

“Oh.” Now he felt like a heel. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“He fought for six and a half years. For a while we thought he had it beat. Anyway, he’s gone now.”

Reed searched her face, hoping she could see the sympathy in his eyes. “It must be tough to lose a parent.” He still saw his nearly every day. Yeah, he’d moved out of the house—all the way to the apartment he’d built above the boat-building shop on their property.

Her pensive gaze shifted to the river behind him. “Two for two.”

Carly’s words were so quiet he wasn’t certain he’d heard them. “Your mom?”

“Died when I was eight.”

“Oh, man. I’m so sorry.”

She bit her lip and glanced at him. “Sorry to overload you when we only just met. So, uh, what temperature is the water?”

Reed turned to watch his friends splashing in the deep eddy. Evan climbed up on a rock and cannonballed in. They’d been swimming here since they were kids. Everyone knew where the water was deep enough for a dive. “Pretty cold,” he said at last, eyeing her at an angle. “It’s glacier-fed. The snow is still melting in the mountains.”

“Those aren’t mountains.” Her eyes gleamed. “Jasper has mountains. These are like little bumps in the ground.”

Reed laughed. “Then maybe you’ll find the river like bathwater. Jump in and see.”

“You know, I think I’ll do just that.” She tugged her tank top over her head then stepped out of her shorts, leaving her clad in a one-piece racing swimsuit. She tossed her clothes in the back of the Mazda and kicked off her sport sandals. “I notice you haven’t been in yet. Bet I’m wet before you are.”

Carly sprinted across the rocky beach.

Reed gave his head a shake and took off after her, but she was right. She ran straight up that rock and cannonballed off of it. He was five steps behind her when she resurfaced and shook the water off her face.
 

“Cold!” she yelped.

He was grinning as he hit the river.

~*~

Carly settled on a fallen log near the bonfire. She’d pulled on jeans and a T-shirt once her swimsuit had dried, as had most of the group. Several of these twenty-somethings had been quite friendly. She might even make some real friends in Riverbend. Those had been hard to come by thus far in her life, as often as she and Dad had drifted on.

Evan dropped down beside her, holding out a can of cola.

“No, thanks. I’ve got water.” She lifted the stainless steel bottle nestled by her sandals then set it back down.

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re one of those.” He bent the tab, and the can fizzed.

She stiffened. “What do you mean?”

“Won’t drink pop, won’t drink bottled water.”

“And that’s a problem how? Notice I didn’t judge your choice.” She had, internally, but he didn’t need to know that.

He looked at her speculatively.

Yeah, well, she wasn’t interested in him, anyway. He was the life of the party, telling jokes nonstop. She preferred being a wallflower. Not a combo made in heaven. Across the fire, a guy sat down with a guitar. His fingers drifted over the strings, but she could barely hear the picking above the chatter.

From the shadows behind the strummer came the haunting melody of a harmonica. She hadn’t heard one of those in years, not since she was a little kid.

One of the girls began to sing along with the worship song. Others joined in. Evan added a strong baritone and winked when she did a slight double-take. He grinned at her.

Carly knew this chorus and joined in softly. This was what her soul had needed. She could put up with Neil at work if she had friends who upheld each other this way after hours. She closed her eyes and laid her hands palm up on her knees.

After a few choruses—Carly lost track of how many—the music faded away. In that quiet moment, she knew she’d come home. Riverbend was the right choice, regardless of her job.

Evan nudged her knee. “Hey, want to go out with me tomorrow? See a movie?”

She opened her eyes and turned toward him, but caught Reed watching her from beyond the dancing flames. She stared back for a few long seconds before meeting Evan’s gaze. What could she say? “Not this time, thanks.” Probably not ever, but that would be rude.

Chapter 2

Reed picked up his guitar and plugged it into the amp. Around him, the rest of the worship band arranged sheets of music and adjusted microphones. No mike for Reed. Instrumentals took all his focus.

Evan stepped up to the lead mike. “Good morning, and welcome to River of Life Church. Please stand and join us in worship.”

Was Carly here? Reed searched the congregation as everyone rose. There she was, beside Brittany and several others from their group. Brittany whispered with the girl on the other side of her, but Carly focused forward. A little grin poked at his cheeks as she recognized him and gave him a discreet thumbs-up.

He fingered an A chord as the first song began. Carly closed her eyes as she sang.

Was she the woman he’d been waiting for? The thought froze him. He’d been waiting for someone? Of course he had. What man wanted to grow old all by himself? But he needed someone who loved the Lord as he did. So many of the group had drifted in their faith. Sure, most came to church, but more as a way to connect with each other than to connect with God. And since he didn’t play that way, they thought him rigid.

Whoa. He’d better pay attention to the quick chording or he’d fumble. But it was hard to worship while watching a pretty girl. With all the thoughts about her that had churned through his mind since meeting Carly Friday night, centering himself in Jesus this morning was vital.

~*~

The pastor’s benediction still rang in Carly’s ears when Brittany nudged her.

“Didn’t I warn you about Reed Daniels? I caught him staring at you all through the singing. If you’re going to date one of my friends, I can recommend someone a whole lot more fun.”

Thanks, cuz. Way to break the mood.
Carly took a deep breath and turned to Brittany. “Thanks for caring, really. But I’ll pick my own dates.” As far as she could tell, Joseph was way too smooth. Most of the guys the other night had spent more time looking her up and down than meeting her eyes and actually talking to her.

Except Reed.

“Take Peter, for example. The boy can sing like an angel, but he knows how to have a good time.”

“Why doesn’t Reed sing into a mike?”

Brittany shrugged and picked up her purse. “Who knows? Probably too shy. Or maybe he squawks.”

Carly doubted that. Not the way he played. She glanced toward the platform, where Reed rolled microphone cords. “He didn’t play Friday night.” What had been the name of the guy with the guitar that evening? Had that been Peter?

“Oh, he played, just not the guitar. He was on the harmonica. Says it’s a dying art.” Brittany rolled her eyes. “As it ought to be.”

Joseph leaned over the back of the pew and whispered something to Brittany. She turned his way.

Carly glanced back at the platform. They’d put nearly everything away, which spoke of experience as a team. Her gaze followed Reed as he zipped his acoustic into a case. What did Brittany have against him, anyway? He seemed to be the nicest guy she’d met—certainly in Riverbend, and probably anywhere else.
 

Brittany called him hot and ice cold. He was definitely swoonworthy with that thick dark hair grazing his collar. Dark brown eyes that glinted with humor when he’d challenged her to jump in the river. A hint of a dimple in his cute face. She was going to hang around long enough to see that dimple come out to play—at least if he’d talk to her again. The man seemed so shy.

The chilly part? She hadn’t sensed that in Reed. Brittany might be right, but she might also be wrong. It would be okay to be around a man who kept his hands to himself. Like Joseph’s weren’t doing. His hands slid just below Brittany’s hips as he kissed her.

In church.

Okay, after church, but still in the sanctuary. Hardly the time or the place. Carly grabbed her Bible and purse and exited the pew at the other end. She’d find her cousin later... or find her own way back to the apartment. Riverbend wasn’t that big.

She smiled and nodded at people of all ages as she edged around the crowded foyer to the great outdoors. Wow. Corporate worship was great, possibly even necessary, but give her a secluded lake or a majestic mountaintop anytime. That’s where a gal could really feel close to God.

Families crossed the parking lot, little kids dancing as they showed off the projects they’d made in children’s church. Cars started up and drove out onto the street. No sign of Brittany yet.

Carly wandered along the sidewalk to a well-tended flowerbed near the building’s corner. Sweet fragrance from the blossoms surrounded her as she inhaled. A red pickup with a cedar-strip canoe mounted on a rack was backed up to an open door.

Reed had been leaning on a red truck with an empty rack the other night. This must be his truck. More importantly, this must be his canoe. Narrow strips ran the length of it, the various hues of cedar wood gleaming beneath a coat of Kevlar. Probably a bunch of protective coats. That craft was a thing of beauty with its graceful lines and uptilted bow. A sixteen-footer, if she didn’t miss her guess.

No one was around. Sounds from the parking lot dimmed as she strolled closer, gaze fixed on that canoe. She reached up and touched its satin finish.

If only Dad hadn’t died before they had a chance to build their own. They’d had so many good times together in their fiberglass seventeen-footer—a better length for all the distance tripping they’d done. So many memories.

She missed him.

Something heavy thumped into the pickup box, and Carly jumped back. Reed’s face appeared peering out from beneath the canoe. “Hey.”

“Hey. Sorry. I was just admiring your canoe.” She dared to run her fingers across the smooth wood of the gunwales.

“Sometime I’ll have to take you down the river.” A flush seemed to appear on his cheeks. “I mean, if you want to.”

“Oh, that’d be awesome. Neil said something about a few good whitewater sections to run, but he didn’t have time to show me last week.” Her boss seemed reasonably adept on the placid lake, but she doubted he had the chops for fast water.

“Uh, yeah. Sometime we’ll have to do that.”

The guy was a mystery. At times he seemed interested in her, but now he had a perfectly good opportunity to set a time for a date—or at least a paddling excursion—and he backed off? Was that the cold her cousin had mentioned?

“There you are, Carly!” called Brittany from the parking lot. “A bunch of us are going to the park. Want to come?”

Carly’s gaze snagged on Reed’s. It seemed they both waited for the other to respond first. “Sounds fun,” she called back.

“Near the grandstand?” Reed looked past her to Brittany.

By her cousin’s expression, the invitation hadn’t really included Reed. More and more interesting.

“Yes.” Brittany could put chill in her voice. “If you’re coming, bring something for lunch.”

“Will do.” Reed gave her a half salute then focused back on Carly. His brown eyes darkened.

She could drown in them, like molten chocolate. Drown and die happy. That was crazy talk. She’d only just met the guy. But it was the beginning. Who knew of what?