She hadn’t replaced their mother, but she had given them all something they needed. Unconditional love and a quiet sort of support that had sustained them when their father wasn’t around.
“I’ll be there. What time?”
She smiled at him and gave him a quick hug before tugging on her hat and slipping into her gloves. “Cocktails at four.”
He followed her outside, inhaling a crisp shot of cold winter air. It was the kind of cold that made snow crunch beneath boots, and the crystals of ice hanging from the branches of the pine trees shimmered, illuminated by his headlights. Winter in Michigan wasn’t exactly for everyone. It required a hardy soul with a love of the outdoors. A wave of nostalgia rolled over him as he climbed into his truck. He missed this place. A lot more than he thought.
By the time he reached Crystal Lake, evening had fallen and the night sky blanketed the town in a shower of stars. It was big and open and, on a night like this, pretty much perfect.
Bella greeted his knock, and he smiled to himself at the sound of her excited barks. He pressed his ear closer, opening the front door when he heard Regan shout at him to do so. The lighting was muted, and he bent down to scratch behind Bella’s ears as the little dog danced around him. Considering she had only three legs, he was impressed with her agility, and laughed outright when she ran around the room and jumped at him.
“Sorry, Bella’s full of beans tonight.”
“It’s okay.” Wyatt straightened, and boom, everything inside him stopped and then sped up again. Regan stood a few feet away, her long hair in loose waves, those luminous eyes of hers sparkling in the low lights from the kitchen. She wore a silky black top, one that clung to her breasts and exposed creamy shoulders he would like nothing more to do than kiss. The top fit her like a glove and was tucked into a deep crimson skirt that, again, did nothing to hide the fact that the woman who stood in front of him was sexy as hell and sporting some serious curves.
“Regan.” He had to take a moment, because the woman literally took his breath away.
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” There it was, that soft husky voice meant for hot nights of sinning.
She smoothed the skirt, which of course brought his attention once more to perfectly rounded hips, and, as she turned to grab her coat, a mouthwatering butt. He really needed to focus.
“You might want to grab a pair of sneakers.” She was wearing slim black boots that sported at least four-inch heels.
“Sneakers?” she asked, obviously surprised.
“Yeah.” He nodded and smiled. “We should go, or we’re going to be late.”
Regan gave him a questioning look and then rummaged through her closet, grabbing—what else—a pair of black sneakers with Hello Kitty adorning the side. He took them while she pulled on a simple black wool coat. Less than five minutes later, he pulled onto the interstate.
“We’re not staying in Crystal Lake?”
“Nope. I thought our first date deserved something more. Something special.”
“First date. Huh. You’re talking like there’ll be a second.”
Wyatt grinned. “And you don’t think there will be?”
She shrugged, all nonchalant. “I don’t know. Let’s just get through tonight and see what happens. I can’t promise anything until I know.”
He shot her a look. “Until you know what?”
She looked straight ahead. “Until I know if you pass the test.”
“What’s the test exactly?”
Regan turned to him then and smiled. A full-on, no-holds-barred kind of smile that had all sorts of things popping inside him. “I’ll let you know.” She winked. “If you pass.”
“You mean, when I pass.”
“We’ll see. The choice of footwear you requested I bring along has me a little concerned.”
“Then we’re golden. Because this is going to be the best date of your life.”
“That’s a pretty cocky prediction.”
“I can be a cocky guy.”