Lil snuck another quick perusal
Damn.
Dressed in a simple brown cotton skirt, light green blouse and sandals, Lil was determined that their day together would stay as tame as the clothing she’d chosen. She bent to place her daughter in the car seat. “Come on in,” she said as she collected the necessary supplies for the day. “We’re ready.”
Colby babbled happily as she was secured into her seat. Lil swung her diaper bag up onto her shoulder, reaching down to pick up the car seat.
Jake’s hand beat her to it. “I’ll carry her; I bet she’s getting heavy.”
He smiled down at Colby who smiled back at him and Lil fought the desire to rip her child out of his hands and run. Neither of them had any business getting attached to Jake. Today was not about that. Tomorrow, things would go right back to being over.
Lil took a deep breath and reminded herself that this was for Abby.
“Thank you,” she said and hoped she didn’t sound as stressed as she felt. He was going to get suspicious if she looked like a trapped animal the whole day. Be cool. Be casual. “I couldn’t find my stroller, so hopefully there is one wherever we’re going.”
“I had yours stored in your trunk.”
“Of course.” Lil smoothed her nervous hands on her skirt and picked up her purse. “Then let’s go.”
At least having Colby with them insured that nothing would happen between them.
Bringing her had been a good idea.
Unless Jake really is dangerous and now I put my daughter in jeopardy, too. Oh, shit.
You’re losing it, Lil.
Jake had never given her a reason to think that he would ever hurt her or her child. She was letting Alethea’s paranoia make her nuts.
The trip down the elevator was painfully silent as was the wait for the car to be brought out of the parking lot. Jake opened the door for Lil and handed her the car seat, watching as she secured it.
Not the mannerisms of a madman.
Relax.
Lil jumped when Jake asked, “Do you want me to drive?”
Since her legs were ready to betray her by shaking, Lil nodded. Driving while deceiving was never a safe option. Officer, I’m sorry I didn’t see that red light I was too busy thinking about what Jake was going to say if he ever discovered why I asked him to come out with me today.
She gladly handed Jake her keys.
Buckled into the passenger seat, Lil faced forward, but watched Jake out of the corner of her eye. He’d secured his own seat belt, but hadn’t started the car.
“We can’t be friends, Lil,” he announced to the steering wheel.
“Excuse me?” Lil swallowed nervously. In the movies, this is where he would tell me that I should have minded my own business-that he had hoped things would go differently, but I knew too much to be allowed to live.
Jake looked across at her, the intensity in his eyes trapping her like a deer in headlights.
“I don’t think I have to tell you why it’s not possible.”
Because friends don’t bury friends in shallow graves in the woods?
Lil bit back a nervous giggle.
He said, “I’ve been thinking about how you called what we’re doing cheap. It doesn’t have to be. I do care about you, Lil, and I’d like for us to start over.”
No, no, no. Do not even go there. I like being afraid of you better than this. This path only leads to a tsunami of guilt. “Jake, please…”
He turned in his seat and took her hand. “Hear me out. You took me by surprise and I handled the situation poorly. Everything you said the other day was spot on right. We don’t know each other, but we can change that. I’m not here because Dominic sent me. Today, I’m here because I want to be. I want to give us a chance-not as friends, but as whatever this is-wherever this goes. This is a date, Lil; make no mistake about that. Our first date, one of many to come, and hopefully one that you’ll never forget.”
I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll remember today.
He was waiting for her to say something.
She removed her hand from his. I am going to Hell for this. Yep, forget about prison, this is the fiery after-life kind of wrong. “I can’t promise you anything, Jake.”
His eyes smoldered with emotion as if her words only made him want her more. “You don’t have to.”
Lil turned forward in her seat and clasped her hands in her lap, trying to keep her tone as cheerful as possible. “So, where are we going?”
“I thought I’d surprise you.”
Oh, you did.
Trust me, you did.
“What are we doing here?” Lil asked as they parked her car in front of the Boston Museum’s School of Fine Arts.
Jake walked around the car to open the door for her before he answered. “On Thursday mornings the school has an art program for the very young and their mothers. They make their own paints and sometimes display their creations in the atrium. They have graciously allowed us to join the class today.”
Once Colby was settled into her stroller, Jake tipped a young man who had apparently been hired to park the car for them. As they walked into the building together, Lil asked, “You really signed us up for an art class?”
“Unless you’d rather do something else?”
“No, this is fine.”
This is perfect, actually. Well, it would be perfect if I weren’t a complete ass.
Lil followed Jake through the halls to a small classroom where four mothers and their babies were gathered around one large round table. The children ranged in age from near Colby’s age to one that looked like she was almost two.
A casually dressed, gray-haired woman in a large clear plastic apron met them as they entered the door. Her face looked years younger than her hair implied. “You must be Miss Dartley.” She shook Lil’s hand. “And is this Colby?” She leaned down to smile at the child and then greeted Jake. “Mr. Walton, it is an honor to have you join us today. Your donation was more than generous and will allow us to expand this program.”
Jake accepted her gratitude with a nod and a smile.
The woman turned to the mothers behind her. “Ladies, today’s class is going to be a bit different. We have some special guests today. This is Mr. Walton, a long-time supporter of the Arts in Boston and his…” She turned to Lil as she stumbled for how to describe her.
“Just call me Lil,” Lil supplied hastily.
“Welcome, Lil,” two of the mothers said almost in union. The others simply waved.
The older woman continued, “Mr. Walton flew in a surprise that I hope you all enjoy.”
A woman with short brown hair entered wearing a long print skirt and hand embroidered blouse. She said “Beunos dias, my name is Carmen Sonnes. Thank you for inviting me to join your group today. Forgive me if I take a moment to set up.”
“I appreciate you coming on such short notice,” Jake said as the woman approached them.
On one side of the room, Carmen placed three pictures on easels. “Mr. Walton is playing humble. I don’t know an artist who would not have boarded the private jet he sent for me.”
“Please, call me Jake.” Jake smiled smoothly back at the woman and directed his next comment to Lil. “I met Carmen at an art exhibit in Austin a few years ago. I thought you might enjoy meeting her, also.”
Over the last week, contained to her apartment, it was easy to forget that Jake was a man of immense power and influence. He didn’t wave his wealth around like some war banner trophy as Dominic did. Instead, it was an integral part of who he was and how he interacted with the world around him. Lil doubted that Jake had wondered at all if Carmen would accept his invitation. What was it like to be so used to winning that desired outcomes were hardly a surprise?