Matching Mr. Right (Rocky Mountain Matchmaker Series Book 1) (20 page)

Done and done.

Swinging his feet to the floor, he waggled his mouse and searched for the restaurant to make a reservation for Monday night. The sooner he got the truth out the better.

A loud beep interrupted his date-planning. “Mr. Caldwell? Mr. Duncan’s assistant is on the line. He wonders what time the dinner reservation is for tomorrow night?”

“Seven. And would you call Beth Gunderson and ask if she can join us? Our new client is looking for legal counsel too.”

“Will do.”

If Beth weren’t the best in her field he’d have found someone else. But he wanted to nail down the deal. It was a big contract. It’d bring in a ton of new work if he could handle the buy-out Duncan had in mind. It’d be a tough challenge, but one he was up for. Failure was not an option. Could be the most important weekend of his career.

After he’d made the dinner reservation for Monday with Shelby, he closed the restaurant page and got back to work. If he could get the final touches on the proposal done before lunch, he’d go eat with Shelby at the café.

Just the thought of sharing a meal with Shelby made him smile. Man he had it bad for her.

***

Shelby hadn’t stopped grinning since Nick left earlier. And she couldn’t wait to spread her happy news. Slapping the café kitchen doors open, she found her target. Jo stood at a steel countertop with her hands buried deep in bread dough.

Waving the papers Nick brought the night before in front of Jo’s face, she said, “I’m finally guilt-free.”

“What are you talking about?” Jo sprinkled flour on the tabletop.

“My family. The fire. It wasn’t me. See?” Shelby held the paper steady and pointed.

Jo punched her floury dough out on her table as she leaned down to read the highlighted sentence. Tilting her head as she took it in, Jo suddenly threw her messy hands around Shelby and pulled her into a tight hug. “Oh, Shelby. That’s the best news ever. You must be so relieved.” Jo held on and rocked them back and forth as she sniffed back her tears. Jo understood the huge impact that the one sentence carried. She was the best friend a girl could ever have.

Shelby nodded against Jo’s shoulder. “It’s like I lost the twenty pounds of regret I’ve made myself haul around all these years.”

Jo leaned back and smiled. “And I noticed a fancy sports car parked in front of the house this morning when I left. I thought he never spends the night. What did you do? Handcuff him to the bed?”

“No, but handcuffs might be fun.” Shelby laughed as she swiped flour and bits of dough off her blouse. “He just declared he was staying. He even made breakfast this morning. We’re having dinner tonight.”

“Wow. Maybe you’re the one who’ll change his ways. So . . . how was it? The sleeping together part.”

“It was amazing. Different than with anyone else. Off-the-charts good. And he cuddles too.” Shelby laid a hand over her swelling heart. “I think I’m in love with him, Jo.”

Jo wrapped Shelby up in a hug again and whispered, “I’m so happy for you. Why don’t you go sit down and I’ll cut into the Death by Chocolate cake I just made. Then you can fill me in on all the deets.”

“Beth will be here in a few minutes for her date. But she doesn’t need me other than to make the introductions. I’ll go grab some tables.”

Still smiling and not sure her feet were actually touching the ground she was so freaking happy, she found a table for Beth and her date, and then one nearby for her and Jo.

Just as she’d settled in, her phone signaled a text. Beth’s date was going to have to cancel. It would have been nice if he’d figured that out sooner than five minutes before he was supposed to show. She quickly tapped out a note to Beth, doubting she’d catch her before she left her office.

When the front doors parted, she glanced up, expecting to see Beth. But Nick’s sister Lori entered instead. Shelby saw her scan the café until their eyes locked on each other’s. Lori smiled that same big smile as Nick’s.

Waving her over, she said, “Hi, Lori. Want to join me?”

“Thank you.” Lori hung her purse on the back of the chair and sat. “Nick mentioned you often write here, so I’d hoped I’d run into you. I wanted to ask you a favor.”

“Sure. What?”

“It’s Emily’s birthday on Saturday. Nick, the knucklehead, told her he’d pay for any party she wanted because he has a this-guy-can-take-my-business-into-the-next-stratosphere client in town last minute and won’t be able to come. So of course she picked the place I had already nixed.”

“I’ll bet Emily is disappointed.”

“She is. My brother can be so . . .” Lori huffed out a breath. “Anyway, Emily asked if she could invite you, and then introduce you to her friends. They all want to meet the lady who writes Chester books. But I don’t want you to feel obligated. I can tell her you have other plans if you’d rather not come.”

“I’d love to come. And I’ll bring books to sign for Emily’s friends.” If things worked out with Nick, Emily might be her niece one day too. The thought warmed her already ridiculously blissful heart. But then a sliver of disappointment with Nick crept in. “You’d think Nick could slip away for an hour or so. It is Saturday, after all.” Maybe she’d mention the idea to him later over dinner. It’d mean a lot to Emily.

“You’d think.” Lori shook her head. “Nick works too much. It’s been nice to see him relax a little and have fun with you these last few weeks, Shelby.”

Just as she opened her mouth to reply, a clearly pissed-off Beth marched up to their table. “I got your text in the parking lot, Shelby. Scratch that guy off the list. I don’t have time for inconsiderate people.” Then she turned to Lori. “Hi. How’ve you been?”

“Good.” Lori smiled. “I didn’t realize you knew Shelby.”

Beth nodded as she yanked out a chair and plopped onto it. Probably her skyscraper heels were paining her. “She’s setting me and Nick up on dates. I was a little surprised when Nick chose Shelby for our matchmaker instead of you.”

Lori’s head whipped in Shelby’s direction. “Matchmaker? But you write Chester books.”

“I do both.” Confused, Shelby asked, “You’re a matchmaker too?” Then it dawned on her. “Are you Lori Went? As in the radio ads that say, ‘I went with Lori and found my soul mate,’ Lori Went?”

Lori’s brow crumpled as she nodded. “But why would Nick use you instead of me?”

Beth said, “Maybe he’s spying on his sister’s biggest competitor? He
is
in the business of improving businesses, after all.”

Lori shook her head. “No, he wouldn’t . . .” She cut herself off and her eyes widened as if she’d thought of a reason. “I’m sure there’s a good explanation for this, Shelby.”

Beth’s lips tilted into a smug grin. “Well it might explain why Nick stopped sleeping with me. He was too busy pretending to be interested in his sister’s competitor. I’ll bet he’ll be knocking on my door tonight now, instead of waiting for our date tomorrow night.” Beth sent Shelby a take-that-loser eyebrow hitch.

“Date tomorrow night? That can’t be . . .” Nick said he had a client in town.

Shelby’s delusional heart broke into a million pieces.

She
was
a loser.

“He called this morning.” Beth pulled out her phone and scrolled through the call list. She flipped it around. “See?”

A call from Caldwell and Associates.

Proof.

A few hours earlier, Nick had said what they’d shared wasn’t a one-night stand. She’d been an idiot to think he’d changed. That he wanted to have a real relationship. He’d just been using her. To help his sister.

Beth rolled her eyes. “What? Did you really think you were the
one
who could change a guy like Nick? He’s never going to be the settle-down-and-have-a-family type, Shelby.” Beth stood and swept her hands down her sides. “If this body couldn’t do it, a little pixie like you doesn’t stand a chance, honey.”

With a mean chuckle, Beth turned and left.

When Shelby met Lori’s gaze, pity reflected back. Yeah. Pity for the loser with the scarred legs who was dumb enough to believe anyone as perfect as Nick could ever want to have a serious relationship with
her.
Beth was right.

Warm tears spilled down her cheeks. She clenched her teeth to stop her chin from trembling. She was embarrassing herself even more in front of Nick’s sister.

She stood to leave.

Lori reached out and grabbed Shelby’s hand. “I didn’t know anything about this, I swear, Shelby.”

Lori’s mouth continued to move, but Shelby couldn’t hear the words with all the blood pounding so loudly in her ears.

There just wasn’t enough air to breathe. She had to go.

Tugging her hand free of Lori’s grip, Shelby headed for the door. Jo called out from behind, but Shelby didn’t stop. She couldn’t, she’d fall completely apart.

She cursed Nick Caldwell for making a fool out of her.

***

Nick crossed the parking lot and headed for the café. Beth’s BMW zipped past him, nearly taking off his toes. Must be late for something.

He hadn’t heard back from his assistant about whether Beth was joining him for Duncan’s dinner. He’d have to ask when he got back.

Tugging the café’s door open, he spotted Shelby headed his way. Behind her, Jo and Lori called out for Shelby to wait, but she didn’t stop. What the heck was wrong?

When Shelby glanced up, he froze. Her cheeks were as pale as they were on the day at the hospital when she’d almost fainted. Tears flowed down her face.

When their eyes met, Shelby’s eyes went stone cold.

His heart sank.

Beth was just here and so was Lori.

Shelby knew about the spying. The anger in Lori’s eyes confirmed it. He called out, “Shelby, I—”

She held up a hand to cut him off as she slipped past him and out the front door.

Shelby had just beeped the locks open on her car when he caught up with her. He slipped a hand around her arm to slow her down. “Please stop, Shelby. I can explain.”

She jerked her elbow from his grasp. “Don’t touch me.”

He took a step back. “Sorry. I just—”

“How could you lie to me like that?” Her chin quivered as she wiped away her tears with both hands. “And then sleep with me on top of it!”

Lori and Jo caught up and stood nearby, as if ready to jump to Shelby’s aid.

“Technically, I never lied to you, Shelby.” When she closed her eyes and shook her head, he immediately wished he could take his words back. His mind scrambled for the right ones. “What I should have said, was—”

“Don’t bother, Nick. I had myself fooled into thinking you’d changed. That you were the right guy for me. Ready to give a real relationship a try. Instead it had all been a lie. You’re no different than your father. A liar and a cheat.”

Her words hit him like a hard slap across the face. “No, Shelby . . .”

“Tell me the truth, Nick. Have you been spying on my business?” Her eyes narrowed with anger again.

He slowly nodded. “Yes, but it was for my—”

She cut him off. “And
do
you have a dinner date with Beth tomorrow night?”

“Yes, but it’s a business dinner, Shelby.” She was slipping away from him, dammit. He couldn’t lose her. “My client needed a lawyer like Beth. I swear. Nothing more.”

She blinked for a second, as if processing, then plowed on. “Regardless. That you’d still do business with Beth after you broke up, when she is clearly in love with you, is just . . . clueless on your part. And that you could blow off Emily’s party when she adores you, is selfish and thoughtless. I need a man who puts his family first. Not a guy who refuses to engage his heart in order to protect it from ever getting hurt!”

Direct hit. But she was the first to make him want to chance being hurt.

He held his hands out and pleaded, “I’m sorry, Shelby. I never meant to hurt you. I’ll do anything to make things right. To prove that I love you.”

“Love me?” The dam broke and Shelby’s tears streamed down her face again. She made a choking sound before she turned and opened her car door. After she slipped inside she said quietly, “Words, Nick. You’re good at using them, but you don’t have any idea what they really mean. We’re done.”

As Shelby drove away, his throat constricted. He’d just lost the only woman he’d ever loved.

He’d forgotten Lori and Jo were still there until his sister said, “Why did you spy on her business, Nick?”

He met Lori’s icy stare. “Grandma asked me to help you save your matchmaking business.”

“I was afraid of that.” Lori crossed her arms and huffed out a breath. “If you’d had the consideration to talk to me, rather than doing this behind everyone’s back, you would have figured out I sold my client list to Dating.com the day I asked you to take Em to the bookstore. There’s no business to save, Nick.”

“What?” The air whooshed from his lungs. “How could you have done that? You love being a matchmaker.”

“I need to support Emily on my own now. I made enough money from the sale so I can finish up my degree. I don’t have the luxury of doing what I love for a living . . . like you evidently do. But then, I’d never let my job become more important than my family, so maybe it’s best this way. Have fun with your client this weekend. Emily will get over it . . . eventually.”

Jo sent him a frown as she turned and followed his sister back into the café, leaving him standing in the middle of the parking lot. Alone.

Digging out his keys, he slowly trudged to his car and got in. He’d let them all down. Shelby, his grandmother, Lori, and even Emily.

A complete fail.

He laid his forehead on the steering wheel and closed his eyes.

Maybe he
was
better off being single and avoiding relationships like before. Shelby was right. He’d just hurt everyone in his life he cared for—just like his father had.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Losing Julie gave Chester a sore heart.”

Chester is a Sad, Sad Monkey

Shelby, curled up on top of her bedspread with her knees drawn to her chest, moaned. She’d cried so hard the past few hours, there was nothing left.

Having your soul ripped out hurt.

She’d allow herself to wallow for a day or two, but no longer than that. She was a tough woman, one no man could destroy. But how could she have been so blind?