Or did he sense something was wrong back home? A stab of worry surged through her, and she pulled her phone out, debating.
Clint gave her a nod, and she dialed quickly. “Levi? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. How are things?”
Maria felt her body sag. He was interrupting her date to ask how she was doing? She gave Clint a dry look and mouthed, “Not an emergency.”
Clint frowned at her in confusion, peering at her lips. She shook her head again and waved her hand. “Did you need something, Levi?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m trying to get ahold of Clint Walker for something. He wouldn’t happen to be with you, would he?”
Maria straightened her spine. “Why?”
“Mrs. Fisher said you were going out for supper.”
“Yeah, why?”
“Can you hand him the phone? I tried calling him directly already.” His tone was amused.
“You did? Why?”
Levi laughed. “Mom?”
“Fine.” She thrust her phone toward Clint. “He wants to talk to you.”
What was going on?
Clint frowned and glanced around. He lifted the phone to his ear. “Clint here.”
Maria couldn’t hear Levi, only Clint’s end of things. Definitely mechanical. Not what-are-you-doing-having-supper-with-my-mom.
Why would she even think that he’d call to meddle in her affairs? Because Levi always changed the subject whenever Clint came up in conversation. He clearly wasn’t comfortable with the idea of her dating.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, interrupting.
Clint nodded, then looked down at the tablecloth again. “I can order the part. Yes. No, there’s time. I’ll order it tonight and it’ll be in tomorrow or the next day.” He ended the call.
“What was that about? Is he still trying to fix that old tractor? He’s going to send good money after bad.”
“He has a few projects on the go,” Clint acknowledged. He handed back her phone. “Supper should be here soon. I’m hungry.” He glanced around the bustling restaurant.
“So everything is okay?” Maria confirmed, feeling as though she was still missing a piece of the puzzle.
Clint nodded. “Just thinking through some logistics. Christmas always throws a kink in business plans. At least it’s not midweek this year.”
“You know, if it’s for Levi, he’s fine having it done in January. There’s nothing urgent on the ranch at the moment. He’s my take-charge bossy son and sometimes he gets all worked up over nothing. Takes on other people’s problems to solve as his own.”
Clint didn’t say anything, and she had a sudden, awful feeling that maybe he and her eldest son might never get along.
They finished supper, then Clint gave Maria a ride home in Sonja’s borrowed car.
“Thanks for supper,” she said, as they pulled up outside Kittim’s condo.
“My pleasure.”
“I’m going to paint some bags tonight. Are you going to come up and massage my shoulders?” She gave him a shy smile, feeling flirtatious and at the same time self-conscious.
“While I’d love to see your artistic side in action again, I think I’d better order some parts so they’re in the shop for when I get home.”
“Ignore Levi. He can be pushy.”
Clint stared out the windshield. “I also have to get another coat on that scooter so I don’t leave Brewster hanging.”
Maria felt disappointed. Was this how Clint felt whenever something from back home intruded with her vacation?
Even though she knew the answer would be no, she asked, “Can you do it tomorrow?” He’d have all day before his late flight home.
He shook his head. “You know how it is.”
“Sometimes being an adult is no fun.” She held his hand over the console, admiring his features. He’d got a touch of sun across the bridge of his nose this week. “Hey, I’ve been hogging all your time. You didn’t even get to go boogie boarding again, did you?”
“I’m actually rather grateful for that. Do you know how sorry I was the next day?”
“You were sore?”
He nodded.
“You hid it well.”
“Good.”
She laughed at his sincerity. “It’s okay to be sore.”
“Not when I keep going on about how our golden years will be our best.” He gave a remorseful pout, and she laughed again. “Me hobbling around would defeat my entire argument.”
She cupped his chin, loving the tenderness in his expression as her skin contacted his.
“I guess I better go up to the condo.”
“You know, volunteers are notoriously flaky and flighty.”
“They are?”
“Yeah, they never do half the jobs they sign up for.”
She leaned back in the seat, toying with the suggestion of skipping her tasks. She glanced over at him again and found his hazel eyes were sparkling. “I don’t think either of us has it in us to let our friends down tonight.”
He chuckled and twisted his hands around the steering wheel. “You’re probably right. I guess I’d better just ravage you with kisses and send you up there to paint some beautiful beach scenes. Maybe you can paint my initials into the clouds.”
“You give my talent much more credit than it deserves.”
“That’s the part you focus on? I just told you I was going to ravage you with kisses.”
“Oh, I mustn’t have heard that. You know, when you’re over the hill, first your hearing goes…”
“Get over here, old lady.” Clint grabbed her by the elbow, pulling her closer. The first kiss missed her lips, landing on her cheek.
She giggled, shifting in the seat so the next kiss landed exactly where she wanted it. Right on her lips.
Chapter 8
The next morning Maria sat in a beach chair outside the Morrison Mansion Bed and Breakfast, admiring the crashing surf. Clint joined her with a cup of coffee in each hand.
Just one more day together. She had so much she wanted to talk about, as last night’s painting session had opened up her mind to dreams and possibilities. So many ideas. And she knew she could share them with Clint. They could build something together. They really could.
He handed her a cup, not meeting her eyes.
“Are you going to the big football game?” she asked, taking a sip of her coffee. Tomorrow morning she’d fly directly to Dallas to watch the Sweetheart Creek high school football team battle for the title of state champions for their division. Two of her sons would be coaching, and the stands of the giant stadium would be filled with friends and family. Clint planned to fly home tonight, but she wasn’t sure if he’d make the long drive to Dallas the very next day.
“I hope to, but I have some catching up to do.” He winked at her. “Some beach babe from Texas distracted me and suddenly my quick trip turned into a mini vacation.”
Maria grimaced. Reality would hit them hard when they returned home. Chores and jobs were no doubt stacking up while, toes in the sand, they leisurely watched the sun crawl higher in the sky.