Page 50 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

“Good God.” Molly shook her head as they both watched Gwen walk away in the rain. “That phenomenon is what we call Gwenyth Carter O’Leary.”

~~~~~

Nate took another sip of his beer as he watched Callie chatting and laughing with his sisters across the bonfire flames. He hadn’t talked to her much over the last couple of hours. In fact, he’d barely seen her. Irritatingly enough, he’d arrived at the house nearly ninety minutes later than he’d planned. Just as he’d been pulling out of the parking lot to pick Callie up, Kay had dispatched a call. Much to his disappointment, Molly had driven Callie over to Mansion Row while he dealt with an overturned trailer and two hundred and fifty pumpkins scattered all over Highway 1.

Tonight wasn’t turning out at all the way he’d envisioned. He’d hoped to sit with his date and make sure they were still okay after this morning’s walk in the woods, but this was so much better. Callie was having a great time with Gwen and Molly. He had yet to see her drop her gaze or play with her hair the way she did when her shy streak got the better of her. Callie conversed with his sisters as if the three of them were old friends. This was what he wanted for her—to relax and have fun. The fact that she was doing so with his family was icing on the cake.

Callie nodded at something Gwen said and smiled when Nate caught her eye.

His pulse kicked up several notches, and he winked as he took another pull from his bottle.

Callie said something to his sisters, then stood and walked his way.

He uncrossed his ankles and sat up in his chair. “Hey, stranger.”

“Hi.” She smiled again as she stopped by his side. “I’m sorry I haven’t been very good company.”

“You’re fine.” He tugged her down on his lap and hooked his arm around her waist.

She adjusted her butt in the V of his thighs, sinking farther down and giving him a better look at her spectacular face. “I feel like I’m being rude.”

He shook his head. “You’re having fun, and I’m drinking a beer while I stare at you. It’s a win-win if you ask me.”

“Well, I’m not budging from this spot until you’re ready for me to get up.”

He set his beer on the sand and pulled her closer. “We could be here for a while, then.”

She settled her arm around the backs of his shoulders. “That’s okay with me.”

He nuzzled her neck, breathing in the ocean breeze and her shampoo. “How’s the party planning going? Molly mentioned something about the three of you and the women’s tea thing my mom used to host.”

“It’s going great. We just about have everything figured out. Tomorrow I need to cut glass for the project we’ll make, and I have to create a couple of samples, but that won’t take too long.”

He grimaced. “Sounds dangerous—the glass-cutting part.”

She grinned. “No, it’s easy. Especially since I’m making a bunch of squares.”

He slid his palm from her hip to her thigh and back, eager to touch her now that he could. “Maybe you can show me sometime.” He wanted to be included in that part of her life.

“Anytime you want.”

He loved that she seemed excited about her art instead of it bringing her to tears. “So, what are you going to do with the squares you cut?”

“We’re going to make very basic candleholders, but we’ll work with some different textures and colors to make them nice. I’m thinking I’ll do mostly Baroque and Fracture and Streamer pieces. They’re popular—very eye-catching.”

He nodded as he pursed his lips. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

She laughed. “Baroque is a swirly-looking glass, and the Fracture and Streamer is a glass that kind of looks like it has confetti sprinkled through it. I’ll mix in some solid colors that will complement both well and offer a little contrast.”

He could feel the energy and enthusiasm radiating off her—the power and confidence she exuded in her craft. He imagined Callie a force to be reckoned with when she was at the top of her game. “Sounds like you know what you’re doing.”

“My only concern is managing ten students.” Her brow furrowed slightly. “When I was on The Tonight Show, I could barely handle one.”

He smiled as he thought of the video footage he’d found of Callie attempting to teach Jimmy Fallon how to solder glass. She’d been sexy, sweet, patient, and charming while the late-night host made a mess of the whole thing. “Hey, my bet’s on the artist.”

“You think?”

“Oh, yeah,” he said as he nodded. “Take the cameras, a live audience, plus the pressure of millions of viewers watching out of the equation, and I imagine you’ll have an entirely different experience.”