An Unexpected Kiss Read online

  An Unexpected Kiss

  by

  Susan Hatler

  An Unexpected Kiss

  Copyright © 2015 by Susan Hatler

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  License Notes

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

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  Cover Design by Elaina Lee, For The Muse Design

  www.forthemusedesign.com

  Titles by Susan Hatler

  Treasured Dreams Series

  An Unexpected Date

  An Unexpected Kiss

  An Unexpected Love

  An Unexpected Proposal

  An Unexpected Wedding

  An Unexpected Joy

  An Unexpected Baby

  Kissed by the Bay Series

  Every Little Kiss

  The Perfect Kiss

  Just One Kiss

  The Sweetest Kiss

  Better Date than Never Series

  Love at First Date

  Truth or Date

  My Last Blind Date

  Save the Date

  A Twist of Date

  License to Date

  Driven to Date

  Up to Date

  Déjà Date

  Date and Dash

  Teen Novels

  Shaken

  See Me

  Praise

  “It totally made me smile.”

  — Getting Your Read On Reviews on An Unexpected Date

  “An Unexpected Date is a wonderful and perfect release to a stressful or crazy day.”

  — Cafè of Dreams Book Reviews

  “Susan has a knack for light hearted dialogue and describing the zing in the connection between Holly and Dave….Be on the look out for this delightful morsel.”

  —Tifferz Book Reviewz on An Unexpected Date

  “Susan Hatler has a knack for writing books that draw me in from the very first page!”

  — Books Are Sanity!!! on Love at First Date

  “Ms. Hatler has a way of writing witty dialogue that makes you laugh-out-loud throughout her stories.”

  — Night Owl Reviews on Truth or Date

  Dedication

  This is for all of the readers who asked for more of Holly’s story. You’re the ones who inspired me to create the Treasured Dreams short story series, so thank you and happy reading.

  An Unexpected Kiss

  by

  Susan Hatler

  I’d never been so excited about a first date in my entire life, or as nervous. Maybe my mixed emotions were because I’d met Dave earlier in the day right after I’d decided that finding the ideal man in my small mountain resort town of Whitefish, Montana, might be a lost cause. Or maybe the flutters in my belly had to do with how much I already liked him.

  Either way, it didn’t help my nerves one bit when my mom called as I was getting ready and I’d (foolishly) told her about my unexpected date. She’d given me an earful that made me want to kick myself for answering my cell.

  “What do you even know about this guy, Holly? He could be an axe murderer and you’re walking right into his clutches.”

  “He’s not a criminal, Mom. He’s a web developer.”

  She scoffed. “That’s what he says. . . You’re taking separate cars to the restaurant, though, aren’t you? I’ve always told you to never get in the car with a stranger.”

  “Mom, I’m twenty-nine. Not fifteen.”

  “You’re never too old to be cautious, dear. I don’t want you to jump into anything without thinking just because there are no other single men in your tiny town.”

  And the lecture went on, let me tell you. I’d never been so happy to get off the phone in my life, but thankfully I had to leave for my date. My mom’s words had shaken me, though, and I wondered if I should tamp down on my excitement that Dave could be the perfect guy for me.

  As I drove along the highway in my modest sedan, I glanced over at the lightly rippling sapphire blue water on Whitefish Lake. The lake’s peaceful beauty usually calmed my nerves, but right now the picturesque view seemed to mirror the joyful possibilities this evening might bring. Not good, Holly. Not good.

  I parked my car in an available spot near Danica’s, the restaurant where Dave and I had agreed to meet. I’d suggested Danica’s since it had an amazing view of the lake, the service was fabulous—my friend Michele was a waitress there—and the food was heavenly. The perfect combination for our first date.

  I turned off the ignition, then let my breath out slowly, trying to calm my racing heart which was galloping at high speed. Unsuccessful, I stepped out into the cool evening air, shut my car door, and promptly checked my reflection in a store window.

  Although I rarely wore make-up, tonight I’d put on a layer of black mascara that highlighted my hazel eyes. I’d left my natural chestnut curls wild around my head, and fortunately they rested playfully against my shoulders instead of going all frizzy. My lipstick had already faded, so I swiped another layer across my lips and sighed.

  If my mother could see me right now she’d warn me not to put a whole lot of effort into what I looked like, nor get too excited about a first date with someone I barely knew. It annoyed me that I heard her warning voice in my head everywhere I went. She could be a tad smothering at times, but since my dad had died four years ago we only had each other now. Plus, I knew she meant well. She just didn’t want me to fall hard too quickly. Too late!

  Could I help it if Dave had the most beautiful blue eyes I’d ever seen? That with our short conversation at the Falling Leaves Festival this afternoon he seemed to be the first guy to get me? Finally I’d met a man I seemed to connect with who shared the same love for this rocky mountain town and its glorious outdoor beauty.

  Dave had also zeroed in on my favorite bracelet in the booth display for my beaded jewelry business, Treasured Creations, and purchased the piece as a gift for his mother—so sweet! He’d even seemed to enjoy the story that had inspired my selection and placement of the stones for the bracelet. Swoon.

  Oh, man. I had it bad.

  Maybe I was a bit too eager, since I’d just arrived outside the agreed-upon restaurant fifteen minutes early and Dave was nowhere in sight. I smoothed my skirt then sat on the dark-stained wooden bench outside the charming restaurant, which was situated right on Whitefish Lake.

  It was a beautiful evening in the fall, and although I needed a jacket the weather wasn’t chilly enough to warrant a hat and gloves yet. The sun sat low in the sky, illuminating a tree beside the road, whose branches hung heavy with amber leaves. Crisp air circled my calves, and I pulled my jacket tight.

  My date may not be here yet, but this was the perfect time of day to watch passersby stroll along the trail of shops and restaurants parallel to the lake and the jagged tree-lined mountains provided a breathtaking backdrop.

  Sitting on the bench, I watched an elderly couple amble past me holding hands, the wife peering into various store
windows—not likely to be locals with their fanciful expressions. We still get the occasional vacationers this time of year. Summer’s the golden time for tourism here, but winter brings in lots of skiers to Big Mountain. A family of four entered a popular pizza place across the street, and a group of guys headed into the highly frequented brewery on the corner.

  None of them, however, were Dave.

  I checked my watch and now it was five minutes before six o’clock, our meeting time. I knew I shouldn’t be disappointed that he hadn’t shown up early, but it felt odd knowing I was obviously way more enthusiastic than he was about our date. Was it possible I’d only imagined the electricity between us?

  The front door to Danica’s opened beside me and someone stepped out. “Holly?” a husky male voice asked.

  I glanced up, my gaze colliding with stormy blue eyes. His dark medium-length hair looked timeless brushed away from his face, the ends of the thick strands tucked behind his ears. My stomach did a somersault. Oh, yeah. The sparks were still there, for sure.

  I stood on wobbly legs, giving him a shy smile. “Dave. Hi.”

  “Hi.” His mouth curved upward and he bent his head sideways as if he’d been caught doing something secretive. “I, uh, scoped out the restaurant early to get the best table.”

  Wait, that meant he’d arrived way before I had. “You . . . did?”

  “Does by the fireplace work for you?” He held the door open, gesturing in a gentlemanly way for me to go through first. “The table has an incredible view of the lake.”

  “Sounds wonderful.” As I passed by him, the scent of his sandalwood cologne intoxicated me, making me want to lean in and nuzzle his neck.

  “He could be an axe murderer . . .” My mother’s voice invaded my brain, jerking me out of my snuggly thoughts.

  Obviously, I didn’t think Dave had bodies buried in the backyard of his mountain top home. But my mom’s voice was a good reminder to take things slow and not get my hopes up that our first date would turn into something more.

  Then again, he had been thoughtful enough to secure the best spot in the restaurant for us. Major improvement from the last guy I’d dated, whose dinner invitation turned out to be heating up a frozen pizza in his microwave then eating it in front of his television while watching a football game. Snooze!

  My stomach danced with anticipation as Dave and I followed the hostess to our table. Once we were seated, she handed him a wine menu, which he promptly opened. “Do you prefer red or white?” he asked, looking at me.

  “Actually, I prefer beer.” I pressed my lips together, waiting for his reaction. Men usually liked it when I revealed my beverage-of-choice.

  “Really?” Dave’s brows rose appreciatively and the corners of his mouth tipped up as he scrutinized the beer selection. “Any recommendations on a local brew?”

  I gave him the name of my favorite just as our waitress appeared.

  “Holly Andrews.” Michele’s face lit up as she smiled at me. “I thought that was you. We missed you on the bike ride last week. Where have you been hiding?”

  Uh-oh. I hadn’t realized Michele would be working tonight. She was a loyal and trusted friend, but the girl had no filter for her thoughts. I sent a silent request to the universe that she wouldn’t say anything inappropriate in front of Dave.

  “Just working hard, preparing for the Falling Leaves Festival today,” I said. (Aka: trying to make rent, not lose the apartment I loved, that kind of thing.) I had my dream job—beading jewelry at my kitchen table with a view of Big Mountain out my window—but selling my treasured creations at art fairs didn’t exactly stuff my bank account full.

  “Oh, right. The festival is the reason you’ve been busy.” Michele gave me a pointed look, threw her gaze at Dave, then twisted back toward me. “Sure . . .”

  My cheeks heated. I loved Michele, but her bluntness was so not helpful right now.

  “This is Dave.” I gestured toward my gorgeous date, hoping my friend didn’t start an inquisition like I suspected she was itching to do. “He just moved here from Seattle. Dave, this is my good friend Michele. She and I bike together, among other things.”

  “Hi, Michele.” He smiled, holding out his arm.

  “Nice to meet you, Dave.” She squeezed his hand, giving him an approving look. Then she leaned toward him, wearing a playful expression. “Don’t keep Holly all to yourself now. We had her first.”

  Oh, embarrassment! Heat rose to my cheeks, but I couldn’t pause to explain this was only our first date. Michele was totally going to hear it from me later, though.

  Dave’s eyes crinkled and he raised his brows slightly at me, as if he’d guessed that Michele could be a little overwhelming at times. For the second time that day, I felt like he understood me. My heart warmed. Then I remembered my mom’s advice to take it slow, keep it light, and get to know him better before I plunged in head first.

  Being reasonable was so not my first choice.

  “Would you like to hear our specials this evening?” Michele ran through her spiel with a huge grin on her face the entire time. I got the impression she felt I was hiding something—like Dave and I were closer than I was letting on.

  So far, only in my daydreams. . . .

  “I think we need a few minutes to look over the menu, but I’ve heard there’s a great local brew I need to try.” Dave shared a glance with me before ordering us a couple pints of my favorite beer. “Could we also start with the chips and salsa?” His hand slid across the table and touched mine. “Does that sound good to you, Holly?”

  My skin hummed from the brush of his skin against mine, and I tilted my head. “Chips and salsa with beer? Only my favorite combo.”

  “Glad to hear that.” His mouth curved upward in an enticing way that made me wonder what his lips would feel like against my cheek, against my mouth. . . .

  “I’ll put your order in right away,” Michele said, interrupting my thoughts. Then she took off after giving me a smirk that said she knew exactly where my mind had gone.

  My cheeks heated for the second time since we’d sat down so I knotted my hands together in my lap and stared at my open menu, hoping Dave was doing the same and wouldn’t notice my face was on fire.

  I didn’t want to colossally embarrass myself when I looked at him, so my best bet seemed to be to concentrate on what I wanted for dinner. Unfortunately, my eyes scanned the options but my brain retained zilch. I kept my head down as Michele returned with our beers, then she hurried to a table next to ours.

  An awkward silence stretched out until I couldn’t take the sound of crackling embers from the fireplace or laughter from across the restaurant anymore. I peeked over at Dave and found him watching me.

  “What?” I blurted.

  His gaze held mine. “Just glad I went to the festival today.”

  An electric jolt zipped through my tummy. “Me, too,” I admitted.

  His mouth crept into a smile that made me want to ignore my mom’s warning. The excitement inside me only seemed to be growing, but I knew I needed to hold back emotionally until I got to know him better.

  “There are a lot of options I’ve never tried before.” He ran his index finger down the list of items on his menu. “Elk. Buffalo. Which meal would you say is the most Montana?”

  “The wild arugula pinenut salad.” I suppressed a grin at the odd look that crossed his handsome features, then gave him a side-glance. “I’m very Montana and I’m also a vegetarian.”

  “Ah.” He nodded, leaning toward me, and the glow from the fireplace flickered across his face. “Since I’m mostly a meat eater I’ll have to brush up on some vegetarian recipes for when I cook for you.”

  My tummy did a double cartwheel. Had he just alluded to a second date? Already? I was so going to be amenable to that. “If we want to find common ground on a meal tonight we could always skip dinner and jump to dessert,” I joked.

  “Great idea. What are your favorites?”

  My mouth dropped op
en since I’d totally been kidding. “For real?”

  He raised a shoulder. “Why not? Let’s live on the edge. It was your suggestion, after all.”

  I burst out laughing. “Well, my taste buds are craving dessert, but shouldn’t we force ourselves to eat the healthy food first?”

  “I think we should go straight for what we want.” He raised a brow and sipped the froth of beer that rode the top of his glass.

  Watching him swallow, his words about going straight for what we want rolled around my brain. I was twenty-nine. Even though my mom would totally disagree, I longed to let my reservations go and take a chance with Dave whole-heartedly.

  “Let’s do it,” I said, clinking my glass into his, completely caught up in his enthusiasm. A thrilling tremor ran up my spine. I sat taller. This first date felt more like an adventure. And I loved a good adventure.

  Michele returned with our appetizer and asked if we’d made our decision on dinner. We ordered four different desserts—tiramisu, crème brulee, chocolate lava cake, and huckleberry sorbet—and agreed to share them all. I felt giddy from the suggestion of something so fun and also of the impending sugar high.

  Dave raised his glass. “Cheers to eating dessert first, making our own rules, and living in the most beautiful place on the earth.”

  “Cheers!” I clinked my glass into his and could feel myself falling further into the thrill of this date, hard and fast. Maybe restraining my heart was a lost cause and I should work on getting to know Dave better—find out if there were any red flags my mom seemed so worried about. “So tell me about being a web developer.”

  Dave swallowed, then set his glass down. “I consult for a few big clients, but I’ll occasionally accept projects for small businesses just for the fun of helping people build their dreams.”

  “How so?” I asked, loading a tortilla chip with chunky salsa.

  “Like the other day I built a website for a woman who owns a pet grooming parlor because she wanted her customers to be able to book appointments and pay online. She’s eighty. It’s her late-in-life project, and she was over the moon excited.”