Imagine With Me: A With Me In Seattle Novel

by Kristen Proby

  “I’ll be fine,” Maggie insists but sits patiently as Cameron presses the ice to her cheek. “I told him several times that I wasn’t interested. I told him I wasn’t going to serve him alcohol anymore either, because he already had too much. He wouldn’t stop asking me to go back to his vacation rental. Finally, I told him to get out and to never come back. That’s when he hauled off and decked me.”

  “Charming,” I mutter. I want to beat the fuck out of the idiot. Based on the way Cameron’s jaw is clenched, I’d say he feels the same way.

  “Police are outside arresting him,” Keegan says as he walks inside. “They’d like to ask you a few questions, Maggie.”

  “Arresting him?” Maggie asks, surprised.

  “For assault. He hit you first. We all saw it. Turns out he has a bit of a rap sheet, so he’ll spend the night in jail, and then he’ll probably be out on bail. But I won’t stand for my employees or my family being assaulted on the job. We serve drinks and food, and that’s it. He doesn’t have the right to touch you.”

  “Hell no, he doesn’t,” I add. “If that happens again, we kick them out the first time they proposition you and get pissy after being turned down.”

  “I thought I could handle him,” she admits.

  “And you fucking did,” Cameron says. “That was a nice shot, by the way.”

  “Thanks. I took a self-defense class when Joey was away on his business trips. He never got physical with me, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to know how to protect myself, just in case.”

  “I still hate that guy,” I mutter. Maggie’s late husband was a piece of shit. We knew that before he died. And then we learned about a whole bunch of things he’d done that made us hate him even more.

  “We’re going to shut down early tonight,” Keegan announces. “Sorry, everyone, we’re closing.”

  It doesn’t take us long to settle any outstanding tabs and get the few remaining customers on their way before locking the door.

  “I’m taking her home,” Cameron announces as he helps Maggie into her jacket.

  “You don’t have to do that,” she insists. “I can get myself home, for God’s sake. It’s just a headache and a swollen eye.”

  “I’m taking her home,” Cameron repeats, and Maggie just blows out a gusty breath and mutters something about stubborn men. “I’ll see you later.”

  We wave them off. Lexi walks out of the kitchen, already out of her apron.

  “I cleaned up back there,” she announces. “Is Maggie okay?”

  “She’ll be fine,” I assure her. “Are you okay?”

  She frowns. “Of course, I am. I’m not the one who took a punch to the face, thank God.”

  Just the thought of a man putting his hands on any woman, especially Lexi, sets my blood to boiling. Maggie didn’t deserve to be hit any more than a dog barking at an intruder.

  “I just have to help Keegan close up, and then I’ll be ready to go.”

  “Go,” Keegan says. “I’ve got this. I could use some time alone.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  He nods. “I’m sure. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Chapter 8

  ~Lexi~

  “It’s noon already,” I say in surprise, looking at my phone. Shawn and I have been working since early this morning, and to my continued surprise, we’re working well together.

  Maybe he was right and we just needed to hit our stride. Ever since our argument yesterday when I spilled my guts about putting so much into the character I wish I was, Shawn has been better about explaining in detail why he wants to make the adjustments or changes he suggests.

  It’s helping.

  I don’t want to say I’m enjoying it because I don’t want to jinx anything, but it doesn’t suck as bad as it once did.

  “Time flies when the words do,” he murmurs, still reading through something on his screen.

  “I have to go.” I jump up and methodically fold the orange blanket I had thrown over my legs as we worked. “I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

  His head comes up, and his green eyes focus on me. “Where are you going?”

  “To see Maggie, of course. She was assaulted last night, remember? I want to see how she’s doing.”

  “I’ll come with you.”

  “No.” I shake my head as I slip my feet into shoes. “I have questions for her that she won’t answer in front of you. Girl questions, I guess you could say. And I’d kind of like to see her on my own. Is that weird?”

  He’s grinning at me as if I’m a child who just did well on a test.

  “It’s not weird at all. She’s become your friend, and you want to look in on her. I think it’s nice, actually.”

  I shift uncomfortably. “Why are you smiling at me like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know, like I’m cute or something.”

  He tilts his head to the side and then stands and crosses to me. He tips my chin up with a fingertip and slants his lips over mine.

  “You’re not cute, Lex. You’re fucking hot as hell. And I’m smiling at you because you make me happy.”

  I clear my throat. “Well, okay then.”

  “Tell Maggie I said hello, and let me know if you need anything. You can take my car, of course.”

  “Oh, I just ordered a rideshare. No biggie. I’ll see you in a bit.”

  I walk out of the office, grab my purse, and step outside just as my car arrives.

  The truth is, although I do want to check in on Maggie and make sure she’s okay, I need a quick break from Shawn. He’s awesome, and things are going well, but we’re almost getting along too well. He’s potent.

  Intense.

  And I’m constantly turned on when I’m around him.

  I need to give my libido a break.

  I ask the driver to swing by a restaurant so I can pick up some lunch I called in, and he waits as I run in and retrieve my order.

  The driver pulls up to Maggie’s little house on the edge of town just as her door opens, and Cameron comes walking out.

  His brow rises when he sees me. “Hello, Lexi.”

  “Hey. I didn’t expect to run into you. Did you stay the night?”

  Rather than answer, he just smiles, pushes his sunglasses up on his nose, and opens the door of his classic Mustang.

  “Bye, Lexi.”

  And with that, the engine roars to life and he drives away.

  Okay, so whether he stayed the night or not is none of my business.

  I’ll just ask Maggie.

  I knock on the door, and when she calls out that it’s open, I walk inside. Maggie’s sitting on her couch, her laptop balanced on her thighs as she eats soup out of a bowl.

  “Hey,” she says, her voice full of surprise. “Sorry, I thought you were Maeve. She’s supposed to be coming over in a few.”

  “I brought lots of food,” I say as I set the bag on her coffee table. “I’m starving, and I thought you might be, too.”

  “Cameron just heated up some soup for me,” she says, setting the bowl aside. “But yeah, I could go for some Chinese.”

  We’re shuffling boxes around, pouring contents onto plates, when Maeve arrives. She walks right in, and when she gets a look at the spread of food, she grins.

  “I’m just in time for lunch.”

  “And there’s lots, so please eat,” I say, passing her a plate. “And hurry up because I have questions for your sister.”

  “Really?” Maeve asks, intrigued as she loads up her plate and then sits on the floor, using the coffee table to eat from. “Ask away.”

  “Cameron.”

  Maggie’s good eye narrows on me as she chews her chow mein. “What about him?”

  “He just left your house.”

  “Really?” Maeve asks again. “Did he stay the night?”

  Maggie swallows. “Maybe.”

  “Your eye looks awful, by the way,” Maeve adds. “You need more ice.”

  “My face is going t
o fall off from frostbite if I ice it any more than I already have,” Maggie replies.

  “How does it feel?” I ask.

  “It throbs like a fucker,” she says, then shrugs one shoulder. “It’ll feel better in a couple of days. Keegan says I’m relegated to the kitchen until it fades. And I’m okay with that. I’ve had enough of drunk customers for a little while.”

  “I’ll wait tables,” Maeve volunteers. “Now, tell us more about Cameron.”

  “There’s not much to tell,” she says. “He gave me a ride home, got me settled with ice and a shot of whiskey, and then put me to bed.”

  “And how many times did you have sex?” I ask, then cover my mouth in surprise. “Well, that was rude. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be,” Maeve says. “We all want to know.”

  “We didn’t have sex,” Maggie replies. “And we won’t be having sex. He’s Kane’s best friend. He’s just being brotherly.”

  I can’t help the snort or the laughter that escapes. “Trust me when I tell you, Cameron does not look at you the way a brother looks at his sister.”

  “He never has,” Maeve says quietly. “Not since you became an adult, anyway.”

  “He’s never here,” Maggie says. “He works for the government. He used to be military, and who knows what in the hell he does now. He’s always off saving the world from something or other. He’s never here.”

  “He’s here now,” I point out. “Maybe he plans to be here for a while.”

  “Doubtful.”

  “Did you ask him? That’s what I want to know,” Maeve says.

  “No, I didn’t ask him. He never stays. Besides, Joey’s only been dead for a year. I’m still unpacking this house, for God’s sake. I don’t have time to get tangled up with Cameron.”

  “When did you move in here?” I ask.

  “Right after Joey died,” she replies. “I just haven’t finished settling in.”

  “Because this isn’t where you’re staying,” Maeve adds. “It’s a rental. I keep trying to get her to buy something that’s more…her.”

  “I can’t afford a mortgage, making what I do at the pub,” Maggie says. “And, no, I’m not complaining. This little house is just fine.”

  The sisters share a look, and I want to ask more questions, but we’re diving into territory that truly isn’t any of my business. So, I change the subject.

  “I’m sleeping with your brother.”

  Two pairs of emerald green eyes turn to me, both full of laughter.

  “Oh, we know,” Maggie says.

  “How?”

  “Well, you can’t keep your hands off each other when you’re in the kitchen,” Maeve says. “And when you look at each other, I expect the whole pub to burst into flames at any moment.”

  “The chemistry is palpable,” Maggie agrees. “And it’s fun to watch.”

  “I’m a little jealous,” Maeve adds. “No one’s ever looked at me like that.”

  “That’s because men are dumb,” Maggie replies. “But, sometimes, they’re handy. Do you think you’ll move here, then?”

  “Why would I do that?” I ask as I take a bite.

  “To be with Shawn,” Maeve says.

  I shake my head. “No, you misunderstand. We’re having sex, but no one said anything about falling in love. We’re enjoying each other while we work together. That’s it.”

  “Huh,” Maggie says. “Really?”

  “Why?”

  Maeve shakes her head at Maggie as if to shut her up.

  “What am I missing?”

  “Nothing,” Maggie says, holding up her hands. “It’s just surprising, that’s all.”

  “We’re together all the time,” I remind them. “And the work itself wasn’t going well at first. I honestly thought I might kill him.”

  “So, you slept with him instead?” Maggie asks with a grin.

  “Attagirl,” Maeve says.

  The rideshare drops me off at Shawn’s, and I frown when I see the man himself standing at the rear of his SUV, loading a suitcase.

  “Where are you going?” I ask as I approach. He turns and offers me a devastating smile that has me immediately flashing one of my own.

  The man’s smile should come with a warning label.

  Warning: may incinerate panties.

  “We’re going up to the cabin for the weekend.”

  “Who’s we? You got a turd in your pocket?”

  He blinks at me and then says, “Excuse me?”

  “My mom used to say that to me when I was a kid. Who is we?”

  “You and me.”

  I narrow my eyes on him. “We still have work to do, and I haven’t packed anything. Your communication skills need some polishing, Shawn.”

  I glance into the back of the SUV and see that he’s already added a couple of my cozy throws and pillows.

  Okay, that’s sweet.

  “We’ve been working our asses off all week, Lex. We can take the rest of today off. It’s Friday.”

  “I’m not really an outdoorsy girl.”

  I can just imagine what this cabin looks like—a tiny, rustic building with no electricity, no running water, and bugs everywhere.

  Absolutely not.

  “Besides, don’t we have to work at the pub?”

  He tucks my hair behind my ear, and I immediately feel my nipples pebble.

  My physical response to this man is absolutely ridiculous.

  “We have the weekend off from the pub,” he replies. “We’ve earned the downtime, don’t you think?”

  I wrinkle my nose. “But in the woods?”

  He laughs and shakes his head at me, then loops his arm around my shoulders and guides me inside.

  “Come on, city girl. Let’s grab a few more things and be on our way. I promise you’ll have a good time.”

  “If I hate it, can we come back?”

  “Absolutely.”

  I almost tell him this is a waste of time since I’ll most likely want to come right back to the island, but I don’t want to sound like a complete jerk, so I hold my tongue and finish putting some things into a bag. Less than thirty minutes later, we’re driving off the island.

  “No ferry?”

  “No, we’re going in the opposite direction, north of Seattle into the forest a bit. It’s a nice drive.”

  I nod and look out the window, watching the miles whiz by.

  It takes almost two hours to get where we’re going. When he turns off the highway, the road is gravel. Dusty.

  I wrinkle my nose but remind myself to be optimistic.

  Maybe it won’t be so bad.

  And maybe I’ll win the Nobel Peace Prize.

  “Almost there,” Shawn murmurs as he turns right. About a hundred yards later, he pulls up in front of a house and cuts the engine.

  All I can do is stare.

  “Let’s start unloading the car,” he says and moves to open his door, but I stop him.

  “Wait. This is the cabin?”

  He looks at it and then back at me. “Yes. Is there a problem?”

  “Shawn O’Callaghan, you made me think this was a one-room shack without any modern conveniences.”

  “I never said that.” He smiles.

  I stare at the enormous, two-story home in front of me and can’t hide my shock.

  “It’s bigger than your house on the island.”

  “Yeah, Kane and Anastasia bought it late last year. It was a good investment, and Kane said we can all use it whenever we want. It’s nice to drive up here and get away for a little while, you know?”

  “Right.”

  No, I don’t know. Because my family has never purchased a multi-million-dollar cabin in the mountains.

  “Did you think I was going to make you rough it all weekend?” he asks as we get out of the car and walk around to the back, pulling out bags and blankets.

  “Well, yeah. You said cabin. You didn’t say ‘mountain estate.’”

  Shawn laughs. “I have no inten
tion of having sex with you in a rustic cabin. Outside, maybe, but trust me when I say this place is more than comfortable.”

  I can see that. The house is massive with windows that look out over a valley with mountains in the distance.

  He leads me inside, and we drop our belongings just past the front door as he gives me a quick tour.

  “There are four master suites in the house,” he begins. “The one on the main floor is Kane and Stasia’s. The others are empty. We just stay wherever we want when we come, so feel free to pick the one you like the best. The kitchen is my favorite part of the house.”

  “And I can see why.”

  It’s white and modern, open to the living space, and has views of the mountains. The entire house is absolutely gorgeous.

  “Why doesn’t anyone live here?” I ask.

  “It’s just too far out of town,” Shawn replies. “We like being on the island. But Ma and Da are planning to come and stay out here for a month or so soon. We’ll all come and go while they’re here. I don’t think they’ll last a week before Ma insists they stay with one of us on the island so she can fuss at the pub. She misses cooking.”

  I grin at the thought. I wish I would still be here when his parents arrive so I could meet and talk with them. I bet they’re wonderful people.

  Shawn opens the fridge, and I gasp.

  “What’s wrong?” he asks.

  “Did no one clean the fridge out the last time you were here?”

  He relaxes and laughs. “This is all new food. We have caretakers who come in with fresh food and open the windows to air the place out, that sort of thing.”

  “Of course. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.”

  “You don’t have to think about anything for the next forty-eight hours,” he says with a wink. “It looks like they brought a whole meal, as well. It’s in the oven. Are you ready for dinner?”

  “Let’s finish unloading the car. Then we can settle in and eat,” I suggest.

  “Good idea. And you can choose our room upstairs.”

  “Our room?” I raise a brow, but I’m totally playing with him. I haven’t slept in the guest room since the night we got drunk at the pub.

  Shawn moves in close and plants his lips next to my ear.

  “Our room, Lexi. Where I plan to explore every inch of you and introduce you to a few new things, as well.”