Fated Hearts

by Elliott, Kelly

  “A fling?” I asked with a mixture of confusion and amusement. How did Elizabeth know Roger and I had slept together in Chicago?

  After another quick glance around, she went on. “If I were in your shoes, stuck in Chicago for a few days with a man as good-looking as Roger, I’d have a fling as well. Okay, maybe not since I’m engaged, but we’re role-playing here, so I’m pretending to be you.”

  I giggled. “It’s that obvious, huh?

  A triumphant smile appeared on her face. “Girl, yes.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  Elizabeth took a sip of her coffee. “Now, spill the beans. I want to know everything!”

  “Oh, no. You’ve already admitted you’re a gossip.”

  With a dramatic gasp, she looked at me in mock horror. “I said I was in the know, and I am. I listen, darlin’. I don’t talk. That’s my number-one rule. I don’t mind hearing the juicy stuff, but I’m not a gossip spreader. Whatever you tell me stays with me.”

  I bit my lower lip, trying to decide if I should tell her the whole story of how Roger and I first met. It would be nice to talk to someone about it other than my sister, Meg.

  “Fine,” I said with a sigh. “But if you tell anyone, I’ll never share anything with you ever again.”

  She lifted her finger and crossed her heart. “I swear to keep what you say to myself. I mean, I may tell my boyfriend, but men don’t gossip.”

  I gave her another roll of my eyes before clearing my throat. I decided I needed someone else to analyze this whole thing. “The hotel accidentally booked Roger and me in the same room.”

  “What do you mean, the same room?” she asked. “How is that even possible?”

  With a shake of my head, I told her the whole story, then laughed as I said, “The first time I ever laid eyes on Roger Carter, he was…”

  My cheeks flamed with embarrassment.

  “He was what?!” Elizabeth asked as she bounced in her chair. “Tell me!”

  “You swear you won’t tell anyone else this?”

  “I already did the whole cross-my-heart thing. Sheesh, is that not good enough anymore?”

  I opened my mouth to say something, then closed it and shook my head slightly. With a breath in, I word-vomited everything. “He was naked. I scared him, and he jumped out of bed, which scared me, then the light came on, and he was…completely nude.”

  “Whaaat? Naked!” Elizabeth shrieked, and I quickly looked around. “I bet that was a sight to see! Is he big?”

  “Shhh!” I whisper-shouted. “Gah, I knew I shouldn’t have told you.”

  “Did you jump on him? I mean, I love my boyfriend and all, but Roger Carter naked in a hotel room. I don’t know any woman who wouldn’t jump on him right then and there.”

  I jerked my head back and stared at her. “No! Of course not. We actually started to argue.”

  She blinked rapidly before she found her voice. “Let me get this straight: Roger was naked, and you started to argue with him?”

  “He was in my room!”

  “It sounds like you were in his room.”

  I glared at her. “It was my room.”

  She gave me a look that said she was right, and I was wrong. “Okay, whatever. Who cares whose room it was. What did y’all argue about?”

  I sighed. “I wanted to know why he was in my room, and he wanted to know why I was in his.”

  She nodded and pulled her brows in as if deep in thought. “When did the sex come into play?”

  “You are direct, aren’t you?”

  With a no-nonsense smile, she motioned for me to keep talking.

  “I’m not exactly sure how it happened. We agreed we wouldn’t ask each other anything personal, it would be a no-strings-attached kind of thing.” I swallowed hard as I looked down at my teacup and whispered, “A fling.”

  “Wait, you didn’t know he was from Boerne that whole time?”

  I shook my head. “I had no idea where he was from. We didn’t share any information with each other. Then, when the day came for us to leave, we said goodbye, and I got on the plane for Texas.”

  A burst of laughter came from her. “Then how was it he dropped you off here?”

  I sighed. “It’s a long story, but to get straight to it, I didn’t have a rental car, he did, and he offered to drop me off where I needed to go.”

  “If this story is written in a book, sign me up to read it!”

  I rolled my eyes. “It would be a crazy story, that’s for sure.”

  “So, Roger ended up giving you a ride. When did y’all figure out you were going to the same place?”

  “At the rental car counter. He asked where I was going, and I told him. His reaction now, of course, makes sense. Back then, he just seemed shocked or distracted.”

  She sat up and clapped her hands in excitement. “He didn’t say anything when you told him Boerne?”

  I slowly shook my head. “Nope. Nothing. He didn’t tell me until he pulled up in front of the hotel, and then he dropped the bomb on me.”

  Elizabeth dropped back in her seat again and slowly shook her head. “Wow. What are the odds of that?”

  Laughing, I replied, “I have no idea. Now, we both live in the same town and…well…I honestly don’t know where things will go from here, but I think I can say I’m hopeful.”

  She smiled. “Should be interesting to see.”

  Something in her tone of voice made me feel unsettled. “Why do you say that?”

  Her eyes met mine. “Listen, I really like you, Annalise. All I know about Roger is what I hear from friends of mine and the gossip mill.”

  “And what do you hear?”

  She looked unsure, all of a sudden.

  “Elizabeth—what have you heard?”

  With a sigh, she gave me a sympathetic look. “He likes being single. He’s always been a one-night-stand kind of guy. I know he’s hooked up with my older sister’s friend Lucy a few times, but it’s more sex than anything.”

  I knew Roger wasn’t an innocent and had most likely been with his fair share of women, and he’d even told me he didn’t date often. No relationships. But hearing it from someone else made my stomach feel queasy.

  “Did they date?” I asked, not even sure why I wanted to know. Whatever Roger did in his past was in his past. But was Lucy the one serious relationship?

  “No, like I said, it’s always just been a casual thing. They’re friends but nothing more. I think she wanted more, but Roger made it pretty clear they weren’t headed down that road, according to my sister.”

  I chewed on my lower lip.

  Elizabeth leaned forward and gave me a small smile. “Listen, I don’t think that’s the case with you. I see the way Roger looks at you. He really likes you, Annalise. I didn’t mean to put doubts in your mind.”

  “I know you didn’t, and whatever Roger did in the past is his business. Just like mine is.”

  “Exactly! And it sure seems like he’s changed his mind and wants something more with you. At least, it sounds like it.”

  I nodded and glanced down at my watch. “I’ve got to go do the schedule for the next few weeks. Talk to you later?”

  “Yep, talk to you later.”

  As Elizabeth walked back toward the hotel, I found myself wondering who this Lucy girl was…and why I suddenly felt so threatened by her.

  Roger

  “ARE YOU SURE you want to come with me?” Annalise asked as we walked out of the front entrance of The Montclair.

  “Yes. I want to help you find a place and make sure the area is safe.”

  She smiled that brilliant smile of hers, the one that made my stomach feel like I was on a rollercoaster staring down a straight drop.

  “Okay, well, I’ve got two houses to look at for renting. One isn’t far from the hotel, and the other is a few miles out of town.”

  We headed over to my truck that I’d parked right down the street. I opened the passenger door and held my hand out for her to climb up.
/>   “Patty is taking me to look for a car tomorrow,” she said. “I’m sure you’re sick of driving me everywhere.”

  I pulled her toward me before she could get up into the truck. “I like driving you around.”

  Her eyes sparked with heat as she stretched up onto her toes and kissed me. “Do you?”

  I nodded, leaned in, and brushed my lips across hers again. “It means I get to spend more time with you.” Then I took her mouth in a searing kiss that left her swaying a bit in my arms. I loved how she reacted to my kisses.

  We broke apart, and I helped her up into the truck. I started to walk around the front of it when I heard someone call my name.

  “Roger?”

  Turning, I saw Lucy and a few of her friends walking up from Main Street.

  I quickly looked at Annalise in the truck. She had a warm smile on her face. I turned back to look at Lucy.

  “Hey, Lucy. Where are y’all heading?”

  Lucy swung her gaze to Annalise and smiled before focusing back on me. “River City Grill to celebrate Mary’s new promotion at the hospital.”

  “Nice.” I headed back around the truck and called over my shoulder, “It was good seeing you.”

  “Good seeing you too.”

  I was about to open the door when Lucy spoke again. “So, the rumors are true. You’re dating.”

  Christ, why are people so interested in my fucking life?

  “Yeah. We’re in a bit of a rush. I’ll introduce you some other time.”

  Something moved over Lucy’s face, but I couldn’t read the expression. “Sure, see you around.”

  After I got into the truck, I expected Annalise to ask me who Lucy was. For a moment, I swore she was about to. She glanced at Lucy, a slight wrinkle appeared between her eyes before she cleared it away and faced me. She smiled as she gave me the address of the first house she was set to look at.

  Annalise didn’t seem like the type of woman who would be jealous, and truth be told, she had nothing at all to be jealous about. I’d met Lucy in the ER when my brother Truitt had gotten hit by a branch and thought he’d broken his dick. Yes, he actually thought he might have injured his junk. It was the best and worst hospital visit I’d ever had thus far. But there was nothing there feelings-wise for Lucy. She had been a fun time, and that was it. I always knew, though, that if I had offered up more, Lucy would have most likely been up for exploring that possibility. I hadn’t been the least bit interested, though.

  Annalise wasn’t kidding when she said the first house was close to the hotel. She could walk to work if she wanted.

  “This is super-cute,” she said after I opened the passenger door for her, and she jumped out. A newer-built home, the one-story limestone house looked simple enough. “It’s so big!”

  I frowned. “You think?”

  Turning to look at me over her shoulder, she said, “You should have seen where I lived in Manhattan. You probably couldn’t fit this garage in there.”

  I laughed. “I always forget you moved here from New York.”

  An older woman walked out of the house, heading our way. “Annalise, it’s good to see you again.” The woman turned to me and extended her hand. “Nancy Whitmore, I’m the real estate agent Annalise is working with.”

  I shook her hand. “Roger Carter, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Ah, you’re the friend Annalise mentioned. I’m glad you were able to make it.”

  Before I could respond, she spun on her heels and walked up to the door. “I think you’ll really like this open floorplan. I’ll let the two of you walk around the house first before I come in and join you. I’ll be right outside.”

  “Thank you, Nancy,” Annalise said, stepping into the large living room.

  I whistled as I followed her. “Wow, this is a huge living room.”

  Annalise smiled. “I like the fireplace. I’ve always wanted one.”

  I looked over at the fireplace, and that made me realize I hadn’t brought Annalise back to my house yet. In the nearly three weeks she’d been in Boerne, I’d always gone to her suite. Something didn’t feel right about bringing her to my house. I knew things would end in sex, and the thought of making love to her in a bed I’d slept in with other women just felt…wrong. Anna was special to me, and the women I had brought home were simply there for one reason. Sex. Suddenly, a strange feeling came over me. It almost felt like guilt.

  “Look at this archway, Roger. Isn’t it beautiful? I love how the space just flows into the next room.”

  I followed her into the large dining room that connected to the kitchen.

  “Kitchen’s kind of small, don’t you think?” I asked as she walked up to the island.

  “Yeah, I do think it’s pretty small. There’s hardly any counter space.”

  We walked through the three bedrooms and the two-and-a-half baths. When we stepped into the backyard, I heard Annalise gasp.

  “A gazebo! I love gazebos!”

  I laughed. “You’ve got one at work.”

  She looked back at me. “I know, but having one in my own backyard would be so amazing!”

  I glanced around the large, grassy area. I lived in a similar neighborhood, with neighbors so close you could practically reach out and touch them. Now that was I buying the Martin ranch, I wouldn’t have that problem for much longer.

  As we made our way back into the house, Nancy appeared in the living room. “Well, what do you think?”

  I kept my mouth closed and didn’t share the fact that I thought the kitchen was too small and that the neighbors could see into almost every single window, not to mention the backyard.

  “It’s cute, but I don’t think this one’s for me,” Annalise said.

  Nancy nodded. “Not a problem. Let’s head on out of town and stop at the other listing I pulled for you.”

  When we got back to the truck, I asked Annalise what she hadn’t liked about the house.

  “The kitchen was too small. After living in cramped spaces in New York, I want a large kitchen. I don’t need a bonus room or anything like that.”

  “Fair enough.” I started my truck, and we headed to the next house. This one was about fifteen minutes outside of Boerne.

  The moment we pulled up and Annalise saw that it was in the middle of nowhere, she turned to face me. “There is no way I’m living in this house all alone.”

  I looked past her at the two-story home. It was older, a for-sure fixer-upper. “It’s…charming.”

  “Charming? It looks like it’s straight out of a horror movie, Roger!”

  Nancy got out of the car and waited for us. Instead of getting out, Annalise rolled down her window. “Nancy! This looks like someone with an ax is going to jump out at any moment!”

  Nancy’s smile faded, and she turned and stared at the house for a few moments before looking back to Annalise. “Well, you did say you’d be interested in a historical home.”

  “Oh, my God, I’m going to be living at the hotel forever.”

  “I’ve got one more I can show you,” Nancy offered. “I pulled an extra one, just in case.”

  I pointed to her. “That is the sign of a good real estate agent right there.”

  “Is it out this way or closer in town?” Annalise asked.

  “It’s right down from the hotel. They are thinking of selling it, but right now, they’re only renting.”

  Annalise smiled. “As long as they can rent it out for the year. That gives me more time to get to know the area and maybe buy a house of my own.”

  Nancy’s smile was back. “Yes, they’re not planning to sell for at least a year, they told me. Follow me, then!”

  Fifteen minutes later, we were pulling up to a house about two blocks from The Montclair.

  Annalise gasped, and I knew we had a winner. The house was an older home and boasted that historical charm she loved. It was a one-story, white, Victorian-style house with a large front porch.

  When we walked into the house, we faced a
hallway that led to a big living room. The kitchen and eating area were right off that, offering the big, open space Annalise wanted.

  “The kitchen is huge!” Annalise breathed with a wide grin.

  “Do you like to cook?” Nancy asked.

  “I love to cook, but I worked so much back in New York that I never really had a chance—plus, my kitchen was a quarter of this size.”

  The primary suite was huge, and the attached bathroom was nearly as big. A large, walk-in shower stood next to an even more impressive claw-foot tub.

  Annalise ran her fingers over the edge of it. “I want the house just for this tub.”

  “Looks like it fits two,” I whispered as I walked past her.

  A large wooden patio sat right off the back door. The yard wasn’t nearly as big as that of the first house’s, but the privacy more than made up for the lack of size.

  “What do you think?” Annalise asked me.

  “It’s close to work.”

  She nodded. “Is your place very far from here?”

  I suddenly felt like a complete asshole for never bringing her over to my house. “Yeah. We can swing by when we’re done here.”

  Her eyes lit up. “I would love that.”

  After Annalise and Nancy worked out her application, Annalise walked back over to me. “All done. I’ve got the rest of the afternoon off from work, so I don’t have to rush back.”

  My entire body heated at the idea of being alone with Annalise. “Do you want to grab some lunch before we go to my place?” I asked.

  “Sure. I’ve been dying to try that barbecue restaurant right off Main.”

  “Which one?” I asked.

  She looked up in thought, then snapped her fingers and said, “Klein Smokehaus, I think it’s called.”

  “That place is freaking amazing. Yes, I’m all for getting some to go and bringing it back to my house.”

  She did a little clap with her hands before we turned and headed to my truck.