Date in Disguise

by Laura Westbrook

  “Why are you stopping?” Audric asked. “Keep kissing him. He’s like putty right now. Look at him. He can barely stand straight.”

  Neither can I. I really hoped Gavin couldn’t hear Audric with how close together we were.

  “Are you okay?” Gavin asked.

  “Tell him yes,” Audric said. “You’ve got to—”

  A screeching sound cut off whatever he was about to say, and it grew so loud that it threatened to split my head in two. I cupped my ear in an effort to figure out whether the noise came from the earpiece or not. The way Gavin stared at me, it had to be the damn thing stuck in my ear. I had no idea whether the makeup artist used glue or not, but I couldn’t get it out.

  “What’s wrong?” Gavin said. “You look like you’re in pain.” He looked down at his hand as if wondering how lightly resting it on my shoulder could’ve done that.

  Slowly, I realized the sound was gone but replaced with ringing in my ear. Everything he said sounded distant, as if my head was stuck in a fishbowl with him on the outside.

  “I’m okay. Really, I am.” Am I? I swear to God, if Audric permanently damaged my hearing…

  “What happened?” Gavin asked.

  “Must have been a headache or something.”

  “A migraine?”

  “Yeah. A migraine. Maybe that.”

  “Have you had those before?”

  “Not exactly.” I risked checking my ear again, nonchalantly this time, just to make sure the earpiece hadn’t fallen out. Gavin would surely wonder what it was then.

  “You need a glass of water?” He looked genuinely concerned, but he likely was just going through the motions. Of course, he wouldn’t want a girl he’d just kissed dying on him.

  “No, I’m feeling much better. Thanks.”

  He gestured to a nearby bench. “Here, sit down for a moment. Get your breath back.”

  I followed his lead and took a seat. After two deep breaths, I realized I couldn’t hear Audric’s voice anymore. For a moment, I panicked, genuinely wondering if I’d lost part of my hearing.

  “There we go,” Gavin said. “That’s better.”

  Of course I hadn’t lost my hearing. If I had, I wouldn’t be able to hear Gavin just then. The earpiece wasn’t working. Something must have malfunctioned. I was on my own, and for an introvert like me, that was a terrifying thought.

  “I’m glad you’re feeling better. I was worried about you for a minute there.”

  He scanned my expression for a response, and I had no idea what to say. No amount of waiting was going to give me my next line, but I couldn’t exactly silently stare off into the distance the rest of the time. By now, if the earpiece was working, Audric would probably be feeding me a line about how Gavin should be worried about how much better I’d make him feel, or some steamy, quippy line like that.

  I opened my mouth. Here goes. “It’s okay. Another minute or two, and I’ll be back on your feet in no time.”

  “What?”

  Ugh. I’m an idiot. Audric should’ve given me two earpieces, just in case. He knew better than to leave me to socialize on my own.

  “On my feet.”

  He drew his lips together in a thin line. “I hope none of that was the kiss.”

  “No,” I said a little too fast. “It wasn’t.” It definitely wasn’t that. “The migraine.”

  He stretched out his arms. “Okay, well do you have any other interview questions? You seem pretty good at those.”

  Not anymore. “Interview questions… Sure, I can do that.”

  Ten seconds passed. Complete silence. On paper, that might not sound like a long time, but in practice, it felt like forever. I couldn’t think of a single one, other than my normal, weird self, like asking his favorite breakfast cereal or how often he flosses.

  I stood up. “I’m sorry. I have to go.”

  He got to his feet a second behind me. “Did I say something wrong?”

  “No, you didn’t. I just…have something to take care of.”

  I decided not to look behind me as I made my escape. I knew I should’ve said a more eloquent goodbye, but if I could manage to do that, I would’ve stayed in the first place.

  Chapter Six

  Gavin

  Unbuttoning my jacket, I leaned back in the seat. The interior of the limo stretched out in front of me, and it finally felt like I was truly alone with my thoughts. I reached up and rubbed my temples for a moment. It was an old habit I used to do, and apparently I hadn’t truly broken it.

  Once we left the gates, the vehicle picked up speed. I stared out the window as we passed by one luxurious home after another, not quite mansions individually, but they easily reached the range of the upper crust. It was a nice neighborhood, certainly. I think I might have looked at the area once long ago when my company started taking off.

  The window partition rolled down and Albert spoke. “Before I picked you up, I rotated the stock of refreshments. The selection is quite nice. I recommend the bottle of red closest to your side.”

  I shook my head. “I’ll pass, but thank you.”

  “My pleasure, sir. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

  I eyed the bottle and leaned forward, then relaxed and leaned back again. After a night like tonight, it was tempting.

  “Did you entertain yourself while I was inside?” I asked.

  “I detailed the upholstery, checked the oil levels, and polished the hubcaps. I also updated your calendar to remove the one-thirty appointment, as instructed.”

  “Are you saying you didn’t play one game of poker?”

  “I might have indulged in a hand or two. But you’ll be pleased to know I only lost twenty dollars this time.”

  “You’ll be a professional before you know it.” Little did I know, all the limo drivers, while waiting in the same area for the event to let out, passed the time with card games. Amazing they had it all put away by the time any of us reached the vehicles. They were like the toys in movies that moved and talked only when the owners were away.

  “Did you enjoy yourself tonight, sir?”

  “It was a strange night, to be honest.”

  “How so?”

  “I met someone there.”

  Albert chuckled. “I can imagine you meet anywhere from dozens to hundreds of people at these events.”

  “Not like that. I met a woman.”

  “Forgive me, but I can’t imagine that being a rarity either.”

  “Not really. I find that most women have ulterior motives when they meet me, so I usually don’t bother. Simpler that way.”

  “After your money, sir?”

  “You could say that. I dated a woman for a little while a few years ago, and that’s all it turned out to be. I’ve been cautious ever since.”

  “I can’t blame you. I probably would be too in your situation. What was she like? The woman from tonight.”

  “Mysterious. Odd. Intriguing.”

  “How so?”

  “I thought she was one way when I first met her, but it changed by the middle, and again at the end. She’s her own little mystery.”

  Albert turned his head slightly. “You know what they say—what’s the point in having a good mystery if it’s not solved?”

  “I haven’t heard that before, but I’ll take your word for it.”

  “Have you seen her before?”

  “I haven’t. After she…left, I asked around, and nobody seemed to know her.”

  “If the people you rub shoulders with don’t know, that’s a sign right there.”

  “At one point, I wondered if my sister had put her up to it. She’s been wanting me to get back into dating for years. I wouldn’t be surprised.”

  “Sounds intriguing.”

  I tapped the side of my leg. “Albert, tomorrow start doing some digging on her. She said her name is Charity Nelson, and she writes for a philanthropy magazine.”

  “Will do, sir.”

  “Don’t take too m
uch time on it. We’ll call it idle curiosity. She left before we could talk much, and I wouldn’t mind finishing our conversation.”

  “Consider it done. I’ll look into it after talking to the groundskeeper tomorrow. You mentioned making some changes to the hedges.”

  “Yes, thank you. You’re always someone who knows how to get things done.”

  “I do know people who know people. I’m the one who found the groundskeeper, after all.”

  “And he’s worked out well. I’m going to make a private call here for the rest of the drive, by the way.”

  “Say no more, sir. I’ll give you some privacy.” He rolled up the window, sealing off all sound from the cab.

  I pulled my phone out of my pocket and tossed it onto the adjacent seat. I didn’t really have a phone call to make. I just wanted some peace and quiet before arriving back home, which was odd considering how I usually enjoyed our conversations. I shoved a finger into my tie and yanked it down, loosening its stranglehold around my neck. My fingers brushed the same spots Charity’s had when we kissed.

  That kiss was unreal, unlike anything I’d felt before. Others before had felt nice, but they didn’t have that pull, that drive like tonight had. There was something in her look, in the depths of her eyes, that made me want to learn more. I could drown in those dark pools.

  And then on top of that, I couldn’t ignore how she drew her body to mine. Feeling her petite frame close enough to experience her body heat was unbearable. Even though I’d just met her, I wanted to take her somewhere private and enjoy every inch of her. That was the vibe I got from her too. I was sure of it. At least, I was sure before her personality changed again and she withdrew, like a game of hot and cold. As a rule, I never chased a woman who I wasn’t sure wanted to be chased, but she made me want to break all the rules I’d constructed for myself.

  I looked down and realized the tent on the front of my pants I’d made, and I shifted to move it to the side. The window partition was closed, but still… There had to be some kind of boundary, and getting myself off in the backseat of my own limo while dreaming of a stranger was one line I wasn’t willing to cross.

  Chapter Seven

  Faye

  Brandt tapped his glass. “Another beer.”

  The server picked up the empty one. “Yes, sir. Right away.”

  “Can I have a glass of water, please?” But by the time I said it, the server had already walked away, and neither brother made any attempt to stop him.

  “Are you going to eat?” Audric asked.

  “I’m not sure I’m hungry,” I said. It was true. I didn’t have much of an appetite. I had a hard time getting to sleep last night after the dinner party, so I slept in that morning. I took my time getting ready to meet my brothers for lunch. Maybe I’d been dragging my feet.

  “They have good rolls here,” Audric said. “Have you tried them before?”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “It’s good. They serve them with cinnamon and sugar mixed into the butter. They have a baker in the back. His only job is to make these appetizer rolls. That’s it.”

  “It’s gross,” Brandt said. “Normal butter is all I need.”

  Audric shook his head. “You’ve got to try something different once in a while. The beer he’s drinking is the same kind he’s probably ever drank.”

  Brandt muttered to himself and took the fresh glass handed to him by the server.

  “So,” Audric said. “Things didn’t work out too well last night, did they?”

  I winced. I knew it was coming. “It was the earpiece, like I told you last night. It stopped working.”

  “Did you get it wet or did part of it break off?”

  I shook my head. “No. At least, I don’t think so. It definitely didn’t get wet. I promise, Audric, I was trying as hard as I could. Without you helping me on what to say, I couldn’t do it. I’m just not good at these types of situations.”

  Audric stabbed at a particular chunk of lettuce on his plate. “The earpiece wasn’t working, but the mic still was. I didn’t hear you trying very hard toward the end there.”

  “I kissed him.”

  Audric and Brandt shared a look. “I know,” Audric said. “But that didn’t yield anything, did it?”

  “He complimented me on what I knew about watches, but I guess that was all you.”

  “I did hear that part, yes.”

  “I told you she couldn’t pull it off,” Brandt said.

  “It’s not over yet,” Audric said. “Let’s have a little faith in her.”

  “So what happens next?” I asked.

  Audric tapped his fork against the plate. “We’ve got to keep trying, little sister. Our company isn’t going to save itself. Nothing has changed other than I’m out a few hundred bucks on that earpiece.”

  “If the company is in so much trouble, why are you spending that kind of money?”

  Audric’s expression made Brandt look cheery. “I bought them two years ago. I use them from time to time.”

  “For all the other times you get your sister to seduce your competitor.”

  “Very funny. I’m not getting you to do anything. You’re volunteering to help the family. To do something neither of us can do. Like I said, he’ll know who we are the moment he sees us.”

  I slumped back into my chair and stared at the fork on my side of the table, shining in the sun. It had been raining lately, but we lucked out on the weather for the patio seating. “So like I said, what happens next?”

  “Do you know where he lives?” Audric asked.

  I narrowed my eyes. “No, I don’t. Why would I know that?”

  “Relax, everything is fine. I was just asking. I’ve already got someone tracking down his address. The plan is for you to show up at his house.”

  “Uh, don’t you think that’s a little obvious?” I asked. “Showing up at his house to track him down. Doesn’t that scream desperation to you?”

  “You underestimate yourself. You’d be surprised what a man is willing to accept when a pretty, young woman shows up. I mean, he bought that whole backstory from last night, didn’t he?”

  “I suppose so. He didn’t seem skeptical that I could tell.”

  “Exactly. You’ll show up still playing the part and demand the interview. Or finishing the interview. Whatever. You’ll figure it out from there.”

  “Speaking of which, because the earpiece is broken, what am I going to say? I won’t have you feeding me lines.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you. You’re just going to have to figure it out.”

  I swallowed hard. “I don’t know if I can do that.”

  “We don’t really have a choice.”

  I reached for one of the rolls. If I was going to be here, I might as well get some free food out of it. I could’ve been feeding the sea lions at the zoo right about now, but instead I was there talking about something I’d rather not.

  “Fine. I guess I’ll do it.”

  “Good. It just so happens he has a tennis lesson later this afternoon. It’s the only time I know for a fact he’s going to be home, so you need to get a move on. For all I know, he’s not someone who’s home very often, and you don’t want to show up at night. That’ll look a little too suspicious.”

  Brandt tapped the side of his now empty beer glass in the direction of the server, who wasn’t looking his way. “It’s suspicious enough to show up at his house.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “Not you too,” Audric said. “It’s the only place we’ll know for a fact he’ll be. We can’t exactly show up at every house party and hope he arrives. We don’t have that kind of time. It has to be targeted. And why do you care? It’s not like you’re the one to do it.”

  Good point.

  Brandt leaned back and folded his hands behind his head. “Just don’t mess this one up like you did the last time.”

  I picked up the butter knife to cut another roll in half. “Thanks for the vote of c
onfidence.”

  “That’s what I’m here for.”

  I shoved the blade down harder than I needed to and smacked the plate underneath. I hoped at some point all this would start getting easier.

  Chapter Eight

  Faye

  Audric hit the brakes. He made sure to stop well before we actually arrived at Gavin’s house, for obvious reasons. It might look a little strange for me to be walking up to his house on foot, but even more strange to be dropped off by someone he could recognize. At least it wasn’t too warm of a day to be outside.

  “This is a nice car,” I said. “Is it new?”

  “No. I usually drive my other car. That one’s for more practical use.”

  I opened the door and stuck out my leg, but I stopped short of stepping out. “How long have you had this one?”

  “For a while. I usually just stick it in the back of the garage. Anyway, let’s focus on what we’re doing here. Do you still have the note?”

  I nodded. “I do.”

  “Good. Just keep your purse with your phone nearby and give me a call if things go south. I’ll be sitting here waiting for you if you need me.”

  “Go south?”

  “It’s just an expression. Everything will be fine.”

  I stepped out and shut the door. Gavin’s house, more like a mansion, was the crown jewel of this residential road. All the houses leading up to it were impressive, but this one took the cake. It had a fountain in the front yard, which should have been my first clue.

  “I won’t be long,” Audric said. “I’m just going to grab a coffee. I’ll be right back.”

  I put my hands on my hips. “What happened to you sitting here waiting for me?”

  “I’ll use the drive-through. I won’t be long. I promise. If I’m going to be waiting here a while, I might as well have something to enjoy. Nothing’s going to happen in the first fifteen minutes anyway. It’ll probably take you fifteen minutes to reach the front door, knowing how slow you are.”

  “Hey.”

  “What? You’re walking in heels.”

  “Just come back quick.”

  “Have fun,” he said as he rolled up the window, already in motion to leave.