Almost anywhere… Not at Preston-Ivy. That was pretty clear.
The thought made his stomach hurt, temples ache. But then Ashton came near, and all the pain seemed to go away.
“How did it go?” she asked, face bright under the street lamps.
“Pretty good, I think.”
“Pretty good,” she repeated, deadpan. “The guy loved you.”
“Love’s a strong word,” he said, taking the shopping bags from her as they walked toward his car. The sun was setting, striping the sky in blues and pinks, though the sidewalks were busy with pedestrian traffic.
“Charmer. You had him eating out of your hand. You’re a shoo-in.”
“Thanks to you. Where did you get the idea to say we’re a couple?”
She grinned. “Dunno. I was trying to save the moment more than anything. It was my fault if he got a bad first impression of you. I was egging you on with the swearing. So when he wouldn’t pipe down about his family, I knew you being in a stable relationship would pay off. Otherwise, with me there, he might’ve thought we were just sleeping together. And ohhh.” She lifted her chin and put the back of her hand to her forehead. “How would you ever explain such a scandal?”
“A lot of people do believe in marriage and commitment.”
“I never said I don’t believe in it—it works for some people, but it’s not the only way. It’s not my way—not now, at least.”
You don’t say. Hawk stopped walking and looked at her. He had so many things to get off his chest—ask her, tell her—but being only her fake fiancé didn’t give him the right.
“He thinks you should change careers,” Hawk said, after taking a quick glance around. Thanks to that earlier slip-up, he wasn’t taking any chances of being overheard.
“Phillip does?”
He nodded.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.” He pulled at his cuffs. “But if you want, I’ll track him down and threaten to beat the shit out of him. Does that make you feel better?”
A bright and pretty smile curved her lips. “Would you really do that?”
“If I was a different person…” He nodded firmly. “You bet.”
Ashton laughed, and it made something new stir in his chest, something that wasn’t just attraction and interest.
“Look at you being my hero. That guy’s stuck in the Stone Age.”
Hawk opened his mouth, but decided not to reply. They’d had this same conversation a million times. He loved her outgoing personality, because it was in direct contrast with his, which might’ve been why he’d liked hanging out with her so much at the beginning.
Now, he craved to be around here for a different reason.
When it came to his career and time-honored opinions like his father’s and Knickerbocker’s, Hawk could only be thankful he and Ashton weren’t together. Though the second that thought hit his brain, it pissed him off.
“Hawk?”
He blinked, regaining focus.
“You okay?”
“Sure.” He cleared his throat. “Why?”
“You were kind of…staring at me like…”
“Like what?”
She blinked and didn’t reply for a moment. “Like you were looking at your fiancée.”
Before he allowed his body to react in any other way, Hawk laughed. Ashton’s laugh was even louder. “As if, right? We wouldn’t survive as a couple. A guy like you, so buttoned up, would never make me happy.” She nudged his arm. “Never satisfy me sexually.”
“I feel like I should take that as a challenge.” He popped open the trunk and deposited Ashton’s shopping bags. “For now, I’ll try not to take offense.”
“No offense was intended.” She leaned against the side of the car, her little dress blowing in the evening breeze. “I have very high expectations. I can be a lot of work—or so I’m told. That’s why the idea of being with one guy…forever…” She shook her head.
“I don’t think you’re a lot of work, and I’ve never considered your needs unrealistic.” He forced a smile and moved to open her car door. “Unless you’ve been holding out on me, I know about your past relationships and the number of guys you’ve slept with. I must say, not very impressive.”
“I’m telling you, it’s the impossibly high expectations thing. I may be attracted to someone, but I can tell after just one kiss if he’s worth my time.”
“We kissed once,” Hawk reminded her as she climbed in the car. “Guess I wasn’t worth your time.”
“You were fifteen and I was twelve. We weren’t worth anybody’s time.”
“What about now?” he said, staring down at her in the passenger seat.
“Now, what?”
“Am I worth your time?”
She gazed up at him, a little notch of confusion between her eyes. She didn’t know what he’d meant. Hell, he didn’t know what he’d meant. Yet the jumping of his pulse whenever he allowed himself to think about a future… He needed to know if he was wasting his time.
“George Hawkins.” She reached out and touched his hand, causing his pulse to jump again. “You’re always worth my time.”
He relished moments like this, when they’d slow down and say things that were meaningful, words he could hold inside and replay later. It wasn’t just that he was attracted to Ashton and curious about what a real kiss between them would be like.
No, she’d grown to have a gentle power over him. Her thoughts and opinions were more important to him than anyone else’s. He relied on her.
But without confessing everything, he didn’t know what he was supposed to do. For the next five days, he was basically trapped, one thin wall apart when they’d sleep.
By the time he’d made it behind the wheel, he’d already locked away those crazy thoughts, until he saw Ashton in that stupid little dress, and her legs and face.
“Hungry?” he asked, starting the car.
“I could eat. That pie was amazing, but not filling.”
“It’s almost eight. Should we grab dinner here?”
“Pretty sure we’ve missed the clambake,” Ashton said. “The bonfire’s happening right now. Gobs of food, I’m sure. We should just head back.”
Strange—she wasn’t looking at him. As if purposely looking away. He was too hungry and too empty and too…attracted to wonder whether or not she was deliberately trying to make it seem like she was distracted elsewhere.
“Virtue Cove it is,” he said. From the corner of his eye, he saw her nod, then wipe her palms over her dress, like she was the nervous one now. What was that about?
“Cool,” she said. “Besides, I heard a shopkeeper say there’s a big art festival in town. That’s why so many people are here. I doubt we’d get a table anywhere.”
“Then our plan is perfect,” he said, pulling into traffic.
As they drove through town, they didn’t say much. Hawk’s mind wouldn’t settle down. It kept hopping from that kiss a hundred years ago, to how good she’d smelled for those two seconds she’d snuggled up to him in front of Phillip, to wondering if he could meet her so-called high expectations in bed.
Hell yes, he could. She was insane if she assumed he couldn’t. He glanced at her, his focus dragging across her eyes, full lips, the curves under that dress, her bare legs—
“Whoa. Stop!”
Just in time, Hawk slammed on the brakes, swearing under his breath. Right before they were about to enter the highway, a man in orange reflective gear holding a stop sign had stepped into the middle of the street.
“Pay attention,” Ashton said, sounding winded and looking freaked.
“I was,” Hawk lied. “These, um, brakes are really good. Just testing them out.”
“What?” she asked, glaring.
Ignoring her, Hawk rolled down his window when Orange Vest approached. “What’s the problem?”
“Highway’s closed,” the guy replied. “Five-car pile-up a few miles down. Frontage road is closed, too. Emergency
vehicles haven’t arrived yet. It’ll be a while.”
“I’ll call my parents,” Ashton said. “So they’ll know where you are. Do you have any best-man stuff this evening?”
“Not that I can think of. Thought the Meanie had me covered,” Hawk said as he pulled forward to make a U-turn and return to town. “Suppose we’ll have to wait it out until the road clears. Or maybe…” He covered a yawn with the back of his hand. “It’s been a long day. How do you feel about spending the night with me?”
Chapter 5
Spend the night? With Hawk.
Of course he’d meant getting two separate hotel rooms. But the way he’d phrased it made her heart do an uneasy flutter dance. She squashed it, and would take time to analyze later.
“Sounds good,” she replied, all breezy-like.
However… What in the exact hell was going on? One second, Hawk was treating her like he always did, like a platonic female friend. Then she’d caught him eyeing her legs. Yes, he was a guy and everything, and she’d often caught him in innocent ogles. But these body check-outs felt different. Not exactly innocent.
Was he…into her?
The mere thought made her want to cackle, then immediately turn to tell Hawk, like it was the most hilarious joke in the world.
But what if she did say something, and it made him all weirded out? It had been a long few days for her, too. They were probably both overly tired and in need of serious shuteye. Grabbing rooms for the night was a smart idea.
“Hawk?”
“Yeah?” he replied, staring down at his phone.
For a second, she just watched him, not knowing what she’d planned on saying.
You look really hot in this light. Those new pants work on you like whoa. Have you been working out? That was an extremely nice hug you gave me earlier. Mind if we sort of…
“What’s up?”
His voice made her jump.
“Nothing, I…” She moistened her lips and played with the hem of her skirt. “Sorry, again, for what I said in front of Phillip. I blurt things.”
“I know. Apology accepted.”
His sweet, understanding eyes made her heart feel like a happy, glowing ball. Had he always made her feel that way? Or was this new?
“I won’t say things like that anymore,” she said. “Not when I’m with you. I promise.”
Hawk looked down and was flipping his cell between his hands. “Since we’re on the subject,” he slowly began, “will you also promise to stop talking about my sex life—repressed or not—with other people?”
“That really bugs you, doesn’t it?”
He ran a hand up the back of his head. “Doesn’t cast me in the best light.”
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “I promise, not another word. Ever. As far as any of the wedding guests know, you’re a normal, virile man with zero sexual hang-ups.”
“I am virile with zero sexual hang-ups.”
Ashton patted his hand. “Of course you are, sweetie.”
Hawk rolled his eyes and huffed, making Ashton snort. For a while, she left him alone as his busy fingers swept across the screen of his phone. “For a town so small, they have a ton of hotels.”
While he made a couple of calls, sounding all authoritative and manly—and yes, okay, hot—Ashton made herself focus out the window at the darkening sky. But she’d never been a patient person. She tapped her nails on the dashboard and smoothed out her skirt, sending quick glances at his side of the car.
Ugh. Should she ask him straight up what all the odd vibes were between them today? Was it the fake fiancée thing? No, because she’d felt it before that. Was it that he looked extra handsome in his super-nice interview clothes? Maybe he thought she looked extra good in her dress. Maybe it was being away from home, on the road, trapped together that was making them both act a little…unusual.
But they’d been on trips before, and nothing ever happened…
“No vacancies,” Hawk announced. “Though I got a recommendation for an out-of-the-way place that should have rooms left. The guy didn’t remember the name or number, but mapped it out.”
“Cool,” Ashton said. Hawk was her best friend. He meant everything to her, so she was relieved she hadn’t ruined the bond they had by satisfying her irrational curiosity.
Then again, did that make her a professional hypocrite?
He passed her a piece of paper. “These are the directions—would you be my navigator?”
“Isn’t that what a good fiancée does?”
“At the very least.” After a pause, they both cracked up, and the tension began to dissolve. They were Ashton and Hawk again. Friends since childhood. No unnecessary entanglements.
And then Hawk ran a hand through the top of his dark ginger hair, messing it up, and from out of nowhere, Ashton’s mouth watered.
“These directions are pretty complicated,” she said for the sake of no awkward silence that might lead her to saying something stupid.
Like what, exactly?
Her brain couldn’t even go there.
“I think it’s just around this corner.” Hawk pointed as he veered off the main strip, pulling in front of a small hotel with almost nonexistent signage.
“No wonder this place has vacancies,” Ashton said. “Who could find it on their own?”
“It’s like the nondescript doors in Chinatown with the best dim sum. Remember that place we all went for your twenty-third?”
Ashton smiled, swimming in the old, comfortable memory. “Dirtiest floors I’ve ever seen, but the most succulent Peking duck.”
As they entered the lobby area, she looped her arm through his as he led them to the registration desk. “Today was a good day,” she said, gazing up at him, his eyes grinning down at her like they had a million times when they’d been sharing a private, happy moment.
“It’s been too long,” Hawk said, un-looping his arm and sliding it around her back. “Let’s not let a year pass ever again. We need to make more excuses to hang out. A lot more excuses.”
“Agreed,” she said, leaning into his side. It felt so familiar and comfortable. Not weird at all, even after the thoughts that had been racing through her mind.
Much to their disappointment, the Darling’s Inn was sold out as well. Seemed impossible to get a room in this town, let alone two.
Hawk looked totally bummed and worn out. He was surely emotionally drained and just wanted to sleep. Ashton was about to suggest that she drive the rental back to Virtue Cove while he slept, when her thoughts were interrupted.
“Well, well, small world.”
Phillip Knickerbocker was approaching from the inn’s restaurant. He was alone but had a tinfoil doggy bag in the shape of a lobster. “Picking up dinner for Madeline. This is her favorite place when we’re in town. Best lobster rolls in Maine.”
“Yum,” Ashton said. “It smells amazing.”
“Are you staying here?” he asked. “I thought you were up this way for a wedding in Bar Harbor?”
“We are,” Hawk said. “The highway’s closed. Some sort of accident.”
“So you decided to make a mini vacation of it.” He smiled. “I couldn’t approve more. Which rooms did you get? They’re themed.”
Hawk glanced toward the desk longingly. “They’re sold out.” He glanced down at Ashton, his arm still around her. “We haven’t decided what to—”
“Sold out?” Phillip cut in. “Nonsense. I’ve known the owner for years, and happen to know they have a special secret for frequent travelers like us.”
Hawk’s exhausted expression immediately brightened. Good. He deserved a solid rest after the pressure of today.
“Leon,” Phillip said, moving past them and slapping a hand on the reception desk. “Have a heart and give them the room at the top. I know it’s available.”
“As you wish, Phillip,” Leon said. “If you could fill this out.” He passed Hawk an old-timey registration book bound in weathered leather.
“It�
�s their smallest room, square footage-wise,” Phillip said to Hawk. “In fact, it’s nothing more than a bed.” He glanced away, pretending to fix his tie. “You two are getting married, so I assume… Well, anyway.”
Ashton’s stomach tightened, while Hawk’s hand froze mid-signature. “Oh,” Hawk said. “Um, I think maybe we shouldn’t—”
“Of course you should,” Phillip interrupted. “Don’t mind me saying, but you do look rather, um, spent for the night. Sleep will do you a world of good.”
Sooo…maybe old Knickerbuddy wasn’t such a raging fuddy-duddy after all.
“Your key, sir,” Leon said, placing a large gold key on the desk in front of Hawk. For a moment, Hawk didn’t move, and Ashton had no idea what to say. It would be too weird to just leave because it was only one room. They were engaged, after all.
Without a word, Hawk grasped the key but didn’t look at Ashton.
“Bags?” Leon asked.
“None.”
If Ashton hadn’t been involved in this situation, she would’ve considered it hilarious. But as it was, and despite how she’d always believed men and women should feel comfortable around each other in any setting, right now, sharing a room—let alone a bed!—with Hawk felt all kinds of stupid awkward.
“Understood,” Leon said with the tiniest smile. Hawk’s subtly alarmed expression almost made Ashton crack a joke. Almost.
“Have a good night, now,” Phillip said. “And no need to thank me; I’m glad I was here to help out. We’ll see you soon.” He shook Hawk’s hand, Hawk replied with a firm “thank you,” then they were pointed in the direction of an elevator around the corner.
“Fourth floor,” Leon said. “You can’t miss it. It’s the only room up there for, um, complete privacy.”
“Yeah, thanks,” Hawk said, practically throwing a few bills at the guy, even though she was pretty sure Leon wasn’t a bellman.
Once alone, Hawk turned to her. “Do you…” He rubbed his chin. “Do you want to bring in your shopping packages? I mean, did you buy anything you can change into?”
For a second, she pictured that little blue number in the window that she hadn’t purchased. “I bought Christmas towels, a dozen jars of blueberry jam, and a peacock fascinator.”
The Last Plus One Page 18