Shea falls asleep in my arms. And with my insomnia, my brain won’t shut off. My flight back home is for Sunday, and I’m undecided if I should cancel, call in to work and stay with her, or get back to the reality of trying to find a new job in San Francisco. I can’t stay at my sister Ashley’s house in Maryland any longer. She and her husband don’t want their twenty-six-year-old fuck-up little brother there forever, and I certainly don’t want to be there either, under the current circumstances.
I wonder if BCT got back to me about the job. They said they’d be contacting me at the end of the week, either way. I reach for my phone on the bedside table. I’ve neglected it with all that’s been going on. There are no voice messages but when I check my e-mail, I see that Bob Clayton, the partner at BCT, wrote me earlier today. They want a second interview, and I’m one of three final candidates. I obviously didn’t screw up as much as I thought, and I want to whoop with excitement, but keep my enthusiasm inside. They want to meet again this Monday, so now I know I need to stay in the area and change my flight, but I also need to get us back to San Francisco.
I’m not sure how this will go over with Shea. Our relationship is carefully balanced at the edge of a knife, and one slip may sever our connection. So I need a backup plan. I need to figure out some way to break her rules, to learn her real name and contact info, so that when she runs off again, I’ll be able to find her. Even though I know she’s having fun now, I know it’s only a matter of time before I somehow mess things up, or say or do the wrong thing. I always manage to. Unfortunately, though, she’s blissfully and thankfully unaware of the fact that it’s my MO.
Maybe I can find her purse, slip into the bathroom, and read her license while she’s sleeping? I could now if my arm wasn’t pinned under her neck. I wiggle it, thinking I can tug away, but she only turns completely, facing me, and tosses her arms around my stomach, latching on. I frown. Now there’s no chance of that happening. I’ll have to be sneaky tomorrow, maybe when she’s in the shower.
This train of thought has me thinking about looking at her license and seeing her real name for the first time. What will it be? At the least, it will be strange to call her anything else. She’ll always be my Shea. I guess possible name options in my head, like counting sheep, until I fall asleep.
Chapter 32
She
I wake up bright eyed, feeling wonderful for being wrapped around Hew. I take a moment to think about what happened yesterday. One: I almost slept with him, and despite his chivalry and my mostly clear head, I still want to. Two: he told me he’s falling for me, which leaves me feeling giddy with happiness. And three: I’m not exactly sure where I channeled my bravery, but I feel a sense of relief at telling him at least part of the story. I decide quickly that these are all good things, and though I’m concerned about Luke, I do feel safe here with Hew.
I roll out of bed, stretch my arms, and head straight for the sunshine. The French doors creak as I pull them open, allowing the light to flood the room.
Hew stirs and moans.
“How can every day be so stunning?” I suck in a deep breath and scratch my head of tangled hair, then look over my shoulder.
Hew grabs a pillow and shoves it on his face to block the light. “Argh! It’s too early.” He rolls over, pulling the fluffy white duvet with him.
I can’t resist teasing him to get up, so I pad across the floor and leap onto the squeaky mattress. He doesn’t respond so I lift the bedding, peering at him in his pillow cave.
He snaps it shut and I quickly pull it off of him when he protests.
“You have to get up. We’ve got a big day ahead of us.” I lean in to place a sweet kiss on his lips. When I pull away, he lifts his head, trying to move with me to steal another.
“You’ll be the death of me, woman. I’m exhausted.”
“This is our last full day here,” I remind him. “I want to get out and see everything!”
For the first time in a long time, I’m not worried about Luke. I know that if he manages to find me again, Hew will be my rock, and I’ll stand up to him and end this once and for all. The only thing I want to worry about right now is the person next to me, who has done everything for me, even though he knows nothing about me. I draw swirling designs with the tip of my finger over his bare chest.
“Fine.” He moans. “But you get ready first so I can sleep longer.”
I jump up with more energy than I’ve had in months and gather my things, then duck into the bathroom. Hew is already wrapped back into the blankets, eyes closed and body relaxed when I shut the door. I follow my regular routine, getting showered and dressed, stopping to stare at the three pills left in my bottle of evil. I let out a shaky breath, knowing that the sleeping pills won’t help me during the day. It doesn’t matter what’s left. I don’t want to be on meds; I’d rather feel every moment with Hew with a clear head.
Forty minutes later I finish and find Hew snoring lightly with his mouth hanging open. With him cuddled up with a pillow, he’s adorable, even though he’s drooling like a leaky faucet. I bite my finger, holding back a snicker. Seeing him so tired, I feel bad about waking him, so I slip out of the room and jog down the stairs to the common area to grab us some food.
Chapter 33
He
When the room door closes behind Shea, I sit straight up in bed. I wipe the drool from my face with the back of my hand and listen to her footfalls as she bounces down the stairs to the first floor. Not knowing how much time I have, I break away from the twisted sheets and scour the messy room for her handbag.
I find it on the vanity in the bathroom. But right before I tug at the zipper, there’s a moment of hesitation on my part. Learning her name will break the rules of the foundation on which our friendship is built, the voice inside warns. I fight back. This game has gone on long enough. I’m doing it for any chance of a future that we may have. One I hope to have.
I take a deep breath and tell my don’t-fuck-up voice to shut up. I don’t want to lose her. With one hand inside, I rummage around, pulling out a lip gloss, some loose Twizzlers, a change purse containing a disturbingly large amount of cash, and a pill bottle, but no wallet. But the bottle may be enough. I bring it to my eyes and try to decipher the label. It’s torn and ripped in all the important spots except two. There’s an S in her name. First, last, or middle, I’m not sure which. Either way, the information is useless. The only identifier is the name of her hometown—Davidsonville, Maryland. Just a fifteen-minute drive from mine.
“Damn it!”
There’s a knock at the door and my heart drops out of my chest, leaving me chilled with anxiety.
Shea’s back.
Faster than should be possible, I shovel all the items back into her purse, zip it, and throw it back on the vanity.
She knocks again, a little harder this time.
I run for the door, but go back to adjust the strap of the purse so it looks similar to when I found it. I run back to the door, take a deep breath, drop my shoulders, muss my hair, and squeeze my eyes together like I’ve just woken up, then calmly open the door.
Chapter 34
She
With several muffins stacked in a napkin, I stop to chat with the woman behind the front desk.
“How can I help you today?”
“When we checked in, we were told about some parties held by the wineries. Do you have any info about them?”
“I can give you a few flyers, but I believe most of them have been sold out.” She lays out a series of fancy-looking invitations. Some have gorgeous photos. One in particular captures my attention.
“Whoa, what’s this one?” I point with my elbow.
“That’s the Coppalina estate. Fabulous restored buildings, world-class wines, and an unforgettable party. I know the tickets are sold out for the party, but you may be able to visit the property and pay for a tour of the chateau, the infinity caves, and vineyards.” She slips the brochure and invitation between two of my free finge
rs, and I pinch it securely. “Can I call and make a reservation for you?”
“That’s okay, but thank you. I’ll chat about it with my friend first.” I make my way back to our room and knock on the door with my elbow.
It takes several moments, but Hew finally opens it. His hair stands straight up, his lips are pouty and eyes sleepy. He scratches his ass and steps aside for me to enter.
“I can’t believe I didn’t hear you leave,” he says and yawns.
“I thought I’d let you sleep.” I drop the flyers and muffins on the dresser. “Brought you some food in case you’re hungry.”
“Thanks.” He shuts the door and staggers over to give me a kiss on the cheek. He picks up a corn muffin and drops into a chair, his long legs extended. He lifts the muffin to his face, smells it, and peels back the paper wrapper. Then, with one enormous bite, he devours the entire thing.
“Impressive and gross.” I scrunch up my face.
He finishes chewing, cornbread crumbs sprinkling over his bare chest. “Big mouth. You know what that’s for?” He wags his eyebrows and brushes his hands over his pecs, wiping away the leftovers.
“Sloppy kisses?” I tease, but his are anything but. They’re perfect, romantic, sensual, and as I have found out—any-day-of-the-week panty melting. I clench my gut, feeling the familiar heat rise through my body. If I don’t get out of this room with him sitting here in his sexy boxer briefs, looking up at me with those eyes, we will never leave.
“You know you like them,” he says in defense of himself, and grabs another muffin from the dresser.
I look down, feeling shy because it’s true. Lost in a daydream, I drag my finger along the edge of the dresser and pick up the invitation, and then fan myself with it, as if it will help. I segue into something new—a distraction.
“The reception lady gave me the info on some winery parties tonight. I really want to go to this one.” I hold up the flyer, pointing out the photos.
“Looks fancy and expensive,” Hew says with a mouth full of food.
“It’s my treat. Just think of it as our first date.”
“First date?” He raises an eyebrow. “What about the rules?” He reaches for an open bottle of water and takes a swig.
“They still apply. Let’s just have fun.”
“Don’t we always?”
Hew rises from his seat and plants a sweet and non-sloppy kiss on my cheek as he passes. I slump into his chair, picking at a chocolate chip muffin while he showers and dresses. When he emerges from the bath, he still looks tired but better than earlier.
“You didn’t sleep well, did you?” I sense it. There’s a new stress hidden behind his eyes.
“Sometimes I can’t turn off my brain.” He slips his feet into his flip-flops.
“It’s a good thing. Means you’re alive.”
“You always find the silver lining, don’t you?”
Hew grabs his wallet, room key, and camera, and I wander into the bathroom for my purse. Then we lock our room and head downstairs.
Chapter 35
He
In the main living area with the large dining table, they are just cleaning up from the complimentary breakfast, but I’ve already formulated a plan of adventure for today, one that will hopefully impress Shea.
“Wait here a sec. I’ll be right back.”
“Sure,” she says, and drops into a wingback chair next to the window, then picks up a magazine.
I make my way to the back of the house, where I find a small industrial kitchen. I peek my head through the open doors. “Afternoon,” I say to the man prepping food at a stainless-steel counter.
“I wanted to surprise my girlfriend and take her out on a picnic.” I pause at my choice of words, wondering what Shea would say to that. “Is there any way I could order some sandwiches?”
“Of course.” The man sets down his knife, removes his gloves, and hands me a menu hanging from a nail on the wall. “Choose whatever you’d like.”
“Thanks.” I peruse the options, settling on several items, including dessert and drinks. After relaying my order to the chef, I return to Shea.
When I walk in, she’s standing next to the main dining table, removing a tall vase of sunflowers, and then proceeds to pull the long tablecloth toward her, bundling it at her chest.
“What are you doing?” I stop in my tracks.
“Borrowing this.” She continues on her quest.
“What?” I laugh. “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
She walks close, speaking low. “Okay, I didn’t want to tell you this, but I kinda have a thing for pretty fabric. It’s a sick obsession, really. I collect all kinds of vintage-fabric-related items. And this is the prettiest pattern of teal cabbage roses on fabric I have ever seen.”
“Really? You collect lots of things, don’t you?” I think of her pressed penny collection. I look down at her, looking up at me like she’s almost asking me permission to “borrow” it, and she flutters her eyelashes a few times and I realize she’s putting me on.
I’ve learned her tell, broken the Shea code, and she doesn’t even know it. So I play along and grab her hand. “Release the tablecloth, Miss Whatever-your-name-is.” I speak like a police officer and wink. “When we win the lotto, I’ll buy you rooms full of beautiful fabric, all with this exact same pattern.”
“Really. And what shall I buy you?”
I inspect the room for some bauble worthy of a pretend heist. “That.” I point to the painting above the stone fireplace. It’s a vibrant oil landscape of the valley with long rows of grapevines drenched in the golden evening light. The colors remind me of a Maxfield Parrish painting. I walk to it.
“Why this?” she asks.
“So it will always remind me of my time here with you.”
“We haven’t even started yet.” She lifts up on her tiptoes and plants a heated kiss on my ear. With her this close, I imagine her lips cracking into a smile before she spins and walks away. The little tease always knows how to leave me hot and bothered.
Just when I’m about to take her by the arm and spin her back around to kiss her the way we did yesterday, the chef walks into the room, ruining the moment.
“Sir, I have your order.”
I keep my eyes on Shea until he hands me a large bag. “Thank you so much.”
The chef nods and leaves.
“What’s this?” Shea peeks into the bag.
“It’s a surprise.” I swipe it away, happy to have my own secret.
“Have you been scheming without me?” She bats her long eyelashes.
“You’ll see.” I lead her out the front door to the side yard. There, stacked against a tall white picket fence, are several bicycles.
“In honor of the day we met, I thought we could take the bikes out on a picnic and explore.” I hold up the bag of lunch.
“Naked bike riding?” Shea looks hopeful.
“Negative. I’d never be able to live up to your previous biker clan.” And I’m not as brave as you.
Shea laughs. “Oh, I think you definitely could.” Her gaze explores my body as she bites her finger. She’s killing me.
She pulls out a bike for herself, picking the lemon-yellow one. And in keeping with our designated color scheme, I pull out the purple one and drop the bag of food into the front basket. I pull my backpack over my shoulders and steady myself on the seat, then push off.
We ride out onto the neighborhood street and I take the lead. The town is small but I don’t bother seeing the sights; I head straight for the country. I want Shea all to myself.
Chapter 36
She
Hew and I ride on a long stretch of country road. I balance the bike between my legs while pedaling, let go of the handles, then spread my arms wide, tilting my face to the beaming sunshine and close my eyes. In my mind, I’m the happiest I’ve been in ages. It’s happening. The good minutes in the day are taking over the bad.
“This is the life! Woohoo!” Hew sc
reams.
“Woohoo!” I scream, too, and open my eyes.
Hew weaves his bike from one side of the road to the other. To the right and left of us are a million rows of grapevines. At the far end of the rows, rolling mountains shoot high where they’re met with a sky the color of bluebird eggs.
This day is perfection.
We ride for a several miles, keeping pace with each other, and stop on occasion for Hew to take photos. There are many opportunities, especially when we meander onto a dirt road and encounter red barns, white barns, barns that are falling apart or ones that already have, cows, llamas, chickens, and goats. Then we arrive at a field, where Hew pauses again.
“What’s wrong?” I roll up next to him and stop.
“It’s time for you to get revenge.” He gestures to a field of low grass where hundreds of birds are grazing peacefully.
“Oh my gosh, you’re a genius!” I set my jaw and remount my bike, then aim my front tire for those little bastards. “Fortune cookie stealers!” I yell as if it’s my battle cry, and pedal as fast as I can through the flock. The bike rattles beneath me, bumping over holes and tufts of grass until I reach them. In a wild frenzy, they take off in a white wave of fluttering wings and cackles, flying away, dotting the blue sky. After I’ve scared off every bird in sight, I ride back to Hew, who has been snapping photos of me all this time.
“That’ll teach them,” I say.
“You’ve literally scared the bird shit out of every flying zombie beast in this county.” He points to my bike, which has been christened in several white gooey blobs. Thank goodness they missed me.
“Ew. Gross.”
“You sure taught them!” He laughs.
“I’ve heard that it’s good luck,” I say, and count them. “Looks like I have triple luck here.”
He + She Page 12