Her expression gave him no clue as to whether she was being serious or joking around. Either way, he’d find out in a few days.
Seven
Bacon? Why did Josh smell bacon? His brother hated the stuff. Even if Evan did cook breakfast for himself, which he never did, his brother wouldn’t be cooking bacon. Opening his eyes, Josh glanced around, momentarily confused by what he saw. He smelled bacon because he wasn’t at his brother’s condo. He was at Courtney’s place. More specifically, he was on the sofa in nothing but shorts.
Josh tossed the blanket covering him aside. He had no idea how it had ended up on top of him. The last thing he remembered, they’d been watching his favorite I Love Lucy episode, and Courtney was using the blanket. Now she was gone, the television was turned off, and he had a cramp in his neck that told him he’d been sleeping there for some time.
He rolled his head, hoping to loosen up his neck, and stood. If he smelled bacon, she had either made breakfast or was in the process of making it. Either way, it meant she was no longer in bed.
Except for the open laptop, a plate of food, and the full French press, the kitchen was empty. Josh doubted she’d left for the day though. While he sometimes left a plate behind for someone else to deal with, everything he knew about her told him she would not. While he waited for her to return, he’d help himself to some coffee.
On Monday night she’d served him some. Which cupboard had she taken the cup from? He reached for the one closest to the refrigerator.
“Hey, you’re up. I hope I didn’t wake you.”
At the sound of her voice, he turned. The only difference between the way she looked now and when he’d stumbled upon her last night was her hair. Rather than leave it loose, she’d tied it up in a messy bun. His first instinct was to walk over, pull out the hair elastic, and run his fingers through it.
“The coffee cups are in the next cupboard.” She retook her seat at the kitchen island and put down the cell phone and coffee cup in her hand. “If I’d known you’d be up soon, I would have made enough breakfast for both of us.”
Eggs were okay. He’d eat them, but they weren’t his favorite. Some of the bacon on her plate would have been nice. “I’m happy with cereal if you have any.”
“Sorry. I’m not a big cereal fan. But if you want to make a list of foods you like, I’ll add them to my order. It’ll be delivered on Friday.”
How could anyone not like cereal? He’d have to make sure some found its way into the kitchen today. For now, there was a loaf of bread on the counter. “Do you have any peanut butter?” A person couldn’t go wrong with some peanut butter toast.
“It’s in the third cupboard to your right on the top shelf.” She picked up her fork, but before she could use it, her cell phone chimed. After typing a reply, she set it back down. “I tried to wake you before I went to bed, but you were dead to the world. Did you ever make it back to your room?”
“No.” The cramp in his neck would remind him of where he’d slept all day too.
Her cell phone chimed again. This time she ignored it and stabbed a slice of bacon. “Are you still going to drive up to Maine and get your things?”
Right, he had said he would go and get his birth certificate today. “If I go today, we can apply for the marriage license tomorrow.”
“Before I leave, I’ll give you a key so you can get in.” She silenced the cell phone when it rang. “I’m supposed to go to Meg’s for book club tonight, so if I’m not here when you get home, that’s where I am.” She scooped up a forkful of scrambled eggs. “But I’m thinking about skipping it.”
Peanut butter toast in hand, he took the stool opposite her. “Don’t skip because of me. I don’t mind being here alone.”
“You’re not the reason—well, you are sort of the reason I might not go. I’m not sure I’m up for a grilling from Meg, Celeste, and Rebecca. And I know I’ll get one.” She turned the laptop, so the screen faced him. A picture of them together in Hawaii dominated the website, along with a headline announcing their engagement. In addition to the picture of them together, there were two smaller headshots of each of them.
“It’s not even seven yet and already I have gotten messages and calls from my friends.”
The article on the Today Magazine website had gone live only an hour ago according to the date and time stamp below the headline, so technically Pauline had waited until today to send out the press release.
Pulling the laptop closer, Josh scanned the article, which told the exact story they’d come up with. The only thing not mentioned in the article was the date and location of the wedding, since he hadn’t known it when he spoke with Pauline.
“Feel free to check any other site you want,” she said.
Maybe he would later. For now, he’d rather have a conversation with the woman sitting across from him. The one who was giving up a lot to help him. “Unless I hit a lot of traffic, I should be back here by seven. If you decide not to go to Meg’s, let me know and I’ll pick up takeout on the way home. We can hang out and watch some more I Love Lucy or whatever you want.”
“You’re desperate for more brownie points, aren’t you?” Amusement flickered in her eyes. “When I decide, I’ll let you know.”
Courtney finished her breakfast and took a final sip of coffee. As he expected, she added the plate and cup to the dishwasher. “Have a nice day.”
She touched his bare shoulder as she spoke, and before his brain could tell his arm no, it went around her waist. Fully intent on kissing her, Josh pulled her in closer. His brain got the message to the rest of him just in time though, and instead of kissing her slightly parted lips, he kissed her cheek.
“You too. See you tonight.”
Josh watched her walk away. What would she do it if he followed her and offered to help her in the shower? They’d shared more than one shower in Hawaii.
Bad idea. Josh dropped his gaze back to his peanut butter toast. If he made such an offer, she might tell him the deal was off and insist he pack up his bags. He couldn’t risk it. If—no, not if but when—he’d seen the way she looked at him and didn’t doubt their relationship would turn intimate again—it happened, she would be the one to make the first move.
Courtney rubbed her eyes and then turned her chair so she could look out her office window. Much like on the drive into work earlier, the sky remained gray and overcast. According to the forecast, they were only supposed to receive rain today. While it might be correct, it certainly looked and felt like the powdery stuff was on its way. Although the area had received snow early this winter, it’d been more than two weeks since they’d received a single snowflake. If it were up to her, it would stay that way. As far as the fluffy white stuff went, the only time she wanted it was when she was skiing—an activity she participated in only a handful of times each year because she’d much rather vacation on a sandy beach than a snow-covered mountain. Josh, she knew, loved both locations, which helped explain why he considered Maine his primary residence despite the fact he had no family living in the area.
It’s not his primary residence anymore, she reminded herself. Last night when he’d fallen asleep, she’d tried several times to wake him. Each time, he’d mumbled something incoherent and kept on sleeping. Eventually, she gave up and covered him with a blanket. Then she’d climbed back into bed and hoped the next time she saw him, he had on more clothes. Naturally, that hadn’t happened. Instead, she’d walked back into the kitchen and found him standing there in just his shorts as if he’d been doing it forever. Much like when she saw him last night, she’d given her eyes the okay to enjoy the view. She’d also been half a breath away from allowing her hands to skim over his chest and down his torso. Judging by the way he watched her, Josh wouldn’t have stopped her either. If he went around the penthouse like that every night and each morning, she wasn’t sure how long she’d be able to restrain the bad girl lurking inside her.
The knock on the door caused the memory of Josh this morning to
disappear. Turning her chair away from the window, she said, “Come in.”
Both her younger sister and Terry, one of the office assistants, stepped inside.
“Ms. Belmont, I’ve Marcy Blake on the phone. She’d like to speak with you,” Terry said.
Even if her sister wasn’t standing there, she’d rather not take a call from the reporter from Today Magazine. While she couldn’t avoid Marcy forever, she could at least put her off for now. “Please let her know I’m unavailable at the moment and tell her she can try back tomorrow.”
“I will. And, Ms. Belmont, congratulations on the engagement,” Terry said before closing the door.
She’d been receiving similar comments from everyone at the foundation today.
Juliette didn’t bother with a polite hello or a “how are you?” Instead, she sat in the chair on the other side of the desk and got right to the point. “I’ve been calling you all day.”
She’d turned the ringer on her cell phone off around lunchtime and stuck the device in her desk drawer. While she understood her family and friends’ curiosity, the constant calls and text messages made getting anything done impossible.
“It would have been nice if you’d told me you were engaged. Instead, I had to read about it like everyone else.”
“I called you.”
After her meeting with her mom, she’d called both her brother and sister. When Juliette didn’t answer, she’d left a message. It wasn’t Courtney’s fault her sister never called back.
“I got home late yesterday.” Juliette moved to the edge of the chair and crossed her arms on the desk. “So you’ve been with Josh since the summer? When those pictures showed up in December, I should have known there was something going on between the two of you. A two-week fling with him never quite seemed right. It was too much like something I’d do.”
If her sister, who knew her better than anyone, was buying the story they’d concocted, everyone else, including Josh’s ex, should be too.
“Why didn’t you tell me? You know it would have stayed between us,” Juliette asked.
She heard and understood the reason for the disappointment in her sister’s voice. While they were as different as two sisters could possibly be, they were close. Before this, Courtney couldn’t recall ever keeping anything important from Juliette.
“I made Josh promise not to tell anyone until I was ready. It didn’t seem right for me to tell even you if he couldn’t tell his family.”
“Still, I can’t believe you’ve been with him since July and you managed to keep it a secret. How did you do it?”
Unlike Courtney, Juliette was no stranger to the media. While Courtney and Scott resembled their dad, Juliette inherited her looks from their mom, and there was no mistaking that she was a member of the Sherbrooke family. Actually, she and their cousin Sara looked more like sisters than cousins. Thanks to Juliette’s appearance and the fact she liked to have fun, she often appeared on the cover of various tabloids and her modeling kept her picture just about everywhere else.
Good question. One she should’ve anticipated and already come up with a plausible answer to.
“We spent most of our time at either my apartment in Boston or whatever hotel he was staying in. When we went to someplace public, we never arrived or left together. We did the same thing coming and going from my apartment and his hotels. Plus, I think we just got a bit lucky.”
“A bit? Talk about an understatement.”
Juliette reached for Courtney’s left hand and examined the ring masquerading as her engagement ring. Even if her sister had seen it on her before, she didn’t think Juliette would remember it. Still, Courtney held her breath.
“Well, he knows what you like.” Juliette placed her hands on the desk. “Have you set a date?”
“February first. I’m going to ask Callie if we can use Cliff House.” She’d left a message for Callie earlier today. “And before you say anything, I mean next month, not February of next year.”
“After all these years, I’m finally rubbing off on you,” Juliette said with a smile. If a rushed wedding was anyone’s style, it was Juliette’s. “Did you tell Mom yet?”
Courtney nodded. “She wasn’t pleased, especially since she hasn’t met Josh. Saturday night we’re going to Mom and Dad’s for dinner. Scott and Paige will be there too. Mom said she would call and invite you so everyone can meet him before the wedding.”
“She left me a voice mail earlier. I haven’t had a chance to call her back. But I met Josh last year at one of Seth Vallencourt’s parties. If Selena Cruise hadn’t been draped all over him, I would have tried to get to know him better.”
Courtney knew exactly what Juliette meant by “get to know him better.” Her sister was the female version of a playboy and went through more boyfriends in a year than she’d had in her lifetime.
A sharp jab of jealousy struck her in the chest at the thought of either Selena or her sister with Josh.
“We didn’t talk for a long time, but he seemed like a nice guy.” Juliette continued while Courtney struggled with the image of Selena Cruise, an actress well-known for her mile-long legs and size D breasts, hanging all over Josh.
“I’ll call Mom later and let her know I’ll be there on Saturday.”
You don’t have to come, she thought as Juliette replaced Selena in the image tormenting her. She didn’t consider herself the jealous type. This afternoon, the ugly emotion was messing with her head.
“Next month. That doesn’t give us a lot of time to find you a dress.”
If she was about to marry someone she expected to spend the rest of her life with, she’d want every aspect of the day to be perfect, including her gown. This marriage had an undetermined expiration date, and while she wanted to look nice, she wasn’t concerned about finding the dress. For the sake of their charade, she’d play along.
“Unless you already have someone working on it, I don’t think there is enough time to have something custom designed. You’ll have to buy something off the rack.”
“You make it sound like the worst thing in the world.”
Her sister shrugged. “I guess it’s not, but do you really want a gown hundreds of other women have worn? I’d rather have something unique.”
“Off the rack will be fine.”
“If you say so,” Juliette said, tapping her fingers against the desktop. “Can you take tomorrow off? We can head into New York or Boston and shop.”
“There are bridal stores in Rhode Island.” She enjoyed a good shopping trip in New York as much as the next person, but she’d prefer not to make the drive anytime soon.
Juliette rolled her eyes. “Please. We won’t find anything around here. So what do you say?”
She didn’t have any meetings scheduled for tomorrow, and she did need a wedding dress. “Sure, but let’s go into Boston.”
When the snowflakes started coming down while he packed his bags, Josh considered spending the night in Bar Harbor rather than drive back to Providence. The text he received from Courtney while digging out his birth certificate letting him know she wasn’t going to her friend’s made the final decision for him.
Once out of Maine, the snow changed to a messy wintery mix and stayed that way for much of the ride. By the time he reached Providence though, it turned back to all snow, but at least so far there was little accumulation on the ground. If the steady stream continued all night however, it would be a very different story in the morning.
As promised, he stopped for takeout on the way back to the Mayfair—a task he should’ve known would take far longer than necessary today of all days. Although his publicist had been selective of which media sites she told about their engagement, the news had quickly spread to others, including perhaps his least favorite of them all, the Star Insider.
When he walked in the penthouse, the lights were on in both the kitchen and the living room, but Courtney wasn’t in either. This morning he’d left before Courtney, but he didn’t think she
would leave them on all day. So if the lights were on, she was here.
“Courtney,” he called, setting down the bags of food and removing the items inside. When silence answered him, he passed through the living room and down the hall. Both her bedroom and office doors were closed. He knocked on the bedroom door first. Again he got no response. Moving down the hall, he rapped his knuckles on the office door.
“Hey. Have you been home long?” Courtney asked from her bedroom doorway.
Her wet hair hung loose, and she was wearing flannel pajama bottoms and a cropped white V-neck T-shirt that didn’t quite reach her waist. Unlike last night’s shirt that was oversized, this one fit snugly, and thanks to the wet spots created by her hair, he could see the outline of her nips through the fabric.
Josh forced his eyes away from the tantalizing view and met her eyes. “Uh, no. I just got here. You?” Needing to do something with his hands before they got him in trouble, he shoved them in his pockets.
Courtney closed the door and walked in his direction. “Got home about an hour and a half ago. I hoped some time in the Jacuzzi would help me relax. It was a crazy day.”
He wouldn’t mind a soak in the Jacuzzi either, with or without her. After so much time in the car driving, his back and shoulders were tight. Unfortunately, his bathroom didn’t contain one. “Did it?” He followed her into the kitchen, careful to keep his eyes trained on the back of her head.
“A little.” Opening a cupboard, she reached up for the plates, causing her shirt to ride up. Like a moth drawn to light, his eyes locked on the bare skin now on display. “What did you get us?” She put the plates down near the takeout containers before getting out silverware.
With her back again turned toward him, he tried to adjust himself. Had she picked the pajama top to intentionally torture him? If so, it was working. “Thai from Sweet Ginger. I hope that’s okay.”
“I haven’t had a chance to try there yet.” She added a little from each container to her plate. “Let’s eat in the other room and watch television.”
Tempting The Billionaire (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 13) Page 9