by Ginny Baird
“Thanks,” she replied, trying to peel her eyes off his rugged frame and broad shoulders. His muscled arms tempted her to touch them to learn if they were really as strong as they looked. But she wasn’t going anywhere near the half-naked man she detested. He was arrogant and rude…and totally meant for Olivia. So Olivia was who he was going to get.
Not her.
Definitely not her.
Not even in her dreams.
Okay maybe there, just once. Or maybe two times.
For sure not three times. That would be obsessive.
“Dinner,” she said absently. “Yeah.” She sat up with a jolt. Wait. No. “Tonight?”
He grinned like the cat who’d swallowed the canary. “They’re expecting us at seven thirty. The pot roast will keep, won’t it?”
She guessed her meal had lasted this long. What was one more day? Although maybe she should pop it in the fridge. But seeing the Albrights already, yikes. That might mean some serious fancy footwork in dealing with them, especially the judgy grandmother. The grandfather would probably be all right. She sucked in a breath to steady her nerves. Okay, she could do this.
“Oh. Well. Sure. And that will be nice,” she said, trying to put a positive spin on it. “Seeing your grandparents again. Will it be just them?”
“For now, yeah. The rest of my family’s coming in for Julia’s baptism later in the week, except for William and Sofia who arrive tomorrow. Julia’s—”
“Sofia and William’s new little girl. Yeah, Jackie told me.” Her head pounded. Seriously? As if his grandparents weren’t complication enough, she’d landed herself in the middle of an Albright family reunion. That was not part of her plan.
She racked her brain. How could she make a big family gathering work in her favor?
Given Sofia’s former friendship with Olivia, maybe Meredith could finesse a way to get Olivia invited to the christening? That would prove the perfect opportunity for her and Derrick to see each other again and tap into their old feelings for each other. Yes, this could actually be a fortuitous turn of events.
Meredith congratulated herself on her quick thinking, the seeds of this idea taking hold.
“Great,” he said. “Then you understand why I said yes to dinner tonight. That will give you a chance to prep the grandparents by explaining everything before the rest of the troops come in.” He gripped the doorframe to the laundry room and the motion caused his six-pack to expand into a glistening rock-hard plane.
She stifled a moan. He was probably doing it on purpose. Taunting her with his insanely hot body to get back at her for every mildly unflattering thing she’d ever said to him. And when she was being honest, last summer, she’d said a lot.
Wait. What was that mention of her prepping? Meredith gulped. “Me explain?”
“You said yourself that you’re really good at smoothing things over.” His forehead rose. “Besides that, this whole thing was your idea.”
“Yeah, but you agreed to it.”
“For now. I guess we’ll see how I’m feeling in the morning.”
Meredith panicked. Oh no. He was not backing out now. “You’ll be feeling like carrying this forward,” she said. “You’ll see.”
“You’re certain of that?”
Her dander got up. “Yes, I’m certain.”
“Because you have certain goals in mind?”
“I’m not the only one, Mr. Boatbuilder.” She bit her lip, but it had just slipped out. What was boatbuilding anyway? It sounded much more like a hobby to her than a serious profession.
His blue eyes flashed. “Says the TV star,” he said, like it was the dumbest job in the world. The dig stung, unearthing all of his previous insults. It was clear he thought even less of her job than she thought of his, and that spoke volumes.
Olivia could have him and Meredith would deliver—gift wrapped, no charge.
“At least I don’t make toy boats,” she snapped before she could stop herself.
He scowled at her. “They’re not toys. They’re life-size. And exquisitely crafted.”
“Oh really? Is that a fact?”
“Certifiable.”
“I’d like to see you prove it.”
“That’s just it.” His eyes twinkled in an infuriating fashion. “I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. That’s your ongoing issue, it seems.”
She lifted her chin. “I’m very happy in my job, and accomplished. I just want to accomplish more.”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “You can’t fault a lady for her ambition.”
Every inch of her skin prickled. “Don’t you have a shower to take?” she asked.
“Yeah.” He leaned toward her and into the kitchen. “Want to join me?”
“No,” she said, knowing he was only trying to razz her. “I’ll leave that to Olivia.”
“Touché.” Then, with a smug smile, he strolled into the hall and entered the bathroom, shutting the knotty pine door.
Meredith waited until she heard the shower water running before bringing her fist to her mouth and muffling her cry. “Grrrrr…”
Derrick Albright was going to be the death of her—if she didn’t kill him first.
The sooner Olivia arrived on the scene and she got those two ex-lovebirds together again, the better everything would be for everyone.
Including her.
Chapter Six
Meredith opened the passenger door of Derrick’s SUV, annoyed with herself for being annoyed with him for staying behind the wheel rather than coming around to open the door for her. He’d been sitting there waiting a least ten minutes while she primped that extra little bit necessary when meeting one’s adversary’s—slash—pretend fiancé’s grandparents for the first time since the last big fiasco. Which had not been of her making, she reminded herself for the billionth time. And anyhow, this wasn’t a date and she was not interested in Derrick.
Nope, not one bit.
He turned to study her as she buckled herself into her seat belt. She’d worn her favorite blue and pink flowery blouse, a long skirt, and pink high-heeled sandals. “You look nice.” Did she imagine it, or did his gaze linger on her bare legs?
“Thanks.” She flipped back her hair. “You do, too.” He looked great in his simple jeans and a polo shirt the color of Blue Hill Bay, but then, he always did. All of the Albrights were gorgeous. It was like a lucky family curse.
He cranked the ignition, and then they were off. Backing out of his gravel drive and onto the main road. “So,” he said, with one arm resting across the back of his seat as he navigated, taking peeks in his rearview mirror. “About that plan we were going to discuss at dinner—”
“I’m on it,” she said, gaining confidence as she voiced her idea out loud. “I think Olivia should get invited to the christening.”
He sent her a sideways glance. “That’s kind of last minute. Seeing as how the christening’s on Sunday.”
“Better late than never.”
His brow furrowed. “I don’t know, Mer. We’d have to clear things with Sofia and William first, and this is happening awfully fast.”
“I wanted to give it the whole summer,” she reminded him. “You’re the one who insisted on ten days. Rethinking that?”
He shook his head. “Nope. Honestly, I’d rather get both things over with,” he said, referring to seeing Olivia again as well as to putting up with her as a houseguest she guessed.
“You sure know how to make a girl feel wanted.”
“Trust me on this,” he said. “When I want a woman, she’s very happy about it.”
“Ha ha.” Meredith lowered her window, feeling a sudden heatwave in the SUV. Derrick had a really high opinion of himself and his manly attributes. That was evidenced by how he’d strutted around in front of her with his shirt off and his not-so-thinly-veiled allusi
on to all that supposed afternoon action in his bedroom.
But if he was such a catch, where was the woman in his life? She was thinking up a pithy reply when her cell phone rang with an all-too-familiar ringtone. Ugh. Not now.
“Hi, Mom,” she said, knowing that if she didn’t answer, her mom would call several more times until she did. She hadn’t played any of her mom’s earlier voicemails. In part, because she hadn’t had time, but also because she’d been too afraid to. “What’s going on?”
She had to hold the phone out from her ear when her mom shouted. “That’s what I want to know! Your father is apoplectic over this. Living in sin in Maine?” Meredith cringed when she threw in some Spanish. “Is he even Catholic?”
Meredith angled away from Derrick’s curious gaze, holding her cell to her ear on the other side. “Let me call you back later. Okay?”
“No-kay,” her mom said stubbornly. “We need to discuss this now. You made the news.”
“In Miami?” she asked, dumbfounded.
“In Boston. Your Titi Clarita’s ex-stepdaughter Liana saw the story in Gloria Rafael’s online gossip column. There was even a video clip! Of a very handsome man standing in the door of his cabin. It looked a little rustic, though. Bare bones. I hope you’re not staying there.”
Derrick leaned forward as he made a right turn and she shifted farther away from him in her seat as they traversed a low stone bridge. The sun had dipped down in the sky, sending a pretty purple haze across the water.
“Mom,” she whispered. “Now’s not the time.”
Somehow this didn’t deter her. “What kind of man is this Derrick Albright?” She could hear her dad complaining in the background, egging her on. “He didn’t even ask for your hand.”
“That is so last century!” Meredith hissed.
“That is so our culture.” She sounded indignant.
“No, not anymore.”
“I’d like to see you look your father in the eye and tell him that.”
“Look,” Meredith said, attempting to placate her. “We’re on our way somewhere—”
“You’re not staying with him?” Her mom sounded panicked. “Alone?”
“I’m a thirty-year-old woman.”
“With apparently very little sense.”
Meredith sighed. “I’m hanging up now.”
“What’s the address?”
“What?” Meredith asked, horrified. “No.”
“That’s Blue Hill, Maine, right?”
“Goodbye, Mom!” she said, ending the call.
She’d never expected her folks to learn about this, but of course they had. And now she was in a bigger mess than ever. But she was great at thinking on her feet. She’d come up with a good story to tell her parents and get back with them in the morning.
Her folks were always blowing things out of proportion, particularly her mom, who inserted herself more deeply into Meredith’s personal life than necessary. It wasn’t Meredith’s fault that her mom hadn’t handled her affairs to her own satisfaction, but Meredith was constantly paying for Dolores’s perceived youthful shortcomings.
“What was that all about?” Derrick asked with wide eyes.
Meredith’s face burned hot. “Family.”
…
They arrived at the Albrights’ summer place before sunset, snaking down the familiar blueberry bush-hedged drive. At the end of it, a stately three-story house sat on a lush green lawn overlooking Blue Hill Bay. She’d almost forgotten how spectacular this place was. When she stepped from the SUV, the scenery took her breath away. No wonder this had become the destination-wedding location of choice for Derrick’s siblings. The view was far-reaching, all the way to Cadillac Mountain, and the accommodations plush and cozy.
Grandmother Margaret exited the big house, heading toward the drive. The trim, gray-haired woman wore a smart powder blue pants suit that fit her personality to a T.
“Meredith,” she said without smiling, and Meredith got the sudden urge to run. She’d been nuts to think she could come here and convince the Albrights to be on her side.
The senior Albrights, especially.
Then, the older woman stunned her by pulling her into a stiff hug. “Good to see you,” she said. “Under better circumstances. At least let’s hope they’re better.”
Meredith awkwardly returned the hug. “Mrs. Albright, so great to see you, too.”
Margaret arched an eyebrow, gripping Meredith’s arms. “Derrick says you have news?”
“Oh, um…yes!” She bit her bottom lip. “It’s something very encouraging, actually. About Olivia.”
“Olivia?” Margaret asked with surprise.
Just then, Grandpa Chad emerged from around the corner of the house. He’d apparently been in the rose garden because he wore gloves and held garden sheers, along with a clipped bouquet of pretty dark red buds. Meredith couldn’t help but smile at his elegantly disheveled appearance in a dress shirt, suit slacks, and a matching vest.
His grin was broad and genuine. “Why, Meredith!”
“Hi there, Mr. Albright,” she called as he drew nearer.
“We heard you were in town.”
“More like, saw it on the television,” Margaret announced. Though she tried to sound disapproving, Meredith caught the hint of good humor in the remark.
Grandmother Margaret’s bark was sometimes worse than her bite, and she apparently could be a caring woman. Above all things, she valued her family.
“Grandmother,” Derrick interceded. “I already told you that whole thing was a mistake.”
“A really big mix-up,” Meredith hastily agreed. “Super huge.”
“Yes, that’s what you said.” Margaret eyed her grandson. “We can’t wait to hear the explanation.”
“I’m sure it’s a good one,” Chad responded jovially before giving Meredith a nod. “I’m afraid the hugs will have to wait.”
She laughed at his outstretched hands. “What pretty roses.”
“Some of our finest this year,” Margaret told her.
“Where do you want these?” Chad asked his wife.
“They’ll make a nice centerpiece for the dining table, don’t you think?”
“Splendid idea.” He cocked his chin toward the house. “Shall we take this party inside?”
When they began walking, Meredith turned to Margaret. “Please put me to work.”
“Oh, I intend to,” Margaret said. “You can make the salad.”
Chad glanced at Derrick. “You can help with the grilling, if you don’t mind.”
“Happy to.”
They reached the stoop and his grandparents walked inside first, with Meredith and Derrick following. Grandpa Chad beckoned Derrick into the library to show off a new sailing book and Meredith trailed Margaret into the blueberry-themed country kitchen.
She glanced around the bright and airy room. “Should I get to chopping?”
“Not yet.” Margaret checked the clock. “I made the twice-baked potatoes earlier and they need to warm up in the oven. The boys will take care of the steaks. Why don’t you make up the salad when they start the fire?”
“All right.”
“In the meantime…” Margaret pulled two wineglasses from the rack above the counter and turned to her. “Wine?” She glanced into the dining room which connected with the den. “Or, would you like something stronger from the bar?”
“Wine sounds great.”
Margaret handed her a bottle of pinot noir. “Mind doing the honors?” she asked, producing a corkscrew from a drawer beside the sink. Through the window above it, Meredith spied the edge of the garden path that led to the guesthouse where she had stayed last summer. While there had been lots of stressful things about that week, there’d been good times, as well.
Meredith took the corkscrew from Marga
ret and opened the wine. “I know you’ve made things up with Hope,” she said, referring to Brent’s wife.
“Jackie, too.” Margaret nodded. “And their mother sent a very nice fruit basket.”
Meredith drew in a deep breath. “I want to apologize, too, for having a part in it.”
“That was a strange time,” Margaret said. “But there were happy moments, too.”
“I was just thinking that.”
“Oh?” Grandmother Margaret held out her wineglass for Meredith to fill it.
“Your tea party, for one,” Meredith said, recalling the ladies-only sherry-drinking event. “That was loads of fun.”
Margaret chuckled. “That boat party, too.”
Meredith poured herself some wine, giggling. “And, the sleepover! Wow. What a shocker we got the next morning.”
“What a shocker the boys got.” Margaret’s blue eyes twinkled and she chuckled.
Meredith nearly snorted wine through her nose, remembering her manic exodus from the house when Derrick appeared, catching her in her PJs and mud mask. With the men away for the night at Derrick’s cabin, the women had planned a bachelorette party for the bride. They hadn’t counted on the guys returning at the crack of dawn and discovering the aftermath.
“Sounds like the party’s already started in here,” Derrick said, entering from the hall.
Chad came up behind him. “I see you’ve opened the pinot,” he said to Margaret.
“Yeah, it’s really good,” Meredith replied, taking a sip.
“I’ll take some of this, too.” Chad poured himself a glass.
Everyone headed to the den where Derrick fixed his own drink, a scotch, at the bar.
Margaret gazed out through the French doors facing the bay. “Why don’t we have our drinks on the porch? It’s a lovely warm evening.”
They all filed onto the porch with Derrick holding back the door.
When Meredith hesitated, he motioned for her to go on ahead of him. “After you.”
She raised an eyebrow. Seems like he could be a gentleman when he wanted to. “Thanks, Derrick,” she said, sashaying past him and out into the pleasant evening.