“I can see why your grandmother fell for this house.”
“I know. Poor woman never stood a chance.”
“Did your dad woo your mother with a house?”
He shook his head, “No. My mom worked for my dad. It was an office romance.”
“That’s sweet.”
“It would have been if he’d stopped having office romances after they were married.”
“Less sweet.”
“Yup. They didn’t split ’til I’d graduated high school so that was a lot of time to be unhappy.”
He pulled the car to a halt and jumped out. End of conversation.
By now, I had worked out that Chase liked to open the car door for a woman, and I decided I’d let him. If it made him happy to act like a handsome prince, then I could indulge him.
He offered me his hand and pulled me up a little fast and I slammed into his warm, hard chest. I know he said the men in his family were no good for women, but he seemed to radiate positive energy. He looked good, he smelled good, and he felt good.
“So how did I do, fake-fiancé-wise? Did I pass the first date test?”
I wasn’t going to lie to him. He was, without question, an excellent first date and it wasn’t even real. The whole day had a somewhat unreal quality about it. “You, my friend, were an excellent date. I had a great time. And yeah I guess you passed.”
“If this were a real first date, I would kiss you now.”
He hadn’t let go and I was still pressed against his chest. One of his hands flicked a lock of my hair over my shoulder as his dark eyes met mine, and I felt my knees go a little weak.
“Really? You think it went that well?”
“You said it was excellent yourself.” The hand in the small of my back pulled me closer.
“I did.” I actually did want him to kiss me. It was a very long time since I’d been kissed. Would it be so very wrong to let it happen? To allow myself a moment or two of what might be bliss?
Then his lips brushed mine. It was a sweet gentle kiss that promised more. How I wanted him to deliver on that promise, but he didn’t.
“Well, thanks for a lovely date,” he said.
“That’s really how you’d play it?”
“Probably.” He nodded. “If it was a date, that is. If we were just hooking up, then, no way. You’d be upstairs and naked by now.”
I felt a flush creep up my face. The thought of being upstairs and naked was um… Way too appealing. “Lucky we’re only fake-dating then.”
“Yeah.” He leaned in for a low whisper. “But I promise you, if you were naked in my bed, you wouldn’t be faking anything, Lucy.”
Oh my God. There was that arrogance, and heaven help me, I was finding it hot. I was losing my mind. Stand me in front of a castle with a couple of glasses of wine in me and anyone looked like Prince Charming.
I pulled back and shook my head. Words failed me.
***
I lay in the incredibly soft bed and watched the moonlight dance on the ocean outside. I tried to remember if I’d ever slept in a more beautiful room, and I came up empty. In the life of Lucy, this was as good as it got. I had to give myself credit for choosing such an enviable fake boyfriend. I still wasn’t certain I wanted to take him to the reunion but I could do worse.
Patty would die if she could see this house. I reminded myself to take a few pictures on my phone the next day so I’d have evidence that I had, indeed, been here, and maybe they’d remind me that this wasn’t just a dream when I was elbow-deep in pastry in a couple of days.
Yep, Patty had always liked nice things. She already came from what I thought was a pretty great family and lived in a nice two-story house in our home town. Her bedroom had a big four-poster bed and matching furniture. Her mother made nice dinners like roast chicken and meatloaf, and it wasn’t unusual for the woman to bake cookies. I don’t suppose they were rich, but they seemed to have everything a person could want, but that had never been enough for their daughter.
More was what she needed; more was what she wanted. I never understood it then, and while I could see living in a house like this would be pretty nice, it wasn’t something I craved. It was almost too much.
It wasn’t that I felt unworthy, I thought, wriggling my toes on the luxuriously soft sheets. It simply seemed like too much. I’d take the sheets, the comfy mattress, and the impossibly delicious smelling air freshener in the bathroom, and happily transport them to a smaller home.
Not Patty. The truth was, this was the life she thought she’d been destined for, but in our town, Jacob was the closest thing to rich we had, so she’d set her sights on him. His father was our town’s accountant and his mother was the Mayor. They had a really nice house and they were very well-respected. Revered, I remember my own mother saying.
“That Jacob seems like a nice kid, Lucy, but you watch out. I don’t think his mother will want him ending up with the likes of you.”
Part of me had been insulted at the time, and part of me had known my mother was right. Jacob’s mother had never been rude to me but she’d hardly been effusive either. It was clear that she respected my ability to get on with things despite my circumstances, but that still didn’t mean I was good enough for her precious son. I knew she hoped our romance would run its course, and I’m sure she didn’t discourage Patty’s pursuit of Jacob.
Why was I even thinking about these people? I hadn’t given them much thought at all for years until the stupid high school reunion came up. I hated that I was letting them have my time and energy again. They were not worth it.
And that was the funny thing; Chase’s mother, who quite clearly had come from money, seemed to have no issue with me at all. Of course, I wasn’t dating her son, but I thought she had a feeling we were, and she’d been nothing but smiles and welcomes. I had to give Chase and his mother props for that. How much someone else had didn’t seem to make a bit of difference to them. Beat-up car? No problem. Homeless? Not an issue.
I was tired, so it was time to stop thinking and let myself enjoy the luxury of the home I found myself visiting.
Chapter 6
Breakfast at Chase’s was a family affair. I found him and his mother on either side of their kitchen table, devouring a section of The New York Times. I had slept embarrassingly late and hoped to slink down undetected, but there was no chance of that. There was, probably, a very strong chance I’d get coffee and bacon so that was something.
I was wearing white jeans and a boat-necked navy t-shirt. And of course sneakers. Now that I looked out the window at the boats, I had a feeling my outfit was way too nautically themed.
“Good morning,” CeCe trilled, smiling at me.
“Good morning.”
“Now, darling, help yourself to some coffee, or we have tea or juice.” She waved her hand toward the island. “And Chase made pancakes so we saved you some.”
“Thank you. I didn’t mean to oversleep.”
“Don’t be silly. If Sundays aren’t for sleeping in, then what are they for?” Chase handed me a coffee mug.
“Well, my hometown would have said they were for church.”
“Oh, yes. Well, I’m afraid that’s not really our thing these days,” CeCe chimed in. “I prefer to admire God’s handiwork from the comfort of home and tell Him thanks that way.”
“Coffee?” Chase raised the pot.
I nodded.
“You slept well?”
“Oh yes, that bed was almost too comfortable, if such a thing exists?”
“I liked the idea of you sleeping in my bed.”
Had we not just been discussing church? I raised my eyebrows
He shrugged. “Pancakes?”
“Yes thanks.” I slid into a spare seat at the breakfast table. “It smells wonderful.”
“And there’s bacon. I don’t know how anyone could be a vegetarian with bacon in this world” CeCe said.
“Me neither.”
I took a bite of a pancake. It was f
luffy and light and delicious. “These are great.”
“I can only cook about four things. Lucky for everyone present, pancakes are on the list.” Chase’s grin said he was pleased with himself.
“So what do you two have planned for today, darling?” CeCe asked, as if our spending the day together was the most natural thing in the world.
“I think, Mother, that it’s a day for an adventure.”
The woman actually clapped with glee. “How exciting! Nothing better than a good adventure. Do tell.”
“It’s a surprise for Lucy so you will have to wait and find out, too.”
More clapping from CeCe. “Ah a surprise. How divine. Well, if I’m not allowed to know, I’ll head out to the garden. You can fill me in later. Have a lovely day.” She turned on the spot and wheeled away as we called out farewell to her back.
“I’m really not much for adventure or surprises.” I said. I wanted to be though.
“Bad luck, because today you’re having one,” he told me. “Anyway I thought all women liked surprises. My mother sure does.”
“There are so many ways I differ from your mom. I wouldn’t even know where to start the list.”
“Oh, you’re not as different as you think. But she has always loved an adventure. When we were kids, she’d make up these great scavenger hunts for us so we might have a taste of adventure.”
“That’s very sweet.”
“Ah yes. Those halcyon days.”
“At least you had some,” I said, trying to keep the bitterness at bay. It was a beautiful morning, the sun was bouncing off the water below and I needed to focus on how lucky I was right now.
“I’m sure you did, too.”
“Actually, life was pretty sweet before my dad left.” I took a sip of coffee. “Perhaps we could move on to a happier topic. I like to let my breakfast digest before I start digging into my childhood memories. So, what’s the plan?”
“The plan, sweet yet cynical Lucy, is that you need a jacket, a smile, and maybe sensible shoes.”
“That’s not exactly a plan.”
“Well, that’s all you’re getting, so go grab your stuff and I’ll meet you here in five.”
“Can you be trusted, Chase?”
“I guess you are going to have to take a risk and try it,” he said before whisking our plates away and loading them into a very shiny dishwasher.
I headed up stairs to prepare for our adventure the best way I knew how: I phoned a friend.
Cherie answered in an instant. “Hey, girl. How’s your romantic weekend going?”
“It’s not romantic… and it’s going fine. He’s taking me… well, I don’t know where. He says it’s an adventure.”
“Lucky you!”
“I don’t feel lucky.”
“What’s wrong with you, girl? You’re spending the weekend being spoiled and treated fine by a hot guy. On what planet is that a bad thing?”
“It’s just…” She was right. I sounded like a total pain in the butt. I needed to shake this off and relax.
“Here’s my advice for what it’s worth. Relax and enjoy.”
“That’s not very specific.” I was moving around the room, throwing things I thought might be useful into a duffel bag. Lip-gloss, a scarf, sunscreen, mints, a sweater…
“Well, it’s more than specific enough. Relax and enjoy yourself for once. You deserve a nice weekend, Lucy?”
“I guess, you’re right. I’m out of practice.”
“It’s like riding a bike. You’ll be fine. Call me later with an update. And try to be gracious. I know you like to be the loner tough guy, but some people actually like doing nice things for people. Sometimes, it’s nice to let them.” She had a point. I loved doing nice things for people; I just wasn’t all that good at being on the other end. “It’s a bit like compliments. One must learn to both give and receive them.”
“I’ll bear that in mind.” I said to myself for she had hung up.
I ran down the stairs to meet Chase who looked gorgeous in a light blue golf shirt and denim shorts. His sun-kissed skin was the color of a delicious golden honey. It would be all too should start thinking of him as my fantasy fiancé and not my fake one. I needed to relax and enjoy but not quite that much.
He had a cooler bag, a picnic blanket, and a smile. “All set?”
“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
He slung his arm around my shoulders. “That’s the spirit. And I promise you it won’t be that bad at all.”
***
An hour later, we were on his luxury cruiser out on the water. The wind was whipping through my hair, and the sunlight was dancing across the waves. It was a perfect summer day and this seemed like a magical way to spend it.
Chase had informed me as we’d walked to the marina, that we were taking the cruiser and not the yacht.
“On the cruiser, Lucy, you can sit there and look decorative. On the yacht, everyone must work. I figured this was a simpler way to get your sea legs. Next time, I’ll teach you to sail.”
With Cherie’s voice in my mind, I didn’t remind him, yet again, of the temporary nature of our romance or how there would not be a next time. I simply climbed about the boat, sat myself on a beautifully upholstered chair, and settled in for the ride.
“Having fun?” he called over the sounds of the sea.
“Yes, thanks. It’s great.” I gave him a thumbs-up.
“Excellent.”
I sat there and watched the harbor recede as we rounded the point to the north. A few seagulls followed as we coasted past what looked to be a regatta. It was like a scene from a painting and I decided to remain silent rather than ruin the moment with chatter. Sometimes, words just weren’t necessary.
Around lunchtime we pulled in to a small bay and dropped anchor. “This is one of my favorite spots. Don’t tell anyone about it.”
“I promise not to reveal your hiding spot.” Who did I know with a boat who would crash his party? No one.
He joined me on the bench. “So this wasn’t such a hideous adventure, right? So far anyway.”
“You’re right. This really is nice. It’s a treat for me to do something I haven’t done before. Thank you.”
He looked over each of my shoulders as if he was searching for something. “Who took Lucy and replaced her with someone so gracious?”
“I’m sorry if I’ve been that unpleasant.”
“You haven’t been really, but you do make it hard to impress you. It’s good for me; I’ve had to up my game.”
“If you had game already, I’m sure it was fine. Start with, “come see my car collection at my castle,” and bam! Game on.”
“I must remind you—”
“I know, it’s not a castle.” I said using air quotes and I shoved him with my shoulder. I had to admit, the feel of his bicep through the golf shirt was not half bad.
Oh who was I kidding? It was as far from bad as you could get.
“Still, it is kind of easier to impress a girl when you’re well-resourced.”
“You have me there. Although I think you worry too much about money Lucy.” He stood up. “Can I interest you in drink?”
“Sure. “I followed him to the galley which had a full kitchen with a little dining table and bedrooms and a bathroom beyond. “How many bedrooms does this have?”
“They’re called staterooms and there are three.”
“Wow, maybe I can live here if I don’t find an apartment.”
“Of course you could, though I think you’d be better suited to the house. Mi casa es su casa.”
There was no way that was ever going to happen. I was fine with a weekend, but that we were a long way from me moving in. “That’s very kind, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“Of course you will.” He handed me a glass of wine. “There’s no doubt in my mind, Lucy that you can take care of yourself. Honestly, it is one of the things I like about you. You’re capable.”
“Capable.” I repe
ated. It made me sound like a hospital matron or an office manager.
“It’s a compliment. You should take it as one. Lots of people are incapable and you’re not.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Instinct.”
He busied himself unpacking the food he’d brought along. I wanted to check out the staterooms, but the thought of being in a small bedroom at sea with Chase made me feel, not awkward exactly, but self-conscious. The truth was, part of me would really have liked to make out with him on this boat. He was a very cute guy and he was kind. And, to be honest, it had been a really long time since I’d had any action.
The sensible, nay, the capable, side of me knew that that was not going to be good for me. Part of me wished I didn’t take sex so seriously, but the truth was, I did. Growing up as the daughter of the town’s good-time girl, who brought a string of men through my life, had left me with some baggage. Yep, baggage was the word for it.
It would have been nice to have hot, casual sex with Chase, but I wasn’t a casual person.
“You’re lost in thought over there,” Chase said, hauling my pensive ass back to reality.
“I drifted off, sorry.”
“Drifting at sea…” he mused.
“Kind of. You must have brought a lot of dates on board.”
“Not really,” he said, arranging some rolls on a plate.
“Seriously? You don’t need to sugar-coat stuff for me, like you might for a real girlfriend.”
He looked at me. “Lucy, if I had brought a slew of women on this boat, I would tell you, whether you were my girlfriend or not, but I haven’t. That’s not my style.”
This was interesting. What was Chase’s style? What would it be like to really date him? “I don’t bring women home as a rule, and I tend to mainly connect with women when I travel which makes it easier.”
“You’re a love-’em-and-leave-’em kind of guy?”
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