“That would be wonderful, Rhett.” Ty’s mom turned to Darla. “Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
“Sure. I guess.” Darla yawned loudly. “Sorry,” she said quickly before yawning again.
Ty checked on her in the rearview mirror. Her unwavering enthusiasm must’ve worn her out. All day she’d played the part of the perfect Colorado tour guide. He’d had no idea she was so knowledgeable about the area, but it had worked out well. She’d been so busy wowing his brother and parents with facts about the scenery that she and Ty didn’t have to interact much. Between his mother and Darla, no one had to interact much.
“No need to apologize. Of course you’re tired,” his mother said, giving Darla’s shoulder a pat. “You two had such an ordeal being stuck on the highway all night.”
“Well everything turned out all right, since Ty was so prepared.” Darla reached forward from the backseat and laid her hand on his shoulder. “He’s the one who’s probably tired. At least I slept.”
That was the other thing Darla had done all day—she’d tried to show him in the best possible light every chance she got. And while he appreciated the effort, it didn’t help him keep his feelings for her in check.
“I’m fine.” Instead of relaxing under Darla’s touch, his shoulders tensed.
As they drove down Main Street in Topaz Falls, Darla pointed out everything of interest. “There’s the town hall, and the library and the bakery. Ginny Eckles makes the best cinnamon buns you’ll ever eat,” she chatted. “And there’s my chocolate confectionary and wine bar.”
“The Chocolate Therapist,” his mom read from the sign. “I love that name! How clever.”
“Looks like the nicest establishment on the block,” Rhett said. “Do you need investors?”
Ty tightened his grip on the steering wheel. With Rhett, everything always came down to status and money.
“I’m good on the investors front,” Darla said.
“Well I’d love to check it out more.” Rhett glanced back at their parents. “What about you two? Maybe we should head over later this evening.”
“Great idea,” Darla said before Ty could shut down the conversation. If his family was wearing on him, they definitely had to be wearing on her.
“I thought you were tired.” He found her in the rearview mirror and widened his eyes with a subtle cue to get them both out of more family time, but she didn’t seem to get it.
“I have to be there anyway. I’d love to show it off. We can all head over as soon as you get settled.”
“Wonderful idea,” his mom exclaimed. “I can’t wait to try the chocolates. Homemade is so much better than that store-bought nonsense.”
“How’d you get the idea to start a wine-and-chocolate bar?” Ty’s dad asked.
“Well, I’ve always loved both.” Darla went on to tell them more about her business, and Ty was happy to listen to her talk for a while instead of his brother.
He turned onto his street and pulled the truck in the driveway of his rental house. Like most of the older homes in town, it was a simple log cabin—square and compact, but at least it had three bedrooms and an acre of land. He glanced in the rearview mirror at Darla. Though she’d kept that smile intact all day, she really did look tired. This pretending stuff was exhausting. “I figure we can drop them off and get them settled here, and then I’ll take you home,” he told her.
“Home?” His brother angled his head to look back and forth between Ty and Darla. “Why would you take her home? Don’t tell me you two aren’t living together.”
His mother harrumphed. “They don’t have to be living together.”
“Your mother and I didn’t live together until after the wedding,” his dad added.
“Yeah, that was forty years ago.” His brother eyed him with suspicion. “Things are different now. Everyone moves in together before they get married. It makes more sense.”
His tone implied that nothing about Ty and Darla made sense. Ty had to hand it to him—Rhett was smarter than he gave him credit for. He unclicked the locks so his family could get out of the truck. “We’re not living together.” Deal with it.
“Not yet anyway,” Darla rushed to explain. “We have to figure out what do with our houses, and there’re so many logistics to take care of. We haven’t had the time.”
“I get that, but you don’t have to stay at your place just because we’re here.” His brother had never been one to let things go. “No one cares if you’re shacking up.”
“Leave them alone,” their mother said, swatting Rhett over the seat. “I think it’s nice to be old-fashioned about things like that.”
Yeah. Old-fashioned. That was one way to describe him and Darla. Ty should’ve known Rhett would make a big deal out of their living arrangement. “Here’s the key.” He handed it back to his dad. “Why don’t you head on inside? I’ll grab the suitcases and be right in.”
“You got it son.” His dad climbed out of the truck before helping his mom out. Rhett gave Ty one more scrutinizing look, and then he got out too.
After the door slammed, Darla moved to the middle of the backseat where Ty could see her.
“You sure you’re up for having them all at the bar tonight?” Was he the only one who wanted to go to bed early? “We’ve hardly slept.”
Darla’s smile disappeared. “I have to be up for this. Your brother’s not buying the engagement. He’s suspicious.”
“So?” Of course Rhett was suspicious. Mostly because he didn’t buy that Ty was good enough to be with someone like Darla. “It’s probably jealousy. He’s not used to Mom and Dad giving me—and my fiancée—so much attention. It’s overshadowing him for once.” If it wasn’t all fake, Ty might be gloating.
“We can’t afford to lose him right now. We’ve based our whole marketing campaign on him. He’s the star attraction.” Darla peered out the window. Rhett was standing farther up the driveway, watching them with interest. “If he finds out we’re lying, he’ll be pissed, and we can’t risk him leaving. You have to start selling this.”
“I don’t know how to sell this,” he shot back. How was he supposed to act? He was fake-engaged to a woman he was falling for. A woman who was still grieving for her dead husband. And Gray had sounded pretty damn perfect, by the way. That meant this was one more competition Ty wouldn’t win. “What’d you want me to do?”
“Act like we’re engaged. Like we’re in love. Like we’re happy.” Darla moved her face within kissing range and put on a coy smile, likely for Rhett’s benefit. “The last thing I need right now is for you two to get into some big fight that sends him packing.”
Acting. Rhett was right about one thing. Ty had sucked at acting ever since that lead role in Grease. “I’ll do my best.” The way his heart pounded when she got this close, he might not have to act at all. “I have to take their suitcases in, then I’ll drive you home.”
“Sounds perfect, schmookie poo.” Darla gave him a quick peck on the lips and then waved at his brother.
Leaving the engine running, Ty got out and moseyed to the back of the truck with a grin on his face. Rhett met him at the tailgate. “Trouble in paradise?”
“No. There’s no trouble.” Ty slid out the suitcases one by one and set them on the driveway.
“Darla didn’t look too happy when you two were talking just now,” Rhett pressed.
Okay, that was it. Enough veiled questions. Ty faced his brother directly. “Why is it so hard for you to believe I found someone like her?”
“It’s just weird.” His brother stared him down. “Mom said you never mentioned a girlfriend until she called to invite you home for Christmas, and all of a sudden you’re engaged?”
“Darla and I have known each other for a long time, but I wasn’t about to tell Mom until I knew for sure it was serious.” That shouldn’t have come as a surprise. As far as Ty knew, Rhett had never brought home a woman to meet their mother.
His brother’s eyes narrowed. “And you know for
sure now?”
He knew for sure he wanted her. He knew for sure he could never have her. Not all of her. “We’re getting married aren’t we?” he growled. Before his brother could see the mounting frustration, he snatched as many suitcases as he could carry and headed into the house.
* * *
Nothing like an impromptu Christmas party to get the blood pumping.
Darla careened around the bar, making sure the truffles and wines were all set out and easily identifiable. Thankfully she’d already dressed up the place with various Christmas decorations—garlands draping the bar, white snowflake lights dangling from the ceiling, and a festive Christmas tree in each corner of the space. To complete the ambience, she’d put country Christmas hits on the Bluetooth, and as if by magic, light snow had started falling outside, shimmering in the glow of the streetlamps.
Given Rhett’s obvious suspicions about her and Ty, the worst thing they could do right now was spend time alone with Ty’s parents and brother. That was why she’d invited all of their friends for free wine and chocolate at the last minute. If she was going to make it through this fake engagement, she’d need some serious moral support. Miraculously, everyone had made it. Everly and Mateo, Lucas and Naomi Cortez, Levi and Cassidy, Dev and Charity.
She suspected most of their friends were here out of sheer curiosity to see her and Ty masquerade as a couple, but she’d take it. If she and Ty were going to pull this off, they needed their friends’ help.
“Okay, everyone!” She gave off a shrill whistle to quiet the crowd. “Ty’s family will be here in a few minutes, so I wanted to go over this again.” She climbed up on a chair so everyone could see her. “Ty and I met when he moved out here and became friends. Eventually the friendship developed into something more and you were all ecstatic when we got engaged. Keep it short and simple if it happens to come up while you’re talking to his parents.”
“What if they ask us about the wedding?” Mateo yelled out from the back of the crowd. “When are you two finally getting hitched?”
Laughter went around the room, but Darla silenced it with a wave of her hand. This was serious. They didn’t have time for jokes. “Let me remind you how important it is to welcome Rhett Forrester to town and to keep him here so our benefit auction goes off without a hitch.”
Mateo gave her a repentant nod, but he was still grinning.
“Are there any other questions?” She kept an eye on the storefront windows in case Ty happened to drive by.
“Yeah.” Never one to be upstaged by his colleague, Levi stepped forward. “What about that picture of you two kissing on the town’s Chamber of Commerce Instagram page?” he asked slyly.
Oh. Yeah. That. She’d caught a glimpse of the well-liked photo on the drive home from Denver. Seeing it had brought back the rush Ty had given her. Thinking about it threatened to bring back that rush. “What about it?” she asked as though it hadn’t meant anything.
Levi elbowed Dev. “It sure didn’t look fake to me.”
Darla rolled her eyes at the murmurs of agreement. “That kiss—and the others that will probably follow—are simply for the purposes of selling our engagement. We all know what’s at stake here if we screw this up. Keep that in mind tonight.” Before they could ask any more questions, she climbed down from the chair and hit the Play button on her phone. Right on cue, the speakers filled the room with Dolly’s effervescent voice singing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
“Everything looks perfect.” Everly came up behind her. “But you seem stressed. Can I pour you a drink?”
“No thanks.” Lately, wine hadn’t sounded good at all. Just the thought of it seemed to turn her stomach sour. “I’m not stressed. I’m just not sure how Ty is handling having his family here.” If the first twenty-four hours had been this rough, they weren’t going to make it another week, let alone the whole duration of his family’s extended stay.
Her friend walked the length of the bar, selecting a few of her favorite truffles. “Mateo said he and his brother don’t get along.”
“That’s putting it mildly.” That was exactly why they had to step up their game. “If you get the chance to talk to Rhett, make sure you tell him how right we are for each other,” Darla instructed.
“Oh I will.” Everly’s wry smile poked fun at her, but before Darla could ask her what was so funny, Rhett sauntered in, followed by Ty’s parents.
“Welcome to the Chocolate Therapist.” Darla waltzed over to greet them. “I invited some of our friends to celebrate with us tonight. I hope that’s okay.”
“Okay?” Ty’s mom hugged her tight. “It’s perfect,” she said, pulling away to marvel at the space. “This is a beautiful place. And it smells absolutely divine.”
“Pretty impressive,” Rhett agreed, giving the bar an obvious appraisal. “I like the vibe.”
“Thank you.” Coming from him, she assumed that was a big compliment. “Where’s Ty?”
“He’s parking the truck,” his dad said. “I told him we’ve got two good legs for walking, but he insisted on dropping us off at the door.”
“It was so considerate.” Ty’s mom wore a proud smile. “I think you’ve changed him for the better, my dear.”
“Oh no. It has nothing to do with me. He’s always been considerate.” Why did his mother not recognize that? “That’s one of the things I’ve always loved most about him.” As she said it, Darla realized it was the truth.
“Yes, of course,” Maureen agreed.
“Oh please,” Rhett muttered.
Before he could say more, Darla jumped in. “Let me introduce you to some of our friends.” She led them over to the group of women first, all of whom were warm and friendly—not to mention completely trustworthy and great at keeping secrets. Next, she gave short introductions to the men, who immediately pulled Rhett into a football discussion.
“Well then.” She turned back to his parents. “Can I get you a glass of wine?” She pointed out the bar. “All of the wines are paired with truffles meant to enhance the flavors.” She could spend hours talking about all of the different combinations and ingredients, but most people found that boring, and she wanted Robert and Maureen to mingle.
“You don’t have to wait on us,” his mother said, tugging her husband away. “We’ll help ourselves so you can spend time with Ty.”
The door opened and Ty walked in. Something about him had changed. He held up his head, kept his shoulders back, and strode right to her purposeful and confident, his eyes locked on hers the whole way. “Hey darlin’.” He pulled her in and slid his hands down her sides to her waist. “I missed you.”
Her heart seemed to start a slow descent, sinking like the setting sun. “Mm-hmm.” She took him in, the clean look of his freshly shaven jaw, the dark button-up he’d paired with those tight cowboy jeans. If that wasn’t enough, the scent of him alone had her captivated. He smelled like cold air and traces of pine—like Christmas wrapped up in the sexiest package she’d ever had her hands on.
“Does that mean you missed me too?” His hands melted into her lower back, filling the entire region with tingles.
She was suddenly aware of everyone watching them. “Yep. Uh-huh. Sure did.”
A slow smile overtook his eyes. “Come here.” He lowered his lips to hers, and instead of shying away from her like he had done all the way home, Ty went for it—claiming her lips, seeking out her tongue, wrapping her tightly in his arms. The kiss seemed to raise her up until she was soaring. She couldn’t help but kiss him back. Really kiss him back, clinging to him while he held her close.
“Aw, you two.” Maureen broke up the moment by taking a picture of them. Darla pulled away from Ty and smiled while his mother snapped another picture.
“I can’t wait to share this with everyone back home,” she chirped, slipping her phone back into her purse. “I hope you can come for a visit in the spring. So we can introduce you to the rest of the family.”
“Of course we’ll come. Right
, darlin’?” Ty slipped his arm around her, resting his hand comfortably on her hip. “Maybe during the off-season when the bar isn’t so busy.” He glanced down at her. All of the tension that had knitted his brows together during the drive home was gone. He looked comfortable and relaxed.
“That’s a great idea.” Aware of Rhett watching them from across the room, Darla snuggled into his side, her heart still struggling to find a regular beat.
“Hey…” Ty pulled her in closer. “You want to dance?”
Darla glanced around them. Everyone was talking and mingling, but no one was dancing. “Um. Right now?”
“Yeah. This is a great song.”
The whooshing in her ears had finally subsided enough that she could hear Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree” playing. She almost laughed. She’d never pegged Ty as a Kelly Clarkson fan.
“Come on.” Before she could tell him he was crazy, Ty grasped her hand and started to pull her away. “You don’t mind if we dance, do you, Mom?”
“Mind?” Maureen nudged her husband forward. “We’ll join you. Won’t we, Robert?”
The poor man couldn’t answer because he had a mouthful of truffles.
They drifted away from the crowd, and Ty pulled her in close against him. He moved his hips against hers as he led her in a surprisingly good two-step.
Darla smoothed her hand over his broad shoulder, peering up at him with a sassy smirk so he wouldn’t notice she’d gotten a little shaky. “What are you doing?”
Ty’s grin went broader. “I’m selling it.” He nudged her away from his body and twirled her into a spin before reeling her back to him, all the while staying perfectly in step with the music.
Despite the dizzying sensation, Darla laughed. “I’ll say you’re selling it.” She did her best to keep up with his movements. She wasn’t one to be upstaged on the dance floor.
They two-stepped and twirled and spun until she could hardly stand up straight. At some point, most of the other couples joined in—but everyone else seemed to be a blur. She kept her focus on Ty until the song ended and she was light-headed and warm and out of breath.
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