After finding his body wasn’t prepared to settle down, he decided to take a shower. A long, cold shower. Then he dressed and even shaved since he’d agreed to be her puppet for the day...or days. God, he hoped she wasn’t planning to run this crazy scheme of hers for weeks.
He could think of much better things to do with his time, such as watching the game, re-watching old games, finding a way to get a case of beer, drinking the case of beer, and drinking himself to sleep so thoughts of his past didn’t bother him during the night. These were a lot of the same things that had become his regular routine back in the city.
That was an interesting stream of thoughts since he’d went to bed planning on going over to Chet’s this afternoon. After stopping by the sports store on the weekend he was told by a young employee that Chet was away until Tuesday. Disappointment stole Colt’s anticipation and left him thinking that his notion wasn’t meant to be. Maybe he would just head home. However, as the weekend passed, the thought of meeting up with Chet on Tuesday stayed with him and put him back in a good mood, combined with spending afternoons and evenings with Peyton and their folks, before she turned all hog-wild mad on him. He’d been enjoying days of pleasure. Not sexual pleasure, although with Peyton that image was never far away. Actual enjoyment and happiness. There was a lightness in his chest like some of the smoldering sadness had been blown away.
What was all this feelings crap stuff about? He needed a mug of coffee in him and fast.
He followed the frying smell of butter, which promised a hearty Elaine breakfast and found his mother preparing sausage and Peyton buttering toast. His two favorite girls in the world. Hey, slow down! Where had that come from?
Sure he’d lavished in her smiles and teasing when just the two of them boarded the horse drawn sleigh ride because somehow while waiting in the lineup Kent and Elaine had ducked out on them...again. Slashing through the snow under the star filled sky was more romantic wrapped in a blanket and he had felt every inch of her body against his. Every bump, every turn, every stop.
After they had tickets and were taking the s’mores supplies to create their own on one of the bom fires along the beach, Kent and Elaine had taken off to a different bon fire leaving them alone...again. He really couldn’t complain because Peyton’s laughter made him smile as she helped him get his s’more wrapped properly in the tinfoil. He had especially loved the feel of her chin when he wiped the long strings of marshmallow that also wanted to touch her smooth skin.
“Good morning sleepy head,” Peyton said sounding much more pleasant than in his room. She flashed him with what appeared to be a friendly smile, which he cautiously returned. If only his mother knew the tongue this one possessed. She could snap at any moment and slap his face with a frying pan. Yet, he still stole a glance at the soft warmth of her lips.
Elaine chuckled. “This is the earliest he has awakened all weekend.”
That was because his sleep patterns were so off his body didn’t know day from night.
“I was telling your mom how you offered to come to the retirement home today.”
Offered? Did she have split personality disorder? “I wouldn’t call it that.”
The women made a little buffet across the counter of scrambled eggs, sausage, toast and fruits. There at the end, he spotted the warming coffee and a mug left out for him.
“A reputation upgrade,” Peyton offered the new terminology. If she couldn’t come right out and say it was because she was embarrassed of her reputation alongside him, what made her think this reputation upgrade was a good idea?
Peyton handed him a plate and their hands grazed. She jerked back and sent him a timid smile. A timid smile? He didn’t know she had one.
“Call it whatever you like I think it’s a wonderful idea,” his mother said. Of course she would, if it meant he was sticking around longer. If she knew he was contemplating the idea of buying Chet’s store he would never be able to turn it down.
“The elderly folks over there will be so thrilled.”
“I agree with your mom,” Peyton said. Of course she did, that’s because his mom was siding with her. Trader. “I think we should come up with some more grand gestures for the town.” Wasn’t she just full of great ideas this early morning? “What do you think Colt?”
Colt shrugged, following behind them and filling up his plate. The one thing he liked about being back was the home cooked meals. The one thing he didn’t like was the morning nattering without a coffee. His body needed coffee like his lungs needed air and right now both were lacking.
What time had he been up until this morning?
They sat around the small kitchen table. The morning sun wrapped around them and cuddled them as they ate. He finally got to sip the black liquid that travelled down his throat and promised a quick pick-me-up. He was going to need it with these two early morning risers.
“You could come by the children’s wing at the hospital,” his mom suggested, a hitch of excitement in her tone.
“If the kids are anything like Rosemary they would love that,” Peyton agreed.
Colt needed another man in this kitchen to side with him. Where was Kent?
“Colt what do you think?” Elaine sent him a smile.
It was way too early for him to really start to think about anything. He hadn’t even gotten his first mug of coffee in him yet...he’d hardly got a sip. He’d awoken early from a sleepless night to Peyton next to him like she had materialized from his dreams. Next to him...on his bed. The game plan had chirped like a mocking bird: keep your hands to yourself; no touching; no caressing; no sultry comments that she can’t resist and land you both naked under the sheets. Feeling and emotions were tugging his strings all morning, he wasn’t ready to make decisions!
He shrugged again.
His mother took that as a yes. “I will make the arrangements. I can’t wait to show you off.”
Colt wasn’t quite as thrilled.
***
Colt got himself together in plenty of time to meet the demanding little fireball at The Old Town Soap Co. and he watched as Peyton led her pack of sisters like she was the head wolf.
They were all suited up with fancy bags full of product for their presentation and Peyton was giving a speech or instructions, either way he really didn’t think they applied to him, so his mind shut them out. He was still wondering exactly what he was doing here and how his presence was going to save her reputation. Wouldn’t it make it worse?
He stood back leaning against the long counter with his arms crossed in front of him. If every little thing published online or in a paper about him was true he really would be quite a jerk...her word. And there had been a lot of stuff written about him in the last couple of years and he wasn’t sitting around stewing about it. Because he didn’t care. Not like Peyton did.
The McAdams sister’s dedication to their business only spurred more thoughts about the store at the end of the street. Chet’s Sports could be replaced with Colt’s Sport House or Colt’s Sports Supply. Yeah, he liked the sounds of those names.
“Colt.” Peyton’s voice cut through his thoughts like a flying puck scoring the winning game. He could hear the roar of cheering. Peyton wasn’t cheering.
He was already staring at her. He couldn’t help it. He liked the way her bounding spirit matched her long brown hair and that she flailed her hands exaggerating everything she was saying...even if he had stopped listening to the words coming from her lips. Sorry but creams, lotions, this and that, was not his game. If she was talking skates and hockey sticks she would have every last being of his concentration.
He snapped his attention back to the present. “Yeah?”
“Did you catch all that?” Her hands gripped the tiny hips that he knew was under the black cotton blouse, trailing buttons, tightly snapped around her breasts and hidden by a thick belt underneath. She had one knee bent sending him attitude.
Her sisters...all of them...unlike Peyton were grinning away like students
after the teacher zeroed in on that one loud interrupter. He bet they probably thought this idea was ridiculous too. Even if they were friendly and welcoming, he saw the looks they sent him. They felt sorry for him having to suffer through a day of girly spa...or whatever it was they were doing.
“All of it,” he lied.
She arched her perfectly shaped, taped-up eyebrow in question and it partially disappeared behind her wispy bangs. “Really?”
Nope, not a single word. “Every last word.”
A devilish smile crossed her face. “Fantastic.” She clapped her hands together, ending the interrogation. Why did he have the feeling her version and his version of the definition fantastic were very different on this topic.
“Then we are all set. Let’s go,” Peyton said.
They were driving two vehicles to the retirement home. Kate was driving her Escalade and Sydney slipped into the passenger’s seat. Colt climbed into his truck and the youngest of the McAdams jumped in the passenger’s side giving the door an extra slam.
“Hey, nice ride,” Abby said, running her long fingers, with tips that looked like they were dipped into the bubbling pot of a witch’s brew, along the edge of the dashboard. “Very original: hockey player, manly big truck, top of the line with all the extras.” She smiled at him. “I assume because you’re loaded that this is loaded not because I know anything about trucks because I don’t. But if you had a motorcycle I could relate. Do you have a motorcycle?”
She was right. It was fully loaded, top of the line and he didn’t own it because he was a hockey player. He liked trucks.
“No,” he said, starting the ignition. She looked disappointed.
When Peyton finished loading the back of her sister’s vehicle she stood in-between the truck and the Escalade looking from one to the other, not sure which to go in.
“She’s going to end up coming with us,” Abby said. “Only because she’s afraid of what I might say.” When Peyton grabbed the handle Abby said, “Play along and you’ll enjoy the ride way more than Peyton. Consider it payback for making you come to this. I don’t even want to go to this.”
Colt chuckled and wondered what the blonde had planned as Peyton pulled the back door open and slid into his truck. He could only imagine recalling their last supper together.
“Follow Kate,” Peyton ordered.
He made an obedient motion with his hand against his forehead. “Yes Ma’am.”
Abby giggled. “Get used to it,” she murmured.
“I heard that,” Peyton said. “I am literally right behind you Abby.”
Abby mocked Colt’s motion with her hand. “Sorry Ma’am.”
Colt didn’t dare chuckle out loud but he did grin and glance in the rear view mirror at Peyton. Her head was dipped down in her book.
He reversed and followed the Escalade.
“So Colt, some of those pictures online of you and my sister are pretty steamy,” Abby said, sending him a wink.
“Abby, honestly. I already explained those pictures,” Peyton said.
They were nothing like they seemed, pictures never were. He couldn’t help play along and lighten the mood in this truck, Peyton’s mood. “It was a little hot and steamy,” Colt contradicted and Peyton’s head snapped up from her tablet.
“No, it wasn’t,” she said.
“Oh, could you imagine if they’d gotten hold of the pictures from your room the other night?” Abby said with a horrific well-played gasp.
“Abby, nothing happened in his bedroom.” That was a lie.
“Those were steamy,” Colt agreed. He could see Peyton squirming uncomfortably in the back seat while her sister could barely hold in her excitement. “There would have been no getting out of the bed shots.” He purposely lied just for a reaction.
Abby screamed and flipped around in her seat to face her sister. “You were in his bed!” she yelled at her.
“No! Colt you made that up. Stop encouraging her. We were never in his bed. We were...it wasn’t...”
“Holy madness, you were!”
“Yeah, that was when my mom walked in.”
“Colt!” Peyton yelled, horrified.
“No?” Abby said, and then she turned to Colt. “Seriously?”
He nodded.
Abby laughed. “That’s the same day you walked in on Dad and Elaine. Oh gross. You people need to learn how to lock doors when you’re doing the hanky panky.”
Hanky panky? Colt laughed at the term.
Abby sat back in her seat. “Is there more? I would love to hear more.”
“No,” Peyton said immediately. “And if this conversation continues, Colt you owe me more of your time and Abby, you will be scheduled to work every weekend in the shop for a year. Keep it up you two. I dare you both.” Peyton didn’t sit around and let people prickle her. She was quick to snip the thorns off the stem.
Abby made a zip her lips motion, obviously not a fan of weekend working, and sat back against the seat with the biggest grin on her face.
When they arrived at the Willow Valley Retirement Home the workers in the main lobby rushed over, surrounding Colt for autographs and pictures.
Peyton stayed a distance back talking with the events director who showed them into a large living room style area with love seats and chairs arranged around an open area where a few tables were set up.
“My son is your favorite fan,” the tall, slim, red headed events director−the only staff that stayed in the room with them−said to Colt as the McAdams sisters starting setting up little demonstration tables.
Maybe he should have actually listened to the pep-talk before they left the shop and he might have an idea what was going on. Then he could’ve assisted to keep what was about to unfold neatly folded in place.
“He’s twelve but he thinks he’s going on twenty,” she laughed tossing her hair back. “He’s been playing hockey his whole childhood.” She frowned. “Unfortunately, he’s no pro like you...” She lightly poked his chest. “...but he sure does enjoy it.”
“I bet that makes you and your husband proud.” That usually deterred the bold ones from getting too close, the mention of their spouse.
She giggled a little obnoxiously. “Oh we’re divorced.” She held her left hand up. “No ring,” she said. “I’m single.” Backfire.
Colt was so used to women throwing themselves at him, that this wasn’t anything new. He needed to stand his ground, set the boundaries and give her the clear impression he wasn’t looking.
Peyton cleared her throat behind them before he had the opportunity.
Miss Jacobs...so the tag on her blazer read...reluctantly glanced passed him after sending him an apologetic smile. “Do you need anything else?” she asked Peyton.
“We need water,” Peyton answered.
Peyton would never sink her teeth into him the way Miss Jacobs easily did. It made him wonder...what was it about him that attracted Miss Jacobs and was it exactly the thing that had appalled Peyton: his apparent reputation with the ladies?
“I can show you the kitchen. Right this way.” She flashed him another flirtatious smile before turning away and swaying that round bottom under her pencil line skirt for his very attention−
“Ugh!” A plastic empty pitcher slammed into his unprepared gut with Peyton’s hand wrapped around the handle.
“Not part of the plan,” she hissed. “Seriously.” She shook her head walking away.
He wasn’t positive but assumed, since she gave him an empty pitcher, that he was to follow to the kitchen. He did.
“We’ll just wait here,” he heard Abby call after him. “I’m in enough trouble already.” It was her own fault with her sister bantering love. He heard Kate and Sydney inquire why she was in trouble. Colt wasn’t sure which was better: staying with the nosy sisters or following this one particularly bossy sister. The sister he couldn’t seem to shake from his mind.
Miss Jacobs was talking through an ear piece and left them alone in the kitchen.
> “That’s not helpful,” Peyton snarled at him, swaying her bottom toward the sink, but not purposely which made him enjoy the view all that much more. A natural sway, not created just for his viewing and on Peyton it made it all that much better.
He followed her. “You told me to flirt,” he reminded her, even if he had been preparing not to encourage Miss Jacobs. He was working a rise out of Peyton on purpose.
“With the old ladies!” There it was. Her voice rose, then she quickly scanned the room to make sure no one had entered with them. She lowered her voice. “Not that staff. We are trying to show people you don’t sleep around and if you’re flirting it gives the opposite appearance.”
She attempted to blow strands of loose hair that had fallen over her eyes with a small exasperated breath leaving her lips. Both of her hands were occupied: one on the tap while the other was holding the jug under the pouring water. Her bangs fell back across her eyes.
Colt moved beside her and slid her bangs away, tucking them behind her ear. His hand lingered a little longer touching the softness of her ear. “No flirting,” he promised. He leaned his elbow against the cupboard to look around her. “I promise.”
“Good because flirting leads to other things. You flirt with me all the time and you want more.”
He almost laughed that she was brave enough to say it out loud, so forcefully, and not sound conceited like other women would have.
“It’s different with you.”
She threw him an, I highly doubt it, look. “Why? Because I’m not jumping into bed with you every time you offer? Do you only want what you can’t have Patterson?” Oh, he could have her. Right here and right now, he could kiss her out of her pants. He wouldn’t because of the game plan agreement. They shouldn’t even be having this discussion when the game plan was supposed to keep them on track.
“No.”
“Did you flirt like that when you were married?”
“No,” he answered. “I didn’t. I was nice to women, I’m not a prick, but I was married so they were all off limits.”
Lakeshore Legend: The McAdams Series (By The Lake Series Book 2) Page 12