Counterfeit Date: Echo Ridge Romance

by Checketts, Cami

  “That’s cool of you—you know, not to hold a grudge or something.”

  Mason didn’t know how to respond. Lolly probably thought he was hung up on Kaitlyn still. Should he tell her he was more than over it? His actions of not dating much the past few years didn’t show he was over it, so she might not believe him anyway.

  “Okay, see you in a bit.” Lolly sauntered away.

  Mason enjoyed watching her go. As soon as she vanished from sight, he yanked out his phone and dialed Kaitlyn.

  “Hey, Mace.”

  “This isn’t working,” he said. “I can’t keep this up.”

  “Yes, you can. It’s going to be awesome! She confided in me that she’s helping you get ready for your dream girl date, but I could hear it in her voice. She wants you!”

  “You think?” He knew for sure that he wanted Lolly, but he was less confident that she’d reciprocate the feeling.

  “Yes! Trust me, Mace. This is going to be so perfect. When she sees you Saturday night, she’s going to flip when she figures out she’s your dream girl. You gotta do this.”

  “Why can’t I just tell her right now?”

  “Do you know Lolly at all? I’m not joking that she flits through men like ice cream cones. You’ve got to make her want you so bad that she’s salivating, and then we seal the deal on Saturday night and she’ll never let you go. Trust me on this. She’s my best friend.”

  He pushed out a breath and jammed his hand through his hair. There was that word again: salivating. He was salivating for Lolly, but he’d trust Kaitlyn and Jessica and try to be patient. “Okay, okay.”

  She said something to Axel, then spoke into the phone again. “Aren’t you coming here to work out?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ll see you soon. I’m so stoked about you and Lolly!” She squealed and hung up.

  Mason exhaled slowly. If only there was a “him and Lolly.” He hoped he wouldn’t have to watch her blaze through men, but maybe in Echo Ridge the pickings were too slim for her. The thought of her with another man made his fists clench. If Kaitlyn thought sticking to the plan could make Lolly his, he’d have to soldier through this week.

  Chapter Five

  Lolly had fun playing with Fin and Trace as she waited for Mason, but when she heard the doorbell, her heart leapt and she jumped to her feet. “Pizza,” she told the boys.

  “Pizza?” Fin piped up. He was almost four and in charge of everything. He knocked over his little brother as he raced for the door. Trace started crying, probably more insulted than hurt.

  Lolly picked him up and cuddled him into her shoulder. These two were adorable and she was glad Jessica had asked her to babysit. Trace stuck his thumb in his mouth, looking up at her with clear blue eyes. He was more serious than his brother, and so chubby she couldn’t hold him standing for very long. That didn’t stop her from cuddling him. Whenever Trace would let her, she’d wrap him up and hold him on her lap. She loved chubby little guys.

  Fin had flung the door open by the time Lolly reached the foyer. Thankfully, it was Mason, who was holding a couple of Jack’s pizza boxes. His slow grin appeared, and her stomach tingled with butterflies. “Hey,” he said.

  “I want pizza, I want pizza!” Fin hollered.

  Mason transferred the boxes to his left hand and swept Fin off the ground with his right. “Oh, you do?”

  “Yay!” Fin cheered.

  Mason pushed the door closed with his shoulder. “You say please and you got it, man.”

  “Please!” Fin shouted.

  “That’ll do.” Mason winked at Lolly.

  Lolly led the way into the kitchen under an arched doorway. Gentry had remodeled an older two-story home, and Lolly loved the unique flair of the stately house. The kitchen had a huge butcher block table with open cabinets, big windows, and pans hanging down from the ceiling. It fit Jessica and Gentry—classy but full of personality.

  Mason set the pizzas on the counter and Lolly put Trace in his booster seat while Mason lowered Fin onto a barstool. Mason lifted open the first box of pizza. “I got half cheese, half pepperoni. That’s what my sisters and brother like.”

  “Yes!” Fin yelled. “Pepperoni’s the best, but Trace only likes the cheese.”

  Mason nodded. “Whew. I did okay, then.”

  “Yes, sir.” Fin grabbed at a piece, then yelled, “Hot!”

  “Calm down, little man.” Lolly got some paper plates out and slid a piece of pizza on for each of them, blowing on them to cool them off.

  “How ’bout you say a prayer, then try it again?” Mason suggested.

  “Okay.” Fin bowed his head and rushed through a prayer, blessing the tough pizza man, which made Lolly have to bite back a laugh. He raised his head. “What’s your name, tough pizza man?”

  “I’m Mace.”

  “Nice to meet ya, Mace. I’m Fin.” He stuck out his hand and they shook. It was so cute seeing Fin’s tiny hand engulfed in Mason’s large palm. “Thanks for pizza!” Fin reached for his pizza again and started happily chomping.

  Lolly cut up Trace’s pizza into bite-size pieces. He shoved them into his mouth until it was full almost to bursting, then put two fingers against his lips as he chewed because he couldn’t close it completely.

  “Wow,” Mason breathed. “I’ve never seen a kid eat like that. Even my little brother, Jude, doesn’t shove that much in.”

  Lolly laughed. “No wonder Trace is so cute and chubby.”

  “My brother’s a tank!” Fin yelled, his mouth full of pizza.

  Lolly nodded her agreement, then got them each a glass of milk. The pizza’s heavenly smell made her stomach growl.

  Mason smiled and slid the top pizza off the bottom one. “You didn’t tell me what you liked.”

  “I like everything,” she said.

  His smile faltered. “Does that apply to men or just to pizza?”

  Lolly groaned. “What lies has Axel been telling you?”

  “Lies?”

  Okay, they weren’t lies, but why did Axel have to tell him that she dated everybody and their brother? What did it matter? She wasn’t Mason’s dream girl. He was only here so she could help him get ready for his date. Right? Then why would he be so cute and bring pizza? She couldn’t let herself think about it too much, or she’d go nuts and beg him to ditch his dream girl, Lily. Why did her name have to be Lily? The cute version of Lolly’s lame name.

  When she didn’t answer, Mason stepped over closer to her. Luckily, the little guys were consumed with their pizza. “He just told me you date a lot.”

  “What does that matter to you?” she snapped.

  Mason took a step back and his eyes shuttered. “It doesn’t.” He flipped the second pizza box open. “There’s Hawaiian, meat lovers, chicken barbecue, or chicken pesto.”

  He was thoughtful getting all the different kinds of pizza, but his last flippant comment stung. Okay, her comment before that had been harsh, but it was because she was so confused. Dang him. Why was she so taken with him? He pushed a hand through his beautiful reddish-blond hair, and she had to look away from those stinking beautiful biceps. She remembered the way he’d just swooped Fin off the ground with one hand, all manly and tough. Whew.

  Grabbing a piece of chicken barbecue, she muttered, “Thanks.”

  “No problem.”

  The boys ate their pizza really quick and Fin threw both of his crusts at Trace, which made Trace cry. Not a good thing with a mouthful of pizza. Trace slobbered most of his bite down his shirt and onto the floor. Lolly tried to comfort him while Mason helped Fin apologize, then clean up the pizza crusts and the mess on the floor. Trace calmed down and Lolly wiped up his shirt; then Mason took both boys into the living room to play. Lolly finished eating one piece of pizza and putting the leftovers away. This parenting stuff was busy.

  When she walked into the spacious living room, the sun was just going down in the west and Mason was backlit with a glow. He had a boy cradled in each arm and was spinning
around as they giggled and giggled. Oh my goodness, he was exquisite.

  Mason sank to the floor, sprawling out on his back and claiming, “I’m dizzy!”

  The boys laughed even harder, crawling all over his chest and abdomen. His shirt got pushed up on his abdomen, and Lolly’s mouth went dry. He must lift weights hours a day to have a six-pack like that, and he wasn’t even flexing.

  He caught her eye and grinned. “Do you want to wrestle?”

  Lolly backed up a step so she wouldn’t push the little boys out of the way and claim her own wrestling match. “Looks like you’ve got it under control.”

  He laughed, then let out a growl, and still lying flat on his back, he picked both boys off the floor, one in each hand. Sheesh. He looked like the Bionic Man.

  “Airplane!” Fin yelled.

  Lolly loved seeing the more serious Trace laughing, and she loved seeing how cute Mason was with the boys, and she really loved watching his biceps and triceps flex as he held them aloft. She took slow breaths, but it didn’t calm her fluttering heart.

  After they wrestled for a while, Lolly thought maybe she should settle the boys down or they’d never go to sleep. “Shall we watch a show?”

  “Movie!” Fin clapped his hands and ran to a white cabinet next to the fireplace, below the flat-screen television. “Thor?” He looked to Mason, who nodded encouragingly, and Fin amended his suggestion. “Please.”

  Lolly suddenly realized how much Mason resembled Thor. Especially since they’d both had long hair, then cut it off. Oh, yummy. “Sure.”

  “Thank you!” Fin hollered.

  They got the movie started and Mason and Lolly settled onto the couch. Fin was cuddled between them and Trace snuggled on her lap. At least the boys were a barrier so she didn’t throw herself at Mason.

  Trace was asleep ten minutes into the movie and Fin made it almost an hour. Thor was fighting some alien-looking things, but Lolly couldn’t concentrate on that with Mason so close. She stood with Trace in her arms. “I’m going to lay him down.”

  Mason lifted Fin up and followed her toward the boys’ bedrooms. Lolly gestured to the left with her head. “Fin’s room is that one.”

  “Got it.” Mason strode through the doorway.

  Lolly took the opportunity to let out a long breath. She was getting much too comfortable with him, yet she was also all hyped up and aware of him. She wanted him like she’d never wanted any other man.

  Lolly hurried into Trace’s room and settled him in a cute bed that had been crafted out of a rowboat. She realized as she laid him down that she hadn’t had the boys brush their teeth, use the bathroom, or put on PJs. Yikes, she was a terrible babysitter. She straightened and smiled as the little boy curled into a ball and plunged his thumb in his mouth. He was adorable. She wanted a bunch of children someday. Would they be dark like her or have Mason’s strawberry-blond hair?

  Stop, brain! She covered Trace with his blanket and rushed from the room.

  As she turned to softly close the door, she felt the warmth of Mason’s large body directly behind her. Slowly pivoting, she came face to chest with him. She glanced up and heat rushed through her. Mason stared down at her, his blue eyes full of desire. No, she was reading something that wasn’t there.

  Mason placed his hand on the doorframe and leaned in. Lolly swallowed and her stomach swooped. Time slowed down as she studied his face and basked in his clean, manly scent tinged with pine. He eased closer and closer. Lolly had been kissed by many a boy and man, but she’d never felt this delicious anticipation, this all-encompassing desire to feel a man’s lips connect with hers.

  Mason was a breath away when he stopped and murmured, “Lolly, I—”

  A door opened and closed and Jessica called out, “We’re ho-ome!”

  Lolly gasped, slipped under Mason’s arm, and speed-walked to the living area. “Hi! How was the date?”

  “Fabulous.” Jessica slipped her heels off and grinned up at Gentry. “Any time with this guy is fabulous.”

  Mason came up behind Lolly, close enough she could hardly restrain herself from leaning back into his chest. She stayed strong, luckily.

  Jessica’s eyes widened. “Oh? You had some help babysitting.”

  “I don’t know how much help I was,” Mason said.

  “He got Fin to say please with just a look,” Lolly said.

  Gentry chuckled. “That’s wizardry, not babysitting.” He came forward with his hand outstretched. Mason stepped up to Lolly’s side and shook Gentry’s hand. “It’s great to see you, Mace. How have you liked being back in town?”

  “I love it. My family’s here, and …” He glanced down at Lolly. “Lots of other people that I love.”

  Lolly’s breath caught. “The boys fell asleep without brushing their teeth or peeing,” she blurted out.

  “Ah, no,” Jessica moaned. “I’ll be washing sheets tomorrow.” She caught herself and smiled. “You’re great. It’s no worries. Thank you so much for watching them.”

  Lolly forced a smile. She wouldn’t have made the mistake, but Mason was distracting her. Gentry and Mason were chatting about some tax law that affected Gentry and Jessica’s business. Lolly listened in because it might affect her and Jessica’s company also, but the moment between her and Mason was forever lost. She kept trying to tell herself that was for the best, but her heart didn’t believe her.

  Chapter Six

  Mason got up early Wednesday and went on a long run along the mountain trails, half-hoping he’d run into Lolly the entire run, but she never appeared. He showered and arrived at work early, crunching numbers and flying through his pile of work. He was meeting Lolly at Kenworth’s after work, and though their moment last night had been interrupted, he had high hopes about today. Maybe after they shopped for his “outfit” for Saturday night, she’d let him take her to dinner, then she’d let him take her on a walk, then she’d let him kiss her.

  She still thought he was after some other girl. Lily. How transparent had that been? Should he claim he needed practice for his date on Saturday? Practice eating out and kissing? A wicked smile curved his lips.

  Work kept him somewhat distracted and the day went by. Finally, it was five-thirty, and he strode across the sunlit street and into Kenworth’s. He breezed past the sweet-smelling chocolate counter and saw Lolly and Gentry in the men’s department. Gentry had offered last night to come help them shop. Mason liked the guy, but his metro style was completely different from Mason’s conservative look, plus he really just wanted to be alone with Lolly.

  Lolly turned at his approach and a bright smile lit her beautiful face. Her blue eyes twinkled at him. “I’m so excited to shop!”

  Mason chuckled. “Said no man … ever.”

  Gentry laughed. “Jessica says I’m the only man she knows who likes to shop.”

  “Lucky for her,” Lolly said.

  Mason cringed. So Mason not enjoying shopping was a negative? Dang. He couldn’t lie and say he liked to shop, but with Lolly here, he was certain he’d enjoy it today.

  “Let’s get started,” Gentry said with a gleam in his dark eyes. He always looked polished, and today he wore a button-down shirt and slacks. Mason was dressed similarly because he’d been at work, but his sleeves were rolled up and he couldn’t wait to get home and take his work clothes off. Gentry seemed like he lived in business casual. “What are we looking for?”

  “Well, Mason has a big date Saturday night,” Lolly said. “Dinner at the Outlook. A suit?”

  Mason wanted to protest, but if Lolly liked suits, he’d wear a suit.

  Gentry nodded, appraising Mason. He grabbed a blue suit coat off a rack near him and held it up. “Ralph Lauren makes their coats a little more husky cut.”

  Husky? Was that code for too thick? Did Lolly like how built he was, or did she like more trim and stylish men?

  “Oh, that’s perfect,” Lolly gushed, running her fingers over the sleeve and making Mason’s mouth go dry. He’d try on the coat im
mediately if she’d run her fingers over the arm while he was wearing it. “It’s got a light summer feel.” She grabbed a light-blue button-down shirt and white pants. “How about these to go with it?”

  “Yes!” Gentry agreed. “And no tie. We want casual, appealing, but not like he’s trying too hard.”

  Mason stared at the two of them. He would try as hard as he could to get Lolly’s attention, but white pants? No way. What kind of a man wore white pants?

  “What size are you, Mace?” Gentry asked.

  “Um, 38 on the coat, 17 by 36 on the shirt, 34 on the pants.” He swallowed hard. Did he balk at the pants or do it for Lolly?

  Lolly’s gaze traveled over him slowly. She chewed on her lip and muttered, “You are a big one, aren’t you?”

  Mason’s neck got hot. He rubbed at it, feeling pretty certain she did like his build.

  Meanwhile, Gentry was exchanging sizes and handed him a pile of clothes. “Try these on and we’ll go from there.”

  Mason held in a sigh as he looked at the white pants and took the clothes. He followed Gentry to the dressing room. Glancing over his shoulder before he entered, he caught Lolly watching him go. She lifted her eyebrows at him, a challenge clear in her gaze. Mason smiled and inclined his chin. She obviously had some feelings for him, or she wouldn’t stare at him like that, right? Then why had she agreed to go out with Axel’s fictitious friend Saturday night?

  “Jess filled me in on everything,” Gentry said in a low tone, removing the clothes from the hangers and laying them out for him. “She’s in heaven matchmaking for you. Thanks, man.”

  “Anything to make Jessica happy,” Mason said flippantly.

  Gentry arched an eyebrow, and Mason knew this was a man who got manicures and eyebrow waxes, but he was still chill and rocked the debonair man look. Mason wondered if he needed to be more like Gentry to get Lolly’s attention.

  “Sounds like you’re the one everyone wants happy,” Gentry said.

  Mason nodded. “You guys are all great to help out.” He cleared his throat and admitted, “I really like Lolly.”