by L. M. Carr
Gabe stands and offers to help our mother since my father has walked over to the cooler to grab a few bottles of beer along with his fishing gear.
Left alone at the table, Andrew and I sit in silence. I adjust my position, turning my body to face him. “Hey, do you want to talk about it?” I ask softly.
Keeping his eyes focused on the lake, Andrew releases a deep groan then hisses. “Talk about what, Morgan?” Shaking his head, I notice his lips have transformed into a hard line. “How you have this distorted perception of my parents or how you believed every word they said?”
I flinch as my heart sinks to my toes. “What are you talking about?” I reach out for his arm, coaxing him to look at me. “I...” I start as emotion threatens to rob my ability to speak. “I only know what I witnessed. Your parents loved each other and they certainly loved you.”
Fierce eyes bore into mine. “No, they didn’t.”
“Want a beer?” my dad asks, holding out a green glass bottle in Andrew’s direction.
Nodding, Andrew accepts the beverage and clinks it with my father’s. “Cheers,” he says casually as if we hadn’t just been at the beginning of a deep conversation.
Frustrated by Andrew’s immediate and drastic change, I decline the offer for a beer when it’s made. I grumble, stand abruptly and walk away to the lake’s shore. My hands ball into fists when anger floods me and aggravation mocks me. Why did I think he would open up and talk to me? The only thing he wants open are my legs.
Regardless of how incredibly sexy he is, Andrew Darling is the most infuriating man on the planet.
My legs continue to carry me, and I shove my hands into my pockets then stop before sitting on the wooden slats of the newly rebuilt dock. Admiring the simply gorgeous view, I soak up the sun’s rays shining down on me and enjoy the gentle breeze. Slowly a huge cloud shields the ball of fire, and I wrap my arms, clad in a light gray cable knit sweater, around my knees, keeping them tucked in close to my body. Shivering, I draw my hands upward, rubbing my biceps to ward off the chill in the air.
Thoughts of Andrew fill my mind. How can he flirt so casually, making promises to bed me and then shut down in a matter of seconds? What’s the point? Why would he say those horrible things about his parents? Mark and Diana were the nicest people I’ve ever known—kind, generous and loving.
I just don’t understand.
Releasing a deep sigh of frustration, I cover my face with my hands and vow to enjoy the weekend with my family. Leaning back on extended arms, I straighten my legs and look out over the water. Because peak foliage season slightly changes from year to year, the brightly colored leaves provide a spectacular backdrop against the cool water of the lake. The higher elevations of the Adirondack Mountains are even brighter and more vibrant. My eyes scan from the right to the left until they reach the Sagamore Hotel where members of a bridal party are arranged for formal pictures.
“We were supposed to get married there,” a deep baritone voice reminds me. The proximity of his voice to my ear indicates his position. I know he’s lowered his tall frame and is now squatting beside me. I smile, remembering the promise we’d made to marry each other the night of Junior Prom.
I gasp as I whip my head around to face the man I’ve known forever. “Mason!” I squeal.
Wrapping his arms around me, my childhood best friend squeezes me. “I heard you were back!”
“Oh my God!” I cry, jumping to my feet as he stands. Arms cross each other’s forms and my body arches, molding against his. The movement of my lips against his cheek produces a loud kissing sound.
Holding my body close to his, Mason whispers breathlessly in my ear. “God, I forgot how beautiful you are.”
I wiggle my way out of his hold, needing to gain some distance when I notice the nostalgia in his eyes. “Oh stop. I look the same as always. You look fantastic!”
Dragging my eyes over his body and my hands down his arms, I notice he’s now solid muscle. His neck is thick, his skin tanned and his facial features, accentuated by the weight loss, more pronounced. The shorter haircut reveals his deep set eyes along with a small scar. He’s even more handsome than I remember; one might even call him hot. With a quick shake of my head, I clear my thoughts. “When did you get back?”
“A few months ago,” he replies, aiming for nonchalance, but I sense the hint of sadness.
I nod in understanding and offer a tight, sympathetic smile. “Sorry to hear about you and Tessa.”
He scoffs then chuckles. “No, you’re not.”
A snarky comment escapes before I can stop it. “Yeah, you’re right. I always did hate that snotty bitch. I never understood what you saw in her.”
“I ask myself that same question on a daily basis.” A genuine smile appears beneath the hint of red in his beard.
“Me too!” I chuckle humorlessly. A wayward thought drifts to my ex-husband and I shake my head thinking about how incompatible we were right from the start. While most women say their wedding day qualifies as the happiest day of their life, mine would be the day the judge granted my divorce. Freedom never tasted so good.
Excited passengers stand on the deck and wave to us from aboard Lac de Saint Sacrement, a large vessel known for its scenic lunch and dinner cruises along Lake George. Mason and I both lift a hand to return the greeting.
“How long are you here for? Wanna grab a bite to eat later?” he asks, looking down at me as he moves my hair over my shoulder.
Feeling uncomfortable, I shift, pull my hair into a ponytail and secure it with the elastic around my wrist. “Can’t. I’m only here for the night. Heading back home tomorrow.”
He cocks an eyebrow at my use of the word home.
“That’s it?” he asks incredulously. “That’s not much time at all. It’s been forever since I’ve seen you. How’ve you been?”
“I’m good. Working. Keeping busy. Getting my life back in order after the divorce.” Trying not to sleep with Andrew Darling.
“Yeah, me too.”
To hear that Mason is now operating his own private investigation company does not come as a surprise; I’m sure he’s more than qualified based on his experience as military police.
“Where’re you living?” he asks, unable to hide the anticipation and hope that Lake George would once again become my permanent address.
“Still in White Plains.” I chuckle awkwardly. “I’m actually renting a pool house,” I answer quietly, hating how pathetic it sounds that I’m not yet standing on my own two feet.
“Sucks, huh?”
I nod in agreement. “Yep.”
Our eyes meet and for a split second, I see myself reflected in his. I rub my arms with flattened palms as we stand there until the sound of heavy footsteps demands my attention. I look back and find Andrew on the dock behind me, walking toward us with a beer in one hand and the jacket I’d left in the backseat of the Hummer draped over his forearm.
“Hi,” I offer, along with a small smile, hoping he understands that my simple word carries more than a cordial greeting; it’s packed with an apology for pushing him to open up to me when clearly he isn’t ready.
Mason turns to face Andrew and then looks at me out of the corner of his eye. I ignore the challenging look which points out the obvious fact I neglected to mention. Mason thrusts his callused hand forward then sizes Andrew up, narrowing his eyes briefly as if in recognition. “Hey, I’m Mason, an old friend of Morgan’s. Have we met before?”
A wry smile and a devious look appears on Andrew’s handsome face as he squeezes Mason’s hand. “Andrew. Morgan’s new friend and I don’t believe so.”
After a quick glance at Andrew, I nod. “Thank you for my jacket.”
Blue eyes bore into mine as my jacket is held open. Andrew waits for me to slide my arms in then drapes his arm over my shoulder and whispers in my ear. “I’d much rather be taking your clothes off though.”
My eyes close momentarily and I shiver.
“I could warm yo
u up really fast,” he continues.
With flushed cheeks, I smile coyly. “Maybe later.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
I gulp and look away awkwardly before looking at Mason who seems to be watching us carefully.
“Excuse me for a sec,” Andrew says, looking down at his phone when it rings. “I need to take this.” As he turns and strides away, I vaguely hear his voice deepen and become rigid, “Didn’t I tell you to stop fucking calling me?”
Andrew’s harsh tone implies the call isn’t of a friendly nature.
“Boyfriend?”
I peek over my shoulder before responding. “It’s complicated.”
“Do I need to check him out or what?” he asks with a laugh, adding, “A background check would be easy.”
“Not necessary. I’m all set, but thanks for the offer.”
Changing the subject, I ask Mason what he’s doing later. He extends his arms as if casting a fishing line.
“You?” he asks.
I tilt my head in feigned annoyance. “Mason, how long have you known me?”
“Practically my whole life.”
“What does my family do every Saturday night?” I grin, remembering how competitive we used to get when we played board games.
“Maybe I’ll swing by later. I’m supposed to meet this girl...”
“Oooh la la,” I tease. “Wait a minute! But you asked me to grab a bite to eat.” I place my hands on my hips.
“I would’ve canceled it for you.”
I chuckle and shake my head. “No need to do that. Does she know she’s a rebound?”
“What?” he squawks.
“I mean, come on...you just got divorced. Everybody knows the first person you date after a divorce is just a rebound.”
Mason grins crookedly and flashes his eyes to Andrew.
“We just work together!” I hiss under my breath. “You’re going on a date!”
“I didn’t say I was going to marry her and I’m certainly not bringing her home to meet the family.”
I narrow my eyes at his words. “It’s a long story.”
When Andrew rejoins us, his forehead reveals his pensive state. Desperate to smooth away his worry with either my fingers or my lips, I cross my arms over my chest.
A fishing boat drives by and its passengers wave.
“So Andrew, what do you do for fun? Do you fish?” Mason asks, but I feel there’s an undertone of interrogation.
“A bit,” he replies.
They spend several minutes talking about deep sea fishing.
“Why can’t I go?” I squeal when Mason extends an invitation to Andrew to join the Montgomery men for an afternoon on his boat. “I believe I still hold the record for reeling in the biggest bass,” I yell as Mason turns toward his family’s house.
He looks over his broad shoulder and laughs, agreeing with my statement. “You can come if you want.”
“Thankths, Mathan,” I call out, mocking his childhood lisp.
“See you later, Porgie.”
My amused eyes sweep up to meet Andrew’s.
“What’s that all about?” he inquires.
“He had a terrible lisp when he was a kid.”
“So you made fun of him?” Andrew inquires defensively. “That’s kinda messed up.”
I snap my head up to look at him then grin. “Whath’s the matter? Did you have a lithsp, too?”
“No, I didn’t have a lisp.”
“Oh that’s right, I forgot. You were the golden child.”
“Actually, I wasn’t,” he replies gravely.
Mid eye roll, I catch myself and stop, remembering his words about his parents not loving him.
“Are you going to go fishing?”
Shrugging, he asks what I think he should do. “I can stay here with you if you want and finish what we started last night.”
I drop my hold on his waist and reach into his back pocket when I feel his phone vibrate. Before handing his phone over, I see the name Paige. Jealousy rages, instantly spiking my anger and I step away. “You can go if you want. Who am I to tell you what to do, when to do it or with whom? And for the record, I doubt we’ll finish anything of the sort.”
The vertical lines between Andrew’s eyebrows deepen and apprehension appears. “Why are you playing so hard to get? You know you want me.” He asks, tapping the screen on his phone and sliding it back into his pocket.
Feeling slightly upset at the prospect of what may or may not have happened between him and Paige, I swallow thickly as I reach down to uncover the bowl of fresh fruit and deposit a large helping into a small, shallow bowl. “All I’m saying is you can do whatever you want.”
When I finally look up, Andrew is grinning at me with a can of Redi-Whip in his hand. “Thanks,” he says, taking the bowl from me, dispensing a mountain of creamy goodness over the fruit.
“Hey! What are you doing? That’s mine!”
Shrugging with a crooked smile, Andrew stabs a fork into several strawberries and shoves it into his mouth. “You just said I can do whatever I want.” He chews then swallows. “And besides I get what I want when I want it. Who are you to tell me no?”
“I don’t think I like you anymore!” My attempt to regain my dessert is in vain because he holds it high in the air and turns away, only lowering the fork to shovel more fruit in.
“You’re unbelievable.” I pluck a stray raspberry from the decorative bowl and pop it into my mouth. “I swear you’re the biggest pain in my ass, Andrew Darling!”
“What about being in your ass?” he asks, waggling his eyebrows.
“Ew! You’re so gross!”
“You’ve really never?” he asks with a roguish glint in his eye.
“Not answering that! When are you heading back to Colorado anyway?” I toss back as my legs carry me in the direction of the stairs where I take them two at a time.
I gasp then jump into the firefighter’s waiting arms when he appears in the doorway.
“Coop! Mom said you weren’t going to make it after all.” My arms snake around my eldest brother’s neck and my fingers claw at his navy blue work shirt. “I’m so happy to see you!”
As if I were a six-year old who weighed next to nothing, my brother steps onto the deck and swings me around like a ragdoll.
Feeling dizzy when I’m finally set down, I hold on to his forearm where etched deep into his skin is our brother Paul’s name with dates revealing the start and end of his short time on Earth. Cooper sets me down and sizes me up. “Girl, you’ve got to eat. Get some meat on your bones!”
“I eat plenty, but work keeps me busy and the stress of finding my own place doesn’t help.”
Looking over my shoulder, my brother calls out. “Who are you?” His question prompts me to turn to the man standing behind me.
I introduce my brother to Andrew. “We...work together.”
Andrew extends his hand in yet another exchange of greeting.
“Work together?” Cooper questions.
I nod quickly.
“Hey, did they ever find out what happened to those people who owned the company?” my brother asks, raising the bottle of water to his lips. “I’m telling you I still think something fishy happened. Helicopters don’t just fall out of the sky.”
My eyes widen and I shoot him a look of panic, silently asking him to shut the hell up.
“Weren’t those people loaded? I wonder if there was some insurance fraud going on. Maybe they’re really sipping margaritas in Mexico.”
I can almost feel the tension radiating from Andrew’s body. I long to hold him in comfort.
His voice deepens menacingly. “Actually, there wasn’t much left to either one of my parents when I identified their remains.”
My eyelids close, and I take in a deep breath. In that moment, I wish to be transported far away from here.
“Excuse me,” Andrew says, sidestepping my stunned brother and going in the house.
“Shit! I
didn’t know that was him! You should’ve said something!”
“You didn’t exactly give me a chance!” I retort, resting my elbows on the railing and burying my face in my palms.
A moment later, I hear the roar of the Hummer come to life, and my heart constricts when Andrew drives up the driveway.
“What’s up with him?”
I huff. “I don’t think he’s really dealt with their deaths yet. He’s got a lot of resentment towards them, but he won’t talk about it.”
“Does he have any brothers or sisters he can talk to?”
“It’s just him. I think he’s pretty lonely here. His life is back in Colorado, but he’s sticking around because his parents left him their company. Well...not just to him. They left a bigger percentage to someone who isn’t even family.”
Cooper chuckles. “You lost me.”
I raise my hand meekly and point to myself. “Me. Mark and Diana left it to both of us.”
“No shit!”
I grimace. “Yep.”
♦♦♦
Because Vegas is fresh on my mind and I think about Andrew’s disappearing act, I shoot him a quick text. Relief washes over me when he replies almost immediately.
I ran out to get a few things. Be back soon.
“Whew!” I blow out a deep breath and tap out a response. OK.
Less than a minute later another text comes through. I’m not leaving you again.
My hand flies to my mouth and my belly flip-flops with confusion. He’s not leaving me again? What’s that supposed to mean?
I hear Mason call out to Cooper to ask if he’s going fishing with everyone.
“Nah, I can’t. I’ve got to get back soon. Maybe next time.”
“You coming up for the Winter Fest this year?” Mason asks stopping in his tracks a few feet away from me.
“Dude, when have I ever missed it? It’s like sacrilege not to go.”
Mason shrugs awkwardly and sighs sadly. “I heard it changed a lot. When I was living in California, I’d see all the Facebook posts about it every year. I guess times have changed and I missed a lot.” Looking at me, Mason continues, “Then again, some things never change.”
Nudging my elbows into my brother’s ribs, I tell him that I’m going inside.