The Matchmaker's Fake Marriage
Page 9
“I was trying—”
“Hey,” Peyton said as she slipped into the seat next to Gus. “Why didn’t you wake me when you got back?”
For a moment, he was frozen. Wow, she looked great. Instead of her jeans and t-shirt from earlier, she was wearing a cute little sundress and sandals, with her hair hanging loose around her shoulders.
“This is a vacation. Naps are on the schedule.” He smiled.
She rolled her eyes. “Hey, Ty,” Peyton said turning her attention to Tyrone. “How are you?”
“I’m great. Did you have fun on the trail ride?”
Gus watched as she animatedly told him about all the things they saw on the way up and in the clearing. “It was the best,” she said as she finished.
“That’s good.” Ty took a drink of water and tapped Gus on the shoulder. “Oh, hey. I almost forgot. Remember how we’d talked about dinner tonight? Making a change? Our manager suggested we have a buffet for the guests and watch the sunset. It’ll be a nice way to end the day since it’s Christmas.”
Peyton smiled. “That sounds awesome.” She touched Gus’s arm. “After that, we can go back to the bungalow, and you can open your present.”
“Present, huh?” Ty asked.
She nodded. “Oh yeah. When we were kids, we’d get each other gifts and then open them Christmas Eve, but we fell asleep last night, which means he’ll be opening his gift tonight.”
Ty nodded his head toward Gus. “Yeah, he doesn’t rest as much as he should when we’re in New York.”
Peyton turned her gaze on Gus. “I know he doesn’t. I could see the dark circles the first day he showed up at my door. I keep telling him he needs an assistant.”
“I’m fine,” Gus said. “And I told you I’d hire someone soon.”
Ty grinned, and Gus braced himself. “You should hire Peyton.”
She gasped, and her eyes widened. “I’d be perfect for it. I actually had the exact thought when we were talking about it the day we arrived.”
Her? What? Living in New York with him? The only way he was handling not being with her was the distance. “Oh, but you love banking. You wouldn’t want to be my assistant.”
“I’d love it. A change of scenery, and I’d be near you.”
Gus shook his head. “I don’t think you’d like it.”
“You don’t want me as your assistant?” Her voice held a tinge of sadness, like he’d hurt her feelings for even suggesting she wasn’t good for the job.
“You’d need to move to New York. Do you really want to leave Juneau?”
“I’d have you, right?” She smiled. “It’ll be perfect.”
Gus’s mind was in a torrent. What could he say? Hadn’t he just been thinking he needed to take a break from her so he could get over her? Now she’d be living in New York?
Ty nodded. “Personally, I think it’s a great idea.”
Peyton smiled, taking her attention from Gus to Ty and back. “See? Even he thinks it’s a good idea. I’d be great at it. I’ve got superior skills when it comes to details, scheduling, and keeping deadlines. I had to do that at the bank all the time.”
“But working for me?” Gus could see serious potential for fallout if they had an argument.
“We’re best friends. Who better to help you than me? Would anyone else have your best interests at heart better than me?” She leaned in and cupped his cheek. “This way I can make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”
Suddenly, Gus felt like he was under a microscope with both Peyton and Ty’s gaze on him. If he told her no, he’d hurt her feelings. If he told her yes, he’d torture himself because she’d be around him all the time. Only, he couldn’t hurt her. Geez, this was a field of primed mines.
But maybe Ty had a point. Gus had kissed her, and they’d never spoken of it. Then he’d overheard her on the phone. The second she put it down, he’d walked into her room, declared they were friends, and that was all that was said. He was so upset at the time that he didn’t even give her a chance to respond. Was it really her fault that he’d loved her and she didn’t know it?
He covered her hand with his. “I think you’ve had a great idea.”
She clapped excitedly and kissed his cheek. “This has been the best week ever. Not only do I get to hang out with you on a beautiful island, but now I’ll get to hang out with you all the time.”
Ty caught Gus’s gaze. “Yep, you sure will,” Ty said and stood. “Well, I’m going to get going. You two have fun.”
Peyton looked up at Ty. “And you’ll have to help me find him someone.”
“I think I already have someone in mind,” he replied and winked. “Later.”
As Ty walked away, Gus choked on the sip of water he’d just taken. “He’s kidding. There’s no one in New York I want to go out with, and since we’re married, there’s no setting me up while we’re here either.”
For a heartbeat, he thought she looked hurt, but then she smiled. “We’ll just have to fix that. I’ll find someone who interests you if it’s the last thing I do.”
Gus tilted his head, and the mood turned serious. “How do you know who I’d be interested in? I’ve never really dated anyone.”
Her face fell. “Well, I paid attention to who you dated. You went out with…” She stopped and tapped her chin with her finger. “With…”
He lifted his eyebrows and looked at her expectantly for the answer. “With?”
“There was Tracey Rivers.”
“Nope. I helped her study for the biology midterm.”
“Olivia Thames.”
He shook his head. “History.”
“Nicole Mann.”
“Nope.”
With each name, Peyton’s eyebrows furrowed together even more. “Gus, I know you dated. You couldn’t have not dated.”
“I liked a couple of girls in high school, but nothing life-changing.” Except for Peyton. That was life-changing. Enough that he realized in college after going out with a few women that he needed to take a break from dating until he could get over her.
Even after moving to New York City after school, away from Juneau and Peyton, he’d dated and found that his heart wasn’t in it. So, he’d slowly stepped back from the singles scene there, too, and concentrated on his app and furthering his business.
“Have you ever been in a serious relationship?”
“Not really. I dated someone a couple years ago, but after about six months of dinners on the weekend, I realized it wasn’t progressing and that I didn’t want it to. So, I told her, and that was it. We never saw each other again.”
She leaned her head against his arm. “Gus, it’s hard to believe you haven’t found someone yet. You’re sweet and wonderful and amazing. I wish I’d never claimed to be your wife. Now you’ll have to wait until you get back to New York when we can pretend to annul this.”
“It’s okay.” He was about to add that he was satisfied, but he wasn’t. All he had to do was scratch the surface and it would be painfully clear he wasn’t happy. Yeah, helping others was fulfilling, but he’d neglected himself. Didn’t he deserve happiness too? What if Ty was right, and he could take this week to let go of the past and see where things went with Peyton? They were pretending to be married, after all. Maybe she could see him as more than a friend if he stopped acting like just a friend.
“But you should have someone. You’re a great guy. I’ve not been a very good friend. If I was, I would have been trying to find someone for you,” she said and lifted her head, catching his gaze. Did he see tears?
“Peyton, you’ve been a great friend. I don’t want you finding me someone, and I don’t mind acting married to you for the week.”
“You really don’t mind being fake married to me? I didn’t completely mess up your week?”
He shook his head and covered her hand with his. “No. Anytime you’re in my week, it’s a great week, even if the world around me is on fire.”
“You’re always so sweet.”
Justine stopped by the table and leaned her hip against it. “You two are so cute. Are you going to be watching the sunset with the guests tonight?” The way she asked, it sounded like she’d be watching him. Yeah, Gus was thrilled to be pretend-married to Peyton this week.
“We are. Will you?” Peyton asked.
“Oh yeah. I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to watch the sunset on a Hawaiian beach.”
Peyton nodded. “I totally agree,” she said and kissed Gus on the cheek. “I wouldn’t miss sitting on the beach with my husband.”
“Then I’ll see you there.” She waved and trotted off.
As soon as Justine was out of earshot, Peyton turned to him. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing you don’t mind pretending, because I have a feeling she’s going to be watching us.”
He nodded. “More than likely.”
He’d spent so much time living in the past that he’d failed to live in the present. A present where he wasn’t some awkward kid in high school who’d kissed his best friend and then, in an effort to keep himself from getting hurt, told her he just wanted to be friends. Yeah, he was going to go for it.
Instead of telling her, though, he’d show her. He’d show her that he could be more. That he could love her and cherish her and treat her like the beautiful, caring woman she was. A chance to show her just what her life could be like with him.
His chest tightened at the thought. It also terrified him. What if she still wanted to be friends at the end of the week? Could he handle that? He’d have to. Living a half-life wasn’t working anymore. No, he wanted more…needed more, and this was his week to go for it.
Chapter 13
Hawaii had to be the best spot on earth to watch a sunset, or it could’ve been the man Peyton was cuddling next to. Before Justine walked up, Peyton was sure he was going to say something, but after she left, they just hung out, eating dinner with the guests.
It was interesting to see the dynamics of a resort filled with people looking for love. The great thing about Gus’s resort was that he didn’t put any pressure on anyone. She’d even overheard a few of the guests talking about how much fun they were having and how grateful they were to have somewhere to go for Christmas.
“Look at the ships out there,” Peyton said as she pointed. “Bet they cost a fortune.” But, Gus’s idea of a fortune would be different. Would she ever remember he was billionaire? Probably not. He’d always just be Gus to her.
He laughed. “I bet they do.”
A tiny shiver ran down her spine, and she snuggled closer.
“You okay?” asked Gus. “You aren’t cold, are you?”
“No, not yet. I can tell the wind has picked up, though.”
Okay? She was fantastic, even if she was just a teensy bit chilled. She was going to be working with him as his assistant in New York. It’d take some adjustment, but she didn’t mind moving from Juneau as long as Gus was there.
It would’ve saved her from dating the likes of Frank and would’ve helped Gus. Only, if she was honest, being his assistant wasn’t the only reason she wanted to be in New York with him…at least for now. Maybe if they both got out of Juneau and away from all the memories, he could picture her as more than just his best friend. Maybe they could have more moments like this.
He pulled her closer, and his delicious cologne mixed with the salt air made her light-headed. “Well, let me know if you get cold, and we’ll go to the bungalow.”
“I will. You aren’t cold, are you?” She sat up and turned to him, and in the last bit of sunlight, it hit her full force just how much she’d missed out on. Her idea of a perfect guy was sitting right in front of her.
His lips quirked up. “No, I’m okay.”
The island magic was playing havoc with her, because at that moment, all she could think was that she desperately wanted to kiss Gus. Justine was somewhere watching, right? And if something interrupted her this time, she would scream. Out loud. Like she’d been stabbed with a shell.
Tentatively, she reached her hand out and touched his lips, tracing them with her fingertips. They were as soft as she suspected. He didn’t flinch away or tell her to stop, either. But was that because he wanted her to kiss him or because Justine was somewhere? Did she care? Not if it gave her a chance to kiss him.
Taking his chin in her hand, she brushed her lips across his. It was like wanting chocolate cake all day and finally getting that first bite. It was so good it was as if her whole body was rejoicing.
It was all she could do to hold in the groan building in her chest as she pressed her lips to his again, keeping them there until he wrapped his arms around her. It was glorious. His body was warm, and his lips were soft. She circled her arms around his neck and threaded her fingers in his hair.
Lightning, sparks, electricity…none of it adequately described what she was feeling as they kissed. No one had ever kissed her like this, like she was the only one in the world he wanted. This kiss was different, but was that only because of the reporter in the crowd? Justine was coming on strong. Was he pretending?
She leaned back, touching her forehead to his, and tried to catch her breath. “I kissed you.”
“I kissed you back.”
“We do have to make it look good for Justine, right?” The question tumbled out before she could stop. That’s not what she meant to say, but maybe it was better that way. Being on the island, it was so easy to forget reality. Yeah, she thought she wanted more, but she was just coming off a relationship. Was her heart messing with her?
Instead of giving her an answer, he ran his hand up her back and into her hair, holding her in place, and touched his lips to hers. Was he agreeing with her? Oh, this was bliss, and she didn’t want to think.
A soft moan escaped as he deepened the kiss, and she let her mind empty of everything but that moment. She was falling for Gus. He was kissing her with as much passion as she was giving, and she didn’t care about tomorrow. If this week was all she had, she’d soak him up. She’d take whatever she got and enjoy him.
They kissed like that until she thought her lungs would pop, and when he finally pulled back, in between pressing little kisses on her cheeks, across her eyelids, and along her jaw, he asked, “Would you like to take a walk with me?”
“Yes, I’d love that.” She wanted to ask him about reality and vacations and all that, but she was too afraid to break the spell. At that moment, she’d never felt more alive in her life. Never wanted anyone as much as she wanted him.
He held her around the waist as he stood and then set her feet on the sand. She tangled her fingers in his, and a comfortable silence settled between them as they leisurely walked down the beach.
When they got to a part of the beach that was still illuminated by the resort, Gus pulled out his phone and set it on a nearby rock, and music began to play. He held out his hands and said, “Dance with me.”
When did her Gus-Gus become so…so romantic? Smiling, she took his hand, and he twirled her in the sand.
She threw her head back, laughing. “Is this why you wanted to take a walk?”
“Maybe.”
Hours passed as he held her close, and they danced. When the chill of the night was too much, they returned to the bungalow.
After they were dressed for bed, they fixed hot chocolate and sat on the couch, ready to open their gifts. They’d gone shopping, but she hadn’t expected him to get her anything. What she was really excited about was his gift. It had taken a little work, but with the help of her friend Tracey, she hoped it’d be the best gift she ever gave him. That he’d see what he meant to her.
“You already got me a bracelet,” Peyton said when she saw he had another gift for her. “Why did you get me something else?”
He
shrugged. “I wanted to. Couldn’t have our traditional Christmas Eve without you having something to open. You can go first.”
“No, you first.” He needed to go first for once. She gave him her gift.
“Fine.” He tore the paper off, opened the box, and his eyebrows drew together. “An old phone?”
“Not quite.” She took it from his hand, pulled up her old photos and hit play on one of the videos, and handed it back.
Kids laughing filtered from the phone, and Gus’s breath caught. “Her birthday party the year before she died?”
Peyton nodded. “Listen.” She’d watched it before to make sure it was the right one before wrapping it up.
“I can’t believe you did this, Gus,” Ms. Grant said.
Gus hugged her and kissed her cheek. “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, Mom. I know it was hard on you when dad left, but I never felt like I missed out on anything.” He pulled back. “You are the best mom I could have asked for. Thank you for working two jobs and teaching me to be a good man.”
Ms. Grant’s voice trembled as she said, “Oh, sweetheart, you are the best gift I ever received. I’d make every decision the exact same, knowing I’d get you. I’m so, so proud of you.”
Gus hit stop and blinked, like he was holding back tears. “How did you find this? And when did you get it?”
Peyton smiled. “I had Tracey go to my apartment and find it. She overnighted it to me.”
“When?”
“I was pretending to nap earlier today,” she said and smiled. “I’ve been selfish when it comes to you—”
He shook his head. “Peyton—”
She held her hand up to stop him. “No, I have been. You’ve sat with me while I cried over being dumped. You’ve brought me soup when I was sick. You’ve been there for me in ways I never fully appreciated. Instead of staying with you when you had a broken leg, I went on a date. I don’t even know who you dated or when…or your problems, but you’ve always listened to mine. You think I’ve rescued you when I’ve sent you fruit or pizza, but it’s nothing to think of someone when they’re on the phone with you.” She swallowed hard as she cast her gaze down. “You are the best friend I could have ever asked for, and I’ve taken you for granted.”