He sighed as he sipped on the coffee he hadn’t actually wanted and headed back out to track down his slippery new client.
Be himself? Yeah sure, he could do that.
He just needed her to stand still long enough to give him a chance.
5
Vanessa’s advice had come in handy sooner than expected.
Addison had just finished her graphic design project for her new client when the doors to the town’s one and only coffee shop swung open. Java Lava’s was hardly crowded with only two other customers so she supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised when Colton Parker walked in and instantly made eye contact with her.
She was, however, surprised by her body’s reaction. To say she spontaneously combusted might have been an exaggeration, but not by much. Heat flared up inside her and shot to her cheeks as his heavy-lidded gaze fell on her and he smiled.
No, not smiled. Smiled made it sound harmless. Whatever Colton Parker did with his lips—it was not harmless. It was lethal. Predatory. But then in a heartbeat, his expression softened, some of the intensity seemed to wane, and his eyes released her from their hypnotic prison as he raised a hand toward the pretty brunette behind the counter who called out to him.
Gina, her nametag had read.
“What brings you to my neck of the woods?” Gina said.
Colton headed up to the counter before replying so Addison didn’t hear what he had to say. Now that his back was to her and the adrenaline rush of seeing him again was subsiding a bit, Vanessa’s voice was screaming in her head. Run away.
Or maybe that voice was the instinct she relied on for self-preservation.
Run away!
Either way, she was heeding the call. It took all of two seconds for her to pack up her bag and hightail it out of there, the door closing behind her with a whoosh of disappointment.
So stupid. She shouldn’t be disappointed over the fact that she’d been spared another awkward encounter with the hottest man alive.
And yet…
She shifted her laptop bag onto her other shoulder. Good grief. Had she really gone and developed a crush on a guy she’d talked to for less than a minute?
She rolled her eyes up to the sky in self-deprecating amusement. She wished she could say this was the first time, but alas—her romantic heart had a tendency to fall for guys from afar. From a distance, they weren’t terrifying in the least. It was only when they got close…when they expected her to speak…when they were waiting for her to fill the silence…
She shivered despite the heat. That was exactly why she tended to develop infatuations on them from a distance, and it seemed that her lonely heart had chosen Colton Parker as its latest obsession.
Even more reason to steer clear. When it came to infatuation, the easiest way to get over it was to kill it dead in its tracks. She knew this from experience. That professor who didn’t know she was alive? She’d forgotten all about him once his class ended. The male nurse who’d been so nice to her when she volunteered at the hospital back home? A quick change of hallway routes had put a merciful end to that crush.
This weird draw she felt toward the town’s bad boy? Simple matter of avoid and evade. Easy peasy. Especially since it wasn’t like he’d be going out of his way to find her. Today had been a coincidence, that was all.
Two days later, she had to admit the fact that avoiding Colton Parker might not be as easy as she’d thought. She’d failed to take into account that Cyrano was a tiny town. That had to be the reason she’d run into him every afternoon when she was at the coffee shop. And at the hospital after her volunteer rounds. And why she’d seen him running while walking back after treating herself to dinner at the local pizza place last night.
It was a small town. There was no avoiding him.
It was that realization that had her staying put the next time she saw him. She’d been on the phone with her father when she spotted him walking into the coffee shop.
Again.
Maybe she ought to seek out a new place to work. Clearly this was one of Colton’s favorite haunts as well.
“Have you met anyone new?” her father asked.
Addison’s eyes were tracking the movements of the panther in the room. Colton walked like a natural hunter, and she had all the instincts of prey. “Um, not really.”
No one worth talking about, at least.
“No new friends?” He sounded annoyed. He’d always tried to force friends on her, but what he never seemed to understand was that the sons and daughters of his buddies were rarely in the market for an introvert who preferred reading in a corner to Beverly Hills parties.
“No, but I just got here a few days ago,” she said. She opened her mouth to mention it. The topic. How she was thinking of staying here even after the month was up.
“Well, I met a friend.” Her father’s blunt statement was so shocking she forgot to watch Colton, her focus entirely on her dad.
“Oh yeah?” she asked as casually as she could. Her father wouldn’t mention this to her unless…unless…
He cleared his throat. “A female friend.”
Addison grinned, biting her lip to hold back laughter. She had no desire to embarrass her dad, but this was just such great news. He’d sworn off women after her mother had left them, and for years now she’d been telling him he needed a life of his own.
He needed someone else to focus on so he’d stop smothering her.
Of course, she’d left that last part out. He meant well, she knew that. “That’s fantastic, Daddy.”
He grunted in acknowledgement.
“Who is she? What’s she like?”
Her father gave her the bare bones, talking about this new lady love like he was reciting her resume.
“She sounds great,” Addison said. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
“Well, when you get home next month we’ll have her over for dinner.”
She pressed her lips together to keep from blurting out her news. Now was not the time, not when he was so happy in a new relationship.
“See?” she said instead. “I told you that you wouldn’t be lonely while I was gone. My being gone is probably exactly what you needed.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” he said.
She would. His dependence on her was almost as unhealthy as hers on him. It wasn’t like either of them intended for that to happen, it just was the way it was. But she was ready to be on her own, and she’d long suspected that if she weren’t constantly around, he’d be forced to live his own life too.
“How’s the freelance work going?” he asked.
“Good,” she said, toying with a napkin. Very good, truth be told. He only knew the half of it. After interning for her father’s company and then going to work with their marketing team, she’d gotten good at what she did best. For the last two years she’d been taking on part-time freelance work, but it wasn’t until she’d decided to move away from home that she got the courage to quit her father’s company and make a go of doing this full time.
Of course, he wasn’t aware of that. He thought she’d be coming back to work for him, maybe in a different department or in another office. He’d have one of his assistants find her a position that paid well and gave her all the perks and benefits she was used to.
She’d go back to being the bird in a gilded cage. It was a good life—a great life—and one she’d always be grateful for. But going back to that now…
She couldn’t. She just couldn’t do it.
Addison nibbled on her lower lip. This was one of the many reasons she hadn’t told her father the full truth yet. She wanted to be able to prove to him that she could do this before she made any grand announcements.
Heck, maybe she wanted to prove it to herself first, too.
This was more than just a hobby, and her stay here was more than just a whim. She was ready—to support herself, to live on her own, and to make her own circle of friends without her father’s influence.
She swa
llowed down all of those words that begged to be said. Another time. There will be a chance another time. “I’m happy for you, Daddy.”
“You take care of yourself, kitten.”
“I will.” She pressed the end call button and saw a pair of jeans appear beside her table. She kept her head down, her heart pounding so loudly everyone in the shop must have heard.
She knew who it was before he spoke, but that didn’t stop her heart from leaping into her throat at the sound of his voice. “Well, hello again,” he drawled.
She looked up slowly, taking in the faded jeans, the untucked gray T-shirt, the bulging muscles of his biceps, the cleft in his chin, and then finally, finally meeting those sharp blue eyes.
Too perfect.
He was definitely way too perfect. Guys like him should come with a warning sign. Don’t stare too long, or you might fall in love.
Not love, obviously. It was a crush. A stupid, silly, meaningless crush. But meaningless or not, it still made her brain freeze. He’d said something. What had he said?
His lips quirked up on one side as if she’d responded with something amusing rather than silence. “May I join you?”
She stared.
She stared for so long that he looked from side to side as though perhaps someone could save him from this uncomfortable moment. She wanted to. She really wanted to help him out, but…what was she supposed to say?
She struggled to find words somewhere in the frozen recesses of her mind. Finally, she blurted out the only word she could come up with. “Why?”
6
Colton was stumped.
Why?
Why?
He shrugged. “Why not?”
She blinked at that, one of few signs of life he’d witnessed in this odd little person. “Um…okay.”
He sank into the seat across from her, relieved beyond belief at this miniscule win. But honestly, after days of trying to get close and failing spectacularly, this seemed like something to celebrate.
Later.
Only after he got her to warm up to him.
She huddled in on herself as he leaned back in his seat. “So…what brings you to Cyrano?”
She swallowed visibly, and he wondered if she’d used up her allotment of words for the day. He glanced over at his sister, who was smirking at him from behind the counter.
Gina had taken an inordinate amount of interest in his interest in Addison. Even though she didn’t know exactly why he was so keen on getting close to the new girl in town, she was well aware that he’d been thwarted at every turn these last few days.
He turned his back to her smug smile and focused on the woman in front of him. This was as close as he’d gotten since she’d made it her mission to avoid him every time he’d gotten near. He tried to summon his inner Trent. Look at me, just a good ole boy with a nice smile. Nothing to fear here.
He gave her a grin that would have made Trent proud—simple, nice, not even remotely flirtatious.
She shifted in her seat, her gaze flying about the room like she was looking for help.
He barely held back a sigh of exasperation.
When she gave up on seeking assistance, her eyes met his and he felt his grin falter. The glasses had hidden them at first, but her eyes were really quite striking. Dark as chocolate and surrounded by thick lashes, they looked owlish as they blinked at him now, wide and alert with fear.
Her hair was down today, and it fell in waves around her shoulders. She was still couched in that silly oversized cardigan, which seemed way too heavy even with the air-conditioning blowing on them. Even so, with the big eyes and the gleaming dark hair, she looked like a doll, all ivory skin and wide blinking eyes.
How had he ever thought she was plain?
She blinked again. “My friend lives here.”
He stared at her for a long moment before it registered that she was finally, belatedly answering his question. Right, Vanessa. “Oh yeah? Who’s your friend?”
Her gaze flicked back and forth from Gina to the front door. Seriously? Her distrust of him was bordering on offensive. He crossed his arms but bit back a snarky comment.
“Vanessa Shea?”
Amusement tempered his irritation. “Is that a question?”
Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink as she cleared her throat. “Vanessa Shea,” she said, her voice a little louder. If he wasn’t mistaken, she was just as irritated as he’d been.
Good.
He’d take annoyed librarian over meek little mouse any day.
He nodded, donning a thoughtful expression as though trying to place the name. Truth was, her father had already filled him in on her friendship with Vanessa. “Yeah, I think I remember her from high school.”
Her lips hitched to the side and he found his eyes narrowing in response, absurdly fixated on those lips. They were pretty lips. That might have been a bland adjective, but there it was. He’d like to think himself something of a connoisseur when it came to lips, and hers were stellar. They were pink, and lush, with a perfect little cupid’s bow.
He dragged his eyes away and met her eyes which were filled with panic and fear and…amusement?
Wait, that didn’t seem right. No way she was laughing at him. He blinked and it was gone. Clearly he’d been imagining it. What were they talking about?
Right. Vanessa.
“Nice girl,” he said when he realized that the silence would never be broken if he didn’t make some sort of comment. Honestly, he couldn’t really remember Vanessa. He had a vague memory of a tall brunette, but she’d been a few years younger than him, and not at all part of his crowd.
His sister would probably remember more. They were closer in age. He made a mental note to ask Gina what she remembered. The more ammunition the better with this chick. He had no problem talking, but even he felt the cloying tension that came with this sort of awkward silence.
“I saw you at the hospital the other day,” he said.
She stared at him. Duh, her stare seemed to say. He wasn’t imagining it. There was definitely a tinge of amusement behind the fear. Laughter at his expense.
Well…this was new.
“Were you, uh… I mean, what were you…” He had no idea how to finish that sentence. It wasn’t like he could ask her if she was sick, now could he? How rude would that be? Man, maybe awkwardness was contagious because he was fumbling for words.
“I volunteer,” she said. “What were you doing there?”
He opened his mouth and closed it. Shadowing you. Trying to get close to you. “Routine sheriff’s business.”
She said nothing. Most girls were intrigued by the whole law enforcement thing. If she even noticed that he was currently wearing a badge, there was no trace of a reaction.
Her brows drew together slightly. “Like what?”
He had to think for a moment. “Uh, well, you know…sometimes I need to follow up with a patient. You know…” He shifted in his seat. “Like, after an accident.” He sniffed and glanced over toward his sister who was still watching like he was her favorite TV show or something. “You know, sometimes we need to get a report. Take a statement.” His fingers tapped the table and he looked over to see that she was studying him. Not just looking at him…she was reading him. Her eyes scanned his features.
“I see,” she said quietly.
“Yeah, so…” He trailed off, feeling more than a little uncomfortable around a woman for quite possibly the first time in his life. Where was the small talk? Where were the giggles? Girls normally found him charming, even when he wasn’t trying.
Of course, he was definitely not trying now. When he’d tried, he’d scared her off, and now…?
Her eyes narrowed on him. “So that’s what you were doing the other day at the hospital?” she asked. “Taking a statement.”
No. “Yes.”
Her lips practically disappeared as she thinned them into a straight line. There was the librarian again. She peered at him over the top of her glasse
s and he expected her to shush him at any moment. Instead, she startled him with a non sequitur. “I play poker with my father and his friends.”
He arched his brows. “Okay.” He drew out the word, so it sounded like a question. He took a sip of his coffee as he watched her watching him.
She leaned forward, her forearms resting on the table. “Are you lying about your reason for being at the hospital?”
“What? No.” He sputtered and choked on his coffee in his haste to defend himself. Wiping the back of his mouth with his wrist, he ignored the laughter coming from the counter.
“Look,” she said as she shifted. She seemed to unfurl before his eyes—her shoulders straightening and her chin tilting up as she closed her laptop and gathered up her belongings. “I don’t know what you’re after, but whatever it is…I’m not interested.”
“I’m not…what?” His voice was louder than intended, but seriously, what was happening here? This was even worse than the first time when he’d asked for her number. At least then she’d looked flushed, embarrassed…maybe even pleased.
This was outright rejection. She was treating him like a pariah. “I don’t want anything from you,” he started.
The few people gathered at tables nearby stopped what they were doing to stare. It was possible he’d spoken too loudly as she walked away. She never paused to look back, just pushing through the door like she hadn’t just rejected him outright.
He cleared his throat and glared at the patrons around him, then swung around to fix his glare on his sister.
His sister who was laughing.
Loudly.
At him.
Right. It was definitely time for a plan B.
7
Most people hated hospitals. Understandably, of course. So maybe it was strange that hospitals were where Addison felt the most at home. They tended to be her safe space, her comfort zone…they were where she went to escape the maddeningly confusing world with its stupidly sexy deputies and bafflingly false interactions.
Fake Dating the Unsuspecting Heiress Page 4