by Rachel Magee
And here he was, more than ten years later, trying to close a multimillion-dollar restaurant deal by comparing cigars on the front porch of his partner’s beach house. Perhaps the business college needed to look into adding The Art of Schmoozing to their required classes.
“Aiden, tell us again how you came up with the concept of Cedar Break.” The investor Aiden had dubbed the ringleader leaned his elbow on the rail and puffed on his cigar.
“An unlucky game of darts, boys.” Aiden chuckled and slapped the man on the back, ready to retell the story they’d already heard several times. Jacob gave him a look that told him he really needed to sell it.
“I was complaining to my buddy that Hilltop needed a restaurant that made good comfort food so I could stop making it.”
“Were you cooking for your buddy?” another investor asked.
“You bet I was. Everyone wants to eat great food in a place where they feel comfortable. That place for my friends had become my kitchen. If the restaurant thing hadn’t worked out, I was thinking about starting to charge them.”
That part was one hundred percent true. He’d started cooking all the time. He loved creating new recipes in his kitchen, and since recipes were rarely made for just one person, he was always looking for someone to share it with.
“You should see his place. It’s the bachelor pad of your dreams,” Jacob added.
Aiden did his best to look modest. If by “dream bachelor pad” Jacob meant giant empty house with a pool table in his dining room, then yes. That’s what he had. “I might have a few toys.”
“You needed someone to cater for you,” the first investor added.
Aiden pointed at him. “Exactly. Which is what I told my buddy. And he said if I thought I was such a good chef, why didn’t I open my own restaurant?”
So the actual conversation might have been a little less confrontational, and it was something they’d talked about several times before the infamous dart game. But the basic concept was the same.
“So he challenged me to a round of darts. He won, I’d open my own restaurant and keep feeding him. I won, he had to cook for me for a change.”
“Best out of three?” the first investor asked.
“No. This was win or go home. And I gotta tell you, I thought I was about to be out a boatload of money when I watched him throw that final bullseye.” Aiden crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared at the ground, shaking his head as if contemplating a tragedy. The whole porch got quiet, enthralled by his theatrics. Then Aiden looked up and grinned. “Luckiest bet I ever lost.”
The porch erupted in laughter.
“And the rest, as they say, is history,” Jacob closed.
Aiden nodded. “That was the last dinner I cooked for anyone in the kitchen at my house. I got Jacob on board the next day and we opened the doors to Cedar Break a month later.”
He left out the part that Jacob came on board very reluctantly and that he didn’t cook at his house again because he had to work around the clock in order to get his new restaurant open that quickly. In fact, he was the first head chef because he couldn’t afford to hire anyone else in the beginning.
“And now you have your bachelor pad back to yourself.”
Aiden nodded and draped his arms over the railing. “Absolutely,” he drawled out.
The truth was he missed the days when his house was full of the laughter and company of his best friends, and random freeloaders, sitting around his island. Now, when he came home from the restaurant, the only thing that met him was the empty pool table.
The investor squeezed his shoulder. “You’re living the dream.”
Padded bank account, thriving business, tricked out bachelor pad. It should be the dream, right?
His gaze drifted down to Paige.
The third investor nodded his head in Paige’s direction. “And what about her? Was she around during the bet?”
“No. She’s fairly recent.”
The investor nodded as if he understood. “You don’t look like the type that can be tied down.”
Right. He wasn’t the type to be tied down. Except, what if being in a relationship wasn’t being tied down? What if falling in love was what gave him wings?
It sounded crazy, he knew, but being with Paige this weekend had ignited something inside him he’d never felt before.
The crew kept talking but he tuned them out, all of his attention focused on Paige. The sun glimmered off her hair, making her look as if she was sparkling. Her wide smile spread all the way across her face and radiated through her whole body. Kindness danced in her eyes and her adventurous spirit bounced in every step she took. She was radiant. Just one glance drew you in, made you want to be around her. At least it had for him.
A familiar excitement surged through him, bringing him to life. Being around her had always had that sort of reaction, but on this trip it had been heightened. That Brody character had been a fool. Aiden couldn’t imagine being able to move across the globe and leave her behind. But, judging by the way Brody was leaning into her as she was talking to him on the beach, he was going to change his tune very soon. Paige’s three-step plan was about to be successful. She was getting what her heart desired, and he was happy for her.
The thought of her with Brody settled like a rock in the pit of his stomach. Soon he would have to give her up. True, she had never really been his to begin with. This whole relationship had been fake, but what he felt when he was around her was real.
She looked up at him for a second time and their eyes met. Even from this distance he could see the golden flecks dancing in her hazel eyes. He had the urge to wrap his arms around her and pull her close to him.
Pretty soon he was going to be a free man. The restaurant would be gone, and he’d go back to being single. But he wasn’t tonight, and maybe that was a good thing.
Chapter Twelve
When Jacob Merrick wanted to impress someone, he pulled out all the stops. The rehearsal dinner was no exception. He proclaimed it a night of celebration, and it was clear he’d spared no expense. While Aiden was sure most of the extravagance was intended for his son, at least part of the over-the-top night was meant for the four couples sitting at his table.
Round tables draped in tablecloths with flickering candles in the center had been set up on the beach. A formally dressed waitstaff served made-to-order meals from the Cedar Break’s menu. Since there wasn’t a kitchen anywhere near the beach, Aiden wondered how they pulled it off. But he had to admit, the chef had done a great job with what he and Paige had both ordered. He would have tried the other entrees at the table, but he thought eating off the investors’ plates might be too familiar. Maybe later he would find the kitchen and give his compliments to the chef.
After dessert had been served and the toasts were finished, Jacob got up to thank everyone.
“The night is just getting warmed up. We have a great band and dancing is required.” On cue, the small stage just in front of the cliffs lit up and the band started playing. “And stick around because we have plenty of surprises left. You’re not going to want to go to bed early tonight.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the lead singer launched into a song. The space in front of the stage filled with people dancing.
All of Paige’s friends were already out there, and she was moving to the beat in her chair, but she didn’t get up. Sitting here making conversation with people she would probably never see again after this weekend was a huge sacrifice for her, but he appreciated every minute of it. She was a fantastic partner and worked a dinner table like a boss. Tonight wouldn’t have been as successful, or as enjoyable, if she hadn’t been there.
“Who’s ready for some dancing?” Aiden rubbed his hands together.
The ringleader leaned back and signaled for their waiter. “I think another round of drinks is required first.”
“Y’all enjoy that drink. I’m going to take this lovely lady dancing.” He stood and held his hand out to Paige. “Shall we?”
She took his hand and followed him to the wooden dance floor set on top of the sand. “Thanks for that.”
“I think it’s time to play with kids our own age for a while.”
She maneuvered her way to the middle of the crowd, among her friends. It didn’t matter that there were people moving all around and them, it was as if a spotlight shone directly on her. In the sea full of bobbing, jiving people, she was the only person he could see.
She moved with carefree abandon. She wasn’t the best dancer he’d ever seen, but she might have won the award for having the most fun, a trait she spread to everyone within her vicinity. And by the end of the third song, everyone was covered in sweat and smiles.
The band slowed it down and the crowd cleared, some finding a partner, some headed back to their tables. Aiden stepped in front of Paige.
“May I have this dance?” He offered her his hand.
She slid her delicate hand into his. “I thought you’d never ask.”
He spun her once, then his hand settled in the spot where her waist met the small of her back. Energy soared through his arms and swirled around his chest, leaving him feeling vibrant and alive. He’d been waiting all day to hold her in his arms. In fact, it felt like he’d been waiting a lot longer than that, although he couldn’t quite pinpoint how long. Since they got to Seacrest? Since they decided to start their fake relationship? Did it go even farther back than that?
It didn’t matter. He was holding her now. They fell into an easy rhythm with the song.
“Thanks again for tonight. I couldn’t have entertained the table without you.”
“My pleasure.”
“Your stories of growing up in the fashion industry made the night. I had no idea.”
“Most people don’t. I’m not exactly the poster child for high fashion.”
True, she didn’t wear the bizarre creations he normally associated with Fashion Week, but that didn’t make her any less stunning. She was strong, brave, and adventurous, qualities that drew people to her. They were the qualities that drew him to her. Every second he spent with her left him wanting more. More time with her. More conversations with her. More laughing with her.
“If you ask me, they’d be lucky to have you as their poster child.”
She laughed, not taking him seriously. “Hmm. Which part do you think they’d like best? My windblown, messy hair, or the fact that there’s not a trace of my lipstick left and I forgot to bring the tube with me to refresh it?”
“Let me see.”
He added some space between them and pretended to study her with a mock seriousness.
Her soft lips were pulled up in an infectious grin. He didn’t know a thing about lipstick shades, but he did know that her lips were inviting. He was overcome with the urge to press his own lips against them, to feel for himself how soft and sweet they were. He moved on quickly before he got lost in the impulse.
Her hair was swept up on top of her head, showing off her long neck and the creamy skin around her collarbone, which wasn’t helping his urge to kiss her. At all.
He moved on to her eyes, which, perhaps, he liked the best. They were compassionate and kind, not to mention the most alluring color he’d ever seen. It was as if someone had taken the richest shades of blue, green and brown and swirled them together.
His breath caught in his chest and the rest of the world faded away. It was as if he were seeing her, truly seeing her, for the first time. And now that he had, it was impossible to look away. An emotion stronger than any he’d ever felt pulsed through him.
There weren’t even words to describe how captivating she was, so he went with the best one he could think of.
“You are perfect.” His voice came out in a husky whisper.
Her expression changed from her playful smile into something more serious, as if she’d been caught off guard. He wanted to explore her expression some more, but he couldn’t stand it any longer. He had to hold her closer.
He slid his hand around the small of her back and pulled her into him.
Aiden’s words swirled around Paige, blocking out everything else happening around them.
Perfect? There were a lot of things she did that were perfect. She’d graduated college with a perfect 4.0 GPA; she had a perfect driving record. It might be subjective, but she would argue that, with Aiden’s help, she’d constructed the perfect ice cream flavor earlier today. But being perfect? Never in her entire life had she ever been in the running for that.
She was glad he’d pulled her close so he couldn’t see the way his words made her face flush. An emotion danced in her chest, filling her with brightness. In his arms, she felt like she was floating, and she had to glance at the sand to make sure they were still standing on the ground.
“Thanks,” she managed to squeak out. Why did it feel so right to be in his arms?
She searched her memory for a time when she’d danced with Aiden before, but she came up empty. She’d known him for years, been at hundreds of events with him, probably spent thousands of hours with him, but she couldn’t remember a time when he’d held her. At least not like this. And now that she knew what it was like to be in his arms, her body ached for all the years she’d missed this.
They swayed and spun under the light of the twinkling stars, yet it felt they were twinkling insider her. The melody of one of her favorite songs drifted through the air behind them. It was as if she were in a dream. Reality seemed worlds away. She knew there were other people around them. Last she checked, there were many couples on the dance floor, but right now she would’ve sworn they were the only two people on the beach.
She thought about saying something, coming up with some clever comment that would spark the witty banter they usually shared, but right now she didn’t want to. Right now, all she wanted to do was to be held in his arms, let the world fall away and soak in the feeling of being cherished.
Closing her eyes, she melted in to his embrace. She did her best to memorize every single sensation. She wanted to remember the way his woodsy scent mixed with the salt air, the way his rough cheek felt pressed against hers, the way the gentle touch of his hand on her back sent shivers straight up her spine. Most of all, she wanted to remember the way his heart seemed to beat in perfect rhythm with hers.
The song ended and she drew in one last breath, trying to hold on to the feeling as long as possible. Aiden stepped back and she stared into his eyes. The air between them crackled.
“Who knew Aiden Pierce was an amazing dancer? Any other hidden talents I should know about?” It was a weak attempt at a joke, but it at least earned her one of his charming crooked grins. The band launched into another fast song and the dance floor filled up again. Any second now the spell Aiden had cast over her would break and she would come back to reality.
“You question my dancing ability? Baby, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” He winked, sending another wave of excitement crashing over her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the middle of the crowd, spun her once and then broke into a spirited rendition of disco fever. He did the moves with such passion that everyone circled around to watch, including Paige, who couldn’t help but notice she was still very much under his spell.
When he got through one rotation, he held out his hand to her. “Come on, Smoochems, show ’em what you got.”
“I’m not sure I got those kinds of moves.”
“Not with that kind of attitude.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him. “It’s all in the hips.”
>
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She stood next to him and waited for the beat. Then they started dancing. She followed his lead, keeping her gaze locked with his. She did the first move with a bit of hesitation, the way she normally would when all eyes were on her. Being in the spotlight was not her gift. She kept expecting the elated feeling from their shared dance to fall away, stealing her newfound confidence. But instead, a strange thing happened.
There was this way he looked at her, a hint of some expression she couldn’t quite identify, that ignited something inside her. The warm, tingling feeling in her chest spiraled through her until giddy excitement filled her whole body. She tipped her head back and laughed. For the moment, she let go of every insecurity holding her back and danced like no one was watching. The crowd around them clapped to the beat. She wasn’t even sure who was in the crowd, if it was her friends, or his investors, or even Brody. Her eyes never left Aiden and she remained fully submerged in whatever spell she was under.
Eventually they danced themselves out of the circle, letting someone else take a turn showing off moves. One song faded into the next, which faded into the next. Somewhere along the way, she was aware of the throbbing in her ankle, but she didn’t want to stop the magic, so she did her best to dance with all her weight on her good leg. Aiden seemed to notice and stood on her bad side, allowing her to lean on him.
There were two more slow songs, each more magical than the one before it, and more fast songs than she could count. She was dripping with sweat when Lane’s parents took the stage.
“We have one last surprise before we break this party up and send everyone home to get their beauty rest for tomorrow. To celebrate this momentous occasion, we’re going to light the night sky with eco-friendly wish lanterns.”