Chapter 8
CLAY
A knock on the sliding door stops me mid-gulp of downing juice. I swipe my mouth and turn over my shoulder. It’s Kat and she’s caught me standing at the fridge, guilty of drinking from the carton. The video clip runs in my mind of Liam doing the same thing on Bride at First Sight. Although, he had a sticky note stuck to his forehead—one from Trina that said not to drink from the carton.
I should’ve had the curtains drawn for privacy, knowing that Kat could walk past my glass door and see straight inside. Maybe I have the curtains back for that reason, so I can see when she leaves her unit, and I can coincidentally catch up with her.
I return the carton to the fridge and make my way through the compact living area to meet Kat.
“Morning, neighbor,” I say when I open the door.
“Hi...” She uses a gun finger and points at me. “Fake boyfriend.”
“Oh, yeah. Nearly forgot.” I raise one arm and lean against the door offering a playful grin. “Hi there, babe.”
She laughs. “That’s not how you talk to a girlfriend in real life, I hope.”
I straighten. “Not sure. Most of my adult life I’ve been studying or working ridiculous hours to get to where I am. Not much time for a girlfriend.”
Her lips flatline. “Really? That’s sad.”
“Tell me about it.” I cross my arms. “I only have time for a fake girlfriend. But I intend on changing that.” I don’t have a plan in place to change my schedule. I’ve had no reason up till now. Perhaps, the position I’m going for will make it easier to have a meaningful relationship. Head of Pediatrics may or may not be more demanding. More pay, greater expectations most likely.
“I need a favor from my fake boyfriend.” She places her hands together in a plea.
“I’m at your beck and call, my lady.” I mock bow.
“Ellie needs me for an hour at the bakery. Jarrad’s still under the weather, and she has some local deliveries to run. I’ll serve at the counter. Can you walk me there and stuff your face with cakes for an hour while you wait for me?”
I tap my chin as if I need to consider such an awesome offer. “You’ve twisted my arm. I’m in.”
“Sweet. Are you free now?”
I glance at the unit which has an empty pizza box on the coffee table, a crumpled towel on the tiles, and one sock beside it. Tidy enough.
“Sure. I’m ready.” I grab the key from the wall hook, slip on my flip-flops, and lock up.
We make our way to town, taking the scenic route by the beachside. As we get closer to the main center, my mind races about what I’ll do if we bump into Danny. I’m not the get-into-a-fight type of guy. Sure, I work out and I’m bigger than Danny, but if he threw a punch, I might end up with a black eye. That would look great in the interview next week.
“So far, so good,” I mumble.
Kat startles and touches her throat. “Sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say?”
“We haven’t seen Danny. Maybe he’s not around anymore.”
“Oh, he’s around. One of my cousins called to say he’s still on the island.”
“Pity. Means I have to act as your boyfriend a little longer.” I take her hand in mine.
She shakes her head, smiling.
We pass a colorful art and crafts store. “There are some quaint little shops in town. I haven’t had much of a chance to look through them yet.”
“My cousin’s wife has her art in that shop.”
“Which cousin and how many cousins do you have that live here?”
“Nathan.” Kat counts on her fingers. “Ellie and Nathan are Marg and Steve’s kids. Tim lives on the mainland. He’s Nathan’s twin. Then my other aunty has two adult children. My cousin Rachel moved here a while ago. Married the guy who runs the local gym.”
“I’m following so far. Barely. Do you have any siblings?”
“One sister, Samantha. She runs Nantucket Adventures.”
“Our group is going on one of the yachts this afternoon when the wind picks up.”
“You’ll have a great time. I’m so proud of my sister. She saved all her money as a teenager and bought her first catamaran. She would rent it out on the weekends during peak season. By the time she was eighteen, she had three mini-cats. Her business grew from there.”
“That’s admirable.”
Amid the hustle and bustle of Nantucket’s main street, a colorful spectrum of people surges forward. Couples hold hands as they wander, families with kids in tow gaze wide-eyed at the cute boutiques, and tourists strive to take perfect pictures of the quaint architecture. Locals familiar with the atmosphere of their beloved island, stroll with ease. Except Kat. She’s squeezing my hand. Hard.
“There he is.” She grabs onto my arm and leans into me.
“Where?”
“Past Ellie’s bakery. On a wooden bench seat. He must be waiting for me to visit my cousin.”
“That’s creepy. He’s just waiting there all day on the chance you’ll go there.”
“He’s been on Nantucket with me before. We had breakfast at Ellie’s bakery daily, without fail.”
Danny is slouched over, clasping his hands, head down. He glances up and down the street, then hangs his head again.
“Phew. He didn’t see us.” Kat tugs me to the sidewalk and hides us behind a tie-dye T-shirt rack, placing me in front like a shield.
I peer down at her. “He won’t make a scene in front of all these people, would he?”
Kat grimaces. “Yes, he would.”
“This is ridiculous, Kat. You can’t live like this—hiding.” I gesture to her cowering low. “He needs to know you’ve moved on. Completely.”
An idea strikes me. “What if we make a scene first? Draw a crowd around us. He won’t be able to approach you.” And in the process, show Danny that Kat has moved on for good. “Come on.” I pull Kat out of hiding and take her into the middle of the street.
She’s staring at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“Trust me.” I drop to one knee and look up at her. “Do you think this is a good idea?”
Kat dips her chin and stutters, “Oh my gosh. It’s brilliant.” A sly smile tugs at her lips. “Yes.”
I take a deep breath, sensing the eyes of the curious onlookers. With a theatrical flourish, I throw my arms up in the air and call out to the gathering crowd, “She said, yes!”
A gasp ripples through the spectators, and I spring back to my feet. Kat and I share an impromptu hug, our laughter mingling with the collective tourists and locals.
An elderly lady waves a hand and shouts, “Well, aren”t you going to kiss her?”
A teenager calls out, “Yeah. Kiss!”
The crowd’s enthusiasm surges and their voices chant in unison, “Kiss her, kiss her!”
I peek over Kat’s head, and I spot Danny, a short distance away with his hand shielding his eyes from the sun. This is it. This is for you, buddy. Back off and leave Kat alone.
With all eyes on us, Kat and I exchange a conspiratorial glance. She’s giving me permission. I lean in and capture her lips with mine.
I planned for a chaste kiss. But as soon as her softness touches my mouth, I surrender my desire to kiss her for real.
People around us erupt in cheers and applause, but the noise drowns away as Kat kisses me back.
Her arms wind around my neck, pulling me closer. My hands grip her waist. I taste the sweetness of her lips, and I want more.
I forget about the onlookers. Forget about Danny. And I forget that we’re supposed to be faking this. It’s real to me.
But as abruptly as it started, the kiss ends, leaving me reeling, my heart racing. I see the same dazed look in Kat’s eyes, and I know that she felt something too.
The circle of people still cheer and we’ve become the center of attention. We both grin sheepishly. What have we just done? Got engaged—in the middle of Nantucket. Freaking crazy idea, but it’s too late now.
We make our way down the street, hand in hand. Danny is nowhere in sight. Whispers and curious glances come from all directions. The warmth of Kat’s hand in mine makes me feel a connection that I’ve not felt before. I know that we’re pretending, but something has shifted between us. She’s no longer just a girl in need of protection. She’s Kat, the woman who has captured my attention and maybe a part of my heart.
I hope to high heaven, we’ve managed to shake Danny awake. That he no longer “owns” Kat. And he never did. She’s not a possession.
Kat halts in front of Ellie’s bakery, and spins to face me with wide eyes like what happened has finally struck her. She swallows and blinks. “I live on this island and now everyone thinks we’re engaged.”
“Ah huh.” I grin and lift one shoulder in a shrug. “Hello, fiancée?”
KAT
Steady. My weak knees threaten to collapse at any second. I need to get inside and behind the counter before they give way and send me crashing to the floor. I peer up into Clay’s face and try to hide the blush I’m sure has turned my cheeks red. The man can kiss.
The fact that it was all part of an act sets my heart back to a sure rhythm. “Ellie’s never going to believe this.” I wheel around and enter the bakery, where the aromas send a soothing calm over my frazzled nerves.
Clay snorts behind me. His presence is solid and comforting despite knowing that all of this is a ruse to fool Danny into going away.
I nibble my lower lip and hurry toward Ellie. “I’m here.”
Her head jerks up and her eyes narrow. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I answer too fast, the lie catching me right in the face. Because everything is wrong. I drew the line between me and Clay last night after his reminder that none of this is real. I jumped over it faster than Adam runs from seals. Fake. Fake. Fake. That single word plays on repeat as I school my expression. I fail miserably and finally give up with a huff. “Fine. I’ll tell you before Mrs. Potter at the flower shop spills it. Clay proposed and now we’re engaged.”
Ellie drops the empty plate. It hits the ground and rolls around her feet before bumping against the counter and rattling to a stop. “I’m sorry.” Her head shakes side to side in slow motion. She pats her ears and leans in close. “What did you say?”
Should I tell her that it’s all fake? What if Danny runs into one of them and pries for information? It’s better if they think it’s real. At least for now. “You heard me.” I round the counter and pick up the plate.
“I couldn’t have heard you right.” Ellie keeps shaking her head like she’s trying to rid herself of a headful of sand. “You’re engaged...to Clay?” She snaps around and peers across the shop where Clay sits at the back of the cafe area with his hands together on top of the table. They’re nice hands, I realize. Smooth and capable. And that smile. Swoon. It’s probably a good thing he’s a pediatric surgeon and not in a position to get hit on by random women. He’d be more popular than that guy everyone calls McDreamy from the hospital show about all the interns.
“Kat,” Ellie draws out my name and takes the plate from me. One finger points directly at my face. “We’re going to talk about this. As soon as I get back from my deliveries.”
Yikes. The stern look on her face holds tightly controlled concern.
I don’t blame her. She’ll think this is too fast. They all will. It will seem like Danny all over again. It doesn’t matter how much they like Clay, they know—and so do I—that I’ve not spent enough time with him to be in love.
Attracted, sure. But not love.
They’re right. I’m not in love with Clay. This is all a sham. A farce. A ploy to get Danny to leave me alone for good.
My chin lifts and I give Ellie a nod. “Later. Go deliver your treats. I’ll keep Clay occupied with donuts and coffee.”
“Tim’s going to blow a fuse,” Ellie mutters under her breath.
Cold dread sweeps down my spine. Tim. She’s right. My overprotective cousin is going to have something to say about this. A whole lot of something, I’m sure. I should call him and let him in on the secret. Danny won’t contact Tim. He knows better, and Tim is likely to hop the next ferry if he thinks I’m about to repeat the same mistake. He’s the big brother I never had, and he takes that job seriously.
A middle-aged woman shuffles up to the counter and grins at me. “I just heard the news. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” I plaster on the biggest, fakest smile I can dredge up and clasp my hands together beneath my chin. “It was all so sudden. Such a surprise. He didn’t even have time to get me a ring.” I raise an eyebrow and meet Clay’s eyes over the woman’s shoulder. The look is meant to be a challenge, and Clay accepts it with a wink.
We’ll sort out our story later. Right now, I have work to do. “What can I get for you, Mrs. Olson?”
The woman taps a finger to her lips and examines the vast array of cookies, hand pies, and pastries. “I’ll take one of those pecan cookies.” She presses her finger to the glass, leaving a smudge of lipstick behind.
Ellie groans at my back and turns away from the fingerprint. “I’ll be back in an hour.” The threat remains in her voice. “You better be ready to tell me everything.”
I wave her off and focus on picking up the cookie Mrs. Olson pointed out. “There you go. Enjoy.”
She pays and carries the cookie to a table right in front of Clay, where she sits facing him and eats the cookie with dainty bites while watching him.
Clay stands and makes his way around the tables. It’s mostly empty this time of day, but a few people have wandered in and they keep me busy for the next few minutes. When I take care of the sudden rush of customers, Clay stands in front of me with his hands in his pockets. “How much do you want to tell them?”
I hand him a stack of donuts and slide a cup of black coffee across the counter. “Cream and sugar are on the counter if you want them.” When he doesn’t move, I blow an errant strand of hair from my face and cross my arms. “I don’t know yet. It’s all a jumbled up mess in my head.” I make a swirling motion around my temple. “Crazy, as Adam would say.”
The mention of Adam is supposed to distract him, but Clay’s attention remains on me. The singular focus snatches my ability to think and my mind grows fuzzy the longer I stand there with him. None of this is real, I remind myself. He’s used to getting what he wants. That has nothing to do with me. Unless...unless he thinks this is some kind of challenge? No. I won’t let myself wander down that path.
Clay is good and kind. He’s doing this to help me out. There are no ulterior motives.