Chapter 10
Claire frowned at her reflection, her fingers trailing over the teal dress as she clung to yesterday’s events—her date.
Wade’s expression when she stepped out of the dressing room had been…
unexpected. A flicker of desire had tempered into awe, followed by a vulnerability that vanished almost as quickly as it appeared.
She shivered at the memory of his touch.
Her cheeks were probably still warm from his fingers trailing along one.
However, she’d also seen his fear—panic—perhaps that he was doing something wrong.
Was he guilty about lying? God hated lies.
Had Wade prayed much about any of this? She hadn’t.
However, if the lie was to keep an innocent baby in a familiar and loving environment, God was okay with that, right?
She drew in a steadying breath before stepping out of her room. Her ankle boots clicked against the floor.
The rich scent of jasmine, Regina’s luxury perfume, lingered in the small house.
In the living room, Regina sat cross-legged on the colorful alphabet rug with Bella.
Her cheerful voice matched the rhythm of stacking blocks.
Wade’s laughter boomed, drawing Claire’s attention.
His head tilted back, eyes crinkled as he moved his hand in what looked like a sleight-of-hand trick.
Her dad’s laughter joined in, deep and unguarded, splitting Claire’s face into a grin. It was the freest she’d heard Dad in months, and that stung. She hadn’t been able to give him that kind of connection. His portable oxygen bag rested beside his chair, the thin cord running to his nose.
If only this sense of wholeness could last beyond the moment.
Wade looked up as she approached, and her knees nearly buckled. His hands stilled midmotion, his gaze lingering before a slow smile spread out his well-formed lips and sent butterflies through her stomach. “You look… stunning.” Was that reverence in his tone?
Her cheeks now aflame, she managed a response.
“Thanks. You look nice too.” His yellow coat matched the leaves just beginning to turn outside.
The army green button-down beneath it offset its autumny brightness.
With jeans, he looked stylish as usual, even in a simple outfit.
Perhaps his confidence, even more than his good looks, earned him sexiest man alive on the popular magazine cover last fall.
“You look lovely, sweetheart.” Dad’s voice reminded her that more people were in the room.
She thanked him, just as Bella’s giggles had Claire’s feet moving.
Bella’s tiny hands reached up, and Claire bent to kiss her chubby cheeks.
Regina chortled when Bella clung to her dress for a second, then let go once Wade reappeared to scoop her up, lifting her high as he smothered her with kisses.
“Last thing we need is you spitting on your aunt’s pretty dress.
” He then kissed Bella’s neck, and she burst into more giggles, exposing her toothless grin.
Claire shifted her feet. What would it be like to trade places with Bella and be showered by Wade’s kisses?
“Be good for Grandma, all right?” The gentleness he cradled Bella with softened his usually guarded expression and constricted Claire’s heart. He’d started embracing a family role without even knowing it, hadn’t he?
On the drive to the restaurant, the low hum of the engine and the occasional crunch of leaves beneath the tires provided the only sounds. Wade glanced over, his eyes glinting. “Think my old truck screams the romance Grace is hoping for?”
Claire snorted. “Definitely.”
This suited him far better than the sleek movie star she saw online, stepping out of limousines and sometimes with bodyguards.
Here in Pleasant View, he stayed the same…
different from the Hollywood persona he maintained for his job.
She jerked when they hit a bump. “Nothing says ‘whirlwind romance’ like a pickup truck that creaks with every bump.”
Wade chuckled, smiling sideways at her. “I’d say it fits. Childhood friends turning into sweethearts… well, sort of.” He winked. “Though ‘childhood’ might be pushing it. You were what, twelve when I graduated high school?”
“Funny how that age gap doesn’t seem so big now.”
“Is that so, Cupcake?” His eyes gleamed. Maybe it was nice he had a name he alone called her.
She leaned back, biting her lower lip to keep from blurting out how age hadn’t mattered either when they’d kissed.
Soon, he led her inside a rustic-modern restaurant, the lively spot for the younger crowd already abuzz at this early hour.
Voices boomed over the steady rock music.
With the ski season starting in two days—snow or no snow, thanks to the resort’s snowmaking machines—tourists, part-time residents, and local workers returning to town packed the place.
Grace’s choice made sense. A place like this, filled with selfie-takers and group shots, was prime territory for unsolicited photographers competing with Toby, their hired expert.
The hostess beamed, her eyes lighting up as she recognized Wade. “Mr. Stone, your table is ready.”
She then led them to a central table—ideal for anyone around them to take their photo.
Was Toby anywhere? Of course, he would be unless Wade ignored Grace’s orders for their photographer to tag along on their so-called date.
Claire wouldn’t ask. Instead, she scanned the polished wooden countertop, warm lighting, and stunning mountain view.
The server appeared, set two water glasses in front of them, and asked about alcoholic drinks.
“Just water for us, thanks.” Seemed Wade and the Stones avoided alcohol and coffee.
Wade gave her a grateful nod, as though she’d done him a silent favor.
“That’s another thing I know about you,” she said after the server left.
“Really?”
Not exactly. “Why is it you and your siblings avoid coffee or alcohol?”
“Traumatic events from homes we grew up in.” He stiffened. “Most of my siblings had it worse than me.” Then he waved toward the bar. “Don’t let me stop you.”
Heat crept behind her neck. Now why had he suggested that?
“Let’s just say I didn’t like it when you got so mad at me that day.
” When his brows rose as if he had no idea what she was talking about, she winced.
Didn’t he remember? “When you told me I should start by not drinking, then maybe I could make good choices in friends?”
“Argh.” He ran a hand over his face. “I knew you were just standing up for your friend, but I—”
“It served me right.” She’d been at a Christmas party with a group of seventeen-year-olds.
Then a friend suggested they rob a gas station for fun.
Claire talked them out of it, and they dared her to drink instead.
She gave in, thinking it would stop them, but they didn’t keep their word.
Still, she tagged along, hoping to talk sense into them.
Hovering in the parking lot, she froze as her so-called friends stormed out with stolen candy and sodas.
When the police showed up, she’d been caught in the chaos.
Panicked and desperate to keep her family from finding out, she called Wade.
Even though she’d interrupted his family dinner, he’d come through and convinced the cops she was an innocent bystander.
Once they were alone in his truck, he’d fumed and questioned why she felt the need to stay loyal to a friend who dragged her into trouble. He’d also blamed the alcohol.
The server returned with menus, offering the chef’s specials and asking if they needed appetizers. They both declined.
“Filet mignon with roasted vegetables sounds good.” Claire didn’t open her menu. No need to peruse it and clutter up her choices. “That is, as long as Grace is paying.”
He chuckled and tilted his head to the server. “I’ll have the same.”
Someone approached and asked for his autograph, followed by another, phone in hand, requesting a photo. And like that, the floodgates opened. A crowd formed, and phones at nearby tables lifted like stars in the night sky, snapping shots of them.
He shifted into his public persona, smiling, posing, and introducing her as his fiancée. No one asked to see the ring. He signed autographs, thanked his fans for their support, and added, “Let’s not forget that, without God, I wouldn’t be the actor you see on screen.”
Claire’s chest swelled. Even in Hollywood’s chaos, he still gave credit to God.
While this date was meant to sell their relationship, it only highlighted the truth: they were still strangers in too many ways. They hadn’t held hands or shared even a hint of intimacy, sitting across from each other, polite acquaintances pretending to be more.
Best she focus on getting to know her fiancé, rather than leaning in for kisses. He didn’t seem concerned about it either. So, once they were alone, she braced herself. “How old were you when Regina and Kyle took you in?”
“Ten.” He swallowed, and his lips flattened into a tight line. “Albert knew Regina was my counselor.”
Albert only shared details about Wade when Claire asked, and she rarely did after her brother teased her about her crush on his best friend.
Wade sipped his water, the deliberate pace making it clear he wasn’t eager to discuss his childhood.
Okay, she could take a hint. “Tell me about the movie you’re directing. It’s coming out in November, right?”
The server returned with their plates. This time, Claire offered to pray for their meal. Then she picked at her vegetables as he cut into his food with a precision that seemed almost too careful, like a method actor utilizing every movement, every word.
“So…” She cleared her throat. “How’s Vaulting Hearts coming along?”
He pointed his fork at her. “Didn’t think you’d know about a movie that’s tanking in the ratings mere weeks away from its launch.”