Chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
“O h, Ainsley.”
Her mother held Aunty Win’s hand as they stared at the house with the brand-new Sold sticker on the sign out front.
She wished she could be holding Zac’s hand, finding more of that strength his big body offered, but he was away in Texas. Instead she had to settle for clutching Mack’s arm, while Benson hovered nervously, keeping an eye on her mom.
Benson had come onto the scene just prior to Ainsley’s grandmother’s death, and had about as many memories as she and Mack did. She had ever-dimming memories of flowers in windowsill baskets, the aroma of chocolate chip cookies, and her grandmother’s forever-bright smile. Little had anyone known that smile hid a world of pain, something that had only come out when their grandfather had been exposed as a man who hurt his wife with bruises that didn’t show, until he’d battered her one too many times.
Mom and Aunty Win had suspected, but had been shielded from much of the pain. It later came out in the trial that he’d been grooming Ainsley for unspeakable acts, when Gran had tried to intervene. Her grandfather had died in prison. Her grandma was her hero.
To look at it, this house held no outward signs of trauma. The previous owners had planted some trees, but the big tree where the old swing used to hang had been damaged in a storm and only a stump remained. If she closed her eyes she could imagine when she used to come here as a young child, blithely unaware of what trauma lay ahead. To be here now felt a little surreal.
“Are you okay?” Mack asked.
She nodded. “You?”
“Yeah. My memories aren’t as strong as yours. Or theirs.” He nodded to the sisters in front of them.
Aunty Win was looking shaky, but her fighting spirit remained strong. Stirling had mentioned there was a hiccup in the zoning, but he hoped it would be resolved too. Right now, Ainsley had a house but no right to use it in the way she hoped. But if God had allowed this house to finally fall into her hands, then surely He would also allow the zoning to change at the right time. She just hoped it would be sooner rather than later, as Aunty Win’s frail state suggested she might not be able to afford to wait.
“Are you ready to go in?”
They went inside, and it was almost like everyone could heave a sigh of relief. The space held few memories, the garish paint and aged carpet different to what they recalled.
But it proved that it was the perfect place for a refuge. A quiet street, privacy, a beautiful view looking out onto water, trees, mountains. The women who came here would be blessed. She could see it now. Her aunt’s paintings on the walls, a place where damaged lives could be soothed, could find respite, could find a place to breathe.
She told them about some of the plans she had, subject to planning approvals. Such as dividing the house into several purpose-built spaces that could accommodate several single women in the upper level, while the basement area could provide a home for a small family.
“White Night have some other homes they use for this, but the need is always there. They’ve got a list of requirements and recommendations, and Stirling and I will be working with them to make it happen. Soon.” She pressed a kiss to her aunt’s cheek.
Aunty Win held her hand. “This is a good thing.”
“You are redeeming the past,” Mom said. “I love that God can restore the broken things.” She sighed, hugged Benson, and the room filled with quiet.
And Ainsley’s prayers. Lord, use this place for Your purposes. Use me for Your plans.
“How long until you think it’s operational?” her aunt asked.
“It will take some time still to make all the arrangements, but I hope in the next few months.”
“Good. It’s needed.”
Ainsley nodded. The local news had reported another woman had been killed by her ex-partner today.
They exited, hugged, and eventually only she and Mack were outside. “It’s going to be great.”
She nodded, adjusting her scarf. “I’ve got a good feeling about it.”
He smiled, glanced at her neck. His eyes widened. “Well, hello. What have you got there?”
She clutched the necklace. “Zac gave it to me for Christmas.”
“Your non-boyfriend, huh?”
It kind of hurt to think of him like that. Even if it was true. “He thought it would look more convincing that we were together if he gave me jewelry like this.”
“He told you that, did he?”
She shrugged. “Words to that effect.”
“Honestly, Ainsley. Sometimes I think you’ve spent so much time living in fictional romance land that you can’t recognize real love when it’s right in front of you.”
“It’s not real. Zac and I, we’re not—no.”
“No?” His eyebrow arched.
“No! I told him not to fall for me, and I’m trying not to do the same.”
“Taking some effort, is it?”
She swallowed.
“When do you next see him?”
She sighed. “He’s away for two games then has a party I’m attending with him for New Year’s Eve.”
“Where you might have a midnight countdown.”
“Yes.”
“And a kiss.”
“Oh! I didn’t think about that.”
“Hmm. Well, you might want to consider that. And consider just how convincing you want this couple thing to appear.”
The yacht club they’d passed on their bike ride weeks ago was the venue for tonight’s New Year’s Eve party. She was glad because it gave her time to change in her apartment after the game, then Zac picked her up, and she saw him for the first time in five days. They’d texted and talked, but she hadn’t stayed after tonight’s game, conscious time was of the essence. Conscious too of Mack’s comment, that she hadn’t been able to forget. But this was fake, this wasn’t real. Zac’s words when he’d given her the necklace reinforced that. He’d only given her the necklace because a guy like him had to keep up appearances, especially with a girl like her. That was all. Wasn’t it?
The music drifting from the function room suggested the party was hopping. “You ready?” Zac asked once he’d parked.
“Yep.”
He smiled, but didn’t get out. “Have I told you it’s really good to see you?”
She laughed. “A few times.”
“That’s because it’s really good to see you.”
When his gaze softened like that, she was inclined to think the man had had acting lessons of his own. Sometimes he was entirely too convincing.
They exited, entered, and she handed off her coat to an attendant. Zac whistled when he saw her dress. The red number was a little brighter than what she normally wore, but Trudi had assured her she’d stand out in photos. And considering the color palette of the other ladies here, she probably would. Oh well. At least the snug fit wouldn’t reveal too many lumps and bumps. She’d barely eaten since Mack’s comment four days ago, as nerves made themselves felt.
Zac’s gaze dipped to her neckline, where his gift lay. “You wore it.” His voice was soft.
“Of course I did.”
He smiled, and his expression stole away her desire to remind him to keep things professional. They couldn’t very well do that here, not when the point was to convince people they were very much a couple.
Diana and Chris joined them. Diana looked Ainsley over and smiled. “It’s a good thing I was never in the contest for best-dressed woman at these things, otherwise I’d be crushed at being forced to give up my crown.”
“Is it too much?”
“Not if you’re Zac Parotti’s girlfriend.” Diana winked.
Oh.
The music switched to more mellow tones and she watched as others were drawn into the dance. They should probably join them if they were going to be convincing.
Zac glanced at her and held out his hand. “Shall we?”
She glanced at his hand, his invitation feeling like a lot more than a simple dance. And for a moment, she decided to let the fakeness go and just live in this moment.
* * *
After a week of games that rocked his body, there was something so soothing about holding Ainsley like this. He didn’t dance much, but knew enough—and maybe had picked up a few things from Luc’s time on Dance Off Canada —to hold his own.
Mind you, he’d never danced with someone like Ainsley before. Holding her close, in that red dress that screamed temptation, the diamond glinting at her throat, was almost enough to make him wish he was the man he used to be, who would take her back to his place and celebrate the New Year in a manner as old as time.
But he wasn’t that man now, so he kept his eyes on hers, even if occasionally they slipped to her mouth. She, too, seemed content to dance, to not talk much, just smile at him with her eyes like she was as glad to be with him as he was to be with her.
“How did the house visit go?”
“Mom and Aunty Win approve, so that’s a relief.”
“You’re a good woman, Ainsley Beckett.”
She smiled and ducked her head.
The music changed to a really mellow oldie, and she brightened. “Oh, I love this song. I remember Mom and Benson dancing to it at their wedding.”
He didn’t recognize it, but it had some nice guitar as the guy sang about sailing.
It was a good song for dancing, for spinning her out in a twirl and gently tugging her back in, dipping her, drawing her laughter, then bringing her close again. She smiled up at him, and he was super tempted to see if he could mess with her lipstick and do a little more convincing. But there was still a little while until midnight, so he could afford to be patient until then.
After a big few weeks it was so nice to just relax and hold her, to feel this same sense of synchronicity that he’d enjoyed with her before. Where they seemed to be dancing in time, their rhythm the same. Not just to the music right now, but in life.
He drew her closer, one hand on her back, his right hand holding her left. She tucked her head into his neck, and he closed his eyes. He didn’t care who saw them, didn’t care if they were photographed. She might still want that to convince others, but this moment felt too real for games. She might be a good actress, but that look in her eyes before played pretty real.
The strains of guitar closed the song, then she sighed and looked up. “I don’t know what it is about that song, but it always relaxes me.”
“It’s good to have something that helps us unwind.”
“You help me do that,” she murmured, then ducked her head like she couldn’t believe she’d said that.
He smiled and gently tipped up her chin. “I feel exactly the same.”
Her eyes were wide.
“Parotti, it’s not midnight yet!” Drew called.
“Midnight?” Ainsley murmured.
Zac sighed. “I know this is against your rules, but I think he thinks we’re going to have to kiss.”
“Oh.”
His heart fell. That look didn’t suggest she wanted to.
“I, um, am not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?” God forgive him for having other motivations, but this needed to be said. “I think people would be surprised if we didn’t.” And come on. It wasn’t as if the woman had never kissed before. There were YouTube videos committed to Ainsley’s kisses.
She sighed. “You’re probably right.”
Definitely right. He’d had to shut down some crude comments from Logan and some opposing players about just what he and Ainsley got up to. He’d kept his mouth closed, doing his best to ignore them. What would it look like if he told the truth? He couldn’t admit he still hadn’t kissed her, let alone done any of the things they suggested. Drew knew, but he still hadn’t told the rest of them he was a Christian, even though the internal roiling in his stomach suggested he needed to soon.
Others, like Chris and Luc and Mike, seemed to be comfortable living out their faith, but he still felt like he was on training wheels. Keeping his mouth shut meant he had less chance to fall. Even if he’d fallen for this woman so thoroughly that he couldn’t imagine life without her. So he wouldn’t spoil things. Not tonight, anyway. Not when a kiss could finally be his in a few short minutes.
“I suppose we could just do a show kiss,” she murmured.
“A show kiss?” His lips twisted. “Is that where we show them how a kiss should be done?”
She laughed, drawing heads to turn their way. “It’s a TV kiss. Like what I do.”
Envy at these other men who had tasted what he wanted rippled through him. “And how is that different to a real kiss?”
“For a show kiss, you want it to look real, but there’s awareness of everyone around you. All the cameras, the directors, sound guys. There can be dozens on a set.”
“And the other?” He kept his eyes on hers. “The real kiss?”
She blushed. “That’s when you’re lost in the moment and don’t care who sees.”
“Okay then.”
“Okay.”
The countdown began, and he drew her to one side. Either show kiss or real, he’d finally know what it would be like to kiss Ainsley Beckett.
He smiled at her, one arm around her back, as his teammates and their partners and friends counted the dying seconds of this year. “Three, two, one, Happy New Year!”
Around them as streamers and confetti fell, he kept his eyes on her. “Happy New Year, Ainsley.”
“Happy New Year, Zac.”
He leaned down, closed his eyes, and brushed his lips against hers in a moment of sweet perfection. Her lips were soft, so soft, so sweet, and everything he’d hoped.
Around them, laughter and revelry and plenty more kissing was going on, but he ignored them all, intensely focused on her as he pulled away an inch.
“How was that?” he murmured.
Her eyes were still closed. “Perfect.”
“Come on, Parotti. You can do better than that,” Drew goaded.
He could, but he wouldn’t push her. He was still trying to follow her lead, follow her script, after all.
Ainsley’s eyes opened. “Can you?” she whispered.
A show kiss? Or a real one? “You want me to be more convincing?”
She stared up at him, then grasped his head and tugged his face down. His eyes closed as his lips found hers, and she kissed him. Really kissed him.
He wrapped her more tightly in his arms, and the music, the laughter, the party faded. It was just him and Ainsley, kissing in this moment like they were made to do this. Almost like God had ordained this moment between them.
Heat ignited and he deepened the kiss, his hand cupping the back of her head. She pressed in more hungrily which only increased his need for more too. Then, as if by mutual consent, their kiss softened, sweetened, and he drew back, lifting his lips reluctantly from hers, as a whoop went up from around the room.
“Get a room!” someone called.
Oh. Looked like that had been a little too real. He glanced across, saw Chris and Diana staring at them. He cut back from their concern to refocus on Ainsley.
Ainsley stared at him, her chest heaving. “Zac.”
“Ainsley.”
“I…” She patted her chest, catching her breath.
“Was that a little too convincing?”
“Actually, that was perfect.” She smiled. “I think everyone should believe us now.”