Chapter 8 Would Be Rules
WOULD BE RULES
“I’m so hungry,” Natalie said two hours later. “Between the bike ride and the walk. I’m not cold, but not warm either.”
“I could eat a tomahawk steak with a gigantic lobster on the side,” he said. “I’m not sure I’ve burned that many calories in years.”
She smiled when he said that. “I doubt you’ll find a steak like that here, but you will find the lobster.”
“Don’t judge me if my lunch is surf and turf.”
“I won’t judge,” she said. “Because I think I might get a full meal too.”
It was after two and to her this would just be an early dinner. They’d catch the ferry at four and weren’t that far from the docks so had plenty of time before the departure.
She’d be home by five. Or at least at The Retreat by then.
She’d met him there. She wasn’t one to let anyone come to her place on a first date. Maybe not even a fifth date.
“Get whatever you want,” he said.
They were seated quickly, placed their drink orders and then browsed the menu. “They’ve got your surf and turf.”
“And that’s what I’m getting,” he said, putting the menu down.
“I think I’ll start with soup and the linguine clams and bacon sounds good.”
“Anything with bacon hits the spot,” he said.
“I think so. We used to fight for the last piece of it in my house. Carter always got it because he was the oldest. Or that was his excuse.”
“Are you the youngest?” he asked.
“I am. Carter is four years older than me, Grayson three. What about you? I guess I never asked much about your family and I’m sorry about that. It was rude of me.”
For someone who valued thoughtfulness, she’d overlooked something simple. She never really asked about Arik’s life when they’d been together before.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m an only child and it’s a good thing. My parents divorced when I was eight. I’m going to unload on you if you’re okay with it. Not to be dramatic, just so you understand why I live the way I do.”
“Go ahead,” she said. “I’ve been told I’m an excellent listener.”
He hesitated as if weighing his words. “My father is a serial cheater. He’s only been married once, but he has a new woman in his life every six to twelve months. They get younger and younger. The current one might be younger than me.”
She cringed. “I’m not sure how I’d feel about it.”
“Probably the same way I do. It’s nasty. Dirty. Blah.”
She burst out laughing. “Okay. Now I don’t feel so horrible I might have judged.”
“Judge away,” he said. “My mother. She’s been married three times.
Not a serial cheater. I’m not sure she’s ever cheated.
It’s not even about my father. It’s that every time he shows up with something better, she suddenly has to match it.
First it was chasing men with money. Now that she has plenty of her own, she’s going younger too. ”
“Wow. I thought my family had drama. Not my current family but the history of it.”
“Did I mention both of my parents are attorneys?”
“No. Yikes.”
“Yep. They work in the same circles so no avoiding what is going on in their lives. What’s even better is my mother is a divorce attorney. Though she doesn’t rely too much on the dollar like my father for significant others, she made out well in all her divorces.”
“Your father most likely has to rely on his money to get a woman my age,” she said. “Even then, there is no way I could do it. Just the thought of being with someone my father’s age.”
She had an involuntary gag.
He closed one eye and pointed at her with his elbow bent on the table. “That’s it, right there.”
The server came over and took their orders, giving them a break from that conversation, her mind spinning to get off this topic.
“It sounds as if after college you went right to Seattle?”
“I did. There was no reason to go home.”
“Who did you live with prior? Your mother?”
“I did. Or my stuff was there. She was married to husband number three. I always felt as if I was in the way, but she wasn’t around much. Even if I had returned to the area after college, I wouldn’t have lived with her.”
It had to be hard to feel as if he hadn’t belonged. Had no real home of his own. No landing spot like she’d come to value.
“Do you have any other family you’re close with other than your grandmother?”
“No. I’ve got some cousins that are younger than me. Just one first cousin though. Nick. He’s getting married on Saturday. I’ve got to fly there on Friday. I’m dreading it.”
“This is your father’s side?”
“Yes. My Uncle Justin’s kid. Nick and I have never been close. He’s twenty-five. His future wife is twenty-three.”
“Young.”
“And act it. They are getting married at my grandmother’s estate.”
“Estate?” she asked. “Sounds fancy.”
He laughed. “She always called it that. I’m not sure how fancy it is. Not nearly what some new houses are. It’s more about having land that is well maintained. The wedding is outside. They should have gotten married in the summer when the gardens would be in full bloom, but that’s on them.”
“It might be nice to see your family,” she said.
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “Not nice. My father is going to show up with some bimbo named Brandi. My grandmother filled me in with that. The rest of my family attending will fluctuate back and forth between hinting toward a loan or telling me I’m a lucky bastard.”
She cringed. “At least you can escape to your room there.”
“Nope. I’m staying at a hotel. There will be no escape. I’d ditch the whole thing if I had my way, but I’d never hear the end of it. It’s just not worth it. I’m doing it more for my grandmother than anyone else.”
“Sounds like you need a partner in crime to survive the day. Hard to believe there’s no one around who’ll stick by you and crack a few jokes.”
“There will be plenty who will stick next to me as if they are glued to my thigh. No one I want there. I like the idea of a partner in crime though. What are you doing on Friday?”
She laughed. “What?”
“Can you take Friday off? I’m flying over in the helicopter at two. It’s less than two hours. I’ve got a car rented and am going straight to my hotel. I’ll show up at the wedding on Saturday. It’s later in the afternoon, then flying home the same way on Sunday.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said. Talk about a joke. “First off, I have to work. Second, you can’t just bring a surprise guest to a wedding last minute.”
“In my family, yep, you can. My father does it all the time. But since it’s at my grandmother’s, it’s not a big deal.
She’s talked about it not being a sit-down dinner either.
It’s a buffet. There will be complaints about that too, but it’s not as if my grandmother’s kitchen could prepare meals.
That was the only way to do it. If that is the only thing stopping you, don’t worry. ”
This was nuts. Was she really considering this?
The fact that she was running it through her head said she was!
“You’re serious?”
“Very serious. I wasn’t until you said it, but now I am.”
“Who are you supposed to say I am? If I even considered this?”
He’d have to make sure she could get a seat on the helicopter, but she didn’t think that would be an issue. He most likely was the only passenger heading in that direction.
Her family would find out.
How would she explain something this out of character for her?
“You can be my pretend girlfriend,” he said. “It’s just a weekend. I mean, I know this is a real date and all, but it’d be crazy even for me to say I’m bringing a date this early if I don’t make it out to sound like more.”
“You’ve been here for one week. No one is going to believe we are dating.”
“The fact you’re arguing my logic tells me I might convince you to do this. Holy shit.”
His surprised expression had her shaking her head. What was it about him that had her doing things she’d never considered with anyone else?
“I don’t know what I’m thinking,” she admitted.
“Let’s reverse. Back to my crazy logic. We went to college together and can say we reconnected.
We don’t even have to put a time on it. No one is going to care all that much anyway.
I came to the island so we can try it in person and you are attending the wedding with me for moral support.
The last part I really need. No lie or fabrication there. ”
If he weren’t so adorable looking batting his eyes at her she’d tell him he was out of his mind.
Almost as much as her for thinking of going through with this.
“I don’t know,” she said. “That kind of makes sense.”
“It completely makes sense,” he argued. He was sitting up straighter, a negotiation stance and look on his face.
Her soup was brought out and it’d give her time to think while she ate to counter his logic with her practicality.
Hunter had been on her back to take some time off. It’d only be one day.
She had more fun with Arik today than any other date she could remember in years.
She genuinely enjoyed his company and felt a twinge of sympathy over his family situation.
But her parents and siblings would think she’d lost her mind if she went out of town with someone they’d never heard of before. A complete stranger in their eyes.
Was he really a stranger though?
If things had been different in college, she might have said yes if he’d asked her out. No might about it, she absolutely would have.
One of the biggest obstacles holding her back some was his wealth.
She’d been around more wealth than he had. Hunter was heir to a billion-dollar empire. It’s not as if the wealthy people in her family were snobby.
Arik was no snobbier than half her cousins from the wealthy branches were and she wouldn’t really associate that word with him.
“Sell me,” she said. Might as well let him put some work into this while she let it bounce around some more. She didn’t want to give him a firm no without all the facts.
He rubbed his hands together. “I’ve got this. We have a quick backstory as I’ve said. No one needs to know more. We can set up rules. You can set up rules.”
“Oh, there would be rules.”
She was crazy. Certifiable now. But the proud glee in his eyes that he was winning her over kept her engaged to keep this up.
If it weren’t for the fact that she was only drinking water, she might think she was drunk.
She didn’t do drugs but felt high.
Maybe endorphins from an incredible date? Was that even possible?
“You can set them and I won’t say no to any of them.”
“I don’t like lying to people.” That was a big no for her.
“It’s just exaggerating the truth,” he said.
“It sounds as if you don’t care so much about anyone there other than your grandmother. What are you going to tell her?”
“The truth.”
“That I’m your emotional support date?”
He burst out laughing, his finger coming out to wiggle at her. “That’s a good one. And remember, you came up with the idea.”
“I never said I was going to help you, just that you needed a wingman.”
“You can be my wing woman.”
“You didn’t say what the truth is you’re telling your grandmother.”
“I’m not sure yet. No lies. Parts of the truth. How I know you and that we reconnected. I just won’t say when.”
She let out a breath, her lips flapping some.
“I have to look at my work schedule. And you don’t know if I can be on the flight.”
“It’s just me and the pilot. No worries. I’ll take care of the costs. You just bring a dress.”
Oh crap. That was another issue.
“What’s the dress code?”
“I don’t know. I’m wearing a suit. Wear a dress.”
She put her hand to her forehead. “It’s not that simple. There could be specific attire for this wedding.”
“I doubt it. Courtney’s parents aren’t snobby or anything. She’s kind of stepping up marrying Nick. Sounds horrible, but it’s the truth.”
“Find out what kind of attire I need. If I’ve got something, then I’ll do it. If not, sorry, you’re on your own.”
“I’ll get you a dress,” he said.
“No. I don’t need anyone to buy me a dress that I’ll never wear again. I’ve been to a lot of Bond weddings in the past several years and I have a wide range of dresses to choose from. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
All she wanted to do was be prepared.
Yet how do you prepare yourself to be in a fake relationship with a guy you’ve got the hots for when you’re going to lay down rules?
Maybe the first rule should be for her. Don’t do anything stupid? Like fall for the charming grin across from her that said he’d just won!