Chapter Six
Benson
At seven on the dot, I arrive back at Piper’s office. I knock on the door and push it open without waiting for a reply.
For a split second, my breath hitches in my throat when my eyes land on her. She’s dressed in a blue summer dress that accentuates her curves, and her hair bounces playfully over her shoulders. Her subtle makeup makes her face even softer and more beautiful than normal. I swallow, trying to hide my reaction from her.
“Oh, it’s you,” she says when she sees me, flicking that annoyingly pretty hair of hers over her shoulder.
“It’s so good to see you, honey,” I say in my best syrupy-sweet voice, laying it on thick, just to taunt her. I add a wide grin to it, one I know will get under her skin.
She rolls her eyes dramatically, folding her arms across her chest. “You can drop the act, Benson. My mother isn’t here. She went for a walk and said she’d meet us at the restaurant.”
I let out a mock sigh of relief. “Thank goodness I get some time to warm up first. Pretending to love you is exhausting enough as it is.”
“Well, you better get used to it. For tonight anyway. Not a minute longer.”
I nod. “Of course. I know you turn into a pumpkin at midnight.”
A small smile plays on her lips, but she still punches me in the arm. “Let’s go. I don’t want to be late.”
“You’re right. If we’re late, your mother might think we were doing other things and lost track of time.”
She frowns. “Other things?”
“Like kissing,” I say with a laugh.
Her cheeks color red, and she looks so cute that I start to wonder why we hate each other so much. Or at least, why she hates me so fervently. I only go along with this whole enemies vibe because she clearly doesn’t like me. Never has and maybe never will. And yeah, since she doesn’t like me, I’m not that fond of her either.
But I can see who she is deep down, and that girl is someone I could love. I mean, like . Definitely not love . Let’s not get crazy.
“I would never kiss you,” she says as if it’s the most preposterous thing she’s ever heard.
“Let’s hope your mother doesn’t think it’s weird we never kiss in public,” I say, trying to get under her skin even more because it’s so fun to do.
“Weird or not, I’m not about to kiss you, Benson. Lock that dream up.”
“Oh, we’ll see.”
I follow her out of her office, the cool evening air carrying the scent of pine trees and the lake below.
Piper doesn’t say much as we start walking, which doesn’t come as a surprise. She’s probably just amping herself up for the performance we’re about to put on.
“So,” I say, more to break the uncomfortable silence than anything else. “How do you think we’re doing so far with our fake dating charade?”
She gives me a side-eyed look. “We haven’t even started yet.”
“Sure, we have. The second we agreed to this plan, it started. Every moment could be a test, you know. Every little gesture, every word… you never know who might be watching.”
“You think my mother has spies following us?” she asks, eyebrows raised. “Honestly, you watch way too much TV if you believe that.”
“Wouldn’t put it past her,” I say. “She seems pretty set on the idea of us as a couple. She’s expecting me to propose, remember?”
Piper groans. “I know. I still don’t get why she’s so obsessed with my love life—or lack thereof.”
“Maybe she just wants you to be happy.”
“I don’t need a man for that,” she bites back, efficiently shutting me up.
We continue our walk to Pier’s Edge Seafood Shack in silence, and before long, Fog Harbor’s pier comes into view, stretching out over the water with twinkling fairy lights hanging from wooden posts. The seafood restaurant sits at the end, a cozy place with big windows that reflect the sunset. Me and my brother Maddox come here often to grab a bite to eat, but tonight is something else entirely. I suddenly realize this isn’t some casual family dinner. This is us lying to Piper’s mother. It doesn’t sit entirely well with me if I’m being honest.
As we get closer, Piper slows down, her steps becoming more hesitant. I notice the way her fingers twitch at her side like she’s not sure what to do with them.
“Are you nervous?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “No. Why would I be nervous?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe because this is technically our first date.”
She scoffs. “Please. This isn’t a date. It’s a… business arrangement.”
“Right,” I say, nodding. “Because nothing says ‘business’ like candlelit dinners by the bay.”
She shoots me a glare, but there’s a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“I do my best,” I say with a grin. “But if it helps, I’ll try to be less charming for the rest of the night. Wouldn’t want you falling for me by accident.”
She laughs at that, a genuine, beautiful sound that catches me off guard. I don’t hear it often, but when I do, it feels like a reward for all the teasing I do. “Yeah, right.”
We stop outside the restaurant, the scent of fried calamari, fresh lobsters, and grilled fish wafting through the air.
“There she is,” Piper says, pointing out her mother through the large windows of the restaurant.
Claire is sitting at a table by the window, looking out over the water. She’s every bit as put together as I remember from this morning: stylish but understated, with her blonde hair neatly coiffed and a light, effortless smile on her lips. She catches sight of us and waves.
“Ready?” I ask, reaching for Piper’s hand instinctively.
Her fingers feel warm and soft in mine, and I can’t help but notice how right it feels. She freezes, and I’m sure she’s about to drop my hand like a hot pan, but then she nods.
“Ready,” she mutters under her breath.
We step inside, the sound of seagulls fading behind us as the restaurant door closes again. The place is bustling tonight, and I realize we’re on full display here. We can’t make any mistakes.
From the corner of my eye, I see two of Maddox’s regular customers. My stomach drops. I hadn’t even considered that we’d likely get recognized tonight. In a town as small and close-knit as Fog Harbor, it’s hard to keep secrets, after all.
Luckily, they haven’t spotted us. Yet.
A waitress glances at us and gives us a polite nod as we make our way over to Claire’s table. Piper’s mom looks up at us, a smile spreading across her face.
“Piper! Benson! I’m so happy that we finally get to have dinner together.” . She pulls Piper in for a hug, and then shakes my hand. “Please, sit down. I’ve already ordered us all a glass of champagne to celebrate this occasion.”
“Mrs. Jennings, it’s so good to see you again,” I say.
“Oh, please, call me Claire. And thanks again for agreeing to go to dinner with me and my daughter. It means a lot to me to see you two so happy together.”
Piper and I exchange a quick glance, and for a split second, a look of panic crosses her face. It’s clear she’s having trouble pretending she likes me.
“Of course,” I say. “I wouldn’t miss this dinner for the world.”
“So, how was your walk, Mom?” Piper asks, obviously desperate to steer the conversation away from the topic of our relationship.
“Oh, it was lovely. I had a long walk by the lake,” Claire says, her eyes twinkling. “It gave me some time to think about how nice it is to see my daughter finally dating someone who seems to make her happy.”
Oops. So much for a change of topic.
Piper’s face flushes slightly, and I can tell she’s doing her best to play along without cringing. “Yeah, well, Benson and I… We have a lot of fun together,” she says, her voice a little strained, but believable.
I nod enthusiastically. “Absolutely. We’re a great team,” I add, reaching for Piper’s hand again. She gives me a sharp look and pulls her hand into her lap so I can’t hold it.
“You know, it’s been such a long time since Piper has brought someone around,” Claire says. “I was beginning to think you’d never settle down, sweetheart.”
Piper shifts uncomfortably in her seat. “Well, turns out that all it took was finding the right person.”
I need to get this conversation on another track before Piper gets so flustered they’ll mistake her for a lobster.
“So, Mrs. Jennings, how are you liking Fog Harbor so far?” I quickly ask.
“It’s great. Honestly, what’s not to like? Charming, beautiful scenery, a sparkling bay… I’m enjoying myself quite a bit. I also did something else besides walk around town today.”
“You did?” I ask.
She nods. “I gathered some more information about that plot of land you both want to acquire so badly. I called our lawyer and discussed some things with her.”
Piper frowns. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I’m so happy you guys are together and about to be engaged.” Her gaze flicks between us. “You are about to take the next step in your relationship, right?”
I clear my throat. “Sure. I don’t want to ruin any surprises, though. I’ll pop the question when the time is right.”
“What do you calling your lawyer and Benson proposing have to do with each other?” Piper asks, as confused about all this as I am.
Claire beams, bursting with excitement. “Because I’m buying it for you guys as a wedding present! Isn’t that exciting?”
The sip of champagne I just took lands wrong, and part of it shoots out of my nose in a dramatic spray while Piper’s eyes go wide, her mouth open in shock.
“But, Mom, we’re not even—,” Piper starts.
“Engaged. We’re not engaged yet,” I wheeze, trying to make sure Piper doesn’t blow our cover because I know she’ll regret it later.
Claire winks at me. “Then I guess you’d better start planning that proposal, Benson.”