Chapter 3
APRIL
Iwant to see the video. That can’t be a bad idea, right? I should demand to see the proof of our little escapade. It’s my right.
I swing my legs out of my small SUV, and I groan at the fact that I just pulled up to Spencer’s house.
He lives on a cul-de-sac with two other houses, one of which is Piper and Hudson’s, and the other belongs to a hockey player.
All the houses deserve a spot in an architecture magazine, plus they all back onto the lake.
Rage fills me as I walk to the back of my car to grab my suitcases because I’m here for God knows how long.
As I’m opening the trunk, I hear a familiar voice that may just be my saving grace in this situation.
“April?” Piper asks as she approaches with baby Gracie in one of those wrap things. Despite being sleep-deprived, Piper always looks put-together, and her brown hair is up in a bun that looks messy in an on-purpose fashionable way.
I look at her as I swing my suitcase out, and my new beagle Pickles jumps out onto the driveway too.
“Oh, hey.”
“Uhm. Think you parked at the wrong house. I wasn’t expecting you. I mean, it’s great, I just need to change the sheets in the guest room.” She looks affectionately at her daughter who is also my cousin. I know my uncle isn’t around because there is an away game this week.
It dawns on me that this situation took such a fast spin that I haven’t updated Piper on the latest.
I bite the bullet and bring my hand to my hip, knowing there is an awkward look plastered on my face. “I'm not here to stay with you.”
“Right… then what are you here for?” She seems confused.
I smile tightly then bite my lip. “I’m… going to temporarily live with Spencer.” That was painful to say, and I cover my face in near shame.
“As in my neighbor? The guy you hate? Wait, the guy who you actually call the asshole baseball player?”
“Yep.” I pop the P with my lips.
“Why?” she asks blankly.
I laugh nervously. “Fun story. Or not. Remember your baby shower?” God, I’m going to admit this, but it’s better she if knows the details, because the only plus of this situation is that I get to hang with my bestie more due to her close proximity.
“Of course.” Piper smiles because I’m sure it is a great memory for her. “But what about the baby shower?”
I use my fingers to indicate size. “I might have made a teensy-weensy mistake with Spencer, and the man forgot to use the delete button. So, I need to hide out here in case the press figures it out.” I'm speaking at the speed of light.
Piper’s blank look fades to shock. “Oh my God!”
Pickles makes a whimpering sound, as if he is agreeing with Piper. Thank goodness I adopted him when I got back from my Italy vacation; I could use a therapy dog right about now.
I give a weak wave and smile to Piper. “Howdy, neighbor.”
“We are not telling Hudson the specifics of this,” Piper states, still in shock.
“Please don’t.” I couldn’t agree more.
“Oh, hey there, roomie,” I hear Spencer call out as he appears to walk slowly with a swagger down his driveway.
My face turns stiff, and I hold up my middle finger in his direction, but my eyes stay fixed on Piper. I feel my nostrils flare before smiling sweetly at my friend. “You’ll be my alibi if a hot baseball player turns up at the bottom of Lake Spark?”
Piper seems to be grinning. “I shouldn’t highlight the fact that you just called him hot, should I?”
I grumble and wave her off as I start my march in the direction of the house, with my hound in tow. I vaguely hear Piper say, "See you soon." I am sure she flashes Spencer a smile because that man has everyone wrapped around his finger.
Spencer slows as we come face to face. “What’s with the dog?”
“My ex hated dogs, so I lost the ex and gained a dog. Clearly a win. We are a package deal. You need me to stay here, then Pickles stays too.” I shoot him a glare.
He responds by smirking. “Fine. Shall I get your suitcase?”
“It won’t move itself.” My eyes flick down to get a glance at his white t-shirt that hugs his muscles, and I see half of his tattoo on his chest by the v-neck. An anchor with tiny numbers along the outline of the shape; I know that because I’ve seen his entire body.
“Great, I get to live with children,” I hear him mumble. Creases form on my forehead that he said that plural, but I don’t think too long.
Mostly because I’m mesmerized as I enter his home.
He was working on this house for a long time.
Everything is state-of-the-art and modern.
An open staircase greets me, as does the one-room level with floor-to-ceiling windows.
It’s huge, and I don’t know where to look.
The living area, a dining area, then my eyes land on the kitchen.
I’m a little eager as I continue my journey to inspect the kitchen.
This fridge is a dream, and is that a pizza oven?
I think I’ve entered heaven. In Italy, I partook in cooking workshops every day, but my apartment in the city just doesn’t suffice for some of the recipes, but this? I can literally stare at this all day.
This will be great.
I mean, don’t, April, don’t get a warm fuzzy feeling about this arrangement.
I turn to face Spencer, who has left the luggage by the stairs and followed me in my exploration. “Since I'm here, I might as well stay occupied and use the kitchen for my own enjoyment.” I hear my attempt to cover my excitement.
“Sure.” He scratches the back of his neck. “We may need to stock up on supplies. We can head to the general store if you want?”
My voice turns sickly sweet. “I would say I don’t need your company, but I do need your credit card since this shall be an unexpected all-expenses-paid trip, because the reason I am here…” My voice turns full of venom. “Is because you forgot to use the damn delete button on your cloud!”
His satisfied smirk is unaffected. “Fair point, but it did take two to make it.”
Ugh, he’s right. I soften a smidgen and blow out a confirming breath.
“Do you need me to show you where you can work or something during the day?”
“No. I’m currently unemployed, on a sabbatical, trying to figure out life, yadda yadda, whatever you want to call it. I made a deal with my old company when I left, so I can weigh out my options for a little. I’m about to finish a nutrition course, but that’s online, and I’m practicing recipes.”
“Hmm, I could see you as a nutritionist.” He walks past me to the fridge to grab a soda. “Want a drink?”
“No, it’s okay. But I should get some water for Pickles.” We both look at my dog who is standing in the middle of the kitchen panting.
Spencer angles his head to study my pet. “Does his eye always twitch?”
“Yes. I adopted him from the shelter. He's older, so nobody wanted him, but he is a big softie and a good dog.”
To my surprise, Spencer grabs a bowl and fills it with water. He is already confusing me with his effort. I thought he would tell me to get it myself.
He sets the dish down. “You can have any of the guest rooms.”
I stare at him with a neutral face. I thought for sure he would take the opportunity to reference that night, but he doesn’t, and I’m not sure why that disappoints me. Shaking off the thought, I get us back on track.
“I’ll take the room farthest from you. It will be less enticing to strangle you in your sleep.”
He rubs his face in aggravation. “Your maturity level needs work.”
“Well, you do bring out the best in me.” I plaster on a fake smile before walking past him. When I reach my suitcase at the bottom of the stairs, I clear my throat, indicating for him to carry my bag. I’m going to make the man work because we are in this mess because of him.
Spencer scoffs and reluctantly follows me until he purposely leans over to grab the handle and grazes my body in the process. He is doing that on purpose, right? I mean, his shoulder touches my arm, and the smell of his freshly shampooed hair hits my nose. Something inside of me feels heightened.
“Remind me to find my handcuffs in case you get out of line,” he mentions before heading up the steps.
Leaving me to picture the thought in my head.
Of course, Spencer speeds along the road to the general store. I guess what man wouldn’t when you have a Jaguar like this?
“When is your lawyer updating you on the situation?” I ask as I look out the window.
“I have a call with Celeste tomorrow. I think she works with your mother, as they are in the same firm.” He focuses on the road with his hand on the wheel.
My lips roll in from the thought of my mother finding out about the video. “Yeah, she does. Since I know she has client confidentiality then I won’t worry about her telling my mother. But make no mistake, this goes down as the worst one-night stand in history, hands down.”
“Let’s maybe not get into it while we approach the sharp turns around the lake.”
“Fair point.”
He glances to his side real quick, I see it in the corner of my eye. “I forget that Lake Spark is your family spot.”
I smile to myself because it’s true. “Well, I’ve been coming here for years. My mom and uncle always visited, and then Hudson bought his house, so Lake Spark became a frequent visit. Then my best friend decided to become his wife. I don’t need a map for this area, as I’m here often enough.”
“Good. I can just let you be and not worry about you getting lost in the woods or something.”
I shoot him a glare. “Touching.”
Arriving at the general store, I know it’s anything but a basic stop. This place is a gourmet supermarket for all the people of Lake Spark who enjoy paying an arm and a leg for almond milk.
Spencer and I get out of the car, and I grab a cart that I pass on to Spencer.
“I need to get a few things,” he says as we enter the store and land right in the produce area.
“I would assume so, as assholes do need to eat.”
He stops the cart, causing me to stumble against it. Spencer’s eyes turn stormy, and he steps closer, leaning in to mutter so only I can hear.