Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
LOUISE
I walked out of Eve’s apartment with my nostrils flared and my fingers curled into fists. That little snot she called a sister was a walking nightmare.
I stared at Eve’s door, ready to burst back inside and give the woman a piece of my mind.
“Dress like a tramp?” I scoffed at the words, coming from a woman with a V-neck t-shirt low enough for me not to imagine much.
She’d find out when my sweet Spencer was sliding that sparkly five-carat diamond onto Eve’s finger. “Maybe six,” I muttered to myself, tightening my fingers around the handles of my handbag.
I forced myself to walk away, though every fiber of my being screamed at me to storm my way back in there and protect my newfound best friend. Eve was a sweet girl who allowed the world to walk all over her.
As I marched away, a familiar ache clenched my chest–the same one that tightened every time I remembered my own struggles with my controlling mother. I saw too much of my past reflected in Eve’s timid acceptance of her sister’s harsh words. No, I wouldn’t let Eve face what I did. Not if I could help it.
I took a deep breath, my resolve hardening. If I could give Eve the kind of support I never had, maybe she could avoid some of the pain I went through. Yes, Spencer was a part of that plan, but it was more than matchmaking—it was about empowerment.
When Eve was rubbing elbows at every upscale party in Newport this season, her sister would see who’d won.
I slid behind the wheel of my car and fired the engine, planning a few girls’ outings in my head as I drove back to Spencer’s. I figured we could do a spa day sometime next week and gab about her first date with Spencer while I prepared her for the second.
I still hadn’t decided if that should be the beach picnic or something more formal by the time I’d pulled up to the house. Maybe Spencer had a preference.
Leaving my car behind, I pushed into the quiet house. My eyes flicked to the second level, certain I could detect the clicking of keys from Spencer’s office.
After dumping my purse next to the weird abstract sculpture Spencer had been gifted, I climbed the stairs and navigated to Spencer’s office.
With a slight smile, I leaned against the door jamb, watching him work. His typing never ceased for twenty straight minutes before he finally leaned back, his eyes narrowing at the text-filled screen.
“Break time?” I asked.
He startled, his chair nearly toppling as he flailed his arms.
“Lou.” He pressed a hand to his chest as he swiveled toward me. “Please stop sneaking up on me like that.”
I arched an eyebrow as I sauntered into the room and perched on his desk. “Sorry. I’ve been standing there for a while, and you never noticed.”
“I heard you come in. I figured you were…busy.”
“I am, but there are a few things we need to discuss.”
He tapped a few buttons on his keyboard before he minimized the window and returned his attention to me. “Divorce stuff?”
“Yep,” I said as I leapt off the desk. “Meet me at the pool for a Pina Colada?”
“All right,” he agreed as he rose from his chair, carefully pushing it into the desk.
We made our way downstairs, and I whipped up a batch of the sweet concoctions before joining him poolside.
“So, what do you need? Our prenup should be more than capable of giving any attorney what they need to draw up our separation,” he said.
I sipped some of my drink before I set it on the table. “We need to talk about your date tomorrow.”
His features crinkled. “You said this was about divorce stuff.”
“It is,” I insisted. “It’s about your life after the divorce. Your life with Eve.”
Spencer flicked his gaze to his lap, coloring rising in his features. “I think you may be getting ahead of yourself.”
I clicked my tongue. What was it with these two being so sure they’d hate each other?
“Well, I am determined to make certain you two have a nice time. Especially after what just happened?”
Spencer snapped his gaze to me. “What happened?”
“Eve has a horrible family member, just like me. I just…I felt for her. I know how it is to live with someone like that.”
I twisted to face him again, grabbing my icy drink. “Spencer, I just want her to have a nice time.”
He lifted a shoulder at me. “Well, I’ll…be nice to her.”
I pressed my lips together and shook my head. “I want you to be more than nice. Spencer, you should woo her.”
“I don’t…woo,” he answered me.
“Well, will you at least take some advice?”
“Louise,” he said, his voice a little whiny. I’d come to recognize that tone to mean he didn’t want to do something.
After what I’d seen from Eve’s sister, though, this was more important to me than ever. I shot him an icy glare.
“Now, don’t give me that look,” he said with a wrinkle of his nose.
“I’m giving it to you, sugar. Eve deserves your best.”
“I just…I think you’re putting a lot of pressure on both of us. What if we don’t like each other?”
The question shredded my heart. How could they not see what I saw? They were perfect for one another; I just knew it.
I soothed my frayed nerves with another sip of my drink. “I don’t see why you wouldn’t like each other.”
“Lou, it happens all the time. Actually,” he said as he held a finger in the air, “it happens most of the time when I am involved.”
“And what if you like her? You know, I’m just going to keep trying until I find one you like. So, if Eve’s not your gal, I’ll get another and another and another…”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him wince as he slouched down on the chaise. “I get it. I’m just…throwing it out there.”
“And now you know the solution. If Eve is that awful, I’ll find you a new gal.” That ought to fix him. He was getting into his head over this date, but if he had another woman looming over him…well, he’d likely want to stick with sweet Eve.
“But,” I continued, “that has nothing to do with being polite. Now, you’re picking her up, right?”
“Huh?” he asked before he sipped his drink.
“Spencer,” I said, my tone warning, “have you given this no thought at all?”
“Well, I…I figured you’d have it all planned.”
I swatted at him with a shake of my head. “You need to text her and tell her you’ll pick her up.”
He rubbed his lips together, staring into what remained of his frothy drink.
“Is your phone broken?”
“I don’t have her number.”
“You’re in luck,” I said before I scurried into the house to grab my phone from my bag. As I plopped back down onto the chaise next to him, I pulled up her information and passed it along.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll just text…pick you up at five forty-five.”
“Are you being deliberately obtuse? Spencer, tell her who you are and how you got her number. And then tell her when you’ll pick her up. Honestly, Spence, I’m starting to wonder if we’ll need those little earpieces so I can make sure you’re treating her right.”
“I can treat her right. I just…I’m going to be myself, that’s all. The point is that she likes me for me, right?”
“Are you going to take your laptop and pound on the keys all night, then?”
He shot me an unimpressed glance. “Very funny.”
“All right, answer me this if you are so certain you don’t need help. What are you taking her?”
He stared at me. “Is that a trick question?”
“Now, that is the wrong answer, Spence. Flowers. A beautiful bouquet of roses. Oh, or even better—I can ask her what her favorite flower is and you can get that.”
“That would be an obvious set up.”
“But it shows your interest. It shows you did a bit of work to impress her.”
He shifted in his seat. “Roses, right? All women like roses.”
I leaned back against the cushion and tapped away on my virtual keyboard.
“Are you asking her? Don’t ask her!” Spencer exclaimed. I swore I saw color rise in his cheeks. It took all in me not to grin. He liked her so much.
“I’m asking her if she was a flower, what type would she be?”
I hadn’t asked that at all. I told her Spencer wanted to know if I knew her favorite flower because he wanted to get the detail right. It didn’t matter that it was a stretch of the truth.
“What did she answer?” he asked, trying to sound casual.
“Carnation because they are resilient and long-lasting.” I twisted to him. “There you have it. A lovely bunch of pink carnations would be perfect for her.”
“Right,” he answered. “Okay, I can manage that.”
“Good. So, you take her flowers. You offer her your arm as you take her to your car…you put her in the passenger’s seat before you get in yourself…”
“I drive to the restaurant,” he said.
“Funny, Spence. Let’s assume you can make it there, secure your table, and order the wine, at least.”
“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.” He waved a hand in the air. “Should I order wine? Is that presumptuous?”
“It’s not, but if you’d like, you could ask her, ‘Is it okay if I order us wine?’”
“Right. Ask her,” he murmured.
I glanced at him, noting the deep concentration on his features. With a grin, I swatted at his arm. “This is supposed to be fun, Spence, not an Olympic event.”
“You’re making it an Olympic event. Flowers, put her in the car, ask her about the wine. All these rules and regulations–”
“They’re not rules and regulations, Spence. I’m just trying to help you make a good impression.”
“Who says I want to make a good impression?” he shot back, crossing his arms as he stared at the wind-whipped pool water.
I shifted in my chaise to study him. “Do you really, really dislike her?”
He did a double-take when he noticed my gaze on him, pressing his lips together before he stared out at the roiling sea in the distance. “I don’t…know her enough to like or dislike her.”
I clicked my tongue. “Come on, now. First impressions still mean something. Are you really that insistent that you’ll never hit it off?”
He opened his mouth, his head shaking, but no words came out. “She seems nice.”
“Well, there you go,” I said with a grin. “And it’s not rules, Spence. But, by your own admission, you’re not good in social situations. I’m just trying to set you at ease.”
“Right. Ease. A word that goes perfectly with me and being social.”
“You’ll be fine. But just in case, do you want one of those little earpieces that connects us so I can tell you what to say to her?”
“No,” he shot back, his lips tugging into a frown again.
“Just be yourself,” I told him, earning another grimace.
“Because that’s worked out well so far with dating.”
“Spencer, sometimes you have to take a chance on things working out, you know?”
I added one final statement, leaning closer. “You always say you trust my judgment. Well, trust me on this. Eve might just be the one to prove us both wrong about your doomed romantic endeavors.”
He didn’t answer, signaling the end of the conversation. He was exhausted already just thinking about the socialization he’d do, but I was certain it wouldn’t be as bad as he imagined. He and Eve would hit it off so well, he’d find it effortless.
I left him to his own thoughts for better or worse for the rest of the evening and the better part of the next day.
As the time approached, I wrapped myself in my fluffy robe and slid on my cuddly slippers and parked myself on the couch.
Spencer appeared moments later, his posture stiff as he stood in front of me. “Well? Am I approved to go?”
I gave him the once over followed by a nod. “You look great. She’s just going to fall right in love with you.”
He shifted his weight, sliding a hand into his pocket before he pulled it out and hopped to the other foot. “Well, I guess…I better go.”
The he shot me a glance that seemed to beg that I’d tell him it was all a big joke, and he could happily change clothes and play his game all night.
“Yep,” I answered. “Don’t want to be late.”
“What are you going to do?” he asked.
“Oh, just…put on a rom-com and…relax. Maybe drink some wine, pop some popcorn. Wait for you to get back and tell me all about your date.”
He swallowed hard, the tension rising in him at the mention of the date.
“Go on, darlin’. Have fun.”
He swallowed hard, lingering for another moment in front of me before he murmured a goodbye and shuffled from the room. A moment later, the door banged shut. His car’s engine roared to life and the sound gradually faded away.
The moment I no longer heard it, I leapt from my seat and tore off my robe, revealing my cocktail dress underneath. I kicked the slippers aside and grabbed the shoes I’d hidden under the couch earlier.
Hopping on one foot, I tugged one on, then the other before I tossed the throw pillow aside and grabbed the purse I’d stowed. I had no intention of sitting at home. I’d already arranged a space where I’d have a perfect view of Spencer and Eve’s first date.
I planned to keep tabs on them so I could adjust their next date accordingly. After a quick check in the mirror near the door, I fluffed my hair and headed out to my car.
I planned to make it to the club well before Spencer. I’d scoped out a cabana in the pool area where I could hide and have a great view of Spencer’s table by the window.
After I arrived at the club and tossed my keys at the parking attendant, I hurried to the comfortable poolside space. A Benjamin Franklin slipped to one of the staff ensured I wouldn’t be bothered, and I’d even have a glass of wine to enjoy as I watched the show.
I chewed my lower lip as I pulled my mini binoculars from my handbag and set them on the window. Two empty chairs.
With a sigh, I lowered them and accepted the glass of wine the waiter brought. As I sipped it, I spotted movement in the restaurant. I grabbed the binoculars again and raised them.
A squeal escaped my grinning lips as I spotted Spencer sliding Eve’s chair in behind her before he sat down across from her. “Good job, Spence, way to be a gentleman.”
Their lips moved, but I couldn’t figure out what they were saying. I should have bugged the table. I wondered if I could ask that waiter to call my phone and leave his near the table.
I pulled the binoculars down, considering it when a familiar cologne enveloped me, and hands gently covered my eyes. A chill ran down my spine, not from fear, but from the thrill of the unexpected.
"Guess who?" a voice whispered, one that I'd know anywhere.