Chapter 8
Mackenzie
I may have made a mistake. It’s one thing to play couple in public with Cal, it’s a whole different ball game to resist him in private. Look how he’s already made me think in terms of baseball metaphors!
First, as soon as we parked at the estate sale, he jumped out of the truck, ran around and opened my door, and then helped me out of the truck. His big hands on my waist, his soulful dark eyes smoldering into mine.
And now his hand is burning a hole through my thin coat as he rests it on the small of my back, guiding me down the front path of the mansion hosting the estate sale.
Cal has slipped into gallant courtship mode, catching me completely off guard.
We’re not even in town where anyone I know could witness it and report back to Mom.
His deep voice resonates close to my ear. “This is my first estate sale. Be gentle.”
The man is trying to get me worked up. I know his game. Fake dating, real sex. Not gonna happen. “Ha! These things can be fun, like a treasure hunt.”
He opens the door of the mansion and gestures for me to go ahead.
I walk inside, and he helps me out of my coat, folding it neatly over his arm.
This courtship business is too much and not what we agreed to.
His lawyer side is really showing itself clearly now, always bending the rules and looking for loopholes.
I can’t trust him.
He did say he missed me. But I can’t risk him casually walking away like he did with his live-in girlfriend. I bet she was crushed thinking she was getting a marriage proposal and then nothing. No, thank you.
“Cal.”
“Hmm?” He’s looking around, taking in the antiques for sale and the variety of numbered items for auction.
“You don’t have to do all this stuff for me.”
His gaze locks on mine, making my throat go dry and somehow bringing more heat to my already overheated body. “What stuff?”
I play with my hair, suddenly nervous. “You know, like opening doors and helping with my coat and stuff.”
“I do that with the person I’m dating. If you want this to look real, I have to start rehearsing so it comes naturally.”
I gesture vaguely. “It feels like mixed signals.”
He leans down to my ear, lowering his voice to a husky whisper that sends a hot shiver down my spine. “You know what’s a mixed signal? Hooking up with someone, ending things, and then pretending to date them.”
I shift away. “Sorry. I messed this up, didn’t I? You don’t have to go through with my wacky scheme.”
He tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. “Nah. Mixed signals are fun. I told you I’m game. Try to keep up.”
He walks over to a program sign, holding his phone up to the QR code, which links to the auction program. “Budget?”
“I’ve got her business credit card. I’ll text her as the bid gets higher, and we’ll see.”
He studies me for so long I start to wonder if I have pancake crumbs on my face. “You don’t look much like your mom.”
“No kidding.”
“But you have the same spark in your eye. Like you’re up for the challenge, whatever it is. I bet you butted heads when you were a kid.”
“Actually, I tried to follow in her footsteps to win scholarship money in beauty pageants. Nope. Despite her coaching, I never even placed as a finalist. I couldn’t even get Miss Congeniality, and I worked very hard to be a smiley person.”
Most people laugh at that. Pageants are silly. Who cares? But Mom and I took it very seriously, and it hurt. Mostly it hurt because I disappointed her.
Cal doesn’t laugh. “You’re very congenial.”
I can’t help but notice he didn’t say you’re so beautiful you should’ve won. Le sigh.
“Thank you. She tried not to look disappointed, but I could tell she was. That’s when I realized I had to forge my own path.”
“Never a bad thing. Dad wanted me to be the ball player he always wished he could be. He played in college but didn’t make it to the professional level. He barely spoke to me for years after I dropped out of the league.”
“I’m sorry.”
“We get along better now. Me and Sutton are all he has. Hey, look, free champagne.”
We get champagne and do our browsing through the mansion. I take pictures of the china cabinet and buffet set Mom said she wanted to be sure I have the right items. I even measure them for her with an app on my phone.
Cal sticks close to my side, almost but not quite touching. It’s torture. It would be so easy to tumble into bed with this man, but then what?
What happens after the fun part?
By the time the auction begins, I’m starting to get used to having him close. It makes me feel like we’re a couple. We’re sitting side by side, his muscular arm resting on the chair behind my back. It’s hot as hell.
He raises my paddle for me because apparently I was thinking so much about his arm and the couple thing that I forgot to bid on the item we came here to bid on.
I jerk my wrist from his grip, embarrassed. “I got it.”
The numbers climb quickly. I text Mom during the bidding, but it goes so fast I have to stop texting.
And then I bid, and it tops out. Uh-oh. Four thousand dollars.
That’s a lot for a china cabinet and buffet to be featured in the dining room of Ludbury House.
They don’t even have wedding ceremonies in there.
I text her the final bid. “Sorry. I’ll cover some.”
Mom: It’s fine. I’m planning some lovely pre-sologamy ceremony dinners in there. Just another meaningful add-on! Rowan’s arranged some killer PR for it.
That’s Rowan’s background—public relations and marketing. Of course she’s the better choice to partner with Mom in her business. I push down the hurt.
“You okay?” Cal asks.
He’s surprisingly in tune to my moods. I paste on a smile. “Yeah. We got what we came for. Let’s go to the staging area. I’ll sign the paperwork and pay. You bring the truck around back, and we’ll load it up.”
“I’ll load it up. That’s what I’m here for. You want to get some dinner after?”
“No, thanks. Let’s just get back.”
He searches my expression. “You seem upset.”
“I’m fine.”
“I’m a good listener.”
I shake my head. “Let’s go.”
Cal
Mackenzie’s mood flatlined as soon as the auction ended. She even asked me to drive the truck back to Ludbury House. I glance over at her in the passenger seat, where she’s staring out the window. I decide to take a sideways approach in an attempt to get an answer beyond “fine.”
“I’ve been thinking about your offer to get Sutton out here,” I say.
“Mmm-hmm.”
“What if she doesn’t go for it?”
“I can be very convincing. Plus we’ll offer a pay bump, three weeks paid time off, and half-day Fridays in the summer.”
“Wow. Can I work for you?”
That earns me a smile.
“And how will you convince people we’re fake dating?” I ask. “Drinks at your dad’s bar?”
She whips out her phone, a spark of her usual energy returning.
“I’m looking up the perfect town events we can show up for, where someone bound to know Mom will see us there.
She won’t be going to a lot of events herself while she’s in an ankle boot.
She’ll want to save her energy for her weddings. ”
“Did I really agree to this shaky scheme? Who’s going to believe it?”
“Everyone. And it’s not shaky. I’m the ultimate planner.”
“Maybe you should’ve gone into wedding planning with your mom.”
She frowns, her light instantly dimming. “She wanted me to at one point, but I wanted to try my own business, and now it’s too late because she brought Rowan in as partner.”
“And you wish it were you?”
“I don’t know.” She sighs. “Rowan’s great. It’s just Mom never asked me about making Rowan partner. She assumed that door was closed forever for me, and now I guess it is.”
“I’m sure she’d make room for you if you really wanted it. Like if your Mom retires, then she could have you and Rowan be partners.”
She bites her nail.
“Or not.”
I pull onto the highway. Mackenzie’s quiet.
I’m about to turn on some music when she says in a rush, “Truth is, when Mom first asked me about joining her in the business after college, I didn’t think I could live up to her expectations.
She’s brilliant with people and business.
Now Rowan will be the success in Mom’s eyes.
Forget it. Who cares, right? I’ve got my thing. I don’t know why I unloaded on you.”
“But you like your business, right?”
“I do.” She lets out a mirthless laugh. “Guess I have some Mom issues. Who doesn’t?”
The usual pang of loss hits whenever I think of Mom. “Uh…”
“Shit! I’m sorry. It must be hard to be reminded of your mom. And here I am complaining about mine. Sorry.”
“Not my favorite subject.”
She reaches over and gives my arm a squeeze. I glance at her, and she gives me a gentle smile. My throat tightens. Her comfort means more than a thousand platitudes about Mom being in a better place. It’s been years, but the loss sticks with you.
She turns on the radio. I appreciate her not pushing for the details on Mom’s death. A lot of people ask out of their own curiosity, and it’s not easy for me to talk about.
“I appreciate you, Mackenzie.”
“Why?”
“For being you.”
She smiles. “I appreciate you, too, Cal.”
I change the subject to a neutral one, movies. Soon we’re in a heated debate over whether Bull Durham is in fact a baseball movie. Hint: it’s not. It’s a relationship movie set in the world of baseball. She’s a lot of fun to debate with.
Mackenzie has the code for Ludbury House, so she lets us in.
I glance around the mansion while she sets a doorstop in place by the wooden front door.
It’s an impressive space with a two-story foyer, a crystal chandelier, and a grand staircase.
Antique furniture fits right in with the historic mansion.
“This is the first time I’ve been inside here.
So this is where all the weddings happen? ”
“Yup, except Mom and Dad’s wedding. They got married at a castle on the island of Villroy at the invitation of the prince.”
“What!”
“Long story. You can ask Mom about it next time you see her.”
“You have a very interesting family.”
She offers her hand to shake. “Thank you in advance.”
I take her hand and hold it. “For what?”
“For the performance to come. Let’s get the stuff.”
Several minutes later, I carry the china cabinet to the dining room. We carry the buffet in together, maneuvering it into place.
She wipes her hands on her jeans. “Now we have to return the truck to my parents’ house and stop in to give Mom all the details. I’ll be lovey-dovey with you. Try to look happy about it.”
I cock my head. “What exactly is lovey-dovey in front of your parents?”
“You’ll see.”
This should be interesting.
A short time later, we’re standing on her parents’ porch, Mackenzie’s hand in mine as she uses her other hand to push the doorbell.
Her dad answers the door. “Hey, sounds like it went well.” He doesn’t comment on the hand-holding, but he does glance at our clasped hands, filing the info away.
He steps back, and I follow Mackenzie inside. Hailey waves from the recliner chair with her feet up.
“Thank you both!” Hailey says. “I so appreciate it. How does it look in the space?”
“Good!” Mackenzie says brightly. She puts her hand on my arm and gazes up at me. “Cal was wonderful. So helpful and strong.”
I square my shoulders, pride filling me. Like Mackenzie actually adores me, even though I know it’s just an act.
“Wonderful!” Hailey says.
I go to help Mackenzie off with her coat, but she shakes me off. “We’re not staying.”
“Oh, please stay,” Hailey says. “I’d love to offer dinner as a thank you.”
“I bought steaks,” Josh says. “Plenty for the four of us.”
My mouth waters. I love steak, and Josh is a great cook. I guess he’d have to be with his restaurant.
Mackenzie sends me a look that says, See? I told you. She’s so sure about the matchmaking. It seems to me her mom genuinely wants to thank us for doing her a favor.
“I love steak,” I say.
Mackenzie smiles at me tightly. I help her off with her coat. She takes it and hangs it in the hall closet and holds out her hand for mine. Josh heads into the kitchen, but Hailey’s still parked in the recliner on account of her ankle. I can feel her watching us.
I guess Mackenzie does too because after she hangs my coat up, she puts a hand on my chest and smiles up at me. My heart kicks harder. “Great job,” she whispers.
Hailey looks at us, her brows drawn together with concern. “Cal, would you mind going into the kitchen to see if we have any cabernet? Josh will know where it is.”
“Sure.”
Mackenzie sits on the sofa near her mom, sending me a flirty wave with a smile. I wave back, enthralled despite myself. I know it’s fake, but damn if I don’t like it.