Chapter 9
Mackenzie
Mom’s all concern as she studies my expression. “You seem closer to Cal after your outing today.”
I lean into it. “He’s a great guy. Strong, capable, smart.”
Her hand goes to her throat, seeming taken aback. “Well, yes,” she says slowly. “I can see why you’d think that, but let’s not forget he’s a bit of a player, isn’t he? He was dumped on Valentine’s Day for not proposing to his live-in love. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“You know me, Mom. I’ll be careful.”
“I know you say you’ll be careful, but it’s easy to misstep, and the next thing you know, it’s a slippery slope to major heartache. I don’t want that for you.”
Then why do you keep throwing us together? I’ve committed to the fake-boyfriend scheme, so it’s too late to let on that I’m onto her. Besides, direct confrontation got me nowhere last time.
“I’m a big girl,” I say.
“You’re a lady.”
“Whatever.”
She adjusts her leg on the recliner. “Okay. I’ve said my piece.”
Cal returns with two glasses of red wine, handing one to Mom and one to me. I take a long drink.
Mom smiles sweetly. “Thank you, Cal. Please help yourself to something to drink. Josh has beer if you prefer that.”
“I’m good.” Cal sits next to me, widening his legs in typical manspreading, which makes it easy for me to shift ever so slightly so our knees are touching.
And then I put my hand on his knee in a bold gesture. Energy surges through my hand, a shock reminder of the chemical attraction. I dimly sense Mom’s stare.
Cal takes my wandering hand and entwines our fingers together, like it’s completely natural.
“Are you two officially a couple?” Mom asks. “I know people nowadays wait a while to say it’s official.”
“It’s official,” Cal says.
“It’s complicated.” Why did I say that? I’m supposed to be faking a relationship, not confessing the truth. That I’m all mixed up with inconvenient feelings and lust.
Cal stares at me. “It is?”
“So it’s casual?” Mom asks, looking from me to Cal.
“Uh,” he says.
“It’s new,” I say. “That’s why it’s complicated.”
Mom nods. “Good communication goes a long way. If you understand expectations from the start, then there’s no complications.”
“Is that what you and Dad did,” I ask pointedly, “before the war?” Their frenemy war is legend in town. It’s hysterical.
Mom narrows her eyes.
“War?” Cal asks.
“I’ll go see if your dad needs help.” Mom lowers the recliner’s footrest and attempts to get up with her ankle boot. Cal springs into action, helping her to her feet and handing her the crutches.
“Thank you,” she says with great dignity before making her way to the kitchen.
Cal returns to my side, leaning close. “What war? Seems like a touchy subject.”
“Oh, it is. I’ll let her tell it, or you can ask Dad for an alternate-universe version.”
He looks so adorably baffled with his brows crinkled like that. I smooth them out.
“What are you doing?” he whispers. I suppress a shiver as memories of his sexy whispers flood me.
“What we talked about.” My voice sounds a little breathy. I attempt to put some distance between us, but I’m caught between the armrest of the sofa and Cal’s body. Temptation has never been so strong.
God, I want him. He smells so good.
“What’s with saying it’s complicated?” he asks.
I shrug, my arm brushing against his. “I don’t know. It just came out.”
“So what do we call it?”
I face him, grab his shirt, and pull him close.
“Complicated.” We’re so close I feel his sharp intake of breath.
Slowly, his hand moves, cupping the back of my neck.
A moment of shimmering tension hangs in the space between us before I close the distance, sinking into a kiss that feels as inevitable as breathing.
My pulse jumps as his mouth slants over mine, taking control. Why did I give this up?
“Mom made bruschetta,” Dad announces.
Cal and I jerk apart. Cal looks guilty. As for me, I’m thinking Cal and I aren’t done.
Dad sets a plate of bruschetta on the coffee table in front of us, gives Cal a touch my daughter and die look, and checks in with me. Overprotective much? I smile.
“Thank you, sir,” Cal says, taking a piece of bruschetta.
Dad grunts and turns back to the kitchen.
Cal
Dinner was amazing. Steak done perfectly, baked potatoes with crispy onions and cheese, and steamed broccoli. Josh marinated the meat for hours beforehand. It’s like Mackenzie’s parents knew we’d stay for dinner.
Mackenzie sits directly across from me at the table. I caught her sneaking looks at me while we ate, or maybe that was me sneaking looks at her.
“Would you like to stay for dessert?” Hailey asks. “We have ice cream from Shane’s Scoops.”
Mackenzie tilts her head. “Mmm, tempting, but Cal and I have plans after this.”
Josh and Hailey exchange a look. It’s like a secret conversation, though I’m not getting any negative vibes from it.
“Oh? What are your plans?” Hailey asks.
“Cal asked me to take a look at his new place for some decorating ideas,” Mackenzie says.
“Decorating,” Josh says. “Is that code for—” He jerks and abruptly goes silent. I think Hailey kicked him under the table with her good foot.
I don’t blame him for calling Mackenzie on it.
Like any guy would invite a woman to his place for the purpose of decorating on a Saturday night.
Still, I back her up. “Just a question on the living room layout; then we’re going to watch a movie.
Mackenzie has never seen Field of Dreams, the best baseball movie of all time. ”
“I’ve seen Bull Durham,” she says, like our earlier conversation in the car.
“That’s a relationship movie.”
She narrows her eyes. “It’s definitely a baseball movie. Let’s watch both.”
“If we’re going to have a doubleheader, I vote for Moneyball.”
“We can discuss,” she says airily.
Hailey smiles serenely. Even Josh seems okay with us.
Mackenzie gives me a lovesick smile, which sends chills down my spine because it’s not real. My mind knows it’s not real, but my body senses danger. My pulse rushes through my ears, all sounds fading to a dull roar.
Mackenzie stands abruptly. I do too. She puts her hand on my arm. “You’re the guest so sit. I’ll clear the dishes. I’ll make you work later.” She gives me a sexy smile, leaving me stunned in a good way, the panic receding.
I watch her go, hips swaying as she balances dishes expertly.
When I turn back, Hailey’s smiling at me. A big smile, almost proud, like I’m the best guy she could imagine for her daughter. She turns to Josh, and he inclines his head.
Was that parental approval? I don’t dare let Mackenzie in on the secret. She’d want to end our fake relationship before it even got started. And it seems really important to her.
A deception within a deception on the woman who started it all. Is that playing dirty? Maybe. But the alternative, not seeing her again, doesn’t sit well with me either.
I’ll take a wait and see approach. That’s only sensible.
She pops back in and smiles at me. “Ready?”
I can’t say no to this woman. That should scare me more than it does. “Ready.”
Mackenzie
So here we are at Cal’s apartment in Clover Park.
He has the entire second floor of a house.
It’s cozier than I thought it’d be. Built-in bookcases flank a fireplace, and he actually has books in them.
A man who reads, yum. There’s a cushy navy sectional sofa.
I imagine his bedroom is equally nice, but we won’t be going in there tonight.
“Want anything?” he asks, taking my coat. He hangs it on a hook by the door.
“No, thanks.” I’m suddenly almost shy. This feels kinda like a date—dinner and then a movie. Well, dinner with my parents and then a movie at home.
“I actually have it on DVD,” he says, rummaging around in the drawer of a coffee table.
A few minutes later, he presses play on Field of Dreams.
“Hit the lights,” he says.
Oh, we’re going to sit in the dark together. Okay, no problem, standard movie procedure. I turn off the lights and join him on the sofa. Then I grab a throw pillow and hug it, mostly so I’m not tempted to climb into his lap and kiss him. I breathe in his scent, like soap and pure sexy man.
I glance sideways at him as he settles back, resting his feet on the coffee table. He seems to be into the movie. I should pay attention so I can argue more intelligently why Bull Durham is better.
Before long, I’m pulled into the movie, my throw pillow long forgotten. Oh my gosh, the players are all here in the field of dreams. They showed up! And his dad. My throat tightens, my eyes stinging with tears. When the end credits roll, I have to wipe the tears from my cheeks.
“Are you crying?” he asks.
I sniffle. “No.”
“You are. See, I told you it was the best baseball movie of all time.”
“No, that’s still Bull Durham.”
“I don’t have that one. Let’s watch Moneyball.”
“If we’re going to have a triple-header, I insist Bull Durham is next. Find it on a streaming service.”
His lips twitch. “There’s no such thing as a triple-header.”
“All the more reason to watch Bull Durham next.” I pull out my phone. “I’ll look up where to watch it. You make the popcorn.”
He stares at me, not moving to get snacks like a reasonable person. “You’re willing to watch three baseball movies in a row? You must really be a fan of baseball.”
“I’m a fan of good stories, and this is the only way to prove my movie is best.”
He cocks his head. “You’ve never asked me about my baseball-playing days.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really, but most people are fans. They want to know.”
“I’ve been to my brothers’ games as a kid, and a few times I saw Yankees games in person. My favorite part was the snacks.”
“Oh.”
“Speaking of…” I smile encouragingly.
He tugs a lock of my hair. “Popcorn. How do you know I have popcorn?”
I grab the remote. “You have a cozy apartment. I figured you have the appropriate snacks.” A sudden worry occurs. “You don’t have the microwave kind, do you?”
“I have the already-made kind in a bag.”
“Next time we’ll do this at my place, and I’ll make you fresh popped.”
His brows lift. “You’re assuming a lot.”
I freeze. Omigod. I’m such an idiot. “I was just enjoying myself. Sorry to assume. We don’t have to keep watching movies. It’s late.” I stand, trying to find my purse in the glow of the TV screen.
He grabs me by the wrist and tugs me back to the sofa. “Hey, speedy. I didn’t say leave. You’re just bossier than I’m used to.”
I nearly say, You’re bossy in the bedroom. I’m bossy everywhere else. Probably best not to bring sexy times up when we’re in friend mode.
I play it cool. “Oh, well, I am the oldest of my siblings. I had to keep my brothers in line.”
He lifts my hand and kisses the palm. Tingles race up my arm. “I like it.”
“Then what’re you teasing about? Go get the popcorn, man. And when you get back, set it up for the movie. I found it on several streamers.”
Once we’re all settled with popcorn and water, Cal starts the movie. I settle in with a handful of popcorn. This is fun.
An hour later, I pull the soft throw blanket from the back of the sofa and put it over us both. He slips an arm around my shoulders, and it feels natural to lean my head against his shoulder. The heat between us wraps around me, relaxing every muscle. Desire stirs, but I ignore it.
But then there’s a sexy onscreen kiss, and I’m remembering our kiss. And another sexy scene and another. I don’t dare look up at him.
The next thing I know, he’s shifting off the sofa, leaving me behind under the blanket. I sit up. The movie’s over. I blink, trying to get my bearings. “I must’ve dozed off.”
“Good thing you’ve seen this relationship movie before.”
I smile. “Baseball movie.”
“We’ll save Moneyball for next time. You can stay the night if you want.”
I blink. Together in his bed, or I’m on the sofa while he sleeps in the bed? Either way the temptation is too great. No way am I putting myself through that. I used up all my willpower not kissing him during our movie marathon. “I’ll go.”
I pull off the blanket, stand, and fold it neatly, setting it back on the sofa.
He turns on the lights, dimming them. Then he gets my coat for me. He sure does a lot of polite sweet gestures considering no one is here to witness them for our fake dating.
He helps me on with my coat, and I find myself blushing over all the fuss. Obviously I don’t need help, but it’s like he wants to care for me. No guy has ever made this much effort.
I flip my hair out of the collar of my coat and turn to him. “Want to meet up for a run tomorrow morning? I figure it’ll be a good public outing for our fake relationship.”
“How do you know I run?”
“You don’t get a body like that at home.” I slap a hand over my mouth.
He grins. “My knee doesn’t cooperate for a run, but I can join you on a walk. We’ll get a lot of eyes on us on Main Street.”
“That works. I’ll text you in the morning. Thanks.”
“You know, you can get this body at home,” he says with a wink. “Just need the right training regimen.”
I shake my head, thoroughly embarrassed. “Goodnight, Cal.”
He leans in, and my heart thuds for a crazy moment. But then his kiss lands on my cheek. “Goodnight, Mackenzie.”
I step out, smiling. Who knew I could have so much fun with a guy friend? Fake dating was a great idea.