9. Andrea
Was I ready for tonight? Doubtful, but I was dressed up for the occasion, and there was no turning back now.
“Ready.” As far as my rock-star fantasies were concerned, holding out my hand for a fist bump was not on the list. But here I was doing it anyhow like a total idiot. Nothing said fake dating more than a lame fist bump.
He smirked after meeting my knuckles. “Let’s go to a wedding.”
I’d expected a mega star like Deacon to have a driver, so I was surprised when he led me to his garage. “You’re driving?”
“Any chance I get. Security will be staffed at the venue which means it’s just the two of us for now.”
“You need security wherever you go?”
“In major cities, yes. Back in Australia, no.”
He ran his hand over the sleek lines of his black sports car as though he’d missed it.
“She’s beautiful.” I had no idea what kind of car it was, but she came across as expensive.
“Wait until you feel her run.” He opened up the passenger side door and took my hand to assist me into the low, leather seat.
Jesus, never had I ever been turned on by the smell of a car. But between the rich leather and the faint smell of his cologne, my senses were overwhelmed. And that was before Deacon slid into the driver’s seat looking like the sexiest man alive in his well-tailored suit. The juxtaposition of his formal wear with the peek of tattoos along the sliver of skin showing at his wrists was enough to make my head spin.
He glanced over. “You okay?”
Not at all. Because in this scenario of fake dating, I’d never considered the intimacy of spending time with him.
“Yeah. Fine.” My voice didn’t sound the least bit convincing.
He reached over and took my hand. “I’d tell you not to be nervous tonight, but it doesn’t work that way, does it?”
“No, I don’t suppose it does.” How ironic that the source of my anxiety was now holding my hand in the small confines of the car. Although the thought of meeting so many strangers tonight was less than comforting, doing so would at least be a reprieve from the intensity of being alone with Deacon.
“If I forget to say it later, thank you for coming with me tonight.”
His thoughtfulness wasn’t lost on me. “If I forget to tell you, I’ve smiled more today than I have in weeks, so thank you.”
He raised my knuckles to his mouth, and I watched with wide eyes as he skimmed his lips over them. “You deserve to smile again.”
Relief-appointment—my new marinated word for both relief and disappointment. The sensation hit me when he let go of my hand in order to start the car and pull out of the garage.
As soon as we were on the road, he started the conversation again. “Ollie mentioned you have a dog?”
“I do. Her name is Callie. She’s a shepherd mix I rescued about two years ago, and she’s such a love.”
“He who shall not be named won’t fight you for her, will he?”
I appreciated the way he danced around mentioning my ex. “She’s always been my dog, and it’s my name on the adoption certificate, so my lawyer believes it’ll be fine. But who knows?” Not that I’d show my cards at this point, but I’d give up every material possession I owned in order to keep Callie. “Do you have any pets back in Australia?”
“I wish. But my life hasn’t lent itself to that since I’m frequently on the road. But I have twenty-three acres there, so I always thought it would be nice to have some animals once things slow down.”
“You should get mini cows. They’re adorable. And maybe some chickens, oh, and a whole lot of dogs of course.”
He chuckled. “Sounds like you’d prefer to move out of the city.”
“I really would. I’m fond of the idea of starting a sanctuary where I can take in rescue animals.”
“Where is home originally?”
“Small town in Kansas, but I don’t see myself moving back. It feels like…”
“Failure,” he finished, empathy in his expression.
“Yeah. I guess it’s because my ex and I grew up there together, so it wouldn’t feel as though I was getting away from him or the memories. Or the expectations. Even my mom thinks I should fight for him—as if a second chance for a cheater should be automatic.”
He whipped his head toward me. “Are you thinking about it?”
“Not at all. But she lives on the same street as his parents, and it would be easier for her if we were back together. That kind of pressure is not what I want to hear every day. Guess you could say I crave a fresh start when I leave LA. Luckily, my job is remote, making it possible to work from anywhere.”
“You kept your day job?”
I laughed at his surprise. “Yeah, I’m a programmer.”
“Cool. What sort of things do you program?”
“I do website design for online retail stores. My company contracts with small businesses, and I work on a project-by-project basis. The hours are flexible, and I enjoy it.”
“I should have you update my website.”
“Say the word, fake date, and we’ll make it happen.”
He chuckled, and I found myself relaxing with him in the car as we navigated through traffic. Up until the point he put on the radio and began to sing along with the song. Damn. No autotune for this guy; he was the real deal, talent pouring out with every sexy note.
“Tell me about when you started singing?” I could’ve read up on him, but I’d wanted him to tell me his own story.
“I started singing in church when I was young, and the choir director encouraged my mom to get me lessons. By high school, which oddly enough is only a few miles from here, I’d started a band, and by my sophomore year of college, I’d dropped out for a record deal.”
“What’s your favorite part of it?”
“Writing songs. Even if I didn’t sing another note, I’d still need to create art.”
“Australia is the place that inspires you?”
“It does. Because once I’m there, people wave and say hello, but they don’t treat me like a celebrity when I’m out getting groceries or running errands. Something about the anonymity brings me down to earth and allows me to get into my humble, creative space.”
“I would imagine being out on tour and traveling from city to city you don’t get much of a chance to be by yourself. Probably nice to have an empty room and silence to keep you company.”