Three Little Words
“You need to try the others on, just to be sure,” Isabel told her. “You’re making a big decision.”
“I’ll help,” the teen said, tucking her phone into her pocket. “Come on, Lauren. Show me what else you have back there.”
They disappeared toward the dressing rooms.
Ford turned to her. “You really are good at this. Are you sure you don’t want to buy Paper Moon and settle here?”
“Bite your tongue.”
“Will that get you to say yes?”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re serious about the fake-girlfriend thing.”
“Didn’t I make that clear?”
She thought it was kind of sweet that a big, bad SEAL was afraid of his mother and sisters.
“You make the rules,” he said. “Sex, no sex, I’ll make you coffee every morning, sweep up in here, you name it.”
It always came back to sex, she thought. Felicia had told her to find a rebound guy. Her friends had agreed. She didn’t want a rebound guy—she wanted...
Magic, she thought sadly. She wanted the giddy, excited love she saw every day in her store. Women excited about marrying the man of their dreams. She’d loved Eric and had thought theirs was a relationship of equals and shared interests. She’d respected him and enjoyed his company, but there hadn’t been magic. There certainly hadn’t been passion, but that was probably as much about him being g*y as anything else. She wondered if her first clue about Eric should have been how interested he’d been in the details of their wedding.
He took her hands in his. “Friends don’t let friends get mauled by their families.”
She laughed because he was funny and she liked him. She should do this, she told herself. She was going to be leaving in a few months. What could it hurt?
“I’ll do it, but only if you promise to never again throw the whole ‘I’ll love you forever’ thing in my face.”
“Done.” He pressed a quick kiss to her mouth. “Anything else? Want a kidney?”
“Not today.”
“I have to get to work, but I’ll see you later. Thanks. I owe you.”
Then he was gone, which would have been fine, except there was something wrong with her lips. They were tingling in the strangest way. She had the oddest urge to call Ford back and have him kiss her again.
* * *
“I KNOW THIS is really last-minute,” Noelle said, twisting her hands together. “I thought I had it all together.”
Isabel glanced around at all the boxes yet to be unpacked in the store. It was Wednesday and the grand opening was Friday. “You’re in a boatload of trouble.”
“I know.”
“I had it easier,” Patience said, picking her way through open cartons. “Brew-haha doesn’t have that much retail inventory.”
An hour ago, Isabel had gotten a frantic call from Noelle, who had realized there was no way she could get her store together by herself. Not in time.
Felicia was busy with the upcoming End of Summer Festival—aka Labor Day—but Isabel and Patience had been able to come offer help.
“We’ll never get this done ourselves,” Patience said. “Let me get reinforcements.” She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and pushed a button. Seconds later, she smiled. “Hi, it’s me.” Her smile widened. “Uh-huh. Me, too, but that’s not why I’m calling.” She quickly outlined the problem.
“Tell him to bring Ford,” Isabel said, assuming Patience was on with Justice, her fiancé. “Say that I asked.”
Patience looked puzzled but nodded in agreement. When she hung up she told Noelle, “They’ll be here in fifteen minutes.”
“They?”
“Ford, Justice, Angel and Consuelo. You’re going to have more help than you can handle, so let’s get organized.” She turned to Isabel. “So, what was up with telling Ford you were asking?”
“I’m his pretend girlfriend. He owes me.”
Noelle looked surprised. “You agreed?”
“It’s for a good cause.”
Patience laughed. “Does the pretend girlfriend only get pretend sex?”
“We haven’t discussed that part of it yet.”
“Hold out for the real thing,” Noelle said, “then remind me how wonderful it is.” She looked at the boxes. “Okay, we need a plan, and fast.”
The CDS team arrived as promised. Noelle sorted them into teams of two, assigning each a section of the store and a stack of boxes. She supervised.
“Already taking advantage of me, huh?” Ford asked as he ripped open a box of holiday teddy bears.
“As much as I can.”
He handed her bears and she attached the price tags Noelle had given her. Ford then placed the bears on the shelf. They worked well together, establishing a rhythm. Her fingers brushed his on occasion, which foolishly made her remember the quick kiss from earlier that day. And thinking of the kiss reminded her of the tingling, which was just plain strange.
On the other side of the store, Angel and Consuelo set up Nativity scenes while Patience and Justice were filling bookshelves under the window.
“Need I point out you said you owe me?” she asked, trying not to smile.
“I knew that would come back to bite me in the butt.”
He looked surprisingly sweet putting bears in place, making sure the tag was tucked neatly under one teddy arm. His hands were nearly the size of the decorative toys. He had big hands, she thought, then told herself not to be ridiculous. She was helping out a friend, nothing more. She wasn’t interested in Ford. She’d let that go years ago.
“Did that girl buy the dress?” he asked. “She looked good in it.”
“I told Lauren to take her time deciding. She’ll be back next weekend to try it on again. Then she’ll probably order it.”
“Are all brides emotional?”
“She was nothing compared to some of what I see.”
He flattened the box, tossed it on a stack of other empties and opened the next one. “She was crying.” He held up a stuffed reindeer the same size as the bear. “I’m getting there’s a theme here.”
“It’s the whole holiday thing. And I don’t mind tears. It’s the screaming that gets to me.”
“They scream?”
“Sometimes. Rarely at me, but often at whoever they bring with them.”
He shuddered. “I’d rather face insurgents.”
They continued to unpack inventory. After the reindeer came polar bears.
“They’re just more bears,” Ford complained.
“They’re completely different.”
“How?”
“For one thing, they’re white.”
He made a dismissive sound in his throat. “That’s just crazy talk.”
“If that’s how you speak to your girlfriends, it’s no wonder you’re single.”
“You’re feeling the power, aren’t you?”
She grinned. “Oh, yeah.” Maybe she would take him up on his offer to wash her car!
By four that afternoon, all the boxes were unpacked. Noelle thanked everyone and promised big discounts when the store opened. Patience and Justice went off together to Brew-haha. Consuelo and Angel started off toward CDS at a jog, arguing about who had better form when running.
“You going back to work?” Ford asked, standing close enough for her to be aware of his height and the warmth of his body.
“Yes. Madeline’s been handling things, but I have a five o’clock fitting. I’m meeting my tailor and acting as the voice of reason.”
“Another screamer?”
“No, but the bride’s mother can be difficult. I run interference.”
His dark gaze settled on her face. “We need to talk about our debut. As a couple.”
“Oh, that.” Her good mood vanished. “Right. What were you thinking for timing? The festival this weekend? The store is open Saturday, but I’m free Sunday.”
“Works for me. You going to be able to do this? Pretend to be interested in me?”
She found it difficult not to stare at his mouth. Kissing had always been one of her favorite things to do, and so far, Ford hadn’t really kissed her. The light brush of thanks wasn’t a real, touch-my-soul kind of kiss.
“We’re friends,” she told him. “I don’t have to fake liking you.”
“But this is different. It’s more personal.”
“Not that much more,” she said. “It’s not like we have to stage someone walking in on us having sex.”
His gaze sharpened. “Did you want to have sex?”
“I— No! How could you ask? Sex? Us? I— It’s not...” She pressed her lips together.
One eyebrow rose. “That’s a lot of energy. I’m open to it, by the way.”
She felt her face heating. “You didn’t just say that.”
“I kind of think I did. Don’t act surprised. You’re sexy and we have fun together. Don’t you think it would be the same in bed?”
Not a question she was going to answer, thank you very much. Why would he admit he wanted to have sex with her? Why go there?
Before she could say that, something in his eyes shifted. It happened so quickly, if she hadn’t been staring at his face, she would have missed it.
In that heartbeat, fun, charming Ford was gone and in his place was a man hungry for a woman. Even with her limited experience, she recognized the need.
Her stomach clenched as unexpected wanting ripped through her. She forgot where she was and what they were talking about. But then his charming facade slipped back into place.
He chuckled. “You don’t have to decide right now.” He lightly touched her face. “Think about it. My door is always open, so to speak.”
“I— You—” She drew in a breath. “We’re done here.”
“I can tell.”
There was probably more she should say. Something pithy or cutting or memorable. But her mind was blank and she was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that he really might want her...that way.
After Eric she just couldn’t be sure, but it was nice to think about. Better than nice. But also confusing. She sighed.
“I have to go,” she said.
“You mentioned that.”
“I’m leaving.”
“Have a nice rest of your day. I’ll pick you up at eleven on Sunday.”
She wanted to tell him she wouldn’t be there, that she’d changed her mind. Instead she simply nodded and stalked away, ignoring the sound of male laughter that trailed after her.
CHAPTER SIX
“THIS WAS NOT my best idea,” Isabel said as she walked next to Ford. She wasn’t sure which was more difficult to deal with—the feel of his fingers laced with hers, or the fact that they were in the middle of the End of Summer Festival, surrounded by pretty much everyone they knew. It was only a matter of time until someone noticed the handholding and commented on it. Worse, she couldn’t help liking the warmth of his light touch, the way their shoulders brushed occasionally. Being around Ford made her feel good—it just wasn’t enough to counteract the compelling need to vomit.
“What was your best idea?” he asked.
“What?”
“You said this wasn’t your best idea. What was?”
She turned and stared at him. He wore jeans and a T-shirt and had on mirrored sunglasses. He looked good. Better than good—he looked fit and sexy and dangerous.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said, staring at tiny images of herself reflected in the lenses.
For her faux-relationship debut she’d gone with a blue summer dress. Simple, but with great lines, and the color matched her eyes. She’d thought about curling her hair, but that had seemed as if she was trying too hard. They were going to be walking, so she’d picked cute, flat sandals that matched the skinny belt she’d added.
“Relax,” he said with a smile. “You need to look like you’re having fun or everyone will assume I’m lousy in bed.”
She came to a stop by a booth selling lavender everything. Lotion, lip balm, infused honey. Normally she would have explored, but how could she shop with that comment hanging between them?
“What does you being good or not good in bed have to do with anything?” she asked, careful to keep her voice low.
He removed his sunglasses. She saw amusement in his eyes. “This is a new relationship. You should be riding on the high that is the thrill of being with me.”
“Seriously? This is our public debut as a couple, so according to the world, we haven’t been together very long. Why would I have slept with you so quickly? Are you saying I’m easy?”
“No,” he said and lightly brushed her lower lip with his thumb. “I’m irresistible.”
She was torn between rolling her eyes and acknowledging the faint humming that had started inside her. It was more sensation than sound. As if she were anticipating something wonderful.
“You have an inflated sense of self,” she told him.
“Sometimes.”
There were hundreds of people milling around them, live music in the park and shrieks from kids on the rides at the end of the street. Lots of noise that seemed to fade into the background as she stared into Ford’s dark eyes.
“You’re really annoying,” she said, but there wasn’t a lot of energy in her voice.
He leaned so close his lips lightly brushed her ear. “It’s not even my best quality.”