Page 75 of Nothing to Deny
Knowing little about where they were going, she had no idea if the situation was the same there. The grounds inspired optimism. There was space, if not inside, then outside. Though how often would she get away with excusing herself outside? And Baer, what about him? She couldn’t abandon him. God knew what her family would say to embarrass her.
They turned onto a wide parking lot that circled the main house. And that house? Huge! Good. Fantastic. Except… damn, why hadn’t she spent time researching the place as Baer had? The building might look big from the outside, but they were onlyrenting an apartment within it, and she had no idea how many dwellings occupied the structure.
“Here we go,” Holly said, a whisper of trepidation in her words.
They made eye contact and she smiled, taking on the role of comforter despite her own apprehension.
“It’ll be fine, it’s family. Your parents, your siblings, how bad could it be?”
It was the slink of her cousin’s eyes to the man at her side that revealed the true source of her anxiety. Hadn’t it seemed like such a great idea at the time? That wasn’t the moment for an, “I told you so,” yet the words threatened her throat. Hadn’t she been the one to say this was a bad idea? Nerves be damned, she squeezed Baer’s hand. However this turned out, if it didn’t damage her relationship with Baer, she couldn’t regret it. She couldn’t regret that he’d come into her life.
“I should find out if anyone’s here yet,” Holly said, retrieving her cellphone from her purse.
Right, because did they know where to go? Could they check-in if the named party on the reservation wasn’t present? Providing they had vacancies, she could get them checked in. Were there any special requirements relevant to the rest of their group?
A massive clearing opposite the main entrance of the building was lined by trees at the far edge, not so much a forest as a perimeter. Peeking through the branches, glimmers of light reflected on glistening water. If there was a lake, maybe there would be fishing after all. Her bikini comment was meant to be a joke, it would be far too cold to swim. Let’s just hope no one took her seriously. She was about to bring the others’ attention to the water when two forms appeared through those trees. Swinging their joined hands, the woman was in raptures of laughter while the male grinned at his companion.
Sweet to see such a happy couple. It actually took her a minute, and a few more yards of their advance, to recognize the female as her own cousin.
“Holly,” she said, flapping a hand in her cousin’s general direction. “Look…” Her other hand waved at the window, finger extended, indicating the view. “It’s Kelly.”
“I’m supposed to be pleased to see her and I’m so not. This is really happening.”
“We’re fine. We’re in this together, right? We will get through this.” It would be nice if the guys picked up on that being a good time to also reassure Holly. They didn’t. She bounced her and Baer’s joined hands on his thigh. “Right, Baer, honey?”
When he didn’t respond, she turned to see him fixated on something outside, what? He was just staring over the top of her head. Was it the couple, or was something else putting concern in his gaze?
“What is it?” Holly asked, her focus bouncing from one man to the next. “Why do you both look like that?”
“Don?”
“I see it.”
“See what?” she asked, a whisper of desperation curling in her gut. “Would one of you talk?”
“We have a problem.”
Okay, still no clearer.
“Problem? What’s the problem?”
“If that’s Nickson, he knows who we are.”
And that served her a dose of concern too. Concern? Maybe panic was a better word. “How does he know who you are?”
It was only then that Baer’s gaze met hers. “Squires. He knows us from Squires.”
TWENTY-THREE
AND THE BOTTOM fell out of her gusto. Had she had gusto? Apparently so, and now it was gone. If this was how she felt, imagine what was going through Holly’s head. It wasn’t shame, but the whole point was to forgo the judgment of not having stable relationships. Their partners were hired. The plan only worked if the others in their party weren’t aware of that. And if Nickson recognized them…
“Wait, what do you mean?” Holly asked, the words reeking of the same desperation that bubbled in her. “How could he know you from Squires?”
“Because he’s from Squires too.”
Oh, she…
“He’s from Squires? Squires?” The wildness of Holly’s eyes didn’t scream sanity. “You’re saying my sister hired herself a fake fiancé? Why? Why would she do that?”
