“It’s not aruse.” He pressed her hand. “We met on an app, went on a lunch date, fell hard for each other, and I decided to spend the rest of my off-season in Destin to see where this might go. And, of course, I’ll meet your friend and boss.”
“And then what?” she asked, shaking her head at this outrageous scenario.
“Then…I’ve satisfied my curiosity. I’ll go back to playing ball, but instead of wondering, I’ll know who gave me life. We don’t have to tell her or my parents, you save face, and I get my answers.” He finally lifted his hand after he’d basically seared her down to her DNA. “Good idea, huh?”
She tried to breathe, but it wasn’t easy. “It’s…”
“I know, crazy, Cocoa Puffs, whatever. But deep down, you know it’s genius.” He grinned at her. “I bet Tessa would love it.”
She’d love it if she wasn’t on the receiving end of complete and total duplicity.
“I don’t think so,” she said, glancing at her watch, aching to leave and think and then think some more. “I’m going to slip out, okay?” She picked up her bag and opened it to find her wallet, but he held out his hand.
“I’ve got it. Can you DM me your number? An address? I’ll look for a place?—”
“Let me think,” she said, slipping out of the booth. “I’ll…talk to you.”
She darted out on shaky legs, stepping into the sunshine and practically colliding with a tourist.
“’Scuze me,” she muttered, looking left and right to get her bearings. After a second, she started walking toward the beach, not sure where she was going or why.
How did she get herself into this?Datehim? Well, yeah, in another life and for another reason, it would be an absolute dream. Guys like Roman Matteo came along exactly…never.
But to deceive Tessa? And her mother, grandmother, and every other Lawson or Wylie floating around the Summer House? It would be too much.
She hustled toward a wide-open town square, all grass leading to a wooden boardwalk high on a dune. She needed to see the water, to soak in the sun, and think about?—
“Lacey!”
Oh, God. He’d followed her.
“Lacey.”
She turned slowly, hissing a soft breath as he strolled across the grass toward her, a tall, golden, gorgeous lunatic in a tight gray T-shirt and faded shorts. His hair fluttered in the breeze and his smile grew with each step.
He oozed confidence and playfulness and sincerity and warmth and, oh, man, hewasTessa.
She stood stone still, brushing back some hair the Gulf breeze blew over her face. He reached her in ten seconds. Of course. He was a wide receiver. He ran and caught long shots for a living.
Without a word, he extended his arms, wrapped her in a hug, and pulled her straight into a chest of granite.
She looked up at him, lost for a moment, dizzy and confused and…warm.
“I don’t know your last name,” he muttered.
“Knight.”
“Lacey Knight.” He squeezed her tighter. “Be my girlfriend, Lacey Knight.”
“Roman, I ca?—”
He put one finger under her chin and lifted her face a centimeter closer, the gesture sending a bolt of electricity right down to her toes. It was fake, of course, a game of pretend that would end before it could get too real. But right then, it felt…kind of real.
“Please,” he whispered. “You won’t regret it.”
Something told her she very much would. But all she could do was sigh and accept defeat.
Tessa sat at the dining room table, a cold Pellegrino Essenza in one hand, her laptop open to the Kaplan event. Yes, she had an office in the back now, but it was so bright and cheery out here, with the water view and endless sky. She needed to bask in the beauty of it all while she made her little business happily hum.
