by A. J. Wynter
“Is everything okay?” she whispered.
He looked at her with a start. “Yep. Great.”
Serena’s heart sank. The warmth she had felt with him in the cabin was gone. “You seem distracted.”
“Listen, Serena,” he turned to face her. “This dress-up and make-believe might be fun for you, but it’s not for me. Just take your damn pictures and let’s get this over with.”
She recoiled at his harsh words. This wasn’t the playful banter that she and Freddie had bandied back and forth. “Fine.”She stood up quickly and her heavy wooden chair thudded to the ground behind her. “Let’s go.”
Megan rushed back to the table. “Is everything okay?” she asked.
“I’m not feeling great,” Serena replied and rubbed her stomach. She wasn’t lying. Freddie’s back and forth was enough to give her whiplash.
Freddie stood and picked up the chair. “We’re going to go with the white cake with the white frosting.”
“Was it something you ate?” Megan’s eyes were wide with concern.
Serena kicked herself for not thinking of a better excuse. “I think it’s just too much sugar.”
“Keep an eye on her,” Megan said to Freddie as he rushed her to the door.
“Will do,” Freddie replied.
After a flurry of thanks and hugs, the two of them shuffled out to the main street. Serena shivered in the night air and had to jog to catch up to Freddie who was walking three feet away from her with his hands shoved in his pockets.
“Listen, Freddie, I can get a hotel room if you want, I can put together enough of a disguise to get by without being recognized.”
He paused. “If you did, all of this would’ve been for nothing.”
“Why are you being such a dick?” Serena hissed and stepped around him, stopping him in his tracks. She stood close enough that she could’ve reached out to touch his chest.
“I’m being realistic,” Freddie replied. “Business over pleasure, isn’t that what they say?” he muttered and headed south down the main street.
Serena hated being out of her element in this town. If she had been closer to home, she would’ve turned on her heel and left Freddie and his piece of shit attitude in her dust. She couldn’t believe the feelings that she’d had earlier. Was she insane? Was she drunk on small-town life? It was plain to see, Freddie was a jerk. “Wait for me,” she muttered and jogged the two strides required to catch up with her fiancé.
Freddie paused and allowed Serena to catch up with him, then the two of them walked down Main Street and headed for Freddie’s house. The silence hung heavily between them like an iron curtain and Serena was the first to pull it back. “Listen, Freddie. I don’t understand what’s going on with you. I thought that we were just making the best out of this situation.
He reached out and gripped her forearm, halting their walk. “Serena, you and I can’t be together. You might be good at pretending and all this shit...” He pointed to the phone that was a permanent fixture in her hand, “but I’d rather just take the pictures and leave all the other... stuff, out of it.”
Serena’s eyes met his, the crinkles beside his eyes said kindness and she knew that even though his words were harsh, they were coming from a good place. “I know we can’t be together. That would be crazy,” she replied. “And if that’s the way you want to play it, all business, that’s fine with me too. But, Freddie, business people can be cordial and kind to each other. Maybe we should try that.”
She held out her hand for a handshake, her olive branch. He paused, sighed and then shook it. “Deal.”
“We can tour the venues tomorrow and then I’ll be out of your hair for a little while. I’ll get tons of photos. We can do wardrobe changes tomorrow and everything. You know, create the illusion that I’ve spent more time here. That should be enough content to satisfy the Sidney’s people until we get together again.”
“Perfect. Suits me just fine.”
They passed a little white house with a picket fence made of old skis. “Is that ever cute,” she said and snapped a photo.
“That’s Josh and Megan’s house,” Freddie said.
Serena was thankful that they were speaking like normal human beings again. “They seem like such a nice couple,” she mused as she focused the shot. “How did they get together?”
“Who, Josh and Megan?”
“Yeah. I mean, they’re an adorable couple but she’s what, ten years older than him?”
“Something like that,” Freddie replied. “Her ex-husband cheated on her and she holed up in Charlotte’s mansion while the dust settled.”
“Wow, poor woman,” Serena said as they walked along. It was darker than the previous evening. The cloud cover from the stormy weather earlier had stuck around hiding all the stars.
“It was actually quite the small-town scandal,” Freddie said.
“Really?” Serena was curious as to what was more scandalous than a cheating husband.
“I don’t like to gossip,” Freddie said.
“Oh, right. Of course.” Serena didn’t want to push.
Freddie turned to her and continued, “Charlotte grew up here and everyone was cruel to her. Her name was actually Billie Jo. She and Logan were kind of a thing, but after school, she vanished.”
Serena was enthralled, both with the story and for Freddie’s clear non-aversion to participating in small-town gossip, “Vanished?”
“Yeah, just disappeared. Turns out she went and changed her name and made millions in the real estate industry.”
“What does that have to do with Megan?” Serena asked. They had reached the walkway to Freddie’s house and he clicked open the waist-high gate to let her in.
“After you.” He waved her into the property. “I’m just getting to the best part,” he said and opened the front door.
Serena bent down to untie her hiking boots. Freddie kicked off his shoes and headed into the kitchen. “Would you like a beer?” he asked.
“Sure,” Serena replied. It had been a long day.
The two of them sat down on the couch together and Freddie turned on the TV. Serena took a sip of her beer and relaxed into the couch. They were doing a great job at avoiding the tension that hung in the air between them, but she longed to reach out and let her fingertips linger in his while they talked. Business. All business, she reminded herself, and keep her hands away from his.
“Tell me the rest of the story.” Serena was so intrigued by Charlotte and Megan’s tale.
“I shouldn’t. I mean I should let them tell you,” he said, but Serena could tell it would only take a gentle push to bring out Freddie’s inner gossip queen.
“Oh, come on,” she said and nudged his knee with hers. His eyes snapped to their legs, and he pulled his away to tuck his foot under his other leg.
“Fine. I’m sure they will tell you anywaaaay,” he continued drawing out the word. “Charlotte bought that big house but didn’t tell anyone who she was. I don’t know how she got away with it for so many years, but when you’re rich like that, you don’t really have to come into town all that often. So for years, she was living there on the hill, hiding from everyone.”
“And she didn’t tell anyone who she was?”
“Nope.”
“Why?”
“I think she originally came back to show everyone up, but then changed her mind.”
“I would want to.” Serena hated to admit it.
“Me too, but I guess with all that business acumen and what have you, she just wanted to leave her old life behind.”
“She is classy like that,” Serena nodded. She took another sip of her beer and her head felt light. They had gone straight from the cabin to the cake tasting. “I still don’t understand where Megan comes in.”
“Well, Charlotte had plans for the Sugar Peaks Café and hired Megan to be the face of the project. When Josh met Megan at Charlotte’s house, he thought she owned that mansion and they both went along with it.”
>
“Whoa, so Megan pretended to be Charlotte?”
“Not exactly, as far as anyone in town knew, Megan was the owner of the café, but everyone assumed she owned the big house and she didn’t correct them.”
Serena shook her head, this was better than a soap opera. “How did it all come out?”
“When Megan fell for Josh, she had to tell him the truth.”
“Ouch. Was he pissed?”
“Yep. It almost ruined them.”
“Honesty is key,” Serena said quietly.
“I know. And look at us... lying to everyone.”
They drank in silence, but Serena’s mind was still trying to put the pieces of the story together. She noticed that Freddie’s knee had relaxed and rested lightly against hers. She let her hand drift to the sofa between them to see if he would reach out to her. She knew that she was pushing the limit of their ‘business’ agreement, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Where is Megan from?” Serena asked.
“Same place as you.” Freddie set his hand down next to hers, his pinky brushing hers.
“Really, she doesn’t strike me as a city girl.”
“She’s adapted well to life here in Chance Rapids but this one time, she almost died. She fell through the ice when she thought the lake was a field.”
“Oh, my god,” Serena gasped, but her mind was whirring. If Megan could move to Chance Rapids and fit in so well, maybe she could too. “Does Megan miss her old life? You know, not the cheating husband part, but living in the city?”
“I don’t know. We don’t really have heart-to-hearts like that,” he said. “You’d have to ask her yourself.”
Freddie wasn’t taking the bait with her hand placement, so Serena stood up, stretched and headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and start with her bedtime routine.
“Did you ask Charlotte how many venues we are going to see tomorrow?” she asked as she splashed water on her face. Chance Rapids didn’t have a wedding planner, so when Freddie asked Charlotte to show them the venues, she had reluctantly agreed.
“I think three,” Freddie replied.
Serena’s wondered whether they would do the pillow barrier sleeping arrangement again. She quickly brushed her teeth and applied her sponsored anti-aging moisturizer, the kind she didn’t need. As she padded to the bedroom, she glanced to the living room and saw Freddie lying on the couch, a blanket on top of him.
“Goodnight,” Freddie said to her without looking up from the TV.
“Are you going to sleep?” she asked.
“I’m not really tired,” he said, the light from the TV flickering on his face.
“Me neither,” Serena said and leaned on the doorframe.
“Want to watch a movie?” Freddie asked.
“Sure,” she replied.
He sat up and patted the sofa beside him.
“Any requests?” he asked.
“Something funny,” she said. “Or scary.” She sat on the other end of the sofa.
“That narrows it down a little bit,” he laughed as he scrolled through the menu.
Ashton Kutcher’s face took up the huge TV screen and Serena curled up into a ball, resting her head on the arm of the couch - the irony of watching Friends with Benefits was not lost on her. She shifted around trying to find a position that was comfortable, but the long walk and exertion from her afternoon had left her sore.
Freddie tossed the blanket to her. She unfolded it and pulled it up to her chin. “You can lean against me if you like,” he said.
Serena raised her eyebrows. “Do you cuddle with all of your business partners?” she asked as she shifted her feet to rest on the arm of the sofa. She knew it wasn’t a good idea, but his shoulder was a very comfortable place.
“It’s not cuddling if my arm isn’t around you,” he said. She looked up at him. This man was so confusing.
“I suppose you’re right. But it would be a whole lot more comfortable if it was.” She rocked her head on his shoulder in an effort to get comfortable.
She felt Freddie’s whole body stiffen. Had she pushed too far? She kept her eyes trained on the TV screen waiting for something, anything from Freddie. She felt like she was going to explode when he pulled his arm out from beneath her and melted as she felt its heaviness across her shoulders. Their afternoon had been intimate and exploratory, but this moment lying in the warmth of his body felt more sensual, and she hated to admit it, like home.
“Tell me more stories, Freddie,” Serena murmured.
“I don’t like to gossip,” he reiterated.
“It’s not gossip. It’s more like a background update.”
He chuckled. “I suppose you’re right. Whose background update do you want?”
Serena’s eyes were heavy. “How about yours?” She was tired and should’ve known better, but she didn’t know anything about his past. There had to be something there. He seemed so into her one minute, and the next, he couldn’t stand to be in the same room as her.
He cleared his throat. “How about Lauren’s?”
Serena was disappointed but had the feeling he wasn’t going to open up. “Sure. That’s Charlotte’s sister. The lawyer?”
“Yes. Hers is a good one,” Freddie said. “She was such a nerd in high school. Everyone teased her, but I don’t think that she cared. I always thought that she was sweet and nice. Even though her nose was always buried in a book.”
“I got the impression that she is super smart,” Serena replied.
“Yeah, way smarter than anyone I know.”
“How does a bookworm get involved in a small-town scandal?” Serena was dubious that Lauren’s story could be anywhere near as good as her sister’s.
“I heard...” he paused. “I mean, you have to remember that this is all through the grapevine.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re not responsible for anything you’re about to say,” she joked.
When he laughed, her head shook gently with the rise and fall of his stomach. “She had a full-ride scholarship to three different universities.”
“Makes sense.”
“Anyway, her mom got sick senior year and with her sister gone, she passed up her scholarships to look after her mom.”
“Oh, Freddie. That’s not scandalous, that’s just sad.”
“It is sad, but it gets worse. She got knocked up and the guy took off.”
“Ugh!” Serena groaned. “What’s wrong with men?”
“She got a job working at the gas station with her mom, and I heard that she did correspondence courses.”
“Couldn’t she go after the guy for child support?” Serena asked.
“She didn’t,” Freddie said. “She didn’t tell anyone who the father is. Charlotte doesn’t even know.”
“What?” Serena gasped. “That’s crazy.”
Serena felt Freddie shift under her and shut her eyes as he rested his hand on her neck. His touch felt good.
“The rumor mill went wild, but Lauren ignored everyone. Every guy in town was potentially the father at one point or another. Even me,” he laughed.
“What did she tell people?”
“She said that the guy had been in town for a weekend and that she didn’t even know his name.”
“I don’t know Lauren well, but that doesn’t sound like her at all.”
“I know. It’s weird. That poor girl will probably never know who her father is.”
“She’s got to be asking questions,” Serena mused.
“I don’t know what she’s been told.” Freddie paused. “And, I think I’ve said too much.”
“I’m glad that I know,” Serena replied. “That way I won’t put my foot in my mouth.” She said through a yawn.
“Hey, Serena...”
“Yeah.” Serena’s eyes snapped open as she felt Freddie playing with her hair.
“I’m sorry for being a dick,” he said. “I like you. I said that I wanted to protect you from being hurt. I mean, I guess that I..
. I want that for both of us. If we get too cozy, it’s going to hurt when this ends.”
Serena nodded, her cheek chafing on Freddie’s jeans.
“I get it, Freddie. I like you too,” she replied. “But we need to be pragmatic.”
“Sure, pragmatic...”
“Should I move to the armchair?” she asked, her heart heavy with his words ‘when this ends.’
“We can go back to business after the movie. This is purely for comfort reasons and the fact that I only have one couch.”
“Purely comfort,” Serena murmured. She couldn’t agree more. Soon she’d have to say goodbye to Freddie forever, but not tonight. Her eyes grew heavy with the rise and fall of Freddie’s chest as his breathed lulled her to sleep.
Chapter 19
THE CREDITS WERE ROLLING on the movie, but she hadn’t moved. Serena’s eyelids fluttered and Freddie wondered what she was dreaming about. For such a thin woman, she was solid as a rock. His arm was asleep but he couldn’t bring himself to wake her up.
He regretted being a jerk. He saw the way she looked at him, he knew what it meant because it was the same way he looked at her. He sighed. Long distance never works. He knew that firsthand. Setting boundaries was going to be the key to making their arrangement work. For once in his life, he was the one closing the door on sex and intimacy, but the damn woman kept knocking.
The last thing he expected was to have real feelings for his fake fiancée. There could be no more cuddling, no more lingering touches, and definitely, no more sleeping together. He scooped her up in his arms and set her down on his bed. She murmured and nestled her face into his feather pillow. He pulled the covers up over her shoulder. Every fiber of his being wanted to hop into that bed and hold her tightly to him, and if he was being brutally honest, pull off those pajama pants and wake her up, Freddie-style but instead, he leaned down and kissed her gently on the cheek. He clicked off the light on the nightstand, paused at the doorway to look at the beautiful woman in his bed, and headed back to the couch.
SERENA’S EYES SNAPPED open as she rolled over into someone or something. Disappointment washed over her when she realized that it was only the pillows. She heard clattering in the kitchen and some swearing. She got out of bed and peeked into the kitchen. Coffee was streaming out of the machine, along the countertop, and onto the floor.
