by Cat Johnson
“But you could make it not a sham—”
“No.” She shut that idea down firmly.
Did she have to deal with Shelly’s prying tonight in addition to Jen’s?
“Okay, fine.” Shelly sighed. “So are you going to fake see him again?”
“Maybe. I might have to, to keep Jen believing the lie. And if he needs me for a fake date, I’ll go. I owe him.”
“Owing him sounds like it could be interesting.” Shelly still sounded too intrigued with Brian as a potential mate for her, which he was not. “Is he cute?”
“No,” she answered to squash any idea they’d end up together for real.
Besides, it wasn’t a lie. Brian was not cute. He was rugged. And rock solid. And tough with a glare that could—and had—men backing down rather than risk angering him.
But he also had a smile that could melt hearts—if her heart hadn’t already been turned to stone by her ex.
Then there was that cock of his brow when she said something that surprised him. And that smirk, when he was being a smart ass.
But cute? No. Cute was for puppies. And they’d already had that discussion that he was no puppy. He was a full-grown military dog.
“Oh well. Too bad,” Shelly said, taking Alicia’s words about Brian’s lack of cuteness at face value.
It was probably better that way. Her friend would never understand her decision to keep things all business with him if she saw him.
Of course, remaining all business, just to support this fake and apparently on-going relationship, meant that the alcohol-fueled thoughts she had about a quick, meaningless, physical fling with him couldn’t happen.
Shame, that. It had been very tempting to invite him inside tonight.
Now that she had some distance from him to dilute the desire—and some water to dilute the alcohol—she realized how bad of an idea it would have been.
But in other circumstances—another time, another place—it sure would have been nice.
Her phone beeped and she didn’t have to look to know it was her sister calling again. She looked anyway and saw her suspicions confirmed by Jen’s name and photo on the display.
“Shell, I gotta go. My sister is calling.” No doubt to grill her about Brian.
Shelly let out a short laugh. “Have fun with that. Talk to you tomorrow.”
“For sure. Bye.” Alicia swiped to connect to the other call. “Yes, Jen?”
“Oh. My. God.”
“Problem?” she asked, playing dumb.
“Yes. You showed up here with a boyfriend—a hot as hell SEAL, no less—and I knew nothing about it.”
“Whoa. I never said he was a SEAL.”
“Jason figured it out. Something Brian said or whatever. I don’t know. Navy stuff. But don’t change the subject.”
“I wasn’t.”
That gave Jen pause, but she quickly recovered. “I guess not, but still. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s still new.” That was the truth. “I didn’t want to jinx it.” That was a lie. “And besides, I get to have some privacy.” That was one-hundred percent fact.
“From your family? No, you don’t.”
And that was the problem. The reason Alicia had to go above and beyond all that was reasonable just to be left alone.
“Well, now you know.”
“Yes, I do. And now that I do know, you can bring Brian over this weekend for dinner.”
“What? No, I don’t think he’s available then.”
“I didn’t even tell you which day,” Jen pointed out.
Shit. She hadn’t.
“The day doesn’t matter. Like you said. He’s a SEAL. He could get called in at any time. To go anywhere. For a long time.”
Even if Brian weren’t a SEAL—he’d never confirmed it in so many words that he was—she was going to add that detail to their fake dating playbook, because it was coming in handy now.
“Fine. But if he’s in town, you two are coming,” Jen said in a flat, no excuses, tone.
“All right. We will.” Oh, no they wouldn’t. “I’ll let you know. Now can I go to bed? It’s late.”
“Ooo. Is he there?” her sister asked.
Privacy was just an illusion in this family.
“No.” And even if he were, she wouldn’t have told Jen.
“Oh well. Too bad.”
“Eww, Jen. Please stop talking about my sex life.”
Her sister sighed. “Fine. Whatever. I have to get to bed myself anyway. Jason bought me a basket full of sexy stuff for Valentine’s—”
“No. Oh my God, Jen. For all that is holy, stop talking. I’m hanging up now. Goodnight.” Alicia punched the phone’s screen to get rid of her sister before she could reveal any other horrors.
It was bad enough her mind had already conjured what might be in the basket full of sexy stuff that her sister and brother-in-law were about to use.
Yuck.
Reaching into the freezer, Alicia grabbed the pint of emergency ice cream she always kept on hand, snagged a spoon from the drawer and headed for her bedroom.
Hopefully there’d be a good movie on to cleanse her brain.
This—ice cream, flannel PJs, a sappy rom com—was the perfect end to Valentine’s Day . . . even if it didn’t involve her fantasies about Brian.
Better, because it didn’t.
Brian—and his muscles, and that jaw strong enough to bench three-fifty, not to mention that dimple in his chin—was a recipe for disaster.
No doubt about it. That man was dangerous. She liked her life just how it was. Nice and safe.
TEN
“Well, well, well. Look who’s just getting home.” The words stopped Brian as he rounded the corner of the apartment building.
He glanced up to see Liam, arms folded and looking smug. He needed to consider renting a different apartment.
“What are you doing here?”
“Dropping Jack off,” Liam said.
“From where? What did you guys do tonight?” he asked.
Liam’s brow rose high. “The real question is, what did you do tonight?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s not what Jack said. He said you had a date. On Valentine’s Day. At the woman’s sister’s house.”
“Don’t you have anything better to do than worry about what I do?”
“Not really, no. Now, back to you and your date. I just got a text from Joker, who happens to be at McP’s right now, where rumor has it you were tonight. With a woman.”
“Yes. And?”
“Living up to your name, I see.” Liam grinned. “You just getting back from her place? Your usual in, out, goodbye to make sure she doesn’t get the wrong idea.”
He felt his blood pressure rising. “I just dropped her off. Yes. But it’s not like that. Things are different with Alicia.”
“Alicia, huh? Wow. She has a name and you remember it. She must have been good.”
“Of course, she has a name.” He was starting to get pissed as he slid his key into the lock. “I’m going inside now.”
“All right. Don’t tell me. That’s fine, you heartbreaker, you.”
“Good night, Liam,” he said as he slammed the door closed.
Obviously his plan was going to require a few more steps to be completely successful. To convince his team she wasn’t a one-night stand.
Alicia had agreed to reciprocate and be his fake date for his teammates if he needed her to. It looked as if he was going to have to take her up on that. He wasn’t upset by the idea of having to see her again. Not at all.
Inside the blissful quiet of his apartment, he took the time to check his messages. He found one from his mother and immediately was hit with a sense of guilt.
While he had been out having a good time with Alicia, his mother had probably been sitting home all alone. He might hate Valentine’s Day, but she loved it.
He glanced at the time on the cell’s display. It was getting late for a phone call to the East Coast, but
he also knew his mother. She sat up most nights watching television until well after midnight.
He settled into his favorite chair—the recliner he’d gotten free from a team guy who’d retired and was giving away all his shit. So what if it was used? It was already broken in, which is probably what made it so comfortable.
After hitting the cell phone’s screen to return the call, he waited for his mom to answer. He listened to four rings before she finally picked up. That was usually the minimum it took her to get to her phone so he didn’t worry.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Mom.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” she said sounding more cheerful than he’d expected.
“Happy Valentine’s Day to you too. How was your day?” he asked.
“Good. Very good, in fact.”
He frowned. That wasn’t the answer he’d been expecting. “What did you do?”
“Oh, not too much. Just dinner out.”
“With whom?” he asked.
“A friend.”
Was she being cagey? Giving him vague answers on purpose to hide something?
He should be grateful she’d had a good day and move on. Instead he was ready to launch a full-fledged investigation into this friend. If only she’d give him enough information to do so.
“Who’s this friend? Do I know them?” he asked.
“No, you don’t know him.”
Him. Him who?
“What did you do today?” she asked, cutting into his thoughts.
Her question took him off guard. He’d been too busy wondering about this strange man his mother was having dinner with on Valentine’s Day.
“I went to a party.”
“A party? That sounds nice.”
“It was. Very nice,” he answered her question as vaguely as she had his.
He was trying to figure out how to bring the conversation back to her and her date when she said, “I’d called because I was wondering if you’d be around next week.”
Next week. Next week. Shit! Her birthday was next week.
“For your birthday.” He sighed. “I’m so sorry, Mom. We just got home and I didn’t think to put in for leave to come visit you—”
“Oh, I know it’s hard for you to visit. That’s why I was wondering if it would be okay if I visited you.”
“Yeah. Sure. I’d love to see you. But, Mom, if I get sent out—”
“I understand. You could get called away. That’s okay.”
“But after you flew all the way across the country, I’d hate to leave you here all alone if I get sent out during your visit.” He had enough guilt for living on the other side of the country from her as it was.
“That’s fine. There are lots of things to do in the area to keep me busy. So it’s okay if I come?”
“Yeah. Sure. Of course. I can sleep on the sofa and you can have my bed—”
“Oh, no. I don’t want to put you out. I’ll stay at a hotel.”
“If you’d be more comfortable. Sure. There are plenty around here that offer a military discount. I can book the room for you.”
“No need. I have reservations already.”
“Where?”
“Hotel Coronado. I’ve always wanted to stay there. Ever since I saw it when I visited for your graduation ceremony.”
Jeez. Was this what a female mid-life crisis looked like? Flying cross country on a whim. Staying at fancy, pricey hotels.
“Sounds expensive,” he laughed, pretending to joke when he was honestly starting to worry about her finances. She’d always lived a modest life. This new behavior was not typical.
“You only live once,” she said.
“True,” he answered as his brain spun. “So what dates will you be here?”
She gave him the dates, which spanned her birthday.
“What do you want to do on your birthday?” he asked.
“Nothing fancy. I’d love to just have dinner with my favorite child.”
“I’m your only child, but are you sure you don’t want to do something more special?
“Nope. Just dinner with my boy.”
“All right. If that’s what you want.”
“It is. Oh, I’m getting another call. Can we talk more tomorrow?”
Another call? At this hour?
“Sure.”
“Okay. Bye. Love you.”
“Love you—” He barely got the last word out before she’d disconnected.
What the hell was going on? Who was calling his mother in the middle of the night?
He didn’t have to look too far for the most likely suspect. It was probably the man she’d been out with tonight. On Valentine’s Day. The man who’d put that chipper lilt in her voice.
Probably the same man who’d convinced her it was a good idea to fly to California and stay at the Hotel Coronado for her birthday.
He narrowed his eyes. He was going to get answers about this guy while she was here, if not before.
Laying down his cell, he realized his obsession with his mother’s love life had almost made him forget about his own fake one.
He picked up the cell again and punched in a text to Alicia.
BRIAN: The guys are still suspicious. You up for another trip to McP’s to convince them we’re a real couple?
ALICIA: Sure. When?”
He wasn’t up for setting a date right now. He needed time to plan.
BRIAN: I’ll let you know.
ALICIA: OK
The truth was he’d be far more excited about the prospect of both pulling one over on the team and seeing her again if he weren’t so damn worried about his mother’s shady love life.
It seemed they both had secrets.
ELEVEN
Alicia woke the next morning with a dry mouth and a dull headache.
This couldn’t be a hangover. She hadn’t been that drunk. Had she?
She just needed a glass of water and a couple of cups of coffee and she’d be fine. Back to normal. Ready to get on with her day.
She had a full day planned of cleaning her closet.
The organizational article she’d seen online had gotten her fired up. She couldn’t wait to hang her clothing by color. It was a truly brilliant plan. So logical. She couldn’t believe she’d never thought of it before.
Excited to get started, but still dragging, she slipped out of bed and shuffled to the kitchen to quench her thirst and her need for caffeine.
Unfortunately, her sister had other plans. Before she even put the water into the coffee maker, her cell lit and then started to ring.
“Good morning,” Jen practically sang when Alicia answered the call. It seemed Jen was not only awake, but also bright eyed and bushy tailed, unlike Alicia.
“Is it?” she asked.
“Yes. I’m excited.”
“Why?” She honestly couldn’t guess.
“I found a new recipe for vegan lasagna for when you and Brian come for dinner Saturday night.”
She cringed. Nothing about vegan lasagna sounded good to her. Good thing she had a plan all set to get out of it. “Yeah, about that. Sorry. We won’t be able to make it. Brian’s got a SEAL thing.”
“What kind of SEAL thing?”
“He can’t give me details. You know, classified stuff. But he’s leaving Thursday, I think he said, for an indefinite amount of time. But he’ll definitely be away Saturday.”
“Actually, this works out perfectly. I already made the lasagna this morning. I was going to try out the recipe on Jason tonight. Dinner’s at six o’clock.”
Shit. Now what?
“I don’t know. I’ll have to check with him. We hadn’t made plans yet to see each other today. I don’t know if he’s available.”
“Come on. What else would he be doing on a Sunday evening?”
“Anything else.” She racked her brain for manly pastimes. “Football. Poker. Lifting weights. I don’t know what he does with his teammates.”
Jen laughed. “He’s your boyf
riend. You should know.”
This wasn’t working. She was digging her hole deeper. “I told you we’re still new.”
“Fine. Just call him and call me right back.”
“Okay. Bye.” Sighing, she disconnected and punched in a text.
ALICIA: Sister insisting we come for dinner tonight. Text me back with a good excuse why you can’t.
She hit send and then realized she’d better warn him about her other lie, just in case, God forbid, he ran into Jason at the pub or something.
ALICIA: Also told her you’re deploying Thursday so next weekend no good.
She hit send on the second text and laid the cell down. She’d done far too much already pre-coffee. Time to remedy that.
The beans were only halfway through grinding when her cell rang. She saw Brian’s number on the screen.
Cursing, she grabbed it and moved out of the kitchen and away from the noise of the automatic coffee grinder.
“Why are you calling? You could have texted,” she said, in lieu of hello.
Brian laughed. “Good morning to you too. And I decided you sending me on a fake deployment warranted a call.”
“I had to think of something. She invited us for dinner Saturday so I said you were leaving on SEAL stuff Thursday and I didn’t know when you’d be back. So she said to come over tonight instead. I was stuck. I need a good excuse why you can’t come tonight. What do you do with your guy friends on a Sunday night that you would be doing tonight so we can’t have dinner?”
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave . . .”
“Stop quoting Shakespeare to me and give me a good reason you can’t have dinner.”
“Is that Shakespeare? Hmm. I didn’t realize.”
“Brian. Focus.”
He chuckled. “Here’s a radical idea. How about we just have dinner with her tonight?”
“What? Why?”
“Because it will be more believable than if you keep throwing out fake excuses. It can be my farewell dinner for my impending departure Thursday. Where am I going, by the way?”
“I told her that’s classified.”
“Well, at least that part’s realistic. What’s she cooking? I don’t get homemade Sunday dinner often.”
“Vegan lasagna.”
“Hmm. Less enticing. But still, I think we should show up.”
