by Robyn Neeley
“Morning.” Drew said and untangled himself from Olivia’s arms. Lauren watched from her rearview mirror as he placed his suitcase in her trunk. He was dressed casually in dark jeans and a black pea coat. She doubted he had a ski jacket or winter boots in his suitcase. They might have to go clothes shopping. According to the weather report, Snow Frost Mountain was going to live up to its name with a snowstorm in the extended forecast.
“We’ll see you in two weeks,” Lauren couldn’t resist stressing to Olivia before she rolled up her window.
“That wasn’t very nice.” Drew jumped into the passenger seat and began playing with the vents, loosening his scarf.
“What?” Lauren asked innocently.
“This isn’t easy on her.”
“I take it she didn’t take the news so well.” She feigned concern.
“No, she didn’t.”
“Well, it’s not like we’re going away for a month. You’ll be reunited in no time.”
Without a further word, they headed out of Manhattan on Route 95 North. Lauren glanced over at Drew who appeared to be answering e-mails on his tablet. “I’m sorry,” she offered, breaking the silence.
He shook his head. “None of this is your fault. I blame Luke.” He turned his body and searched the back seat. “Where are our children?”
Her breath hitched at his question. “Our children?”
“The dolls. You did bring them, didn’t you?”
“Right. Of course. Those children. They’re in the trunk.”
“Good place.” He chuckled.
“Have you thought of any ideas on how we might sell them along with the extra thousand Luke shipped up to Vermont?”
“I’m working on it.” Drew looked away, and his voice softened. “You know. I really thought this toy was a good idea. I still do.”
Lauren smiled. “Drew, I know you’ve worked hard on these dolls. It’s just—”
“Just what?” He turned, his gaze challenging her to finish her sentence.
“The research never indicated they would sell well. I told you and Luke from the beginning that boys just weren’t interested. There were too many gaming systems saturating the market this year vying for their attention.”
“I know.” He flashed one of his signature smiles that always made her melt. “I used to think soul mates was just a term invented for Valentine’s Day and romance novels, but I really believed in the concept for these dolls. I guess I was wrong.” He tapped on the passenger window. “Hey, do you mind stopping at the next rest stop? I’m kind of thirsty.”
“Sure.” A mile down the highway, Lauren turned off and pulled into a service station. She bit her lip as she watched Drew head into the convenient store. His attachment to the dolls and his disappointment in their selling had surprised her. The old Drew—the one she thought she knew even better than herself—would have moved on to the next big idea without batting an eye. There was something about the concept of soul mates that had her ex fighting for this toy.
A knot began to form in her stomach. Was Olivia the reason for igniting his newfound belief in happily ever afters?
CHAPTER SIX
Drew tapped his fingers on the stirring wheel and glanced over at Lauren. He’d taken over for the remainder of their trip while she confirmed appointments with Miles.
Before Miles had so conveniently interrupted—which he seemed to have a knack for doing—Drew and Lauren had brainstormed a bit on how to move the sales needle on the dolls. None of the ideas they came up with was particularly good, but hearing Lauren attempt to find a solution helped to soothe his growing anxiety. Maybe he wasn’t climbing this uphill battle alone.
He smiled, thinking about all the dolls he’d given out yesterday. Luke hadn’t called yet to chew him out. He had to know about it by now. Drew didn’t regret for a second what he’d done because he needed to get those male dolls into consumer hands. If he needed to pretend he was the CEO to do it, so be it.
It was killing him not to check the Happily Ever After website for any activity. He promised himself he’d wait until they got to Vermont. Give it over twenty-four hours for kids to play with the dolls and go online with their parents to find their dolls’ soul mates.
“Got it. Talk to you tomorrow.” Lauren tapped off her phone and tilted her head back, massaging the base of her neck with her fingers. “Okay, Miles is working on confirming all of our appointments for this week. We’re sampling wedding cakes tomorrow. That’s as far as he got. We’ll know more in the morning.”
“I still can’t believe my brother is making us do this. It’s not like we asked him to lift a finger for our wedding.”
She blinked and turned her head toward the passenger window.
Good going, Drew. He mentally slapped himself alongside his head. He didn’t mean to bring up their aborted wedding, although he was also pretty sure it would be inevitable. “I’m sorry. I just meant that—”
“No. You’re right.” Lauren cut him off. “It’s weird that he picked us to plan it.” She looked down at her hands, saying softly, “What do we know about pulling off a wedding?”
“Our day was beautiful.”
She cocked an eyebrow.
“Remember, I was there for part of it.”
“Oh, that’s right. Saving Luke from making a big mistake while I was in my bikini sipping margaritas with Kate poolside, playing fairy godmother, and convincing her of our plan.”
The thought of Lauren lying on a lounge chair wearing one of his favorite bikinis made his groin tight. He bet it was the string lavender one that he’d enjoyed peeling off of her on more than one occasion. Her body was definitely not that of a fairy godmother’s. He sat up and cracked his neck. “We really did save the day,” he said.
“Yes, we did. And let’s not forget Miles.”
Drew groaned. God, he could never get rid of the flamboyant wedding planner who’d taken his place in Lauren’s life. He nodded toward the back. “I’m surprised he didn’t stow away in your trunk.”
She grinned and her eyes crinkled in amusement. “He certainly tried to make the case.”
“I bet he thinks we’re going to fail. God, if Kate knew you and I are planning her wedding she’d surely flip.”
“We’ll be fine. Miles will guide us every step of the way.”
Drew’s phone rang. Looking down, he saw that it was Luke. “Shit.”
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.” He hit the speaker phone, knowing full well Luke wasn’t going to chew him out in front of Lauren—or at the very least, he’d soften his verbal lashing. “Hey, big bro, what’s going on?”
“I think you know. Take me off speaker phone.”
“Sorry, dude. I’m driving. I’m pretty sure it’s against the law.”
“Very well. Please explain how over five hundred of our Happily Ever After dolls were given out to customers yesterday morning.”
“Really?” Drew asked, ramping up his mock surprise. “How did that happen?”
“According to the floor manager, I gave the go ahead to a stock boy. The guy who looks exactly like me wouldn’t have anything to do with this, would he?”
“Pretend I was you for my own gain? Hmmm … Where have I heard that before?” He paused. “Oh, wait. You pretended you were me and then joined the mile-high club with my wedding planner.”
“That’s not what happened.” Luke’s agitation was loud and clear. “Drew, this isn’t ov—”
“Sorry, dude, you’re breaking up. We’re in the mountains.” Drew clicked his phone off and threw it in the back seat. Lauren’s mouth was wide open.
“What?” he asked.
“You gave all those dolls out for free? When?”
“Yesterday morning on the third floor.”
“In Santa’s Village?”
“Yep.”
“How did Luke not find out about this?”
“I might have said that I wanted to surprise the executive staff during a meeting t
his morning.”
Lauren shook her head. “Oh my God. Luke must seriously be freaking out. What were you thinking?”
“First, I really don’t care if my brother loses his shit all over Manhattan. Second, I’m giving my idea a chance. I need these kids to get online and find their dolls’ soul mates. The only way they are going to do it is if they have the dolls.”
“So basically you’re a fugitive from your brother.”
“Well, I guess if you put it that way. Yes.”
Lauren turned to her laptop. “Let’s just see how the dolls are doing.”
Drew reached his hand over, pulling the screen down. “I was going to wait until tonight. Give it a day for the parents to get online with their kids.”
“You don’t want to take a peek? Aren’t you just the tiniest bit curious?”
“I can wait.”
“Yeah, I’m well aware of that ability.” She sighed.
“What’s that about?”
“What’s what about?”
He mimicked her deep sigh.
“Nothing.” She turned her head toward her window.
“Didn’t sound like nothing.”
“I’m just not used to seeing you so invested in one toy.”
“Well, maybe I found my passion.”
“And is Olivia the reason for this passion?”
Olivia? Why would Lauren bring her up? “What does she have to do with anything?”
“Nothing. Forget I mentioned it.” She opened her laptop back up. “I need to catch up on some e-mails.”
Drew concentrated on the road. Why was she agitated with him? Was it because he’d brought up their wedding?
And that comment about his ability to wait. He knew exactly what that was about. Yes, it had taken him almost a decade to propose, but he’d thought she wanted the same thing—to focus on their careers. When she finally admitted she wanted to get married, he had agreed to immediately wed in Hawaii and dropped everything to make it happen. Hell, he’d even moved the ceremony and reception from Waikiki to Maui because that was what she wanted.
He drove for the next few hours with the music turned down so Lauren could sleep. She’d mentioned that she and Miles had had a late night so he didn’t wake her when they finally crossed the Vermont border.
He looked over and couldn’t help smile, taking in her familiar features. Her head tilted toward him, eyes closed. He missed that face—the gorgeous, flawless face he’d stared at each morning before she awakened, thanking his lucky stars that she had entered his life.
How easy it would be for him to slip back into that wonderful routine, but this time give her everything she deserved.
Luke had told him over and over again not to give up. To take this time in Tokyo to really figure out what he wanted—and if it was a future with Lauren, to go after her.
Could he take his brother’s advice? Lauren hadn’t made one overture this entire year to suggest she might want to get back together, and appeared to have adjusted to a life without him in it just fine. Turning, he fixed his eyes on the highway. No. Now that he was in the driver’s seat, he wasn’t about to go down a road that would leave him heartbroken again.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“We’re here.”
Lauren’s eyes flew open, glancing down at the familiar hand tapping hers.
She sat up, stretched her back, and peered out the front window. Even in the dark, she could make out a gorgeous three-story log cabin in front of her. “How long was I sleeping?”
“About three hours.”
“Wow. I didn’t realize how tired I was. So, this is the place.”
“According to your GPS, it is.” He picked up the cabin keys that had been in her console. “Shall we?”
Her pulse quickened at his question. Was she ready for this? Her beating heart easily answered that question. She flung the door open and leaped out.
The cold air hit her face as her boots pushed down on a fresh powder of snow. It appeared that someone had stopped by earlier and plowed the driveway. She probably should have chucked her high boots for something in her suitcase with a little more traction.
Although, if she happened to slip on the ice at just the right moment, perhaps she could pull Drew down with her. She grinned at the thought of him on top of her.
“Hey, what did you pack in here?” Drew heaved her suitcase out of the trunk, setting it onto the ground.
“Just a few things I thought I’d enjoy wearing in the mountains.” And things you might enjoy removing. “Let me help.” She pulled up her handle and began to wheel her suitcase to the front door, Drew following closely behind with his luggage.
Her boots crunched on the salted walkway. Darn. A slip on the ice into Drew’s arms would have to wait.
Within minutes they were inside the spacious log cabin with their suitcases and bags. Lauren glanced up at the rustic log wood ceiling.
This was not a place her parents would have introduced her to growing up. No, they were more a contemporary chic kind of family. With its wooden décor and country knickknacks, this place felt rustic and homey.
“Well done, Luke,” Drew said, spinning around.
Lauren nodded in agreement as she moved through the foyer into the living room. A plump, undecorated Christmas tree sat to the right of a big bay window with two large boxes next to it. On top of one box, a bottle of red wine, a wine opener, and a pair of scissors. A red notecard rested on the wine bottle.
“What’s that?” Drew asked, coming up from behind.
“Housewarming present, maybe.” She picked up the notecard, reading it out loud.
Drew and Lauren - Welcome to Snow Frost Mountain. Your first task is to trim the tree. Kate loves Christmas.—Luke
“He wants us to decorate the tree?” Drew picked up the bottle of red wine and inspected the label. “Good year.”
Lauren opened up the box and peered in to see it filled to the rim with brightly colored decorations. “How on earth did he arrange all this?” Pulling out a shimmering gold ball ornament, she spun it in her palm.
“Beats me. Maybe he should have driven his butt up here and decorated it himself.”
“Maybe,” she repeated. But then they wouldn’t be alone, and she wouldn’t have this second chance to win back Drew.
Drew unzipped his coat and threw it on the couch. “Man, I’m starved. Wonder if Luke arranged for a stocked refrigerator?”
“Let’s go see.” She reached for his hand and led their way to the other side of the cabin. That familiar act sent a warm sensation through her. She’d always said his touch was the only way she could truly tell Luke and Drew apart. Luke’s pats on the back or hugs never made her tingle.
Once, in college, Drew convinced Luke to pretend he was him to get out of going with Lauren to see an artistic indie film she’d been dying to see. They might have gotten away with it, but halfway through the movie, Lauren threaded her fingers through Luke’s, and knew instantly it wasn’t Drew.
She laughed at the memory of dumping her tub of popcorn over Luke’s head for his part in the charade and storming out of the theater to rip Drew a new one.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. Just reminiscing.” She let go of his hand and entered the kitchen. “Oh my gosh, it’s stunning.” Lauren headed over to the center island and bent down. Her hands glided over its wooden legs. “Every piece of furniture in this place is so rustic.”
Drew chuckled. “This is definitely not like any place we ever lived.”
She looked up, surprised he’d bring up their former living spaces. “I loved our apartment in Brooklyn.”
“Yeah, and it was just as big as this kitchen.”
“It was cozy.” She defended the run-down, tiny one-bedroom unit they’d rented their first year out of college. Her parents and his dad had offered to help them buy a condo in Manhattan, but they’d both refused, wanting to start their new life together on their own.
Of course, when they pur
chased their mansion in Pacific Palisades just before their wedding they were over the need to exercise their independence and had gotten some help from her father to make a down payment. With Drew taking over the western region for JDL Toys permanently, Lauren had decided the affluent community near the beach would be perfect to settle down.
With its five bedrooms, three bathrooms, family room, outdoor pool, and tennis courts, it had been her dream home for their dream life.
It broke her heart the day the house had gone back on the market.
Opening the refrigerator, Drew groaned at the empty shelves. “Nothing. Come on, Luke. Get with the program.”
Lauren found wine glasses in the cabinet to the right of the sink and pulled two out. “Why don’t we find a place that delivers? Maybe grab a pizza to go with this wine? We could eat it while we decorate.” Not wanting to appear to eager she added, “If you want.”
“Sure.” Drew shrugged. “Sounds good. Let’s settle into our rooms first. I’ll help you with your suitcase.” They retrieved their bags, and he carried her suitcase to the second floor. “I guess it doesn’t matter what rooms we pick.”
Her shoulders hunched a little at that statement as the reality of the situation sank in. They would be in separate rooms. She shrugged off the disappointment. Of course they wouldn’t be in the same room. They were no longer a couple. Two weeks, Lauren. You have fourteen days to turn this around.
While Drew quickly chose the first room off the top of the stairs, she asked him to carry her suitcase up to the third floor. Wheeling it to the last room down the hallway, she stepped in and caught her breath. The same oak that decorated the kitchen also comprised her bed’s posts and frame. She giggled, imagining this was the type of bed Snow White would sleep in.
“With her Prince Charming.” Sighing, she moved over to the window. If this plan to remind Drew of everything he missed didn’t work, her Prince Charming could be sharing a room with the evil Olivia soon.
She moved to the window. Not going to happen. At least, not without a fight.
