I smiled as I flipped the omelet that I’d concocted into the air. After the hope I’d gained last night by securing Heather’s help, I was energized and ready to go for the day.
Strangely, there was a part of me that had wanted to see Heather again the moment I’d woken up. Not because she could help secure my spot on the team, but because she was the first girl who fought back. Every time I turned on the charm, she hit the off button. She didn’t let me pull her into a flirty game or drag her attention away from the task at hand—which only made me want to try harder. It was both frustrating and exhilarating.
The front door opened just as I started plating the eggs, and a Heather look-alike busted in. “I’m here,” she sang out as she turned to shut the door behind her. “Making sure you didn’t conveniently forget.” She tucked her red hair behind her ear.
I leaned against the counter and waited for her to notice me.
She pressed her lips together and then opened wide to yell, “Heath—”
There it was.
The Heather look-alike stopped mid-word and stared at me. “Whoa.”
I turned on the McKnight charm as I straightened. “Hey.” A little smolder never hurt, so I applied one and waited.
She pinched her lips and swallowed. Then she nodded, and her pale, freckled skin turned the same splotchy red that Heather’s did when she was embarrassed. “Hi?” She opened the door, tapped the brass number mounted on the wood, and then paused before turning around. “I’m sorry. I think you’re in the wrong apartment. This is my sister’s apartment.” Shutting the door, she stepped closer to me. “Are you lost?”
I cut off a hunk of eggs and then speared it with my fork. I shoved it in my mouth and shook my head. “Who are you?”
She looked taken aback as she studied me. “Who am I? Who are you?”
I gave her a half smile and continued to chew. She was flustered, and just like her sister, she was adorable when she was flustered. A family trait that was well used. If these women had any idea how cute they were, I would have had to fight off half a dozen men to get these eggs.
Heather’s door opened, and she emerged in a flowy white shirt and jeans that hugged her … in all the right places. Man, that was a woman who didn’t know how sexy she really was.
“Winnie?” Heather asked as she stopped in the middle of the room and stared at her sister.
“Heather?” Winnie glanced at me and then hurried over. “There’s a man in your kitchen.” She spoke low as if I wouldn’t hear her.
Heather glanced at me as if making sure I was still there. Her eyes dropped to my plate, and I suddenly felt bad I didn’t make anything for her. She leaned in, and I could just barely make out what she said. “I know. He’s a … client.”
“Client?” Winnie asked. “Since when do your clients look like that?”
I couldn’t help but smile as I pretended to be focused solely on my eggs. I was enjoying this little family aside. It was quite revealing.
Heather shushed her. “Winnie, you remember Liam McKnight?” Heather grabbed a hold of Winnie’s hand and dragged her into the kitchen.
Winnie’s eyes widened. “Liam … McKnight?” she asked.
Realizing that I’d become a window display, I extended my hand. “The one and only.”
If Winnie saw my hand, she didn’t move to take it. Instead, she turned back to Heather. “The guy who dumped you at the prom?”
Heather shushed her.
Prom? That was a long time ago. A dark night for my family, and one I’d pushed so far away I’d hoped to never think of it again. Heather had said she’d forgiven me for what had happened, but from the way her cheeks burned red, I assumed she carried a grudge. Shoot. I didn’t like that one bit.
“Prom?” I prompted, hoping she’d fill me in and we could clear this up right now.
Heather shook her head, dashing those hopes, and hurried over to the sink. “It’s no big deal. It’s her way of name association—matching a person to an event. It’s the only way she can remember who they are.” She stepped up to her sister, and they linked arms.
Winnie’s mouth gaped open. “You called me at college and—”
Heather hip-bumped her so hard Winnie hit the counter. Looking whiplashed, she parted her lips to say something, but Heather jumped over her. “Why are you here? I thought we were meeting at the convention center.”
Winnie blinked a few times before recognition passed over her face. Then she pinched her lips and nodded. “I figured you’d try to get out of this, so I thought I’d come pick you up.” She smiled and shot me a sideways glance that said big sisters are never wrong.
“I, um …” Heather glanced from me back to Winnie. “I have a session.”
“Come after,” Winnie urged.
Heather cringed. “It’s all day.”
Winnie’s expression fell. I could tell that Heather wanted to say something to make things better, but she didn’t know what that was. Not wanting to get between the sisters and cause a problem in their relationship, I stepped forward. “Why don’t we all go?” I asked as I grinned like tagging along on a girls’ day was my idea of a perfect Sunday.
Heather snorted. “Oh, I don’t think so.”
“Why not? It could be fun.” I lifted a shoulder.
Winnie grinned at me. “I do need moral support, and it will look better if I bring two people instead of one.”
Heather folded her arms as her gaze slipped back to Winnie. “Do you really think that Liam will fit in there?”
Winnie studied me and then shrugged. “We’ll call him my bodyguard.”
Now I was curious. I didn’t think these ladies were into anything dangerous, but what did I know? “Where are we going?”
Winnie’s smile should have sent fear snaking down my spine. Both women sized me up with a twinkle in their stunning green eyes, and I had the impression that I should run away.
Heather finally said, “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
I was curious enough to go and just scared enough to be on my guard. I didn’t know if that made me cautious or just plain stupid. But I followed them out to the car anyway, because Heather was my only hope.
“Nope. Nope.” I stared out the window as a giant banner with the words Romance Authors Convention in big, swoopy letters graced the side of the hotel. “Are you joking? Turn the car around.”
Winnie pulled into the nearest parking spot and turned off the engine. I felt the blood drain from my face. Literally—my cheeks were cold and sweat broke out along my hairline.
The girls hopped out, and I stumbled to get my feet on the pavement. They were already at the trunk by the time I shut the door. This was so not my scene.
“Aw, come on. You’ll enjoy yourself. Lots of women,” Winnie called over her shoulder.
I stared at a gaggle of grandmothers wearing cardigans, their pockets full of crumpled tissues, no doubt. I shook my head. “Yeah. Not for me.”
Heather popped her head around the side of the vehicle. “I thought Liam McKnight liked a dating challenge.”
I scoffed. “This isn’t a challenge. Unless this con has a time machine to which I can go in the future and bring back Grandfather Liam, this is out of my wheelhouse.” I nodded at a small woman in glasses who carried a stack of books in her arms. She scowled at me.
“And here I thought you were the master of seduction.” Heather’s voice was soft and close as she mocked me for alienating the woman in glasses.
I glanced down to find her standing next to me with her arms folded and a smile playing on her lips. If Heather flirted, this was how she’d go about doing it. A thrill rushed through me. She didn’t know the sweetness she offered up in that smile, and I almost felt bad basking in it, because it gave me a lot more pleasure than she intended.
The feeling was ripped away when she pulled back and hurried back to the trunk, where Winnie worked to lift a heavy box. I shook off my physical response to Heather’s closeness and followed after her. In a strange
way, she felt like safety in this unfamiliar land where grandmas didn’t like me. Grandmas usually loved me. They wore Wolves jerseys with my number on them and told me to “kick some butt” on the field as I ran out of the tunnel.
“Here, put those muscles to good use.” Winnie dropped a heavy box in my arms. I took it out of reflex. She loaded another two on top, each one weighing more than the last.
I peeked at her from around them. “What do you have in here?”
Winnie shrugged as she motioned for me to go lower so she could stack one last box. “Books.”
“Books?”
She nodded.
“You don’t know it, but you are in the presence of the world-famous Winnie Baker.” Heather hooked a canvas bag over her shoulder that looked light enough to take to the beach. I got it. I was the pack mule; she was the pretty lifeguard.
I shook the image of her in a red swimsuit sunbathing on the beach out of my mind. With her fair skin, she’d burn to a crisp. “Baker? I thought you were sisters.” I asked, noting the different last names.
Heather shook her head. “Nom de plume. Baker was our mother’s maiden name.”
Winnie slammed the trunk and dusted off her hands. Then she led the way toward the convention center, not carrying more than her purse. I couldn’t help but think of all the times the team loaded up for a game and threw our bags on a cart for the bellhop to deal with while we sauntered in wearing sunglasses and come-get-me smiles. This was her away game, and it was cool how she owned it.
“So you’re an author?” I asked as I fell into step with Heather and Winnie.
They both nodded. They might not have been twins, but they were connected. It reminded me a lot of me and Lottie growing up.
“That’s cool.” I had to compliment the game when I saw it. Heather and Winnie were both accomplished women. It was strange for me to walk next to them as if I was part of their club. Especially when I’d failed English in high school. Which only made me feel dumber than I already did. After all, English was the language I spoke. But dyslexia wasn’t something you could just fix. And I’d eventually given up until Heather had come along and tutored me into passing. I probably owed my high school diploma to her.
When we got into the convention center, Heather seemed to forget I was there as she gushed over how big the place was and how many people there were.
Winnie grew pale as she glanced around. I recognized that look. It was the look that was born from the fear one felt while standing in the middle of the field surrounded by millions of fans who expected greatness out of you. The look that came from the fear that you might mess everything up.
If she were a teammate, I would have smacked her butt and told her to get her head in the game. Somehow, I didn’t think that would go over too well. What would I say to Lottie? “You’ll do great.” I gave her a shoulder nudge.
She turned to face me with her eyebrows knitted together. I offered a smile and nodded for her to get in there. She sighed. “Thanks.” Then she lowered her voice as if she didn’t want Heather to hear. “She thinks they are all here to see me. I don’t want her to be disappointed when she finds out that’s not the case.”
I glanced at the people milling around us and not noticing Winnie or myself. They wore tee shirts that said things like I put my book down for this? and sweaters with pictures of cats reading books. There were also women wearing Western costumes and hoop skirt dresses as if they’d walked out of a ballroom. “I’m sure that’s not the case. I mean, some are here for you, right?”
Winnie didn’t look confident as she shrugged. “Maybe. But probably not.”
I shifted the boxes until the corner of one no longer jammed me in the stomach, and I gave her a wide Liam McKnight smile. “I guess we’ll just have to see.”
When we got to the booth, Winnie stretched out her arms and proclaimed that this was the spot. Heather was all smiles as she helped her sister unload the books and arrange them in a pleasing way on the table.
I took the opportunity to sit back on one of the chairs and drape my arm over the back of the other chair. Even though this wasn’t my scene—especially when a few shirtless men went walking by—it wasn’t terrible. The women here were either way too old for me or not like any girl I would hit on. The pressure to perform was off, and I kind of liked it.
When I took the time to study the ladies—really look at them—I concluded that they were cute. In a nerdy, bookworm way. I didn’t usually go for cute, but there were these little things that caught my attention. Like the author setting up across from us. Her son was strapped into a stroller, and every few seconds she’d catch his eye and make a funny face—all while she stacked book markers and hung up a banner with her picture and several books. She was determined and resourceful, and I had to respect the way she mothered and did her thing.
Heather plopped down on the seat next to me with a sigh. I stared at her, wondering if she realized that my arm was now effectively wrapped around her shoulders. She didn’t move to push it away, so I decided to keep it there.
No harm. No foul.
Plus, she smelled good, and her red hair that she’d put up in a bun was coming loose. Curls framed her face, and I wanted to reach out and pull on one just to see if it would spring back into place.
Just as I moved my hand to act on the impulse, she glanced over at me. “Enjoying the scenery?” she asked.
Caught in the act, I dropped my hand and leaned into her. “What do you mean?” I whispered.
Heather must have sensed my closeness, because a moment later, she took herself and the chair a few inches to the left. That caused my arm to drop, so I adjusted my posture into a more relaxed one like it didn’t bother me that she’d put space between us. Because it shouldn’t. Even though it did.
“Welcome to your first assignment.” She motioned to the women milling around the room. “These are the women I want to see you talk to and even take to the team party.”
My gaze zeroed in on a grandmother with rainbow spectacles who carried a small dog in a purse. “That woman?” I asked.
Heather swatted at my arm. “Obviously the women in your age bracket.” She raised her hand. “I don’t think you taking a cougar to the gala is going to help anyone’s image.”
I scoffed and looked offended but then nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
She turned her focus back to the room, but I kept my gaze trained on her. I was mesmerized by the way her cheeks flushed and her lips twitched as if she was having a conversation with herself. Add to that the way her red hair contrasted against her pale skin, and I couldn’t help but watch her.
Had she always been this pretty?
“Oh,” she said as she turned to smack my hand.
I startled and pulled back. I had been staring. What was wrong with me? I cleared my throat and swatted her hand back. I could flirt. Flirting was harmless. Flirting was what I did with anyone. It was when I was real that I was vulnerable.
“Winnie was telling me about this class today that I am going to take you to.”
I shook my head. “Yeah, no.”
“You don’t know what it’s about.”
A group of men wearing togas walked by, followed by a woman who dressed like a Greek goddess carrying a stack of books. “From the looks of this place, I’m not sure there’s anything I want to learn.”
Heather shook her head. “Nope. I’m your therapist, and it’s up to me.” She patted my knee as she moved to stand. “You’re coming no matter what.”
Before I could protest, she was over by Winnie, talking about something I couldn’t quite hear. Whatever it was it had her animated.
I settled back on my seat and took a deep breath. I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to spend my Sunday in a book fair where everyone in the room was smarter than me. And I didn’t want to take a class. If they asked me to read out loud, I’d lose my street cred. Every ounce of me fought against it.
But for some reason, some stupi
d, inane reason, I knew that didn’t matter. What mattered was that Heather wanted me to do it. And no matter how hard I protested, I was going to go.
The desire to please her outweighed my desire to rebel.
Which was a strange sensation and one that I hadn’t felt before.
This wasn’t good.
Chapter Seven
Heather
I had to give Liam some credit—he hadn’t run for the exit yet.
I watched him out of the corner of my eye as I helped Winnie set up her booth and start signing books. She didn’t think anyone would come for her, but the day had only just begun and she’d already had a few people stop by.
I wished I could give her more of my focus, but I struggled with balancing my attention on her and my attention on the man behind me, who distracted me in a way that I didn’t like. It didn’t help that Liam was … different here. He sat on the sideline and people-watched instead of clowning around. Hopefully, he was opening up to the idea that there was more than “blondes and brunettes” in the world—I touched my hair—and “gingers.” The memory of his hungry look when he’d said that word would not go away anytime soon.
That was fine. When this week was over, I’d pull it out and swoon anytime I needed a boost. Until then, I’d file it away. Plus, I needed to remind myself that this was Liam’s MO. He was a flirt, plain and simple. I could protect my heart by reminding my ridiculous thoughts of the fact that he was a charmer.
But what I couldn’t protect myself from was the way he boosted Winnie’s courage. She’d been nervous as we’d walked in, not meeting people’s gaze. It wasn’t until Liam told her she was going to be alright that she perked up. And suddenly, in my eyes he was a shirtless firefighter holding a puppy. My entire body responded to the caring way in which he helped my sister. It wasn’t fair.
Actually, that ticked me off. I pumped Winnie up all the time. Why didn’t she believe me when I told her she rocked? I glanced at Liam. Maybe if my words came gift-wrapped by plump and strong-looking lips like his, she’d believe me too. Then I shook my head. That was a ridiculous thought. One I should never allow myself to entertain ever again. Liam’s lips were officially off my radar and off-limits.
His Romance Coach (A McKnight Family Romance Book 5) Page 5
