by L. P. Dover
Susan came by with a refreshment cart and handed me a bowl of peanuts, along with a plate of various fruits and cheeses. It was all so surreal.
“Thank you,” I muttered breathlessly.
Lucas wanted a glass of whiskey and she poured it up for him. He swirled the ice cubes around the amber liquid before he took a sip.
“That’s a lot of time with me, Lucas. Are you sure that’s what you want? I don’t want to take you away from what you really should be doing.”
“And what would that be?” he asked, gaze narrowed.
“Golfing. That’s your life. I know it makes you happy.”
“It does.” He set his glass down and reached for my hands. “But so do you. Why can’t I have both?”
That brought a smile to my face. “I guess there’s no reason why you can’t. And that’s why I’ve decided that if you want to spend some time in Charlotte, I’ll be more than happy to go there with you.”
Squeezing my hands, he brought one up to his lips. “You have no idea how happy that makes me. You’re going to love Charlotte.”
“I can’t wait.” I’d been to the Charlotte airport, but I’d never really seen the city or experienced it. Change was upon me, and I’d never been more excited.
Turned out I didn’t have to wait long at all to see Charlotte, as it was our surprise destination. Lucas rented another car and we went riding through the city.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me we were coming here,” I said, staring out the window. Downtown was gorgeous. There were so many people on the streets, walking to and from work. “I’ve never been in the heart of it all.”
“I’ll give you a tour then.” He pointed at an atrium of shops and restaurants as we drove by. “There’s an amazing Greek restaurant down there. They have the best gyros.” There were so many streets I know I’d get lost if I tried to navigate around myself. “Oh, and if you like art, that’s the place to go.” He nodded toward an asymmetrical building made of nothing but windows.
I giggled. “Don’t get me wrong, I love art, but that was all my ex wanted to do. Well, that and parties. But it’s not really something I’ve ever been interested in.”
He blew out a relieved sigh. “Thank fucking God. Neither am I. You don’t know how happy I am that we can agree on that.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I turned to him. “So, what do you like to do for fun out here, if you’re not interested in the arts?”
Chuckling, he patted my leg. “You’ll see, sunshine. And just so you know, it’s not all about what the media would have you believe either. I’m not always going to bars or anything like that.”
“So, there’s a whole other side to you the media doesn’t see?”
We stopped at a red light and he tapped my chin. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Want to stop by my house for a while before the fun starts?”
“Yes,” I shrieked. “I read that you live in a swanky condo in one of these high rises. I’m curious to see what it looks like.”
He shrugged. “There’s nothing special about it. Actually, I’m going to sell it. It’s not where I live.”
“What?” I stared at him in disbelief, but he concentrated on the road. “Where do you live then?”
We headed away from downtown, back to the interstate. “In a city right outside of Charlotte. Believe it or not, I like small-town living.”
“Then why do you have a condo in the city?” When he didn’t reply, I had a feeling I already knew the answer, especially by the increasingly tormented look on his face. “I see,” I said low. “It’s where you took all your lady friends, isn’t it?”
Reluctantly, he nodded. “It’s not something I wanted you to know about, but there’s no point in lying. I’m sure you can read stories on the internet from people who have been there.”
My stomach clenched, but I was at least thankful he’d told me the truth. “I’ve been trying not to Google you, Lucas. I don’t want to know every sordid detail about your life before me.”
He reached over and unclasped my arms so he could hold my hand. “No other woman has been to my real house, except my mother. Taking you there will be another first on my list. I’ve never shared this part of my life with anyone. Hopefully, that means something to you.”
“It does,” I replied, feeling the anger ebb. “I can’t wait to see it.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Lucas
The look on Ashley’s face when I told her about the condo was something I never wanted to see again, but I had to tell her the truth. There was nothing special about my condo. I had it decorated for the sole purpose of seducing women. It wasn’t a place for Ashley.
Once off the interstate, we drove through the town of Belmont; it was not only my town, but my favorite place to be. Our restaurants were the best around.
Ashley gazed out the window, taking in all the shops of downtown. “It’s like a Hallmark movie. I love it here. Why didn’t you tell me you lived in Belmont? It’s where some of the Carolina Cougars live.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Including Evan Townsend and Derek McLaughlin.”
She smacked my arm. “Are you trying to say you already know them?”
“Yep. I talked to them at the wedding when you were busy taking photos. I’ve run into them a few times at Sammy’s. It’s where some of the Charlotte Strikers like to hang out as well.”
Her eyes widened. “You’ve got to be kidding me. This place is full of famous people. We should go to Sammy’s tonight.”
We rode by the restaurant and I shook my head. “Nope. I’m not sharing you with anyone tonight. Besides, I don’t want them ogling you. I’d hate to get into a fight.”
She tried to contain her laugh and failed. “That would be a sight.”
Contrary to what she might think, I’d gotten in tons of fights over the years, and could hold my own. But she had a reputation to uphold, and so did I. My career wouldn’t last very long if I gave in to my temper.
“Why are there road blocks on the side of the roads?” she asked.
“You’ll see.” I picked the perfect weekend to bring her to my hometown.
We drove further into Belmont, toward the lake. She was going to be in for a shock when she saw my house. Most people thought I lived in a mansion, and I did as a child, growing up with my father making all the money. But that wasn’t what I wanted for myself.
When we turned down the driveway, there was nothing but grassy fields to the right and left of us. Ashley glanced curiously at me and then focused back on the road. “I’m intrigued. You could easily have your own golf course out here.”
I looked over at my land. “It was an option, but I didn’t want to maintain it all. However, I do have some putting greens in the back yard.”
She gasped. “That’s awesome. I never thought about that. I’ll have to get some put in my yard.”
My house came into view and her mouth gaped, mostly in shock. I knew it wouldn’t be what she expected. The land was what I’d wanted, not a gigantic house. Granted, its size equaled hers, but it was a brick, one-story ranch. I had a relaxing view of the lake, with my own boat and jet skis.
When I parked, she just sat there and stared. “This is not what I expected.”
“Disappointed?”
She hopped out of the car. “Not at all. It’s absolutely perfect. Guess I just thought you’d have a ginormous house with a ten-car garage.”
I nodded toward the two-car garage. “As much as I’d love to have that many cars, I don’t see the need for it. All I have is my Cadillac Escalade and,” I cleared my throat, “an Aston Martin One -77.”
She burst out laughing and shook her head. “So, I was basically right. That car is worth way more than twenty normal cars combined, maybe even more than that.” It was way more expensive than that; more like fifty cars, each at thirty thousand dollars apiece.
After grabbing our bags out of the car, I led her to the front door and unlocked it. She walked in first and
I followed behind her. “What do you think?”
She walked over to the living room window seat and leaned over the back of it, peering out at the lake. “Oh, Lucas, I love it. I feel guilty now, thinking of you leaving all this to be with me.” Her gaze landed on the trophy case containing all awards I’d won over the years, and then over to my fireplace mantle that held pictures of my family. “This is your home. Your father and brother live around here.”
“I see them more than you know,” I stated honestly. “They’ll be with me at every tournament. It doesn’t matter where I decide to spend my free time.”
She walked over to the pictures and picked up the one I had of my mother. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I still can’t help but feel bad about it.”
I touched her chin and turned her to me. “Don’t. It’s my choice.”
Smiling sadly, she held up the picture of my mother. “So beautiful.”
Taking the picture, I gently set it back on the mantle. “Yes, inside and out. She was our family’s moral compass, and she’d be thrilled about the tournament. Just knowing it’ll raise awareness for the condition is all I want.”
“Me too.” She smiled at me, and then searched around the living room. “How about you show me the rest of your house?”
“Gladly.” I took her hand. “Then afterward, we’ll go for a ride on the boat. We have a few hours to kill before tonight.”
“And maybe after our plans tonight . . . we can explore your bedroom?” she said, soft and seductive.
“Oh,” I pulled her into my body, “that can be arranged, sunshine. You can count on that.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Ashley
We’d toured the lake and anchored in the cove for a couple of hours. The more time I spent with Lucas, the more he surprised me. His house was perfect . . . and normal. Granted, he did have a car worth over a million dollars, but men loved their toys.
“You about ready to go, sunshine?”
“Yes,” I shouted, hoping he could hear me all the way into the living room.
I searched through my bag and pulled out a hoodie I’d thrown in at the last minute. It had gotten chilly during our ride around the lake and I had yet to warm up. I slid it over my T-shirt and hurried out of the bathroom, stopping to take in his bedroom. It smelled like his cologne and I breathed it in.
His room was masculine but had sex appeal. The walls were navy blue, with pictures of different golf course holes. The man lived and breathed golf. He was passionate about it and I admired that. I walked over to his king-size bed, running my hand over the comforter.
“If you want to stay here, we can,” Lucas teased from the doorway. “The sheets feel good against bare skin.”
I jerked around and felt my cheeks burn. “Sorry. It’s hard to be in here and not look around. Guess I can see why you snooped through my house.”
“See?” He laughed. “It’s not just me.” He held out his hand. “Come on. You can look through my stuff later. It’s time to have some fun.” He too was dressed in a hoodie, jeans, and a baseball cap.
Still dying from embarrassment, I let him drag me down the hall and out the door. He opened the passenger side door for me, and we were on our way. “Trying to go undercover tonight?” I asked, nodding at his hat.
He shrugged. “Doesn’t hurt. There’s going to be a lot of people where we’re going. The good thing is, it’s going to be dark.”
We made it to downtown Belmont and there were a ton of parked cars. It was then I saw a sign that read Halloween Boo Festival.
“Looks like we’re going to have to walk a bit.”
“I don’t mind. I think it’ll be fun.” We parked at the local middle school and he held me close as we walked down the sidewalk. The sound of laughter and kids chatting filled the air. People were dressed up in their costumes, both children and adults alike. “We should’ve dressed up. Then nobody would know who you are.”
Lucas laughed and kissed the back of my hand. “Next year.”
Just the thought of talking about a year from now made my stomach flutter. I held onto his arm and leaned into him as we walked toward the vendor booths on Main Street. I breathed in the scent of smoked barbecue and onion rings. “Something smells really good.”
“That would be from Peace-N-Hominy, the best barbecue joint in the city. I thought we could stop by for dinner.”
My stomach growled and I sighed. “Barbecue and onion rings sound absolutely delicious. Not exactly healthy, but I’m down for it.”
He leaned in close, nipping my ear. “We’ll work it off later.”
The ladies at the barbecue booth recognized Lucas and hugged him as if they’d known him for years. They didn’t scream and demand an autograph or picture, like I imagined it would be. I guess they were used to seeing him around the neighborhood.
He ordered our food and we sat down on a park bench to eat. People walked by us and didn’t even give him a second glance. It was nice.
“How’s your food?”
I tossed the last onion ring into my mouth and moaned. “Sensational. I’d fly back and forth just for the onion rings.”
He burst out laughing. “I see where I stand.”
“I’ll come here to see you too,” I said, nudging him in the side. “What’s your father doing tonight? Maybe we could visit him while we’re in town?”
He took my plate and napkins and tossed it in the trash. “That’s already been handled.”
I stood, and he held my hand. “Great. Can’t wait to meet him.”
“How about now?” His focus landed on something over my shoulder and he smiled. Before I could react, he turned me around. I’d been hoping to prepare before I met his dad, but there he was. I sucked in a breath. They looked exactly alike—same build and stature, except his dad had white hair and wrinkles.
“Hello, son,” he said happily, hugging Lucas. He then held out his hand to me. “And you’re Ashley. It’s so nice to finally meet you. I’m James.”
I shook his hand. “Yes, I know. It’s not every day you meet someone famous.”
Lucas snorted. “What am I, chopped liver?”
I waved him off. “Your father’s more famous than you are.”
James laughed hard and patted Lucas on the back. “I like her already, son.” He then walked to the other side of me. “How do you like our little town? I know it’s different from Myrtle Beach.”
“Much different,” I added. “But I love it.” There were so many vendors around, I wanted to buy everything, especially the bakeries who had their cupcakes and other sweet treats for sale. While in Rome . . .
A tall, lady with caramel-colored skin at one of the bakery booths glanced over at Lucas and waved him over. There were a smattering of older ladies behind the table, dressed in white smocks and kind smiles. Lucas squeezed my hand and pointed over at them. “That’s Evelyn. She makes the best sweets. I’ll buy you some.” He hurried over and I hung back with James, giggling at how Evelyn shoved a piece of cake in his mouth when he walked up.
James nodded over at them. “Lucas is their taste tester from time to time. I think they just like having him around. He’s such a sweet talker.”
He hugged the short, older lady and she blushed. “I can see that,” I said. “Looks like he fits in well here. Where I live, people fall all over him.”
James sighed. “That’s going to happen from time to time. You get used to it though. The people here are immune to it. They see all sorts of famous people every day.”
“Oh, I know a little something about that. My brother just married a woman whose father played for the Carolina Cougars. A lot of them are from around here.”
“That’s right,” he agreed with a smile. “What a small world.”
Lucas winked over at me and pointed down at the packages of sweets the bakery ladies were packing up for us.
James placed a hand on my shoulder to get my attention and I looked up at him. “I’m glad Lucas brought you here tonigh
t. I wanted to personally thank you for what you and your father are doing. My wife was taken from me way too soon. I wish I would’ve thought of raising awareness early on.”
“I’m happy to do it. As a doctor, I know how important awareness is. Heck, it might be rare, but even most doctors write it off as anxiety when it’s not.”
His gaze saddened. “That’s exactly what happened to her. At the time, I didn’t understand what she was going through. She was always so happy and laid back. So, when they told her it was anxiety, it floored me. That woman didn’t have an anxious bone in her body.”
In today’s time, it was easy for doctors to claim anxiety. Just prescribe some pills and send them on their way. I refused to be like that. I listened to my patients, which was why I was one of the best rated doctors in my area.
A sad smile spread across his face. It was uncanny how much he looked like Lucas. “I’m glad Lucas finally met someone like you. He needed some stability in his life.”
“Trust me, I wanted to stay as far away from him as I could, but he made it difficult.”
James chuckled. “When my son wants something, he works hard to get it. Just don’t allow the stupid shit that comes with being who we are come between you two.”
I nodded. “We’ve already gotten a taste of that, I’m afraid. They targeted me back home.”
“Yeah, I saw that,” he said, sighing. “The same things happened to me and my wife.”
I looked right into his serious gray gaze. “How did you work through it for so long?”
“Simple. We trusted each other. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard at times, but we worked through it.” His focus landed on Lucas, who headed our way. “Lucas cares about you. I’ve never seen him like this with anyone. He has a lot to learn about relationships, so it might be a bumpy start, but I have faith in him.”
“So do I, James, or I wouldn’t be here.”
“All right, sunshine,” Lucas made it back to us, “I got you cupcakes, brownies, and one of their miniature pecan pies. You might have to fight me for that one. They’re one of my favorites.”
