A sign up ahead pointed to a parking area. A shuttle van had been hired to take guests from their cars to the house, then back afterwards. She and Caly parked their cars, then boarded the van, her sister pointing to another sign saying the driver had the option to call a cab for anyone who’d partied too much. Selena was impressed.
She took a window seat, watching as the van climbed above the lake, then back down, following a private road lined on both sides with dense stands of western hemlock, white pine, and red cedar. Driving through an open gate supported by thick stone walls, her jaw dropped. To say the house was breathtaking would be an understatement.
Guests stepped off the bus and through twelve-foot-high double doors into a two-story entry with wide, curving staircases on both sides. Straight ahead stood a wall of glass with an unobstructed view of Lake Bountiful. Between the entry and glass lay a broad expanse of wood floors, hand-woven rugs, leather furniture—and at least two hundred people. So far, no one had appeared to greet them, which didn’t seem to faze the other guests as they walked straight to the bar.
“Shall we?” Caly asked, slipping her arm through Selena’s. “Let’s get a drink, then find the host.”
“Have you ever met him?”
“Never, but I have a description from the friend who tipped me off about the party. Come on.”
As they waited in the drink line, Caly focused on a group of men a few feet away while Selena took in the room and view. To the left of the main house, another building stood near the lake. Built on pilings over the water, it also swarmed with people. Boats lined two docks, and it appeared a water taxi ferried guests from across the lake.
“What do you want?” Caly asked.
Selena hadn’t even noticed they’d made it to the front of the line. “Uh…soda?”
“Oh no you don’t. You’re having a real drink. Either you pick something or I will.”
She thought a moment, then smiled. “A dry martini with lots of olives.”
Caly’s brows lifted, the corners of her mouth tilting upward as she turned and ordered one for each of them.
Drinks in hand, they started winding a path into another room, which appeared to be an office or library, then out onto the expansive back deck where a band played a combination of rock, country, and blues. A few people danced, but most stood in small circles, talking and laughing. After an hour, they still had not seen their host, no one seeming the least concerned he hadn’t appeared.
“May I get you another drink, ma’am?” A waiter stood next to Selena, reaching for her empty glass.
“We’ll both have another dry martini with olives,” Caly cut in, smiling at the young man.
Fresh drinks in hand, Caly became determined to locate their mysterious host, identifying eligible men for Selena at the same time.
“Caly, is that you?”
At the sound of the masculine voice, they glanced toward the band, both breaking out into wide grins.
“Devlin!” Caly jumped into their cousin’s arms. He grunted, taking a step back at the impact.
“Whoa, sweetheart. I’m strong, but that’s a robust frontal assault,” he laughed, setting Caly down and offering a warm hug to Selena. “I didn’t know you two would be here.”
“I heard about it a couple weeks ago. Do you know the owner?” Caly asked.
“Nope. I came with a friend, who heard about it from someone else.” He pointed toward a stunning redhead talking with a group of women near the band. “How did she get you to come along, Selena?”
“You must be the only Kerrigan unaware of the bet,” Selena muttered.
“What bet?” He looked between the two. As part of the Lake Bountiful Hotshots, he’d been deployed fighting fires across most of the western United States, missing several family gatherings, including Julia and Adam’s wedding.
“I bet Selena she wouldn’t have the guts to attend this party.” She glanced at her sister, who stared at her with a bland expression. “You know how much she loves parties…and drinking,” she smirked.
Devlin knew he might be the only member of the family Selena had spoken to about her experience graduation night, leading to her subsequent discomfort of large parties and alcohol-induced fun. Over the years, she’d begun drinking an occasional cocktail, soda remaining her drink of choice.
“What do you have there, Selena?” He nodded toward her glass.
“A martini.”
“Her second one,” Caly added, as if it were some triumph on her part.
“Take it easy, sweetheart. Those will creep up on you without much warning.” He finished his beer, watching her with narrowed eyes, knowing two should be her absolute limit. “I’m grabbing another beer. How about a soda?”
“One more martini for me, Dev,” Caly answered.
“A soda for me would be great. Whatever they have.” Selena looked at her glass, deciding she’d finish the martini before switching to the soda.
“I’ll be right back.” Dev lost himself in the crowd, which continued to grow, leaving little space indoors or out.
“Well, out of all these people, I wonder who our host is.” Caly scanned the area, her nose twitching as the mystery deepened.
“Oh no…” Selena’s voice trailed off as she raised her hand to her face. “I feel tingly.”
Caly took the glass from her hand, set it on a nearby table, then helped Selena to a chair.
“You’d better sit for a while. I’ll get you some water while Dev gets the soda. And no more alcohol for you.”
Selena dragged her gaze from Caly’s retreating back, feeling a little dizzy. After a few minutes she stood. Feeling much better, she decided to surprise Caly by locating their mysterious host. She put a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. Yes, that’s what I’ll do. Surprise Caly, she thought, disappearing into the large crowd.
She found herself standing at the bar, placing one hand on the edge to steady herself.
“Would you care for a drink?” the bartender asked.
She placed a finger to her lips, as if trying to make a decision. “Yes, I believe I will have a martini—dry with olives.”
“Here you are.” He watched her take the drink, wobbling slightly before steadying herself. “You going to be okay?”
“Oh, yes. I’m going to be great.” She smiled, took a sip, then walked across the grass, not realizing the bartender had alerted someone in the crowd to keep an eye on her.
She found herself drawn to a group of men and women about her age who were deep in conversation. Finding her courage, Selena stopped next to them, listening as they spoke of the price of land and homes around the lake, a topic in which she was an expert.
“There is nothing affordable around the lake, except some piece of trash place across the road from the water.” A bearded man, his arm around one of the women, finished his beer, pitching the empty into a nearby trash bin. “We’re still looking, but it’s bleak.”
“Same here,” another man said. “You have to be a millionaire like Linc to afford anything.”
“Not necessarily.” She couldn’t believe she’d said the words out loud.
One of the men in the circle turned toward her. “Excuse me? Have we met?” His eyes crinkled with humor.
Selena cleared her throat. “I don’t believe we have. So far, I’ve only seen two people I know, and I’m pretty certain you aren’t one of them.” She wobbled, then righted herself, hoping no one noticed.
Several in the group laughed, including the man next to her. He held out his hand. “I’m Linc. And you are?”
“Selena.”
“It’s good meet you, Selena. I believe you made a comment about the real estate market. Care to continue?”
She looked up, blinking a couple times before focusing on the man in front of her. The first thing she noticed was his height. He had to be a couple inches over six feet. The second thing were his piercing blue eyes, which seemed to bore into hers.
“Selena?”
�
�Hmm…what?”
He chuckled, holding out his hand to steady her as she leaned toward him. “The real estate market?”
“Oh yes. If memory serves, there are at least five homes on the lake considered affordable.” She took another sip of her martini, feeling more light-headed by the second.
“And you would know that how?” Linc asked.
“I saw the listings, silly,” she giggled. “How else would I know? Anyway, they’re near Peregrine Bay.” She looked around the group, her head bobbing. “That’s at the other end of the lake.” She closed her eyes, as if trying to remember how each listing read. “Let’s see…one is on Eagle Way. Two bedrooms, two baths, boat dock. Another is off White Pine Road. Three bedrooms with boat dock.” She took another sip, grimaced, and shook her head. “I think I’d better sit down.”
Linc turned to the others. “I’ll be back in a few,” he said, his hand reaching out to steady her once again. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s find a place for you to sit down.”
Selena looked up at him, her eyes bright. “That’s what my cousin calls me. Sweetheart. I always like it when he says that.” She pursed her lips, thinking. “Is it common?”
“What?” Linc asked, intrigued by the woman he guided toward the far end of the yard and up a few steps to a door leading into the house.
“A man calling a woman he barely knows sweetheart. Is it common?”
He chuckled, opening the door to his bedroom and helping her inside. “Yes, along with a few other terms. Come on. You can lay down here for a while to sleep it off.” He helped her sit on the side of a bed.
“I think that’s a very good idea.”
“Good girl. I’ll check on you in a little bit.”
“Oh, that would be nice. Checking on me, I mean.” She let out a sigh as her body slumped onto the bed.
Linc grabbed a blanket, laying it over her, noting she’d already passed out. He reached toward her, swiping an errant strand of hair from her face, drawing a finger down her cheek. Sitting down next to her, he watched as her breathing became deep and even. The longer he stayed, the more he wondered about her and how she’d come to be at his party.
Who are you, Selena? Do you belong to anyone? he asked himself as he watched her chest rise and fall.
She sighed again, rolling to her side, pulling the blanket with her.
Linc took a deep breath, placed his hands on his knees, and pushed himself up. He strolled to the door and took one last look behind him, certain she’d be gone when he returned.
Chapter Two
Selena opened her eyes, noting it was still dark, then reached toward her nightstand to grab the clock. Not finding it, she pushed herself up, gripping her head with both hands to still the pounding.
She thought of lying back down when the distinct sound of deep breathing, then a soft snore came from behind her. Her movement stilled, as did her breath. Trying to clear her head, she slowly turned, spotting the large form of a man a few inches away. Pulling the covers back, she looked down in horror to see she wore nothing except a cotton t-shirt and panties.
Her hands shook and her head pounded as she slipped from the bed, trying not to wake him. Selena used the moonlight seeping through an open window to find her clothes, then dashed into the bathroom. She closed the door and dressed, confirming her keys were still in a pocket. Opening the medicine cabinet, she grabbed a bottle of pain killers and downed two of them. Taking a deep breath, she turned the doorknob and peeked into the bedroom. He still slept.
Searching for her sandals, Selena glanced around, getting on her hands and knees to look under the bed. No luck. As the man turned toward her, moaning, she forgot the sandals, deciding to go barefoot. First, she wanted to take a good look at the man in the bed.
Trying her best to be quiet, Selena walked the few paces to the bed, leaned over, and stared. She had a vague recollection of him, but nothing more. Placing a hand on her heart, trying to still the beating threatening to burst through her chest, Selena came to the only conclusion she could—she’d slept with a man she didn’t know and couldn’t recall any of it.
Slow, quiet steps took her out of his room, through a hall, and to the entry doors. Seeing no one, Selena slipped outside, hit the lock button on the number pad, and ran. She kept going to the end of the asphalt drive and stopped. A tall metal gate protected the entrance from intruders, but she wondered if it also kept visitors inside. She searched for a keypad, anything that would allow her to open the hinged monster and take off. Pacing back and forth several times, looking around bushes and boulders, she found nothing. Looking toward the water, she spotted a place where the thick rock fortress sloped with the hillside, transitioning to a wooden fence. She followed it, wincing as branches scraped the bottom of her feet, but it was worth it. The ground had given way at one point, sinking to a foot below the bottom of the fence. It appeared to be just big enough for her to slide under.
She took one look at her party attire and shrugged, telling herself she had no other choice. A few minutes later, she stood on the other side and climbed back up the hill to the edge of the road, remembering the shuttle and long drive from the parking area.
Glancing toward the house one last time, she took a couple tentative steps onto the gravel road, found her courage, and began to run. The gravel stung her bare feet, slowing her down even when she stuck close to the dirt shoulder. All she had to do was focus on the road ahead, continue to move, and she’d be at her car in no time.
******
Linc’s eyes opened to slits at the soft sound of movement somewhere in the house. The faintest amount of sunlight over the eastern mountains signaled daybreak. A groan escaped as he shot up and looked around to see no one else shared his bed. He looked toward the chair where he’d placed her clothes. Empty. Selena had gone.
He scrubbed a hand over his stubbled face, then ran it through his thick, dark brown hair, wondering how he’d slept through her departure. He must be getting old. A few years ago, while he’d still been an active member of the Navy SEALs, no one would’ve snuck away from him. One small movement would have him on alert, grabbing a weapon and taking action. No longer.
An injury during a successful extraction mission had set him back. He thought a little time in the hospital, a short recovery period, and he’d be back with his team. It hadn’t happened that way. The injuries turned out to be more serious than anyone anticipated, resulting in impairment to his hearing and lung capacity—absolute requirements to continue as an active SEAL. One setback led to another, until his superiors gave him no other choice but to exit out with a medical disability. He’d been in his late twenties.
The sound of his phone had him scrambling for his clothes.
“Caldwell.” He held the phone between his shoulder and ear as he slipped into his jeans, listening to the catering supervisor from his party. “No problem. Come on over.”
Linc tossed the phone on the bed, deciding it best to take a quick check around the house to make sure no stragglers had been left behind. And if they had, that they wore enough clothes so as not to scare the caterer’s clean-up crew.
He turned back toward the bed to grab his ringing phone.
“Boss, we have a problem.”
“What is it?” Linc paced to the window, searching the back yard as if for intruders.
“A lone female just ducked under the fence and is heading toward the parking area by the main road. What do you want me to do?”
A grin tilted the corners of Linc’s mouth, imagining his guest scrambling to get away.
“Nothing. Let her go.”
“But—”
“She’s harmless. I’m assuming there is still at least one car parked there, right?”
“Just one.”
Linc almost chuckled. “Thanks for the call. We’ll talk later about improving party security. Right now, I need to walk through the house.”
He checked his office, family room, and garden room on his way to the kitchen for coffee
before heading upstairs. Matt, a close friend, was out cold in one room, an arm wrapped around a woman with long blonde hair. He closed the door and headed for the next room, finding Shane, another buddy, cuddled up with his current girlfriend. The last two bedrooms were empty, as was the upstairs study. On a whim, he checked the bathrooms, hoping he wouldn’t find someone passed out in the shower, which happened at his last party. He blew out a sigh of relief, finding them empty.
Ten minutes later, he stepped out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist, then shrugged into a clean t-shirt. Grabbing a pair of clean, well-worn jeans, he slipped into them, then sat on the bed, using the towel to dry the last drops of water from his hair. Bending down to shake it out, he spotted something shiny under the chair where he’d laid Selena’s clothes. He reached underneath, grabbed the straps, and pulled out a pair of turquoise sandals. Smiling, he lifted them in front of him, knowing his guest had traveled to her car barefoot, and also understanding something else.
He now had two clues to his mystery woman. A first name and a pair of sandals. He’d tracked people with less.
******
“Pick up. Pick up.” Caly paced, chanting into the phone on her third attempt to reach Selena. Around midnight, after searching for Selena and being told by a friend of the host she’d left the party an hour earlier, Caly had taken off. Their cousin, Devlin, had already left, citing plans to get up early for rock climbing with a group of his team members.
Caly left another message, debating whether or not to call Julia. She took a deep breath, reminding herself of the early hour. She’d give Selena a little more time to return her messages before calling Julia. She poured more coffee, lifting the cup to her lips when the phone rang.
She grabbed it. “Selena?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“Where the hell have you been? I’ve called three times.”
“Sorry to worry you, but I just got home.”
“You’re just now getting home?” Caly would’ve smiled if her sister’s voice hadn’t sounded so distraught.
“Look, I’ll explain it all later. Right now, I need to lay down before my head splits open.” Selena punched the speakerphone button and set it on a table. “What do you do for a hangover?”
Our Kind of Love Page 2
