“I only learned to swim last year and now it’s one of my favorite things to do,” she said.
“Wow. What took you so long?”
She kept her eyes on the beach. “When I was little my mom put me in swimming lessons and my teacher tossed me into the deep end the first day and scared the crap out of me. I was terrified of the water after that and refused to get near a pool for years. Then I got to that age where it was embarrassing that I didn’t know how to swim so I just avoided it.”
“I didn’t learn how to blow a bubble until a couple of years ago,” Shane admitted.
Kagan turned her head. “Seriously?” Her gaze dipped to his mouth for a second.
“Yep. I couldn’t do it. Felt so lame that I didn’t chew gum for a really long time.”
She twisted and crossed her arms, her side against the railing. “You’re messing with me.”
He shook his head. “Nope. But the good news is I mastered doing other things with my tongue.”
“I’m sure you did, and I could ask half the women in Cascade for an evaluation.”
“If you’re curious I could give you a demonstration right here.”
“No thank you.”
Her indifference hit him square in the gut. “Had to take a stab at it,” he said, chuckling, like it was no big deal. “Otherwise you might not recognize me.”
She tilted her head and wiggled her pursed lips. “Actually, I saw a whole new side to you this evening. But don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”
“You did, huh?”
“Yeah. And…he’s not such a bad guy.” She dropped her arms. “You should be really proud of yourself. This place is amazing and you deserve the praise you’ve received.” She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Congratulations.”
Her lips set his body on fire. One little peck and his pants grew uncomfortable behind the zipper. “Thanks. That means a—”
“Am I interrupting?” a man said from over his shoulder.
“B-Brett,” Kagan stammered. “What are you still doing here? I thought you went back to New York.”
Shane turned. Brett stood toe-to-toe with him and something in the guy’s eyes told Shane that Kagan’s claim her ex would leave her alone now that he thought she had a boyfriend was way off the mark.
“How’d you get into this party?” Shane asked.
“Friends in high places.” He tracked back to Kagan. “Your father asked me to stay.”
Kagan’s breath hitched and Shane sensed there was more to the story than Kagan had told him. More to Brett. Her body tensed so he put an arm around her. “Your father?” Shane said.
Brett took in the points where his body met Kagan’s before lifting his gaze and making eye contact with both of them. “You haven’t told your boyfriend about your dad?” he asked, sounding pleased with the fact.
“You need to leave, Brett,” Kagan said. “From this party. From this town. I don’t care what my father asked of you.”
Brett brushed something off the sleeve of his dress coat. “He’s instructed me to bring you home and that’s what I’m going to do. You’ve made your point. Now come back to New York and talk to your father. He’ll listen.”
“We both know that’s not true. He doesn’t listen to anyone, least of all me.”
“He wants you to be happy.”
“He wants to control me. Make all my decisions. That’s what makes him happy and it makes me miserable.” Pain sounded in Kagan’s usually sweet voice and Shane’s gut clenched. “I’ve swallowed my wants over and over again to please him and avoid confrontation and I’m not doing it anymore.”
“Brett, I think—” Shane started.
“Your father needs you, Kagan. I need you. We can make this work.”
Shane tightened his grip on her. “I think Kagan’s made it pretty clear she’s staying right where she is.”
She stiffened under his hold. “Thanks, but I’ve got this.”
“I know you do. Just wanted to remind Brett I’m standing here.” He was supposed to be her boyfriend. Hell, just thinking it made his palms itch, but this guy was royally pissing him off. “And I don’t like the way he’s talking to my girl.”
Kagan jerked her head to look at him. Her eyes softened and after a moment she wrapped her arms around him.
“He’s not a good enough reason to stay, Kay,” Brett said.
She twisted to face Brett. “Go home and tell my father I’ll see him when I’m ready.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Your father’s ordered me to stay until you agree to come home. He wants a full report on what’s keeping you here.” Brett crossed his arms over his chest and eyeballed Shane like he had no intention of giving up Kagan without a fight.
“What does that even mean?” Kagan asked.
“It means talking to people. Getting the scoop.”
Kagan cast Shane a glance, her brows furrowed, her mouth set in a grim line. But it was her eyes that undid him. They’d dulled, all the life that he’d come to recognize as a part of her, gone.
Against his better judgement he brushed his lips against hers. Quick, but full of promise. Because dammit, he couldn’t abandon her now.
He hated the idea, but he could pretend long enough to get Brett off her back. “Doubtful,” he said, looking at Brett out of the corner of his eye.
Then he took Kagan’s hand and ushered them out of the party before he thought too hard about things and changed his mind.
Because holy hell, he’d just become Kagan’s accidental boyfriend.
Chapter Four
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have involved you in this. I thought if I said I had a boyfriend Brett would leave. But don’t worry; I’ll talk to him tomorrow and straighten it out. I’ll tell him… something.”
Kagan wiped her free hand across her forehead. “I’m so embarrassed and so sorry. He took me by surprise, finding me, and I couldn’t think straight and then you showed up at my house and really, by accident, I said you were my boyfriend and I know I suck for saying something so stupid. You’re off the hook, but if you wouldn’t mind keeping what happened to yourself that would be—”
Shane stopped his march and let go of her hand. He turned her around so her back was pressed against his car, and then he kissed her right on the mouth. Quick. Firm. To shut her up, she supposed.
It worked. When he stepped back, she was at a loss for words. Her stomach, nauseated only minutes ago, now quivered—not because of the quick kiss, but because a crease appeared between his eyebrows like he’d just been hit upside the head, and that made her nervous. He was about to walk away and while she’d just said he could, she had hoped he wouldn’t.
She drew in an unsteady breath and looked up into the night sky. Wishing on her birthday candles had yet to work, but maybe a wish on a star would bring her the independence she needed.
“Who are you?” Shane asked.
Kagan closed her eyes.
After several seconds of silence, Shane continued. “Look, if I’m going to help you, you need to level with me.”
“This isn’t good-bye?” she whispered.
“Do you want it to be?”
She shook her head but didn’t meet his gaze. Every time his blue-gray eyes met hers she thought about getting lost in them, just for a little while. And right now being lost didn’t seem like the wisest idea.
“Okay, so I think I understand why you’re so private and keep to yourself. You’ve been hiding from your dad. Am I right?”
She nodded.
“And I gather he must be a man with power, a father who doesn’t like to take no for an answer.” He scooted beside her so they were both leaning against the car, side-by-side. “If I’m going to pretend to be your boyfriend, I need to know the truth. All of it.”
“I…” She swallowed hard. “I don’t think this is a good idea.” Telling him the truth meant making herself vulnerable. It meant relying on him and she didn’t want to do
that. She wanted to rewind the last two days and do things differently.
There’s an easy solution. Go home now.
“A little late to change your mind, don’t you think?”
“That’s the problem. I wasn’t thinking.”
He pressed away from the car and paced in front of her. She hated that she’d ruined this incredible night for him with her lie. And if he did this, he’d have to lie too. They’d have to make everyone believe they were a couple so Brett would buy it.
“Shane.” She reached out and put her hand on his arm. “I can tell this is too much for you. I get it. You stood by me back there and for that I’m grateful, but I’ll tell Brett we broke up.”
“We’re not breaking up,” he said forcefully.
“We’re not?”
“No.” He tugged at his shirt collar. “Now don’t tell me just what you want me to know. Tell me everything.”
She sighed. She imagined as a project manager it was the details that Shane needed, even in his personal life. “My name is Kagan Owens Donaldson. My dad is Fred Donaldson.”
Shane stopped pacing and faced her as if he wanted to watch her expressions for the rest of their conversation. “The Fred Donaldson?”
“Yes.”
“One of Forbes’s richest people and a famous actor before that.”
“Yep.”
“How did I not recognize you?”
“I try to keep a low profile. Try being the operative word. I’ve been pretty successful with the exception of several extra nosy reporters out to get my story.” She shivered remembering Brett’s use of the word scoop. “Want to back out now?”
“Do most guys back out when they find out who you are?”
“Some. Then all once they meet my dad. He can be pretty intimidating.”
“So can I. Lucky for him he’s on the opposite coast.”
Kagan smiled and sagged against the car. Maybe this would work out okay after all. The breeze picked up and she rubbed her hands along her bare arms. Shane took off his tuxedo jacket and put it around her shoulders. In his crisp white shirt, the top buttons undone, his hair a bit mussed from the gentle wind and brushes with his fingers a moment ago, he looked incredibly sexy.
“This doesn’t mean we need to be together twenty-four-seven or anything. I’ve got work, you’ve got work. But since Brett has no plans to leave we do have to make it look real, which means lying to everyone—your mom and dad, your sister. Friends. I’m sorry I’ve put you in that position.”
He tucked a piece of hair that had escaped her updo behind her ear. “Quit apologizing, okay? I’m happy to help you out.”
“You’re positive?” Under the street lights it wasn’t easy to read his expression, but she was pretty sure she saw reluctance mixed in with his acquiescence.
“Truthfully, being anyone’s boyfriend is not on my radar, but I can fake it while Brett’s here. You’re going to owe me big time when we’re through, though.” He smiled that devastatingly handsome grin of his and she couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Deal,” she said. “With any luck he won’t be here long. There’s no way my father can handle both of us being gone.”
“So, Brett works for your dad? Did you work for him, too?” He resumed the spot beside her, their shoulders touching this time.
“Yes. I was one of his directors of marketing.”
Shane whistled. “Not bad, Miss Owens.”
“I like waitressing better.”
He tossed her a sideways glance. “I can’t attest to your marketing skills, but you’re a damn good waitress.”
“Thanks. You’re one of my favorite customers.”
“Really?” he said, surprise and tease in his voice. “And here I thought you barely noticed me.”
“Oh, it’s not you I noticed so much as your tips.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Do boyfriends tip? Because I’m thinking they don’t.”
“They do if they want—” She zipped her lips. Oh God. She’d almost said something entirely inappropriate.
He spun and trapped her between his arms, his hands on the car on either side of her shoulders. “If they want what, Jelly Belly?”
Barely a foot separated them and while they’d been in close proximity earlier in the evening, even held hands—and brushed lips twice—right now it felt much more intimate because he’d called her by her nickname.
And she’d liked the roguish way he said it.
She ducked under his arm and headed toward the lighted sidewalk along the beach. He caught up with her a moment later.
“You won’t tell anyone who I really am, will you?” she asked, changing the subject.
“Your secret’s safe with me.” He bent to pick up a stray volleyball and tossed it toward the volleyball court in the sand. “It sounds like you left without a word to your dad.”
“If I’d told him I was leaving, he never would’ve let me go. After our falling out I needed to escape for a while.”
“And Brett? Were you already broken up or did you leave him too?” Shane’s voice sounded strained and Kagan wondered if it was because he thought Brett was her boyfriend or because she might have left without the courtesy of a good-bye.
“Brett wasn’t…” She swallowed the jawbreaker-sized lump in her throat. “We broke up a long time ago.” She couldn’t bring herself to tell Shane the truth. It was easier for him to think Brett was an ex-boyfriend, rather than her father’s chosen son-in-law. If Shane knew her father wanted her to marry Brett, that would just make things weirder.
“No lingering feelings, then?”
“Not a one.” Their hands brushed and the brief contact sent wonderful trembles up her arm and down her back.
“I’ll take your lead on this and play it however you want, but you’ve got to promise me one thing.”
The sound of gentle waves filled her ears and she breathed in the cool, salty beach air. She could do that. Given the commitment he’d just given her. “Okay.”
“If I screw up, you’ll forgive me.”
Kagan shot him a pensive look. “There’s nothing to screw up. Besides.” She bumped his hip. “Whatever happens is short-term. I think we can both handle that.”
…
Shane wandered around the art show looking for Kagan. White canopies shaded the booths, but the sun’s rays heated up the open hospital courtyard and sweat trickled down his back. He lifted his sunglasses off his nose and wiped his cheek. A healthy crowd still shopped even though many of the sellers were packing up, the ten-to-two timeframe nearly over.
Mrs. Witt, one of Cascade’s long-time residents, hobbled toward him, barely able to carry all of her purchases.
“Let me help you with that,” Shane said, taking the bags out of her hands. They probably weighed as much as her small, frail frame.
“Thank you, sweetie.” She patted his arm and smiled, the wrinkles on her face deepening. “I thought I’d get my holiday shopping done early this year and forgot to bring my wagon.”
“You’ve still got the red wagon?” Shane turned and walked beside Mrs. Witt, his thoughts reeling back to when he and Sela would climb into the Radio Flyer and accidentally smash her Farmers market groceries. She never got mad, never scolded, just politely told them to watch out for the tomatoes.
“Of course I do. That wagon holds a lot of memories.”
He smiled. He’d left Cascade for college and business school in Washington, but always knew he’d come back. Portland was close enough to satisfy his desire for city life, and he drove there once or twice a week for work, since Burke & Associates had an office there too.
But it didn’t get much better than Cascade, what with the ocean, mountains, and abundance of recreational activities. There were great restaurants and great people. Cascade’s blog summed it up perfectly: big living in a small place.
As he and Mrs. Witt headed to the parking lot in amiable silence, the picture of him and Kagan at The Duchess opening flitted through his m
ind. The photo had been plastered on Cascade’s blog and in the Gazette yesterday morning. It had captured Kagan’s brilliant smile—and his fondness. Both his mom and Sela had called him wanting to know what was going on, but he couldn’t spit it out. Couldn’t say the word boyfriend. In high school and college he’d played the field, never settling down with just one girl. When he did meet someone in grad school special enough to call his girlfriend, he’d been happy. Until he’d screwed it up, until he’d done something unforgiveable.
He swallowed the bad taste that always lingered in the back of his throat when he thought back to Mia and how much he’d hurt her.
Mrs. Witt hit a button on her key ring and the trunk of her car popped open. Shane deposited her bags and told her to have a good afternoon. She gave him a big ol’ hug and whispered, “Kagan is the last booth on the left.”
Then she winked! Sweet, gray-haired Mrs. Witt blinked an eye at him. He had no response, either to the wink or to her knowing whom he was here to see. Damn gossipy blog.
He reminded himself he was Kagan’s friend and helping her with a problem as he took swift steps back to where the action was and found her. Her long blond hair was pulled up into a bun on top of her head, and a long pale yellow sundress draped her slim body. Two women stood at her booth so he stayed back, leaned against a tree, and watched. Pure joy spread across her face as she talked and laughed with her customers.
Her easygoing personality caught the attention of a couple walking by and they, too, stopped at her stand. A couple of minutes later all the women had bracelets on their wrists and contented smiles on their faces as they waved good-bye.
“Hi, handsome.”
Shane turned and Lily wrapped her arms around his neck in playful greeting. “Hi, Lil.” Lily was a waitress at the Crown & Anchor and last year they’d hooked up once.
“You coming or going?” she asked.
He darted a glance in Kagan’s direction while taking a step back until Lily dropped her arms. She was watching them. “Meeting someone, actually.”
“That’s too bad. I was hoping to rope you into joining me at the beach.” She leaned in so her lips brushed his jawline. “I’m wearing my red string bikini.”
Her Accidental Boyfriend: A Secret Wishes Novel (Entangled Bliss) Page 4
