Lucky In Love (Silver Bay Book 3)

by Amelia Judd

  “Hmm.” He arched his brow and dipped his head slightly forward and to the right, humor dancing in his eyes. “I’m not sure that’s worse.”

  “Oh my God. How old are you?” She rubbed her fingertips in frantic circles against the tension building behind her temples. “Wait!” She shot out her hand. “Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”

  “Twenty-nine,” he said with a boyish smile, showcasing those dimples.

  “I said I didn’t want to know!”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I’m four years older than you.” She propped her elbows on the table and covered her eyes. “I’m a cougar,” she mumbled, horrified.

  “I’m almost thirty if it helps.”

  “It doesn’t.” She shook her head. “Deal’s off. I need to find an older pretend boyfriend.”

  “You’re firing me because I’m younger than you? Isn’t that age discrimination? Even if we overlook the legality of that move, do you really want to go through this interview process again with another guy?”

  Damn him for being right. At least about the last part. If she turned down his offer to help, she’d be back to square one with no idea how to get to square two. She perked up when her watch buzzed with an incoming text. Maybe Deb had tracked down the real Lucky.

  Claire glanced at the message. Loaded with cringing emojis and apologies, Deb’s text explained the real Lucky had been taken off the market by a biker chick named Roberta he’d met at the Beers ’n Brats Fest the night before.

  Resisting a sigh, Claire mentally crossed another option from her dwindling list and contemplated the best course of action. She could get auctioned off on stage in the middle of town while everyone—including her happily remarried ex-husband—assumed she needed charity to get one flipping date. She could try to find an older guy willing to fake a relationship with her until after the auction. Or she could take this Lucky up on his offer to help.

  “Here’s the thing, Lucky.”

  “Name’s Ethan,” he said in a smooth voice.

  “Sheesh, even your name sounds young.” She blew out a breath. “Here’s the thing, Ethan. I have two amazing kiddos. I can’t let them get hurt in all of this nonsense. If we do this, I’m okay with them thinking I’m casually dating someone, but that’s it. With my sister, however, we would need to present our relationship as exclusive.”

  “Why fake a relationship for her benefit?” He leaned back and eyed her with interest.

  She took a sip of tea, stalling until she decided how much information to share.

  “Come on, Claire. Silver Bay’s the size of a soccer pitch. I’m going to hear about whatever is going on between you two.”

  “She tricked me into volunteering for a bachelorette auction,” Claire admitted through clenched teeth. “If I’m dating someone, I can get out of it.”

  She chose to leave out the part about how Kat had used Claire’s staid reputation to persuade other reluctant singles to participate in the charity event. If a no-nonsense businesswoman like Claire was taking part in the fun, so should they. If Claire wasn’t so ticked at her sister for attempting to force her into dating, she’d be happy something good had finally come from her irksome all-work-and-no-play reputation.

  “Why can’t you tell her no?” Ethan asked. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy to help, and my schedule is open right now.” He shrugged. “Just seems like you’re going to a lot of trouble when you could just say no.”

  “It’s not easy to tell Kat no.”

  Plus, she was sick and tired of the entire town treating her like some fragile bird with a broken wing since getting divorced nearly four years ago. If the near constant attempts to set her up on a date with somebody’s brother, son, cousin, neighbor, or husband’s friend’s co-worker from a previous job—true story—were anything to go by, then the well-meaning residents of Silver Bay thought being in a relationship was her only chance at “healing.”

  But the divorce hadn’t broken her; it had made her realize a few important things about herself and about relationships. Not only had she learned better than to trust the blinding bliss of romance, she’d learned that she might not be the type of person who could share her life with someone else.

  If she did ever decide to take a chance on another relationship, it would be on her terms, not because her sister, or mom, or even her own kiddos were bugging her to find someone new. No, she didn’t need to be healed. She just needed people to stop meddling in her love life.

  “Trust me,” she said, turning her focus back to Ethan. “My best bet is hiring a pretend boyfriend so that I have a legitimate reason to gracefully withdraw my name.”

  He cocked a judgmental eyebrow.

  “Okay, fine,” she snapped. “I blew past legitimate and graceful the minute I propositioned you.” She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “But I can still get out of this with some help, and I’m willing to pay big money for that help.”

  “Does that mean I’m hired again?” Ethan asked.

  Judging by his hopeful expression, Claire figured he must really need the cash. Come to think of it, he did mention having an open schedule. “This is only part-time work, you realize,” she said, unease crawling up her spine. “I don’t want to interfere with your day job.”

  “I’m retired,” he responded in a chipper tone. “But I’m starting a part-time volunteer position next week.”

  Claire somehow managed to resist clunking her head onto the scarred wooden table between them. Retired translated to jobless. What would people say when they found out the guy she was seeing was years younger than her and unemployed?

  She took a few deep breaths while the term “sugar mama” reverberated through her head. Okay, she should cut him some slack. He’d just moved to Silver Bay. He’d probably get a job soon. As long as he didn’t live in his mother’s basement, all would be okay.

  “Any chance you live in your mom’s basement?”

  “Heck no.” He chuckled. “Her guest room is much nicer. Plus, it has an attached bathroom,” he said with no hint of apology or embarrassment on his handsome, wrinkle-free face.

  Claire’s mouth dropped open and a pained sound—some sort of bizarre mixture of a groan and whine—escaped from the back of her throat. This guy needed some serious direction in his life.

  “Ethan, you gotta get your act together. You’re almost thirty. Don’t you want a place of your own? And a job?”

  “Don’t worry about me.” He winked, mischief dancing in the depths of his bright-blue eyes. “I have a little saved up from my last gig.”

  Too afraid to ask about his last “gig,” Claire let that comment go. Ethan was likely one of those guys who got through life on charm and good looks rather than hard work, dedication, and drive. He was the opposite of mature. Maybe spending time with a responsible adult like her would be good for him.

  And maybe—Claire brightened as an idea bubbled to life—letting her sister and the good residents of Silver Bay believe she’d picked up a young, carefree stud would finally convince people she wasn’t so boring after all. In a moment of blinding, blissful clarity, she realized Ethan’s age and lack of planning for the future were the best features she could ask for in a pretend boyfriend. Not only would she get out of the bachelorette auction, she would show everyone that she didn’t need to be set up on a blind date with their dog-sitter’s stepbrother to add excitement to her life. After all, what could be more exciting than dating a younger-than-her, devil-may-care hottie who could never be considered marriage material for a responsible single mom?

  “You’re hired,” Claire announced, her excitement elevating her volume a few levels. She glanced around to confirm no one had overheard before slipping a business card from her purse. “My mobile number is listed here.” She slid the card across the table and tapped the glossy top with her manicured nail. “Please text me your number when you have a moment.”

  “Sure thing, Boss.” The moment he looked at the card, his expre
ssion morphed from playful to surprised. “You’re Claire Bennett from Bennett Industries, the big cabinet manufacturer?”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “So Richard Bennett is … ?” he prompted.

  “My father.”

  “And how old are your kids?”

  “Grace turned nine a few days ago. Ty turned ten last month. Why?”

  Ethan nodded his head and stared at her with interest for a long beat. “Just curious,” he said. “So, what’s the next step for our blossoming pretend relationship?”

  “The auction is in mid-October. We have between now and then to convince my sister we’re in an exclusive relationship. That gives us nine weeks. Let’s start with the date at Bayside I mentioned. Two weeks from Friday. That will give me time to lay the groundwork with my family. Then we can go out once a week until the auction.” She ran the numbers in her head. “That should be enough dates to convince Kat we’re exclusive.”

  Ethan studied her with an unreadable expression. “You’ve given this a lot of thought.”

  “It’s what I do.”

  He blinked. “This”— he motioned between them with his index finger—“is what you do?”

  “Well, no. Not this exactly,” Claire conceded. “But I do enjoy strategizing and implementing business plans. Which brings me to the next detail. As far as paying for our dates, I’d like to take turns so it appears we’re both equally vested in the relationship. You can, of course, submit an expense report at the end. I’ll reimburse you.” She paused, recalling his current lack of employment, and added as gently as possible, “Or do you need me to provide you with a cash advance for expenses?”

  “Nah.” He gave another carefree one-shoulder shrug. “I can scrape some change together.”

  Claire almost grinned at the image of Ethan paying for a date with a handful of quarters and crumbled up dollar bills. She couldn’t wait for Kat to catch wind of her new boyfriend. She’d never be able to accuse Claire of being boring or lacking spontaneity again.

  She rose from the table. “I look forward to doing business with you.” She extended her right hand to Ethan, more from habit than thought.

  He stood and stepped closer. “Me too,” he murmured, a seductive tone edging his voice.

  As his fingers closed around hers, her pulse thudded and she felt her eyes go glassy. A moment later, Claire sucked in a quick breath and snatched her hand back.

  Turning from Ethan, she made a quick mental note to keep contact with him to a minimum.

  As she walked from the bar, all in all, she felt pretty darn good about her progress. She simply needed to keep her physical attraction to him in check. But she wasn’t worried about crossing that line. She knew better than to get swept away in physical attraction and the swirling, disorienting—and ultimately fading—fog of romance.

  Claire had made that mistake once and wouldn’t make it again.

  Chapter 3

  “I can’t think of a better way to spend a lovely August day than having lunch with my three beautiful daughters.” Ann Bennett beamed a serene smile at Claire, Hannah, and Kat. “It means the world to me that you take time from your busy schedules to spend with me and with each other.”

  Claire was the one who’d invited everyone to lunch. Successful plans were built on well-laid foundations after all.

  They were seated around an outdoor table on the oversized balcony of the Grand Adelaide Resort, a luxury hotel and spa located outside of Silver Bay. The Victorian-themed Adelaide sat on a sprawling piece of lakefront property. It boasted a beautiful atrium, a top-rate golf course, elegant hotel rooms, and spacious villas.

  Families came for the beach in the summer and the indoor waterpark in the winter. While companies from all over the Midwest, including Bennett Industries, held annual meetings in its modern conference center, couples traveled from around the country to enjoy the resort’s romantic atmosphere and renowned wedding planner.

  On a rainy summer day eleven years ago, she’d married Jack—the supposed love of her life—in the resort’s stately ballroom. Today, she’d arranged lunch with her mom and sisters to subtly drop a mention of her upcoming date with a new man into their conversation.

  As promised, Ethan had texted her yesterday with his mobile number and told her he looked forward to their first date in two weeks. He’d even signed the text with the four-leaf clover emoji, cheerfully embracing his new nickname.

  “I’m glad everyone was available,” Claire said. “I thought it would be nice to share a meal without my kiddos asking ‘can we go yet’ every five minutes.” She suppressed any guilt at the white lie.

  “Bennett’s currently strapped into a baby carrier on Logan’s chest,” Kat said, sliding dramatic sunglasses onto her petite nose while the wind tossed her long, dark hair into a wild, graceful disarray that fit her personality perfectly. “He should be good through nap time.”

  Hannah—whose brown hair was efficiently pulled into a low pony and thus impervious to the lakefront gusts—eyed Kat in confusion. “Isn’t Logan at the gym? Before I left work, my last customer grabbed a smoothie and mentioned he was headed there next.”

  Kat’s husband, Logan, owned a very successful training facility in downtown Silver Bay, not far from Hannah’s coffee shop, Fresh.

  Kat waved away the question with a delicate flick of her wrist. “Logan can make his clients sweat through their customized routines with or without a four-month-old attached to his chest. Plus, he loves showing off Bennett at the gym.” She chuckled. “He’s crazy proud of that kid.”

  “He’s a darling baby,” Ann said, practically radiating joy. “You two are doing a wonderful job raising him.”

  Kat shot her sisters a smug smile. “Did you hear that? My awesome parenting skills are carrying me straight to the top of Mom’s Favorite Daughter chart.”

  “Not fair. You can’t use a kid to work your way up the rankings,” Hannah grumbled, playing along with the old joke.

  Ann sighed and shook her head, looking equally amused and exasperated. “For the hundredth time, I do not have a Favorite Daughter chart. I love you all equally.” She turned to Hannah. “How’s Fresh doing?”

  “Business is great,” Hannah replied. “And I’m finally happy with my coconut muffin recipe, so I no longer need to use you guys as guinea pigs.”

  “Congratulations, dear. You’ve always been so talented. I knew it wouldn’t take you long to perfect the recipe.” Ann smoothed a hand down her perfect blond bob and assumed a nonchalant expression. “On another note, I spoke with your brother this morning. He and Sage are working on the seating chart for their wedding reception.”

  Hannah’s wide eyes narrowed a fraction. “So?”

  “So, Paxton asked me if you’re planning to bring a date. I told him that I’d find out if you’re seeing anyone new.”

  “I work with the public. I see new people all the time.”

  Claire neutralized a grin behind a cough. She’d known her mom would ask that question to her two single daughters before she’d ever set this lunch up. Heck, she’d counted on it. Claire wasn’t known for blurting out personal information, so it would appear way more believable if she told them about dating Ethan only after her mom had peppered her with the usual questions.

  “Are any of them eligible, single men?” their mom asked Hannah, a persistent note to her voice.

  “No. I’m only attracted to the married ones,” Hannah shot back, clearly irritated.

  “There’s no need for sarcasm. I love you, dear, and I’d simply like to know what’s going on in your life.”

  “I know,” Hannah said, her irritation deflating. “I promise to let you know if I start dating someone and to let Pax know if I plan to bring a date to his wedding. Deal?”

  “Thank you.” Ann accepted the offer graciously before turning to Claire. “How’s Ty’s soccer going?”

  “The coach called an extra team meeting tonight. I’m not sure what that’s all about. I guess I’ll
find out soon enough.”

  Her mom looked away and fidgeted in her seat. She seemed almost flustered or guilty or something else uncharacteristic of her usual composure. A beat later, Ann returned her gaze and cleared her throat, looking focused once again.

  The moment passed so quickly, Claire wondered if she’d imagined it. Why would an upcoming soccer meeting fluster her mom? Aside from being a supportive fan and proud grandma, Ann had no involvement with Ty’s team.

  “How is Grace enjoying her dance classes and piano lessons?” her mom asked, changing the subject.

  “Ballet is still her favorite. Yesterday, she found out she gets to play the part of a magical tear in this year’s production of Tangled.”

  “My, that sounds very important,” Ann said proudly. “She’s so graceful and naturally talented. I’m sure she’ll do a wonderful job. Please forward me the dates and times of her recitals and Ty’s soccer matches. Your father and I will plan to attend all of them.”

  “Send the info my way as well,” Kat said. “Logan, Bennett, and I will be there. My niece and nephew are kick-ass at everything they do.”

  “Agreed,” Hannah added with a smile. “I’ll be there too.”

  Love and gratitude warmed her heart. “I’ll send their schedules to all of you,” Claire said, swallowing back the lump of emotion in her throat. “Thanks. I don’t know what the kiddos and I would do without you guys.”

  “And there’ll never be a need to find out.” Her mom patted her hand. “Now tell me, dear … ” She paused, looking at Claire with hope in her eyes.

  Here it comes. The moment when she asked Claire if she was seeing anyone new—the question her mom managed to work into every single conversation. And finally, Claire had an unpredictable, unwise, un-Claire-like response destined to shock them all.

  “Yes?” Claire prompted, anxious to announce in a funny-you-should-ask sort of way that, yes, actually she had just started dating someone new—a jobless, smoking-hot young stud who lived with his mother. Buh-bye, poor, sad, lonely Claire.