Dream of Me: A Sweet Contemporary Romance

by Delaney Cameron

  “I haven’t noticed any signs of exposure.”

  “Come here, Aubrey.”

  “Why?” she asked warily, confused by a certain look in his eyes.

  “Because I want to show you something,” he answered softly. A slow smile pulled at his mouth, and she felt her heart start to pound in her chest.

  It was then Aubrey became aware of an insistent rubbing against her leg and playful paws encircling her ankles. Sanity returned. Blushing furiously, she bent to pick up Horace.

  “Saved by the cat?” Corbin asked silkily.

  As he listened to her footsteps walking swiftly down the hall, his smile faded. He ran his fingers gently over the keys and then closed the lid. Beethoven and Mozart hadn’t been enough to soothe the restlessness growing inside him. He was beginning to believe only one person was capable of doing that.

  Chapter Eight

  Phillip focused the camera on the figure sitting so still a few feet away. After a moment, he moved aside and looked at Aubrey. “Stop trying so hard. Relax!”

  She moved to another position. “I told you I wouldn’t know what to do!”

  “Just be yourself; forget about me and the camera. Sit back and enjoy this magnificent sunrise. If it helps, pretend some hot guy is sitting next to you.”

  She rolled her eyes. “That won’t help me relax.”

  “Okay, then, tell me what you think about Tybee.”

  “I love it; this place is so different from where I grew up. It’s wonderful to be able to walk on the beach whenever I feel like it. I’m still getting used to the fact that everybody knows everybody’s business, but there’s also a sense of security in being part of a small community.”

  “Do you like it enough to stay? I got the impression from Phoebe that this is a temporary position.”

  Aubrey drew her fingers through the sand. “Phoebe is always looking ahead to the next step. For now, I’m content to be here. I’ll know when it’s time to leave.” And it could be soon, Aubrey thought, but didn’t say. Mandy’s return was undoubtedly going to change everything. Corbin’s aversion to marriage proved he hadn’t been able to forget the woman who hurt him. If he was able to have a second chance with her, perhaps he could be happy again.

  She hardly registered the grunt of satisfaction from her companion as he took picture after picture trying to capture the changing emotions moving across her face. It seemed only a few minutes before he was pulling her to her feet.

  “I have all the pictures I need. If all my models listened and obeyed as well as you, my job would be easy.”

  “Will it hurt your feelings if I say I’m glad it’s over? I didn’t have time for breakfast.”

  Phillip looked up from packing his equipment. “Me, either.”

  “You’re welcome to join me.”

  “I should get going; I have a preliminary meeting with my models at ten. If I’m late, they still get paid.”

  “It’s up to you, but you’ll be missing chocolate chip pancakes.”

  “That’s a tempting offer.” He hesitated a moment, looking uncomfortable. “Will Corbin mind me barging in?”

  “Why would he mind? Anyway, he probably left already.”

  * * * *

  Aubrey was wrong about Corbin; she had underestimated his level of interest in her acquaintance with Phillip. Purposely hanging around the house instead of leaving early as was his custom, he easily observed all that had taken place on the beach. The lack of anything resembling romance had given him a measure of comfort that alternatively made him happy and irritable.

  Aubrey left Phillip in the kitchen, dutifully helping out by making coffee, while she ran upstairs to change clothes. Not expecting Corbin to be home, she almost ran him down coming around the corner at the top of the stairway.

  “What’s your hurry?” he asked. “Has another man sent you to your room in tears?”

  “That only happened one time. I need to change into something more suitable for cooking breakfast.”

  Corbin looked her over slowly. “I’ve not seen this before – very nice, Aubrey. I’ve always liked dresses that show a woman’s back.”

  She felt her cheeks flame. “Thank you. I don’t get to wear it much; it’s too formal for most occasions.”

  “Did you have a nice time?”

  “Yes, but I need to get going. He’s waiting for me in the kitchen.”

  “Is he really? Maybe Phoebe knew what she was doing after all.”

  “Don’t start that again!”

  He chuckled. “I’ll keep him entertained for you.”

  Entering the kitchen a few minutes later, Aubrey found the two men sitting in the breakfast room discussing digital cameras. Once she flipped the first set of golden brown pancakes, the men broke off talking, and Phillip turned to watch her at the stove.

  Over his shoulder, he asked Corbin, “Does she cook for you like this every morning?”

  Corbin knew Aubrey could hear them, though she was doing a splendid job of acting otherwise. “Not usually. It must be your influence.”

  “I wouldn’t mind that being the case.”

  Aubrey placed the pancakes, butter and syrup on the table, refilled their coffee cups, and took the seat opposite Phillip. They ate in silence until Corbin, looking at his watch, declared he needed to go. After complimenting Aubrey on the meal with an ironic gleam in his eye, he left them in peace.

  “Thanks for the pancakes; they were delicious.” Phillip carried his plate to the sink. “I hate to leave you with all this mess.”

  “Everything goes right into the dishwasher.”

  “I’ll call you when the pictures are ready.”

  “I hope you won’t be disappointed; I’m not model material.”

  “You may be surprised; you’ll appear different in black and white film.”

  “Phillip, do you have any pictures of Mandy Martens?” At his startled glance, she continued. “I’ve never seen her, and I was wondering what she looks like.”

  “I probably have some in the car. I guess you’ve heard the rumors about her and Corbin.”

  She nodded. “Have you ever worked with her?”

  “No, but I’m going to be meeting her tomorrow. From a professional standpoint, this is a wonderful opportunity for me. She’s at the top of the modeling world. This could be the break I’ve been waiting for.”

  “In that case, I hope she’s even lovelier than advertised so your pictures will make you famous.”

  “I wouldn’t complain about that. Let’s go see about that picture of Mandy.”

  Aubrey gazed at the woman displayed on the glossy pages of the magazine Phillip had produced from the depths of his car trunk. Wavy, red hair framed a face made sensational by very large, emerald-green eyes surrounded by long, thick lashes and full lips. Closing the magazine with a snap, she handed it back to Phillip in silence, unable to think of anything but how this beautiful woman’s return would affect Corbin.

  “Thanks for showing me.” For the life of her, she couldn’t think of anything else to say.

  Phillip tossed the magazine into the trunk and slammed it shut. “Are you okay?” he asked gently.

  “I’m fine. You better go. I don’t want to be the reason you’re late for your meeting.”

  Phillip patted her shoulder awkwardly. “Thanks for everything, Aubrey; you know, for letting me take the pictures and for cooking my breakfast. I’m a little jealous of Corbin.”

  Aubrey winced, but Phillip had already turned away and was getting into his car. She waved until he was out of sight before slowly turning around and going into the house. The mess she found waiting for her in Corbin’s office temporarily diverted her thoughts. As she picked up the scattered papers from the floor and sorted them into neat piles, she surmised Horace had been playing on Corbin’s desk again. Order restored, Aubrey went to her own desk and turned on the computer.

  * * * *

  The doorbell rang while she was fixing herself a late lunch. She hoped it wasn’t
another salesman trying to interest her solar panels. There wasn’t anything objectionable about them, but since she didn’t own the house, it was a waste of time to hear how great they were. With that in mind, she took the precaution of looking through the peephole. A distorted image of Richard appeared. From what she could tell, he was shirtless and wearing swimming trunks.

  She opened the door. “I thought you were going out of town today.”

  “My meeting was cancelled. I came to drag you away from your desk, and it’s a good thing I did. You look like you could use a break.”

  “Thanks a lot, Richard. Do I look that awful?”

  “You look stressed. Has it been a bad morning?”

  “Kind of. I guess I could take a short break. Just let me finish my lunch.” She led the way to the kitchen. “Would you like something?”

  “No, thanks. Is that all you’re going to eat?” he asked as she added dressing to her salad. “No wonder you look like a puff of wind could blow you away.” He followed her into the sun-filled breakfast room, where he watched her eat in silence.

  “I’m glad you stopped by because I have something to ask you,” Aubrey said after a moment. “How’s the house hunting going for Mandy Martens?”

  “We signed the contract this morning. I’m going to make a nice profit off that deal.” He noticed her frown. “What’s wrong with me making a little money?”

  “Nothing; I just wish she’d stayed in New York.”

  “Because of Corbin? It’s not like this happened last month or even last year. He’s moved on.”

  “The fact that he’s had a few girlfriends doesn’t prove anything.” She carried her plate into the kitchen, with Richard following more slowly behind.

  “You worry too much. Corbin can take care of himself. Go get changed.” He turned her around and gave her a playful push in the back.

  Against Richard’s protests, Aubrey left the water and dropped down on her towel. He followed after a few minutes. “Corbin’s got you trained, doesn’t he? You said a half hour and that’s what you meant.”

  She ignored this. “When is she moving in?”

  Richard threw her a quick glance. “Do you mean Mandy? I have no idea, but you’re taking all this too seriously. Mandy and Corbin are going to meet again, if they haven’t already. Who knows, this time everything might work out for them.”

  “How could she come back here after what she did to him?”

  Richard chuckled. “What she did? As you once pointed out to me, it takes two people to have a disagreement. Only those two know what really happened. And if Corbin still loves her, he might want a second chance.”

  Aubrey had already said too much. Richard didn’t know the whole story, and it wasn’t her place to tell him. She jumped to her feet and jerked up her towel, sending sand flying in all directions. “I need to get back to the house. I still have a few things to finish before Corbin gets home.”

  As he watched her retreating form, Richard’s face grew serious. Something had just become obvious, something he should have realized before. Aubrey had done exactly what he thought her too sensible to do. She’d fallen for Corbin. As he strolled slowly toward his cottage, he wondered what, if anything, he could do to help her.

  * * * *

  Two evenings later, just as they finished dinner, the doorbell rang. Corbin went to answer it while Aubrey began clearing the table. Her first thought was Mandy had come. Though her hands betrayed her agitation, she continued to calmly wash dishes even while her ears strained to hear what was going on down the hall. The relief was overwhelming when she heard Corbin’s friendly greeting and the sound of the front door closing. That was too casual a tone for an ex-fiancé he hadn’t seen in years.

  She was taken off guard when Corbin sauntered into the kitchen and removed the dinner plate from her hands. “You look so serious. Put a smile on your face. Phillip is waiting in the living room to see you. I’ll finish cleaning up.”

  “You could have brought him in here.”

  “I think he wants to see you alone.”

  When she entered the room, Phillip beckoned her to the window. “I could get used to seeing this every night.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  “I finally got a chance to print the pictures of you, and speaking professionally, they’re better than I expected.”

  “Considering what you had to work with?” Aubrey asked teasingly.

  “Not at all. I had a hunch black and white film would suit you, but even I didn’t realize how well. Let’s sit down, and I’ll show you what I mean.”

  As he pulled the glossy photos from an envelope, Aubrey wondered if he was exaggerating to make her feel better. As she glanced down, almost in fear of what she might see, she was surprised by how attractive she looked. She continued to stare at her unfamiliar image for several minutes saying nothing.

  “So, was I right or what?” Phillip asked.

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You could comment on my artistic genius or something similar.”

  “I’ve never had nicer pictures taken of me in my entire life. I can only say that if you can do this for me, I can’t wait to see your pictures of Mandy Martens.”

  Phillip laughed. “In Mandy’s case, I could hardly go wrong with such natural beauty and perfection in form. But there is always the challenge to delve deeper and try to capture the essence of the person.”

  “I’m sure you were able to overcome any obstacles.”

  “Let’s hope so, my professional reputation is on the line.”

  “Does she only work with certain photographers?”

  “Yes, once you get as popular as she is, you can pick and choose. I couldn’t speak for five minutes when my boss said Mandy Martens wanted me.”

  “There’s something most men only get to dream about,” Corbin said dryly.

  The effect of his comment was electric. Both Phillip and Aubrey turned his way with varying degrees of dismay on their faces.

  Phillip recovered faster than Aubrey. “I was referring to photographing her.”

  Corbin took the chair opposite Phillip, taking his time crossing his long legs and looking not at all upset to be discussing the woman who walked out on him on their wedding day. “I never doubted it. If she’s half as beautiful today as she was when I knew her, you should have no problem getting some great shots.” Before the other man could comment further, Corbin noticed the pictures lying on the table. “Did you take these?”

  “Yes, very much against Aubrey’s wishes.”

  Corbin picked them up, taking his time looking at each one. Aubrey could hardly breathe as she waited for his reaction. “They’re very good. What made you think of using black and white film?” He arranged them side by side on the table.

  Phillip looked at Aubrey. “I don’t know. It was a whim that paid off. Aubrey is even pleased with them.”

  “She should be.” Corbin looked up suddenly and smiled directly into her slightly pink face.

  Phillip watched the by-play between the other two with a gleam in his eyes, wondering if either realized how much their expression gave away. “Well, I should get moving. I have an early session in the morning and need my sleep.”

  “Thanks for bringing the pictures, Phillip. I know how busy you are. May I keep one of them?”

  “This set belongs to you. Give one to each of your boyfriends.”

  Aubrey was surprised to find Corbin still seated in the living room when she returned from walking Phillip to his car. She scooped up the pictures, slid them into the envelope, and turned to go.

  “You aren’t thinking of going to bed already, are you?” His quiet voice halted her.

  “Not to bed, but I was going to wash my hair.”

  “Can you spare me a few minutes?” After waiting for her to sit down, Corbin continued. “Phillip seemed excited about getting to work with Mandy. It’s too bad it had to take place here. I wonder if I’ll ever escape the stigma of the rejected gro
om.”

  “We weren’t discussing Mandy in that context.”

  “Don’t get so defensive. I’m not accusing you of anything.”

  “I don’t want you to think I was telling Phillip what you told me.”

  “I know you wouldn’t do that. And as long as I don’t do anything stupid, this entire situation should blow over in a matter of weeks.”

  “What do you mean by stupid?” she asked with a note of panic in her voice.

  Corbin smiled gently. “Losing my head over Mandy, of course. I know the danger this time so I should be better prepared.”

  “Is it possible to guard your heart?”

  He laughed softly. “The heart has a will of its own. It doesn’t listen to reason, ignores all the doubts and overlooks every fault. It will lead you into trouble every time.”

  “Not every time,” Aubrey mused softly.

  “There speaks the romantic again. Let’s talk about something more practical. Are you ready for a trip to Maine?”

  A smile spread over her face. “You got it, didn’t you? The contract for those buildings in New England?”

  Corbin nodded. “We’ll have to make a preliminary trip in the next few weeks to meet with the owner to create some kind of tentative schedule. We also have to decide on a place to set up our office.”

  “This is going to be exciting.”

  “It’s also going to be a more challenging environment, and the cooler weather is only one part of it. But I agree with you, it’s going to be a new experience for all of us. Before we can begin to think about any of that, we’ve got to finish up everything here including those articles for Phoebe.”

  “And in order to do that, we’re going to need final pictures of the cottages. How soon can I come out there?”

  “The carpenter was putting in the cabinets yesterday. The only thing left is the ceramic tile. I’d say two more days.”

  “I can’t wait to see how everything turned out. Did you keep the window boxes?”

  “Yes, your lovely window boxes have been given new life. The landscaper was filling them when I left yesterday. Enough talk about work. Go wash your hair.”