by R. R. Banks
Which means that yeah, it's definitely plausible.
“It's kind of an elegant plan if you think about it,” Adam laughs.
I give him a long look. “Elegant?”
He shrugs. “I'm just saying that maybe they're not as stupid as I thought.”
As much as I hate to admit it, Adam’s not wrong. It's actually a smart plan. Of course, I give Brittany and her boyfriend no credit. I know that the brain behind such a devious idea had to have been Damon. If there's something this manipulative or evil in the works, it had to have come straight from his brain.
Brittany and Waltham have their roles to play, undoubtedly, but Damon is the one behind the curtain on this. I just know it. I can feel it in my damn bones.
“The first thing we need to do is prove that there is a connection between Brittany, Waltham, and Damon,” Adam says. “We need to connect all of these points in order to have something tangible.”
“Can you look into it for me?”
Adam nods. “I'm on it,” he says. “It'll be more interesting than following idiots like this around.”
I turn and look to find the guy Adam's been tailing doing handstands in front of the women, who continue to giggle and clap for him. I just shake my head and turn back to Adam.
“I appreciate it,” I say.
He nods, an inscrutable expression crossing his face. “Can I offer you a bit of advice?”
“Sure.”
“It's almost Valentine's Day, you know,” he says. “While I'm doing my thing, maybe you should put a little something together for a certain bookstore owner. You never know what might happen if you pretend to go out and have a little fun. Who knows? Maybe, you'll accidentally end up having some.”
I laugh and give him a bright smile. Like I told Paige, I'm not in the right headspace for a relationship right now. Although I don't want to close the door on the possibility, I fear that taking her out on Valentine's Day, of all days, would send a message that I don't intend to send.
“I'm not sure it would be a good idea,” I say.
He shrugs. “Just food for thought,” he replies. “Like I said earlier, from what I’ve learned, Paige is a good woman. The kind of woman a man like you could use in his life. Just a little something to think about.”
“Thanks, Adam,” I say. “I'll definitely give it some thought.”
He nods and gets to his feet. “Well, I should go,” he says. “Have another idiot with a back problem to track down and get on camera. My tracker says he's at the gym. Why are these people so stupid?”
I shake my head and laugh. “If they weren't, you'd be out of a job.”
Adam claps me on the shoulder and laughs as he walks away. There are a lot of thoughts rocketing through my mind. Part of me wants to go confront Damon head on – and then beat the living piss out of him. I know that would be a stupid, impulsive move though.
I need to be smart. I need to be patient. As much as it sucks, I need to wait for Adam to dig up the dirt, and then come up with a plan. Only when I have a plan, can I act.
Until then, I have nothing but idle time on my hands. And enough frustration and irritation to fill up an entire cruise ship.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Liam
“Do you trust me?” I ask her.
Paige gives me a sideways glance but eventually nods.
“Surprisingly,” she says, “For the most part, I do.”
She looks down at the blindfold I pull out of my pocket and I see her eyes widen, drawing a small laugh from me.
“Is this some kind of freaky sex thing?” she says, pointing at the blindfold.
She bites her lip as her eyes shift from the blindfold to me, a conflicted look on her face as if she's suddenly reassessing her level of trust in me.
“First of all, a blindfold is about the least freaky sex thing I can think of,” I say. “If I'd pulled out handcuffs or maybe a whip, then you'd have cause to worry.
“Yeah, easy for you to say.”
I laugh again. “There is nothing sexual about the blindfold,” I say. “I promise. I just have a surprise for you.”
Over a year or so ago, I'd made plans for Valentine's Day. A Valentine's Day that was intended to be spent with Brittany. It included making reservations at one of the most exclusive restaurants in Victoria – a restaurant so exclusive, it requires reservations that far in advance.
Obviously, a lot has changed since I made the reservation a year ago and I'd honestly forgotten that I'd made it at all until they'd called me to confirm the date. At first, I considered canceling and not doing anything. But, after a little time and some thought about everything Adam had told me during our chat a couple of days ago, I decided that maybe it would be better to enjoy the day with someone else. Somebody I enjoyed being around.
Still a little nervous about the message it might send, but deciding to plow forward anyway, I called her and asked that she clear her schedule for the night. Like me, she was hesitant at first, but eventually – probably after being badgered by her friend Skyler – decided to accept my invitation.
It's obviously the elephant in the room, but neither of us mentions the significance of us being out on a date on February 14th. Valentine's Day usually means something serious, and I'm not sure we're quite there yet. In fact, I know we're not.
But I also didn't want to waste the opportunity to enjoy the best restaurant in Victoria, British Columbia. It's something I remember looking forward to when I initially set up the reservation. Once I'd heard about it from a colleague, I knew I had to try it.
Or maybe, that's just the rationalization and justification I'm giving myself.
“May I?” I ask, holding up the blindfold.
A look of slight trepidation crosses her features, but she nods. I step forward and gently wrap the blindfold around her, making sure it's not too tight.
“Can you see anything?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “Not a thing.”
“Good,” I say.
I get her into the car and Daniel takes us to the helipad that sits on the small, private airstrip across town. I help her out of the car and over to the elevator that will take us to the roof, where my helicopter is waiting.
I fear that once Daniel starts the helicopter, the sound and wind from the rotors are going to give things away. Or at least, give away the fact that she's getting on a helicopter. As the engines begin to whine as they roar to life, the rotors begin to turn and Paige pauses, gripping my hand tight.
“Why are we near a helicopter, Liam?” she screams to be heard over the engines. “What's going on.”
“You'll see,” I say. “Trust me.”
“Yeah, said the spider to the fly.”
I laugh as we walk to the helicopter. Daniel opens up the door and helps us climb inside. Once I have her safely inside the cabin, I step up and get in as well. Once we're seated, Daniel closes the door, which dramatically reduces the cacophony of sound outside.
I grab the headsets from the wall mounts and put one in my lap. Paige flinches when I slip the headset over her ears, but I put a reassuring hand on her should and give it a squeeze. I slip on my own headset and adjust the microphone.
“You have nothing to worry about,” I say into the mic.
I watch Paige fumble around, finally finding her own mic and pulling it close to her mouth. “They always say that right before there actually is something to worry about, you know.”
I laugh and shake my head and settle back into my seat. We're in the executive helicopter I'd bought specifically to ferry me between Port Safira and Seattle. It's a helicopter, which means it's not going to be the height of comfort, of course. But, the Bell 407 Textron isn't bad.
The executive cabin is separated from the pilot's compartment for a degree of privacy. It's large enough to hold six, has deep, padded chairs, and all the electronic bells and whistles I could ever want. And most importantly, at least for my purposes now, is that there are plenty of windows, gi
ving us a panoramic view of the world.
Daniel's voice comes over the headsets. “We'll be taking off now, Mr. Anderson,” he says. “Please make sure you and Ms. Samuels are buckled in tight.”
“Thank you, Daniel,” I say.
After making sure our belts are cinched down, I finally take the blindfold off Paige. Her eyes are already wide as she looks around and I see a momentary shadow of uncertainty on her face. It's that moment I realize that I never asked her if she has a fear of flying.
Too late now, I think to myself.
The helicopter smoothly and gracefully rises, and she stares out the window, her eyes growing wider, her mouth forming a perfect “O.” She stares out the window in silence for the longest time and I really begin to worry that she's in the grips of a panic attack or something. Especially given that she's still clutching my hand so tight, I'm afraid she's cutting off circulation to my fingers.
“Are you okay?” I ask after a few moments pass.
“I'm fine,” she finally manages to choke out, her voice a bit raspy. “Just a little scared of heights, that's all.”
“Have you ever been in a helicopter before?”
She shakes her head and turns to me, her face starting to blanch. Paige is still gripping my hand and staring at me, her eyes completely locked on mine. It's as if she's actively trying to avoid looking out the window by staring holes through me. I reach out and stroke her cheek, feeling her trembling, but also leaning into my touch.
“You'll be just fine,” I say. “Daniel is the best pilot a person could ask for. He's been flying helicopters for twenty years. He even flew them when he served in the Middle East. From what I gather, he got in and out of some hairy situations. This is nothing compared to that, and I have no doubt he'll get us to our destination safely.”
“Where are we –”
“Shh,” I say, pressing my finger to her lips. “Like I said, it's a surprise. You'll just have to wait and see.”
Without really thinking about it, I pull her close to me and wrap my arm around her shoulder. Paige allows me to comfort her, resting her head gently against my shoulder. It takes a few minutes, but I feel her body finally start to relax a bit. I continue to soothe and comfort her until she sits up, the color coming back into her face, and finally gets the nerve to look out the window.
The snow-capped mountains outside stretch for miles, the sun dazzlingly glinting off the peaks. The blue color of the snow sparkling beneath the sun shines like sapphires – which, I guess is how Port Safira got its name. It's a stunning sight, and I find myself glad that Paige finally had the nerve to look out the window and share it with me.
“It's beautiful from up here,” she says. “I've only ever seen it from the ground.”
I want to tell her, “It’s not as beautiful as you,” but know how terribly cheesy and cliché that would be. I also don't know how she'd react to me saying something like that. To be honest, I'm a little surprised that I'd have the urge to say it, to begin with. Aside from the whole not wanting to send the wrong message thing, I'm usually a little more original than that.
So, instead, I just say, “It really is.”
We sit in a comfortable silence, staring out at the beauty just beyond the window. I have Daniel fly around the mountains, getting us as close as he can so we can take in the view. Eventually, the sun starts to dip toward the horizon, setting the sky aflame in shades of orange and red – which sets off a riot of color on the mountain peaks. It truly is stunning.
Paige seems to have finally relaxed and now seems to be enjoying herself. As Daniel pilots us away from the mountains, I see the Strait of Juan de Fuca stretching out before us – the body of water that separates Washington from British Columbia. And as we fly out over the water, we start to see the lights of Victoria twinkling in the distance.
As we cross over the Strait, the city below us is sprawling and beautiful. The glass all around makes it sparkle with the vibrant colors of the setting sun.
Daniel flies us to a small, private airport and settles the helicopter to the tarmac with the softest of bumps. We barely feel it and I look over at Paige, smiling wide.
“Told you he is the best,” I say.
“That was amazing,” she says, a note of awe in her voice.
I have a car waiting for us on the tarmac and I help Paige down from the helicopter, catching her in my arms as she stumbles. She's as light as a feather and looks at me with wide, grateful eyes for having caught her. I stare back at her and feel a surge of something that I can't define tear through me. Acting on impulse, I lean forward and kiss her. Her soft lips feel so warm against mine, especially in contrast to the downright cold temperature around us.
It's a quick, chaste kiss, as it's freezing, and we have a car waiting. I take her hand and we walk toward the black SUV. The driver nods at me as he opens the door for us.
Whether I intended it to be or not, the entire experience is taking a very romantic, almost serious, turn. There is part of me that fears Paige might be overwhelmed and afraid of it all. Not that I'd blame her since deep down, it's kind of scaring the shit out of me too. But, she stares out the window with wide eyes that sparkle as we drive, taking in every detail of the city around us. I have a feeling she's trying to guess where we're headed. She takes a few stabs at it but gets it wrong every time.
We pull up to the restaurant – The Aurora – and Paige just stares in disbelief for a long moment.
“You can't be serious, Liam?” she says, her voice thick with amazement. “This place is always booked solid. It's the most exclusive of the exclusive. And I read somewhere that for Valentine's Day, it requires reservations months in advance.”
“A year, at least,” I say.
Her mouth falls open and her eyes grow even wider. “A year?”
I nod. “Usually,” I say. “But, you don't get to be where I am without knowing how to pull a few strings here and there.”
I don't want to tell her that originally, the reservations had been made for Valentine's Day with Brittany. That would cheapen the experience and probably ruin it for her. But, the fact of the matter is, had it not been for Paige, I would have missed out on all of this. And let's face it, Brittany wouldn't have cared for the experience of it all nearly as much as Paige does. Her eyes are wide and she's smiling at everything. And honestly, it helps me appreciate everything even more.
Sitting with Paige, I realize that everything just seems lighter. A little freer. And it's more enjoyable than it would have ever been with Brittany. And for that, I'm grateful. With Brittany, I felt like I had to continually up the ante just to keep her happy. But, with Paige, it honestly seems like she would have been happy with dinner at a place like Olive Garden.
She's more down-to-earth than Brittany ever was and doesn't need all of the trappings of wealth to be happy. For her, I'm learning that it's about the experience, not the money. And so far, she's enjoying the hell out of the experience.
Daniel holds the door as we get out of the car and I take her hand, planting a soft kiss on the back of it. Ready or not, it kind of seems that we are heading into relationship territory. The very idea of dating someone, so soon after my divorce, causes my heart to race. Or maybe it's just the look on Paige's face that has set it speeding – it's clear that she is very happy to be here with me.
It's not about the helicopter or the high-end restaurant – she's just happy to share the experience with me.
And if I'm being honest with myself, I'm incredibly happy to be with her too.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Paige
Our seats in the restaurant overlook the water from the second floor, giving us a nice view of the rocky shoreline below through large floor-to-ceiling windows. The place is very dimly lit. It's darker than I'm used to, but my eyes quickly adjust. The dimness of the lighting, the candles upon the table, the soft murmur of conversations, and of course, the violinist wandering around the place, playing a sweet melody – it all feels ver
y intimate. Profoundly romantic.
I don't know that Liam knew what to expect when he brought me here. I know he talked about not being ready to move forward, but not wanting to close the door entirely. It's a sentiment that I agree with. But here, in a place like this, enjoying the evening he planned – to me, it almost seems like he's not just leaving the door open between us, it feels like he kicked it in.
That probably wasn't his intent, however. I honestly believe he just wanted to plan a nice night out for the two of us. We do enjoy each other's company – there's no doubt about it. Which is one reason I'm okay with things between us remaining in limbo for now. We both have our own sets of baggage to deal with, but we can't totally ignore this…thing that exists between us.
I know I'm overthinking this whole situation. But, the helicopter ride through the gorgeous mountains, and now coming to a place like The Aurora – a place I've only read about – it sends a very strong message. At least, in my mind.
I need to dial it back a few notches though. It's difficult, but I need to stop overthinking and just enjoy a nice – very nice – night out with someone that I like a great deal. Somebody I enjoy. I need to just take it for what it is and stop trying to read between the lines.
Liam pulls out my chair, and I flash him a smile as I take a seat. He's the perfect gentleman. One lone, red rose sits at my place on the table, so I lift it to my nose and inhale the aroma. I give Liam a sideways glance, wondering what I did to deserve all the effort he'd obviously put into planning this evening.
He sits across from me, and in the flickering of the candlelight, his rugged face is even more handsome. His strong chin and jaw are softened a bit, and the fire brings out the color of his eyes. It makes them sparkle like chips of ice – like the snow-capped peaks of the Olympic Mountains we just saw.
He takes a drink of water and then catches me staring, a crooked smile spreading across his face.
“What?” he asks as he sets his glass down. “Do I have something on my face?”
