He dug into his chicken, swiping it through the sauce and gathering a forkful of rice. As he chewed, it took effort not to pinch himself just to make sure he hadn’t died and gone to heaven. He’d never tasted anything so good. After he swallowed, he said, “Wow.”
A blanket of pink covered her cheeks. “Thank you.”
Not only could she cook, but she was adorable when she blushed. Alarm bells sounded in his head. If she agreed to his proposal, he’d have to take extra steps to keep her at a distance. Too many thoughts like that one, and he’d be in serious trouble.
He set down his fork, determined to keep the conversation professional. “This is flat-out the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten. You’re really good at this.”
She tilted her head, a tiny smile playing on her lips. “You sound surprised.”
“Well, no, not really surprised, just…in awe of your talent.”
A small laugh bubbled out of her. Okay, not only was the food wow, but so was she. That laugh…and her snuggled next to him, watching the sunset… No, no, no. Business. This was business, nothing else.
She narrowed her eyes, but the smile stayed on her lips. “Don’t think that flattery will get me to sell.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” He grinned. Was he flirting with this woman? Have mercy, he was. How long had it been since he’d done that?
Silence, along with the elephant in the room, fell over them as they ate a few bites. Anxiety built in Hunter’s chest until he finally put down his fork and asked, “Okay, I need to know. What’s your answer?”
“Cut to the chase, huh?”
“Please? If you’re letting me down easy, I need to figure out what I’m going to tell my family.”
Taking a sip of her tea, she held his gaze as she peered over the rim of the glass. She set it back down and wiped her mouth with the napkin before dropping it back into her lap. “All right. If I’m going to do this, I have additions to the agreement.”
He almost said she wasn’t in a position to negotiate, but that wasn’t exactly true. Plus, if he said that, she’d probably get mad and kick him out. First, he wanted to finish the meal, and second, he didn’t want her to say no. If her additions were too outlandish, he’d simply counter with his own. “Okay, what are they?”
“On top of getting me current on the loan, I want a year’s worth of payments and enough money to do some of the upgrades I know it needs.”
Once again, the thought that she somehow knew about his money came roaring to his mind. Why did she think he had that kind of money? Granted, he did run a flipping business and he’d offered to buy her place. Not just offered, but said he’d beat out any other offer she’d received. For most people, that would make him sound like he either had money or access to it.
“Why not the loan payoff?” he asked.
She shrugged and lowered her eyes to the table. “I’m not looking for the easy way out.” She lifted her head and met his gaze. “I want to prove to myself that I can do it. Yes, I could still do that with the loan paid off, but I’d never really know it was me. It’s easy to run a business when there’s no pressure.”
Wow. If he didn’t respect her before, he did now. What an incredible woman. She was a dangerous combination of beautiful, charming, and intelligent. The type of woman he’d secretly wanted for a while now. The level of risk for him had rocketed in the span of a few sentences.
Then again, he also knew it would be difficult to lure tourists back when their last visit wasn’t so great. She was a fighter, but you could only keep it up for so long. If she invested the capital back into the place, it would only make it easier on him later on when he purchased it. He wasn’t being cruel, just pragmatic.
He held her gaze a second longer and said, “If I agree to your terms, you’ll pretend to be my fiancée?”
“Yes, but I’m still wondering why you picked me.”
“I…” What should he say? Yes, his mother knew all the women back in Caprock Canyon. Maybe there was even a possibility he could have asked one of his exes, but deep down, the truth was that he liked her. She was the type of woman he’d bring home to his mom.
“What?” Reagan asked.
“My mom knows everyone back home, and…”
“I was the nearest available?”
The hint of sadness in her voice made him pause. He ate a few more bites of his meal as he worked to form a response. She had to know she was incredible. Not only was she an amazing cook, but she was easy—and fun—to talk to. “No, well, yes, but that’s not the reason. You’re intelligent, witty, and beautiful. Even if I had choices, I’d have still asked you.”
“Well, I didn’t expect that answer, but…thank you.”
Had no one ever told her that? Shame. Hunter didn’t want a relationship, but he certainly wasn’t blind. “I find it very difficult to believe no one has ever said that before.”
She cleared her throat and nodded. “Okay. You said last time that your family is close.” It wasn’t lost on him that she’d changed the subject. One more thing to add to the list of things he liked about her.
“Yeah, we are.” He took a deep breath. “I’ll be upfront. This isn’t going to be easy to pull off.”
Her eyebrows hit her hairline. “Are you trying to talk me out of it?”
Shaking his head, he said, “No, but I want you to know what you’re agreeing to. I don’t want you blindsided when we get there.”
“Fair enough. There’s one more thing I want.”
“What’s that?” he asked, eyeing her.
“I want everything in writing. That way we both know what is expected of the other.” She took a bite of food and washed it down with some tea.
While he mulled it over, he finished the last few bites of his meal. “That’s fair. I’ll need to know what will get you current, the tally of a year’s worth of payments, and estimates on the upgrades.”
“I’ll get the number together, and you’ll have them in the next twenty-four hours.”
“That’s not much time to get estimates,” he replied.
She smiled. “I know what things need to be fixed. Before the hurricane hit, my plan for the equity loan was to fix those things.”
“Then these estimates are a year old. They’re no good now.”
With a huff, she stood, grabbed their empty plates, and deposited them in the sink. On her way back to the table, she stopped at the fridge and fished out a pie. “I know, but I figure if I add fifteen percent to them, that’ll account for the storm damage or inflation.”
She cut into the pie, and his mouth watered. Chocolate cream pie? Either she was asking around about him, or she was psychic. She slid a plated slice toward him. “Hope you like chocolate cream.”
“Like it? It’s my favorite.”
The cute smile she’d flashed him earlier returned. “Good.” Once she’d plated her own slice, she took her seat again. “It’s tied as my favorite. I love coconut cream too.”
Just how much in common did he have with her? “Me too.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, but then again, I’ve never met a pie I didn’t like.” He smiled sheepishly.
A giggle popped out of her, and she scooped a bite of pie into her mouth.
Man, she was irresistible. If the alarm bells hadn’t gone off earlier, they’d be wailing now. This woman was checking all his boxes, and they’d hardly spent any time together yet. How was he going to manage several days in a row…while pretending to be her fiancée?
While he contemplated that, he took a bite of the pie and nearly moaned. His mother had just lost first place as best pie maker ever. Not that he’d ever admit that aloud. He wasn’t that stupid. “This is incredible.”
“Thank you,” she said and continued eating.
As he watched her, he reassessed his risk factor. They’d be arriving in Caprock Canyon the day before Thanksgiving and returning that Sunday. That was a total of five days. As long as he kept a comfortable arm’s length fr
om her, he’d be just as single when he got back as he was now.
Starting something with Reagan wouldn’t be the casual dating he’d done in the past. If he started something with her, it would be with the intent of reaching the finish line with her. And when he’d tried to purchase her home? Starting a relationship was hard enough, but add distrust and it was already doomed. Would she ever believe he wanted to date her?
Why was he even thinking about it? Like she’d even consider dating him in the first place. She saw him as the enemy. He had no problem keeping their relationship right where it was: frenemies.
A small voice in the back of his head quietly laughed as he played a game of chicken. He was pretty sure he was going to lose.
Chapter 6
Even though The Sandy Pelican didn’t have any reservations for Thanksgiving weekend, that didn’t mean that there wouldn’t be that lone guest needing a last-minute place to stay. With that in mind, Reagan asked her two best friends to keep it open.
In fifth grade, Kaylee Benson and Naomi Knowles moved to the island with their mom and dad. Their parents had married after they met through a support group for grieving spouses a few years earlier. Since they’d moved to the neighborhood, the three of them had been the three musketeers.
Naturally, they’d asked why Reagan needed them, and she’d dodged the truth until she and her overfilled suitcase were face-to-face with them. If she’d been smart, she would have asked Hunter what she needed to bring instead of stuffing her poor suitcase to the point of bursting.
“What?” Naomi asked after Reagan explained everything.
Kaylee simply blinked.
“I know it’s wild, but—”
“Wild? That’s not wild. It’s…is there even a word for it?”
Putting all her weight on the lid of the suitcase, Reagan forced the zipper around the lid of the bag and sat next to it. “Look, if I thought I had another option, I would have done it.”
Kaylee crossed the room and perched on the other side of the suitcase. Of her two friends, Kaylee was the more soft-spoken one. She ran a cat rescue, and both Reagan and Naomi thought she’d needed a break from the stress of the job. This weekend would be perfect for her.
“Isn’t he the enemy? Didn’t you tell us he’s the one trying to swoop in and steal the bed and breakfast from you?” Kaylee asked.
Reagan sighed as she finished. “Yes, but—” She lifted her head and met Naomi’s gaze. “I’ve run out of every penny I have. This wouldn’t have been my chosen way to fix things, but what else could I do?”
Just the day before, she’d signed the contract, he’d handed her half of the agreed amount, and she’d promptly taken it to the bank. There had been a heaping dose of satisfaction in taking Hunter’s money and getting her equity loan current.
“There had to be a better way.”
Reagan’s shoulders sagged. “I didn’t see one.”
“What if this guy is a serial killer?”
Sighing, Reagan rolled her eyes. “With the way he talked about his family, there’s no way. I know I’ve told you guys he’s a pest, but he’s…” After having dinner with him a few nights ago, she’d found herself enjoying his company. Aside from being trip-over-yourself gorgeous, he had an incredible laugh.
“Oh my gosh. You like him!” Naomi blurted.
“I do not. He’s a rat who’s trying to steal my bed and breakfast. Now I’ve got the upper hand. Not only is he not going to get The Sandy Pelican, but I’m going to use his money to rub his nose in it.”
Kaylee smiled. “I think she does.”
“Both of you need to—”
A knock came from the back door. Before Reagan could say a word, Naomi shot out of the room with Kaylee following behind.
Reagan pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. “I should have planned this better.” She dropped her hand, hefted her bag off the bed, and pulled it behind her. As she stopped in the kitchen, she found Hunter cornered by Kaylee and Naomi.
“Are you an ax murderer?” Naomi asked Hunter.
Kaylee nudged Naomi with her elbow. “He’s too pretty.”
Naomi nodded. “True, but he could have had plastic surgery.”
Hunter caught Reagan’s gaze. “Uh…”
“Hunter, these are my two best friends. The one your left is Kaylee Benson, and the one on your right is Naomi Knowles.”
“It’s nice to meet you?” Hunter took a step back and smiled. “No, I’m not a…murderer.” He touched his face. “Plastic surgery?”
The poor man. Reagan actually felt sorry for him. “Guys, leave him alone.”
“We’re doing our friend duties and making sure you come back with all your limbs.” Naomi shot a look over her shoulder at Reagan with a half-smile and a cocked eyebrow. They’d be talking more once she returned from Texas.
While Naomi was distracted, Hunter slipped past them and crossed the room. As he reached for the handle of her suitcase, his hand brushed against hers. Little tingles raced through her nerves, sending a shiver down her spine.
He jerked his hand back. “Uh, sorry.”
“It’s okay. I can handle it.”
“If my mom catches you carrying your own luggage, she’ll kill me twice.” He chuckled, but it had a nervous edge to it. “I’m not saying you aren’t capable…”
Reagan smiled and placed her hand on his arm. “It’s okay.”
A grin slowly lifted his lips. “Did you bring a coat?”
She nodded and patted the outside pocket of her suitcase. “Yeah, I didn’t know what to pack, so I brought a little of everything.”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve—”
“Wow,” Naomi interrupted. “Witnessing a gentleman in the wild. I almost feel like I need pictures as proof.” She chuckled.
Hunter kept his gaze on Reagan. “I’ll go get this in the car.” Translation: Your friends are making me uncomfortable.
“Sure, I’ll be out there in a second.”
The moment the screen door smacked shut, Reagan’s friends were on her like flies on sugar.
“You failed to mention how cute he is,” Kaylee said.
Naomi nodded. “No kidding. Please tell me he has single siblings.”
Without acknowledging the comments, Reagan hugged one and then the other. “I have to go. We have a flight to catch.” She stepped out of the door.
“Call with updates!” Naomi’s voice rang out.
Out front, a car waited to take them to the airport. Hunter opened the door for her, and she stepped inside. It was time to get in the fiancée frame of mind.
“Ready?” Hunter asked as he took a seat next to her.
“As ready as I’m going to be.”
They were quiet on the drive to the Savannah/Hilton Head airport. He’d mentioned they’d be taking a private jet, and she’d questioned him about it. His response was that he knew someone, but she had a feeling there was more to it. As long as she evaded being body-searched, she’d accept the answer without pushback.
The jet was nice and roomy. It didn’t have the rich-snob feel she’d expected. Hunter took a seat across from her, and once it was in the air, he seemed to relax. She wondered if he’d been worried she’d back out.
He cleared his throat. “I guess we should get to know each other. How we met and things like that.”
They’d agreed to hash out details of their relationship on the way to Caprock Canyon since it involved both a flight and a two-hour drive. She was glad he was starting the conversation. She’d gone over a million different ways to start that conversation, and none of them sounded right. “We could tell a version of the truth. We met when you stopped by my bed and breakfast. We’ll just leave out the part where you tried to steal it from me.” She grinned.
Hunter rubbed his jaw with his knuckles as he chuckled. “I’m not trying to steal it from you.”
“Okay, maybe steal is a strong word. How about charm it away from me.”
A tinge of pink covered his ch
eeks. “I’d have to possess charm in order to use it.”
Whoa. He was cute when he blushed. What caught her off guard was how much she liked it. “We’ll say it was love at first sight.”
“Me or you?”
“You, of course.”
He caught her gaze and held it. “Okay, that won’t be hard to sell.”
It was her turn to blush. She smiled. “All right. How did you propose?”
“I don’t know. You tell me.”
She tapped her foot as she contemplated their story. “Let’s see. I love the beach, and since you’d know that, you surprised me with dinner at sunset.”
“All right. I’m on board so far.” He smiled, and she noticed just how blue his eyes were with the sun filtering in through the window.
“It was very romantic. After dinner, we walked along the beach, and out of nowhere, this puppy came running up to us.”
His eyes narrowed. “What kind of puppy?”
“A Great Dane because you know I’ve always wanted one. His name would be Captain.”
He smiled. “Captain?”
“It’s the perfect name, and because you’re so in love with me, you went along with it.”
Hunter nodded and laughed. “Okay. That’s actually plausible.”
She tilted her head. “Really?”
“I’d really like to have a Great Dane, but I’ve been too busy.”
“Me too,” she replied softly, taken aback that they had something in common…besides their favorite pies and their desire to own the bed and breakfast.
He leaned forward, setting his elbows on his knees. “What happened next?”
Reagan’s pulse jumped as he stared intently at her. “Uh, well, I scooped up the puppy, and there was a ring hanging on its collar. Then I gasped as you got on one knee and asked me to marry you.”
Hunter’s gaze dipped to the floor. “That’ll be easy to remember.” He lifted his head and locked eyes with her. “That sounds like something I’d do.”
In that moment, it was so hard to breathe that she half expected the oxygen masks to drop down. It was a fantasy she’d had when she thought about getting engaged. A silly thing because she figured it would never happen that way. Definitely not with the man who wanted to take her family’s business. The thought sobered her, and she straightened. “I guess that’s good. We won’t forget it.”
The Fake Fiance's Billionaire Adversary (Caprock Canyon Romance Book 2) Page 4
