Page 37 of Claimed By my Frenemy

“Thanks,” I reply, sitting down and placing my bag on the floor next to me. The waiter comes over to take our drink orders, and we both opt for water. Once he leaves, there’s a brief, awkward silence as we both try to find the right way to start the conversation.

I want to jump to accusations again, but I don’t have the same anger fueling me as I did yesterday. The contractors have used at least half the bricks they brought. Probably by tomorrow at this time, the bricks will be gone completely.

But I also need to talk to Theo about boundaries. Maybe I need to put a fence up, but that’s a cost I haven’t anticipated.

Theo finally breaks the ice. “So, how’s the renovation going at your place?”

I stare out the window without really seeing anything as I answer. “It’s going well. I’ve managed to get a lot done over the past few weeks. The garden’s finally starting to look like it used to. I just need to finish up some painting inside and get some new furniture and…” I stop myself partway into the list.

Theo doesn’t need to know all the details of the work I’m facing. It’s overwhelming for me, and it’s the project I’ve always dreamed of.

His voice sounds sincere. “That’s great. I honestly just go with rocks because it’s a lot easier to maintain than a garden, but then again, I’m going for a more self-sufficient property while you’re going to be staying at yours and taking care of your guests yourself.”

I can’t tell if he’s being snobbish or just stating facts. I cut my eyes at him, trying to read his face. But Theo just strokes his chin and watches me unabashedly.

“My grandmother took a lot of pride in the place, especially the garden. I want to do it justice as I restore it. Yes, it’s about making money, but it’s also about…” I lose my train of thought as I realize I won’t see my grandmother again. It’s been a few months since she passed, but sometimes, it just hits me.

I look down and try to will my tears into dryness so Theo won’t see me cry.

He doesn’t seem to notice how I’m fighting back tears. “I’m sure you will. You’re putting in a lot of hard work. It’s bound topay off. That’s the difference between what we’re doing. You’re creating something personal. I’m creating something bigger and…”

“Better?” I supply, raising an eyebrow.

Theo smiles. “I wasn’t going to say that.”

“What were you going to say then?”

“I was just going to…not say anything. That’s how my mother would have said I should deal with the situation.”

I roll my eyes, but Theo has managed to make me smile again. The sad thoughts of my Grandma Mary are gone.

Theo switches the subject abruptly to the weather, and I wonder if this was really why he brought me to dinner—to talk about the weather. When is he going to bring up the real reason we’re here?

“…and that’s why I love May so much. By the time June and July hit, it’s too muggy to do much of anything. The beach is nice for an evening stroll, but I’m not about to sit out there and roast.”

“That’s not what I remember,” I tell him, thinking about when we were teenagers. We couldn’t really go on dates because neither one of us could drive, but we had our bikes. We would meet up at the beach and walk and walk and walk. I wondered how long it would take us to get to the end of the beach, but we never did.

“What do you remember?” Theo asks, leaning a little closer.

I get a whiff of his cologne, and it hits me hard. It makes me want him, and that’s not something I can feel. I avert my eyes, trying not to think about how handsome he is.

“I remember you…always wanting to be tan. You didn’t care about roasting then.”

“Well, I was also young and stupid. I do care about getting burned now.”

“Oh, is that why you always take your shirt off when you’re working outside at the resort?”

“So, you’ve noticed?” Theo asks in a way that makes my cheeks grow hot. Of course, I’venoticed. How could I not?

He’s like a Greek god. I want to run my fingers down his chest again. The time we touched in my living room wasn’t enough. I want more of him.

When I don’t answer, Theo lets the question go. “So, what’s the next big project on your list? What else do you need to do to get the bed and breakfast ready?”

“I’m planning to revamp the old sunroom. It’s been neglected for years, and it needs a lot of work.”

Theo raises an eyebrow. “The sunroom, huh? That’s a big project. What do you need to do?”

“Pretty much everything. The windows need a good cleaning, and I think I’m going to put some of that rolling, sunshade paper so it doesn’t get too heated in there in the summer. The flooring is a mess, but I may just need to cover that with a good rug.”

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