Page 49 of Just One Summer with the Grumpy

I glanced at the sofa and its pile of discarded pillows and the popcorn kernels on the floor that I still hadn’t vacuumed.

Two paths. Two guys. I’d stepped onto one path and really liked it. That didn’t mean I couldn’t still choose the other. Ty would get married the day after tomorrow. A few more feet along this path, and then I’d make a decision. Just a girl trying on jackets to see which fit best. No big deal.

When I brought the tray to the table to dig in, I noticed the corner of folded paper beneath the plate. Grinning, I opened it to read.

The tacos were good, but I can do better. Meet me at the hotel restaurant at 8p.m.

Uh oh. The hotel restaurant was black tie, very expensive. The gray dress I’d worn the other night would never do. Where would I find a dress suitable for the fanciest restaurant I’d ever set foot inside?

P.S. If you need something, COLOGIUE in town has a limited selection of formalwear. They’ve been advised to take good care of you.

Chase knew how exactly much money I made. Ever thoughtful, he was removing the financial burden of accepting his invitation. He had no idea how much I appreciated that. Every penny I earned this summer would have to go toward my rent in New York. Ironic, that I lived here in paradise for free while paying for a space I wasn’t even occupying. Yet I had to make plans for the future.

The future.

Everything I did felt bent toward that goal, that one all-important word, and I didn’t even know which future I was working toward.

The waiter led me to Chase’s table, where I enjoyed seeing Chase’s eyes widen as I approached. His eyes swept down my body, betraying nothing as he stood to pull my chair out for me. I sat quickly and let him ease the chair forward, feeling his gaze on me all the while. Something inside me shivered from the heat I felt there.

As he took his seat across from me, still staring in unmasked admiration, I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to know his thoughts or wanted to remain blissfully unaware.

If donning formalwear meant seeing Chase’s unusually raw expression directed at me, I would wear one every day for the rest of my life.

“I have to disagree with you,” he said, his voice strangely husky. “You are definitely the fancy dress type.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I changed the subject. “Sorry I’m so late. It’s been a day.”

Chase shook his head. “I heard about the bats. It’s me who should be apologizing to you. We really need to get those under control.”

I shuddered. The kitchen had suddenly become overrun with bats, which I shouldn’t have had to deal with except it meant some of tonight’s event food had to be tossed out. Luckily, the kitchen facilitator and I had worked out a deal with a local restaurant to fill in the gaps. I hadn’t eaten since that glorious breakfast, and I couldn’t wait to fill my empty stomach. “Not my favorite day.”

He took my hand and cradled it in his. “You’d never know it by looking at you tonight. Is that a Ferra Rougée?”

I chuckled. “To be honest, I have no idea.” I’d chosen the first gown to make the dress shop gasp, figuring they knew more than I did. It hadn’t even required alterations, an apparently rare occurrence. The black velvet fabric seemed deeper and darker than most blacks, somehow, and the cut was something I’d never seen before—a full sleeve to my wrist on one side and sleeveless on the other, showing off my bare shoulder. The long slit revealed my entire left leg on the same side, and the gown extended down to the floor. I felt like a movie star.

“I can’t tell you how refreshing that is.” Chase looked up at the waiter, who’d arrived in an immaculate tux and looked ready for the red carpet himself. “Two Les Santenots du Milieu, please.” The waiter nodded and hurried away.

Chase had called out the elephant in the room, so I chose that moment to bring it into the spotlight. “None of my other clothes are named after people, either, just so you know. But if you ask me the name of every player on the NBA team that won the championship last year, or the stats for the QB who won the Super Bowl for the last four years, I’ve got you.”

“Casey McCormick, and yes, I’m sure you would win that competition.” His eyes twinkled in amusement, fixed on me as if nobody else in the room existed. “After that epic volleyball game the other day, Casey is lucky that you never tried out for his position.”

I shook my head. “I did kick twice for my high school football team after our kicker tore his hamstring. It was the scandal of the season. Alas, I missed both times. ”

“Sounds like they should have given you a third try. Especially if you could kick in that dress and paralyze every pair of male eyes on the field. Poor, helpless fools.” His hand extended to take mine, his thumb brushing across my knuckles.

Oh, I could touch him forever. The man sure cleaned up nice. As neat and tidy as his tuxedo looked, and despite how perfectly it accentuated his broad shoulders, it was Chase’s hair that had me captivated. He’d combed it all forward and messed up the front in that intentional yet very sexy way guys used. I wanted to run my fingers through it.

Maybe I’d get a chance later.

I thought about him running his hands throughmyhair and felt a delighted shudder run through me. Could this truly be real?

A whisper behind me brought me back to reality. I couldn’t pick out every word, but I definitely heard the words “new girl” and “wedding planner.”

I didn’t give them the satisfaction of looking over my shoulder to see if they were referring to me. The glares of the couple behind Chase’s back told me enough. My presence had obviously created a stir. How could they possibly know who I was? I hadn’t spoken with a single one of them.

Chase leaned forward. “Don’t mind them. The snobbies never approve of a newcomer.”

Said as if he weren’t one of them. Which he wasn’t, I knew now. Not at heart.

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