Page 32 of The Fun Part
Mackenzie
I may have made a mistake. It’s one thing to play couple in public with Cal, it’s a whole different ball game to resist him in private. Look how he’s already made me think in terms of baseball metaphors!
First, as soon as we parked at the estate sale, he jumped out of the truck, ran around and opened my door, and then helped me out of the truck. His big hands on my waist, his soulful dark eyes smoldering into mine.
And now his hand is burning a hole through my thin coat as he rests it on the small of my back, guiding me down the front path of the mansion hosting the estate sale. Cal has slipped into gallant courtship mode, catching me completely off guard. We’re not even in town where anyone I know could witness it and report back to Mom.
His deep voice resonates close to my ear. “This is my first estate sale. Be gentle.”
The man istryingto get me worked up. I know his game. Fake dating, real sex. Not gonna happen. “Ha! These things can be fun, like a treasure hunt.”
He opens the door of the mansion and gestures for me to go ahead. I walk inside, and he helps me out of my coat, folding it neatly over his arm. This courtship business is too much and not what we agreed to. His lawyer side is really showing itself clearly now, always bending the rules and looking for loopholes.
I can’t trust him.
He did say he missed me. But I can’t risk him casually walking away like he did with his live-in girlfriend. I bet she wascrushedthinking she was getting a marriage proposal and then nothing. No, thank you.
“Cal.”
“Hmm?” He’s looking around, taking in the antiques for sale and the variety of numbered items for auction.
“You don’t have to do all this stuff for me.”
His gaze locks on mine, making my throat go dry and somehow bringing more heat to my already overheated body. “What stuff?”
I play with my hair, suddenly nervous. “You know, like opening doors and helping with my coat and stuff.”
“I do that with the person I’m dating. If you want this to look real, I have to start rehearsing so it comes naturally.”
I gesture vaguely. “It feels like mixed signals.”
He leans down to my ear, lowering his voice to a husky whisper that sends a hot shiver down my spine. “You know what’s a mixed signal? Hooking up with someone, ending things, and then pretending to date them.”
I shift away. “Sorry. I messed this up, didn’t I? You don’t have to go through with my wacky scheme.”
He tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. “Nah. Mixed signals are fun. I told you I’m game. Try to keep up.”
He walks over to a program sign, holding his phone up to the QR code, which links to the auction program. “Budget?”
“I’ve got her business credit card. I’ll text her as the bid gets higher, and we’ll see.”
He studies me for so long I start to wonder if I have pancake crumbs on my face. “You don’t look much like your mom.”
“No kidding.”
“But you have the same spark in your eye. Like you’re up for the challenge, whatever it is. I bet you butted heads when you were a kid.”
“Actually, I tried to follow in her footsteps to win scholarship money in beauty pageants. Nope. Despite her coaching, I never even placed as a finalist. I couldn’t even get Miss Congeniality, and I worked very hard to be a smiley person.”
Most people laugh at that. Pageants are silly. Who cares? But Mom and I took it very seriously, and it hurt. Mostly it hurt because I disappointed her.
Cal doesn’t laugh. “You’re very congenial.”
I can’t help but notice he didn’t say you’re so beautiful you should’ve won. Le sigh.
“Thank you. She tried not to look disappointed, but I could tell she was. That’s when I realized I had to forge my own path.”
“Never a bad thing. Dad wanted me to be the ball player he always wished he could be. He played in college but didn’t make it to the professional level. He barely spoke to me for years after I dropped out of the league.”
