The Borrowed Boyfriend (16 page)

“No, really. I’m fine. I mean, as fine as I’ll ever be after
that.
” She shot him a kind smile and the small bandage he’d applied above her left eyebrow rose. Allison’s hands were scratched and she’d incurred more scrapes and bruises during their roll on the outcropping, but thankfully her injuries were minor. Grady was relieved they both hadn’t suffered more damage from their harrowing experience. The gash on his hand wasn’t deep enough to require stitches. He’d been able to clean it and cover it with gauze and medical tape before tending to Allison’s small scrapes. He’d located a first-aid kit in a kitchen closet and was grateful to find it well stocked.

Allison viewed the dressing covering his hand with concern. “How’s your cut?”

“Not as bad as it looked,” he answered truthfully. Grady didn’t even remember it happening. It must have occurred during his rushed scramble to safety, when he’d been clinging to that jagged rock. The wound had bled a lot at the outset and he’d had to keep his fist tightly clenched to stem the bleeding during their trek to the cottage. They’d hobbled along, with Grady supporting Allison around the waist with his other arm. Her steps had been as wobbly as a new colt’s, and he’d feared she might faint at any minute. Fortunately, she’d been able to walk on her own, which had been good for keeping her circulation going, and her stability had improved once they’d reached the flatter portion of the footpath leading to the cove.

“Thanks for the coffee,” she said, taking a sip. “Having something hot to drink helps. The fire feels great too.”

“Can I get you anything else?”

Allison slowly set her mug on the coffee table, then laced her fingers together and attempted to stretch out her arms. She grimaced and pulled them back, resting them against her chest. “My arms are a little sore.”

“Allison, there’s an emergency center a short drive away, or we could always go into—”

“No, seriously,” she said, stopping him. “I’d like to stay here. I don’t think there’s anything the doctors could do other than tell me to take two aspirin and call—”

“That’s a great idea,” Grady put in. “But not aspirin, ibuprofen. Do you still have some in your purse?”

She nodded gratefully. “Yeah, I’m sure that would help.”

“I’ll go and grab you a couple of tablets.”

“That would be great. The bottle’s in my pocketbook by the chair.”

While Grady tried to exude calm confidence on the outside, underneath he swore his pulse was beating double-time. That had been such a close call he could scarcely stand to think about it. If he hadn’t been watching out the window when he had, he never would have seen Allison fall. A chill gripped him and cold fear settled in his belly. Everyone could have lost Allison forever: her family, her friends, her coworkers…and Grady. A lump welled in his throat when he realized how devastated he would have been. While he’d barely known her prior to this trip, yesterday she’d begun opening up to him. Then, this morning, they’d had that silly fight, which Grady badly regretted.

And somehow, amid their playacting in front of Allison’s friends and the inherent subterfuge, Grady had found himself starting to care for her. That was the
ping
he’d felt in his heart. When he was being honest, Grady realized he’d felt a hint of that the moment he’d agreed to this caper. Was that
why
he’d agreed? Because he’d been secretly attracted to Allison?

Grady hoped that hadn’t been part of his motives in coming here. He had an exclusivity agreement with Kate, and he didn’t like to think of himself as a two-timing man. That simply wasn’t Grady. If he was ready to move on from Kate, then he’d own up to that fact and break things off properly before beginning a relationship with anybody else. Maybe Grady should never have become involved with Kate to begin with. If his grandmother could see right through their phony arrangement, then he should have been able to see the issues with it too.

Grady had been kidding himself to think pretense was enough. Just because he and Kate behaved like a couple to the outside world, that didn’t mean they operated as one in their hearts. The irony was, Grady felt like he’d had more of a real relationship with Allison in just this short while than he’d had with Kate in six months. And his and Allison’s “relationship” was an out-and-out ruse.

Grady entered the bedroom and his gaze snagged on the dresser, where he’d left his cell phone charging. He hadn’t answered Kate’s text asking how things were going in Maine, and now he was at an even greater loss about what to tell her. One thing Grady knew for sure. He needed to have a serious talk with Kate—in person. When he and Kate had started dating, they’d both agreed the arrangement would benefit each of them. But Grady saw more clearly now that relationships couldn’t be handled like business deals. Perhaps he’d gone with that approach because he’d been gun-shy.

The betrayal by Meg had not only kicked him in the gut… It had broken his heart. Grady hadn’t believed that heart could be put back together, so the arrangement Kate proposed between the two of them had sounded good. Now, Grady found himself wondering if his old ticker wasn’t stronger than he’d given it credit for. Since his breakup with Meg, Grady had thought of himself as the Tin Man, someone who no longer had a heart at all. Yet, Allison didn’t make him feel that way. She made him feel different—and special, even when she was utterly exasperated with him and professing to hate his guts.

Grady spotted her purse by the chair and popped it open, searching for the medicine bottle. As he found it, his fingers grazed against something else: Allison’s box of condoms. While he’d joked to himself about Allison being a “party girl” in the beginning, it was easy to see that wasn’t who she really was. The woman was totally hands-off, and had even appeared embarrassed that she’d seen him sleeping in his boxers. Someone like her keeping birth control at the ready somehow didn’t compute. What if she
had been
telling the truth, and the package was for Kate? No, that didn’t make much sense either, Grady thought, shaking his head.

He quickly extracted two tablets from the ibuprofen bottle, then dropped the bottle back in Allison’s purse, snapping it shut. He didn’t need to be examining Allison’s personal items anyway, and what she carried around was honestly none of his business.
 

Grady turned to grab a cup of water from the bathroom and the comfy queen-size bed came into view. In a flash, he had a vision of taking Allison in his arms and laying her down on it. Of him gently placing her head on the pillow, and her long golden hair catching the fire’s glow as it had the night before. Her beautiful blue eyes staring up at him, her sensuous lips full and inviting… And Grady, wanting to give her everything.

“Grady!” Allison called from the sofa. “I think somebody’s here!”

Grady snapped to attention as another car door slammed shut. It had to be one of the other couples, maybe Brevard and Queenie returning from the store.

Grady quickly filled a small paper bathroom cup with water and hustled out of the bedroom, cradling the two tablets in his good palm.
What
had he been thinking? Was Grady out of his mind? Okay, that settled it. Whether Allison ever became romantically interested in him or not, he was definitely talking with Kate when he got home. The vision of Allison had thrown him. He’d never thought of Kate in those terms, not even once.

“Hey! We’re ba-ack!” It was Queenie’s sunny voice. Then suddenly she gasped. “Girlfriend! What’s wrong?”

Chapter Twenty-Three

A little while later, Queenie, Brevard, Grady and Allison were seated around the hearth with their lunch plates. Brevard had started a new pot of coffee and Queenie had insisted on making grilled cheese sandwiches for everyone. She served them nice and hot off the griddle, each with a big dill pickle and a side of chips. Allison sank her teeth into the crispy, buttery toast holding melted cheese and sighed. “Thanks, Queenie. This is absolutely delicious.”

“Superb,” Grady agreed, crunching on a potato chip.

“Pish-posh! It’s the least I can do for you two! What a nightmare you went through.”

They’d told her and Brevard all about it and the couple had listened with astonished faces.

“We’re so glad you’re all right,” Bernard said, adjusting his glasses. “Are you quite sure neither of you needs to see a doctor?”

Both Grady and Allison tried to insist they were fine. Allison was at least as fine as she could be under the circumstances. She thanked her lucky stars, the heavens and Grady that she was alive. She also owed a private debt to her mother, whom she believed had been with her in spirit. Perhaps a mother’s love truly was strong enough to transcend dimensions and the bonds of time.

“Well, Grady, look at you!” Queenie said, savoring her sandwich. “You’re not just the perfect boyfriend, now you’re a hero too.”

Allison saw Grady’s neck color beneath his open collar. “I think
hero
may be too strong a word,” he said modestly. “Allison had a role in this as well. She was incredibly brave under the circumstances. A lot braver than I would have been in her position.”

“Now you’re just being magnanimous.” Allison twisted her lips, then said coyly, “There’s no getting out of this, Grady. You’ll always be a hero to me.”

A big voice boomed,
“I can be your hero, baby!”
It was Bruce. He and Carla had just walked in the door juggling shopping bags. They’d caught the tail end of the conversation, and—as if on cue—Bruce had burst into a bawdy rendition of the Enrique Iglesias song.

Carla slapped him playfully across the front of his jacket. “Ha-ha! Okay, honey. You can cut the karaoke.” She gave a lighthearted giggle, then glanced around the room, her face registering worry.

“Guys,” Bruce asked seriously. “What’s wrong?”

Allison found herself wishing that Deb and Patrick were here as well, so they’d only have to go through the story one more time. But Queenie had told her they’d gone on a full day’s bike ride and had taken a picnic lunch with them.

By the time Allison and Grady got through their second detailed telling of events, Allison felt exhausted. It was as if by sharing the story she was experiencing the entire ordeal again.
 

“We offered to take them to the clinic,” Brevard explained.

“Yeah, but they were both too stubborn to go.” Queenie stood and began clearing their plates, and Grady got up to help her. “No, you don’t,” she told him. “Just sit right back down, sugar.” She sent her lover a pointed look and scolded, “Brevard, get your lazy bottom off of that chair and come help Laticia.”

Brevard shot to his feet, appearing embarrassed, and cleared a few empty coffee cups. “Anyone want more?”

Allison and Grady both shook their heads. Allison had consumed enough caffeine and she wanted to get a good night’s sleep. Her aching body had certainly earned it.

Bruce was eyeing her carefully as if he sensed her discomfort. “Well, if you won’t go to the clinic,” he said. “It’s a good thing the clinic could come to you.”

“That’s right!” Carla replied, her cheeks glowing. “There’s a doctor in the house!”

Everyone agreed that Bruce should look Grady and Allison over. And, a little reluctantly, Allison and Grady conceded it was a good idea. So Bruce grabbed his medical bag from his car and took them back to the master suite one at a time to give each a thorough going-over. He checked for reflexes and concussions, tested the condition of their hearts and lungs and carefully examined the minor injuries Grady had tended to, telling him he’d done a fine job. When he returned to the great room and officially proclaimed the couple safe and sound, the others cheered.

That was right when Deb and Patrick walked in the door, wearing biking outfits and holding backpacks and their bicycle helmets. They exchanged glances, then looked questioningly at their friends. “Is…something going on?” asked Deb.
 

While Brevard got started making the rub for the short ribs, Allison and Grady recounted their story one last time, Patrick and Deb sitting beside Allison on the edge of the sofa.
 

Patrick hung his head and blew out a hard breath. “Tough break. I’m so sorry that happened to you guys.”

Deb looked both Grady and Allison in the eye, then patted Allison’s hand. “Well, we’re certainly glad that you’re okay.”

Allison genuinely appreciated everyone’s concern, but at that moment she was dead tired. She just hoped she could last until dinner. Afterward, she might be going straight to bed. She glanced at Grady, who likewise looked beat.

“Those short ribs look fantastic,” she said to Brevard as he carried a tray of them to the grill outdoors. “How long did you say they have to cook again?”

He appeared pleased she’d asked. “I brown them first, then put them in a pan with a beer mixture. Cover that up and it slow cooks for three hours.”

“Yum!” Carla said, as the others also voiced their approval.

“Sounds very tasty,” Grady agreed, but Allison noticed him sneakily hiding a yawn. He’d probably be just as eager to make an early night of it as she was.

Deb and Patrick left to shower upstairs and Carla went to help Queenie in the kitchen. Bruce said he was going to check on Brevard and see if he needed help with the grill, but he turned to Grady and Allison first. “Are you sure you don’t need anything stronger for the pain? I can make a pharmacy run before dinner.” They both declined with many thanks.