The Borrowed Boyfriend (6 page)

Allison slunk down in her seat. “What about it?”

Grady leveled her a look and wriggled two fingers behind his head, miming devil horns.
 

Allison was consumed by a lava wave of heat.

Oh no, he couldn’t have. She’d tossed the paper in the recycle bin! Right after scratching “
sacre bleu
” across the newsprint in big angry letters with permanent marker…and drawing pointy horns and a beard on Grady’s picture. It may have been childish, but it had felt pretty good at the time. Voltaire’s owner was one of Allison’s good friends and someone who’d pledged never to sell out. Then, Total Wines had come along like a huge bulldozer and crushed them right into the earth.

“Your assessment held a certain—
je ne sais quoi—
degree of poignancy? A certain bite—almost like a very sharp cheese? Blue cheese in particular.”

Allison peered up at him, her heart pounding in her throat. “How do you know it was me?” she asked with a squawk.

Grady took a very slow sip of coffee, then raised his eyes to meet hers. “Kate doesn’t speak French.”

Allison felt like a heel. Grady had seen that and still he’d been willing to do her a favor? She pushed herself upright and gathered her nerve. “Grady…” she began sheepishly. “I’m sorry about the newspaper. I never intended for you to see it.”

He carefully set down his coffee. “I’m not the Big Bad Wolf, you know. It’s not like Total Wines gobbles other businesses up. We’re helping them.”

“Helping?”
Allison asked, flummoxed. She couldn’t possibly see how.

“Sure. Most of the businesses we go after stand to benefit through their alliance with Total Wines. We never shut anyone down. Our mission is to maintain operations and to keep any current workers in place. With Total Wines’ distribution reach, we can do that, plus offer greater security as an employer.”

“Greater security? How?”

“By providing a complete benefits package. Expanded health insurance coverage, retirement plan options, things that a smaller business can’t possibly provide on significantly lower revenues.”

Allison felt like she was being sweet-talked into believing Grady was really the good guy, but she had a gut feeling he was sugarcoating things by omitting any negative aspects. “You said
most
of the businesses stand to benefit,” she countered. “What about the others?”

“When I said ‘most,’ I was talking about the healthy enterprises, those with sound financial standing. For them, expansion is a snap. Total Wines can easily assist with further growth.”

Allison leaned forward on her elbows. “And the others?” she asked caustically. “They’re not so lucky, are they?”

To her astonishment Grady frowned. “You’re absolutely right, they’re not.” He shot her a sad look. “Those are the companies that are the hardest to help, the ones that are going under. But we still try.”

“Going…?” Allison bit her lip, thankful Grady didn’t have long-distance, X-ray vision and the ability to see into her ledger book. While she’d told virtually no one, Bella Fortuna Wine Designs was in financial straits. Though business had boomed initially, the recent hits to the economy had taken their toll on Allison’s product line. When she’d started out, her handcrafted labels, based on prints from her original art, had been extremely popular and brought top dollar. Then suddenly, the market tanked and even some of her most loyal clients began to cut back by sacrificing quality for quantity. They’d started buying prefab labels that supposedly looked just as good to the untrained eye, and could be commissioned for less than half the cost, since they were produced in bulk.

Grady gazed at her with interest. “I’m sorry. You were saying?”

Allison was at a loss for any sort of intelligent reply. Her mind was muddled from Grady’s gibberish about Total Wines being some industry savior. Plus, she found herself swimming in his deep blue eyes. Dog-paddling, really. Allison had never exactly mastered freestyle, or the butterfly, or the sidestroke, now that she thought of it.

“So, how’s business for you?” he asked with a penetrating stare.

“I’d rather not talk about work on this trip,” Allison said, backpedaling quickly. That maneuver she remembered quite well.

“I’m not the one who brought work up.”

“Sorry!” She took a quick gulp of water and an ice cube slugged down her throat. Allison coughed into her napkin, getting over the shock.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, fine. Thanks!” She drew a rushed breath. “And Grady…I’m sorry about Puccini!” she added before losing her nerve.

“Puccini?”

“I’m afraid I’ve not just insulted your job today, I’ve dissed your music too.”

Grady laughed warmly as their waitress appeared. “All’s forgiven,” he whispered to Allison. “I’m a fan of silence too.”

The waitress set their plates on the table with a loud clatter as they banged against the flatware.
 

“Oops!” She abruptly squared their place settings before nodding toward the window. “Wow. It’s really pouring out there!” Rain was coming down in buckets, sweeping across the parking lot in drenching gray sheets.

Allison surveyed their food, which had arrived piping hot and smelled delicious. The scent of spicy sausage, ham and bacon wafted toward her. “I guess we’d better eat up and get going soon. Could be a long drive.”

Grady lifted his burger and prepared to dig in.
“Bon appetit
.
”
 

Chapter Six

By the time they finished their lunch, the rain had stopped. Grady motioned to the waitress for their check, then spoke to Allison. “Looks like a lull. Maybe we should make a break for it.”

“Agreed.” She reached for her purse beside her on the bench, determined to pick up the bill. Although her bank account was ailing, Allison had her pride. It was the least she could do to make up for her earlier rudeness.
 

The waitress arrived speedily with their check and laid it on the table before hustling away to refill another customer’s coffee.
 

Grady was quick on the draw with his wallet.

“Here,” Allison protested. “Let me!” But when she snapped open her purse it tipped sideways on the table, then somersaulted onto the floor. Allison stared aghast at the mound of personal belongings that had landed on the carpet by her open bag, which gaped wide like a landed fish. There in a heap were her wallet, a pack of tissues, lipstick, sunglasses, a chewing gum container, assorted wrappers, the ibuprofen bottle and… “Eeek!” She dove onto the grimy carpet and got down on hands and knees, scraping it all together.

Grady’s head dipped below the table. “Can I help you down there?”

Allison stared in mortification at the box of condoms clutched in her hands, then tried to cover the label with her fingers. “Er, no thanks.”

Grady’s forehead rose. “Looks like you came prepared.”

“These aren’t mine!” she blubbered. “Actually, they’re yours!” Her face steamed. “For you!” That hadn’t come out right at all. What she meant was that Kate had asked her to buy them for him, or for Kate and him! Oh, she didn’t know!

Grady grinned and her heart hammered.

“Sorry, Allison. I’m taken.”

Allison gulped. She’d totally forgotten they were in her purse! Not being the regular condom-buying type, she’d quickly shoved them in there without requesting a bag when she’d bought her ibuprofen. Was it her fault that her biggest client from Meritage Estates, Lou Ellen Smith, had walked up to the counter at the precise moment she’d been paying? That would teach her to buy birth control for her roommate. Let Kate pick up her own darn condoms!
 

Grady cupped a hand to one side of his mouth and whispered. “Though I must say I’m flattered.”

Allison shot up so fast her head knocked the table. “Ow!”

Grady’s hand reached out and rested on her crown. “Bad joke. Sorry.” His face creased with concern. “Are you okay?”

Allison nodded numbly, then scooped the items off the floor and into her open bag with a few fast sweeps of her hands. Grady wasn’t totally convinced the condoms were for him, but he was a little surprised that Allison was packing. Somehow, she didn’t seem the casual-sex type. That just showed how much Grady knew about her. On the outside, she was quietly conservative. But underneath, Allison was clearly a party girl. Grady would need to tread cautiously during this beach trip. When he’d figured Allison for the hands-off type, he didn’t envision sharing a room with her would be a problem. Now that he knew Allison was ready to throw down under the covers, he’d have to be careful not to encourage her. He had his understanding with Kate to honor, after all.

Grady had started to question that “understanding,” especially after overhearing the various nasty things Kate had to say about him. But now wasn’t the time for a big showdown. He needed to get through this week with Allison first. On a purely platonic basis, he reminded himself. That should prove easy, given that his attention would be less focused on the woman and more keenly on his work during their getaway in Maine.
 

Allison backed out of her perch on all fours, her nice, toned backside wiggling…

Grady braced himself against the tabletop and tried to look away. But he didn’t…quite…get there. Okay:
mission.
He’d do well to focus on his goals and not become distracted by something as base as physical attraction. Grady’d thought he might have an opportunity to talk business when Allison had inquired about his work earlier, but then she’d squashed the topic of conversation quickly.

She stood awkwardly, dusting off the front of her jeans and tucking her purse under her arm. Her face was bright pink. No, make that scarlet. “They really weren’t…” she began feebly.

“I know,” he cut in.

“I mean it.”

“Of course.”

“This isn’t for real, Grady. You know that?”

“I remember our deal.”

“And the condoms are Kate’s,” she said hurriedly.

That was a likely story. “I’m sure they are.”

“Good.” She was clutching her purse so tightly, her knuckles were turning white. “I’m glad you believe me.” Allison’s eyes darted toward the door as thunder boomed again. “We should get going.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Grady stood and Allison fumbled with her purse, still flustered. “Let me pay the tab first.”

“Already taken care of,” he said.

“What? When did you do that?”

Grady couldn’t resist a smile. “When you were under there.”

Allison stared at the grimy carpet in horror. One lone condom package had somehow escaped from the box.
Glow-in-the-Dark, XL-Long.
“Oh, terrific,” she breathed into her hand. Then she darted back under the table and snatched it up.

Chapter Seven

Okay,
Allison mused later,
let me think of ten sure ways to humiliate myself
.
 

 
1. Reveal my embarrassingly bereft love life to my roommate’s boyfriend.
 

 
2. Agree to have him pose as my boyfriend, even though he knows I can’t stand him.
 

3. Lie to my friends by text message.
 

4. Prepare to lie to my friends in person. (I mean, create a really elaborate plan, with sexy girlfriend outfits and everything.)
 

5. Affront the man who’s offered to help me by insulting his taste in music.
 

 
6. Offend the man who’s offered to help me by bad-mouthing his job.
 

7. Discover that Grady knows I think he’s the devil.
 

8. Lie to Grady by telling him my business is going fine. (Not that it’s really any of his business that it isn’t.)
 

9. Blush like a hormonal teenager whenever Grady looks my way. (I mean, come on, Allison. Get a grip!)

10. Make Grady think I want to jump his bones! (Who knew there was a glow-in-the-dark variety? They come in sizes? Seriously?)

“You’re being awfully quiet over there,” Grady said, his voice pitched below the pounding rain. They’d been driving for nearly an hour and Allison hadn’t said a word. Not one little peep. She was frankly too stunned to speak. Even she hadn’t known she was capable of messing things up this badly. Had that all really occurred over the last week? She felt like she ought to win a medal or something. Her cumulative feats were Olympic.
 

“I’m, um…just enjoying the silence,” she said as the rain thrummed harder. To her mind, silence wasn’t simply golden; it was safer than opening her mouth again. Events had transpired so quickly, Allison had scarcely had a chance to process them. Perhaps she’d rushed into this charade with Grady, but the clock had been ticking with her annual beach holiday just seven days away. In any case, it was too late to turn any clocks back now. They were already approaching Boston.

“Why don’t you tell me about your friends?” Grady said chattily.

Allison turned to him with a blank expression on her face. She’d been seriously out of it ever since the restaurant. Grady guessed the pocketbook episode had embarrassed her, but it wasn’t like either of them had to mention it again. Grady certainly didn’t intend to—not unless it somehow came up in another context. For instance, like if Allison was putting the moves on him. Grady gave her a quick perusal from her head down to her boot tips, then back up past her snug-fitting jeans and windbreaker. She wore a powder-blue sweater underneath that picked up the color of her eyes. At the moment those eyes looked distant, as if Grady had spoken in a foreign language. Mandarin, maybe.