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Maybe they could be friends.
Warmth entered Tanner’s voice when he said, “I don’t know if I said it but thanks for coming with me this weekend.”
“I didn’t know that I had a choice.”
He held the door as they stepped inside. “I’m afraid you’re right about that. But I do hope it isn’t too awful for you.”
* * *
Tanner was pleased with Whitney’s reception by his colleagues. They had seemed to like her and she’d handled herself well, even with Charlotte. She had easily read the tension between Charlotte and him and had managed to make a joke out of it. That was a talent he admired. At his guffaw of laughter everyone had looked. To them they must have appeared as two lovers enjoying themselves.
In the house again they passed Kevin going to the front door and he told them what room they were in. Tanner led Whitney up the stairs, to the right and down the hallway to a door at the end. He opened it wide in order to allow her to enter first. When she hesitated he looked back to find her staring at the opening.
“I’m not so sure about this,” she said, shaking her head slightly.
“The weekend, the room or staying with me?”
“How about all of it?”
Tanner glanced down the hall. Thank goodness no one was around. “At least come in to talk about it.”
He reached for her but she stepped away. His hand fell to his side. After a moment she entered. He joined her and closed the door. Unsure what to do to make her feel more comfortable, he simply waited near the door.
Whitney’s attention appeared fixated on the queen-size four-poster bed against the far wall. Thankfully there was a small sofa under one of the windows. That would be his sleeping spot for the next three nights. Not that he was looking forward to it.
“Why don’t we have a seat?” He pointed toward the sofa.
She moved as if her shoes were weights. There she sat on the edge of the cushion, looking as if she would run at any moment. Finally she said, “I’m not particularly comfortable with lying to all these people.”
A little charm and persuasion was needed here. “Have we lied? I introduced you as a girlfriend. I don’t think that’s such a stretch.”
“We’re really more like colleagues, though.”
Whitney wouldn’t be an easy sale. “Okay, colleagues. Still we can be friends.”
“Those usually know more about each other than we do. I know little about you and you know nothing about me.”
“Sure I do. You’re a businesswoman with the ability to read people. You understand what helps people relax. You know how to put them at ease. And you like nice cars. You did great back there, by the way.” Why was she all of a sudden so antsy? She’d seemed confident at the pool. Was she afraid to be alone with him? Did she sense his physical reaction to her?
When he’d initially placed his hand on her waist it had been for show, but as they’d made their way around the pool, and especially in front of Charlotte, it had become a protective action. Whitney pulled at something in him that he had no intention of examining or exploring.
She scooted back on the sofa, resting more easily in the cushions. “If you don’t mind, I would rather not go to the pool. I’ll just stay here and unpack.”
He wouldn’t push her. For now he’d just let her get used to the idea of being here with him. “That’s fine. I’ll see what Marie has planned for this evening and come back to get you.”
“Okay.”
“Is there anything special you would like to do while we’re in Napa? We don’t have to be underfoot here all the time.” Maybe if they did something she enjoyed she would settle down some. He certainly didn’t need her panicking and heading back to San Francisco.
“I don’t know.” She pursed her lips. “Maybe a tour of the winery?”
“Sounds good to me. If one isn’t planned then we’ll take one ourselves.”
She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“I’ll leave you to unpack.” He headed for the door. “I’ll see you in a little while.”
Tanner returned an hour later to find Whitney asleep in the middle of the bed. It was early for a nap. Had she been up the night before, worrying about coming with him this weekend? Through their meetings she’d proved herself intelligent and a woman who took little guff from people, or at least him. So why wouldn’t she take the weekend at face value? Was she that distrustful of men or just him? She didn’t strike him as insecure.
Why did he care? He had no intention of becoming emotionally involved with Whitney. The more he knew about her the more invested he would be in her life. He didn’t want or need that. In fact, that implied caring and he wasn’t going to take that step. Caring equated to hurt. He’d seen that clearly with his parents.
They’d get through this weekend and go back to being matchmaker and client.
Whitney looked so peaceful that he hated to wake her but Marie had made plans for everyone that afternoon. He placed a hand on Whitney’s shoulder and gave her a gentle shake. She blinked then her eyes popped wide open. They were pretty eyes, almost as nice as her smile. The kind that saw into a person.
“Hey, the women are going into town for lunch and some shopping while the men go to the club to play golf.”
“Is it necessary for me to go?” she asked after a yawn.
“If you don’t mind, I wish you would. I wouldn’t want to hurt Marie’s feelings.” Tanner wouldn’t make it a demand. He’d made enough of those.
“Oh, of course.” Sitting up and trying to unrumple her clothing, she said in a convincingly sincere tone, “I don’t want to do that either.”
If anything, Whitney had a kind heart. Maybe that was why her business as a matchmaker was so successful.
“I’ll tell you what—” he reached for his wallet in his back pocket “—why don’t you buy something nice for yourself? It’s the least I can do for you helping me out this weekend.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“Maybe not, but I’d like to. You could maybe get a new outfit.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Something more fitted.”
Whitney raised a brow. “Thank you but I don’t need you to buy clothes for me.”
“I just thought you might enjoy going more if you could buy something new.”
She rolled off the bed and faced him. “I don’t need your money.”
Tanner held up a hand. “Whoa, whoa. I didn’t intend to insult you. Whatever you wear is fine with me. I was just thinking you must be covering up some nice curves under those loose-fitting clothes.” He handed her a few bills. “Just take this. Get whatever you want. Or don’t. Marie said to meet in the lobby in half an hour. I’ll see you later.”
He was out the door before she could argue more. Had he touched an exposed nerve?
* * *
Whitney stood in the lobby, waiting for the other women. She wasn’t looking forward to the foray into town, especially if Charlotte was going. Whitney had known more than her share of Charlotte’s type growing up but she refused to revert back to that timid, sensitive girl who had hidden behind her weight. She’d worked too hard to let the Charlottes of the world control her life anymore.
She clutched her purse. The money Tanner had given her was inside. He’d paid enough attention to her that he’d noticed her clothes? Had wondered about her curves? Heat filled her at the idea. But he’d said he wanted her to have something that fit her better. She looked at herself in the large mirror in the grand hallway. Did she have the confidence to wear a tight dress? Have him see her in it? She’d spent so many years covering up, could she let go enough to do that?
Soon she was in a limousine with Marie, Charlotte, Lucy, Ellen and Sue Ann, all of whom she had met at the pool. To Whitney’s great distress, Charlotte took a seat next to her.
With
her nose pointed down, Charlotte said as if they were new best friends, “So what brought you and Tanner together? You don’t seem his type.”
Marie came to her rescue. “How about a glass of champagne on our way to town?”
Whitney didn’t normally drink much and certainly not in a limo. Still, she gratefully accepted Marie’s offered glass of the bubbly liquid.
“So where did you meet Tanner?” Charlotte persisted.
Her tone was far too condescending for Whitney. In the past women like Charlotte had made her life miserable. Now it was happening again. Why she’d ever agreed to this weekend Whitney didn’t know. It wouldn’t be over soon enough to suit her. She took a sip of champagne in the hope it would fortify her. “We met in college.”
Charlotte gave her a sly smile, as if she had set her trap. “Really? I knew Tanner in college as well. I don’t remember you.”
She wouldn’t. People like Charlotte didn’t notice people like her unless forced to.
“I was there nonetheless. We had a couple of undergrad classes together.”
