But the smile she gave him wasn’t an act. It felt good to hear his words and take in his appreciation, even if it wasn’t real.
“Ah, yes.” Karen clasped her hands together. “Tonight is going to be wonderful.”
“Shall we?” Kingston offered Olivia his arm, and she took it. He guided her to the Bedfords’ expansive den. A pristine white couch with gold and burnt-orange throw pillows sat in the center of the room, along with a wrought-iron, glass-topped coffee table, rust-colored easy chairs, and a cream shag rug on the floor. Suspended from a white ceiling with oak beams was a black iron chandelier. One wall was covered with tall windows, the gold, forest-green, and rust-colored drapes pulled to the side of each one, revealing a stunning backyard complete with a mosaic-tiled pool.
He dropped her arm as soon as they were in the room. “Wow, she’s laying it on thick, isn’t she?” he whispered. “I’m not surprised, but I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”
“I won’t. I’m used to her, remember?” She walked over to the couch. She hadn’t spent much time at this housecompared to the one in Maple Falls where the Bedfords had lived until all three of their children graduated high school. “I always loved this room,” she said, sitting down on the sofa. So comfy.
“It is nice. Mom’s always had good taste.” He walked over to the bar in the corner of the room and stood behind it. “What would you like?”
“Ginger ale, if it’s available.”
“I’m sure it is. Mom keeps this well stocked.” He pulled out two glasses and set them on the marble countertop.
Olivia settled into the couch and looked outside. Although she didn’t swim, the pool looked inviting. Her body relaxed. She and Anita had spent a lot of evenings here when they were both less busy, and before Anita had married Tanner. The Bedfords were Olivia’s second family.
And I’m lying to them.
“Here.” Kingston handed her the drink and sat next to her, keeping a gentlemanly space between them. “Uh-oh.” He peered at her. “Something’s wrong.”
“I’m feeling a little guilty. Your parents have always been so good to me.” She stared at the bubbles floating in the amber ginger ale.
“Hey.” He set his own ginger ale down on the coffee table and moved closer to her, lowering his voice. “I’ll take full responsibility, okay? It was my idea, after all. I don’t think we have to worry about any fallout, though. We’re breaking up, remember? They’ll never know it’s a ruse.”
She took a sip of her drink. The ginger started soothing her nerves. “Thanks. I hope you’re right.”
“I am.” He smiled. “We’re the ones who should beannoyed, by the way, for being set up like this. Just remember that.”
True. She took another sip. Now would be the time to get out her calendar and discuss when their inevitable breakup was going to happen. Instead, she leaned her head back on the sofa cushions. There would be time for that discussion later.
She glanced at the pool again. “Do you swim here often? I remember you were a fish when we were kids.”
He shook his head. “I think I’ve used the pool twice since they moved here. I never have the time. I should have thought about that, though. We could have brought our suits and taken a dip.”
“I don’t swim.”
“You don’t like to swim, or you don’t know how?”
“Both. I’ll dip my toes in, but that’s it.”
“Are you afraid of the water?”
She looked at him. “I’m so unathletic I’d probably drown in an instant.”
“No,” he said, his voice soothing. “You wouldn’t. You don’t have to be athletic to learn how to swim. I can teach you sometime.”
Her eyebrow rose at the thought of Kingston in a swimsuit. She reined in that emotion, and it was replaced with a new one: embarrassment. She didn’t want him to see her in one. She wasn’t overweight, but her body was disproportionate, and her thighs were thick, which was why she wore skirts all the time. The only time she’d worn shorts in the recent past was when she was playing softball.
“Olivia?”
She hadn’t realized she’d been staring at her drink again. She looked at him, seeing his puzzled look.
“I wouldn’t let anything happen to you,” he said. “I was a lifeguard in high school for two summers at a public pool.”
She already knew that. Then there was the fact that he was a doctor. Performing CPR would be second nature to him. She couldn’t be safer with anyone else than she would be with him. Learning to swim was also an important life skill, although she’d done just fine avoiding water for most of her life.
“It would be fun,” he continued. “I’m sure Mom wouldn’t mind us borrowing the pool for an afternoon or evening.”
