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CHAPTER FOUR
Saturday, June 5
I findmyself traveling along the same road Connor, Tori, Ox and I rode along yesterday. Even though it’s much hotter and insanely humid today, I roll the windows down so the breeze can brush against my skin again. Being on the back of the bike with Connor was like nothing I’ve ever felt before. It’s a feeling I’ve been trying to identify since I got back home last night. But I can’t.
I pause when my GPS announces I’ve arrived. I recognize the metal gate where Connor and Ox parked the bikes yesterday. I hadn’t noticed the keypad then, however. I type in the number Connor wrote on the business card and hear a loud buzzing noise as the gate slides open to let me pass. I follow along the gravel drive through a cluster of trees for nearly half a mile before I see the house.
It’s perched on the edge of the riverbank tucked under towering oaks and age-old pines. It’s definitely modern construction, but has this old-world feel to it, as if it was built to look old. There’s a circular drive with a three-tiered fountain in the center. A plaster lion is perched at the top. Two more copper statues of the king of beasts flank a massive wooden door. I ring the bell and a short balding man answers. He says nothing, just simply raises his eyebrows.
“I’m looking for Connor,” I say quietly. “He’s expecting me, although I think I may be a bit early.” I glance at my watch and see it’s ten minutes until three. “I’m Elaine. I mean, that is, Lainey.”
He smiles, hearing me say Lainey, and pulls the door open wider, sweeping his hand back to invite me inside. But he still says nothing. After closing the door, he walks through a massive foyer that reveals a second story above. A rounding staircase offers visitors both the opportunity to go up one side and down the other. I follow the mute little man until we get through a spacious living area dotted with heavy deep couches and accented by a large stone fireplace. A bank of glass doors leads out onto a deck that overlooks the river. The view is spectacular.
I walk outside to see Connor barking out instructions to an army of people moving furniture, setting up tables and arranging some sort of a stage.
“Wow. What’s all this then?” I ask as I step outside. Connor turns and his face instantly lights up seeing me. Holy crap! When was the last time anyone looked at me like that? My heart flutters and my Inner Sex Goddess starts to toss her mane of glossy hair over her shoulders like a woman in a shampoo commercial. Lord, he makes me feel sexy.
“Hey there, Lainey Bird.” He greets me with a big hug and a deep penetrating kiss that has my Inner Sex Goddess now choosing between a black lace teddy and a white silk negligee. I met this man two days ago. Two days. Why does it seem OK for him to be touching me, kissing me and holding me? Inner Sex Goddess ignores the question. Quite frankly, she doesn’t care. And I decide that if she doesn’t care, then I don’t either. I let my arms wrap around him and embrace the lion for a few more kisses.
“I’m glad you found me. I’m having a party.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“It’s my birthday,” he reveals, almost bashfully.
“Your birthday? I didn’t bring you a gift. And a party? Am I dressed all right?”
He glances over me. I’ve ditched the jeans for the day and opted instead for a pair of khaki-colored linen capri pants, a cropped navy tee that shows just a tiny sliver of my stomach and a pair of strappy sandals. I’ve braided my hair and topped my coiffure with a light straw fedora.
“You look great. And you are my gift, Lainey Bird.” He drops another kiss on my cheek. “Ox will be here in a few minutes to oversee the setup for the band. Can you show him down when he gets here? I really want to take a shower.”
“Sure. Is there anything else I can do, old man?” I give him a wink.
Connor looks over me with a salacious glare that immediately sets Inner Sex Goddess completely on fire. “I’m thirty-five today, not old yet. And let’s jump off the bridge of ‘what you can do for me’ later, OK?”
He disappears into the house and I wander to the back deck and find another staircase that leads to the lower level where all the action is. Caterers fill massive smoke pits with huge cuts of pork, sausage and whole chickens. Bartenders scurry about carrying bottles of wine, beer and assorted liquors. Construction workers build a stage complete with professional-looking concert lights and a soundboard that looks like it could launch a space shuttle.
“Hey, it’s the Lainey Bird,” I hear a voice growl behind me. Ox shuffles forward wearing a ripped T-shirt, long cargo shorts and tattered flip-flops. Tori floats behind him wearing a floral printed dress that comes to her knees, a large sunhat and oversized dark sunglasses. She looks amazing.
“Lainey,” she sings out and wraps me in a hug. It somehow feels forced today when it was more friendly last night. “I’m glad you’re here. Where’s Connor?”
“He said he wanted to take a shower, and I should show you to the stage. Not that you need me to. You can’t miss it.”
Ox gives me his warm Santa Claus laugh. “Letting you play hostess, is he?”
I shrug and take Tori’s outstretched hand in mine as she drags me over to the bar. I hear the Santa laugh trail off as Ox makes his way toward the general direction of the stage.
“We need to test your frozen margaritas,” she tells the bartender. “It’s my brother’s party, and everything has to be just right.”
My heart skips a beat. Her brother? Connor is her brother?
“I’m glad we can have a few minutes to chat, just you and me,” she says, handing me a frosty glass with a little yellow umbrella sticking out of it.
“You want to ask me what my intentions are with Connor?” I joke. But her expression is anything but joking. My blood freezes colder than the drink in my hands.
“Yes, actually, I do.” She lowers her sunglasses off of her face and I see the ice in her eyes.
I choke on the swallow of sweet and tart frostiness and stare at her with wide eyes. She’s glaring back at me and, I don’t know why, but I suddenly feel as though I’m guilty of some sort of a trespass.
