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“Is it working?” Trent asked, while he tried to keep his son from reaching for the food on the plate.
“Yeah, so far.” Curt thought of his neighbors and cringed. “More or less, anyway.”
“Either a disguise works or it doesn’t.” Gray put his own plate down on the kitchen island, then went back to the refrigerator. When he came back he carried a container of baby strawberry yogurt and a baby-sized spoon. “Kiera got Kendrick’s favorite at the store.” He passed the spoon and yogurt to Trent. “Which is it, Curt?”
“I’ve only met the women who live next door. The three of them know I’m an author, but that’s it.”
Next to him Trent fed his son the yogurt, but the baby kept eyeing the food on his father’s plate instead. Curt didn’t blame the kid. Given the choice between strawberry yogurt and the roasted chicken Provençal Kiera had prepared, he wouldn’t want the yogurt either.
“Three women living next door. Is one of them the reason you’re not interested in Linda’s number?” Gray asked, his eyebrow cocked knowingly.
“Linda reminds me of Miranda. You know why I ended it with her,” Curt offered as an answer.
“Can’t disagree with you on that one. I’ve only run into Linda a few times, but I get the same impression. Derek would know better. He works with her.” Gray walked away again and returned with three bottles of sparkling water. “But Linda would provide a little distraction. You’ve got to do something besides hide out up there in New Hampshire. Or is one of your new neighbors providing you with that?”
“Yeah, but not in the way you mean.” At least not yet. “Yesterday Taylor and I went for coffee. Saturday, I’m taking her for dinner.”
“But she doesn’t know who you are?” Trent set aside the yogurt container and started on his own meal.
“Like I said, Taylor and her mom, Priscilla, know I’m C.S. Hilton. Besides, we’re only going for dinner.” He didn’t look at either of his cousins when he answered.
Gray narrowed his eyes and looked at him. “She lives with her mother. Exactly how old is she?”
“Don’t go there. She’s a DEA agent in Boston. She lives next door with her mother and niece. I don’t know the specifics, but Reese’s mom isn’t around. Taylor and Priscilla are bringing her up.”
Trent laughed. “You’re going to take a
federal agent out for dinner and not tell her who you are? You realize she might figure it out, right? Investigating is part of her job.”
“He’s right,” Gray agreed with a shake of his head. “Can’t believe I just said that.”
“She believes I’m Curt Hilton, an author from Boston who likes to renovate old houses. Why would she investigate anything?”
“And what happens if you decide you want more than one dinner out, dude?” Gray asked, bringing up something Curt had already considered.
Trent gave up trying to keep Kendrick from sampling his roasted chicken, and raised his fork containing the tiniest amount toward the baby’s mouth. “You’re asking for trouble. Take my word for it, women don’t like secrets.”
“Damn it. I have to agree with Trent again.” Gray sounded disgusted. “And secrets have a way of coming out. Much better to be up-front with her now. Either that or avoid your neighbors altogether, if you really want them to believe you’re Curt Hilton.”
Taylor intrigued him too much to stay away. And he saw no reason she’d suspect he was anything more than he told her. “Trust me, it’s no big deal. Everything’ll be fine.”
Both Gray and Trent laughed knowingly. “Famous last words if I ever heard ’em,” Trent said with a smirk.
Gray smiled and shared his comment, too. “Yep. Make sure you let us know when it blows up in your face.”
Chapter Five
He’d done his research. According to the Internet, Pellegrino in Windham was the perfect restaurant for tonight. It offered a diverse Italian menu, was several notches above the average chain restaurant, but at the same time it wasn’t so expensive the prices would raise any questions in Taylor’s mind. Questions that might kick her into investigator mode. Thanks to his cousins and their comments, he kept remembering what she did for a living. If she went there, it wouldn’t be too difficult for her to learn the truth. His full legal name was on record as the owner of the house. It would be easy enough to visit the town hall and obtain the information.
Wednesday night, he considered coming clean with Taylor and her mom. They’d invited him over for dinner again and he’d accepted. After spending three days alone in his house, he’d appreciated the chance for human contact. Much like on his first visit, Reese gave them the 411 on her day at school. Once she stopped talking long enough to put some food in her mouth, Priscilla told him about some of the upcoming events in town. Apparently, starting in the spring, a farmers’ market was set up every Wednesday on the village green, and one could find everything from local honey to unique cheeses for sale there. The town also held several free concerts on the village green in the summer. In July the town sponsored a fireworks display, although Priscilla did say a lot of residents did their own. She’d made a point to remind him of the town’s Old Home Day celebration at the end of the summer. He had no idea what it was, but he got the impression it was a big deal in Pelham. Once she filled him on everything the town offered, she asked about his progress on the house. That had taken them through the rest of dinner. Afterward, he returned home and again told himself it didn’t matter at this point. If somehow things between him and Taylor developed past a casual relationship, he’d come clean. No need to rush anything.
Since then, he’d only seen Taylor once. Unable to sleep, he’d started work early Friday morning. He’d been carrying scraps from the kitchen out to the rented dumpster when Taylor jogged past. She’d mentioned often running in the morning, but this had been the first time he’d seen her. She’d been dressed in running shorts and a sports bra. Like he’d already guessed, she had knockout body. Lean and toned, she had great muscle definition, but didn’t look like she spent every waking hour either in the gym or counting each calorie she put in her mouth. His last girlfriend had lived on lettuce and water. She’d spent crazy hours on a treadmill or in either a Pilates or yoga class. He’d hated taking Miranda out to eat. She’d order something small off the menu, then sit there and look at it while he enjoyed whatever meal he got. Standing next to her, he’d felt like he was with a paper doll who might fly away if the wind blew.
Curt didn’t need to worry about Taylor flying away. He’d also seen her eat. While not an overeater, at least the times he’d been around, she had a healthy appetite. She even indulged in dessert, if their coffee date was anything to go by. She’d not only polished off a large slice of pie, but had brought an entire one home with her to share with Priscilla. He’d taken one home, too. It had lasted one day. He’d considered going back for another several times since then. Depending on how things progressed tonight, they could meet up tomorrow and grab some pie for breakfast.
What happens if you decide you want more than one dinner out, dude? Women don’t like secrets. Curt pictured Gray and Trent saying the words as he grabbed his car keys off his nightstand.
“Go with it for now.” He put on the glasses he’d adopted since moving.
