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Melissa had played the part of dutiful girlfriend. But never laying it on too thick. An occasional touch or grab of my hand. No huge PDAs, though. Thank God.
Marianne assumed that me being a warm-blooded man, and Marissa being a gorgeous actress on the rise—that we were sharing a bed. Therefore, Marianne had our bags in one bedroom.
With one bed.
My plan was—
Well.
I didn’t have one.
But I planned to eventually have a plan.
“Look, we’re both adults. We can share the bed,” she said to me as she picked through her suitcase on the bed.
I stood there awkwardly for a moment or two before I picked up my small bag. “I’m not tired yet. I think I’ll go watch TV downstairs for a while.”
Her eyes locked on mine, and she gave me a sad smile. “Cash, she’s here with her fiancé.”
My grip on the strap of the bag tightened. “I know that, Marissa.”
She sighed and picked up something pink and silky. I tried my best not to look. “All I’m saying is—she’s down the hall—in bed with her fiancé right now.”
I nodded, not wanting to think of Jillian in anyone’s bed.
Except mine.
“I realize that.” I cleared my throat and moved toward the door.
Just as my hand touched the doorknob, Marissa called out, “Cash.”
I spun my head back to look at her.
She stared at me and said, “She’s not worth it.”
My guts twisted because I wanted to answer back. I wanted to tell her how—worth it—Jillian was. Instead, I nodded and said, “See ya later. Thanks again for coming along.”
Her shoulders slumped, and she sighed and went back to her suitcase.
I opened the door and closed it quietly behind me. The hallway was dimly lit by a light coming from downstairs. Everything was quiet, and that gave me a small bit of peace.
But not much.
Once I was downstairs, I wandered into the kitchen. I’d already had eaten more cookies and tarts than any human being should consume in a lifetime. If I were back in Las Vegas, I’d go out to the country bar and sing at the open mic. Or sneak into the rink and take shots until I felt bone tired and ready to collapse.
There was a backyard rink here that Wes had pointed out on my tour. I walked over to the huge wall of windows on the back of the house. It was dark. Nobody would see me out there.
I walked to the front closet to grab my coat. Then I strode back into the kitchen and continued over to the side door. It led to a huge indoor pool and a cozy hot tub. The humidity in the pool area hit me as I opened the door and walked inside. Maybe after the rink, I’d take a quick dip in the pool.
I’d already changed into my gray sweats and Lexi had insisted we bring our skates. There was some kind of holiday skating on the river tomorrow and she wanted all of us to go.
Through the pool area, there was a door at the back. Marianne had made sure there was a big porch built on. It acted as a warming shack in the winter and a place to store hockey sticks and pucks, skates, and whatever else you’d need outside on a cold winter day.
I opened the door to the back porch and sat down on one of the wooden benches. I opened my bag and yanked out my skates. After I slipped them on, I realized I’d left my gloves upstairs. I swore until I spotted a basket labeled “Gloves.”
Brilliant.
Marianne thought of everything.
