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“Knowing Cait, I’m guessing she didn’t want to spoil the surprise. Although I’m eager to hear all about this crush you had whenever you’re ready.”
Her cheeks flame again and she glances away.
If I didn’t already know that Mika came with Cait’s seal of approval, her reaction to my car shouts loud and clear that she’s no gold digger. Before I start the engine, I glance over to see her holding her elbows like she’s afraid to mar the surface of the door. “Mika?”
She brings her gaze up to me. “It’s just a car. You won’t hurt it, but even if you did, I’d rather you were comfortable.”
I pointedly stare at her arms, and she follows my gaze. “Oh!” She laughs self-consciously. “I didn’t want to hit any buttons accidentally. This is more of a spaceship than a car.”
“That’s why it’s fun.” This vehicle was my mid-life indulgence. It’s not the most wild and crazy thing out there, nor does it shout desperate like a red convertible, but for the first time in my life I didn’t calculate the cost per mile first. It’s technically a hybrid, but electricity isn’t free either.
Mrs. Holst at the B&B is as gossipy as ever. Not that she says anything, but her eyes are sparkling with excitement when I enter the reception area with Mika. “Mrs. H., good to see you looking well. Can you check Mika out while we get her bags?” I don’t wait for a reply, simply steering my girl towards the stairs.
Mika still seems in a bit of a daze, but she’s sharp enough to note as she slips her key into the lock. “You seem awfully familiar with this place.”
I smirk. In this case, a little hint of jealousy is a good sign. “Mrs. Holst was my third-grade teacher. I helped her with the financing when she wanted to open this place after thirty years of teaching. But that won’t stop her from telling everyone far and wide that we came up to your room together, so let’s get a move on.”
Mika looks amused but dutifully scans the room for any missing items while I check the bathroom and gather up her cosmetic bag. She’s left everything essentially packed, so it only requires slipping a few things into her one suitcase and zipping it closed.
I carry the bag down for her and slip Mrs. Holst my credit card before Mika can protest. I was going to pay for it anyway, even before I knew she was being sent for me. Now I can see that spoiling Mika with outrageous, frivolous things will keep me entertained for years.
Mrs. Holst is fit to bursting with questions and since I’m feeling generous, I tell her, “Mika and I are headed to the lake house for a month. Something of a pre-honeymoon, so let me know if she left anything behind.”
I know perfectly well she didn’t, but this way the town won’t speculate about our relationship, just the size and color scheme of the wedding while Mika has her way with me at the lake. If I can get her past her nerves, that is.
Mika
The strangeness of the day catches up to me about an hour outside of town. Tanner asked me before we left if I wanted to detour for an early dinner, but I honestly thought my stomach would rebel all over his perfectly detailed car. So I said no.
But now that I’m blinking awake in the darkness of the countryside, I’m ravenous. I glance over at Tanner. The dim lights of the dashboard are illuminating his chiseled features, making him resemble something out of a really good science fiction movie. Or one of those action thrillers where the hot guy saves the world through mental brilliance and superhero driving.
“Are we getting close?” I ask quietly, not wanting to startle him. He glances over with a slight smile.
“About thirty minutes. Need to stop?”
I shake my head. “Just starving.”
He nods. “The chef at the lodge stocked the refrigerator this morning, so there should be plenty to choose from.”
“Lodge?”
“One of those mountain resorts, full of rich people getting back to nature from the hot tub on the chalet deck,” he says ironically.
“You own it, don’t you?”
“Yep.”
I smile into the darkness. I expected to like Caitlyn’s brother. She talked about him all the time. But I didn’t know that I would like mogul Tanner Finlay as a person.
The lake house turns out to be more of a mini resort of its own. It’s several stories, with many peaked roofs and walls that are almost entirely windows. It is a lake house, seeing as how the lakeside end is actually built on piers over the water. All of this I can see from the darkened car as we park in the driveway because lights are everywhere. They’re in the landscaping. I think there are even some underwater flood lights illuminating the dock leading out into the still water.
“How many people live here?” I ask nervously. I’m not sure if being alone with Tanner will help or hinder my anxiety, but it will definitely put a hold on any PDAs.
“Just us. There are housecleaners that come through periodically, but they live in the staff cottages nearer the lodge.”
“It’s beautiful,” I say with all sincerity.
“Thanks. Let’s get you fed.”
