The Tates lead us to a pair of overstuffed leather sofas facing the lake. I sit down first, and Drew is careful to keep a foot of space between us when he sits next to me.
“Something to drink?” Peter offers. “We have white or red wine, sparkling water, beer, diet Coke . . .”
“Sparkling water, please.” I need to keep my wits about me tonight.
“Same for me,” Drew says.
“You have a beautiful view,” I tell Danielle. The sun looks like it’s falling into the lake through a pillow of orange clouds.
“Thanks, honey. So, Drew,” Danielle says in a teasing tone. “You’ve been keeping Alexandra a secret, huh?”
“Well, you know how it is,” he says, meeting my eye with a wink. “I wanted to keep her to myself for a little bit.”
I feel a rush of heat spread across my cheeks. I wouldn’t have thought Drew Malone was the winking type, but it’s pretty hot.
And from the way Danielle’s grinning, I can tell she thinks so too. If Drew’s not careful, Nina won’t be the only Tate with a crush on him, and then we’ll really have a problem.
Peter returns with our drinks. “Is Nina upstairs?” he asks Danielle. “Should I let her know our guests are here?”
But at that moment, a side door opens and Nina makes an entrance.
And what an entrance it is. She’s wearing a pink bikini, and even though she’s dripping wet, there’s no towel in sight.
“Oh!” she says, feigning surprise at the sight of Drew and me. She starts toward us, leaving wet footprints on the hardwood floor. “Drew! I’m so sorry, I was in the hot tub and I guess I lost track of time. I didn’t realize it was so late.”
As she gets closer, I can see that she’s dry from the neck up. Her glossy dark hair has been artfully piled on top of her head, and her makeup is impeccable.
Lost track of time, my ass. I catch Peter and Danielle Tate exchanging a look, and I can tell they don’t believe it either.
“I’ll get changed super-quick, I promise.” Nina turns and prances up the stairs, and a moment later, I hear a shower go on.
“We should have told you to bring bathing suits,” Danielle says to Drew and me. “You two could have tried the hot tub.”
“Next time,” Peter says hospitably.
“Sure,” Drew says.
I nod, although I know it will never happen. The next time they invite Drew to dinner, our relationship will probably be long over. And even if it isn’t, I’ll conveniently forget my bathing suit.
I’m far too aware of Drew when he’s sitting a foot away from me, fully clothed. Sharing a hot tub with him would be a mistake.
“So, Alexandra,” Danielle says. “Tell us how you and Drew met. Peter mentioned you work together?”
I glance at Drew, and remember what he said about sticking close to the truth. “Yes, we both work at the hospital,” I say. “I first noticed Drew in line at the coffee shop. I didn’t know who he was, but I guessed he was a doctor, because he had that energy, you know?”
“Big Doctor Energy,” Danielle says with a giggle.
“Something like that,” I agree, and Drew rolls his eyes. “So then . . .”
I trail off as Nina reappears, wearing skinny jeans and a low-cut purple top. She sits on the sofa on the other side of Drew, so close that their thighs are touching, and I get a whiff of her perfume. It’s something sultry, maybe Chanel, and she’s wearing a good amount of it.
Drew scoots toward me to give her space, and now there are only six inches between us.
“Don’t let me interrupt, Allison,” Nina says brightly. “Were you telling a story?”
“It’s Alexandra,” Drew corrects, and Danielle frowns at Nina.
“Oh, of course, Alexandra,” Nina says.
