As directed, Jack pulled around the side of the main house, driving past a five-bay garage, then a lush pool area and even a putting green. Ahead, he could see the guesthouse, an elegant white cottage, complete with flower-filled window boxes, tall lead-paned windows, and an arched portico to shield the entrance from the elements. It was the upgraded version of a fairy tale, and in Jack’s mind, the sort of place a princess would live. He pulled up in front and strolled to the front door, wondering for about the one hundredth time what in the world he was getting himself into. Maybe he should have just let Lexi twist in the wind when Ross had been talking to her yesterday.
But then he rang the bell, and as soon as she answered, he realized he’d done the exact right thing. She was breathtaking in a simple sleeveless red dress with a plunging neckline. It was hard to know where to look. She had so many spellbinding curves and was truly a feast for the eyes.
“Hi,” Lexi said softly. “Did you find the place okay?”
“I did.” He folded his hands in front of him and peeked inside, waiting for an invitation.
Lexi shook her head as if she was distracted. “I’m sorry. Why don’t you come in for a minute while I grab my bag?”
Jack stepped inside and closed the door behind him. All he could think as he took in a view of the house was that the Alderidge’s guests were very lucky to be able to stay in such a finely appointed place. It was decorated with elegant, but comfortable furnishings like overstuffed sofas and chairs, but everything was upholstered in bright white. Definitely not the place for dogs or children or anything messy. “Beautiful place you’ve got here.”
“Thanks. I’m not staying. This is...temporary. It was an easy choice when I came back to Royal, but I can’t live under my parents’ noses forever.”
“How long have you been back?”
“It’s been almost five months. I was in Houston before this.”
“Gotcha.” Jack didn’t want to let on that he knew about her divorce. But the one thing he didn’t know the details of was the part about being left at the altar. There may have been buzz around Royal, but he hadn’t seen anything online. Perhaps he’d ask about it over dinner. After several glasses of wine. “Are you ready to go? I made a reservation at Sheen for seven thirty.”
Lexi turned and checked her makeup in a mirror hanging on the wall. “You shouldn’t feel like you have to impress me, Jack. I’m happy going anywhere. We could go to the Royal Diner if you want. Great pie. Sheen is so pricy. Or we could go dutch.”
Sheen was a newer restaurant in Royal, housed in a remarkable building made entirely of glass. The cuisine was top-notch, but it did indeed have the price tag to match. “That’s where I want to go. I love the food. That dish the chef makes with the braised beef over Thai noodles? It’s amazing.”
She dropped a lipstick into her bag and cast him a look of surprise. “You’ve been?”
Jack would’ve corrected her if he wasn’t so amused by the things she loved to assume. Plus, he felt that this was a bit of a test of her true colors. “Many times.” He offered his arm. “Now giddyap or we’ll be late.”
Lexi hooked her arm in his and out the door they went, but they didn’t get far before she came to a stop. “Is that your car?”
“It’d better be. It’s what I drove here.”
She cast him a sideways glance. “You love to joke around, don’t you?”
“Guilty as charged. Were you expecting me to be driving something else?”
“No. I mean, yes. Frankly, it does surprise me. I had no idea the construction business was so lucrative.”
Jack rounded to the passenger side and opened the car door for her, laughing under his breath. Any other guy would be more than insulted by Lexi’s comment, but he wasn’t about to let it bother him. If anything, he saw it as a challenge to show her exactly what and who he was. “Lexi, I’m theownerof Bowden Construction. We have millions of dollars in projects going at any one time. You’d be surprised.” She climbed in and he shut the door behind her. “Apparently,” he muttered under his breath as he ambled to his side of the car and climbed in.
She fastened her seat belt and planted her hands in her lap, seeming a bit uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to be rude. I didn’t know.”
Jack slid her a grin and started the ignition. Fake date or not, he didn’t want her to have a bad time. “It’s okay. I don’t judge people. That’s one of the first things you need to learn about me.”
Lexi had to wonder how many more surprises Jack was going to spring on her tonight. First there was the suit—in fine charcoal gray wool, probably Italian, and certainly custom tailored to accommodate his wide, muscled frame. It was a complete turnaround from the T-shirt and jeans he’d been wearing yesterday, and inexplicably, Lexi couldn’t decide which look she liked better. They each held their own sexy appeal. Second was his sleek, refined choice of car. Third, she never imagined he’d opt to take her to a place as chic and sophisticated as Sheen.
Jack had upped the stakes with their fake date. All sorts of people from Royal would see them together at Sheen, including the likes of the Royal Reporters, her ex’s nickname for the locals who circled around juicy pieces of gossip the way bees swarmed to honey. They’d all relished the epic way in which Lexi had been dumped. Her fall from grace had been too delicious for them to pass up. If she was lucky, being on the arm of handsome, impossible-to-miss Jack Bowden might get them to stop chattering about her or at least get them gossiping about her in a different way.
As Jack drove to the restaurant, Lexi couldn’t help but notice the way his big hands handled the steering wheel. She could imagine that if they ever got into a scrape, he would protect her. No man had shielded her from much of anything, aside from perhaps her dad. Maybe that had been her problem when it came to romance—she’d never chosen the right guy.
Stop it, Lexi,she reprimanded herself. This was not a real date. She had zero business getting involved with any man, including Jack, no matter how sexy and intriguing he was. Tonight was for having a bit of fun and for shutting up the Royal rumor mill. If she never heard “left at the altar” again, it would be too soon.
“I don’t want to pry, but I feel like I should ask you about something before we get to the restaurant,” Jack murmured.
Lexi feared what was going to come next, but they were only five minutes or so from arriving at Sheen, so hopefully it wouldn’t be too much of an ordeal. “No guarantees that I’ll answer but feel free.”
“I was hoping you’d tell me what exactly Ross was talking about yesterday. I didn’t want to say anything where someone might overhear. Like at the restaurant. And if it’s too painful to discuss, feel free to punch me in the arm or tell me to mind my own business.”
Lexi couldn’t help but smile, even when this was her least favorite subject of all time. Jack was more than a surprise; he was a true Texas gentleman. She’d been embarrassed more often than she could count in the last six or seven months, and here he was trying to prevent that from happening again. She greatly appreciated the gesture. It almost made her want to tell him every last painful detail.Almost.
