Undeniable Read online

  “Bye, Mom.” I left her mid-sentence, unwilling to hear another lecture about putting off marriage and family. I had no idea if that was in the cards for me and didn’t feel any burning desire to make it happen. I had my hands full with professional goals.

  Thank God Frannie had just gotten engaged to Mack—our mother could nag her about kids now.

  From the inn’s lobby, which was starting to get crowded with guests coming down from their rooms for breakfast, I headed for my parents’ wing, which was the original farmhouse, although it had been expanded and remodeled many times over the last 100 years.

  I let myself in the side door, which led directly into the kitchen, where I found Oliver leaning against the counter, drinking a cup of coffee, and looking at his phone. He was showered and dressed, and his hair was still a little damp, so it looked darker than it really was. His shorts made me laugh—they were red.

  “Good morning,” he said, looking up from the screen. “What’s so funny?”

  “Your shorts. They remind me of prom.”

  He grinned. “Oh, right. I forgot about that. What a bunch of douchebags we were.”

  “Finally, something we can agree on.” I stuck a pod in the Keurig and grabbed a coffee cup. “So what’s the scoop for today?”

  “I figured we’d take a drive, so I can show you the place I want you to see.”

  “How long is the drive?” I asked, watching my cup fill.

  “Not long at all. But I was thinking we could stay there for the night.”

  Suspicious, I peered at him over one shoulder. “Stay there for the night?”

  “Sure.” He drank his coffee, crossing his feet at the ankles.

  “Like, in a hotel or something?”

  He hesitated. “Or something.”

  Sighing, I pulled my cup from the machine and turned to face him. “I’m not sharing a room with you, Oliver.”

  “Okay.”

  “This isn’t some kind of reunion for us.”

  “I get it.”

  “And if I don’t want to stay wherever it is you’re taking me, I’m not staying.”

  “Fair enough.”

  I took a tiny sip of the hot coffee and regarded him. He was being awfully agreeable, for him. He looked handsome and relaxed, like he didn’t have a care in the world. His soft blue chambray shirt—tucked in, sleeves rolled up—had nary a wrinkle, and the close fit showed off his athletic build. Lean and muscular, but not beefy. For a brief moment, I pictured him naked, and my stomach tightened. I shoved the image from my head.

  “What should I pack?” I asked.

  “Nothing too fancy. Comfortable clothes are fine. You’ll want a bathing suit. Sneakers. Jeans and a sweatshirt in case it gets cool.”

  “A bathing suit?” I cocked my head. “Where on earth are you taking me?”

  “It’s a secret,” he teased, his eyes lighting up. “Just trust me.”

  “Says the boy responsible for my broken leg.”

  Oliver looked offended. “I didn’t force you to jump off that roof. You took the bet. And I broke a bone too, you know.”

  “You didn’t even have the thing you bet!”

  “Okay, not one of my finer moments, I agree, but we had plenty of good times too. Remember when we were twelve and spied on Hughie and Sylvia making out on the front porch?”

  I laughed. “Oh yeah. God, they were so mad.”

  “And how about the time we took my dad’s Cadillac out for a spin?”

  “Definitely worth the punishment,” I said, gleeful at the memory.

  “And my mom still doesn’t know which one of us knocked over her grandmother’s porcelain vase playing Ghostbusters tag in the house.”

  I sipped my coffee. “You’re welcome.”

  His slow, devious smile took me back years. “Thanks. Now go home and pack your bag, then text me your address. I’ll pick you up at ten.”

  “We’re leaving that soon?”

  “No time to waste, Dimples.”

  “Do you have to call me that?” I asked. It’s not that I disliked the nickname so much, but it suggested a certain closeness between us I didn’t want him to assume.

  “Yes,” he answered.

  “Why?”

  “Because I like the way it bothers you.”

  I glared at him and left the kitchen without saying goodbye.

  On my way home, I called April and filled her in.

  “Oh my God, I wonder where he’s taking you!” she squealed.

  “I have no idea. He says it’s a secret.”

  “A secret trip? That’s kind of fun.”

  “Maybe. But if I don’t get in touch within two days, check the trunk of his car.”

  She laughed. “Deal.”

  8

  Oliver

  NOW

  I knocked on the front door of Chloe’s Traverse City condo a few minutes after 10:00 A.M.

  “Coming!” Her voice carried through the screens of her open windows. A moment later, she pulled open the door. “Hey. Come on in.”

  “Hey.” I stepped inside and she closed the door behind me. Her place was long and narrow, with a living room at the front and kitchen/dining area at the back. Her furniture was neutral with very few frills or homey touches like pillows or blankets, or even art on the walls. But the wood floors were nice and the kitchen cabinets were bright white, and the stone counters looked shiny and uncluttered.

  “I just need a few more minutes,” she said, heading up a carpeted staircase to the left. “You know, it would really help if I knew where I was going. We’ll only be gone one night, right?”

  Out of her sight, I winced. “Yeah, about that …”

  She appeared again at the bottom of the steps, hands on her hips. “About what?”

  I did my best to play it cool. Everything depended on my being able to convince her to trust me. “Well, I had a couple different ideas. One was that when we’re done with our business-related trip, we could head up to my family’s place in Harbor Springs.”

  She eyeballed me. “Why?”

  “For fun, Chloe. When’s the last time you took a vacation?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “See? You’re due for a break. It’s not too far, the weather is supposed to be gorgeous all week. Hughie and Charlotte’s families will be there too, celebrating Gran’s ninetieth. I know she’d love for you to be there too.”

  To my surprise, she actually appeared to be considering it. “I do like your family’s place.”

  “We can swim, take the boat out, go waterskiing, play croquet, some tennis, have drinks on the front porch …”

  “It sounds tempting.”

  “Doesn’t it? Come on, you deserve it. Give yourself a few days off, come say hi to my family, and you’ll go back to work refreshed and rested and ready to get started on our new venture.”

  She pinned me with a stare, arching one brow. “I haven’t agreed to that venture yet.”

  “You will.”

  Heaving a sigh, she turned around and started up the stairs again. “Come up here. I need help packing.”

  “Happy to.” I watched her ascend, finding it impossible to keep my eyes off her legs in those little shorts she had on. Her limbs weren’t long by any means, but they were strong and smooth and I remembered them wrapped around me like it was yesterday. “I’m just going to grab something from my car. I’ll come up in a sec.”

  “Okay. Just let yourself back in.”

  I went out the front door and popped open the back of my SUV. I had several things back there: the small overnight bag I’d used at Cloverleigh, a larger duffle bag for a few days in Harbor Springs, a large black backpack full of everything we’d need for the overnight hike I’d planned, and a medium-sized charcoal pack I’d bought for Chloe. With a quick prayer she’d agree to the hike, I grabbed the pack and headed back inside.

  At the top of the stairs in her condo, there was a bathroom and two doors off a long hallway. The closest one was open
and revealed what appeared to be a guest bedroom and office. It held a twin bed, a nightstand with a lamp, and a desk. I continued down the hall toward the second door, which was also open.

  Chloe looked up at me from where she was staring at piles of folded clothing on her neatly made bed. “You can come in. It’s fine.”

  I eased into the room and set the backpack on her bed.

  She looked at it strangely. “What’s that?”

  “It’s a backpack for hiking.”

  “I can see that.” She met my eyes warily. “What’s it doing on my bed?”

  “Well, you’ll need one for our overnight hike, and I wasn’t sure you had one, so I picked it up for you, ” I said, dropping into an easy chair in one corner of her room. “You’re welcome.”

  She stared at me for a few more seconds. “Overnight hike?”

  “You’re gonna love it.”

  “An overnight hike … with you?”

  I locked my fingers behind my head. “Obviously.”

  “Where are we going to sleep?”

  “In a tent. I’ve already got it packed in my backpack, so you don’t have to worry about the weight of it,” I said, hoping to sound thoughtful and generous.

  “One tent?”

  “There’s a sleeping pad and bag tucked into your pack already—hope you don’t mind I picked them out for you, but they’re top of the line, of course”—

  “Of course.”

  —“and I have all the food and water we’ll need as well. All you need are some clothes and a few other items.”

  For a second, she said nothing. Then she shook her head. “You’re unbelievable.”

  “It’s nothing, really. Just think of it all as an early birthday present.” I smiled benevolently.

  She grabbed a pile of clothing and shoved it back into a dresser drawer. “I’m not thanking you, Oliver. Because I’m not going on an overnight hike with you. So you can take the gifts back to the store.”

  “What do you mean, not going?”

  “You heard me.” She tossed another pile into a drawer.

  “You have to go,” I argued. “You said I had one week to convince you. You promised to listen. You said you’d take the trip with me.”

  “I didn’t know it involved sleeping next to you in a tent!” she said hotly, slamming one drawer and opening another. “God, I can’t believe I didn’t see this coming.”

  “Hey. We had a deal. You shook on it.” I rose to my feet in protest, like it was me who’d been duped. “Are you going back on your word?”

  Facing me, she stuck her hands on her hips. “I shook on that deal under false pretenses. You should have told me up front what this involved. It was bad enough when I thought we’d have separate hotel rooms, but one tent?”

  “Fine. Maybe I should have been more forthcoming with the details.” I held up my palms. “Mea culpa. But I honestly didn’t think it would be that big a deal. You like hiking. You like camping. I didn’t want both of us to have to carry a tent—it seemed like a waste of weight and space in your pack. And the place we’re going is so beautiful, I thought you’d enjoy spending the night there.”

  “That’s not the issue and you know it. I told you this morning I wouldn’t share a room with you, and you said okay. You lied.”

  “No, I didn’t! It’s not a room. It’s a tent,” I said, as if that made it better, not worse.

  She shook her head. “You’re despicable.”

  “I promise to behave.”

  “Ha! When have you ever done that?”

  “I’m serious, Chloe.” I moved closer to her. “I solemnly swear I will not lay one finger on you, I will not say or do anything suggestive, and I will zip myself up into my sleeping bag and stay on my side of the tent. You can sleep with a frying pan in your bag, and if I come near you, you can hit me over the head with it.”

  A smile made her lips twitch.

  “Come on. Say yes. It’ll be fun.”

  “What if I say yes now and change my mind? Is that an option or will I be stranded in the wilderness?”

  “You will not be stranded. If you don’t want to stay overnight, you don’t have to. We’ll get on the ferry and come home.”

  “Ferry?” She looked curious. “Is it an island?”

  I grinned, feeling victory swell in my chest. “Just fill your pack with lightweight clothing good for hot and cool weather. Layers are good. Hat and sunglasses. Sunscreen. I’ve got bug repellent, water purification tablets, and toilet paper.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I have to share a roll of toilet paper with you? That might actually be worse than sharing a tent.”

  I laughed. “You’ll survive. Pack a different bag with your things for the cottage and we’ll keep it in my car.”

  “Okay. Will I need anything fancy?”

  “Nah.”

  “But your mom likes people to dress for dinner.”

  I shrugged. “You can wear anything you like.”

  “Are you sure it’s okay that you’re bringing me to your family reunion?”

  “I’m positive, but if it makes you feel better, I’ll call my mom right now and let her know you’re coming.”

  “Please do that. Thank you.”

  I headed for the door. “Just give me a shout when you’re ready, and I’ll help you carry everything to the car.”

  “Okay.”

  I went downstairs and pulled my phone from my pocket. But after giving it a moment’s thought, I went outside to make the call.

  9

  Chloe

  NOW

  Unbelievable.

  How had he done it? One moment I was putting my clothes back in my dresser, and the next I was pulling things out again, tucking them into a backpack so I could go on an overnight hike with Oliver Ford Pemberton.

  Just the two of us!

  Sleeping in a tent!

  Alone!

  Together!

  It was just like him. He’d known perfectly well what he was up to last night, and he should have told me everything. Instead he’d waited until I had already shaken on the deal and promised to hear him out, knowing I wasn’t someone who went back on my word. Then he fudged the truth about staying overnight together.

  “Asshole,” I muttered.

  After everything he’d done, where did he get the nerve? I’d admire it, if I wasn’t so irritated that he always seemed to get his way. As I stuck items into the bottom of the pack, starting with sweatpants and extra socks, I heard him go out the front door. A moment later I heard him speaking through my open bedroom windows.

  “Hi, Mom.” A pause. “It was fine, not much traffic at all.”

  Underwear. Sports bra. Soft T-shirt to sleep in.

  “Everyone is good. Aunt Daphne said she’d love to come for the Fourth, but they’re too busy at the inn.” Silence. Laughter. “I know, I tried. But Chloe and I are definitely coming.”

  Pair of flip-flops. Bathing suit. Tank top. Hat.

  “Yeah. I am too. But remember, you can’t say anything about it. Not yet.”

  Huh? What was he talking about? Our partnership?

  I went over to the window and peeked out. He stood on my front walk facing a shiny black SUV I figured was his.

  “I know, Mom, but we just prefer it this way. At least for now. It took a lot for me to get back in her good graces. I don’t want to blow it.”

  You’re not back in my good graces! I felt like shouting. Not after you just duped me into taking an overnight trip with you!

  Moving away from the window, I whipped off my shirt, exchanged my regular bra for a halter bikini top, then my underwear and denim shorts for my bikini bottom and some hiking shorts that were light-weight and easy to move in.

  “Okay, thanks,” Oliver said. “We’ll see you tomorrow night. Love you too. Sure, I’ll talk to Dad.”

  I threw on a sleeveless yoga top, tied a plaid button-down around my waist, and swapped my sandals for socks and hiking boots.

  In my bathro
om, I put my hair up and tied a bandanna around my head, knotting it at the top. I packed just the necessities in my backpack—toothbrush and paste, face wipes, sunscreen, eye drops, hand sanitizer. The rest of my makeup and toiletries were packed in my small suitcase, along with the clothing I’d want in Harbor Springs. I took Oliver at his word and went casual—shorts, tops, some tennis clothes, a cover-up, jeans, and a sweatshirt, but just in case, I threw in a pretty white sundress and dress sandals.

  I took my backpack down first, setting it on the floor just as Oliver came in the door. “You’re sure I don’t need to pack snacks or anything? I have some things that might come in handy.”

  He shrugged. “Whatever you want.”

  From my pantry I pulled some homemade trail mix and poured it into a Ziploc bag, then added a few protein bars and some dried fruit. “Did you talk to your mom?”

  “Yep. She’s beyond thrilled. Can’t wait to see you.”

  “I’m excited to see her too.” I crouched down, sticking the Ziploc in my backpack. “It’s been a long time. Maybe since that Christmas party at Cloverleigh your family came to a few years ago.”

  “Oh, right.”

  I looked up and smiled, unable to resist digging at him, although at the time, I hadn’t found it amusing at all. “You brought your fiancée that night.”

  “Why don’t I grab your other bag?” he asked, disappearing up the steps before I could answer.

  Clearly, his broken engagement was not his favorite subject.

  From the kitchen counter, I grabbed my phone, charger, sunglasses case, and keys. After sticking the glasses on my head, I wedged the other items into an outside pocket, and tried on the pack.

  Oliver came down carrying my suitcase. “Looks good. How does it feel?”

  “Pretty good. A little weighty, but I’ll get used to it.” I walked over to the kitchen, took a stainless steel water bottle down from a cupboard, and handed it to him. “Can you shove this in an outside pocket?”