Chapter Twelve

Mackenzie

Something’s not right.

I finish my raisin toast and sneak a peek at Will. We’re having breakfast in the village bakery, and he’s sitting opposite me at our tiny round table. True to his word, his meeting only took about an hour, but when he returned, there was a tension that wasn’t between us before.

Is he having second thoughts already?

I glance through the medieval oriel bay window by our side, which gives a fantastic view of the duck pond, and an unintentionally loud sigh escapes me.

“Hey, are you okay?” He reaches across the table and squeezes my fingers, which totally doesn’t fit if he really has changed his mind about our arrangement.

“I was about to ask you the same thing.”

“Huh?” An adorable frown creases his forehead.

“You’ve hardly said anything since we left Oakland. Are you getting cold feet?”

He grins, and the tension vanishes. “About us? No way.”

I’m relieved he doesn’t want to back out. Must be something to do with the meeting, then. “What’s the problem?”

“Sorry. It’s just business. Didn’t mean to spoil your day. Do you want to stay here for the morning then have a tour of the site this afternoon?”

Wow. Talk about trying to change the subject. I lean across the table but don’t give in to my urge to kiss him. I’ll do that in a minute. “Tell me what’s bugging you.”

He sighs, and I kiss his fingers, anyway. “It’s not bad news. It’s good for Oakland. We’ve landed a great sponsorship deal which means we can expand earlier than we originally anticipated.”

“But?” I prompt.

“There’s always a but.” His smile is kind of sad, and an odd little pain drives through my chest. “They want to get things moving within the next six months, or the deal’s off. Which means I won’t be able to spearhead it.”

“Well, that sucks. Isn’t there any way they can extend their deadline?”

“We’ve been working on it for months. The final offer came through yesterday, and there’s no more negotiation. We’re going for it. Obviously.”

I’m indignant and upset for him, and I don’t even know what exactly he’s talking about. Not that it matters—it’s a big deal for him and that’s all that counts. “What kind of expansion?”

“Back in Uni, when we were first talking about opening a place like this, it was my dream to have a program for sick kids. Somewhere they could experience the kind of adventures that wouldn’t usually be accessible for them.”

My heart aches. This isn’t anything like I’d imagined, but it makes so much sense. Although he’s never had health issues in all the years I’ve known him, he did when he was a kid. According to things Lucas said back in the day, it’s the reason Will had such a hard time persuading his parents to let him try anything that had even a minimal risk factor.

Just over a week ago, I thought I knew all there was to know about Will Hamilton. How could I have been so wrong? “But this is your baby. It’s not right if you can’t front it.”

“Not much I can do about that. It’s not as though I won’t be involved at all. Just not the way I always expected.”

My mind’s racing ahead. “What’s so important that you can’t leave the company for another few years?” Reason catches up with me, although it doesn’t stop the sense of injustice burning through me on his behalf. “Unless there’s something top secret going on that you can’t discuss.”

“Nothing as dramatic as that. Just the usual shit.”

“It’s not like you’re in the middle of a big deal that might fall apart if you’re not there to see it through, are you?”

“It’s complicated.”

Is that a euphemism for mind your own bloody business, Mac?

Maybe. But he sure isn’t giving off an irritated vibe. “If it’s a contract issue, seeing as you’re the CEO, I should think you could find some legal loophole to get out of it.”

“That’s not the problem.” He frowns, and I have the mad urge to climb onto his lap and kiss away his worries. I compromise by pressing his knuckles against my lips. “After Mum had her stroke, she was paranoid about the company collapsing. I promised I’d stay on for four years, to maintain stability and offset any concerns about her no longer being in the public eye.”

“Oh, right.” I sure as hell understand why he feels stuck, and guilt eats through me. Not just because I forced him into a corner where he had to tell me that, but because it reminds me of the promise I made my own mum. But unlike my situation, his mum isn’t dead, and he didn’t make a lifelong commitment. Maybe he just needs to take a step back to look at things more clearly. “No wriggle room now that she’s so much better?”

He gives a faint smile. “I can’t let her down, Mac.”

I know that. “It’s so unfair, though, having someone else come in and take over your dream.”

“I’m still a consultant. It’s not like I’m being shoved out in the cold.”

“That’s not what I meant, and it’s not the same thing.”

“I know what you meant.” His smoldering smile should come with a public health warning. Or at least be confined to when we’re alone and I don’t have to keep my hands to myself.

You don’t have to keep your hands to yourself. This weekend is like a holiday romance, where real-life rules don’t apply. I’m going to make the most of it.

Besides, we’re already holding hands.

Mackenzie Carter, all that sex last night turned your brain.

Yes. Yes, it did.

…

Will

This is fucking crazy.

I felt like shit after the meeting, even though the news wasn’t unexpected—I’d been bracing myself for the last month. It’s still hard to take when the offer’s finally in black and white. The guys are almost as gutted as me, but it’s double-edged because this is also the best financial news we’ve had in years.

If Mac wasn’t here this weekend, I’d be abseiling from the most challenging rock face right now. It would focus my frustration, and I’d be able to work through the setback. But the weirdest thing is how sharing the situation with her has kind of lessened the blow.

Not taken it away altogether. But her support—I don’t know. Feels good.

“Do you want to get out of here?” Do you want to go back to bed? Although I promised her a tour of the village and Oakland, if she wants a repeat performance of last night, I’m up for that.

Jesus, stop thinking about last night.

Like that’s going to happen. Except for that hour at the lodge this morning when my future shifted beneath my feet, I haven’t been able to get her out of my head.

Friends with benefits. I should’ve said no. But when she looks at me with those beautiful eyes, I don’t care about Lucas or her family, or how I’m betraying every bro rule in the book. I’ll take whatever they throw at me. And this time I won’t let the sex ruin the friendship.

“Sure.”

Hand in hand, we leave the bakery, and as we stroll along the high street, I grin at her.

“What is it?” She gives me a mock frown.

“This.” I swing our joined hands. “I don’t usually do this kind of thing.”

“That makes two of us. You want to let go?”

“Hell, no.” I tighten my grip on her hand. “I like it.”

She laughs and bumps my arm. This time, there’s no question it’s deliberate, and the need is strong to get her back to the pod right now.

Before I figure out how to frame the words so I don’t sound like a sex-crazed jerk, she suddenly stops. “Do you want to have a quick look in here?”

We’re standing outside the art gallery. I always think of her whenever I walk by. I should’ve guessed she’d want to visit.

“After you.” I push open the door of the fifteenth-century building and follow her inside. The whitewashed walls display local artists’ works, and she scrutinizes each one as if she’s analyzing every brush stroke.

I know nothing of art except I either like something or I don’t. Not sure what else there is beyond that. But it’s oddly fascinating watching her reaction as she moves from piece to piece.

“What’s your verdict?” I whisper in her ear. And since there’s no reason why I shouldn’t, I kiss her temple.

She gives a little shiver, and I grin against her cheek. I love the way she reacts to my touch.

“Very good. Not that I’m any kind of expert. Are they all local artists?”

“No idea. And you are an expert. You know a lot more about all this stuff than I do.”

“Huh. Not sure that’s saying much.”

“Can’t you just take a compliment and say thanks, Will.”

She gives a silent laugh and nudges me in the ribs. “If you give me one, I will.”

Challenge accepted. The scent of her shampoo and the soft skin of her cheek against my face are all the encouragement I need. “Last night was the best time I’ve had in two years.”

She snorts like I just told her a dirty joke. “Is that your best effort? Seriously?” She glances around the gallery, which is starting to fill up with tourists, before pulling me outside onto the street. “It’s not all about the sex.”

“First thing this morning, that’s exactly what you said it was all about.” Talk about knocking me off my arse when she gave me the friends-with-benefits offer. I’d been half expecting her to tell me last night had been a massive mistake, like she did two years ago. Or say it was great, but something never to be repeated. Did I misunderstand?

“Oh. Yes. That’s right.” She shakes her head. “Okay, then. Best sex in two years. Really? Have you been celibate?”

“Jesus. It’s hard work giving you a compliment. I didn’t know I’d have to back it up with statistical analysis.”

She laughs and briefly rests her head on my shoulder. Damn, that feels good. “Sorry. It’s my inner bitch. She does like getting her time in the sun. Shall we start again?”

“It’s too late now, Mac.” I bite down on my grin as she groans.

“Don’t be like that. I’ve had time to think about it now, and as compliments go, it wasn’t too bad. It must’ve been one of your moments. I’ll have to write it down.”

“If that’s your best effort at a compliment, then forget it. The one you gave me in the pub the other night was better than that.”

“Hey, I’m not a compliments kind of girl. You know that. Growing up with two brothers gave me a nice, healthy dose of cynicism.”

Shit. I’d managed to push her family to the back of my mind, but her throwaway comment smashes through me like a brick. Lucas will fucking kill me if he finds out I’m sleeping with his sister. Like he would’ve two years ago if Mac hadn’t made it clear she didn’t want anyone to know what had happened.

Does she still feel that way?

“Speaking of your brothers…” I turn to face her at the end of the high street, and we wrap our arms around each other. “Do you want me to tell them about us?”

“God, no.” The horror in her voice would be funny if my ego weren’t taking a hit. “You’re joking, right? Why would we tell anyone what we’re doing?”

“I’m not suggesting I tell Lucas everything.” Not if I want to live. “But if you want to keep it on the down low, that’s fine by me.”

She huffs out a breath. “It just seems a bit weird and pointless, telling anyone, seeing as we’re only going to be together for such a short time.”

“Okay. I was only asking.”

“Well, I mean, it’s not even that we’re going to be together-together, is it? We’re not dating.” A frown flashes over her face. “Are we?”

Fucked if I know. This is nothing like when I was with my ex. “I don’t know what else we’d call it.”

“Fake dating?”

“That works for me.”

“Until I go back to Uni?”

“Why not?” The more I think about it, the more I like it.

“I still don’t think it’s a good idea to tell anyone. I mean, you know.”

Yeah, I know all right. “I’ve got to warn you. My mates at Oakland have jumped to the conclusion we’re more than just good friends.”

“Oh.” She scrunches up her nose in that cute way she has. “Okay. I suppose that was inevitable. But I mean back home. That would just be awkward, wouldn’t it?”

“We’re going to date and have sex, and you’re not even going to tell Brooklyn?” Not that I’ve seen her in years, but as far as I know, she and Mac are still BFFs.

She leans back against my arms, although she doesn’t relax her hold on me. “I’m talking about our families, Will.” Which answers that question. “And Duke and Margo, obviously. I mean, can you imagine the nonstop questions if they all found out? It’s not worth the hassle, seeing as this is just a temporary thing.”

“You’ve made your point.” I’m not sure why her obsessive insistence that we keep this a big secret is starting to bug me. Her logic, after all, is sound. Hell, I agree with her. I mean, we’re adults, and I shouldn’t give a crap what her family might think, but I do. “We’ll keep this to ourselves. Okay?”

Her smile is enough to make me forget everything but the promise of what’s going to be the best time of my life.

She gives me a lingering kiss. “Let’s go back to our pod.”