“Looking for these?” Freddie grinned and held out her panties.

  “You…” Serena jumped at Freddie as he held her panties hostage. As she stood on her tiptoes, reaching over his head, Freddie realized that what he had been looking for, his missing piece was standing right in front of him. While Serena was distracted, he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her in to kiss her on the lips. Her flailing subsided and she dropped her hands to rest on his shoulders. He looped his other hand around her back, still clutching her panties.

  “Hey, Serena.” He pulled back from their kiss and gazed into her eyes.

  “Yes?”

  He wanted to tell her. “I…” his voice wavered. “I…” Her eyes were searching his, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words that were burning into his soul because it was crazy. Serena was a pain in the ass and she was going to be gone from his life for good next month. “I can help you with these,” he stated as he stepped back and knelt down in front of her.

  She looked at him quizzically, but let him lift up her foot as he fumbled to unroll the panties to slide them up her legs. Serena held onto his shoulders for balance as he pulled them into place. He let his fingers linger in the thin lace waistband and then turned away from her. “Thank you, Freddie,” she said.

  “We should get going,” he replied. He pulled her clothes down from the rafters, they were damp, but dry enough for her to wear.

  “What about the sheets?” she asked from behind him.

  He handed the yoga pants and top to her and pulled the sheets off the bed, rolled them into a ball. “I’ll take care of them.”

  Freddie blinked as they stepped out into the last of the daylight. “We’re going to lose the sun if we don’t hurry,” he said. Serena reached for his hand, but he pulled it away. “You might want to get some pictures of that,” he pointed to the pink clouds surrounding the white peaks.

  “You’re right,” Serena replied. She took a series of several photos, instructed Freddie where to stand and what to hold, and for most of the photos, she insisted that he hold the paddle. For the last photo, she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and held her phone up to capture the cabin in the background. “Smile, grouch,” she joked. Freddie did his best to turn up the sides of his lips into a smile.

  “That’s better,” she smiled.

  He turned to look at her as she snapped the last photo. He didn’t know it at the time, but she had captured the exact moment that Freddie decided to save himself from being hurt. From her.

  He turned and started to trudge down the shortcut to the truck. He kept the pace fast enough that Serena was practically jogging to keep up behind him.

  Nineteen

  The coffee shop was closed for the day and Megan had several cake samples lined up along the bar for them to try. Freddie had been running hot and cold the entire time Serena had been in town, and the air between them had reached arctic level.

  “How about this one?” Megan presented Serena and Freddie with a vanilla bean cake with a white chocolate icing.

  Serena snapped a photo of each of the samples before taking a bite. “This one is amazing.” Serena practically melted at the same rate as the buttercream frosting in her mouth.

  “What do you think, Freddie?” Megan asked.

  Freddie shrugged. “They’re all good, Meg.”

  “Well, you two have to agree on one of them,” she replied.

  Serena felt a twinge of guilt as she knew that the cake would never be made. “What about that one?” she asked, pointing to one of the bakery’s signature pastries under the glass dome beside the register. Megan turned to look at what she was pointing at and Serena got up to make a video of the Sugar Peaks pecan cupcakes.

  “Ummm. Freddie’s allergic to pecans…” Megan stood and replaced the glass dome over the offending cakes.

  “Right, I forgot…”

  The phone rang. “You’ll have to excuse me,” Megan said. “I’m waiting on the orders for the bachelor auction cupcakes. You won’t believe what the committee wanted me to try and make with fondant…” she laughed and waddled off in only the way a very pregnant woman could.

  “How allergic?” Serena whispered under her breath.

  “Not dying allergic,” Freddie replied. Then he leaned in a little closer and whispered, “I just hate nuts.”

  Serena smiled. “That’s a good way to get out of eating them. But now Megan thinks I don’t know that my fiancé has a food allergy. That’s something a fiancée should know,” she whispered, and leaned into Freddie.

  “You’re thinking too much about it,” Freddie replied.

  “I’m tired of looking like a lunatic.” Serena found herself enjoying the company of Freddie’s friends, but knew that except for Charlotte, they were all dubious about the strength of their relationship. But she had the feeling that on an ordinary day, one where she wasn’t lying through her teeth, that she could be friends with Freddie’s Chance Rapids crew.

  Serena tried to lace her fingers through Freddie’s under the table, but he flinched when she touched him and pulled his hand away. He grabbed the last piece of cake and shoved it into his mouth. Ever since they left the cabin, he seemed like a different person. He practically sprinted down the trail, and on the drive into town he had turned up the radio so loud they couldn’t talk.

  “Is everything okay?” she whispered.

  He looked at her with a start. “Yep. Great.”

  Serena’s heart sank. The warmth she had felt with him in the cabin was gone. “You seem distracted.”

  “Listen, Serena,” he turned to face her. “This dress-up and make-believe might be fun for you, but it’s not for me. Just take your damn pictures and let’s get this over with.”

  She recoiled at his harsh words. This wasn’t the playful banter that she and Freddie had bandied back and forth. “Fine.”She stood up quickly and her heavy wooden chair thudded to the ground behind her. “Let’s go.”

  Megan rushed back to the table. “Is everything okay?” she asked.

  “I’m not feeling great,” Serena replied, and rubbed her stomach. She wasn’t lying. Freddie’s back and forth was enough to give her whiplash.

  Freddie stood and picked up the chair. “We’re going to go with the white cake with the white frosting.”

  “Was it something you ate?” Megan’s eyes were wide with concern.

  Serena kicked herself for not thinking of a better excuse. “I think it’s just too much sugar.”

  “Keep an eye on her,” Megan said to Freddie, as he rushed her to the door.

  “Will do,” Freddie replied.

  After a flurry of thanks and hugs, the two of them shuffled out to the main street. Serena shivered in the night air and had to jog to catch up to Freddie who was walking three feet away from her with his hands shoved in his pockets.

  “Listen, Freddie, I can get a hotel room if you want, I can put together enough of a disguise to get by without being recognized.”

  He paused. “If you did, all of this would’ve been for nothing.”

  “Why are you being such a dick?” Serena hissed and stepped around him, stopping him in his tracks. She stood close enough that she could’ve reached out to touch his chest.

  “I’m being realistic,” Freddie replied. “Business over pleasure, isn’t that what they say?” he muttered, and headed south down Main Street.

  Serena hated being out of her element in this town. If she had been closer to home, she would’ve turned on her heel and left Freddie and his piece of shit attitude in her dust. She couldn’t believe the feelings that she’d had earlier. Was she insane? Was she drunk on small-town life? It was plain to see - Freddie was a jerk. “Wait for me,” she muttered and jogged the two strides required to catch up with her fiancé.

  Freddie paused and allowed Serena to catch up with him, then the two of them walked down Main Street and headed for Freddie’s house. The silence hung heavily between them like an iron curtain and Serena was the first to pull it back. “Listen, Freddie. I don’t understand what’s going on with you. I thought that we were just making the best out of this situation.

  He reached out and gripped her forearm, halting their walk. “Serena, you and I can’t be together. You might be good at pretending and all this shit…” He pointed to the phone that was a permanent fixture in her hand, “but I’d rather just take the pictures and leave all the other… stuff, out of it.”

  Serena’s eyes met his, the crinkles beside his eyes said kindness and she knew that even though his words were harsh, they were coming from a good place. “I know we can’t be together. That would be crazy,” she replied. “And if that’s the way you want to play it, all business, that’s fine with me, too. But, Freddie, business people can be cordial and kind to each other. Maybe we should try that.”

  She held out her hand for a handshake, her olive branch. He paused, sighed and then shook it. “Deal.”

  “We can tour the venues tomorrow and then I’ll be out of your hair for a little while. I’ll get tons of photos. We can do wardrobe changes tomorrow and everything. You know, create the illusion that I’ve spent more time here. That should be enough content to satisfy the Sidney’s people until we get together again.”

  “Perfect. Suits me just fine.”

  They passed a little white house with a picket fence made of old skis. “Is that ever cute,” she said and snapped a photo.

  “That’s Josh and Megan’s house,” Freddie said.

  Serena was thankful that they were speaking like normal human beings again. “They seem like such a nice couple,” she mused as she focused the shot. “How did they get together?”

  “Who, Josh and Megan?”

  “Yeah. I mean, they’re an adorable couple but she’s what, ten years older than him?”

  “Something like that,” Freddie replied. “Her ex-husband cheated on her and she holed up in Charlotte’s mansion while the dust settled.”

  “Wow, poor woman,” Serena said as they walked along. It was darker than the previous evening. The cloud cover from the stormy weather earlier had returned, hiding all the stars. “And what’s Charlotte’s story?”

  He chuckled,“Charlotte was part of quite the small-town scandal.”

  “Really?” Serena was curious as to what was more scandalous than a cheating husband.

  “I don’t like to gossip,” Freddie said.

  “Oh, right. Of course.” Serena didn’t want to push.

  Freddie turned to her and continued, “Charlotte grew up here and everyone was cruel to her. Her name was actually Billie Jo. She and Logan were kind of a thing, but after school, she vanished.”

  Serena was enthralled, both with the story and for Freddie’s clear non-aversion to participating in small-town gossip, “Vanished?”

  “Yeah, just disappeared. Turns out she went and changed her name and made millions in the real estate industry.”

  “What does that have to do with Megan?” Serena asked. They had reached the walkway to Freddie’s house and he clicked open the waist-high gate to let her in.

  “After you.” He waved her into the property. “I’m just getting to the best part,” he said and opened the front door.

  Serena bent down to untie her hiking boots. Freddie kicked off his shoes and headed into the kitchen. “Would you like a beer?” he asked.

  “Sure,” Serena replied. It had been a long day.

  The two of them sat down on the couch together and Freddie turned on the TV. Serena took a sip of her beer and relaxed into the couch. They were doing a great job at avoiding the tension that hung in the air between them, but she longed to reach out and let her fingertips linger in his while they talked. Business. All business, she reminded herself, and keep her hands away from his.

  “Tell me the rest of the story.” Serena was so intrigued by Charlotte and Megan’s tale.

  “I shouldn’t. I mean I should let them tell you,” he said, but Serena could tell it would only take a gentle push to bring out Freddie’s inner gossip queen.

  “Oh, come on,” she said and nudged his knee with hers. His eyes snapped to their legs, and he pulled his away to tuck his foot under his other leg.

  “Fine. I’m sure they will tell you anywaaaay,” he continued drawing out the word. “Charlotte bought that big house but didn’t tell anyone who she was. I don’t know how she got away with it for so many years, but when you’re rich like that, you don’t really have to come into town all that often. So for years, she was living there on the hill, hiding from everyone.”

  “And she didn’t tell anyone who she was?”

  “Nope.”

  “Why?”

  “I think she originally came back to show everyone up, but then changed her mind.”

  “I would want to.” Serena hated to admit it.

  “Me too, but I guess with all that business acumen and what have you, she just wanted to leave her old life behind.”

  “She is classy like that,” Serena nodded. She took another sip of her beer and her head felt light. They had gone straight from the cabin to the cake tasting. “I still don’t understand where Megan comes in.”

  “Well, Charlotte had plans for the Sugar Peaks Café and hired Megan to be the face of the project. When Josh met Megan at Charlotte’s house, he thought she owned that mansion and they both went along with it.”

  “Whoa, so Megan pretended to be Charlotte?”

  “Not exactly, as far as anyone in town knew, Megan was the owner of the café, but everyone assumed she owned the big house and she didn’t correct them.”

  Serena shook her head, this was better than a soap opera. “How did it all come out?”

  “When Megan fell for Josh, she had to tell him the truth.”

  “Ouch. Was he pissed?”

  “Yep. It almost ruined them.”

  “Honesty is key,” Serena said quietly.

  “I know. And look at us… lying to everyone.”

  They drank in silence, but Serena’s mind was still trying to put the pieces of the story together. She noticed that Freddie’s knee had relaxed and rested lightly against hers. She let her hand drift to the sofa between them to see if he would reach out to her. She knew that she was pushing the limit of their ‘business’ agreement, but she couldn’t help herself.

  “Where is Megan from?” Serena asked.

  “Same place as you.” Freddie set his hand down next to hers, his pinky brushing hers.

  “Really, she doesn’t strike me as a city girl.”

  “She’s adapted well to life here in Chance Rapids but this one time, she almost died. She fell through the ice when she thought the lake was a field.”

  “Oh, my God,” Serena gasped, but her mind was whirring. If Megan could move to Chance Rapids and fit in so well, maybe she could too. “Does Megan miss her old life? You know, not the cheating husband part, but living in the city?”

  “I don’t know. We don’t really have heart-to-hearts like that,” he said. “You’d have to ask her yourself.”

  Freddie wasn’t taking the bait with her hand placement, so Serena stood up, stretched and headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and start with her bedtime routine.

  “Did you ask Charlotte how many venues we are going to see tomorrow?” she asked, as she splashed water on her face. Chance Rapids didn’t have a wedding planner, so when Freddie asked Charlotte to show them the venues, she had reluctantly agreed.

  “I think three,” Freddie replied.

  Serena wondered whether they would do the pillow barrier sleeping arrangement again. She quickly brushed her teeth and applied her sponsored anti-aging moisturizer, the kind she didn’t need. As she padded to the bedroom, she glanced to the living room and saw Freddie lying on the couch, a blanket on top of him.

  “Goodnight,” Freddie said to her without looking up from the TV.

  “Are you going to sleep?” she asked.

  “I’m not really tired,” he said, the light from the TV flickering on his face.

  “Me neither,” Serena said, and leaned on the doorframe.

  “Want to watch a movie?” Freddie asked.

  “Sure,” she replied.

  He sat up and patted the sofa beside him.

  “Any requests?” he asked.

  “Something funny,” she said. “Or scary.” She sat on the other end of the sofa.

  “That narrows it down a little bit,” he laughed as he scrolled through the menu.

  Ashton Kutcher’s face took up the huge TV screen and Serena curled up into a ball, resting her head on the arm of the couch - the irony of watching Friends with Benefits was not lost on her. She shifted around trying to find a position that was comfortable, but the long walk and exertion from her afternoon had left her sore.

  Freddie tossed the blanket to her. She unfolded it and pulled it up to her chin. “You can lean against me if you like,” he said.

  Serena raised her eyebrows. “Do you cuddle with all of your business partners?” she asked as she shifted her feet to rest on the arm of the sofa. She knew it wasn’t a good idea, but his shoulder was a very comfortable place.

  “It’s not cuddling if my arm isn’t around you,” he said. She looked up at him. This man was so confusing.

  “I suppose you’re right. But it would be a whole lot more comfortable if it was.” She rocked her head on his shoulder in an effort to get comfortable.

  She felt Freddie’s whole body stiffen. Had she pushed too far? She kept her eyes trained on the TV screen waiting for something, anything from Freddie. She felt like she was going to explode when he pulled his arm out from beneath her and melted as she felt its heaviness across her shoulders. Their afternoon had been intimate and exploratory, but this moment lying in the warmth of his body felt more sensual, and she hated to admit it, like home.

  “Tell me more stories, Freddie,” Serena murmured.

  “I don’t like to gossip,” he reiterated.

  “It’s not gossip. It’s more like a background update.”

  He chuckled. “I suppose you’re right. Whose background update do you want?”