Barefoot Bay: Silhouettes on the Sand (Kindle Worlds Novella) (3 page)

Standing in the foyer of what was clearly a very expensive restaurant, C.J. ignored the prickly feeling in her gut that warned of impending danger. Instead, she focused on the young hostess who had promised to fetch Mr. Ivory. Mentally strong, C.J. liked to think herself prepared, but the man walking toward her had
T-R-O-U-B-L-E
emblazoned across his forehead. And not the sort she'd anticipated. Light chestnut hair cut just above his collar gleamed under the overhead lights. Dark blue eyes teetering on steel gray could no doubt charm a snake. But his broad shoulders and well-muscled body made her pulse rate jump. The words
power
,
money
, and
Roman god
came to mind. One she was committed to spending an entire week with, playing coy and cute.

Not that
coy
or
cute
were in her vocabulary. Fresh out of high school she'd gone straight to the recruiting office and signed on the dotted line. Early on she'd learned that fitting in meant being one of the guys. She could carry a full-load pack across a five-mile swamp, shoot a bull’s-eye dead center every time, and yet walking five feet in three-inch heels got the better of her.
Cute
and
coy
were not going to happen.

"I'm Chase Ivory."

C.J. stuck out her hand and did her best to put on a confident smile. "C. J. Lawson reporting for duty." Oh, what an idiot she was. "I'm your date."

Up close his eyes burned an even deeper blue-gray. His glance momentarily shot over her shoulder and back before he accepted her proffered hand. His grip was strong but not bone-crushing. She'd have to add
confident
to the other descriptions already tumbling about in her mind.

His eyes did a quick perusal from head to toe and back. "I'm afraid there's been a mistake."

"No mistake." The urge to squirm under his scrutiny nearly had her shifting in place. He would have made a good drill sergeant, but, if Mr. Ivory wanted to play a staring game, she could give as good as she got.

A couple with two teens came in the front door, breaking the silent spell. Without a second's hesitation Chase linked his hand around her arm, led her across the spacious entry, and out the side door. He didn't stop walking until he reached a secluded corner of the beach deck. "Where is Beverly?"

"On her way to Canada." Only the momentary tensing of his jaw gave away any sign of irritation. Chase was one cool cucumber.

"And you are?"

"Her sister. Bev explained you need someone to pretend to be your date for the week. I can do that."

"You're an actress?"

C.J. shook her head. "I'm … between jobs." Not the whole truth but not a lie.

Chase blew out a heavy breath. "How much did your sister tell you?"

Not nearly enough
. "That you want your grandfather to believe you're in a relationship."

Again his gaze studied hers; only for a second did he glance away to take in the happenings around the room, and yet she would have made odds that he knew exactly what was going on everywhere, down to the tiniest detail.

"Chase." Another tall, good-looking man, clearly poured from the same mold, came up beside him. "Beth just hung up with Mimsy. The jet landed twenty minutes ago. They'll be here any second."

"Thanks."

The Chase clone extended his hand to her. "I’m Nate Ivory. You must be my big brother's new lady." He gave her a conspiratorial wink. "Nice to meet you."

"How do you do? C. J. Lawson." Another firm and controlled handshake. Were they all a force to be reckoned with?

Nate smiled and nodded at his brother. "Not what I expected. You may just pull this off." Without any response from Chase, Nate turned on his heel and made his way around the corner.

"Well, C.J."—Chase spun about to face her—"it looks like you're hired."

* * *

Some days Chase wondered if his grandfather's only pleasure in life was making his grandchildren squirm. The Colonel was a walking poster for
Once a Marine, Always a Marine
. Anything that kept his family tough and on their toes fit perfectly in the Colonel's plans. But his early arrival didn't give Chase any time to properly prepare. At least with Bev, they'd talked a bit and had a logical story of how they'd met. With C.J., he'd have to come up with some meet-cute they'd both have to remember. The best deceptions were built on truths. Total fabrications too easily led to trouble.

"Does he do this often?" C.J. asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"The Colonel, yes. And we don't have much time. Let's get introductions to the rest of my siblings over with before my grandfather arrives. We'll work out the backstory later."

"I gather they know what's going on?"

"Of course. We'll have to wing it through dinner. I'll make an excuse to slip away early, before the Colonel has time to interrogate you."

"I can hold my own."

Standing rigid, her chin rose up, and he realized now what he had assumed to be nerves was pure gumption. A part of him almost smiled. His grandfather loved gumption, but Chase’s inner businessman reminded him that this was merely a game of pretend. In the long run what his grandfather thought wouldn't matter. Resting his hand along the small of her back, Chase ignored the way she'd stiffened and nudged her forward.

His brothers stood to greet C.J.

"Hello. I'm Greg."

"And I'm Mitch."

Nate just smiled.

"Pleasure to meet you." She nodded.

"We'd better move this along," Chase interrupted. "I'll need you guys to run interference for us this evening. Since I thought we'd have a full twenty-four hours, I haven't had time to properly prep C.J."

Mitch rolled his eyes at the same moment the repetitive clack of the Colonel's cane echoed through the restaurant.

Leaning into his new date, Chase whispered in her ear, "Rushing up to Mimsy, my grandmother, is my sister Beth. The baby."

C.J.'s eyes remained pinned to Beth, running into her grandmother's embrace. "I'm guessing your sister doesn't see it that way."

It took a second for Chase to consider C.J.'s words. A simple concept really; and yet, to him, even after the birth of his half-sisters, Beth was still his baby sister. "No, I suppose she doesn't."

"And where is my great-grandson and Liza?" the Colonel bellowed.

"I'm right here." A woman came hurrying across the deck. "Sorry I'm late. Had to drop Dylan off at my mother’s."

Nate scooped his fiancée into his side and softly exchanged words no one else was meant to hear. Liza smiled and nodded, and, for a split second, Chase felt a pang of envy to find a woman who would look at him and not his money with such adoration.

"And why isn't my great-grandson here?" the Colonel scowled at Liza.

"Because"—she smiled up at the old man—"dinner at seven will put Dylan way past his bedtime, and a good soldier always adheres to lights-out."

The Colonel frowned for a fraction of a second and then flashed Liza an accepting smile. "Good call."

In unison, every Ivory sibling exhaled a long-held breath. Chase wanted to pat his brother on the back and bow to his future sister-in-law. That tiny sliver of envy quickly swelled. Surely another woman somewhere on this planet could love him for himself and stand strong under the heavy mantle of the Ivory dynasty.

"By the way"—the Colonel waited until Liza and his wife were seated to speak—"I've invited a few additional people to the wedding. A last-minute thing. I hope you don't mind."

Liza's eyes flashed with surprise before a curtain of calm descended. "I'm sure we can work in a few extra people."

"Good." The Colonel sat. "The Kessler sisters will be joining us. I thought it would be nice to sit the older one with Porter and the younger with"—his eyes flickered to Chase, then C.J., and back—"Colton."

Liza looked to Nate, who rolled his eyes and glanced at Chase.

Had he called it or what? C.J. had just saved him from a week with another one of the Colonel's
suitable
candidates for Ivoryhood.

"Another wonderful dinner." The Colonel pulled the chair out for his wife. "The driver is waiting, and it's a long ride home."

C.J. smiled up at the old man and his wife. The dinner had gone much better than she'd anticipated. Though the tab might very well have equaled a month's pay where champagne, wine, and whiskey had flowed like water. Shrimp, lobster, and prime-cut steaks were the main entrées of choice, with hers being the only order of chicken. Not a single person batted an eye at the amount of food coming from the kitchen or the mounting bill.

"Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to check in straightaway to the resort tonight?" Chase asked his grandfather, pushing away from the table.

"Yes." the Colonel nodded. "We'll move into the Saffron Villa after the family dinner to be closer to all the festivities. We stayed here so often during the construction of the Ivory Tower South that Lacey threatened to rename Saffron Villa as the Ivory Villa."

"And she would too." Nate chuckled at the comment, following his grandfather's lead and pulling out the chair for his fiancée.

"Mimsy and I will be expecting Dylan tomorrow."

"Absolutely," Liza chimed in. "He's very excited."

"Colonel," Mimsy interrupted.

"Yes, dear." All discussion of plans for tomorrow ended.

As soon as the Colonel and Mimsy were out of sight, Greg slapped his eldest brother on the back. "Looks like you pulled it off."

"With everyone's help." Chase looked to his sister and brothers. "An Ivory team effort."

"We did do a great job of casually redirecting the Colonel's attention." Beth took the last sip of her wine, set the glass on the table, and slung her purse strap over her shoulder. "I have to admit it was kind of fun pulling one over the old warhorse. A little thrilling actually."

"I'm not sure I understand." C.J. reached for her own purse. "He seemed like a perfectly charming old man."

"As long as you're doing what he wants," Greg said, "the Colonel can be more than charming. But heaven forbid you don't do things his way."

"Fifteen last-minute guests." Liza shook her head at her future husband. "All to be dispersed among the family. I hope the wedding planner doesn't kill me."

"Told ya." Chase chuckled. "The man is on a mission. You single guys need to plan ahead or prepare to be steamrolled straight to the altar."

"And this, my dear brother"—Greg gave an exaggerated bow—"is why you run Ivory Glass. You may be the only one in the family who can stay a step ahead of the old man."

Chase laughed at his brother's antics, while Mitch remained a silent observer.

"So," Greg continued, "now that the show is over, are we heading back to the
N'Vidrio
or are we hanging out here for another drink?"

"
In vidrio
?" C.J. had actually said very little most of the evening. She'd found it fascinating listening to the conversations about everything from politics to racing sailboats, of which the family apparently owned several. But she'd thought all the family members were staying here at the resort.

"Nate's yacht," Greg answered. "The siblings are hiding out from reality there for another night or two before moving to the resort.”

"I'm ready to call it a night." Mitch rolled his neck and offered a wan smile.

"It'll be a long week. I'll meet you guys there." Chase turned to C.J. "Where's your bag?"

"Bag?"

"Luggage?" He shrugged.

"Luggage?"

His gaze narrowed. "Why are you repeating everything I say?"

"I don’t need a bag or luggage."

"Are you planning on wearing this dress all week?"

"Of course not."

"Then what do you usually transport your clothing in?"

A duffel bag
. "Why am I transporting clothes?"

For a long moment Chase stared at her, as though she'd spoken in a foreign language. "Because you're staying on the
N'Vidrio
with me."

"The hell I am." Her sister hadn't been sure what the plans were, but C.J. wasn't her sister. "I see no reason I can't commute back and forth when I'm needed."

"The arrangement with your sister was for her to stay on the
N'Vidrio
until we all move to the resort."

"I repeat, I see no reason I can't commute."

"If you have a problem with staying on a boat, I can assure you it's as stable and comfortable as anywhere on dry land."

"I don't have a problem with water." Heaven knows she'd ridden on every type of transport known to man on land, sea, and air. "I'd prefer to commute."

Chase ran his hand across the back of his neck, then let it fall to his side on a sigh. "That won’t work. It will be harder to convince the Colonel that we're a couple if he learns you live in here in Florida since I live in New York. Besides, the schedule this week is packed, starting with a family dinner Sunday evening at Ivory Tower South, the winter estate the Colonel just built near Naples, followed by Mimsy's high tea on Monday. Then a luncheon at Liza's mother's country club on Wednesday, as well as dinner for the bridesmaids and a few other girlfriends, including you—"