“Where to?” I ask as we pull into town. I probably sound annoyed, but I hate the fact that I don’t know where I’m going. Claire’s been so secretive about our accommodations that she wouldn’t even let me program our actual destination into the GPS. She wants me to be surprised.
She glances at the time then asks, “How about lunch?”
“Now?”
“Well, we need to stop at the realtor’s office for the keys, but we’re a little early. And I placed an order at the grocer’s—that won’t be ready yet, either. So…”
Keys? Groceries? “Aren’t we staying at a hotel?”
“Nope.” There’s a hint of mischief in her smile. “I booked us a cabin just outside of town.” Then she points through the windshield. “How about there? That looks cute, right?”
The bear-themed diner—I guess it’s cute, in a kitschy sort of way—looks like a place where they serve breakfast 24/7. Where, if you order anything other than breakfast, you’re bound to be disappointed. But who am I to argue?
The parking lot is mostly empty—never a good sign for a restaurant. But, then again, the whole town seems ominously quiet. It should be bustling with shoppers, and skiers, and people like Claire who are here for snow—most of which, by the way, has been shoveled into unattractive, dirty, gray heaps.
I ask our server, Linda, about it after she takes our orders. Cobb salad and an iced tea for Claire, grilled salmon and an IPA for me.
She shrugs indifferently. “Probably no one wants to get caught in the blizzard they’re predicting.”
Claire shoots me a worried look. “Well, we wanted snow, right?”
I pick up my water glass, take a sip. Would it be rude to remind her that only one of us wanted snow? That the other wanted clear skies, tropical breezes, the provocative motion of a ship at sea…
“Or it could be because of the cougar,” Linda suggests.
I choke on my water. “Cougar?”
“You know, mountain lions? Pumas? One’s been hanging around the last few weeks, getting into people’s trash and whatnot. Which reminds me, I don’t suppose you folks brought any pets with you, but if you did, you’ll want to be sure to keep them inside.”
“No pets,” I assure her. “But thanks.” I left Zoe, my macaw, in LA with a sitter. I didn’t think she’d like the cold. If there really is a giant cat on the prowl, I’m even happier about that decision. Skeptic that I am, however, I can’t help doubting the story.
“You’re not worried, are you?” Claire asks after Linda walks away.
I smile reassuringly at her. “Not at all.”
“I really want this weekend to be fun for you.”
Just for me? Well, that’s not worrisome at all. “How could it not be? I’m here with you.” That’s true no matter what—even if it’s our last weekend together. And if I’m honest, I’m more concerned about that than I am some hypothetical cougar.
“So, has anyone actually seen this supposed cougar?” I ask when Linda returns with our food. “Because knocking over garbage bins sounds more like something a bear might do.”
“It’s winter,” Linda snaps, dropping our plates on the table a little more forcefully than necessary. “The bears are asleep.”
And that’s me told. Although you’ll notice she didn’t actually answer my question, leading me to conclude it’s like so many other celebrity sightings, more hype than substance.
Want to read more? Pre-Order Let's Get Naughty: https://books2read.com/letsgetnaughty
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She's thinking fling, he's thinking forever.
Sexy, former film star Claire Calhoun is used to having her pick of studly young men. Now that she and Derek have called it quits, however, the actress-turned-entrepreneur is feeling vulnerable. After one mojito too many at a party one night, she decides it would be fun to try something new-in this case, Mike Sherman, her staid accountant and long-time fan.
Claire has been Mike's fantasy since the first time he saw her bare it all for the camera. Now that she's in his bed he'll do whatever's necessary to keep her there. But he's not a stalker, right? He's just a devoted fan.
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