She thought back to their extremely brief exchange when she ended her swim.
Of course, Lacey hadn't expected him to suddenly turn into her companion just because they were temporarily staying in the same house. It was just—she sighed inwardly—it would have been nice to sit and chat with him for a while.
But she also remembered his statement that he was there for the peace and quiet. That was why she hadn't forced her company upon him. It had just seemed right and proper that she should respect his wishes.
As she watched him, Lacey saw him pick up his pole and tackle box and start down the long stretch of beach toward the house. She darted into the house to the bathroom, where she quickly ran a comb through her nearly dry hair and added a touch of strawberry gloss to her lips.
Inwardly she was laughing at herself all the while she was doing it, because it was quite laughable to think she might want to impress Cole. She was just stepping onto the balcony again when the doorbell rang.
Her first thought was that it was Monica returning for some nefarious reason, and she glanced toward the beach to see Cole still a considerable distance away. Then, shrugging in resignation that she would have to face the green-eyed lioness alone, she walked unhurriedly into the house and down the stairs to answer the door.
But it was Mike Bowman who was standing outside when she opened the door, and her brown eyes widened in surprise at the sight of him. He gave her a crooked smile.
"It took you long enough to answer the door," he teased good-naturedly. "I was beginning to think either I had the wrong house or you'd gone somewhere."
"Hello, Mike," Lacey murmured, not fully recovered from the shock.
He waited patiently for her to invite him in. When she continued to stare at him, he tilted his head to one side in an inquiring fashion.
"You did invite me over this afternoon, or have you forgotten?" he prompted gently.
An embarrassed pink rouged her cheeks. "I didn't forget," she lied rather than admit it had completely skipped her mind that she had asked him over this afternoon. "I simply wasn't expecting you so soon." Glancing down at her beige checked shorts and the orange midriff top, she tried to pretend it was a concern for her dress that had caused her to look so uncomfortable. "I'm not dressed or anything." She lifted a hand to her shining crown of silky brown hair. "And my hair isn't even all the way dry."
"You look great to me," Mike insisted. "Are you going to invite me in or do you want me to wait in the car until you're ready?" he teased as she continued to block the doorway.
"Do you see how flustered you've made me?" Lacey forced a laugh. She swung the door wider and stepped away to let him in.
Actually, she knew exactly why she was so flustered. In a minute she would have to explain to him about Cole Whitfield's living in the same house with her.
The situation was bizarre enough to her. She wasn't certain how Mike would react to it or exactly how she would go about telling him, considering the biting things she had said about Cole in Mike's company.
As she led the way up the steps, she was still trying to decide whether she should just blurt it out or make a joke out of it or what. One thing was certain—she had to make up her mind pretty soon or Cole would be walking in and the whole thing would be out in the open before she could prepare Mike for the news. The entire situation was becoming more complicated by the minute.
"This is quite a place," Mike declared as they reached the top of the stairs and entered the living room.
"It is beautiful," Lacey agreed absently, and began, "Mike, I—"
"It's custom-built, isn't it?" He surveyed the room, his gaze narrowing as he studied its construction.
"I believe so. I—"
"It shows," he nodded. "I don't see anything that looks at all slipshod. And that fireplace is a masterpiece." He smiled at her. "No wonder you so readily accepted your cousin's request to stay here
Of course, Lacey hadn't expected him to suddenly turn into her companion just because they were temporarily staying in the same house. It was just—she sighed inwardly—it would have been nice to sit and chat with him for a while.
But she also remembered his statement that he was there for the peace and quiet. That was why she hadn't forced her company upon him. It had just seemed right and proper that she should respect his wishes.
As she watched him, Lacey saw him pick up his pole and tackle box and start down the long stretch of beach toward the house. She darted into the house to the bathroom, where she quickly ran a comb through her nearly dry hair and added a touch of strawberry gloss to her lips.
Inwardly she was laughing at herself all the while she was doing it, because it was quite laughable to think she might want to impress Cole. She was just stepping onto the balcony again when the doorbell rang.
Her first thought was that it was Monica returning for some nefarious reason, and she glanced toward the beach to see Cole still a considerable distance away. Then, shrugging in resignation that she would have to face the green-eyed lioness alone, she walked unhurriedly into the house and down the stairs to answer the door.
But it was Mike Bowman who was standing outside when she opened the door, and her brown eyes widened in surprise at the sight of him. He gave her a crooked smile.
"It took you long enough to answer the door," he teased good-naturedly. "I was beginning to think either I had the wrong house or you'd gone somewhere."
"Hello, Mike," Lacey murmured, not fully recovered from the shock.
He waited patiently for her to invite him in. When she continued to stare at him, he tilted his head to one side in an inquiring fashion.
"You did invite me over this afternoon, or have you forgotten?" he prompted gently.
An embarrassed pink rouged her cheeks. "I didn't forget," she lied rather than admit it had completely skipped her mind that she had asked him over this afternoon. "I simply wasn't expecting you so soon." Glancing down at her beige checked shorts and the orange midriff top, she tried to pretend it was a concern for her dress that had caused her to look so uncomfortable. "I'm not dressed or anything." She lifted a hand to her shining crown of silky brown hair. "And my hair isn't even all the way dry."
"You look great to me," Mike insisted. "Are you going to invite me in or do you want me to wait in the car until you're ready?" he teased as she continued to block the doorway.
"Do you see how flustered you've made me?" Lacey forced a laugh. She swung the door wider and stepped away to let him in.
Actually, she knew exactly why she was so flustered. In a minute she would have to explain to him about Cole Whitfield's living in the same house with her.
The situation was bizarre enough to her. She wasn't certain how Mike would react to it or exactly how she would go about telling him, considering the biting things she had said about Cole in Mike's company.
As she led the way up the steps, she was still trying to decide whether she should just blurt it out or make a joke out of it or what. One thing was certain—she had to make up her mind pretty soon or Cole would be walking in and the whole thing would be out in the open before she could prepare Mike for the news. The entire situation was becoming more complicated by the minute.
"This is quite a place," Mike declared as they reached the top of the stairs and entered the living room.
"It is beautiful," Lacey agreed absently, and began, "Mike, I—"
"It's custom-built, isn't it?" He surveyed the room, his gaze narrowing as he studied its construction.
"I believe so. I—"
"It shows," he nodded. "I don't see anything that looks at all slipshod. And that fireplace is a masterpiece." He smiled at her. "No wonder you so readily accepted your cousin's request to stay here
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