She’d seemed to be genuinely impressed by the ring, although he supposed that could have been part of the act. But something told him that wasn’t the case, which was more than a little surprising.
Before offering the ring to Heather, he’d had it cleaned and polished. But she’d turned up her nose at wearing something that wasn’t brand-new and expensive. So, like a fool, he’d gone into Houston and purchased her a two-carat diamond, which she’d taken with her when she’d told him she wanted a divorce and moved out of the ranch house.
He supposed he’d have to be thankful for Heather’s greed in that respect. Otherwise, he would have lost his grandmother’s ring completely—or paid through the nose to get it back, since Heather had known how much it had meant to him. And if she’d had one more thing to hold over him, they might still be in the midst of divorce negotiations.
On the other hand, Catherine seemed to have a lot more respect for the family heirloom. When she’d studied the diamond in the sunlight, she’d even asked his grandmother’s name, although Ray had been so caught up in the memory of Heather scrunching up her face at the ring that Catherine’s question had completely sideswiped him.
Now, as they stood outside the diner, in the mottled shade of one of the many elm trees that lined Main Street, Ray pointed to his right. “The Boutique is located right next to the ice cream shop. And several doors down, you’ll see the drugstore. There’s a little red door to the left of it, which is the stairway that leads to my apartment.”
“Thanks. After I buy the dress, I’ll probably do some window shopping while I’m here. If anyone asks me who I am, I’ll tell them I’m your fiancée. And that I’m staying with you.”
“That’s a good idea.” He probably ought to start the walk back to City Hall, but for some reason, he couldn’t quite tear himself away.
Outside, even in the dappled sunlight, the platinum strands of her hair glistened like white gold. And when she looked at him like that, smiling as though they were both involved in some kind of romantic secret, he noticed the green flecks in her irises that made her eyes appear to be a turquoise shade. It was an amazing color.
And she was an amazing… actress.
In fact, she was so good at what she did that he’d have to be careful not to confuse what was real and what wasn’t.
“Thanks for helping me out,” he said.
“You’re welcome.” She didn’t budge either, which meant she was waiting for him to make the first move. But there were people seated near the windows of Caroline’s Diner, people who were watching the two phony lovers through the glass.
“Well, I’d better go,” he said. “I’ve got to get back to City Hall before it gets much later. Do you have enough money to cover the dress and any incidentals you might need?”
She patted the side of her purse. “I sure do. And it’s plenty. I’ll probably have change to give you this evening when you get home.”
Change? Now, that was a surprise. Even when they’d only been dating, Heather would have spent the entire wad and then some. And once he’d slipped a ring on her finger… well, things had just gone from bad to worse.
He was just about to say goodbye and send Catherine on her way when she eased forward, rose on tiptoe and lifted her lips to kiss him goodbye.
Of course.
Great idea.
There was an audience present, and they were two people in love. A goodbye kiss was definitely in order.
Ray stepped in and lowered his mouth to hers, but as their lips met, he found himself wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close, savoring the feel of her in his arms, the scent of her shampoo, the taste of her….
Oh, wow.
As he slipped into fiancé mode, the kiss seemed to take on a life of its own, deepening—although not in a sexual or inappropriate public display. In fact, to anyone who might be peering at them from inside the diner, their parting kiss would appear to be sweet and affectionate.
Yet on the inside of Ray, where no one else was privy, it caused his gut to clench and his blood to stir.
She placed her hand—the one that bore his grandmother’s ring—on his face and smiled adoringly. As she slowly dropped her left hand, her fingers trailed down his cheek, sending ripples of heat radiating to his jaw and taunting him with sexual awareness.
Damn she was good. She even had him thinking there was something going on between them. No wonder Hollywood actors and actresses were constantly switching partners.
He’d best keep that fact in mind. The last thing in the world he needed to do was to get caught up in the act and to confuse fantasy with reality.
Chapter Three
When Ray entered his apartment at a quarter to five, he found Catherine seated on the sofa, watching television.
“You’re home early,” she said, reaching for the remote. After turning off the power, she stood to greet him.
But just the sight of the tall, shapely blonde wearing a classic black dress and heels made him freeze in his tracks.
“What do you think?” She turned around, showing him the new outfit she’d chosen.
“It’s amazing,” he said. And he wasn’t just talking about the dress. Her transformation from actress to cover model had nearly thrown him for a loop.
Each time he saw Catherine, she morphed into a woman who was even more beautiful than the last.
Is that what dating an actress would be like? Having a different woman each time they went out?
If so, the part of him that enjoyed an occasional male fantasy sat up and took notice.
“I even found a pair of heels and an evening bag,” she said, striding for the lamp table to show him a small beaded purse.
“You found all of that at The Boutique?” He’d expected her to complain about the out-of-date inventory at Brighton Valley’s only ladies dress shop. Heather, who wasn’t even from a place as style conscious as New York, certainly had.
“No,” Catherine said, “I had to go to Zapatos, the shoe store across the street, for the heels and bag.
What do you think? Will this do?”
Would it do?
“Absolutely.” She looked like a million bucks, which had him thinking he’d better reach for his wallet. “I couldn’t have given you enough money to pay for all of that.”
“Oh, yes, you did.” She smiled, lighting those blue-green eyes and revealing two of the prettiest dimples he’d ever seen. “I even have a few dollars change for you.”
Again, the compulsion to compare her to his ex-wife struck him hard, but he shook it off. Heather was long gone—thank goodness. And now, thanks to Catherine, Ray wouldn’t need to weed out the gold diggers from the dating pool until he was ready to.
“I’ll take a quick shower,” he said. “Just give me a couple of minutes.”
After snatching his clothes from the bedroom, he headed for the bathroom. Then, once inside, he turned on the spigot and waited for the water to heat.
Surprisingly, he was actually looking forward to attending the hospital benefit tonight, especially since he would walk in with Catherine on his arm. A man could get used to looking at a woman like her—and talking to her, too.
Of course, he was paying her to be pleasant and agreeable. If they’d met on different terms, it might be another story altogether.
He had to