“Hold on,” he said. Then I heard a lot of shuffling, followed by a few clicks of the keyboard before he came back on the line. “Wow. I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Neither was I. I guess someone recognized us.”
“It looks like it. Caine, this is really great. For both of us.”
“I know. Have you checked your follower count? Mine didn’t move much, but yours-”
“Whoa!” He cut me off, shocked. “It’s almost tripled.” More furious clicking at the keyboard, then another “whoa” this time whispered in reverence. “I have a bunch of emails.”
“I’m not surprised. It’s going to take more than a few pictures of me having a good time with a good-looking man to fix what I’ve done, but it looks like you’re getting a much needed boost.”
“Caine, all these people want me to curate experiences for them.”
“Of course they do. Look at that picture of you. You’re having a great time. People like to have fun, and when they see other people living life to the fullest, it inspires them.”
“Should I answer these now?” he wondered, though I didn’t think he meant to say it out loud.
“It’s Sunday, and people expect businesses to take the weekend off. You should relax today and rest up for tomorrow. Then you can hit the requests first thing in the morning and plan your month.”
“This is, I just-” he stuttered. “When can I see you again?”
I was surprised when he blurted it out. “I didn’t expect you to be ready so soon. Not after I acted like such an ass the other day.”
“I have fun with you.”
“So do I. I usually hit the farmer’s market on Sundays, then have a nice, quiet meal at home.” I smiled. “Actually, I have a better idea. Still relaxing.”
“That’s good. I’m feeling a little rough.”
“Dress casual and wear comfortable shoes. I want to take you somewhere.”
“All right, I’m intrigued.”
“I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
I was there in half the time, and he met me at the door fresh from the shower with a towel around his waist. Eyes roaming over his chest, I lingered on his hips, willing the thin towel to loosen. When I met Shelton’s gaze, his expression mirrored my hunger, then he laughed nervously and stepped back so I could enter the apartment. “You’re early.”
“You’re naked,” I countered.
His smile was lopsided and mischievous. “Yeah, I’m going to fix that before we do something we’ll regret.”
“I wouldn’t regret it,” I said, winking at him.
“Make yourself at home. I’m going to finish getting ready then make a quick sandwich.”
“I’ll make you something,” I offered.
He nodded. “That would be great, thanks.”
He disappeared into the other room, leaving me to find the kitchen on my own in the surprisingly spacious apartment.
The refrigerator was nearly empty, and I made a mental note to take care of that first thing in the morning. Fake dating or not- I amended the thought. Not fake dating. I’d promised Shelton I would give it a go and give us a chance at a real relationship. I was going to do this right, even if it took everything I had.
Making a sandwich proved to be easy since there were only exactly enough ingredients for a turkey sandwich with cheese. I grabbed two bottles of water from the door, and I was just sitting down at the table when Shelton emerged.
“You didn’t make one for yourself?” He took a bite of the sandwich and chased it with water. “Man, that’s good.”
“I had a late breakfast. I’ll eat when we get where we’re going.”
He finished the sandwich, then washed the plate, dried it and put it away. He didn’t see me shake my head behind his back. It had been so long since I left college and started my career that I’d forgotten the lean days of a bachelor in his twenties, just starting to make his place in the world.
“It’s a surprise,” I said when he returned to the table.
“Well, last night was a blast, so I guess I like surprises now.”
“I have a few up my sleeve.” I stood and held my hand out to him. “Let’s go. The mountains are calling, and I want to show you my favorite place to get away from it all.”
His hand felt good in mine. Soft, warm, his grip firm. I only let him go to grab a thin coat he had hanging by the door. I stood behind him, holding it for him to put on. When he turned around, I started buttoning it, stopping three buttons from the top. My hands lingered and his lips parted in anticipation.
I pulled away, tugging his hand toward the door. “If I kiss you now, we won’t make it to the mountains today.”
His cheeks colored slightly, nostrils flaring, lips still parted ever so slightly. He was a vision in the soft gray wool jacket, dark jeans and the soft yellow shirt that peeked through the open neck of the coat. Everything about Shelton was gentle, right down to his shy smile. But there was more to him than that. He was strong, driven, and resourceful. And I’d treated him like a complete child.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted out.
“For what?” he asked, eyebrow knitting together in confusion.
“I’ve treated you like a kid but you’re amazing. At your age I was still putting on airs, trying to convince the world that I was older and wiser than I felt. I would give anything to have been as comfortable in my own skin as you are. Then there’s your business. Such a bold and timely business model, and I promise you, Shelton. It’s going to take off. You have a good head on your shoulders. I was so focused on your age I almost missed what makes you special.”
“Thank you. It means a lot to hear you say that.” He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek that was achingly sweet, then he led me into the hallway and down the stairs to the parking lot.
The drive to the mountains was peaceful. We shared a mutual appreciation of instrumental jazz, and when we pulled up to the apple orchard, Shelton sat up in his seat, eyes wide, smile wider. “I’ve never been apple picking before,” he gushed.
“You’re going to love this place. You pick apples and you take what you want and you give the rest to the bakery.”
“Bakery?”
“You’ll never taste a better apple pie than one fresh from The Orchard.” I led him to the welcome area and we each grabbed a handle on one of the large baskets, carrying it between us.
We took turns climbing the small ladder, filling the basket up with apples of all varieties until it was mounded at the top. Then we carried it back toward the store, laughing as we struggled under the weight.
“We should’ve started at the far end and made our way closer,” I laughed, glancing his way.
His smile was infectious. “Live and learn,” he shrugged with one shoulder. “This is the best, and I can’t wait for the pie.”
“Not just pie. If you can make it from apples, they have it.”
His eyes rolled back in his head dramatically and he licked his lips, then he looked at the store that was so far away and groaned. “We should’ve picked a smaller basket.”