Fake It Till You Break It E-Book

Mary E. Thompson

• Herausgeber: BluEyed Press
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

No more men…

Kristen Bennett had her heart shattered. Broken was too small of a word for getting dumped by the guy she thought she’d spend her life with. What really pissed her off was she couldn’t get past the hurt and lose herself in other men like she usually did.

Too much trouble…

Zane Hughes didn’t let anyone close. Close meant he could get hurt, and he’d had enough of that to last a few lifetimes. The only woman allowed in his life for longer than one night was his business partner and best friend, and she knew when to back off.

It’s all for fun…

When Kristen and Zane meet, it’s all business. Until too many hours together and too much wine give them both the courage to get as close as two people can get.

Neither of them wants more than a casual relationship, so what’s the harm in having one together. With Kristen’s re-shattered heart, and Zane’s complete lack of one, they’re the perfect couple.

As long as no one wants more than some fun between the sheets, or against the wall, or on the table.

Leseprobe

FAKE IT TILL YOU BREAK IT

RAISE A GLASS, BOOK SEVEN

MARY E THOMPSON

Fake It Till You Break It

Raise A Glass, book seven

Copyright © 2018 Mary E Thompson

Cover Copyright © 2022 Mary E Thompson

Cover Photo (vineyard) from depositphotos © vitalytitov

Cover Photo (couple) from depositphotos © IuliiaVerstaBO

Published by BluEyed Press, All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, businesses, locations, and events are either products of the author’s creative imagination or are used in a fictitious sense. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-944090-46-3

Print ISBN: 978-1-944090-47-0

Created with Vellum

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

About the Author

1

“Oh, yes, right there,” Kristen Bennett cried out, rolling her eyes at the same time.

“You like that, huh, baby. You know I’ll give it to you right. I love hearing you scream for me,” he grunted over her. His thrusts met her body but did absolutely nothing for her. So she did what her mother had taught her. She faked it.

She was pretty sure her mom didn’t mean to fake it till she made it in bed, but it worked.

Actually, no, it didn’t. It never worked. After a few more grunts, he was done, but she was far from it. She’d faked it well enough for him to make it but she would be strung out for the rest of the day.

Thankfully, he never stayed long.

He climbed off her when he finished and went to the bathroom. She watched him walk away, his tight ass and tanned back were part of what had attracted her to him, but his severe lack of skills in the bedroom were quickly becoming a deterrent. Good looks only got a girl so far.

And she was pretty sure she was as far into the ‘relationship’ as she was going to get.

He came back to her bed, his flaccid cock bouncing as he walked. She never liked to look at them afterward, preferring to keep the visual of a hard cock in her head. His seemed to go soft faster than others she’d seen, but she didn’t really care at that point. She was done with him anyway.

“So listen, babe, I’m thinking this isn’t going to work out anymore. I mean you’re great and all, but the sex is just not that good. You’re hot, but I need a woman with a bit more substance. I hope next time I’m at the winery we can have a drink, though,” he said casually as he tugged his shorts up.

Shock swept through her. He was dumping her? Because the sex wasn’t any good? At least he got an orgasm out of it. All she got was a sore crotch and the unending need to take a shower.

Fuck it, who cared. All that mattered was he would be gone. If it was his idea, then who gave a shit.

“Yeah, maybe,” she mumbled as he pulled his shirt on. She felt embarrassed but more than that just empty. Maybe it was time to give up men altogether. After all, the only ones she’d met lately were hot as the sun but dumb as a pile of bricks. She didn’t need the drama they brought into her life. She could use the energy to help out at the winery, maybe implement some more of her ideas.

He walked out without another word, and she jumped into the shower, ready to wash off his smell. The scent of her shampoo, the new lavender mint one she’d just bought, was enough to reinvigorate her. She was ready for a new page in her book. One that didn’t involve men. She wanted some time for herself. Time to regroup who she was and sink her teeth into the winery she shared with her brother and seven cousins.

The first time she ran with one of her ideas, it was a huge success. She could do it again, and prove to all of them that she was more than a screw-up who spent more time on her back than behind the bar.

“Get out of the shower, you dirty whore! I saw that man running from your bed,” came from outside the bathroom.

Kristen would have been worried, except she knew that voice. “Ha! If only I was half the whore you are, he would still be in my bed!”

Sad but true, Kristen thought as she rinsed herself clean. She turned the water off and wrapped a towel around her wet body, her chocolate hair dripping down her back.

“Another one bites the dust, huh?” her best friend, Ian Losson, asked when she walked into the bedroom. He was sprawled on her bed where Kristen had just had sex. She laughed, the thought of sex with Ian more funny than anything. “What’s so funny?”

“I just had sex there, and you’re sprawled out like you’re ready to take me for round two. It just struck me as funny.”

“You wish! So what happened with lover boy?”

Kristen snorted and rolled his eyes. “He said the sex wasn’t good enough so he’s done.”

Ian narrowed his eyes at her. “Isn’t he the one you had to fake it for?”

“Yep,” she said with a pop.

“And it wasn’t good enough for him? What an idiot.”

Kristen bit her lip and turned toward her dresser so she wouldn’t have to look at her best friend. She could talk to Ian about anything, she always could, but some things were hard to say. “Do you think there’s something wrong with me?”

She heard him climb off the bed and approach her. He gently spun her around to face him and tipped her chin up with a soft touch. “There’s nothing wrong with you, honey. He’s the idiot. I already said that.”

She gave him a half grin. “You’re biased.”

“True, but I’m also honest. You know I’d never lie to you.”

Ian pulled her into a hug. Kristen pressed her wet head against his chest and enjoyed the feel of his arms around her. She’d never been interested in Ian, but she loved him. He was like a brother and best friend all rolled into one.

“It’s too bad you’re gay or we could be together.”

“Please. You couldn’t handle me,” he teased, leaning back to look at her. “Are you going to be okay?”

Kristen nodded. “Yeah. This was the last straw for me. I’ve been feeling off for a while. I think I need to take a break from men. Focus on the winery for a while.”

“I thought things were better after the Memorial Day success?”

“They are, but I’ve got more ideas. Things I’ve been thinking about but never had the time or guts to try. I think now’s the time to try.”

Ian eyed her carefully, and Kristen worried he didn’t think she had what it took to make her ideas successful. Like he thought she wasn’t good at what she did. Then he nodded once. “You’ll kick some serious ass. You should do it. And if you need anything, let me know.”

Kristen smiled, and her shoulders sagged with relief. Knowing Ian was behind her gave her the confidence she needed to move forward. She just hoped her cousins and brother had as much faith in her.

“I have my first activity this afternoon with InZane’s,” Kristen said as she slid a black bikini bottom up her curvy legs. She’d never been ashamed of her body, but she knew she wasn’t model perfect. She carried too much weight in her belly and had hips that were a little too wide for some men, but she loved the way she felt. She enjoyed food and wine and hated stopping her life to do something as boring as exercise. Sex was her exercise. It had been since her first time.

But she wasn’t going to think about that.

“Ooh, I forgot about that. Are you excited?”

Kristen shrugged. “I guess. It should be fun if nothing else.”

“Have you met the guy yet?”

She shook her head. “No. Leo and Ryan met him, but this afternoon will be the first time I’ve been there.”

“Maybe he’s hot. I wonder if he’s hot.”

Kristen rolled her eyes and laughed. “You have a one track mind.”

Ian thought for a second, then nodded. “I do. And right now it’s on food. Want to go to lunch? Do you have time?”

Kristen wrapped her hair in her towel and finished getting dressed. Ian had seen in naked more times than she could count so it didn’t pay to be shy in front of him.

“Yeah, I could always eat. Want to go up to The Drunken Grape? I need to leave in an hour.”

“Sounds good. Want to meet me there or will you be ready soon?”

She scoffed. “I’m ready now.”

She pulled her hair down and slid a comb through it, then piled it all on top of her head knowing pieces would fall through the day. She never stressed much about her appearance. Whether she was serving drinks to Bereton’s finest or hanging out on the lake, she was who she was, and nothing would change that.

Kristen and Ian walked to the inn her family owned and through the front door. They waved to Andie, Kristen’s cousin and roommate, on their way to The Drunken Grape.

One of the waitresses brought over a menu, but Kristen and Ian didn’t need it. They ordered their lunch and accepted the water Molly poured for them.

“I have something to show you,” Ian said when they were alone. “I know you’re going to be mad.”

Kristen huffed. “And you waited until we were in public and you knew I wouldn’t make a scene. What could possibly be that bad?”

Ian slid an envelope out of his jacket pocket. He rarely wore anything but a suit with his stuffy boss always breathing down his neck. He was a hell of a lawyer, but he kept talking about leaving Bereton so he could go to a bigger firm, and a bigger town. Someplace where his sexual orientation wouldn’t be an issue.

Kristen told him he wasn’t giving his boss enough credit, but she had her doubts. She hated seeing Ian uncomfortable, but his current level of discomfort had nothing to do with his job and everything to do with the envelope in his hand.

Her breath faltered, just enough that she was sucking in a deep breath to feel like she got enough oxygen. Ian handed the envelope to her, but she didn’t get it. It was addressed to him, with a return address she didn’t recognize. It was a Bereton address, but she couldn’t place it.

“What is this?”

“Open it,” he said ominously.

Kristen flipped over the linen envelope and lifted the flap. Shiny, gold paper lined the inside, which held another envelope.

That meant one thing. Wedding invitation.

She panicked as she opened the inside envelope and turned over the gold-embossed invitation and read the words she knew were going to be there.

You are cordially invited

to celebrate the marriage of

Jill McDavid

and

Phillip Hollis

Tears filled her eyes, blurring the date. She blinked them away. Just under two months. Labor Day weekend.

She squeezed her eyes shut and blindly stuffed the invitation back into the envelope and handed the whole thing back to Ian to fix. Kristen dabbed her eyes with her napkin, hating that she was so upset.

“I’m sorry. I wanted you to hear it from me,” Ian said quietly.

“I didn’t know you were still in touch with him,” Kristen accused.

When Phillip dumped her the previous fall, Ian cut all ties with him out of loyalty to her. She didn’t ask him to, but he insisted that Phillip was being a douche and that he didn’t want to be friends with a douche. The invitation in his hands said otherwise.

“I’m not. I was shocked to get this.”

“I better not get one,” Kristen blurted. Seeing it was hard enough. Going would kill her. “I couldn’t go anyway. I have events that whole weekend.”

“I’m not going either.”

“What? Why not?”

“After what he did to you? No. Not a chance.”

Kristen dug deep to find some semblance of give-a-shit where Phillip was concerned. They’d dated most of their lives, off and on. He was her first boyfriend, the first boy she kissed and slept with, the only one she ever loved. She thought they’d get married one day. When she was ready. She wasn’t yet, but twenty-eight was still young. She thought they had time. He would get over his need to get married, and she would get over her need to have variety in her sex life.

She never cheated on him, but she took advantage of every time they were on a break. He didn’t like it, but she wasn’t going to cater to his whiney moods. She liked sex. And he had issues with that.

She laughed mirthlessly. Guess he wasn’t worried about it anymore.

“You don’t have to sit out the wedding for me. You should be there.”

“Why?” Ian asked.

Kristen shrugged. “We were all best friends for years. I never imagined I wouldn’t be the one standing up there with him on our wedding day, but you should be there for him. For me.”

Ian’s eyes scrunched together in that way he had that said he was worried about her. “I knew this would bother you. I’ll take the rest of the day off and we can go watch horror flicks.”

“You hate horror.”

“Yeah, but you love them.”

Kristen smiled, then noticed Molly was carrying their food over. She thanked her and promised her they didn’t need anything else before she responded to Ian.

“I’m fine.”

“You were crying.”

“Everyone cries.”

Ian snorted. “Not you. I don’t think you even cried when he dumped you after Alyssa’s wedding.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant you never let your emotions get to you. It always surprised me that you and Phillip stayed together as long as you did. It was obvious he was more in love with you than you ever were with him.”

“Why does everyone say that?” Kristen asked, exasperated with him. “I loved him. I still do. But he’s marrying someone else.”

“I know, honey,” Ian said softly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Kristen shook her head and dug in to her baked ziti. “I’m glad I know. It’s better that I know.”

“I meant I shouldn’t have said something about him being more in love than you were.”

Kristen rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you definitely shouldn’t have said that.”

Ian gave her a half-smile and expertly changed the subject, letting her bow out without having to explain herself. It was what best friends were for.

* * *

Zane Hughes stepped out from below the deck of his boat and grinned. It was a beautiful day on Cayuga Lake and he was ready for it.

He had a little under an hour before his group showed up. He was a lucky son of a bitch. He got to play for a living. He never thought he’d make his dream a reality, but he was finally doing it. And it felt damn good, too.

His best friend and assistant, Danica Thomas, strolled down the dock toward him, her dark ponytail bouncing with every step. “Are you ready for today?”

Zane grinned at her and nodded. He’d known Danica for years, but she’d only talked him into moving to the Finger Lakes a few months ago.

“I’m always ready.”

“You know there’s the booking from Amavita Estates coming today. Are you going to behave? This could be huge for us.”

Zane grinned. He knew exactly what it meant, but he also knew what Danica was not saying. If they brought in good money through a partnership with a local vineyard, he could stay through the winter.

“I’ll be on my best behavior,” Zane promised.

Danica groaned. “We’re so screwed.”

Zane laughed. “I won’t do anything wrong. I know what this means to both of us. Although I don’t have a hot boyfriend supporting me all year so I can play for the summer.”

Danica grinned, revealing a dimple in her chin. Her green eyes sparkled at the thought of the man who’d stolen her heart. Zane was happy for his best friend. She deserved happiness in her life, but he knew she was lonely when Harry traveled, which was often.

“Harry will be home tomorrow. Do you want to come over for dinner sometime this weekend?”

Zane smiled. “I’d love to, but give it a few days. You two need some time to catch up.”

Danica groaned and laughed. “All you think about is sex.”

“No, that’s not all I think about. I also think about food and money.”

Danica snorted. “And that you need more of both.”

Zane shook his head, all smiles gone. “No. I need more of all three.”

Danica rolled her eyes. “Promise me you’re not going to sleep with the woman from Amavita.”

Zane shook his head. “I can’t make that kind of a promise.”

“Zane.”

“Danica.”

“I’m serious, Zane. You can’t screw this up.”

Zane laughed, but he knew better than Danica what was at stake. If he screwed up a shot to connect with one of the top vineyards on the lake, he wouldn’t be able to afford to stay in the Finger Lakes. He’d be looking at another cross country trip, selling the boat he just bought, and scrounging another winter to save enough money to set up somewhere new next summer. If he had to leave, he wouldn’t come back. And from what he heard, the Finger Lakes weren’t the same in the winter. They were quiet. He liked the thought, but not the income.

Danica didn’t know all that, though. She knew he needed the money to pay for the adventures he ran, but he never told her how close to empty his bank account ran. She didn’t need to know.

“I promise, Danica. I’m not going to screw this up. I know we need this.”

“Yeah?” she asked, her smile growing again.

Zane nodded. “It’ll be good.”

“Good. Because I need you to stick here.”

“You have Harry.” Zane would never have moved there if Danica was on her own. That would have put too much pressure on him to stay put. She had her boyfriend, a life, family. She wouldn’t leave, even if he did.

She nodded. “I know. But I’ve missed you. We always said we would live in the same place again sometime. And now we are. You need to stay.”

Zane forced a smile, hoping she wouldn’t see through it. “We’re fine, Dan.”

“Are you sure? You’d tell me if we weren’t, right?”

Zane nodded, hating that he was lying to his best friend. Ithaca was an expensive area. Life on a lake was not cheap. He found the most affordable place that was available, thanking college students for making that possible, and settled down. The idea of leaving Ithaca, and the entire area, hurt more than Zane wanted to admit. He’d always considered himself a nomad, lost and alone, left to travel forever. When he moved to Ithaca and rented his tiny studio apartment, he never expected that it would feel so much like home.

“I knew you’d love it here,” she said. “It’s perfect for you, for us. And after this summer, we’ll be set. This partnership is going to be huge.”

“I hope so.”

She smiled. “It will be, I know it. We’re going to work our asses off to make sure it’s a success.”

Zane grinned. He could only hope her enthusiasm would make it happen.

2

”You’re going to love this package. It’s great. Zane is awesome and this will be totally what you need. I promise.”

Kristen smiled at Danica. She was nice enough, especially after Kristen spilled her guts about why she was there. When Leo and Ryan told her about InZane’s, she knew it sounded just right. She never imagined she would confess everything to the woman she met when she got there.

Danica was perky and friendly and had one of those faces that made her want to confess all her secrets. The fact that she then did surprised Kristen, but she felt better afterward. It was a no-brainer for Danica to talk her into the highest package they had. It sounded like exactly what Kristen needed. A full summer of fun so she could understand everything her guests would get, have some fun, and hopefully come out the other end stronger and happier. And single.

“I’m signed up for the water skiing today. Is there anything else going on today that I could jump into? I have the whole afternoon off,” Kristen said, ready to start her transformation.

“Um, let’s see. Zane’s got a canoeing trip after dinner. It’s really romantic and beautiful to see. He goes out just before sunset and you’ll get back right around dark. There are…three spots open so yeah, if you want to tackle that today you can.”

Kristen shook her head. “It sounds great, but tonight won’t work for me. I’ll add it to my list of events to catch this summer, though.”

“I’ll let you know when he has another one. You have a suit on, right?”

Kristen nodded. “Yep. I figured we’d have life vests on so a bikini would be okay. It’s the only suit I own.”

“That’s fine. Everyone has to wear a life vest. Zane’ll usually stop the boat at some point and let everyone swim. And then, of course, the skiing.”

Kristen smiled. “Sounds good. It’ll be a lot of fun.”

“Great!” Danica grinned broadly at her and lifted a walkie-talkie. “I’ll let Zane know you’re on the way down. He’s a bit of a flirt, but he’s a good guy. Don’t let him bother you, he’s harmless. Since you’ve sworn off men you won’t have any trouble resisting his charms. Most of the women who come through here swoon over him.”

Kristen cringed. The last thing she needed was another cute guy with more charm than brains. She was set on spending her summer sans men. It didn’t matter how charming or attractive Zane was.

“No worries about me. Like I said, men are too much trouble, and I’m taking a nice long break until I can start to think about finding a decent one. I’m over the gorgeous flirts who are only interested in sex.”

Danica winked at her and nodded as Kristen gathered her things and headed back to her car. She locked her purse in the trunk and pocketed her keys. She’d have to ask if there was a safe place to leave things the next time she was there, but for now, she just headed to the dock.

The walk down the dock was beautiful. The water sparkled under the full sun of the afternoon. Kristen was no stranger to Cayuga Lake, but the beauty of it always took her breath away. The long, skinny lake was the shape of a crooked finger, hence the Finger Lakes, so Kristen could easily see the other side, but it was far enough away that the middle was over 400 feet. InZane’s was at the southern end of the lake and perfect for the water sports that had become popular over the last few years.

Three boats bobbed gently in the water at the end of the dock. All three were speedboats but varied slightly in size. The only people nearby were around the mid-sized boat, one that looked like it would seat about ten people. She approached as two men climbed on board. Another was going through the equipment on board. Two women and two other men were settling into seats at the front of the boat.

“Fresh meat,” the man who was going through equipment said as he looked up. “You must be Kristen. Damn. I’m a lucky man to be spending the summer with you.”

Kristen rolled her eyes. She’d had more than enough of men like him. She took her time looking him over. His broad shoulders were bare and well tanned, as was his beautiful chest. Tattoos danced around his body, blanketing his muscles like a lover. If Kristen was honest with herself she would admit her mouth went dry looking at him. He was arguably the most attractive man she’d ever seen with his leanly muscled body and dangerously low shorts.

If only she hadn’t sworn off men.

* * *

Zane was surrounded by beautiful women all the time. He always had been. He loved them all. Skinny, curvy, blonde, brunette, redhead, all shades of skin, all varieties of height. He didn’t care. Women were fun to look at, and even more fun to flirt with.

Kristen was no exception. She showed up on her own, without a best friend or relative as a buffer, and he was going to love every second of his time with her. She was his favorite kind of woman. Comfortable in her own skin.

She extended her hand to his when she finally reached his side. “It’s nice to meet you, Zane.”

“You, too. Are you ready for this?”

Kristen glanced at the boat and nodded slowly. She carefully took in the others, all in pairs, positioning themselves on the boat. “I hope so.”

“Good,” Zane said with a grin. “We’re going to have fun.”

Kristen flashed him a smile that said she was just as ready for the summer as he was. She slid her sunglasses up into her hair, revealing brown eyes that threatened to draw Zane in and never let him up for air.

Zane helped her onto the boat, although he had no doubt she could handle it herself. She stripped out of the tank top she wore and revealed a tiny triangle bikini top that had him choking on his tongue. She was curvy and lush and full. Her breasts nearly spilled from the triangles that defied gravity holding her up. Her belly was soft and round, no six pack in sight, and he loved it. She was the kind of woman who wouldn’t hesitate to share a steak with him then go out for ice cream.

You know, if he dated or could afford steak.

She shimmied out of her shorts, exposing an equally tiny bikini bottom that tied at the sides. When she settled herself onto the bucket seat next to the driver’s seat, Zane knew he wasn’t going to survive the day.

He adjusted his cock as he moved around on the boat. He couldn’t talk to his guests while sporting a hard-on, but it was inevitable with Kristen stretched out over the seat. The other men on board would definitely understand.

“Thank you all for coming out today,” he started. “It looks like a beautiful day to be on the lake. We’ll head closer to the middle of the lake where it’s wider and we can get some speed going. It’ll be about a thirty minute ride up, then we’ll start skiing, and then we can swim before we head back. All in, it’ll be about three hours out there today, so I hope you all have sunscreen. If not, I always have some on board.”

Zane eyed Kristen’s lightly tanned shoulders and hoped she forgot her sunscreen. He’d happily give her a rub down.

He started the boat after Danica jumped in and backed away from the dock. He motored slowly past the inlet where stand-up paddle boarders were cruising. When he was five minutes out, he pushed the speed up and glided over the water until he got close to the middle where vineyards and homes much older than him lined the lake.

“That’s Amavita Estates,” Kristen told him, pointing out the vineyard she ran with her family.

When her cousins went on their first tour, they pointed it out to him, but Zane was happy Kristen wanted to tell him where she lived. “It’s beautiful.”

Kristen nodded. “I love it. Best place on the lake. You need to come sometime and check it out. We have a picnic every Sunday. You should join us.”

Zane smiled, wondering what the lake looked like from up on the hill. All the months he’d been in town, he’d never visited any of the vineyards.

“Thanks. I might do that.”

Kristen grinned back at him, solidifying his plans for the weekend.

Zane worked with the brave water skiing virgin who offered to go first. She was in her mid-twenties and said she’d always wanted to learn, but never had the guts. She just beat cancer and decided life was too short to sit on the sidelines, so she was working her way through her bucket list. Water skiing was the fourth item on her list of thirty-seven.

“All right, Maria, it’s harder to start in the water, but without a dock, you’re going to learn the hard way. You can do this. Keep your skis straight and hold on tight. Let the boat do the work for you. Keep your weight back. And when you fall, because you’re going to, let go of the rope.”

“Is it going to hurt?” Maria asked. Her hair was still short and spiky from her chemo, but the light in her green eyes said she was good to go.

Zane grinned and nodded. “Unfortunately, yeah. It’s gonna hurt.”

She laughed. “Good. I like it when I can feel something.”

“Even pain?”

Maria nodded. “Pain means I’m alive. After the battle I had, being alive is better than the alternative.”

“Hell, yeah, it is,” Zane agreed. He didn’t kick cancer’s ass, but he agreed wholeheartedly with the sentiment. He’d been there, done that. Survival was the only goal sometimes. And he survived.

Maria turned to her sister, her partner in crime through the bucket list project, and hugged her. “You’re next,” she said.

Her sister, Becky, shook her head. “Let’s see how you do.”

Maria rolled her eyes, then jumped over the side of the boat into the water. She came up yelling. “Shit, that’s cold! I thought it would be warmer.”

Everyone on board laughed with her, knowing they were going in, too.

Zane helped her get the skis on, then tossed the rope out to her. He reminded her how things were going to go, then slowly pulled away.

“Kristen, will you be my spotter? Tell me when the skier is ready, when they’re in trouble, when they fall?”

Danica gave him a side-eye since that was her job, but she didn’t comment.

Kristen climbed up onto her knees and turned around to face Maria in the water. Zane waited for the word from Kristen, then took off when Maria was ready.

And stopped when she immediately face planted.

Kristen and Zane worked together, dragging Maria, then all the others around the lake for two hours. When it was finally Kristen’s turn, Maria willingly took her place as spotter.

Zane went through the spiel again, even though he knew she’d heard it. She didn’t have any experience water skiing, so he didn’t expect any more from her than he’d gotten from the others without experience.

Kristen strapped her life vest on and jumped into the water. She bobbed right back to the surface before kicking her way to the back of the boat. She grabbed the skis as Zane lowered them to her and floated on her back to put them on, giving him a sexy view of the strip of black fabric between her thighs.

When her skis were on, they kept tipping her back, making her fight to keep her head out of water. She stopped struggling once she had the rope in her hand, like everyone did.

Zane returned to the driver’s seat and eased away from Kristen. Maria gave him the thumb’s up, and he took off.

“Holy shit,” Maria shouted. “She’s up! Oh, nope, she’s down.”

Zane backed off the throttle and spun around to Kristen. She swam to her skis, collecting them, then worked to get them on again. She gave him smile as he tossed the rope to her.

“You good?”

She nodded. “Absolutely. I gotta get the full experience.”

He chuckled. She was dedicated as hell to put herself through everything she planned to do all summer just for her job. He understand she was part owner, but still. She could have just told people to call him. Instead, she was determined to do it all herself.

He pulled away again, dragging her to her feet for a few seconds longer. Everyone on board cheered for Kristen as Zane towed her around the lake, rising to stand for a few seconds, then falling down.

“What am I doing wrong?” Kristen asked after her fifth or sixth failed attempt.

“Are you leaning back?” Zane asked.

Kristen nodded. “I think I am, at least.”

“Bend your knees, almost like you’re going to sit down. It helps to keep your weight back, even when you think you’re leaning back.”

Kristen nodded. Her eyes watched the back of the boat, her shoulders set and ready.

Zane watched her as he punched the throttle. She leaned back, nearly sitting on the water, but she stayed up. After a few seconds, she straightened her legs and kept her balance, staying upright.

The entire boat cheered for her, and her smile was visible from that far away. Zane pulled her around, going easy on her since she was new. When Maria said Kristen waved them off, he slowed the boat until she sank in the water, then circled back to pick her up.

“If anyone wants to swim, this is as good a spot as any. You can join Kristen.”

“Are you going to swim?” Maria asked.

Zane dropped the anchor to the bottom and nodded. “Always.”

He grabbed the skis from Kristen and reeled the tow line back in. He double checked that everything was okay and everyone was accounted for, then cannon balled in right next to Maria and Becky who were talking to Kristen.

“Aw, come on,” Becky whined when he came up. “You got my hair wet.”

Maria snorted and splashed her sister, and before long, the entire crowd was engaged in an all out splash fight that left everyone laughing.

When everyone finally calmed down, Zane swam over to Kristen and congratulated her. “I’ve never seen anyone take off that quickly before.”

Kristen beamed at him. “Thanks. It’s these tree trunk legs of mine. They’re sturdy.”

“They’re sexy.”

“Hell, yeah, they are. I’m on my feet all day, so I’ve developed some pretty strong muscles.”

“Impressive. What do you do at Amavita Estates?”

“I run the tasting room with one of my cousins.”

“Really?” Zane asked without any trace of humor. “That sucks.”

“Actually, it’s a pretty great job.”

He shook his head. “Yeah, I bet it is. I just thought I had the coolest job ever. Now I find out that you get to drink wine for a living. It’s just not fair.”

Kristen tipped her head back and laughed. Dark, wet strands clung to her throat, splitting the creamy skin that teased him.

Zane wanted to wrap his arms around her and sink into her, but there were witnesses. Paying witnesses. Paying witnesses who could sink his business if he was dumb enough to sleep with one of his customers while they were on an adventure.

He was out of his damn mind.

Zane talked to Kristen for a few more minutes before he chose sanity and returned to the boat. He let everyone swim a little longer then called them all back. He started the engine when they were all on board, then headed back to Ithaca to drop everyone off.

He thanked all his guests for joining him and said he hoped to see them all again. As usual, he suggested they talk to Danica if they wanted to book another adventure with him.

When the crowd thinned and he was left with only Maria, Becky, and Kristen, Zane turned the charm up to high. Women, especially single women, were always the ones who came back for more.

“How was your adventure, ladies?”

“Excellent,” Maria said. “I did it. And that was pretty awesome.”

“You did. Not many people can get up on their first time.”

Becky snorted. “That sounded dirty.”

Zane chuckled and shook his head. “Are you ladies staying in Ithaca?”

Maria nodded. “We are. Can you recommend a vineyard we should go to tomorrow? We want to see a little more of the area.”

Zane nodded toward Kristen. “She’d be a better one to ask. I’ve only been here a few months, but Kristen’s part owner at Amavita Estates.”

Maria swung excited eyes to Kristen. “Really? Do you do tastings?”

Kristen smiled. “We do. I work in the tasting room.”

“Will you be there tomorrow?”

“I will. It opens at eleven. We have a great restaurant where my brother is the chef. We even have an inn, but if you’re already staying in Ithaca you wouldn’t need that.”

“That sounds amazing.”

“It’s beautiful. Right up 89, on the right. We’re on the lake, so our views are unbeatable. If you can come around eleven, I’ll make sure we hold a table in the restaurant for you and ask one of my cousins to give you a tour of the vineyard if you want.”

“Seriously?”

Kristen nodded.

“That’s so cool. Thank you. Wow.”

“Of course,” Kristen said. “Just don’t tell everyone else you’re getting a tour. We don’t do them too often. My cousin, Ryan, works in the fields and would love to show you guys around.”

“Is he cute?”

Kristen wrinkled her nose. “He’s my cousin, but he’s also a volunteer firefighter and doesn’t seem to have any trouble getting dates, so I guess yes?”

Zane laughed at the exchange, wondering what Kristen would say about him.

Maria and Becky headed up the dock with thanks to both of them, leaving Zane and Kristen alone.

“Thank you for this. It was a lot of fun,” she said finally.

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

She nodded. “Danica mentioned the canoe trip tonight. I think it’s something some of our guests will really like. We get some honeymooners and lots of couples, so it’ll be good to check it out. I can’t come tonight, but I will sometime soon.”

“Did Danica also tell you that it’s a couples kind of thing, so you’ll be in a canoe with me? I mean, unless you bring someone.”

An adorable pink that definitely wasn’t from the sun flushed up her cheeks. She licked her lips and shook her head. “I’m single.”

Zane grinned. “Good.”

3

The next afternoon, Kristen was trying to convince herself she made the right decision giving up men when Maria and Becky walked in the door. She gave them hugs and directed them to the end of the bar where she could talk to them a little extra and slip them a few more drinks than normal without anyone realizing it.

“This place is gorgeous,” Maria said, eyeing Leo at the other end of the bar. “Beautiful scenery.”

Kristen snorted. “He’s my cousin.”

Maria grinned at her. “So you can introduce me?”

Becky groaned. “Please, don’t. I’m sharing a room with her, and her goal to sleep with a guy on every lake is getting really old.”

“How many lakes have you visited?”

“This is our fourth. We’re hitting all eleven of them,” Maria said, still watching Leo.

“And how many men has she slept with?” Kristen asked Becky.

“Nine,” Becky said, trying to hide her grin.

Kristen nodded appreciatively. “I think I need to live vicariously through you.”

Maria shook her head, finally tearing her forest green eyes from Leo. “You didn’t look like you were having any man trouble yesterday with Zane. I figured you two hooked up.”

Kristen shook her head and poured them a tiny glass of merlot. “This is my favorite wine. Good, full body, lots of oakiness in the wine, but hints of blackberry and cherry at the end. I’m just going to give you guys a taste of everything.”

They swirled their glasses like they’d done more than a few wine tastings, then chugged the wine, blowing that theory out of the water.

“Nice. But you didn’t answer my question,” Maria said.

She didn’t miss anything.

Kristen pulled out another bottle. “Nothing happened with Zane. I’m taking a break from men for a while. Working on myself.”

Maria shook her head. “Life’s too short to take a break from anything. I spent eighteen months in chemo thinking I wouldn’t see the day I was done. I had to avoid alcohol, had no interest in sex, my boyfriend of two years said he didn’t sign on for cancer, and I was sicker than I’d ever been in my life. I’ll never have kids, which sucks, but I can always adopt. I’ve lost so much in the last year that I barely recognize who I am anymore, but I’m still here. I’m still kicking and enjoying life. What could possibly be so bad that you’re giving up?”

Kristen shook her head. “I’m not giving up, just taking a break.” She sighed. “My ex is getting married.”

Maria looked at her, waiting for the rest. The rest that wasn’t there. “That’s it?”

Kristen laughed. “Do I really need more than that? I thought I was going to marry him. He was my first and I always thought he’d be my last. It really threw me when I found out he was marrying someone else. I mean, it’s only been nine months since we broke up, and he already got engaged to someone else? Who does that?”

Kristen stared at Maria and Becky, waiting for an answer. They were shocked by her outburst, which she answered by pouring herself a glass of wine to take the edge off her crazy.

“Why didn’t he ever propose to you? How did you two get your signals crossed?”

Kristen avoided eye contact as she said, “He did propose. I said no.”

Maria snickered softly, then gradually got louder until she was belly laughing and holding on to the bar for support.

Kristen tried to find the humor in the situation, but she couldn’t.

“Let me get this straight. The guy you want to marry is marrying someone else because you said no when he asked you to marry him?”

Kristen shrugged.

“You’re right, Kristen. You do need a break.”

Kristen rolled her eyes at Maria and poured another drink.

Becky stepped forward and chastised her sister. “You don’t know what she’s been through. It’s not fair that you’re judging her like this.”

But Maria didn’t feel the same. “I almost died. I fought to stay alive. I had more days where I wanted to stay in bed and give up than I ever admitted to you. I thought about quitting chemo so many times that I almost did. I almost just stopped fighting. But I didn’t. I dragged my ass, sick as hell, out of bed and to that clinic, so I could get the poisons injected into my body that would make me sick all over again. I hated it. It was painful and horrible, but I did it because nothing was going to keep me from living my life.” She turned to Kristen. “I’m sorry. I know it’s different when you haven’t been in my shoes. I get it. I was the same as you. But now? Well, now I know how short life is. And I know that if I want something, no one else is going to go out there and get it for me. So if this ex of yours is the right guy for you, go get him before he gets married. If he’s not, then live out the fantasies of every woman on this lake and jump on Zane like a trampoline.”

Kristen held her laughter in for about two-point-three seconds before she burst with Maria and Becky. The three of them laughed so hard that Leo gave Kristen a few looks to make sure she was okay.

When she could finally breathe again, Kristen had to admit Maria made a good point. Life was too short. Which meant she needed to stop trying to be someone she wasn’t. She had to let go of Phillip once and for all.

She just needed to figure out how.

* * *

Kristen examined the tattoo she got a few months ago in the mirror in her room. The word ‘Family’ written into the infinity symbol. She got it after Phillip broke up with her, when she found out she had a niece. She loved Summer, but until she was in Kristen’s life, she’d never thought twice about having kids. She still wasn’t sure, but the idea had gained a little traction in the last few months.

Her tattoo was supposed to remind her that she didn’t need Phillip. That her family was always with her and letting go of a man who gave her ultimatums was for the best. But she never made that break. She still thought about him. Once in a while she sent him a text, even though she regretted it after. It had been months since she’d seen him. But she was still holding on to hope that he’d show up.

She grabbed her phone before she lost her courage.

“I’m going to Watercolor. Do you want to join me?”

“Now?” Ian blurted. “Are you serious?”

Kristen looked at the mirror again. “Absolutely. I need this.”

“Okay. I’ll meet you there.”

She finished getting dressed and tied her hair up on her head. Andie was at work, so Kristen didn’t have anyone to explain to as she raced out of the house with an idea in her head and a desire to change her life.

The drive into Bereton was quick, less than five minutes from the vineyard to where Watercolor was on the north side of town. Not everyone was thrilled a tattoo parlor had moved into town, but Kristen loved it. She’d have more tattoos already if she could afford it. This one would be worth every penny.