A Winter Wedding(56)
“How?” she asked, gazing up at him.
“I’ll turn them all away, like I said—make sure no one bothers you.”
“So you think I should still room with you? Despite the furor that might cause in the tabloids when they find out?”
“Let them print whatever they want. Can’t be any worse than having them report the truth about Derrick.”
“True,” she muttered. “It’s hurtful and embarrassing enough that he’d cheat—but with my biggest competitor? That’ll ensure it’s gossiped about much longer than it would’ve been otherwise.”
“You might as well get your story out first. Besides, I love the fact that knowing you’re sleeping down the hall from me will drive Noelle mad.”
If only having Lourdes so close wouldn’t drive him mad at the same time. As she slipped her hand in his to confirm that they’d stick together, he had the sudden urge to pull her closer so he could kiss her, and had to stand up and move away.
*
Lourdes looked spectacular, every bit the beautiful music icon he’d seen in the media before he met her. She’d done her hair and makeup and gotten out of the sweats she’d been wearing since she moved in with him. And nothing about her smile suggested she was ill at ease. Ed Hamilton had to believe she didn’t have a care in the world.
She was putting on a brave front, and Kyle couldn’t have been prouder of her.
“How did you come to know Kyle?” Ed asked.
Kyle tried not to be annoyed with Ed’s overly solicitous manner. He owned a newspaper, so of course he’d pursue interesting stories to go in it. Times were difficult for his industry, what with most people getting their news online or via television. But, bottom line, Kyle felt more protective of his guest than sympathetic to his fellow townsman.
“I met him online a few months ago,” she replied. “On my Facebook page.”
Kyle was surprised by the implication that their relationship had started sooner than it had. He was pretty sure Noelle and everyone else would be surprised by it, too, but he didn’t care. It could be true. No one knew what he did on his computer except him.
“So you came out to see him.”
“I rented the farmhouse, thinking it might give us a chance to get to know each other better.”
“And then the furnace wouldn’t work.”
“Right, and it was too cold to stay.”
“So you came here, but...you could’ve gone to a B and B. There are two in town.”
“Derrick and I’ve been having some...disagreements. I didn’t feel like being out in public. And there wasn’t any need, since Kyle was kind enough to take me in.”
“But just until he can get the heat back on, right?”
That was a leading statement if Kyle had ever heard one.
“Actually, I’m not sure I’ll move back.” She flashed him a smile. “Kyle and I have been having too much fun.”
Ed straightened in his chair. “You might continue to live here? With Kyle?”
“Why not?” She shrugged. “He’s easy to get along with.”
When Ed’s gaze landed on him, Kyle could feel the man’s shock, but he didn’t look directly back at him. He couldn’t jump in to elaborate, because he wasn’t sure where Lourdes was going with this.
Ed cleared his throat. “Then...you’re friends?” he asked, trying to press her into a definitive answer on their relationship.
Kyle expected Lourdes to say they were, that although they’d only recently met in person, it felt as if they’d known each other their whole lives or something similar that would be ambiguous as to whether their connection included any romantic elements. So his jaw dropped when she said, “I wouldn’t limit it to friendship, no.”
As Ed scribbled on his notepad, Kyle raised his eyebrows at Lourdes, and she winked. Apparently, if she had to do this interview, she was going to use it to exact a little revenge on Derrick.
It would make Noelle squirm, too, but she’d asked for it. Why not let her assume his sex life had suddenly improved? There were worse things than to have people think he was Lourdes Bennett’s new lover. Maybe folks around Whiskey Creek would finally believe he’d gotten over Olivia, which should stop the pitying looks and whispered comments that seemed to follow him more and more as time went on and he didn’t get married.
Problem was...implying to other people that they were sleeping together also made him think the kinds of thoughts he’d been trying to avoid.
*
“So how would you say it went?” Lourdes had gone in and put on her sweats again. Now she was sitting cross-legged on the couch facing Kyle so they could discuss the meeting.
“You gave him one hell of an interview,” Kyle replied. “Ed was so excited to get home and write his darn article, he was nearly tripping over his own feet as he rushed out of here.”
She studied him more closely. “Do you mind?”
“That you strongly hinted we were having sex?” He chuckled. “No.”
“I figured it’d be smarter not to leave Ed, or the next reporter, anywhere to go. There’s no point in accusing people of something they freely admit. Takes all the fun out of it.”
“That’s ironic.”