Her Faux Fiancé (12 page)

She took her grandfather’s rough hand in hers and closed her eyes as well, letting the reading flow over her like a warm bath. The next thing she knew, her head was pulled gently onto a large shoulder, and a strong arm wrapped around her, supporting her weight. Her eyelids felt as though they were weighted when she tried to open them. Erik’s deep voice filled her mind. “Rest, my darling. I’ll hold you until you wake.”

Home.

• • •

Analise finally stirred in his arms, her dark lashes fluttering like a butterfly about to take flight. When her bright aqua eyes gazed up into his, he wasn’t prepared for the rush of emotion that swept through him. His chest swelled, and a fluttery feeling invaded his stomach. Falling in love with Analise was not part of his plan. In fact, given the recent loss of her fiancé, which probably clouded her ability to form any new attachments, it was a disaster. He couldn’t afford another ten years getting over her.

“When did you get here?” she mumbled.

“Just as you were about to tumble out of your chair, fast asleep,” he answered. “Are you ill? Do you want me to take you home?”

She stretched her arms above her head, pulling her t-shirt taut across her full breasts. He tried to take his eyes off the lace outline of her bra. He tried not to remember the taste of her skin, the low moan that had escaped her lips as he’d drawn her nipple into his mouth. He tried and failed—epically.

“No, I’m fine,” she replied, bringing his eyes back up to her lips. Soft, luscious lips. No longer chapped, they practically begged for his kisses.

Man, he needed to get a grip, and fast, before he embarrassed himself in front of all these people.

“Where’s
Afi
?” Analise looked around for her grandfather.

“He met up with a friend, and they’ve gone for a coffee. I told him I’d look after you and take you home.”

“I can’t go home yet. I haven’t been on any rides.” She pouted and somehow managed to look even sexier, and another tsunami of lust rolled over him.

“All right, we’ll wander over to the park. But you have to promise not to fall asleep on the Sizzler.”

“I promise. I’m good to go now. How long was I asleep anyway?”

“About forty minutes in my arms.”

“I hope I didn’t put off any of the performers.”

The performers hadn’t had to cope with her soft breath blowing down a gap in his shirt. “I don’t think they noticed,” he replied. They’d better get walking while he still could.

They wandered down the path by the beach. Neighbors and friends of his grandparents chatted with them. He kept his arm around Analise, except for when she stopped to take a photo. After replacing her lens cap, she’d return to his side as if it were the most natural place for her to be. And it was.

“I want a huge plate of perogies,” she said as they approached the food tent. “With sour cream and bacon and onions.”

“Is there any other way to eat perogies?” They lined up behind an elderly woman who turned at the sound of his voice.

“That you, Erik Sigurdson?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He scanned the wrinkled face before him, wracking his brain for a connection, but came up blank.

“I remember you when you were just a little thing. This your girlfriend?”

“My fiancée,” he corrected. “This is Analise Thordarson.”

“Oh, yes, Gunnar Thordarson’s granddaughter. I must say we were all so happy, Analise, when you first came to live with your grandparents. They were devastated when Sigrid went to France, taking you with her. Such a surprise, too, as everyone expected Sigrid was going to marry Derek Sigurdson.”

“My father?” Erik had never heard that his dad and Analise’s mother had been an item.

“Oh, yeah. They were all over each other through high school. Then, when that Frenchie came to town, Sigrid dropped your father like a hot potato and went off with him. I guess it all comes around in the end, if both their children are now getting hitched.”

Having made that pronouncement, the lady turned back and ordered her meal, ignoring the shocked look he was sure must be all over his face.

“Did you know about that?” he whispered into Analise’s ear.

“Nope, news to me. Now I know why my granddad keeps asking me if I’ve changed my mind.”

“And have you?” The words were out before he could stop them. He was having trouble remembering that their engagement was simply for appearance’s sake.

“Not for the week or so, anyway,” she said, then stood on tiptoe and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“What can I get you, dear?” the lady behind the table asked, holding a Styrofoam plate in her hand. Analise ordered and then waited for him to get his dinner.

Laden with perogies, they found a couple of empty spots at a picnic table. Their fellow diners were deep in conversation about what to do with the rest of their time before heading back to Winnipeg.

“Did you know that lady in the food line?” Analise licked a spot of sour cream off the corner of her lips.

Erik took a long drink of his ice-cold lemonade before replying. “No. But I quickly learned that in a small area, who you know and who knows you are usually two wildly different demographics.”

“Doesn’t it bother you—complete strangers knowing your business?”

“It used to, when I was young. Now I realize most people are pretty friendly and just want the best for me and my family. Plus, they only know the things I want them to know. Secrets are still possible.” He twirled the ring on her finger.

Half an hour later, Analise rubbed her stomach. “I’m stuffed. I always feel such a traitor having Ukrainian food at the Icelandic festival, but I have to say, aside from
pönnukökur
and
vinnaterta,
there’s not a lot of Icelandic fare I enjoy. Plus, perogies are pure comfort food.”

“Do you feel in need of comfort?” He’d been amazed that she’d gone back for three plates of dinner.

“No, not really. I have been craving potatoes and pasta lately. I guess I lived on rice and couscous for too long.”

“Well, you’ll get your fill of perogies, potato salad, and pasta tomorrow. The food has already started arriving for the family reunion. I think we could probably feed the entire Interlake region.”

“I think the entire Interlake has been invited. I thought the family party was last weekend. So if this thing tomorrow is only your relatives, what’s the party next weekend?”

“Last weekend was the super-close family—people my grandparents see on a regular basis. Tomorrow is everyone. My grandmother is one of fourteen, my grandfather comes from a family of five. All their siblings were prolific breeders as well, so I have literally hundreds of cousins, and of course most of them are on the third or fourth generation. There will probably be a couple hundred people there tomorrow.”

“And next week?”

“Next week is for the friends and close family. That event is being held at the hotel and is catered. There will probably be about two hundred to that one as well.”

“Goodness. You Sigurdsons don’t do anything in half measure, do you?”

If only she knew how thoroughly he wanted to make love to her. “Nope. Now, do you want me to win you a giant teddy bear?”

“Of course.”

• • •

Analise hugged the giant bear tightly. Erik had been determined to win the biggest one there, not resting until he’d achieved it. Which probably wouldn’t have taken so long if he hadn’t had to stop playing every five minutes to introduce her to a vast multitude. Half the festival’s attendees seemed to be related to him. She hoped these people didn’t expect her to remember their names when she saw them again tomorrow.

The sweet smell of cotton candy and caramel apples filled the air. Children’s laughter and the excited screams of those on the rides competed with the call of the carnival workers to come try their games. It was a cacophony of happiness.

“Has your meal digested enough to go on the rides now?” Erik smiled down at her.

“Actually, I’m feeling a bit queasy again. How about we do the Ferris wheel? That should be gentle enough.”

Erik tilted his head back and looked at the large ride.

“Um, I’m not too good with heights. If you want to go, I’ll hold your bear and wait for you here,” he offered.

“You’re scared of heights?” She couldn’t believe self-assured Erik had a phobia.

“What can I say? I’m a prairie boy. Any elevation over three meters makes me nervous.”

“Well, Ferris wheels are no fun on your own. I’m tired, and tomorrow will be a big day. Okay if you take me home now?”

“Absolutely. I’ve been waiting all day for a few minutes alone with you.”

Her heart rate sped up even while her brain tried to convince her body it was a bad idea. Like it had a chance.

“Analise?”

She turned at the sound of a man calling her name. Erik stiffened beside her as a blond-haired man carrying a sleeping child sauntered over to her. Analise wracked her brain until she came up with a name. Then she tensed, as well. Erik’s arm tightened around her.

Last time she’d seen Ian MacEwan, he’d been laughing at her best friend, Karen, in the high-school cafeteria. The handsomest guy in school, a jock with his own posse. He’d asked her out a dozen times, but she’d been too infatuated with Erik to even consider it.

The past ten years, however, hadn’t been kind to him. Now, he was a little overweight, and his hair was thinning so that she could see a distinct patch of scalp. His green eyes were clouded with failure. A defeated man. It seemed karma hadn’t let him get away with his mistreatment of Karen.

“Hello, Ian,” she said. If Erik got any more rigid, he’d snap. Did he think she was attracted to the guy? Not in this lifetime.

“I’m surprised to see you here. I didn’t know you’d moved back,” Ian said. His gaze swept over her, and then he quickly looked away. “This is my wife, Melissa.” Ian drew forward a pretty, brown-haired woman.

The two women shook hands before Melissa returned hers to the stroller, where a sleeping toddler was blissfully unaware of the tension between the adults. Another child, a girl about six years old, held on to the side of the pushchair and looked longingly at the bear in Analise’s arm.

“I’m only here on holiday,” Analise said. Erik seemed struck mute, though he was scowling. What was wrong with him?

“Analise and I are engaged,” he said at last.

“Congratulations.” Ian rubbed his hand down his pant leg, then held it out, but Erik didn’t take it.

Awkward.
Analise shook it instead, just to get the moment over with.

Ian cleared his throat. “Well, it was nice to see you again. We have to get the kids to bed. Enjoy your holiday.”

Analise forced a smile onto her face. “Good to see you, too, Ian. And it was nice to meet you, Melissa. You have a beautiful family.”

“Thanks,” Melissa answered. They moved away, although the little girl continued to stare wistfully at the giant bear.

“Wait,” Analise called. She hurried over to the family, leaving Erik standing like a telephone poll in the middle of the fairground. She bent down in front of the child. “I can’t take this on the plane back to France with me. Would you look after him? Keep him safe and warm and give him lots of cuddles?”

The little girl put her arms out to take the bear Analise offered but then looked up at her mother. “Can I? Please, Mom.”

“I guess it would be all right. Thank you,” Melissa said. Ian looked uncomfortable but didn’t object.

Analise was rewarded with a radiant smile from the child.

“I’ll look after him. Thank you so much. This is the best day ever,” the girl said. Her eyes shone like she’d just been handed a tiara full of real diamonds.

“You’re welcome,” Analise replied. “Good night.”

A tear escaped and fell on her empty arm. What the hell was she crying about now? She seriously needed to get some rest. Erik joined her as the family left the park, and she leaned into his strong body. “I hope you don’t mind that I gave the bear away.”

“No, that’s fine. I didn’t know Ian had so many children.” He avoided her gaze.

She should have asked him first before she gave away his present. But it was the symbolism of him winning something for her that she wanted, not the actual bear. It definitely wouldn’t fit into her camera case when she got back to her real life. Although, what life did she really have to go back to? She’d seen more than her share of death and destruction. She wouldn’t go back to photojournalism.

“You okay?” She put her hand on Erik’s cheek as he continued to stare off into the distance. Finally, his blue gaze met hers, a hint of regret in his eyes.

“Yes, sorry. All these faces from the past are hard to keep up with.”

“Ian’s three years younger than you. I didn’t realize you knew him before.”

“I only knew him in passing. I think we played on the same baseball team at some point. Come on, let’s get you home. You look really tired.”

Looks don’t lie. Who knew juggling all these past and present emotions was so exhausting?

Erik was unusually quiet on the drive home and seemed lost in his own thoughts. She put a hand on his arm as they approached her grandfather’s place. “Did my grandfather say anything to you on Wednesday when you picked me up to go sailing?”

“About what?”

“About his property?”

He glanced over at her before returning his gaze to the road. “He offered to change the title deed over to our names.”

“I thought as much. He’s mentioned that to me as well. I keep telling him no, that it’s his place. With my grandmother gone, though, I don’t think he wants to stay there.”

“Where would he go?”

“I think he’s just waiting to die. He’s made me promise that when he goes I have him cremated and then the ashes put in with my grandma.” She couldn’t help the tear that trickled down her face.

Erik parked in front of the house and turned the engine off, although he made no effort to get out of the vehicle. He turned his full attention on her, reaching out and wiping another stray tear with the pad of his thumb.

“His grief is still raw. Give him some time. I’m sure he’ll learn to adjust, especially with you here.”