Secret Tastes (Secret Dreams Contemporary Romance 4) (3 page)

BOOK: Secret Tastes (Secret Dreams Contemporary Romance 4)
12.85Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

"But what about the practice? If Dad needs rest, or surgery, or something…"

"No buts, Samantha," Ted interrupted. "I don't want to hear you changing your mind because of me. As for the practice, we'll advertise for a replacement for you straight away. Now that I know you don't want to stay, I don't want you there. I want you to be happy. Life is gruelling enough, and it's too short. Going through it with the person you love is very important. That's why your mother and I are happy to hear you've found someone special."

Sam's eyes watered. This was totally unexpected. She suspected the possibility of a terminal disease had influenced her parents' perspective.

"But we need to meet your boyfriend," Ted declared. "I want to make sure his intentions are in the right place when it comes to you."

"I'm already excited," Helen said.

"Me, too," Ted agreed with a bright smile on his face.

Sam gulped, too overwhelmed to speak. There was no backing out from the plan now. If her dad did have cancer…

She shook her head, not wanting to think about that possibility.

"Please don't worry," Ted said softly. "When do you plan to move?"

She shrugged. "There's nothing concrete at this point."

"You know, Ted, it's been a while since you've taken a break from work," Helen said. "Maybe we should go on a holiday to Sydney. We could visit the girls and meet Sam's boyfriend at the same time."

"Great idea," Ted said. "How about you organise it, Samantha? Just make it sooner rather than later. I need a relaxing holiday."

Sam suppressed a sigh. She crossed her fingers under the table and prayed that she and Adam would be able to keep up their pretense around her parents. They'd need to be a very convincing couple in front of them.

It was a damn shame that it was all a sham, though. Heck, she hadn't admitted it to anyone, but she'd had a crush on Adam ever since that day they first met at Kane and Jasmine's and they all had a dip in the pool. She couldn't help but admire Adam's physique. As she got to know him better, her admiration for him went beyond looks.

But Adam was with Miss Glam-Who-Couldn't-Cook then so she buried her feelings. She wondered if he was on the lookout for a new girlfriend now that he and Sandy were no longer together?

She had never been very good at showing men that she was interested in them. She preferred it if they did the instigating. Could she be brave enough to let Adam know she had a crush on him?

Just the thought made her sweaty and nervy, so she pushed it aside.

CHAPTER THREE

"Adam, just to let you know, I've invited Sandy and her mother to join us for dinner tonight."

Adam stared at his mother Marie in shock. "Mum, why?"

"Why not? I've become good friends with Carmen. Since it's my birthday, I can invite whomever I want, can't I? And it would be strange if I didn't invite Sandy if I invited her mum," Marie responded.

"But you know that Sandy and I have broken up."

"Yes. For the—what?—third or fourth time?"

Adam slitted his eyes. For whatever reason, his mother had taken a strong liking to Sandy. Probably because Sandy had always acted nice and accommodating around his parents. She'd been warm and considerate. She'd even dressed up differently the few times he'd agreed to take her to dinner with his mum and dad. Instead of her usual too-revealing, sexy dresses, she'd chosen clothes that covered up the skin she loved to show off most of the time. She'd played her cards right.

Sandy had also been the first girlfriend he'd introduced to his parents—accidentally. His folks had turned up unannounced at his place and Sandy just happened to be there.

"Sandy and I are not getting back together, Mum," he said.

"But you're still friends, yes? Carmen told me you picked Sandy up from a cooking event last week when it was raining hard."

He sighed. How his mother and Sandy's mother became good friends, he didn't know. He could only guess that Marie's desire to see him settled down was a big part of that. After his younger brother Alvin got married eight months ago, his mum's focus had turned to Adam in full force. For some reason, Marie believed thirty-two was too old to still be single. What was it with parents and their desire to see their kids in a married, domesticated state?

"I didn't know you wanted a party, Mum. You specifically said you only wanted us to take you to your favourite restaurant. Just family—no one else."

"Well, I've also invited Melanie's parents. They're joining us, too."

Adam's eyes bulged out. "You're putting Sandy's mum in the same league as Melanie's parents? Melanie's your daughter-in-law so her parents are practically family!"

"I'm just saying it's not all
immediate
family. If it were, it would only be me and your dad, you, your brother and Melanie."

"Come on, Mum, admit it. You want me and Sandy to get back together."

"Is that such a crime? She's a nice girl."

"You don't really know Sandy."

"What do you mean?"

He shook his head exasperatedly, not in the habit of badmouthing ex-girlfriends to his mother. "She's not the one for me. I
know
that."

Marie sighed loudly. "Okay. I'm sorry, darling. I only thought I was helping. You seemed to really love Sandy before."

He snorted. "I used to
like
her. It wasn't love. Now, I just really want to move on."

"All right. But I'm afraid I can't un-invite them now. It's too late for that."

"That's fine," he said resignedly. "As long as you know not to push me onto Sandy and vice versa."

*******

Adam tensed as he saw Sandy from the corner of his eye making her way toward him and the buffet station for desserts. Sandy had been quiet so far during dinner—too quiet. That pricked his curiosity. What was she up to? After his brother Alvin had openly declared to everyone at their table that Adam's company was in the news because of the multi-million-dollar deal they'd secured for their latest games app, he would bet his right arm that Sandy would be even harder to get rid of. More dollar signs were floating all around him and that would be attracting her like a moth to a flame.

"Hi," Sandy said with a small smile as she joined him, picking up a dessert plate and eyeing what was on offer.

"Hi," he responded, intending to keep it polite but distant.

"I'm surprised your girlfriend didn't join us tonight."

"Um, she's in Melbourne."

"Oh, right," Sandy said, her face showing a hint of a pout. "Why is she there?"

He hid a sigh. It was none of Sandy's business where Sam was, but he was keen to maintain their amiable interaction. And might as well keep things as close to the truth as possible. It should make the charade easier to manage.

"She lives in Melbourne," he answered.

Sandy looked at him in surprise. "She lives in Melbourne?"

"Yes." He placed a small slice of cake on his plate, hoping Sandy wouldn't push the topic further.

"So," Sandy said casually as she scooped up the same dessert for herself. "How do you maintain a long distance relationship with Sam? I can't imagine you being able to hold off sex for long periods, Adam."

"We make it work," was all he said, not really knowing how to answer that satisfactorily.

True, he loved sex and Sandy knew just how much. That was partly the reason why he had gotten back with her a few times before—she had thrown herself at him and seduced him. Since he wasn't that keen on one-night stands with strangers, he had succumbed to the needs of his flesh and reconciled with Sandy.

But for all the fun he'd had in bed with her, he was ready for something more. Seeing Dylan and Trey find the loves of their lives awakened a desire in him to find the same thing for himself.

"So, how do you make it work?" Sandy asked, her voice turning sultry as she bit into a strawberry.

He snickered. Ah, here was the real Sandy. No doubt she was trying to figure out a way to seduce him again. It was flattering—and yes, tempting. Sandy was great in bed. But she wasn't
the one
. If he kept on falling for Sandy's sexual temptations, he was sure he wouldn't have the freedom or the space to find his soulmate.

Soulmate. He almost laughed out loud that he used such a word. How girly was that? But if he was honest with himself, that was exactly what he was looking for. If his best friends—playboys, which he never had been or could be—had found theirs, surely he could find his, too?

"So, are you going to tell me?" Sandy asked again, looking at him with a come-hither look as she toyed with a strawberry with her tongue.

"Ahem," came a sound from behind Adam. He turned and saw an elderly woman carrying an empty plate, frowning at them.

"Oh, sorry," he said, moving away from the buffet table to walk back to where their party was. Sandy followed him.

"I don't kiss and tell, Sandy," he said lightly, knowing Sandy wouldn't let the matter rest. Now that Sandy knew Sam didn't live in Sydney, he could imagine what was going through that scheming head of hers.

"Oh, come on," Sandy said teasingly. "You're no fun!"
 

He ignored her comment and sat back down on his chair.

"Your phone's been ringing, Adam," Marie said. "I pulled it out from your jacket pocket to put it on silent. Someone named Sam called."

"Oh, thanks." He retrieved his phone. It was indeed from Sam. He wondered why she rang.

"You don't know who Sam is, Marie?" Sandy asked with an innocent tone.

Adam groaned mentally. Now why would Sandy bring that up? He didn't want to have to lie in front of his family.

"No, I don't know who Sam is," Marie responded. "Who's he?"

"She's a she, not a he," Sandy replied with a sad look. "She's Adam's new girlfriend."

"Oh, really? How come you haven't told us, Adam?" Marie asked, surprised.

Adam shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "We just started going out. I haven't had the chance to introduce her to you guys. You'll meet her one of these days."

"Oh. So it's not serious yet?" Alvin asked.

Adam shot his brother an irritated glance. He wanted Sandy to assume he and Sam were serious, but he didn't want his family to think he had a new girlfriend. How was he going to answer that?

"I met Sam at that cooking event I went to last week," Sandy said with a forlorn, wistful smile that Adam knew was a put-on. "She's pretty," she added with quick, deep sigh that sounded like a sob.

"Well, let's not talk about this Sam girl," Marie said hastily, glancing with sympathy at Sandy. "If she's just a very new girlfriend then…" Marie waved her hand in the air in a rather dismissive fashion.

Adam pressed his lips in a thin line, rankled. Sandy was playing the aggrieved ex to the hilt and his mother was buying it.

"Excuse me. I have to call Sam back." He stood up and walked away from their table. If Sandy wanted to make this an acting competition, so it would be.

*******

"Hey Sam. How's my new girlfriend?" Adam teased as Sam answered the phone.

Sam chuckled. "Hi Adam. Glad to hear you're still my FBF."

"Of course! I don't remember us having a fake breakup."

"Good, 'cause I need your help," Sam said gravely.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sensing the worry in Sam's voice.

"I'm heading back to Sydney next Saturday with my parents. We're there for a week."

"Wow. They're really keen to meet your boyfriend, huh? So you've told them you want to quit your job?"

"Yes. But it's more than that. On Thursday, my dad is having a prostate biopsy. We want to keep him distracted—as well as my mum and me—while we wait for the results. That's why we planned for a short Sydney break for next week."

"Geez, I hope everything turns out well, Sam," he responded, not knowing what else to say.

"Thank you. I hope so, too," Sam said quietly. "We need to be convincing, Adam. I hate that I'm lying to them about this, but they got so excited and insistent that I couldn't take back what I said."

"Don't worry, we will be," he assured her.

"Why am I such a coward?" Sam wailed. "I could have just told them the truth and I think they would still have been fine with it. Instead, I'll have to live a lie until… I don't know when."

"If you'd told them you want to quit the practice and move to Sydney to start a business, without making up the fake boyfriend story, how do you think they would have reacted?"

Sam was quiet for a moment. "They would still have given me their blessing but with heavy hearts, I'm sure. They'd be worried that I'm setting up a difficult business from scratch without their physical support. The anxiety wouldn't be good for them, especially with that question mark over Dad's health. But because they think you're there for me, they're actually very relieved and happy."

"See?" he soothed. "You're not a coward. You just love your parents and don't want to hurt them. That's understandable."
 

"Thanks, Adam. I'm sorry I'm dragging you into this."

"Hey, your timing couldn't be more perfect. Because of Sandy's big mouth, my whole family thinks I have a new girlfriend. They'll want to meet you soon." He told Sam what had gone on a few minutes ago.

"Seriously, Adam. I don't know why, but your ex really rubs me off the wrong way," Sam said in an annoyed tone.

He laughed. "You said that before already—using the exact same words, if I remember correctly."

She chuckled. "I know. You can tell how charged I am by her. Anyway, I'm sorry I have to ask you this, but my parents will be expecting you to pick us up from the airport. Would you mind? I'll try not to take too much of your time while we're there."

"Listen, Sam. We'll do what we have to do to be convincing, okay? No point going through the whole thing only to stumble because of less than stellar acting."

"Okay, thanks," Sam agreed with a laugh. "So I'll see you on Saturday? Our plane arrives at eleven fifteen."

"No worries, babe. See you soon. Miss you already," he joked.

"Me, too," Sam said with a swooning sigh.

He chuckled, finding himself looking forward to this game.

BOOK: Secret Tastes (Secret Dreams Contemporary Romance 4)
12.85Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Brighter Buccaneer by Leslie Charteris
Conflict by Pedro Urvi
Class Reunion by Juliet Chastain
One-Way Ticket by William G. Tapply
Furnace 3 - Death Sentence by Alexander Gordon Smith