Page 35 of By The Book
“Then why did you kiss him?”
“You know why. You heard exactly what happened and how I wound up in that situation, and that kiss… It was acting. I got paid to do it. Quite a bit, I might add. Money we need right now.”
“I know what you’re doing.”
She dropped to her knees on the sand beside him and shifted sideways to sit. “What do you think I’m doing?”
“You’re trying to get rid of him. You sold all of his stuff. You’re gonna sell the house even though I don’t want you to. Now you’re kissing that guy. It’s like you’re glad Dad’s gone.”
“Tommy,no. That’s not true at all.”
“It didn’t look like a fake kiss.”
Because it hadn’t been. Not by the end. But Tommy wasn’t mature enough to handle such adult matters when it came to the enormity of the first kiss after losing a spouse, nor how Denz had made it special for her. “Denz and I… We tried to make it look real so we could get it over with and not have to keep doing it.”
“So you don’t like him?”
“Oh, Tommy, I don’t even know him. Denz seems nice but—”
“It’s only been a year.”
A year since Scott’s death, but nearly three since they were on the same continent. “I know.” She shifted and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. “You have no reason to worry, okay? I’m sorry the scene hurt you. For what it’s worth, I didn’t know I’d be kissing anyone, much less Denz. But rest assured we’re just…friends.”
“For real?”
“For real. Now, are you ready to go? I want to scrub this stuff off my face and enjoy some waves. Maybe try out the new skimboards Grandpa picked up? What do you say?”
Later that evening,Denz headed out for a run when he spotted Tommy outside in the hammock with his headset on. “Hey, you up for a workout?”
The kid looked surprised by the question, then wary, but shrugged.
“I guess.”
“Go ask your mom if you can come with me to the gym. I’ll wait.”
Tommy went into the house and Denz stretched while he waited. A minute passed and Claire emerged, dressed in pink shorts and a white top that showcased the bronze sheen of her afternoon at the beach.
She approached him and tucked her hands into her back pockets. “The gym?”
“Is that okay? I thought I’d show him around. Introduce him to people. Maybe work off some of that frustration.”
“That’s nice of you. Thanks.”
“My pleasure.” Awkward silence filled the space between them, and he took a step closer. “Claire, are we okay?”
“Of course.”
“You’re sure?”
A small smile broke over her face and she averted her gaze.
“Let’s just say that wasn’t how I expected the first kiss after my husband to go. I mean, the people and cameras and craziness.”
“I hope it wasn’t too unpleasant for you.”
A rosy hue flooded her cheeks. “Fishing for compliments?”
“Maybe I am.”
