Chapter 16
Finn
I was glad when Reesa texted me to come to her house. Things had been really good last night. I hated having to drive her home and send her in alone. I wanted to hold her, to touch her - but not on a beach. Even though it appeared to be private, I knew Bennett had his team watching us. No way would I put Reesa on display for them.
Being invited to her home changed things. We could shut the door, close the curtains, and no one would ever know for sure what we were doing inside. At least I hope not. I never confirmed with Bennett if he had hidden cameras or mics in the house. Next time I saw him, I was going to need clarification.
When I pulled into her driveway, I noticed a black SUV parked in front of her house. God, don’t let anything have happened. I got out and rushed to the door, but as I did, Bennett got out of the SUV, and Zoey emerged from the passenger side.
If Zoey was here, I could relax. Bennett would never expose her to danger. I nodded to Bennett and said, “I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”
“Reesa called and invited us to join the two of you,” Zoey said.
I see the problem. She doesn’t want to be alone with me in private, either.
“Great.” I just wish she’d have told me.
Before we could even go inside, Reesa came out and said, “Talk about perfect timing. You’re all here. Are you ready to go?”
Was it my imagination or did Reesa look as surprised as I was to see Bennett?
I smiled. “I’m looking forward to it. Where to first?”
“Are we still going for something to eat first?” Zoey asked. “If so, we could always go to New Hope.”
“I really wanted Finn to see the town. Maybe we can eat there?” Reesa suggested.
Bennett said, “I’m just the driver - you ladies decide.”
“I know just the place. We can eat, then walk and check out all the shops,” Reesa said.
“Shops? I thought you said she invited us to lunch,” Bennett said sideways to Zoey.
Zoey laughed. “She did. And the walk will help us work off those calories.” She turned to me and said, “Got to do that cardio to keep a healthy heart. Isn’t that right, Dr. O’Connor?”
“She is correct,” I replied. Honestly, I’d been looking forward to a different type of cardio workout today. With any luck, Bennett and Zoey won’t be around for supper tonight.
We all climbed into the SUV, Reesa and me in the back. She didn’t say a word, instead she slid her hand across the seat and held mine. That cleared up any doubts I had about whether she wanted to be with me today. This wall, the distance, it wasn’t meant for me, it was what she needed for the people in the town to see. That I am nothing but a tourist to her.
I got it, I understood it. That didn’t mean I liked it one bit. It wasn’t as though I wanted her to walk around the streets hanging all over me. That wasn’t my style either. I too liked my privacy. And I was grateful she wasn’t the type who wanted to show me off because I’m a doctor. That was equally annoying to me. I was difficult however to act as though she meant nothing to me, to avoid her gorgeous eyes and that beautiful smile. But this is the game we must play out in public.
And this is what you get when you decide to date the president.
“How’s your hand?” I asked. She lifted her hand to show me her fingers. “They look good. Healing nicely.”
“I’ve got a great doctor,” she smiled.
I noticed Bennett eyeing me in the rearview mirror. He had overheard her talking about healing. If it was something I thought they should know about, I’d tell him. But this wasn’t a security concern, it was just an accident.
To ease Bennett’s mind I said, “The doctor’s order is to use oven mitts next time you touch a hot pan.”
“I’ll have to remember that. There’s another solution to that problem,” she said.
“What is that?”
“Watch you do the cooking,” she winked.
I nodded. “And what if you distract me in the kitchen and I’m the one who gets burned?”