“Do you want anything to drink? After checking in this afternoon, I picked up some sparkling water and grapefruit juice.”
He loved a glass of fresh grapefruit juice with breakfast. Or a combination of grapefruit juice and gin while sitting by the pool. He didn't want a glass of it at nine o'clock at night.
“Water is fine, thanks. How have you been?” Duncan sat in one of the two armchairs and waited for her to join him.
“Busy but good. I recently moved to Boston and started a new job.” She handed him a glass and then sat on the sofa opposite him.
It would be a lot easier for them to go on their four dates with her living in the city, too. “Whereabouts in Boston?”
“Heritage on the Harbor Terrace. I bought Alec's condo last month.”
He would've remembered if Alec had shared that information. “Alec didn't tell me he sold the condo to you, but welcome to the building. I'm on the fourth floor. I don't know if you've ever met Matt Sinclair? He's a friend of Alec’s and me, but he lives in the building too.”
“I don't think so, but since we're on the topic of my cousin, I got the impression tonight that he had something to do with you being part of the auction. Am I right?”
Duncan saw no reason to lie. “In a way. Alec, Matt, and I were playing poker one night back in June; I made a bet with Alec. Whoever lost had to be in the auction. When I came up with the idea, it seemed like there was no way I'd lose. But, clearly, I did, because I was on stage tonight, not him.”
“Duncan, you can't just tell me you lost a bet and stop there. You need to share more details. And what did the winner walk away with?”
If she wanted to hear it, he'd share. “To win, Alec needed to work for my uncle's landscaping company for a month. It's where I worked every summer before I graduated from college. It's not easy work. I didn't think your cousin would last even two days. But he did, and according to Gianna, he never complained, either. She was his boss and landlord.”
“Ah, so that's how they met.”
Duncan nodded as he took a drink.
“Since he won, what did Alec get?”
“The chance to see me up on stage tonight.” There was no preventing the annoyance in his voice.
“That doesn't seem like much of a prize.”
“Trust me, it was for your cousin. And if Alec had lost, I would've loved every minute of watching him suffer up there.”
“I'll take your word for it.”
She didn't sound convinced, but he'd told her the truth. “So they instructed us to plan the four dates in advance, but honestly, I only came up with something for the first one. If you'd rather do something else, that's okay with me. And then we can decide together what you want to do for the rest.”
He'd come up with going to a wine tasting followed by dinner in the eleventh hour because he needed to give Courtney something to say while he was up on stage. But he wasn't married to the idea, and since she'd spent the money, it only seemed fair that Tory had a say in what they did together.
“I'm fine with whatever we do.”
Tory was being far more agreeable than a lot of people he knew. “If you're free on Saturday, I'll call and make reservations tomorrow.”
There was no set timetable for when all four dates had to take place, but the organizers expected the first to occur within two weeks of the auction. Since he had no plans this upcoming weekend, he saw no reason to postpone their first date.
Picking up her glass, she raised it toward her lips. Rather than take a drink, though, she set it back down and shifted her position. “Before you do that, I have a favor to ask. Although, maybe ‘favor’ isn't the right word. Anyway, what I'm about to ask is going to sound crazy, and I'll understand if you say no.”
He couldn't imagine what kind of favor she'd need from him. However, she'd captured Duncan's attention, and he'd hear her out. “Ask away.”
“The four dates aren't the real reason I bid on you tonight. A good friend is getting married soon, and I'm the maid of honor. Unfortunately, my ex is the groom's cousin and the best man. I ended things in August, but Grant still calls, and at my parents' dinner party last month, he never left my side.”
“The guy just showed up at your parents’ house?” Duncan knew a few people with the nerve to do that if it would benefit them in some way.
“No, my parents invited him. I know he's—”
“Hold on. Back up a minute.” It was rude to interrupt, but curiosity got the better of him. “Your mom and dad invited your ex-boyfriend to their dinner party? Did they know you're no longer together?” What kind of parents would do that?
“Grant's parents and mine have been friends for years, so they often invite him to events. Anyway, I know Grant will do the same thing at the wedding. If I'm alone.”