No Strings Attached (34 page)

Dune knew without a doubt. Sophie had become an important part of his life in a very short time. Somehow he felt as if he’d known her forever. That was impossible. They hadn’t crossed paths before the previous summer, but they had a strong bond nonetheless.

The two men watched as she bobbed and took a deep breath, ready to cut back across the pool. “I don’t see synchronized swimming or an Olympic gold medal in her future,” Mac said when Sophie collided with Jenna’s float. “But she swims better than Ghost.”

Dune glared at him.

“What?” Mac shrugged. “C’mon, it was a compliment.”

“She’s a beginner, but she’ll improve,” Dune said with confidence.

Every day she got stronger in the water. She wasn’t secure in the pool alone, so she called Dune when she was ready to practice. He was there for her, sitting on the side for an hour, his feet in the water, and watching her do short laps.

He was in need of exercise as well. He’d skipped volleyball practice to set up Sophie’s party. He felt the need to swim, jog . . . have sex.

Sex would be best.

He stretched out his arms and shifted his stance on the natural blue stone pool deck. The sun was brutal and the soles of his bare feet burned. Sophie had very fair skin. She needed to seek the shade.

“I hope she doesn’t get sunburned.” Mac also showed concern for her.

“She’s covered in sunscreen,” Dune told him.

“Nice use of your hands, bro.”

Dune had slathered sunblock over every exposed inch of her body. He’d taken his time spreading the lotion evenly on her skin. Even then, a few rays snuck through. Soft pink spots stained her otherwise perfect complexion. Most likely, she’d have worked up an appetite after all her swimming.

Dune caught her eye and motioned for her to get out of the pool. She held up five fingers, indicating she would take a few more minutes. He nodded his understanding. She did another lap.

“When are you going to put a ring on her finger?” asked Mac.

Dune refused to give him a direct answer. Instead he said, “The same day you get engaged to Jenna.” Sophie had once wagered that Mac and Jen would commit to each other by the end of the summer. He wondered if Sophie had an inside track on their romance.

He glanced at Jen on the green turtle float. Her eyes were closed and her lips were tipped up at the corners. She looked content. “You’ve stayed away from her today. What’s up?” Dune asked Mac.

“I’m giving her space,” Mac said easily.

“At her request?” asked Dune.

“A mutual agreement.” His partner appeared very relaxed and confident in their decision. “She needs time to think about us.”

“Us?”
What the hell? When had Mac become an us?

“We worked through our issues,” Mac said. “I’ll keep my distance until after Huntington. Then we’ll discuss our future.”

“Your future?” Dune was stunned. He’d been so involved with Sophie, he’d lost track of his partner’s pursuits.

Mac’s smile was wide. “Jen and I found common ground.”

They were sleeping together, Dune thought. At least they weren’t at each other’s throats, although a fading bruise on Mac’s neck indicated there’d been biting.

“Here comes your girl,” Mac said as Sophie gripped the handrail and took the steps, climbing out of the pool.

My woman.
Dune openly admired Sophie. She looked hot in her new swimsuit. It was a birthday gift from Shaye. His sister had convinced Sophie that her blue tankini was outdated. Shaye had helped her select a one-piece black racer with crisscross straps in the back. Sophie looked sleek, slick, and sexy.

Dune nudged Mac when Mac stared too long.

Mac looked back at him. “Did you see the mountain of presents in her living room?” he asked. “I shook a few boxes and peeked into several gift cards. Lady’s made a haul.”

“What did you get her?”

“I bought her a beginner’s cookbook at The Kitchen Sink,” he said. “The information is very basic. It starts out by telling the cook the difference between the stove and refrigerator.”

Dune rolled his eyes. “I think Sophie can skip the introduction.”

“The cookbook also explains how long to prepare a three-minute egg,” Mac said, enjoying his joke. “The recipes are easy. I’ve made One-Step Lasagna and Busy-Day Beef Kabobs.”

“It’s a great gift,” said Dune. He raised a brow. “Did you charge it to me?” Not that he minded. Mac always paid him back; it just took a while.

“You didn’t have an account there, so I paid cash,” Mac said. “The Kitchen Sink is a nice store. The owner is friendly and she looks like Paula Deen.”

Dune knew the store. It was one of a dozen small shops located on the street behind the boardwalk. The Cates family owned the property, but the shops were rented to outside entrepreneurs. The stores weren’t competitive with those businesses already standing.

“Hey, babe,” Mac said to Sophie when she joined them. “Are you hungry? Care to share a plate with me?”

“I’m starving,” she admitted. “But there’d be no going halves with you. I’d get one bite and you’d eat the rest.”

“You’re probably right,” he agreed. He caught sight of Marisole replenishing the shrimp linguini. “Will your chef chase me away like she did at the Sneaker Ball if I have seconds or thirds?” he asked.

Sophie patted him on the arm. “Eat until you’re full.”

Mac rubbed his hands together, then took off for the buffet.

Dune shook his head. “We’d better eat now, while there’s still food available.”

They each filled a plate, then looked around for a place to sit. Trace and Shaye were finishing up their meal at a table near the diving board. Dune and Sophie slid into their seats after they’d collected their dishes and left.

Sophie ate two bites before people stopped by to chat with them. Dune’s relatives wanted to discuss the Barefoot William museum with her. They had suggestions and sought out her opinion. Sophie listened, evaluated, and assured everyone the museum would honor William and all his family. She planned to include every Cates in her vision. His family applauded her efforts.

Dune leaned back in his chair. He recalled how he’d been the one surrounded at the Sneaker Ball and how Sophie had quietly looked on. Today their situations were reversed.

Gone was the shy, fearful Sophie. She was now the center of attention. She’d evolved into a resilient, respected woman. She had her own sense of purpose. Dune was proud of her.

“This is a good time to open your presents, Sophie,” said Shaye, returning to their table. “Everyone’s eaten. Let’s digest our food before we play games in the pool.”

Sophie nodded in agreement.

Shaye then asked Trace, Dune, and the boys to help cart Sophie’s presents out to the pool. She didn’t want the guests dripping water into the house. Dune agreed with her. They went to retrieve the gifts.

The boxes came in all shapes and sizes. The wrapping paper ranged from fancy foil to Sunday funnies. Sophie took an entire hour to unwrap her presents. She admired each gift and passed it around. She wanted each of her guests to know how much she appreciated the present.

Dune smiled along with Sophie when she opened Jenna’s gift. It was a digital frame, perfect to load up with photos of her hamsters.

Chuck and Randy had pooled their money together to buy her gift. They’d also considered Scarlett and Glinda in their purchase. They presented Sophie with a ten-dollar gift card from Pet Outfitters so she could buy food and toys for her girls.

The gifts went on and on. Dune realized that his family knew her well. Each present represented something important in her life. His second cousin Rick had bought a small, framed metal-crafted unicycle.

Nicole Archer had made a high-heeled sneaker brooch from black opals. The jewelry held precious memories of the Sneaker Ball for Sophie.

His Aunt Molly from the diner had put together a breakfast kit, including her special waffle mix. Sophie loved waffles.

Violet had selected tiny volleyball-style earrings for her. Vi claimed Sophie was a competitor now.

Sophie sighed when she opened Dune’s gift. It was a leather journal along with a slender gold ink pen. The historical family journals had guided her to where she was today. He wanted her to document her life from this point onward.

Sophie Saunders would have many memories to enter into the journal if he had anything to do with it.

Sophie was as overwhelmed as she was appreciative of the outpouring of love from the Cates family. She put her hand over her heart once she’d set aside the last gift and looked out over the crowd. Tears glistened in her eyes and she could barely express her gratitude. “I’m at a loss for words,” she began, “I don’t know how to tell—” Her voice broke before she could finish.

“Tell everyone that I gave you the best gift?” Mac finished for her.

Sophie gave Mac a small smile. “I’ll challenge you to a meat loaf cook-off someday soon.” She took a deep breath and managed to continue. “I’m so glad you’ve adopted me. You’ve given me a home away from home.” A tear escaped from her eye and traveled down her cheek. No one moved. It was a touching moment.

Dune crossed to her. He curved his arm around her shoulders and tucked her close, offering comfort.

He heard Molly, Violet, and several others clear emotion from their throats.

“Who’s ready for a game of chicken?” Mac called out, lightening the mood. He held a drumstick in his hand. “Teams consist of one guy and one girl. The girl sits on the guy’s shoulders and each team tries to unseat the competition. No poking in the face. No pulling anyone’s hair. Winners are the last two standing. I call dibs on Sophie.”

“Do you mind?” Sophie asked Dune, laying her hand on his arm.

Dune would have liked to have had her all to himself, but since she was the guest of honor, he shared her with family and friends. “Lean forward,” he told her, giving her pointers on how to play the game. “It’s all about balance.”

Mac took Sophie’s hand in his, then looked at Dune. His voice was low; his taunt meant for his partner alone. “I’ve waited a long time to have Sophie’s legs wrapped around my neck.”

Dune shook his head. What an asshole.

He stood back and allowed them to have their fun. The first round consisted of a lot of splashing, laughing, pushing, and tugging. Dune moved closer to the side of the pool and coached Sophie.

The final three couples now battled it out. The teams included Trace and Shaye, Randy and Violet, and Mac and Sophie. Mac took on Trace and Shaye first.

Shaye had grown up with brothers and was highly competitive. She’d played chicken all her life, and was tricky and sneaky. Shaye would never let Sophie win without a fight, even on her birthday.

Sophie was having the time of her life. She slapped the water and shrieked like a young girl. It was a silly kid moment for her, yet one Sophie had never experienced. She laughed so hard she nearly fell off Mac’s shoulders.

“Don’t laugh so hard that you pee in the pool,” Mac said to her over his shoulder.

Sophie tried to keep a straight face, but couldn’t. She could barely catch her breath.

“Don’t cover my eyes,” Mac told her when she clasped her hands around his head to keep her balance. She quickly released him. “We need to fight them from the front, not from the side. Roll your hips forward and concentrate, Soph. We’re going in for the kill.”

Mac played dirty. He hip-checked Trace, then stepped on his foot. Trace faltered and nearly lost his balance. Mac circled left and positioned Sophie so she could grab Shaye by the shoulders and unseat her. Shaye tumbled back and fell into the water. She came up sputtering.

“Nice move.” Shaye gave both Mac and Sophie a high five. Trace bumped their fists.

The final round of chicken came down to Sophie and Mac and Violet and Randy. Randy was a head shorter than Mac, but he had the footwork of a prizefighter. He danced around and trash-talked his opponents. Only once did Violet bop him on the head for swearing. Otherwise it was all said in fun.

Dune watched as Mac again pulled a fast one. Kid or not, Mac took advantage of Randy’s weakness. Mac backed him toward the deep end. Randy was so busy taunting and showing off, he misstepped. He tipped over and Violet flipped backward into the water.

Mac pulled Sophie from his shoulders and hugged her. “Winners!” He pumped his arm in the air.

Mac delivered Sophie to the shallow end. She climbed from the pool, shook out her hair, and stomped her feet. She stood by Dune and slipped her arm around his waist. Her happiness meant more to him than any hug she could’ve given.

“Warrior woman,” he praised her.

She flashed a smile. “We kicked ass.”

Kicked ass.
She was sounding more and more like Mac.

Sophie’s guests applauded her win. The clapping soon faded when the south pool gate opened and Maya and Brandt Saunders joined the party. They were formally dressed, their expressions pained. It was obvious they’d rather be anywhere else but there.

Dune sensed Sophie’s surprise and uncertainty. She hesitantly left his side and approached her parents, looking pale beneath her sunburn. He swore he heard her knees knock together.

Trace took a step forward, only to have Shaye touch his arm in a silent request to let Sophie handle this alone. Dune wanted to stand beside her, too, but he thought better of it. He believed in Sophie. She’d manage on her own. No Cates would interfere. This was a Saunders matter. Sophie met her parents on the pool deck near the diving board. She straightened her shoulders, clasped her hands over her stomach. Her words were softly spoken. “I’m glad you came to my party,” she managed to say.

Her mother’s gaze touched on everyone there. “We’d hardly be missed if we hadn’t shown up.” Her tone was dry. “You appear to have adopted the entire Cates clan as your family.”

Sophie cleared her throat. “They came to my party when you refused,” she said.

“They came en masse,” her mother observed. “They parked their vehicles wherever they could find a spot on our private cul-de-sac. There are tire marks in our front yard where someone made a U-turn.”

“That U-turn was mine.” Mac raised his hand and confessed. “I also owe you a rosebush.”