Fake Summer Wife: Age Gap Instalove Romance Read online

  Fake Summer Wife

  Age Gap Instalove Romance

  By Haley Travis

  Copyright 2021 Haley Travis. All rights reserved. Edited by Rosemary Stewart. Cover Design by Lexie Renard.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted or duplicated in any form whatsoever without express written permission of the author. This book is intended for sale to adults. All main characters are over 18. This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to actual people or specific locations or details is completely coincidental, or intended fictitiously.

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  ***

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1 ~ Claudia

  Chapter 2 ~ Vaughan

  Chapter 3 ~ Claudia

  Chapter 4 ~ Vaughan

  Chapter 5 ~ Claudia

  Chapter 6 ~ Vaughan

  Chapter 7 ~ Claudia

  Chapter 8 ~ Vaughan

  Chapter 9 ~ Claudia

  Chapter 10 ~ Vaughan

  Chapter 11 ~ Claudia

  Chapter 12 ~ Vaughan

  Chapter 13 ~ Claudia

  Chapter 14 ~ Vaughan

  Chapter 15 ~ Claudia

  Chapter 16 ~ Vaughan

  Chapter 17 ~ Claudia

  Epilogue One ~ Vaughan

  Epilogue Two ~ Claudia

  Other Books

  Chapter 1

  _____

  Claudia

  People always went on at length about how much they hated Mondays, but I loved them. It felt like I was getting a fresh start. Monday was the day to plan everything that would happen during the week, and discover what lay ahead.

  Mondays were full of possibilities.

  I wanted to believe that I was full of possibilities as well. After a full day of schoolwork, I rushed to my job as a waitress at Ray’s Diner. It was a great place, and the evenings were relatively steady. I still had two more college courses to complete, and in addition to some freelance writing, I worked Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursday nights at the diner. The tips did a lot to supplement my tiny income.

  When I started here last year, I didn’t even know if that was going to be possible. How could a girl who was naturally shy show enough personality to earn real tips?

  But I dug deep, and drew on the acting classes I had taken in high school. “Claudia the waitress” was the bubbly, sometimes cheeky hit of the diner.

  It made everything so much easier. If there was something wrong with an order, I simply made terrible fun of Scotty, our cook, causing him to come to the pass-through and shake his fist at me in mock anger. Customers loved it when we joked around, and would forgive any small mistake. Although now that I’d been working here for almost a year, everything was smooth sailing.

  Ray, the owner, was only here during the day when it was busiest, and he trusted me enough now to leave the second I arrived so he could get home to his new baby.

  I was actually going to miss the diner when I started a full-time job in October. With six weeks of summer left, I was hoping to find just a bit of excitement.

  Dashing into the restaurant with ten minutes to spare, I used the back door to cut through the kitchen to the staff changing area.

  I didn’t like customers seeing me when I wasn’t in my uniform. Somehow, the separation between my public self and private one was more defined that way.

  Once I was in my blue and white dress with my hair tied up in a ponytail, I stuck my head into the kitchen. Diane, the daytime waitress, waved from the other side of the pass-through.

  “Your boyfriends just sat down,” she said with a wink.

  She disappeared with two plates of food as Scotty looked over his shoulder from the grill with a raised eyebrow. “Those guys eat like horses. Are they good tippers at least?”

  “Yes, absolutely,” I said. “Everything good in here?”

  “Yeah – get out there before they start chewing on the seats.”

  I tied on my apron, grabbed menus, and headed out to the two huge construction workers in the end booth. They’d been coming in for the past few weeks, and I liked them a lot. They were great, hard-working guys who loved to tease everyone and get them laughing.

  As soon as I reached their table, I stepped away with the back of my hand against my forehead. “Good Lord. I knew that my gentleman friends would be coming in to see me today. Must be my psychic powers.”

  Taylor laughed loudly, as he always did, making the elderly patrons by the front door turn around and shake their heads in bemusement.

  Bob reached over to give him a smack on the arm. “Pipe down. Don’t freak out the normal people.”

  “I’m sure you’re not including yourself amongst the normals,” Taylor laughed just as loudly as he had before.

  They were both broad-shouldered men, at least six foot one or two, with sandy brown hair. I had pegged them as brothers the first time I served them.

  I handed them the plastic laminated menus, not without bopping them both on the heads first. “You boys are going to settle down for me, right?”

  “Yes, Ma’am,” Taylor said, rolling his eyes.

  “We have to settle down today,” Bob said. “And we’ll need another menu. Our boss is on the way.”

  “Sure thing.”

  I brought them another menu, and three glasses of ice water, smiling to myself as much as to them. It would be fabulous if more of their friends and coworkers could start coming in on my shifts. Great guys, great tippers. Plus, it was nice to have a few more people to talk to. The seniors mostly kept to themselves at the other end, and the late night coffee and laptop crowd wasn’t very chatty.

  I’d only moved back to Kingsville last year, and my friends had scattered to the four winds. School, relationships, families moving around…people didn’t tend to stay in one place these days. It was proving hard to build up friendships again, especially when I was naturally a bit timid around new people.

  After pouring another round of coffee for two tables near the door and delivering meals to a family in the center section, I saw Scotty waving frantically from the kitchen. “Can you grab the delivery at the side door? I’ve already signed for it, but I can’t leave the grill long enough to bring it in.”

  “On it.”

  I went to the side door beside the store room opposite the kitchen. As I poked my head outside, I could see the delivery truck already pulling into traffic again. Three huge boxes were stacked neatly on the pavement.

  Wedging the door open with a piece of wood we kept on the floor just for that purpose, I managed to lift the first box and maneuver it into the store room. That one must have been the paper towels.

  The second box was heavier. Seriously heavier. But I couldn’t very well leave it outside to be stolen. Twisting it slightly, I tried to visualize lifting it before I actually did. I’d have to lift my chin, and hold it close to my body so it was more controlled.

  But I’d have to hurry, since I could hear some sort of truck or van parking in the lot just behind me.

  Swiveling the box a little more so that I could get a better grip, I lifted carefully with my legs, leaning back slightly. I had no idea what was inside, but if it was this heavy, it was probably breakable.

  Three steps to the door, I was already out of breath. I managed to lean it against the door frame with my knee wedged under it. Although I wanted to set it down, I didn’t know if I’d be able to pick it up again.

  I shook out my arms, then lifted the box again. Turning slightly sideways to step
inside, I wobbled as the box lurched to the left and started to fall as I scrambled to hold on with a shriek.

  “Steady,” a deep voice rumbled directly in my ear. I heard a thump as a hand landed under the box, and another hand grabbed my hip so that I didn’t crash to the ground myself.

  I started, my entire body pressed against the stranger's. Then I turned to find myself staring up into deep green eyes.

  “I’ve got it, little lady,” he grinned. “Just tell me where I’m going.”

  I stepped away to give him room to follow me down the hall, trying not to stare at the gorgeous man who had just rescued me. He was even bigger than my construction buddies. Instantly my hands began to fiddle with my apron and I couldn’t stop biting my lip.

  It took me a few seconds to find my voice. “If you could put it in the store room, that would be great. Thanks so much.” I opened the door for him, and he placed the box down gently, as if the weight meant nothing to him.

  “Hold on, I’ll grab the other one.”

  He darted back out to grab the third box, kicking out the piece of wood so that the door closed behind him. After the last box was in the store room, he smiled down at me.

  “I’m sorry I grabbed you, but you were about to fall off the step.”

  “That’s okay. Thank you.”

  He turned toward the kitchen and took a sniff. “Damn. I guess I’m having the burger. Is it all right if I go out this way?” He pointed towards the front of the diner.

  “Sure. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He paused, giving me a smile that nearly knocked me over. We were very close together in the narrow hallway, and it was hard to believe how much I wanted to step closer instead of away. He smelled incredible, but it was his energy that really drew me in.

  I watched as he went out to sit with Taylor and Bob, still feeling the warmth of his hand on my hip, and remembering the blaze of those unbelievable eyes when they locked on mine. So this is their boss , I thought. Oh, my.

  I’d never been so close to a man who was so beautiful. Tingles ran up and down my arms as if I’d just met a rock star or something. The desire to have him hold me again was wild.

  Yet somehow I had to pull myself together and channel my “Claudia the waitress” personality again. I was here to make a living, not lust after a man who was obviously way out of my league.

  Chapter 2

  _____

  Vaughan

  When I sat down beside Bob and reached for the water in front of me, I noticed my hand was actually shaking slightly. For the first time ever, I’d almost lost my cool in front of a woman.

  “You made it,” Taylor said with his slightly too-loud laugh.

  “Yeah, finally got that last supply order in,” I said, glancing around the diner.

  It was quaint in all of the best ways. Plus, looking around at the vinyl booths, the checkered floor tiles, and the old-fashioned soda counter gave me a great excuse to actually check out the breathtaking waitress properly.

  There was something in those soft blue eyes that softened my heart and stiffened the rest of me at the same time. Something that made me need to throw my arms around her and never let go. Even touching her hip to steady her had made me feel masculine in a way I’d never experienced before.

  Either I was losing my mind, dehydrated from working outside all day, or I was falling for this beautiful girl already. Was that even possible?

  “I found this place a couple of weeks ago,” Bob said. “Trust me, you’re going to love the burger.”

  “They even have those sweet potato fries you like,” Taylor said.

  As the server walked toward us, I noticed a slightly worried look. Then she seemed to transform her energy with a giant, sassy smile. “Great,” she said, with a hand on her hip. “Now I’m supposed to keep an eye on three of you?”

  “Don’t worry,” Taylor said. “Vaughan is the boss, so he’s relatively well behaved.”

  She was no longer the timid, off-balance girl from the doorway. It was like she had pulled a new personality on over her head like a comfortable sweater. I had to admit, I was intrigued with both versions.

  Holding out my hand, I said, “Vaughan. The boss. And you are?”

  Her beautiful lips pursed for a second, then she shook my hand. “Claudia. Fetcher of burgers, pourer of coffee, and wrangler of rowdy construction workers, apparently.”

  Bob and Taylor laughed. I released her hand, but darted my fingertips forward to brush against her inner wrist. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled.

  “Let’s get down to brass tacks,” she said, pulling a little notepad from her skirt. “You’re all having coffee, right?”

  We nodded, then she continued. “Bob is having a double cheeseburger with fries, which comes with a small salad, and we’re going to fight back and forth until he eventually eats it because it’s just easier to do as I say and vegetables are good for you.”

  She shot him a pointed look, making him grin. He nodded, handing her back the menu.

  “Taylor, last time you had the chicken sandwich, so I’m guessing today you’re going to have the BLT with onion rings.”

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  “Onions don’t count as a vegetable when they’re fried, so you’re getting a side salad as well and that’s final.”

  His bottom lip drooped in a dramatic pout, but he nodded.

  “New guy,” she said, tapping her pencil against the notepad. “You liked the smell of the burgers in the back hallway. But…” She looked me up and down carefully. The other guys were wearing slightly disheveled t-shirts, but I was in a black button down. Suddenly I was awfully glad I had scrubbed my face, combed my hair, and pulled on a fresh shirt before I left.

  “You’re into the classics, but with a twist,” she said. “Double burger with sautéed onions, Dijon mustard, a tiny whiff of barbecue sauce...with sweet potato fries.” Her head cocked to the side. “Am I close?”

  “Spot on.”

  I handed back the menu, and she started to turn away, then took a step back and stared at me again. “And you really want a thick slab of marble cheese on that burger, but you were too polite to say that I missed it.”

  A deep chuckle rumbled up from my belly. It came out much louder than I intended, and actually took hold of me, making me helpless for a solid ten seconds. “You’re absolutely right.”

  Her ponytail whipped through the air as she spun away again, leaving me with my mouth hanging open.

  “Oh shit,” Taylor whispered loudly. “Bob, I think we have a problem.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Boss man is smitten.”

  “Yeah, I noticed.”

  “Do you think we should warn her?” Taylor asked.

  “No,” Bob half-whispered back. “I think we should warn him. She’s a really nice girl, and Vaughan wouldn’t know what to do with her.”

  I chuckled again. “You know I can fire the both of you before she gets back here with the coffee pot, right?” Claudia was heading back toward us, and I glared at both of them. “Be cool or else.”

  Claudia served the coffee with another saucy smile directed right at me, then left to race laps around the diner.

  As the guys talked about our latest construction project being right across the street from a gym with very sexy ladies in the window, I was only half listening. It was impossible to tear my eyes from Claudia. The way she was so patient and attentive with the elderly people. The way she played peekaboo with a menu to make a toddler laugh. The way she seemed to be constantly joking with the cook.

  She was so gorgeous it was almost difficult to take her all in. Yet it was her fantastic spark of energy that made it impossible to tear my eyes away.

  “Boss, your phone is beeping,” Taylor said, pulling me out of my daze and back to reality.

  “Sorry. Thanks.”

  It was a long, wordy text from my assistant Cheryl, warning me that my ex-girlfriend Jessica would be coming to the event celebratin
g the opening of the new hospital wing this Saturday night. Her date was a doctor there.

  Instantly my fabulous mood turned dark. We had busted our asses to get that hospital contract, and pulled in every favor to make sure the job was perfect, and completed exactly on time. Apparently we were the only construction company to ever hit a deadline for them right on the nose. The big summer bash to celebrate the opening of the wing before all of the furniture got moved in was supposed to be the party of the year.

  Now I was supposed to go stag while Jessica showed up with a doctor?

  Dammit.

  Jessica and I had only dated for about two months, and we had broken up over a year and a half ago. Yet that conniving little… person …still got under my skin.