Fiance by Fate

by Jennifer Shirk

  He looked down at her and his eyes grew concerned. “Actually, I wanted to buy you a coffee. Although”—he reached out and captured a strand of her hair, resting it gently behind her ear—“it looks as if you could use something a little stronger.”

  Seeing David with that woman again and Jack’s uncharacteristically sympathetic gesture was her complete undoing. Without warning, she burst into tears.

  “Hey, hey,” he said, sounding alarmed. He gave her a few stiff pats on the back. “Oh no. No, no. Please don’t cry.”

  She crumbled further. His words only made her cry harder.

  Jack quickly gathered her in his arms and led her out the door. “Let’s go get some air,” he suggested.

  “I don’t want air,” she mumbled into his starched shirt.

  “Don’t tell that to your lungs.”

  They walked outside and sat down on a nearby bench. Jack still had her nestled into his chest. She could hear people walking the sidewalks around her and the rush of traffic on the street. The wind picked up and blew the back of her hair, making her shiver. She hated to admit it, but being outside did make her feel a little better.

  Jack loosened his grip but didn’t let go of her. “You okay?”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, her head still buried in his shirt. “I’m so sorry. I’m usually more in control than this.”

  “Believe me, I know.” She heard laughter in his voice. “But I do have a sister and according to her, it’s okay to have breakdowns now and again.”

  No. She rarely had breakdowns. She prided herself on always staying in control, keeping her emotions on an even keel. That was how she survived her time in the foster care system. It was better than showing her hurt, especially since no one was ever there to reach for her if she had. Even when David suggested their split, she’d held in her heartache and amicably agreed. She’d tried to be perfect, what David wanted. Turned out, he didn’t want her at all.

  Sniffling, she squirmed out of Jack’s arms. She slid her gaze upward. He had mascara smudges on his shirt, which meant she probably looked like a raccoon. Or worse, the Hamburglar. Her eyes began to fill up again.

  Jack held out his hands like a crossing guard. “It’s okay to have breakdowns, only within reason.”

  She let out a watery chuckle. Jack was, unfortunately, right. She could pull it together. She had to.

  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling the near-hysteria drift away. “Yes, you’re right. I’m fine.” When Jack just stared at her, she smoothed out her skirt and added, “I am. Thank you.”

  “Okay, then talk to me. I guess I correctly assumed that was your fiancé. Tell me what happened.”

  Her face heated. Oh, Lord. She must look in worse shape than she thought if Jack was trying to play Dr. Phil. She just shook her head.

  “Okay, then how about a clue,” he said. “Two words? One syllable?”

  Her embarrassment quickly turned to annoyance. She swiped at her eyes and sniffled. “Look, Jack, I’m sorry, but I really don’t want to talk about this with you. No offense.”

  “None taken,” he said, brushing at the makeup stains on his shirt. “But we are partners now and as hard as it is for you to believe, I am trying to be a nice guy here.”

  Sabrina studied him, weighing his words. Yes, Jack was being a nice guy. She honestly hadn’t known he had it in him. With the way he was looking at her, she was beginning to think that maybe he didn’t have an ulterior motive. He patiently sat with her like he had all the time in the world to listen to her problems.

  Then he smiled—and not one of those smug smiles he’d been giving out like candy since she first laid eyes on him. This one was a gentle smile—comforting—and just enough to twist something deep inside her.

  “I lied,” she blurted.

  His brows rose. “Lied?”

  She nodded, her shoulders slumping. “Those rumors you heard about my engagement are true. I’m not…that is… My fiancé and I have decided to—to take a step back and evaluate our relationship.” She held up her left hand. “Hence the missing ring.”

  “I see.”

  “Everyone thinks David has more than just cold feet. And well, maybe that’s true, but to be honest, I really thought we’d be back together by now. Even Madame Butterfly said the same thing.”

  Jack looked at her blankly. “Madame Butterfly. Well, I’m sure anyone with a name like that has to be in the know.”

  She crossed her arms. To Jack it probably seemed ridiculous for someone like her, who surrounded herself in control and structure, to believe in psychics and superstitions. But it gave her a strange comfort and even hope that she had control over her fate as well. “I’m serious here.”

  “I was afraid of that,” he muttered. “Look, if there’s one thing I’ve learned in business it’s that you can’t wait for…the Madame Butterflies of the world for things to naturally occur. Success comes down to going after what you want yourself. Do you want to be a success?”

  “Yes,” she said warily.

  “And do you want David back?”

  “Well, of course,” she huffed. “I would do anything to get him back.”

  He sat back, raising an eyebrow as he studied her. “Anything?”

  “Yes, anything. I love him.”

  “Interesting,” he said, more to himself than her.

  She bit her lip. “I’m not sure what to do but wait, though.”

  Jack sat silently for a few moments looking deep in thought, then he snapped his head up and said, “That’s not good enough.” His gaze didn’t waver. “You need to fight.”

  “What?”

  “Fight for him. And don’t tell me you can’t. I happen to know firsthand that you have more than enough fight in you,” he said drily. “But I can help you.”

  She stared at him. Oh, she knew Jack was arrogant, but this? This comment completely confirmed the God complex she always suspected he had. “You? You would help me get my fiancé back?”

  “Ex-fiancé,” he corrected. “But yes, I would.”

  She narrowed her eyes and allowed her voice to dip into a warning tone. “And why would you do that?”

  His lips shifted to an easy smile. “I have a deep-rooted desire to see my new partner happy and settled in her life. Is that so wrong?”

  She snorted-laughed. “For you? It’s very wrong. You’re up to something.”

  He pressed a hand to his chest and rubbed, pretending to be wounded. “I’m truly hurt that you would think that I—”

  “Just get to the point, Jack. What do you want in return?”

  For the first time since she’d known him, Jack actually looked uncomfortable. He cleared his throat a few times before answering. “Between you and me, I didn’t get that promotion because the board feels my personal life may need a makeover. Of sorts. My father unfortunately agrees.”

  “Mm-hmm. Not to take sides, but when your recent breakup starts trending on Twitter, your personal life might need a little reevaluating.”

  She had the satisfaction of seeing his eyes narrow. “Yes, well, my dad has even gone so far as to say that I should find a nice sensible girl and settle down.”

  “What do you want me to do? Find you a nice, normal girl to make you look respectable?” She thought about Maddie but worried that maybe she was too nice and sensible for him. It could be like putting a goldfish and a piranha together in a fish tank. She couldn’t do that to Maddie. She couldn’t do that to any woman she knew.

  “Actually…” His gaze lingered on his clenched fists, then swung up and pinned her to her seat. “I already found the perfect girl.”

  Several seconds ticked by.

  Realization hit her and she jumped off the bench. “Not on your life.”

  Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her back down. “Will you listen before jumping to conclusions? I’m not asking you to settle down with me for real. Just for pretend.”

  “You’re insane,” she said, shaking off his hand. “O
f all the women in Boston, why me?”

  “Well, look at you,” he said, pointing. She followed his finger and looked down but only saw a cream-colored turtleneck over a black wool skirt. “You’re hardworking, sensible, and obviously want to get married,” he continued. “Pretty much the antithesis of every woman I’ve dated.”

  “You mean because my IQ is larger than my bra size?”

  His lips thinned. “I mean because you have my father’s respect.”

  “I do?” She frowned, not because she was unhappy to hear that information but because she was surprised. “Then why did he pass me over for a senior wholesaling position?”

  “What? You wanted my job?”

  She waved his question away. “Never mind.” She sighed, putting her head in her hands. Yes, she felt she should have gotten Jack’s territory. But it didn’t matter. It wasn’t the time to get into work issues. Right now her priority was David.

  “Sabrina, will you shove your animosity toward me away for one brief second and think about this? It would be a win-win for both of us. David thinks you’re adoringly waiting in the wings, giving him as long as it takes to make up his mind.”

  She dropped her hands and blinked. “But he would be right.”

  “No, you have to change his thinking. He has to believe you’ve moved on. And the best way to do that is by making him think you’re interested in another man. Another man who happens to be number three on New England’s Top Bachelors list would be quite the coup. If David just has cold feet like you say he does, then there’s nothing like good old fashioned jealousy to warm them up again.”

  “That’s original,” she murmured.

  He shrugged. “I find the classics work best.”

  “What would I have to do exactly?” she asked.

  Jack scanned around them, then lowered his voice. “Convince everyone in the office, including my father, that we’re in a serious relationship. Perhaps attend a few high-profile events with me. David has to think we’re dating anyway. Pretty simple when you think about it.”

  Sabrina felt her stomach tighten. Nothing seemed simple at all. “How long would I have to…pretend?”

  “I’m not sure. At least until the next quarterly board meeting—even if David comes back to you before then. I need to look as if I gave this relationship at least the old college try.”

  “I—I don’t know.” She began chewing on her thumbnail in thought, then cast a side glance at Jack.

  David would be jealous of a man like Jack. She didn’t doubt it. Jack was ridiculously good-looking. Intelligent—mostly. And rich. He also had the kind of wide shoulders and brawny arms that could wrap around a female wrestler and somehow make her feel as delicate as a flower. Jack certainly seemed the kind of man any woman would love to catch on the rebound from a broken heart. Not her, of course. She had no interest in rich, handsome playboys.

  But David didn’t know that.

  The whole idea still sounded so wrong, so sordid. She doubted anyone at work would believe she and Jack would even think about dating each other. But maybe luck threw Jack in her path for a reason. Would she be a fool not to take him up on it? Was Jack part of her “journey” to David that Madame Butterfly had mentioned? She couldn’t be sure. She needed more time to think.

  “It would mean a lot to me,” Jack added.

  She shot him a look. “Oh, gee, now there’s an incentive. Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”

  He let out a muffled snort, but she couldn’t tell if it was from laughter or frustration. Reaching into his suit jacket, he pulled out his wallet. He took his business card and tucked it in her palm. “My cell phone number is on the back in case you change your mind after work. Call me anytime.”

  “I bet you say that to all the girls,” she said, batting her eyelashes.

  Jack let out a slow, predatory grin that disintegrated her mocking attitude.

  “No, not all the girls,” he said in a silky voice. His warm hand closed over hers, and he leaned in so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. “I only say that to my girlfriends.”

  A charge of awareness raced through her. Sabrina swallowed hard, backing down her reaction. Then he stood and walked back inside the building, leaving her alone with her heartache, her loneliness, what little pride she had left, and a whole lot more to think about.

  Chapter Four

  Jack drummed his fingers on his desk. No doubt about it. He had completely lost his mind.

  What had he been thinking when he’d asked Sabrina to pretend to be his girlfriend?

  But at the time it’d made perfect sense. He was desperate for a solution to his playboy reputation and there Sabrina was, in his arms, desperate to get her ex-fiancé back. When she’d mentioned she’d do anything in that regard, his mind sprung into action and a plan was formed. He couldn’t have found a better candidate if he’d placed his own personal Want Ad. She was exactly the kind of woman his father would love to see him settle down with. However, his dad didn’t understand that relationships were not Jack’s strong suit. Too messy. And he didn’t need the complication.

  Yet, he did need Sabrina Cassidy. He had little choice at this point.

  But she needed him, too.

  Jack had no doubt he could help her get her fiancé back, if in fact the guy loved her and simply had cold feet like she said. The real question was how much did Sabrina truly want him back? Enough to make a deal with the devil? Because that’s exactly what she saw him as. A womanizing devil.

  He rubbed the back of his neck and tried not to let her opinion get to him. Who cared what she thought? It shouldn’t bother him at all. There were plenty of women who thought very highly of him. The only thing that mattered was she help him get that promotion.

  The ball was in her court now.

  Jack huffed out a breath as he reached for the phone. He had some calls to make, maybe invite a few board members to travel with him. That way they’d be able to see firsthand what kind of job he did. Yeah, that was a good idea. It was time he followed his own advice he’d given to Sabrina. If you wanted success you couldn’t wait around for it to happen—or in this case, wait around for a certain Little Miss Perfect to make up her mind. After all, there was still a good chance she’d turn him down.

  And in case she did, he’d already have a plan B in action.

  …

  It had been a long day, but Mondays usually were. Luckily, after Sabrina’s embarrassing cry on Jack’s shoulder—and yet another coffee run—the rest of the afternoon had gone a whole lot smoother. There were no interruptions aside from her own thoughts. She couldn’t stop thinking about how she’d made a fool of herself to Jack by pouring her heart out to him. Thankfully, she hadn’t seen any more of him today.

  Actually, no one had.

  Jack had buried himself in one of the side offices like a groundhog and still hadn’t made an appearance by the time she’d left the building after six. He seemed to be trying to show his father how diligent a worker he was and how responsible he could be. A valiant effort. But as far as she was concerned, the jury was still out.

  Despite the kindness he’d shown her back at the coffee shop, she still wasn’t sure what to make of him. She didn’t trust him. Jack apparently paid a lot of attention to outward appearances, otherwise he would have never suggested such an outlandish idea. As if she’d ever consider helping him change his reputation. She had a reputation to protect too. Besides, she doubted Jack’s idea would have helped her out. David wasn’t the type to be moved by jealousy. She’d have to continue to wait for David to make up his mind on his own terms and hope for the best.

  After a horrendous commute home, it was dark by the time she made it to her apartment, and she was absolutely famished. She opened her drawer of menus, but before she could place an order, there was a knock at her door. Not expecting anyone, she took her time answering it. When she finally pressed her cried-sore eye to the peephole, she gasped.

  “David,” she said breat
hlessly as she threw open the door.

  “Hi, baby.” His smile was hesitant. “May I come in?”

  Sabrina’s heart practically sang with delight when she heard him call her baby. She opened the door farther, and David entered the living room. He still wore scrubs and his blond hair was slightly ruffled. He must have just gotten back from work. Even though she was sure he was exhausted, it didn’t wear on the polished veneer of his natural good looks.

  This could be it. He’s decided to come back. She swallowed and tried to keep the giddiness out of her voice. “What are you doing here?”

  “I felt I should return your things.”

  “My…things?” She finally noticed a cardboard box in his hands. “What things?”

  David set the box down on her coffee table and rubbed a hand over his face. “Take a look.”

  She cautiously peeked inside as if she thought one of those giant fake snakes would spring out at her at any second. But she would have much preferred that to what she actually saw. The box was filled with all the personal belongings she’d left in David’s apartment. A crushing feeling formed in her chest as she ran her fingers over the items: a toothbrush, a tube of her favorite spice-colored lipstick, her facial moisturizer, and the James Taylor CD they’d listened to on their road trip to Vermont. But her heart sank further when she opened up a white envelope filled with various pictures of the two of them together.

  It took her a moment to realize what this all meant, but she rigidly held her tears in check. Oh, gosh, he didn’t want a single reminder of her. What had she done wrong?

  “So this is it,” she murmured.

  His hazel eyes continued to focus on James Taylor’s face. “This is it…only for now.”

  She looked at him sharply. “David, are you breaking up with me or not?”

  He walked over to her and kissed her forehead. “No, I’m not. I don’t want to lose you. It’s just that…I’m asking for a little more time. I know it’s unfair and you’re ready for a permanent commitment, but I’m still questioning what I’m ready for. And now with everything going on at the hospital, I don’t want to rush and screw this up for us.”