by Loraine, Kim
"No, you don't... it's more complicated."
She places her hand on her hip and stares me down. "It's pretty simple to me. Do you have to get married by February fourteenth in order to inherit your grandmother's fortune?"
I sigh and let my head hang me down in shame. "I do but — "
She sucks in a sharp breath then holds up a hand to stop me. "Enough said. That's it. I knew this was too good to be true."
I reach for her, but she jerks away. "You made a fool of me, Ben Elliott. I wanted so badly for this to be real. Just let me go."
The doorman puts himself between us, his steely expression telling me that if I push, he'll push back. "I think it's best if you let the lady go, Mr. Elliott. Her car is here."
Without a glance back she leaves me, her delicious scent, dark hair, and the sway of her curves as she walks away something that will be burned in my memory for the rest of my days.
8
Rosie
* * *
It's been two days since I left Ben, and the hurt has not eased. I've been holed up in my apartment, trying to figure out my next move. Unfortunately, my thoughts are plagued with memories of my short time with Ben, regret for the way things ended, and hurt...so much hurt. My phone rings from its place on the kitchen counter. My stupid heart lurches at the thought that it might be Ben calling through the messenger service. I want it to be him with some possible way of redeeming this whole situation. Getting to my feet, I walk to the kitchen and take my phone off the charger.
"Hello?" I kick myself for not looking at the caller ID. I was too caught up in my emotions.
"What is going on with you?" Stacy's voice sends a rock to the pit of my stomach. I love her, I really do, but she is so not the voice I wanted to hear on the other end.
"Hey, Stace."
"Tell me you have at least taken a shower." Stacy's words are soft, and there is a definite note of concern.
"Do you want me to lie to you?" I glance down at my sweatpants and old college T-shirt, and I don't even want to take a look at the mirror and see what I know I will find. Greasy hair, an unwashed face, puffy from crying, and dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep. Every time I close my eyes dreams of Ben assault me.
She sighs over the line, and then takes a long breath. "Get in the shower. I'll be there in twenty minutes.
"But —"
Her voice breaks through my protest. "Stop it. You need to get out of your own head. I know this guy got under your skin, but you can't let him ruin the rest of your life."
Is that what I'm doing? I'm letting Ben and the fantasy of what I wanted us to be ruin my entire life? I take a long breath, let it out, and put my shoulders back as I stand up straight. "You're right. He doesn't get to say whether I'm happy or not. That's my choice." I walk into the bathroom and stare myself in the mirror. This was just a blip on my way to living my best life. I'm just sad that it won't be something I get to do with the man I thought was going to be my adventure. "Okay, I'll see you in twenty minutes."
I hang up the phone, turn on some music, and strip out of the clothes I've been wearing for the last few days. The water is hot and feels good on my skin, and I take a little extra time shampooing and conditioning my hair before shaving my legs and under my arms. I don't need to look good for anyone but myself. But it does feel nice to be smooth all over, and to really take the time for some self-care. By the time I step out of the shower, I've only got a few minutes before Stacy's going to get here. I dress quickly in a pair of fitted jeans and the deep red sweater with and off the shoulder V-neck. My hair is wet, and I know I won't have time to dry it, so I make short work of braiding it to the side and tie it with a red bow that matches my sweater.
A soft knock catches my attention and I walk to the doorway, ready to let Stacy inside. I open the door and find her standing with an envelope in her hand and a quizzical expression on her face.
"This was...taped to your door." She hands me the envelope.
"That's weird, why wouldn't they just put it through the mail slot?"
I take the envelope from her and run my fingers over the thick paper. There's no address, no sender, but there is one word written across the front, and that word makes tears spring to my eyes. "Petal," I whisper.
"What?"
"It's… It was my nickname, for the matchmaking."
"Why would Grace leave something taped to your door? She would just mail it."
"I don't think it's from Grace."
"Oh," she whispers.
My hands shake as I hold the letter that Ben manage to get to me. "How did he find me?"
"Maybe Grace gave him your address?" She asks it like a question, because I think she is as flabbergasted as I am.
"I should read it."
She nods and walks to the kitchen. "I'll open the wine."
I stare down at the envelope and take it with me to my little kitchen table. Sitting down, I just look at the scrawl of his handwriting across the clean paper. Do I really want to know? Do I want to open my heart up to being broken again? The thought of not giving this a chance makes me feel sick.
Stacy joins me at the table and slides a glass of wine across the table top to me. "Okay, go on."
Fingers trembling, I tear open the envelope and pull out a letter dated February fourteenth – today.
Dear Rosie,
I've written this letter at least ten times since you left. You were right to leave me when you did. I broke your trust and there's nothing I can do about that right now without coming up with some lame excuse. All I can do is say what's in my heart. The only thing in my heart is you. I didn't plan on falling for you, falling in love with you. The truth is, I contacted Grace because my lawyer told me to. He told me I needed a wife. It needed to be legal and that Grace would find me someone. In fact, when I set up our meeting, I planned to tell you everything. I planned to explain my situation to make a deal with you. We would have a marriage of convenience. It was supposed to be cut and dry, easy and companionable. My plan with the matchmaker was to find a woman who would at least get along with me, and could be friends with me. I'm not the kind of man who could marry someone I don't like. My parents always said to marry your best friend, but I never expected that I would fall immediately in love.
When I met you, like I said, I had every intention of telling you exactly what I needed and why. But I was struck by you, by your beauty, by your openness and your honesty, and by your genuine excitement. I've never been one to believe in love at first sight, until I met you. I knew from the moment our gazes locked that I was going to fall hard. So, I moved forward with my plan, minus one very important detail. I wanted to marry you because I was falling in love with you and because you were falling in love with me, not because I stood to inherit so much money.
But lying to you, and trying to take advantage of our situation to make sure I got my inheritance was wrong. I just needed you to know that my intentions changed drastically after we met. And one day, I hope I can find you again, and the two of us have a fresh start. Because you are it for me. I'm not getting married. I'm going to let my inheritance go and I will wait for you.
Yours always,
Ben (a.k.a. Mr. Whenever You're Ready)
My tears splash onto the paper causing the ink to distort where the drops hit. I can feel Stacy's eyes watching me but I don't want to speak yet. I'm still taking it all in.
"Okay, what did the asshole say?"
I look up and stare at her without any words that can describe the tempest in my heart.
She snatches the letter from my hand and I don't stop her. There is nothing in there that I wouldn't want her to see. I just watch her as she reads and wonder what she's thinking. Her eyes widen, then her brow frurrows, and she gasps and puts her fingers to her chest. When she's done, those wide eyes land on me, and the woman smiles. She looks me up and down and says, "Well, at least you're dressed for the holiday."
I frown and look down at my red sweater and dark jeans.
"What do you mean?"
"It's Valentine's Day." Then she stands and grabs her purse. "I'm assuming you know how to get his apartment?"
I grin, so glad she's mirroring the same feelings I have. "I've got a better idea."
"Then what are you waiting for? Go get him."
9
Ben
* * *
I stare at my phone, willing it to ring. When I'd approached Grace about getting in contact with Rosie, the matchmaker had been less than willing. She made it very clear that if after the first meeting, phone numbers weren't exchanged, she wouldn't provide any other means of contact. So, I was persistent. It took two days of returning to Grace's doorstep and waiting until she'd see me before the woman agreed to reach out to Rosie for me. There was one catch, I wasn't allowed to ask her Rosie to come back or give her my contact information, because according to Grace once Rosie reads my letter, if she wants me, she will have to make the first move. Rosie knows where I am, she knows more about me than I do about her. I hate that I'm dependent on Grace. The gate keeper.
Sighing, I stand in my living room. My chest is tight and aching with the knowledge of the hurt I caused Rosie. I'd told her I wouldn't lie to her, but a lie of omission is just as bad as a boldfaced lie.
I drag my hands through my hair and let out a stream of curses, frustrated with myself. My phone rings, making you nearly jump out of my skin. I answer before the first ring is even over, breathlessly saying, "Rosie?"
The sound of a throat clearing tells me immediately it's not her. "Mr. Elliott, it's Franklin Washburn, your grandmother's estate lawyer."
My heart sinks. This is the last thing I want. Not because he's going to tell me that I'm about to lose my grandmother's inheritance, but because he is a reminder of the reason I lost Rosie. "What do you want? I'm not getting married, do I really need to do something else in order to lose this inheritance?"
"No it's not that. I… I have a matter I need to speak with you about. If you could meet me at my office, within the next ten minutes that would be wonderful."
I frown, and stare at the clock. "I can make that happen."
"Excellent. I have the paperwork all drawn up. I just need you to sign."
I grab my keys at the counter and put them in my pocket before I head out on my way to Franklin's office. I'm frustrated, because I don't want to have to deal with this, but I'm almost done with all this, and I can leave my grandmother and her controlling ways behind me.
Franklin's secretary greets me with a warm grin. An unusually friendly gesture from the woman who not long ago stared at me with a dour expression on her face. "Hello Mr. Elliott," she says.
I nod at her in greeting, but don't wait for her to usher me into Franklin's office. Instead I take the liberty of letting myself in, opening the door and stepping inside the office.
"Okay, Franklin, I'm here."
It's then that I see her. Rosie is standing in front of me. She looks like an angel, or a fantasy. "Rosie? What are you doing here?"
She smiles, her bright eyes shining, full red lips inviting. "You said you needed a wife."
"I might've said that, but I also said that I will wait until you are ready."
Stepping forward, she places her hand on my chest. It's warm and real and perfect. "I don't think you should have changed your name."
I frowned, shaking my head. "What are you talking about?"
"You signed your letter to me, Mr. Whenever You're Ready, but I'm ready right now."
There's a knock on the door, and Franklin, who has been sitting behind his desk with a shit-eating-grin on his face, stands and opens the door for the person waiting for entry. A judge walks inside, her expression serious.
"Franklin, this better be quick, I'm on my lunch break." The woman stares at the two of us, then looks to him. "I'm assuming this was the happy couple?"
My heart leaps that the realization of what is happening right now. "Rosie, we don't have to do this right now. We can wait. We can take as much time as you need."
She takes my hands in hers, and stares into my eyes. "The thing is, you were right. Love at first sight is real, and I don't want to waste any of our moments together waiting because it's what we think society wants."
I glanced at Franklin, his cheeks red with excitement. "But we don't have a marriage license."
Franklin nods and produces a sheet of paper from a folder on his desk.
"All taken care of," he says handing me a pen. "Now take care of this wedding, so Justice Hall can get back to her chambers."
It goes by in a blur. In a few minutes Rosie and I promise to love, honor, and obey one another, forsaking all others, as long as we both shall live. We are pronounced husband and wife, we sign the marriage license, and then, I take my new bride's face in my hands and kiss her like I've never kissed anyone before.
I wanted a wife, right now. I ended up with the love of my life.
Epilogue
Rosie
* * *
Three years later
I groan at that sound of the alarm clock from my bedside table. I have to get up, even though I don't want to. My husband is coming home today, and I have some very important information to share with him.
Throwing off my covers, I get to my feet and fight the wave of nausea that hits me almost instantly. My hand goes to the small round bump of my belly and I can't help but grin. I haven't seen my husband in five weeks, and a lot has changed. For instance, I'm twenty weeks pregnant.
I didn't find out until the end of my first trimester. And by then, Ben was at the beginning of a water purification project in the Sudan. I haven't been able to reach him, and honestly, I wanted this to be a surprise.
"Petal?" Ben's voice catches me completely off guard. He's not supposed to be back until this evening.
The sound of his feet on the stairs sends a thrill through me. His voice rings out again, calling me by my nickname, and my damn hormones get the better of me. Tears spring to my eyes.
He opens the door and stands there staring at me with such a look of love on his face.
"Hi," I say, hand on my belly.
"God, I missed you. I still wish you would've come with me." He crosses the floor, and pulls me into his arms before kissing me.
"I know, but it's a good thing I didn't. There's a lot I need to tell you."
He pulls away, staring down at me with concern in his gaze. "What are you talking about? Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, just a little… emotional." I take his hand and slide it over the swell of my belly. "I hear that happens when you're pregnant."
His eyes widen and shine with the light of excitement. "Are you serious?"
I nod. "Twenty weeks."
"You knew before I left?"
"No, no. I had no idea. After you left I had a yearly doctor's appointment, they took some blood work, and I turned up pregnant."
He laughs and rubs my bump. "Well, I suppose we'd better make some changes."
"What do you mean?"
"We can't travel all over the world with a newborn."
"Yes, we can. We can make a lifestyle out of it. We can teach our child to care for others, to see the world, to do good things. We can make sure this little one grows up knowing that there's more to life than our own points of view. And we'll do that together."
He pulls me in, holding me tight and stroking my hair. "I love you. So much."
I let him hold me, and I give into the tears welling in my chest. But these tears are ones of pure joy for the life we've built after one quick decision led to a lifetime of love.
The Matchmaker Series
Skip the chocolates, forget the roses. Who needs candlelight dinners when you can have thirteen Valentine’s Day romances set in a shared world?
Your favorite collaboration pack is back, this time with match-maker stories that put the man in roMANce… our heroes are all alpha, all swoon-worthy, and all for YOU!
Happy hearts day, sweetie!
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This is our year
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“This year I am going to have a baby.”
I re-read the group chat on my phone, the message from my Oak Ridge University alumnus and Mi Alpha Alpha sorority sister adding to my resolve.
