Bride by Chance

by Marilyn Shank

  When he turned those hazel eyes her way, she felt a tug on her heartstrings. “Are you feeling okay?”

  “My stomach’s a little upset, so I’d better skip that bratwurst. But I could manage one of those corn-on-the-cob sticks.”

  “You mean a roasting ear?”

  “Is that what they’re called?”

  “Around these parts, yes.” His smile and the laugh lines around his mouth enticed Liza. To her dismay, everything about the man enticed her. Especially his eyes, which were expressive yet gentle. Martin Landsburg was a man’s man, but he knew how to treat a woman.

  “Do you want something to go with it?”

  “No, thanks. The roasting ear is plenty.”

  “Why don’t you pick a spot for us to sit while I get our food?”

  “Okay, sure.” Liza walked to an area of picnic tables covered with red and white checked oilcloth. She chose a shady spot and watched Martin get into the long food line.

  She had a perfect view from here and saw lots of folks walking along the dusty pathways. Some children skipped ahead of their parents, and others carried towers of cotton candy. It looked like a scene from a different era. If county fairs existed around Kansas City, she’d never heard of them -- much less attended one.

  She enjoyed watching the people pass. Many of the parents were in their late twenties and early thirties. Liza’s own thirtieth birthday was fast approaching, but her career kept her preoccupied. And she’d pushed thoughts of marriage and family to a hidden part of her brain.

  When she’d been engaged to Travis, she’d felt excited about marriage and a family. She’d spent hours picturing the kind of home they would have and wondered when they’d have their first child. She’d even cataloged ideas for the wedding ceremony in a notebook. That book held her hopes and dreams between its covers.

  But when she’d learned Travis had been unfaithful, she’d tossed the notebook in the trash and devoted all her energy to her career. Never again would she have her dreams crushed by a man who didn’t really love her.

  “Hello again, Meg.”

  Uh-oh, now what? Hopefully it wasn’t Eleanor Fitzmartin.

  As Liza turned, she felt relieved to see Rachel coming toward her. “Where’s Martin?” Rachel asked.

  “He’s getting our lunch. Sit down and join me. I didn’t know you were coming to the fair today.”

  She took a seat across the table. “I hadn’t planned on coming, but after I registered the girls, I had several hours free. So when Ron called and invited me, I said yes. I’m meeting him in half an hour.” Her dark eyes glittered with excitement. Ron must be a steady boyfriend, or at least one with serious potential.

  “That sounds like fun,” Liza said, keeping her answers short and noncommittal. After all, she rarely knew what she was talking about!

  Suddenly she felt bone tired. Pretending to be Meg and monitoring every word she said proved exhausting.

  “When I saw you sitting here, I figured I should apologize again -- for what I said about you and Martin.”

  “Don’t apologize. Not when everything you said was true.”

  Rachel’s eyes widened. “Do you mean that?”

  Liza glanced at Martin who had a long wait ahead of him. “You were right about everything.” She took a stabilizing breath then said, “I have something else to tell you, something that will come as quite a shock.”

  “You do? What is it?”

  Liza took a deep breath and gathered every ounce of courage she possessed. “I’m not Meg,” she said simply. Making her confession as straightforward as possible seemed the best approach.

  Rachel grinned. “Uh-huh, sure. You’re not Meg.”

  “Look at me, Rachel. I’m really not Meg. I’m her twin sister Liza. Meg is still in Kansas City.”

  Rachel stiffened, and her mouth dropped open. She blinked rapidly, and a flush colored her cheeks.

  “Don’t say anything, just listen,” Liza told her. “I agree with you that Meg and Martin shouldn’t get married. Meg doesn’t love Martin, and I’ve known that for some time. That’s why I worked it out so she’s spending this time in Kansas City with Zach Addison. Meg loved Zach in high school, and I’m hoping that being with him again will make her realize she’s not in love with Martin.”

  Rachel continued to blink rapidly. Since she made no effort to speak or to close her mouth, Liza pushed on Rachel’s chin to help her along. Finally, Rachel inhaled a shaky breath. “You’re not Meg,” she said.

  Great, Liza thought. Was that all the information Rachel had processed? Did she miss the part about Zach being the right man for Meg? Liza waited, hoping the data would slowly filter into Rachel’s brain.

  “And you don’t think Meg should marry Martin?” Rachel’s brain seemed to freeze frame one thought at a time until the information was absorbed.

  “No, I don’t.”

  Rachel frowned and took another deep breath. “Who does Martin think you are?”

  “Meg. Martin thinks I’m Meg.”

  “So you haven’t told him any of this? He doesn’t know about the little switcheroo?”

  “How can I tell him? Meg needs this time to reconnect with Zach. If she doesn’t get it, she’ll marry Martin and live to regret it.”

  Rachel nodded, but the vacant look still lingered.

  Liza leaned toward her. “Do you understand what I just told you?”

  Rachel bit her lip. “I think so. But it’s complicated.”

  “You’re right. It’s very complicated.”

  “Why didn’t I realize that you aren’t Meg? Meg is my best friend in the entire world. I should have known.”

  “Don’t feel bad about that. Our own mother got us mixed up all through high school. And sometimes she still does.”

  Several moments passed in silence. Liza noticed Martin had moved to the counter and was pulling his billfold from his pocket. She’d better wind down this confession and fast.

  Rachel shrugged. “Why did you tell me who you really are?”

  “Because you and I believe the same thing.”

  “That Meg shouldn’t marry Martin.”

  “Right. We both love Meg and care about her future.”

  “And we don’t want her to make a mistake.”

  Suddenly the insanity of the situation hit Liza like a head-on collision. She buried her face in her hands, and it took several moments before she looked up. When she did, she said, “And I told you the truth for another reason. If I didn’t tell someone soon, I would explode.”

  Rachel blinked and tears glazed her eyes. “Oh, Liza, I’m honored that you told me, really I am. And I promise I’ll keep this to myself. You can trust me completely.”

  “Oh, that’s good.”

  “And thanks for trying to help Meg.”

  Tears of relief sprang into Liza’s eyes. At last she had an ally. With Rachel’s support, maybe she could keep this farce going a little longer -- just long enough for Meg to realize that Martin wasn’t the man for her.

  The man in question headed toward their table carrying a tray of food. “Oh, hi, Rachel. Don’t you two see enough of each other at the dance studio?”

  “Are you kidding? We’re best friends. There’s no such thing as enough.”

  Liza took a steadying breath. Rachel had covered her shock very nicely. She should be an attorney.

  “Did you tell Rachel about your run-in with Eleanor Fitzmartin?” Martin asked.

  “Let me guess. Eleanor thinks we’re overlooking Angela’s abilities. After all, she was born with natural rhythm unlike our more rhythmically-challenged students.”

  Liza burst into giggles. “You quoted her exactly. And you used the same pitch and inflection.”

  “Of course I did. We’ve both heard that tirade more times than we can count.” Rachel glanced at her watch. “Uh-oh, I’ve got to run. I can’t keep Ron waiting.”

  “Tell him hello from us,” Martin added.

  Rachel waved and hurried off as Martin p
laced their food on the picnic table. Liza felt as if part of her burden had lifted. At least one other human being on the planet knew about her scheme—one other human being who cared about Meg and her future.

  “Here’s your roasting ear. Are you sure I can’t grab that bratwurst for you?”

  Liza lifted her gaze and met Martin’s dark eyes head on. “I’m positive, Martin. There’s not the slightest question in my mind.”

  * * *

  Martin studied Meg who’d just finished nibbling on her roasting ear. “Are you turning vegetarian on me? So far you’ve bypassed your all-time favorites -- meatloaf and bratwurst. I’m beginning to wonder.”

  Meg cleared her throat. “My stomach’s been touchy lately. And since meat is harder to digest than vegetables, I’m playing it safe.”

  Meg’s reasons sounded logical. So why did he have this feeling that she wasn’t being entirely honest? That she was hiding something from him?

  “What time do you need to judge the Miss Meadow Springs contest?” she asked, steering their conversation in another direction.

  “We’d better head to that tent pretty soon. You won’t get bored, will you?”

  “Of course not. But I’m not a fan of beauty contests, since they often send the wrong messages. And some young women can’t handle that kind of attention.”

  “Normally, I’d agree with you. But the Miss Meadow Springs contest is different.”

  “You think so, huh?”

  “I’d bet my next paycheck on it.”

  Meg didn’t seem convinced. Martin wondered why she felt so hesitant when everyone else loved the contest and looked forward to it all year.

  “It was great to see Cliff and Lydia,” he said.

  “Those two tease each other a lot, don’t they?”

  “All the time. But pay no attention to that. Just notice the way Cliff’s eyes light up when he looks at Lydia. That guy is head over heels.”

  “And she does the same with him. It seems they’ve got the real deal.”

  “Yeah. And that’s not easy to find.”

  Martin had thought he had the real deal when he proposed to Melissa. And when she’d accepted, he felt like the prince in a fairy tale. But Melissa rewrote their happy ending -- and turned their fairy tale into a horror story.

  He shoved those memories aside. “You know, Cliff is about my age, and he and Lydia already have a couple of great kids.” He caught Meg’s gaze. “Maybe we ought to take our relationship to the next level. I’d hate to be a senior citizen before our children are out of diapers.”

  He thought his comment would make Meg smile, but it didn’t. She turned suddenly quiet and seemed preoccupied. A short time later, she said, “Every couple should give serious thought to marriage, but they don’t. That’s why the divorce rate is fifty percent for first marriages and sixty-five for second marriages.” She sighed. “Every year five percent of all marriages fail.”

  “Your sister’s a divorce attorney, isn’t she? Is that where these depressing statistics are coming from?”

  “Liza handles other types of cases, not just divorce. But she’s told me some pretty ugly stories about spouses who turn against each other.” Meg’s eyes widened with concern. “And these are people who once loved each other.”

  Their conversation had taken a downward spiral, but facts were facts. “Hey, you’ll get no argument from me. People need to be sure before they take that big step. You know, for three years now I’ve wondered what caused Melissa to change her mind just hours before our ceremony. Did I say or do something that scared her off? How could she love me one day and leave me the next?

  Meg shrugged. “Who knows? People fall in love every day or think they do. Sometimes it’s just strong attraction, and they mistake it for love.”

  “I suppose you’re right. Romantic love is pushed at people their whole lives. And if they don’t have it, they think something’s wrong with them.”

  Meg laid her hand on his, and her touch caused a surge of delight. “I’m so sorry you were deceived, Martin. You deserved far better than you got.”

  He shook his head. “Did I ever tell you that it was Ernie who broke the news to me? He came over the night before the wedding to tell me Melissa had left the diamond I gave her at Milton’s Jewelers. I was half a day away from what I thought would be happily ever after when it all came to a crashing halt.”

  Between Eleanor Fitzmartin’s rantings, Meg’s divorce statistics, and his own dark memories, Martin’s mood had plummeted. He checked his watch. “Look, I’m sorry about this grim conversation. And it’s time to meet with the other judges now. Are you ready to move on, honey?”

  She nodded. “I’m ready.”

  “And this time you don’t have to sit alone. You’ll be on the platform with me.”

  “Oh, dear. Can’t I just sit in the audience and watch?”

  “You’ll have a much better view from the podium. And you’ll enjoy every minute of the contest, I promise.”

  Meg sighed. “I’ll let you know when it’s over.”

  “Tell you what. If you don’t love it, I’ll buy you the biggest banana split east of the Mississippi.”

  “Don’t even say that! I haven’t recovered from the last one we ate.”

  He and Meg dumped their trash, and as they walked toward the tent, Martin decided he’d better pace himself with Meg. Had he rushed Melissa too much? Was that why she’d run away? Since she hadn’t bothered to explain her leaving, he’d never know.

  But since he’d been badly burned once, he wanted his engagement to Meg to lead to a forever marriage and a bright, happy future. Not to major heartbreak like the last time.

  * * *

  “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I’m Chloe Morgan, and I want to welcome you to our Miss Meadow Springs contest, the highlight of our county fair each year.”

  Liza felt a surge of disappointment. She couldn’t believe a beauty pageant was the highlight of the fair—not when many women were exploited by contests based largely on appearance. But here she was, perched on the platform with a smile pasted on her face. And when the judges selected the new Miss Meadow Springs, she’d be expected to smile and clap with enthusiasm. How could she possibly do that?

  Chloe Morgan, dressed in beige slacks and a clinging sequined top, looked positively stunning. Had she been a past winner of the contest? Liza wondered.

  “First, let me present our panel of judges,” Chloe continued.

  A lump formed in Liza’s throat. She was about to be introduced as Meg to this large gathering of people. Did this constitute fraud? Could she be disbarred for impersonating her sister?

  “On my left are Judge Myron Atkins and his wife, Lenore; next to them are Alan Stanley, President of Meadow Springs City Bank, and his wife, Trudy. And last, but not least is Mayor Pro Tem Martin Landsburg and his…his…” Chloe paused, obviously not knowing how to introduce Meg.

  Liza’s humiliation shot to a new high. She wished a strong wind would blow in and transport her to Oz, or Narnia -- anyplace other than Meadow Springs, Illinois!

  “…and his significant other, our own Meg O’Malley.” Chloe finally found an appropriate title but that didn’t work, either. She wasn’t Meg O’Malley -- much less Martin’s significant other.

  The crowd clapped when Chloe finished the introductions. Liza kept smiling like an orangutan. She prayed this would be the shortest beauty contest in history.

  “Now let’s get started. Our first contestant is Miss Elizabeth Lane.”

  The black velvet curtain on the far side of the stage opened, and a buzz of excitement filled the room. People really did consider this the highlight of the fair. Talk about living in the dark ages!

  When the first contestant stepped onto the stage, Liza’s hand flew to her mouth to keep her from crying out. Elizabeth Lane wasn’t dressed in a skimpy bathing suit. She wore a floor-length blue and white gingham dress with a matching sunbonnet. And to Liza’s amazement, wasn’t a day over four yea
rs old.

  The child carried a ruffled parasol on her shoulder, and as she moved across the platform her Mary Jane shoes clicked with each step. After going the full length, she turned, approached the judges’ table, smiled, and curtsied. “I’m Elizabeth Lane, and I’m a prairie girl.”

  Martin stood and smiled. “Thank you, Elizabeth. Will you please stand on the red star marked number one? You can wait there until the other contestants take their turns.”

  His deep voice sent a surge of pleasure bolting through Liza in spite of her emotional turmoil. Kindness echoed in his voice as it resonated over the loudspeaker.

  “Okay,” Elizabeth replied. And with a little skip, contestant number one took her place on the first red star.

  Liza’s cheeks had flushed when she’d seen the very first contestant. And from the heat she felt, they must still be a bright cherry red. She’d complained to Martin because she’d been expecting the run-of-the-mill beauty contest. Wrong again. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

  When she’d come to Meadow Springs, she’d brought a list of expectations and biases a mile long. She’d thought Martin was a backwoods guy who barely eked out a decent living. And she couldn’t have been more wrong about that.

  Liza drew pretty accurate conclusions in her professional life. But since she’d become Meg, she felt like a blindfolded contestant racing toward an invisible goal.

  “Next, we have Miss Sara Jane Adams,” Chloe announced.

  Liza couldn’t wait to see the next old-fashioned dress on the next cute little girl. But that didn’t happen, either. Sara Jane came out twirling a lariat over her head. She wore blue jeans, a white sequined shirt topped by a black vest, and a Stetson. Red leather cowboy boots completed her outfit.

  The crowd stirred with anticipation as Sara Jane finished twirling the rope, hooked it on her belt loop, and waved to the crowd who applauded wildly.

  After Sara Jane took her place on the second star, Dana White Feather came out looking like a miniature Pocahontas in her tan suede dress complete with fringe and magnificent beadwork. A single black braid hung down Dana’s back, and her moccasins made no sound as she moved across the stage. Liza figured Dana to be about six years old.