Bride by Chance

by Marilyn Shank

  Next on the stage was a young pilgrim named Jessica, then an Annie Oakley look alike, and after that a suffragette. Each girl represented either a character or an era from American history. When the final contestant had taken her place on the last red star, Chloe stepped up to the microphone.

  “I know you’re all anxious to learn which contestant will be our new Miss Meadow Springs. The judges are tabulating their votes now so if you’ll wait patiently for a few minutes, we’ll announce this year’s winner.”

  Liza watched with fascination as the judges pulled their chairs to one side and entered into a serious discussion. Mrs. Atkins leaned toward Liza. “Which candidate would you choose, Meg? If you were voting?”

  Liza shook her head. “It’s a good thing I’m not a judge. I’d have a terrible time eliminating anyone. Every girl looks adorable and so poised. And they seem proud to portray their characters.”

  “That’s true. Folks in Meadow Springs have a deep sense of pride. Even the children feel it. Our town is a very special place.” Mrs. Atkins reached out and squeezed Liza’s hand. “We’re very happy you chose to move here, Meg. You and the dance studio bring a lot of positive energy to Meadow Springs.”

  “Why, thank you. That’s very kind,” Liza said.

  And for once, she wasn’t plagued with guilt because she wasn’t Meg. She felt pretty proud, herself. Meg had added her unique spark to this small town. Her young students adored her, and she’d made herself and Dance Unlimited a vital part of this community.

  The judges must have reached a decision because Martin stood and went to speak with Chloe. The crowd waited with obvious anticipation. Finally, Chloe stepped up to the microphone again. “Here it is, folks.” She opened an envelope and said, “Our new Miss Meadow Springs is Elizabeth Lane, our prairie girl.”

  Elizabeth rushed for center stage to the loud cheering of the crowd. She behaved graciously as Martin placed the gold medallion around her neck. Then he gave her a quick squeeze.

  By the time the contest ended, Liza’s stress level had reached a new plateau. She kept her real world organized and predictable and liked it that way. But there was nothing predictable about Meg’s lifestyle. And trying to fit into her sister’s world was draining her both physically and emotionally.

  Martin escorted Liza from the platform. “Would you like some cotton candy? We can eat it on that bench in the shade.”

  “Sure,” Liza said, since resistance was getting her nowhere.

  Moments later, Martin returned with two cones of the pink confection. Liza had seen folks walking around with both pink and blue cotton candy and thought Martin might choose blue for himself. But, as usual, she’d struck out. If her judgment was this skewed in her law practice, she’d be out of a job fast.

  “Are you getting tired?” Martin asked as they settled on the bench.

  “A little.”

  “Thanks for sitting on the platform with me, honey. I’m sorry Chloe messed up your introduction. She told me later that she wasn’t sure if we were engaged or not. I hope you weren’t embarrassed.”

  “Not really,” Liza lied. She might as well get used to lying and feeling embarrassed and guilty, as well. These emotions would be her companions until she boarded a flight back to Kansas City -- and if her scheme backfired, for the rest of her life.

  Martin turned toward her, and the eager look in his eyes brought her a shiver of delight. “You know, Meg, we could solve this confusion once and for all.”

  “How’s that?”

  “We could get engaged, instead of just talking about it.” A slight smile played at his mouth, the dimples reoccurred, and Liza felt a flutter of excitement at the possibility.

  Have you lost your mind? her conscience probed. Wasn’t she in enough trouble without getting caught up in the fantasy? Pretty soon the pit she was digging would be so deep she could never climb out.

  “Don’t panic,” Martin said when she didn’t respond. “This isn’t an official proposal, at least not yet. But I hope we’re moving in that direction.”

  Liza sensed caution in his tone. He’d been terribly hurt by his former fiancée, and it took courage for him to consider marriage. So she inhaled deeply then said, “Are we moving closer to engagement? Yes. Are we there yet? No.”

  When his gaze clouded, she hastily said, “We’re not quite there yet, Martin.”

  He nodded. “I can accept that. Shall we seal it with a kiss?”

  That was exactly what Liza wanted, to her profound shame. In just a few days, she’d lost her footing as a moral, upstanding human being and had become an imposter, a prevaricator, and a shameless hussy. She didn’t recognize herself anymore.

  But the thought of kissing Martin outweighed all possible risks. “You mean out here? In front of everyone?”

  “Why not? After all, we’re practically engaged.”

  She glanced around. “But there are so many people.”

  “No one’s watching us. They’re too busy having their own fun.”

  Liza heard her pulse pound, like raindrops hitting a tin roof. If she had an ounce of good sense left, she would pull back and tell Martin that kissing in public was against the law or some other clever comment. But his magnetism kept that from happening.

  They didn’t touch each other since each balanced a cotton candy tower. But the moment Martin’s lips brushed hers, Liza’s heart doubled its pace. His lips were warm, sensual, and slightly sticky. Hers were probably sticky, too.

  The kiss was gentle and brief, but Liza rated it at fifteen on a one-to-ten scale. When he drew back, she sighed with pleasure.

  “The deal is sealed,” he said.

  “Signed, sealed and delivered.” The remark sounded clichéd, but kissing Martin always muddled her brain.

  “How do you like your cotton candy?”

  “It’s pretty good.” Funny. She actually liked this fluffy, melt-in-your mouth concoction.

  But it played a poor second to Martin’s cotton candy kiss.

  That deserved a blue ribbon!

  * * *

  “So did you enjoy the Miss Meadow Springs contest?” Martin asked as he and Meg sat on a bench, eating cotton candy. While the afternoon had hit some speed bumps, all in all, it was a success.

  “I really did. Each contestant was so special. And I loved the characters they portrayed.”

  “So did I. Choosing just one is tough since they’re all incredibly cute. But the judges agreed pretty fast. Elizabeth Lane stole our hearts.”

  “I can see why.”

  Meg looked especially tired again today. Normally she brimmed with energy and often outlasted him. What was troubling her and sapping her strength? “Have you had enough of the fair for one day, sweetie?”

  She nodded. “I’m ready to head back to the cottage.”

  They finished their snacks, and Martin took her hand as they headed for the parking lot. “I’d like to make it an early evening,” she said. “I want to read the newspaper, watch the ten o’clock news then hit the shower.”

  “The shower? You usually prefer a long soak in the tub.”

  She shot him a surprised gaze. “True. But tonight a shower sounds really good.”

  Meg rarely read the newspaper or watched the evening news. Her methods to unwind included watercolor painting or knitting an afghan. And when she did read, she chose fiction over current events.

  Several of the things she’d told him lately didn’t quite gel. These last few days Martin never knew what she was thinking.

  He’d faced a similar problem with Melissa who wasn’t open about sharing her thoughts. So when she disappeared just before the wedding, he’d been shocked and horrified. Was Meg unhappy in their relationship and afraid to tell him? He felt a jab of pain as he considered that possibility.

  They didn’t talk much on the drive to the cottage, and when they arrived he walked her to the door. “Thursday evening is the town meeting,” he said. “Are you up for it?”

  “Absolutely. After
all, I want to know how your speech turns out.” While she said the right words, she didn’t sound enthusiastic.

  “You know what I’m going to say. So if you’re too tired to attend, that’s not a problem.”

  “Oh, no, Martin. I wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Shall I pick you up?”

  “Why don’t I meet you there? You’ll have a lot on your mind so going on your own might be best.”

  While he decided not to argue, Martin would much rather pick Meg up than meet her there. He always felt proud of her and liked to show her off. “That will be fine,” he said.

  They kissed goodnight, and she hurried inside. Martin felt a surge of disappointment as he turned to go. Meg seemed so different since he’d come back from his business trip. Sometimes she bubbled with enthusiasm, and other times she seemed light years away. He felt he was riding a teeter-totter. But was their relationship going up or down?

  He’d wait and see how Thursday evening turned out. Hopefully after she rested, Meg would be her old self. For now, he needed to turn his attention to his speech and how he planned to interact with the people. Otherwise, he’d never be the next mayor of Meadow Springs.

  CHAPTER 6

  Liza spent the following day alone in the cottage. She read several journal articles on corporate law, washed Meg’s windows both inside and out, and reorganized the entire kitchen, but still the hours dragged past.

  When it was nearly time for the town council meeting to start, she was more than ready to leave the house.

  “Now where would Meg keep an extra set of car keys, Lancelot?” she asked the pup. “Do you have a clue?”

  She rummaged through a junk drawer in her sister’s kitchen but saw no sign of keys. She glanced at the clock on the wall, realizing she had half an hour to find them and drive to the town hall.

  She hadn’t seen Martin all day and it seemed like forever. Hopefully his magnetism would fade if she didn’t see him so often.

  Lancelot stood gazing up at her and wagged his tail. “You aren’t talking, huh? Now if I were Meg, where would I keep a backup set of keys?”

  Lancelot barked. He wanted to please Liza even if he didn’t understand a word she said.

  She searched through the dresser drawers and the nightstand. Still no luck. Finally, she checked the laundry room. A bulletin board mounted on one wall was peppered with photos of Meg and Liza at various ages, and of Meg’s ballet students. Aha! A key ring holding several keys hung on the bulletin board.

  “We’ve hit the jackpot, Lancelot. If one of these fits, I’m out of here. I’ll see you right after tonight’s town meeting.” She patted the pup’s silky head, grabbed her purse, and headed for the garage.

  Liza groaned when she saw Meg’s car. Meg had told her she was changing cars and to Liza’s dismay, she’d replaced her sensible Honda Civic with a ten-year-old neon green Volkswagen bug with colorful flower stickers on the back window! Holy moly! Did everything Meg touched have to blossom?

  When Liza slid into the front seat, she saw a vase mounted on the dashboard. VW’s were the only cars Liza knew of that supplied a vase, which was probably why Meg bought this model in the first place!

  She hit the button on the visor, and the door on the single-car garage creaked open. Once it stopped, Liza found the right key. She turned it, and the VW sputtered and coughed, but refused to start. After several attempts, the engine finally sprang to life. Liza backed it onto the driveway before it could change its mind.

  She’d only gone a few blocks when the VW died. Since she was driving on residential streets, it wasn’t a big problem. But if she were in Kansas City racing down I-70, this could be dangerous. Liza started it again, and the Bug made it another mile before it died again.

  She pumped the accelerator, restarted the car, and held her breath as she continued toward the Meadow Springs Town Hall. Hopefully Meg’s cantankerous vehicle would get her there before Martin’s speech was over! How she missed the sleek lines and smooth ride of her late-model silver Volvo. She’d appreciate her Volvo’s reliability even more when she returned home.

  When the green Bug was parked safely in the lot beside the town hall, Liza breathed a relieved sigh. She hurried down the sidewalk toward the old stone structure with its wood-shingled roof and the forest-green awnings above the narrow windows. Stately oak trees and flowering bushes surrounding the hall created a lovely setting. And a sign on the front lawn declared this a historic site.

  Liza climbed the steps and opened the door. She squared her shoulders, knowing that more confusion lay ahead. The place was filling with people -- people she didn’t know. Many smiled at her and said hello.

  And, sigh, thought she was Meg.

  Liza moved with the crowd toward a large room filled with metal folding chairs. Several folks were seated at a table near the front of the room, and she guessed they were the town council members. She glanced around, but saw no sign of Martin.

  A moment later, a pair of strong hands gripped her shoulders, and she inhaled the delectable scent of musk. When she turned, she was just inches away from Martin’s handsome face. One look at the man, and her heart sputtered more than Meg’s VW had on the drive over. Spending time away from Martin hadn’t helped one bit. If anything, the man’s magnetism had quadrupled.

  “How’s my best girl tonight?” he asked, and the vibrations from his deep voice wriggled through her body. Boy was she in trouble. Deep, deep trouble.

  She didn’t answer Martin’s question since his best girl wasn’t here; she was five hundred miles away and spending the evening with her high school sweetheart. Martin would strangle her barehanded if he knew about the charade Liza had set in motion.

  “Will you wait for me after the meeting?” he asked. “I’d like to take you to the cabin so we can talk.”

  “But I drove myself,” Liza said hoping that would excuse her from a trip to the cabin. “My car’s parked in the lot.”

  “We’ll drop the VW at the cottage first,” he suggested. “I’d really like to talk to you about tonight’s meeting. You know, sort of debrief.” His dark eyes twinkled, and a slight smile played at his lips. Did Martin plan to do more than discuss this evening’s agenda? Liza’s fickle heart fluttered at the possibility.

  “I’ll come for a little while,” she finally said.

  He brushed a kiss on her cheek. “That’s great. Wish me luck, honey.”

  “You don’t need luck, Martin. You’ll do just great.”

  As she watched him stride toward the front of the room, Liza’s heartbeat quickened. If only she didn’t have feelings for Martin. But while she kept trying to deny it, her attraction to him wouldn’t go away. And it far surpassed what she had felt for Travis Randall.

  She glanced around, wondering where to sit. What if she sat beside someone who asked questions she couldn’t answer?

  Liza sighed. That would include everyone in the room.

  “Meg? Meg? Over here!”

  She turned and saw Rachel seated on the third row and went to say hi.

  “Sit with me,” Rachel insisted. “Martin will be super-busy tonight.”

  “I’d love to, thanks.”

  Before they had a chance to chat, a tall woman stood and rapped on the table with her gavel. She wore gray slacks with a pink silk blouse and had pulled her silver hair into a loose bun. “Ladies and gentlemen, I want to welcome you to this town meeting. I’m Violet Maples, one of your town council members. We’re glad to see such a great turnout tonight.”

  Finally all the chatter ceased, and after Violet introduced the other town council members, she said, “Our main reason for gathering is to show support for Martin Landsburg, our mayor pro tem. While Sam is recovering from his accident, Martin will serve as our acting mayor.”

  Spontaneous applause filled the room, and Liza felt a tug on her heartstrings. The town’s enthusiasm touched her deeply, and she clapped as loudly as she could.

  “Our acting mayor has some remarks to share so I’ll
turn the microphone over to him. Take it away, Mr. Mayor.”

  When Martin stood, the clapping got louder than ever. He looked especially handsome in a pair of gray chinos, a button-down shirt, and a navy blazer. His clothes looked professional, but not stiff.

  For Liza’s colleagues at Burns, Logan, and Grant, dark suits, white shirts, and subdued ties were the uniform of choice. And the women attorneys dressed the same, except the ties were replaced by pricey necklaces and designer scarves. Liza owned quite a collection herself.

  The Meadow Springs leadership team looked nice, but more relaxed. They wore slacks or jeans and didn’t appear the least bit stuffy. While this more-casual dress was foreign in Liza’s world, it felt surprisingly comfortable.

  Martin spoke about several upcoming projects the town was considering then eased into his speech. Because of his relaxed and personable manner, it didn’t seem like a speech. All eyes were focused on him.

  Something else set Martin apart from her colleagues -- something other than his wardrobe. He didn’t have the king-sized ego often present in her fellow attorneys. Martin was just Martin: brilliant, talented, knowledgeable, but not full of himself. If there were men like him in Kansas City, she hadn’t found them yet.

  Rachel leaned toward her. “Great talk,” she whispered.

  Liza smiled. “The man’s good, isn’t he?”

  “He’s the best. Martin’s polished, but not pompous. I happen to think he’d make a great mayor.”

  “I think so, too.”

  “Thanks, folks, for coming out tonight,” Martin said as he concluded his remarks. “Now we’ll move on to what lured you here in the first place: the hot fudge sundaes.”

  Liza turned to Rachel and blinked. “Hot fudge sundaes tonight? Is he kidding?”

  “Nope. It’s a shameless bribe on the town council’s part. Rich desserts always ensure a good turnout.”

  Liza glanced toward the back of the room where Felicia and her helpers arranged large containers of ice cream, bowls of hot fudge, nuts, and various toppings on a serving table. Liza stifled a groan. Banana splits and hot fudge sundaes? The only way she could resist these temptations was to stay away from the places that served them.