But that’s how she wanted it. Once she’d learned Travis cheated on her, she padlocked her heart and threw away the key. So she had the life she wanted: no boyfriend, no complications, and no heartbreak. There was just one hitch: she’d accidentally gotten engaged.
And it made everything worse that Martin was thrilled about their engagement. Of course, he was. He thought he was marrying Meg!
Liza took a stabilizing breath reminding herself the insane scenario would soon end. Meg would return to her cottage, her ballet school, possibly even to Martin. And Liza would go back to her Kansas City condo, her law practice, and her solitary existence.
But as she scratched Lancelot behind the ears, a deep sadness filled her. While she had the life she wanted, she now knew how lonely it was.
“And I don’t have a wonderful puppy like you waiting for me when I come home at night.” Lancelot licked her hand, his form of a kiss.
While the pretending would end soon, a chill zipped down Liza’s spine as she realized that chaos loomed ahead. She shuddered at the thought.
The phone rang, and Liza grabbed it, praying it wasn’t Martin or Meg. She couldn’t face either of them this morning.
“Hi, it’s Rachel. And I’ve found the perfect solution to your problem,” she said, sounding pleased as punch.
“Which problem? My list gets longer every day.”
“The dress rehearsal, of course.”
“Oh,” she said. While that problem was next in the queue, it seemed minor compared to rearranging Meg’s life and breaking Martin’s heart. And her recent engagement was most troubling of all.
She squared her shoulders. “Okay, let’s hear it.”
“I need to come over to explain it properly. Can I drop by in an hour?”
“Sure. I’ll see you then.”
“Excuse me, Lancelot, but I need to get ready,” Liza said as she placed the pup on the floor. Then she hurried to the bathroom to clean up and to decide how she’d break the news of her engagement to Rachel. She finally decided she’d just keep her left hand out of sight. Rachel would find out, of course -- just not right away.
One crisis at a time, she reminded herself. Rachel would save her from humiliation at the rehearsal. And that would put off the unraveling of her life a little bit longer.
An hour later, Rachel arrived. “So what’s your bright idea?” Liza asked as they settled on the couch.
“It’s right here in my purse. And it will keep you from joining the girls in the final dance number.”
“I hope you plan to pull out a magician or a genie,” Liza said as Rachel dug around in her oversized bag. “It’ll take something of that caliber to save me from performing.”
“Voila! Here it is!” Rachel held up the solution to the problem and dangled it from her fingers.
“An Ace bandage? Do you honestly think an Ace bandage will make anything better?”
“Yes, I do. I plan to wrap it around your sprained ankle.”
“But I don’t have a sprained ankle.”
“Actually, you do. You twisted it this morning when you and I went for a walk.”
She stared at Rachel and shook her head. “More lies? The insanity is snowballing at an alarming rate of speed.”
“This is a great answer, Liza. A bad sprain is a perfect excuse for not dancing tonight.”
Liza moaned. “I can’t keep this pretense going much longer. It’s making me crazy.”
“I know, honey. Just remember your motivation: you’re doing this for your twin sister.”
“But this pretend world is such a farce. As a lawyer, I fight for the truth every single day. And look at me now. I can’t tell the difference between truth and fiction. If there’s a Liars Anonymous, I need to join.” She buried her face in her hands and moaned.
“Just take a deep breath, honey. You don’t need to add a panic attack to your other challenges.”
Finally, Liza raised her head and drew several deep breaths. “Oh Rachel, what am I going to do?”
“You’re going to solve the problem at hand. And the next one on the agenda is the dance rehearsal. Now put your foot on the ottoman, and I’ll wrap your ankle.”
Not knowing what else to do, Liza obliged. One crisis at a time had become her mantra.
“Not your right foot, your left one.”
“What difference does it make?”
“A big difference. Meg’s left ankle is weak. That’s the one she always sprains.”
“Oh, yeah. That’s the ankle she sprained as a kid, too. You know more about my sister than I do.”
The nightmare continued to unfold. Rachel wrapped her ankle with the skill of someone who’d done it many times. “I guess you know you’re my partner in crime.”
The sparkle in Rachel’s dark eyes was unmistakable. “Yeah. It’s kind of exciting.”
“For you, maybe. But you’re not directly involved in this dilemma. Your world won’t crumble when the pretending stops.”
“If Meg decides Zach is Mr. Right, she’ll move back to Kansas City. That means I’ll lose my best friend as well as my business partner. I’d say my life will be directly affected.”
Liza’s stomach took a nosedive. She hadn’t considered the ripple effect of her impulsive behavior. “Oh dear, that’s true. I guess I’ll add your name to the ‘People Who Hate Liza O’Malley’ list. It gets longer by the minute.”
“Don’t look so devastated, Liza. In the time Meg and I have worked together, we’ve built Dance Unlimited into a stable business. Either one of us can run it alone if need be. The worst thing that can happen is if Meg marries the wrong man. And we’re working hard to prevent that, right?”
“Right,” Liza affirmed, trying to drum up enough enthusiasm to keep the pretense going. But it got tougher and tougher.
Liza’s nose tickled as a sneeze started to build. While she adored Lancelot, he kept her allergies stirred up. The sneeze grew in intensity until she couldn’t hold it back. She barely had time to cover her face with her hands when the sneeze erupted. “Achooo!”
Rachel, who’d just finished wrapping her ankle, looked at Liza with a wide-eyed expression. “What is that?” she squealed.
“What?”
“That gigantic diamond ring on your finger!”
Liza forced a smile. “Oh, that. I was planning to tell you but I couldn’t figure out how. Martin asked me to marry him last night. Actually, he asked Meg to marry him but I accepted. I had to, Rachel. As you know…”
“I know the situation inside out. Wow, so Martin finally popped the question. It took the man forever to drum up the courage.”
Liza shook her head. “And it’s just my luck that he pulled it off while I’m visiting. Would you look at this ring?”
“I am looking at it! Frankly, it’s blinding me!”
Liza gazed at the sparkling stone glittering on her finger. “It’s phenomenal, isn’t it?”
“I’ll say. And it looks beautiful on your hand.”
“I think so, too. But look fast because it won’t be here long. Either this ring will transfer to Meg’s hand or go back to the jewelers.”
“Don’t even say that. Martin’s first fiancée left him the night before their wedding. Melissa didn’t bother telling him she was skipping town and had the audacity to leave the ring with Ernie at the jewelry store.”
“Poor Martin. If Meg falls for Zach, she won’t be wearing Martin’s ring, either. History will repeat itself.”
Rachel looked suddenly pensive. “Not necessarily. You know, Liza, I don’t think Martin was proposing to Meg at all. I think he was proposing to you.”
“How can you say that? The man doesn’t know me or anything about me.”
“Of course he does. He looks at you the way a starry-eyed kid stares at his prom date. To be brutally honest, Martin never looked at Meg that way.”
Liza’s heart pumped so fast she felt breathless. “Don’t say that.”
“Well, isn’t it ironic that he prop
osed while you’re in town?”
“It’s an unfortunate coincidence, nothing more.”
“I don’t think so. I’m guessing things will get a lot more interesting from here on. Meg didn’t connect with the love of her life until now and maybe Martin didn’t, either.”
Liza didn’t dare let herself think she might be the love of Martin’s life. The days they’d spent together were the happiest of her life, even with all the turmoil and pretending. How could she return home and never see him again?
“I was engaged once before, Rachel.”
“You were?”
She nodded. “The man’s name was Travis Randall. I thought I’d found my Prince Charming, but I later decided Travis was just a womanizer. His proposal was a farce, and so is this one.”
“There’s no comparison here so don’t make one.”
“How can you say that? You didn’t even know Travis.”
“But I know his type. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m guessing Travis had a huge ego and flirted with other women even when he was out with you. And I’d bet money he had a high opinion of himself.”
“Maybe you did know Travis.”
“See, Liza? While it’s not good to lump people into categories, there are several kinds of men. One kind thinks they’re hot stuff, and while they want to marry, they never plan to settle down.”
Liza sighed. “That’s a great description of my ex-fiancé.”
“But Martin is nothing like that. He’s honorable, caring, and faithful. He’s a man you can trust with your heart.”
“Under different circumstances, Martin and I might have had a chance. But can you imagine what will happen when he learns the truth? Melissa tricked him into thinking she’d marry him, but at the last minute, everything exploded. Well, explosion number two will happen when Martin learns I’m really a Kansas City attorney. And that I’ve fixed up his girlfriend with her former heartthrob.”
“It will be a lot to absorb, I’ll grant you that.”
“Martin and I won’t stand a chance when he finds out who I am.”
“I can’t foresee the future, but I will say this. True love gets people through unbelievable trials, heartaches, and confusion. If you and Martin really love each other, this could all work out.”
Liza squeezed Rachel’s hand. “Thanks for saying that but I don’t believe it for a second. This is real life. There are no fairy-tale endings here.”
* * *
Martin whistled as he drove toward the office. He was one lucky son-of-a-gun, and he knew it. As he looked back now, he was glad Melissa left him at the altar. While the past three years had been tough, marrying Melissa would have been the biggest mistake of his life. Meg O’Malley was the woman for him…the perfect woman.
He parked his SUV in the lot beside his office but decided to drop by Milton’s Jewelers before starting his workday. The weather was a perfect seventy-five degrees, the sun shone brightly, and the town of Meadow Springs looked more attractive than ever. Flower boxes under the windows of several businesses overflowed with purple and yellow pansies and their aroma scented the air.
He entered the jewelry store and found Ernie behind the counter polishing a gold bracelet. When he saw Martin, he said, “Well if it isn’t my favorite acting mayor. What brings you in this morning? Are you unhappy with the engagement ring you chose for Meg?”
“Nope. The ring is perfect.”
Ernie laid down the bracelet, put his hands on the counter, and leaned toward Martin. “Is it going to take another four months to get that ring onto Meg’s finger? You’re slower than a tortoise when it comes to marriage proposals.”
“Actually, Ernie, that’s why I stopped by. Meg and I had dinner at the Carriage House last night, and I proposed to her by the waterfall.”
Ernie raked a hand through his thinning hair. “For real? You’re not pulling an April Fool’s Day joke in July, are you?”
Martin chuckled. “Not a chance.”
“Do I dare ask what the lady said when you proposed?”
He let the question hang in the air a few moments before answering.
“Come on, come on,” Ernie urged. “I’m not getting any younger.”
“Meg said yes,” Martin declared. He didn’t realize until this moment just how deeply her acceptance had touched him.
“Well, of course she did! Meg recognizes the best catch in Meadow Springs when she sees him.”
“Now, now. You could be prejudiced.”
“Maybe a little. But I’ll tell you this for certain. I couldn’t be more proud.” He cleared his throat. “You don’t know this, Martin, but I think of you as my own son.”
A lump swelled in Martin’s throat. “I know you do, and that’s very special to me. I wouldn’t have survived the turmoil with Melissa without your support. That’s why you’re the first person I’ve told.”
Ernie blinked several times in rapid succession. Their conversation seemed to touch him as much as it did Martin.
“I’m honored, son. Really honored.”
Martin figured he’d better vacate the jewelry shop before they both started to bawl. “I’m heading to my office now. The citizens of Meadow Springs will choose another acting mayor if they find me shirking my duties.”
“Have you and Meg set a date?”
“Not yet, but I hope it’s soon. I don’t want my fiancée to get cold feet. I’ve been there, done that.” He winked at Ernie who smiled back.
“You and I both know that’s not going to happen.”
Martin nodded. “Thank you, Ernie.”
“For what?”
“For all your support these last three years. I don’t think I ever told you this, but my mom left when I was twelve and never came back. Dad did a good job of raising me but then I lost him ten years ago. So sharing this news with you is....” Martin stopped mid-sentence. If he said another word, his composure would crumble.
“I’m so glad you told me. It means the world to me.” Ernie took out his handkerchief and dabbed his eyes. “Now get out of here so we can both get some work done.”
He shot Ernie a grateful smile. “You’d better be glad that I’m a guy.”
“Why is that?”
“If I were a woman, I’d probably ask you to walk me down the aisle.”
Ernie burst out laughing and Martin headed for the door. “See you later, my friend.”
As he walked back to the office, Martin knew that sharing the news with Ernie was equivalent to telling his father that a wonderful woman had agreed to share his life. His smile spread from ear to ear. He’d never felt happier in his entire life.
* * *
“I’m leaving for dress rehearsal,” Liza told Lancelot who had stationed himself by the front door. At her words, he plopped his head onto his paws. The pup could always sense when she was getting ready to leave the cottage. He looked dejected and lonely, and she hadn’t even left yet.
“Now, don’t pout, little man. I’ll give you your favorite doggie treats when I get back. I promise.”
Lancelot’s tail thudded on the carpet but he didn’t lift his head or meet her gaze. “Bye bye, sweetness.”
Liza took off the engagement ring and slipped it into her slacks’ pocket. If Meg’s students saw the diamond, they’d never make it through dress rehearsal.
She hopped into Meg’s VW and drove to Dance Unlimited and, fortunately, the car ran reasonably well. As she hobbled up the stairs, she wondered if Rachel’s brainstorm was such a great idea. She’d no more than reached the top of the stairs when the cries of concern started.
“Oh, Miss Meg, what happened to your ankle?” Madeline, dressed in a black-and-white sequined costume, flew toward her. Several other dancers who were similarly dressed followed on her heels.
“It’s nothing, really,” she told the girls, which was actually true. Underneath that bulky bandage, Liza’s ankle functioned perfectly.
Madeline frowned. “How did you hurt it this time?”
&
nbsp; “I twisted my ankle while Rachel and I were out walking this morning.”
“Well, at least you’re not in the hospital,” Madeline affirmed. “When my cousin sprained her ankle, she had to have surgery.” Madeline’s eyes grew large as saucers as she remembered that momentous occasion.
“I’ll need to take it easy a day or two,” Liza explained. “But the bandage will come off soon.”
“Not soon enough to dance the last number with us,” Madeline said. Her shoulders sagged, and her mouth formed a disappointed pout.
The child looked so sad that Liza reached out and hugged her. “You girls will do just fine. And Miss Rachel will dance with you.”
“I know,” Madeline said. “But we want you there, too.”
Liza’s guilt odometer suddenly skyrocketed. She was telling this sweet little girl yet another fabricated story. Had her nose started to grow? Her stories made Pinocchio look like a novice.
As she studied the somber faces of the girls surrounding her, Liza wanted to rip off the bandage and toss it out the second-story window. But that would make matters worse since she’d be expected to dance the final number. The bandage is saving you tons of embarrassment, she told herself sternly.
“Girls? It’s time to get ready for our first number,” Rachel called.
“Will you be well enough to dance in the recital next week?” Amy asked.
“You bet I will. Wild horses couldn’t stop me from dancing with you.” By then Meg would return home, and she would love performing with her students.
Everyone brightened including Madeline. “Now go show me what wonderful dancers you are.” She beamed at the girls as they scurried off. Liza felt so proud you’d have thought she’d taught them herself.
She settled in one of the folding chairs she and Rachel had set up earlier. Rachel had told her some dress rehearsals were open to parents, but tonight was just students and teachers. Martin was the exception, since he wasn’t free the night of recital. Liza had phoned him earlier to say she’d twisted ankle.
Rachel hurried over to join her. “Is Martin still planning to come?”
“Yes. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“You’re not wearing the ring.”
Bride by Chance Page 13
