She turned to see Jared holding up a tux, one eyebrow raised. “Did you know about this?”
“No. I don’t know what’s going on.” She couldn’t complain, though. The dress was gorgeous! She snatched it from the hanger and went into the bathroom to change.
When she emerged and her gaze fell on Jared, her mouth dropped open. The tux fit him perfectly, accentuating his broad shoulders and trim waist. His dark hair fell forward, and his grey eyes pierced through her. He stared at her, took a step toward her like he wanted to take her in his arms, but he hesitated. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat. “You...you look nice.”
She twirled, letting the silky fabric flow out, then brush against her legs. “Thank you. This is a beautiful dress. I wonder where Irene got it.”
His eyes didn’t leave her. “I haven’t seen it before.”
“And how did they get a tux that fit you so perfectly? It looks tailor made.”
His lip twitched. “It is. I wore this to my father’s last three weddings.”
“And you left it here?”
“Seemed like the best place for it. I’ll probably need it again next year.”
Madison was about to tell him what she’d noticed about Irene and his father when a knock sounded. “You two love birds ready?” Irene’s muffled voice came through the door.
“Yes,” Jared said, his gaze still on her.
Irene opened the door and ushered them down the hallway. “Come on, things are set up out back.”
Jared placed his hand on her lower back, and heat seared her skin, sending tingles through her. She tried to ignore it.
Irene opened the sliding glass door, and Madison almost gasped. The backyard was decorated with hundreds of twinkling lights. Several citronella candles flickered in the breeze. A wooden canopy stretched over a table decorated with white linen and two place settings. Maxwell stood by the table. He was in a tux as well. As they approached, he pulled out a chair and motioned for Madison to have a seat.
One side of Jared’s mouth curled up. “What’s all this?”
His father pushed her chair in. “We thought you deserved a quiet, romantic evening. You’ve been under a lot of stress. The circumstances have to be difficult for both of you.”
Jared didn’t say anything, he simply nodded and took his seat.
“We’ve got appetizers coming in a few minutes. Irene planned the menu,” Maxwell said, leaning over. “But I convinced her to use a caterer.”
A full smile spread on Jared’s face. “Thanks.”
“Enjoy your wine.” He motioned to the two glasses already filled with a dark liquid. Then he bowed and left them alone.
Madison glanced around. “Wow. This is amazing.”
“I’m stunned.”
She lifted her glass and took a sip. Her emotions swelled. “Your father and Irene spent a lot of time on this.”
A look flashed across his face, and his gaze intensified. “Yes.”
She fiddled with the napkin on her lap. If Irene had wanted them to have a romantic dinner, she’d pegged it. Not only was the setting perfect, but Jared looked amazing in his tuxedo. Her heart fluttered.
He continued to stare at her, like he wanted to say something but couldn’t bring himself to. Then the patio door opened and Irene stepped out. “Here’s your appetizers.” She placed a tray in the middle of the table. Grilled shrimp with lemon sauce, and freshly baked bread.
“This looks delicious, Irene. Thank you.” Madison grinned.
“You’re welcome.” Irene folded her hands in front of her. “How would you each like your steak?”
“Medium rare,” they said at the same time.
The tinkling of Irene’s laugh filled the air. “You got it.” She skittered off, leaving them alone again.
Madison bit into a shrimp, and the burst of flavor practically made her moan. Perfectly cooked, the juice filled her mouth as she chewed. “These are delicious.”
Jared nodded and popped another one in his mouth. “I hope we’re using these guys for the wedding.”
They ate in silence, the air sizzling between them. Madison’s heart pounded so loudly, she feared he would hear it. She folded her hands in her lap and tried to regulate her breathing.
Maxwell appeared next with a tray of plates. “Your salad, steak and potatoes.” He set the dishes down and left as quickly as Irene had.
Jared picked up his utensils and cut his meat. He threw her another meaningful stare, but this time he spoke. “When did you start getting into astrology?”
“When I was an early teen. I find it fascinating that the celestial circumstances surrounding your birth can have so much impact on what kind of a person you are.”
A contemplative look crossed Jared’s face. “What do you mean?”
“Take my mother for example. Of course, free will comes into play, but my mother has everything stacked against her. She was born under the Scorpio sun, with Leo rising, and Pisces moon, and Neptune on the ascendant. It was obvious to me why she got involved in the party lifestyle.”
He slowly nodded. “I see.”
“It really helped me understand her more, you know?” Madison took a bite of her baked potato.
His gaze had turned intense again. “You had blamed yourself, and learning about astrology helped you remove that blame.”
A tightness started in her throat and spread into her chest. “Maybe you’re right. Who wouldn’t blame themselves? On my sixth birthday, my mom showed up, out of the blue. Hadn’t seen her in months. I opened the door and she scooped me up and let out this yell like she was the happiest person on earth. I thought she’d come to celebrate my birthday.”
He raised an eyebrow. “She hadn’t?”
Madison twisted her napkin. “No. She didn’t even remember it was my birthday. Gave me a half-eaten pack of gum for a present and started crying, saying she would have bought something nice but she had no money.
“Grandma was hesitant to give her any, so dear old mom swore and threw my cherry chip birthday cake on the floor. The one grandma had spent all morning making. Then grandma caved and gave her what she wanted, the wad of cash she kept in a jar in the top cabinet. Mom left. I watched her through the window. She hopped into a little blue hunk of junk with some guy and he drove off. She’d left him waiting in the car. I guess she knew it wouldn’t take long.” She blinked back the tears welling in her eyes. She hadn’t told anyone about that day, until now.
Jared’s jaw muscles clenched. “I know it may not seem like it, but it’s a good thing she’s not in your life anymore.”
She smoothed out her napkin, which had become a mangled mess. “You’re right.”
After dinner, Irene brought out dessert, which was the best New-York-style cheesecake Madison had ever tasted. Then music started up from a hidden sound system.
The side of Jared’s mouth quirked in a cute half-grin. “I think they want us to dance.” He stood and held out his hand.
Madison’s legs wobbled. “I think this wine is making me feel a little woozy.”
Jared didn’t comment. He pulled her into his arms and began swaying to the music. The strength of his muscles and the heat of his body mixed with his intoxicating scent played havoc with her heart, and it pounded against her ribcage.
She needed to get away from this man. Get her head on straight. This was not a good situation. She couldn’t even think with him nibbling on her ear.
“Stop it,” she whispered.
“They might be watching us.” His breath was hot on her cheek.
“Too bad. No kissing. I mean it.” She couldn’t take any more of it. One more kiss, and she knew she’d never recover without severe heartbreak. If she could stop this now, she might stand a chance of getting away without too much pain.
Luckily, Jared seemed to understand, because he stopped pressing his lips against her skin. He even loosened his grip on her, putting some space between them.
“Are we leaving in
the morning?” Her attempt to make the question light and conversational didn’t work. She sounded strained.
His shoulders stiffened. “Yes.”
“Good. I have to get back to my job search.”
He nodded, his lips tightening. “We’ll leave first thing.”
Chapter 16
After thanking Irene and Maxwell profusely, Madison sprinted up the stairs and rushed into the bathroom to take off the evening gown. The way it made her feel was dangerous. She brushed her teeth and got ready for bed.
Jared sat on the bed, staring at his cell phone and shaking his head.
“What’s up?”
“I have fifteen voice messages from Veronica.” He pushed a few buttons and held the phone up to his ear.
Nerves tumbled in her stomach. “What’s she saying?”
“She came by while we were out. She’s not happy I didn’t get the money to her.” He pressed a button and listened again. “She said she was giving me ten minutes to call her back.”
“When was that?”
Jared shrugged. “Over an hour ago. Wait, now she says she’s going to call Aunt Shelly in thirty seconds if she doesn’t hear from me.”
Madison dug her nails into her hands. Had she already called?
Jared’s eyes grew wide. “Now she wants to forget about the money. She’s begging me to take her back.”
Relief flooded through Madison. She was right. Veronica didn’t want to talk to Shelly. She just wanted the money. “Man, what a psycho.”
Jared tossed his phone onto the dresser. “You got that right. To be safe, let’s get up early and hit the road. That way, if she comes around looking for me, I’ll be gone.”
“Sounds like a good idea.”
MAXWELL SHUT THE BEDROOM door and slipped his arm around his wife. “You think that worked?”
Irene looked up at him, splaying her hands across his chest. “I think it worked perfectly. But they’re insisting on leaving in the morning. I don’t know if they’ve had enough time to realize their feelings for each other.”
He blew out a breath, his chest heavy. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
A wide grin appeared on Irene’s face. “We could send them on a honeymoon after the ceremony.”
He laughed and kissed her on the nose. “Perfect.”
She tapped her finger on her chin. “Somewhere romantic. Maybe, Hawaii?”
Irene knew how to give the gift of romance. Maxwell pulled her closer, smelling the strawberry scent of her hair. “I’ll call first thing tomorrow.”
“Did you take care of Veronica?”
“Called her and told her we all know. She hung up on me.”
Irene giggled. “Good. Oh, I have a wicked idea.”
He nuzzled her neck. “What?”
“We could make a few arrangements. Pay the fake pastor to get an online license. We could make this wedding real.”
He pulled back, shocked at the suggestion. “We couldn’t do that.” He knew they were in love, but forcing a real marriage would be pushing it too far.
Irene ran her fingers through his hair. “They’re in love. We know it. Shelly knows it. They just don’t know it yet.”
“We need to help them realize it. Not trick them into something.”
“In less than two weeks, Madison is going to walk down an aisle, stand in front of everyone in a beautiful white dress, and say ‘I do’ to the man she loves.”
“So?”
“She’s going to be wishing it were real,” Irene whispered.
The intensity of Irene’s gaze startled him. “But Jared—”
“He’s been holding his relationships at arm’s length for so long, he doesn’t know how to pull closer. This wedding will affect him, too. He’ll come away from this with a different attitude. And he’ll want Madison even more.”
He wavered. She had a point. Standing before your family, saying the words, exchanging rings, it all gives a person a different perspective. He should know. He’d done it enough times. But the minute he met Irene, he knew she would be the last. Something about her made him feel complete. Like he’d been walking around with a chunk of him missing since Lilly died. Irene filled that missing piece. And he could see it in Jared’s eyes. He felt the same about Madison.
“Maybe...”
“I knew you’d see it my way.” Her laughter filled the quiet room.
JARED PULLED THE CAR up to Madison’s apartment, his chest tightening. “Well, I guess I’ll see you next week.”
“When’s the rehearsal?”
“Next Thursday. Irene wants us to stick around and help out with last-minute wedding plans on Friday, and Saturday’s the big day, so you’ll want to pack for a few days.”
“Okay.”
Her large blue eyes stared at him, and he almost forgot what else he wanted to say. “I’ll call you. We’ll make arrangements.” Part of him was relieved to say goodbye and put some space between them. Another part, the part he didn’t understand, wanted to cling to her.
Madison didn’t look like she had any issues with him leaving. “Okay. See ya.” She waved and hopped out of the car. Moments later, she sprinted up the stairs and entered her apartment without so much as a glance back.
And that was it. She was gone.
He tried to feel relief. Told himself he’d be able to concentrate on his work now. He put his car in reverse and backed out. Now he could forget all about her. His life could go back to the way it was before. There was just one thing preventing normalcy.
He had to marry her first.
Pretend to marry, of course. It wasn’t real. She didn’t love him, and he...well, he wasn’t sure how he felt anymore. Her close proximity these past few days had messed with his head. And now things were all mixed up.
Did he love her?
A car honked and he slammed on the breaks to avoid a collision. He waved an apology, while the other driver made a rude gesture. “Sorry.” It was pointless saying it out loud, but he did it anyway.
Madison stirred up things he hadn’t felt in a long time, but that didn’t mean he loved her. He’d had feelings for Veronica, too. What a messed-up situation that had turned out to be.
Getting away from Madison was the best thing for him. He’d go back to work and forget all about her. At least, until he had to say ‘I do.’
How he’d gotten mixed up in this crazy scheme, he’d never know.
MADISON RAN UP THE stairs to her apartment, putting as much distance between her and Jared as she could.
Finally.
She could breathe and not smell him, not be reminded every second how attractive he was. She opened the door to her apartment and saw Carrie huddled on the couch, a blanket pulled over her shoulders and mascara streaks down her face. A pile of crumpled tissues lay scattered on the carpet. Her long, black hair obviously needed a good washing, as it was matted and stuck out in all directions.
Madison sank to the floor beside her long-time friend. “What happened?”
Carrie pulled a tissue out from under the blanket and dabbed at her eyes. “Trevor dumped me.”
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.” The words were true, even though Madison disliked Trevor. She never wanted to see Carrie upset.
“I don’t know what happened.” Carrie sniffed. “Everything was going well. I mean, we had our moments, like every couple, but I really thought he was the one.”
Madison had to bite her tongue so she didn’t say something she’d later regret. Trevor was as self-centered as they come. He never did anything for Carrie. Everything had to be his way. Instead of pointing out all of Trevor’s faults, Madison concentrated on consoling Carrie. She patted her shoulder. “I know you did.”
“He broke up with me in a text. Can you believe it? A stupid text message. He’s found someone else. Someone he likes better.” A large tear rolled down her cheek.
The words ‘good riddance’ stuck in Madison’s throat, and she coughed into her fist. “That’s awful.”
<
br /> “I’ll never find anyone else.” Carrie yanked another tissue from the box on the floor and blew her nose.
“That’s not true.” Madison had seen this happen a dozen times. Always the same cycle. Carrie was the type of person who couldn’t be without a boyfriend. Within a week of a breakup, she would have a new guy on her arm.
Not that she didn’t take her relationships seriously. She did. Maybe to a fault. Every guy was ‘the one,’ and she clung to him until he couldn’t breathe. At least that’s how it looked to Madison. But she’d never say anything to Carrie. It would hurt her feelings.
“Do we have any ice cream?”
“You don’t need ice cream. You need to get up off the couch, take a shower, and take your life back.” Inspiration struck. “Hey, we need to go shopping and find you the perfect dress to wear to my wedding.” Madison wiggled her eyebrows.
“Your wedding isn’t even real,” Carrie moaned and pulled the covers over her head.
“No, but there will be real men there. Jared’s half-brother is cute.”
Carrie peeked an eye out. “Really?”
Ha, she knew it. Mention another man, and Carrie would snap out of her depression like a twig in the desert sun. “He’s not only cute, he’s in his last year of law school.”
“Ooh, a handsome lawyer?” The covers flew off and Carrie stood. “What are we waiting for? We’ve got a killer dress to shop for.”
“That’s the spirit.”
Chapter 17
Madison wrapped herself up in job searching and helping Carrie forget about Trevor. They spent the next day shopping and getting their hair done. Carrie got a trendy bob, and Madison sprung for some highlights. The busier she kept, the less she was plagued with thoughts of Jared. Before she knew it, the day before the rehearsal dinner arrived.
Nerves tangled up inside her as she waited to hear from Jared. When the phone rang, she jumped. Carrie answered, then tossed it to Madison. “Your fake fiancé wants to talk to you.”
[Anthology] A Clean Fake Marriage Romance Collection Page 11
