“Welcome, neighbors.” She blinked rapidly, her thick black lashes fanning her cheeks. “We are so excited that you’re here. We’ve been waiting for you.”
“You have?” Bethany glanced back at Troy in confusion. He returned the look with a slight quirk of his eyebrows.
“Of course we have.” The woman popped her hip and laughed. “This house has been empty for so long, we were worried no one would ever move in. But here you are, at last! Everyone is excited to meet you.”
“Ah, yes.” Bethany clapped her hands together. “Here at last. Well, you know, we’re newly married. We just got back from our honeymoon in Paris. Spent a whole month traveling Europe. Doesn’t that just sound divine?”
The woman gasped as indignation filled Troy’s head. That hadn’t been in their cover story. He leaned in slightly toward Bethany, catching a whiff of the jasmine scent of her hair.
“Bethany, what are you doing?” he hissed through his teeth.
“Nothing, darling. It’s just girl chat.” She shot him a sugar-sweet smile and then waved her hand at the woman. “He’s so modest. Doesn’t like people to know he’s a success. My Troy’s a big-time computer tech. Bill Gates himself has called our home a few times. Troy is his right-hand man.”
“Is that so?” The woman’s red lips made an almost comical expression as she turned to him in surprise. “That’s amazing.”
“And I’m Bethany. I’m a blogger.” Bethany placed her hand on her hip and flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Need any tips about getting the perfect eyebrow arch or losing that stubborn holiday weight gain, I’m your girl. Because that’s what all women want, after all.”
The woman squealed and bounced on her toes. “No way! I blog about skincare.”
“No way.” The smirk melted off of Bethany’s face and Troy snorted to keep from laughing.
“My name’s Angelica Huber.” Angelica stopped her bouncing long enough to blow an errant curl out of her eyes. “I live just across the cul-de-sac in the Appalachian Brown house. That was the color my husband picked out when we repainted this summer. Appalachian Brown. Doesn’t that just sound so relaxing? Like you’d find our home in the middle of a tranquil mountain forest?”
Troy wasn’t sure how to respond. He’d never considered the different shades of brown. To him, they were all brown. It didn’t get much more complicated than that.
Bethany seemed to be at a similar loss of words. She nodded her head in a circular motion, a pained expression on her face.
Still, Angelica didn’t take their silence for a lack of enthusiasm. She spent the next five minutes regaling them with the tale of her kitchen upgrade and the color of her countertops. It wasn’t until Troy was certain he’d be stuck in that doorway forever talking about things he didn’t care an ounce about did Angelica gasp and interrupt her own story.
“Oh, I almost forgot the reason I came over here.” Glancing down at the casserole in her arms, she smiled. “We’re having a BBQ at the Mertens’ place. It’s just next to yours. I was sent to invite you. We always have the most wonderful times. My husband is no rookie at the grill, let me assure you. And I’m bringing my famous tater-tot casserole.”
A social gathering sounded like torture. Troy wanted nothing more than to shut the door in Angelica’s face and go back to counting his ammo stock, but Bethany grabbed his hand.
“A barbecue?” She tugged him forward, her fingers curled tightly around his, causing a strange sensation to shoot up his arm. “Why, my Troy is the BBQ champ of Champagne, Illinois. I’m sure he’d love to take a turn at the grill.”
Troy growled through his clenched jaw. He wasn’t sure what Bethany was pulling, but he’d never touched a grill in his life. The closest he’d come to one was the food truck on 6th that served the best BBQ pork ribs he’d ever tasted. There was no way he’d be able to fake his way through something like that.
Angelica squealed again. “You two are going to fit right into this neighborhood like two peas in a pod. Aren’t you glad you moved into the suburbs? Those city dwellers don’t know what they’re missing, I tell you.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Bethany answered with a smile, her eyes dancing with unsaid humor. “There’s nothing quite like it. We’re going to have lots of fun.”
Despite the innocence of her remark, Troy had an inkling there was something slightly menacing beneath her tone. And as she clasped even tighter onto his hand, pulling him out the door and after Angelica, Troy had the distinct feeling he was in for it.
Nothing about this assignment was going to be easy.
Chapter Seven
Bethany
Bethany clung to Troy’s hand and dragged him after their bouncing, smiley neighbor. Attending the neighborhood barbecue was just about the last thing she wanted to do today. But she’d made up her mind that she was going to find a way out of this witness protection nonsense and back to her life. If the government wanted to take her hostage, she’d just have to find a way to make the government regret their decision.
And that meant making Troy regret the day he’d set eyes on her.
It wasn’t that she wanted to be reckless. The fact that Gerald Void’s men had tracked down her apartment in the city certainly had her a bit on edge. But she didn’t need a bodyguard, tracking her every move, sleeping in the room next to hers.
The thought of it made her blush. Troy might have been the most spectacular specimen of muscled mankind she’d ever seen, but that didn’t mean he had the right to essentially kidnap her and force her into this humdrum existence.
She’d been thinking that all she’d need was an opportunity and a tiny bit of luck. That’s when their new neighbor showed up. Maybe her luck was about to turn for the better.
“Bethany, what are you doing?” Troy hissed, resisting the tug of her hand.
His broad shoulders filled out his t-shirt nicely, the fabric stretching over his muscular chest. Dark blue jeans hung low on his tapered hips. Despite the fact that he’d abandoned the suit back at the office for this casual outfit, he still walked like a man accustomed to a stricter dress code.
“We’re going to a barbecue to meet the neighbors, honey,” Bethany answered with a grin. She liked seeing the discomfort in his face. It would’ve been hilarious if she wasn’t on a mission. Turning toward him, she lowered her voice. “If we want this cover to work, we have to learn how to blend in with the natives. Isn’t that right?”
There was a spark of annoyance in Troy’s eyes as he narrowed them at her. “That’s right...”
“Then, let’s blend.” She threw him a winning smile. “Surely, you can’t argue with your own logic.” Bethany ignored the grumbling coming from his direction and instead turned her attention toward the two-story Spanish-style home that Angelica was leading them toward.
Their cheery neighbor was still chattering away, blissfully unaware that her two guests had long ago tuned her out. Leading them to the side yard and through a metal gate, she stopped suddenly and swept her arm out. “These are the residents of Antioch Circle. Everyone, this is Troy and Bethany, our new neighbors.”
The yard had opened up into a professionally landscaped flagstone patio with crushed white stone paths and dwarf trees lining the fence. A limestone grill made for an impressive centerpiece in the garden with a wooden pergola standing next to it. Tiny solar lanterns dotted the edges of the yard and a string of Chinese lanterns hung from the rafters of the back of the house. Bethany had the sudden feeling she’d just walked out of the suburbs and into a Pier One home store. She wasn’t sure where to look, so she settled on the half a dozen or so people surrounding the grill.
A conglomeration of khaki shorts, Hawaiian print shirts, chico pants, and heels were gathered on the patio. A few kids dressed in pastel colors ran around them, chasing a ball. Everyone looked up as Angelica made her announcement. There were cheers and shouted hellos, but Bethany couldn’t return them. She was too busy wondering if she’d wandered onto a reboot of Th
e Stepford Wives.
“Come in, come in,” exclaimed a big man with sun-kissed skin. He had an enormous belly and a deep laugh that made it jiggle. “Welcome to the Mertens’ home.”
“That’s George Mertens,” Angelica said in a low voice, next to Bethany’s ear. “And that’s his wife, Olivia. The De Boers are standing next to him. And the Santos are standing by that potted plant.”
A man walked toward them with short cropped blond hair and a bleach-white smile. He took the casserole dish from Angelica and nudged her with his shoulder. “Hi, gorgeous.”
“And this hunk of a man is my husband, Steven,” she said with a giggle. “The gang’s all here. Please, come on in.”
Bethany felt her jaw tighten as Angelica and her husband went to drop her casserole on the table overladen with similar dishes. Now that they were here, in front of all these smiling people, she seemed to have momentarily forgotten the plan. The deep clearing of a throat next to her brought it all flooding back. Troy was frowning at her, looking severely out of place at a backyard BBQ.
“Come on, sweet’um,” she said, wrapping her arm around his elbow and pulling him in close. The warmth of his body next to hers made her stomach do a little flop. “Why don’t you show these people your hamburger flipping skills?”
“Bethany,” Troy said through gritted teeth. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to.”
“Oh?” She gazed up at him innocently.
“It’s not going to work.” He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her in closer until he could whisper into her ear. The warmth of his breath against her neck made her stomach flop once again. “I’m a highly skilled FBI agent trained to withstand torture. If you think you can annoy me to death, you’ve got another thing coming. It’s going to take a lot more than that to get rid of me.”
Suddenly, the warmth of his body was gone and he was halfway across the yard, zeroing in on the men surrounding the grill. Bethany’s head spun, her legs trembling like wet noodles.
He was onto her.
Still, she wasn’t the kind of woman to give in easily. If a plan wasn’t going her way, she could double down. It had been that kind of determination that had helped win her new event coordinator job at the foundation. With a grin plastered on her face, she approached Angelica and Olivia hovering next to an open cooler of diet colas.
“Angelica tells us you just got back from your honeymoon in France.” Olivia sipped on a can of soda and flashed a smile in Bethany’s direction. Where her husband was rotund, she was petite in every way, with matching sun-kissed skin and long, dark braided hair that fell to her waist.
“Yes, we did.” Bethany licked her lips, raising her voice just enough to be heard outside their circle. “We had our wedding in a castle in Ireland. It was dusk and we rode in bareback on two matching white stallions. My dress had been designed by De la Renta himself. It was breathtaking.”
The women oohed and awed as Bethany spun a tale that grew more unbelievable with every breath she took. From where she was standing, she had the perfect view of Troy’s back. His neck had grown a deep shade of violet and she knew he could hear her. Now, it was only a matter of pushing his buttons until he snapped. She was about to recount how two doves had flown in carrying their wedding bands when he suddenly spun and rushed to her side.
“There you are, sweetheart.” He wrapped an arm tightly around her waist. “I missed you.”
“Aww.” Angelica sighed and fanned herself. “Young love. I remember what that was like. Five years later, it’s just not the same. Trust me. Enjoy this time.”
The other ladies nodded vigorously and sipped at their drinks. Bethany smiled, trying not to let Troy’s hand on her waist distract her from the conversation. His closeness was unsettling.
“My George used to be a hopeless romantic,” Olivia said with a shake of her head. “The first time we met was at a karaoke bar. Our eyes locked across the room and that was it. He jumped up, rushed the stage, and belted out a slightly off-tune version of Love Me Tender to me. I was smitten.”
Bethany’s lips pressed into a thin smile. She’d never experienced that kind of rush. The kind of love that made someone do foolish things. When it came to the heart, she played it close to the chest. It certainly didn’t help that her mother had proclaimed every one of her previous relationships doomed before they even began. That’s what happened when you lived your life according to a horoscope.
“How did you two meet?” Angelica asked, turning toward them. Her blue eyes grew wide with curiosity.
“Us?” Bethany’s tongue had become glued to the roof of her mouth. “I’m not sure...”
She’d just finished spinning a tale about their fake wedding, surely she could come up with something good and embarrassing for their first meeting. But all she could think about was the real way they’d met: in a police station after she’d just experienced the scariest moment of her life. She couldn’t tell that one. Not if she didn’t want to completely blow their cover.
“That’s easy.” Troy chuckled softly, rubbing his hand comfortingly over her back in a way that made her skin heat. “I’d had my wallet stolen and was at the police station filing a report. Just as I was about to leave, this blonde-haired woman charged right into me. She was there to pay a traffic ticket.”
Bethany swallowed down her nerves. That sounded an awful lot like the real way they’d met. With a few minor edits, of course. She couldn’t help but wonder what he was up to.
Troy looked down at her with a fond expression. “I can recall every detail. She wore a fiery red dress that made her brown eyes light up like the sun. Her cheeks were flushed in the prettiest pink. When she smiled, I remember thinking she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever set eyes on. I had to know her. So, I gave her my card and asked her to call me.”
Bethany listened intently to Troy’s story, biting the inside of her cheek. She knew he was lying, just as she had about their wedding in Ireland, but she couldn’t help the ripple of pleasure that went down her back. No man had ever described her like that. Even if it was a lie, it felt good.
“Tell me she called you back that same day.” Olivia held her drink frozen halfway to her open mouth.
“Nope.” A smile flitted on Troy’s lips. “It wasn’t until she needed help with her computer did she find my card again and we met up. After I fixed her computer, I practically had to beg her to let me take her out on a date. This one doesn’t trust easily, that’s for sure. But I’m sure glad she gave me a chance. I couldn’t ask for a better wife.”
He gazed softly down at her and suddenly Bethany felt her face grow hot. She ducked out of his arms and dove her arm into the icy cold depths of the cooler, grabbing a soda.
“Oh my word, I think I’m going to cry.” Angelica sniffed and gave them a watery-eyed smile. “That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”
“It sure is.” Olivia tilted her head to the side and sighed. “You two are so cute, it hurts to look at you.”
Bethany laughed nervously, cracking open the soda. “That story gets me every time. Thanks for telling it so beautifully, sweetheart.”
“Anytime.” Troy’s hand returned to her back and Bethany nearly jumped out of her skin. “I love telling it. Reminds me of why we’re here. Together.”
The grill flared and suddenly Troy was moving to rejoin the men. Bethany shook off the nerves that his contact had given her and instead, tried to focus on the conversation that Angelica and Olivia were having about their latest date night activities. But her gaze kept moving in Troy’s direction, taking in the shape of his muscular back and the way he tightened his shoulders when he talked.
He was a surprising man that was for sure. Not one who could easily be defeated by silly games of embarrassment. Still, Bethany was determined to put an end to this witness protection situation and move on with her life. If she was going to do that, she’d really have to find a way to push Troy’s buttons.
If he wanted a wi
fe, he’d get one.
Chapter Eight
Troy
Troy nearly jumped out of his chair as a bang sounded in the kitchen. It rang out like a gun shot, piercing the silence of the house. He pressed his hand to his chest to remind his racing heart to slow down. They weren’t under attack—at least, not from Void’s men.
Bethany had spent the entire day in the kitchen, doing only heaven knows what. From the sounds coming his way, he wouldn’t be surprised if she’d torn down all the kitchen cabinets and blasted holes through the walls. Whatever she was doing, it didn’t sound like cooking.
Nonetheless, he should be glad she’d given him space to do his work that day. After the barbecue last night, he was afraid she’d never let him rest. He’d spent the entire evening within earshot, his muscles tense, as he listened to her weave complicated stories about their history together. They were getting so far-fetched that he finally had to steer her home as the sun sunk below the horizon. When he’d lectured her on the importance of their cover story, she’d simply blinked up at him with wide, innocent eyes.
She couldn’t fool him. He knew she was trying to get rid of him.
Despite the annoyance of babysitting Bethany Reed, Troy couldn’t help but feel pulled in by her. She had an energetic way of speaking that captured his attention. As if she didn’t care what anyone thought. And those pink lips. They were distracting, frankly. He’d had a hard time looking anywhere but her mouth when she spoke. It was a strange feeling and he didn’t quite trust the effect it was having on him. He had a job to do.
Faking Ever After with the Bodyguard: A Sweet Fake Romance Page 5
