Make-Believe Marriage

by CA Quigg

"It was my doing, all my idea," Beaufort said looking contrite. "I was the one who used emotional blackmail on her. I paid someone to beat me up so she'd feel guilty and do what I wanted."

  "You?" Lizzie's mother glowered. "You evil, twisted man. Is there no end to your madness? Don't you think you've done enough damage to her? All of her life you've gone out of your way to hurt her and manipulate her."

  "Me? Look at you. You left us for someone else. You left me. This is your fault."

  "Enough," Lizzie's voice came from behind me. I turned around and saw her standing at the waiting room door.

  "Everyone in the entire hospital can hear you fighting. Go home. I'm okay. The baby's okay, and that's all that matters."

  Shame filled everyone's faces, and the waiting room fell silent.

  Lizzie continued, "Mom and Dad, you're going to be grandparents. The bickering and blame stops now. No one blackmailed me into anything. No one held a gun to my head and forced me to say my wedding vows. I married Caden for my own selfish reasons too. The club was my life. I lived and breathed it. When he came along, I saw a chance to rescue it, but I don't want it anymore. It's time I did what I want with my life. I'm going to raise the baby on my own and build my skincare business. The club can fall down for all I care now."

  The same nurse as before came into the waiting room. "I have to ask all of you to leave. We're receiving complaints about the noise. And you," she said primly to Lizzie, "need to get back to bed."

  I wasn't ready to leave, not yet. "Let me stay, Lizzie, at least until you fall asleep." There was no hiding the desperation in my voice.

  She opened her mouth to speak, but then she shook her head. I felt a hand on my shoulder. Sean, who was behind me, said, "Come on, Son, let her sleep. Come to the bar, and we'll have a chat."

  Chapter 42

  Elizabeth

  I slicked cherry red over my lips and glanced at my pathetic reflection in the bathroom mirror. A ten-year-old corpse would have looked healthier, but Darcy had insisted on me coming to the bar for Sean's game night.

  I wasn't in the mood to be social, but staying home and moping wasn't good for the baby or me.

  I hadn't been back to the club since the day I ended up in the hospital, and I had no intentions of ever going back. My proceeds from the country club were in a bank account for the baby and couldn't be accessed until she reached twenty-one and even then, all money decisions had to go through me.

  Sundown Sands Country Club belonged in my history. For the past week, I'd spent my time working on skincare recipes, setting up my website, and making stock for my Etsy store.

  A car honked outside signaling Darcy's arrival. I could have walked to the bar in no time, but all of my sisters were treating me like I was made from cotton wool and would fall apart if I did anything more strenuous than make a cup of herbal tea.

  I grabbed my bag and winter coat, and with one last glance at my reflection in the hallway mirror, I went outside.

  "You didn't need to pick me up, I live five minutes away," I said once I was inside the purring car.

  "What kind of sister would I be if I let a pregnant lady walk the streets on a dark night?"

  "Have you gotten any sleep?" I asked, examining her tired face.

  "You think I'd lose sleep over an ass like Peter?" There was an edge to her voice. "He betrayed me, and he betrayed you. I don't want anyone like him in my life. How did I ever think he was the man for me?" She gripped the steering wheel the car sped up. "Better I know now than later."

  "I'm sorry. I kind of feel responsible."

  We pulled into the almost full parking lot, and Darcy whipped into a spot, jolting the car to a stop. "Did you dial the number and force him to rat on you?"

  "No... But it wouldn't have happened if my dad hadn't told him."

  She cut the engine and turned to face me. "Then it would have been some other dick move that broke us up. No one's to blame but him. Now let's go and have some fun. I intend to drink share of wine."

  She flung open the driver's door and stepped into the fog-filled night, and I followed. She was putting on a brave face, but her actions didn't hide how she felt even if her words did. Looking into Darcy's face was like looking into a mirror. I saw the pain and the hope that somehow things would work out.

  Caden hadn't contacted me since I'd left the hospital. Not one email or phone call to check on me. I had to call or email him soon. I wouldn't deprive his parents their first grandchild, but I didn't want to call them without him knowing.

  I wanted my baby to get all the love in the world available to her, and I would make sure she got it no matter what it cost me.

  It seemed as if no one in Sundown Sands had anything better to do other than come to Sean's game show night. Not even on St. Patrick's Day, Sean's favorite holiday, was it this packed.

  Darcy was on a mission to get to the bar and made sure everyone got out of our way by saying, "Pregnant lady coming through." They all offered me their congratulations as I passed. I smiled and thanked them for their kind words.

  No one looked at me as if they felt sorry for me. They seemed as if they were genuinely happy. Once we reached the bar, Beth sat a glass of orange juice in front of me and an extra-large glass of white wine in front of Darcy.

  "Here's to forgetting," Darcy said, picking up her glass.

  "Cheers," I said and clinked my glass against hers.

  A waving hand caught the corner of my eye, and I turned to see who was trying to get my attention.

  What the…

  Doris, the immigration officer, sat at a table with someone who looked like a younger version of her and gave me a thumbs-up sign.

  "Shit," I muttered under my breath. Why was she here? I had to come up with a good explanation and fast. Telling Doris the truth wasn't an option because I could still get into serious trouble.

  "What? What is it?" Darcy asked.

  "The immigration officer who came to visit Caden and me is here. What the fuck am I going to do?"

  My heart raced as if I'd drank ten cups of coffee followed by five cans of Red Bull. She was bound to ask where Caden was and how things were between us. I picked up my orange juice and downed half the glass. The acidy liquid hit my stomach and decided it didn't want to stay there.

  "I have to go to the bathroom," I said rushing away.

  Once inside, I shut the stall door, sat on the edge of the seat and held my head between my legs. My lies would follow me around for the rest of my life. The baby would find out. How would she feel knowing she had been conceived in a sham marriage? She would hate me. I sucked in a deep breath, but the stench of the bathroom did nothing to help.

  "You okay?" Darcy knocked at the door. "Come back out. I'll get you some water."

  "I'm fine. Sinking half a glass of orange juice wasn't the greatest idea I've ever had. Give me a minute, and I'll come out."

  "If you're sure."

  "I'm fine. Promise."

  When I heard the door close, I left the stall. The sight in the mirror was a frightening one. The Joker with a touch of zombie Barbie. I dampened a hand towel, wiped off my lipstick and cleaned the mascara smudges from beneath my eyes.

  The bathroom door swung open, and Doris came in. I should have expected her to find me.

  "There you are." Concern lined her forehead. "Are you okay?"

  "Fine. Just pregnant." I said and blushed with happiness.

  Her eyes lit up. "You are? That's fantastic. When I was pregnant, I couldn't keep anything down."

  I washed my hands and reached for a hand towel, avoiding all eye contact with Doris. "So what brings you the whole way out here? Don't you live in the city?"

  "A few things," she said with a smile. "I wanted to show you my daughter's face. Your products worked miracles. I need more. It's like crack to her. She wants to meet you. She's here with me."

  I grin
ned, pride warming my skin. "I'm so glad. Did you take before and after photos?"

  Doris pulled out her phone and scrolled through her pictures. When she came to some of her daughter, she stopped. "Isn't she beautiful?"

  "She is," I agreed.

  "This is before." The picture showed a miserable girl with raw, acne covered skin. To compare, Doris scrolled to the after picture. The before and after photos were like night and day. The second picture showed a confident looking young woman with clear skin and sparkling eyes.

  "I couldn't be happier for her. Can you send the photos to me? I'd love to use them on my website. If that's okay?"

  "Not a problem," Doris said and dropped her phone into her purse. "Aren't you going to ask the other reason why I'm here?"

  I didn't want to know, but I was sure coming here to show me photos of her daughter wasn't the real reason Doris had spent four hours in the car.

  I forced myself to grin. "Let me guess, you heard about Sean's legendary game show nights and IPAs?"

  "Not quite, but from the buzz, I think I'm in for a good time." She hooked her arm through mine. "Come with me, and I'll show you."

  All moisture evaporated from my body. I would get arrested and thrown in jail.

  "Sure," I said, my grin widening. What were the rules about having a baby in prison in New York State? Was the baby taken away at birth? Or would I be allowed to raise her behind bars? Darcy could take good care of her until they released me.

  Doris pushed open the bathroom door and practically dragged me into the bar because it seemed I'd forgotten how to put one foot in front of the other.

  Everyone in the bar stopped talking and turned to look at me. I knew it! I was going to prison. Caden Gallagher was the biggest mistake of my life. As if I hadn't already paid enough because of him, now I was paying with my freedom.

  Sean tapped the microphone, and everyone dragged their eyes from me and onto the stage.

  "Friends and family," he said. "Thanks for coming at short notice. Tonight's scheduled game was supposed to be Who Wants to Win $100 has been changed at the last minute to Mr. and Mrs. The $100 from this week will be added to next week for a game of Who Wants to Win $200."

  An excited murmur rippled through the crowd.

  Darcy appeared and flanked my other side. "Come up to the front. We'll have a better view up there."

  "View of what?" I asked.

  Both women walked me to the front of the stage and sat me at a table.

  "What's going on?" I asked Darcy who sat down opposite me. Doris went back to her daughter.

  "I'm going to change the rules a little bit tonight," Sean said, focusing on me. "Instead of bringing a Mr. and Mrs. up here, I'm only going to bring up a father-in-law and son-in-law." He paused and winked. "Everyone welcome to the stage Trip Beaufort and Caden Gallagher."

  I gripped the edge of the table. This wasn't happening.

  The doors to the deck opened and in walked my dad, who looked suspiciously sober followed by Caden, who looked as gorgeous as ever. My heart backflipped. He smiled at me, a mixture of love and apprehension filled his eyes which I found irresistible. There were lines around his eyes, and he looked tired and drawn, but I couldn't deny how much my pregnant body wanted him.

  A kerfuffle at the front door drew my attention. Caden's mom walked in followed by his dad and three sisters. Had I somehow stepped into an alternate universe? My dad took the microphone from Sean and for the first time in twenty years they didn't look as if they wanted to kill each other.

  He cleared his throat. "Elizabeth, I know growing up with me hasn't been easy. I drank too much and gambled too much. Argued too much. I was never the father you deserved. I'm getting help. I leave tomorrow for a treatment facility, and when I get back, I'll be the father you need." His voice cracked. "I want to be a grandfather to your baby. I can never make up for everything I've done, but I'll try. Can you forgive me?"

  Too stunned to do anything else, I nodded. My dad handed the microphone to Sean and stepped off the stage.

  I stood, and for the first time since I was a little girl, I hugged my dad.

  "I'm sorry, Elizabeth," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Sorry for everything."

  "It's okay, Dad. I know you loved me in your own way.

  The sound of sniffling and rustling tissues filled the bar.

  Sean tapped the microphone and wiped the corner of his eye. "Dry your eyes. It's time to get on with the game." He turned his attention to Caden who hadn't taken his eyes off of me.

  "Caden," Sean said, "can you tell us the moment you knew Elizabeth was the one for you?"

  "The day I got down on my knee in front of Cliffside Cottage and asked her to marry me. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but that was the day I knew I couldn't live without her."

  Everyone made an aww sound.

  I sat motionless.

  "Can you tell us what's the biggest lie you've ever told her?"

  "When I said I didn't love her. I did. I do. I should have fought to stay with her. Walking away was the hardest thing I've ever done, and I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to her."

  His heart filled his eyes, but I still didn't move or react.

  "One last question," Sean said. "If you could tell her anything, what would it be?"

  "I would tell her I'm sorry for asking her to lie to her family and friends. I'm sorry for asking her to risk everything for a man she didn't know. I would tell her that her dad and I signed the club over to her, but if she'd like I can help her run it. I want Cliffside Cottage to be our home. I want to raise our children there. I want to grow old with her. I'm happy to stay at home while she builds an empire."

  He got down on his knee and looked at me with fierce love in his eyes.

  "Lizzie Anne Beaufort, will you give me the honor of being my wife, again."

  A pin could have dropped in the room, and I would have heard it. Happiness and lust welled up inside of me at his words. I pushed myself up from the chair and walked toward him. There was no time to think. There was only time to want and feel and love.

  Somehow my feet made it to the stage without giving way. I took his outstretched hand and held it to my lips. Caden cupped my face and gave me a heart-stopping, breathtaking kiss.

  When he broke away, his eyes glittered. "Does that mean yes?" he asked.

  "It means yes."

  He jumped down from the stage and lifted me up.

  "She said yes," he called out spinning me around. "Drinks for everyone."

  Celebratory cheers rang around us, and our family and friends surged forward.

  When Caden set me down, his mother hauled me into a hug.

  "When I heard what he'd done, I was livid. I didn't raise him to treat anyone like that. I'm sorry for everything he's done and for all the hurt he's caused. You pick up the phone anytime you want. He's never too old for a good arse reddening."

  "Aye," his dad agreed. "I'll get my belt off to him."

  "You can rest assured I'll never hurt a hair on her head again," Caden said.