by Pam Binder
Alba took in C.C.’s appearance from the tip of her bare toes to the diamond-like accents tucked into C.C.’s long hair. “My daughter said she loaned you a pair of shoes. Why haven’t you put them on? Or are you planning to walk down the aisle barefoot like a gypsy?”
“Gypsies wear shoes. I…I just haven’t put them on yet.”
Alba flipped open the shoebox on the table. “Interesting choice. I would have chosen something simpler from her collection. No matter. Be sure when the reporters ask you what you’re wearing that you tell them these were made by Tatiana.”
C.C. wanted to scream, Why are you here? Instead she opted for diplomacy and reached for the shoes. “I won’t forget.”
Alba tucked in her chin. “It should be my daughter marrying Michael, not you.”
“I agree.”
“Don’t get any ideas once you and Michael exchange vows.”
“It’s all make-believe. We won’t really be getting married.”
Alba opened her purse and took out a red lipstick, then turned toward the floor-length mirror and applied it to her mouth. “You will be spending a lot of time with Michael. The both of you will be pretending that you are in love.” She smacked her lips together. “People can sometimes get confused as to what is real and what is a part they are playing. I think that’s why so many actors get involved with their co-stars. Even my daughter suffers from that delusion. I think that’s the reason she’s having difficulty divorcing her husband so she can marry Michael. But her husband represents the past. Darrell’s star power has burned out. Michael’s will eclipse the sun.”
“I know the difference between what is real and what is pretend. You don’t have to worry.”
“Worry? About you?” Alba peered closer to the mirror and brushed a smudge of makeup from under her eye. “Don’t be absurd. It’s Michael who has to be reminded about his commitments and that we know a secret he wants to stay hidden. He asked my daughter to marry him, and we intend him to follow through on his promise. If he thinks he has an image problem now, he’ll think it was nothing more than an annoying splinter in his big toe compared to the onslaught of injuries we’ll create if he goes back on his word.” Alba fluffed her hair and turned to face C.C. “Are we clear?”
C.C. nodded. She’d read Michael’s biography before she interviewed for the job, even though technically Tatiana would be her employer. There was nothing in his history that suggested dark secrets. In fact, he was a perfect example of how if you worked hard miracles happened. But everyone had secrets they wanted to keep hidden. Some were small, like binge-eating chocolate ice cream topped with chocolate sauce and chocolate sprinkles when your boyfriend dumped you for a skinnier version. What dark secret was Michael hiding?
Fiona walked into the room and gazed back and forth between C.C. and Alba. “Is everything all right in here?”
“We’re just going over a few ground rules,” Alba informed her.
Chapter Eight
Michael waited in a small room a short distance from the ballroom where the wedding was to take place. Once C.C. had agreed, Harold had moved at warp speed to make sure everything was done. Michael wondered how C.C. was doing. He kept waiting for that rush of panic to set in, or that feeling of being trapped. None of that had happened.
“Is that the wedding ring?” Tatiana slipped into the room and headed over to the sofa where he sat.
He tore his gaze from the gold band he held, a princess-cut diamond in its center. “Hello, Tatiana.”
“Hello, yourself. You look good in the kilt. Are those your family’s colors?”
He nodded and tucked the ring into his jacket pocket.
She sat down next to him, perching on the sofa like a bird on a wire. “The diamond is small and not to my taste, but it suits C.C. Did you buy it in town?”
He moved over to make space for her and shook his head. “It was my grandmother’s. She gave it to me when she visited at Christmas. I told her I’d already bought you a ring, but she told me to keep it anyway. Are you ready?”
She crossed her legs and adjusted her short skirt. “Harold gave me a script to memorize, and he leaked to the press that you have a big announcement tonight.” She pulled a gold chain from her neck from which hung a ring with a large marquee-cut diamond surrounded by rubies and emeralds. She kissed him on the cheek and then wiped her red lipstick off his skin. “In a few short months, all of this will be behind us, and we can get married. I’ll have my divorce, and you will have the love and respect of the whole world.” She straightened her skirt again. “My mother likes the idea of our getting married at a castle in Scotland. The press will eat it up. We should ask the sisters to help with the preparations. They’ve done a great job here on such short notice. I’m not sure I like the food choices, but then, I’m not the one getting married.”
Tatiana continued talking about the flowers and that she’d caught a glimpse of C.C.’s gown and that it was a little old-fashioned, and how some people liked that sort of thing. He leaned back, watching her fidget with her skirt and then tuck the chain with the engagement ring he’d given her back into her cleavage. She was beautiful. That was without question. He’d asked her to marry him, and she’d said yes. That had been over eight months ago. Had they ever loved each other?
Harold ducked his head into the room. “Michael. It’s time.”
Chapter Nine
C.C. stood outside the double doors to the ballroom, listening to the soft music as she waited for her cue to enter. Thankfully, Fiona had ignored her request for a black wedding dress. C.C. knew she was being overly dramatic. She should relax and enjoy the moment. She should think of this as a dress rehearsal for the day when she really did marry her Prince Charming.
Most brides took months or even a year or more to plan for their wedding. The preparations for hers had taken mere hours. Maybe taking less time wasn’t such a bad thing: less time for second thoughts.
Guests continued to file into the ballroom, which had been transformed into the perfect setting for a wedding. There were so many flowers C.C. thought the sisters must have emptied all the flower shops in Inverness.
The Victorian wedding dress fit her as though it had been made for her. She thought of her family and wished they could be here, even if it was a sham wedding. Her sisters would have been weepy, her brother would have snapped a zillion photos, and her father would have walked her down the aisle.
She’d purposely waited until a few minutes ago to call them and leave a message, knowing that with the nine-hour time difference they’d be asleep. She’d debated about calling them at all, but she had to at least let them know what had happened before the news broke all over the world that an unknown had married the football star Michael Campbell.
By the time her siblings woke up, the wedding would be over. They’d be upset, and she didn’t blame them. This was the moment when a bride should feel the most like a princess and be able to bask in the love of family and friends. A lump caught in her throat.
William stepped over to her. He wore a formal black tuxedo with tails and had trimmed his salt-and-pepper beard to shape his face. The resulting look was very Sean Conneryish.
When he reached her side, he made a slight bow and smiled. “Never in my life have I seen a bonnier bride.” C.C. nodded a thank you, too nervous to respond. The smile lines at the corners of his eyes crinkled together as he held out his arm. “If this be a proper wedding, the bride should not walk down the aisle alone. Would you do me the honor?”
She thought she’d convinced herself that it didn’t matter that her family wasn’t here. She knew that thought had been a lie from the beginning. William was offering to stand in for her father. A kind gesture that only made her miss her family more. She accepted his offer, and whispered, “Thank you.”
His eyes twinkled as he rested his hand over hers. “I caught a glimpse of Miss Tatiana and her mum. Neither looked too pleased. They both looked like they were chewing on mouthfuls of angry wasps.”
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Her tension eased a little as C.C. pictured them. “Thank you for the image,” she said, squeezing his hand. “But I thought this was Tatiana’s idea?”
“It was,” William said with a smile. “Before, that is, she saw you in your wedding dress.”
The notion that someone like Tatiana might be jealous was unthinkable. If true, however, C.C. realized that she may have misjudged her. Could it be that even Tatiana was insecure? Or was her reaction part of the role they were supposed to play? She wanted to believe it was all an act. After all, Tatiana and Michael were engaged. There was no reason for her to be jealous “Please can we change the subject? All brides are beautiful on their wedding day.”
William squeezed her hand. “Perhaps.”
“You look very handsome, by the way.”
His glance slid over to where Lady Roselyn stood giving final instructions to the caterers. “I hope you are not the only one who noticed. Expect the unexpected, my late wife would say, and life will always be filled with magic and miracles.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” He bent his head down. The lines across his forehead deepened. “You are trembling like a butterfly caught in a net,” he said.
“That sounds about right.” She swallowed down the lump in her throat. “I know this isn’t real. I know Michael and I are pretending we’re in love so he can announce to the world that he has settled down with a wife. Tomorrow when I wake up, Michael will have secured his movie deal, and then after Highland Rebel is released we will let the press know it was all a mistake.” Her laugh sounded hollow in her ears as she lifted the white-rose-and-lavender bouquet to her nose as her vision blurred. “I just wish the sisters hadn’t made me look like a completely different person. I didn’t recognize myself when I looked in the mirror. I’m sure that’s what surprised Tatiana, as well. And how did they do everything so fast? The wedding decorations are lovely, my dress is a dream come true, the flowers…”
William handed her his handkerchief. “Michael told me that if you want to back out of the marriage, he’ll give you the bonus you need either way.”
She dabbed at her eyes, careful not to smudge her makeup. Everyone had gone to a lot of trouble to transform the ugly duckling into a swan, and now, before she even walked down the aisle, she was going to make a mess of their efforts. But she couldn’t stop her thoughts. All her life she’d dreamed of a wedding like this one, but in the dream she was marrying someone who was crazy in love with her. Nowhere in her dreams was the marriage a business proposition.
She handed William’s handkerchief back to him. Get a grip. Michael has been very generous. Because of him, she would be able to take care of her father, with enough money left over to start her business. She’d woken this morning feeling as though a cloud were following her. Expect the unexpected. She liked that expression. It sure fit today. She’d had an emotional breakdown, and if she didn’t stop the tears before they had a chance to flow, her makeup would streak. Instead of a princess, she’d look like the bride of Frankenstein.
She straightened. “Yes, Michael told me that he’d give me the bonus, regardless, but I can’t just take his money when I think this plan will help him. If only he hadn’t put himself in this situation in the first place. He needs this marriage to prove to the world that he is no longer a…a…”
“A Scottish hallirackit?”
C.C. tilted her head. “I’m not sure what that means.”
“It means a lad who is wild, rowdy, and irresponsible.”
C.C. smiled for the first time in what seemed like decades. “I was going to say ‘spoiled child,’ but that is perfect. The Scots have great words.”
“Aye, that we do.”
The double doors to the ballroom swung open. “Are you ready?” William said.
“If I’m being honest, I’m far from being ready. But I’ve decided to take your advice and expect the unexpected.”
Chapter Ten
Michael took his place beside Harold at the end of the ballroom. Chairs covered in white satin were arranged neatly in rows on each side, creating an aisle for the bride. Sprigs of white lavender and bouquets of blush pink rosebuds crowded every available space. He had to hand it to Harold and the sisters for pulling together a wedding on such short notice. Finding so many roses in the dead of winter had to be a Herculean feat all on its own. Not to mention finding so many people willing to attend a wedding on New Year’s for complete strangers.
When he first signed on to Harold’s crazy Hail Mary play, Michael had called his nana. The last thing he wanted was for his grandmother to be blindsided with news that her only grandson was getting married. Even with the nine-hour time difference, he knew she’d be awake. Ever since he’d started traveling, she had adjusted her schedule to fit his. She said she never wanted to be asleep when he called.
His grandmother had accepted the news as he expected. In fact, she’d wanted to hop on a plane as soon as he’d told her. He’d had to then break it to her that it wasn’t a real wedding. It was all for show. The silence on the other end of the line had been deafening. She disapproved of deception of any kind. He’d felt her disapproval as though she were standing next to him with her hands perched on her hips and her frown deepening. That was, until he’d told her it was C.C. he was marrying and not Tatiana. Then she’d asked the strangest question.
“This turned out better than I hoped,” Harold said, interrupting Michael’s train of thought. “The press is here and lapping it up. I’m not sure where the sisters got all the guests, but it’s a nice touch. Did Tatiana like the ruby necklace I bought for you to give her? They’re her birthstone.”
“She threw a lamp at me.”
“Did you make sure it was in a public place? I hate this deception.”
“Yes, and I’m sure by now it’s all over the news, just as planned.”
Michael focused on the double doors where the bride was to make her entrance. He wasn’t surprised by Harold’s response. His best friend had a soft heart. He always thought the best of everyone, even Tatiana. It was this outlook that had first drawn Michael’s attention when he’d saved him from the bullies in grammar school. Michael had wanted to pummel the guys who’d hurt his friend. Harold had told him to let them go with a warning. And he had.
“Who’d you hire to play the part of the priest?” Michael said. “This guy looks like the real deal.”
“Father John is the real deal. If the press found out we used an actor, our story would fall apart faster than a house of cards. Don’t look so shocked. You know hiring a genuine priest was our only call.”
“Did you tell C.C.?”
Harold glanced toward the double doors at the end of the ballroom. “Under the circumstances, I thought it unwise, and with Tatiana and her mother acting weird, we can’t take any chances.”
“What do you mean ‘weird’?”
“They’re having second thoughts.”
“This was their idea.”
Harold tried to loosen his collar but gave up. “That was before they saw C.C. in her wedding dress. I caught a glimpse of her when I came in. Time for game faces. It’s starting.”
The double doors opened, and a harpist began to play. C.C. appeared on the threshold, her arm resting on William’s.
“Wow,” Harold said. He nodded to C.C. as she walked down the aisle beside William. “The sisters are miracle workers. C.C. actually looks gorgeous. Who knew that under all that hair and black clothing was a real-life beauty? No wonder Tatiana is jealous. The good news is that she should be able to pull off the next phase of the plan.”
Michael narrowed his gaze. “What have you done?”
Harold shrugged. “Just a little performance, insurance by Tatiana to make sure this wedding makes it into the press. Now, don’t look at me. You need to concentrate on your bride.”
Michael adjusted his tie, squared his shoulders and turned toward C.C. as she walked down the aisle. For once he had to agree with his friend. C.C. loo
ked like a goddess. He knew now without a shadow of a doubt that this plan had been a mistake, but not for the reasons everyone seemed to think. What had he gotten himself into? Michael moved closer to the priest, keeping his focus on C.C. Her white dress clung to her body and glittered with crystals and pearls. Her hair was swept back from her face, and makeup highlighted her eyes.
He loved her eyes. They were what he’d noticed about her when they first met. He’d learned to tell the mood she was in by studying their shade. On most days they were light brown. When she was frustrated with him, which was often, her eye color would darken to the color of cinnamon with specks of red highlights. His favorite so far was when he’d seen her talking to Nana when she’d come for a visit at Christmas. The shade had been a warm caramel. He wondered what they looked like when she was kissed.
He shook himself and refocused. She was halfway down the aisle. Now he was the idiot. What was he doing? He didn’t deserve a person like C.C. It didn’t matter that this was a fake wedding. Guys like him didn’t marry women like C.C. He should have asked Tatiana to stop wasting time and sign her divorce papers so they could be married. The world would have believed that match.
“Hey, pal,” Harold said. “Are you all right?”
“Peachy.”
The music softened and then faded away as C.C. reached his side. He searched her eyes, but the color kept changing. He wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or a bad one.
She held out her hand. “Hi.”
Her simple word released the breath he’d been holding. “Hi.”
Chapter Eleven
C.C. put her hand in his. Her analytical side rationalized that because she could balance her checking account and do her own taxes, it meant she could do this without swooning over the fact that he had big hands. They enveloped hers as though hers belonged to a child, not a grown woman. Of course he had big hands. He was a quarterback. They needed big hands. Her analytical side might be calm, but her emotional side was in a runaway car headed for a cliff.
