“Ryan!” Dolly beamed lasers of happiness out of her dark bright eyes. “That is a perfectly wonderful idea! They’re going to get married anyway—why not tonight when everything is arranged so beautifully? To be honest, I think Shelby is too busy to plan a wedding. She’ll be thrilled to have it all arranged!”
“And I know my brother can’t go through preparing for another wedding. He’ll freeze up before they mail the invitations. I’m assuming they don’t have a license yet but I’m sure Reverend Carver will overlook that formality until Monday when the Records office is open.”
“He will for Sawyer. Call them over, Ryan, so we can tell them what we have in mind.”
“Do you think we should? Hey, what if we surprise them with it? I’ll let Reverend Carver in on it and when everything is arranged, I’ll cue the band to play the wedding march. Shelby and Sawyer will be shy at first but that’s half the fun!”
“Darling, this is very kind of you, especially as Shelby has been so hard on you in the Gazette.”
“Well, she’ll be my sister soon, so no hard feelings.” Ryan smiled. “I can’t wait to see the look on her face when I make the announcement.”
He moved through the crowd in search of Carver, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he did so. Janice came on the line immediately.
“Well?”
“Are you up to crashing a wedding?”
Ryan quickly outlined what he had planned and Janice was eager to play her part. It was only after he’d found Reverend Carver and the act was set in motion that Ryan began to have twinges of conscience. There was the look on Dolly’s face, how happy she was. And Sawyer. Would he have given Shelby their mother’s ring unless there was something more going on? Shelby was clever, but not that clever.
He was beginning to worry he’d read this situation—and his brother—all wrong.
“I DON’T think it happened that way, Cathy.” Tracy popped a cherry tomato into her mouth. “Sawyer would never cheat on Janice.”
“Not cheat. Who said anything about cheating? But he’s in love with Shelby and that’s what broke him and Janice up. I mean, look at them! Have you ever seen them together in public when they weren’t fighting? And all of a sudden they’re dancing together like they’ve been lovers all their lives.”
“It happens like that sometimes. Love at first sight.”
“But this isn’t their first sight. They’ve known each other since they were kids and they never got along.”
“So your theory is they liked each other secretly for years, but fought it, which made them hate each other. And then when Sawyer got engaged and it was down to the wire, he had to admit he loved Shelby. Wow.” Robin sighed pleasurably. “I love a good romance.”
“And now he’s going to marry her.”
“When?” Tracy demanded.
“How would I know that? I’m only saying it happened too fast between them to be new.”
“And I’m only saying your theory is nothing more than an overactive imagination hard at work.”
Ryan McIntyre stepped into their circle, relieving Cathy of the necessity of defending her imagination. “Good evening, ladies. Is one of you willing to stand up for Shelby tonight? She and Sawyer are getting married.”
Tracy’s red mouth dropped open. Remains of the cherry tomato dotted her teeth.
“They’re getting married here? Now?” Robin squealed.
Ryan was always the more charismatic of the McIntyre boys; the women were enthralled. “It’s all arranged, but we’re keeping it a secret. Sawyer and Shelby don’t know we’re doing this for them so try to act natural until I make the announcement. I’m the best man and the Mayor’s going to give her away. All we lack is a maid of honor. Who’s it going to be?”
Tracy decided she was the obvious candidate, being the only single woman, and hustled off with Ryan to receive further instructions from the Reverend. And from there the story of a secret love covered up by a public feud spread through the hall like a brush fire in high summer. Right under their noses, Leonard and Mrs. Birch said. It was the sheriff and the reporter all along.
SHELBY NOTICED a change in the air although she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was different. “Does it seem to you that it’s quiet in here? It’s almost like we’re being watched.” Shelby glanced around and Sawyer followed her gaze. Clusters of people were gathered around the perimeter of the dance floor, chatting and watching the few couples still dancing. When Shelby met their gaze, they quickly looked away. “Something’s going on.”
“You’re paranoid.”
“Where’s Ryan?”
“Flirting with the ladies in the corner. It looks to me like Dolly didn’t say anything about the engagement or he would be over here, demanding answers.”
Shelby caught Dolly’s eye. The older woman waved and smiled happily. Whew. Ryan was obviously honoring their deal and hadn’t given Shelby away. Relief rolled through her. “I think you could be right. I think we just might be in the clear.”
With Ryan no longer a threat, Shelby relaxed, fully conscious of the fact that she was dancing with Sawyer. Not that she’d been insensible to him. On the contrary. His scent, his physical strength, his laugh; the way his eyes found hers and looked away again, as if he were hiding from her. She was very much sensible of him. So much so that stopping and returning to Dolly was sort of a struggle.
“Ladies and gentlemen.”
Ryan’s voice filled the hall through the microphone. Shelby and Sawyer stopped dancing and turned to face the stage. Ryan waved at them, grinning broadly. Shelby’s heart collided in her chest.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your attention. My godmother Dolly Porter and I take great pleasure in announcing here tonight that my big brother, and our sheriff, Sawyer McIntyre is engaged to be married to Dolly’s niece and our local scribe, Shelby Porter!”
The room exploded into a roar of applause and shouts. So it wasn’t just gossip after all! It was a complete reversal of what they knew to be true of Sawyer and Shelby, but miracles do happen and the people of Mandrake Falls were far more willing to believe a miracle than a mistake. The applause was punctuated by male shouts of “Way to go, McIntyre!’”The men delighted in one of their own bouncing back from feminine rejection. Shelby was a better match anyway; Janice was hot but anyone could see she was high-maintenance.
Shelby stood awestruck, unable to move, her brain whispering no, no, no as Ryan held up his hand for silence. “Dolly and I thought why stop there? We came up with a surprise for the happy couple. Seeing as we are all here and Reverend Carver has consented and the hall is already decorated to perfection thanks to the Ladies Auxiliary…” Ryan signaled the band. They swung into a jaunty version of Here Comes the Bride. “Why not save them a great deal of trouble and expense and marry them tonight!”
Shelby stared at Sawyer in horror. They were speechless. The town had them surrounded, cheering and hand-clapping and then worst of all, a wave of movement, inescapable as Mandrake Falls prepared for a wedding. Sawyer was borne away on Darryl and Hank’s shoulders. Tracy pressed Shelby into a hug, gushing “I am so proud to be your maid of honor. Flowers! We need flowers!” she cried and flitted away to gather flowers from the tables for makeshift bouquets.
“Shelby, I thought you were engaged or promised or whatever it was to Roger?” Darlene pushed her face into Shelby’s line of vision. “You could have told me, you know. I can keep a secret. To be honest, I never liked Roger. I guess I can admit that now, huh?”
Panic made her voice tight. “Darlene, do you think you could take me to where Hank has Sawyer? I just need to tell him something. It’s important.”
Darlene raised an eyebrow. She and Hank had been married for eight years, a marriage that had survived, in Darlene’s opinion because she had strictly obeyed all superstitions prior to the ceremony. “It is bad luck for a groom to see his bride on their wedding day.”
“Are you kidding me?” Shelby wanted to strangle her. “We w
ere dancing. We had no intention of getting married tonight. Now can I talk to him or is this whole thing going to get called off right now!”
“All right, all right but don’t blame me if you wind up divorced.”
Shelby’s mouth pulled to a tight smile. “Oh there’s no chance Sawyer and I will divorce each other.” No word of a lie. You have to be married first to get divorced.
The mayor approached them, shiny-faced and beaming. “Got everything? Something old, something borrowed and so forth? You two certainly are closed-mouthed. You never even gave so much as a hint. I’ve arranged for Deputy Garvey to handle the sheriff’s patrol so we can get you two married. Shelby, I’d be honored to walk you down the aisle if you’ll have me.”
Shelby nodded mutely, too stunned to speak.
“Good!” Mayor Cooper clapped his hands together purposefully. “Just let me know when you’re ready.”
Shelby croaked “Come on, Darlene. I really, really need to talk to Sawyer.”
“Oh sure, sure. I got this. They’re in the utility room where they keep the sports equipment.”
Dolly appeared next, seemingly out of nowhere, waving her hands in the air. “Isn’t this exciting? I thought the engagement was enough of a surprise but this tops everything! You’ve made me so very happy, sweet girl. Very happy.”
Numb, Shelby stooped to allow her aunt to kiss her. “Your engagement ring takes care of the something old and the something blue. How I wish Sawyer’s mother was here. She would be so pleased to have you as a daughter-in-law. Now the something new...? Oh, your dress, of course, that’s new. Something borrowed....”
“How about the groom? He’s something borrowed, wouldn’t you agree Shelby?”
Shelby met Janice Feron’s eyes over the bright red thatch of Dolly’s hair. Dolly turned.
“Janice Feron?” Darlene frowned. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here as a guest, a wedding guest as it turns out. Sawyer asked me.” Janice sneezed. “Hay bales. No one told me the wedding was going to be held in a barn.”
“It’s a harvest theme for the Harvest Dance. Janice, what do you mean Sawyer asked you? How does he even know you’re here?” Darlene had positioned herself between Shelby and Janice like a bodyguard.
People were already settling themselves on hay bales, forming an aisle down the middle of the dance floor. Reverend Carver was in place at the front of the stage where the band was warming up the crowd with love songs from the 1960’s.
“Dolly, why don’t you take a seat at the front?” Shelby urged. “Darlene, will you help Aunt Dolly find a … ah ... hay bale? I need to have a word with Janice alone.”
“I don’t understand,” Dolly said as Darlene led her away. “What does she mean Shelby is borrowing the groom?”
“It means she’s a sore loser, that’s what it means,” said Darlene. “Don’t worry about it.”
The voices of the women were soon lost in the din and Shelby turned to Janice. “We can talk over here.” Shelby led her to an alcove usually reserved for the children’s play area but with the hay bales to climb on, the kids weren’t interested in regular toys. They were alone.
Chapter Thirteen: It All Falls Apart
JANICE FERON had always appeared beautiful and poised, but not tonight. She looked as if she had been up all night either drinking or crying. Maybe both. Her eyes were bloodshot. “Janice, are you all right?” Stupid thing to ask. Of course she’s not all right. “Listen, about last night—”
“Save it. He told me. Everything.” Her voice crumbled briefly but Janice regained control. “We were up all night talking. You’ve certainly done a number on him.”
“No—it isn’t like that at all. Sawyer must have explained—”
“Of course he did,” she snapped. Janice took a step back, her arms hugging her narrow waist. “He told me everything. Oh yes. I know all about you.”
Shelby blinked. Copper in her mouth. “You know what exactly?”
“Your mother is dead for one thing. Probably of HIV or syphilis, something she caught turning tricks. Your father is in a Mexican prison for drug smuggling. He’ll never get out. And you think you’re the woman for Sawyer? Really?” Janice’s chest heaved with emotion. “Don’t look so freaked. I’m not going to tell poor Dolly about your infantile lie because he begged me not to, but I wanted you to know the damage you’ve inflicted. I wanted you to know you’ve ruined his career hopes. How far do you think he’ll advance in law enforcement after this lie gets out? Sawyer had a bright future ahead of him and now he has nothing but embarrassment because of you.”
“Stop! Wait.” Shelby could hardly breathe. “How do you know this about my parents?”
“How do you think? A cop can find out anything if you point him in the right direction.”
The sounds beyond the alcove faded out of hearing. Blood roared in her ears. Sawyer’s calculated cruelty had stunned her into breathlessness. She had to give him credit—the sheriff had deceived her completely. Shelby straightened and tried to gather her wits. All right. Fair enough. She’d come to him with a lie and she got what she deserved. But telling Janice what happened to her parents before he told Shelby knew was pure vindictiveness. Dancing with her knowing her mother was dead. Knowing her father was in prison. That was—that took—Shelby couldn’t breathe. He had kissed her. He had given her his mother’s ring.
“Oh my God, the look on your face! You didn’t know, did you? You thought this romance was for real. Oh wow ... that’s just ... sad.”
Shelby started. Janice was staring at her, aghast.
“I was trying to make Dolly happy.” Tears pushed into her eyes thinking of the ever hopeful Dolly campaigning for a wedding.
Janice crossed her arms, frowning with puzzled contempt. “Very noble, but what made you believe Sawyer wasn’t doing exactly the same thing? You asked him to lie for you, so he lied. He was faking it, Shelby. You were a fool if you developed feelings for him.”
Shelby pressed her fingers to her eyes. Strength came to her from sources she didn’t know she had until this moment. The years with Dolly, the Gazette and Mandrake Falls had given her courage. One day, when Shelby had time to think it over, she would forgive her parents but right now it was more important that she forgive herself.
“What I feel for Sawyer is irrelevant. I was mistaken and I’ll get over it. Thank you for being honest with me Janice. I’m going to go now and put things right because people like you and Sawyer McIntyre deserve nothing less than a lifetime together.”
Shelby turned on her heel, leaving Janice in the alcove dimly aware that she’d just been insulted.
MAYOR COOPER was approaching her at a fast clip; a genial smile wreathed his face. “Sawyer is with Ryan at the front of the hall. I understand you wanted a word with him?”
“No, it’s fine now.” Shelby set her jaw. “I’ll tell him during the ceremony.”
“Well, I say we don’t keep him waiting any longer. If you’re ready.”
Shelby slipped her hand through the crook of Mayor Cooper’s arm and allowed him to lead her to the back of the hall where they waited for the music to begin. Janice hovered on the sidelines while Sawyer, standing at the front with Reverend Carver, looked puzzled. Shelby was curious as to how far he was prepared to take this deception. Was it necessary to humiliate her in front of the whole town? He shot her a warning look. Shelby knew very well what he expected her to do. He expected her to fess up. To come clean. To tell the truth.
She took a deep steadying breath and met Dolly’s eager smile. She hoped—no, she prayed Dolly was stronger than she looked.
The hall hushed as Gene Cooper walked her in time to the music down the makeshift aisle. Sawyer met her eyes and lifted an eyebrow. Shelby swallowed. If he thought she was going to back down, he didn’t know her at all. He shouldn’t have encouraged her to love him. That was his real crime, a crime of the heart. Sawyer could have won the war on Shelby Porter without pretending to care about her.
When we know it’s the truth, Porter. No more lies. Essentially telling her he didn’t think their relationship was a mistake. Why would he even say something like that? Why did he have to go that far?
Sawyer’s calm, almost fatalistic demeanor at the front of the aisle sent a chill through her. If this experience had taught her anything, it was that lying wasn’t the way to solve her problems—even a problem that screamed for revenge. Walking down the aisle with Mayor Cooper was a lie and lying wasn’t going to change Sawyer or protect Dolly. Telling the truth would.
The mayor stopped when Shelby did. “Is everything all right?”
She was shaking. Fighting panic. “This is all wrong. I’m sorry everyone. I’m sorry, Dolly. I can’t do this.”
Tracy groaned and reached out to Sawyer. “Not again! You poor man! What is it about you that sends your fiancées away in droves?”
Sawyer clenched his teeth. “Maybe Shelby could field that question.”
“Please, no, everyone—this isn’t what it looks like. Sawyer and I were never involved. I made the whole thing up. It was never supposed to go this far. Sawyer only went along because I asked him to. He loves Dolly. That much is true.”
“Shelby, what are you talking about?” Ryan faked surprise whereas Sawyer’s expression was unreadable. He obviously wasn’t worried. It was she who had lied to Dolly, to Darlene, to everyone assembled. A lie by omission was still a lie. The McIntyre boys could say they only went along to help her out. If anything, they were the innocent party, emotionally blackmailed into duping the whole town.
She turned, addressing the hall. Andrea, Trevor and Jason stood in a clump to one side of a hay bale, obviously wondering why their boss marrying a guy she couldn’t stand. “I asked Sawyer to pretend to be my boyfriend,” she explained, “because Dolly was ill and I wanted to give her something to live for. That’s all it was supposed to be. We were never planning to marry, the engagement was a fake. I’m sorry.”
Lie For Me: Autumn (Mandrake Falls Series Romance Book 2) Page 15
