Wife by Wednesday

by Catherine Bybee; Crystal Posey

  “Have you been to Europe before?” Linda asked as she poured dark tea into tiny cups.

  “When I was in high school.”

  “Then you know about tea time,” Gwen said.

  “It’s just an excuse to snack midday,” Blake told her.

  Gwen waved her brother off. “Don’t listen to him. He’s allergic to anything remotely English. I don’t think any of us were surprised to hear he’d taken an American wife.”

  “Gwen!” Linda scolded.

  “It’s true.”

  Samantha chuckled.

  “It isn’t my fault the women in Europe didn’t hold my interest,” Blake defended himself.

  Howard stopped eating to ask, “So you and Samantha have known each other for a long time?”

  Samantha and Blake had agreed that he would be the one to field the questions about their relationship. That way neither of them could stumble over the other.

  “I wouldn’t say that.”

  “What would you say?” Mary, Blake’s aunt asked.

  “We met last month.”

  “Last month?” Gwen sounded shocked. “How can you marry someone you hardly know?”

  Blake put his tea down and reached for Samantha’s hand. “I would have married Samantha on the first day had she said yes. There are some things in life you just know are the right thing to do.”

  Paul, Blake’s uncle, sat forward in his chair. “The right thing, you say. Is there something you’re not telling us?”

  Blake’s jaw tightened. “What are you asking?”

  The women fell silent, their eyes on Samantha.

  “Is she pregnant?”

  Blake stiffened. “She, has a name, and I insist you use it instead of acting like Samantha isn’t in the room.” The deadly delivery of Blake’s words chilled her. This was a side of him she didn’t see often, and would rather not be on the receiving end of.

  A smug smile crossed Paul’s face, but before he could say anything else, Samantha said, “I’m not pregnant.”

  Even though the women in the room had said nothing, there was a collective sigh between them with the announcement.

  “Then you married because of the will,” this came from the youngest cousin, Adam, who sat beside Howard, who said nothing.

  Blake was on his feet, fists clenched.

  Samantha scrambled to set her tea aside and grasped onto Blake’s hand. “Darling, we knew they’d question our motives.” Then, as if she was born to lying, she said, “How could they possibly know the energy that passed between us the first day we met, or the desire to be together and married without a long courtship?”

  Linda finally spoke up, putting some ease in the room. “You make it sound so romantic, Samantha.”

  Sam pulled Blake back into his chair and latched onto his hand to keep him from wringing the necks of the men in the room. “I’m sure you don’t want all the details, but your son is very romantic.”

  “I want the details,” Gwen bit her lip as she spoke.

  Blake’s eyes narrowed at his sister.

  Samantha’s gaze skirted toward Howard. The man watched the entire scene without saying a word. His silence told her he didn’t approve. His cold stare reached toward Blake and Samantha couldn’t help but wonder how far Howard would go to get his hands on Blake’s inheritance.

  ****

  The older Parker, of Parker and Parker sat opposite Blake in his office to discuss a few particulars of his father’s last will and testament. Blake remembered hearing his father insist, from the grave, that he marry in order to inherit the bulk of his wealth, but he had missed some of the details. Actually, Blake had cut the lawyer off at the time. Blake had just turned thirty when his father died; thirty-six seemed a long way off.

  Wearing a suit, tie, and a stoic expression, Mark Parker opened his briefcase and removed a stack of papers two inches thick. “I see you wasted little time securing a wife,” the man said.

  The last meeting between the two of them had been only two months ago. Mark reminded Blake of the deadline Edmund mapped out, but did so only because he was obligated to. Had Blake missed the deadline, Parker and Parker would stand to gain twenty-five percent of the estate, his sister and mother would be given a small stipend, but not enough for their lifestyle, and the rest would go to Howard and a few charities.

  “Samantha and I are very happy,” Blake told the man, offering no apologies.

  “Is that so?”

  “I’m sure you’ll see for yourself this weekend. I haven’t looked forward to going home at the end of my day in some time.” Funny, the words didn’t feel like a lie as they left his tongue. He did in fact look forward to seeing Samantha every night and every morning since they started to share a bed.

  Mark’s lips pinched together, the crows’ feet along his eyes became more defined. “Convincing the firm that your marriage isn’t one of convenience will fall on you… and your wife.”

  “I’m well aware of the stipulations Edmund put in his will. We’re here today to outline exactly what your firm needs from me over the next twelve months.”

  Mark scraped his fingers over his jaw. “Your father was determined to see to it that you do more than manipulate your way through his demands.”

  His father was an ass. But there was no need to tell Mark his thoughts on the dead man now. “We already know that.”

  “He spent a considerable amount of time in our offices writing up legal contingencies.”

  Something in the way Mark was sitting up, how the man’s eyes had a certain spark, brought the hair on Blake’s arms to stand on end. “We’ve gone over those contingencies.”

  Mark’s mouth opened into a silent “o” before he cocked his head to the side and said, “Most of them. We’ve discussed most of them.”

  The floor under Blake started to drop. Instead of showing the sly lawyer his unease, Blake sat back in his chair and waited for the other man to elaborate.

  “I’m sure at the time of the reading of Edmund’s will, you were too upset to listen to a few incidentals. Like the one where once you were married a codicil he had added was to be read and followed.” Mark was smiling now, like a fox staring down at a mouse.

  “I’m intrigued,” Blake uttered. “What else could my father possible ask for?”

  “Here is a sealed addendum that was to be opened after you married.” After removing a set of papers from the pile, he started to read. “Good show, Blake my boy, seems I didn’t raise a complete fool after all. By now, I’m sure to have made your list of the worst humans who’ve ever roamed this earth. I assure you, my intentions are only to prove to you once and for all how important your family should be to you. You mocked me most of your adult life, did everything in your power to put stress in mine. I suppose a better man would have died comfortable that he’d left his children and wife well provided for instead of forcing his heir to his will. We both know I wasn’t that man. So, my son, I leave you with one final demand before your inheritance is turned over to you. I trust that you’ve married just prior to your thirty-fifth birthday, which gives you one year to accomplish your next task.”

  The blood in Blake’s veins started to boil, knowing damn well where his father was going yet not being able to stop the words from leaving Mark Parker’s mouth.

  “If you’re truly settled down and ready to continue my family line, then the proof will come by way of an heir.”

  Mark paused to assess Blake’s reaction.

  Blake forced his jaw to remain loose, his hands folded in his lap. The image of Samantha swam in his head.

  What was he going to do now?

  “These things take time, but within a year you should be well on your way to becoming a father.”

  Like before, Blake stopped listening when Mark went on about the sex of the child not making a difference, and the child need not be born before Blake’s thirty-sixth birthday. Mark finished speaking and cleared his throat. “Seems your father thought of everything.”

&
nbsp; “And if my wife and I wanted to wait to start a family?”

  Mark huffed. “Your father is giving you millions of reasons to push your plans forward. Of course, if you weren’t planning on a family, or planning on staying married to—”

  Blake put his hand in the air, interrupting the lawyer’s words. “We’re newlyweds, Mark. Or perhaps that’s escaped your attention.”

  “Nothing you’re doing escapes my attention. Bigger men than you have married to get their hands on large amounts of money with no intentions of staying married after their funds are in the bank.” Mark was angry now, his words short with his crisp accent.

  “This addendum was sealed, but you knew about it all along, didn’t you?”

  Mark sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. The slight lift of his lips gave Blake his answer.

  Blake had an uncharacteristic desire to make Mark, and all his callousness, squirm in his chair. “I rather like the thought of being a father,” Blake said, letting a little of his childhood accent dip into his words.

  Mark’s smile fell.

  “Samantha will make a lovely mother.” Which Blake really did believe. He kept his poker face fully engaged.

  “It’s going to take more than words to convince us.”

  “Of that, I have no doubt.”

  Mark gathered his papers and stood to leave. “I’ll be in touch.”

  Blake stood and extended his hand. “We’ll see you this weekend at the reception.”

  “Right.”

  As the lawyer turned to leave, Blake stopped him. “Oh, Mark… be sure and have your secretary make me a copy of my father’s will.”

  Mark nodded and left Blake’s office.

  Turning on his heel, Blake walked to the office window to stare across the rain soaked streets.

  A baby.

  Damn his father and everything the man stood for. Part of Blake wanted to walk away. Tell Samantha their bluff was called. He knew damn well Samantha wouldn’t be willing to bring a child into this world for the sake of millions. Her family, and their deception, caused her too much trauma. She wouldn’t deceive a child. Hell, Blake could practically feel the twisting in Samantha’s gut when Gwen started talking about plans of the future.

  Blake anticipated the lawyers at Parker and Parker to force him and Samantha together over the course of the next year. He’d thought Mark was in his office today to say something to the effect of, “Blake, old boy, you and your wife cannot be apart any more than two weeks at a time for the firm to believe you are happily married.”

  No, the law firm did something much more difficult to produce.

  But…

  What if… what if Samantha did end up pregnant? Would that be so bad? A warm swell started low in his belly and lifted though his chest. The thought of her curves filling out, the swell of her breasts filling his palm even more than they did, her holding out a son for him to claim…

  Blake shook the images, which weren’t that hard to picture, from his mind.

  Maybe his own legal team could find something illegal about his father’s will. He’d put the best on the case to see what could be done.

  In the meantime, he’d keep the latest twist in his life to himself.

  Chapter Nine

  Samantha was having a hell of a time shaking the jet lag, and they’d been in Europe for over a week. Then again, living a lie was exhausting. Even Blake seemed stressed around the edges.

  The reception was the next day and everything was set to go. What Samantha needed was time away from Blake’s demanding family.

  Samantha had escaped into the library, determined to find a diversion when Blake found her.

  “There you are.”

  Wearing casual slacks and a pullover sweater that emphasized his broad shoulders, Blake looked good enough to eat. “I thought you went to the office.”

  He shook his head. “I couldn’t leave you today.”

  Confused, she asked, “What’s so special about today?”

  He brought a hand to his chest and faked a mortal wound. “I can’t believe you’ve forgotten.”

  Samantha laughed. “Don’t give up your day job for that acting gig,” she teased.

  “You really don’t know what today is, do you?”

  It wasn’t a holiday, English or American, his birthday had already past, and hers wasn’t for a few months. “Nope, color me clueless.”

  Blake took her hands in his and brought her frame up against his chest. “We’ve been married one month.”

  Oh, Lord, he was right. The fact that he’d thought of it and was making a big deal over it, showed just how much of a sentimental sap the dashing Duke was. “Wow. A whole month already.” It felt so much longer.

  “I know how to celebrate it, too.”

  “You want to celebrate our one month anniversary?” Samantha glanced around Blake’s shoulder to see if anyone was nearby and listening. She couldn’t see into the hallway so she kept her questions as to why the big deal to herself.

  Blake winked at her and laced his fingers with hers. “Come on.”

  He tugged her from the room, down the massive hall, and out the front door. “Where are we going?” This was a carefree Blake she liked seeing when he allowed himself to relax.

  “Away.”

  “Cryptic much?” she asked. “Where?”

  “You’ll see.”

  Instead of leading her to a car, he walked her down to the stables. “You said you rode, right?”

  They’d had the conversation about horses after they’d arrived at Albany. “I do, but it’s been a long time.”

  “Where we’re going isn’t far.”

  The sun was making a rare appearance and the warm air and birds flying around helped lift the stress from Samantha’s shoulders. At the stable, two horses were already saddled and ready. Blake thanked the young man who’d readied their mounts and then whispered something into the kid’s ear that Samantha couldn’t hear.

  The boy blushed, sent Samantha a quick glance, and then turned away. “Yes, sir,” he told Blake.

  “Need a hand getting on?” Blake asked her.

  The chestnut horse eyed her suspiciously as she approached. After a couple of pets, the mare managed a snort as if to say, whatever.

  “I might need a leg up.”

  Blake cupped his hands for her use for leverage. After a couple of tries, she was on the back of the horse with reins in hand.

  Like a seasoned rider, Blake mounted in one clean swoop, his back rod straight as he led them from the stable and out into the fresh air.

  “So what is this horse’s name?” Samantha asked as they led the horses across the wide-open space behind Albany Hall.

  “I think it’s Maggie.”

  “And yours?”

  “Blaze.”

  Tilting her head back, Samantha laughed. “Maggie sounds slow and Blaze sounds fast.”

  Blake winked at her. “Exactly.”

  “I told you I knew how to ride. No need to put me on the grandmother in the barn.” Maggie tossed her head back, causing both Blake and Samantha to chuckle.

  “I don’t think she liked that,” he suggested. “You told me you hadn’t ridden in quite a while. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for a broken anything if you’re thrown.”

  Sam stretched over the neck of her horse and patted the coat behind Maggie’s ear. “You won’t throw me, will you?”

  “She wouldn’t dare.”

  Samantha considered kicking the horse into something faster than a walk, but didn’t have any idea where they were headed.

  “When was the last time you rode?” Blake asked.

  “Before…” She let the word hang there for a moment. As if Blake would know its meaning. For many years, everything in her life was either before the fall of her family, or after.

  Samantha noticed Blake watching her patiently. “Before my father went to prison. Before my mother’s death. Before Dan. Before Jordan’s suicide attempt. Jor
dan and I used to ride all the time.” The memory of her sister on a horse made her smile.

  “Who’s Dan?”

  Had she said his name? “Dan was the snake I dated in college.”

  “There’s a story behind that.”

  Blake didn’t press her for answers. Maybe that was why she didn’t have a problem opening up to him. “Dan dated me to learn more about my father. He worked for the Feds.”

  Blake’s expression turned to stone. “He slept with you to get to your dad?”

  The anger in his voice put a smile on her face. It was so nice to have someone see it her way. “Slept with me, told me he loved me. Women aren’t the only ones who lie to get what they want.”

  “That must have hurt.”

  She remembered those days, the pain, the deception. “I guess you know now why I have a hard time trusting people.”

  “I should be honored that you trust me.”

  “Damn right.” She laughed and sent him a wink. They weren’t out on this beautiful day to walk though her past.

  Blake brought his horse closer to hers, reached for her hand, and brought the back of it to his lips for a small kiss.

  Her heart lunged in her chest and cracked wide open. Try as she might, she couldn’t help but compare her feelings for him to the man she once claimed to love. The two didn’t belong on the same planet.

  “Where are you taking me?” she asked, changing the subject.

  Blake slid a glance over his shoulder, a smirk played on his lips. “You don’t do surprises very well, do you?”

  “I do… it’s just… okay, no. I don’t do surprises. Where are we going?”

  Blake pointed to a patch of trees about a mile away. “There’s a cottage by a stream where I thought we’d enjoy a quiet lunch.”

  Samantha allowed her shoulders to slump and a silly grin to grace her lips. “That’s sweet.”

  “That’s me, Mr. Sweet.”

  He was being sarcastic, but she thought title worked. “Just beyond those trees, huh?”

  “Yep.” He kept his horse at a walk. His thighs hugged the flanks of the animal he rode and drew Samantha’s gaze to him once again. Blake’s strong profile, and broad shoulders that tapered to his perfect behind made her mouth water. The thought of the cottage, with privacy, popped in her mind.