Accidentally Married

by Victorine E. Lieske

  He stopped, reached into his back pocket and tossed something at her. “No, you stay. Live it up on Irene’s credit card. I don’t care. I’ve got to go back and take care of this mess.”

  With that he stormed off, Madison watching his retreating back as he faded into the darkness.

  Chapter 25

  Jared slammed his car into park and jumped out. He stalked up the walkway, then entered his childhood home. Countless hours on his way home had given him plenty of time to think about what he was going to say to his father. His anger grew every minute that passed. It pulsed inside him.

  The door banged shut and he stomped through the house. His father and Irene were sitting on the kitchen stools eating lunch. At the sight of him, they both froze, Irene holding her fork half-way to her mouth, pasta hanging mid-air.

  “How dare you?” He narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists, his anger like a fire burning in his chest.

  Irene’s fork slowly descended to her plate. She cast a worried glance at her husband and licked her lips.

  Maxwell blinked. “Jared. Come on in. Sit down.”

  His casual manner spoke volumes. He didn’t care. He’d messed up Jared’s life and it didn’t even phase him.

  “How egotistical and completely typical of you. Thinking you can run my life for me. You’ve never understood me. Never even cared to try. But this? I can’t believe you sunk so low.”

  Irene’s face paled. She glanced around. “Where’s Madison?”

  Jared ignored her. “I cannot believe the gall you two have. Did you think this would be funny?”

  His father stood. “Calm down.”

  “Calm down? You’ve gone too far this time. I am not going to let this go.”

  A look of panic crossed Irene’s face. “Where’s Madison?”

  Jared waved her away. “She’s still in Hawaii.”

  Irene clutched her necklace. “What did you do? You just left her in Hawaii?”

  Guilt stabbed through Jared. He’d been so mad at his father, he hadn’t thought about Madison. But she was a big girl. She could handle herself. “Don’t change the subject. Madison’s fine.” He turned to his father. “What were you thinking? Not everyone treats marriage so lightly. Some people think it means something.”

  His father hitched up his pants. “And pretending to get married shows how much you think it means?”

  “Stop!” Irene hopped off her stool and stood between them. “Everyone needs to cool down.”

  “No,” Jared said between clenched teeth. “I don’t need to cool down. I need you to get out of my life.” He walked to the archway and turned. “I’m done with you.”

  Madison boarded the plane, dragging her carry-on and leaving her dreams behind to die in the fading sun. She’d thought about staying in Hawaii, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. It wasn’t right to spend Irene’s money on a vacation she didn’t deserve. She’d lied to everyone. And now the only option was to go back home and bury herself in job hunting.

  She plopped down in her seat and stared out the tiny window. For some reason, everything looked smaller through the thick glass, even though the plane hadn’t taken off yet. An elderly woman sat down beside her. “Are you okay, miss?”

  Madison hadn’t realized she was crying. She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’m fine.”

  The woman patted her arm. “You poor dear. What happened?”

  What could she tell her? The whole thing was too crazy. In the end, she settled for, “My husband left me.”

  The woman shook her head. “Well, he must be crazy to do such a thing.”

  The flight to L.A. took six hours, then she had a long layover and another long flight to Omaha. Luckily, she was able to sleep on the plane, because she had to rent a car and drive for almost four hours to get back to her apartment in Crimson Ridge. When she finally arrived at her apartment, she was emotionally drained and her back ached. All she wanted to do was slip into bed and pull the covers over her head.

  She tugged her suitcases up the stairs. The lock stuck, and she had to wiggle her key to get the door open. When she stepped into her apartment, her mouth fell open.

  Irene sat on the couch, her arms folded and a concerned expression on her face. She stood, crossed the room, and threw her arms around Madison. “You’re home.”

  Nothing but complete shock registered in Madison’s brain. “What are you doing here?”

  Carrie and Mark came into the room. Her roommate ran to join the hug. “Oh, Maddie, I’m so sorry.” Mark hung back, his hands in his pockets.

  “What’s going on?”

  Irene led Madison to the couch. “Have a seat. We need to talk.”

  Carrie squeezed Madison’s shoulder. “Jimmy told us how happy you were when you found out you were married to Jared.”

  She swallowed the lump forming in her throat, unable to speak. Everyone knew. They knew she loved Jared and that he didn’t feel the same way. A hole opened up in her chest, threatening to swallow her.

  Irene dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “I just can’t believe Jared. How could he?”

  Fresh tears blurred her vision. “He doesn’t love me.”

  Irene patted her hand. “I think he does. He just doesn’t know it yet. You need to tell him how you feel.”

  Madison stared at Irene. Tell Jared she loved him? What would he say to that? She wasn’t sure, but once she admitted her feelings, she couldn’t take them back. “I don’t know.”

  “You must be exhausted.” Irene picked up a glass of ice water from the coffee table. “Get some rest. Think about it. If you tell Jared how you feel, he might be able to admit his own feelings.”

  “Or he’d laugh at me,” she said under her breath.

  Irene gave her a hug. “You won’t find out until you do it.”

  Madison nodded. “Maybe tomorrow. I can’t even think right now.”

  “Of course.” Irene stood. “We should go.”

  “Wait, how’s Shelly doing? She looked like she was doing better.”

  Pink crossed Irene’s cheeks. “She’s really good. Improving each day.”

  “Did they find out what was wrong?”

  Irene bit her lip, and Mark coughed into his fist. Neither one spoke.

  “What?”

  A guilty smile crossed Irene’s face, and she stared down at the ice water. “Turns out she’d been taking the wrong dose of her heart medication. We, uh, found out soon after she was admitted to the hospital. She was afraid you’d postpone the wedding if she told you…so…” Her voice trailed off.

  “I guess we weren’t the only ones not being truthful.” Madison smiled. “For some reason, that makes me feel a little better.”

  Mark rocked back on his heels. “Talk to Jared. I think you guys can work this out.”

  Madison took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Thanks for coming all the way here, it means a lot to me. But if Jared wants an annulment, I have to go along with it.”

  Irene cringed. Carrie’s face paled.

  “I’m just going to have to get past this.” Madison stood and hugged Irene again.

  After Irene and Mark left, Madison took a long soak in the tub, letting the warmth of the water soothe her wounded soul.

  Chapter 26

  Madison swung her car into the parking stall in front of Jameson Technologies and stopped. A feeling of déjà vu overwhelmed her, but this time she wasn’t there to beg for a job. She was going to tell Jared how she really felt.

  A cold lump formed in her stomach. After thinking about what Irene and Mark had said, she agreed. She needed to talk to Jared. It wasn’t fair to keep her feelings a secret.

  Her sandals slapped on the tile floor, her long skirt flowing as she strode through the building. This time she didn’t s
top at the desk, but entered the elevator and pushed the button to the twenty-third floor. The receptionist called out to her, but the doors were already closing.

  When they opened on Jared’s floor, Madison walked out and approached Darlene’s desk. The woman frowned, the corners of her mouth disappearing into the folds of skin on either side of her face. “Do you have an appointment?”

  “No.” Madison walked right on past the desk.

  “You can’t go back there,” Darlene yelled, as she ran around her station. But Madison was already to Jared’s door. She threw it open and entered his office.

  Jared swung around in his chair with his phone to his ear, and his eyes widened. Darlene came up behind her, panting. “I’m sorry, she just barged in.”

  Jared held up his hand. “It’s okay, Darlene.”

  Huffing, she turned on her heel. Jared spoke into the phone. “Can I call you back?” When he placed the phone down, his steely eyes met her gaze. He didn’t say anything, just continued to stare.

  “Really? You’re still mad at me?” She placed her hands on her hips. What was his problem?

  “You did lie to me.”

  “I tried to tell you. You didn’t listen.”

  He waved his hand, like it wasn’t worth his consideration. “Whatever. I’m having my attorney draw up the papers. We’ll get an annulment and be done with this whole mess.”

  Heat flooded her cheeks. That’s all this was to him. A mess. Something to clean up. And here she was, ready to tell him she loved him. Like that would happen. “Fine.”

  She turned to leave, but changed her mind mid-stride. “Listen, you’re the one who left me in Hawaii. It’s me who should be mad at you.”

  Jared stood and crossed the room. “If you had told me right away, we could have torn up the marriage certificate. It would have saved us both a lot of trouble.”

  Anger seethed in her. He was in the wrong. He didn’t even apologize. She took a step toward him, now only inches from his face. “You. Left. Me. In. Hawaii.” She yelled each word, making sure Darlene could hear. In fact, the people in the next building probably heard.

  He narrowed his eyes. “And you lied to me.”

  That was all he cared about. Getting out of the marriage. All thoughts of telling him she loved him left her, and instinct took over. She clenched her fist and swung, connecting with his eye. Pain shot through her knuckles.

  He staggered back, a look of complete shock on his face. She turned and strode out of his office, hoping he didn’t see her shake her hand. Darlene and a few other office personnel gaped at her as she passed. The elevator dinged, and as she entered Darlene asked, “Who was that?”

  Jared’s deep voice answered her. “My wife.”

  Jared stared at the elevator doors as they closed, guilt rising in his throat like bile. He deserved that. All he’d been thinking about was himself. How wronged he felt, how manipulated by his father, and how hurt that Madison had kept it a secret. He hadn’t treated Madison right. Of course she’d be mad at him. He cursed under his breath.

  Darlene glared at him. “You left your wife in Hawaii?” She shook her head and muttered, “I’d have socked you too.”

  Jared scowled, but didn’t say anything. He returned to his office. “Hold my calls.”

  Darlene snorted. “One more day of holding your calls and I’ll quit.”

  He ignored Darlene and touched his face, wincing when he reached the tender spot under his eye. Yep, that would leave a mark. A chuckle escaped, even though the situation wasn’t funny. Madison was sure a spit fire.

  Jared stewed for the rest of the day, feeling worse about the situation as the hours sped by. After work, he ran to the gym because he couldn’t shake the urge to hit something.

  He worked out until his muscles ached and his anger was spent. The hot shower eased his tension, and by the time he’d grabbed a bite to eat and unlocked his front door he was feeling more like himself.

  Why did Madison make him so crazy? And why did he have this urge to go to her apartment and grovel until she took him back? They weren’t a real couple. The thought was absurd. She’d shown him how she felt today. Going to her would be a bad idea.

  A knock on the door startled him. He crossed his living room, which suddenly seemed cold and impersonal with the dark wood and chrome accents. For a bizarre moment, he wondered if Madison had come to apologize, but when he opened the door he found his father.

  A look of defeat crossed Maxwell’s face, and Jared marveled. He’d never seen his father look so vulnerable.

  Jared stepped back, letting him in.

  Maxwell squinted. “Is that a black eye?”

  “Yeah.”

  A disapproving frown crossed his father’s face. “Bar fighting?”

  “No. Madison.”

  Maxwell’s eyes widened. “She hit you?”

  He nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess leaving her in Hawaii wasn’t the best idea I ever had.”

  His father chuckled. “You’ve got that right.” He hitched up his pants and glanced around the room. “I came to apologize.”

  He actually looked uncomfortable, and Jared wondered if Irene had made him come. “You should.”

  Maxwell nodded. “You’re right.”

  Jared assessed him. “Why’d you do it?”

  “You don’t know, do you?”

  Was he playing games? “What?”

  “She loves you.”

  Jared scoffed. “Yeah. Thus, the black eye. She can’t keep her hands off me.”

  “She hit you because she loves you. She was hoping you’d find the marriage appealing. Something to celebrate, instead of…” His voice trailed off.

  “Instead of upsetting me?” Jared shook his head. “That’s crazy. The proof is on my face.”

  No one spoke for a moment. “Do you love her?”

  “What kind of a question is that? I hired her to play a part. She did. That’s all there is to it.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  Frustration welled inside him. “What does that have to do with your apology?”

  His father frowned. “You asked me why.”

  Jared sighed. “You think I love her.”

  “Don’t you?”

  He shrugged. His insides were a jumbled mess. He wasn’t sure what he felt anymore. Sometimes he did think he loved her. Other times she drove him nuts. “I don’t know.”

  Maxwell patted him on the shoulder. “Then I suggest you figure it out.”

  After a few minutes of polite chat, his father took off, and he was left to marvel once again at the transformation. Maybe Irene was better for his father than he thought.

  Jared scrubbed his hand over his face. The paperwork on his desk blurred, all the numbers running together. He sighed and pushed his chair back, lacing his hands behind his head. This wasn’t working.

  He’d thought he could get the whole ugly affair out of his mind by jumping back into his work. Forget what his father said, forget he was ever married, forget the whole blasted month of August. Instead, he couldn’t stop thinking about Madison. And with thoughts of her came everything else.

  Two weeks ago, his attorney had finished the paperwork for the annulment. Everything was done. All he had to do was deliver the papers to Madison. He glared at the manila folder sitting on the corner of his desk. Why couldn’t he bring himself to do it? Was his father right? Was he in love with Madison?

  When she’d burst into his office, for one wild second he’d thought she was going to tell him she loved him and wanted to stay married. It was a silly thought. And when she yelled at him, he’d realized all she came for was to give him a piece of her mind for leaving her in Hawaii.

  Truth be told, it had been callous of h
im. He’d been feeling guilty, but was too prideful to admit it. He’d let his anger over the situation cloud his judgment. And now he was stuck with the unpleasant task of delivering the annulment papers to Madison.

  He swore under his breath and stood up. This was ridiculous. He was a grown man. It was time he started acting like one. Gripping his briefcase, he grabbed the folder and stuffed it under his arm. No time like the present.

  Storm clouds hung low in the sky as Jared pulled out of the parking garage and onto the street. By the time he reached Madison’s apartment, the heavens had opened up and large drops of rain were falling. He held the folder above his head and sprinted up the walkway.

  The rain dripped down his face as he stood outside her door. He pressed the bell and waited as a sudden jangle of nerves tingled inside him.

  The door opened and Madison stared at him, her blue eyes wide. Seeing her sent his heart into his throat. Her soft blonde hair was pulled back into a sloppy ponytail, tendrils hanging down around her face. Her full lips parted in surprise, but she recovered quickly. Her gaze traveled over him, then her lips tightened into a thin line. “I figured you’d show up eventually. Come in.” She stepped back.

  His arm brushed hers when he passed by, causing his pulse to quicken. He stopped in the middle of the living room and stared at her. Why did she always have this effect on him? He couldn’t seem to catch his breath.

  Her gaze softened. “You’re soaking wet.” She stalked out of the room, then came back with a bath towel. She patted his face and hair, and the smell of her perfume and laundry detergent enveloped him. Memories flashed through his mind. Time they’d spent together. The times he’d kissed her.

  He grabbed her wrist. “I can do that.” He took the towel from her and put some space between them.

  She folded her arms across her chest.

  Guilt tugged at him. “Look, I’m sorry for leaving you in Hawaii. I was just so mad, I wasn’t thinking straight.”