He bit back the words he wanted to say. Things like, ‘How can you trust a random guy from the Internet?’ and ‘Maybe he’s seven hundred pounds and they couldn’t get him through the airplane door.’ Instead, he put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder and said, “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
They got back in the car and looked at each other awkwardly. Harrison cleared his throat. “I guess we’ll get a hotel tonight. We can book a flight for tomorrow, so you can meet my stepmother.”
“Okay. Where does she live?”
“We live in Bel Air.”
She raised an eyebrow. “We? You still live with your mother?”
He frowned, not wanting to tell her the reason he hadn’t moved out yet. “Stepmother. And it’s a twenty thousand square foot home. We barely see each other.”
She slowly nodded. “I see.” She pulled out of the parking lot and gunned it. “I’ll find us a hotel.” Ten minutes later she pulled into a Budget Inn, a red sign flashing ‘vacancy.’ She maneuvered the car around a broken beer bottle and pulled up to the front doors.
Harrison grimaced. “Surely Las Vegas has better hotels. Can’t we stay somewhere a little less...ghetto?”
She huffed and flung her hand in the air. “Fine. It’s your money. Get on your phone and find a place.”
“Great idea.” He had a five star hotel booked in a matter of minutes. The valet parking attendant raised his eyebrows at the Pacer, but didn’t say anything. Harrison gave him a fifty. He checked in while the porter struggled with Penny’s suitcase. After they were in their suite, he let out a breath and rolled his shoulders. “Much better.”
He took in the plush accommodations. Large picture windows took up one wall, the view overlooking the beautiful lights on the strip. Two couches, a coffee table, fireplace and television made the living area cozy.
Penny grinned. “Nice.” She walked into the bedroom and plopped down on the king sized bed and moaned. “Oh, this is so comfortable.”
He frowned. Yes, he’d known it would be comfortable. And he was looking forward to it, after the day he’d had. But all the two and three bedroom suites were booked, and he couldn’t be a jerk and make her sleep on the couch. He sighed. “Yep. I’ll take the couch.”
His cell phone rang, and he wasn’t surprised to see Trent’s name on the display. “Hey.”
“Abby called.” Trent’s voice was pinched with annoyance. “You never showed up.”
“Sorry. I made other arrangements.” Harrison loosened his tie and took off his shoes.
“What’s wrong with you? You can only burn so many bridges before—”
“I got married.” He peeked into the other room to see if Penny was listening.
“You what?” Trent’s voice squeaked. “Are you crazy? Who did you marry?”
“That’s not important. I’m married now, and that fulfills the terms of the trust. I’m coming home with my wife and a copy of the marriage license.” The other end of the line was silent. Harrison sighed. “Trent?”
“You’re serious?”
“Of course I’m serious.” He stood and crossed the room to give more space between him and possible listening ears. “You’re the one who told me to marry as a business arrangement.”
“Well, yeah, but not just anyone, for heaven’s sake. Do you know the problems that could arise from your rash decision?”
Frustration welled in Harrison. “Yes, I know. But in my defense, at the time I thought you had set this entire thing up and already had a contract signed with her. But I don’t think it will be an issue. She’s agreed to help me out for fifty thousand. Getting her to sign a contract should be easy.”
A pause carried more silence through the line. “Does she know how much you’re worth?”
“Of course not.”
“But she knows your name. She could Google you.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess.”
“And you guys didn’t sign a pre-nup?”
Harrison’s mouth went dry. “Um, no.”
“You’re screwed, Bro.”
PENNY SPRAWLED ACROSS the bed and listened to Harrison talking. What was he saying? Something about getting her to sign a contract? She shrugged. If he was going to spend Christmas at her mom’s house and pretend to be William, she’d sign anything he wanted. She really didn’t care about anything else, not even the fifty thousand. Well, not much.
Sure, the money would save her, but it wasn’t the real reason she’d agreed to do this. The last thing she wanted to do was to go home alone, in shame. Her family already thought she was an airhead. Admitting to them that William was a cad and she’d somehow managed to marry a total stranger? No. That would be too humiliating. This way, her family could think she was happily married—for at least a little while. Later on she could tell them they’d had to end it. Being divorced at twenty-five was way better than telling them what really happened.
Besides, Harrison was a total hunk. Marrying him might prove to be just the distraction she needed to get over William. Even though she didn’t want to admit it, she had fallen for William. He’d sympathized with her when she was down. He’d told her she was beautiful on the inside, where it mattered. As it turned out, all this time, he was just a jerk. Her chest felt hollow. Empty.
She dragged her suitcase into the spacious bathroom and slipped on a pair of sweats and a comfortable T-shirt. After brushing her teeth, she hopped into bed and picked up her cell phone. Before she knew what she was doing, she found herself reading one of her old text conversations from over a year ago.
P: Stink. What a totally no-good rotten day.
W: Why?
P: Arg. I got kicked out of school.
W: What?!? How do u get kicked out of belly dancing school?
P: Funny. Getting into the College of Performing Arts was my dream. And now everything’s ruined.
W: What happened?
P: It wasn’t my fault.
W: Of course not. What happened?
P: I may have insulted my interpretive dance teacher.
W: Y did u do that?
P: She called me inept! In front of the whole class.
W: How rude.
P: Yeah, I know. I didn’t even mean to bump into Jenna.
W: Well, that doesn’t sound that bad. Maybe u can apologize and get back in.
P: Hmm. Yeah, well, probably not after the fire.
W: The fire?!?
P: How was I to know that the next class was rehearsing for a stage production of Phantom of the Opera?
W: ?
P: There’s this part where the stage erupts in flame. Bumping into Jenna threw me off balance. I grabbed a lever to steady myself and accidentally set the stage on fire.
W: What?! Was anyone hurt?
P: No. They were all over by the trap door making sure the teacher was okay.
W: Trap door?
P: Yeah, I had no idea that was what that button was for.
W: Oops.
P: So now they want me to pay damages, and I’m kicked out of the school, and my dad is gonna FREAK.
W: I’m sorry, sweetie. What can I do to make it better?
P: Nothing. I just needed to vent. Thx for listening.
W: Anytime. I’m here 4 u.
P: I don’t know what I’d do without you.
W: Don’t get discouraged. You’re amazing. U know that, right? I love u.
Penny stared at the screen, the words blurring together. It was the first time he’d said he loved her. Pain rippled through her chest, and a tear slid down her cheek. It was stupid, but she loved him. She knew she was being silly. Who falls in love with someone they’ve never met? Of course it was ridiculous.
But he was always there for her. Would always bring her up when she was down. She told him everything, and he loved her just the same. Her heart ached for him.
She wiped the tears from her face and tossed the phone on the night stand. She needed to get a hold of herself. He was not who she tho
ught he was, that was apparent.
She needed to move on.
Chapter 4
Harrison blinked against the bright sunlight coming through the sheers. He tried to roll over, but the couch was too small and he ended up falling onto the floor, the wind knocked out of him and his face in the carpet.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”
He opened his eyes a crack. A blurry image of Penny came into view. He scrambled to a sitting position. She was on her head, her elbows on the floor, toes pointed toward the ceiling. She wore a tight tank top and sweat pants.
“Why are you upside down?” Why did their conversations always turn into something bizarre?
She giggled. “Just doing my morning Yoga. There was more room in here. Sorry. I was trying to be quiet.”
He stood and rubbed a hand over his stubbly face. “You’re fine. I’ll go take a shower.” He shook his head and went into the bathroom. Taking her home to meet his stepmother was going to prove very interesting.
PENNY STARED OUT THE car window and tried to swallow her nerves. All she had to do was go meet Harrison’s family. It wasn’t even anything formal. Show the stepmom proof that they were married, and get out of there. How hard could that be?
The flight to L.A. had been nice. She’d never flown first class before. The last flight she was on, she’d been stuffed between a grandmother and a burly man who wouldn’t stop staring at her chest. This had been much roomier. And quieter.
Harrison had his driver, Antonio, pick them up. In his late fifties, Antonio was quite handsome, but his most notable feature was the intricate tattoo of an eagle that covered his neck and disappeared down under the collar of his shirt. Penny stared at it, curious about his background. How long had he worked for Harrison? She wondered what he got paid and if he just sat around all day waiting for a call to come drive Harrison somewhere. What a job.
The car pulled up to a large iron gate and the doors swung open. The largest house Penny had ever seen came into view. In fact, it didn’t look like a house at all. It looked more like a spa resort. It was all columns and balconies and terraces, with beautiful landscaping. Her throat dried up and she sank down into her seat.
When the car stopped, Antonio hopped out and opened her door. For a split second she thought about cowering in the car and refusing to step into the sun, like some vampire who was about to get burned. She shook off the feeling. What could happen? She’d be fine.
She stepped onto the cobblestone drive, her high heels making her wobble. Antonio steadied her, and the eagle on his neck seemed to move. Fascinating. She wasn’t used to wearing these shoes, but she figured she should look nice for Harrison’s family. The skirt matched her heels, yellow with little white flowers. It flared out at the knees. Her tank top wasn’t as nice as she wanted, but it would have to do.
Harrison slid out of the car and put his arm around her. His hand rested on her hip, sending shivers through her. Dang, he smelled good.
He smiled. “Are you ready?”
“No.”
A warm laugh came out of him. “You’ll be fine. She won’t hurt you. Not in front of any witnesses.”
Penny laughed, but then stopped when she realized she wasn’t sure if he was joking or not. Harrison led her through an enormous door adorned with a Christmas wreath into a large foyer with marble flooring. It looked like a museum, with the grand chandelier, the art hanging on the walls, and the intricate detailing of the architecture. She hugged her middle, afraid to touch anything.
“So, you’ve returned.”
Penny whipped around to see a younger version of Harrison standing a few feet away, wearing white tennis clothes. Harrison motioned to the man. “Penelope, this is my brother, Trent. Trent, Penelope Marie Ackerman.”
She cringed at the use of her full name. Was that some rich person custom? How strange. “Hi.” She held out her hand to shake his, but when he didn’t move, she turned it into a wave.
Trent’s gaze traveled the length of her, then he smiled. “You really know how to pick ‘em, don’t you?”
Stunned at his rude behavior, Penny’s mouth fell open.
Harrison didn’t seem to notice. “What’s done is done. I’ve got a copy of the marriage license. I don’t really care if Patrice doesn’t like her.”
Trent chuckled. “You might care when all hell rains down on you. Did you have her sign a contract yet?” He motioned toward Penny.
Harrison shrugged and opened up his palms. “We just got here.”
Penny elbowed Harrison in the ribs as hard as she could.
He let out a grunt, turning toward her. “What?”
“Really? You two are going to talk like I’m not standing right here?” She folded her arms across her chest.
Trent took a step toward her. “Forgive my rudeness, Penelope.” He took her hand.
“It’s Penny.”
His smile widened. “Penny, then. I do apologize. I was just shocked when my brother announced he was married.”
“Who’s married?”
They turned to see two older women coming down the walkway. They both wore outfits that screamed, ‘rich women with nothing better to do than dress up for afternoon tea.’ One was decked out in pearls, while the other wore large red ruby earrings with matching lipstick.
Trent rocked back on his heels. “Harrison.”
The color drained from Ruby Lips’ face. “Excuse me?”
Dripping-With-Pearls clasped her hands together. “Patrice! Your son got married? I had no idea!”
Harrison cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Patrice, I’d like you to meet Penelope, my wife. Penelope, this is my stepmother, Patrice, and her good friend, Josephine.”
Patrice’s lips pressed into a thin line, her cheeks flushed, and for a second Penny thought she was going to explode. Then she smoothed out her features and smiled. “Why Harrison, this house must be too large. I didn’t even know you were dating.”
“It all happened kind of fast.”
Josephine laughed, warm and loud. She grabbed Penny and patted her arm with her dainty white-gloved hands. “You must come with us. We were just getting ready for tea. I want to hear all about this whirlwind courtship.”
Penny held in a giggle. How had she guessed it was tea time? “That sounds delightful.”
“Come, boys, you will join us for tea.” Patrice left no room for argument.
“What Patrice commands...” Harrison muttered under his breath.
Patrice shot him a glare that could melt glass. After they were seated—and were served by a girl they’d probably hired just to serve tea—Josephine turned to Harrison. “Tell us, how did you two meet?”
He squirmed a bit before answering. “We met in Las Vegas. The city of love.”
Trent frowned. “Isn’t that Paris?” He jumped, like he’d been kicked under the table.
“It was the city of love for us, right, Penelope?”
She resisted the urge to shout, “It’s Penny!” and slap him upside the head. Instead, she nodded. “Yes. It was instant love.”
Patrice narrowed her eyes and sipped her tea. “Didn’t you fly into Las Vegas yesterday?”
Harrison nodded. “Right after the plane landed, I met Penelope. We spent an amazing day together, and that’s when I realized I didn’t want to spend another one without her. We got married on the spot. I have a copy of the marriage license—”
“Congratulations, Bro.” Trent clapped him on the back.
Patrice bristled, then shifted in her chair. “Well, I must say, this is all very shocking, indeed.”
“Oh, I think it’s romantic.” Josephine waved away Patrice’s concern. “This will be a great story to tell their grandkids someday.” It was obvious Josephine was enjoying this situation immensely. Maybe because she’d just learned the juiciest gossip of the week and couldn’t wait to blab it all over the neighborhood.
Harrison covered Penny’s hand with his own. “Yes, romantic. That’s what we wer
e going for.”
Patrice didn’t look convinced, so Penny looped her arm around Harrison’s. “This really has been a crazy twenty-four hours. But I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else.”
Patrice raised her eyebrow in a classic ‘Oh, really?’ gesture, which irked Penny. Who was she to imply they weren’t in love? To prove it, she leaned over and kissed Harrison full on the lips.
The kiss must have surprised him, because he started to jerk his head back, which totally would have given them away.
So Penny wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on like a suckerfish.
At first, he just sat there, unmoving. It was like kissing a statue. Well, a statue that smelled amazing. But then he probably realized he needed to do something or she’d never let go. He pulled her close and moved his lips against hers.
The kiss started out lukewarm but quickly turned fire engine hot. Tingling sensations zipped through her and she grew light headed. His lips were warm and soft, but sent lightning through her wherever they touched. It was both thrilling and enticing. When she finally ended the kiss, both women were staring at them with wide eyes.
Trent was trying not to laugh.
Josephine fanned her face. “Well, I say, they most certainly look like they’re in love.”
Patrice didn’t say anything, but sat with pinched lips.
Harrison stared at Penny, like he was seeing her for the first time. Then he stood. “Thank you for tea, Mother. It was a delight, as always. We must go unpack.”
Patrice stood as well. “A pleasure to meet you, dear.” She grabbed Penny’s hand, her talon-like fingernails digging into her skin. “You will be joining us for supper, won’t you?”
Penny tried to jerk her hand away, but the woman had it in a vice-grip. “Yes,” she said, hoping the old bat would let go if she agreed to eat with her.
“Good. We shall see you at six o’clock then.” The woman gave her one more squeeze, digging her nails in deeper, pulling Penny closer. Before releasing her, she hissed in her ear, “You’ll regret this.”
Mistakenly Married Page 3
