Hired Bride

by Jackie Merritt

  “Something to that effect. I’m going to go back in and say good-night to Dad and Lily. I’ll only be a minute. Don’t move.” Zane was on his feet and gone in a flash.

  He’s a kind, considerate man with extremely good manners. Gwen sighed, wishing she could pinpoint at least one flaw in Zane’s character or personality. Then she pondered his reputation with women and decided that could be a flaw.

  But it could also be an advantage, depending on which gender was analyzing it. Men undoubtedly admired Zane’s prowess with the opposite sex, while women…? Darn, Gwen thought uneasily, women probably admired it too. At least they might until he left them with a broken heart.

  You’re becoming much too interested in Zane Fortune’s love life. Think of something else!

  Gwen tried to follow that sensible advice, and was considering next week’s work schedule in a relatively relaxed position, with her eyes shut, when she heard footsteps. Thinking that Zane had returned, she opened her eyes. Maria Cassidy was standing in front of her.

  For some reason a chill went up Gwen’s spine, but she said calmly, “Hello, Maria. Are you enjoying the reception?”

  “It’s just another excuse for the Fortunes to flaunt their wealth,” Maria said with a bitter twist of her lips. Without invitation she plopped down in the chair Zane had used. “How’d you meet Zane?”

  Gwen was so uncomfortable with this peculiar young woman that she wished Zane would hurry up and get back.

  “Through my work,” she said slowly, though she had no intention of explaining details to Maria.

  “I hope you know that he has a lot of girlfriends. It would be really stupid of you to think you’re the only woman in his life,” Maria said with a malevolent little smile.

  What maliciousness! Gwen thought, shrinking internally from Maria and wishing again that Zane would return. How on earth did Lily, who was a lady in every sense of the word, have a daughter like Maria? Especially when Lily’s other daughter, Hannah, was so much like her mother. What had gone wrong with Maria?

  “I know Zane has women friends,” Gwen said cautiously.

  Maria let out a snort. “Friends, my eye. Obviously you didn’t get my meaning. Maybe you are stupid!”

  Gwen was suddenly furious. How dare this vulgar, mean-minded woman speak to her like this? Forgetting that Zane was due back at any moment, she got to her feet.

  How she managed to speak at normal pitch when she was so steaming mad Gwen would never know, but she said quite calmly, “I’m going to say good-night, Maria,” and she walked off. When she heard Maria giggling behind her, she walked faster. That awful young woman had deliberately antagonized her and was now laughing about it!

  When Gwen reached the house, she stopped before going in and looked back at the tent. Zane must have been held up, she thought, not at all upset by it. As long as he didn’t care that she had deserted the party, he could stay up all night. She went into the house and then made her way to her assigned bedroom.

  There was a lamp burning, and someone had turned down the bed. The room looked cozy and comfortable. Gwen took off her jacket and skirt and hung them in the closet. The rest of her things went into a bag she’d brought along for used clothing, and finally she pulled her short, silky nightgown over her head. Barefoot and yawning, she went into the bathroom, where she brushed her teeth and removed the pins holding her fancy hair style together. She was giving her long hair a good brushing when someone rapped on the bedroom door.

  “Just a moment,” she called. She ran for the matching robe she’d left in the bureau drawer, then slipped it on and hurried to open the door. It was Zane, of course. She’d expected it would be. “Sorry I left without talking to you,” she said quickly. “But Maria Cassidy cornered me and was saying some terrible things. I really couldn’t sit there any longer without losing my temper and batting her one. What is wrong with that woman?”

  “What was she saying?” Zane was much more interested in how pretty Gwen looked with her hair down and wearing a lavender silky robe than he was in anything Maria might have said, but he realized that he would discuss any topic to keep this luscious lady talking to him.

  Gwen cocked a somewhat cynical eyebrow. “Are you sure you want to know?”

  Zane caught on and frowned. “She talked about me? Why on earth would Maria talk about me?”

  “I have no idea why Maria would do anything. She strikes me as being a pickle short of a full barrel, Zane.”

  Zane looked around. “We shouldn’t be talking in the hall. Some people might be trying to sleep. Could I come in for a few minutes?”

  Gwen hesitated, but gave in quickly with a nonchalant shrug. “Sure, why not?”

  Zane stepped into the room and quietly closed the door behind him. “Getting back to Maria, Lily has been worried about her.”

  “I would imagine she has.” Gwen set the hairbrush on the bureau. “Maria seems to have some sort of animosity toward your family. I find that curious, when her mother is engaged to your father.”

  “It is curious.” Zane grinned. “But then I never promised that you wouldn’t meet a few odd ducks today. Probably every big family has ’em.”

  Gwen smiled. “I’m sure you’re right.” She was certain that Zane was heading for the door when he started walking, and that he would say good-night at any moment. She was stunned when he was suddenly standing about two inches away from her. Her eyes widened when he began toying with her hair, brushing it back from her cheek and winding a curl around his forefinger.

  “Wha-what are you doing?” She knew that she sounded breathless, but was it any wonder, when her heart was pounding so hard?

  “Something I’ve wanted to do all day.” Zane cupped her face with both of his hands and pressed his lips to hers.

  Gwen’s entire system went wild with erotic little stirrings. She felt as though her insides were melting and blending together as his mouth possessed and teased hers. It had been too long since she’d been kissed, especially in the way Zane was kissing her, and she honestly did not have the strength of will to push him away.

  He smelled heavenly. Oh, yes, she had noticed the incredible scent he wore, besides being aware of his extraordinary good looks, throughout the whole day. Was there a woman alive who wouldn’t want to be kissed by Zane Fortune?

  But a kiss was one thing and his hands under her nightgown was something else. Gasping for air, Gwen backed up a step. “You’re going too far,” she said hoarsely.

  Zane didn’t argue. “You’re right. I only intended to kiss you. I guess I didn’t expect to feel such fireworks.”

  Gwen saw how flushed his face was and knew that his high color was not caused by embarrassment. He was aroused!

  Well, so was she. So much for all that gibberish she’d thought about eluding his ‘Conquest’ lists. All Zane had had to do was touch her with that special light in his eyes and she’d turned into molten jelly!

  “I…I think you’d better go,” she stammered, while some crazy part of her wished that she had the guts to go for it, to ask him to stay, or even to let him know with the right kind of smile that she didn’t want him to go. One night of very hot lovemaking? Oh, yes, didn’t every woman deserve to meet a Zane Fortune once in her life?

  “Yeah, you’re right.” Zane moved to the door and put his hand on the knob. Then he looked at her. “Gwen Hutton, you are one very special lady. Good night.”

  Brunch was served on the south patio of the house close to noon the next day, and Gwen realized that she was strictly in the company of members of the Fortune family. Apparently the other guests had made their departure sometime between the party last night and brunch today.

  It would be very easy to sincerely like these people, Gwen thought about halfway through the meal. Certainly they were all charming to her, all seemingly doing their best to make her feel at ease.

  There was nothing in Zane’s eyes today except good humor. Nothing at all about that kiss last night. Inwardly she heaved a sigh, and won
dered why she felt as though some great and profound chapter of her life had been abruptly and prematurely closed. A kiss meant nothing to Zane, obviously, and it should mean nothing to her. She should thank her lucky stars that Zane had already forgotten it.

  When the meal was over and people began rising to leave and bid each other goodbye, most of them made a special effort to tell Gwen how much they had enjoyed meeting her, and that they hoped to see her again soon. She said thank you a dozen times, discovering that she truly meant it. Every one of the Fortunes and their spouses had been kind and pleasant to her. Zane was lucky to have such a wonderful family.

  When they started the drive back to San Antonio, Gwen told him exactly that. “I’m going home with a much different impression of the Fortune family than the preconceived notions I arrived with,” she said.

  “You probably thought we were a bunch of snobs,” Zane said with a laugh.

  “I think I judged the Fortunes on what I read in the society pages,” Gwen said matter-of-factly.

  “Without knowing even one of us, do you think you should have judged us at all?”

  Gwen felt her face burning. How neatly he had put her in her place.

  When Zane pulled into Gwen’s driveway, he realized that he had barely noticed her house yesterday. It was an unpretentious little white frame house with green trim, several large shade trees and a fenced yard—very much like all the other homes in the obviously blue-collar neighborhood.

  Gwen’s garage door was down, and Zane spotted a rather dilapidated white van parked next to the garage. “Who drives the van?” he asked.

  “I do. I park out there because the garage is full of furniture.”

  Zane laughed curiously. “Furniture?”

  “Yes, I refinish old pieces in my spare time.” Gwen was concerned about how to approach the subject of payment. Did Zane have a check with him, or would he put her off with some comment about having a check mailed to her? This part of their arrangement embarrassed and unnerved her. Besides, now that she’d met the Fortune family, she regretted having taken part in Zane’s charade. Receiving money for deceiving such nice people made her feel she’d hit an all-time low.

  “Speaking of spare time,” Zane said with a warm smile, “how about having dinner with me some night this coming week?”

  Gwen was dumbfounded. Those were positively the last words she could have imagined coming out of Zane’s mouth. She could think of only one reason why he would want to see her again. His sexual appetite had been whetted by that kiss last night, and what he really was requesting was another opportunity to get her into bed.

  “Sorry,” she said coolly, “but I don’t date.”

  “Not at all?” It was Zane’s turn to look dumbfounded. “Uh, do you have a reason for not dating?”

  “Dozens,” she said flatly. “Now, if you’ll get my suitcase from the trunk, I’ll let you be on your way.”

  Perplexed, Zane kept looking at her. “I guess I don’t understand. You don’t ever date?”

  “I haven’t dated since my husband’s death.”

  “You’re a widow? Damn, Gwen, I’m really sorry. For some reason I thought you were a single woman. Well, you are, of course, but—”

  “I know what you meant.” Gwen did know. What she didn’t know was why she hadn’t told Zane about her widowhood before this. And she hadn’t mentioned her three kids, either. That was something else he should know. He would probably retract his dinner invitation so fast that her head would spin.

  She was about to surprise him with that bit of news when he reached across her and opened the glove compartment. Taking out an envelope, he handed it to her.

  Warily Gwen lifted the flap and saw a sheaf of one-hundred dollar bills. He’d paid her in cash. She suddenly felt like bawling.

  “You did a great job this weekend,” Zane said.

  “Please get my suitcase,” she said hoarsely, only holding back the urge to cry through sheer willpower.

  “Right away.” Zane pushed a button that opened the trunk, then got out of the car.

  Before he could open her door, Gwen got out too. Taking the suitcase from his hand, she said without looking at him, “I’ll bring this in the house, then go and pick up my kids.”

  Zane soberly studied her profile. “I didn’t know you were a widow, I didn’t know you had kids. How come, Gwen? When we were talking about knowing enough about each other to fool my family, why didn’t you mention having kids?”

  “Since they’re my entire life, I honestly don’t know. Goodbye, Zane.” Turning, Gwen walked to the front door of the house, unlocked it and went in.

  Zane didn’t ask one question about your kids, not how many you have or how old they are. He puts on a great show of good manners and kindly consideration, but deep down, where it counts, he’s really as self-centered as they come. Thank goodness you didn’t do something foolish with him last night, something you’d be painfully regretting today.

  Sighing, Gwen changed from the good slacks she’d worn for brunch into a pair of faded jeans and a cotton sweater. Obviously her having kids had diluted Zane’s interest, which shouldn’t surprise her in the least. Besides, it was just as well, she told herself. He’d shaken her up this weekend, and she didn’t need that sort of nonsense in her busy life.

  Within ten minutes of getting home Gwen was ready to leave again. Hopping into her van, she drove straight to Ramona’s house.

  Ramona opened the door for her, looking pleasantly surprised. “You’re back earlier than I expected.”

  Before Gwen could answer, her kids ran at her full tilt. Laughing, she got down on her knees and hugged all three of them at the same time. Kissing their little faces, she said, “I sure missed you guys.”

  Donnie, who was five and the oldest, said, “We watched a movie last night, and Ramona made popcorn.”

  “With lots of butter,” four-year-old Ashley said. “It was yummy.”

  Mindy, who was a few months past two, parroted her sister. “Wots of butter, Mommy.”

  “Mom, did you ride a horse?” Donnie asked.

  Gwen got to her feet. “No, son. I went to a beautiful ranch, but it was for a wedding, not a horseback ride.”

  “Aw, heck,” Donnie said, sounding disappointed.

  Ramona’s two kids were standing nearby, and Gwen smiled at them. Tommy was Donnie’s age, and Liselle was four, like Ashley. Tiny Mindy was a tag-along, usually following her big sister, whom she adored and mimicked. Gwen’s three were towheads, blond like their father had been, and Ramona’s two had dark hair and eyes like herself.

  Gwen looked at Ramona. “They’re all so adorable I could cry.” To her surprise tears filled her eyes. “I could cry” had just been a figure of speech, or so she’d thought. She tried to laugh it off. “Goodness, I seem to be emotional today.”

  “Yes, you do,” Ramona agreed quietly. “Come to the kitchen. I think we need to talk. Kids, you may play outside or in the family room.” The children opted for the backyard, and took off running.

  Ramona led the way to her kitchen. “Sit at the table, Gwen. Would you like a cup of coffee? It would only take a few minutes to make a pot.”

  “No, please don’t go to any trouble. I’m not going to stay long, Ramona. I have a dozen things to do at home.” Gwen took a stab at a smile and knew it came off as feeble.

  “Water, then? Or a soda?”

  “Just water, thanks.”

  Ramona brought two glasses of water to the table and sat directly across from Gwen. “You know you can talk to me about anything, Gwen.”

  “I know.”

  “So what’s bothering you? Was the weekend horrible?”

  “No, it wasn’t horrible. Quite the opposite, for the most part. I…guess I didn’t expect the Fortunes to be nice people, and they are. Zane paid me the two-thousand in cash, and I felt…” A frown creased Gwen’s forehead. “When he handed me that money I wished I were in a financial position to refuse it. I was such a fraud with his fa
mily and friends, Ramona, and I’m not used to being anyone but myself.”

  “You’re feeling guilty.”

  “Very,” Gwen said sadly. Sighing, she got up without even having sipped her water. “I’m going to gather my brood and go home, Ramona.”

  Ramona looked disappointed. “I was hoping to hear some details of the wedding, and how you got along with Zane.”

  Gwen sighed again. “I know you were, and I promise to tell you everything. But not right now, Ramona. Please understand, all I want to do now is take my kids, go home and try to settle my nerves. I need to get back into my own routine, in my own little house. I saw such opulence this weekend that nothing I have seems to have any value. I’ve got to get back on my own track.”

  Nodding empathetically, Ramona got up. “If you feel up to it later on, call me.”

  “Yes, I’ll do that.”

  Within an hour of being in her own home with her kids, Gwen started feeling better. She made macaroni-and-cheese and hot dogs for supper, and she and her little family enjoyed the simple meal. The kids’ childish chatter while they ate sounded like music to Gwen’s ears. This was her reality, and it was beyond value.

  Zane wondered why he was so on edge as he wandered the rooms of his house that evening. The weekend had gone remarkably well. His scheme had worked perfectly, so why didn’t he feel good about it? Certainly he felt no remorse over protecting himself from the determined matchmaking of his sisters and sisters-in-law. No, the gnawing sensation in the pit of his stomach had something to do with Gwen. The truth, he finally had to admit, was that he wished he had not involved Gwen Hutton in his little game.

  Gwen was like no woman he’d met before. He’d dated widows but never any with children. Then again, had he really gotten to know even one of the women he’d wined, dined and romanced since Melanie Wilson’s cataclysmic rejection? It was entirely possible that he hadn’t given any woman the chance to talk about her family.

  Zane tried defending to himself his sometimes hot, but never sincere, relationships with women by dredging up the pain he’d suffered over Melanie’s desertion, and he vowed once more never to put himself through that again. But that all seemed so unconnected to Gwen. It was as though Gwen Hutton stood alone and separate from other women, an independent spirit, a tormenting delight when wearing a wet T-shirt, a tantalizing glamour girl in sophisticated clothing.