Blissfully Married (The Married Series Book 4)

by Victorine E. Lieske

  Blissfully Married

  Victorine E. Lieske

  Copyright © 2016 by Victorine E. Lieske.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

  Victorine E. Lieske

  PO Box 493

  Scottsbluff, NE 69363-0493

  www.victorinelieske.com

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  This book is dedicated to my dear, sweet husband who puts up with me acting like a zombie as I’m writing. You’re truly the best. There’s a bunch of people who helped me with this book, who I am indebted to. My fantastic editor, Cherise Kelly, deserves a huge thank you. My totally awesome beta readers and critique partners helped a ton. Thank you, Sabrina Sumsion, Lisa Kovanda, Crystal Walton, Melanie Snitker, Franky Brown-Gubler, Rachel John, Cindy Whitney, KJ Watters, Martha Rawlings, Dedra Tregaskis, and Julie L. Spencer.

  I also need to thank my wonderful formatter, Craig Hansen. You make me look so good. Thank you!

  A massive thank you to my Scream Team, for reading advance copies, writing reviews, and shouting about the book. You guys rock!

  Chapter 1

  Sidney’s fingers flew across the computer keys as she held her breath and tried not to get her hopes up. A woman in her thirties sat in the chair opposite her desk, fidgeting with her acrylic nails. The late afternoon sun poured in the windows that faced the street.

  Sidney smiled to put her potential client at ease. “Don’t be nervous, Monica. I just have a few questions to ask.”

  Monica pasted on a weak smile. “That’s fine. I’m just not used to doing anything like this. But Mia said you were the best, and I—well, I haven’t had great luck picking out men to date.” She twirled a strand of her dark hair.

  “Most women who come in here are in the same boat. They want a committed relationship with a man who isn’t…” She tried to think of a word that wasn’t a put down.

  “Weird?” Monica finished for her.

  Sidney laughed. “I can understand why you’d say that.” She straightened her suit jacket.

  “I don’t know what it is. I can’t seem to meet a normal guy.” Monica sighed. “I guess I attract the strange ones.”

  Sidney shook her head. “It’s not you. Many women feel the exact same way. Here at Blissfully Matched, we take your dating seriously.”

  Monica looked up. “We?”

  Sidney swallowed. Why had she said that? Now she had to admit the truth. “Well, it’s just me right now. But I’m very dedicated to finding a match for each one of my clients.”

  “How many clients have you successfully matched?”

  “Six.”

  Monica blinked, and disappointment flitted into her eyes. “Only six?”

  “Yes, well, that represents an eighty-five percent success rate.” She wished she didn’t have to count her sister, who had hired her to find Mr. Right but in reality just wanted more guys to string along.

  The excitement seemed to drain out of Monica, like someone had pulled a plug. “I see.” Her gaze flickered to Sidney’s ring finger. “And what about you?”

  And there it was. Her cheeks heated and she placed her hands on her lap under the desk. Maybe it was best to play dumb. “Me?”

  Monica frowned. “Have you found your perfect match?”

  Oh boy. This was where things always went downhill. Was it impolite to say, ‘None of your business?’ Sidney bit her bottom lip to keep the words from tumbling out. Instead, she shook her head.

  Sidney’s potential client was quickly becoming her lost client as Monica’s frown deepened. “I see,” she repeated. “And how much do you charge?”

  This was not going well at all. She was supposed to talk up the service, get the client excited about it, build up confidence in her abilities, and then reveal her price structure. But she couldn’t ignore a direct question. “You get up to ten matches for a thousand dollars.”

  Monica’s eyes bulged and she stood. “Well, I’ll need time to think about it.” Before the words were out, she was half-way to the door.

  “Of course,” Sidney called as she watched the woman bolt through the door and head down the street.

  Great. Now how was she going to pay the rent? The business location she’d picked was perfect, right on the downtown strip with street parking outside her window. Lots of foot traffic. But the rent was tough to swallow. With a sigh, she closed the new client account she had started.

  She was in trouble. And based on the report she’d run this morning, if she didn’t land a client soon, she’d be kicked to the curb.

  The door swished open again and her best friend strode in. Mia always looked like she was about to step out on a runway. Today she sported thigh high boots and a mini skirt. The getup would look ridiculous on Sidney, but somehow Mia pulled it off.

  “Hey, girlfriend. How’s business?” Mia took off her huge sunglasses and slid them into her clutch before plopping into the recently vacated client chair.

  Sidney leaned back and let out a sigh. “Not good.”

  “What? I sent you three customers this week. Didn’t any of them come in?”

  “Yes.” Sidney pressed her lips together and blinked away the moisture gathering behind her eyelids.

  Mia softened. “What’s wrong? They didn’t hire you?”

  “No.” She looked down at the carpet. “I lost them when they found out I was single.”

  A deep frown crossed Mia’s features. “What have I been telling you? You’re the best matchmaker I know. Why don’t you use those skills of yours to find yourself a man?”

  Sidney fought the urge to snort. She was twenty-six. It wasn’t like she was an old maid. “I don’t need a man in order to succeed.”

  Mia rolled her eyes. “I’m not saying that, and you know it. You’re smart. And funny. Men like you, but you push them all away. Maybe you should take your own advice once in a while.”

  A hollow feeling squeezed into Sidney’s chest. The last thing she needed was another disastrous relationship. She’d sworn off men after the last one, Asher. Too good-looking for his own good. She’d thought they were on the road to engagement…a house in the suburbs…maybe two point five kids. Turns out he was on the road to Patty Mason. Her life had been a string of bad experiences with men, and she was through with it. “I’m fine on my own.”

  Mia gave her a pitying look. “Don’t you think your customers would have more confidence in you if you had your own perfect match?”

  She sighed. “Probably. But it’s not fair.” Having her own relationship had nothing to do with her ability to help others. But if no one would give her a chance, she might as well go back to waitressing. The hours stunk and it made her feet hurt, but what else could she do? She stared out the window. “I don’t think I can do it. My heart can’t take another horrible relationship.”

  A weird look came over Mia’s face. “My Aunt Sylvia!”

  Sidney stared at her friend and wondered about her ment
al state. “What?”

  Mia hopped out of her chair. “Ha, I don’t know why we haven’t thought of it before. After her divorce, Aunt Sylvia couldn’t go out without being hit on, so she decided to wear her wedding ring around. It worked. She could go out for the night and have no problems.”

  “Um…Okay.”

  “Don’t you get it? You need a fake fiancé. A photo of a guy to put on your desk. A fake engagement ring on your finger. Then people won’t hesitate to hire you.” Mia fluttered around the room like a little kid on a sugar high.

  Sidney stood and rounded her desk, grasping Mia’s arms. “Settle down. I can’t lie to people. You’re insane.”

  Mia grew serious. “Are you good at what you do?”

  The question threw her off, and Sidney blinked. She was good at matchmaking. She loved searching for that perfect date for a client. She knew how to run background checks and what questions to ask to get to the heart of someone. And the thrill of seeing their eyes light up when they met was like nothing else. “Yeah, I am.”

  “And do you want to see your business die?”

  A heaviness settled in her stomach. “No.”

  “Then isn’t it better to give the appearance of success to your potential customers? It’s like dressing for the right occasion. You’re just adding a man as an accessory.”

  Sidney drew in a breath and let it out slowly. Maybe Mia was right. Maybe it wasn’t like lying as much as it was having the right appearance. Like buying a nice pair of shoes. Only it was a man on her arm.

  The look on her face must have told Mia she was considering it, because Mia pressed on. “If I find someone willing to play the part, will you at least think about it?”

  Sidney laughed. “I can’t believe I’m even talking to you about this.”

  “It’s a good idea. You won’t have to do much. Take some photos together and have one on your desk. You won’t even have to really go out.”

  The insane idea might work. If she had a photo, and maybe a fake engagement ring, potential clients would probably not even ask about her relationship status. They’d just assume.

  Mia pulled out her phone. “My brother’s not busy today. Let me call him over.”

  “What? Now?”

  Mia gave her that pitying look she always had when she thought Sidney was being too cautious and deliberate. “Yes, now. Look, if you change your mind, you don’t have to keep the photos.”

  Before Sidney knew it, Ted had pulled into a parking spot and gotten out of his smart car. He was the total opposite of Mia. A computer tech, Ted embodied nerd like Shaquille O'Neal embodied athlete. He wore glasses and a button-up shirt, and every move he made was calculated. But he had a kryptonite, and that was Mia. When she said jump, he asked how high.

  The door dinged as he walked in. He gave Sidney a sheepish smile. “Hey.”

  Sidney stood up from her computer chair. “Sorry to drag you over here.”

  “No problem.” He pushed his glasses up with his index finger and rocked back on his heels. “I don’t mind.”

  Mia grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the wall. “Come over here, Sidney. We’ll take the photos where there’s good light.”

  Mia pushed them together and made Ted put his arm around her. “Smile like you’re in love.”

  Could she do anything more embarrassing? Sidney ignored the heat assaulting her cheeks and smiled so they could get this over with. After several poses and about a hundred clicks, Mia pronounced them done. She waved her phone. “I’ll go get a few of these printed up.”

  Sidney faced Ted. “Thanks for doing this.”

  He ducked his head. “Sure.” He stuffed his fists in his pockets. “See ya around.”

  After they left, Sidney sank into her chair and put her head on her desk, a feeling of dread sinking in. It had seemed like a good idea twenty minutes ago. Not so much anymore.

  She forced herself to sit up and take in a cleansing breath. This was not a new low for her. It was a positive step in a proactive direction. Nice pair of shoes. That’s all this was. She clicked to open a browser on her computer. Now all she needed to do was get a new customer.

  Sidney spent an hour working her social media contacts and doing some soft advertising. When the door dinged and Mia waltzed back in, she was in a better mood. “Hey,” Sidney said without looking up.

  “Hey yourself. Look what I’ve got.” Mia shoved a framed photo in front of Sidney’s face.

  The image of her and Ted smiling at each other actually looked good. Believable even. “Not bad.”

  Mia set the photo on her desk pointing toward the client’s chair. She adjusted it a little, then smiled. “There. You’re now in a happy relationship.”

  She grabbed Sidney’s hand and slid a diamond ring on her finger. “And now you’re happily engaged.”

  Sidney stared at the diamond on her hand. “Is this real? Where did you get this?”

  Mia clapped her hands and bounced on her toes. “Isn’t it perfect? It’s totally fake but no one will know. It sparkles just like the real thing.”

  “How did you know my size?”

  Mia laughed and raised an eyebrow. “Girl, we’ve been shopping together long enough. Don’t you think I pay attention?”

  Sidney stared down at the sparkling piece of jewelry. Another sense of dread settled in her gut, but she pushed it away. It was only a ring. And she didn’t have to do anything else. Just wear it at work. That was it.

  So why did she feel like she was making a big mistake?

  Chapter 2

  As the month progressed, the pressing dread lightened and the ring didn’t feel as heavy on her finger. She had two clients sign up for her service and a third scheduled to come in on Friday. So far, no one had asked about her photo, so she hadn’t had to outright lie. Things were looking up. She might even get to eat this weekend.

  Her fingers clicked on the keyboard as the front door swung open and Mia rushed in. “I have the best idea!” She didn’t wait for Sidney to speak. She went to the west wall and unrolled a long vinyl sign sporting the words: Blissfully Matched.

  Sidney raised an eyebrow. “A wall vinyl?”

  “Yes. I made one for your car as well. But that’s not all. I think you should make this your success wall. Put up photos of all your successful matches.”

  “I only have six. And three of them were from before I went into business.”

  “That’s okay, they still count.” Mia’s bangle bracelets clinked together. “We can put up several shots of each couple for now, so the wall looks full, and exchange them out as you make more matches. I brought some of my wedding photos to put up.”

  Sidney had convinced Mia to go out with Paul back in college. They were perfect for each other, and they’d both been having a difficult time in the dating pool. All it took was one date and they were hooked on each other. They married a year later.

  “Sounds like a great idea.”

  Mia began prepping the wall for the vinyl. “This is going to look amazing.”

  “What font did you use? That looks stunning.”

  Mia answered, but something outside captured Sidney’s attention and suddenly nothing else mattered. Someone stood on the sidewalk, squinting in her direction. A man who looked just like…Blake?

  The bottom dropped out of her stomach and an incredible urge to hide overcame her.

  Oh no. It couldn’t be him. After all this time? What was he doing back in Bishop Falls? Had he seen her through the window? Good heavens, he was starting to come her way. Before her head could completely process what she was doing, Sidney slipped off her chair and dropped to the floor, crouching behind her desk.

  Mia stopped talking mid-sentence. “Uh, Sidney? What are you doing?”

  Her heart pounded in her chest, and she prayed that Blake hadn’t seen her. Maybe he was looking into the sun, and it had blinded him. Yes, maybe that was it. He was squinting after all. “Dropped something.”

  The sound of the door dingin
g made her blood freeze. And then Mia cleared her throat. “Hello.”

  Blake’s deep voice answered. “Hi. I’m sorry, I thought I saw someone through the glass. Is Sidney Reed in here?”

  No, no, no. This wasn’t happening. He couldn’t be here. And he couldn’t find her crouching down behind her desk like some stupid coward. Sidney’s ears grew hot and her legs cramped. She shook her head at Mia, giving her the ‘no’ sign, and prayed she would cover for her.

  “Why, yes, she’s here.”

  Mia was so dead. Deader than dead. Sidney was going to kill her, and then revive her just so she could kill her again.

  There was no going back now. Her choice was to either stand up on her own and try to look dignified, or wait until Mia led Blake around the desk to find her squatting on the floor, chin deep in her own embarrassment. She peered under her desk for something she could use as an excuse. A silver paperclip lay in the dust and she snatched it, then stood, her neck now burning as well as her ears.

  “Ah, I found it!” She held up the paperclip like it was proof that she wasn’t insane.

  “Sidney?” Blake cocked his head to the side, as if he was still not quite sure it was her.

  She feigned innocence, tossing the paperclip on the desk. “Yes?”

  A smile took over his features and he took a step toward her. “It’s me, Blake.”

  It was him, all right. The same dark hair and piercing blue eyes, although he’d filled out over the last ten years. He was all man now. None of the boyish features remained. He had a strong jaw and muscular build. And he was here, in her matchmaking business, smiling at her. She blinked, pretending to be confused. “Blake?”

  Behind him, Mia was completely freaking out, waving her hands and mouthing something she couldn’t read. Probably something like, “Holy cow, he’s totally hot!” At least, that’s what Sidney was thinking.

  Blake’s grin widened. “Blake Wellington. We used to hang out as kids.”

  Hang out. More like, he would hang out with her older brother, and she’d tag along, ogling after him. But it was nice of him to act like she belonged. Sidney nodded and plastered on a smile of her own. “Of course. Blake. How have you been?”