Accidentally Married

by Jean Oram

  Moments later his assistant appeared with a stack of dog-eared blue file folders, worn with use. This pile of picked over ideas might be all he had left.

  “We need just one thing,” Burke said, as he spread papers across his desk. “Just one thing.”

  One thing to make his business boom, and keep his mind off the woman and plethora of problems that had appeared after a weekend of bliss. Because if he’d learned anything during his years of dating, it was that if it started to look good, it meant it was about to fall apart.

  13

  At nine o’clock that night, Jill worked on shoveling ice cream from the carton straight into her mouth, then moaned and clutched her head when brain freeze set in. So much for the whipped cream, syrup, cookie dough chunks and sprinkles saving her.

  Emotionally, everything felt numb. She wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn’t fall. How had she failed Burke so spectacularly? How had the ancient formulas gone so wrong and for so many? She couldn’t blame Burke or Rebecca or Joseph for that. It had been her. All her on those batches. She couldn’t even blame a distraught Autumn.

  What was she going to tell the elders? They’d been excited to hear she was reaching a new audience and through a company that respected Mother Earth. They’d trusted her. And she’d failed. Failed them all. Everyone.

  Not only that, but Zeb had told someone that she’d been using his dating service while married. The story was all over social media despite him being bound by a privacy agreement, and without a doubt Tiffer Garbanzo had heard about it and was ready to cut Burke loose.

  She was losing everything. She ought to sue Zeb. And yet she knew that wasn’t the answer to her problems. Not by a long shot.

  Her phone rang and she idly flipped it over to check the screen. Caller ID said it was Gulliver.

  “Gulliver?” she asked, half worried, half intrigued. He’d never called her before.

  “Jill? I only have a minute before Burke comes back for more brainstorming.”

  “Did he see the thing about the dating service? I wasn’t…cheating.”

  Why was she defending herself? She should be defending her products.

  “According to Andrea’s replacement there’s been something strange with Burke’s credit. She said that you borrowed additional funds.”

  “I didn’t. I only took that first amount.” Jill felt cold. Colder than the ice cream working its way through her digestive system.

  “Well, somehow every last dime of his available credit has been claimed—by you.”

  “But…”

  “It happened this morning.”

  “But I—I didn’t do it. I’ll talk to Wini at my bank. It has to be a mistake.”

  “I’m going to have to tell Burke about this in the morning. You have until then to sort things out.”

  “Thanks, Gulliver. I really appreciate the heads-up.”

  “I know.”

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “You’re good for him.” He lowered his voice, his words quick. “I really hope my gut is right about you and that you’ll protect him like I trust you will.”

  She nodded, even though he couldn’t see her and had already ended the call.

  She hadn’t had a chance to protect her sister from the firestorm of gossip after Hayes had left her and ruined the café. But Jill had a do-over this time. A shot across the bow. If she was going down, she wasn’t going to take the person she loved along for the ride.

  Burke used to like mornings. He used to find them full of optimism and hope. Things to get done, goals to reach. But today he didn’t feel any of that.

  It was all straight uphill. All crap, and fires to put out.

  Jill had borrowed even more against his available credit. There hadn’t been that much left—not even enough for a nice new car—but she’d taken it.

  He hadn’t expected that.

  He’d thought this time was different, but he’d been blinded once again by the way she made him feel. Just like his ex-wife had.

  Burke rubbed his eyes. How many times did he have to play the fool before he’d learn?

  “Burke, Jill is on line one.” It was Gulliver, through his intercom’s speaker.

  Of course she was.

  Burke picked up the phone, hitting the blinking light to patch him through. “Gulliver, hang up.” He waited for the click before continuing.

  But it was Jill who spoke first, her tone sure and determined. “Wini says she didn’t request more credit against you. She said the loan came from a branch in the city. Logan Stone said he’s requested footage from their cameras to see who came in for the meeting.”

  “Wini? The Blueberry Springs bank manager?”

  “Yes.”

  “And Logan?”

  “He works security with Zach Forrester—the man Ethan has looking into the possibility of a troll. But Burke…?”

  “Yes.”

  “I think with everything that’s gone on it would be best if we pulled our deal.” She continued on before he could react, like if she stopped talking she might forget what she was going to say. “Because what if it isn’t a troll? What if my products do cause rashes? I’m not helping you or STH, and every day that I stay with you and your business is another day I make things worse. Zeb told the world I was using his dating site while married. I didn’t date anyone, but my resulting reputation isn’t one Tiffer Garbanzo wants you to have.”

  He was losing her. She was leaving him. She’d taken what she could and now that their very short honeymoon was over…

  When would he ever learn?

  “The world thinks I was cheating on you with Autumn,” he said quietly. “Yet Tiffer emailed and said you and I are perfect for each other. We’re still in this together.”

  “Did you see today’s news?”

  He turned to his computer, dreading what he might find. After the dating site thing he’d told Gulliver not to bother forwarding the daily sweep of social media buzz around him and the company. Or at least not to tell him about it unless it was absolutely vital. Maybe that had been a bad idea.

  “Everyone knows about our fake marriage.”

  “Are you kidding me? How?”

  “I don’t know.”

  What was next? The shoes he’d stolen in high school? Who had he ticked off?

  Other than Autumn.

  Because this felt big. This felt personal.

  Jill’s voice had gone quiet, flat. “There’s also buzz about my products not meeting federal guidelines, even though they’re exempt. You don’t need that kind of media focus on you right now as you try to expand. If you have a chance it’s without me. Pull my products from your site.” There was a pause before she added, “I’ve signed the divorce papers and I’ve had them couriered to the city. They should be there by noon.”

  No tears. No emotion. Nothing. She hadn’t even tried to find a way to resolve things.

  Get out while the getting was good.

  His chest hurt where the air bag had thumped him. He rubbed the spot, knowing it wasn’t the already healed bruise that was causing the pain.

  It was Jill.

  Jill called in sick.

  Emma asked if she was okay and she squeaked out a yes before ending the call and sobbing into the fur of her worried pooch.

  Hours later, after her dad came by to walk Taylor as usual—Jill stayed hidden in the bathroom so her puffy eyes wouldn’t give her away—there was a knock at her door. She half hoped it was Burke here to beg her to stay. That’s how pathetically she’d fallen for him. The man who’d said nothing when she’d told him she was couriering the signed divorce papers.

  The knock came again.

  “Jill, I know you’re home,” Jodi called. “Dad told me.”

  Jill unlatched the door for her sister, knowing Jodi wouldn’t leave otherwise. While her dad would use his key and march in, Jodi would just knock. And knock. And knock. Jill figured she might as well let her gloating sister in, and get the humiliation over w
ith.

  Jodi took one look at her and said, “I’ll be right back.”

  Jill shrugged and kicked the door closed with her foot, heading back to bed.

  A few minutes later her sister let herself back in. She had a full chocolate maven pie from Benny’s.

  “How did you get that? Leif said he’ll only sell it by the slice.”

  Her sister shrugged and smiled, not saying a word as she turned to head to the kitchen. Despite the warm, secure comfort of her bed, Jill got up and followed her.

  Jodi had gone to the cupboard and was getting down plates, dishing them each a generous slice. She sat at the kitchen table across from Jill.

  “Are you okay?” Her sister was uneasy, but the genuine kindness and concern set Jill off and she began to sob. She didn’t know whether to wipe her eyes or her nose first. Her sister was beside her in a flash with tissues, rubbing small circles on her back and making soothing noises.

  “I’m getting a divorce—” Jill hiccuped “—again. Our marriage was fake. An accident, but I thought—”

  “That wasn’t fake.”

  “It was. It felt real, but it wasn’t. We got drunk, got married, then pretended it was real so he could get a business deal to better his company, but I messed it up.”

  Jodi rubbed a circle, her palm warm and comforting. Jill could hear the confusion in her tone as she said, “But it looked real. More real than what I have.”

  She looked up in surprise. Jodi gave her a sheepish half smile. “As much as I talk up Gareth…I feel like I’m the one always putting in the effort.” She sighed, sat down again and shoveled a chunk of pie into her mouth, her eyes so sad. “But what can I say?” Jodi added lightly, “I’ve always been unlucky in love.”

  “You? You’ve always had a boyfriend. And you’re about to celebrate your tenth wedding anniversary.”

  “I always had a boyfriend because someone was always leaving me, making room for someone new.”

  “Oh.”

  “You connect with men. I could never figure out how.”

  “Because I’m one of the guys,” Jill said bitterly. “Burke didn’t even fight for me.”

  Jodi toyed with her spoon. “I was really jealous of you two, you know. The way he looked at you.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe…”

  “Yeah.” Jill kept her eyes averted. She’d seen that look, too. Believed it enough to allow herself to fall.

  Jodi’s palms smacked the top of the table. She looked ready to jump up and take on the world in Jill’s defense. That was the sister she missed. The sister she’d had before she’d lost the café.

  “I’m sorry,” Jill said, feeling herself tense. They’d never really talked about the whole café thing, or what Hayes had done to them and their reputations. She’d been too afraid to, and whenever she’d broach the subject her sister would usually get kind of weird and change the topic.

  “For what?”

  “For the café. I’m sorry I lost you your job.”

  Jodi watched her for a long moment. “You know I don’t blame you.”

  “How could you not?”

  “I didn’t see what he was doing, either. I don’t know. It’s in our past.”

  “But I know that my mistakes must have affected your image around town,” Jill insisted.

  “So do all the good things you do. The good with the bad, right? Sure, I was mad at you for trusting him. But I was also mad at myself.” Jodi wouldn’t look up and for a moment Jill forgot her own problems, reaching across to take her sister’s hand.

  “Why?” she probed gently.

  “Because I felt like I’d let you down. You were always looking out for me, telling me what the guys were saying, letting me know before someone dumped me so I’d be prepared. But I felt like I’d let you down by not being able to do the financials for the restaurant. You had to ask for his help. If I’d been better at math then maybe it wouldn’t have happened. Maybe you’d still be married.”

  “He was a con artist, Jodi.”

  “I know…” She rolled her spoon between her fingers and shrugged. “But maybe he wasn’t before he met us. I don’t know.” She looked embarrassed at her confession.

  “You can’t blame yourself for what he did.”

  “I know. But it’s hard.”

  “True.” Jill let out a tremendous sigh.

  “But good can come from bad. Because I had nothing else to do after losing that job, I had two wonderful girls.” Her expression softened, revealing genuine love and gratitude. “So don’t ever feel bad. Everything happens for a reason, and it doesn’t matter how much we plan, the things that were meant to be happen. And always will.”

  “Way to make a gal feel powerless.” Jill stood to take their empty plates to the sink.

  “So what happened with you and Burke?” Jodi asked. “Is it just that social media stuff?”

  Jill came back to the table and lowered her head to its surface and groaned. “And my products suck.”

  “What do you mean?”

  She quickly filled her in on their marriage deal and all the ways since then that she’d torpedoed Burke’s business life, from borrowing credit to the latest credit mystery to the bad press to the bad reviews and bad products and her inability to make everything magically perfect.

  “So you filed for divorce?” Jodi asked, looking surprised.

  “I’m trying to prevent things from becoming worse than they already are.”

  “I admire that you’re trying to protect him, but did you try asking him what he wants?”

  “He wants that deal. It’s important, and everything to do with me takes him one step further from reaching it.”

  “So you’re divorcing him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Even though you love him?”

  “Yes.” Jill’s eyes filled with tears. Oh, why did she have to love him? That complicated everything.

  “So you’re overanalyzing and overcompensating by creating a million plans to ensure life doesn’t happen.”

  “No.”

  “Life happens. Every misstep you’ve ever made brought you to where you are now. Not just your plans, but the mistakes, too. They brought you to Burke.”

  “That’s a romantic thought, but you know why I stopped going to riflery meets? Because I showed up that one time thinking I was good enough, that I didn’t need a backup plan, and I embarrassed myself when things went wrong. I know when I’m in over my head and when it’s time to back out.”

  “You’re afraid to fail.”

  “No, I’m just preventing it.”

  “You thought he was going to leave you, so you left him first.”

  “We’re not talking about my marriage. We’re talking about business.”

  “You were free with Burke. You never were with Hayes or Devon. You let yourself go and be who you truly are with him, and it was like watching you grow and shine.”

  Jodi reached across the table, tapped the leather bracelet Jill had slapped over her tattoo. “He’s the right man. What if you’re wrong about this?”

  Jill wanted to be wrong. With all her heart.

  She just couldn’t see Burke’s world being better for having her in it.

  “So what am I supposed to do?” she asked Jodi.

  “Stop caring about what everyone else thinks for once. Seriously, Jill. And go win him back, of course. Don’t you ever watch movies?”

  “Just Die Hard. And the plan is to get my life back, not mess up his even more.”

  “No wonder Dad likes you best. Die Hard? Really?” She was teasing, none of that resentment that used to be there showing itself.

  “And you’re suggesting romantic movies as a way to solve my life’s problems. No wonder Mother loves you best.”

  Jodi laughed and Jill felt the world fall back into place.

  “I missed you. Missed this.”

  “Me, too.”

  They sat quietly for a while, until Jill, feeling the need to pull her life back
together, began tidying the kitchen. The first bouquet she’d received was fading, a sad reminder of how things had changed since their party at Mandy’s. She pulled the bear from the dying arrangement and put him on the table while tossing out the flowers.

  Jodi was staring at the bear when she turned around. “Why do you have a nanny cam?”

  The door to Burke’s office opened and Gulliver marched in.

  “Gulliver, not now.” He shut down his laptop and checked the time. He had a flight in less than two hours and he’d planned to hand-deliver a proposal to a local marketing company on his way to the airport. It was small potatoes, but if they could somehow create a cult brand around his products it would be a step in the right direction.

  The last few days had sucked. A lot.

  He was divorced. Again.

  He’d hated every second of it.

  Gulliver tossed a sheet of paper onto Burke’s desk.

  “I said not now.”

  “Profits are down because you cut Jill’s Botanicals loose.”

  “Are you trying to make me angry? Because it’s working. We don’t talk about Jill in the office.”

  “The office is the only place I ever see you,” Gulliver said. “Because you never leave.”

  “And for the record, she cut herself loose.”

  “Well, in case you are curious, it was a troll.”

  “I don’t have time for fairy tales. I’m trying to save this place,” Burke grumbled, hating the way he’d perked up over the idea that a troll had caused havoc on the way Jill’s products had been slammed.

  He stood, shoving things into his briefcase.

  “Ethan’s guy, Zach, ran a program—Ethan’s really cute, by the way. Totally gruff and wounded, but he has this sweet center—”

  “He’s married and straight,” Burke stated, struggling against the thread of hope that had lit up inside him. What if Jill truly was innocent? Was there a way he could convince her to come back?

  He might as well take his hopeful heart and smash it now.

  “I merely complimented Ethan, I didn’t suggest I was going to do something about it,” Gulliver scolded. “And anyway, I’m officially engaged. Emilio said yes.”