He pressed closer until she had to take several steps back. Her legs hit the bed. He began to lower her down, and the realization of what he was doing crashed through her. She jerked away from him. “Wait.”
“What?” Desire filled his eyes.
“What are you doing?”
His mouth quirked in a half-smile. “I’m kissing my soon-to-be wife.”
“Fake-wife. This isn’t real, Jared.”
His thumb caressed her back. “What I’m feeling right now is real.”
She was backed up against the bed and couldn’t step away from him, so she pushed against his chest, which was kind of like pushing against the Great Wall of China. He didn’t budge. “What you’re feeling right now won’t last. You’re not in love with me. If we do this, where will we be tomorrow?”
A wicked look crossed his face. “Tomorrow we’ll wake up right here. In this bed.”
She hopped up on the mattress and backed away from him. “I have news for you. I will be in the bed. You will be on the floor.” She jumped down then fled to the bathroom, her heart pounding.
It took a few minutes for her hands to stop shaking and her breathing to become normal. She leaned over the sink and splashed water on her face. Sleeping with him was out of the question. She was already becoming too emotionally attached for her own good. If she allowed it, she’d fall in love, and he’d walk away and never look back.
Becoming involved would only lead to her heart breaking. The bitter pain of feeling used and thrown away. She couldn’t allow it. She’d had enough of that her whole life.
Her mother was quite practiced in sucking her dry then tossing her out. The only thing her mother knew how to do was take. Take interest, take advantage, then take the nearest exit. Too bad she never learned to take responsibility.
Saying no to Jared was the right thing to do. Not that she wanted to. His touch sent her over the edge. She could have easily given herself fully to him. But that was the problem. She’d be giving all of herself, and he wouldn’t.
Her feelings for him were growing. How had she let that happen? And how was she going to pretend this much longer, without getting hurt?
She pulled on Irene’s pajamas and leaned against the door, unsure of what she should do next.
A string of curses ran through Jared’s mind as he paced the floor. What had he done? Of all the stupid things, he had to go and ruin everything. Now Madison was locked in the bathroom and probably afraid to come out.
No wonder. He was such a selfish jerk.
Obviously he didn’t love her. He’d only known her for three days. You can’t fall in love with someone that fast. Right?
But her kiss had awakened feelings in him he thought were long dead. Passion and longing that he was having trouble fighting. He hoped she’d felt it too.
She hadn’t. Or maybe she had, but was being more sensible.
Madison was right. They couldn’t take their relationship to the next level. They didn’t love each other. And sleeping together would only complicate things.
He sighed and pulled out the pillow and blanket from the closet. He tossed them on the floor, changed, then turned out the light. The floor seemed harder than the previous night, and he struggled to find a comfortable position.
The seconds ticked by, with Madison still in the bathroom. No reason to pressure her. He’d wait.
Finally, the door opened and she snuck over to the bed. She might have thought he was asleep. There were some rustling noises of her settling under the covers, and then silence.
He felt like such a cad for the way he’d treated her, but unsure of how to broach the subject. “I’m sorry.” It seemed lame, but it was all that came out.
“I’m sorry, too.” Her voice was quiet.
Surprise hit him. “What are you sorry for?”
“For getting us into this mess. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have.”
Her voice held so much remorse, he felt it, like a wet blanket pressing down on him. And yet, it wasn’t all her fault. He had brought some of it on himself. And she…he hated to admit it, but she had brought a life back into his existence that he had not had in a long time. Because of her, he got out of bed a little earlier. His steps fell a little lighter. His heart beat a little faster.
She made the world a better place. And he couldn’t stand to see her down.
“But not sorry for the haiku crap?”
She laughed, and the mood lightened.
“You know, you’re forcing me to become a plagiarist. I don’t know the difference between a haiku and a cumquat. I’m going to have to steal one from some poor schmuck on the Internet. I just hope the police don’t find out and arrest me at my wedding.”
Her laughter came louder now, and he reveled in the sound. “I suppose you could write a limerick instead,” she said between giggles.
The thought of him reciting a limerick at his wedding made him snort, which sent them both into hysterics. His sides began to hurt, and by the time they’d settled down, he had to wipe moisture from his eyes. “I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard, ever.”
“I didn’t think it was possible. You’re always so serious.”
He thought about the time he and Patricia put on clown noses and rode the city bus the entire route. He’d been fourteen, she twelve, and both had been bored out of their minds. “Not always.”
A silence settled in. After a few minutes, he heard, “Good night, Jared.”
He smiled into the darkness. “Good night, Madison.”
Chapter 13
Veronica tapped her long nails on the marble countertop, waiting for Rosa to finish making her latte. She tugged on her silk robe, becoming impatient. It was Monday morning, and she wanted to start digging around. Jared was hiding something; she knew it.
“Rosa, if you’d wake up earlier, you’d have time to get my morning coffee ready.” She hoped her frown and disapproving tone were enough to whip Rosa into shape. She didn’t want to fire her. It was always such a pain to interview.
The little round woman mumbled something in Spanish and scooped the foam off the top of the drink.
“And this is an English-only house. You know I don’t like it when you speak that foreign tongue. Then I can’t understand you.”
Rosa handed her the mug and smoothed her apron. “I’m sorry, Señorita, but you did hire me to keep house. Making your lattes was not in my job description.”
“No back talk.” Veronica clapped her hands twice. “Now go clean the bathroom. I’ve got work to do.”
Rosa bustled out of the room muttering more Spanish. Veronica rolled her eyes and ignored it.
She took a sip of her drink and let the heat slide down her throat. Much better. She sat down on the barstool in front of her laptop and typed in Jameson Technologies. Then she picked up the phone and dialed the number.
“Yes, Mr. Jameson’s office, please.”
Soft elevator music played on the line, and then a click. “This is Mr. Jameson’s office. How may I help you?” By the gravely sound of the voice, Veronica supposed she was talking to a heavy smoker.
“I am a personal friend of Jared’s, and I have an embarrassing problem I’m hoping you can help me with. You see, I’m filling out the card for the wedding gift I’m giving to him and his happy bride, Madison. However, I can’t remember her last name. I was hoping you could tell me.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. “Um, I think you have the wrong number. Mr. Jameson isn’t engaged. In fact, I don’t think he’s even dating.”
Veronica sat up straighter. “No, I’m sure I have the right number. I’ve known Jared Jameson for years. And I know for a fact he’s getting married. He told me himself.”
“Huh. Well, I haven’t heard a thing about a wedding. But you know, he did call in this morning acting strange. Said he’s taking a few days off. And he left early on Friday. In fact, he left with a woman, now that you mention it.”
“A perky blonde with no
fashion sense?”
“I think she was blonde. I can’t really remember.”
Frustration rose in Veronica. “And I suppose you can’t tell me her name?”
“No. Mr. Jameson just said he was waiting for a woman, and to let her in when she arrived because she was late and he had better things to do than wait for her in the lobby. He never told me her name, and I’ve never seen her around before.”
“Well, you’ve been no help at all.” Veronica hung up the phone and tossed it on the counter.
How was she going to find Madison’s last name? All she knew about her was she was an aspiring actress from Crimson Ridge. She tried to think of what else Jared said, but she hadn’t been paying attention at the time.
Where would actresses hang out in Crimson Ridge? Did they have a community theatre? She pulled up a Google screen and did a search. Bingo. Crimson Ridge Community Playhouse. Live performances each weekend.
She dialed the number. A man answered on the third ring.
“Hi. I need to get a hold of this actress named Madison, however I’ve misplaced her phone number, and I was wondering if she’s involved in the playhouse at all? Do you know a Madison?”
“Madison Nichols?”
A wave of excitement shot through Veronica. “The woman I met had shoulder-length blonde hair.”
“Yep, that’s her. A real sweetie. I don’t have her phone number, but she lives in the old apartment complex up on Juniper Street. Roommates with some hot chick named Carrie.”
“Thanks. You’ve been very helpful.”
With a last name, finding Madison’s phone number online was a snap. A girl answered on the first ring.
“Hi, you don’t know me, but I’m a good friend of Jared’s.”
The girl hesitated. “Oh, hi.”
Veronica smiled and tried to sound sweet. “I was just calling because I’m a little worried about this wedding.”
Another pause. “Yeah?”
“Jared and I have been friends for a long time. In fact, we used to date. It got really serious. He actually proposed to me, but I made a mistake and told him no.” She produced fake tears and tried to sound choked up. “And now I find out he’s getting married to Madison. I feel like he’s rushing into it.”
The girl on the other end cleared her throat. “Well, you should probably talk to him.”
“Oh, I’ve tried. He’s not taking my calls. I’m afraid I’ve hurt him, and now he’s rushing into something he’ll regret later. I do still love him. And that’s why I’m calling. How long have they been dating? He and Madison?”
The girl on the other end of the line sighed. “I don’t know. A little while?”
“Does he…” Veronica made her voice crack. “Does he love her? Will she make him happy?”
“You know, I shouldn’t tell you this, but you sound like you really care for Jared. This thing with Madison, it’s not real.”
Veronica’s heart sped up. “What do you mean?”
“I guess his relative is real sick, and they’re pretending to get married because her dying wish is to see Jared’s wedding...or something like that. They’re not even dating. Jared hired her to play the part of his girlfriend, and somehow they got roped into this whole wedding thing.”
Excitement bubbled through her. This was even better than she thought. “But, how can you fake a wedding?”
“They’re hiring an actor friend to marry them. It’s all just a show.”
Jackpot! Her instincts had told her something wasn’t right, and boy had they paid off. She exhaled. “Thank God. I was so worried about Jared.”
“You won’t tell anyone, right?”
Veronica smiled. “Cross my heart.”
Jared awoke and took in the made bed and empty bathroom. Madison…the early riser. He hoped things wouldn’t be weird between them now. He’d made a mistake. Let his attraction take control. Hopefully, she wouldn’t let that come between them.
He undressed and got in the shower, letting the warm water ease his tension. He would need to be more careful in the future. Not let her get too close, especially if they were alone. Madison had no idea how she affected him.
He toweled dry, threw on a robe, and lathered his face to shave. Did she feel anything when they kissed? Or was it all one-sided? The razor nicked his skin as he shaved. He hadn’t been paying attention. Swearing under his breath, he pressed a tissue to his face to stop the bleeding.
After he got dressed, he headed down the stairs to eat breakfast. He heard talking in the living room, so he took a detour.
Maxwell sat on the couch next to Madison, a leather photo album on her lap. “And here’s the seventh grade spelling bee. Jared got second place.”
Jared leaned over to see what his father was pointing at. “You saved that newspaper clipping?”
Maxwell raised his eyebrows. “I saved all the articles about you.”
“And you put them in an album? Since when do you scrapbook?”
“Jeannine started the scrapbook. I just kept up with it after the divorce.”
Jeannine. Step-mom number three. Mark’s mother. She was definitely one of the more sentimental ones. “Huh.” That was all he could think to say.
Madison raised her gaze to his face. “You never told me you could bowl. You were on a team. That’s so cool.”
“The Lucky Five.” He chuckled. “We were freshmen, with nothing to do. We thought forming a team and joining the bowling league would impress the girls. It didn’t.” He slid onto the couch next to her.
“You had cool jackets.”
“I think you’re obligated to say that, you being my fiancée and all.”
Maxwell laughed, the sound coming up from deep in his chest. “I’d love to sit here and reminisce all day, but I’d better get something done.”
“What do you have to do? You’re retired.” Jared looked over at his father, a teasing smile tugging on his mouth.
“Yeah, but now that I’m no longer working, everyone wants free legal advice. I think I’m busier now than I was before I retired.” He stood and walked toward his den. “I’d better go check my email.”
Madison turned the page and there was a photo of him and Veronica on prom night. He cringed, and turned the page again.
There were his high-school graduation photos. “Look at you. Such long hair!” Madison giggled.
“What is it with the hair?” he mumbled.
“Nothing. You were cute.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Were?”
She patted his cheek, her touch sending sparks over his skin. “Still are, sweetie.”
Irene cleared her throat, which made them both jump. “You two are adorable.” She took a rag and a bottle of window cleaner over to the sliding glass door and began to scrub.
For some unknown reason, Jared began to feel self-conscious with Irene in the room. When the doorbell rang, he stood. “I’ll get it.”
He opened the door and took a step back. “Veronica?”
“Hello, sweetie. I don’t mean to be a bother, but can I come in?” She had one hand on the door jamb, one hand on her hip, and she was smacking on a piece of gum. Her hair was pinned up in the back in some kind of fancy do, and she smelled of expensive perfume.
He frowned. “What do you want?”
She tapped her long nails on the wood. “You’re not going to invite me in?”
“I already told you. There’s nothing we have to say to each other.”
She slid her gaze over him. “All right. If you want to do this here, fine. I know about you and Madison. I know she’s not really your fiancée.”
The blood rushed from his face. He stepped outside and closed the door behind him. He grabbed her arm and tugged her around the side of the house. The morning sun created a shadowed area, where no one would see them. “What’s this about?”
She jerked her arm out of his grasp. “I know Madison’s an actress you hired, that you’re not really engaged, and you’ve hired an act
or to pretend to marry you. And I can prove it.” Her eyes narrowed into slits. “And I’m prepared to tell your family everything.”
He stepped back, his head reeling and his stomach clenching. “Why would you do that?”
She smirked and folded her arms across her chest. “So it’s true.”
Jared stared at her. He didn’t want to admit such a thing to her. But she obviously found out somehow. No use in denying it.
The words wouldn’t come out. Instead, he ran his fingers through his hair. “Listen, Aunt Shelly is very ill. She may be dying. She wanted to see us happily married.”
Veronica’s lips curled down. “Awe, so sorry to hear that, darling.” She reached out to touch his chest, but he took another step back. Her frown turned into a sneer. “No reason to be rude.”
“Stop it. I told you there’s nothing between us, Veronica.”
She looked at him, like she might look at a bug on her fine table cloth. “I see how it’s going to be, then. We can do this in a more business-like fashion. I want fifty thousand dollars for my silence.”
Jared laughed, taking a page in Madison’s book, and letting it loose. “You want what?” He laughed again. “If you think I’m going to do anything of the sort, you’re crazy.”
For the first time, Veronica appeared to have no words. She blinked and her mouth hung open a bit, like someone had slapped her in the face.
Jared continued to chuckle.
She scowled. “Fine. Have it your way.” She pulled out her phone. “Is your aunt at home, or is she in the hospital?”
His heart skipped a beat. “You wouldn’t.”
She raised an eyebrow and swiped her finger over her phone. “Wouldn’t I?”
He snatched her phone. “Don’t even joke about that. She’s very sick.”
“Then pay me the fifty thousand dollars.”
His stomach soured and bile rose in his throat. “You disgust me.”
A smug smile appeared on her face. “I don’t care. You never were worth the time I spent on you.” She plucked her phone from his hand and turned on her heel. She picked her way through the grass toward her car, wobbling on her heels as they pierced into the earth. “I’ll expect your first payment check tomorrow. Ten thousand. Get it together by then, or I’m calling your dear aunt Shelly.”
A Fake Marriage Romance Collection Page 9
