by Elle E Kay
It would mean quitting her job and living in Beverly Hills. If she didn’t work, how would she fill her days? The questions bombarded her one after another making normal breathing impossible. Oh, no. Work. She hadn’t called them.
“Hey.” He stroked her hair and stared into her eyes. “Don’t panic. We’re in this together. As always.”
“Together.” She smiled. “More now than ever before, huh?”
He laughed. “I would say so.”
Traffic was light on the ride to the airport. After a few minutes of chatter, Addison grew quiet. Zach stole a sideways glance at her. In the black pencil skirt and pink blouse, she was slightly overdressed, but so was he since he’d had an early morning meeting with his second-in-command before leaving for the airport. He had to make sure everything was properly handled while he was away.
Addison was prettier than he remembered. She must’ve straightened her hair as it didn’t have a hint of the wave he recalled. Her dark eyes seemed disquieted, but when he tried to make eye contact, she quickly turned away.
Maybe he should worry about her pensiveness, but his gut told him this was the right decision for both of them. Once they spent a little time together, her trepidation would decrease. It might help if he could get her to talk about it, then maybe he could ease whatever fears she was having.
“You still do that?” She looked at his hand pointedly.
“What?”
“Drum on things when you’re nervous.”
“I guess it’s my tell.” He stopped drumming.
“I remember the many evenings I sat alone outside of your drum teacher’s house while you practiced.”
“I wasn’t terrible.”
“You were good.” She smiled. “Too bad you didn’t do anything with it.”
“I was in the marching band.”
She let out a choked laugh. “True. It was quite the band. What did we have, ten kids most of whom played their instruments off-key?”
“Eight and we were dreadful. I think it was more about timing than key though.” He bounced his leg slightly. “Are you ready for this?”
“Not really. I’m glad to see you’re nervous. I’m a wreck.”
“What’s causing your anxiety?”
“Running off to a private island somewhere to marry a man I haven’t even dated.” She held her purse in a death grip.
He pried her fingers off her handbag and laced his fingers through hers. “It’s not like you don’t know me.”
“Do I though? I’m sure you’ve changed.”
“I don’t think so. Have you?”
“Yes. I know I have.”
He released her hand when the car came to a stop. The driver got out to open his door, but he beat him to it and hurried around the car to assist Addison. She slipped out before he reached her side of the car.
Honestly, he was having his own doubts, but there was no way he’d give up the chance to marry the only honest woman he knew. It wasn’t possible for them to date like normal people when they lived on opposite sides of the country. He was certain that if he offered to move her to California, so he could court her, she’d balk at the idea. Addison Scott wouldn’t be willing to uproot her life for anything less than marriage. So, that’s what he was offering.
Chapter 2
C arolyn Scott arrived at the airport in her signature flamboyant manner dressed in a flowing zebra-striped dress with chunky bright-red jewelry. It wasn’t something Addison would choose for an airplane ride. Unlike her mother, she preferred comfort to fashion. Addison did a double-take when she noticed Parker in a conservative gray suit, her long blond hair pulled tightly into a bun. She hadn’t been expecting her sister.
When they reached Addison, a cloud of Tiffany perfume prompted a sneezing fit. Her mother grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her into the ladies’ room, and her sister trailed behind. “We’ll need to make adjustments tonight, so your dress will fit properly in the morning.”
Her mother caught sight of the ring and snatched up her hand. “Let me see that thing!” She stared at the enormous diamond and then waved Parker over to look at it. “It’s gorgeous.”
“You don’t think it’s too big for my hand?”
“That’s not a complaint most women would have. You’ll get used to it.” Parker waved her off and walked to the mirror to touch up her lipstick.
Addison dabbed her nose with a tissue she’d scrounged up in her purse. “May I see the dress?” She hoped it would suit her and not be something in her mother’s style.
“I think you’ll like it.” She pulled it from the garment bag. “It’s definitely not something I would wear, but it’s understated and elegant, so I thought it would suit your style.”
One look at the dress, and she sent up a prayer of gratitude. It was a lovely white sheath dress with white lace overlaying it. “It’s gorgeous, mother.” She placed a hand on her mother’s arm. “Absolutely perfect. I couldn’t have chosen better myself. There’s a reason your fashion advice is in high demand.” Her mother’s clothing store overflowed with women seeking her guidance, even though her own fashion was often over-the-top, she could spend five minutes with someone and know what suited them best. It was a gift. She wondered why she’d doubted her, even for a second. Parker stood quietly to the side inspecting her nails.
Addison fished her cell phone out of her purse and sent a text to her boss. “My boss is going to hate me. At least I finished the Garrison Security website. Mom, tell me I’m making a mistake.” She bit her bottom lip nervously. “Tell me to call it off.”
“You’d be a fool to cancel this wedding.”
“How can you say that? Don’t you think I should marry for love?”
Parker laughed. “Love? You are naïve. Love doesn’t last.”
Addison didn’t respond, her sister and Ben married young, and it turned out poorly when he ran off and left her with a mountain of debt. They’d been separated for two years, so her bitterness was only natural.
She was grateful when her mother broke the uncomfortable silence. “Zach has been your best friend since you were in diapers. Do you think it’s possible to love another human being more than you do him?”
“It’s not like that with Zach and me. We’ve never shared any kind of romantic feelings, certainly not love.” She continued gnawing on her lip. “There’s no passion between us.” At least not for him. Her thoughts strayed back to high school and the nights she’d lain awake dreaming of him. He hadn’t returned her feelings then, and she’d do well to remember that he felt nothing for her now. To him this was a mutually beneficial arrangement. It was not a love match. If she was to survive the experience without severe emotional scars, she would need to keep her heart out of it. She could stay cool and detached if she set her mind to it. Even as she thought the words, she knew she was deluding herself. It would be impossible to stay detached to a man she’d married. Especially a man like Zachary Williams, one glance at his dimples and she’d be a goner. It would be high school all over again.
“There can be passion if you let it develop.” Her mother pulled her in for another hug. “I think you two will bring each other happiness.”
“Maybe I should insist on a longer engagement.”
“Nonsense. Everything is set. All you have to do is get on that private jet and show up at your wedding. You cannot imagine how much stress he’s saved you by having this wedding planned out for you.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t warn you about this. I honestly believed this was a joke.”
“I didn’t.” Her mother smiled warmly. “Your dress didn’t come from the stock I had on hand. I special ordered it the day you told me about Zachary’s ‘joke.’ Even in jest, you wouldn’t have said yes if you didn’t want this at least subconsciously.”
“You might be right.” She lifted a hand to her hair and noticed the shaking. “I’m frightened.”
“I should hope so.”
“You confuse me, Mom. If you think I shou
ld go through with this, why would you hope for me to be scared?”
“It means you’re taking this marriage business seriously.”
Zach waited for Addison beside the steps leading up to his private jet. She’d been whispering with her mother and sister since they’d emerged from the restroom. They were in there for what felt like an eternity, and he wondered what they’d been doing. He was apprehensive, so surely she was harboring doubts. Hopefully, her family wasn’t trying to talk her out of marrying him. Starting the search for a wife again wasn’t something he was prepared to do. This had to succeed.
When she reached the stairs, he took her hand and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “If you’re having second thoughts, I’ll understand.” It wasn’t true, but it was the polite thing to say. This was something he wanted badly, even knowing it was a crazy idea. She stood beside him as her family boarded the airplane.
When she shook her head, the tension that had been keeping his body rigid released a tad, and he took a deep breath. He waited for her to climb the steps and followed behind her. He escorted her to a seat and waited for her to sit before settling in beside her.
“Tan leather couches on a plane?”
He settled in beside her. “They have seat belts. Don’t look so worried.”
“Aren’t you scared?” She squeezed his hand.
“Only that you’ll change your mind.”
“My mother reminded me that you’re my best friend, and that there was no better foundation than friendship on which to start a marriage.”
“She’s a wise woman.” He glanced over at her mother and grinned. “Thanks, Mrs. Scott.”
“Anytime, sweetie pie.”
“Have I told you lately how much I like your mom?”
She gave him a crooked grin and laughed. “How could you? We haven’t so much as spoken on the telephone in years.”
“True.” He returned her smile. “I can’t imagine why we lost touch.”
“We have separate lives on opposite coasts.”
“I guess we must mesh them now, huh?”
She spoke quietly to keep her family from overhearing her. “I’m not naïve, Zach. I’m aware that it will be my life that has to change.”
“I appreciate your directness.”
“Let’s hope you find other stuff about me to appreciate.”
“Like your mother said, you’re my best friend.”
“No. I believe she said you were my best friend. I’m sure you’ve made many more friends over the years.”
“Not true. I have an assistant who is a friend, sort of. I confide in her, but she can’t be a true friend. Not like you. She’s a paid employee, so she’ll never be truly free to speak her mind knowing I have the power to fire her.”
“I suppose that’s true.” She stared up at him. “You don’t have any other close friends?”
“No. I don’t.”
“Me neither.”
“We have each other.” He reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers.
They passed the time on the flight catching up. When they arrived on the island, Zach led them up to the house.
“As you can see, I had the house built with reinforced concrete to withstand the violent storms common to the area.”
“It’s beautiful. Gives the place the feel of a fairytale castle.” Addison looked out over the white sand to the waves lapping the shore. “It’s a far cry from Fenwick.”
“I hope you like it.”
“I do.”
He ascended the stairs and opened the front door for them. “It’s so open.”
“Yes. I had it designed that way, so I could talk to my guests from the kitchen.”
“Don’t you have staff who do most of your cooking?”
“I do, but I enjoy cooking, so I spend a good deal of time in there myself.”
“Do you have many guests on your island?” Parker asked.
He chuckled. “Only occasionally. I have flown people out here for business functions. There have been a few times when I’ve invited other visitors.”
Her attempt to fish for information was humorous, but he would not come right out and mention that Addison wasn’t the first woman he’d brought to the island. Some things were best left unsaid.
It was nice seeing the place fresh through their eyes as they commented on the decor throughout the tour. He stopped at one of the guest rooms. “This will be your room, Mrs. Scott.”
Carolyn Scott wandered to the window and looked out over the rocks below. “It’s a lovely view.”
“Addison will be in the adjoining room, and Parker you’ll be across the hall from your mother, next door to my mom.”
He held open a door that connected the two rooms. “My mother flew out a week early.” They followed him from the room and he led them down the hall to the master suite in the west wing of the house.
Addison gaped at the king-sized bed, and her face turned a lovely shade of pink. It was adorable. He hadn’t come across many women who could be made to blush so easily.
He showed them the den and the game room and then opened the sliding glass doors to the beach, Parker didn’t join them, claiming she felt a migraine coming on. A few minutes later, Mrs. Scott looked back at the house. “I’m going to go check on Parker. I’ll see you two a little later.” He recognized her attempt to allow them alone time and appreciated the gesture.
He took Addison’s hand in his and led her down to the water’s edge. As they walked together, he prayed. Her reluctance was clear, so he wasn’t sure why she’d agreed to marry him. She wasn’t money hungry, so it couldn’t be that, but he wanted more from her than tentative acceptance. He wanted to persuade her to open her heart to possibilities. It was his intention to ferret out her motives and determine if they had a chance for a real marriage. One afternoon alone in the rain forest may not be enough to be certain of her feelings, but it would help them reconnect and give her a chance to pull out of their deal if she were so inclined.
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
She searched his eyes. “Yes.”
“Then come with me.”
“Come with you where?” She smiled hesitantly. “I flew across the ocean to your private island. How much farther do you want me to go?”
“We need time alone.”
“Where?”
“Not far, but we’ll be alone with no staff and no future in-laws.”
“Works for me.”
“I’ll have you home by midnight.”
“Sounds a tad late for our wedding night. My mom wants to do a final fitting for my dress.”
“Let’s go back up to the house. She can do the fitting now, and then we’ll go.” He grinned. “I’ll have you all to myself.”
She let out a choked laugh. “Isn’t that what honeymoons are for?”
He chuckled at her directness. “Definitely, but that wasn’t the type of quality time to which I was referring. I was thinking more along the lines of time for us to get reacquainted.”
Chapter 3
A ddison’s nervousness grew as she climbed onto the ATV behind Zach and held onto his waist. She could feel her face warm with embarrassment again as she felt his muscles tighten at her touch. It was bizarre being so close to him after so many years apart. Even so, it felt strangely fitting.
“Where are we going?” She raised her voice to be heard over the roar of the engine.
“Don’t worry the island isn’t large, I won’t get you lost.”
“I wasn’t worried.” A smile formed when he took off, and the wind whipped her hair around her face. She let herself enjoy the moment.
A steady mist covered them, as he drove into the rain forest before veering off the trail and following a barely visible rocky path. He came to a stop at the bottom of an enormous tree. “You ready?”
“Ready for what?” It was then that she noticed the rope ladder. “I’m not going up that thing.”
“It’s a tree house.” He grinned. �
��You’ll love it. It’ll be like we’re kids again.”
“I feel like a kid when I’m with you.”
“Trust me.” He climbed a few steps up and jumped back down. “You go first. I’ll climb up after you, so I can catch you if you fall.”
“You’re not making your case by reminding me that I might fall.”
“Chicken.”
The taunt worked. “Fine.” She grabbed onto the rope and climbed, one step at a time, not looking down. She knew he was standing below watching to be sure she was safe, but her stomach twisted in knots.
When she reached the top, she pulled herself up and looked around. The views of the island from the top were breathtaking.
He joined her less than a minute later. “What do you think?”
“The views are spectacular.” She turned to admire the house. “I can’t believe you have an entire house in the tops of the trees.” She shook her head while she looked around his open air home. “This is ludicrous. Your tree house is better equipped than my everyday house.”
He grinned. “Do you like it?”
“Yes, but why have it? What’s wrong with your other house?”
“Nothing. The main house is great, but this is my private space. I come here when I want to be alone. Nobody else is permitted in here.”
“Then, I suppose you clean it yourself?”
He chuckled. “Great point. I have a housekeeper who keeps it dusted and vacuumed when I’m away, so she is allowed inside, but she doesn’t come here when I’m on the island. Her husband is my maintenance guy.”
“If it’s your private spot, why did you bring me here?”
“You’re the first person I’ve wanted to share it with.” He stared into her eyes.
“That’s sweet.” She broke eye contact and walked out on the deck. “I feel special.”
He followed her. “How many times have I told you that you’re special?”