The minister nodded and glanced down at the paper in his wrinkled hand. “Do you, Derek Marshall, take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love and honor her, to comfort her in sickness and health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
Derek looked into Nara’s brown eyes. “I do,” he said, the words causing a swell of emotion in his throat. He swallowed it back. This was not real.
The minister nodded and turned to Nara. “Do you, Nara Claymore, take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love and honor him, to comfort him in sickness and health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
Derek held his breath as he waited for what Nara would say. A look had crossed her face as the minister spoke that he couldn’t quite read. He wasn’t sure if she was about to explode, or if she was going to behave. When she finally said, “Yeah, sure,” he let out a silent sigh of relief. And then he saw reflected in the window that she had her fingers crossed behind her back.
“Do you have the ring?”
Heat rose to his face as he pulled out the box from his pocket. He quickly plucked the ring from the velvet and slid it on her finger.
She stared down at the three-carat diamond. “What drug store did you get this thing at? It looks real.” She held it up and squinted at it.
He didn’t say anything. He was too embarrassed to admit he’d wanted to get her a diamond ring. Instead of answering her, he slid his own gold band onto his finger. This might not be a real marriage, but that didn’t mean they had to wear junk that turned their fingers green for the next two years.
“Would you like to light a unity candle?”
Nara shook her head, and Derek said, “No, thank you.”
“Well, then, by the power vested in me, you are now pronounced husband and wife.” The elderly man smiled. “You may kiss the bride.”
Derek half expected Nara to scream and go running down the aisle, but she just stood there and stared at him. Did she want him to kiss her? The pressure mounted as the clock ticked the seconds. He leaned closer to her. She didn’t move. Why wasn’t she moving?
His mouth grew dry, and he knew he had no other choice. It was time to kiss her. If it didn’t happen now, he would look like he was hesitating too much, and that would be awkward. He had to go for it. He tilted his head and pressed forward, only she tilted the same direction and they bumped noses.
Embarrassment washed over him and he mumbled an apology and tried again. This time he was able to succeed. Her lips were surprisingly warm and soft, and the contact filled him with a sensation he couldn’t explain. It was like sitting in the sunshine and taking a deep breath, a slight tingle rushing over him from the intake of oxygen. It was a gentle kiss, but as their lips touched it grew in intensity.
Nara jerked back, her eyes wide for a split second. Then she looked around the chapel and exhaled. She swung her arms, like she wasn’t sure what to do with them. “Okay, are we done here?”
The minister stammered. “I, uh…”
“We’re done,” Mr. Claymore pronounced and stood.
Nara rushed down the aisle toward the door, kicking a stray flower with her orange flip-flop as she went. It skittered somewhere under the pews.
Mr. Claymore picked up his briefcase which held the paperwork. “Thank you.” He nodded to the minister and then headed toward the door.
Derek tossed a wane smile at the minister and the woman standing in as a witness, then followed the rest of them out the door. All that had taken less than thirty minutes. Who knew getting married could be so instant? Like microwaving your lunch. From freezer to hot meal in just a few moments.
He climbed into the limousine and sat beside Nara. Her back was rigid, her hands between her knees. She was definitely still in the frozen dinner state. He drew in a breath and let it out again. He wasn’t looking forward to telling her this next part. But he had to. It was Mr. Claymore’s wishes. “Our plane leaves in two hours.”
Nara’s head jerked up and she narrowed her eyes at him. “What are you talking about?”
“Our honeymoon.” He felt the heat creep up his neck, but he held himself together.
“Our what?”
Her father didn’t seem at all phased by Nara’s reaction. He pulled off his glasses and used his handkerchief to clean them. “You and Derek will be leaving for Grand Cayman.”
Taking a hammer to an unexploded landmine would have been safer than sitting next to Nara at that moment. At least a landmine would take you out swiftly. Nara, on the other hand, looked like she was going to blow, but he wasn’t sure when or how.
“You expect me to go on a honeymoon? With him?” She pointed at Derek, her hands shaking.
“He is your husband.”
“Fake husband. This whole thing is a sham. You said yourself…”
Her father raised his hand and Nara’s voice trailed off. “The board members think this is a real marriage. We need them to believe it if they are going to accept it when I step down and leave the company to Derek. It’s very important to me to keep the company in the family. You know this. You agreed to it. You will leave with him this evening.”
Derek waited for the bomb to blow, but Nara just sat back and huffed. She took a moment to contemplate the situation. Finally, she said, “I suppose that works. Grand Cayman you say?”
“Yes. A lovely resort there. You’ll like it.” Her father smiled and seemed pleased with himself.
“Fine. I guess I can catch some sun. I haven’t had a tan in forever. I assume we have separate rooms?”
Mr. Claymore looked at Derek, and he felt the need to loosen his tie. Richard had given him the responsibility to book the room, and he’d only booked one. “I…uh, got us a suite.” He decided now wasn’t the time to let her know it was a honeymoon suite.
“Okay. Whatever. I guess I can spend a week at the beach.” She pulled out her Diet Coke and drank the rest of it.
Derek relaxed into his seat. Explosion successfully avoided. At least, until he got to the resort. He had a feeling that his wedding night was going to be memorable, but not in the way most couples expect.
He closed his eyes and wondered what the next week would be like. He was married to Nara Claymore. The one person he never thought would give him the time of day. The girl he used to play with as his father worked alongside hers. His childhood crush. The woman he’d fallen in love with over the years.
And she hated everything about him.
Chapter 3
Nara dragged her suitcase through the lobby of the resort, her head foggy from sleep. She had no idea what time it was locally. One in the morning? Something like that. After getting up early to fly to LA, a flash wedding, and then another horribly long flight, she was ready to crash. Luckily, she’d been able to nap on the plane.
Even though it was mid-January, the place was still decked out for the holidays, with a massive tree in the lobby. A trickling sound came from a fountain that bubbled water up from the center. Expensive tile lined the floor, and gold accents showed how posh the place was.
Derek came running in with his luggage. “Here, I can get that for you.”
She handed over her suitcase. It didn’t bother her to roll it across the floor, but he seemed like he really wanted it. “Okay.”
A woman came out from a room behind the desk, her bright, red hair pulled back into a bun. She wore a uniform with a badge that said Kay. “Welcome to the Diamond Oasis,” she said with a smile. “The locals here call it The Billionaire Club, a name I’m rather fond of.” She glanced at her computer screen. “You must be Mr. and Mrs. Marshall.”
Nara was too tired to be shocked by the statement. Yes, she was now Mrs. Emperor Marshall, as the large fake rock on her finger could attest. He stood beside her, his back straight, every hair of his head in place. Wait, how did he accomplish that? Hadn’t he slept on the plane as well?
Derek nodded. “Yes.”
; A bell boy approached them and began putting their luggage on a cart. The woman clicked on the computer keys.
“If you need anything, just call the front desk.” She produced two room cards and handed them to Derek.
“Thanks,” he said, giving one key to Nara and pocketing the other.
“You’re in room 104, the honeymoon suite. It’s just down the hallway and around the corner.” She pointed, but Nara was still stuck on that last thing she said. Something about a honeymoon suite.
Her suspicions were confirmed when they opened the door to their suite and found a large bed with two towels folded into swans, their beaks touching, forming a heart. A jacuzzi tub sat nestled into the corner. Candles were lit around the tub, and at any other time it would have been delightful, but right now Nara just wanted to die a thousand deaths.
Things got even better when she walked in and noticed the bathroom door was made out of a very fancy looking glass. She choked on her spit and coughed while the bellboy unloaded their cart. She leaned against the desk that sat near the windows. Derek tipped the kid and sent him on his way.
When they were alone, Nara pointed. “When you said suite, I figured you meant a two-bedroom suite. I did not think you meant that we’d be sharing not only a bed, but a ‘get to know you better’ bathroom as well.”
A crimson red swept over Derek’s face as he looked at the bathroom door. “Uh…”
“Why don’t you run down to the front desk and see if they have something we can use to cover up that door? I’d rather pee in private, thank you.”
He gave her a quick nod and left the room. Nara sighed and sat down on the bed. It felt amazing. So amazing that she laid all the way back and closed her eyes. Comfy. Like sleeping on a cloud. And the room temperature was just right. She could easily doze off. Her thoughts turned muddy as she snuggled into the soft bed.
The next thing she was aware of were strong arms around her, lifting her. She wanted to protest to Derek, but he put her back down quickly enough and she didn’t have the energy to try to fight him. He removed her flip-flops. And then soft covers were pulled up around her and she sighed. It felt like heaven.
Sunlight. That’s the first thing Nara became aware of. Sunlight streaming through a crack in the curtains. She blinked and realized where she was. In the honeymoon suite. She sat up, her heart racing. Was Derek in bed with her? She checked the bed but didn’t see him. Relieved, she fell back against the pillows. If he had tried anything last night…but he hadn’t. In fact, he had put her to bed and tucked her in.
Wait, if he wasn’t there, where had he gone? Did he get another room? She went to climb out of bed and almost stepped on a giant mound. Derek had slept on the floor. Soft snores came from him and she took a second to watch his chest rise and fall.
He looked so relaxed. Peaceful. He wore a pair of blue striped pajamas. She liked the way his strong brow defined his face. He was a handsome man. She couldn’t deny it. And it did melt her heart a bit that he’d slept on the floor. But she couldn’t spend too long looking at him. Right now she needed the bathroom. It was all that Diet Coke she consumed yesterday.
She carefully stepped around Derek so as not to wake him. After she crossed the room she couldn’t help but smile. Derek had used duct tape to put up a towel on the inside of the bathroom door. She had privacy.
Luckily, the bathroom not only had a toilet and massive sink, but a shower as well. That’s exactly what she needed. A hot shower and then breakfast, because her stomach was grumbling to her. She hadn’t eaten much yesterday, just some snacks on the plane. She was ready for a hot breakfast. Maybe they would even have pancakes with strawberry syrup. Her favorite.
She grabbed her toiletry bag from out of her suitcase. As she lifted it, her diary, which must have been on top of it, flew out and landed on the floor. She picked it up and caressed the leather cover. Her grandmother had given it to her when she was a child. “Too write your feelings in, Nara,” she’d told her. And that’s what Nara had done.
She’d filled it with all the hurt and anguish she had growing up. In her head, she called it her book of pain. She still carried it with her. For some reason, it gave her comfort when she was feeling down. Her latest entries were about Cameron. Soon she would write about what her father was forcing her to do.
Shoving it back in her suitcase, she pulled out some clothes before heading to the bathroom. The hot shower felt amazing. It pelted her back and shoulders, soothing her muscles. She probably stayed in there a bit too long, but she deserved it, after the day she had yesterday. She stepped from the shower, dried off, and then wrapped a towel around her, tucking it in so it would stay on while she did her hair and makeup. The steam was so thick she had to wipe the mirror twice.
She hoped the hairdryer wouldn’t wake Derek. He had seemed pretty out of it. By the time she was done and dressed, it was less steamy in the bathroom. She’d decided on dressing in her flowy Bermuda shorts and a white scoop-necked T. She looked like a tourist, but that was okay. She slowly opened the door to see if Derek was still asleep.
The floor was empty. The bed was made. The curtains were parted and a beautiful view of the beach stretched outside their patio door. Derek was dressed and sitting at the desk on a laptop. She entered the bedroom and gaped at him. “You’re wearing that?”
He had on a button up white shirt and a pair of suit pants. And, she couldn’t believe, a tie. What in the world was he thinking? They were on the beach, for heaven’s sake.
Derek turned to her, his face stoic. “Your father kind of sprung this on me. I didn’t have time to properly shop for clothes.”
“Neither did I. After breakfast we can go shopping.” She slipped on her beaded sandals. They were the most comfortable sandals she owned. She’d found them at a little shop on Broadway. Man, she missed New York already.
Derek rose and opened the door for her. They walked to the resort restaurant and were seated almost immediately. Nara opened the menu, scanning the breakfast items. When she didn’t see pancakes, she almost pouted, but that would have been childish, so she chose an alternative and folded the menu.
Derek sat, his back straight, his hands resting on the table. Why was he so uptight? Oh, wait. That was the way he was. “You look uncomfortable.”
“This situation is kind of uncomfortable.” He shook his head and wiped his forehead. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. This is all my crazy father’s doing. But I figure, we can make the best of it, right? Dad’s paying for this vacation.” She stressed the word so he would know she had no intention of calling it a honeymoon. “He can make sure we have a good time. What would you like to do today? I was thinking some beach time was a must. But then I think we should see if we can rent a yacht or something and take a sunset trip out into the ocean. Pops can handle it. We should splurge.”
He slowly nodded, like he hated all her ideas, but didn’t want to say it. “Whatever you’d like.” He seemed relieved when the server came to take their orders. What, was he glad he didn’t have to talk to her for a minute?
Nara sighed and crossed her legs. This was going to be a long week. If His Imperial Majesty couldn’t even stand to talk to her, she didn’t know what she was going to do. This situation was already bad. Couldn’t he just make the best of it?
The server left and Nara picked up the saltshaker. She turned it, watching the salt run down the little landslide she’d created. “Oh, thanks, by the way. For the duct tape. That was smart.”
“That was the owner’s idea.” He shrugged. “She seemed surprised we wanted to cover the door. She said most couples don’t mind it.”
Nara set the saltshaker down. “I’m sure they don’t. Most couples are married.” When she realized that they, in fact, were married as well, it struck her as funny and she burst out laughing.
An older couple at the next table turned to stare at her, but she couldn’t stop. Her giggles grew into a fit of laughter that grew louder. The Emperor just
sat there, his jaw clenching, which made her laugh even more.
Derek looked around, then leaned forward. “What’s so funny?” he said, his voice low.
She pointed between them. “We’re married,” she managed to say when she was able to get in breath in. When Derek just stared at her, she burst out again. She laughed so hard tears ran down her cheeks. And when she had no more laughter in her, she sat back and wiped at her face.
“That funny, huh?” Derek said and picked up his water to take a sip.
“Did you ever think we’d be married?”
Derek got a strange look on his face and shook his head. “No.”
“Well, then, you know why I’m laughing. It’s just so absurd. I don’t even really know why Dad insisted we do this.”
“He wants to pass down the company to me—”
Nara waved, cutting him off. “I know that answer. The one he says all the time. But what I don’t know the underlying reason. The one that makes more sense.”
Derek shifted his weight, then shrugged, not offering up any more conversation. Nice. So, this is how things would go. A honeymoon full of awkward conversation, or even more awkward pauses. Just what she was hoping for.
Not.
Chapter 4
Derek fiddled with his fork as he pushed his omelet around on his plate. He was not cut out for this. He once again cursed his decision to tell Richard Claymore about his feelings for Nara. This was not going to go down the way Mr. Claymore was hoping, that he’d be smooth and Nara would fall in love with him. Instead, he was anxious and twitchy, and altogether much too sweaty for anyone to like him.
He wiped his brow again, trying to be discreet. What he needed was a game plan. Something actionable so he could concentrate on that, rather than sit and be uncomfortable with Nara. The problem was, he couldn’t think of anything.
Nara plucked a substitute sugar packet from the tray and shook it so it made a noise like a tiny maraca. “Have you ever wondered what exactly is in this?”
A Marriage of Anything but Convenience Page 2