by Ginny Baird
“So that’s what this is all about?”
“I’m sure the love part will come along in time.”
Hope was more confused than ever. When Jackie pointed things out in black and white, it was pretty plain that she and Brent had gone into this arrangement with similar expectations. Neither one seemed to have given a thought to finding real love.
“Maybe you and Brent are more alike than I believed.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Then again, Brent seemed different now. He’d come around and was really trying to build a relationship with Jackie. Or with Hope as Jackie. It was impossible to know if he would have tried nearly as hard if the real Jackie had been here, instead of Hope acting in her place. Hope tried to sort things out, but she was a jumble of emotions. Nothing really made sense anymore. She just wanted the pretending to end.
“It means you need to hurry up and get to Blue Hill,” she told her sister. “Whatever kind of arrangement you think you and Brent made—it appears the dynamics are changing.”
“Well, don’t let them change too much,” Jackie warned her. “Just try to keep things steady until I arrive.”
“That won’t be easy—not with Meredith coming this afternoon.”
“Don’t worry about Meredith. I spoke with her, and she’ll be fine.”
“Mom knows.”
“What?”
“But she’s cool for now. She’s promised not to tell.”
“How on earth did you work that?”
“I’ll tell you when you get here.”
“Okay. I’ve got things all set. I should get to Blue Hill by around four in the afternoon.”
“Be sure you get an economy hatchback like the one I reserved.”
“No problem.”
“And don’t forget about the hair.”
“Already cut it.”
Hope bumped into a man’s overcoat and pushed it aside. “So, what am I supposed to tell everyone?”
“I thought you already said that I was sick?”
“I also said you were doing better.”
“Well then, say I’ve had a relapse.”
Hope sighed.
“The wedding dress will be there tomorrow,” Jackie informed her. “It’s being delivered by special courier. Please check to make sure everything looks okay. The shoes, veil, and accessories are coming with it. And take photos. For Insta.”
“All right.”
“Actually, I can’t wait to see them, too.”
Chapter Thirteen
Brent rode back to his grandparents’ place with Derrick in Derrick’s SUV, with William driving ahead of them, chauffeuring Grandpa Chad and Parker. What a great moment that had been when they sailed past the carriage house. Jackie had been on the deck, and he’d happened to spot her. She looked adorable standing there, filming him on her phone, so he’d snapped a pic of her, which he’d sent her, along with a few others he’d taken on the boat. She hadn’t responded yet, but maybe she hadn’t seen his text.
He’d felt bad about becoming grumpy during their run this morning. Jackie had never been into public displays of affection, but seriously. It wasn’t like the two of them were preteens. They were adults and getting married.
His thoughts drifted away to the honeymoon and an image of them walking hand in hand down the shore, with him in his swim trunks and her in her very tiny bikini. They could swim and play in the water, then come back for a nice lazy nap at their beachside bungalow in the afternoon. Brent found himself looking forward to that “nap” and spending time with his new bride. When there was nobody else around to distract—or disrupt—them.
Tires squealed, and Derrick’s vehicle fishtailed sideways as a hard-hitting object rammed into them from behind. Derrick cursed and gripped the wheel, glaring back over his shoulder.
“What on earth?”
Brent spun in his seat to spy a dark blue European sports coupe with a bent grill and sagging front bumper. A dark-haired woman climbed from its driver seat, looking possessed. She stomped up to Derrick’s driver’s side window in precipitous heels, a fitted sweater top, and a very short skirt. Derrick rolled down his window.
“Excuse me,” she said without preamble. “You just ruined my car.”
Derrick sputtered a laugh. “I—what? You must be joking.”
Her dark eyes narrowed, and her nostrils flared. Meredith Galanes. Brent had only met the woman once, and she was seriously wound tight. Very nice-looking, though, with her olive skin and long, springy curls spilling past her shoulders.
His brother ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Brent, as if to say can you believe her?
Derrick leaned into his steering wheel and peered out the window behind them. “I’m guessing you did some damage, too.”
“Me? To you?” she asked, clearly astounded. She set one hand on her ample hip, accentuating her curvy figure. “It was totally your fault. You stopped on a dime.”
“Sure. When you hit me.”
“I hit you because you stopped.”
Meredith ducked her chin to peek into the car, and she spotted Brent in the passenger’s seat. “Oh, hi there. Happy wedding.” She returned her attention to Derrick, apparently waiting on him to say something. Probably apologize, which—knowing Derrick—he wasn’t about to do.
Brent noted that William had stopped up ahead of them, and now he, Parker, and Grandpa Chad had stepped from the car, curious to see what was going on.
“Uh oh,” William said, walking toward them. “Looks like someone had a little fender-bender.” He glanced at Meredith’s car and then at her. “Ugh, that’s too bad. That’s this year’s model, isn’t it?”
Derrick shot William a disgruntled stare.
“You must be Meredith,” Parker said, extending his hand. “Sorry about the unfortunate circumstances.”
“Thanks. Nice to meet you,” she said before sending Derrick a look that telegraphed at least someone’s apologizing.
Derrick swung his door open so abruptly he nearly smacked Meredith’s bare legs. Or perhaps that was his intention. He climbed from his seat and ambled to the back of his SUV. “Aha. Just as I suspected… There’s a great big dent—right there.”
“Derrick.” Parker shook his head in disappointment at his youngest son’s ill manners. “Let’s just leave this for now.”
“Leave it?” Meredith asked with alarm. “But what about my—”
“I’ll pay for any repairs,” Grandpa Chad said. “The accident happened on my property, after all. Meredith,” he said. “Welcome.” He gave her a sympathetic nod and shook her hand. “The curve in this drive can get rather tricky at times.”
“Why, thank you,” she said, seemingly avoiding Derrick’s prickly gaze.
“I’m William,” their brother said, greeting her. “Brent’s older brother, and that guy over there…” He motioned with his chin. “Is Derrick.”
Derrick worked hard not to scowl. “Hello.”
Meredith rolled her eyes. “We’ve met.”
“It’s more like we collided,” he said testily. “When you rear-ended me.”
“Oh, I…?” Meredith fumed. “Don’t think so.”
“Why don’t we all go on up to the house?” Parker suggested. “I know Jackie and the others will be excited to see you.”
…
Hope heard a weird screeching sound, like metal scraping against the drive, and she walked around the side of the house to see the men had returned from their sailing trip—and brought a wreck of a vehicle with them. A short, pretty brunette stepped from the damaged car, her gaze settling on Hope. “Jackie!” she cried, rushing forward.
“Meredith,” Hope returned, wagering her guess had to be right. The women rushed toward each other and embraced. Then Meredith tugged at the floppy sides of Hope’s
garden hat. “Cute look. Where did you get it?”
“It’s on loan from Grandmother Margaret.”
“Hel-lo,” the woman in question called, heading their way.
“Hi-ya,” Ava rejoined. Sofia came next, accompanied by Sally.
Before they got too close, Meredith latched onto Hope’s shoulders and tugged her closer. “Just for the record,” she whispered, “I don’t agree with this one bit. Thank goodness it’s just until tomorrow.”
Which meant she hadn’t gotten the latest update.
“Meredith,” Grandmother Margaret crooned. “We’re so glad you made it. Welcome to Blue Hill.”
“I can’t believe we’ve never met,” Ava gushed. “All Jackie does is talk about you.”
“I’m Sally.” She shook Meredith’s hand.
Sofia introduced herself as well, and then Grandmother Margaret said, “You might want to take your luggage down to the carriage house and settle in.” She saw Derrick striding toward the back porch and caught him.
“Derrick. Be a dear and grab Meredith’s bags from her car?”
He stared at his grandmother for a prolonged beat, then gave a tight grin. “Glad to,” he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and striding toward Meredith’s car.
“What’s up with him?” Sally asked no one in particular.
“Maybe rough seas?”
The group of women turned and stared out at the peaceful water.
“Beautiful place,” Meredith said to Margaret. “You can’t beat the view.”
The trunk of her car closed with a loud bang.
Sofia giggled. “Or the peace and quiet.”
Grandmother Margaret arched her eyebrows, her gaze trailing after Derrick. “Yes.”
All eyes turned expectantly on Hope, and she realized she should offer to accompany Meredith. “Come on,” she said brightly. “I’ll show you where you’re staying.”
As they headed toward the carriage house, Derrick sauntered ahead of them, carrying two huge suitcases, with smaller tote bags and a daypack tucked under his arms.
Brent rounded the corner from the drive, accompanied by William.
“Hello, sweetness,” he said, beaming down at Hope in her bonnet. “You look awfully cute in that.”
Heat warmed her cheeks. “How was the sailing?”
“Awesome. Did you ladies have a nice tea party?”
“The best.”
Brent gazed down the path at Derrick, who was struggling to open the screen door and hold on to Meredith’s many bags. “Looks like somebody better go and help him.”
Brent angled that way, but Hope stepped in front of him. “It’s all right. I’ll get it.”
She dashed down the path and held the front door open for Derrick as Meredith took her time teetering down the flagstone path in her heels.
“Where would you like these?” Derrick asked once Meredith finally made her way indoors.
She glanced around the charming cottage and then at Hope.
“Can you please put those in the room downstairs?” Hope suggested. “Thanks, Derrick.”
Derrick thumped down the wooden steps. A few seconds later, they heard the heavy thud of bags hitting the floor. A sliding door slid open and then shut with a clank, and Hope surmised he had departed via the deck.
She pursed her lips. “Hmm. He’s normally not like that.”
Meredith narrowed her gaze and studied Hope anew. “I can’t believe you and your sister,” she rasped. “How did you get yourselves into this?”
“It was all this really huge mix-up.”
“That’s what I heard from Jackie. But, seriously, Hope. You mean to tell me all of them believe it?” She gestured toward the main house. “Even the groom?”
Hope’s face steamed. “Especially the groom, I’m afraid.”
Meredith cocked her chin. “Uh-oh. He’s not…? You’re not…?”
“I’ve just been trying to hold down the fort, okay? I never meant for any of this to happen. I swear, Meredith, I didn’t. In fact, when Jackie suggested it, I told her I wouldn’t do it. Flat-out refused.”
Meredith screwed up her lips. “Of course it was Jackie’s idea. I love that woman to death, but she does get those wild card ideas.” Her eyes widened at Hope. “Like marrying some guy she doesn’t even love.”
“I know,” Hope said, sensing she was building an ally. “That’s totally wrong, right?”
“Totally wrong,” Meredith agreed. “I can’t even see how she agreed to it.”
“Do you know about Rodney?”
Meredith frowned. “Rodney-Schmodney, yeah. He is so totally not worth this kind of revenge.”
“It’s not just about Jackie,” Hope said. “It’s also about Brent and his family.”
“They seem very nice,” Meredith said. “All but one of them, anyway.”
“Derrick’s fine,” Hope assured her. “I’m not sure what his problem was earlier.”
“O-kay.”
Hope observed Meredith, her heart hammering. “There’s something you don’t know.”
“What’s that?”
“Jackie’s not coming until Friday now.”
“Friday? What?”
“It’s the Martin wedding.”
Meredith crossed her arms in front of her and began pacing the floor. After a beat, she met Hope’s gaze. “Nuh-uh. I don’t think that’s what this is about.”
“But the venue’s been blown. Jackie just told me this after—”
“It’s all a smoke screen.” Meredith’s dark eyes flashed. “Jackie’s getting cold feet.”
This was one thing that hadn’t actually occurred to Hope before. Now, she wondered if Meredith wasn’t making some kind of sense. “You mean, you think she’s having doubts?”
“Jackie is a wedding planner, Hope. She arranges matches made in heaven all the time. Don’t you think it might start to bother her after a while that her very own marriage is a sham?”
“I…um, maybe?”
Meredith tapped her chin. “I mean, I knew something was going on when Jackie got engaged so quickly, but she didn’t spill all the beans until I was about to come here.”
“That was a big can of beans.”
“Yeah,” Meredith agreed. “The hugest.”
Both women sighed.
“Have you thought about telling them the truth?” Meredith asked. “The Albrights and Brent?”
“Thought about? Sure. Dozens of times. But the right moment’s never exactly been there, and then there’s Brent… He’s so…” Hope shrugged, a helpless mix of emotions. “Just everything.”
“Uh-oh. Oh, no. You’ve fallen for him?”
“No. Not totally. I’ve been…reining myself in. But, Meredith, listen. It hasn’t been easy. Once he realized how upset I was about the marriage-of-convenience thing—”
“Wait a minute. How did he learn that?”
“We had this talk,” Hope explained. “Shortly after I got here and after everyone had mistaken me for Jackie.”
“Including Brent.”
“Yes.”
“So, go on. You had this talk…”
“Yeah, and it sort of spilled out of him about how this whole marriage was some kind of business deal. I was literally shocked and hurt, on Jackie’s behalf, and I guess I didn’t hide it.”
Meredith’s swift mind put things together. “So, Brent thought you were upset—as Jackie.”
“Exactly. And after that? He seemed to change. I mean, really, really change. Not that I knew him before. But, based on what I learned about his relationship with Jackie, this became all new territory for Brent. He decided to try to do better, I guess.”
“That’s sweet,” Meredith said. Then she frowned. “And a little sick, I suppose. Since he’s trying to do better with y
ou and not your sister.”
“I know,” Hope agreed. “It’s horribly messed up.”
“Okay,” Meredith said, holding up her hands. “Here’s what we’re going to do. Preserve our loyalty to Jackie while trying to figure this whole thing out.”
“Keep pretending, you mean?”
“Yeah, keep pretending. I mean, what else are we supposed to do? I’ve only just gotten here, Hope. I don’t even have the lay of the land. Maybe once I do, I’ll come up with a bright idea.”
“That would be amazing. Thanks.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” she said. “I’ll probably need to have my head examined for this.” She cagily surveyed Hope. “Who else knows. Anybody?”
“Just my mom, but she’s promised to be cool.”
“What a mess.”
“You’re telling me.”
“Don’t worry,” Meredith said. “We’ll get through this. It’s just until Friday, and—in the meantime—maybe we’ll figure something out.”
…
At dinner that night, Brent kept trying to hold Hope’s hand under the table. Finally, she just let him because it was becoming too awkward trying not to. Plus, people were starting to notice.
“You never answered my text,” he said while the others were engaged in conversation.
“What?” she asked, feeling lost.
“I sent you some pics. From the boat?”
She bit her lip, panic seizing her, before she coolly worked her way out of it. “Ah yeah, those were awesome. Thanks!”
“How did things go with the wedding planner?” Parker asked from the head of the table. Hope was grateful for his interruption. She’d obviously messed up by not thinking Brent might try to text her. Then, there was that little business about her sister’s mysterious recurring illness that she’d had to explain to the group. This was turning out to be a pretty unappetizing dinner, though the food itself was really good.
“Oh, fine,” Elsa said.
Ava and Margaret echoed her sentiment. “Just fine.”
“There were only a few little snags,” Hope said, sipping from her wine.
“What kind of snags?” Worry creased Meredith’s brow. Fortunately, she was seated at the opposite end of the table from Derrick, which was honestly to everyone’s benefit. The tension between them was palpable.