Mr. Mistake: A Fake Marriage Romance (Mr. Mistake Series Book 1)

by Karice Bolton

  “Is my son going to be okay?” his father asked, staring at the doctor as my hands trembled in Dorothy’s.

  “He’s not out of the woods yet. We’ll be keeping him in an induced coma for the next several hours. With how the wounds were inflicted, we run the risk of blood clots and…”

  “When can we see him?” Dorothy interrupted.

  “He’s in recovery now, and they plan on moving him into his room in the next hour. A nurse can come out and get you when he’s been moved.”

  Joe stood and shook the surgeon’s hand. “Thank you for taking care of my son.”

  The surgeon nodded. “If recovery goes as planned, he should be out of the hospital within four days or so.”

  Dorothy nodded, and the surgeon walked out of the room as Joe nearly collapsed back in the chair.

  “He’s going to be okay.” Dorothy closed her eyes and drew a long, steady breath. “My son is a survivor. He will be okay.”

  I squeezed her hands and nodded. “He is.”

  “Just like his mother,” Joe’s father said gruffly from his chair. “Just like his mother.”

  She flashed her husband a faint smile, and my stomach knotted.

  I felt almost like an intruder. Everything had spiraled out of control.

  What had started as a fun prank had turned into a serious promise of hope with tangled emotions and an outcome that wasn’t based in truth. I loved the man fighting for his life lying in the hospital bed, and I hadn’t been brave enough to tell him.

  “It’s all my fault. I never should have started to tell him…” Dorothy’s voice trailed off. “His guard was down. He wasn’t watching his surroundings, all because I felt the need to—”

  I turned in my chair and glanced at Joe. His eyes connected with mine.

  “Don’t blame yourself.” I shook my head. “If anything, this is my fault.”

  Dorothy breathed in a gasp. “No, don’t say something like that. I was the one who was on the phone with him, distracting him, and now his life is forever changed.”

  “He never would have been there if it hadn’t been for me. I drove him to his office.”

  Dorothy scowled and shook her head. “No, dear. He drove himself to his office. Whatever you think you did, you didn’t do. That’s where my son goes to hide, to think, to escape, and to pretend he has some control over his life. It’s a bad habit. He’s got a bad habit of running from the things and people who care for him. He’s always dodged permanency, which is why the marriage surprised us. The only thing that had ever been permanent about Maddox was his business.”

  “I just wish I’d told him I loved him.” I shook my head, pushing back the tears.

  She patted my back. “Don’t blame yourself. If anyone should feel awful, it’s me.”

  “Not true.” I shook my head. “We didn’t even get to have dinner. It just sat there on the counter.”

  Joe smiled. “What were you going to have?”

  I laughed uncomfortably. “Balsamic chicken.”

  “Sounds delicious.” He smiled, and I recognized the same kind smile Maddox always dazzled me with.

  “I just feel awful,” his mom repeated.

  “So do I.” I hung my head in my hands, praying I could take back last night.

  I wished I’d become brave and uttered the three words I’d wanted to say.

  What did it matter if I didn’t hear them back?

  I let out a sigh as the elevator dinged. My three best friends came tumbling out of it.

  They spotted us immediately, and sadness spread across their features as they hurried over.

  “You didn’t text. How’d you know where to come?” I asked.

  “Arie’s dad found out for us.” Winter pointed at Arie, who nodded, opening her arms to hug me.

  “I can’t believe he was stabbed.” Her breath was shaky as she broke away from me.

  “Guess HIPAA doesn’t always apply.” I feigned a smile.

  “Not when your dad knows people in high places.” Arie winked.

  “He’s lucky to be alive,” I whispered.

  “And he’s not out of the woods yet,” Joe hollered from behind.

  “Honey, she was trying to be discreet.” Dorothy rolled her eyes.

  Arie, Winter, and Samantha walked over to his parents and hugged them before finding a place to sit.

  Winter unzipped her bag and dug through it for a few seconds. “I know how awful it can be, waiting. I brought several juices, some bottled tea, and quite a few snacks. I’ve got potato chips or—”

  “I’ll take a bag of potato chips.” Joe smiled and took a deep breath.

  Dorothy exchanged a loving look with her husband as he wrapped his arm around her and squeezed.

  Winter opened the bag of chips and handed them to him.

  Surprisingly, it was Dorothy who ate the chips as we waited for any kind of word that he was out of recovery.

  “I’m so sorry, hon.” Winter squeezed my hand. “We’ll get through this. He’ll get through this, and you can pick up right where you left off.”

  I looked over at her and wished I could tell her everything.

  I shook my head and let out a sigh, realizing that Winter and my friends were never the ones who needed to be taught a lesson. It was me who needed the lesson on love the most.

  As the minutes stretched by like the slow seconds that they were, heaviness weighed on us all.

  A registered nurse appeared and told us he’d been transferred to his room, but only his parents and I could see him.

  I gave my friends a quick hug, and his parents and I followed the nurse down a long corridor. The door to Maddox’s room was open, but the beige curtain was drawn.

  I drew in a deep breath as the nurse slid it open to reveal Maddox McKenzie, the love of my life.

  “Why is he on a ventilator?” Dorothy asked, jarred.

  “He had an abrasion to his lung and—”

  “Oh, that’s right.” Dorothy nodded.

  “We expect to get him off the ventilator sometime tonight.”

  The clicking and sucking of the machine made my legs tremble as I walked over to the side of his bed, reaching for his hand. His mother did the same across from me, and our eyes met.

  Seeing Maddox McKenzie with tubes coming out of his mouth, lying under a thin beige blanket, eyes shut and unconscious to the world brought everything into perspective.

  Two officers came into the room, and the nurse shook her head in their direction.

  “He’s not awake. We have him in an induced coma,” she informed the detectives.

  “Did you catch the man who did this?” Joe asked, and one of the detectives smiled.

  “We didn’t have to. Your son took care of it for us.” He glanced at Maddox as he lay on the hospital bed. “I’m just sorry to see him like this.”

  “What do you mean, our soon took care of it?” Joe asked.

  “Mr. McKenzie took the suspect’s weapon and used it on him. He’s upstairs and will be transported to the county jail as soon as the doctors allow it.”

  “That’s my boy.” Joe beamed. “I didn’t think he’d go out without a fight.”

  “Yes, sir.” The detectives nodded and left the room.

  “How about that?” Joe asked, his eyes connecting with mine.

  “Sounds about right.” I nodded and glanced at his mom. “How did Morgan take the news?”

  “He doesn’t know. I have no idea where he is. He hasn’t answered his phone. Probably has it turned off.”

  I nodded, and Joe walked out of the room.

  “Dorothy, Maddox said he didn’t know a Robert.” I had no idea why that came to mind. Maybe I was tired of the game. Tired of the lies. “But his friend Terry was going to be the other groomsman.”

  Dorothy flashed a knowing smile. “I know. I just wanted to see if you’d pretend you knew who I was talking about.”

  “Why?” I narrowed my eyes.

  “To see if I could crack the façade.” Sh
e smiled and shook her head.

  “What are you talking about?” I asked softly.

  “I know what Maddox is up to.” She smiled wider. “But I also know he is in love with you.”

  I didn’t say a word.

  “He wanted us to experience something special. Something he thought I’d miss.”

  I parted my lips to say something, but no words came.

  “I was actually in the middle of telling him the good news tonight. I’ve been accepted as part of a trial. In fact, the results have been so overwhelmingly positive that I finally know what hope feels like again.” She smiled and looked down at her son. “Of course, it’s not a sure thing, but nothing in life is.” Her eyes locked on mine. “Is it, dear?”

  My breath caught in the back of my throat.

  “So, Tessa…” She turned her gaze to her son. “I know my son loves you more than anything and always will, but do you love him?”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  I stood and opened the heavy curtains in Maddox’s hospital room. His parents left an hour ago to go home and sleep. My friends left around the same time, but I didn’t want to leave Maddox’s side. I had so much I wanted to tell him. There was so much that needed to be said.

  The nurses had just left with the doctor after informing me that they had started the process of taking him out of the induced coma. They’d begun to wean him off the ventilator, so alerts, and honks sounded all morning. The next step would be to remove the intubation tubes. I paced at the foot of his bed, praying he would awaken soon, before moving to his side.

  I sat by his bed and cupped my hand over his. ‘I love you, Maddox McKenzie, and I’m sorry for not saying it sooner.”

  Maddox slowly lolled his head from one side to the other and began breathing against the ventilator. His eyes fluttered open as he struggled to breathe on his own terms, alerting the hospital staff that it was time.

  Maddox’s eyes stayed on me as his hand reached up to touch the tubes coming out of his mouth.

  “You’re okay. You’re on a ventilator. They’re going to take it out. Try not to fight against it. Try to let it breathe for you.”

  More honking echoed into the room, and the respiratory therapist rushed in with the nurse right behind her. They asked me to step outside, which I reluctantly did.

  I heard them giving Maddox instructions and then a sound I never thought I’d be excited to hear rattled into the hallway.

  Coughing.

  Without waiting for another second, I ran into the room to see Maddox sitting up and touching his throat.

  The nurse handed him a cup full of crushed ice as I wrapped my arms around his neck, crying.

  “Maddox, I’m so sorry.”

  The nurse and therapist left as I clung to Maddox.

  “I’m so, so sorry.” I sniffled, taking a step back. I couldn’t stop the tears that I’d wanted to cry all night.

  He cleared his throat and tried to move in his bed but let out a hiss of pain instead.

  Maddox shook his head, and my heart twisted into a million knots.

  He wanted me to leave.

  Maddox shook his head again.

  “Do you want me to leave? I can leave? I can go—”

  “Stop,” he whispered, his lip curling into the sexy smirk I’d fallen for so many weeks ago. “Stop and get back over here.”

  In a matter of words, his voice already sounded stronger.

  “Sit.”

  I obeyed and sucked in a deep breath, taking everything in about Maddox McKenzie.

  The man I loved.

  Maddox reached for my hand and brought it to his side. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

  “If I hadn’t complicated…”

  He took a swallow of more ice chips and flashed a grin in my direction. “This wasn’t how I’d planned on telling you.” His voice was a shade above a sexy whisper. “I’m tired of the game between us.”

  “Tired of the part you’re playing?” I asked, nodding my head in agreement.

  “No. I wasn’t playing a part. You’ve seen the real me, T.” He smiled.

  “Have I?”

  “You have. But the better version of me. In this short time, you’ve changed the way I look at things.” His voice got stronger as I took a deep breath. “I just didn’t want to let you down or lead you on if I couldn’t…”

  “If you couldn’t what?” I prompted.

  “If I couldn’t take care of you the way you deserve.” Maddox’s blue eyes locked on mine. “If I couldn’t change my old ways.”

  My breath hitched, and his blue eyes stayed locked on mine.

  “T, I love you so much.” His smile deepened, bringing out the dimple in his cheek. “Remember when you asked me if I thought someone could fall in love instantly?”

  I nodded.

  “By the time you asked that question, I had already fallen in love with you, but the timing wasn’t right.” He shook his head. “Or maybe it was.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “I knew how much fun you were having teaching your friends a lesson, and I loved any excuse to get to spend time with you.” He let out a deep sigh. “I could see you building up reasons we couldn’t work, so I wanted to make you fall in love with me.”

  “You can’t make a person fall in love,” I corrected.

  “Well, only if the seed was already there.” He smiled, and I felt like I was on the roller coaster of my life.

  “Because of you, I don’t want to stay at the office all night. I want to jump out of the plane again…with you. I’ve missed more days of work in the last three weeks than all my years combined since starting my firm. It’s been incredible. You’ve been incredible.” He shook his head, and his gaze dropped to the flimsy sheet resting on his body. Even now, he looked strong and like he could take down an army of men. “I should have told you last night how much I loved you.” He shook his head and laughed. “Instead, I got stabbed.”

  “That’ll teach ya.” I grinned and shook my head. “Sorry. Too soon.”

  He laughed and wrestled me into him, careful to avoid his wounds, and kissed the top of my head.

  “I have to confess that I was supremely confused. One minute, you’d kiss me like I’ve never been kissed before and the next, you’d watch movies all day with me and never try anything. Nothing. Last night when you left my house, I knew I’d made a mistake, but I didn’t know what to do or say. I’d fallen in love with you and was afraid to tell you.” I drew a breath. “I know it was silly, but I wanted to hear those words.

  “I love you, T.” His eyes darkened, and he lifted his fingers to my cheek. “I’ve been trying to respect the game, the charade, but I can’t pretend anymore with you. It’s got to be real or not at all.”

  “I want that.” I smiled. “I want this. I’m just so afraid that it’s too good to be true.”

  He grinned. “I get that a lot.”

  I laughed. “I bet you do.”

  “It’s nice not to be pretending anymore.”

  I drew a heart on his chest and smiled. “It is…but for the wedding?” I looked into his eyes and saw the familiar blaze of passion I’d craved for so long.

  His voice lowered to a velvety softness. “Maybe it doesn’t have to be pretend.”

  “We don’t have the marriage certificate, and we can’t get it with you in here.”

  He nodded.

  “So much has changed. Your mom said she’s going to be part of a trial?”

  He beamed and rested his head on the pillow. “She is. She told me last night when…”

  “Yeah. She was blaming herself, and I told her not to even think of doing that. What happened to you—”

  “Was random, but I shouldn’t have been walking back to the office so late.” He shook his head. “But I’d done it a million times before.”

  I nodded. “What happened?”

  “He wanted my phone, my watch, and my wallet.” He shook his head. “Funny thing is if he had
n’t panicked, I was going to give him everything.”

  “Your dad lit up when the detective told him you took care of the bad guy.”

  Maddox laughed, but it turned into a fit of coughing. “I bet he did.”

  “Mr. McKenzie, you’re up.” The surgeon and on-call physician walked into his room. “You look good.”

  I slid off the bed, and the surgeon smiled. “You can stay there. We don’t mean to break up any party.”

  “Speaking of parties,” Maddox started, “I have a crucial one to get to on Saturday. Will I be out of here by then?”

  The doctors exchanged looks. “We plan to release you Saturday morning.”

  My eyes stayed on Maddox. He knew we couldn’t get officially married by then. We had no certificate.

  “Good.” Maddox nodded and motioned for me to come over to the bed as the surgeon looked him over.

  The moment he slid the sheet down, I gasped, and Maddox stretched to see as well.

  “The guy did a number,” Maddox muttered, lying back down.

  I held off on the you should see the other guy jokes.

  “You’re lucky to be alive, but now the recovery begins.” The surgeon glanced at me and waited for the other physician to finish his exam as well before they left the room.

  “They’re so dramatic.” Maddox laughed.

  “Well, I think it’s kind of true.” I slid back on the bed, and Maddox squeezed me closer. “Doesn’t that hurt?”

  “Not having you next to me hurts worse.”

  I giggled and shook my head. “I really think those poetry classes in college paid off.”

  “You think they helped me finally get the girl?” he teased.

  “Oh, yeah. For sure.” I ran my finger down his jaw, feeling the whiskers against my skin. It was as if I was trying to memorize everything about Maddox. “So, what party, exactly, are we trying to get to on Saturday?”

  “How about our engagement party?” he asked. His eyes fastened on mine, and my heart skipped a beat.

  “Yeah?” I asked.

  He nodded. “I’d take you up in a plane again and ask you to marry me all over again, but the way things have been going, I don’t want to tempt fate.”

  I giggled and nuzzled his neck. “I love you, Maddox McKenzie, but I think we already tempted fate long ago.” I smiled, thinking back to all of our missed encounters.