The Cowboy's Fake Marriage

by Bree Livingston

  She placed her hands on his chest, and there was no way she didn’t feel his heart slamming against his ribs. “I think I’ll go wash my face now.”

  Jackson bent down and brushed his lips across hers. “It can’t get any prettier.”

  A blanket of deep red colored her cheeks, and she slipped from his arms. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  He watched her take the stairs until she disappeared, and then he returned to the dining room to deal with Hannah. “Why do you have to be like that to her?” Jackson asked.

  Hannah brushed her hands down her jeans and faced him. “Like what? She does act perfect. And she yelled at me.”

  “Because what you said wasn’t exactly kind.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way.”

  Sure, she didn’t. Hannah never said anything without knowing how it would affect someone. “Then how did you mean it?”

  “I just meant that it may have been hard to be married to someone who up and decided to take on a child. It’s not like she married Quincy, thinking she’d have to raise you. Maybe she wasn’t a bad person. Maybe she just didn’t want kids.”

  Jackson put his hands on his hips. “Right. So her getting remarried and having five kids shouldn’t make me wonder if she left because of me?”

  “You were someone else’s child. It’s different when they’re your own, don’t you think?”

  “I think when you see a child in need of a home, you need to put down your selfishness and step up to the plate.”

  “Well, everyone isn’t like you, Jackson. Some people have flaws and problems.”

  Jackson gritted his teeth. “I do have flaws. I do have problems. I just don’t think I could turn my back on a kid.”

  “And some people aren’t kid kind of people. I don’t think that makes them bad. I think it makes them better. At least they know their weaknesses and don’t take it out on a defenseless child.”

  “I’m not saying they’re bad people.” He raked his hand through this hair. “I...I don’t know what I’m saying.”

  Hannah exhaled sharply and covered her mouth with her hand. “Jackson, I don’t want to fight. You’re a great guy, and that woman missed out.” She dropped her hand and crossed the room, stopping in front of him. “I’m sorry I made you think otherwise.”

  “Like you didn’t know how it would affect me. You know how bad it hurt me when my dad abandoned me.”

  “Honestly, it just popped out. I wasn’t thinking when I said it. When I realized it, I should have just apologized right then.” She balled her hand in his shirt and tugged it. “I’m so sorry.”

  Hannah apologizing twice in the space of a few minutes? She could have knocked him over with a feather. She never apologized for anything. Maybe Grace was right, and Hannah had changed, or she was, at least, trying. That didn’t mean he wanted to get back with her, but maybe they could end up being friends.

  “Thank you,” Jackson said.

  Hannah smiled. “See, told you I’m trying to change.”

  Jackson returned the smile. “Yeah, I know.”

  “Grace sure put me in my place, huh?”

  “Kinda.” He grinned. Not kinda. Grace straight up put Hannah in her place. It had made him feel good too.

  Hannah let go of his shirt and went back to where she’d been working. “I have a question, and I don’t want you to get mad.”

  “All right, fire away.”

  “Are you really engaged to Grace?”

  Jackson’s heart pounded against his ribcage. What should he tell her? Not that he’d ever take her back, but it did seem like Hannah had changed. She’d done this kind of thing before, though. A couple of days were nothing for her. “Yes, we are. Did you see me kiss her?”

  “I saw it. It’s just...something feels off.”

  “In case you didn’t notice, when we are around others, I’m usually the initiator. And the one time she kissed me in front of you, I took her out of the room. She doesn’t like showing affection in public.” Whew. How had he thought of that on the spot? He hated lying, but he didn’t want to give away anything. Having the excuse would give him and Grace a reason not to be lovey-dovey in front of Hannah. It also took away his excuse to kiss her. What was he thinking? That last kiss only made him want to kiss her more.

  Hannah ripped off a piece of wallpaper and chucked it into the pile they’d created. “Okay, if you say so.” She caught Jackson’s gaze and held it, smiling. It was the smile she’d throw him while they were dating. The one that used to make his insides boil. Now, it did nothing. Not when he compared it to Grace.

  Mentally, he schooled himself and pushed the thought away. “I do say so.”

  Silence lingered as they went back to work.

  “Okay, I’m back,” Grace said as she entered the room. “Washing my face woke me up.”

  He caught her gaze, and she shot him a sweet little smile. Those pink lips now had a spotlight on them. He shook his head, trying to clear it. She’d said she wasn’t available. This was just business. They’d just momentarily lost control. He had to make sure it didn’t happen again.

  He pulled his gaze from Grace and studied Hannah. His moment alone with her had gone better than he’d expected. What had brought about the new Hannah? He didn’t know why, but something was bugging him.

  He waved off the feeling and returned to his section of the wall, running his hand down it. “This is finally smooth.”

  Grace walked to the area and ran her hand over the wall. “Wow, it’s great.”

  “I wish I could use a power tool. It’d go faster.”

  “It’d also make more dust. I know it’s slower, but it makes it easier to breathe this way.” She brushed the residue from the wall off her hand.

  Jackson rubbed his shoulder. “My arms are going to fall off.”

  “They are not. I bet you could raise a barn by yourself with those big muscles.”

  “Doesn’t mean they don’t hurt with all this sanding I’m doing.”

  Grace placed her hand on his bicep and kneaded the muscle there. They were getting sore, but he’d been teasing. “If you need to take a break, it’s okay. Peeling wallpaper isn’t all that labor-intensive.”

  “Speak for yourself. My arms are killing me. So are my fingernails,” Hannah said. “I’m not griping, just saying.”

  Jackson locked eyes with Grace. “I’m all right.” Where her hands touched, zaps were arcing down into his stomach. The little massage felt good too.

  “Okay,” Grace said. “If you get tired, let me know. I’ll sand for a while.”

  Without thinking, he took her hand and touched it to his lips. “Thank you.”

  She nodded and went back to the spot she’d been working on. The more he learned about Grace, the more he liked her. He didn’t know who brought her his way, but he was finding himself grateful.

  The rest of the day, they hit the dining room hard. By the time dinner rolled around, they’d nearly completed it, and it felt amazing. All the wallpaper was down. Grace was now sanding the wood trim while Jackson and Hannah worked on the walls.

  By the time the sun hit the horizon, they were all aching from head to toe, and even with cool air pouring in, they were soaked in sweat. They’d played rock-paper-scissors, and he’d won the right to shower first. He tried to get Hannah or Grace to go first, but both women insisted he go first. He didn’t know if he should feel flattered that they thought he’d worked so hard that he deserved to go first or if they were just saying it because of how badly he smelled.

  His only hang up was that the two of them would be left alone, and he didn’t know how he felt about that. What could they talk about? His name was the only answer he could find.

  Chapter 11

  Grace downed a glass of water as she plopped onto one of the kitchen chairs. The icy water rushed down her throat, and she nearly fell over because it felt so good. It was the second time that day that cold water had come to her rescue.

  The kiss she’d shar
ed earlier with Jackson had curled her toes and set her on fire. She’d only meant to show Hannah that they were engaged. A little affection so she didn’t get suspicious. But the moment his lips touched hers, she couldn’t stop herself from wanting more. He’d picked her up, taken her out of the room, and pinned her against the wall so fast it was a blur. It hadn’t lasted long, but it was a mighty good kiss.

  He’d left her breathless and trembling. She’d barely made it up the stairs to the bathroom before she had to sit down. Then he’d shot her a sexy smile when she walked back in and nearly liquefied her. The more time she spent with Jackson, the more she felt an invisible thread tying her to him.

  Grief, like a thick fog, settled over her, and she shivered. It had been long enough, hadn’t it? To mourn Bret? Well, that wasn’t all that had kept her from moving on, but those were thoughts she hadn’t been willing to dig into yet. She sighed, put her elbow on the table, and held her head in her hand.

  “I’m worn out too,” Hannah said and sat across the table from her. “My manicurist is going to cry.”

  If only it was just that, but her heartache wasn’t something she would share with Hannah, especially since this was the first time Grace had been left alone with her. It didn’t feel as awkward as it could have, but Grace did have enough sense to know the woman was trouble.

  Grace grimaced. “Someone sure was wallpaper happy. It seems like every room was subjected to it. At least the kitchen and two of the bedrooms are free of it.”

  “I’m not looking forward to pulling more wallpaper,” Hannah said.

  Grace shook her head. “The only reason we pulled it in the dining room was to preserve the plaster. It was in good shape, so there was no reason to tear it out. The other parts of the house are sheetrock.”

  “Oh, that’s a relief. So we’ll just take out the sheetrock?”

  “It’s easier. With as hard as the wallpaper was to get off in the dining room, it’d just tear up the walls anyway. Plus, it’ll give us a chance to check the wiring. Can’t have faulty wiring if we’re going to have guests staying here.”

  “What about the outside of the house?”

  Grace inhaled and let it out slowly. “It’ll need pressure washed. The paint that’s chipping off will need to be scraped, and it’ll have to be repainted. That’ll have to be done in the evenings when it’s cooler. Trying to work in that heat would give someone a stroke.”

  “I was hoping you’d say evenings. Just thinking about being in that heat turns me into a puddle.”

  Grace giggled. “I know, right? I can’t imagine what June, July, and August will be like.”

  “And the humidity?”

  “Like walking in boiling water.”

  Hannah laughed. “Exactly.”

  The conversation died when Grace couldn’t find another subject. The silence stretched out longer and longer until it became downright painful.

  “If I ask you something, will you be honest with me?” asked Hannah.

  Grace’s heart pumped a little harder. What could Hannah want to ask her? “Uh, sure.”

  “Are you and Jackson really engaged?”

  Oh great. Lying was not one of Grace’s strengths. “Yes, we are.”

  “Really? Because when I asked him, he said you weren’t.”

  Grace felt the color drain from her face. Had Jackson really done that? Wouldn’t he have told her first? And if Hannah knew that, then why would she ask? “Maybe you heard him wrong.”

  Hannah shook her head. “No, I didn’t.”

  A thread of panic glued Grace’s tongue to the top of her mouth. What did she say?

  “He said you were only interested in saving the house.”

  Grace felt a trickle of sweat race down her spine and pool in the small of her back. How did Hannah know these things if Jackson hadn’t confessed it was a ruse? He did say she was good at lying. What if she was just fishing? “I’m interested in saving the house, but that’s not the reason I agreed to marry him.”

  “Do you love him?”

  Oh crud, what kind of corner had Grace backed herself into? She couldn’t say she loved him. Lying about being engaged was one thing...but saying she loved him? That was taking things further than Grace could handle. Although, she could certainly see herself falling for him. He’d shown himself to be sweet, funny, and caring. And, man, was she attracted to him. But like was a far cry from love. “Why do you care if I love him or not? You didn’t.”

  Hannah sat back like she’d been slapped. “I did love him.”

  “I call bull. If you loved him, you wouldn’t have left him.”

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “You made it my business when you hurt him.” Was it her business? Yeah, it was. Jackson was her friend. They’d spent almost every waking moment together since she’d arrived, and she knew enough about him that she was comfortable calling him that. Who was she kidding? Way more than comfortable.

  Hannah narrowed her eyes, and her lip curled. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Grace didn’t flinch. She liked Jackson, and this woman had run roughshod over him. “I think I do. In the room today, you threw that comment out like it was no big deal. You had to know how that would hit him, and yet you just let it fly.”

  “I apologized to him for that.”

  Like that made it better? “You shouldn’t have said it in the first place.”

  Hannah pinched her lips together and stood. “I know you and Jackson aren’t engaged. I could tell by the way you turned white as a sheet when I asked, and I’m going to stick around until I can prove it.” Her face was beet red, and Grace was almost positive she could see steam coming from her ears.

  Grace was determined to keep her cool, even though all she wanted to do was knock this woman on her rear. “Why do you care?”

  “Because no one walks away from me.”

  Grace tilted her head. “So you don’t really want him. You just don’t want anyone else to have him. Is that what I’m hearing?”

  “No, that’s not...I’ve changed.” Hannah narrowed her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I know what you’re trying to do, and I’m not as dumb as you think I am.”

  Clearly, Hannah didn’t realize how low Grace had set the bar. “I—”

  Footsteps on the stairs made them look toward the door to the kitchen.

  Hannah stepped closer to Grace and leaned down. “Go ahead and tell him what I said. I don’t even care.”

  “If I did that, we’d lose the free labor because he’d kick you out. Nah, Jackson’s capable of taking care of you. In the meantime, you can help save his house.”

  Dumbfounded, Hannah stepped back as Jackson walked in and his freshly showered, manly scent filled the room. Grace was glad she was sitting down. It seemed every day she noticed something about him she hadn’t before.

  “Next,” he said.

  “Didn’t use all the hot water, did you?” Grace asked.

  Hannah dropped her arms. “Grace said I could go next.” She turned a steely-eyed glare to Grace, which Jackson couldn’t see, like she was daring her to disagree.

  Jackson’s gaze traveled from Hannah to Grace. “Is that so?”

  “Yep.” Grace poured him a glass of water and set it on the table in front of the spot Hannah had vacated. “I don’t mind going last.”

  Hannah walked out of the room, and Jackson took a seat, picking up the glass and draining it. “Thank you.”

  “Would you like some more?”

  Jackson smiled. “If I want more, I’ll get it.”

  “I know you’re tired. I can see it in your eyes.”

  “No more tired than you are. I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as you do.”

  Heat seared her cheeks, and she trained her gaze on her glass. “I told you I’d earn my keep.”

  “And at this point, I feel like I owe you.” He chuckled.

  Grace shook her head. “No, you don’t. I’m loving this. It�
��s not work to me.”

  He switched seats and covered her hand with his. “I’m glad you broke down in Willow Valley.”

  She lifted her head, and their gazes met. The way he stared at her made her feel like she’d turn to goo. “Hannah doesn’t think we’re engaged.” Her lungs felt squeezed, and the words tumbled out breathy.

  “She told me the same thing.”

  “You didn’t tell her we weren’t?”

  Jackson’s eyebrows knitted together. “No, why?”

  “She said you did.”

  He clamped his lips together, and his eyes turned stormy. “I knew it. She’s out.”

  Grace snapped out the trance she’d been under. “No, don’t do that.”

  “What? She’s up to her old tricks. She needs to go.”

  “And now you know she is, and you can be on guard. She’s extra help, and we need it. Let her stay and think she’s winning.”

  Jackson raked his hand through his hair. “I don’t know.”

  “We can handle her.”

  “We?”

  Grace leaned forward. “As long as I’m here, I’ve got your back.”

  “You have no idea how much I appreciate that.” He looked over his shoulder at the door and back to her, leaning in even closer. “I told her you like your privacy, and that’s why we aren’t all over each other all the time.”

  He’d brushed his teeth, and the mint mixed with his bodywash was making Grace lightheaded. “You didn’t have to tell her that.”

  “I just don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

  If her feelings were a totem pole, uncomfortable wouldn’t even be on it. Nervous, anxious, confused, maybe a little happy, definitely excited, and now she was disappointed. And they’d be stacked in that order, especially now that he wouldn’t be kissing her as much.

  “Oh, well, if you think we need to be a little more affectionate to sell it to Hannah, it’s okay.” Boy, it was hot in the kitchen, and the only thing sizzling was him.

  His lips quirked at the corners. “You’d take one for the team?”

  “As long as it’s yours.”

  “Bret was a truly lucky man.”