Accidentally Married on Purpose: A Love and Games Novel

by Rachel Harris

  Excuses were now irrelevant. The jig was officially up.

  “Please don’t tell anyone.”

  It was as good as a confession, and the slight widening of Angelle’s eyes suggested she was surprised. Maybe because she figured Sherry would stubbornly hold tight to her story. Maybe she hadn’t been certain of her theory. It didn’t matter why. Sherry had just broken her own rule, but maybe this is exactly what needed to happen.

  Setting down her mug, she sank onto a barstool, ready for some sound advice.

  “Tyler really is a great guy. Awesome, in fact. And we did get married in Vegas. That much, at least, is true. But everything else? It’s…” A disaster? A mess? Heartbreak waiting to happen? “A runaway train is what it is.”

  Angelle put down her fork, giving the admission her full attention, and Sherry dropped her head onto her folded arms. The weight of a boulder seemed to have lifted from her shoulders…only now, a raging battle churned in her stomach. Her chest pinched painfully.

  “We…have an agreement,” she explained, staring at the counter’s speckled pattern. Black and white dots morphed before her eyes. “The marriage thing was a whim. One that, honestly, neither of us even remember. But Tyler needs this relationship to save his career. And I…well, I need to keep from being a joke. At least, that’s how it started.”

  Lately, however, saving face and fairy-tale dreams took a backseat to her wacked-out feelings for her husband.

  “And a lot of what we told you did happen,” she continued. “We met in the green room, we hit it off, and we spent the weekend together. An amazing weekend.” Sherry lifted her head. “Angie, I didn’t know things like that existed. I think, maybe, I started falling for him even then. I don’t know. But that last night, things got wild. We drank too much, somehow wound up hitched, and here we are.” She licked her lips and dragged her teeth along the bottom. “If the press discovered what really happened, I’d be nothing but a pathetic headline. And Tyler’s career would be in the toilet.”

  The pale skin between Angelle’s eyes furrowed. “Honey, I have no room to judge here. You know what happened between your brother and me at Thanksgiving. I get self-preservation, I do.” She paused and seemed to choose her next words very carefully. “But sweetie, I know you. I know your heart. And I have to wonder, in this case, if it’s not worse living the lie.”

  A humorless laugh escaped Sherry’s lips. “I’m not sure I even know what’s real and what’s not anymore.”

  Picking up her mug and taking a fortifying sip, she then caught her friend up on the events of the last two weeks. Tyler’s proposition and her list of rules. The kiss out in the driveway. His guitar lesson and parts of the night they slept in her room. Not his mother’s illness—that wasn’t her secret to share—but enough for Angelle to get a clear picture of the man she married. And the mess she’d landed herself in this time.

  Luckily, Angelle Prejean was a good egg. A sweetheart, loyal to the core. Once she and Colby straightened out their mess last summer, and stopped sorta going after the same man, Angie had been like a sister to them both. Soon, she’d be one for real. There was no judgment in her eyes. Not even censure or amusement at her latest failing. Only compassion.

  “Well,” Angelle said once the story was over. “It’s not the most conventional of beginnings…but it could make a heck of a story.” Grinning softly, she took Sherry’s hand. “What is your heart telling you?”

  “That organ hasn’t exactly been the most helpful in the past.” Sighing, she squeezed her friend’s hand with a forced smile and released her grip. She pushed back from the counter and meandered to the coffee pot. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve looked for the best in people. Colby got cynical in college and Cane started chasing skirt”—her future sister-in-law grunted, knowing full well what a womanizer he’d been—“but I was a fan of love. I’m still a fan.” Her mug refilled, she leaned her back against the cabinet. “I just don’t know if I buy it for myself anymore.”

  Angelle offered a gentle smile, silently encouraging her to continue.

  “I’m the town’s heart-wide-open wild child,” she declared, rolling her eyes at the stupid title. “That’s what people see when they look at me. For a while, I even embraced it.” She looked down at the hot brew. “But my heart’s been burned beyond recognition. Late last year I realized I must be crazy, because I kept doing the same thing again and again, expecting a different result. Fishing in the wrong hole, luring the same kind of guys. Cheaters, jerks, playboys…” She made a face and raised her head. “The type of guy I’d pegged Tyler to be. But that’s Blue. The Tyler I know is so much more than I ever expected.”

  Angelle gave her a smug look, and Sherry threw her head back, knowing what was coming. It was easier to admit the truth to the ceiling.

  “What is your heart telling you?” Angie repeated, emphasizing the last two words like Sherry was being intentionally thick. She huffed a laugh because she kind of was.

  “If I were to follow my heart, I’d like to see where this could go,” she confessed to the cobweb floating in the corner of the ten-foot room. She’d have to come back in with a broom later to knock it down. “But honestly, where can it go? Nashville? Traveling the U.S. via tour bus?”

  She looked down to see Angelle shrug. “Yeah, if that’s what you want.”

  Sherry opened her mouth and then closed it.

  Was that what she wanted?

  Starting a new business—the long-held dream she’d finally begun taking more seriously—would be a challenge out on the road, and she’d miss her family like whoa. But tours didn’t last forever. Maybe this was exactly what she needed. A chance to stretch herself, live out loud. See what lay beyond Magnolia Springs.

  A strange bubble of hope rose in her core, a tingling warmth that sparked in her chest and spread throughout her limbs. She fought to contain the answering smile, and the result ended up being a squinty-eyed smirk. “I do love a good adventure.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  A slightly overcast sky was overhead, and a stiff wind blew the canopy, but Tyler Blue Day in the city of Opelousas was nothing short of perfect. The people’s adoration and appreciation for Tyler rivaled the attention you’d expect of royalty, showing up en masse with sparkly signs and tall banners, proclaiming their love for their hometown stud. They overfilled the folding chairs and set up blankets on the lawn, stretching out on either side. Sherry couldn’t have been any prouder.

  The last week had been insane. Finalizing the details along with his publicist, Arianne, and her contact with the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and trying desperately not to step on any toes. They’d had a great event planned—small and intimate, a few songs, and the announcement. But it just hadn’t been enough. Not for Sherry. It wouldn’t only be former neighbors and stalker fans showing up today. Tyler’s parents were coming, too. And for them, this had to be a party to kick all other party asses. No one said the words, but those in the know understood the truth. This could be the last time his mother saw him before the end. Anything short of spectacular wasn’t an option.

  Sherry’s gaze sought the woman out now, looking frail, peaceful, and so very proud of her son, seated right in front. The pure elation shining from the woman’s eyes brought tears to her own. Every second of stress had been worth it.

  “You did good.”

  Dabbing her eyes, Sherry turned to smile at the man beside her off to the side. Charlie Tucker was Tyler’s bassist and his best friend. Getting to know him had been her second goal of the day.

  “Thanks,” she replied, watching as an adorable little boy with a mega voice left the stage. “I wanted to do something different. A fun way to get the town in the mix honoring Blue.” She grinned as the boy’s mother swooped him up in her arms. “What I didn’t count on was them stealing the show. That kid freaking rocked!”

  Charlie huffed a laugh and propped his foot against the DJ wall behind them. “First thing you learn in this business: there’s always
someone younger and cuter ready to steal the spotlight.”

  The boy and his family walked past on the way back to their seats, and Charlie held his palm out for a high-five. The young kid smacked it. “You killed it out there, buddy.”

  As he posed with the family for pictures and signed the boy’s flier, Sherry couldn’t help but feel proud. Call it sheer brilliance, community outreach, or Opelousas Idol—a somewhat cheesy title the local press coined—the opening to Blue’s show today was genius. Last Sunday local acts auditioned and a select handful won coveted spots to perform. Grandmas in gingham, cute kids in bowties, and all walks in between sang covers of the band’s many hits over the last hour. With Tyler finishing his round of interviews in the back, the final performer took the stage.

  Charlie let a whistle rip as a young woman with long, platinum blond hair, her white dress swishing just above her cowboy boots, grabbed the mic.

  “Friend of yours?” Sherry asked, amused. “Or past conquest?”

  Tyler may not be the playboy she’d once pegged him for, but his best friend more than earned the title. In between acts, as Tyler made the rounds, Charlie had entertained her with stories of the road. In particular, the tales of his many hookups. Normally, that sort of thing would’ve disgusted her. He represented every bad boy she’d ever chased after. But Charlie’s secret power was his charm. A wicked wit, a slow smile, and a unique way of giving you his undivided attention, making you feel important. It was a lethal combination.

  Thank God she hadn’t met him in the green room at New Year’s. He was trouble with a capital T. But as an ally, he might just make a good friend.

  “I wish,” he replied, flashing her a playful grin. “That’s Sadie Hart. Our agent represents her too, and we met at a few industry parties. Nolan got her out here for some extra exposure.”

  Sherry watched as the woman closed her eyes and took a short centering moment. She was gorgeous in that fresh, natural way, the kind that made you just a little jealous, but put you at ease right away. Impossible not to like. “Is she any good?”

  Charlie grinned as the familiar intro to “Next Time” rolled over the crowd. “You tell me.”

  Sadie launched into the upbeat ballad, her powerhouse, female vocals bringing a fun twist to Tyler’s lyrics. The song was about heartbreak and learning from past mistakes, being better in the next relationship, and the female spin brought a new edge to the once male lines.

  Sherry nodded her head with the beat. “Yeah, she’s really good.”

  Charlie smiled, and the two of them moved to the music, thriving on the crowd’s energy. It wasn’t until a group on the far edge began twisting their heads, gesturing and whispering to each other, that Sherry looked over and saw another blonde make her way toward the stage. This one, however, she knew. They may not have met yet, but Sherry could recite the woman’s stats verbatim.

  Kristen Wilson stopped beside Tyler in the roped-off media section. She told the reporter something that made him smile, and the photographer took a picture of the country duo. When the last of the journalists made their exit, Kristen’s lips twisted in a grin. The woman leaned close, whispering something near Tyler’s ear, and he threw his head back in a laugh.

  Sherry’s breath caught. Seeing him laugh like that gutted her.

  She wanted to be the one to make him laugh. It was foolish and silly, yes, but that was her thing. Or she’d thought it was her thing. The fact that Kristen could make him laugh was just one more point in the girl’s favor.

  Last week, she’d admitted that she’d like a future with Tyler. Three weeks ago, she’d agreed to live in the moment and not discuss what happens next. But he left in seven days. A large part of her wanted to be making plans to go with him. But as she stared at the striking pair that Kristen and Tyler made together, Sherry’s tummy tightened, and she couldn’t help but wonder…

  Was this his future?

  Charlie nudged her side. “You’re pretty cool, you know that?”

  Sherry tore her gaze away from the stage. “How so?”

  He shrugged. “Just a lot of women in your place would be insecure.”

  That stung, since she was insecure, and was totally being a head case at this very moment. But she also had no right to be. Charlie was one of the few who knew the truth. Before she could say that, however, he gave her a pointed look.

  “Yeah, I know the story,” he told her. “But I’ve also seen the difference in him this month.”

  Lord, she’d love to believe that. If her husband felt even an iota of what she did, it would give her hope. But hope could be a very dangerous thing.

  Charlie narrowed his eyes, considering her, then turned and lifted his chin toward the huge crowd. “This gig comes with a lot of benefits. Fame and money. The chance to do what you love and get paid for it. We’re damn lucky. But it’s not easy. Finding a woman who’s willing to put up with the rumors, to stay by your side despite the distance and the constant stress…” He shook his head. “It’s practically impossible.”

  If the man’s goal was comfort, he sucked at it. This was not helpful, nor was it calming her nerves one bit. Her gaze strayed again to the stage.

  What made this that much more comical was knowing this had been Sherry’s brainchild—or brain-fart, depending on your take. Originally, Kristen hadn’t been scheduled to perform. It’d been her idea to give the crowd a sneak peek of the new album. But hey, what was that old saying? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?

  “Don’t tell me you believe the hype.”

  Sherry winced at the disappointment in his voice. So much for her being cool.

  “The look on your face says you’ve been doing some fishing. Trust me, darlin’. All that’s gonna catch is trouble.” She looked at him, and his narrowed gaze bore into hers. “You should know better than anyone how these things go. How little truth matters. The media lives to drag people in the dirt and cause trouble where there is none. Don’t let those vipers in your head.”

  The audience went crazy with applause as Sadie’s song ended. Charlie pushed away from the wall. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on with you two. Ain’t none of my business. But you should know that man hasn’t stopped staring this way all morning.”

  Sherry looked at the stage and found Tyler’s gaze locked on her. Had he really been watching her? She’d been so busy since they arrived: setting up, meeting contacts, trying extra hard not to hover. But the thought that he’d been watching her sent a warmth trickling down her spine.

  “He’s a good man,” Charlie told her, “and a better friend than I deserve. He’s worth your faith.” A mischievous tone crept in his voice as he added, “Besides, you’re our good luck charm.”

  Whatever else she’d been about to say flew right out of her head. She looked away from the stage and asked, “Huh?”

  Whistling, Charlie began the trek to the front. Blue was up next.

  “What do you mean I’m a good luck charm?” she asked, dogging his steps unabashedly. She recalled one of Tyler’s sticky notes had said that very thing. “Has something happened?”

  He sent her a sly grin. “You’ll see soon enough.”

  With that, he left her on the sidelines and took the steps two at a time to the stage. Tyler said something to his agent, Nolan, then grabbed her wrist. “Don’t go anywhere.”

  “Are you kidding?” she asked, squeezing his hand. “And miss my first Blue concert? Never.”

  That smile slid across his face. Not the one she saw online or earlier when he mugged for the cameras. The one she was starting to calls hers. Lighthearted, flirtatious, almost boyish. It reached his eyes and made the corners crinkle. Earning that smile made her feel invincible.

  He glanced over at Tony, the bodyguard who’d all but become Sherry’s shadow in the last month. The man never said much, and he rarely smiled, but she had to admit, he did make her feel safe. “Keep an eye on my girl here,” Tyler said, lacing their fingers together.

  Tony li
fted his chin. “Of course, sir.”

  Charlie began strumming a beat and the drummer kicked in, and still Tyler held her hand. He brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss across her knuckles, and her belly fluttered. A keyboard came in, the music swelled, and finally, he winked. “Enjoy the show.”

  Hand to heart, Sherry watched her man take the stage and swallowed hard. Oh, she was such a goner. Feeling the weight of a stare, she turned to meet his mother’s eyes. The woman smiled softly and mouthed, Thank you.

  Sherry’s chest squeezed as she shook her head. “Thank you,” she said in return.

  The crowd cheered as Tyler took the stage. Sherry knew the set-list, and the exact moment everything would happen, but still, she was nervous. Twitching with energy. After Blue performed their current top-rated single, they’d have the awards and announcement, and then the band would play a shortened set of fan favorites…plus a couple top-secret ones from the new album, including the duet with Kristen Wilson.

  Tyler’s smooth voice crept over her skin as he began to sing, and Sherry closed her eyes, letting the lyrics wash over her. Her shoulders found the beat, her hips swayed, joining the party, and she’d almost lost herself completely when—

  “Exciting, isn’t it?”

  Sherry’s eyes popped open at the sweet drawl at her ear, shocked to find Kristen Wilson standing beside her, beaming at her as if they were old buds. And, she reluctantly noted, looking even more beautiful up close than in her pictures.

  Jeez. Couldn’t the woman at least have a zit or something?

  “We haven’t had a chance to say hello,” the Oklahoma beauty said, turning to give Sherry her full attention, “but I’m Kristen. Tyler told me it was your idea for me to perform today, and I just wanted to say I appreciate it. That duet is a huge step for my career, and I’m thrilled to help celebrate his special day.”