He rolled over and pulled the blanket up to his chin, ignoring the feelings her words were stirring in him. He barely knew her. There was no reason for him to care for her.
And she was crazy, he reminded himself.
So, why did his lips tingle with the memory of her kiss? Why did his arms long to pull her close? It made no sense. He needed to get his mind off her. This whole fake wedding was playing tricks on him. She wasn’t his real fiancée. He simply needed to stay focused.
He closed his eyes, and images of her smiling face came into view. She was beautiful, he had to admit. And funny. Smart. He sighed, no longer feeling tired.
“Good night,” he whispered.
Her even breathing answered him.
MADISON AWOKE THE NEXT morning feeling refreshed. The guest bed was comfortable. And large. King sized, probably. She stretched and peered down at Jared.
He lay cramped up in a little ball, the quilt covering only the top half of him, his legs and bare feet sticking out the bottom. Her heart went out to him. That was very kind of him, to offer to sleep on the floor.
She left him sleeping and crept into the bathroom. A steamy shower sounded perfect. She set the clothes Irene had loaned her on the marble counter and undressed. The hot water cascaded down on her.
She’d had crazy dreams last night of Jared’s kisses, his warm touch radiating through her. She had to get a hold of herself. The wild fantasies weren’t making it any easier to be near him.
The body soap smelled like almonds and vanilla and was luxurious on her skin. She washed her hair with some fruity shampoo and matching conditioner, which was a treat. Usually, she picked up whatever was on the discount table, and that meant they rarely smelled the same, most of the time not even being the same brand.
She dried off with a soft, fluffy towel, feeling like she was at some fancy resort. Irene’s designer clothes fit her nicely. She blow-dried her hair and ran her fingers through it to comb it out. It wasn’t ideal, but it was presentable. And no makeup. Again. She shrugged. Oh, well. Jared might as well see her real self. They were getting married in two weeks.
A giggle escaped, and then she silently reprimanded herself. That wasn’t something she should be thinking. Getting all googly-eyed over him wasn’t going to be of any help to her. In fact, it could get her into a lot of trouble.
She went to the door and knocked, in case Jared was changing in the bedroom. No sound came, so she peeked into the other room. The floor was empty, and the bed made. No sign of Jared.
The house was quiet as she made her way down to the kitchen, but as she neared, she heard voices.
“Your aunt Shelly is thrilled you’re moving up the wedding. I wasn’t sure you were going to go for it, for a minute there.” Irene’s airy voice.
“Yeah? Why not?” Jared’s deep baritone.
“You were uncomfortable with the idea, I could tell. But if you know she’s the right girl, then there’s no reason to wait.”
Silence.
Madison decided to rescue him from the conversation. She walked around the corner and smiled. “Good morning.”
Irene, dressed in a long colorful robe, was taking clean dishes out of the dishwasher and putting them away. “Hello, Madison. How did you sleep?”
“Fine.” Her gaze traveled to Jared, still in the ridiculous fish pajamas, sitting on a stool at the island. He was eating a bowl of cereal. His disheveled hair made him look incredibly sexy.
“Would you like me to make you some eggs?” A hopeful smile lit on Irene’s face.
Jared coughed, and shook his head slightly. Then pointed to his bowl.
“No, thank you. I’m more of a cereal eater in the morning.”
“Sure, dear.”
Madison grabbed a bowl and a box of cereal and sat on the stool next to Jared. A lopsided grin filled his face. “One catastrophe avoided,” he whispered.
She poked him in the side. “Be nice.”
After breakfast, Jared went upstairs to shower. Madison plopped down on the couch and picked up one of Patricia’s wedding magazines. When he came down, she almost swallowed her tongue. He was clad in a white t-shirt and a faded pair of blue jeans. The outfit showed off his muscles in a way his stuffy clothes never did.
“Since when do you wear jeans?” Her voice cracked, and heat rushed to her face.
He frowned. “They were in an old box of clothes I had left here.”
Irene entered the room. “I knew those would fit you.” She brushed a piece of lint from his shoulder then shooed him over to the couch. “Go sit by your bride. Patricia’s coming, and we need to go over the menu.”
Maxwell came around the corner in his robe and slippers, carrying a newspaper in his hand. He pulled Irene close and kissed her. “Good morning, hon. How’re the wedding plans coming along?”
There was something about the way he looked at Irene that caught Madison’s attention. His expression was soft. Loving. He really cared for her. She wondered if Jared had ever noticed.
“Things are coming along fine.” She fussed with his salt-and-pepper hair a bit. It was a simple gesture, but intimate somehow. Madison felt as though she were witnessing something special. They had a bond.
Maxwell settled in his easy chair, put his legs up, and opened the paper. “You kids go on with your business and ignore me.”
The atmosphere in the room was comfortable. Easy. Like sitting in front of a warm fire. Madison couldn’t help but envy what they had.
When Patricia arrived, Jared had to scoot a little closer to her on the couch, and he ended up putting his arm around her. She couldn’t complain. It felt nice. She snuggled into him, ignoring the nagging feeling she should be careful because her relationship with Jared wasn’t real.
Chapter 10
The sweat forming on Jared’s brow had nothing to do with the August heat. He wiped his hands on his jeans and leaned closer to the glass case of engagement rings. Soft classical music played in the background. Plush carpeting and gold accents completed the upscale decor.
“Thinking of popping the question?” The robust saleswoman behind the counter smiled. “You look more nervous than Miley Cyrus in church.” She chuckled to herself.
Jared tried not to scowl at the woman. “I just need a simple ring.” The prices in the case started at nine hundred dollars and went up from there. He swallowed. This was insane. He couldn’t spend that kind of money on a fake ring. Then an idea hit him. “Do you have anything with cubic zirconia?”
A deep frown crossed the woman’s face. “We only carry quality diamonds. Besides, your girl deserves something nice, doesn’t she?”
He stared at the glass, his vision blurring.
“What’s her name?” the sales lady prompted.
“Mmm? Oh, Madison.”
She smiled. “A lovely name. How did you two meet?”
The story Madison made up popped into his head, and he swallowed a laugh. She was something else, that’s for sure. He’d better watch out if she ever got mad at him again. He’d be in for a ride. Jared cleared his throat. “At the opera.”
“Oh, a classy woman. You can’t give her anything less than she deserves. You know, you should think of this as an investment. An investment in your future.”
Their future. What a joke. They didn’t have a future. He nodded absentmindedly.
The sales clerk unlocked the case and brought out a couple of displays for him to look at. “What do you like about her? What makes Madison special?”
Her image flashed through his mind. “She’s like no one else.” He thought about their first evening together. How she successfully turned the tables on him. “She’s witty. She gets under your skin, you know? And she doesn’t let go. But she’s sexy and smart. Sometimes I don’t know whether to strangle her or kiss her.” He realized he was babbling and shut his mouth.
The clerk gave him a knowing smile. “Sounds like love to me.”
Jared smirked. Love. Right. If she only knew.
He picked up one
of the cheaper ones with a small stone. It didn’t look anything like Patricia’s rock. He had a sneaking suspicion girls liked to compare that kind of thing. Madison might feel embarrassed if her ring were too small. And of course, if he were really picking out something, he’d spend more. The farce wouldn’t look very believable if he bought something too modest. He put it back.
If he was going to do this, he might as well do it right. It wouldn’t make sense to purchase a tiny diamond. That would tip-off his family.
What would he purchase, if he were actually getting married? His gaze skimmed the displays. None of the rings she had brought out of the case were elegant enough.
“You know, you’re right. Madison deserves something nice.” He moved down several feet, where the rings were more extravagant. “Can I take a look at these?”
The woman clutched her necklace, her smile widening. “Of course, sir.”
Jared perused the jewelry until he found one with a swirl of diamonds on each side of the main stone. “Is this silver?”
“Eighteen karat white gold. A beautiful setting. One and a quarter carat diamond. And that’s a bridal set, so the wedding band matches the engagement ring.” She pulled the ring out and showed him how the two rings separated, then came back together.
He smiled. This was the ring for Madison. It was even the right size. He looked at the tag and coughed when he saw the eight thousand dollar price.
“Um, suppose I purchase a ring and she doesn’t say yes?” He tugged on the collar of his t-shirt. “What’s your return policy?”
The woman patted her hair. “We have a 60 day total refund return policy. As long as the ring is in the same condition, of course.”
Elation lifted him. Perfect. He’d return the ring after the fake wedding. “Then this is the one.”
A warm smile lit up her face. “She’ll love it.” The clerk started taking down his information. When she finished up behind the counter, she placed the fancy ring box into a sack and handed it to him. “Now, don’t be nervous. I’m sure she’ll say yes.”
He left the store feeling almost giddy. Madison was going to flip. He couldn’t wait to—
Someone collided with him, hard.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Veronica turned, her ruby red lips curving into a smile. “Why, Jared, so nice to see you again. Funny how we keep running into each other. What are you doing here?”
“Just some shopping.”
“Look at you, in your old clothes. You remind me of the time we went to the lake and rented a motorboat. We had a picnic in the middle of the water. Remember that?” She touched his arm.
He did remember. He’d spent two days planning the picnic. The day had ended with Veronica flirting with his best friend. He took a step back. “Yeah.”
The corners of her mouth pulled down. “Whatever happened to us?”
He bristled. “You cheated on me.”
She smoothed her hands over his chest. “That was a misunderstanding. I miss you. I miss us.” She wrapped her arms around his elbow and kissed his cheek.
He stared down at her. What was she doing? “Veronica, I’m getting married in two weeks.”
She batted her eyes at him, and ran her fingers up his arm. “That doesn’t mean we can’t still be friends.”
Her meaning was not lost on him, and his stomach soured. “That’s not going to happen.” He jerked free from her grasp.
A pout formed on her face. “Honey, don’t be like that.”
“I’m not your honey. I think it’s best if we say goodbye. Don’t come to my house. Don’t come to the wedding. I don’t want to see you again.” He unlocked his car with his remote and slid into the driver’s seat.
Veronica stood on the sidewalk, a look of shock on her face. Then she turned on her heel and marched down the street.
He didn’t care. He pulled out into traffic, officially done with her. How he’d ever been interested in her, he’d never know.
VERONICA LOOKED BACK as she heard Jared’s car speed off down the street, her eyes narrowing. If she couldn’t get what she wanted as Jared’s girl, she’d find another way. Something wasn’t right about this wedding, and she was going to find out about it.
But first she needed to return the diamond bracelet Eric had bought her. The man was as dumb as a bag of rocks, but he knew how to give a nice gift. Too bad he broke up with her.
Loser. He’d regret his choice. Even though he was a millionaire, he smelled like fish and laughed through his nose. He’d never find a girl who would date him for his personality.
She waltzed into the jewelry store and handed the bracelet to the clerk. “I need to return this. It doesn’t go with my earrings.”
Lucky for her, she’d found Jared back in town right after breaking up with Eric. Jared owned his own company down in some two-bit town. He was worth a tidy sum.
“Do you want store credit, or shall I credit the debit card this was purchased with?”
Veronica looked down her nose at the woman behind the counter. Not the owner, obviously, wearing some hideous discount blouse from ShopMart. “I don’t want credit. I want cash.”
The woman’s gaze flickered over to the register. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but it’s store policy to put all returns back on the card with which they were paid.”
Veronica straightened her spine. She knew how to get things done. “Listen here,” she paused and stared at the nametag pinned to her shirt. “Margaret. My boyfriend and I are loyal customers. Do you know who Eric Holloway is? We shop here all the time. I would hate for something like this to ruin your store’s perfectly good reputation.”
Margaret’s face paled. “I, um, will have to call my manager.”
“You do that.” She crossed her arms and tapped her foot.
The woman went into the back room. Several minutes later, she re-appeared. “I’m sorry, Mr. Holloway prefers the return to go back on his debit card.”
Veronica clenched her teeth. “I didn’t tell you to call Mr. Holloway. And for your information, he gave me that bracelet. It’s mine.” She snatched it out of the woman’s hand and stalked out of the store.
She’d get a few hundred bucks at the pawn shop.
Then she’d go home and find out all she could about Jared’s girl and this rushed wedding.
Chapter 11
A light evening breeze blew past Madison as she walked on the plush green grass in Maxwell and Irene’s beautifully landscaped backyard. A stone wall encompassed a grand area that had flowerbeds, statues, and even a waterfall. A gate led to a stone path with a pond and a gazebo. Orange and yellow flowers dotted everything, and climbing vines created an almost fairytale look.
“We can set up the dance floor here.” Patricia motioned to one area. “And have some tables set up over there.”
Madison nodded and smiled. This backyard would be perfect. The decorations, her dress, the music, everything would be perfect. Everything except the fact it wasn’t real.
Her stomach churned. Could she really go through with this? All his family would be there. And they were so kind to her. She thought about his sick aunt. The look on her face when she found out they would move the wedding forward—pure joy. She couldn’t disappoint her.
Calling off the wedding now would only cause them heartache. She and Jared would just need to pretend to get married, go back to Crimson Ridge, and wait until an appropriate time to announce their break up.
It wasn’t that bad. Right?
“What do you think?” Patricia stood under a trellis covered in little white flowers. “Should we have the ceremony here?”
“It’s lovely.”
Patricia beamed. “I think so, too.” She approached Madison and linked arms with her. “Everything is going to be so wonderful. A truly picture-perfect wedding.” Her gaze fell. “I only wish Mom were feeling better.”
“How is she doing?”
Sadness washed over Patricia’s face. “She’s being released from the hospital tonight. I wish
it were good news, but I don’t think it is. They’ve run all kinds of tests, and they all come up negative. They don’t know what’s wrong. I fear they’re giving up.”
Madison patted her hand. “They’re not giving up. I’m sure they’re doing everything they can.”
A small nod, almost imperceptible, then Patricia squeezed her hand. “You’re right.”
“Getting negative results is a good thing. They’re ruling things out.”
“Yes. I know.” Her shoulders slumped. “It’s difficult not knowing what’s wrong. I feel so helpless.” She sniffed, and her chin trembled.
Emotion choked Madison, and she drew Patricia into a hug. “I’m so sorry.”
Patricia clung to her, like she was a lifeline. “I am going to miss her so much. She means everything to me.”
Madison patted her on the back and consoled her as much as she could. She knew the pain of losing a loved one. She’d never really gotten over losing her grandmother. She’d learned to live with it, and over time, the pain had lessened a bit. But it was always there, just the same.
“Maybe they’ll find out what is causing her symptoms, and they’ll be able to fix it.”
Patricia wiped at her eyes. “That is my sincere hope. Thank you for letting me bawl all over you. You’re a true friend.”
Guilt bubbled up, and Madison’s appetite went scampering over the garden wall. She wasn’t a true friend. She was a liar.
Jared opened the patio door and stepped onto the concrete slab. He nodded an acknowledgement. Something about him seemed different. Madison couldn’t put her finger on it. Maybe it was the jeans and t-shirt that made him look more like a regular guy and not some stuffy ‘suit’.
Patricia glanced at him, then Madison, and smiled. “I’ll get out of your hair. You two have some alone time.” She wiggled her eyebrows, then gave Madison another quick hug. “Thanks for letting me vent.”
After Patricia left, Jared sauntered over to her, his thumbs hooked onto his belt loops. “I think Patricia is expecting us to make out.” With a glance back at the house, he pulled her into his arms. “It might be awkward if I don’t give you at least one kiss.”
[Anthology] A Clean Fake Marriage Romance Collection Page 7