[Anthology] A Clean Fake Marriage Romance Collection

by Victorine E. Lieske

  Not to be out done by Megan, he cleared his throat. “Do you have any chocolate milk?” He tossed her his best on-air smile.

  The waitress narrowed her eyes, then stepped back as recognition filled her face. “You’re Adam Warner, from the morning show!” She smiled, much warmer this time, changing her angle to be in the shot. “I’m sure we can come up with some for you, Mr. Warner.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’ll give you a few minutes to look over your menu.”

  Megan looked up. “Oh, I already know what I want.”

  The waitress appeared overly happy to take their order. “All right. Go ahead.”

  “I would like the spaghetti and meatball kid’s meal.”

  Unfazed, she scribbled on her notepad and turned to Adam. “And you?”

  “Macaroni and cheese.”

  “Of course.” She made a note, then took their menus. “We’ll have that right out for you.” She left with swaying hips.

  He leaned closer to Megan, glad to have some time alone with her. Well, as alone as it gets, considering Dale was filming them. “Tell me something about yourself that I don’t know.”

  A thoughtful look came over her. “I graduated from Colorado State University.”

  “Nope. Already knew that.”

  She frowned. “I worked in radio for two years before moving here.”

  He shook his head. “Already knew that, too.”

  “How’d you know that? You checking up on me?”

  A small shrug lifted his shoulders. “Leon and I went over the applicants together before you were hired.”

  “Ah, I see.” She brushed a blonde strand of hair from her face. “How about this: when I was seven, I decided I was going to start up my own cleaning business. I typed up my rates on a piece of paper and went around the neighborhood selling my services.”

  A smile tugged at his lips. “What kinds of services?”

  “Dusting was a dollar, vacuuming was three dollars, and flushing the toilet was five cents.”

  He held in a laugh. “Wow. Five cents for a flush, huh? Did anyone take you up on it?”

  “Old Mrs. Fielding asked me in, and she bought all three services. Then she gave me cookies and milk, and a grocery bag full of canned vegetables to take home, along with a generous tip.” Megan’s smile faded. “Mom was furious when she got home from work. Said three neighbors called her and asked if we were okay. She was mortified that I’d embarrassed her like that.”

  “Aw, you were just being a kid. I think it was quite entrepreneurial of you.”

  She stared off into the distance, a slight frown on her face. He was about to ask her more about it, but the waitress returned with their drinks. “Here you go.” She set the juice box in front of Megan and grinned. “Your chocolate milk, Mr. Warner.” She practically glowed as she set his glass down. “The food will be ready shortly.”

  “Thank you.” Megan called after the waitress, then shifted in her seat to look at Adam. “You have family nearby?”

  “Yes. My father lives in Iowa.”

  “My cousin lives in Iowa. Where’s your dad at?” She picked up her juice box and pulled the straw off the back.

  He waved his hand, fully aware that the camera was rolling. “A small enough town I’m sure you’ve never heard of it.”

  She raised an eyebrow but didn’t push it, and he inwardly sighed with relief. That was a conversation he didn’t want to have in front of the cameras. In fact, he was hoping he wouldn’t have to have it at all. His father was the last thing he wanted to discuss.

  Chapter 4

  Their meals arrived, and Megan marveled as Adam fumbled with his silverware. Why was he so nervous? She contemplated the possibility, as she had over the past couple of days, that he might have secret feelings for her.

  Of course, the idea of Adam quietly pining away for her was flattering. Any girl would think so. Being wanted by a man was a special kind of thrill. But Adam? With his broad shoulders and gorgeous eyes, it was like she was back in high school and the captain of the football team had asked her to prom.

  Adam pointed to her plate. “How’s your spaghetti?”

  “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.” She twirled a long piece around her fork. “I don’t know what they did, but this is the best sauce I’ve ever tasted. And I think this pasta is freshly made.”

  “I agree. This macaroni is delicious. Kids eat like kings here.”

  The way he was looking at her—intently, with one eyebrow slightly raised—made her insides tingle. She could have sworn he’d grown more handsome in the last few minutes.

  His gaze grew intense, and she squirmed. “Your turn to tell me something I don’t know.”

  “When I bought my Mustang, it was a heap of junk. Got it for a song. I’ve spent the last four years restoring it.”

  “I knew you were good with cars, but I had no idea you could restore them. Your car is beautiful.”

  “Thanks. The paint job wasn’t cheap, but it was worth it.”

  Megan popped a meatball into her mouth, savoring the flavor. After she swallowed, she said, “So, you restore cars and save baby animals. What else don’t I know about you?”

  He thought for a moment. “I’m a terrible dancer.”

  Megan laughed. “Really?”

  “Horrible. As in, my homecoming date dumped me for Fred Dunn. In the middle of the dance. I guess she got tired of me embarrassing her.”

  “Aw, that’s sad.” She tried not to giggle, but failed.

  “And I can’t carry a tune. Don’t make me sing, it’s not pretty.” He grinned, then took a swig of his chocolate milk.

  “I guess if we’re confessing things we stink at, I’ll admit I can’t draw. Not even stick figures. In fact, it’s not a good idea to get me near paint, either. Or pottery. I, uh, got kicked out of seventh grade art class.”

  Adam choked on his milk. “No way. How?”

  “It wasn’t entirely my fault. I don’t think the teacher made it very clear that our clay needed to be hollowed out if we had any solid areas.”

  He hid a smile. “Oh, no.”

  “Oh, yes. Mine exploded in the kiln. Ruined a bunch of other kid’s projects. And Parent’s Night was the next day.” She picked up her fork and stabbed a meatball. “That’s when Mrs. Bohate suggested I try shop class instead.”

  “How did that go?”

  She took another bite as Dale moved to get a better shot. She’d almost forgotten he was there. “It wasn’t a good fit either. Power tools and I don’t get along. Mr. Harding banned me from using the scroll saw.”

  The corner of his mouth lifted up in a grin. “At least you still have all your fingers.”

  “I think he was more worried about me breaking the machine than hurting myself.”

  He chuckled. “Any other little-known facts I should know about you?”

  She twirled the last of her spaghetti around her fork. “I’ve never been on a Ferris wheel.”

  “Really?”

  “To be honest, they scare me. I’m not good with heights.”

  He arched an eyebrow, which looked really sexy on him. “Any heights?”

  “Just those that are off the floor.”

  A warm laugh erupted from his chest. “Got it.”

  The waitress sauntered up to the table, her hand on her hip, eyeballing the camera. “Is everything good here?”

  Adam leaned forward. “Excellent. The best kid’s meal I’ve had in years.”

  She tittered and put her hand on his shoulder. Megan fought the urge to slap her as the perky little waitress leaned over Adam. “You’re so funny, Mr. Warner.”

  “Seriously? You’re flirting with my date?” Megan blurted. When they both stared at her, she wished she had kept her mouth shut.

  The waitress stiffened. “No. I’m doing my job.” She picked up the empty plates and stalked off with a sniff.

  Adam grinned. “Are you jealous of our waitress?”

  A snort c
ame out of Megan, which she tried to cover up with a cough. “Hardly.”

  He chuckled. “Would you like dessert?”

  “I’m full, thanks.” For some reason, she wasn’t in the mood to sit at the table any longer. Having to watch some waitress fawn all over Adam was making her head hurt.

  “How about this. I know a little place that makes old fashioned milkshakes. The kind with real whipped cream on top.” The way his face lit up was endearing.

  “Sounds yummy. I’m in. Let’s blow this joint.”

  He paid the check and they piled back into Adam’s car. Megan found herself relaxing and enjoying the time with him, even though they were on camera. It was getting easier to forget about being filmed as they talked.

  The shake shop was a quaint little restaurant on the corner, with a red and white striped awning and a checkered tile floor. They were severely overdressed, but Megan found herself having fun anyway. The waitress wore a poodle skirt and saddle shoes, and she acted like she didn’t even notice Dale. “Whaddya want tonight, hun?” she asked as she smacked her gum.

  They ordered strawberry shakes with extra whipped cream. As people came in, they stared. It was hard to blend in with what they were wearing and Dale climbing all over the adjacent booth to get a good angle, but Adam just smiled conspiratorially and made it into a game.

  “Act like nothing’s out of the ordinary. We dress like this all the time.”

  She giggled. “And the paparazzi follow us around.”

  “We’re perfectly normal.” Adam grabbed his cherry by the stem and raised it in the air so he could eat it. A bit of whipped cream stuck to his upper lip. She laughed, and he shot her a quizzical grin. “What?”

  “You’ve got something...on your...” She pointed to her own lip, and he swiped at his mouth with his napkin but didn’t get it.

  “Here.” She reached across the table and wiped his lip with her thumb. Electricity zinged up her arm, and she yanked her hand back. Her heart pounded in her chest.

  He sat there grinning, apparently unaffected by the physical contact, while her head spun. She stared at his lips, wondering what it would be like to kiss him, then mentally smacked herself for thinking it. But she found her gaze being drawn to his mouth the rest of the evening.

  ADAM PULLED INTO MEGAN’S apartment complex parking lot and stopped the car. He’d had a surprisingly good time with her this evening. She’d let her guard down. Had some fun. He didn’t want the date to end. “I’ll walk you to your door.”

  He ran around and acted the gentleman, helping her out of the car. Dale trailed after them, into the building, and up the steps. It wasn’t until they were standing awkwardly in front of her door that the thought occurred to him Leon might be expecting him to kiss Megan goodnight. He smiled and shoved his hands in his suit pockets. He wasn’t going to do anything she wasn’t comfortable with, and Leon could just deal with it.

  She stared up at him. “I had a good time tonight.” Her eyelashes brushed her cheeks as she glanced at the floor. “If you would have told me last week that I’d enjoy a date with you, I never would have believed it.”

  “And that’s why the guys like you so much. You know how to boost their confidence.”

  She let out a little giggle. “I think it sounds a bit silly, but...” She shifted her weight and had trouble looking him in the eye. “It made a difference, what Dr. Lemon said. It made me realize I shouldn’t judge people by the masks they wear.”

  Bringing up the fake Dr. Lemon made his mouth go dry, and guilt formed in his gut. Why had Leon done that? And what was he supposed to say to Megan? He cleared his throat. “I don’t know if I would put too much stock in that machine.”

  She touched his arm. “You don’t have to be embarrassed. Feelings are never wrong.”

  What he was feeling right now was the urge to punch Leon for putting him in this situation. Best to change the subject completely. “I had a good time tonight, too.”

  A shy smile crept onto her face. “Maybe we can do it again sometime.”

  “I’d like that.”

  Before he knew what was happening, Megan stood on her tip toes and brushed a feather light kiss across his lips. The sensation was both sweet and thrilling, but she stepped away before he could fully process it. Instinct took over, and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He kissed her, gently at first, but when she responded to him he grew more passionate. Her lips were soft and smooth, and he wanted to drink her in. She entwined her fingers in his hair, and he pulled her even closer, the warmth of her body making him weak in the knees.

  As he kissed her, the world around him melted away and all his sensations heightened. He suddenly didn’t want to do anything else but hold her in his arms and taste her sweet kiss.

  She pulled back, and he stared into Megan’s eyes, completely lost in the pools of blue. He knew he should say something, but no words would form in his head. His pulse raced, and he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. He felt like a school boy, all awkward and yet exhilarated.

  Megan glanced at the camera and blushed.

  He’d forgotten they were broadcasting—live—on the Internet. He took a step back. “Well, uh, goodnight.”

  Her blush deepened. “See you.”

  After she entered her apartment, he couldn’t help but stare at the empty hall and wonder what had just happened.

  MEGAN LEANED HER BACK against her door, her heart pounding. Kissing Adam had been everything she’d imagined and more. Electrifying would be an understatement. She wouldn’t be surprised to look in the mirror and see her hair standing on end. His touch had sent tingles through her entire body. She could barely breathe.

  Her phone rang, snapping her back to reality. She fished it out of her purse and looked at the display. Wendy.

  “Hey little sis. What’s up?”

  “O-M-G girl, tell me everything.”

  Megan scrunched up her nose. “What?”

  “Your date, stupid. I watched you kiss Adam Warner! That was no little peck on the lips. Tell all.”

  Her head swam. “Since when do you watch the show?”

  “It’s all over my Twitter feed. Your co-host is a hottie!”

  If Wendy had seen it online, they must have gotten a ton of hits. Leon would be ecstatic. She sunk into her armchair. “Yeah, he’s cute.”

  “Everyone’s talking about how you fight on the show, but he’s secretly in love with you. Is that true?” Her voice rose in pitch.

  What could she say to that? The same question had been going through her mind all night. “I don’t know.”

  “Wow, the website now says, ‘Watch the second date, coming soon.’ When is that?”

  Wendy’s words snapped her out of the fog that Adam’s kiss had created. “What? I never agreed to a second date.”

  “You did say you wanted to do it again sometime.”

  Megan stood, clutching the phone tight. “Yeah, but I meant alone, not on camera. Leon is such a jerk! I gotta go. He must be at the station right now.”

  Megan hung up the phone and shoved it back into her purse. He had some nerve putting that up without even asking her. She grabbed her keys and opened her door. Who did Leon think he was, anyway, presuming to tape her budding romance for his own profit? She had better straighten him out.

  She raced down to the station. Sure enough, Leon’s car was parked in the lot...right beside Adam’s car. What was he doing here? Maybe dropping Dale off?

  The night air had gotten chilly, but she ignored the cold as she entered the station. She stomped down the hallway but slowed as she heard voices coming from Leon’s office. The door was ajar, and she could see Leon, Dale, and Adam all crowded around the computer screen.

  “Adam, the kiss was brilliant. We’ve got half-a-million hits and rising.” Leon slugged him on the shoulder. “The way you kissed her, no one will ever suspect a thing.”

  Heat flushed through her body, and her stomach tightened. What was he talking about? She crept c
loser to the wall so she wouldn’t be visible if one of them turned around.

  Dale laughed. “I almost believed you had feelings for her. And I watch you two fight every day.”

  “Listen,” Leon said. “About the fighting. You should keep things cool for a while. Flirt a little more. After the next few dates, it will come out that Dr. Lemon is a fraud and this was all a publicity stunt. Megan’s going to blow her top. We’ll make national news!”

  Megan clenched her fists, her nails biting into her skin. This was all a lie, and Adam was in on it. She turned on her heel and ran down the hall before she could hear any more, tears blurring her vision.

  How could he do this to her, make her think he cared for her, then laugh at her when she found out the truth? She was such a fool. How could she have fallen for the stupid machine-that-reads-feelings? What an idiot she was.

  She shivered as she approached her car and slid into the driver’s seat. Humiliation burned in her, and she ground her teeth. Maybe she was stupid, but Leon was right about one thing. They would make national news. But she’d make sure she wasn’t the one they were laughing at.

  Chapter 5

  Adam reeled back in shock. “Wait, what? You can’t do that to Megan.”

  Leon stared at him, obvious confusion on his face. “It’s nothing personal. She’s going to be a star. Think of the publicity.”

  Adam’s stomach turned cold as anger surged in him. He grabbed Leon’s shirt in his fist, pulling his face close and practically lifting him off the cheap office chair. “No. You’re not doing that. I agreed to go out with her on-air. That’s it. You’re not going to humiliate her.”

  Leon put his hands up in the air in a lame ‘I surrender’ gesture. “Hey, man. Cool it. Whatever you want. I’ll change the game plan.”

  Adam released Leon and let him slump back in the chair. “You’re going to tell Megan everything. Confess about Dr. Lemon. And if she still wants to work for you, count your lucky stars.”

  Leon stood and smoothed his shirt. “Now, settle down. We don’t have to tell Megan anything yet.”