[Anthology] A Clean Fake Marriage Romance Collection

by Victorine E. Lieske

  Dale piped up. “Just look at these comments. People can’t wait to see your next date. If Megan knows Dr. Lemon is a fake, she’ll never go out with you again.” Dale pointed to the computer, and Adam squinted at the screen.

  “I don’t care what people are saying. It’s not fair to Megan.” He took in a deep breath to steady his heart rate. Why was he so upset? He blinked. Had he really grabbed his boss like that?

  “Let’s not get hasty. This whole thing is bringing the ratings of the show up.” Leon hitched his pants and looked Adam in the eye. “This is actually helping Megan. It’s boosting her career.”

  Adam knew there wasn’t an altruistic bone in Leon’s body. This wasn’t about doing anything for Megan. However, the attention the show was getting really would help Megan in the end. Wouldn’t it?

  And if they didn’t humiliate her by spinning it as a publicity stunt, what would be the harm in continuing the dates on-air? He would like to go out with her again.

  Leon frowned. “This station needs the attention. If not from you, I’ll find someone else.”

  And there it was. A thinly veiled threat to his job. If he didn’t go along with Leon, he’d be fired. He couldn’t afford to lose his job right now. He sighed. “I’ll go out with her again on camera. But forget about the whole publicity stunt. That doesn’t happen. Got it?”

  Leon nodded and raised his hands again. “No big reveal. Got it. We’ll just do the dating thing. It’s popular. You’re getting a fan base.”

  Dale scrolled down the page. “Everyone loved the kiss. You’ve got to do more of that.”

  Adam nodded. That was the first suggestion he could truly agree with. He didn’t mind at all the thought of kissing Megan again.

  MEGAN SPENT SUNDAY plotting her revenge and measuring the apartment complex courtyard to see how many bodies would fit. After stewing over the situation all morning, she donned her running shoes and took to the streets. She needed a good workout to clear her mind.

  She sprinted down the tree-lined sidewalk, past the older neighborhood homes. Painted eggs and pastel bunny window clings announced the approach of Easter. Young buds were springing up in flowerbeds in the hopes that warm weather would stick around.

  Although Sugar Springs was a small Nebraska town, it was close enough to Omaha to allow the residents to have the best of both worlds. Big city entertainment was only twenty minutes away, while the small community had barely any crime to speak of. Most residents didn’t even lock their doors at night.

  It was difficult to stay mad with all the luscious sights and smells of spring around her. Megan found herself contemplating what she should do about the situation she’d been placed in. Leon had already announced a second online date. Their fans were expecting it. She shouldn’t back out. She should go on that date and make sure Adam paid for what he’d done.

  And then an idea hit. She knew what she would do. And she couldn’t wait.

  MEGAN SLAPPED ON HER best cheesy smile and approached Adam and Dale chatting on set. “Good morning, boys.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder and grabbed the mic sitting on her seat so she could thread the cord through her shirt.

  Adam turned to her, a stupid grin on his face. “You’re in a good mood.”

  “You have no idea,” she muttered under her breath. Then she turned to him, a bright smile in place. “I’m looking forward to our next date. I’ve already got it planned.”

  Adam’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? I thought you might be upset that Leon...you know...committed you to another online date without asking.”

  She waved her hand in a dismissive motion. “No biggie. Keep the fans happy, right? So, whadaya say, big guy? Should I pick you up tomorrow night, around seven?” She whacked him in the chest.

  He gave her a weird look, but then smoothed out his features. “Uh, sure. Is it all set up with Leon?”

  “I’ll talk to him. We’ll get it worked out.” She sat down, adjusted her shirt, and tried not to sweat under the warm lights. They’d be on-air in a few minutes.

  Adam sat in the chair next to her. “Where are we going?”

  Her mouth curled up into a grin. “It’s a surprise.”

  ADAM SLID INTO THE passenger seat of Megan’s Accord in the parking lot of her apartment complex. It was a little weird, letting Megan take the reins like this, but he knew she was a strong-willed woman. It shouldn’t have surprised him. Dale already sat in the backseat with his camera.

  She’d said to dress casual, so he had on a pair of tan slacks and a green polo. She wore a cute top and jeans. “You look lovely.”

  “Thanks.” She jerked the car into drive and pressed the gas. Wow. She must be in a hurry to get there.

  “Any clues as to where we’re going?”

  “Hmm, a clue.” She tapped her chin with her finger. “American Idol.”

  The television show? What did that mean? “We’re going to a concert?”

  She laughed. “Sort of,” she said in a sing-songy voice.

  He stared at her. Why was she acting so weird? She’d been acting strange at the station, too. He’d shrugged it off as awkwardness after their kiss, but now he wasn’t so sure. They entered Omaha at breakneck speeds. “Remind me not to let you drive my car.”

  “Ha. Don’t worry, big guy. I wouldn’t dream of touching your baby.”

  Yes, something was definitely off. Why was she calling him that ridiculous nick name? He bit back a retort. Leon had made it perfectly clear. He was to be the gentleman. They were to lay off the fighting. He let the irritation slide off his back.

  A few minutes later, Megan pulled into a parking lot. The sign ‘Chuck’s Bar and Grill’ was lit up in bright red letters. It looked clean, and he could smell chicken wings as he got out of her car. He wasn’t sure why she chose this place, but he was anxious to try their food.

  He held her elbow as they neared the front door. A large poster was taped to the glass. Chuck’s Karaoke Contest. $100 Prize. His heart stopped.

  Megan grinned and slapped him on the shoulder. “Surprise! I entered us in the contest. Won’t that be fun? It will be just like American Idol.”

  He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. Was she insane? He’d told her he couldn’t sing. Hadn’t she remembered? Dale stood behind them, the camera rolling. Adam forced a smile. “Yeah. Fun.”

  If it had been just the two of them, he could have laughed it off. Embarrassing himself in front of a bar full of people was one thing. Having it broadcast live on the Internet where nothing ever goes away...that was something else. Maybe he could gracefully get out of it. Fake a cough or something.

  Megan grabbed his arm and pulled him inside. The smell of barbecue and fried food filled the air, and his stomach growled. A young woman in tight jeans and a name tag saying “Angela” approached them. Megan spoke to her, and Angela gave them both numbers and led them to a table.

  Adam nervously rubbed his hands together as he waited for the food. How was he going to get out of this one?

  A look of concern crossed Megan’s face. “Are you okay? You look nervous.”

  “Well, I...um.” He cleared his throat. “I can’t sing.”

  A devilish look crossed her face for an instant, but then it was gone. She waved his concern away. “No one cares. This is all just for fun.”

  He stared at her. She knew he couldn’t sing. She’d brought him here on purpose. But why? Then a thought made his throat constrict. Had Leon told her about Dr. Lemon? Was she mad at him? Or maybe this was something she and Leon concocted together. It would be just like him to turn her against him. See how humiliated he could get on camera, just for the ratings.

  Their wings arrived at the table, and he dug in. Delicious. At least he’d get a good meal out of the deal. As he ate, he thought about what he would do. If this was something she and Leon had set up, maybe he could turn the tables on them. Show them it didn’t bother him. Somehow.

  The contest started all too soon, and he and Megan sat and watched as
amateur singers stepped up on stage and tried their best to win. It didn’t make him feel any better that most of them were really good, hitting all the notes and getting applause.

  Megan’s number came up. She grinned at him, then jaunted up the steps to the stage. She whispered what song she wanted and waited for them to queue up the machine. As the first notes played, Adam sunk lower in his chair. He recognized the song. It was an old Weird Al song from the 80’s, titled ‘One More Minute.’

  Megan sang the first line, and Adam was surprised at how good she was. She could sing. Really well. She wasn’t afraid to belt it out, nor was she afraid to direct the lyrics toward him. She stared at him and made hand gestures so everyone knew who she was singing to. He smiled as the audience turned to look at him. And as she sang about how she’d rather eat shards of broken glass than spend one more minute with him, people started laughing and hooting.

  She’d gotten him. He donned his camera smile and laughed when Dale focused in on him. Megan played up the song, singing dramatically when the part came about how she’d rather rip her heart out and stomp on it until she died than spend any more time with him.

  When she finished, the audience went wild, cat calling and giving her a standing ovation. Megan grinned and bowed, and hammed it up. She was cute, standing up there and blushing, even though she’d been trying to embarrass him.

  His number was next, and the audience hooted as he stepped up on stage. He took the microphone from Megan, then grabbed her arm so she couldn’t leave. “For those of you who don’t know, this is my morning show co-host, Megan Holloway. Let’s give her another hand, shall we?”

  The applause was deafening. As the noise died down, he said, “She’s doing her best to embarrass me tonight.” More hooting. “I think she did a great job, don’t you?”

  Megan’s face flushed, and she tried to pull away, but he gripped tighter. “You see, she found out on our last date that I can’t sing. And so, to be wickedly devious, and probably to boost ratings...” Her blush deepened. “She entered me into this contest.”

  The room quieted down, and he let her go. She staggered away from him, flashed a quick smile, then held her arms up like Vanna White. “Take it away, Adam!” She hopped off the stage.

  He walked over to the guy queuing up the songs and asked if they had Wicked Game, by Chris Isaak. As the first eerie notes played, he took his place in center stage. Instead of singing, which he knew he would do badly, he spoke the lyrics, his voice low and sultry, the microphone close to his lips.

  The effect of the haunting music and the powerful lyrics captivated the room. Everyone sat in silence as he spoke the words to Megan and told her what a wicked thing she’d done, to make him feel this way about her. As the lyrics unfolded, he confessed how he desired her but feared she would break his heart. As the last of the music faded, he bowed. The room erupted in thunderous applause.

  He jumped off the stage, microphone still in hand, and walked over to Megan, pulling her up from her chair. “I do think you’ll break my heart,” he said into the microphone. “But I can’t help myself.” He tossed the mic, which landed on the table with a loud thunk, and kissed her. The room exploded in another standing ovation.

  Chapter 6

  Megan staggered back staring at Adam, unable to hear a thing above the uproar in the bar. He stared at her, a sexy smile on his face, those dimples making her legs feel all wobbly. Her heart pounded from the kiss and from the way Adam had performed on stage. He’d reminded her of a panther, slinking toward her. A predator.

  She shook her head, trying to clear it. Adam could melt her heart with his kiss, but that didn’t mean he cared for her. He was playing a game, and he knew how to play it well. His performance, on and off the stage, would surely gain more viewers. And that was what this was all about.

  Steeling herself against the effects of his kiss, she picked up the mic. “Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Adam Warner.”

  After the applause died down and everyone took their seats, they started up the contest again. Megan did her best to ignore the warmth of Adam’s leg so close to hers. She smiled when he shot her inquisitive glances, and batted her eyes when the camera zoomed in. If he was going to play the part, so was she.

  Neither of them ended up winning the $100, although they pulled Adam on stage and gave him a certificate for being the most memorable. As they left, he slid his arm around her waist. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “What did I do to deserve that?”

  Megan glanced at Dale, then squirmed out of Adam’s grasp and slapped him on his cheek. “I’m not that kind of girl.” She glared at him.

  His cheeks turned red, and he glanced from her to the camera, his eyes wide. “I didn’t...I...you misunderstood me.”

  A tiny part of her felt bad for him. But only for a micro-second. He and Leon were planning on humiliating her. Adam was no friend, and she needed to keep that in the forefront of her mind.

  “Now, Adam.” She put her hands on her hips and scolded him like a child. “No one can misunderstand that.”

  The shade of red on his face deepened. He stared at her, his mouth slightly open. Then he plastered on his fake camera-smile, threw out his arms, and chuckled. “Well, you can’t blame a guy for trying.”

  She figured he’d slip into his male chauvinistic role. Jerk. She folded her arms across her chest and started across the parking lot. He fell into step beside her, and as they neared her car, he slapped her behind, hard.

  ADAM TIGHTENED HIS seatbelt as Megan drove like a crazy woman through the streets of Omaha. In fact, ‘crazy woman’ seemed to be the theme of the night. What had gotten into her? It had to be Leon. That was the only thing he could come up with. Leon had said something to make her mad.

  He thought maybe she would confide in him. He hoped, anyway. But obviously she wasn’t going to be reasonable. Hopefully, this would be over soon. She had slapped him. If he kept up his act, she’d tell him off. They’d be done dating.

  Breaking up on-air wasn’t a bad idea. It would force Leon to give up the charade. And it wouldn’t be that hard. She was already pretty mad at him.

  Megan sighed and put her hand on his knee. “Hey, I’m sorry I slapped you. I shouldn’t have taken your comment so seriously. You were only joking around.” She flashed a cheesy smile.

  So much for breaking up. Leon probably would have fired him anyway. Maybe it was better to go out a few more times and then convince Leon to give up the gig.

  “No worries.” He slipped his arm around her shoulder. She bristled but didn’t shrink away.

  As they approached her apartment complex, indecision swirled around in his head. What was he supposed to do? Kiss her goodnight? Brush her off? It was such a crazy night, he had no clue.

  After a few moments, they stood in front of her door, staring at each other. He waited to see what she would do. A smile crept onto her face. “I had fun tonight.”

  “I bet you did,” he said under his breath. Then loud enough for the camera, “I think you’re going to enjoy our next date.”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “I mean, a little stretching is good, right?”

  She took a step back from him, and instinct kicked in. He moved closer. “Yes. We should try to move past some of our weaknesses.”

  Another step back, and she hit the door jamb. Nowhere to go now. He put his hand on the wall above her and leaned down. “I’ve got the perfect idea for our next date.”

  The color drained from her face, and she swallowed. “You know, I already planned—”

  He silenced her with a finger on her lips. “Oh, no. It’s my turn.” Lifting her chin, he leaned so close their lips were almost touching. “It’s payback time,” he whispered.

  Without another word, he turned and left her in the hallway.

  ADAM THOUGHT HE WAS used to quickly changing temperatures, living in Nebraska. He was wrong. The frosty greeting he got from Megan the next morning at the station about froze his buns of
f. But as soon as the camera started, she was all warm sunshine and flirtation. Of course, as soon as the on-air light went out, he was once again thrown into a sub-zero climate.

  After their show, Megan scampered off the set before he had a chance to say a word. He sighed. A part of him felt bad for last night. The rest of him wanted to get back at her for trying to humiliate him. Twice.

  He spent the remainder of the morning at home on the Internet researching. A few phone calls later, he had the perfect date set up. He dialed Megan’s number. While he waited for her to answer, he took a glass out of the cupboard and filled it with water.

  “Hello?” Her voice was guarded.

  “Hey. I wanted to let you know I’ve got our date for Saturday arranged. I’ll pick you up at ten.”

  A pause. “What are we doing?”

  “Not singing.” He swallowed the tepid tap water. Maybe he should have put some ice in the glass.

  A longer pause. “You’re a jerk.”

  For some reason, that made him smile. She was the one that started it. She could take a little payback. He opened the freezer, but his ice tray was empty. “Wear something athletic,” he said, his tone light.

  The phone beeped in his ear. She’d hung up on him.

  SATURDAY MORNING BROUGHT gray skies that threatened to dump torrents of rain at any minute. Definitely not a day to put the top down on his car. Adam picked up Dale and headed over to get Megan.

  “What’s going on here?” he asked Dale as they crept into the parking lot, a large group of women parting like the red sea before them. The parking lot was packed with cars, license plates from all over. He noticed Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin and Iowa.

  “He’s here!” one of them shouted.

  And with that, the sea of women crashed in upon them. He couldn’t even inch forward.

  He rolled his window down. “What the—”