“No, I believe that Travis’s best chance at adopting Izzy is if he’s in a stable relationship.” Jon smiled sadly. “I just wish it were the truth. You would be good for him, Kate. And I think he would be good for you.”
“Because he has a fortune big enough to pay for the best lawyer?” she asked lightly. Covering her own feelings for her soon-to-be fake fiancé.
“That reminds me. Travis sent me over a list of lawyers you should call.” He took a piece of paper off his desk and handed it to her. “He’s done business with them before. He even offered to give them a call for you.”
“Thanks.” She scanned the piece of paper and a couple of the names popped out at her. “I’ve researched a couple of them myself. They’re the ones I thought were Marl’s best hope.”
“Then call them.” He reached out and placed his hand on her upper arm. “Today.”
Kate nodded. “I’ll call on my lunch hour.” She glanced at her watch again. “We need to leave, or we’ll be late.” She handed him the contract. “This seems to cover everything I wanted. Thanks, Jon.”
Jon nodded. “I hope this all works out.”
“So do I.” She inhaled deeply. “A couple of months ago I felt frustrated at just how boring my life was. With Marl grown up, I was thinking it was time to make some changes, to get back out there and possibly meet someone I could build a life with.”
“Now, you wish those days were back again?” Jon asked.
She nodded but as she walked past him heading out the door, she had second thoughts. If things hadn’t changed, she’d never have met Travis.
“I’m ready.” She entered the kitchen, where Melinda was waiting, and grabbed her purse.
“It’s a good thing I’m your boss,” Melinda said as they headed out of the house. “Bye, Jon. See you later. Make sure the girls get to school on time.”
“Will do. Have a good day,” Jon said in return before adding, “Love you.”
Melinda smiled to herself as she closed the door and a pang of envy punched Kate in the solar plexus. What she wouldn’t give to have a happy marriage.
“Are you okay?” Melinda asked as they reached her car and she unlocked the doors. Since Melinda’s office was in the city and both women lived in the same suburb, even if their houses were in completely different areas, they had gotten into the habit of driving into the city together. Their car-sharing worked out well for both of them, saving on fuel and parking fees.
“Yeah.” She nodded and looked down at the piece of paper in her hand. “I have a list of lawyers to contact. And if Travis lives up to his end of the bargain, I have the money to pay for them.”
“He will.” Melinda nodded as she backed the car out of the driveway and headed toward the city. “I might not agree with all of Travis’s life choices, but I know for sure that he won’t let you down.”
“How?” she asked. “How can you know for sure?”
Melinda arched an eyebrow at her friend. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No, it’s just that…” She shrugged. “Travis said something yesterday about waiting for the right woman to come along and that I was that woman.”
“And you don’t believe him?” Melinda asked.
“Should I?” Kate asked. “The man doesn’t live in the real world. He plays music for a living. He’s richer than most people even dream of and he says I’m his ideal woman.”
“And you don’t think you deserve to be the woman of his dreams?” Melinda kept two hands on the wheel and stared straight ahead as she spoke. They had always been open and honest with each other, but Kate didn’t know how to answer this question.
Maybe it was time she dug deep and found that answer. It was time to explore her feelings toward Travis Cooper.
“I haven’t really given it much thought,” Kate confessed. “It’s not that I don’t deserve him.”
“Then what’s holding you back?” Melinda asked. “If you were giving advice to a client, or even to Marl, you would tell them that they are worthy of happiness. That they should grab a hold of it with both hands because everyone deserves to be happy. No matter what. Everyone deserves a second chance.”
“Yes, boss.” Kate leaned back in her seat and stared at the slow-moving traffic ahead. “It’s easier to give advice than to take it.”
“We both know that. But we also both know that we make our own life choices. And your choice is before you.” Melinda glanced sideways at Kate. “Just because your relationship with Travis started in an unconventional way doesn’t mean it’s not real, not genuine.”
“Unconventional. That’s one way to look at it.” Kate chuckled. “It sure would be one to tell the grandchildren.”
“See, you’re already thinking happy ever after.” Her expression grew serious. “He isn’t lying when he told you that you were the one for him.”
“Has he spoken to you about it?” Kate sat up, her attention fixed on Melinda.
“No, he hasn’t. But he’s that breed of man…” Melinda didn’t elaborate.
“The same breed as Jon?” Kate pushed her friend, sensing she was leaving something unsaid.
“Yeah. The same breed as Jon. Although my Jon is happiest crunching numbers rather than being on stage in the limelight. I think Travis always had something to prove to himself. He needed to know he could succeed at something and push himself as hard as he needed to be the best. It’s a primal need.” Melinda slowed the car as they approached the office. Parking it in the parking lot across the street, she switched off the engine but didn’t get out.
“I’m still not sure that me being Travis’s fake fiancée will do him any favors. Not with the court case against Marl looming over me.” She tilted her head back and looked up at the ceiling. “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”
“I know you are doing the right thing,” Melinda answered. “Just trust in fate, Kate.”
Kate looked at the list of lawyers in her hand. “I just hope fate hands me a lawyer who can win this case and make it all go away.”
“Then get calling.” Melinda opened the car door and got out. “We have a meeting scheduled first thing to discuss cases and some changes I wanted to make. Why don’t you use the time to start things moving?”
“Are you sure?” Kate asked.
“I’m certain.” Melinda pointed to the list. “This is important to you. So, it’s important to me.”
“I owe you,” Kate told her friend.
“Do you know I have never been a bridesmaid?” Melinda asked with a wicked gleam in her eye.
Kate smothered a smile. “No, I had no idea.”
“Well, when your fake engagement ends in a real marriage…” Melinda grinned as Kate shook her head. “Never say never, my friend. I think Travis Cooper has his sights on you and you are not going to escape.”
Kate wasn’t ready to admit to her best friend that she had no intention of escaping. If Travis was interested in her. For real.
Chapter Eleven – Travis
“How did your day go?” Travis leaned against his car as Kate exited the office with Melinda.
“What are you doing here?” Kate asked. Her cheeks flushed pink, he hoped with pleasure, but he wasn’t certain how she felt about him. Not deep down. Sure, she was happy he was paying for Marl’s defense but did her feelings go deeper than that.
Did she want their relationship to be more than fake?
After their afternoon together yesterday, he was certain she did. However, in the lonely hours of the night when he couldn’t sleep out of fear she might never want him for real, doubts had slipped into his head. Doubts he could not erase.
Which was why he was here.
Travis’s hand went to his pocket and he placed his hand over the small box hidden there.
“I thought I’d come and pick you up and take you to dinner.” He glanced at Melinda who was attempting to smother her smile. “Jon told me what time you finished work.”
“My husband the matchmaker. You t
wo have fun.” Melinda slipped an arm around Kate and gave her a quick hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow, Melinda.” Kate watched her friend leave before fixing her attention on Travis. “You came all this way just to take me to dinner?”
“I signed the contract.” He held up an envelope before he added, “I thought we could get our plans back on track.” He winced inwardly.
Now our mate probably thinks we’re only here because of our fake romance, his bear chastised.
“Oh, of course. There’s no point in having a secret fake fiancée.” She walked toward him, her smile faltering. “I spoke to a couple of the lawyers you recommended today.”
“How did that go?” Travis led her across the parking lot to where he’d parked his car.
“It went well. I sent over all the information I had on the case.” She stood back while he opened the car door for her. “It’s not much to go on, just a list of names and associates of Axel, the guy who gave Marl the backpack. We really need to track him down.”
“Maybe I could get a PI to look for him,” Travis suggested. “I’ll call the guy I used before.”
“You used a PI before? I’m intrigued.” Kate slipped into his car and he closed the door and went around to the driver’s side.
“Nothing exciting, I’m afraid. I used him to track down Annabella once. She’d left Izzy with me for the weekend and never came back.” He sighed and rested his hands on the steering wheel. “It’s not that Annabella didn’t care about Izzy.”
“It’s okay.” Kate placed her hand over his. “I understand your loyalty to Annabella. But that doesn’t mean you can’t admit her mistakes.” Her shoulders slumped forward.
“Hey, what is it?” Travis asked.
“Something Melinda said this morning about Marl. About whether I should question his guilt.” She shrugged and her eyes sparkled with tears. “But I just can’t believe he is involved in drug dealing. It goes against everything he’s ever believed in.”
“Sometimes you just have to believe.” Travis smiled softly at his mate. “You have to go on faith. You know Marl better than anyone else.”
“I also want to believe in him more than anyone else.” Kate closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. She looked tired, not from a long day but from the stress of worrying about her brother. He longed to wipe all that stress away.
“Let’s go eat,” he suggested. There was little he could do to help Kate besides supporting her through the process of clearing Marl’s name and making sure she ate regularly. It was the simple things that often helped. Or so he hoped.
“Where are we going?” She slipped her hand off his and buckled up her seatbelt. “I am starving.”
“I thought we’d go to this little Italian restaurant I know.” He pulled out of the parking lot and took a left turn.
“I should go home and change if we’re going out in public.” She glanced down at her smart black trouser suit. “Although, I think once I get home, I won’t want to go out again.”
“Then let’s get takeout and go back to my apartment. It’s just around the corner. We can talk over your brother’s case without fear of being overheard.” He glanced sideways at her. “No strings attached.”
Aside from the engagement ring that’s in your pocket, his bear said.
It’s better this way. Travis had intended to propose in the restaurant. It certainly was one way to get the news out there. The press would lap it up if a member of the public took a photo of Travis Cooper proposing to a mystery woman in a restaurant.
“Staying home in your apartment is not exactly high profile, is it?” Kate asked. “I thought the idea was for people to see us together so that it looked like we really are dating. The court might think it’s a publicity stunt if no one knows about us.”
“Maybe that’s a good idea. If we don’t go public with our relationship, then the courts won’t think it’s a convenient arrangement just to sway them toward giving me custody of Izzy.” He shrugged. “It’s like reverse psychology.”
“Does that really work?” Kate laughed. “But I’m not complaining. It’s been a long day at the end of a long week.”
“That’s settled. We’ll grab takeout for tonight and then tomorrow night we can go for dinner somewhere fabulous but understated.” He took a right turn and then a left and pulled up outside of his favorite Italian restaurant. Gino Tillette’s. “They don’t normally do takeout, but they are always willing to make an exception for me.”
“Ah, what it is to be famous and get special treatment,” Kate sighed and glanced at the restaurant.
“I don’t get special treatment because I’m famous,” Travis told her. “I get special treatment because I sang at Gino’s daughter’s wedding. For free.” He winked at her and opened the car door. “Do you want to come in, or shall I order for us?”
“I’ll let you order.” Her eyes shone mischievously. “Just to show you that I trust you.”
Travis chuckled as he got out of the car. “Is that trust only where Italian food is concerned or is that a blanket trust?”
“This is like a test run. If you pass, I’ll consider trusting you with other things.” Her smile faltered for a moment and she swallowed hard. Did she plan on trusting him with her heart? Travis sure hoped so.
“That is a lot of pressure.” He stood up straight and thumbed toward the restaurant. “Maybe I’ll ask them to cook everything on the menu so I can’t go wrong.”
“Now I’m not sure if you are joking or not.” Kate chuckled as he closed the door and ran into the restaurant.
Half an hour later he exited the restaurant with an armful of food which smelled delicious. “I hope you are hungry.”
“I am now. This all smells delicious.” Kate inhaled deeply.
“We have dessert, too.” He held up a small box as he placed everything down on the rear seat of the car. He should have put it in the trunk but that seemed like an insult to Gino’s carefully crafted dishes.
“Oh, you do know the way to a woman’s heart.” She held the box of desserts on her lap while he drove to his apartment that was a couple of streets away.
“I only want to know the way to your heart, Kate.” He grinned as she rolled her eyes. “Am I ever going to convince you I’m telling the truth?”
“You might.” She held up the box of dessert. “Depending on what is in here.”
“No peeking,” he warned her. “It’s a surprise.”
More of a surprise than Kate will ever guess, his bear chuckled.
Travis had hatched his plan while he’d waited inside the restaurant for the food. He only hoped Kate wouldn’t find his plan corny.
“This is your apartment?” Kate asked, all thought of dessert seemed to be forgotten as she ducked her head and stared up at the building where his apartment was situated on the third floor.
“It is. Do you like it?” he asked as he slowed down the car, allowing her to get a good look at the building with its ornate brickwork and large picture windows. “My apartment looks out over the park at the back of the building.”
“Wow. And there was me worrying about whether you could afford Marl’s legal fees. These are some of the most expensive apartments in the city. You must be loaded.” Kate’s voice wavered. “I was worried about being underdressed for the restaurant, but I think I’m underdressed even to go inside your building.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Travis assured her as he parked in his spot and switched off the engine. Placing his hand on the back of her seat, he half turned to face her. “Shall I tell you a secret about rich people?”
“Why not?” She shrugged her shoulders but still looked nervous.
“Most rich people are so caught up in themselves and what they are doing or what they are wearing that they seldom take much notice of other people around them.” He nodded, his face absolutely serious.
“Does that include you?” Kate asked, placing her hand on his chest, and sending flames of desir
e licking his insides.
“No,” he replied. “I’m the exception to the rule.”
Kate opened her car door and got out, carrying the dessert box carefully while Travis retrieved the rest of the food from his back seat. “I might just believe that.”
“I hope you do.” His eyes darkened as he watched her walk toward him.
“Come on, let’s go see this fabulous apartment of yours and eat this fabulous food before you take me home to my unfabulous home.” Their eyes locked together, and he was certain she read his thoughts.
He never wanted her to go home. He wanted her with him forever. He didn’t care if it was here or at her home. As long as they were together, their lives would always be fabulous.
His bear chuckled and rolled his eyes. It’s a good thing Kate is not a mind reader.
It was a good thing since his thoughts, as he walked her to the elevator, were not about the fabulous food. They were focused on how he needed to claim his fabulous mate.
Chapter Twelve – Kate
“So, would you let me order for us again?” Travis asked as he collected the dirty dishes and headed into the kitchen. His apartment was bigger than the house Kate had grown up in, with a kitchen, dining room, and living room, plus three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
“I suppose.” She placed her hand on her stomach. “I don’t think I could squeeze in another morsel.”
“Why don’t you go through to the living room? You can sit on the balcony and drink wine while I load the dishwasher.” He pulled open a cupboard door and revealed a concealed dishwasher.
“You have everything here.” She lingered in the kitchen. “Except for the ocean view.”
He looked up as he began stacking the plates. “I prefer the ocean house. Especially now that I have Izzy.” His expression faltered and he turned his head, hiding from her.
“I’m sure you’ll get custody,” Kate assured him. “And I promise to do whatever I can to make that happen.”
“Thanks.” He took a shuddering breath as she drew closer to him. “I think if I lose custody, I’ll sell the beach house. It wouldn’t be the same without Izzy there.”
Fake Fiancee Mate - Single Shift Page 7