by Mimi Barbour
“I know there’s no easy way to explain things. We’ll have to say it as it is.” Outside the clinic, Josh stopped a taxi and gave him Emma’s address.
While they drove away, he called his mother. “Hi Mom,” he said. Without giving her the time to breathe a word, he added. “Something serious happened tonight. Please tell Dad not to take any calls from the press. Not to answer the phone. I’ll be coming to explain in an hour and I’ll handle it.” He paused for a few seconds. “Everything ended well, Mom. See you in an hour.”
~*~
In front of her house, Emma checked her cell phone. “It’s almost ten a.m. My stepmother must be at therapy. Why don’t you come in, Josh. You can have some coffee while I shower and change.”
But as soon as she entered the living room, she froze at the sight of Maria sitting in her recliner and staring straight ahead.
She came to her and kissed her cheek while Josh remained in the entry hall. “Mom, sorry I was out all night.”
Maria didn’t answer but turned toward her with a blank look that scared Emma. “You didn’t go to therapy.” Emma raised her head and signaled to Josh to come in. “Mom, are you all right?”
Josh came forward. “Good morning, Maria. I kept Emma but we’ll explain...” He stopped short and caught Emma’s anxious glance. He too had noticed her stepmother’s behavior was out of kilter today.
Maria took a deep breath and blurted, “Did you know that Stan and Patricia were divorced?”
Emma gasped. “I heard about it last week. Did Stan call?”
“No, I was so excited at the thought of Patricia and Derek moving here that I called her this morning. She was stunned and said she left Stan eight years ago. He was abusing her.”
“Oh my God, I never knew that, Mom.”
Her stepmother dropped her head to her chest. “She never said anything in all these years. She was afraid to tell us because your father had advised her not to rush into marriage. After coping for seven years she ran away with her son to a shelter. That’s why she never called and only gave us her cell phone number.” Maria’s tears rolled on her cheeks. “My daughter was suffering. On her own. With her little boy. And I never knew. And I never helped her.”
“I’m sorry, Mom. She didn’t want you to know.”
Maria grabbed her hand. “Emma, you didn’t like Scott. Why? Did something happen? Tell me.”
“He tried to grope me at the shop. After that I took Rino with me and he got scared of my dog.”
“Oh God, and here I was inviting them both to my house. Instead of protecting my daughters from them.”
“Mom, we’re done with them. Listen to me.” Emma kneeled next to Maria’s chair and held her mother’s hand between her palms. In a few words, she shared her suspicions about Scott and summarized the events of last night. “Josh Dutton helped me organize last night’s audit. Scott and his brother were stealing the food right out of our mouths. More than two million dollars that we could have used for your treatment. But it’s over. The police caught them and have proof of their wrong doing.”
“Bless you, Josh,” Maria said. “I’m sorry I plotted with your parents... I was hoping... I mean...”
“It’s okay, Maria. I’m glad you and my mother gave me the chance to meet Emma. Please don’t worry, everything will be fine. I’ll take care of Emma and we’ll try to help Patricia and her son.”
“Thank you, Josh. I owe you and your parents so much.”
“We want you to relax now.” He looked at his watch. “Emma, how about you go upstairs to change? We are running late for my parents. Maybe I should call them.” Before he could touch the number, his phone rang. “It’s my mother.”
Emma stopped at the bottom of the stairs watching him. Why was Mrs. Dutton calling him now?
“All right. Don’t go out. We’ll be there in twenty minutes. I’ll deal with the press, the paparazzi, the tabloids, and the whole enchilada.” He kept talking to his mother, but Emma didn’t wait for more.
She dashed upstairs to shed the black outfit of her night adventure and removed her sneakers. After zipping in and out of the shower and drying off, she donned a white skirt and royal blue and white shirt and slipped on a pair of navy pumps. Finding herself presentable enough to visit the Duttons, she passed a quick brush through her hair, added a touch of blush, some eyeliner, and mascara, sprayed a whiff of perfume on her neck, and rushed downstairs. “I hardly took ten minutes.”
“Thank you,” Josh said. “Maria, my mother is dispatching a health aid to help you dress and bring you to my parents’ house. We don’t want you staying alone today. But before we leave, I have something to ask you.”
“Yes, anything you want Josh.”
He took Emma’s hand between his two palms and smiled. “May I ask for the hand of your daughter Emma in marriage?”
“Oh. My. God.” Maria’s exclamation echoed Emma’s.
And then Emma added, “Say yes, Mom. The press probably got wind of last night’s event and can turn it into a scandal to hurt Senator Dutton’s campaign. Since Josh just agreed with the charade to appease his father, I will play along too.”
She owed Josh and his family so much. It was time to pay them back and do something for them. Even get engaged to Josh for two or three months or a year or as long as they wanted.
For her it would be so easy to play the loving fiancée. Although her pulse raced and her heart beat out of control, Emma offered Josh a bright smile.
He arched a dubious eyebrow and considered her for a moment. “Interesting conclusion on your part, Emma. Is it a yes, Maria?”
“Yes, yes, of course.”
“Let’s seal our engagement.” He brought Emma against him and wrapped his arms around her.
“Josh, no. Not now.”
“Is that how you’ll play the loving fiancée?” He bent his head and caught her mouth in a searing kiss. A kiss that tasted delicious. A kiss that felt like heaven. She sagged against him and laced her fingers around his neck, wanting their kiss to last forever.
“Thank you, Lord,” Maria mumbled, breaking the mood.
Josh let Emma go with a chuckle. “Much better. We’ll take your car. If you don’t mind I’ll drive.”
She gave him the keys. With her knees buckling and her mind churning with confusing thoughts, she had trouble walking, let alone driving. Josh also seemed in an ambiguous mood and didn’t talk during the drive to his parent’s house.
Until they approached the gate.
A curse escaped him, and another, and another as a mob armed with cameras and microphones attacked Emma’s plain old Chevy. Not wanting the reporters to infiltrate the front yard when he activated the code and opened the iron wrought doors, he stopped the car, and lowered his window.
“What’s going on?”
They all answered together.
“I can’t understand you. Line up. I’ll take one question at a time. Or better, hand me a microphone and I’ll make a statement. You’ll take pictures later.”
“Yes, sir. Go ahead.” A reporter handed him a microphone.
“First I’d like to announce my engagement to Ms. Emma Cassiero who works in my firm as a junior intern.”
A big brouhaha followed.
“What about Tammy Burt?” Someone asked.
“What about Tammy Burt?” Josh repeated.
“Weren’t you engaged to her?”
“I’m not aware of ever announcing my engagement to this person. Maybe you should take your question to the tabloids.”
Some reporters laughed.
“Was there a fight last night in an auto shop?”
“Yes, the unscrupulous manager, Scott Garett, his brother, Stan, and two accomplices attacked my fiancée, Emma, who is the owner of Speedy Auto Shops. They also assaulted her attorneys, detectives, and the forensic auditor who were all conducting an audit on the shops’ accounts. Gun shots were fired. A lawyer and a detective were wounded and are now hospitalized.”
“Oh
sorry to hear that sir.”
“Let’s not forget Emma’s brave German shepherd,” Josh added. “Rino tried to defend her. He jumped at Scott Garett and bit him, forcing him to drop his gun.”
Loud cheers and guffaws emanated from the small crowd.
“Are you pressing charges?”
“Of course.”
“When’s the wedding?”
“At Christmastime,” Josh blurted out of the blue and Emma swallowed wrong. He was going too far with the lie.
“Can we have a picture, sir? Please?”
“All the pictures you want for five minutes and then you back up and go home.” He climbed out of the car, turned around it, and opened the door for Emma. “Come, sweetheart. Let them see my lovely fiancée.” He helped her out and kept an arm around her waist.
Flashes erupted from all directions.
“A kiss for us, Josh,” someone called.
Emma’s cheeks warmed up ten degrees but Josh chuckled.“My pleasure.”
He cupped her cheeks and pressed his mouth on hers, slowly tasting, taking his own time as if they were alone in his study room. “Forget about them.” His arms enveloped her and he deepened the kiss. She responded and melted against him.
“Wow.”
“That’s real love.”
“Congratulations, Josh and Emma.” Applause burst out from the reporters.
“Hmm... sorry. I always forget myself when I kiss Emma,” Josh said sheepishly. “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. I have to visit with my parents now.”
For the life of her, Emma couldn’t utter a sound. She just smiled and waved.
The reporters backed up. Josh opened the car door for Emma and slid into the driver’s seat. He activated the code, opening the gate, and rolled inside the property. The gate closed behind them.
Senator Howard and Nancy Dutton waited in front of the main door.
“Thank you, son.” Howard squeezed Josh’s shoulders and hugged him. “What a great press conference. You’re a born politician.”
“Darling, you were superb.” Nancy kissed him on both cheeks and hugged Emma. “Thank you, my dear for playing along. You can’t believe how we appreciate your help.”
“You’re welcome, Mrs. Dutton. It’s the least I could do to thank you.” Emma forced the words through the lump clogging her throat.
Tears tickled her eyes and she turned her head.
Longing and bitterness pooled in her stomach. Her heart burned with love for her fake fiancé.
But love had no place in this charade, and she was nothing but the phony fiancée of an honorable man who had tried to do the right thing for her and for his parents.
Chapter Eleven
“Would you like to eat something now before Maria arrives for lunch?” Nancy Dutton waved Josh and Emma inside the foyer.
Josh’s stomach rumbled with hunger and he was sure Emma could use some good coffee and a bite, but he had something more important than food to discuss with her.
“In a moment, Mom. I have to talk to Emma first. We’ll be in the study room.”
Emma grimaced. “No, not the study room.”
He caught a hint of strain on her face and arched an eyebrow. “Emma, sweetheart, we need to talk privately.”
“No,” she repeated stubbornly.
What was wrong with her? She seemed about to cry.
A tight frown puckered Josh’s forehead and his piercing gaze focused on her.
Lips pressed together she averted her eyes.
And then he almost hit his forehead. Dense idiot that he was. The last time they visited his study, they indulged in great kissing until his father walked in on them and embarrassed the heck out of her. Maybe she was afraid of a repeat performance, at least of the last part, because he knew she’d enjoyed his kisses.
Without being a shrink, he could guess her apprehension.
“How about a stroll in the backyard around the pool?”
She sighed and nodded.
He turned to his mother. “You’ll have to excuse us for a moment.”
Always the attentive hostess, Nancy offered, “Would you like to take a cup of coffee with you?”
“Emma?” He’d let her decide.
“Yes, please. Coffee would be heaven.”
He ushered her to the kitchen where he poured coffee for each of them and then he opened the backyard door and urged her out. “It’s so beautiful today. We didn’t have a minute for ourselves.” He closed the door behind them and led her toward the pool.
Silence settled over them. He reviewed the events of last night, her walk with Rino, her confrontation with her nemeses, the audit of the auto shops’ accounting, the appearance of the Garett brothers, Scott holding them at gunpoint, Rino’s attack and wound, the police arrival, their following stops at the police station, the hospital, the animal clinic, and the quick visit to the Cassiero house. And to top it all the press conference.
What a night, what a day. No wonder Emma was exhausted.
But she seemed upset and sad too.
About Colin, about Rino, or about Maria? They would all get better soon.
The press conference had gone well for his father’s sake, but that was certainly not the way he planned to start his future with the woman he loved.
They passed the pool and continued along a walkway lined with clumps of large foliage and gigantic blossoms of peonies in all shades of red, pink and yellow. Emma paused, inhaled the fresh, sweet fragrance of the blooming shrubs, and smiled. “These flowers are gorgeous.”
At last, a smile.
Josh blessed his mother and her gardener for planting the right flowers and giving him a nice setting for his most important conversation with Emma.
“Let’s sit at the table under this pergola. We’ll be able to admire the flowers from there.” They placed their empty cups on the wrought iron table with a glass top. Josh leaned toward her. “Emma, I want to explain about the press conference,” he blurted and realized it was the wrong thing to say when she frowned.
“I’m glad you announced the engagement and finally satisfied your parents. At least I was able to contribute something to your father’s campaign.”
“What? Forget my father and his campaign. This is about us, you and me, Emma.”
She looked at him and blinked.
A pang of guilt jabbed him swift and hard. For a successful lawyer with a smooth tongue, he’d messed up big time the beginning of his explanation. “I mean this engagement is real, Emma.”
“For as long as you want.”
“No, no, no. I don’t want that type of engagement.”
“No? Oh God, you want to break it now? Only after a few hours? I knew it wasn’t your style to—”
“Stop.” He heaved a deep breath to appease his exasperation at her misunderstanding. “Please,” he added in a softer tone and cradled her face between his palms. “Emma, I don’t want to be engaged. I mean... I want to marry you. Darling, I love you. I’ve been attracted to you from the moment I saw you, and I’ve fallen in love with you.”
“You did?” Her eyes filled with tears.
“I love you, sweetheart,” he repeated to make her understand the depth of his feelings. “Will you marry me? Forever. Not for a few months or a few years. Forever.”
“Oh Josh, I love you so much. Of course, I want to marry you.”
He pulled her out of her chair onto his lap to give her a scorching kiss and seal their true engagement. She hooked her fingers behind his neck and returned kiss for kiss.
“Josh, where are you, son?”
Emma squirmed on his lap and tried to stand up.
“Bummer!” Josh raised his head. “He always has lousy timing.”
“Here you are. I hope I’m not interrupting anything. Hu...” Senator Dutton babbled and Emma confirmed he was interrupting a very sweet moment by blushing to her ears. “Maria is here, dear, and we’re going to have lunch on the terrace. Come along...when you’re done.” His lips twitched in a
sarcastic smile. “We want to celebrate your engagement.” He winked at Josh.
“You bet we’ll celebrate. Let’s go, sweetheart.” They accompanied him to the side terrace where a lavish table had been prepared.
After seating the ladies, Josh helped pour the champagne. “I want to make a toast to my lovely fiancée.”
Senator Howard beamed and chuckled. “Nice going, son.”
But Josh looked him in the eyes. “Emma and I love each other. We’re getting married at Christmas, after election time.”
“But...but...” Senator Howard stammered.
To confirm what he’d just announced Josh bent over Emma and caught her lips in a long tender kiss.
“Oh dear.” Nancy opened big eyes. “Is it for real?”
“Oh dear.” Maria clasped her fingers together with an ecstatic smile. “It is for real.”
Senator Howard’s eyes rounded. “You didn’t have to go to that extent to please me.”
“Not to please you, Dad. To please myself and my sweet fiancée.”
~*~
“Christmas was always a sad time in my family,” Emma complained a few days later as she sat next to Josh in his BMW. “I can’t remember a single good story about it. I’d really prefer to get married next spring.”
“I’m not going to wait that long, sweetheart. But I promise you that next Christmas will be an unforgettable one,” Josh reassured her without taking his eyes off the road. “Trust me. We will build our own memories and we’re starting today.”
Mulling over his words, she observed the scenery. Josh had invited her to spend the weekend with him in Gloucester, a place that he apparently cherished.
They checked in at an ocean-front motel where he’d reserved a suite. After dropping their duffel bags in the bedroom, Josh hardly gave her two minutes to admire the view of the ocean from the balcony.
“No need to change. We’re already in shorts and flip-flops. Let’s go. I’ll show you the vacation house where my family used to celebrate Christmas and Easter every year, and then I’ll take you to my favorite point.” He seemed so impatient today and yet he hadn’t stopped humming cheerful tunes.