And there was the side of Evangeline he’d come to despise. The cutting, cruel woman who could tear him down faster than she could look at him. That side of her had been evident even in their early years of marriage, but he’d chalked it up to her youth and unhappiness at the arranged marriage.
His time away from her had helped him see some truths, but it had done little to thicken his skin. Her words hurt, even after all these years. Perhaps in some part because he knew they were true. The pain pushed his lie to new heights. “My fiancée thinks none of those things. She adores me.”
She blinked. “You’re engaged?”
Bloody hell. He’d said fiancée. There was no retreating now. He lifted his chin. “Yes. Happily.”
She snorted in disbelief.
Red edged his vision and logical thought gave way to spontaneous reaction. “Come to dinner at my house and see for yourself. Tomorrow at seven. That’s safely after sundown.”
“Seven it is, then.”
Something dark sparked in her eyes but he ignored it. “I’ll send Greaves with the details.”
He stormed out before she could say another word. He was fuming. He’d expected her to be petulant and egotistical. That’s who Evangeline was. A spoiled, willful child of a woman. But for her to carry on like she was his last hope for companionship—and that he should be grateful for her willingness to return to his life? Her nerve was astonishing, even for Evangeline.
She had no appreciation for what he’d been doing for her all these years. The way he’d watched over her to the best of his abilities and taken care of her financial needs without question, to say nothing about turning a blind eye to her disloyal ways. He could have sent someone to gather proof of her affairs and used it to dissolve their relationship in the eyes of the council, but he hadn’t. He’d clung to the promise he’d made and his old-fashioned sense of responsibility.
He stopped at the driver’s door to his car, seething with rage. His heart was irreparably broken. He’d acknowledged that years ago. He’d learned to live with the pain of her abandonment and betrayal. But this assumption that he was waiting with open arms to take her back, no apology needed, this was galling.
He got in and slammed the door shut. She’d see how wrong she was. How he truly didn’t need her anymore. How very over her he was. Tomorrow night’s dinner would be the absolute end of his emotional relationship with Evangeline.
Or perhaps… Perhaps it would be the start of a new relationship with her. One in which he held the upper hand and she finally saw him as more than just a…loyal dog. Tomorrow night’s dinner would change everything one way or another.
He could always tell her about the promise. But that wasn’t part of the deal he’d made and he was a man of his word. That promise would remain his secret. He’d kept it these many years, he could keep it awhile longer.
He shut his eyes and swallowed as the fine points of the impending dinner came back to him. There was one small detail he’d have to work on. Quickly.
He did not actually have a fiancée.
Tessa had thought being the dean of library studies at a private academy sounded intriguing, but after Jenna had given her a tour of the campus and allowed her to linger in the utterly gorgeous library that she’d be in charge of (three floors, stained glass windows, dark wood paneling, antique tapestries, and the most up-to-date touch-screen catalog system she’d ever seen), Tessa thought she might weep if she didn’t get the job.
She couldn’t stop smiling. If this actually happened, moving to Nocturne Falls might be the smartest thing she’d ever done. She nudged her sister. “The rare-book room has medieval manuscripts.”
Jenna nodded. “Cool, right?”
“Cool? Don’t be such a Philistine. They’re priceless works of art that give us a glimpse into another age. They’re the ability to time travel on a page. And I would be in charge of them.”
“Like I said, cool.” Jenna pointed ahead. “That’s reception. I’ll just tell her we’re here for the interview, then I’ll introduce you to the Ellinghams and you’re on your own.”
“Thank you.” Tessa sighed. She couldn’t expect her sister to understand. Jenna was a cop. The things that excited her were guns, catching criminals and cold beer. And those things were great, if you were a cop. But Tessa’s mind needed art and literature and beauty. Those were the things that kept her sane and reminded her of all the good life had to offer. Those things and her pursuit of them helped balance the parts of her she wasn’t so fond of.
Jenna nudged her. “You ready?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go. They’re waiting. The receptionist will take us back.”
The woman smiled at them. “Right this way, ladies.”
Nerves seized Tessa, but she reminded herself that she was smart and capable and she knew her library sciences. Not only could she do this job but she could do it well.
She and Jenna followed the receptionist to a door near the end of a long hallway decorated with oil paintings of past deans. Not one of them looked fully human. The woman knocked on one of two doors in an alcove.
A voice called for them to enter. The receptionist smiled, opened the door and stood out of the way.
Jenna went in first. In her uniform, she was an ever greater presence than she usually was. But then, Jenna had embraced being tall and beautiful and a valkyrie.
Jenna nodded at the imperious man on the other side of the table. “Hugh.”
“Deputy Blythe.”
“I know we’re early, but I thought it would be you and Sebastian.”
Hugh smiled tightly. “It will be. He’s running a little late. This is your sister?”
“Yes, this is Tessa Blythe. Librarian extraordinaire.” Jenna smiled at her. “Tessa, this is Hugh Ellingham, one of the founders of the town and this academy.”
Tessa nodded and shook his hand. “Thank you for the interview.”
“Your resume is exceptional. Perhaps a little light on years of experience, but otherwise very impressive. I apologize for my brother’s tardiness. If you’ll just have a seat, I’ll text him and see how much longer he’s going to be.”
Tessa nodded as Hugh picked up his phone.
Jenna leaned in and whispered, “I’m gonna go. Knock ’em dead.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you later.”
The door burst open before Jenna had taken two steps toward it. A tall, handsome, and very agitated man strode into the room with all the dark, stormy presence of Mr. Darcy. He looked like a slightly older, sterner version of the man she’d just met. “Apologies for being late, Hugh, but bloody hell, you will not believe the morning I’ve had. Evangeline is in town.”
Hugh’s mouth gaped. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, very.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “I won’t go into it all now, but I need a woman. Who do you know that might be willing to pretend to be my betrothed for an evening?”
Jenna snorted. “That’s gonna be a short list.”
Both men turned and the man who’d just come in eyed Jenna and Tessa like they were interlopers. He looked back at Hugh. “You could have mentioned the interview was here.”
“You didn’t give me a chance.” Hugh gestured toward Tessa. “This is Tessa Blythe, Deputy Blythe’s sister. Tessa, this is my late brother, Sebastian.”
Tessa lifted her fingers in a small wave, hoping the man’s less than cheerful disposition didn’t affect her interview.
Jenna laughed. “I see what you did there. Late brother. Funny.” She nudged Tessa. “Because he’s both a vampire and not on time.”
“I get it,” Tessa whispered. Her sister’s fearlessness around these men was astonishing. Sure, they were vampires and they looked appropriately intimidating, but they were also in charge of the hiring. That was a far more daunting bit of information where Tessa was concerned.
Sebastian gave them a curt nod before turning back to his brother. “I can’t do this interview right now. I need to sor
t out this problem. Evangeline’s coming to dinner tomorrow night and expects to meet my fiancée.”
Hugh shook his head. “Why on earth would she expect that?”
Sebastian frowned. “Because I told her she would.”
“And why did you tell her that?”
Sebastian’s frown hardened into something more serious. “Pride.”
Hugh glanced at Jenna. “How about the deputy here?”
Jenna crossed her arms. “Yeah, that’s not happening.”
Sebastian’s brows knit together, his unhappy expression unchanged. “Why not? I’ll compensate you for your time.”
“I appreciate that, but, and I say this with the utmost respect, no one would buy it. As best I can tell, we have nothing in common. You rarely leave your house, and when you do, you’re dressed like you’re off to a business meeting. Which you probably are because you’re the CFO of this town. And that’s all great, but my idea of fun is four-wheeling through the mud or getting a little range time in with my service weapon.”
“Or wrestling a perp to the ground,” Tessa added.
Jenna nodded. “Exactly. See? My sister gets me. Hey!” She looked at Tessa with a bright smile. “You could do it.”
Tessa swallowed as a surge of anxiety attempted to close her throat. “What?”
Sebastian expelled a gruff sound of disbelief. “This mouse? No offense, but Evangeline would eat her for breakfast.”
Tessa’s eyes rounded.
His hand shot up. “Not literally. I just meant—”
Jenna cut him off. “I know what you meant. You think because my sister looks like a librarian and is a librarian that she’s too timid and quiet for anyone to buy that she’d be your fiancée. Well, I’ll have you know that she might look harmless but she’s a valkyrie, same as I am, and one of the fiercest women I know.”
Tessa almost groaned at Jenna’s lie. Fierce? She might as well have said Tessa could leap tall buildings in a single bound.
Sebastian’s brows lifted as his gaze swept Tessa from head to toe. “She doesn’t look like a valkyrie.”
“Well, I am,” Tessa said. Did Jenna really see her as fierce? “I have to be, don’t I? I mean, my sister is one. It’s not a thing that skips generations or only affects one child.”
Jenna jabbed a finger at him, clearly not done. “What she looks like and what she’s capable of are two different things. You want help with this situation? Tessa can do it. But you’d better promise her this job when this charade is all said and done. Otherwise, no deal.”
Tessa poked a warning finger into her sister’s back, but the Kevlar vest beneath her uniform shirt didn’t allow for much pressure. There was no way she could do this. Pretend to be a vampire’s betrothed? And this vampire, who was clearly a difficult man to get along with? No. Way.
“I’ll promise her the job, but I must warn you both. Pretending to be my fiancée could be a little dangerous.”
Dangerous? Tessa bit her lip. How could pretending be dangerous?
Jenna laughed. “Don’t worry about Tessa. She can take care of herself.”
Sebastian’s brows knit. “Are you sure? She doesn’t look like she could defend herself from a kitten.”
Jenna leaned in. “You have no idea what she’s capable of.”
Tessa wanted to disappear. She knew exactly what Jenna meant by that even if Sebastian didn’t. Please don’t let her explain further.
But Jenna’s words seemed to have Sebastian considering the deal. “And when she can’t pull it off? Then what? No, I think you should do it, Deputy. It’s only for a night.”
“I’m on duty. And also, I already said no. If Tessa can’t pull it off, then you don’t have to hire her. But she will. You’ll see. And then she’ll be the new library dean.”
“Dean of library studies,” Tessa corrected. Was this really happening?
Sebastian’s gaze narrowed in calculation and his jaw twitched in a very unhappy way, which matched the deep sense of skepticism coming off him. “You’ll need to be at my house first thing in the morning. You’ll have to be familiar with my house and me. We’ll need the whole day together if this is going to work.”
Tessa felt very much like she was on a roller coaster climbing toward the peak of a very sharp drop. But how hard could it be to pretend for an evening? Especially when it meant guaranteeing herself the amazing position of dean of library studies. “I can be there as early as you need me.”
He snorted. “Wonderful, but the early start is hardly the difficult bit. Fooling Evangeline is where things get tricky. She’s a master of deception and manipulation, and a vampire as old as I am. Pulling one over on her will be a Herculean task.”
Tessa nodded. Her valkyrie senses told her he wasn’t lying. A new wave of nervousness rattled her. Moving to Nocturne Falls was starting to feel like a very questionable decision.
Sebastian stared into his backyard, seeing nothing of the gardens or the purple sky brought on by twilight. All he could think about was that he’d made a stupid, rash decision. Evangeline’s presence had that kind of effect on men. And his bold claim of being engaged was proof that she most definitely still had that effect on him.
There was no way the meek little sister of Deputy Blythe was going to convince Evangeline that she was his fiancée. Valkyrie or not, the woman was so bland as to be almost unnoticeable, and if her personality matched her looks, he was doomed. She wasn’t ugly by any stretch, but she was just so plain that she would be impossible to pick out in a crowd. He doubted Evangeline would ever believe he was attracted to Tessa.
The poor woman couldn’t help who she was, though. And he was indebted to her for coming to his rescue, fully aware that it was a tremendously kind act on her behalf. Of course, she stood to gain the dean of library studies job, which she was infinitely qualified for anyway, but he was appreciative regardless. Job or not, he owed her. She barely knew him.
He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had put themselves out for him in such a manner. A tiny spot of warmth bloomed in his heart for Tessa Blythe. The first he’d really felt for anyone outside of his family, which naturally included Greaves. He stayed on that thought for a moment. No matter the outcome, Tessa had proven herself a good person.
Sebastian rubbed his chin. Perhaps Tessa being Evangeline’s exact opposite was a good thing. Maybe Tessa’s mousiness would startle Evangeline into thinking this setup was the truth. That he must really love the woman to be keeping company with her. He couldn’t say.
But no matter how he played the outcomes in his head, he couldn’t shake the feeling this whole mess had the very serious potential to blow up in his face. Tessa should have the job either way. She should not suffer if this plan didn’t work. Because if it didn’t, Evangeline would surely make her suffer.
Sebastian vowed he would protect Tessa from Evangeline, no matter the cost to himself or Evangeline. Tessa didn’t deserve to be hurt because of his problems. Or Evangeline’s unpredictability.
Yes, he’d see to it that Tessa had the job, but he wouldn’t tell her that. He needed her to be motivated, after all. This was not going to be an easy task.
If only they had more time to prepare. But then, they did to some extent. Not much more time, but he could go see Tessa tonight. In fact, he almost had to. A day would never be enough to get their stories memorized and become familiar enough with one another so as not to appear like strangers. He sighed loudly.
“Everything all right, sir?”
Sebastian turned. He’d told Greaves everything the minute he’d gotten home. “I need to go see Tessa. There are too many details. We’ll never get them right if we don’t start now.”
“You could just tell Evangeline the truth.”
“And look like a fool in her eyes once again? No. I can’t have her thinking I’ve been waiting for her return all these years. That I’ve just been pining away.”
“Except that you have been.” He held his hands up. “Respectfully.”
Sebastian frowned. “I know what a pathetic fool I am, old man. No need to remind me.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “She looked at me with utter disbelief. As if the thought that another woman was willing to have me was completely preposterous. That I could not possibly be interesting enough to hold the attention of another woman. It may be my downfall, but my pride will not let that lie.”
“No, sir.”
He looked at Greaves. “Am I that difficult of a man just because I am firm in my beliefs and have little tolerance for imperfection in others? Is that enough to make me…hard to love, do you think?”
Greaves pursed his mouth. “I can’t speak for the female population, but you are not Julian, that’s for sure.”
Sebastian snorted derisively at the mention of his youngest brother. “And I never will be if treacly charm and loose morals are what make a man attractive.”
Greaves grunted in agreement.
A hard thought struck Sebastian. He let a few seconds pass before speaking again. “Am I boring, then, Greaves?”
Greaves tipped his head slightly. “I suppose that depends on what a woman finds stimulating. Evangeline’s interests lay beyond the realm of the cerebral, so you two were never going to be a good match. You’re a brilliant man with a mind that seeks higher pleasures. You need a woman with a similar mind.”
“Thank you for that.” Sebastian rolled his shoulders to relieve the stress of the day. It failed to help. “I’m going out to see Miss Blythe. We have work to do. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Very good, sir.”
Deputy Blythe lived in one of the residential neighborhoods the Ellinghams had set aside specifically for town employees. The houses weren’t enormous but they weren’t shoe boxes either and the yards all showed pride of ownership, something that pleased Sebastian. Order was a thing of beauty and these streets had it in spades.
He parked in her driveway next to her patrol car and went to the front door to knock. Deputy Blythe answered a few moments later and he knew immediately by her expression that he was not who she’d expected.
The Vampire's Fake Fiancée (Nocturne Falls Book 5) Page 3