by Lisa Lace
“And they think a wife would change that picture?”
“Yes. If a woman was in the house, it would prove I’m not the violent domestic abuser Margot claims I am and would show that Grace isn’t left to wander the halls alone. That’s not what life is like, but it’s what they’re imagining.”
My head starts running with crazy ideas. But is it so crazy?
“It’s not the worst idea in the world.”
“Getting a wife?”
“Painting the perfect picture. It’s what Margot is doing. The difference is, Grace is happy with you. She belongs here.”
“It’s not that easy though, is it? Apparently, I’m a monster.” His voice is bitter and cynical. I feel for him. I really do. Which is why the answer is obvious.
“I’d do it.”
Rory frowns. “Do what?”
“Play the part.”
He looks at me like I’m mad, then chuckles. He leans slightly forward. “You’d be my wife?” Shock is plastered across his face.
“Why not?” I fix him with a determined stare. “I’m sofa-surfing at the moment. If you would let me live here during the custody trial, I’d be happy to help you paint the picture of a family home.”
“You’re talking about fraud.”
I swallow, my voice a whisper. “Yes.”
“If anyone found out it was a lie, it would be a criminal offense.”
At least there’s no rent in prison, I think. “Do you think anybody would find out?”
“You wrote an article saying you hated my guts,” he points out.
“I could write a retraction.”
He frowns as he considers it. “I’m not sure, Elise. I’m meant to be proving I’m a better man—not a criminal anymore. If this backfired, I could lose Grace for good.”
“You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Rory pauses. He looks at me long and hard. “It’s something you’d really be willing to do?”
“Yes. Absolutely. If it helps to ensure that the right outcome happens, I would be happy to help.” I do not mention that it would help my situation, as well. I don’t need him to think that I’m callous, but I don’t want to discuss my mom with him, either.
He shakes his head. “It’s madness. I can’t.”
“That’s fine. I thought I’d mention it…just in case.” I watch as he stands, pacing the space in between the two couches. He moves easily, and there is power in his stance. It’s a bit like watching a caged tiger.
“It’s crazy. But, then again, it’s the game Margot is playing...” He lets out a growl of frustration. “She plays happy family and gets Grace when she doesn’t give a damn about her. That’s fraud. That’s a lie. I might be faking the family life, but my love for that girl is the most real thing about me.” He continues to pace the room, pausing to look out one of the windows. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Think about it.” I pick up my purse and stand. “I won’t say anymore either way. All I’ll say is that I’m willing. If it would really help, I’d do it.”
Rory nods slowly, turning to look at me. “I will. Let’s meet again, soon. Tomorrow. Let me think about it tonight, and we’ll talk again after we’ve slept on it.”
I smile. “Of course.” Even though I want to reach out and take him in my arms, now is not the time. He turns back to the window, and I feel like I’ve been dismissed. I let myself out quietly.
Rory
Elise arrives at my office at two in the afternoon, just as we agreed. She looks meek as she enters, treading softly, and biting down on her lip. I wonder if her offer still stands or if she’s changed her mind. She lets herself into my office and closes the door behind her.
“Hi, Rory.”
“Hi.”
“How are you feeling today?”
“Questioning my sanity as much as last night. You?”
“Wondering what the hell I’m doing here.”
I smile. “Sit with me.” I sit on one of the two executive chairs in front of my desk and invite Elise to sit beside me. I lean in toward her and lift my hands, questioning. “Have you thought more about what we talked about last night?”
“I have.”
“And?”
“My offer stands.” She meets my eye. “Have you thought about it?”
“Yes. I have some concerns.”
“All right.” I have her full attention.
“Call me a cynic, but despite how close we’ve become, you’re still a journalist. I haven’t forgotten about the first article you wrote about me.” I hold her gaze. “Promise me this isn’t anything to do with a story. No undercover journalism. No tell-all about ‘my week with Rory Everest.’ This is my life. No journalism. No stories.”
She blinks hard, looking hurt. “I’m not a monster, Rory. None of this is for a story.”
“Swear to me.”
“I swear. Honest to God, this has nothing to do with a story.”
I nod. “I need to be convinced there’s no ulterior motive.”
“There is an ulterior motive,” Elise says. Her voice wobbles. “I’m drowning in debt. My best friend is falling out with her husband over the fact I’m still sleeping on their sofa. I had to sell my car. I’m working three jobs just to keep myself above water. This isn’t entirely selfless, Rory. Yes, I want to help. I believe Grace is better off with you than Margot, but this arrangement would work for me, too. I’m not going to lie. This would help me get back on my feet.”
“I’m a burden on Dayna.” She bows her head. “She and her husband are fighting more and more because of me. I’m going to ruin their marriage if I don’t move out, but I’ve got nowhere to go.”
I had no idea things were that tough for Elise. I feel bad for having been so mocking of her job. She’s obviously doing whatever she can to get by. Who am I to judge anyway? Being a gossip columnist hardly compares to being a heroin addict.
“What you’re saying is, I’d be helping you out, and you’d be helping me out?”
Elise nods. “I think it could work.”
“If we did this, we’d have to be smart about it. We’ve got to sell the story. I can’t risk anyone questioning it.”
“We’ll make up a backstory.”
“Somehow we’ve got to explain how we got from that article to married in a few weeks.”
“An undeniable chemistry.” Elise leans in. I swear I can hear her heart beating from here; it’s almost as fast as her breathing. “We couldn’t keep our hands off each other. I snuck in for a second interview, and all that pent-up anger turned into something else.”
“It wouldn’t hurt if Charlotte caught a glimpse of the odd illicit encounter.”
“Like a kiss?” Elise leans forward and brushes her lips against mine.
“Like a kiss.” I place my hand on the back of her neck and pull her toward me for a deeper kiss. I trail my tongue against hers, feeling the pressure of her soft lips against mine. It makes my blood pump faster.
Elise draws back with a little laugh. “The door is closed.”
“So?”
“I thought we were doing this for appearances.”
“I don’t mind practicing.”
“We do have chemistry,” Elise says. “That part’s not a lie.”
“Just everything else.”
She smiles. “I say I came back here for the second interview and you laid into me. I started crying.”
“Full marks for believability.”
“But, when you saw my tears, you softened. I poured my heart out to you about my money problems, and you became a friend. After a short while, you told me you had a room to offer and could help me out. From there, we fell in love.”
“No. Love has to come first,” I insist.
“You think?” The hint of a smile is at the corners of her mouth. I take her hand in mine.
“I can’t be the reckless man who invites strange women into his home. No, you poured your heart out to me, and we became friends. I
t didn’t take long for us to realize we were inseparable. Knowing I loved you, I asked you to move in.”
Elise lets out a wistful breath. “It’s a nice fantasy.”
“If you do this for Grace and me, I’ll look after you,” I say. “You won’t have to worry about money for as long as you’re living under my roof.” I pause. “I have to ask, though—if money was such an issue for you, why didn’t you accept my offer to thank you with a check when you first found out about Margot’s lies?”
She lifts her chin proudly. “I was ashamed.”
“Why?”
“Because you have everything, and I have nothing.” She lets out a bitter laugh. “Or perhaps because you’re a business genius, and I’m a gossip columnist.”
There’s a pang of guilt in my stomach. You judge people too quickly, Rory. “You’re much more than that.”
She smiles. For a moment, we’re both quiet, letting the fact we’re seriously thinking about doing this sink in.
“I think we should have a wedding,” I say.
Elise laughs. “What? I thought we’d just do the paperwork.”
“No. If we’re selling this whirlwind romance, then there has to be something romantic about it. We’ll have to plan a wedding. Something small, but large enough that people know it’s happened. It’s the one time I want something leaked to the press.” We sit for a moment, our eyes meeting. Elise is the first to speak.
“Are we crazy?”
“This situation is crazy. We’re just trying to get to the other side.”
Elise
The plan is in motion. Yesterday, Rory and I spent over an hour hashing out over the details in his office. We’d made sure to have Charlotte catch us leaving his office, Rory’s hand on the small of my back. He’d given me a peck on the cheek as we made our way down the hall. My blush and nervous laugh had been real, though. Charlotte had tried to hide her surprise—but her wide-eyed shock was too apparent. That was merely the prologue.
Today, I’m meeting Grace for the first time. Rory had decided the sooner, the better—Grace would need time to adjust to this sudden situation. So we’re going to Deno’s, which is one of Grace’s favorite places to go, according to Rory.
The entire bus ride out to Coney Island, I felt sick with nerves. Now that I’m here, my nervousness has tripled. For all our selfish wants and needs, Grace is the innocent one in all of this. She’s a little girl whose livelihood, her home, and all she knows is on the line. I have to remember that going into this. As much as there might be in this for me, there is much more at stake for her. Put her first Elise, no matter what.
I’m meeting Rory and Grace at a theme park. I’m standing at the entrance to Deno’s now. Behind me, I can hear the whoops and screams from people hurtling around on roller coasters. It’s another warm day, the sun is shining brightly—the perfect Saturday for a family day out.
As I watch the cars enter the parking lot, it’s hard to know which kind of car to look out for. It seems that every day Rory rolls up in some different supercar. Today, I think, it’s a silver Range Rover Evoque—it’s the perfect family car. He pulls into a spot smoothly, perfectly straight on the first go.
Sure enough, Rory steps out, followed by Grace. He takes her hand to walk with her across the parking lot toward the theme park entrance. Grace looks excited; there’s a bounce in her step, and she’s running ahead of Rory, pulling him along by his hand. He has to keep pulling her back, keeping his eyes on the cars driving around the lot. His focus on her is much better today than it was at the waterpark.
Even Super Dad must have his off days.
They reach me, and I wait for Rory to do the introductions. He comes to a stop in front of me and kisses me on the cheek. He’s wearing a pair of cargo shorts and a fitted black T-shirt, looking alarmingly casual. Grace is wearing a lavender-colored summer dress, her hair pulled back into a pony, a little backpack on her shoulders. She’s wearing gel sandals with glitter in them. She looks at me curiously. Rory turns to his daughter.
“Grace, this is the lady I told you about. Her name is Elise.”
I bend at the waist to say hello to her, placing my hands on my knees. “Hi, Grace. It’s so good to meet you. Your daddy’s told me so much about you.”
She narrows her eyes. “He says you’re his girlfriend.”
The word sounds strange, but I hide my surprise. “That’s right. Your dad and I have become really good friends lately.”
“Daddy never has girlfriends.”
“Do you wish he didn’t now?”
She lifts her chin. “I don’t know yet.”
Rory catches my eye and smiles. Clearly, his daughter has his sense of self-confidence and aloofness. I laugh, too, at the way it’s her father’s voice coming out of her little mouth. She clearly spends a lot of time around Rory.
“I tell you what, give me a chance to show you how much fun I can be.”
Grace kicks at the gravel on the ground. “This is meant to be our date.”
“I won’t get in the way,” I promise. “Your dad’s told me you’re his number one girl.”
She looks up at Rory and beams. He smiles back down at her. “That’s right, princess. You’re my number one girl, always. Shall we go in?”
I walk alongside them a step apart as we move into the line to get into the park. I don’t want to overstep my boundaries with Grace or act too familiar. After all, this is all new and a big surprise to her. She didn’t even know I existed until this morning.
“Are you excited for the rides, Grace?” I ask her.
“Oh, yeah. I love fast rides, don’t I, Daddy?”
“She’s a little thrill seeker.”
“One time, it said you had to be this tall to ride, and I stood on my tiptoes and went on, didn’t I, Daddy?”
“Daddy didn’t know you were on your tiptoes.”
“This time I’ll be tall enough.” She looks at me with a satisfied expression. “I grew two inches this summer.”
“That’s a lot in one summer.”
“I told Grace she had to eat what Alice gave her because Alice knows all about nutrition.” Rory looks at Grace questioningly. “Tell us what nutrition means, Grace.”
“What our bodies need to grow and be healthy.” She recites it like she’s memorized the definition.
“We try to learn one new word a week,” Rory tells me. “Nutrition was a couple months back when Grace was going through a phase of leaving all the nutritious parts of her dinner and trying to eat nothing but Pop-Tarts and Ding Dongs.”
Grace puts her hands on her hips defiantly. “You eat Ding Dongs, too!”
“But I’m a lot taller than you. That’s because I have good nutrition. I eat Ding Dongs and peas.”
“I hate peas.”
“Oh really? You’ve never told me.” Rory casts me a sideways glance and grins.
I smile. Seeing Rory’s natural back-and-forth with his daughter reassures me that there really is a bond there. It’s one thing for Rory to tell me he’s a great father and that Grace adores him, but another thing for me to see them together with my own eyes. It’s clear there’s a close relationship between them.
Once we’re through the gates, Rory lets Grace run ahead to look at the map of the park and decide where she wants to go. He hangs back with me and slips his hand into mine.
“Best to look the part, right?”
“Rory, we’ve had sex. I think it’s okay for you to hold my hand, custody case or not.”
“When you put it like that…”
I smile teasingly. “Tell me something, if this…arrangement…hadn’t presented itself, would you still have called me? Honestly, am I someone you would have dated?”
“Yes.”
“Really? I thought you liked strong, independent women who stand on their own two feet?”
“That’s what I see in you.”
“You should get your eyes tested. My life’s a mess.”
“I’ve lived a mess of
a life, Elise. You’re doing just fine.”
I feel a little tingle of happiness at his words. In between the sharpness and coolness of Rory’s general demeanor, there are moments of true warmth and kindness. I might be pretending to be his soulmate, but, honestly, I could see why a woman would fall for him. He’s unshakeable, charismatic, interesting, and suave. He’s got all those trademark characteristics of the strong, silent type. But there’s more to him than that. Just below the surface, there’s a real human heart beating—a heart capable of deep love if his devotion to his daughter is anything to go by.
“How are things going with the custody hearings?” I ask him.
“We’re still building our case.”
“Have you told your lawyer about this arrangement?”
“I’ve told him I’ve fallen in love.”
“And he bought it?”
“He’s paid to buy whatever I feed him. Plausible deniability.” He smirks. “He congratulated me on my fortune of finding love at first sight.”
“He sounds like a character.”
“Sarcastic and unflappable. I kind of like him, as much as I want to shake him sometimes. He doesn’t react to anything.”
“That’s what you want in a lawyer, though. Someone who’s not going to lose their cool.”
“Apparently, he’s the best.”
“Good.”
“And you’ve been planting seeds?”
“You’re asking if I’ve spoken to Dayna?” I nod. “I’ve told her we’ve had some dates and that I think I’m falling for you.”
Rory nudges me playfully. “You charmer, you.”
I nudge him back. “You simply swept me off my feet, darling.”
“We’re better at this than we think.” Rory chuckles. “Maybe that’s because I would have asked you out again either way. Honestly. I like your stubbornness.”
“Are you sure? Because there were times I thought you wanted to murder me.”