Blind-Date Marriage

by Fiona Harper

  Suddenly her stomach became a gaping cavern and her arms turned to gooseflesh.

  ‘Where?’

  ‘Up there,’ said Cassie, with a jerk of her head. ‘He arrived ten minutes ago. I thought I should warn you.’

  She squeezed Cassie’s hand. ‘Thanks. I don’t know what I’d do without you.’

  ‘Me neither. Now, shake a leg before we both start blubbing!’

  Good point. If she was going to be within spitting distance of Jake, she might as well have her armour intact, and panda eyes definitely wouldn’t pass muster.

  They caught the others up and stood in a clump just inside the door to the auditorium. Steve and Cass went in search of their seats.

  ‘Oh, look what the cat dragged in,’ said Mel as Serena checked her ticket stub for the row number.

  ‘Who?’ Serena’s eyes panned the circle and skidded to a halt three rows back from the balcony. ‘Who is that, and why is she draped all over your brother?’

  ‘That’s Chantelle. She thinks she’s a supermodel. Outside of her imagination she just does a lot of catalogue work. Doesn’t mean she doesn’t swan around like she owns the place. Can’t stand the cow.’

  ‘Mel! I’ve never heard you talk like that!’

  ‘You’ve never met Chantelle before.’

  ‘And how is she so intimately acquainted with Jake?’

  Mel let out a breathy hiss, as if she couldn’t believe what she was just about to say. ‘When Jake was younger and stupider—much stupider—he almost married her.’

  She was Jake’s ex-fiancée?

  Serena braced herself against the doorway and took a good look at the competition. Blonde, long legs, big boobs—your basic nightmare.

  Mel whispered in her ear, grateful for a bitching buddy, it seemed. ‘Talk about high-maintenance! No matter what Jake says, as far as I’m concerned, she treated him like dirt, especially just before it ended. Jake, the daft boy, just kept coming back for more like a faithful little lap dog.

  Serena faced Mel and frowned. They were talking about the same Jake, right? The Jake who was always in charge, who never let a woman close enough to walk all over him? If she wanted any more proof she wasn’t the woman for him, there it was.

  When had he ever followed her around like a puppy? The only bright-eyed and over-eager one in their relationship had been her. If Jake had loved her, really loved her, he would have moved mountains, swum the deepest oceans—all those stupid things in the love songs on the radio—to be with her.

  A long, slow sigh left her body. Why Chantelle hadn’t basked in his adoration confounded her. What she wouldn’t give to have him worship her like that, put her needs before his own.

  ‘Why was she like that, Mel? I don’t get it.’

  Mel looked at the object of their discussion and her eyes narrowed. ‘She’s a sneaky one, that Chantelle. I always suspected she wanted out of the relationship, but didn’t want to be the one to end it. She’d talked her dad into spending a small fortune on the wedding, and he was livid when she pulled the plug.

  ‘I think she was trying to push Jake into dumping her first, so he took all the flak. Then she could act the poor, jilted martyr.’ She shook her head. ‘Can’t believe I didn’t work out she’d turn up tonight. The whiff of free publicity alone is enough to make her crawl out of her hole.’

  ‘Excuse me.’ Someone barged past. Serena jumped out of the way and stared at her ticket stub. Row B, seat twenty-four. And Jake and the floozy were in…row C. Great. She edged along her row. What were the chances that seat twenty-four was in the far corner?

  Eighteen…nineteen…

  Oh, no, not…Twenty-four…slap bang in front of…She followed an endless pair of tanned legs up to the face they belonged to. Hah! Hair extensions! Fate was giving her a very small break. The thought gave her enough momentum to stretch her lips over her teeth and smile. She looked pointedly at the occupant of the seat next to the legs.

  ‘Good evening, Jake.’

  He looked as if he wanted the red velvet seat to fold up and swallow him. Serve him right.

  ‘Evening.’

  ‘Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?’ Jake tugged at his shirt collar and mumbled something indecipherable.

  Floozy held out a hand and regarded her with a suspicious eye. ‘Chantelle. And you are…?’ The defensive thrust of her chin spoilt the fairest-of-them-all effect.

  ‘Serendipity Dove. Nice to meet you.’ Her cheeks felt taut, keeping the smile in place.

  Chantelle’s eyes opened wide and the pout she’d been wearing transformed into a smile. ‘Oh, you’re…’

  Serena nodded. Chantelle craned her neck and scanned the auditorium. ‘Is your dad here, then?’ There was something about her husky voice that rubbed Serena up the wrong way—like being caressed by a cheese grater.

  ‘I’m sure he’ll surface sooner or later. Keep your eyes peeled.’

  Chantelle displayed her perfectly even, white teeth. ‘We must have a chat at the interval. I expect we’ve got a lot in common, both being in the public eye and all.’

  Mel, who had arrived next to Serena, snorted loudly.

  ‘Oh, it’s you, Melissa! I hardly recognised you now you’re all grown up.’ Chantelle lowered her voice to a stage whisper. ‘You know, no one would ever guess you had a problem with spots when you were younger.’

  Mel had that same evil glint in her eye that a Doberman got before it chewed something’s leg off. Thankfully, the house lights dimmed and postponed any further insult-hurling. Serena sat down and tried to focus on what was happening on stage.

  The gospel choir were the first act, and she really did try to concentrate on them. They’d improved so much. Feet were tapping and hands clapping in every direction. But not behind her. Oh, no. Chantelle leaned across to whisper into Jake’s ear every few seconds. It was bad enough feeling heat creep up her neck just because his knees were only inches away, without being reminded that the floozy was the one who was actually touching him.

  When the interval came, she couldn’t shoot out of her seat fast enough.

  Chantelle called after her. ‘Good idea—get to the ladies’ first. Hang on, babe. I’ll come with you.’

  Serena didn’t bother waiting for the woman to disentangle herself from Jake. She ran to the circle bar as fast as she could and ordered a rather large gin and tonic. When the tumbler arrived she took a large sip and closed her eyes.

  It wasn’t long before she became aware of a couple of bodies in close proximity. Please, no! Relief flooded her when she opened her eyes to find Steve and Cassie standing there. She gave Cass a bear hug.

  ‘Ren…I think you’re cutting off my air supply.’

  ‘Sorry. I’m just very glad to see a friendly face.’

  Cassie’s eyebrows raised.

  ‘Long story. I’ll fill you in later, but first let me get you a drink. The usual?’ She turned back to the bar without waiting for an answer and waved at the barmaid. Cassie tugged her sleeve.

  ‘Actually, I’ll just have a lemonade.’

  Serena spun right round and lost all hope of attracting the barmaid’s attention for the next few minutes. The bar was filling up rapidly.

  ‘Since when do you drink…?’

  Cass shot a look at Steve, who was trying hard to do sheepish, but kept slipping into just plain jubilant.

  ‘Oh, my goodness, you’re not—?’

  Cassie nodded.

  ‘You are! That’s wonderful news!’

  She hugged Cassie again, making sure she didn’t squeeze as hard this time. Thankfully, Steve had decided to jump in and get the drinks. He didn’t see her happy mask slide as she looked over Cass’s shoulder. How barren her own life seemed in comparison to her friend’s.

  She should be ashamed, thinking of herself at a time like this! Cassie had been her rock—the sister she’d never had. She deserved every ounce of happiness she got, and a hundredfold more.

  She pulled back and took a slug of
her G&T.

  Cassie looked concerned. ‘Are you okay? I wasn’t going to tell you yet.’

  ‘You didn’t have to keep it a secret because of me.’

  Cassie rubbed her arm. ‘I just didn’t want to rub your nose in it. I know things haven’t been that great for you recently.’

  There was a flash of blonde hair over Cassie’s shoulder. Serena groaned. ‘Don’t look now! They’re about to get a whole lot worse.’

  She tried to hunker down and hide behind Cassie, but it was no good. Chantelle obviously had a homing device.

  ‘There you are! We’ve just about got time for that chat.’ She turned to Jake, who was looking the same shade of grey as his suit. ‘Jay, could you get me a white wine? Ta, babes.’ He was dismissed with a red-taloned hand. ‘Don’t mind him. He’s been like that all evening. I’m not taking any notice, though. Jay and I go way back—but I’m sure you’ve heard all about that.’

  ‘Not really.’ She was surprised at how clear the words sounded through her gritted teeth.

  ‘Oh. Well, we almost got hitched once upon a time, but I called it off. I don’t think he ever got over it. I’ve heard he hasn’t had a long-term relationship since.’

  Chantelle gave her an assessing look. A look that told Serena she knew all about her recent relationship with Jake, and found it glaringly obvious why Jake hadn’t wanted to march her up the aisle.

  ‘How fascinating.’

  Mel had been spot-on. Chantelle wasn’t as dumb as she looked. She was staking her claim, making sure everyone knew she had first dibs on Jake, and always had. Chantelle tucked her arm into Serena’s as if she were a long-lost friend and pulled her into a quiet corner, but she wasn’t fooled. It was all part of the act. An act Chantelle was very good at. Every word the model uttered was another nail in the coffin, hammering her rival into place.

  ‘It was just bad timing, really. Just before the wedding I landed a big modelling contract.’

  Holding up a tin of dog food, no doubt.

  ‘Jay was so serious back then. Always working and doing exams. He never wanted to go to the parties I was invited to. He just wanted to settle down—’ she mimed a yawn ‘—and do boring things like get a mortgage and have babies. I wasn’t about to swell up like a balloon just as my career was taking off!’

  She smoothed her skin-tight top down over her hips and gave a little laugh.

  ‘I must have spoiled him for anyone else. He didn’t seem to have any problem proposing to me. I expect I was the love of his life.’ She looked wistfully over to the crush near the bar. Jake was in there somewhere. ‘People said we were too young, and I suppose they were right. But now…well, let’s just say I’m older and wiser.’

  A grey-suited arm thrust a glass of wine under Chantelle’s nose.

  ‘Jay, you melon! This is dry wine. I only like medium sweet—you know that.’

  Jake wore a grim look as he squeezed his way back to the bar, and Serena grinned into her glass as she took another sip. Either Jake didn’t care enough to remember his ex’s favourite tipple, or he was making a point. Either way, he wasn’t Chantelle’s lap dog any more.

  Right then, the cavalry arrived. Cassie and Steve found them, and Steve made the mistake of asking Chantelle if he recognised her from somewhere. Pretty soon she’d launched into a monologue on all the designers she’d worked with, and how many minor-league pop stars she’d left broken-hearted.

  Serena searched the sea of heads near the bar and found Jake’s within seconds. Maybe the exact shade of his hair had stuck in her memory. It was like spotting the right jigsaw piece and knowing it was the one that was going to fit. She watched him work his way towards their group, diverting her eyes at the last moment, so he wouldn’t know she’d been watching him.

  Chantelle accepted the glass he offered her and took a gulp or two. ‘Oh, good—that’s much better!’

  Jake elbowed his way round to stand at Serena’s other side and whispered in her ear. ‘This isn’t what it—’

  She knocked back the gin and tonic and slammed the glass down on a table. ‘Well, I must get back.’

  Chantelle’s mouth turned down. ‘Must you? Well, we’ll have to go for a drink afterwards. Maybe after I’ve met your dad?’

  ‘He’s rather busy tonight.’

  ‘Oh, we just want to say hi—don’t we, Jay?’

  Jay grunted.

  Serena fled before she had to face any more. No way was that woman getting within twenty feet of her dad. Jake would be dropped like a hot brick and she’d be calling her step-mummy before you could say collagen injection!

  Over my dead body. Or hers.

  She sat in her seat, arms folded, shoulders hunched, for the second half of the programme. If Chantelle kicked the back of her chair one more time…

  She hardly heard a note of the performance. When she actually managed to wrench her attention from the two seats behind her, the thought of watching from the sidelines while Steve and Cassie built their family shredded her like a knife. She rubbed her forehead. Her friends had a future full of love and sunshine while her own was as bright as a bucket of Thames mud.

  Perhaps she should stop planning her tomorrows like a military campaign. Do what Cassie had done. Perhaps she shouldn’t hunt love down, but let it find her instead. But she was scared to let go and go with the flow. What if she just ended up washed out to sea—alone?

  Grabbing on to any sign of security had seemed a much better plan, but she realised now it wasn’t working. The things she grasped for always slipped through her fingers anyway.

  Her dad, Max, and a couple of keyboard players filed onto the stage. She’d heard them rehearse all week, and it was going to bring the house down. The song was a fusion of rock guitar and hip hop, with Max’s smooth vocal over the top. If that boy didn’t have a recording contract in the next six months she’d eat her crocheted hat. Funny how all thoughts led back to Jake.

  Chantelle’s stilettos made jarring contact with the back of her seat again. She was living her worst nightmare. If the immediate torture of seeing the man she loved being pursued by another woman wasn’t bad enough, her long-term plans for her personal life were looking even more bleak. She had no love-life, no husband, no babies—no future.

  Of course she could change the no love-life part if she moved in with Jake, but that meant giving up her dreams. In the end she’d be back at square one, and maybe too old to find someone else who wanted to have children with her.

  She sat very still. What if she got pregnant—with Jake’s baby? Even if the relationship didn’t last, she’d still have the baby. She looked from side to side, just to make sure no one could tell what she was thinking.

  Now, this shows just how desperate I’m getting! Wake up, Serena!

  She couldn’t do that to him. Jake would want to do the right thing. She’d have him trapped and he would hate her for it eventually. She wanted his heart and soul, not just a family car in the garage and his and hers toothbrushes in the bathroom. The clamour of the auditorium vanished. Her chest rose and fell. Her heart thudded.

  She wanted Jake, heart and soul.

  The question was: what was she prepared to sacrifice to get him?

  CHAPTER TEN

  THE SWING DOOR closed and hit her on the bottom. She moved to one side and leant back against the smooth plaster wall. The cool air of the stairwell was delicious. Out here, away from the others, it was easier to see things for what they really were.

  Chantelle wasn’t any competition really. She was hardly a blip on the radar. Even if she wanted to cast herself in the role of femme fatale, it was obvious Jake wasn’t interested

  Serena knew Jake was her man. For now.

  But Chantelle was a warning. One day a woman who was a more serious threat might be hanging on his arm, and Serena’s chance would be gone. It was time to stuff her fears into the bottom of her handbag and seize the moment.

  A few more deep breaths and she was ready to head down the stairs to the
dressing rooms. Once in the warren-like basement, she set about tracking down her father. Benny’s familiar bulk was placed outside dressing room three.

  ‘Hey, Benny. Did you see any of the show?’

  ‘A bit.’

  ‘Like it?’

  A nod. High praise indeed.

  She knocked on the door and peeked inside. Dad was sitting on a table at one end of the room, surrounded by yabbering teenagers. They were all shouting over the top of each other, telling anyone who would listen how they’d almost tripped over, or how they’d fluffed a note. All of them had hundred-watt smiles.

  She yelled to make herself heard. ‘You were all brilliant!’

  Raucous cheers of appreciation. She slipped into a seat next to her dad and kissed him on the cheek. ‘It sounded great. The best you’ve played in years.’

  ‘There’s a lot to be said for being able to focus on the strings,’ he said with a grin.

  ‘Dad, I won’t be going out with you and the rest of the gang after the show. There’s something I’ve got to sort out.’

  ‘About time too!’

  She frowned.

  ‘I might be over the hill, but I’m not blind! It’s about time you and Mr Three-piece-suit sorted yourselves out.’

  ‘Thanks, Dad.’

  ‘Anyway, Max and I have a lot to discuss. I’m going to help him put a demo together.’ Max sat on the other side of her father, doing a really bad job of being chilled about the whole idea.

  ‘You’re a star!’ she mouthed to him, and he blushed. Max actually blushed!

  She heard a pair of heels clacking in the corridor and her smile faded. Chantelle’s radar must have gone into overdrive, being this close to a bona fide rock star. Serena hopped to her feet and marched to the open door.

  ‘Benny, don’t let that woman in here, or there’ll be hell to pay.’

  She stepped out into the corridor and pulled the door to, while Benny folded his arms and stood across the entrance. Chantelle was clomping to and fro, looking in dressing room doors. Jake stood at a distance, hands stuffed in his pockets and a forbidding look on his face.

  Then he looked in her direction and they both stopped.