Rent a Millionaire Groom

by Judy Christenberry

  Drawing a sigh of relief both at finding her keys and deciding she’d been wrong about James, she smiled at him. “I found them.”

  “Good,” he said, and swept her back into his arms for another devastating kiss.

  “HEY, BRO, you got a minute?” Bobby asked, when James answered the phone the next morning.

  James sat up in bed and searched for the alarm clock he kept by his bed. It was almost ten o’clock. He hadn’t slept that late in years.

  “Uh, yeah, Bobby, what is it?” Then it occurred to him that his brother might have heard rumors about him and Elise. He clutched the phone more tightly.

  “You remember the girl who wasn’t projecting?”

  James couldn’t even think of a proper response. That question had come out of left field as far as he was concerned.

  “Hey, James, did I wake you up?”

  “Yeah, but that’s all right, I—”

  “Man, you never used to sleep late. Is something wrong?”

  “No, not at all. I had a late night. Now what about that girl?”

  “Sandy. Remember? She wasn’t projecting and—”

  “Yeah, I remember. What’s wrong? Did I hurt her feelings?” He couldn’t think of any other reason Bobby would want him to remember the girl.

  “No, of course not. I told her the same thing. But her dad’s a bigwig with one of the banks in town, and Sandy’s invited me to a party they’re having honoring her dad. I don’t want to embarrass her by driving up in my old car. I wondered if I could borrow yours.”

  “Sure.”

  “That was quick. You haven’t even asked what day,” Bobby pointed out.

  “Doesn’t matter. I—I can always borrow MaryBelle’s car if I need it. Or rent one.”

  Bobby chuckled. “Yeah, right, I can just see you behind the wheel of MaryBelle’s car.”

  James didn’t want to discuss the likelihood of that happening. “When do you need it?”

  “Uh, tonight. I should’ve called earlier, but I was debating with myself.”

  “You know I don’t mind. I offered to buy you a car when your last one broke down.”

  “I know you did. You’re a great brother, but I have to make it on my own.”

  “You’re a pretty special brother yourself. Be careful about dating someone who isn’t satisfied with you and what you have.” That described Sylvia to a tee. James wouldn’t want that for anyone, much less his baby brother.

  “You taught me that lesson, bro. How is old Sylvia?”

  “Getting older.” James laughed. “I don’t really know, Bobby. I try to avoid seeing her as much as possible.” The meetings happened more than he liked. Her current husband was with one of James’s client companies.

  “Well, if you don’t mind, Sandy will drop me by your house in a few minutes and I’ll borrow your Mercedes…if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

  “I don’t mind at all. I’ll be here.”

  He hung up the phone and sank down onto the pillow again. How ironic. He wasn’t driving his Mercedes because of a woman—but his brother was, for the same reason.

  But Elise was well worth giving up the powerful machine. For a while. The kisses they’d shared last night had told him that. He’d thought he was in love with Sylvia when they’d married. But her kisses didn’t compare to Elise’s. None of the women who’d eagerly offered their lips to him even came close to Elise.

  Not that he was in love with her. He just…enjoyed her. In so many ways. Getting to know Elise had become the most fascinating project he’d ever undertaken.

  His body thought so, too. He’d gotten home by ten o’clock, not exactly a late Friday night. But it had taken three or four hours to settle down, to convince his body nothing was going to happen.

  The thought of her, the lingering scent of her on his fingertips, the remembrance of their kisses, had made it impossible to sleep until late into the night.

  He rubbed his eyes. Damn, he needed some coffee.

  He rolled out of bed and tugged on a pair of jeans, grabbed a T-shirt from a drawer and headed down the stairs while he pulled it over his head.

  MaryBelle didn’t really work on the weekends unless he had something in particular he needed her to do, but she lived in her own apartment in the house, so she always made coffee, and, if he wanted it, breakfast.

  This morning he wanted it.

  She was sitting at the table doing the crossword puzzle. “Morning, Sleeping Beauty.”

  “Coffee,” he growled, heading straight for the coffeepot on the kitchen cabinet.

  MaryBelle got to her feet. “I’ll fix you some breakfast. I have pancake batter all ready.”

  Having poured his coffee, he stopped to kiss her cheek before he sat down at the kitchen table. “Thanks.”

  “Want bacon with the pancakes?”

  “Yes, please,” he said, and reached for the newspaper.

  “Don’t get my crossword,” she warned.

  His only response was a grunt because he was already immersed in the headlines. At least they took his mind off Elise and when he’d see her again.

  ELISE MET HER FRIENDS at the pool.

  Almost all the residents of Mesa Blue spent weekends gathered around the huge pool. Not only did it alleviate the heat, but even in the late winter it was a soothing place to relax. Even Daisy, who usually worked Saturdays, had taken today off.

  “Well, who wants to start?” Phoebe asked as she rubbed sunscreen on her fair skin.

  Elise knew Phoebe was asking for a report of their Friday nights and she wanted to get it over with. She’d already prepared in her mind what she would tell her friends. “I will. Everything went well. We have similar tastes in movies and television ads, and—”

  “Television ads?” Daisy asked as she plopped her big straw hat on her head. She hated to freckle.

  Elise shrugged her shoulders. “Yes. Somehow we discussed ads on television. Anyway, we got along fine. And we ate at a very nice Italian restaurant. Your turn, Daisy.”

  The other two stared at her.

  Phoebe finally said, “Are we on a schedule?”

  “Why, no, what do you mean?” Elise asked, keeping her eyes closed behind her sunshades.

  “She means you ran through your description of the evening like a news reporter only allotted thirty seconds to tell her story,” Daisy said, sitting up on her chaise longue. “Did something happen you’re not telling us?”

  “What could happen? We were just getting to know each other. Conversation, that’s all,” she assured them. Her mouth was dry. Lying seemed to be hard work. Especially lying and not blushing.

  “Hmm, okay,” Phoebe said reluctantly. “Your turn, Daisy.”

  “Well, I can be even briefer than Elise. No way, José. Your turn, Phoebe.”

  “Now, come on, Daisy, he’s a nice man,” Phoebe protested.

  “Yes, he is, especially if you want to hear about the new X-ray machine he bought for his office. And how much his Mercedes cost him. Did I mention how many new clients he’s gotten this past year? Or where he spent his last vacation? Then there’s his Rolex. I even got to listen to it tick,” she assured them, pretending excitement.

  Phoebe held up her hand. “Okay, enough said. Sorry.”

  Daisy immediately looked contrite. “You tried, Phoebe. It’s not your fault it didn’t work out.”

  “He wasn’t like that when I met him,” Phoebe assured her.

  “I probably brought out the worst in him,” Daisy said with a sigh.

  Knowing Daisy didn’t want any more questions, Elise said, “How about you, Phoebe? Did you eat with the Madisons?”

  “I did. We had a great dinner. And talked about…” she paused, looking at them expectantly.

  Together Elise and Daisy said, “Wyatt.”

  Phoebe chuckled. “Right. I asked them why he didn’t visit them more, but they defended him, of course. Said he couldn’t get away right now. He was very busy, and very successful—perfect as usual.”r />
  “Did you ask them what keeps him busy?” Daisy asked.

  “I was going to, but then dear, sweet Rolland asked me how I did on that test I had in Chemistry, and I got distracted. Aren’t they the dearest people?”

  Daisy and Elise exchanged a look. They’d talked before about how good the Madisons were for Phoebe. She didn’t have much of a relationship with her own mother, who didn’t live nearby. The Madisons kind of filled that role for their friend.

  “Yes, they are,” Elise agreed. “And Helen is such a good cook.”

  “Yes, she is,” Phoebe said, patting her flat stomach. “I don’t think I can eat all day long just to make up for last night.”

  “I don’t see any problem, sweetcheeks,” Jeff Hawkin crooned in Phoebe’s ear, startling her. He stood and leaned on the long netted pole he used to clean debris from the pool.

  “Oh, Jeff, I didn’t hear you come up,” she said with a gasp, putting her hand to her chest.

  “I was quiet because I was admiring all the natural beauty around the pool,” he said, and bowed deeply in their direction.

  “Dear Jeff,” Daisy said, fanning herself with her straw hat. “If only you were ten years older.”

  “I keep telling you, Daisy, I’m old enough.”

  Elise couldn’t keep a smile from her face. Jeff flirted outrageously with every woman in the complex, even Helen Madison who was old enough to be his great-grandmother.

  Jeff turned to Elise. “And you, young lady, I heard you’ve been stepping out on me. Who’s this guy who’s coming around? I haven’t checked him out yet.

  “Feel free to check now,” a deep, silky voice said from behind Elise.

  Chapter Six

  Elise almost fell off her chaise longue. “James!” she shrieked. “What—what are you doing here?”

  That left eyebrow went up. “Enjoying the view?” he suggested, grinning at all three ladies.

  “You got that right, man,” Jeff agreed, returning James’s grin.

  Elise reached for the cover-up she’d brought down. Which was ridiculous. Her one-piece suit was modest compared to most women’s. But with James staring at her, she felt naked.

  Jeff stepped forward, his hand extended. “Jeff Hawkin, pool cleaner and handyman extraordinaire.”

  “James Dillon,” James offered, shaking his hand.

  “Pull up a seat and join us,” Jeff invited.

  Elise felt like objecting. No one asked her about James staying, and he was her guest. At least she thought he was. Maybe she’d been right Wednesday night and he was attracted to one of her friends.

  While she was thinking, he’d been accepting Jeff’s invitation. When his warm hand slid along her calf to shift her legs so he could sit on the end of the chaise longue, she jumped again.

  “You don’t mind if I borrow this spot, do you, Elise?” he asked after he’d sat down.

  “It would be a little late if I did,” she pointed out.

  “Of course, she doesn’t,” Phoebe said. “Were you in the neighborhood, James, or do you live near here?”

  “I live closer to the school,” he said.

  It occurred to Elise that she’d never bothered to ask where he lived. He probably didn’t mind. Starving artists weren’t house proud, usually.

  “This is a great pool,” James said, looking around.

  “Yeah, it’s the best. It’s even heated in the winter months. The air temperature’s okay for swimming in winter, but sometimes pool water’s too cold to be comfortable. But not our pool,” Jeff boasted proudly. “Did you bring your trunks with you?”

  “Why, no, I didn’t. I didn’t think about swimming. I just thought I’d see what Elise had planned for the day.” He turned to send Elise that warm, sexy smile of his, and all her objections to his unannounced visit dissolved.

  “I’ve got a clean extra pair. Why don’t you borrow them? Maybe we can get up a game of volleyball. How about it, girls? Will you play?”

  Jeff frequently acted like a social director on a cruise ship, but everyone enjoyed his antics. Elise nodded, as did Daisy and Phoebe.

  “Are you sure we have enough people?” Phoebe asked.

  “I’ll round up some more. Come on, James, I’ll show you where to change. Rest up, ladies, while we’re gone. You’ll need your energy when we get back.”

  James, for the first time, showed a hint of hesitation, and looked at Elise.

  She nodded with a smile. It wasn’t an elaborate invitation, but his smile widened and he jumped up and followed Jeff.

  “Well, that was interesting,” Phoebe said, watching the two men walk away.

  “What do you mean?” Elise asked.

  “You were with him last night and he’s already back for more. And you two communicate pretty well without words.”

  Daisy nodded. “Yeah, you can kind of feel a tension in the air when they’re together. I noticed it Wednesday night.”

  “Don’t be silly. You know I’m—” she broke off and looked around to be sure she wouldn’t be overheard “—paying him. You’re imagining things.”

  Her friends looked at each other and nodded. But Elise was afraid they weren’t agreeing with her.

  Phoebe said, “I hadn’t intended to do anything energetic, but after that meal last night, I suppose it would be a good idea. Helen had made a cheesecake with strawberry topping to die for.”

  “Ooh,” Daisy said softly. “I love those homemade cheesecakes of hers.”

  “Maybe if we dropped by this afternoon for a visit, she’d serve it,” Phoebe said. “And they can rave some more about Wyatt. You know they always love that.”

  “Sounds like cupboard love to me,” Elise teased.

  Daisy just nodded, but Phoebe protested, “You know we all love them. They’re such wonderful people.” She paused, then said, “You know, did it ever occur to either of you that Wyatt might really be perfect? With grandparents like Rolland and Helen, it might be possible.”

  Shifting to her side, Daisy looked at Phoebe. “But no one wants a perfect man. Maybe that’s why dear Wyatt hasn’t married. He’s too good to be true.”

  “Doubtful,” Elise assured her friend. “But since the dentist was a washout, we’ve got to find someone else for you. Hey, have we asked Jeff if he knows anyone? The book says talk to neighbors.”

  “I want someone old enough to stay out past ten o’clock. Jeff’s too young,” Daisy protested.

  “But he may know someone older. After all, he bartends down at The Prickly Pear part time,” Phoebe pointed out.

  “Just what I need. A barfly.”

  “We hang out there, too,” Elise pointed out.

  Daisy shrugged.

  Before they could continue their conversation, Jeff and his recruits emerged from the building.

  “Hey, he got Frannie, Bill and Rolland,” Daisy said, a speculative look in her eye. “I wonder how Frannie arranged that?”

  “I don’t know, but good for her,” Elise said. Frannie Fitzgerald was a delightful neighbor, even if she dressed a little on the colorful side. And she loved anything with cats on it. Today, she wore a skirted suit, black with the outline of cats all over it.

  Bill White was the building superintendent. He and Frannie were about the same age, and she had a terrible crush on him, though she pretended she didn’t. He seemed to ignore her.

  “Maybe we should loan her our book,” Daisy whispered.

  “You think Frannie isn’t self-confident?” Phoebe asked with a laugh.

  “I don’t know, but she hasn’t caught his interest yet.”

  Elise wasn’t so sure. Bill was walking behind Frannie and Jeff, and she thought of James’s words about following her around. Bill’s gaze was on Frannie.

  James was walking between Bill and Rolland Madison, seemingly involved in conversation with both men. Rolland was in his eighties, but in magnificent shape. He’d served in the Navy for many years and his posture still showed it.

  “Have I got a deal for you
!” Jeff assured them as he reached poolside. “I couldn’t talk Helen into joining us, but to make up for it, she said she’d have lunch ready for everyone when we finished.”

  Phoebe cheered, but all four ladies, including Frannie, protested Helen doing all that work.

  “Now, girls, you know she worries about you not eating properly,” Rolland said. “She’ll love it. She’d rather cook all day long than play volleyball in the pool.”

  “Come on, James, help me put up the net,” Jeff called just before he stepped off the edge into the pool, splashing all of them. Though the water was warm, they all yelled, anyway, knowing Jeff expected some reaction.

  James laughed and started to move to the pool, but first he ducked down and kissed Elise. Startled, she had no time to react before he, too, jumped in.

  Rolland looked at her. “Your young man seems very nice, Elise. Helen was delighted to meet him.”

  “Oh, Rolland, he’s not—I mean, I just met him on Wednesday.”

  Rolland stared into space. “Sometimes it doesn’t take long. You know Helen and I only knew each other a week before we got married, and it’s been sixty-eight glorious years.”

  The couple loved to talk about their brief courtship, so they’d all heard the story, but it moved Elise to tears every time. “I know, but there aren’t all that many men around as wonderful as you, Rolland.”

  He cocked an eyebrow, similar to James, and said, “Well, now, that could be true,” shooting them a grin that was too cute.

  Phoebe stood and gave him a hug. “Helen had better keep her eye on you, young man.”

  “Come on in, everyone,” Jeff called.

  Frannie, who’d been surprisingly quiet since she’d arrived, asked, “How do we choose up teams?”

  “James and I took care of that,” Jeff assured her. “You and Bill are going to be on his team with Elise. The rest of us will skunk you!”

  “Okay, as long as I don’t get my hair wet. Remember, you promised.” She moved around the pool to the wide steps and practically tiptoed into the water.