Rent a Millionaire Groom

by Judy Christenberry

  They’d gotten confused, that was all, she assured herself. They hadn’t— Her gaze moved to a picture of James, standing beside a young man who looked a great deal like him, only a few years younger. A young man she even recognized. He’d been in her class one semester. She couldn’t have told anyone his name, until now, but she remembered his charm.

  Quite similar to James’s.

  Humiliation washed through her, rinsing away the happiness that had filled her until that moment.

  Melanie leaned forward. “You did know, didn’t you, Elise?”

  She gritted her teeth and lied as hard and fast as she could. “Yes, of course I knew. James— It was James’s fault, Mom. He gets upset when he thinks someone likes him just for his money. He wanted you all to get to know him for himself before—before he told you the truth.”

  Let James take the blame. Why not? He’s the one who had lied. He’s the one who had shattered her heart, making passionate love to her last night while he laughed about her naive proposition.

  Making her believe in Prince Charming.

  Phoebe was right. There was no such thing as Prince Charming. There was no such thing as perfect. There was no such thing as the man of her dreams.

  James Dillon existed.

  But who was he—this imposter she’d slept with?

  JAMES SLEPT until eleven o’clock. When he finally stirred enough to look at the bedside clock, he couldn’t believe his eyes. He hadn’t slept that late in years.

  But then, he hadn’t ever spent the night making wild love to Elise.

  He smiled, remembering their nighttime activities. Immediately, the idea of making love to her again…and again and again filled him. He would never grow tired of holding her in his arms.

  Which led him to the next step.

  He would marry her.

  Even though he’d told himself he shouldn’t hurry the relationship, should take time to get to know her, he knew that wasn’t going to work. He didn’t want time. He wanted Elise.

  He was lying there, making plans, drifting into the future, when the phone rang.

  “James, it’s Chance. The females in this grand production, including Elise, are all going to the church in the limo. Want to ride with me?”

  James wanted to get to know Chance better. He’d rather be with Elise, but since that didn’t appear to be an option, he agreed. “When do I need to be ready?”

  “I thought we’d leave in about ten minutes, to give ourselves plenty of time.”

  “Right,” James said, and slammed down the receiver. He had no time to waste.

  In the end he was only a couple of minutes late; he was tying his tie in the elevator coming down.

  “Sorry I’m late,” he muttered as he reached Chance’s side. He suddenly realized the man was dressed in a tux. “Was I supposed to wear one of those?” he asked, gesturing to Chance’s outfit.

  “Nope. I’m a damn usher,” Chance said with a groan. “I’m so good at it by now, I think I should rent myself out.”

  James grinned. “Don’t worry, you only have one more sister to marry off, and that will happen soon. Then you’ll be out of business.”

  “You two have set a date?”

  “No, but I don’t intend to wait long.” Once again, thoughts of Elise and last night filled his head.

  “Well, I’ll welcome you to the family,” Chance said, grabbing his arm. “At least you’re not wet behind the ears like Michael. Getting married at twenty-two. Can you believe it?” He dragged James after him as he headed for the exit.

  JAMES WAITED for Elise’s appearance.

  He’d tried to see her before the ceremony, but her mother had said they were keeping the gowns secret. She’d sent him on into the church. The dresses were all in lavender. Nice dresses, he admitted, as another sister came down the aisle. But he couldn’t see any reason he should have been kept from seeing Elise.

  She moved to the top of the aisle, and he caught his breath. He was sitting on the end of the pew so she couldn’t miss seeing him. He eagerly watched her approach. She was so cute, taking her duties seriously, keeping her gaze fixed on the groom standing by the clergyman.

  When she passed him, not looking in his direction at all, he frowned. She seemed—tense. It must have been because she was afraid of making a mistake. When she’d left him that morning, she hadn’t had any regrets. He knew that. There couldn’t be anything wrong between them.

  Nope, everything was gloriously right. And as soon as he could get her alone, he’d make sure they had their own wedding as soon as possible. But he’d ask her to move into his house immediately.

  As soon as he explained about his little lie.

  ELISE HAD A PLAN. She didn’t want a confrontation with James. Not here, where some of her family members might overhear. She intended to hold to her original plan, only instead of using Hollywood as her excuse for dumping him, she’d tell her family he worked too many hours, was too driven. She wanted a man who would concentrate on her.

  Her family wouldn’t be surprised.

  And they’d never know about her lies.

  She winced even as she moved to stand beside her sisters and face the audience. She’d blamed James for lying to her. But she’d done just as much lying to her family. She had no right to paint him black while she cast herself in the role of the innocent.

  She shrugged off those thoughts. It didn’t matter. She’d get out of here as soon as the wedding was over. Without James. She had it all worked out.

  She’d have her confrontation with him once she was back in Phoenix, away from her family.

  While they’d been in the waiting room, a family friend of her mother’s had slipped in to tell Sharon that she and her husband would have to leave immediately after the wedding, not even staying for the reception, because one of their children was acting the lead role in a school play this evening back in Phoenix.

  Elise had followed the woman to the door, catching her before she could slip out, and had asked for a ride back to Phoenix. She explained that a friend in Phoenix had broken her leg and was in the hospital.

  It was all arranged. When she got back to the hotel, instead of joining everyone at the reception, she’d race to her room…their room, and hurriedly pack, changing into her jeans. Then she’d meet her ride in the parking lot.

  After a sweet ceremony that brought tears to her eyes—not because of her sister’s marriage but because she knew she wasn’t ever going to experience that moment with James—she crawled into the limo with her sisters.

  She was sitting next to Melanie. As they reached the hotel, she hurriedly told her sister her made-up story, asking her to explain to Sharon and Michael.

  Then she escaped.

  Chapter Seventeen

  James drove faster than he should have. But the snow had melted and the roads were dry.

  And he was worried.

  When he’d finally realized Elise hadn’t joined her sisters in the receiving line, he’d asked her mother where she was.

  “Elise? The receiving line just broke up, James. She’s probably looking for you, you sly boy.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Oh, she explained why you didn’t tell us who you really were, but we’re not that kind of people.”

  He stared at her, heat climbing up his face.

  Sam stepped forward. “She found out when they printed it all in the paper, James. Sorry about that, but I didn’t tell.”

  Sam winked at him, and James hoped that meant he hadn’t told about Elise’s plan. But clearly her mother knew his true identity. “I apologize, Margaret. I shouldn’t have lied.”

  “Oh, we forgive you, dear boy. After all, you’re going to be family now. And compared to some of the things Chance did, your little lie was nothing.”

  “Hey!” Chance protested, stepping forward. “I’m innocent.”

  Both his parents laughed.

  “Chance, have you seen Elise? I didn’t see her in the receiving line.”
James watched him anxiously. If her parents knew about his real identity, he felt sure Elise did. She wouldn’t be happy with him. Especially after last night.

  “Nope, I didn’t. But then, I didn’t go down the receiving line. I headed for the food line. That was more important.”

  James smiled, but he started searching for lavender gowns. He caught up with one of the sisters. “Where’s Elise?”

  “You’re still here?” she asked, surprised.

  James couldn’t remember her name but that didn’t stop him. “Where’s Elise?” he repeated.

  “She had to go back to Phoenix. One of her friends had an accident and broke her leg.”

  “Which friend?” James asked, hoping the friend was someone he hadn’t met. “And how did she go?”

  “She didn’t say. Maybe she took your vehicle.”

  James was pretty sure he’d left his keys on the dresser in their room. He excused himself and headed for the elevator. When he discovered the keys where he’d left them, he crossed to the phone.

  Bill White answered on the second ring.

  “Bill, this is James. Who had an accident?”

  Silence was followed by a puzzled “I’ll bite. Who had an accident?”

  “No, Bill, this isn’t a joke. Elise left the wedding early because one of her friends had an accident and broke her leg. Do you know who it was?”

  “No, I haven’t heard anything. I’ll check, though. Want me to call you back?”

  “Yeah, I’ll give you fifteen minutes.”

  Bill promised to hurry, and James hung up and started packing. He noticed the absence of Elise’s belongings. She’d been thorough.

  It was as if she’d never stayed in that room. Never made passionate love with him. Never slept in his arms.

  Damn it, he hoped she’d panicked because a friend was hurt, but he was getting worried. Why hadn’t she found him, asked him to drive her? How had she managed to leave without him? Why would she want to— Okay, so he’d lied about who he was.

  But he hadn’t lied last night. And he was going to tell her that as soon as he caught up with her.

  The phone rang.

  “Hello?”

  “James, it’s Phoebe. Bill’s here and he said—”

  “You’re not hurt? How about Daisy, or Frannie? Surely it wasn’t Helen?”

  “James, none of us had an accident. No one is hurt. What’s going on? Are you sure you got the right story?”

  Coldness sank into James’s stomach. He’d gotten the right story. But that was exactly what it was—a story. Elise had made it up to excuse her abrupt departure.

  “Sorry, Phoebe, I must’ve gotten it wrong. Hope I didn’t disturb you.”

  “No, of course not, but where’s Elise?”

  “I guess she’s on her way back to Phoenix.”

  As he was now. He’d be back before dark.

  And he had no intention of going home. No, he was going straight to Elise’s. He intended to explain everything…and spend the night with her in his arms.

  And the rest of his nights for the rest of his life.

  IT WASN’T QUITE as easy as he’d planned.

  When he knocked on Elise’s door, Phoebe opened it. “Where’s Elise?” he demanded.

  “She’s not here,” Phoebe said softly.

  He didn’t believe her. He slipped past her and headed for the bedroom. The first door opened to a bathroom. Empty. He reached for the other door, to Elise’s bedroom, but he could see with a sweep of his gaze that Phoebe hadn’t lied. He spun around.

  “Where is she? Did she make it back okay?”

  “She’s here, James. I mean, here at Mesa Blue. Look, I don’t know what happened. She wouldn’t tell us. But she’s very upset. She asked me to ask you to give her some time. She promised she’d talk to you in a few days.”

  James stared at her as if she had two heads. Days? He had to wait days until he could straighten everything out? Until he could hold Elise again?

  “Phoebe, you don’t understand!” he exclaimed.

  She gave him an apologetic smile. “Probably not, but Elise is my friend. If she says she needs a couple of days, then I think you should honor her wishes.”

  His last flagging hope died a slow death. Phoebe was right. He loved Elise. If she didn’t want to see him, he couldn’t force her. At least she’d promised to see him soon. In a few days. But that would seem like an eternity.

  “Okay, but tell her—tell her I can explain everything.” He wanted to add, Tell her I love her, but he couldn’t say that for the first time to someone else. It had to be Elise who first heard him.

  “Tell her I’ll call,” he added.

  “I’ll tell her,” Phoebe assured him, and held open the door.

  Slowly, he trudged through it, the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  PHOEBE STOOD at the window, watching James get in a dark green SUV and drive away, before she left Elise’s apartment and knocked on the door next to Elise’s.

  Daisy opened the door. “Is he gone?”

  “Yes, I watched to make sure. How’s Elise?”

  “Come on in. You tell me,” Daisy said, a worried frown on her brow.

  Elise gave the new arrival a bright smile. “Has he gone? Thanks so much, Phoebe, for doing that for me. I’ll scoot next door, now, and be out of your hair. By the way,” she continued in a chirpy voice, “how was your weekend? Any progress?”

  Phoebe clamped down on her arm. “Elise, what’s wrong? You’re not acting like yourself.”

  Elise struggled to hang on to her composure. She’d promised herself she could break down as soon as she was alone in her apartment with no possibility of having to face James. “It was a stressful weekend. All those—lies,” she said, and almost lost it. “I’m really tired. I’m going to rest now. Thanks again.”

  She slipped from Phoebe’s hold and hurried to the safety of her place. Alone. She was finally alone. Riding back with her parents’ friends, she’d endured constant chatter from the wife while the husband silently drove.

  She had thought she’d go crazy.

  She hadn’t allowed herself to think about last night or this morning. Not yet. Because even a hint of either extreme of emotion and tears filled her eyes.

  Now, no one would see her. She could weep for her lost love. She could mourn for what might have been. She could fall to pieces and no one would know.

  She locked the door behind her.

  “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” Daisy asked. Before Phoebe could answer, she added, “She was like that the entire time you were in her apartment. That brittle cheerfulness, that fake smile. I think she wanted to cry.”

  “I know,” Phoebe said with a sigh. “I think she’s going to have a major sobfest. But she doesn’t want any witnesses. We have to grant her that, at least.”

  “But she’s acting like her heart was broken. I thought they were just pretending.”

  “Method acting,” Phoebe said softly. “We talked about it, remember? It looks like she fell in love while he was just pretending.”

  “Oh, how awful,” Daisy said sadly. “What are we going to do?”

  Phoebe shook her head. “I don’t know. Check on her. Be there for her if she wants to talk. What else can we do?”

  ELISE REMAINED in hiding from her friends at Mesa Blue for most of the week. She didn’t answer her phone, either, ruthlessly erasing the phone messages James left every day that week.

  Finally, she decided to stop crying her eyes out. She was being a royal pain to Phoebe and Daisy, shutting them out. They were her best friends.

  When they called to ask if she’d join them for dinner at The Prickly Pear Friday evening, Elise surprised them by agreeing.

  Once they were seated at their favorite table and had ordered their usual, she cleared her throat. “I want to apologize for my—my juvenile behavior this week. You’ve been very patient with me.”

  “Can you tell us what happened?” Daisy asked softly. “We’ve been goin
g crazy trying to figure it out.”

  Elise was proud of her smile. It was small, but it was definitely a smile. And it didn’t wobble. “It’s not too complicated. I learned James had lied to me.”

  Phoebe frowned. “I thought you were the one lying.”

  Elise felt herself blush. “Yes, I was, but— Never mind. You’re right. I shouldn’t complain when he did what I was doing.”

  “What did he lie about?” Daisy asked, shushing Phoebe who’d also started to speak.

  “He isn’t James Dillon, actor and teaching assistant at ASU.”

  “He isn’t?” Phoebe demanded in surprise. “But—but who is he?”

  Elise drew a deep breath. “He’s James Dillon, wealthy advertising executive and the most eligible bachelor in Arizona.”

  “But even Dave said he’d heard of him,” Daisy pointed out.

  “Dave said he’d heard of Bobby Dillon. He’s James’s brother.”

  Phoebe and Daisy were speechless. Just then, George delivered their salads, so Elise turned her attention to dinner.

  “But Elise, why— I mean, you were really upset.”

  She tried a small laugh. It wasn’t as successful as her small smile. “Yes, silly of me, wasn’t it? To get upset because— Since we were both lying, I shouldn’t have— Oh, well, it’s all water under the bridge.”

  “But Elise—” Daisy began.

  Elise interrupted her. “The good news, though, is that since James is wealthy and gainfully employed, he’ll be perfect for your plan, Daisy. And I know you like him, so all you have to do is give him a call and all our problems are solved.”

  She’d practiced that speech a number of times. She’d tried the vaunted method acting, trying to make herself believe that James and Daisy would make a great couple. She’d failed miserably at all of it.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Daisy said, sending relief through Elise’s veins even though she told herself she was being silly.

  “I’m not—”

  “Yes, you are,” Phoebe said firmly. “Have you told James how you feel?”

  “How I feel?” Elise repeated, hearing the hysteria in her voice and trying to control it.