by Alice Ward
As I thought back to Talen’s offer, I pictured his face again. He didn’t seem demanding or angry. Madison was right, he was just desperate for something, anything that might help him. I didn’t want to consider his offer, but I suddenly felt like I had to. Not just for myself, but for Talen. There was something about him that intrigued me. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I was drawn to him for a reason.
“You really think this is a good idea?” I asked my friend.
“I do,” she said firmly. “He doesn’t sound like a bad guy, just a spoiled one. I think he just wants to please his father, and he can’t think of any other way to do that.”
“But is it worth it?” I asked, speaking more to myself than to Madison. “Is the money worth it?”
She laughed softly. “You’re asking a woman who shakes her tits for a buck.” She sighed, growing serious again. “You’ll have to decide if it’s worth it, but if you’re asking me, it is. If it means you can help your mom and take some of the financial stress off your back, then it’s worth it.”
Tears pricked the backs of my eyes. “Thanks, Maddi. I have to go.”
“Talk soon,” she said.
“Talk soon,” I said back.
When I hung up the phone, I stayed still for a few minutes. Madison was right. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to help my mother. Talen admitted to being wealthy. If I asked, I was certain I could get enough money to pay for my mom’s care. I wouldn’t have to worry about her anymore. She would always be well taken care of, and that, more than anything, was what made me turn around and walk back into the restaurant.
As I approached the table, I saw that Talen was still sitting there. He hadn’t touched his food, and he was staring off into the distance. He looked defeated and hopeless, but I didn’t know why. He’d won. We both knew that I was backed into a corner I wouldn’t be able to escape from. Either I took his offer, or I spent money I didn’t have on a lawyer. He’d planned it out perfectly, but from the look on his face, he wasn’t happy about it.
“I’ll do it,” I said, sitting down across from him again.
Guilt. Relief. Anger. Hope. It all flashed over his expression. “Seriously?”
“Yes. I’ll be your wife for a month.”
“Thank you.”
I think it must have been the most sincere appreciation I’d ever received. My throat closed, threatening to choke me. I coughed into my abandoned napkin. “Just tell me what I have to do.”
He blinked, and I could almost see the wheels begin to turn in his mind again. “Well, basically, you’ll be by my side for the next month. I’ll take you to meet my parents, you’ll come into the office, and you’ll be present when I meet with the investors. You’ll be on my arm at every social event, and most likely, we’ll appear in the tabloids.”
“Tabloids?” I asked with wide eyes.
“I know,” he said. “It sucks, but it’s a facet of my life. I can’t avoid it.”
“Okay.” I already didn’t like this plan. “What else?”
“That’s really it,” he said with a small smile. “I appreciate what you’re doing.”
“Don’t thank me,” I snapped. “We both know you blackmailed me into this.”
“I did,” he admitted. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not grateful. I am. You have no idea what this means for me.”
I fiddled with the napkin in my hands. “Well, I could use the money.”
“Yeah?” Talen asked, leaning toward me, genuinely curious.
“Yes,” I said without offering any further explanation. I didn’t think he deserved to know about my mother. She was the closest person to me, and I wanted to protect her. Talen had already proven himself to be untrustworthy. While I couldn’t help but feel a certain attraction to him, I wasn’t going to tell him any more details about my life than he needed to know.
“Why don’t we go to dinner tomorrow night? We can go to the Le Jean. Have you heard of it?”
I blinked. The Le Jean was one of the top three restaurants in Nevada. It was fancy and expensive, and I’d never stepped foot inside. Immediately, I felt intimidated, but I didn’t want Talen to see that. I gritted my teeth and nodded.
“Great.” He looked so relieved. “We can get dinner and discuss the finer points of our deal. At the end of the month, we’ll meet with the investors. Once that’s over, you’ll be free. I’ll sign the annulment papers, and you’ll never have to see me again. Plus, you’ll get your money then too.”
I licked my lips, and my stomach twisted when his eyes followed the movement. “Okay. Anything else I should know?”
Talen shook his head. “Just meet me at the Le Jean tomorrow at eight.”
“All right,” I said, already rising to my feet. I was ready to put as much distance between us as possible. “I should go.”
“Wait,” Talen said. “You still have my number?” I nodded but didn’t speak. “Call me so I’ll have yours.”
Like a robot, I did what he said and his phone buzzed on the table. He smiled and added me as a contact, then showed me the phone. He’d called me “Wifey.”
I rolled my eyes, and with one last glance at his face, I turned to leave. Our deal was done, and there was no longer any reason for my presence. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked into the hotel lobby. I hurried toward the elevators so I could return to my room, then remembered that none of my things were here. I’d been staying with Madison, so there was nothing for me to collect. The few things I bought were stuffed into the gigantic bag hanging from my shoulder.
Feeling suddenly exhausted, I turned away from the elevators and froze. It was him, heading my way. My heart began to race, and I realized I didn’t want to face him again. Not yet. Not after everything. It was bad enough that I had to see him the following night at Le Jean, but I couldn’t stand the idea of making small talk with him right now.
Frantically, I threw myself behind a potted plant and hugged the wall. He didn’t so much as glance in my direction. Still, I felt ridiculous as I pulled myself away from my hiding spot and glanced over my shoulder. Talen was gone, but my heart was still pounding inside my chest, and I didn’t know why. The only thing I knew was that I needed to get out of here. Fast.
I ran toward the doors and stepped outside. A wave of hot but fresh air knocked into me, and I immediately felt better. My head cleared and my heart rate slowed down. I shook my head, telling myself that I was acting crazy. Talen wasn’t someone I needed to be afraid of. He was just some guy I never should have met. He meant nothing. Not really.
As I hailed a cab and climbed inside, I breathed a sigh of relief. I normally hated taking cabs anywhere, but that morning, I made an exception. I was so ready to get home that I didn’t care how I got there. I leaned my head back against the seat and let the cab driver head out of the city. The bumps in the road helped clear my head, and soon, I felt like myself again.
It didn’t matter than I was technically Mrs. Gaston or that I would have to stay that way for an entire month. All that mattered was that I was finally going home.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Talen
I tightened my tie and adjusted my jacket. Le Jean had a dress code, so I wore one of my best black suits with a light blue shirt. The shirt matched my eyes perfectly. I always loved the way I looked in this suit. As I smoothed some gel into my hair, I wondered how the next month was going to go. I hated the idea of being married, even if it was a sham. It felt awful, but I told myself it would be worth it. As soon as the investors were gone, I could return to my normal life again.
Part of me worried that my game would still suffer. If the tabloids printed that I was married and then suddenly divorced, would any woman still want me? I had to push my concerns aside and focus instead on the task ahead. My father needed to approve of Dani. She and I would have to act like a real couple so that the investors believed us. If they questioned the validity of our relationship, they would then question their investment in the company.
When I pulled up to Dani’s apartment complex, I realized how little I knew about her life. The apartments were slightly run down, but they had a certain charm. I entered through the gate and drove slowly toward her building. I parked and headed toward her door. She lived on the first floor, and I could tell from the windows that her apartment was small, probably just a single bedroom. She clearly lived a more modest life than I thought. She had admitted to needing the money. From the look of things, Dani needed my money more than she let on. It made me feel a bit better knowing that I wasn’t the only one benefiting from our deal.
Stepping up to the door, I raised my fist to knock. My knuckles were just centimeters away from the wood when I hesitated. Nerves hit me like a bucket of snakes and I felt like a teenager stepping onto a girl’s front porch for the first time. My damn hands were shaking slightly, and I could feel myself sweating beneath my suit. I lowered my hand and shook my head. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to relax. I wasn’t trying to impress Dani. This wasn’t about romance or creating a connection between us. This was business.
With that thought in mind, I finally knocked and almost immediately heard footsteps inside. It sounded like Dani was wearing high heels. Taking a small step backward, I waited for her to open the door.
When she did, my mouth fell slightly open. Her long auburn hair was tied back in an elegant ponytail, and she wore a short green dress that made her eyes look like emeralds. Her dress was classy without being gaudy. I was taken aback by her beauty, but I quickly recovered.
Smiling, I held out my arm to her. “Shall we go, or do you need a few more minutes? I can come inside and wait.”
Her eyes widened, and she threw a quick look over her shoulder. “No. There’s no reason for you to come inside. I’m ready.”
I wasn’t nervous anymore. I was actually happy to see her. “Okay. Let’s go then.”
Dani stepped outside and pulled the door closed behind her. She moved so quickly that I couldn’t see anything inside her place. I suspected that was her intention.
“In fact,” Dani said while we walked to my car. “That should be part of our deal.”
“What should?”
“You don’t need to be at my apartment,” she said firmly. “There’s no reason for it.”
“Okay.” I was a little annoyed, but I tried not to let it show. I knew she was just trying to place some boundaries on our, for lack of a better word, relationship, but I still felt slightly offended.
We reached the car, and each climbed inside without a word. If this was a date, I would have opened her door for her, but I didn’t think she would have liked that. Her demeanor was standoffish and stoic. I wanted to make conversation on the way to the restaurant, but I didn’t know what to say. Every time I thought of something, I immediately realized how stupid it would sound. So, I drove through the city in silence. When we reached Le Jean, I pulled up to the valet and handed him my keys.
Dani and I walked inside, still not talking. I glanced at her, taking in her appearance again. She really was a gorgeous woman. I considered giving her a compliment but was afraid she would take it the wrong way. Dani already had a way of keeping me on my toes. Just her presence made me acutely aware of my actions.
“Reservation for Gaston,” I said to the hostess.
“Of course. Your table is ready for you. Right this way, Mr. Gaston.”
“Call me Talen,” I said with a smile. “Mr. Gaston is my father.”
The hostess laughed, but I thought I heard Dani sigh softly behind me. She clearly wasn’t impressed by my little joke. I cleared my throat and stuffed my hands in my pockets, suddenly more self-aware than ever.
As I studied the menu, I glanced up at my… wife. “I think we should come up with a backstory.”
She frowned. “A backstory?”
“For us.” I gestured between the two of us. “People will wonder how we met and fell in love. We should think of something concrete to tell them. That way there are no discrepancies.”
“Okay.” She stared down at her menu. I waited for her to speak, thinking she might have some ideas, but she said nothing. Her eyes were focused intently on the menu in front of her.
“Maybe we met in college?” I offered.
An elegant eyebrow lifted. “Where did you go?”
“Dartmouth.”
“Won’t work,” Dani said, shaking her head.
“Why not?”
She gave me an are you stupid look. “Because I didn’t go there.”
“But the investors won’t know that,” I pointed out.
“One quick internet check and they would.”
She was right. That wouldn’t work. If any of the investors bothered to Google Dani Brooks, they would know she didn’t attend Dartmouth, and our lie would be revealed.
“Okay.” I took a sip of water. “Then we stick to the truth.”
Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell slightly open. Her expression was almost comical, but I knew better than to laugh.
“I don’t mean the whole truth,” I said with a smile. “Just that we met in Vegas. It’s the truth, and it’s believable.”
“Okay,” she said with a shrug and turned her attention back to her menu. I fell silent, waiting for her to speak again. I expected her to help me come up with our story, but she didn’t seem at all interested.
“So, where exactly did we meet?” I asked. “We can’t say a strip club. That wouldn’t be good. Maybe one of the casinos? The Palazzo? Or Bellagio?”
“Whatever…” she shot me a glance before it fell back to the menu. “Just tell me what you want me to say to them, and I’ll say it.”
I sighed. She was frustrating, but I didn’t want to start an argument before we even ate dinner. As I watched her from across the table, I wondered how to loosen her up. She and I needed to work together if we had a prayer of making this thing work.
“How about some wine?” I offered. “Do you like red or white?”
She frowned. “I don’t want any.”
“Something else then. A martini maybe?”
“No. I don’t want to drink with you.”
Her words were harsh and brisk. I leaned back in my seat and tried to relax. I was already tired of her attitude. This situation wasn’t easy for either of us, but we needed to get along, or it would all fall apart. If she refused to meet me halfway, then we needed to end this charade now.
“Listen,” I said softly. “I know this is weird, okay? But we have to act like a real couple. Otherwise, there’s no point to any of this. I know you don’t know me, and don’t give a shit about the predicament I’m in, but I’m asking for your help. Can you just pretend to care for like five seconds?”
I knew it wasn’t fair. Even though I was paying her, Dani was doing me a favor, and I owed her a lot. I should have been nicer to her, but my patience was wearing thin. She refused to participate in our conversation. She barely looked at me, and when she did, it was with contempt. I was beginning to wonder if she would be able to fake it well enough. At this point, no one would believe she was my wife. No one.
“I still don’t want to drink with you,” she snapped.
Just like that, what little patience I still had left my body. I sighed and leaned forward, resting my hands on the table between us.
“You don’t have to, but when we’re around other people, you have to act like you like me. We’re married, remember? In case you didn’t know, newlyweds are usually happy.”
“I don’t know if I can do this,” Dani said with a shake of her head.
“What do you mean?
” I demanded.
The brow shot up again. “Just what I said. I don’t know if I can do this.”
She tossed down the menu and stood, hurrying away from the table. I thought she was just going to the bathroom. Maybe she needed some time alone to relax and calm down, but when I followed her with my eyes, I realized she was heading toward the front door.
Shit. Damn. Fuck.
My irritation hit an all new high. I take her to a nice restaurant, the nicest restaurant in the state of Nevada, and she was leaving. Who did she think she was? It’s not as if this arrangement was that difficult for her. She was being paid, after all. I was the one who had to put in the most work, not her. It was up to me to convince my parents and the investors that my marriage was real. All Dani had to do was stand by my side and act happy. Apparently, she couldn’t even do that.
I jumped up from the table and ran after her. I flew across the restaurant, throwing myself against the door. When I burst outside, I scanned the area for some sign of Dani. She didn’t have a car so she couldn’t have gone very far. When I finally saw her, she was getting into the back of a cab. I ran forward, trying to catch her before the car drove off, but I wasn’t fast enough. Right when I made it to the street, the cab pulled away.
This woman was going to make me crazy.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Dani
I hadn’t seen my mother at all since my trip to Vegas. Her neighbor had been kind enough to check in on her each day, but I still felt guilty for leaving her alone. It had been days since we’d seen each other. I wondered if she would be angry or worse… if she would even realize how long it had been. When I pulled into her driveway, I felt myself begin to shake. Before my mother’s dementia set it, I would have told her everything that happened over the last two weeks. My breakup with Perry. My crazy, drunken marriage. Everything.
Now, I knew I couldn’t. Not only would it confuse her more than ever, but she would become inconsolable. Her emotions were always on edge, and it was my job to keep her calm. I couldn’t risk upsetting her just to make myself feel better. As much as I wanted her advice, I couldn’t ask for it. I had to stay strong, no matter how hard it was. My mother was counting on me.