Her Accidental Husband

by Mallory, Ashlee

  There were other things that Brad said that rankled too. Things that had occurred to Cruz many times over the course of the past few days. How different he was from Payton, who grew up with wealth and social connections, parties and charity events. As much as she said she was tired of it all, wanted a different life, how much did she mean it? She had said the same thing when she came home from college, before being sucked back into that life of high society parties, canapés by the pool, ritzy vacations to Cabo with Brad and Lord knew where else.

  Damn. This was stupid.

  He was letting Brad shake him, shake his confidence in Payton.

  It wasn’t going to work. He trusted Payton.

  He trusted them.

  “I am sorry, Brad. But I know that this is for the best. For us both.”

  She’d spent the past fifteen minutes explaining why it wasn’t going to work, listening to his apology, his claim that she was who he wanted and he’d just been so scared about the commitment they were going to make that he’d screwed up. Big time.

  And she wondered, for a moment, if Cruz hadn’t come into her life, shown her what real happiness was, whether she’d have accepted his apology. Maybe grieved a little longer, make him grovel, show real contrition, and eventually…taken him back.

  It was a sad truth to know it was a distinct possibility. That she had thought so little of herself, of the possibility of real happiness, that she would have accepted being just okay. Content even.

  Until she saw all the possibilities that were open to her, thanks to Cruz. And herself. Now, she was impatient to get this thing over with Brad so she could find Cruz. Tell him that although their marriage may not be legally binding, it didn’t change anything for her. She still wanted to give them a chance. Maybe even consummate that choice a time or two before they went downstairs to the brunch that was planned with his family.

  She glanced over to the clock on the wall. Almost ten. Was Cruz still asleep? She’d hoped he would have come looking for her by now.

  Brad was still studying her, really studying her maybe for the first time. “You actually think this Cruz guy is going to make you happy?”

  She sighed. “You’ve heard about us then?”

  “Your mother was pretty keen on getting me out here, thought I should know about this guy that you went and got yourself married to so that I could come down here and talk sense into you.”

  “Is that why you’re here? Because you were jealous?” For a minute there she had thought that Brad had shown up here because he needed to apologize.

  “I am here because I knew that I made a mistake and I needed to tell you. Besides, as your mother has probably already told you, your marriage wasn’t real.”

  Wow, her mother had wasted no time sharing everything with Brad. She wondered why her mother had even bothered with the farce this morning of pretending Payton had been at an early breakfast since it seemed everyone knew where she’d been.

  “And yet, knowing this,” Brad continued, “knowing that you’d spent the night with this guy whose motives, I have to tell you, seem less than stellar, I still got on that flight and came here. Look, Payton, I think these past few months of planning, we’ve both lost sight of what was important. Each other. I love you and want to be with you, and I am willing to look past this…thing you had with Cruz Sorensen,” he uttered the name with blatant contempt, “and hope you can find a way to forgive me and we can work this out.”

  “I’m sorry, Brad. Really I am. It’s just not going to work. I’m sorry you came all this way—actually,” she paused and grinned, “no I’m not. It’s the least you could do after what you put me through.”

  He returned her smile. “Yeah, I guess I can give you that. But if I’m going to have to bring your mother home with me, then we’ve got to call it even. You might even owe me.”

  “Don’t push your luck.” She looked at the clock again. “What time are you planning on heading back?”

  “I’ll give the pilot a call and see how soon he can get us the go ahead, but I’m hoping later this afternoon. No sense hanging around this beautiful paradise if I’m not with the person I want to share it with.”

  He really was a charmer, and she could see how the two of them could lead an easy life. But it wouldn’t be anything as exhilarating as one with Cruz. “You’re free to hang around here, but you’ll have to excuse me, I need to go find Cruz.”

  “Thanks.” He hesitated, “There’s one more thing I should tell you. I kind of already had a chat with Cruz earlier.”

  She stopped at the door. “You spoke with Cruz?”

  “After I left here. I had something my father wanted me to drop off. A business contract. And I might have mentioned to him that your marriage wasn’t real.”

  “Why? Why would you think it was okay to interfere in my life like that?”

  “I’m not proud. I guess I was just being a little childish. He’s getting you, right? I think I had a right to be…peevish.”

  Here she was all this time chatting up Brad, trying to let him down easy, when Cruz was back at his room with God knew what kind of doubts running through his head. He knew they weren’t married. That they didn’t have anything that really kept them together anymore. They could walk away from—

  She was being paranoid. Last night had been more than she could ever have hoped for. She’d never felt closer to anyone in her life. Not being married didn’t change that.

  Still. “I’ve got to go.”

  She headed down the hallway, trying to calm her anxiety. Brad had mentioned something about dropping off a contract.

  He’s just distracted. It had nothing to do with them. Right? Maybe it was something to do with the deal with Dick?

  For some reason, that possibility didn’t make her feel any better.

  Outside his door, she knocked. After ten seconds, she was ready to knock again when he opened the door wearing loose khaki shorts and a white T-shirt that accented the natural depth of his warm, tanned skin. He’d showered, just like her, his hair still wet and slicked back, and from the dab of shaving cream under his ear, freshly shaven.

  “Hey,” she said, suddenly nervous and tongue-tied.

  “Hey,” he said just as carefully. He watched her warily, as they stood there in silence. Her instinct begged her to wrap her arms around him, to ask him to hold her as he had last night.

  But fear gripped her. What if instead of sadness at hearing their marriage wasn’t real he felt…relief?

  So she waited, the sound of her own breathing seeming unnaturally loud. He took a step back finally, opening the door wider. “Come on in. Guess it’s time we talked.”

  She looked pretty and sexy as always in a white strappy sundress, the sides of her hair twisted and held back leaving her lovely face exposed. But she kept her gaze down, unable to meet his eyes, which sent an alarm through his system. He’d been sweating bullets since Brad left, wondering with every minute that ticked by and she wasn’t back, if she was having second thoughts.

  Because maybe she’d just been making the best of a bad situation before. And now that there was nothing holding them together, she was seeing an out.

  “I’m guessing you got my note?”

  He shut the door, taking his time. “Note? No.”

  She walked to the veranda where he’d left the French doors open earlier. “I left a note explaining that I was heading over to talk to my mother and to change.” She turned to face him. “I’ve spoken to my mother and—and to Brad. I gather he told you? About the marriage?”

  His eyes met hers, solemn and maybe a little wary. “Yeah. He did.”

  She smiled and finally met his gaze. “I guess in hindsight, it was kind of silly for us to think that we could get married so easily.”

  “Maybe it was.”

  “But…” she bit her lip, trying to decide something. “Nothing has changed for me. About you? About us? I still…I still want to be with you.”

  A weight that had been pressing on
his chest seemed to suddenly fly away and he could breathe again. He couldn’t stop the smile that slid across his face. He took a step toward her. “Yeah? And what exactly did your mother say to that?” He reached her and slid his arms around her waist. “Should I expect the firing squad to arrive any minute?”

  “She’s putting a call in now.” Her eyes were so expressive, filled with hope. “Actually, I’m hoping she’s packing her suitcase and getting ready to head home with Brad. Giving us complete privacy and time to ourselves.”

  “Well, save for the fifty-odd family members staying here with us. And the lunch downstairs in about…twenty minutes?” He slipped a finger to her lips, outlining their softness.

  “Twenty? That should be enough time.”

  “I have no idea what you mean.” He kissed her then, feeling her open to him completely, stretching up on her tiptoes so she could wrap her arms around his shoulders, deepening the kiss.

  When they were together, like this, he could shut everything else out.

  Pretend they were the only people who existed.

  Except… “Payton?” he pulled back, tucking a stray strand of hair from her face. “Although there is nothing I’d love more than to figure out the ties on your dress and have it lying in a pool around your feet, I have just one call to make. Two tops. I have some good news.”

  She looked up at him, curiosity lighting those green eyes. “Does this have something to do with the contract that Brad said he delivered?”

  He couldn’t stop the grin that split his face. “It does. It’s mine. No—it’s ours. The contract with Eastman Motors. Dick Eastman signed it yesterday and, as of ten minutes ago, I added my own signature. Do you have any idea how much this deal is worth?”

  Her eyes shone back with something akin to pride and she took her hand and wiped a smudge of shaving cream from above his ear. “Substantial, I take it. So we’re celebrating, then? Have you told your father?”

  “Not yet. But there was a small hitch on the contract in that Dick has moved up the time table a full month, which means I need to call a couple of my subcontractors and get things rolling. I’ll meet you downstairs as soon as I’m done.”

  She sighed and took a step back, still smiling but a little less brightly and nodded.

  “I promise,” he said and took her hand to his heart, enjoying the feeling as he had that first time at the airport all those days ago. “And then you and I have a date. I’m seeing the two of us on the beach, you in the tiniest bikini you can find. On the other hand,” his smile turned a little more devilish, “maybe we should stay closer to the room.”

  “Okay, I guess I should at least go see my mother off anyhow. But you had better hurry. I don’t think our escape last night went entirely unnoticed and I can just imagine the questions those sisters of yours are going to ask me.”

  “Just look at it as baptism by fire.” He leaned down and placed one more peck on her lips.

  He’d been worried for nothing.

  For a brief moment, he considered just bagging his plans to get in touch with his subcontractors. In just enjoying this moment and calling Payton back so they could fully appreciate what they had in each other. It could wait until tomorrow.

  But it was just twenty minutes. It was only fair to give everyone a head’s up. Then there was the matter of the press release that was ready to be sent to the news outlets tomorrow morning. The new employees and subcontractors he’d need to hire to get started on the new projects in the coming months.

  Payton understood how important this deal was to him, to the future of his company, and ultimately, to both of them. He’d be downstairs and at her side soon enough.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Kate and Dominic were, not surprisingly, ten minutes late to their scheduled brunch, arriving with the same flush and glow of excitement and happiness they’d been exuding for the past twenty-four hours. What had surprised—and more than a little disappointed—Payton was that Cruz had still not arrived.

  Nor had he arrived by the time she’d finished her fruit and morning coffee and successfully headed off any questions from Benny or Daisy about how her night had gone. They very well knew where she’d been and what she’d been doing, but other than a few wide grins, they’d managed not to pester her for the finer details. Which was no small relief.

  She’d just asked for a second cup when Kate slipped in the seat next to her.

  “I’m going to need sunglasses to look at you if you don’t stop beaming like that, Kate.”

  Kate looked her over carefully and smiled. “I might have to say the same thing. I’ve heard a few…hints that maybe you and Cruz had a busy night yourself.”

  “Good grief. You’re kidding. Was it Benny?”

  “Actually, it was his Aunt Glenda. I dare say they’re already estimating how long it will be before wedding bells are ringing again. But in all seriousness, contrary to everyone’s belief that Dominic and I were only gazing into each other’s eyes all night, I did see you and Cruz together and I can honestly say, I’ve never seen either of you look happier.”

  Payton remembered the long night the two of them had spent getting a lot better acquainted. Kate giggled. “I can see that you’re still reliving some of those finer moments.” She looked around. “But where is the lucky guy? I don’t think I’ve seen him.”

  Payton told her about the contract being finalized and the push up of the dates that had Cruz trying to take care of a few things. “He’ll probably be down in the next few minutes.”

  “I haven’t seen your mother, either. Tell me you didn’t duct tape her to a chair and hide her in a closet.”

  “Tempting, but no. I expect she’s packing right now and getting ready to head back home with Brad on the Eastman jet. I’ll tell you all about it later, but for now, I can see Dominic is looking for you. Go on, Mrs. Sorensen.”

  It was strange to say the title, the same title that for a little while, she thought she’d shared. Payton Sorensen. Or Payton Sorensen-Vaughn—she shook her head. What was she saying? Putting the horse ahead of the cart, wasn’t she? They weren’t married anymore.

  She was still waiting for her coffee refill a minute later and finally decided to get up and stretch her legs. Maybe call up to the room and see what was keeping Cruz.

  She’d only made it to the lobby when she spotted Brad sitting on a chair, talking on the phone. At seeing her, he hung up and rushed over. “Glad I was able to catch you before I left. They just called. The jet’s been refueled and we should be leaving here in the next hour or so. Your mother, too, I’m afraid.”

  Payton laughed, and for a moment, it was like before. They’d always joked about her mother’s intensity. It had been what first broke the ice between them when he’d returned all those years later and they caught up at that charity function. He’d likened her mother to a rabid French poodle.

  “You’re obviously heading somewhere—and you look beautiful by the way—but I was wondering if you might take a last walk with me. Ten minutes at the longest.”

  Payton looked around the lobby, no sign of Cruz. And Brad was taking her mother off her hands, which brought her immense relief “All right. But only because I hate to wait out here like a sitting duck for my mother.”

  Out on the beach, the sun seemed to sink deep into her skin and she thought for a moment of the hat she’d left upstairs just as she tipped her head back and felt the sun gloriously on her face.

  “You really are lovely,” he said almost softly. “I’m going to miss you.”

  She looked over at the man who had been not just her lover but her ally in many ways these past couple years. Her friend. Which had been part of why his betrayal had burned her so bad. “Yeah. Me, too.”

  They walked in silence to the end of the marked part of the beach indicating the end of the hotel property and turned back.

  “You know what I’m not going to miss?” he asked, delivering her a sly smile. “Family dinners like the one at Christmas when my mo
ther was trying to outmaneuver yours on the dinner menu.” She laughed. “And I’ll confess, I might have peeked into a few of the wedding gifts that had arrived at the house and can definitely assure you that we will be relieved to be able to return the gifts from your Aunt Gertie, my Nana Billick, and someone by the last name of Tiernan.” He pretended to shiver from the horror. “Think gargoyle, a few new age nude sculptures, and—” A high pierced ringing from his back pocket stopped him.

  “Sounds like your father’s calling.”

  He didn’t pull out the phone, only took the step up from the beach leading to the walkway back to the hotel. “His meeting is probably wrapped up and he’s wanting to pull my leash in.”

  “Business meeting? He doesn’t give up even on a Sunday.”

  “You know how it is. He can rest when he’s dead as he always says.”

  They reached the lobby again, and Brad was looking at her with that sad, achy smile. “I guess I’ll go find your mother so we can get going. I’m sure we’ll touch base in the next few days. I have no idea what’s involved in calling off a wedding but I’m here if you need anything. And if you want to come to my place and get anything you left, give me a call and I can make myself scarce.”

  She looked at him in surprise. He was being so accommodating. “Not that I’m complaining here, but I thought earlier you were set on fighting for me and proving to me that you can be better.”

  “Yeah. And then I remembered that old saying. About letting something go. Seeing if it comes back to you. And I’m not giving up, Payton, I’m just…going to wait.”

  He said it with such confidence that she felt the slightest bit sorry for him. “Sorry, Brad. But have a safe flight.” Tipping on her toes, she kissed his cheek, and let him give her a long hug before finally pulling back. “Now if you could only channel all that charm for good instead of evil,” she said and smiled.

  “Where would the fun be in that?”

  She watched him go, her heart sad but feeling a little lighter at knowing that he would be okay. Eventually. They both would be.