HUSBAND BY THE HOUR

by Susan Mallery

  They passed a sign showing the distances to San Jose, Sacramento and the state line. He reached for his burger. She snatched it back.

  "How fast have you been driving?" she demanded. "Were you speeding?"

  "A little."

  "More than a little. How fast were you going?"

  "I'm not going to tell you." His voice was teasing. "Besides, this car was built for the open road. How could I resist?"

  "You didn't even try."

  "I try all the time with you, honey, and it doesn't do me a damn bit of good."

  Her eyes widened, but she didn't speak. When he reached for his hamburger, she handed it to him, then faced front as if determined to ignore his presence.

  He liked teasing her. He figured if he kept at it long enough, she would eventually lighten up. She had to. No one could be so uptight all the time. She might even find out he wasn't such a bad guy.

  Perversely, he wanted her to like him for himself. He laughed silently. What a load of bull. If Hannah, or any woman, actually started to care about him, he would run so fast in the opposite direction, he would get road burn on his feet. Even if the thought of settling down tempted him on occasion, he preferred to travel light. If he was honest with himself, part of Hannah's appeal was that she was unreachable. She would never see him as anything but low-life scum.

  He finished his burger and took another drink of soda. "Tell me more about your life," he said.

  She collected their trash, transferring it all to one bag, then wiped her hands on a napkin. "It's really none of your business."

  "You have to give me some personal information. I am going to be pretending to be your husband."

  "You already know enough."

  She made him work for every point. God, he adored her. "I know about the divorce, but that's not information you want spread around, right?"

  She rolled her eyes. "Be serious, Nick. You're supposed to be my first and only husband. You know I was adopted, that I'm a cop. What else is there?"

  "How about some information about your childhood? Your adoptive parents. Anything about them?"

  She stared out the window. "I was too young to remember much. I don't want to talk about them."

  "Okay. School. Your favorite subject."

  "I don't remember. I don't think I had one. When I was moved around to different foster homes, I also had to change schools. I don't think this is necessary. It's not as if Louise is going to have a quiz after dinner and want you to recite details from my past."

  He knew some of her crankiness came from nerves, but the rest of it was because they were treading close to dangerous territory. He knew all about the child welfare system. Some kids got lucky. Others, like Hannah, got passed around from place to place. He knew about growing up lonely and scared, too. He'd had one parent at home – his father. At times, he thought it would have been better if the old man had just kicked him out and let him make his own way.

  Hannah twisted her hands together. Nick wanted to reach out to her, but sensed she wasn't in any mood to accept comfort. She was prickly, but the shell had to be hard to protect a soft heart. While the thought of her actually caring about him was terrifying, he could easily be concerned about her. It was safe because there wasn't a chance of it becoming real.

  "You grew up in Los Angeles?" he asked.

  "Orange County."

  "College?"

  "Yes, I went."

  He smiled. "What did you major in?"

  "Nick, none of this is important." She crossed and uncrossed her legs.

  With a flash of insight, Nick figured it out. Hannah regretted confessing as much as she had to him. She wasn't used to sharing her life with anyone, let alone a man like him. She was afraid he would use the information against her. He wished he could reassure her, but doubted she would believe him. Besides, what was he supposed to say?

  "I'm twenty-seven," she said. "A communications officer with the Southport Beach Police Department. I have brown hair and brown eyes. I think that's more than enough personal stuff, don't you?"

  "Yeah. And I want to thank you for that revealing glance into your private life. We're going to be a completely believable couple."

  She stared at him, wide-eyed. "Of course we will be. All you have to do is follow my lead. I'm a trained police officer. I know how to handle difficult situations. You're a professional con artist, used to thinking on your feet. This is going to be simple. The easiest scam you've ever pulled."

  He knew what he was pretending to be. Her assumptions about him proved that his cover had been successful. Still, the remarks stung. As he concentrated on the road, he told himself he was getting too old for this line of work. When the job was finished, he was going to have to rethink his life.

  * * *

  Welcome To Glenwood.

  Hannah stared at the sign and wondered if she was going to throw up. Her stomach, which had calmed down considerably in the afternoon, started acting up again. This time, it wasn't from the aftereffects of alcohol. It was nerves … and fear.

  Nick pulled to the side of the road and turned off the engine. "What do you want to do? Find a hotel or find your mother?"

  Her throat closed. She couldn't speak. Worse, she couldn't think. She opened her mouth. "I…" She drew in a breath and tried again. "The drive should have taken longer."

  He brushed a finger against the side of her cheek. "I know. Sorry."

  She shook her head. "It's not your fault." She'd had a turn at the wheel and discovered that his luxury car did make it amazingly easy to speed. "Give me a minute here. I'm not sure what to do." Her voice trembled. What had she been thinking when she decided to come up here? This was all a mistake.

  Thoughts tumbled over and over in her mind. What to do? She glanced at Nick. He sat patiently waiting for her to decide. He'd been nice to her all day, even though she'd been difficult. She held back a sigh. She didn't mean to be callous and uncaring. Or so private it came across as paranoid. Even though it had been a lot of years, she had trouble letting go of the past. Trusting people was hard. Trusting someone like him was nearly impossible. But she must have, at least a little, or she wouldn't have brought him with her.

  She rubbed her temples. She was putting off the inevitable. "Let's see if we can find my mother's street. If not, we'll check into a hotel and start again in the morning."

  "No problem." He started the car and pulled back out on the main road.

  Louise had sent directions to where she lived. Hannah pulled out her letter and clicked on the map light. "She rents a room," she said. "I'm guessing it's some kind of nursing home or retirement center. I don't know if that's going to be in a residential area or not."

  "Depends on the zoning," Nick said.

  She told him where to turn. They drove past a large park. In the twilight, she could just make out a pond with white ducks. Several families had come down to the sloping banks to enjoy the balmy May evening.

  Families. Hannah felt a twinge in her chest. She'd been alone most of her life. That's what she was used to. Not depending on anyone. Now she had a mother. Would that change everything?

  She spied a street sign. "Make a right here."

  The residential area looked like something out of a television movie. Two-story houses with wide porches. Minivans in the driveways, bikes left on lawns. Shouts of laughter drifted into the car. Hannah felt her throat tighten. When Nick gave her hand a squeeze, she didn't push him away. Without wanting to admit it, even to herself, she took comfort in his presence.

  They made another turn. The street got wider, the houses farther apart. Two-stories became three.

  "Someone has money," she said.

  "Maybe it's your mom." He grinned.

  She smiled back. "Wouldn't you like that? You could get her involved in one of your land deals."

  "Hey, people have made lots of money with me."

  "Sure."

  "I would never hurt your mother."

  Oddly, she believed him.

/>   "This is the street." Hannah stared at the houses, sure something must be wrong. Louise couldn't live here, could she? It didn't make sense for one person. Maybe a large residence had been converted into apartments or something. "The address is 2301."

  The car slowed to a crawl. "That one," Nick said, pointing to an especially large house.

  In the gathering dusk, Hannah could just make out the shape of the peaked roof and wide porch. "It looks Victorian."

  "Probably is. I think railroad barons first settled this part of the state. The houses might be restored."

  There were so many cars in the driveway, there wasn't room for theirs. He pulled up to the curb.

  Hannah stared at the structure. Her heart pounded rapidly, her palms were sweaty, and she felt as if she was going to be sick.

  "What did you tell her about your arrival?" Nick asked quietly.

  "I didn't know how long it was going to take to drive up. I thought we might do it in a couple of days. I just said sometime this weekend."

  "So she's not expecting you tonight?"

  "No. Why?"

  He motioned to the cars. "I thought maybe she was throwing a welcome party for you."

  "I doubt that."

  "You want to go to the hotel and come back tomorrow?"

  Yes! Yes! That would be great. She could sleep on it, figure out what to say. Slowly, she shook her head. That was the coward's way out. "I want to go in."

  "Then let's get it over with."

  He got out of the car and came around to her door. When she stepped out, he took her arm to steady her. Normally she would have slapped him away, or had a biting remark, but tonight her defenses were down. She was confident Nick would use this against her later, that he would tease her unmercifully. She didn't care. Right now he was a warm body she could cling to. He was the only person she knew in this strange little town. If he offered comfort and protection, she was going to leap at the chance to take it.

  She drew the strap of her small purse over her shoulder. Nick closed the car door, then hit the button that activated the alarm. Before she could step toward the house, he moved in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

  "She's going to adore you," he said.

  "You think so?"

  "I'm sure of it. Just try to remember to smile."

  She curled up her lips, but it felt like more of a grimace. Still, Nick grinned in return and she felt some of her tension ease. He grabbed her hand and started for the house.

  As they climbed the steps of the porch, they could hear laughter. "Maybe it's a party," Hannah said. "We could be interrupting."

  "I'm sure having you show up will just add to the joy of the occasion."

  In spite of everything, she laughed. "You're very quick with those lines."

  "They're effective, too." He winked.

  "I'll just bet they are."

  The wide front door looked imposing. Nick raised his free hand to knock, then glanced at her for approval. She sucked in a breath and nodded.

  The sharp sound was followed by a burst of laughter, then a woman called, "I'll get it."

  The porch light was bright, as was the light from the foyer. When the woman opened the door, Hannah could see her clearly.

  She was on the tall side, maybe five-six, in her midforties. Hannah had a brief impression of blue eyes and a generous mouth before her attention focused on the woman's clothes. She wore lime green slacks and a turquoise shirt. A gold belt circled her waist twice. Heavy makeup highlighted her features and big dangling earrings hung below the layered edges of her short blond hair.

  Hannah could feel herself shaking. The only stable part of her world was Nick's warm hand as he held on to her.

  "Hi," she said, forcing the words past uncooperative lips. "I'm not sure if we have the right house or not, but I'm looking for—"

  The woman caught her breath and clapped her hands together, effectively cutting Hannah off. "Oh, my. I would have recognized you anywhere. Hannah, honey, you're the spitting image of Earl and the boys."

  Nick leaned close. "Who are Earl and the boys?"

  Hannah shrugged helplessly. Obviously this woman knew her. A close friend of her mother's perhaps? Maybe a paid companion? "I'm afraid I don't understand," she said.

  The woman smiled. "Of course not. Here I am talking about Earl and his sons, and I'm leaving out the most important part." Tears sprang to her eyes and she sniffed. "Hannah, honey, I'm your mother. Welcome home."

  Wait a minute. This couldn't be her mother. Hannah straightened and stared. What happened to the old frail woman who was sick or possibly dying? The person in front of her looked fit and strong.

  Hannah found herself being pulled into an embrace. The woman, Louise – Hannah couldn't really think of calling her Mom or Mother – stood in the doorway, about a half step above Hannah. That put them at the same height.

  Strong arms drew Hannah close. She didn't like being hugged by people she knew, let alone strangers. Yet this embrace felt oddly right. Almost familiar.

  Louise cupped Hannah's face in both hands. "You're so pretty. I tried to imagine what you'd look like, but I never could. You have Earl's eyes."

  "My…"

  Louise nodded. "Your father. Your hair color is mine." She tugged at a short blond strand. "I'm not a natural blonde, but you know what they say. I prefer it this way." She smiled. "I can't get over this. When I wrote you, I—" She looked past Hannah and gasped. "Your husband. Darling, I didn't see you there. Welcome." She held her arms open again. Nick stepped easily into her embrace and she hugged him tightly. "Aren't you the handsomest man I've seen in a while. So tall."

  Louise smiled. "Hannah, honey, you picked wisely with this one. I didn't always pick wisely, but I made sure they were pretty to look at."

  Nick grinned. "I'm going to like you, Louise."

  "Well, I hope so. I want you to know straight off, I'm not going to be a meddling mother-in-law." Her smile faded. "I'm just happy to have the chance to see you at last. Both of you." She took one of Hannah's hands and one of Nick's.

  Hannah felt as if she'd been caught up in the middle of a tornado. She was being whirled around so fast, she couldn't catch her breath or her balance.

  "What's going on, Louise?" a male voice called from inside the house.

  Louise laughed. "I swear, it's a good thing all my body parts are attached or I would leave them behind. Imagine me forgetting my manners. Come in." She released their hands and stepped back, motioning them through the door. She patted Hannah's arm. "The boys are going to be so thrilled. They've been waiting to meet you."

  Hannah swallowed. "Boys?"

  "The Haynes brothers. Earl's sons with his wife. I know it's confusing, but you have four half brothers."

  Nick draped his arm around Hannah's shoulders. "Great. With me, that's enough to play basketball."

  "Actually, there's Austin, too, but he's not a real relative. More like an adopted member of the family." Louise frowned. "Oh, did I just put my foot in my mouth? You don't mind me saying adopted, do you?"

  Numbly, Hannah shook her head.

  They stepped into the living room. People were everywhere. Not just adults, but children. Lots of children. She couldn't begin to estimate the size of the crowd. Over twenty people. And they were all staring at her.

  "Everyone, this is Hannah. My daughter." Louise's voice cracked and a tear slipped down her cheek. "Isn't she wonderful?"

  Four men separated themselves from the group. They were tall, well over six foot, with dark hair and eyes. Hannah didn't need to look at her own reflection to see the resemblance.

  Her heart stopped in her chest. She felt it thunk once and then freeze. She was going to die, which was a very good thing.

  Cops. Her bothers were cops. Only two were in uniform, but the remaining two had the same look about them. Cops who, if they knew about Nick and his shady practices, not to mention the deal she'd made with him, wouldn't think twice about throwing them both in jail.
>
  * * *

  Chapter 4

  « ^ »

  Hannah stared unbelievingly at the four men in front of her. They stared back. Silence grew. She kept waiting to fall to the floor. After all, she still couldn't feel her heart beating. Then, in the quiet, she heard the faint thudding that told her not only was she still alive, but she was also probably going to live long enough to have to suffer through this weekend.

  Nick gave her shoulder a quick squeeze, then stepped forward. "Hi. I'm Nick Archer, Hannah's husband."

  The brother with a bit of gray at his temples smiled slightly. "Craig Haynes. Nice to meet you." The two men shook hands.

  Hannah watched closely, but there didn't seem to be any kind of male-dominance test going on. At least not yet. The handshake was brief; she didn't notice any bulging tendons, a telltale sign that there was a pissing contest in progress.

  Craig turned his attention to her. "We weren't sure what to expect. Sorry, Louise, but she's a hundred percent Haynes."

  Louise slipped her arm through Hannah's. "Oh, there's a little Carberry in her, too. Your side doesn't get all the credit."

  Hannah shook her head. She'd always wondered about her "real" last name, about any family that might be around to claim her. Here they were, in the flesh. It should have been exciting. Instead, all she wanted to do was run for cover.

  Craig motioned to the man on his left. "This is Travis, then Jordan and Kyle." He grinned. "We're actually standing in order of age. I'm the oldest, Kyle's the youngest."

  "Not anymore," Kyle said. "Now you get to be the baby, Hannah."

  "How nice," she murmured.

  "We'll run through the rest of the family," Craig said. "I'm sure it's going to be confusing as hell, but at least you'll get a sense of who belongs to whom."

  At his words, wives came up to stand by their husbands and children collected in small groups. There were too many people, too many faces, too many names.

  She tried to concentrate, but it was no use. She caught brief impressions. Craig's wife was a petite redhead who was very pregnant. They had three boys. Jordan's wife was also pregnant, but not so far along. There was another man introduced as "Austin Lucas, family, but not by blood." He was dark and dangerous-looking, an earring glinting from one ear. His wife, Rebecca, was beautiful, with a face that belonged on a cameo.