The Wedding Chapel

by Caroline Mickelson

  She cocked her head to the side and studied his face. Her confusion was plain for him to see. “What does that mean?”

  “It means that we’re already married.” Colin could tell from Bella’s expression that she didn’t understand what he’d just said so he tried again. “We’re married.”

  “You’re married?” She took a step back. “Why didn’t you tell me that you had a wife? I mean, we weren’t on a date or anything like that. It was business but still…the way you acted…I just assumed…why didn’t you tell me?”

  He couldn’t stand the way she was looking at him with something akin to horror in her eyes. “I’m not married. I mean, I wasn’t married. At least I didn’t think I was married.”

  She simply stared at him. Neither one of them spoke for a long moment.

  “Are you, or aren’t you, married?” Bella demanded.

  He put his hand over his heart. “I am married. To you, Bella.”

  “Have you lost your mind?” she demanded.

  Ruefully, he shook his head. “According to the state of Nevada, you and I are legally husband and wife.”

  Chapter 6

  Bella experienced a low buzzing in her ears as she stared into Colin’s eyes. She couldn’t detect the slightest bit of levity in either his tone of voice or body language but he had to be kidding. Surely this was a case of British humor gone horribly wrong. “Move aside,” she told him. “You’re being ridiculous.”

  “See for yourself then.” He turned and held the door open for her. Shooting him a questioning glance over her shoulder, she passed by him and entered the suite’s living area.

  Bella saw that her grandfather was indeed waiting for her. He stood quietly behind a gentleman in a blue suit jacket and a woman she guessed was Colin’s grandmother.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Bladestone,” the man in the jacket said. “I apologize that we needed to interrupt you and your husband this morning.”

  It took Bella a full moment to realize that he was speaking to her. She glanced at his name tag, and saw that he was a member of the hotel’s management team. “I’m not Mrs. Bladestone.”

  The manager looked from her to Colin and then back again. “I owe you another apology. I wasn’t aware that Mrs. Bladestone was still asleep.”

  The silence that followed that remark was interrupted by her grandfather’s chuckle. “Bella, sweetheart, put this nice gentleman out of his misery and tell him that there isn’t another woman in the bedroom.”

  “Of course, there isn’t.” Bella held up her hands to forestall even one single more crazy remark from anyone. “There is no Mrs. Bladestone.”

  Colin groaned.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce your new wife to me, Colin?” the silver haired woman asked. Her question was directed to her grandson but her eyes were focused squarely on Bella.

  She was, Bella thought, a truly lovely woman. Her hair was impeccably coiffed, and Bella didn’t doubt that her tailored ice blue suit was every bit as expensive as the three stands of pearls she wore around her neck. But as fashionable and elegant as she was on the outside, she displayed a total lack of warmth when she addressed her grandson, which told Bella all she needed to know about Colin’s grandmother. “There’s been a huge mistake,” Bella said to the group at large. “Colin and I didn’t elope last night. We were working late and-”

  “Say no more,” her grandfather interrupted her. He crossed to her side and enveloped her in a hug. “We think it’s a lovely surprise. Don’t we, Margaret?”

  The use of his grandmother’s first name was enough to pierce through Colin’s state of stunned silence. He turned to his grandmother. “He called you Margaret.”

  She stiffened her spine. “Mr. Johnson is taking liberties, I assure you. However, what we’re here to discuss is the mess you’ve gotten yourself into.”

  “I’d hardly call it a mess, Granny.”

  Bella shot him a frustrated glance before turning to her grandfather. “No, Grandpa, there isn’t any surprise. You’ve got it all wrong. Colin and I were working late. That’s all.”

  The hotel manager, who looked increasingly uncomfortable with each passing word, took a few steps back. “I do apologize for the interruption. Your grandparents were most insistent that we check on your welfare.” He continued walking backward. “I’ll leave you to sort out this little matter in private.”

  Margaret Bladestone held up a hand. “Not so quickly, young man. This little matter isn’t something that will be easily straightened out.” She put two fingers on each side of her head and massaged her temples. “I require coffee. Strong, black and delivered immediately.”

  The manager hastily assured her that he’d see right to it as he beat a retreat out of the suite. When the door shut behind him, all four of the room’s occupants began to speak at the same time.

  It was Colin who made himself heard above the din. “This insane idea that Bella and I are married is going to be very simple to sort out. But first Bella and I need a chance to shower and change. Then, once we’ve had a proper cup of coffee, we can talk. But not before.”

  Bella’s grandfather nodded. “Fine idea, son.” He held out his hand to Colin. “Here we are relatives already and I haven’t introduced myself. Clive Johnson, delighted to meet you,” he said as he shook Colin’s outstretched hand. “Welcome to the family.”

  “It’s my pleasure, Sir,” Colin said. He gently put a hand under Bella’s elbow. “May I speak to you in the other room for a moment?”

  She shook her head. “I think it’s better if I go home to shower and change. We can meet later in neutral territory to talk. Besides, I’d feel better if I were dressed.”

  “As a matter of fact, my dear, I brought you a few things.” Her grandfather took a small suitcase from the chair behind him and held it out to her. “I’m not sure if I brought the right things. I’m an old man, how do I know what a young lady needs on her honeymoon?”

  Bella felt incapable of speech. Surely if this were a joke, they’d have reached the punch line already. Why was her grandfather acting like this? Surely he knew her better than to believe she’d run off and marry a man she didn’t know? Suddenly the idea of a quiet moment to herself seemed highly appealing, and if a shower were the only way to accomplish that, so be it.

  Colin took the bag from her grandfather. “We won’t be long.”

  Bewildered, Bella allowed Colin to guide her into the bedroom. Once he shut the door, she plopped on the edge of the bed and looked up at him. “What’s going on?”

  He sat down beside her. “I don’t have a clue yet, but I felt all of about six years old standing there in my pajamas in front of my grandmother.” His blue eyes searched hers. “Surely we didn’t, you know, do anything untoward last evening?”

  Untoward? The ultra-polite word choice struck Bella as terribly funny. She burst out laughing, she couldn’t help herself.

  “Be serious, Bella,” Colin chided. “I don’t need you falling apart on me until we figure out why our grandparents have suddenly lost their minds at exactly the same moment. Tell me, is your grandfather acting himself?”

  Suddenly Bella didn’t feel like laughing any more. She shook her head. “Not at all. I mean, he’s a wonderful, easygoing soul but if I had eloped he would have been shocked and sad that I didn’t include him. He loves weddings. He loves me.”

  “So this isn’t the sort of situation he’d be pleased with.”

  “No,” Bella concurred. “I’m sure he’d put a good game face on hearing the news though.” She frowned in thought. “But that wasn’t a good game face, was it?”

  Colin shrugged. “Not knowing your grandfather, it’s impossible for me to precisely say. However, it would appear that he’s delighted to have rid of you.”

  Coming from any other man on the planet, those words would have been beyond offensive. But the gleam in Colin’s eye made her smile.

  “So why isn’t he a bit outraged that I didn’t approach him to ask for your ha
nd in marriage?”

  “Ask for my hand? Colin, you do know what year this is, don’t you?”

  He put a gentle arm around her shoulders. “At this moment, I don’t know anything. I don’t even know if you’d prefer to be called Bella Johnson or Bella Bladestone.”

  Bella gave him a gentle poke in the ribs with her elbow. “Very funny. I’m going to take a shower and then we need to restore sanity around here.”

  Colin gently squeezed her shoulders. “Go on then. I’ll be here.”

  Halfway to the bathroom, Bella turned around and looked at him. “We didn’t get married last night, Colin.”

  “Of course not,” he assured her. “We worked late and fell asleep.”

  Bella ran a hand through her hair. If that were true, where was this work they’d done? An even more pressing question, if they’d fallen asleep while working, why did she wake up in Colin’s bed?

  As hot water ran over Colin, he realized he probably should be taking a cold shower. The very thought of Bella Johnson had that effect on him. The fact that he’d woken up in bed with her was every man’s dream, but try as he might, he couldn’t remember what had happened last night. Certainly, if they’d made love last night the memory would be burned into his brain. But his memory was a blank, gray slate. Which meant that they couldn’t have made love. And it sure as hell meant that they hadn’t run off and gotten married.

  Marriage was something he’d taken pains to avoid. To his mind, a true love match was as rare as a pink unicorn. He’d certainly never seen one. Didn’t they only exist in romance novels?

  He toweled off and slipped into his robe. He ignored the dull throbbing in his head, doubtless it would be worse by the time he’d sorted out the mess waiting for him. What on earth had possessed his grandmother to make such a wildly improbable accusation? Why was Bella’s grandfather here? It wasn’t as if he’d rushed in to rescue his errant granddaughter. The man certainly didn’t appear the least put out. In fact, he looked downright delighted. What was that about?

  When he stepped out of the bathroom, he found Bella in front of the mirror arranging her hair in a very flattering up-do. She was wearing a light gray sweater and black slacks. He studied her, marveling at the fact that she managed to be dressed so conservatively and yet still look so sexy.

  “I’ll be out of your way in a moment.”

  “Don’t rush on my account.” He could watch her all day.

  She turned to face him, her expression hopeful. “Did you remember anything?”

  He shook his head. “You?”

  She sighed. “No.”

  “Bella, there is no way we eloped last night. None.” He couldn’t stand the uncertainty he saw in her face. “There’s no evidence.”

  “Except for our respective grandparents who insist that we did.”

  Colin shook his head. “They’re up to something. I don’t know what, but I can sense it.”

  He watched as Bella glanced pointedly into the bedroom, her eyes resting on the unmade bed. When she looked back at him, he saw clearly the question she desperately wanted answered. “No, nothing happened last night. I’m one hundred percent certain.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  He met her gaze head on. “Any man fortunate enough to make love to a woman as beautiful as you, Bella Johnson, would never forget it. Not unless he was a complete jackass.” He tossed the towel he’d been holding onto the tile floor. “Besides, you’re not the kind of woman who has one night stands.”

  She smiled in response, relief evident in her hazel eyes. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” How could he ever look away from those enchanting eyes?

  “For not believing I sleep around. I don’t.” She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes for a long moment before she met his gaze. “What are we going to do?”

  We. Coming from her lips, the word sounded just right. “I’m going to shave and then we’re going out there to confront my dragon of a grandmother and your grandfather. They owe us an explanation.”

  “That’s precisely what they want from us.”

  He opened his shaving kit and took out his razor and shaving cream. He caught her eye in the mirror. “We didn’t barge in on them, they all but forced their way in here. They’re the ones saying something happened. The burden of proof is on their shoulders.”

  Bella nodded. “You really think they’re up to something?”

  “You don’t think it’s coincidental that the two of them show up here at exactly the same time with the same story?” He brushed the shaving cream onto his face and neck. “Trust me, my grandmother isn’t the sort of woman to come running to ask me if something she’s heard is true. She’d be far more likely to have her legal team find out the truth.”

  “I checked my phone while you were in the shower,” Bella said. “There were no calls or texts from my grandfather last night. It’s odd that he didn’t try once to get ahold of me. That’s not like him.”

  Colin continued to shave, acutely aware of Bella’s proximity. Her watching him shave felt intimate. He liked the feeling of her close by.

  He applied his aftershave and tidied up the sink before turning to Bella. “Margaret Bladestone does nothing without an agenda. Ever. I think she wants to distract me from the project I’m supposed to be working on, and she’s not above using you and your grandfather as a means to an end. Possibly she’s dangling cash in front of Clive.”

  Colin noticed that Bella visibly bristled at the suggestion. Ah, so she was loyal. He liked that in a woman.

  “My grandfather is not the kind of man who can be bought and sold.”

  “Good, then he’ll make my grandmother’s life difficult.” Colin laid a hand on Bella’s shoulder. He waited for her to look him straight in the eye. “It’s also likely that my grandmother has convinced him that we are actually married. Maybe he’s pretending to be delighted so you don’t feel awkward about marrying a complete stranger without telling him.”

  “It could be that,” Bella smiled. “Or maybe he’s already called immigration and reported your attempt to coerce an American citizen into a quickie marriage so you can obtain a green card.”

  Colin laughed. “That’s the spirit. It could be anything.”

  “So how do we handle this? Go out there and demand proof?”

  Colin moved past her and took a white button down shirt from the closet. “We could. Or we could have some fun with them while we try to figure out what’s going on.”

  Bella sat on the edge of the bed, her face thoughtful. “I don’t want to do anything to hurt my grandfather’s feelings.” She looked up at him. “He’s my only family.”

  Colin sat down beside her, close enough that their shoulders touched. He liked that she didn’t shy away from being near him. “If you’ll trust me, I promise that Clive won’t be hurt in any way, shape or form. In fact, we’ll make this work to his advantage and make sure your wedding chapel ends up in the black. Deal?”

  “What’s in it for you?”

  “With your help, millions of dollars saved from being squandered, if we play our cards right.”

  Bella nodded. “You’ve got a deal. But what about your grandmother?”

  “No kid gloves there,” Colin said. “I need to beat her at her own game.”

  Bella smiled. “What should I do first?”

  He stood. “I think you should let me get dressed.”

  Bella stood and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for understanding about my grandfather. I can’t help but be protective of him.”

  “He’s a fortunate man to have you love him.”

  Bella smiled. “Okay, I’m ready to perform my first official act as your wife.”

  He grinned. “Do tell.”

  “I’m going to pick you out a different tie. That one doesn’t suit you.”

  He laughed. Maybe when this was all said and done, he’d actually have to thank his grandmother for her machinations that were going to allow
him to spend quite a bit of time with Bella Johnson.

  Chapter 7

  Just follow his lead. Those words played in Bella’s mind as she and Colin rejoined their grandparents in the outer suite. Colin’s hand on her lower back made her feel steady and secure. She felt as if she’d just fallen off the back of a speedboat and Colin was her life preserver.

  “Ah, here come the newlyweds,” her grandfather greeted them with a warm smile.

  It was next to impossible for Bella to believe that Clive Johnson had joined forces with Colin’s grandmother to deceive her. It was far more likely that he himself was being deceived and used as a pawn in whatever game Margaret Bladestone was playing. The thought did little to endear her to the woman. Quite the opposite.

  Colin’s grandmother poured two cups of coffee and handed one to her grandson. She pointedly ignored Bella, her eyes on Colin. “How does your new wife take her coffee?”

  “Black is fine, thank you,” Bella answered before Colin could speak. The less cat and mouse games that the two Bladestones played, the sooner they might get to the truth.

  “Have a seat, Bella.” Colin motioned to the two chairs drawn opposite their grandparents. “We have some questions for you.”

  “And we for you,” his grandmother lobbied back.

  “Under the circumstances, I think it’s best if Bella and I ask the questions and you both answer them.” Colin gave her a reassuring smile before he turned his attention to her grandfather. “Mr. Johnson, how did you know where to find Bella this morning?”

  “The name’s Clive, my boy, use my first name.”

  To Bella’s eye, her grandfather seemed completely at ease. How he managed that, she couldn’t imagine. “The last I heard from my granddaughter, she was off to see a client.” He turned to her. “Did you sign the bride, sweetie?”

  Bella shook her head. “No, I’m afraid not.”

  “Not to worry, another will come along soon.” He leaned back in his chair and rested his hands on the arm rests. “As I was saying, I was starting to grow concerned when I didn’t hear from her. But then I received a call from my old friend Muriel.”