Just stepping through those automatic doors sent his pulse pounding in his temples. His breathing grew shallow and rapid and he had to wipe his now sweaty palms on his pants leg. He could walk into a complicated surgery without an ounce of nerves, but a busy shopping mall sent him into an uproar.
Dex swallowed hard as a woman carrying multiple bags while talking very loudly on her cell phone walked right into him and shouted at him to watch where he was going. He bit back the retort that jumped to his lips because she moved on without a backward glance.
Why hadn’t he just ordered everything online and had it delivered? He shook his head and kept moving. The thought that it wasn’t yet too late to do that sprang up in his mind, at least not if he was willing to pay through the nose for expedited shipping.
“Dex?”
He spun when he heard his name called, but when he saw no one that he recognized, he returned his attention to navigating the crowd surrounding him. Only a few gifts, then he could go home.
“Dex!”
Once again he heard his name and stopped to look around.
“Dex! Look up!”
From the upper level, he saw a familiar face staring down at him. “Wait right there,” she called. “I’ll come to you.”
“Lena!” He moved around a group of grandmothers toward the escalators, and he and Lena met next to some potted plants just out of the flow of foot traffic. “This place is a madhouse. Why would anyone come here?”
The smile on her face could have lit Westfield for a month with its brightness. “Oh, don’t tell me you are a Scrooge!”
He narrowed his eyes at her. Beaming with happiness, Lena looked perfectly relaxed and much happier than the last time he’d seen her. The brightly patterned scarf draped around her neck would have looked tacky on him, but on her it was perfection. Christmas spirit vibrated off her palpably.
His future sister-in-law would love her.
“You are already watching all of the Christmas romance movies and listening to Christmas music all the time, aren’t you?”
She motioned him closer.
When he bent down a bit at her coaxing, she tiptoed and mock-whispered in his ear. “It’s the most wonderful time of year.” Her lips brushed his ear on the last word and a shudder of desire sliced through him as sharp as a scalpel.
“Is it?” He rested his hand on her waist, his head still bent near hers. Tension sizzled white-hot between them and had him wondering if they could turn this time-limited charade into a time-limited fling. The physical novelty always wore off quickly for him and he lost interest in the women he’d dated after a few weeks. It would surely be the same with Lena, but they could still help each other out in the meantime.
Lena remained on her tiptoes. Their faces were millimeters apart. But just as he pulled her closer, someone jostled into them and Lena moved away. Her cheeks flushed bright pink.
“Um...” she began, but then trailed off.
The moment might have slipped away, but Dex didn’t want to let her slip away. “Would you like to help me with my Christmas shopping? I’m sure you’ll be much better at it than I am, and your presence will make this day far more bearable.”
People moved past them, many chatting with a friend, some alone moving faster as if on a mission. Christmas music played loudly through speakers overhead. Dex only had eyes for the beautiful nurse standing within arm’s reach, wearing his blazer with the sleeves rolled up.
Biting her lower lip, Lena looked at him as she seemed to consider his offer. “What if we run into someone from the hospital? I thought we were going to keep this on the down low?”
“So, I tell them I am a hopeless shopper and bribed you into helping me.” He sweetened the offer. “Lunch is on me. We can discuss the next two weeks and work out any kinks.”
“Deal.” She stuck her hand out to shake.
As their palms met, Dex had to suppress the urge to pull her back into his arms. After how fast she’d shot away from him, he didn’t think she’d be eager to fall right into his embrace. And he didn’t want to scare her off after they’d seemed to make a tentative truce the other night. Something had changed after her emotional purge, and she’d started to open up to him the tiniest bit more, at least when she didn’t realize she was doing so.
And if he frightened her away, then he’d have to go home alone for his brother’s wedding. He’d never find anyone else this close to Christmas to pretend to be his girlfriend. According to his dad, there would likely be a repeat of the eligible ladies’ parade if his mom had her way. And he certainly didn’t want to have to face Jessie alone. That would be so awkward.
Not that he was still hung up on his ex.
At all.
Jessie had killed any and every feeling he had for her when she’d walked away without a word, leaving her father to come to the church and break his heart. To his dying day, he’d never forget the look on Ray’s face when he’d told him Jessie had left town. “I’m sorry, Dexter, but her note only said that she wasn’t ready to get married.”
But he knew how it would look to the people of Westfield if he showed up alone. They would assume he still pined for her after all this time. They would assume that he had hopes of a Christmas reconciliation.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
In reality, he just hadn’t found anyone he was willing to risk his heart on again. Getting left at the altar could really do a number on a guy—even if he had been the tiniest bit relieved once the shock wore off. He realized just what a bullet he’d dodged in being left at the altar; it was far better than marrying someone who really didn’t want to be married and going through a bitter divorce later.
But falling in love with a woman gave her a power over a man that Dex wasn’t sure he could ever give again. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in love or anything as harsh as that. He just didn’t believe that love was ever in his plans again. Short-term flings with no feelings involved kept him satisfied and his heart protected.
“So, what are we looking for?” Lena questioned, pulling his thoughts away from Jessie and the past. “I’m just looking for some winter clothes. As you reminded me, I’m not exactly equipped for a Tennessee winter.” She plucked at the lapels of his blazer, her radiant smile giving him stirrings of thoughts toward the future. “And I thank you for the loan again. It came in handy in the just above freezing temperatures this morning.”
“I bet it did,” he said with an easy smile. “I think I might like how it looks better on you than me anyways.”
The tiniest hint of pink brightened her cheeks again but she met his gaze. “I don’t know if I’d agree with that, but it’s certainly warm.” She held up the bags in her hands. “I found some warm sweaters, but I haven’t been able to find a winter coat yet that I like.”
“Maybe you are just too picky?” he teased, loving the reactions he coaxed from her with a few words.
She wrinkled up her nose. “Maybe I just have more refined taste.”
He took the bags from her hands and nodded in the direction of the nearest store. “Well, we won’t find you a coat without looking. Have you been in there?”
“That was actually going to be my next stop.”
She allowed him to guide her into the store, where she made a beeline for some ugly Christmas sweaters. Picking up a green one that was nearly the color of her eyes, she held it up in front of her. “We should get these for your brother’s wedding! What do you think? Is this one me?”
“I think Jill would kill us. At least for wearing them to the wedding. But I might buy her one of these for a Christmas present. She’ll love it.”
Lena laughed, but stopped suddenly. She tilted her head, and her expression grew thoughtful. “You know, I never asked how fancy the wedding was going to be. Do I need something formal?”
Dex shrugged. “I have no idea. I w
as told to bring my black suit. And Jill has, apparently, picked out matching ties for us all.”
“Yeah, men have it easy. A black suit is appropriate for anything casual to dressy. It’s not so easy for us girls.”
It couldn’t be that hard. Dresses were the female equivalent of a suit, weren’t they?
“Just wear a dress.”
“Dresses come in various degrees of formality and to wear the wrong one would be a massive faux pas.” The expression on her face said he might have been the one to make a massive faux pas. “What did the invitation say?”
“I didn’t get an invitation.”
She gaped at him. “Why are you attending a wedding you weren’t invited to?”
“I’m not allowed to say no, so there was no need to waste money on an invitation for me.”
“Then how am I supposed to know what would be appropriate for me to wear? I don’t want to wear something casual and find out everyone else is formal, or even worse, wear something more formal than the bride herself.” She shuddered in apparent horror.
“I could call my mama and ask her,” he offered, trying to figure out what he needed to do to fix this before the entire situation derailed.
His offer seemed to be the right decision because Lena perked up as he spoke. “Have you told them you were bringing a date?”
“Not yet. I wanted to be sure that you were coming.” He rubbed the back of his neck. Suppressing a shudder of his own, he let his mind wander to his family’s reactions if she didn’t go after he’d told his family she would be there. His brothers would never let him live down getting stood up again at a wedding, even if it wasn’t his this time. His dad would just shake his head and possibly give him a talk about what to look for in a “good” woman. And his mom? She’d worry herself into a frenzy about him being alone for the rest of his life before launching herself into a mission to have him married off by May. “The only thing worse than showing up alone would be to say that I was bringing someone home with me and still show up alone.”
“True.”
“Have you told your family that I’m coming?” he asked, turning her question back around on her.
With a sigh, she shook her head. “No. Like you said, I wanted to make sure it was going to happen first.”
“Well, I’m committed to you.”
The words came out without thought and he almost apologized for the bluntness he’d put on the statement. It had sounded rather like an accusation instead of the motivational comment it should have been.
The din surrounding them almost drowned out her reply when she said softly, “I’m committed too.”
* * *
Lena slipped into the fitting room to try on a few items of clothing while Dex called his mother to check on what exactly she should wear to the wedding. Through the slats on the door, she overheard every word of his conversation. His deep voice carried even over the Christmas music piped in from above.
“Hey, Mama,” he said. “Yeah, I miss you too. I had a reason for calling actually.”
He either paused or moved away.
Lena stopped moving with a pair of gray corduroy pants halfway up her thighs, listening carefully as she tried to catch Dex’s next words. Eavesdropping unashamedly, she stood half-dressed in the fitting room without moving a muscle so that she could better hear Dex over the sounds of the store.
“No, I’m not calling to cancel just because Jessie is coming. I was actually calling to make sure it was okay if I brought my girlfriend with me.”
The smile that sprang up on her lips at the word girlfriend surprised her. She yanked the pants up and looked at her reflection in the mirror. When she realized why she was grinning like a fool, the smile quickly became a frown. Being called Dex’s girlfriend shouldn’t make her smile.
It was fake. Their entire relationship was fake.
She shoved the pants off and roughly hung them back on the hanger. She didn’t even try the pair of khakis on and just put her own jeans back on. Her desire to shop had fled with the realization that she’d really liked hearing Dex refer to her as his girlfriend. She had to get her head straight and remember that, even if Dex wasn’t quite as bad as she thought, getting involved for real would ruin everything that she’d accomplished by leaving California.
She knew this with every fiber of her being.
So why was she having such a hard time remembering that when Dex was around?
Putting on the coat she’d picked out, she examined her reflection. It would do for now. She didn’t have the luxury of waiting for the perfect piece of outerwear to come along.
Once she had dressed, she stepped out of the fitting room and almost walked right into Dex. He seemed to be pacing back and forth in front of the fitting rooms. Agitation deepened the frown lines marring the perfection of his face. A muscle twitched at the corner of his eye and a rigid grimace darkened his countenance.
“Mama, I told you, it has nothing to do with Jessie. I want you guys to meet Lena and—” He stopped suddenly like his speech had been interrupted on the other end of the line. After a lengthy pause he answered, “Yes, ma’am. No. She’s right here if you want to talk to her.”
Before Lena could squeak out a protest, Dex had shoved his cell phone into her hand. “I can’t do it anymore. You talk to her,” he grumbled before stomping away, his shoulders squared off in visible frustration.
“Hello, uh, Mrs. Henry,” she said, hoping she wasn’t about to get cussed out by some crazy Southern woman she’d never met. Getting told off before they’d even met just might be the icing on the cake of this charade they’d made inescapable when they involved his mother. She didn’t expect his mom to love her, or anything of the sort, but if his mom hated her, it would make for a long and stressful week in Westfield.
“My son tells me you are coming home with him for Christmas and Tommy’s wedding.”
The voice on the other end of the line was as stereotypically Southern as any that Lena had ever heard faked out in LA.
“Um, yes, ma’am, I am. If that’s okay with you, that’s the plan.”
Suck up.
She was totally and completely sucking up to his mother. What was wrong with her?
“Do you work at the hospital with Dexter? I know that son of mine and if you didn’t meet at the hospital, then you’d have had to trip him at the grocery store to catch his attention.”
Lena couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, we met at the hospital. I’m a registered nurse.”
“I see. You don’t sound like you are from around here.”
“No, I’m from California.”
Mrs. Henry snorted. “Well, I suppose I won’t hold that against you. If Dexter’s bringing you home, he must see something special in you. He hasn’t dated anyone in years that was serious enough for him to bring home to meet the family.”
“I... Um... I don’t think I’m that special.”
She knew the truth. Dex wasn’t bringing her home because he thought she was special. He was bringing her home because he needed a pretend girlfriend and she fit the bill. The hope she heard in his mom’s voice hurt. They were going to get her hopes up that Dex was seriously in love with someone, and for what?
“Oh, well, Dexter thinks you are, and I trust my son. I’m so excited to meet you. Dexter has been alone far too long and it does my heart good to hear that he’s found someone to love. Maybe we will have more than one thing to celebrate this Christmas!”
His mom seemed so genuinely warm and kind. And completely enamored with the idea of Dex settling down with a new love. A huge lump of guilt rose in her throat and Lena had to choke it down. Deceiving his family left a bad taste in her mouth, but she’d made a commitment to Dex to be his pretend girlfriend through the holidays and if she was anything, it was stubborn. She’d see this through or die trying.
Forging on out of sh
eer determination to keep her word, Lena continued the charade but changed the topic to something less likely to trigger more guilt. “I had asked Dex what I should wear and he sputtered something incoherent that I took to mean he had no clue. A few suggestions would be appreciated, if you don’t mind?”
A short chuckle met her ear. “That boy wouldn’t know a tea-length dress from a ball gown. The wedding isn’t going to be very formal, though. They are going with a rustic holiday theme, complete with burlap lace. Anything dressy you feel pretty in that doesn’t show off all the goodies God gave you would be appropriate. And the rehearsal dinner is going to be an ugly Christmas sweater party. So if you want to bring something hideous for that, my soon-to-be daughter-in-law will find that illogically delightful.”
Another smile crept up on Lena’s face at the revulsion she heard in regards to the ugly sweaters. She thought the gaudy Christmas sweaters were fun, but Dex’s mother clearly did not agree. She nearly snorted when she pictured her own mother’s face if anyone dared wear one of the Christmas sweaters to one of her charity events—it would be epic.
“Sounds great. I’m sure I’ll find something appropriate for both the wedding and the rehearsal. Thank you for the tips. I look forward to meeting you soon.”
“And the same to you, dear. Tell my son to call me later, would ya?”
“Of course.”
Lena hit End on the call and looked around for Dex. He had stopped pacing and slumped down onto a bench outside the fitting rooms.
“Here’s your phone back.” She held it out for him to take as she stepped over to him. “Your mother wants you to call her later.”
“Did she say why?”
“Well, she seemed to think I must be something special if you were willing to bring me home. Her exact words were, ‘Maybe we will have more than one thing to celebrate this Christmas,’ if that gives you some idea where she’s taking this.”
He threw his head back into the wall so hard Lena heard the thump. “She didn’t,” he said with a groan.
A Nurse, a Surgeon, a Christmas Engagement Page 5