The Engagement Plot

by Phillips, Krista;

  Will wanted to plant the longest, most passionate kiss on her lips right now. Fake or not, she’d stuck up for him, and with style and grace at that. Well done, Hanna. Well done.

  Kate held up a finger. “So, Will, just to clarify. Is something going on with your employment that we’re unaware of?”

  He smiled and shook his head. “Last time I checked, I am still gainfully employed as the CEO of Foster and Jones. If they’ve fired me without my knowledge, well, that’d be just as much of a shock to me as it would be news to you. Although, last week one magazine said I was abducted by aliens, so who knows?”

  The audience all roared with laughter at that.

  Mike checked his card again. “Okay, our next question is from Shirley.”

  A middle-aged woman stood up and took the offered microphone. She wore a floral skirt that went to the floor, and had short, tightly permed hair. With an arm around her middle, she looked directly at Hanna. “How can you stand up there and profess that you’re a Christian woman when all you have done is brought shame to us all? You go on a sin-ridden show, flaunt your body around like you didn’t have a care in the world for modesty, and then get yourself tangled up with a man who doesn’t even profess to know Jesus. I’ve sent you countless letters that have gone unresponded to. And now I’m here, once and for all, to ask you to either repent or leave the religion you so obviously have turned your back on.”

  Will turned to find Hanna’s face pure white, her eyes wet with tears. She opened her mouth to respond but, instead, tore off her microphone, flung it on the chair, and walked off stage.

  Shirley lifted her chin high in a smug air of victory.

  Will fumed. How dare that woman speak to Hanna like that. This was the issue he had with “Christians.” They were so full of themselves they missed the giant pile of wood sticking out of both their eyes. He took a few steps toward the audience, ignoring the cameras, all thought of anything politically correct flying out the window. His eyes burned into the woman until her uppity expression turned scared. “Ma’am. The words I would love to say to you right now are not fit for daytime television. So I’ll leave you with the words of a man much wiser than you or I. ‘Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.’ Unless you’re saying you’re without sin and equal to or better than Jesus, I suggest you shut your da—” He paused, making himself skip the curse word out of respect for Hanna only. “—your mouth and leave my fiancée alone.”

  Turning, he smiled at the shocked Kate and Mike, shook both of their hands, waved at the audience, and excused himself from the set as they called another commercial break.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  The trip to the airport and the plane ride back to Nashville were quiet. Hanna didn’t feel like talking about it. And Will seemed to respect that.

  Celine had been quiet when Hanna reached the dressing room. She’d obviously watched it all. Hanna expected to be reamed out about how she walked off stage, but instead, she’d gotten a surprising hug and a half smile.

  Will had just told her to get her things so they wouldn’t miss their flight.

  In all her nightmares, she hadn’t expected the interview ending like that. Puking on stage? Stuttering the whole time? Tripping and falling flat on her face? Yeah, all those had been plausible. But having her faith questioned and denounced in front of the whole national viewing audience—and not even having the courage to defend herself—she just couldn’t face what harm she’d done.

  As they stepped outside the Nashville airport, a black limo waited for them at the curb. Will opened the back door and allowed her to slide in first then talked to the driver for a minute before sliding in himself.

  “Sorry about the limo. Emma had requested an SUV, but evidently there was a mix-up.”

  “It’s fine.”

  The limo pulled out and after a few minutes merged onto I-40.

  The silence had been golden at first, but now it was getting a little awkward. She leaned her head against the window and watched as cars drove past and the Nashville skyline appeared ahead of them. All these people, living normal, halfway private lives. She used to be one of them.

  Would she ever be that again? Would she always live looking behind her shoulder for cameras or fearful of how every action she took would be interpreted by people on Facebook or Twitter?

  She was living a lie. A big, fat, sinful lie. The Shirley lady was right. How could she stand up there and call herself any kind of Christian and continue the life she was living?

  And even if she and Will were engaged, his faith in Jesus was obviously lacking, if there at all. Would God even bless a relationship like that?

  But it didn’t even matter. They had no relationship. Just a business deal. That was it.

  The thought brought her back to the present, and she glanced over at Will. “You ready for your board meeting tonight?”

  He sat with his head laid back, eyes closed, and shook his head. “Not even a little bit.”

  She reached over and smoothed a hand up and down his arm. He’d ditched the sports coat as soon as they got to the airport. Smiling, she remembered the first flirtatious remark she’d ever said to him. It had been on their second date on the show, and he’d worn this tight-fitting T-shirt that showed off his muscles fabulously.

  She’d squeezed his upper arm and said something about being surprised at his muscles, that most CEOs she knew of were either scrawny from not having time to work out or chubby from sitting at a desk all day.

  He’d laughed, picked her up using those amazing muscles of his, and spun her around, telling her something about how he’d had about six months warning before he’d appear on the show and had been working out to prepare. He then forbid her ever to look at a “before” picture of him.

  Hanna had of course used her phone to look up “before” pictures.

  He was surprisingly right. While he’d still been handsome, a layer of squishiness covered him. It had made him look more—real. Like a normal guy who wasn’t chiseled for TV. That picture was one of the reasons she’d finally let go of the tight rein she’d held on her heart.

  Now, her heart had been stomped on and was slowly healing.

  And Will still had his mouthwatering muscles. “You’re going to do fine.”

  His chest lifted and fell with a deep breath. “I just wish I knew exactly what was going on so I could plan.”

  Hanna understood. Will was a planner. She’d been able to tell during the whole show. He’d been more focused on staying on schedule than the producers were. This morning’s debacle hadn’t helped the matter.

  She turned toward him and laid her head on the seat beside him. “I’m sorry for screwing up the interview.”

  He peeked open an eye. “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “I shouldn’t have run out.”

  “She shouldn’t have been such a b—” He bit back the word she knew he wanted to say. “Such a not-very-nice woman.”

  “Thanks for that.”

  “I call ’em like I see ’em.”

  Hanna shook her head. “No, I mean for respecting me enough to try not to use the words you know I hate.”

  Turning fully toward her, he lifted a hand and fingered a strand of her hair. “I’ll probably still say them from time to time. But I’m trying.”

  He spoke like this was longer term than just a temporary acting gig. Why did her heart want to sing at the thought? She chose to ignore it though. He probably didn’t realize how it sounded. “And I’ll forgive you if you do.”

  Sliding closer, he cupped the back of her neck with his hand. The strong warmth trickled down her body and puddled in her stomach. His face inched forward, his familiar scent even stronger and making it difficult to think. She bit her lip. “Will.”

  His mouth was just a breath away. “Yes?”

  Putting a hand to his chest, she could feel the quick thud of his heartbeat under her palm. “There isn’t anyone watching.”

  He moved his mouth to rest o
n her ear and nibbled the soft tip, sending shivers of pleasure through her. His soft whisper thrilled her. “I know.”

  His lips captured the spot right under her ear and left a trail of kisses all the way to her lips.

  Heat soared through her as his mouth finally met hers. She trembled, her hands moving on their own, around his neck, pulling him closer.

  Time stood still for a moment. For that second, she forgot about the lie, both Will’s and now their own. She forgot about the crazy woman in the audience. About social media. The tabloids. About pretty much everything.

  For this small place in time, she just enjoyed the man that, despite every logical thought that screamed the opposite, she loved with all her heart.

  The admission to herself that she loved him made all other cares fly away. She let her hands roam his hair and pressed soft but hungry kisses of her own against his lips, then slid down to his neck.

  He groaned her name and pressed his hands against her lower back, thrilling her even more.

  A moment later, the limo lurched and metal screeched, and now entwined, they both went tumbling to the ground as something slammed into the vehicle.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Will blinked as someone opened the rear limo door. A man with a black hat poked his head in. Stan, the driver. “Everyone okay back here?”

  He tried to push up from the floor of the limo, but his legs were intertwined with Hanna’s.

  She lay half underneath him, her hands pressing on her head, her face screwed up in confusion. “What—what happened?”

  They had a kiss that turned Will’s brain to mush and literally brought them to their knees. Something he didn’t let happen very often. “Someone hit us, I think. You okay?”

  She disengaged a leg, freeing him to upright himself and help her sit up. “Yeah. My head just hurts a little.”

  Stan looked a strange shade of white under all his black attire. “I’m so sorry, ma’am. The car, it came out of nowhere. We had a green light and—”

  Will held up a hand to turn off his rambling explanation. “Let’s just get Hanna out of here and make sure she’s okay.”

  “I’m—I’m fine. Really. Just a little confused.”

  Confused wasn’t a good sign. Had she hit her head that hard? “Let’s make sure they are sending an ambulance just in case.”

  The driver nodded. “Police and ambulance are on their way. The other guy hit us head-on, so he’s banged up pretty good.”

  This day was going from bad to much, much worse by the minute. “You go see to him, then. I’ll help Hanna.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Will looked back to Hanna, who was resting on an elbow and trying to use her other hand to pull up on the seat. “Hold on there, Mighty Mouse. Let me help you.”

  He reached an arm around her back to help her up.

  She leaned into him and, to his surprise and delight, let him support her. “Thanks. Are you okay?”

  Other than having ten years shaved off his life? “Yeah. Just worried about you.”

  “This will just be more bad press, won’t it?”

  “I don’t give a hill of gold about what the press thinks. That you’re not hurt is what’s important.”

  Hanna reached a hand up and patted him on the cheek, her mouth curved into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Thanks for that, too.”

  He covered her hand with his own and squeezed. “I mean it.”

  She only nodded and took her hand back.

  “You don’t believe me.”

  Her fingers probed at her temples. “Let’s just say, I wouldn’t blame you for worrying. This was clearly not our fault. But who knows how people will misconstrue it?”

  “We have bigger things to focus on right now.”

  “Like you keeping your job.”

  His job. The meeting he was likely going to be very tardy for or even miss. He closed his eyes and heard the whir of sirens in the distance, blaring like a warning in his brain. His father’s words from years ago, after Will had graduated and landed a coveted job in the science lab at Foster and Jones, emerged from the place he’d stuffed them long ago, complete with a self-absorbed eye roll and all.

  “William, I’m proud of you, son. Just remember, a career is great. But don’t let it define you. Don’t let it become your god. Priorities, son. Remember your priorities.”

  He never had understood his father’s words. Of course his career defined him. He was William, project engineer. Then William, lab manager. Then William, VP of Product Development. And now, twelve short years later, William, CEO.

  Today though, as he faced losing it all, that title wasn’t as important as the job in front of him. He wanted more than anything in the world to protect the sweet woman who had, in some odd twist of fate, stolen every shred of his heart.

  He put a finger beneath Hanna’s chin and lifted her gaze to meet his. “No. Like making sure you’re all right. You’re what’s important right now.”

  Her forehead wrinkled in a combination of confusion and pain. “But William, we—”

  The limo door opened and a policeman appeared. “Everyone all right in here?”

  Will glanced at Hanna. “We’re fine, although she hit her head pretty good, so I’d like to have her checked out.”

  The officer took a quick inventory of the scene. “Sir, come with me. I’ll have a paramedic see to the lady.”

  Well, at least the man didn’t seem to know who they were. That was a plus.

  William traded spots with an EMT and followed the policeman.

  Outside the limo, he had a better idea of what happened. They were in the middle of a major intersection, and all traffic was being routed around the wreck. A blue SUV had plowed into the front passenger side of the limo. Given the ambulance leaving, Will guessed the driver was already on the way to the hospital.

  The officer escorted him to the back of a squad car and peppered him with questions.

  Will complied, telling the little he knew, conveniently glossing over “what” they had been doing in the back of the limo. After all, making out with one’s fiancée wasn’t a crime.

  After Will gave him all the information, the officer ripped off a piece of paper and handed it to him.

  Scanning the paper, he frowned. “What’s this?”

  “A citation for not wearing a seat belt.”

  Anger burned in his throat. This day had been crazy enough, he didn’t need some ego-ridden cop to make it worse. He crumpled up the ticket and threw it on the ground then pointed a finger at the cop’s chest. “That’s crazy, and you know it. We were in a limo. No one wears a seat belt in a limo.”

  The officer rested his hand on his holster. “Doesn’t matter. They require seat belts just like every other on-road vehicle. And I suggest you keep your hands to yourself, sir, unless you’d like to be arrested for assaulting an officer.”

  Oh, that’d just make it a fine end to his day, indeed. But the words were like being doused with cold water. He let out his hot breath, snagged the ticket from the ground, and shoved it in his pocket. “What about Hanna?”

  The cop crossed his arms over his chest and took on a classic “are you really going to argue with an officer” stance, feet spread apart and all. “I think everything she’s been through is punishment enough, don’t you?”

  So the policeman did know who they were. And was obviously in Hanna’s camp.

  Or at least, had a wife who was and intended to earn a few brownie points today.

  Will opened his mouth to argue, but the policeman stared him down and then jerked his head to the right. “Tow truck is coming. Stay here until the EMT is done with your friend. I’ll be back.”

  The paramedic escorted Hanna over to him a few minutes later, pronouncing her just fine except a nice egg on her forehead. A little ice would bring the swelling down.

  Hanna hugged her arms around her body. “How are we going to get anywhere now? Can you call a cab?”

  “
Actually, we were almost to my place. It’s just a block north. If you’re up to it, we can just walk when they let us go.”

  She glanced around. “You do realize there are people staring and taking pictures, right?”

  He hadn’t. But now as he focused, they were drawing a crowd. And most all of them had camera phones pointed in their direction.

  Will’s condo was swanky.

  Like, “hey, let’s hang money from the ceiling and use hundred-dollar bills as carpet” kind of swanky. He might as well have done so given the gleaming hardwood floors laid in intricate patterns. They had to cost a fortune.

  Hanna almost didn’t want to set her purse down for fear of breaking or smudging something.

  No money hanging from the ceiling was possible though, since the entire living room and kitchen were open to a two-story window view of downtown Nashville. A white spiral staircase, something she’d only seen in movies, led the way to what she assumed were bedrooms.

  Will shut the massive double wood door behind him and walked directly to the kitchen. He opened the fridge, a fancy contraption that wasn’t the expensive stainless steel she would have expected but instead the same dark walnut front as the cabinet. “You thirsty?”

  She shook her head and walked to the window, trying to appear calm in the midst of such extreme opulence. She’d known Will was wealthy. Teased him about it incessantly.

  And she’d had her own taste at being spoiled while on The Price of Love. But that had been temporary. Like a really long vacation on someone else’s bill to places she’d never be able to afford on her own.

  This was different. This was Will’s everyday life.

  Her everyday life had been a classroom full of cute five-year-olds and was now a hay farm in Northern Minnesota. In a farmhouse that creaked every time you walked, decorated with Nanna’s doilies and Mom’s love of all things ruffles and lace. It was hauling firewood on cold nights to keep the wood-burning furnace going. Normal was shopping at Walmart for jeans and all but living in a Vikings sweatshirt or a pullover sweater for six to eight months out of the year. And digging into her own savings a few times a year because Dad couldn’t make the bills, even though she paid him rent monthly.