Hired Bride

by Noelle Adams

She blinked in surprise, but was too rattled to ask for an explanation. She reached into her purse. “Not much. I always use my debit card—oh, here, I have a ten.”

  “Give it to me.”

  She handed him the bill, her eyes wide with confusion.

  “Okay.” His expression was purely professional, but there was the slightest twitch of amusement at the corner of his fine mouth. “You’ve now paid for my legal services. I’m your lawyer. Tell me what kind of a mess you’ve gotten yourself into. It’s all protected, so I won’t tell anyone.”

  Ridiculously relieved, Deanna told him the situation as succinctly as she could.

  He was impressively cool through her explanation. His eyebrows only lifted slightly.

  “I know it’s crazy,” she concluded.

  He studied her closely with lovely chocolate brown eyes. “You really want to do this?”

  She nodded. “I get that you might not understand, but I want to do this…for my grandmother.”

  He nodded, no amusement at all in his face. “I do understand. I’ve done crazy things to—out of family loyalty. Just…”

  “Just what?”

  “You just want to make sure that you’re not being pressured to do the wrong thing. That’s happened to me before, and not even family loyalty is worth it.”

  Deanna saw he was serious, and she took a minute to reflect honestly with herself. This was strange. It was awkward. But it didn’t feel like the wrong thing. “I don’t think it’s wrong. Just…weird.”

  He nodded. “Okay then. Weird, I understand too. No need to justify your choices to me. We’ll just make sure the contract is as good for you as it is for him.”

  She smiled up at him, almost in tears of relief and a surge of hope that they could make this contract work for her and her family.

  “Oh, you and your wife had a baby recently, didn’t you?” she said, suddenly remembering a detail she’d heard in some gossip column.

  He almost smiled. “We did. After we finish up here, I’ll show you pictures. For now, let’s just get this done.”

  Three

  Mitchell wasn’t expecting to see Harrison Damon at the contract meeting, and he wasn’t pleased about it.

  At all.

  He was fine with Deanna bringing an attorney to the proceedings—it made sense, and it wasn’t like he wanted her to be taken advantage of—but Damon was different. Damon was a master.

  Mitchell had a great business mind, and he had two excellent attorneys with him, but he was going to have to be very careful now that he didn’t end up getting the short end of the stick.

  This was his idea. He wasn’t going to let Damon twist it around to disadvantage him.

  He was brewing with attention and adrenalin as Damon and Deanna sat down across the conference table from him. He was so distracted that he barely noticed how pretty and guarded Deanna looked in her slightly old-fashioned skirt and gray top.

  He introduced himself to Damon, although they’d met briefly a couple of years ago through a mutual business associate.

  Damon seemed to remember him, which was a relief. Mitchell’s business was peanuts compared to the multi-billionaire dollar Damon Enterprises, but Mitchell didn’t like to think about himself as forgettable.

  He gave them both a casual smile that he knew put people off-guard. “This should be pretty simple and straightforward. We just need to iron out a few details.”

  “Of course,” Deanna said with a smile of her own, although hers looked rather nervous—as if he was a big bad monster about to devour her.

  Mitchell didn’t think about himself as a monster, and he didn’t appreciate the fact that she clearly believed he was out to get her.

  He hid his reaction, however, maintaining the warm smile. He slid a piece of paper over to Deanna. “Here are the terms we’d discussed on Saturday. If we agree to these, then it’s just some fine-tuning.”

  Damon moved the sheet of paper over so he could see it.

  “Six months from the wedding date?” he asked after a moment.

  “That’s what I’d assumed,” Mitchell said, relieved the first comment was so unimportant. “But I’m flexible on that, if Deanna wants something different.”

  “That’s fine. We’re going to get married quickly, right?” she asked. “I don’t want to drag this thing out too long.”

  Mitchell was completely of the same mind and was relieved she didn’t want a huge elaborate ceremony that would take months to plan. “We can get married as early as you’d like. Within the next two weeks, if that’s good for you. What about the 16th?”

  He’d already penciled in the wedding for the 16th and scheduled out his next six months, but he would rather give in to that than other issues that would cost him more.

  “That works for me,” Deanna said, looking relieved. Maybe she’d also been afraid he wanted some sort of big hoopla for the wedding. “Just a quick thing at the courthouse or something?”

  Mitchell nodded. “Sounds perfect.”

  Damon had been taking a few notes on the piece of paper as they talked. Mitchell tried not to peer too closely, but it looked like he was doing math equations, which wasn’t promising.

  Mitchell didn’t want to start quibbling about money.

  “Since you want the world to believe we’re married, I assume you want me to go out in public and act as your wife,” Deanna said, not paying attention to whatever notes Damon was taking. “Maybe we can work out what that will look like.”

  Mitchell smiled, pleased when she smiled back at him. She seemed easy-going enough, and she responded to his attempts to be friendly. He didn’t think working with her should be too difficult. “Of course. I don’t think it has to be burdensome. Maybe we can agree to go to one public function together a week? I don’t keep up a very active society life, so you won’t have to be dragged around too often.”

  “Yes, that’s fine.”

  “And you’ll go with her to one public function a week as well, I assume?” Damon asked, not even looking up from his piece of paper.

  Mitchell felt a shiver of annoyance toward the other man’s evident distraction, even though he knew it was just part of a strategy Damon had seen work in business dealings in the past.

  He cleared his throat. “I’d be happy to reciprocate, but what kind of public functions do you need to attend?” She didn’t seem to be a party animal, and she worked as a receptionist, which wouldn’t have a lot of social obligations.

  “Well,” she said, dropping her eyes as if she were embarrassed, “I know Grandmama would like us to go to church.”

  Mitchell froze. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  He hadn’t been to church since he was eight years old.

  Deanna lifted her eyes and met his, suddenly looking not shy at all. The look was almost a challenge.

  “It seems reasonable,” Damon said calmly. “One public function each a week—whatever it happens to be.”

  “Fine,” Mitchell said, shaking his head at the idea of attending church for the next six months. “I’ll just need to know in advance. My schedule is pretty tight, so you can’t wake up one morning and spontaneously plan a social outing.”

  Deanna’s silvery green eyes narrowed slightly. “Understood. And the same goes for you, I assume.”

  “Naturally.” He didn’t look away from the challenge in her eyes.

  There was a long pause as they both stared at each other. Finally, she looked away, and it felt to Mitchell like a victory.

  Maybe she was used to manipulating men with her gorgeous eyes and her mild manner, but she would definitely find he wasn’t a pushover.

  “Okay,” Damon said, into the silence. “I have a few questions about these numbers.”

  As Mitchell had feared, Damon’s questions turned into concerns, which turned into objections, until the final financial arrangements were much higher than he’d anticipated.

  He would pay to restore the old house, up to a certain amount which seemed entirel
y exorbitant to Mitchell. But then he would also have to match her salary for a year, since she would need to give up her job for the six months they were married so she could travel with him when necessary, and then it might take her a while to find another job afterwards.

  Mitchell couldn’t imagine it would take her six months to find another job as a receptionist, but he somehow found himself agreeing to the terms anyway.

  He would pay for her lifestyle, of course, but he managed to insist on a monthly allowance, rather than just giving her a credit card.

  She didn’t seem to be a big spender, but then she’d never had money before. Who knew what would happen when she started to shop?

  Finally, they’d worked through all of the terms Mitchell could think of. The contract was not at all what he’d anticipated it would be, but he could live with it.

  It would be worth it if his mother could finally get her restaurant back.

  “All right then,” he said, leaning back in his chair and feeling almost exhausted from the negotiations. He gave Deanna a cool look. “Is that it then?”

  “I think so.” She looked over at Damon with a trust in her eyes that she’d never shown to Mitchell.

  He suddenly wondered if they might be having an affair. He’d always heard Damon was a family man and devoted to his wife, but that could be all talk. Why else would the very busy man fly out of his way to take on such a strange little contract negotiation?

  Mitchell didn’t like the idea at all. Deanna could sleep with whomever she liked, right up to the time they got married. But then she’d better stop.

  As if he’d read his mind, Damon said, “You better talk about sex.”

  Deanna gave an audible intake of breath, and Mitchell raised his eyebrows.

  “Seriously,” Damon said, all business, despite the topic of conversation. “You need to work it out beforehand.”

  “Well, we’re not going to have sex, are we?” Deanna asked, her gaze moving from Damon to Mitchell. “I mean, we don’t even…know each other.”

  “But you’ll get to know each other. What if you decide you want to later on?”

  Deanna looked faintly disgusted, which wasn’t at all flattering. “I…I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

  “We’ll have sex if we both want to, and we won’t if one or both of us don’t. I don’t think that’s too hard to work out.” Mitchell gave Damon a cold look, since the other man was just being difficult now.

  “All right. But what about sex outside the marriage?”

  “We’re not going to have sex outside the marriage, are we?” Deanna said, her eyes very wide now. “I mean, it might just be a business arrangement, but I’m not going to be part of a marriage of any kind where there is cheating.”

  Mitchell cursed himself for not thinking of something so obvious before. He knew Deanna looked at marriage differently than he did. Where the hell had his mind been? “It wouldn’t be cheating if it’s agreed upon beforehand,” he said gently.

  “No.” Deanna’s shoulders were stiff and her graceful neck very high. She obviously took this very seriously, which wasn’t surprising, given how old-fashioned she was. “If you’re planning to have sex with anyone else while we’re married, then there won’t be a marriage at all. That’s a deal-breaker for me.”

  “But you’re not willing to have sex with me?”

  “I don’t foresee it happening, no. So just decide whether getting this restaurant is worth going six months without sex.”

  Mitchell was angry now—since her terms were entirely unreasonable. He hadn’t gone six months without sex since he was a teenager.

  But he pulled back his reaction as his mind worked quickly. He wouldn’t have to go six months without sex. He was good with women. Deanna seemed to respond to him well enough when they weren’t in negotiations. She’d been attracted to him when she’d first seen him at the party. He wasn’t blind to that fact.

  So he agreed to the terms and let Damon take the lead in fine-tuning the language.

  He wouldn’t be going six months without sex. He’d get Deanna into his bed soon enough.

  ***

  “You look beautiful,” Kelly said, sitting on the bed in Deanna’s room and watching as her sister got ready for the engagement party.

  “Thanks,” Deanna sighed, staring at herself in the mirror. She did look really nice in the new dark red, knee length dress that showed more cleavage than she was used to. It was the most expensive dress she’d ever owned—bought with Mitchell’s money—and it felt strange against her skin.

  It didn’t feel quite like her. None of this did.

  “You might as well enjoy the new clothes and everything,” Kelly said, as practical and no-nonsense as ever. “Just think of it as a six-month long job, and the clothes are all part of the uniform.”

  “Yeah. That’s what I keep telling myself. This is just a business deal. Nothing to worry about.”

  “That should work, as long as you both look at it that way. Grandmama is in seventh heaven, of course.” Kelly paused. “Why do you look worried?”

  “I don’t know. It’s just that sometimes I can’t help thinking it’s a marriage—not a business deal.”

  “Yeah. There is that.”

  Deanna forced herself out of her mood, pushing aside the lingering doubts and fears. They’d worked out a very good contract, thanks to Harrison’s expert help, so she didn’t have any worries in that regard.

  This was just a job. She was being paid to go through the motions. None of it really compromised who she was. She might as well make the best of it.

  “I still wish I could go to the party, though,” Kelly added.

  “I don’t want you there,” Deanna said baldly, knowing she could speak that way with Kelly without hurting her feelings. “It already feels like a lie, and it would feel more like that if you or Rose were there.”

  “Fine.” Kelly sighed and slumped back against the pillows. “So what is he like?”

  “Who?”

  “Who do you think? Mitchell.”

  “Oh.” Deanna felt a flush that was entirely unreasonable. There was no reason to feel self-conscious at the thought of him—even though he was going to be her husband.

  Yes, he was the most attractive man she’d ever met, and he had a kind of compelling quality that drew people—drew her—like a magnet.

  But he was also rather self-centered. If she hadn’t suspected it before, then she would know it for sure when he wanted to arrange a way for him to have sex with other women while they were married.

  She could never be happy with a man who looked at marriage so trivially.

  He was a business partner. Nothing else. She would do what she needed to do to get along with him so things would go smoothly, but she wasn’t going to let herself like him.

  Somehow, she was sure that would be a mistake.

  She finally answered her sister. “He’s not my kind of guy at all, but I think I can live with him.”

  ***

  Their engagement party was a dinner in the private dining room of Mitchell’s hotel, the Claremont.

  Since their marriage was going to be private, he’d insisted on the engagement party, since otherwise people would suspect that something was strange about the marriage.

  The guest list was mostly his friends and business associates—most notably the Fentons, who were the people he most needed to convince.

  But his sister was there, and Deanna’s grandmother and a few of her friends were there as well.

  Deanna went through the motions in a kind of daze through the introductions and the meal, keeping a smile on her face that felt faker and faker.

  Things would be easier once she got used to it, but right now she felt like some kind of alien who had landed on the wrong planet.

  After the meal, people lingered to chat and laugh, and Deanna got cornered by Mitchell’s sister, Brie.

  Brie looked a lot like her brother—dark hair, gray eyes, classic features,
tall build. She had the same warm, charismatic smile, and hers came across as entirely genuine.

  “Mitchell told me what’s really going on,” she said, almost without prelude. She was smiling, but her eyes searched Deanna’s face carefully. “It sounds crazy to me.”

  “It is crazy,” Deanna agreed, speaking very softly so no one would overhear. “But it seems to work out for both of us.”

  “You’re not being bullied into it, are you?”

  “No. Of course, not. Why would you say that?”

  “Because it sounded like it was mostly your grandmother’s idea and Mitchell’s. And I just wanted to make sure you’re okay with it all. Mitchell is a great guy—he really is—but when he gets an idea between his teeth, nothing will make him let it go. And he’s got this idea to get Mom back the restaurant, and—“

  “Wait a minute,” Deanna broke in, her curiosity immediately prompted. “The restaurant is for your mom?”

  “Of course.” Brie looked surprised. “Didn’t you know that? Why do you think he’s going to such great lengths here? My mom started as a cook at the Darlington Café—almost forty years ago now. She was the one who made it such a success. She poured her heart and soul into it. But then the owner sold it to the Fentons, and she lost her job. Mitchell is on this mission to get it back for her.”

  Deanna felt a swell of feeling, her eyes resting on Mitchell across the room. He was talking to one of his friends, looking as casual and insouciant as ever.

  But he loved his mother. He loved her so much that he was doing this ridiculous thing to make her happy.

  He might be cool and distanced and kind of arrogant, but Lucy Damon had been right. He loved his mother.

  That went a long way for Deanna.

  “Didn’t you know that?” Brie asked again, evidently seeing something in Deanna’s expression. “Why did you think he was doing this?”

  “I don’t know. I thought it was just a business deal. I thought…” She trailed off. “I’m glad to know,” she said with a smile. “His mother isn’t here tonight?”

  Brie smiled back, and Deanna felt like they’d made a real connection. They were around the same age. Maybe they could even be friends. “No. She lives in Florida with my aunt. He’s not telling her about the marriage yet because she’d figure out why he was doing it and get upset. He wants to surprise her with the restaurant after it’s over.”