The Star's Fake Marriage
Page 12
She’d decided to stay out of the show. Winning the sandcastle contest was enough for her, and after feeling letdown, she just didn’t care about winning anymore. Along with her mom and dad, she’d worked all afternoon to get the deck stage-ready, and Callie had to admit it did look pretty snazzy.
“The tea lights do add something, Mom,” Callie said.
They’d gone into town earlier in the day for another fitting and stopped by a little shop to pick up a few things. They’d been on clearance.
Her mom beamed. “Well, thank you. I like the soft light. The glow makes it feel like we’re surrounded by lightning bugs.”
Callie smiled. “You’re right; it does.”
“Okay, I’m going to go check on Grandma. You two finish up, and when we get back, it’ll be time for the show,” Clementine said, wiping her hands down her jeans before kissing Francis and stepping into the house.
Her dad smiled after her and then resumed his duties of sweeping off sand and debris that had gathered over the last couple of days.
“Your mom tells me you don’t have your CPA license.”
He didn’t waste time, did he? She stopped and faced her dad. “I don’t. I didn’t want it.”
“You know how I feel about lying, Callie.” He pierced her with a quick look without stopping his work.
She nodded. “I know, but…every time I tried to tell her, she’d talk over me. She wouldn’t listen. According to her, I was going to move home and take over the firm. It didn’t matter what I said or how I said it; it was like she was deaf. I thought the only way to fix it was to not get my license.”
“I’ll give you that. Once your mom gets a notion in her head, she’s not easily changed. But lying? You’re better than that, Cal.” He stopped sweeping and leaned on the broom handle.
This is what you got when your dad was a prosecutor. He could make a SEAL cry. “I know. I shouldn’t have done it.”
“She also tells me you made a deal.”
“I just wanted her to give Tucker a chance. I really am thinking about it, though.”
“Thinking you don’t want to be a CPA and take over your mom’s firm.” He laughed.
Callie laughed with him. “I didn’t say I’d think about it as in doing it. It wasn’t a lie.”
He rolled his eyes. “You really love him, don’t you? But you’ve loved him since college, am I right?”
Seriously? Her dad was a sneaky thing. Talking about lying and that she was better than that and then leading her to this? Oh, he was underhanded. “Dad.”
“Tell me I’m wrong.” He held her gaze. “Tell me I’m wrong, and I’ll never speak of it again.”
Her shoulders sagged. She was in a snare, and she knew it. “Yes, I…cared about him back in college,” she said. She wasn’t even willing to admit how she felt about him to herself, much less her dad. “Our lives were on different paths. He was so focused on his singing, and Mom was pushing me to be a CPA. It wasn’t the right time.”
“Does he know how you felt about him back then?”
Gulp. “Uh, well, that’s the past. We’re building a future.”
Her dad lifted a single eyebrow, telling her that answer wouldn’t fly.
“No, he doesn’t know. I didn’t want to hold him back.”
“Did he tell you that you would?”
She shook her head. “No, I felt that way.”
“Tell the truth.”
She bit her lower lip and debated. “I’ve never, ever, told anyone this, but his manager came to visit me one evening right after Tucker signed with him. He told me that if I really cared about him, I’d let him go. The world needed him, and it would be selfish to hold onto him. His songs were going to help a lot of people. He asked if I really wanted to stand in the way of that.”
“And he doesn’t know any of that?”
“No, and I don’t want him to. It would only make him feel bad, and we’re together now. Those years apart gave us time to grow as people. I wasn’t ready for a serious relationship back then, and neither was he.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Tucker asked as he stepped out of the kitchen and onto the deck.
Callie jumped and looked from him to her dad. “How long have you been standing there?” she asked Tucker.
“Long enough.”
Her dad cleared his throat. “Seems I’m finished here. Deck looks pretty good, if I do say so myself. I’m going to get cleaned up. See you two in a bit.” He smiled and nearly jogged into the house. Oh, she was so having a talk with him later. The buttinsky.
“My manager came to you?”
She fidgeted with her hands, trying to decide how much she should tell him. “Yeah, but it was okay. He thought we were dating. I assured him I wouldn’t hold you back.”
“Callie, I—”
Mary, Tabitha, and Vivian came running onto the deck, out of breath. “The deck looks great.”
“Uh, could I talk to Callie, please?” Tucker asked, keeping his eyes locked with Callie’s.
Callie pulled her gaze away and smiled. “It’s about showtime, huh?”
“Yep,” Mary said. “And I’m going to dance this time for sure.” She tugged on Tucker’s hand. “And he’ll be cheering me on.”
Tucker nodded and smiled. “Yep, I’ll be cheering you on.”
Callie started to dart into the house, and he caught her, putting his mouth to her ear. “This conversation isn’t over. I remember us dating.”
Her mouth slowly opened, but before she could respond, Vivian grabbed her and pulled her into the house. “Come on. Help me get Mary and Tabitha ready.”
They dragged her along with them as her mind raced. He’d remembered? And he hadn’t told her? Why? The only conclusion she could come to was that he’d never felt the same way about her, but he’d wanted to spare her feelings. But he’d been flirting with her. Kissing her. What was all that? Just his way of making sure she’d step in line and perform like she was supposed to?
Her heart pounded and ached. She’d been so stupid, letting herself get swept away by him. That flickering ember felt doused with ice water. Well, if he could use her, then she could use him. If that’s all she was, so be it.
Chapter 18
Tucker was so desperate to talk to Callie that it felt like time was moving at a snail’s pace. Each performance felt like it moved in slow motion. His manager had talked to her? Why didn’t she tell him then? Would he have listened?
At the time, anything and everything was pushed to the side for his singing career. After he broke ties with his first manager, Stacey had come into the picture. She’d been driven and focused too. With her guiding hand, he’d found fame and success…on stage. She wasn’t a bad person, but Tucker was a brand that needed expanding. He wasn’t a human being; he was a thing that needed promoting, and he’d gone right along with it. To the point that all he felt was emptiness.
Thoughts plagued him through his performance, but despite the chaos in his mind, he’d done well, singing one of the new songs he practiced during the day. One he’d written specifically for Georgia and Heath. It would need some more tweaking before it was good, but it must have been okay, because Georgia had begged him to sing it at her wedding when he was done.
Callie pulled him to the side and hugged him. “I can’t believe you wrote that for my sister. It was incredible.”
It’d been a long time since he cared what someone thought of one of his songs, but her appraisal and bright smile meant the world to him. “Yeah? You liked it?”
“I always thought you were great, and your voice has only gotten better.”
“Thanks,” he said as his gaze landed on Mary. He would’ve loved to try to talk to Callie right then, but Mary looked like she needed him.
Mary was supposed to go first, but each time, she’d shy away. Finally, her sister, the last act, finished her flute routine to a huge round of applause, and Tucker caught Vivian and Ethan trying to coax Mary to dance.
“I thi
nk I should go check on her.”
Callie followed his line of sight and squeezed his hand. “Me too.”
He kissed her cheek and then walked to Mary and her parents. “I’m sorry; I don’t mean to intrude.”
Vivian and Ethan sighed. “It’s okay. She doesn’t think she can do it. Ethan’s even offered to dance with her, but she won’t.”
“What if I dance with you?” Tucker asked Mary.
Mary looked up at him with her sweet little freckled face. “You’d dance with me?”
“How about this? You pretend like no one is here and teach me.”
The little girl grinned. “Okay.” She put her tiny hand in his and squeezed it. “I’ll do it.”
They walked onto the stage, and Mary froze. Tucker kneeled down and placed his hands on her arms. “Mary, look at me.”
For a second, her pale face stared at her on-looking family before turning her gaze to him.
“Keep your eyes on me. Don’t think about them or anything else. Just look at me. What do I do first?”
Her wide eyes stared at him a little longer before she said, “You stand like this.” She positioned herself in a typical ballerina-style stance.
With a little maneuvering and a few chuckles from Mary, he mimicked her. “Next?”
As the music started, Mary slowly started dancing, giving him instructions as she went. With each move, her confidence increased and her moves grew bolder. Without even realizing it, she began forgetting to teach Tucker, and she danced as he carefully slipped off stage.
As the music ended, Mary finished with a flourish and stood with her shoulders straight and her head high, smiling like she’d won a gold medal.
When the whole family erupted in cheers and applause, the little girl giggled. Her smile was so wide he was surprised her cheeks didn’t hurt. Her mom and dad gathered her in a hug, and Ethan ruffled her hair, getting a smack to the hand because he was messing up her ballerina hair.
Tucker loved it.
“Thank you so much,” Ethan said as he approached Tucker and shook his hand. “You made my little girl’s year.”
“Hey, it was all her. She’s a cutie.”
Vivian came over and hugged him, squeezing him before letting him go. “That was incredible. We’ve tried to dance with her, and she wouldn’t do it.” She wiped her eyes. “I can’t tell you what that meant to me.”
Tucker’s cheeks burned. They needed to stop. “Really, it’s okay. I enjoyed it. You’ve got a talented, cute little girl. Both girls are.”
“You’re a good guy, Tucker, and I’m glad you’re a part of this family now,” Vivian said.
He was too, and the longer he stayed, the more he wanted to be a real member of the family. “Thanks.”
Clementine, after loving on Mary, stood to the side and caught his gaze ever so often. He couldn’t gauge what she was thinking. Her face was a blank mask.
The talent show ended, and the vote to crown Mary winner was unanimous. Tucker hoped that it would help boost her confidence for next time. And while he was happy for Mary, he was glad the contest was over.
Once the celebrating—which included fix-your-own sundaes—and the wedding rehearsal were over, Tucker went up to the room in the hopes that Callie would follow him. Every time he tried to get her alone, either she’d duck away or someone would interrupt them.
A light knock came from the door, and he figured Callie just wanted to make sure he was decent. He went to the door and opened it, saying, “Callie, we―” Only it wasn’t Callie. “Mrs. Chapman? Is everything okay?”
Clementine stood at the door, looking every bit the prim Southern lady she was. “Everything’s fine, but I’d like to talk a minute while everyone’s distracted.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Tucker waived her into the room, leaving the door ajar just an inch. “What would you like to talk about?”
She held her head high, and her nose tilted ever so slightly toward the ceiling. “What you did for my granddaughter tonight…” She paused as she worked her jaw. “There aren’t enough words I can use to say thank you. It was selfless and sweet, and I’ve never been happier in my life to see my little Mary grin so wide.”
Tucker smiled. “It was my pleasure. Mary is a sweet little thing, and I hate to see her not happy.”
“Did Ethan tell you she was a preemie?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“When she was born, I could put my wedding band on her arm, like a cuff, and it was loose. There were weeks we thought she’d never make it out of the hospital. She’s struggled to fit in because she thinks different. People write her off sometimes because of that. So, to see her thriving tonight…well, I never thought I’d ever see her do that. And you gave that to her.”
“Really, Mrs. Chapman, it was nothing. I enjoyed doing it.”
She crossed the room and stopped in front of him. “I was wrong about you, and I owe you my deepest and sincerest apology. I thought Callie could do better, but you proved tonight that I was wrong. You’re the best she could have found, and I’m proud to welcome you to my family.”
Tucker was floored. “Uh, well…”
She suddenly hugged him. “Welcome to the family, sweetheart.” She let go and stepped back. “I don’t know what happened to you last year, but if something like that comes up again, you tell me.” Her lips pressed together tight, and a cold look crossed her features. “And I’ll take care of them for you.”
Tucker smiled. “I was told that once you liked me, you’d beat a preacher with a club if he messed with me.”
And something Tucker thought he’d never see happened. Clementine Chapman genuinely smiled. “Anyone messes with my family, and they’ll be lucky if all I use is a club.”
“Mom?” Callie walked through the door.
“I was telling Tucker thank you for helping Mary,” her mom said and walked to the door. “And about our deal? Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I’ll find someone good enough to take over.”
Callie jaw dropped. “What?”
“We’ll talk again later. For now, spend some time with your husband.”
“Oh, I was just coming in to tell him that Georgia wants all of us girls to go to Wilmington to a hotel so we can start her bachelorette party,” Callie said as she stuffed her clothes into her suitcase. “She’s got us nail, hair, and massage appointments, and she’s booked the Juniper for breakfast tomorrow for all the bridesmaids. We’ll be driving back before the wedding.”
Clementine huffed. “When did she do all that? And here everyone was giving me grief about my scheduling things. Now I need to hurry and pack. I always forget things when I’m in hurry.”
“I could really use a moment alone with you, Callie,” Tucker said. She was doing her best to avoid him, and he wasn’t going to let her.
Callie’s gaze moved from her mom to him and back. “I really should help my mom.”
Clementine waved her off. “Take five minutes and then come help me.” She smiled in Tucker’s direction. “I’m happy you found him.” With that, she floated out of the room, leaving them alone.
The tension in the room thickened as the silence drew out. Callie tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and laughed nervously. “I really should go help my mom. This last-minute stuff isn’t her strength.”
“Why are you running from me?” Tucker said. “I told you I remember us dating, and you’ve run ever since.”
“We were friends back then. We hung out. That’s all,” she said, her gaze landing everywhere but his face.
In two steps, he was standing directly in front of her. “Look me in the eyes and tell me that.”
Her chin tipped up, and their eyes locked. “Tucker, we have a contract, remember? We said we’d visit this after it wasn’t between us.”
“What if I don’t want to visit this after? What if I want to see what this is now?”
“Trust me, Tucker, you don’t.” Something flashed in her eyes, and she stepped back. “Let’s wait.”
A soft sigh escaped as he deepened the kiss. His hands left her face, trailing down her arms, and then he wrapped his arms around her, holding her as tightly as he could. A fire built in his gut and spread through his limbs. Her nearness, her lips, her skin…he wanted all of her.
She broke the kiss and touched her fingers to her lips as she stepped back. “I’m sorry. I have to go,” she said as she grabbed her suitcase and raced out of the room.
He rushed to the door, but he knew there was no reason to follow her. Didn’t she feel the chemistry? She was pressed against him so hard that there was no way she didn’t feel how fast his heart was beating. Was he wrong to think there was something between them?
Tucker shut the door, walked to the bed, and dropped onto the edge. He knew he had a contract, and he knew Derek would enforce it. But his heart? His heart was close to the cliff. How could he spend a year with someone he wanted to kiss and hold when the feeling wasn’t mutual? He put his head in his hands as the words to a song flitted into his mind.
Was he glad he was able to write again? Yeah, but the cost to his heart was a high price.
Chapter 19
The drive into Wilmington seemed to fly. Callie felt numb and tingly all at once. Tucker had kissed her like she was the only woman he’d ever want, and she’d run. Not because she wanted to, but because she was trying to keep from hurting him. Once the contract was over, he’d know everything, and then he could decide if they could be something or not. If he wasn’t too angry with her.
The talk with her dad had shaken her, and the more she thought about it, the more she didn’t want to be that person anymore. The one lying and hiding who she was. Not from her mom, her sisters, or anyone. She was who she was, and she needed to be happy with herself and for herself. Striving to be happy for someone else was never going to work.