by Hope Moore
The man had been drinking and thinking and she’d finally asked him again whether he needed anything to eat. He’d hardly looked at her, he was so deep in thought.
“Pancakes are great,” she’d finally offered on his third refill. “Bacon is thick and Pete is a master at frying it. I’ll order you some, okay?”
The man didn’t look hungry, so why she was pushing food on him, she wasn’t certain. No, it was easy to see that the man wasn’t starving. He filled out his starched shirt and starched jeans too well to be starving. He had thick, firm muscles, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist to go with strong, long, jean-clad legs. He looked about as healthy as a man could be—not that she was noticing.
Or had the heart for it, she reminded herself now as she approached with the pancakes.
He smiled a distracted smile as she set them down in front of him. Maybe he, too, had lost someone he loved. The thought had her heart clenching and aching, not wishing that on anyone.
“Here you go. I promise you, you’re going to like them. They may even put a smile on your face. A genuine smile. I’ll get you more coffee.”
“Thanks.” He focused on her as if looking at her for the first time. “What’s your name?”
She had forgotten to wear her name tag today. “Allie. What’s yours?” Why did she ask him that? She didn’t ask people their information if she could sidestep it. She didn’t get friendly with the customers here. No, they hit on her too much and she wasn’t having any of that. She came to work alone and she left alone.
“The name is Wade…Wade McCoy. Nice to meet you, Allie. I’m sorry if I was rude or seemed to be brushing you off. I didn’t mean it. These pancakes smell delicious, and so does the bacon. Just like you said.”
“Oh no, you weren’t. Wait till you taste them.” He was polite, even distracted as he was. She smiled and went to get the coffee. She glanced over her shoulder. Something just wasn’t right about the guy. She watched him rub his temple, and then he picked up his fork and knife, cut into the pancakes, and took a bite. He set his fork and knife down and stared out the window again.
She carried the carafe back across the diner. It was fairly quiet in the diner now. The few who were there had their food and drinks and were busy eating. Maybe that’s why she was preoccupied with him—because she finally had a moment to breathe.
He was still staring out the window when she poured his coffee, the pancakes forgotten.
“Is everything all right?” she asked, concern overriding her good sense. “I can’t help but notice that you just look like something’s wrong.”
He pushed the plate away from him and watched as she filled the coffee mug again.
“Have you ever felt like you were failing everybody who was counting on you?”
His words were heavy and struck her heart like direct hits. He looked up at her as he asked the question, and she was caught by the deep blue of his eyes. They seemed to drill into her, and they were right on target with what she felt deep inside her heart.
“Every day of my life,” she said. “It’s not a good way to feel. Is that what’s wrong with you?”
His brow creased and his jaw clenched. “You feel that way? I’m sorry if you do. It’s most definitely not a good way to feel.”
She swallowed hard. The lump formed in her throat, and the knot caused her heart to ache. “No, it’s not, and I’m real sorry you feel that way. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy, to tell you the truth. But you just don’t look like somebody who would fail people. I mean, me…I totally get it, but you look very capable.”
“I could say the same thing about you. I don’t know what makes you feel like you’re failing people around you, but I am on the verge of losing everything that ever meant anything to my granddaddy and despite my best intentions, I haven’t done what I need to do to prevent it from happening.”
“Well, that’s just terrible. I mean, you can’t do anything about it?”
“Well, I could have, but it’s pretty much too late. I had three months, but the deadline runs out in three days and what I need to do was impossible to do in three months. I was determined to do it but I couldn’t go through with it. Now, three days? No way. For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m defeated, and I don’t like it.”
She felt for him. Whatever it was that was bothering him was eating him up. Feeling like you were failing those you loved didn’t sit right with her either. They had that in common. She didn’t feel as if she were talking to a stranger, but she felt as if she were talking to a friend. “I wish there was something I could do to help you.”
He gave a bittersweet laugh. “Allie, there is nothing you can do. Unless, of course, you wanted to marry a total stranger for a big paycheck. Because that’s what I need. I need a temporary wife, and I need her before the end of three days.”
Stunned, she stared at him, unsure she’d just heard him correctly. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had heard of things like this, seen it in a lot of romance movies and romance books, but had she ever met anyone who really needed to get married like that? Marry a total stranger? No, she never had.
She swallowed hard and tried to still her rapidly pounding heart. “W-why do you have to get married in three days, and what do you lose if you don’t?”
He heaved a resigned sigh. “My granddaddy stipulated it in his will, and he had his reasons, though I have to say I question them. But he gave me three months after he died to get married, or else I lose everything—I lose the ranch, I lose the legacy, I lose it all. All that I’ve helped him build with my own sweat and hard work. And love. And the bad thing is, my brothers’ inheritance relies on me getting married and fulfilling my end of the bargain. So, it all rests on my shoulders. And it’s not going to happen. I’ve failed.” He took a drink of his coffee, closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
She studied him. Her heart beat a triple-time rhythm now, and her palms were hot and clammy. She swallowed hard. Could this really be happening? “Wade.” She set the coffee carafe down as she slid into the seat across the table from him.
He opened his eyes and his brows creased as he saw her sitting across from him. “What’s wrong?”
“Wade, what…what does the woman who marries you get out of the bargain if you were to find someone who would marry you in three days so you could save your legacy and help you make your grandpa proud?” Hadn’t he said something about a big paycheck?
He sat up straight now. His eyes narrowed and his jaw hardened. “Well, Granddaddy left her a little something. Actually, a big something, with several zeroes behind it. Why? Why are you asking me that?” He sounded oddly both wary and hopeful.
Allie’s heart thundered. She took a deep breath and ran her damp palms over the skirt of her uniform as she stared at him. “Because, well, my mama, she’s…she’s in the hospital. And needs to be transferred to a rehab center right now. But they need a payment and I don’t have it yet.” She fought off the lump in her chest. “Two months ago, my mom and my dad were in a terrible car wreck, and my dad…we lost him. My mama was hurt really bad and she needs constant care in a facility right now. She is in a coma, and they don’t know when or if she’ll come out of it. Insurance won’t pay for all of her needs and I don’t have the money for the best care for her. I’m working every extra shift I can but I’m at my wit’s end on what I’ll do. She’ll go to a facility but not the one she needs the most. So, I was just wondering what exactly I would get if I agreed to marry you and help you save your legacy?”
Wade stared at her with sympathy. “I’m sorry about your dad. That’s not long after I lost my granddaddy. Grief is ridiculous. It’s just awful, and I’m so sorry. I’m real sorry about your mama, too. I can tell you that if you agree to marry me within three days, and then stay married to me for at least three months, I’ll make sure your mama gets what she needs, even if my granddaddy’s legacy isn’t enough to pay for what she’s going through, because I’m pretty sure th
at your bills are high.”
She couldn’t believe she had asked him that. She couldn’t believe she was about to do this. But she was, because this serious-eyed, handsome cowboy was the answer to her prayers.
She took a deep breath and met his eyes with a steady gaze that took all her willpower to maintain. “Then, if that’s the case, Wade McCoy, you’ve got yourself a bride—or should I say a wife—if you want one. If I’ll do?”
His expression slackened, his nice mouth parted slightly, and his brow, already creased, deepened. Then, as if seeing the certainty in her eyes, he nodded and held out his hand. “You’ll certainly do,” he drawled, even slower than before as those amazing eyes held hers.
Was this real? Was she being conned?
A shiver raced through her and she almost told him she’d made a mistake. Couldn’t go through with it.
But the words didn’t come. Instead, she hoped with all her heart it worked, hoped it was real because this was the best option that she had.
It was the only option she had.
Chapter Two
Wade couldn’t believe this was happening. She was a waitress at a truck stop outside of Tyler, and she was offering to marry him.
The day he had learned about the stipulations in his granddaddy’s will, he had been determined that he wouldn’t let the family down. He had three months to find a wife and to stay married for three months. His granddaddy liked the three-month deadline. Why three months? He had no idea, but thank goodness it wasn’t six months or a year to stay married.
He’d been determined to find someone to go along with the scheme—marry him for three months and then get a nice fat reward package at the end. He’d thought he could go through with it like his granddaddy wanted. He’d get married and then at the end of the three-month term, they’d get a divorce. Simple and easy. She’d get her money and he’d regain his freedom and his ranch. The problem was, he hadn’t found anyone willing to go along with the scheme. Well, he had found a few but then he’d not been able to go through with the offer…just hadn’t been able to force himself to finalize the deal. And now he was on the verge of letting his entire family down, including his granddaddy with his crazy idea.
He’d stopped by this truck stop, blurry-eyed and depressed, trying to figure out what he was going to do. And now this sweet-looking, soft-spoken waitress was offering to take him up on this offer. She had a tragic story and was obviously desperate.
“You’re seriously considering this?” he asked, feeling her desperation and feeling bad about even considering taking advantage of her desperation. But she wanted to do it and he had too much to gain to wimp out now. It was just so crazy. His granddaddy knew him, knew he wouldn’t take kindly to being forced into doing something. But Wade knew this was a desperate act on Granddaddy’s part because he wanted great-grandchildren on the ranch. Sadly, his granddaddy wanted this to save his legacy, but it wasn’t going to do that. Wade wasn’t going to stay married. He wasn’t going to have children with whomever he married because of this will. But if he could marry someone, save the ranch, then he and she go their separate ways at the end of the ninety days, everything would be fine. And for the first time since he’d started looking for a short-term bride he felt he could go through with it. He felt compelled to go through with it.
Short-term.
Maybe one of his brothers would marry and carry the legacy on.
He watched her toy with the napkin in her hand that had been on the table for whoever sat on that side of the booth. Her pink tongue darted out and she licked her lips. She was nervous as she looked at him with worried eyes.
“Well, it is a strange proposition, but yes…I think I could do that. If you’re sure that at the end of three months it would be over and there’s nothing romantic involved. I hate to say it, but the money is what I’m looking at. I could use that money desperately.”
He reminded himself that he wasn’t taking advantage of her. This was mutually beneficial for both of them. He could just give her the money and not the deal, but this wasn’t just about him. It was about his brothers, too. Despite them telling him to not do it.
If he gave her the money and they didn’t get married in three days, all his bank accounts would be frozen and he was going to have to start from scratch. That wasn’t right. He had helped build that ranch. They had been partners, he thought. He had been there most of his life and had worked hard, put his blood and sweat into the place, and then he had put his education to work on it, too and the ranch was stronger because of him.
Reaching out, he covered her hand with his. “Allie, I know I just met you and that this is crazy…believe me, I believe it’s crazy too, and I may be able to tell you the whole story later on, but not right now…yeah, the basics are just what you stated. We get married before Thursday, which would be the end of my three-month deadline to find a wife, and then I inherit my ranch and everything that comes with it as long as you stick with me for three months. No romance involved. You don’t have to worry about that. You’ll have your own room. Well, stipulations in the fine print of the will say we have to share a room, but you’ll have your own room. Nobody else has to know about it. And, well, at the end of three months, we will go our separate ways and you will be taken care of, even if it’s above and beyond what Granddaddy put in the will, which is very generous. There is a prenuptial agreement but it will be well worth your time.”
She looked resolved, her big blue eyes bright with what he thought were threatening tears.
“Then I’m going to do this.” Her voice wobbled. “You might not realize this, but you’re an answered prayer for me. I’ve been worrying, I’ve been sick worrying and working so many hours with the knowledge that I’m not going to be able to make payments and get my mama the help she needs. So, I’ll marry you. But I’m going to have to have some of that money upfront because I have a deadline, too. Monday, to be exact.”
He was doing this. She needed him. “You’ve got a deal.” He gently squeezed her hands, only then realizing he was still covering her hands with his. Her hand was warm and trembled. He felt the nervousness strumming through her. The need to protect her seized him. As he gently squeezed her hand, her deep blue eyes grew misty with tears.
“Thank you, Wade. Thank you. So, now what?”
From the back of the diner, the cook yelled out, “Order up!”
She sprang to her feet. “I have to go. I have to finish this shift. They’re short-handed. Can you stick around? Can we meet tomorrow and figure this out?”
He stood. “Yeah, I’ll find a room for the night and I’ll meet you at the courthouse. Is there someplace near there where we can go over everything?”
“There is a park next to the courthouse. We could meet there.”
“I’ll be there and if you still want to go through with it, I’ll get a marriage license.”
She agreed, and then he watched her hurry toward the back. “Allie,” he called, and she spun around back toward him. “I hope this eases your mind. I promise it’s going to be okay.”
She gave a smile that sent a zing of electricity through him. She had a beautiful smile.
“I actually believe you. I’ll be there. Is eight o’clock good?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. And, Wade, I promise you, you won’t be sorry. I’m not a quack. I just need the money. I won’t give you any trouble.”
He smiled at her, trying to reassure her because he could tell she was a ball of nerves. “And Allie, I give you my word that I won’t give you any trouble either. You’re in good hands, I promise. I’ll be forever thankful to you.”
They stared at each other, and he realized that those big blue eyes of hers were about the prettiest thing he ever did see, maybe just because she was doing him such a huge favor. At least, he decided as he walked out of the truck stop, he’d have something real pretty to look at for the next three months. That, at least, was a plus.
As he reached the parking lot, he looked
up at the dark-blue sky and a sense of relief came over him. “Granddaddy, I don’t know what you’re up to, but this is going to happen. I’m not going to let you down. I sure hope somewhere along the way you tell me why in the Sam Hill you’re putting me through this. I thought I was going to lose everything. I hope you’re smiling up there now.” With that, he got in his truck and headed down the road toward the hotel he had spotted from the highway. Tomorrow was the start of a new day.
Allie couldn’t sleep. She was too excited and nervous, and she thought she was going to throw up, but she didn’t. She got up and dressed early and looked around her little apartment and wondered what she was supposed to do next. Did she pack? Wherever she was going—she didn’t even know where she was going. This was crazy. She calmed her nerves. She might be crazy, but this was her only chance of helping her mom, and she would do anything to help her mom. She thought about her poor daddy and having lost him, and the pain that she had felt, and then the knowledge that she didn’t have him to rely on anymore. She relied completely on herself.
She would figure it out. She had to figure it out.
First, she better call Ginny. She was toast. Who was she kidding—when her best friend found out what she was planning…she was burnt toast. She picked up the phone and dialed her number.
“Hello.” Ginny sounded as if she’d barely woke up.
“Ginny, are you awake?” she asked, despite the obvious.
“Yeah. I answered the phone, didn’t I?” Ginny groaned into the phone. She was also a waitress at a diner in town, and she worked late. “Girl, what time is it?”