by Vivian Arend
Her throat was tight. “Thanks.”
Lisa stood to offer a hug but slipped, vanishing from sight for a second. When she popped up, dripping wet and laughing, the seriousness melted away into a warm fuzzy feeling that lasted the rest of the evening.
The guys grabbed them from the spa, and while Julia ended up sitting next to Zach during dinner and the show, his company was comfortable and easy.
He leaned close a few times during the performance, whispering comments. She did the same, and with the sweet thought of friend wrapped around them, their connection was natural and fell into the just right category.
“Thank goodness my headache is gone,” she murmured in his ear after a particularly boisterous stage number.
“I hear you.” His smile flashed. “No more tequila for us?”
“No more tequila.” She held out her pinkie.
His snort was loud enough to draw attention from her sisters. Lisa shushed him with a wink.
Zach pressed a finger to his lips, but as soon as Lisa looked away, he leaned in again, his lips brushing Julia’s ear. “Wait until you meet my sister, Petra. She pinkie swears all the time.”
That’s a meeting that will never take place.
The thought sent Julia’s mind wandering for the rest of the show.
The pack of them finished the night with one final drink in Karen and Finn’s suite before Lisa and Josiah walked them down the hall to where Julia’s private room was, a few doors away from Zach’s.
“Sleep in if you want,” Josiah reminded her. “Our flight home isn’t until the afternoon, so I booked brunch for eleven-thirty, after checkout.”
“Sounds good. Night, all.” Julia offered a quick wave before slipping into the cool darkness. Their voices sounded in the hallway for a couple more minutes before fading away.
She wandered across to the window, staring out at the sparkling lights. It had turned out to be a fantastic day, and now she was ending it with a king-size bed all to herself and no alarm to wake her in the morning. What a treat.
The nightmare seemed to arrive only seconds after she’d turned out the lights and pulled the covers to her chin.
Waves rocked her, knocking her feet out from under her every time she attempted to escape. When her back hit the sand, the water rose rapidly and covered her head as the current swept her away from shore. Long strands of seaweed tangled around her body, dragging her relentlessly to the bottom of the ocean.
Julia woke, cutting off a cry of fear in mid-shout.
Heart pounding, she swallowed hard and tried to tell if her throat was dry or rough. How long had she been screaming? Or could she at least hope she’d been whimpering this time?
The sheets were tangled around her, the pillows shoved to the floor. A glance at the bedside clock said only two hours had passed since she’d entered the room.
She eyed the mattress and wondered if she risked trying to get more sleep.
Call us if you need us. Day or night.
Karen’s offer from earlier that day whispered through her head. It had been honestly given, and Julia was tempted to reach out. Except…
No way was she interrupting either of her sisters’ getaway nights with their guys. Which meant she had two options. No, three.
Suck it up and try to sleep again.
Give up and stay awake. She’d be exhausted tomorrow, but at least she didn’t have to work.
Or…
Julia pulled out her phone. Put it down. Picked it up. Put it down.
Dammit. Decide already.
She let fate decide and sent Zach a text. If he’d shut off his phone for the night, so be it.
Julia: if you’re up…can I come sleep on your couch? I had a nightmare.
She stared at the phone for a minute, not sure if she wanted an answer or hoped she’d have to wave it off as a lark in the morning.
A soft knock on her door sent a rush of adrenaline through her. Julia leapt up and peeked through the spyhole.
Zach.
She let him in right away. “I’m so sorry—”
“Don’t apologize.” He slipped past her into the room, his words whisper-soft as if they weren’t alone. “Get back in bed and go to sleep. I’ll use your couch.”
The idea was all kinds of wrong. “That’s ridiculous. I’ll take the couch. I insist.”
“Julia Gigi Blushing, get your ass into bed this minute.” He caught her by the shoulders and gave her a gentle shove toward the bed. “Come on. Compromise. I’ll sleep on top of the covers, then.”
Her body still quivered from the nightmare, and she was exhausted after the previous night and all the activities of the day. Crawling under the covers felt good, and the way the mattress tilted slightly as Zach lay down beside her was like the slow, comforting sway of a porch swing.
She curled on her side like usual and ended up staring straight at his face. He’d closed his eyes, long lashes resting on his cheeks. His chest rose and fell in an even rhythm that mesmerized and calmed her.
His breath washed over her, sweet and reassuring, and just having him there warmed her.
Relaxation slowly slipped in. Julia caught herself reaching out to brush back the lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead.
His lips curled, and he caught her fingers in his, guiding them to the bed between them. Cupping her hand loosely, he whispered again, “Sleep.”
She did. A solid, comfortable rest that lasted until the sun streaking across the bed woke her.
Zach was gone, and his side of the mattress was cool to the touch.
8
The trip home Monday morning had been a blast. Julia had to admit that was mostly because Zach and Josiah kept up a running commentary worthy of any comedy routine.
Between the comfortable accommodations in the plane and their pickup at the airport in Alberta being Red Boot ranch’s foreman, Cody, they were back outside Karen and Finn’s future home without spending more time and energy discussing her and Zach’s accidental wedding.
Julia was thankful Tamara hadn’t been their pickup ride, though. One less person to explain things to would make moving on from here that much easier.
They sat in what would eventually be a grand living room with tall floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Rocky Mountains. Now it was still filled with construction materials and a set of folding lawn chairs.
Zach’s lawyer sat across from her, his expression unreadable. He kept picking up his pen and flipping it over, point down, clicker down, point down—
The entire time staring at her face as if waiting for her to confess to some dire crime.
“Are you charging by the hour for this trip, Alan?” Zach drawled.
Alan Cwedwick didn’t even blink. “Just figuring out the best way to proceed.”
“Don’t give me that. You’ve already got a checklist and a timeline, and you just need to explain what you need from us.” Zach propped one foot up on his knee, tapping his fingers on his thigh. “Unless you’re saying you don’t know what to do this time, which would disappoint me.”
“Oh, I know exactly what is on the books in this kind of circumstance. Just don’t think you’ll like it much.” Alan’s focus sharpened, and his gaze snapped to Julia. “Have you been married before?”
Julia blinked. Instinctively, one hand rose to point at her chest. “Who, me?”
“Engaged to be married?”
What the heck was going on? “I don’t see how that relates to Zach and I getting this mistake annulled.”
The clipboard in Alan’s hands dipped, his pen moved rapidly over the papers. “Would you say you’ve had a difficult time maintaining long-term relationships, Miss Blushing?”
Zach was no longer relaxed or lighthearted. He leaned forward and glared hard at his lawyer. “I don’t know where you think you’re going with this, but watch yourself, Alan.”
“I’m doing my job.” The man tossed the clipboard on the table and folded his arms across his chest. “Julia, if I gave y
ou a lump sum of money, would you agree to leave Heart Falls immediately and never come back?”
Julia had thought waking up naked in bed with Zach had been mind-bogglingly unreal, but this conversation topped even the bizarre video of their wedding. “Excuse me? I have a job. I’m not leaving Heart Falls until after my internship is done, and even then, I have family here. Of course, I’m going to come back. Why are you asking such ridiculous questions? Zach and I just want this wedding thing to go away. It was an accident, okay? And both of us were involved in making that mistake, so I don’t appreciate the implication I did something immoral.”
“Were you aware that your sister Karen received a large sum of money once she became involved with Finn Marlette?”
Zach was on his feet. “Enough, Alan. Get to the point. Also, you talk to me and leave Julia out of this since you seem to have lost all trace of professionalism.”
Being ignored felt as unreal as having Alan’s intense attention.
But the lawyer turned his gaze on Zach as requested, pointing him back to his chair. “Unfortunately, you will remember that Bruce liked to consider possible situations that might arise. One of those involved you and Finn eventually finding relationship partners. Certain criteria were flagged as potentially dangerous, not just to yourselves, but to the inheritance he passed down to you.”
“You think Julia and I drunkenly getting married is dangerous?”
Alan sighed, some of his rigid tension slipping away. “Zach, it doesn’t matter what I think. What matters is what’s required by the contract both you and Finn signed when you took over Bruce’s holdings. You got married without a prenup, and also without any kind of previous interaction between your new partner and myself as the representation of Burly, Evans, and Ives. Those two items have now triggered certain consequences.”
“We’ve had a previous interaction,” Julia reminded him. “I met you the night I stitched up Zach and another of your clients after they got shot.” Julia offered her best so there glare.
“While that was a charming interaction, and I can speak highly of your caregiving skills, I was thinking more of social interaction than emergency medical procedures.” Alan tipped his head in her direction. “I will acknowledge you seem to have the ability to keep your mouth shut when required. That doesn’t change what happens next.”
Zach perched at the front edge of his lawn chair. “Still think it’s absolutely ridiculous, but fine. Tell us the damn consequences.”
“If you’d like, we can discuss this privately,” Alan began.
Zach waved the suggestion off. “Julia’s involved, accidentally, but still. She deserves to be here while you get to the damn point.”
For an instant Alan looked borderline apologetic as he glanced her way, then he went all businesslike and pulled the clipboard toward himself. “Very well. The policy in question states that if either partner participates in an activity that could cause potential financial detriment to the—”
“In English,” Zach commanded. “And for God sake, the Coles Notes version.”
“You have to stay married for one year.” Alan slammed his lips together.
Her reaction was utterly wrong considering how serious the man looked, but Julia couldn’t help it. She snickered.
Both heads swiveled toward her. Alan was shocked, Zach looked puzzled.
“I’m sorry, but you just said we have to stay married for one year. There is no way that could possibly be the legal advice you want to give. Especially considering you asked me a bunch of questions that implied I’m some kind of moneygrubbing gold digger looking for a sugar daddy.”
“I’m glad you find this amusing,” Mr. Cwedwick said dryly. “But rest assured, as convoluted as Bruce’s thinking was, this is what’s on the books. You are to remain married for one year. At that point if you’d like to have the marriage dissolved, I will be happy to put the papers through ASAP.”
“And if we do what I think is more prudent and go to another lawyer to deal with this?” Julia asked.
The man glanced at Zach. “I wouldn’t suggest that idea. Your finances are tied up with your partner’s, and under these circumstances, your choice also affects him. I believe Bruce thought that limitation would be a good way to stop your friendship from causing you to make an unwise move, followed by Finn simply bailing you out.”
Zach’s confusion hadn’t faded one bit. He looked as tangled as her brain felt. “So, we have to stay married?”
“Yes.”
Zach shook his head, his gaze meeting Julia’s. “I agree with you. This is pure bullshit. This can’t possibly be true.”
Finally, someone else in the room who wasn’t talking nonsense. “Thank you.”
“That said, I have never known Alan to bullshit before in his life.” Zach made a face. “Mind if I talk to him for a minute by myself? He can throw legal jargon at me, and I can swear in his face easier if you’re not in the room.”
Shoving to her feet felt good as restless energy returned with a vengeance. “Fine. I’ll be outside, communing with nature and discussing with any birds that happen to land within listening distance about how criminally stupid the legal system appears to be.”
Outside, the cool fall air wrapped around her, bringing a certain calm to her fevered thoughts. She wandered to the nearest arena and leaned her elbows on the wooden railing, her gaze drifting over the horses herded together at the far end.
Stay married for a year? Laughable that she’d even heard that come out of the lawyer’s mouth. Zach would figure something out.
She didn’t even know what she was going to do past a month from now. And while she planned to come back to Heart Falls for visits, it was beyond time to accept a position for the coming winter. There’d been one in High River she could take. The town wasn’t that far away, so she could continue to spend time with her sisters.
A soft nudge against her fingers brought her attention back to the arena. The little colt Karen had rescued stood on the other side of the railing, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed Julia’s hands.
“Hey, little guy.” She reached through the fence and caressed the white spot on his brow. Scratching lightly, she eyed him thoughtfully. “You’re looking better than the last time I saw you. Putting on a little weight. Good for you.”
Moonbeam dipped his head then pranced back, almost like a puppy, dancing his front hooves on the ground then spinning away before returning.
Another amazing moment to add to all the others she’d had while in Heart Falls. She would miss it when she was gone.
Julia glanced back at the house where Zach and Alan Cwedwick were visible through the window. Zach must’ve just dragged a hand through his hair because the ends stood tousled in every direction.
This ridiculous situation would be solved, and then she’d be able to move on to her next thing.
Although the teasing thought remained—life’s never that simple.
The instant Julia left the room, Zach thrust out a hand toward Alan. “Okay. Give me the letter.”
Alan shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The urge to snap his fingers was strong. “Bruce always did this. He would come up with these farfetched situations, and then he would write us a damn letter explaining what he was trying to accomplish. It’s exactly what happened with the whole challenge to get the dude ranch running. Hell, he wrote a letter to Karen before he even knew she existed. You can’t tell me there’s no letter from Bruce this time.”
“Oh, there was a letter from Bruce,” Alan agreed.
“Ha.”
“But not for you.”
Zach paused, his hand still hovering in the air. He jerked it back. “For Finn?”
“For me.” Alan shoved his hands in his pockets and shook his head. “Look. I don’t like this either. I apologize for sounding like a shit back there with those questions for Julia. But I have to do my job.”
“Which right now would be figuring out ho
w to get Julia and I a quick and dirty divorce.” Even as he said it, Zach hated the words.
“I can’t. And you can’t. This is serious, Zach. If you go ahead and make that decision, it will trigger a dissolution of your entire holdings. Yours and Finn’s.”
Ridiculous had just gone into impossible territory. “You’re telling me that Bruce Travers, himself a divorced man, had such a negative reaction to myself or Finn needing to call off our potential future marriages that the entire corporation is on the line?”
“Oh, Finn can get a divorce if he wants. You can’t. Not for one year.”
And impossible went into fairytale land. “Now that’s just silly.”
“Agreed. Yet it’s one hundred percent legal—I double-checked all the loopholes myself.” Alan made a face. “And I’m a damn good loophole closer. Sorry about that.”
The urge to go get a bottle of tequila made zero sense, but it was there. Zach pinched the bridge of his nose. “Alan, we’ve enjoyed a long relationship, so I hope you take this the right way. Right now, I hate your fucking guts.”
“I’m sorry,” Alan repeated. “Hate me all you want, just don’t go getting a divorce from someone else.”
Zach met his gaze. “The kicker is, I wasn’t planning on it,” he confessed. “But this whole bullshit situation is going to make it a lot harder to convince Julia that my interest isn’t just financially motivated.”
The first entertaining part of the last hour arrived. He’d managed to shock his lawyer. Alan stood there, his mouth opening and closing a few times before blinking back to alertness. “You—want to stay married?”
“You are not to repeat that, especially not to Julia. Not at this point. But yes, getting married was an accident, but it wasn’t a mistake.” Zach dragged a hand through his hair. “Okay. Somehow I have to figure out a way to make this work.”
Alan had lost a lot of his attitude in the last five seconds. “Well, then. That’s interesting.”
It was too much to hope for. “Does that mean you’re changing your legal stance?”
“Oh, hell no. Just…interesting.” Alan grinned. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. “Not the letter you were hoping for, but the ground rules regarding your marriage. Again, if you want to complain, take it up with Bruce.”