Fake Marriage (Contemporary Romance Box Set)

by Ajme Williams

“Wyatt. I don’t feel disdain-” But he was already out the sunroom door and striding across the grassy area toward a large tree. I noticed a tire swing hanging there and felt more guilt as I realized he’d probably put that up for Alyssa.

  You have to be this way, I told myself. To protect myself and Alyssa. I needed to focus on what was important, not on indulging my hormones.

  I went up to my room. I considered taking a bath in the large clawfoot tub, but thought it would be rude to luxuriate in the amenities of his home after pushing him away. Instead I took a shower, washing away the evidence of our coming together.

  When I was done, I put on my pajamas, and a t-shirt, and climbed into bed. It was still early, but I figured I could read and then get a good night sleep. I knew that farming households got up before the sun anyway, so I figured I might as well start getting used to it.

  19

  Wyatt

  I knew Sinclair had a fancy wedding in mind when we were young and dreaming of a life together. She used to bombard me with her ideas of location, her dress, and color schemes. I found it adorable. I could usually turn the conversation to the honeymoon which invariably resulted in us acting out our wedding night.

  Me? I hadn’t much thought about the wedding. I’d only thought about keeping her with me and building a life together. However that happened, I was okay with. And then I ruined it by running off.

  Today, we were getting married, but it wasn’t the ceremony she’d once told me she wanted. I told her I’d give her a fancy wedding. After all, this needed to look real. And I selfishly thought if she got what she’d dreamed of having, it would remind her of what we planned, and it would be easier to win her over to have a real marriage.

  But she was all business, simply wanting to get the ceremony over with. So today wasn’t her dream wedding, and it wasn’t the commitment of forever that I’d wanted. And yet, I was ridiculously happy to be tying her to me legally. It was dangerous to feel hopeful and happy about this, I knew. Chances were that when all was said and done, my heart would be in tatters. I had until this Stark issue was resolved to convince her that I could be the man she wanted and needed. I could be a father-figure to Alyssa. That I wanted what we’d planned for ten years ago.

  I’d been with other women during my time in the military, hoping that my mentor was right in that young love was fleeting and I’d get over Sinclair. But I never had. Not really. None of the women I’d been with made me feel alive the way Sinclair did. None of them felt essential to living, like breathing.

  Now that I was home and spending time with Sinclair, I realized that she was it for me. If I was going to be happy, she was the key.

  Of course, to her, this marriage was a means to an end. She’d help me and the other farmers fight Stark, and hopefully improve her profile so she could eventually run for mayor and win. For now, I was going along with this plan. I hadn’t touched her since the first day that she moved in, and instead I focused on saving the farm.

  Because the marriage had to look real, our families were there. I was surprised Sinclair’s parents were going along with this, but maybe there was a benefit to them too. After all, her father’s store relied a great deal on local farmers.

  Sinclair stood next to me in front of the judge at the county courthouse as we prepared to say our vows.

  “Are we ready?” Judge Peterson had to be nearing ninety years old. His warm friendly eyes smiled at us through his wrinkly face.

  “Yes, sir,” I said, putting my hand under Sinclair’s forearm. I supposed my subconscious was afraid she might run off.

  Before Judge Peterson could start, the doors at the back of the room opened and a thirty-something-year-old man strode in.

  “Mr. Mayor,” the judge said.

  So that was the mayor who was more interested in diplomacy than saving the farms that built Salvation. He walked toward us; his gaze laser-targeted on Sinclair in a way that made me want to stand in front of her.

  “What are you doing?” she asked in a tone that suggested she was surprised he was there.

  “What are you doing?” He glanced at me, looking me over and deciding I was lacking.

  “I’m getting married, Mo.” She looked at him incredulously. At least I could believe that this wasn’t some last-minute scheme to stop our plan. She wasn’t about to be the runway bride.

  “Are you sure about this, Sinclair?”

  “Yes,” she said tightly.

  I looked to Ryder and his parents, all who seemed baffled too. Trina was biting her lip.

  “It’s not like you to be impulsive.” His eyes had a look of pain and desperation which made me realize he wasn’t here as her boss. The mayor had a thing for Sinclair. A wave of jealousy crashed through me.

  “Excuse me, Mr. Mayor, but we’re in the middle of getting married. Since when is that against a town ordinance?” Was he really going to break up my wedding because he wanted Sinclair to himself?

  He ignored me. “Come on, Sinclair. I get what’s happening here. You don’t need to marry this man to help the farmers.” He said “this man” in a way that suggested he thought I was lower than pond scum.

  At first, I was shocked by the reaction, and then I was pissed. “With all due respect, Mr. Mayor, I’ll carry you out of here if I have to-”

  “And I’ll put you in jail,” he shot back. My mother gasped. Trina went wide-eyed as did Sinclair’s family. My mother said, “Oh lord.”

  I laughed. “Good. Do you really think you’ll win re-election by interrupting a wedding and putting a groom in jail because you have the hots for the bride?”

  His jaw tensed. “That’s not what this is about.”

  I stepped up to him, wanting to intimidate him. “Oh, so you admit to wanting Sinclair for yourself?”

  “Wyatt, let me handle this,” Sinclair said, grabbing the mayor by his arm. “We need to talk.” She turned to me and the judge. “Just give me a minute.”

  “Sinclair,” I said, worried that if she left to talk to the mayor, he might say something that would change her mind. What if she liked him too?

  “I’ll be right back,” she said to me.

  I wasn’t happy about it, but I nodded. I knew Sinclair well enough to know she didn’t want me all macho and taking charge. I had to trust that she’d come back and stick to our deal.

  She led the mayor out to the hallway while our little wedding party started talking amongst themselves.

  “What’s up with that?” I asked Ryder.

  He shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  I turned to Trina, my eyes glaring at her with the same question.

  She gave a little wince. “Mayor Valentine has a little crush on-”

  “Crush? He crashed my wedding. Who the hell does he think he is?” I turned to the judge. “This is still America, right? He can’t just walk in and stop a wedding because he’s the mayor, right?”

  The judge shrugged, clearly baffled by the turn of events as well.

  “I know, I know, he’s being crazy.” Trina looked back to where Sinclair exited with the mayor. “I don’t know what he’s thinking. He’s never acted on his interest in her. He’s her boss, and he’s a stickler for the rules. But it’s no secret that he’s been biding his time.”

  “Is it me or would he interrupt anyone she married?” I asked, trying to decide if I should take this personally.

  “It’s probably the speed at which it’s happening,” Ryder said.

  “Does he know?” I asked Trina. “About the arrangement?”

  She shook her head adamantly. “No. Not specifically. He may have guessed. I don’t know.”

  What kind of man would I be if I let another man steal my bride away in the middle of my wedding? I’d be a pussy, that’s what.

  “Fuck this shit,” I said as I strode toward the door. I didn’t care if Sinclair got mad. “Wyatt!” my mother yelled, glancing at Sinclair’s parents, probably with concern that my language would put them off.

  I reached t
he door just as Trina joined me. “She won’t like it if you barge in there guns blazing.”

  Torn as to what I should do, I decided to determine what they were talking about. I leaned my ear to the door to see what I could hear.

  “It’s not like you to run off and get married, Sinclair. What’s really going on here?” I heard the mayor ask.

  “Firstly, it’s none of your business.”

  Good, she was going to give him a tongue lashing.

  “It’s as if you’re doing this just to be able to build opposition to Stark. Really, you have more sense than this. What you’re doing is nuts.”

  “What I’m doing is getting married. You have no say in my personal life.”

  I liked the sound of that.

  “If dealing with Stark is that important, we’ll find another way,” he said.

  “He better stop if he doesn’t want me to tell all of Salvation how the mayor is trying to take my woman,” I muttered.

  Trina pursed her lips. “Don’t call her your woman to her face. She won’t like that. And you don’t have to worry. Sinclair has lots of experience putting him off.”

  I stared at her. “Lots of experience? Jesus, doesn’t he take no for an answer?”

  “Wyatt, you need to settle down. It’s annoying, but she’ll be back. She’s going to go through with this.”

  “What if he fires her?” Personally, I didn’t care. In fact, I might have been glad because I didn’t want her working around him. But for the purpose of having the farmers’ voices in the mayor’s office, our agreement wouldn’t work if she was fired.

  “He won’t. He’s hyper-sensitive to workplace harassment law.”

  I looked at her like she’d grown a third eye. “He’s harassing her at her wedding.”

  “You know it’s important to me already, but you’ve made it clear on where you stand, which is on Stark’s side.”

  “So, you admit this is a sham marriage?”

  Crap. That’s not good. Even Trina gasped.

  “Who I marry or why I marry them isn’t your concern.”

  “Listen, Sinclair, you’ve made your point. I know this issue is important to you. Let’s find another way to deal with it. I’ve been talking to the governor about how this will look when we’re in a state whose major industry is farming. You don’t need to marry some halfwit farmer.”

  “Halfwit!” I was ready to barrel through the door to give the mayor a piece of my mind. And maybe my fist.

  As I reached out to push the door open, I heard Sinclair say, “Watch yourself, Mo.” It was in a tone I’d never heard before, but if she ever used it on me, I’d take a step back.

  20

  Sinclair

  Of all the things that I thought could go wrong with this fake wedding, having the mayor crash it wasn’t one of them. How did the mayor even know I was here, much less getting married? I hadn’t told him. Maybe Trina let it slip. Whatever the reason, I didn’t need this interference.

  He was acting as if he wanted to help me with the Stark prison issue. He seemed to be telling me that he’d find another way to help the farmers, but I didn’t believe him. Not that I thought he was lying. If there was an easy way to save the farmers and not ruffle the feathers of the governor, he’d do it. But even if I gave in, I knew he’d make a few gestures, perhaps a phone call to the governor, but he wasn’t going to be a zealot about it like I knew Wyatt would be. Like we needed.

  I also didn’t buy that he was just here to help me save the farmers. I was certain he was unhappy with the notion of me marrying someone else. I felt bad for him, and realized I should have been clearer upfront that I wasn’t interested in him. Not that he wasn’t a good guy. He was handsome and smart, and while I didn’t agree with his strategies around this prison issue, I did feel he wanted to do right by Salvation.

  He seemed to think the reason we weren’t an item was that I worked for him and a relationship would be inappropriate. I needed to let him know that wasn’t the case. Wyatt or no Wyatt, I wasn’t interested in Maurice Valentine.

  I especially didn’t like him calling Wyatt a halfwit. I didn’t want to rekindle things with Wyatt, but like I did for the mayor, I respected Wyatt. He was smart and hardworking. I was angry and shocked the mayor would diss him like that.

  “First of all, the Jones family has been in Salvation practically since the beginning. You’ll do a lot of harm to your image if you go after them. And second, Wyatt is a decorated veteran who’s now putting everything he has toward saving not just his farm, but all the other farms in the area. When was the last time you risked your life for your country or your community for that matter? You’re not even willing to risk an election for them.”

  He looked down and I was sure he was silently swearing. Finally, he looked up. “Okay, he’s a great guy, but you don’t have to marry him. We’ll find another way.”

  I shook my head. “You forget that I know how you operate. You’re not going to be able to placate or patronize me.”

  “That’s not what I’m doing”

  Of course, he was. Mo was always the politician.

  “No? How are you going to get rid of Stark? Have you really talked to the governor seriously about this, or just in passing?”

  “You know it’s not that easy.”

  “I do know. I know it’s hard, which is why you’re not doing it.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Are you calling me lazy or a liar?”

  I wondered if I needed to be worried about my job. If I lost my job, that would make this whole arrangement with Wyatt all for naught. “I’m saying you’re too busy trying to avoid a confrontation.”

  “Gee, I’d think that was a strength. Diplomacy and compromise are a part of the job. You should know that if you ever want to be mayor.”

  “You’re not compromising. You’re handing centuries-old farmland over to Stark so you can make the governor happy and add a few new jobs.” Before he could respond I added, “And giving lip service isn’t diplomacy. Stark is bullying and threatening farmers, and you’ve done nothing for them. They’ve lost confidence in you, Mr. Mayor. Some even think you’re getting a kickback.”

  “Bullying? Kickback? What are you talking about?” He jerked back, genuinely surprised.

  I rolled my eyes. “I guess you missed the part of my report in which Stark was sending henchmen out to intimidate the owners-”

  “They have a right to make an offer-”

  “They’re trespassing and frightening your community. They’ve even gone so far as to try to buy farms from people who have no right to sell them.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Which is why you’re marrying him, isn’t it?”

  I didn’t respond.

  “I did a little digging and discovered that Wyatt Jones needs a wife to save his farm. How convenient that you’re willing to marry him. He’s not out to save the farming community. He’s using you to save his. No one else. He’s barely back a month and you’re marrying him. Tell me that looks legit. Jesus, did you even know him before?”

  I put my hands on my hips. “I did. Very well. In fact, this wedding was planned ten years ago.”

  He jerked back in surprise.

  “Yeah, that’s right. I was planning to marry him before, so if you’d kindly leave, I’m late to my own wedding.” I jerked open the door and re-entered the chamber. Trina and Wyatt were trotting back to where the judge was chatting with my father. It was a sure sign that the two of them had been eavesdropping. That was annoying, but I also knew I was probably lucky Wyatt hadn’t burst through the door and clobbered Mo.

  “Let’s get hitched,” I said, threading my arm through Wyatt’s and tugging him up in front of the judge.

  “Everything okay?” Wyatt whispered next to me.

  “Peachy.”

  Ten years ago, when I’d imagined marrying Wyatt, I was in a lovely white princess dress with lots of sparkle, my hair and make-up were professionally done, and I was in church filled with friends and family
. I imagined feeling so happy and filled with love, I’d want the moment to last forever.

  Today, I wore a white summer dress, I did my own hair and makeup, and I was in a judge’s chamber with a handful of people. At least my family was there.

  I wasn’t feeling happy and didn’t want this moment to go on one minute longer. I supposed that was a bad sign for this marriage, but then again, it wasn’t real in the first place.

  I was annoyed and ready to get this ceremony over with, which wasn’t fair to Wyatt or our guests, but everyone except the judge knew this was a fake marriage. Even Mo had ferreted it out. This was just a formality and something to make this marriage look real, especially to Stark.

  The judge went through his spiel, and Wyatt and I said our “I do’s, repeated vows as per the judge’s instructions, and Wyatt slipped a simple band on with the engagement ring he’d forced me to wear.

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Jones.”

  Now we were married. A shot of sadness went through me that this was such a far cry from what I’d wanted ten years ago. It made me think of the saying, “Be careful what you wish for.” I wished to marry Wyatt ten years ago and now my wish had come true, but it felt so empty and lifeless.

  Wyatt leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. I was a bit surprised and even a little disappointed he didn’t go for a full lip lock, but perhaps he gleaned my mood and figured I wasn’t in any mood to act like this was a real wedding.

  “I know this isn’t what we’d planned,” he whispered. “Even so, you’re beautiful and I can’t complain about being here.”

  It was a sweet thing to say, but it brought home how much I’d lost when he left.

  “Congratulations, honey,” my parents said, giving me a kiss.

  “You take care of my little girl,” my father announced to Wyatt. “I know you can take me, but I’ll still hurt ya’ if you make my girl unhappy.”

  Everyone laughed, but I knew he was only partly kidding. My father was dedicated to me. I was a bit of a daddy’s girl. It made me wonder if Alyssa would have been, had Wyatt stayed.