Caleb (9 page)

He hesitated and then dipped his head in concession. “All right. Wish I could change your mind, but I understand.” Eyes the color of summer grass teased and tempted her.

A powerful long second ticked by when she almost surrendered.
Dammit
. She inhaled a breath that helped clear the haze from her mind. “Thanks. Maybe another night.”

He moved in for the nightly hug and kiss on the cheek. This time, however, his lips caught the corner of her mouth, and it took every ounce of will she had not to move the slightest to capture his full kiss.

“Goodnight, my love.”

She rolled her eyes but grinned. “Goodnight, Caleb.” She hurried for the stairs trying to escape the raging wildfire that chased after her.

Maybe another night
? She shut her bedroom door behind her. Was she crazy? She’d all but invited him to ask again. She knew better than anybody that she couldn’t hold out forever, so why keep putting herself in a precarious position?

Because,
what if
? That’s why. What if he was the man meant for her? Crazy. Silly. Absolutely insane…possibly. Still, knowing that wouldn’t keep her heart from wondering.

“
What do you mean I have to prove it
?” Rachel clenched her jaw as she gripped the phone, taken off guard by the sudden demand from her uncle’s lawyer.

“It’s required, Rachel, but that doesn’t mean you need to allow Franklin to attend your marriage. I told him his presence wasn’t required for you to meet the demands of the will, that your marriage certificate signed by you, Caleb and your witnesses would be enough proof.”

Fierce panic strangled her. Was there a way to forge a marriage certificate? “That’s ridiculous. My word should be enough.”

Conway grunted his agreement. “That may be, but Franklin was correct when he stated that the will stipulates you have to have the signed document in hand before I can process your claim. Otherwise, you leave yourself open to attack from Franklin. And honestly, the sooner you do the deed, the better.”

She peeked out the kitchen window and watched Caleb as he leaned over the fence, feeding a colt from his hand.

Dammit
. She’d called her attorney in the hopes he’d help her find a way out of the increasingly difficult situation she’d found herself in. Caleb constantly flirted with her, drawing her ever closer to giving in. His touches might have been innocent along with the kisses and hugs he gave, but they generated the same response from her.

Instead of Conway helping, he’d made things worse. “We’re going to get married, but it’s impossible to pull one off overnight,” she lied. “It takes time.” She’d been sorely mistaken when she’d thought she could get away with lying.

How the hell would she tell Caleb the news? They could easily get married and then turn around and have it annulled. Especially if they didn’t consummate the marriage. But, what if Caleb wouldn’t agree? After all, their union would be legally binding. They didn’t have the time or attorney to create a pre-nup, which put both of their assets at risk. Not to mention, Caleb had been more than vocal about never wanting to marry again after his first disaster. But this wasn’t a real marriage, right?

If Caleb refused, then she’d be right back to where she’d started only with less time to produce a husband.

“Time is running out.” Conway’s deep voice rumbled across the line. “You might consider taking your vows in front of a judge and having a big celebration later. That or run off to Vegas. Just make sure you bring back a legally signed certificate.”

The corner she’d backed herself into grew tighter. “Okay. I’ll talk to Caleb.”

“Good. If he loves you, he won’t have a problem. If love doesn’t do the trick, tell him he’d better, or he won’t have a roof over his head.” Conway paused. “Unless he has a better roof somewhere else where you won’t mind living.”

Awkwardness filled the silence between them.

“No,” she finally said.

“Well then, I guess the two of you had better get busy.”

She clicked off her phone as despair settled over her. It didn’t seem to matter which direction she headed, she constantly ran into brick walls, and she was damn tired of it.

She opened the back door and paused, realizing she was about to do the one thing she’d said she’d never do. Propose to a man.

****

Caleb looked up as the back door opened, and he smiled.

He loved watching Rachel walk. The sway of her hips always snagged his attention, and he like it best when she wore her hair down like she was today. With each step, the strands caressed her shoulders and tempted him to wrap his fists in them and kiss her like he had before. He knew he’d pushed her to her limits on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, she was a dam that still hadn’t broken.

“Hey.” He was sure he looked like a fool gawking at her, but he didn’t care.

“Hi.” She reached him and jammed her fists into her coat pockets as she stopped a few feet from him.

“What’s up?” By the expression on her face, he knew something churned in her busy mind.

She pursed her lips and then flattened her smile. She inhaled and then exhaled.

“Quit stalling and tell me already. Bill causing you problems again? Franklin?”

“No.” She held his gaze, hers full of unease. “I just spoke to my uncle’s attorney.”

He waited for her to continue. “And…”

“He tossed a curveball I wasn’t expecting.”

Caleb stayed silent, waiting for her to drop the bomb.

She stared at him with piercing eyes for a few seconds before she lifted her hands and let them drop. “We have to actually get married.”

That was not at all what he’d expected. “Say that again.”

“Married. If I want to keep my land.”

Well…shit. That was about the last thing he ever wanted to do again.

“Say something,” she whispered.

He scrubbed the whiskers on his jaw as he worked through the scenario. “An actual, legal marriage? Like promising to love each other forever and agreeing to share everything we own?”

“Yes. That.” Fear shadowed her eyes. “But you don’t have to worry about me taking anything of yours. I promise I won’t. Also, I’m more than happy to pay extra for the inconvenience.”

“Inconvenience?” He snorted. “It’s not marriage that’s the inconvenience. It’s the damn divorce.”

She lifted a hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle all of that and pay for everything. You’ll just need to sign when the time comes.”

He shook his head as buried memories clawed their way through the emotional dirt he’d used to cover them. “I wasn’t referring to you or our marriage.”

“Oh.” Her expression softened. “You’re talking about your ex.”

“Yeah.” He’d loved her deeply, and she’d shattered his heart. He couldn’t say he was completely blameless…but,
damn
.

In the long run, it had been for the best. He’d healed stronger than before, and he wouldn’t have discovered his highly successful talent to help others repair their lives, if not for her heartlessness.

“I realize I’m asking a lot here.” She exhaled a deep breath. “I’ll give you a thousand more. We can have the marriage annulled as soon as the property is legally mine.”

He gave a derisive laugh. “I’ll have a hell of a track record. My first wife left me for another man. My second planned the divorce before the wedding vows.”

Her eyes widened. “She left you for someone else?”

He’d sworn they’d said for better or for worse during their vows, but Debra hadn’t wanted to stand by while he figured out their lives. So, she’d found someone to take his place. “Does that surprise you?” It sure as hell had stunned him.

“Yes,” she answered simply.

“Why?” Unexpected mockery slipped into his voice, taking him right back to that miserable day.

She narrowed her gaze. “Why would anyone want to leave you? You’re handsome, smart, hard working. What every girl wants.”

He allowed her kind words to penetrate his hard shell, another thing that had taken him years to learn how to do. “You’re just saying that to butter me up so I’ll marry you.”

She stared at him for a long, sober moment before a laugh broke from her lips. “This whole situation is utterly ridiculous. I’m begging a man I don’t know to marry me. I’m even offering to pay for your extra hardship. There is a silver lining in this for you, though—you can be certain I won’t leave you for another man.”

“Marrying you wouldn’t be a hardship, Rachel.”

She inhaled and continued as though he hadn’t spoken. “I promise I won’t keep your name. I won’t talk about you after you leave, and people will forget. No one where you’re going knows anything about me, so it will be as if the wedding never took place. I’ll pay you an extra thousand if you’ll let me borrow your name. Please? It’s that simple.”

Damn, she was pretty. He was fooling himself if he thought he could resist her plea. She needed him, and it wouldn’t kill him to do this. Lending his name for a thousand bucks? That had to be a first. His slow nod quickly became more pronounced. “Deal. Name the date.”

“Really?” The most beautiful smile blossomed on her face. “Conway said the sooner, the better. It gives Franklin less power and time to contest the will.”

“Okay, fine.” He gazed down at her beautiful eyes and pert nose. “I’ll drive you to Vegas next weekend.”

“Vegas?” Visible relief brightened her eyes. “That would be perfect. So perfect. We can leave early Saturday morning and drive down. It will take most of the day to get there. Then maybe we could spend a day getting married and resting before we drive back.”

“Doesn’t give us much of a honeymoon.” He gathered his brows in disappointment.

A charming blush rushed to her cheeks. “We…I… This marriage is strictly on paper, Caleb.”

He laughed at her naiveté. “I’m kidding, Rachel. But, I do hope you’ll let me buy you a nice dinner and maybe catch one of those fancy shows. It’s not every day a guy gets married.”

A grateful smile slid across her lips and melted his heart. “That would be really nice. Thank you.”

“Okay.” He leaned against the fence and regarded her. “I’ll make the hotel and wedding arrangements.” She started to argue, but he held up a hand. “I told you. I need to be needed. Let me do this.”

She rocked back on her heels. “You might be the best man I’ve ever met, Caleb Dawson, and that’s saying something because I’ve known good men all my life.”

He snorted. “There you go buttering me up again.” His tease earned him another smile. He wouldn’t tell her because he knew she’d balk, but he’d be happy if she paid what she owed him in smiles instead of money.

Rachel walked into the nicest clothing store in Moose Meadows. It wasn’t a big city department store, but she’d always been able to find what she needed, and right now, she needed a wedding dress.

Not a regular wedding dress, God forbid. She’d save that for her real wedding if that day ever came, but she wanted to look nice when Caleb led her to the altar even if it was all a scam.

“Well, if it isn’t, Rachel Halsted.” Jessy eyed her from behind the cash register with a none-too-happy look. Blond streaks now highlighted her friend’s light brown hair, and Rachel didn’t dare ask how long she’d had them. “I have a few words for you and ain’t none of them nice.”

“I’m sorry.” Rachel knew exactly why her best friend from high school was miffed. By now, the gossip mill would have churned any number of rumors about her and her mysterious internet fiancé. “I should have told you.”

“Damn straight. Is it asking too much for you to pick up a phone? It’s hard to be happy for you when you don’t share your news.”

“I know.” She grimaced. “Forgive me. Everything has happened so fast that I can’t seem to catch my breath. First my uncle, then Caleb and I are forced to announce our engagement—”

“Caleb?”

“His name is Caleb.” Rachel quickly filled in what details she knew about her fiancé to her friend and how his arrival had changed everything. “Now, Bill hates me, and everyone looks at me like I’m crazy.”

Jessy leaned in closer. “They are all speculating that this is a last ditch effort on your part to keep Franklin from getting the ranch.”

Rachel straightened, doing her best to act insulted. “That’s ridiculous. They actually believe I’d pick a stranger off the internet and marry him just to keep what belongs to me?”

Her friend shrugged.

“Well, you can tell them that Caleb and I are very much in love. We wanted a big wedding this summer, but Franklin has forced us to move faster.” The lies slid off her tongue like honey on a hot biscuit.

A wistful expression replaced the excitement on Jessy’s face. “That’s so romantic. I could think of worse things to be forced into.”

So could she. “Thanks. He’s a really nice guy.”
That
part was the truth. Running away to Vegas for the weekend actually sounded fun to her. She could escape her troubles for a while and play. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d played.

“I hear he’s pretty easy on the eyes, too.”

Rachel wrinkled her nose in mock surprise. “Who told you that?”

“Joe did, sort of. You know the guys around here. They’re not going to comment on another man’s attractiveness, but he did say you’d gone all goo-goo eyed over him.”

“He didn’t.” She hated being the town’s topic of conversation.

“Oh, he did. Still, it’s bound to happen, right? When two people fall in love?”

She sighed. “You’re right. I shouldn’t care. Really, I just need life to be normal again. I’d like time to mourn my uncle before I focus on other things, but I’m not allowed that luxury. I need to get used to running the ranch without him, and I still miss him every day.”

“Oh, honey.” Jessy wrapped her in a fierce embrace. “You’re on a hell of a roller coaster ride right now, but it will get better soon. Plus, you’ll have your new husband to help make you feel better and help around the ranch.”

Her friend eyed her for a moment as though hesitant to continue speaking. “Joe also said Caleb has jumped right in and taken care of a bunch of things, especially since you sent Bill packing. Said most of the guys thought you were an idiot at first, but now they can see he’s a good man, Rachel.”

For whatever reason, tears surfaced.

“Aw, look at you. You’re so in love.” Jessy’s grin split her face.

Rachel laughed to hide her embarrassment and hurried to wipe the moisture from her eyes. Even though Jessy’s support was for a lie, it still meant the world to her. “It’s so silly.”

“No, it’s not. It’s beautiful. To be honest, I was worried you’d never want to get married.”

That surprised her. “Why?”

“Because you never want to date. Plenty of guys have been interested in you, but you don’t give them the time of day.”

This whole vein of conversation had come out of left field. “Like who?”

“Oh, let’s see. Charlie or Wolf from Cody. Bill. Do you want me to keep going?”

No way. “That’s crazy.” Except Caleb had said the same thing about Bill. “I guess I’ve been waiting for the right guy to come along.”

Except he hadn’t.

“Well, you’ve got him now, so hold on tight and never let go.”

A pang of melancholy pinched her. She couldn’t hold on tight to what wasn’t hers, and it was only a matter of time before Caleb would leave. Which was what she wanted…eventually. It was the only way to set her life back on its tracks.

Although, if he did stick around longer, she might not mind. He
was
a good man to have around the ranch. Much more pleasant than Bill, especially these days. Although, she was glad to hear Bill had picked up a job at Hofner’s Ranch. He was a hard worker and a good man, just not good around her.

She’d dreamed of offering Caleb a permanent position and wondered if he’d stay. But in her heart, she knew she couldn’t. If he did stay, he’d have to keep playing the part of her husband, but he was about as keen on marriage as she was stepping in a cow pie. When this was all said and done, he’d have to go.

She would mourn the loss of him, too.

“I need your help, Jessy.” For now, she’d focus on the moment at hand and worry about other things later. “We’re eloping in Vegas this weekend, and I need something to wear. Not a real wedding dress. I’ll save that for the big wedding later if we decide to have one. But something pretty and a little fancy.”

“Vegas?” Disappointment hung like a dark cloud over her friend’s face. “Why not get married here where your friends and family can attend?”

If this was her real wedding, she’d never elope. “Time, money. I can’t pull off a proper wedding in a couple of days.” Nor did she want to spend her money on a sham. “We’ve talked about renewing our vows in the summer like we’d originally planned, and we can invite everyone then.”

“That’s too bad.”

“Yeah.” She didn’t have to reach far to produce a sad expression. “But I’ll survive.”

“Of course you will.”

“So, dress? Something classy, but also appropriate for going out on the town afterward.”

Jessy laughed. “Oh, honey, I know the perfect thing for you.” She grabbed her by the elbow and led her through racks of clothes toward the back of the store.

“Linda mentioned I should carry fancier things before the holidays, so last December, I got a little crazy. Sold some, but not others. I thought this would be a fun dress for a party.” She stopped and selected a short silver and white dress. “I think it would be perfect for a Vegas wedding. What do you think?”

The sleeveless cocktail dress was comprised of silk overlaid with diagonal slashes of short shimmering fringe across parts of the dress. Sparkling stones traveled the vee between the breasts and across one hip. “It’s gorgeous.” She fingered the soft fringe. Never in her life had she owned anything so flashy or delicate.

She couldn’t imagine not catching Caleb’s eye. “I think it will be perfect. How much?” She searched for the price tag inside the dress.

Jessy caught her hand and stopped her. “Consider it a gift. I’d be honored if you’d wear it.”

“Oh, Jessy.” Her heart swelled with gratitude, and she hugged her friend. “Thank you so much.”

Her happiness died a few short seconds later when she realized she’d just allowed her friend to gift her with an expensive dress on false pretenses. God, she was a mess.

What was that line about not having to worry about what you said if you never told lies? This wasn’t a little white lie, either. It was a whopper of one that literally constituted telling falsehoods to make a profit. There had to be a legal term for it, and probably a hefty jail sentence to go along with that.

Back at the counter, Jessy wrapped it carefully in layers of tissue and boxed it up for her. “When you get back, we’re going to do this the proper way with a bridal shower, wedding cake and a hell of a celebration.”

Her enthusiasm was contagious. “Yes, we will. I really wish I could have a proper wedding here so you could be my maid of honor.”

“Me, too.”

With a hug and a smile, Jessy sent her out into the bright spring sunshine carrying the most beautiful dress that would be wasted on a lie.

That knowledge weighed heavy on her heart.

If only she and Caleb
had
met online and
had
fallen in love. She’d always had a hard time picturing herself married, but now she had no problem seeing herself with a man like him.