Fiance by Fate (6 page)

And in case she did, he’d already have a plan B in action.

…

It had been a long day, but Mondays usually were. Luckily, after Sabrina’s embarrassing cry on Jack’s shoulder—and yet another coffee run—the rest of the afternoon had gone a whole lot smoother. There were no interruptions aside from her own thoughts. She couldn’t stop thinking about how she’d made a fool of herself to Jack by pouring her heart out to him. Thankfully, she hadn’t seen any more of him today.

Actually, no one had.

Jack had buried himself in one of the side offices like a groundhog and still hadn’t made an appearance by the time she’d left the building after six. He seemed to be trying to show his father how diligent a worker he was and how responsible he could be. A valiant effort. But as far as she was concerned, the jury was still out.

Despite the kindness he’d shown her back at the coffee shop, she still wasn’t sure what to make of him. She didn’t trust him. Jack apparently paid a lot of attention to outward appearances, otherwise he would have never suggested such an outlandish idea. As if she’d ever consider helping him change his reputation. She had a reputation to protect too. Besides, she doubted Jack’s idea would have helped her out. David wasn’t the type to be moved by jealousy. She’d have to continue to wait for David to make up his mind on his own terms and hope for the best.

After a horrendous commute home, it was dark by the time she made it to her apartment, and she was absolutely famished. She opened her drawer of menus, but before she could place an order, there was a knock at her door. Not expecting anyone, she took her time answering it. When she finally pressed her cried-sore eye to the peephole, she gasped.

“David,” she said breathlessly as she threw open the door.

“Hi, baby.” His smile was hesitant. “May I come in?”

Sabrina’s heart practically sang with delight when she heard him call her baby. She opened the door farther, and David entered the living room. He still wore scrubs and his blond hair was slightly ruffled. He must have just gotten back from work. Even though she was sure he was exhausted, it didn’t wear on the polished veneer of his natural good looks.

This could be it. He’s decided to come back.
She swallowed and tried to keep the giddiness out of her voice. “What are you doing here?”

“I felt I should return your things.”

“My…things?” She finally noticed a cardboard box in his hands. “What things?”

David set the box down on her coffee table and rubbed a hand over his face. “Take a look.”

She cautiously peeked inside as if she thought one of those giant fake snakes would spring out at her at any second. But she would have much preferred that to what she actually saw. The box was filled with all the personal belongings she’d left in David’s apartment. A crushing feeling formed in her chest as she ran her fingers over the items: a toothbrush, a tube of her favorite spice-colored lipstick, her facial moisturizer, and the James Taylor CD they’d listened to on their road trip to Vermont. But her heart sank further when she opened up a white envelope filled with various pictures of the two of them together.

It took her a moment to realize what this all meant, but she rigidly held her tears in check. Oh, gosh, he didn’t want a single reminder of her. What had she done wrong?

“So this is it,” she murmured.

His hazel eyes continued to focus on James Taylor’s face. “This is it…only for now.”

She looked at him sharply. “David, are you breaking up with me or not?”

He walked over to her and kissed her forehead. “No, I’m not. I don’t want to lose you. It’s just that…I’m asking for a little more time. I know it’s unfair and you’re ready for a permanent commitment, but I’m still questioning what
I’m
ready for. And now with everything going on at the hospital, I don’t want to rush and screw this up for us.”

Her laugh sounded strained and pitiful to her own ears. “You’re already screwing this up. David, I’m trying to be patient, but please, I want you to be honest. I’ve seen you around the city with another woman. A pretty redhead. Is all this space you need because of her?”

“Rose?”

She held in a snort. The redhead’s name was Rose. How cliché.

“Rose is a friend from the hospital,” he continued. “She’s a trauma nurse. You met her once. Our schedules have been coinciding lately and well, she’s been a good friend to me .”

“I bet,” she said tightly.

He reached out and pushed her hair behind her ears. “Don’t be like that, Sabrina. I can have female friends. Just because our timing seems to be off doesn’t mean I want someone else.”

She squeezed her eyes closed and her heart began to feel lighter.
He doesn’t want anyone else.
Thank God. He loved her. She knew it. This talk proved it. He
was
scared of commitment even though they’d been together for three years. Three
years
. But there was a chance that this woman friend could talk him out of coming back to her. What could she do? She didn’t know how else to convince him they were meant to be husband and wife and that they should have a life together. She needed to think. Then her eyes sprang open as an idea struck.

Or rather,
Jack’s
idea struck.

“You’re right,” she said with a double dose of sincerity she didn’t feel. “I know exactly what you mean, what it’s like to need friendship. In fact, I’ve been confiding in a friend at work too.”

He nodded. “Chris.”

She turned away, afraid her expression would give away her lie. “No, not Chris. A new wholesaler at work. Jack.”

“A
man
?”

“Mmm-hmm.” She glanced over her shoulder with raised eyebrows. “Oh, does that bother you?”

He cleared his throat. “Uh, no. Not at all,” he said, although his voice sounded unsure.

She took that as a good sign and continued to steamroll through her plan. “I’m glad, because Jack has been an absolute treasure to me.” She resisted rolling her eyes and prayed lightning would not strike. “I’d hate to give up his friendship. He’s given me lots to think about and process while we’ve been separated. It’s so funny that he happened to come into my life just as you left it.”

David frowned. “Now hold on, I haven’t exactly left—”

She grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Thank you for understanding.”

His face fell at that, which fueled her next words. She decided to go with the final nail in the coffin. “You should probably go. Jack told me he was going to call tonight to check up on me.”

David stood there, blinking adorably, as if someone had snuck up behind him and swatted him on the back of the head. “I, uh, could stay a little longer if—”
“No,” she said, holding up her palm. “I don’t want to interfere with your decision-making for one more minute. You said you needed time and time I will give you. It’s a big step and I want you to be sure. For both our sakes.” Drumming up whatever acting skills she had in her, she gave him her most winning smile—right before she ushered him out the door.

David turned around, his finger in the air. “Sabrina, I want you to know, this isn’t good-bye. And I think you’re an angel for giving me this time.”

A cold knot formed in her stomach. She felt like a manipulative liar. If only David knew how far from an angel she was. “Whatever is meant to be between us
will
happen,” she assured him.

Then she closed the door on his confused, handsome face and hoped she wasn’t making the biggest mistake of her life.

She resisted the urge to open the door again and instead turned away. That was one of the most difficult things she’d ever done. But necessary if she wanted David back for good. In her mind
,
Jack’s suggestion to make David jealous was ridiculous, but now something in her heart felt that he could have a point, that there was hope. Maybe a little jealousy was all David needed to push him over the edge back to her. Plus, if Jack got his promotion, she stood to get Jack’s territory and a promotion herself. Win-win.

Her gaze shot to the coffee table. The box of her things sat there, almost mocking her. As much as David’s words reassured her, his actions spoke of something else. Time could be running out for them. That knowledge twisted inside her and she closed her eyes.

One last thing to do.

She realized she was trembling, but she walked over to her purse and pulled out her cell phone along with Jack’s business card. Idly running her fingers over his embossed name, she had to wonder if she’d lost her mind. But then again, if that were true, she really didn’t have anything left to lose. She was already relying on the advice of psychics. Why not add playboys to that list as well? She sat down at the kitchen counter and punched in the number.

After a few rings, a deep voice answered. “Hello?”

She cleared her throat. “Um, hi, Jack. It’s Sabrina. From work.” She felt compelled to add that part in. Who knew how many women called his number on a daily basis?

“Hello, Sabrina from work. What can I do for you?” His tone sounded amused but a little cautious.

She opened her mouth but nothing came out.

“Hello? Are you still there?”

“Y-yes. Sorry.” She took a deep breath then sighed. “I just wanted to call and tell you that I’ve thought about your…your…”

“Proposition?” he finished.

She wrinkled her nose. That made it sound even more sordid, like she was living out a scene from her own personal
General Hospital
. “How about we just call it your
suggestion
?”

He chuckled. “Okay, and what is your thinking on the subject of my suggestion?”

“I’ll do it,” she said softly, then bit her lip.

“Excellent.” His voice boomed through the phone and she could practically hear his brain filing the information and formulating what to do with it. “We can talk about it more at work tomorrow and hash out a plan that suits both of us then. You and David will be back together in no time.”

“That’s the least of my worries right now. I’m more concerned with what you’re asking in return.”

“You worry too much. All I ask is for a little display of adoration in front of others and perhaps for you to keep the venom in your voice toward me to a nice nonlethal level. Trust me, posing as my girlfriend will be a cake walk.” He paused then added, “You won’t be sorry, Sabrina.”

Too late. She already was.

…

The next day, Sabrina sat in Jack’s office with the anguish of a woman who had just been sentenced ten to fifteen years with no hope of parole.

“Will you relax,” he told her. “You’re making me anxious and I’m never anxious.” Although he
was
anxious to get their plan started, but he was also hungry. He opened his desk drawer to his new stash of beef jerky he had on hand for such an emergency and pulled some out.

Sabrina threw her hands up in the air. “Oh, great. This is so completely fitting with you. While I’m stepping into a web of lies, you’re stepping into a Slim Jim.”

He looked at the beef thoughtfully, then held it out to her. “I’m sensing you need this more than I do.”

“I’m a vegetarian.”

“Now
that
explains a lot.”

She bristled. “That’s it. Forget it. This is so stupid. We’re never going to convince anyone that we
like
each other, let alone that we’re dating.” Shaking her head, she was on her feet before he could blink and looked about ready to hightail it out of his office.

“Wait,” he said quickly. Where was his normal finesse when it came to women? She had a way about her that brought out his worst. But she was right. If he didn’t watch himself, he’d ruin everything.

“I’m sorry, Sabrina. This will work. How about we both try to keep the smart comments to a minimum?”

She sat back down but her shoulders were still stiff. “All right then. Let’s just figure this plan out so I can get back to work.”

Damn, there was a lot of pent-up energy going on in that tight little body of hers. It was kind of amusing to watch, especially the way she tried to quiet her hyperventilating breaths so he wouldn’t notice. Call him a jerk, but he noticed. Her chest was going in and out like a runaway steam engine and it was all he could do not to stare. And he liked what he saw.

“What do you want me to do?” she asked, breaking into those thoughts. She nibbled one corner of her lip, her hair hanging loosely as she cocked her head to the side.

“Well, I…” Their gazes met and held.

Have her eyes always been that blue?
Hell. He knew she was pretty, but he never realized she was
that
pretty.

He cleared his throat and reached for more beef jerky.

“You do have some sort of agenda, right?” she asked.

“Agenda?”

“A list of dos and don’ts.”

He rolled his eyes. Sabrina was definitely not a play-it-by-ear kind of woman. He should have known she’d want an itemized list of how he expected her to act.

She licked her lips. “Nothing over the top, I hope. Oh, and I guess I should have mentioned this before, but I don’t want to have to, uh…”

“Don’t want to have to what?” he asked, popping another piece of jerky in his mouth.

“Kiss you,” she finished.

Jack froze mid-chew, then swallowed.
“What?”

She shifted in her chair. “I don’t want to have to kiss you.”

“Absolutely not. That’s non-negotiable. You
have
to kiss me. What kind of fake girlfriend are you, anyway?”

She lifted her chin. “One that doesn’t believe in public displays of affection.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“No, it’s not. Look, you’re the one who wants to change your reputation. Kissing and any other type of manhandling—fake or not—in front of people is not a way to show them you’re in a serious relationship. I won’t be treated like all your other bimbos. We’ll just have to be convincing in other ways.”

Jack sat back and grunted. Little Miss Perfect had a point, as per usual. Kissing was not something they could be caught doing at work, and even if they were out on a fake date, at their age, they wouldn’t be lip-locked at some restaurant. But the idea still didn’t sit well with him. Who knew that he’d actually be disturbed he wouldn’t be able to kiss her?