Fiance by Fate (7 page)

And the more he thought about how it disturbed him, the more disturbed he became.

“So…are you okay with that?” she asked, nibbling her bottom lip.

He forced his attention away from her mouth and smiled tightly. “No problem at all.”

“Good. However, I think handholding would be completely appropriate.”

“Are you sure? Hand over hand or full-on fingers entwined? I don’t want to look cheap.”

She folded her arms and glared at him. “Can you ever be serious?”

“Can you ever
not
be serious?”

Leonard Brenner poked his head in Jack’s office then and smiled at the sight of the two of them apparently having a nice company chat. “Oh, there you are, Sabrina.” He smirked as he cast a sideways glance at Jack. “I don’t want to interrupt anything, but I need to steal Sabrina away from you. I wanted to go over a few of the last expense reports that Chuck just emailed me.”

“No problem, Mr. Brenner,” she replied. “I’ll go grab my notes.” Looking way too happy to leave Jack’s presence and not at all like a woman smitten with a potential new boyfriend, she jumped up and turned on her heel to go.

Before she could leave, Jack reached out and blocked her with his arm. “I’m sure I can count on you to handle the situation we’ve, uh, discussed,” he reminded her pleasantly.

She gave him a long look. If he wasn’t starting to know her so well, he would have completely missed the silent message she shot him that told him exactly where he could stuff their so-called situation along with all his beef jerky.

“You can count on me,” she said, letting the words roll off her tongue as sweet as maple syrup. “I’ll definitely handle the situation as
I
see fit.”

Jack smothered a grin as he watched her leave. Sabrina surprised him. For all her bossiness and rule-making, he liked her. Much more than he thought he ever would.

When his father turned back to Jack, it was with a pleased expression. “This is very refreshing to see.”

“What is?”

“You and Sabrina getting along so well.”

Jack thought about announcing his and Sabrina’s fake relationship now, but he figured it would have more believability if he didn’t rush things. Played it cool. Plus, there was still the outside chance his father would go to the board before their quarterly meeting without this exercise in wholesome behavioral CEO standards.

“Yes, Sabrina is proving to be a very valuable coworker,” he agreed. “It was a good decision pairing her up with me.”
For more reasons than you know.

“I’m glad you think so. I also wanted to tell you that I won’t be around this afternoon.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“I have to go to the doctor’s.”

Jack felt as if he’d taken a punch to the stomach, which made it hard for him not to sound alarmed. “Dad, are you feeling—?”

“I’m fine. Just a follow-up visit with my primary care doctor. I think he might change my meds around, but other than that, no cause for alarm.”

“If you need me to come with you, I’ll cancel my appointments.”

“I know you would, and I appreciate it. But your sister is going to take me.” He nudged Jack with his elbow. “I get to see my grandkids that way,” he said, grinning.

Jack couldn’t smile back. He was too concerned about his dad’s health. He wanted to do anything he could to help his dad, to be there for him. Jack hadn’t been there for his mom before she died. He’d been away at college and had come home only on major holidays. If only he’d been around more, paid attention, he would have seen how lonely she was, how much she’d been hurting. If he had, he couldn’t help thinking that she might not have taken her own life.

Leonard placed a comforting hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Don’t let my health distract you. Everything’s fine.”

“But I think if the board knew of your health issues they might force you to step down. You have to reconsider me for National Sales Manager and not wait.”

“We’ll see. As much I’d like to believe you’re looking to settle down, the stockholders will need to see proof. After all, old habits do die hard.” His father frowned, then motioned to the beef jerky on his desk. “You still eat that junk?”

“Um, yeah.” Jack hastily swept the beef into a drawer and shrugged. “One habit to overcome at a time.”

…

Sabrina finished the last of her reports, then sat back, trying to work out the kinks in her neck. She’d been looking at her computer screen for the past hour without a break. Unfortunately, whenever she wasn’t working, her thoughts went straight to Jack.

How in the world was she going to convince people that she and Jack were dating? They couldn’t even agree on something as simple as food. More importantly, how was she going to convince David she was interested in a man like Jack?

What had she gotten herself into?

Biting her lip, she decided to take a peek at Jack’s traveling schedule—just to get an idea of how often he’d be around. She called it up on her computer, and her eyes widened in surprise. Next week was jam-packed with office visits in northern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Jack even had a lunch appointment for every day but Friday. Tension seeped a little from her shoulders. For someone who had the reputation of playing hard, he certainly seemed to work hard, too. Jack was taking his new territory by the horns.

Her eyes shot to Mr. Brenner’s door as she heard it open. “Sabrina,” he said, taking off his glasses, “I wanted to have a word with you before I left for the day.”

“Of course, sir.”

He paused and smiled down at her. “I know it’s a little soon to ask, but I wanted to know how everything was working out with you and Jack?”

If you only knew
. “Great.” She beamed.

He cocked his head. “Really? I know he may be a little rough around the edges.”

Ha
.
No kidding
. But she kept silent and waited for him to continue.

“He’s used to getting his own way. After his mom died, I may have let him run a little wild. His sister was just a young teenager then, so I had a lot on my plate. I didn’t have it in me to rein Jack in like I should have.” He shook his head.

The strings of her heart tugged, but only for the older man standing before her. “Don’t worry, Mr. Brenner. Jack’s really been working hard,” she said soothingly. “His schedule is booked solid. It’s been an absolute pleasure to team up with him. In fact, I’m seeing a whole new side of him that anyone in this company would admire.”

Did those words really just come out of my mouth?

His face brightened. “Thank you, Sabrina. Keep up the good work,” he said as he walked out the door.

She smiled at his retreating back and took a deep breath. Okay, that hadn’t been so hard. And it wasn’t much of a twist of the truth either. See? She could do this. About to go back to her computer, she heard a throat clearing. Something told her it was Jack even before she fully turned around and looked.

When she did, there he was, giving her an enthusiastic thumbs-up. That and the devilish grin plastered all over his face told her he had heard everything she had just said about him. Heat flooding her cheeks, she spun away.

Good
, she thought, pummeling the keys on her computer. She was glad he’d heard. It showed she was keeping her end of the bargain. Now let’s see what he could do to help her get David back.

Her phone rang. Grateful for the reprieve, Sabrina swiftly answered it. Her landlady’s voice was on the other end.

“Oh, hon, I’m glad I caught you before you left for lunch.” Mrs. Metzger sounded out of breath and anxious—or at least more anxious than normal.

“Is there a problem?”
Or fire, or theft, or pipes bursting with water as we speak?

“I just ran into your David.”

That was much worse. “You did?”

“I misjudged the boy. He spoke very highly of you.”

“He did?”
Why am I so surprised?
Of course he did. He’d just told her last night that he didn’t want anyone else.

“
Very
highly,” Mrs. Metzger added.

Silence fell between them for several long seconds, and Sabrina was left sitting on the edge of her seat. “
And
…?” she prompted.

“They’ve started to paint this afternoon, so I let myself into your place and will be staying tonight.”

“Huh?” Sabrina had totally forgotten she had agreed to let her landlady stay with her, but that wasn’t the information she was dying to hear. “That’s fine,” she replied, trying to control the edge in her voice. “But Mrs. Metzger, what else about
David
?”

“Oh yes.” The woman chuckled. “I thought you might be interested in learning that despite all he said about you, he’s taking that friend of his to dinner tonight.” She seemed to pause for dramatic effect. “At the Ram’s Horn.”

“The
Ram’s Horn
?” Sabrina cried. She glanced around the room to make sure no one had heard her outburst. That was
their
favorite restaurant. The restaurant where David had proposed to her. How could he?

“Are you sure?” she asked. “Maybe you’re mistaken.”

“I’m old, hon, but not deaf.”

“It’s just I’m surprised…” Sabrina shifted and cradled the phone closer. That’s when she saw Jack moving across the main office with the coordination and grace of an athlete in his prime. The women he passed on the way to the mailroom were practically waving their pompoms in gratitude. It gave her an idea.

“Oh, Mrs. Metzger, I could kiss you for this information!” she exclaimed, her eyes still focused on Jack.

“Hon, you’re taking this better than I thought.”

Sabrina was too wrapped up in formulating her plan to explain. “I have to go,” she told her. “But thanks again.” She hung up and glanced at the time. Almost two o’clock. She had time to get ready if she rushed home right after work. She would wear that black and white number she’d bought last week on Newbury Street. David hadn’t seen her in it yet. Studying Jack again, she figured he could just go as he was.

Jack was perfectly put-together in his navy blue suit and bold crimson silk necktie. She wondered what David would think when he saw him. Jack definitely looked the part of the elegant new boyfriend. He stopped to talk to her friend Chris, and Sabrina’s gaze was automatically drawn to that slow, lazy smile of his. He had a sexy mouth, she decided, even more so when that dimple of his suddenly slipped out and made an appearance.

Thank God she was sitting down because she actually felt a little weak-kneed at the moment. Then she realized she was no better than three quarters of the women in this city and deliberately turned her head.

Okay, Jack
more
than looked the part. More importantly, Jack looked good enough to make her fiancé jealous—which was all she wanted him to do. Of course, there was a remote possibility a man like Jack would already have plans for tonight, but that was just too darn bad.

She was his fake girlfriend. And they had a deal.

Chapter Five

As Sabrina and Jack walked into the restaurant, she smoothed the front of her black and white dress. It was a little skimpy for this time of year, but she’d forgo the warmth for the added attention she hoped to get from David. Casually flipping her hair from her shoulder, she scanned the room. Since it was Tuesday, only three quarters of the tables were filled, making the job a little easier.

The Ram’s Horn sat along the Massachusetts Bay coast about two towns over from her apartment. The inside of the restaurant was decorated in a traditional decor of Chippendale furniture and brass chandeliers. A wood-burning fireplace and soft candlelight enhanced the formal open-spaced dining room. Not only was it voted “Most Romantic Dining” by
Boston
magazine, but the food was exquisite.

They were shown to a nice table overlooking the bay, and giving one last glance around, she sat down next to Jack. “I don’t see David,” she whispered, picking up her menu.

Jack straightened his tie and glanced at his watch. “Maybe we should have a drink before we order dinner then. It could be a while before he shows up.”

“Oh, I don’t drink on weekdays. Only Fridays and Saturdays.”

He rolled his eyes. “You even have a schedule for
that
?”

“No,” she said defensively. “Not really. I just don’t like to drink on weeknights, because alcohol affects me more than it does most people.”

“Oh, yeah?”

She caught the ominous gleam in his eye and waved a finger at him. “Don’t get any funny ideas. We’re here on a mission.”

“True. But I think this
mission
would be more enjoyable for both of us if you could just relax.”

Her palms were wet and her blood pressure was closely approaching stroke-range, but she still shook her head. “Oh, no,” she insisted. “I don’t want my head all fuzzy. I want to be in total control of what I say when David gets here. Everything has to be perfect for this to be believable.”

He shrugged. “You’re the boss.” He picked up his menu and after a moment, lowered it again. “Do you eat here a lot? And if the answer is yes, my father is paying you way too much.”

She let out a chuckle. “No. David and I would come here on special occasions though. This is where he proposed to me.”

Jack cocked his head and regarded her thoughtfully. “So, how did you and Dr. Wonderful meet, anyway?”

She folded her hands and smiled to herself, remembering as though it were yesterday. “I had ordered a pizza one night and when it was delivered, I didn’t have enough money. That in itself is very unusual because I always go to the ATM on Thursdays.”

“Of course you do,” he muttered.

She frowned. “Do you want to hear the story or not?”

“Oh, I’m sure the best part is coming up, so please continue.”

She smiled tightly. “Thank you. Anyway, as luck would have it, David happened to be walking by my door at that exact moment, and he gallantly stopped and paid the delivery boy for me. I invited him in to share it with me after that and we ended up talking all night. And the rest, I guess, is history,” she said with a light laugh.