My Best Friend's Bride (14 page)

“Excuse me,” the judge interrupted loudly. “Do we have a problem here?”

Hunter stared at Jill.
 

“It’s just that he and I didn’t have time to… What I mean is…” She drew a breath. “I forgot to tell Hunter about the r—”

The judge’s bushy eyebrows shot up.

“No worries, darling,” Hunter said smoothly. His dark brown eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. “All taken care of.” Hunter patted his jacket pocket and Jill blanched.
 

Who did she think Hunter was? He simply couldn’t show up for a wedding ceremony—even for a bogus marriage—without wedding bands. Hunter might be accused of being many things, but being unprepared wasn’t one of them. Hunter always did his homework, which was why he’d learned from Brad that Jill’s ring size was six, same as her dress and shoe size. Hunter was actually kind of impressed Brad had remembered that, but had chalked it up to Brad having a memory for numbers. Plus, it was easy when they were all the same.

Jill gaped at him in surprise. To Hunter’s delight, it was in a pleasantly surprised way. “You mean?”

“I’ve got your number,” he said. “Six!”

“Okay, then!” the judge boomed loudly. “Now that that’s settled… I hope.”

“Yes, sir,” Jill replied a bit breathlessly. Hunter squared his broad shoulders, perfectly delighted he’d stunned her that much.
Well, turnabout’s fair play, isn’t it? Jill positively took my breath away when she entered the chapel. Now we’re even.
 

Hunter wondered how he was going to handle being married to such a beautiful woman. Her grandfather hadn’t been mistaken in his assessment of Jill as a catch. She wasn’t only great-looking, she was genuinely sweet and professionally accomplished. A rare combination that Hunter hadn’t even realized was possible in a wife. Well, he supposed if he had to have a spouse it was nice he’d gotten a good one for this next little while. Jill’s poise and easy conversational skills would serve Hunter well in the business arena, just as Hunter was prepared to pull off his role as the perfect husband. He grinned at Cassandra and a bright flash bloomed as he took both of Jill’s hands in his. “To have and to hold from this day forward,” he repeated after the judge. “As long as we both shall live.”

The judge turned to Jill, leading her to follow, “I, Jill…”

She shot a quick glance at Hunter and flushed madly. “I, Jill…”

“Do hereby take Hunter…”

The words went on, but were lost in a blur as Hunter held on to Jill’s hands. Was it his imagination, or were her fingers trembling slightly? He tightened his grasp to steady them just in case. He also hoped to indicate to Jill that he was there: with her and for her. For as long as this charade lasted, which would be until precisely this time next year.

Jill sucked in a breath to steady herself, but her knees still shook wildly. After years of helping so many other couples find their way to the altar, she was finally here herself. With Hunter. She repeated every word of her vows, not even sure she heard them as she spoke them out loud. Perhaps that’s because she was barely speaking at all, each meager phrase coming out in a whisper. Hunter tightened his hold on her hands, and at once she didn’t feel alone. She and Hunter were in this together. She finished her responses and the judge asked for the rings. Hunter gently released her and slipped a hand into his jacket pocket. When he opened his hand, she saw two matching bands nestled together in his palm.

The judge took the rings then handed the smaller one to Hunter to slide onto Jill’s finger. The cool rim of the plain gold band touched her top knuckle and Jill’s heart leapt. She’d never imagined Hunter would arrive for the ceremony carrying rings. There were so many things about him that were still a mystery. Like how he could simultaneously prove so infuriating yet endearing. Hunter’s voice cracked slightly as he slid the ring onto her finger. “With this ring,” he said hoarsely, “I thee wed.”

Butterflies flitted about in Jill’s stomach and her face burned hot. She questioned whether this was what it felt like to marry for real. Pretend or not, Jill was giddy with the moment. She could only imagine how a woman must feel when she was marrying a man she actually cared for. Someone she loved desperately.
 

“In token and in pledge…” Hunter paused, and for a second there was an instant connection between them. Somewhere far away Jill heard a clock ticking. Or perhaps it was the sound of a fan spinning. Jill didn’t know and didn’t care. All that mattered was the look in Hunter’s eyes. They held an unexpected tenderness that spoke volumes. “Of my constant faith…and abiding love.”

A tear escaped the corner of Jill’s eye and she pressed her lips together. This had to be what it felt like: being loved. She’d known love from her parents, and her grandfather. But this feeling was a world apart. Plus, she reminded herself harshly,
it’s one hundred percent fake.
She peered over at Morgan, who was fanning herself rapidly with the envelope holding their paperwork. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and Brad appeared a bit weepy himself.

When it was her turn to place the other ring on Hunter’s finger, Jill wasn’t sure she could carry through with it as masterfully as Hunter had. But she soldiered ahead, putting as much deep-seated emotion into it as she could muster. She sure hoped Cassandra was getting every bit of this on camera, because from her perspective Jill believed she and Hunter should be awarded Oscars. Finally, the short ceremony ended and the judge pronounced Hunter and Jill husband and wife. Without preamble or warning, Hunter swept Jill into his arms. “Darling,” he said bringing his mouth down on hers. Then he surprised her with the sweetest, yet most immaculate kiss—closed-mouthed, just as she’d insisted. Jill’s knees buckled anyhow, and Hunter clasped her at the waist to hold her as he spoke in a rough whisper. “There will be more of
that
on the honeymoon.”

“Honeymoon?” Jill asked weakly, still swooning.

“Yes!” Cassandra called brightly from the aisle. “Where are you going?”

Jill noted Cassandra was smiling, but her cheeks were damp as she sniffed into a tissue.
 

Hunter reached under his coat and pulled a pair of airline tickets from his inside pocket. He handed them to Jill with gallant flair and a dashing grin. “Niagara Falls.”

Jill’s head felt light. For the first time since this whole thing started with Hunter, she wondered if she’d gotten in way over her head.
 

“What a lovely wedding surprise,” the judge said. Even he appeared on the verge of tears. There was scarcely a dry eye in the house. Now Jill’s eyes were watering too, darn it. What on earth was Hunter Delaney trying to do to her? She intended to ask him just that. But first, she and Hunter had a press release kit to pose for.

Chapter Thirteen

Jill pulled a pair of summer shorts from her suitcase and replaced them with a knee-length skirt. She was still in her wedding gown and flustered. After the photo op with Cassandra, Hunter had given her one hour to go home and pack. Their plane for Niagara Falls left later this afternoon. They would stop by Green Meadows to fill her grandfather in on their plans on the way to the airport. “I can’t believe he did this!” Jill cried, searching frantically through her dresser drawers. She tossed a few undergarments onto the bed beside her packing pile. Morgan lifted a single item with a frown. “Big white panties won’t do.”

Jill gasped.

“You
are
going on a honeymoon.”

“A fake one.”

“Maybe, but the marriage was real.”

“That was pretend too.”

“Tell that to the judge.” Morgan quirked a smile and pulled something lacy and lilac from Jill’s dresser drawer. “Now that’s more like it.”

Jill snatched the thong away and threw it in her bag. “Fine, I’ll take it, but don’t count on me to wear it.”

Morgan arched an eyebrow. “I think it’s terribly sweet he surprised you with a honeymoon.”

Jill grabbed a pair of jeans and a couple of shirts from her closet. As an afterthought, she decided to grab a sundress, the one with pretty sunflowers that Hunter had seemed to admire. Not that she really cared whether he liked her clothes or not. “How did he know I’d have a passport anyway?”

“You travel all the time, Jill. Besides…” She giggled lightly. “It seems Hunter covered his bases.”

Jill had to admit Hunter had thought of everything. He’d booked hotels both in New York and on the Canada side of the falls. Their flight was to New York and he’d arranged to rent a car there. If they couldn’t cross the border, they’d stay on the U.S. side, although Morgan assured Jill she’d like being in Canada better. Jill sat on the side of the bed, feeling winded. Everything was happening so fast. “He did think of everything,” she conceded. Jill stared down at the pretty wedding band on her finger resting beside her Grandma Rose’s engagement ring. “Even this.”

“I know.” Morgan brought a hand to her heart. “Almost took my breath away.”

“Hunter’s definitely full of surprises,” Jill said.

“I wouldn’t mind having a man surprise me with a getaway!”

“Yeah, but…” Jill bit into her bottom lip. “I just hope he booked separate rooms.”

“After all he’s done, you’re still insisting on that?”

“Morgan! I barely know him!”

“Some blushing bride you turned out to be.”

“Very funny.”

“Okay, all right. I know you’re concerned about it, but you probably needn’t be. Hunter agreed to the terms of the contract, after all.”

“Yes,” Jill said, remembering his chaste wedding kiss. “He seems to be keeping the bargain.”

“From all that I’ve seen, he is,” Morgan agreed. “So, go on and run off to Canada! Have a fine time. When’s the last time you had a vacation?”

“I was in Vancouver in—”

“Not a business trip, Jill. One for pleasure.”

Jill tried not to think about the many kinds of pleasure a man like Hunter could provide, and focused instead on the fact that he and she had cut a business deal. An arrangement. Purely platonic. Yeah, that.
 

“Can’t remember, can you?” Morgan asked after Jill’s pause. “Exactly my point.”

Jill stared at her friend, panic taking hold. “Five days, Morgan.
Five days.
What am I supposed to do with Hunter all that time?”

“Ride the
Maid of the Mist
?” Morgan suggested.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, that’s right, you get seasick. Never mind.” Morgan stood and began to help by neatly folding garments and carefully tucking them inside the suitcase. “Don’t worry. I’m sure there will be plenty to do. And, by the time you return, your advance money will be here.”

“That’s something, at least.” Jill heaved a sigh. “Then I’ll need to start writing.”

“In earnest, yes. That little proposal we threw together for them won’t hold Browning’s interest for long. They’ll want an outline by August. The first three chapters by—”

“October,” Jill filled in for her.

“And polished,” Morgan reminded her with a firm smile. “They want the final draft by Christmas.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Jill said. “I’m a fast writer.”

“Yeah. But this time what you write quickly has to be good. Better than good—outstanding.”

“Nothing like putting the pressure on,” Jill quipped.

Morgan pulled her into a hug, then replied with a grin, “You work better under pressure. I’ve seen you.”

Well, Jill certainly couldn’t be in a bigger pressure cooker than this. “Thanks, Morgan,” she said, hugging her back. “You’re a peach.”

“Do you want to take the boxers with the kiwis on them or what?”

Hunter snatched the shorts out of Brad’s hands with a frown. “Will you please stay out of my knickers?”

Brad relented with a snicker. “Only trying to help.”

“Don’t you have to go teach or something?”

“I took the whole day off, put in a sub plan, remember?”

“Oh yeah, thanks!”

“I actually think the ceremony went very well. Cassandra bought it hook, line, and sinker. And that move with the rings, man…” Brad stroked his chin. “That was classic.”

“Do you think that Jill liked it?”

“Liked it? For a second, she looked like she would have married you for real. I mean, if you weren’t already… You know what I’m saying.”

Hunter studied him thoughtfully. “Just as long as you don’t think it was too much.”

“Listen, Hunter, now’s not the time for Monday morning quarterbacking. You did an awesome job with everything—including those airline tickets. You keep these gentlemanly tactics up, you might even have Jill liking
you
by the time this whole deal is over.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, pal.”

“I meant that as a compliment. A real one. Just three weeks ago, Jill Jamison hated your guts. Now she’s your wife! Not many other men could have pulled that off.”

“She might still hate me—slightly.”

“Way down under the surface, you mean?” Brad stared at the ceiling and contemplated this a moment. “Yeah,” he said, addressing Hunter. “You’re probably right. But…” he added optimistically, “you’ll have plenty of time to work on that!”

“That’s fine, because I intend to,” Hunter stated reasonably. “I’ve lived with women who didn’t like me, and trust me on this, it was not a joyful experience.”

“That’s because those girls
loved you
,
man. Or at least thought they were ‘in love’ with you. That’s what made them hate you so much.”

“Now you’re making perfect sense.”

“Love unrequited, Hunter,” Brad replied. “No one enjoys being on the downside of that.”

“Spoken like a true philosopher. Hey—I thought you taught math.”

Brad swatted him with a tie he was holding, then eyed it carefully, holding it up to the window. “This one’s sharp,” he said. “Swimming dolphins.”

“Not taking that one.” Hunter nabbed it out of his grasp and tossed it onto a chair. “That was from Sabrina.”

“The one with the heels?” Brad asked.

“That’s the one.”

Brad shuddered. “Maybe you should start a pile for charity?”