Wedding Date for Hire (16 page)
Read Wedding Date for Hire Online
Authors: Jennifer Shirk
“Yeah, thanks,” he murmured, never taking his eyes off Maddie.
Once they were alone, Maddie licked her lips. “May I come in?”
He blinked then took a step back. “Sorry.”
Maddie walked in, rubbing her arms as if warding off a chill, but it was almost July, and the air conditioner wasn’t turned on. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours, yet his eyes hungrily raked every inch of her. It was bliss to see her. Complete bliss and complete torture at the same time.
She glanced at him. Glanced away. Then glanced back and took a deep breath. “Trent, I’m crazy about you.”
He stood there, amazed, shaken, and apparently mute, but very, very happy.
“I should have said this to you at the wedding, but I was afraid.”
“That’s okay, because you’re telling me now. That’s all that matters.”
She closed the distance between them and gently reached up to run a finger down his jaw. “I’m glad it still matters to you.”
“It does. After everything I went through with my botched engagement, it really does matter to me.”
“You were right about me. I was so blinded by my own insecurities from being abandoned by my dad that I became my own curse.”
“It’s okay. We’ve both been abandoned. I know it’s not easy to trust after something like that. But Maddie, I want you to trust me. So badly. Just know there are never any guarantees in life.”
“I’ve done a lot of stupid things because of my fear of taking a chance on someone. But the most stupid thing I ever did was push you away.”
He reached for her hand, held it tight. “I’m sure you’ve done stupider things.”
She chuckled. “Like hire someone to attend my sister’s wedding with me?”
“No, that was
not
stupid,” he insisted. “Especially since it was me you hired.”
“I’m glad you think that,” she said, amusement lighting her eyes. “Because I was hoping you’d be available for one more job.”
“Maddie, I told you. I’m not a paid escort.”
“Oh, you aren’t going to get paid. But I was wondering if you’d be available sometime to escort me on a date. A
real
date.”
“Huh,” he said, his lips curving into a smile. “A date with you? I guess I have to think about it.”
“Since I hope to be working again soon, it would be my treat,” she added.
“Okay, but just one date?”
She shrugged. “It’s negotiable.”
He pretended to think it over then tugged her into his arms, loving her softness and warmth. “I agree to your terms. And I just checked my schedule. Turns out I’m free.”
“I was hoping you would be.” She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips, pulling back way too soon for his liking.
“So when do you want to go out?” she asked.
He smiled into her eyes. “I’m thinking every day this year.”
Epilogue
Six months later
“I
thought we were going to stay in tonight.”
Trent slid Maddie a mischievous side glance then put on his turn signal. He’d promised to cook for her at his place since she had the weekend off from her head pastry chef job at the Ritz Carlton. But he’d passed his house and had continued driving for the last fifteen minutes.
“You’ll get your meal,” he assured her. “I just have a little surprise for tonight’s date night.”
It was their one hundred and twentieth date night. But who was counting?
When she told him she’d given up believing she was cursed, she meant every word. The past several months with Trent had been anything but cursed. In fact, they’d been…perfect.
And speaking of perfect…
“Hey, I just got a save-the-date card in the mail. So Kennedy and Justin are really getting married?” she asked.
He nodded. “They sure are. Who knew true love could be manufactured by microchips?”
“I know people who’ve gotten together in stranger ways,” she said with a grin.
He smiled. “Uh, true. They seem happy enough. Investors seem happy enough with her technology as well, because I got all my money back from her business plus a little something extra.”
Maddie was thankful for that, because it meant Trent finally had the money to not only put into his gyms but also to add an addition for the youth program he wanted to start up.
The car finally slowed down. He pulled into the driveway of a fairly large coastal home with cedar shingles and a front yard full of lovely flowers in pinks, purples, and blues.
He parked the car and turned to her. “What do you think?”
She thought it was absolutely charming. “You’re moving?” she said instead.
“Maybe.” He gave her a hint of a smile then got out of the car. “Come on, let’s take a peek inside.”
Trent retrieved a key that was obviously left under the mat for him and opened the door. When she walked in, her breath caught at the shining hardwood floors and high cathedral-like ceilings. The kitchen and living room were large and open with plenty of windows to let in natural light and also showcase the view of the bay.
“My goodness, Trent. This is spectacular.” She rushed over to the sliding back doors. “Oh, and look, there’s plenty of space for Bella to run and play, too.”
“Or children,” he added, coming up behind her.
She turned and blinked twice at him, trying to keep her voice even. “Children?”
He slowly nodded. His eyes never leaving hers, he got down on one knee.
His hand reached for hers and held it tight. “Maddie, six months ago you hired me as your date to your sister’s wedding. The best non-job I ever had, because I think I knew deep down in my heart almost from the beginning that I would always want you in my life. So now I’m asking you to be my wedding date. At
our
wedding.”
The love reflected in his face made it a struggle to breathe. “Yes,” she whispered.
“Thank God.” He stood and fiercely hugged her to him. “I love you,” he told her. “I love you so much—even though you still don’t know what an onside kick is.”
She laughed but a few tears slipped over her lashes. “Well, maybe not that. But I do know what a hot receiver is, because I happen to be engaged to one.”
“Whew.” He chuckled. “I guess we’ll be okay then.”
She kissed him, long and deep, until her head swam and, when she finally pulled back, she couldn’t help grinning from ear to ear. “Yeah, I think we’ll be just fine.”
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Acknowledgments
As per usual, BIG sloppy kisses to the women of my critique group: The Passionate Critters. In particular, I want to thank Keri, Julie, Bethanne, and Nina. I was on a deadline, and you ladies dropped everything to do some really fast reading. But I appreciate you ALL for the time, work, energy, empathy, advice, and laughs you give to me throughout the year.
More kisses to my husband and daughter who are extra supportive when I need to bounce ideas or need complete silence. I know I’m a pain sometimes.
No sloppy kisses (I’ll spare you) but major THANKS and PRAISE to my favorite editor in the world, Stacy Cantor Abrams, and her partner in editing, Lydia Sharp. Thank you both for making this book so much stronger with your awesome suggestions and comments. You are both a joy to work with.
Lastly, thank you to the whole team at Entangled Publishing. I really am thrilled to have found such a wonderful publisher and am proud to be among so many talented authors.
About the Author
Jennifer Shirk has a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy—which has in
no way
at all helped her with her writing career. But she likes to point it out, since it shows that romantic-at-hearts come in all shapes, sizes, and
mind-numbing
educations.
She writes sweet (and sometimes even funny) romances for Samhain Publishing, Montlake Romance, and Entangled Publishing. Recently, her novel
Sunny Days for Sam
won the 2013 Golden Quill Published Authors Contest for Best Traditional Romance.
Lately she’s been on a serious exercise kick. But don’t hold that against her.
http://www.jennifershirk.com/
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