Wedding Date for Hire (8 page)

The man squinted as if he stood fifty yards back instead of merely three feet. “Oh, Madeline. I’m sorry. I was looking for Louise. Veronica told me she was over here.”

“Of course she did,” Maddie mumbled, shimmying out of his embrace. “H-how are you?”

“Good. It’s lovely to see you again.” Ryan’s gaze shifted to Trent with a look of dismay when Trent slung an arm around Maddie’s shoulders.

“Oh, this is my…um, friend, Trent,” Maddie offered.

Friend? Trent figured after that kiss they just shared they were definitely out of the friend zone and, for a woman wanting to pretend to everyone here that she was in a relationship, she was doing a lousy job. Did she still have feelings for this nitwit?

Ryan stepped closer and shook Trent’s hand. Fancy Boy had to have had a manicure with those kinds of hands, and he wore cuff links. Probably had his shirts custom made. Trent ordered himself to not roll his eyes. Although he could see where some woman might find a refined man like that attractive, Trent also could see that he was not someone who ever played sports or probably exercised, so Trent automatically placed him in the category of “complete tool.”

“Your friend?” Ryan eyed Maddie with a level of interest that had Trent’s hand closing slowly into a fist. “Well, I hadn’t heard that you were bringing anyone to the wedding. That’s disappointing.”

“Why disappointing?” she asked. “I thought you’d be here with Kristin.”

“I broke up with her. I was actually hoping to see you again here… But I guess I had my chance.”

“Had it and blew it.” His outburst got a look from Maddie, but he didn’t care. Fancy-boy Ryan was not going to muscle in on his woman.

His
woman? He let his arm slip from her shoulders. Where the hell had that thought come from? Probably from that kiss. Because he hadn’t entertained such a possessive thought since his engagement. Why would he? After Candace had left him, he vowed to never put his heart on the line like that again.

Ryan smiled at Maddie. “Well. I guess I should go and try to find your sister.”

Maddie nodded. “It’s good seeing you.”

Ryan turned away and headed toward the pool. After a few moments, Maddie sighed. “Why do I feel the need to be polite? It was not good seeing him. It was torturous. I hope I can avoid him the rest of the night.”

“Maybe he’ll trip and fall into the pool.”

“Ryan can’t swim.”

“Then I’ll push him into the pool.”

She let out a laugh, but when she looked up at him, her expression slowly turned serious. “Um, about that kiss… Just curious, but was that for business or for pleasure?”

“Purely pleasure on my end.”

“Oh. Um, perhaps we should just keep those things on the business side from now on.”

“Things? What things? You mean kisses?”

“Well, yeah. I don’t want this arrangement to get mucky, especially since I’m paying you. Don’t you agree?”

No
. He damn well didn’t agree.

But Trent didn’t dare voice that thought because only a short week ago he would have completely agreed with her. Part of him even had to wonder if her sudden let’s-not-complicate-things talk had anything to do with seeing Ryan again. “Sure. No sense complicating things.”

She bit her lip. “Okay then, let’s go meet the rest of the family.”

He nodded and threaded his hand through hers. She gave him a look but said nothing as they walked along the stone path to the house.
Good
, he thought crossly. Because if she was paying him to be her wedding date, that’s what wedding dates did: held hands. And quite frankly, they probably kissed, too. Frequently. And maybe even…

Oh hell.

The shock of discovery hit him with full force. He was completely wrong about Maddie and completely wrong about that one simple kiss. Because she was
not
out of his system and he was
not
satisfied.

Not by a long shot.

Chapter Seven

M
addie had to hand it to Trent. When he wanted to turn on the charm, he really knew how to do it up right. Her aunt Lois and aunt Marie were laughing and hanging on to his every word. Practically eating right out of the palm of his hand. Not that she should be surprised. He certainly charmed enough young girls back in the day. It was only natural that a couple of sixty-year-old women wouldn’t be immune.

A cursed thirty-year-old woman wouldn’t be immune, for that matter.

Why did Trent have to look so good? Couldn’t he have stayed the full-of-himself-jock stereotype? He was nothing like he was in high school. Worse yet, he didn’t really fit into the image she had of him being a paid escort. She didn’t know what to think anymore. Then again, it was hard to think at all after he’d kissed her the way he had twenty minutes ago.

Despite the whole situation and how he treated her years ago, she liked him. She really liked him. God-help-her liked him. However, she refused to entertain the idea that Trent was interested in her. The man could have any woman he wanted—and probably did—and she was just…
cursed
. Even on the rarest of rare chances he was interested, so what? It’s not like he was looking for a relationship. The man bounced around women in his line of work all the time. Well, she wanted a guy who stuck. She didn’t need a fling. She’d had
plenty
of those. A real relationship and a job on the other hand continued to elude her, as her cousin constantly reminded her.

A hand landed on her shoulder, startling her out of her doldrums. “How could someone with such a charming and off-the-scale-hot boyfriend look as if she just heard Ben & Jerry’s was going out of business?”

Maddie shot her sister a horrified look. “It isn’t, is it?”

Louise chuckled. “Rest assured New York Super Fudge Chunk is safe and sound for the foreseeable future.”

“Whew. You had me concerned there for a second.”

“Don’t evade the question.” Her sister’s face clouded with concern. “Is everything okay between you and Trent?”

Maddie swallowed hard, becoming increasingly uneasy under her sister’s scrutiny. “Nothing could be better. Just look at him,” she said, gesturing to where Trent stood, surrounded by adoring gray-haired women. “Everybody loves him.”

“Do
you
love him?”

“Love?” She tried but failed to keep the surprise out of her face. “Isn’t it a little soon for love?” she choked out. “I mean, we’ve only been dating a few months.”

Louise shook her head. “I’ve seen the way Trent looks at you. Besides, Michael and I said the I-love-yous at the three month mark, but honestly, we were ready to tell each other earlier, but we were both too chicken.”

Maddie wanted to ask exactly
how
Trent looked at her, but then mentally smacked herself for thinking there was anything beyond their little agreed-upon charade. “Not everyone is as lucky as you and Michael. You guys are going to be the poster children for marital bliss.”

Louise squeezed Maddie’s hand with a teary smile. “Thank you for saying that.”

She frowned and wondered if Louise was holding something back from her. But before she had a chance to ask, Michael’s parents were calling her sister over to take some pictures.

“Duty calls,” Louise said with her usual cheerful tone.

Maddie watched her sister go then shrugged off the concern when Louise walked right into Michael’s arms. Mood lifted, she decided now was the time to rescue Trent from her family. Funny, but even as he carried on a conversation with her aunts, he seemed to be watching her. Waiting for her.

His hand automatically slid around her waist when she approached, and he pulled her into him. She loved the subtle spiciness of his cologne, and a delicious shudder heated her body. She tried to brush off her reaction and not think about how perfectly she molded to his body, but what could she do? She was a weak, weak woman.

“You hit the mother lode with this one, honey,” her aunt Marie said, elbowing her a little too hard in her side. Aunt Marie was a tiny woman but, boy, she could produce quite a jab with those bony arms of hers.

“Ladies, you’re going to make me blush,” he said, grin widening, stretching across his already-too-handsome face.

“Did you know he used to play football?” Aunt Lois added with a dreamy sigh.

Maddie refrained from rolling her eyes. “He might have mentioned it once or twice.”

Aunt Lois huffed out a breath. “Once or twice? Goodness, the man is modest, too. Why, he could have been playing for the pros.”

“And then we could have been seeing him in his underwear,” Aunt Marie added.

Maddie blinked.
“Excuse me?”

“All good-looking professional athletes do side underwear modeling jobs these days. It’s a darn shame women won’t be seeing…” Her aunt slid a gleaming gaze down and then up Trent’s body. “All that manly physique.”

“Is that right?” Maddie raised an eyebrow at him, but he could only offer an unapologetic shrug. She swallowed a giggle, although she couldn’t really fault her aunt’s disappointment. A body like Trent’s should be captured on film. Or by her hands…

Bad Maddie.
She should not be thinking about touching Trent’s body. Well, maybe just thinking a little bit wouldn’t hurt.

Aunt Lois patted Marie’s shoulder. “Maddie’s seeing it, and that’s all that really matters, dear.”

“Maybe you could take a picture for us?” Marie asked with hopeful eyes.

“Marie!” Lois barked.

“What? It doesn’t hurt to ask.”

Trent’s smile grew wider, his teeth strikingly white against his tanned face. “Ladies, I’m beyond flattered. But I am for Maddie’s eyes only,” he said, cupping her chin and turning her face up toward him. She held her breath or maybe just plain forgot to breathe. Then he slowly leaned in, his lips brushing hers, soft and sweet.

Oh, he is so worth the money…

Her aunts let out a collective sigh. Or maybe that was her.

“Don’t let the WD-40 Effect win, dear. He’s too good to let slip away.”

Marie’s comment snapped her brain back to normal functioning, and she pulled away from Trent. Maddie had thought she could escape those kinds of remarks from her family, but even with a date on her arm, her family still seemed to doubt she wasn’t somehow cursed.

“I’ll do my best,” she said, forcing a smile.

“This should help.” Her aunt Lois pulled out what looked to be some kind of bright pink origami and held it out to her.

Maddie looked at it, but made no move to take it. “What’s that?”

“It’s a duct tape bracelet. We made it for you.”

She glanced at Trent who looked as confused as she felt. She hated to ask, but… “Okay. Um…
why
?”

Lois gave her a full-wattage dentures grin. “Duct tape is the opposite of WD-40. We thought you should wear it for good luck. Isn’t that clever? We should have done this years ago after that nice fireman you dated went back to his old girlfriend.”

Maddie closed her eyes.
The family insanity continues…

“Oh, look,” Trent said, “the groom’s family is going to say a few words now.”

With relief, Maddie opened her eyes and looked to where a piano had been stationed. Michael’s father already had the microphone and was thanking friends and family for coming to the party. Aunt Marie, whose hearing was on a downhill slope, made a mad dash to the front. Her aunt Lois was about to follow but not before taking Maddie’s hand, placing the bracelet in her palm, and squeezing her fingers closed around it.

“Wear it in good health, dear,” she whispered before leaving.

Maddie looked at Trent. “Do you believe what I’m dealing with here?”

“Only because I saw it with my own eyes.” He surprised her when he took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. “But I’d still take your family over mine any day. Come on. Let’s go join the others.”

She nodded, feeling surprisingly good-humored. Even if bringing a date to Louise’s wedding wasn’t deflecting talk about her being cursed, she was still glad Trent was here with her. She didn’t think he could be such a comfort and support, but she didn’t know how she’d manage through this evening and the rest of the week if it wasn’t for him.

Louise and Michael were holding hands as Michael’s father passed the microphone to his wife. “We’re so delighted you all could come ahead of the wedding and share in our joy of Michael and Louise’s happiness,” she told everyone. “We hope you enjoy the rest of the festivities we have planned, too. But before we drink to our son and future daughter-in-law, could we have the maid of honor come forward to lead us in a toast?”

Maddie froze as all eyes turned toward her.

“Oh, crikey,” she murmured. “A little heads-up would have been nice.”

“Come on, sweetheart,” Michael’s mom said. “Come say a few words for Louise and Michael.”

Trent nudged her forward. “You can do this. For Louise,” he whispered in her ear.

She ignored the little shiver that went down her neck from Trent’s closeness and took a deep breath. He was right. Although she wasn’t prepared to speak—at least not until the wedding day—she could say what was in her heart. About the happiness and love Louise had found. And what she hoped to find for herself someday.

Maddie gave a slight smile as she took the microphone and tried to combat the butterflies growing in her stomach. “Um, hi,” she said awkwardly. “I just wanted to say that although I can’t speak from experience, I do know relationships are hard work. And I can see with Louise and Michael that when you find the right person, that work becomes easy, because you have two people working together toward the same goal. I’m so proud of Louise for never settling.” She glanced over at Louise, whose smile broadened in approval. “And I’m proud of Michael for realizing how special my sister is and for never letting her go.”

Maddie took a glass of champagne that was sitting on the piano for her and raised it in the air. The crowd mimicked her action. “To Louise and Michael. Love each other deeply and hold on to each other above everything else.”

She drank deeply as her gaze clouded with tears. She wished someone would hold on to her. Men unfortunately had no problem letting her go. Even her own father. But she had a strong feeling in her heart that Louise would not suffer that fate with Michael.

The band began to play “When I Fall in Love” and everything seemed to hit her at once. How ridiculously sad her own life had become. She couldn’t find a job or a date—or at least, she couldn’t find a date without paying for one. She placed the empty flute down and made her way through the crowd of dancers. Her mind was in such a cloud she hadn’t realized she had walked right past Trent.

He took hold of her arm, stopping her. “Hey, I believe you promised me this dance. And I lead.”

“There will be others,” she said, shaking her head. She was hardly in the mood to dance. All she wanted to do was go back to the room and bury herself under the covers. Possibly with a pint of Chunky Monkey.

He looked directly into her eyes, his face right above hers. “As your devoted wedding date, I have to insist. Plus, Louise is watching us, probably wondering why we aren’t out on the dance floor with them.”

Weariness overtook her, and she nodded. He was right. At least somebody was able to keep the charade going. Trent was definitely all business and played his part well, which made it even harder to go right back into his arms so soon after their kiss. It only made her want things that would never be for real.

As soon as their feet touched the patio, he placed her hand on his shoulder then slid his own to her waist. He was silent for a while, which she was grateful for because it gave her time to regulate her breathing. His nearness was so overwhelming. And for a moment she felt like she was floating. She wondered if her legs had even moved yet.

“Pretty speech,” he finally commented, breaking her out of her jumbled up thoughts.

His tone sounded almost mocking, so she looked up to judge his expression. But his face was blank. “Thanks. I think.”

“You’re welcome. If you meant what you said.”

“Why wouldn’t I wish my sister all the happiness in the world?”

“I wondered if you meant what you said about them holding on to each other above everything else.”

“Of course. Everything else is fleeting, but love lasts forever.”

“Sure it does.”

She stopped and stared at him in disbelief. “You sound cynical about love. You can’t be cynical.
I’m
the one who should be cynical.”

Trent pasted on a polite smile when people glanced over at them, unmoving on the dance floor. “Your feet seemed to have stopped moving,
honey
. If you don’t give me at least one hip sway, I’m going to be forced to dip you. And PS, I have every right to be cynical.”

“That makes no sense whatsoever.”

“Dipping you or being cynical?”

“Both.”

“All right. You asked for it.” And then she felt herself go backward.

He swung her up again just as fast, and a rush of excitement went through her. “At least you warned me,” she said with a laugh, brushing at her hair that got caught in her lip gloss.

His eyes gleamed with humor. “Next time you won’t be so lucky.”

“Ha, next time I’ll be prepared. I know your moves now.”

He leaned in and brought his face close to hers. “Not all of them, honey,” he whispered in her ear.

A thrill shot up her spine, and she nearly stumbled.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked suddenly.

“You mean now that all the blood has rushed back to my feet again?”

He chuckled. “Yes, that, and in general. You seemed a bit out of it after you toasted the bride and groom.”

“Actually, I am feeling better. Thanks for asking me to dance.”

“What are fake boyfriends for?”

She smiled. “Well, this fake girlfriend hasn’t dated anyone for real this nice in a long time and appreciates it.”

Trent stepped back, closing his warm fingers over hers, and twirled her under his arm. “You’re welcome,” he said, drawing her in to his chest again. “I’m glad I officially broke my bad-boy image to you.”