Читать книгу Win, Lose...Or Wed! - Melissa McClone, Melissa Mcclone - Страница 5

“TWO more minutes, Millie.”

Oh, boy. Millie Kincaid shivered. It was almost time.

She glanced at the gilded framed full-length mirror hanging on the wall of an opulent mansion in Pacific Palisades, California. She barely recognized her reflection. The curly updo, the professionally applied makeup and the elegant gown made her look like a princess, not a schoolteacher from a small town in Central Oregon.

She felt a little like Cinderella. Not that Millie needed an invitation to the ball to find her Prince Charming. She’d already found him on a reality television show, no less. Her heart beat faster. She just had to get through the show’s final episode tonight when “The Groom,” Jace Westfall, a money manager from Philadelphia with his own company, would pick his bride.

An aviary worth of butterflies fluttered in Millie’s stomach. She couldn’t believe she’d made it to the finale. She’d only attended the show’s audition so her friend wouldn’t have to go alone. Her father, a successful motivational speaker, who didn’t think she was living up to her potential, told her she wasn’t ready for a show like this, and she’d wondered if he were right.

Until meeting the handsome “Groom” and falling for him.

Despite the certainty in her heart that she’d found the “one,” she wasn’t expecting an engagement ring after only knowing each other a few weeks. What she really wanted was time alone with him, away from the cameras, crew and other contestants. How would they get along when it was only the two of them? Her head told Millie counting on forever was nothing more than a teenage fantasy. Yet, in her heart, she couldn’t help believe she’d glimpsed her future in his eyes.

“Millie?” Avery, a young production assistant, adjusted her headset. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.” Millie stepped over cables running along the inlaid wood floor, teetering on the crystal-encrusted high heels they’d given her to wear, and ignored the bright lights and cameras focused on her. She straightened. “I’m ready.”

Grinning, Avery clutched a clipboard to her chest. “You look so beautiful. Just wait until Jace sees you. He’s going to love you.”

Millie hoped so.

I never thought I’d find someone like you on this show.

Jace’s words, murmured in her ear after a good-night kiss, sent anticipation rippling through her.

“Well, I think he knows the real me.” Jace saw beyond Mousy Millie, the nickname given by her father when she was an awkward, shy teenager, to the woman she really was inside. Jace asked questions about her job as a special education teacher and listened to her answers. He wanted to know her thoughts, her opinions, her dreams. He talked with her, not at her. As joy overflowed, Millie motioned to her fancy hair and beautiful dress. “The rest is window-dressing.”

“Which is why you were selected the viewers’ bride choice on the show’s Web site. You and Jace are the perfect couple. Right up there with the ultimate reality couples Trista and Ryan and Amber and Rob.” Avery sighed. “And you are beautiful. So accept the compliment and say thank you.”

Millie’s cheeks warmed. “Thank you.”

She appreciated Avery’s kind words, but she couldn’t help wondering how beautiful her competition, Desiree Delacroix, a mortgage broker from New York, would look. The other bride finalist exuded strength, confidence and raw sex appeal. Desiree had no problem wearing a string bikini or just a towel in front of Jace and the cameras. Millie would rather face an entire class of kids sick with the stomach flu than wear a swimsuit on television. She’d chosen Whistler, B.C., as her final date location instead of Cancún, Mexico, to avoid wearing skimpy clothing. Two women couldn’t have seemed more different, yet they shared a love of children, a belief in the institution of marriage…and an attraction to Jace Westfall. Thinking about their similarities and differences made Millie squirm.

The set went quiet, as if someone had hit the mute button. Avery touched her earpiece. “It’s time.”

Every one of Millie’s nerve endings sprang to life. Excitement surged. She couldn’t wait to see Jace.

She walked through the mansion, accustomed by now to ignore the equipment, the cameras and the crew. The show’s host, who also worked on the network’s nightly entertainment news show, gave her the thumbs-up. He’d interviewed her when she first arrived. Now it would only be her and Jace. And the cameras.

Rounding the corner to the final set, she saw him, standing on a balcony with hundreds of flowers. Jace wore a black tuxedo with a red rose boutonnière pinned on his lapel. He seemed taller, almost larger than life, all dressed up and his light brown hair neatly styled. This was how he would look on his wedding day. She sucked in a breath.

His eyes widened when he saw her. Uh-oh. He looked almost…scared. Her heart went out to him. This was a big moment for both of them. Millie fought the urge to run and reassure him the way he had that first night on the show when the world of reality TV had threatened to overwhelm her.

But before she could reach him, he smiled. At her.

Suddenly all was right in the world. In Millie’s world.

The backdrop of the Pacific Ocean stretching to the horizon brought out the blue in his eyes. She couldn’t help but wonder if they had children whether their babies would have his eye color or green like hers. Maybe hazel.

No, she was getting ahead of herself. But that was part of his appeal. He might be strong and solid, but he also made her loosen up and want to take chances. When Jace was around, her dreams became possible. She loved that about him.

If they had children someday, Millie hoped the kids inherited Jace’s smile. She loved his wide, easy smile. Not to mention the determined set of his jaw and the little bump on the center of his nose. He was so handsome, so supportive, so caring.

Contentment coursed through her. The way his gaze never left hers made Millie feel cherished and adored. She seemed to be floating, even though she knew that was physically impossible. Unless a fairy godmother had waved a magic wand.

Millie wouldn’t be surprised. The balcony defined romance with the elegant flowers and flickering candles everywhere. Music—Pachelbel’s Canon in D—played from hidden speakers while waves crashed against the shore below.

A breeze ruffled Jace’s hair. A strand fell forward across his forehead, making him seem appealingly real and approachable.

Even though she knew the killer setting was as carefully contrived as her appearance tonight, Millie found herself totally caught up in the mood. The moment. The magic.

She moved toward him. The scent of roses, her favorite flower, wafted in the air. She caught a scent of salt, too, blowing off the ocean. Millie wanted to etch every detail on her brain so she wouldn’t forget anything. Of course, she would be able to watch the scene over and over again. That was one good point of the show, a visual recording of their falling in love.

Millie stopped in front of him. “Hi.”

“Hi, Freckles.” His appreciative gaze started at the top of her head and went down to the tips of her oh-so-out-of-her-budget sling backs. “Though I don’t see many freckles tonight. You look amazing.”

Okay, relenting and allowing the production staff to do her hair, makeup and clothing for tonight’s show had been a good thing after all. She kind of liked looking and feeling like a princess. Millie wiggled her toes.

“Stunning,” he added.

His words wrapped around her heart like a warm hug. “Thanks,” she said. “You, too. Stunning. I mean, handsome.”

“Millie.” Smiling, he reached toward her and his large hands engulfed hers. “My sweet Millie.”

This was it. Her pulse quickened. She wanted to hear him say that he chose her. That he wanted her.

“Being with you has made these past few weeks fly by.” His warm voice, his words, resonated with her. “You always had an encouraging word or a smile for me. I don’t know how I would have made it through without you.”

“Me, either.”

“We had so much fun together.”

Remembering all the good times, Millie nodded. Those were only the beginning. They had a lifetime of memories to create together. A lifetime. She nearly sighed.

He looked at their linked hands. “You became my confidant, my counselor, my good friend. I’ll always value our friendship.”

Friendship? Anxiety spurted through Millie. Okay, don’t overreact. A relationship, not to mention marriage, needed a strong foundation that friendship provided.

Jace squeezed her hands. The action gave her no comfort. Zero reassurance. She needed him to say she was his choice.

His gaze returned to hers. “But you deserve someone better than me, Millie.”

Oh, no. He can’t be serious.

She searched his face for a sign to contradict his words, but found…nothing except for a fleeting look of regret in his eyes. A vise gripped her heart. She couldn’t breathe.

“You need someone who will love you the way you should be loved.” Jace said the words as if he were doing this for her own good. “I can’t do that. I just…can’t.”

Millie heard a gasp. She wasn’t sure if it came from her or one of the crew. It didn’t matter.

She wanted to run away, but her feet remained cemented to the balcony. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it. What was she going to say?

I can’t do that.

His words reverberated through her body. Her eyes stung, but she was too numb to know if she was crying or not.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” Jace said, his eyes dark. “I never wanted to do that, Millie. I really do…like you.”

Like. Not love.

He didn’t love her. He didn’t want her.

The truth hit fast and hard like a javelin aimed right at her heart. Millie wrapped her arms around her stomach, trying to quell a rush of nausea.

Jace had never said he loved her. She’d known he’d kissed Desiree, too, but Millie had thought…She’d believed…

She had been wrong. About every moment they’d spent together. About every kiss they’d shared. About everything she thought she knew about Jace Westfall.

She’d been duped. Used. Dumped.

And she merrily went along.

Innocent. Naive. Stupid.

Millie turned away from Jace. She forced her feet to walk off the romantic set. Ignoring the cameras focused on her, she hoped someday to be able to forget the looks of pity on the crew’s faces.

Never again. Millie left the mansion and stepped into an idling limousine. She would never let someone do this to her again.