Читать книгу The Substitute Fiancée - Rebecca Russell, Rebecca Russell - Страница 12

“I have a bad feeling about tonight.” Jessie took a seat on the small bench in front of her sister’s bathroom mirror. Her two closest friends, Carla and Dana, stood on either side of her.

“Think positive thoughts,” Carla replied. “And quit frowning. You’ll get wrinkles.”

Jessie reached for the can of soda in front of her, struggled to flick the tab, but soon gave up rather than risk ruining her newly painted nails.

She stared at her hands and the French manicure. Tips had been added to her own nails to make her even more identical to her mysteriously absent sister. Already she was beginning to feel like someone else and she didn’t like it one bit.

Dana reached for the soda, opened it and gave the can back to Jessie.

“Thanks, Dana.” Jessie took a drink and hoped the carbonated beverage would calm her stomach. “How does Jenna, or anyone for that matter, function with nails this long? I can’t even open a soda with these things.”

Carla shook her head and sighed. “Jessie, hon, you’re missing the whole point about the advantages of being a glamorous woman.” Petite, curvy and beautiful with big blond hair, Carla had “former Dallas debutante” written all over her.

She was also self-deprecating and generous to a fault, which made her a great neighbor and an even better friend. “Men will fall over backward to do whatever you need done, whether it’s opening a can or a door. But glamour is as much about attitude as it is looks.”

“And I’m sure you’ll get used to the nails,” offered Dana, a fellow teacher and terrible liar.

“In two hours? I doubt it. Since Jenna has refused to return my calls, it would serve her right if I just told Mac the truth.”

“It would, but you won’t,” Carla chided. “You made a promise and besides, she’s your sister and family sticks together.”

“Sister or not, once I know she’s okay I’m going to strangle her for putting me in this position.” Jessie pulled her friends close. “Thank heavens you’re both here. I wouldn’t have a chance of pulling this off without your help.”

Carla had called in favors to get a last-minute nail appointment and Dana, who had put herself through college working as a hair stylist, had tugged and poked Jessie’s hair into an elegant updo.

They had driven in separate cars to Jenna’s downtown loft apartment, since they needed access to her makeup and clothes and that’s where Mac would pick Jessie up for the party.

The entire time, Jessie had kept her cell phone on and within sight, praying that she’d get the call saying Jenna was back in town and ready to jump back into her life.

“Trust me, this is more fun than doing laundry, my usual Saturday plans.” Dana peered into a basket on the counter filled with sample-size soaps and lotions. “Hey, isn’t that Jenna’s engagement ring?”

Carla reached for the ring and held it up for all to see. The huge, clear diamond sparkled under the lights. “Sure is. But why would she leave it behind?”

Dana’s eyes grew wide. “She wouldn’t, unless she knew all along she wouldn’t be back in time for tonight. Jessie would need it to pull off the switch.”

Jessie’s stomach protested at the possibility that her sister had planned to be gone for the fitting and the party. That she’d set up her twin to be a part of such an uncomfortable deception.

“According to Mac, Jenna’s been acting strange all week, but she hasn’t mentioned anything to me.” Jessie wished she knew if her sister was just experiencing a severe case of cold feet or if she was in real trouble, or something else entirely.

Carla frowned. “Don’t twins have a special connection, you know, where you sense what the other one is thinking or feeling?”

Jessie nodded. “I’ve experienced some of that, but it’s not so simple.” When they were younger, she had competed against Jenna for their parents’ attention. As teenagers, their desire to be seen as individuals had kept her and Jenna from being super close, like many twins. “I think I’d know if she was in real danger,” Jessie added, “but all I got from her last phone call was that she was under a lot of pressure.”

“It probably doesn’t help that you’re both so different. You’d never go for a rock like this for an engagement ring. Your house is so warm and cozy, and while this place is beautiful…” Carla’s voice trailed off as she studied the funky chrome light fixtures suspended from the ceiling. “It’s a little—”

Dana leaned against the green marble vanity. “Cold and pretentious?”

“Not at all,” Carla protested. “I was going to say modern.”

“Stay focused ladies,” Jessie pleaded. “It’s because my sister and I are so different that I’m in a panic.”

“Jessie, hon, I don’t want to add to your worries, but have you thought about what happens tonight after the fund-raiser? Let’s face it, you and Jenna are completely different when it comes to relationships, too. You like to play it safe and take your time getting to know someone and she’s more, well, adventurous. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but she and Mac are probably sleeping together, don’t you think?”

An all too familiar queasiness crept up on Jessie and she clutched her stomach. She’d been stressing over minor things like nails and makeup, when a much bigger problem existed. “Oh, God. You’re right. I mean, she’s never talked about it, which is strange for her, but still, odds are you’re right. What am I going to do?”

Dana patted Jessie’s shoulder. “With your nervous stomach, by the end of the night you’ll probably really be sick and then you won’t have to act.”

Jessie groaned at the prospect and hoped she had plenty of antacids in her purse.

“I know it looks like Jenna has set you up and lied,” Carla said. “But you’re the one who’s always telling me to keep an open mind until I have all the facts.”

Carla gently cupped Jessie’s chin and turned it until she faced the mirror. “Jessie, as crazy as Jenna makes you sometimes, she’s your sister and is depending on you. You can do this. You’ll just be playing pretend for a couple of hours and I doubt you’ll have to worry about opening cans of soda at a posh fund-raiser. And you can take your pick of excuses—a headache, cramps, upset stomach. Unless he’s a jerk, he won’t press spending the night, right?”

Jessie forced a smile and cursed the fact that her friend knew how much family meant to her. “Right.”

“That’s my girl.” Carla grinned. “Now, put on the ring before you forget.”

Whatever her sister’s reasons for leaving behind her engagement ring, Jessie had no choice. As she eased the three-carat ring onto her finger, uneasiness and panic raced up and down her spine. No prior deception, no prank had ever felt so wrong.

Still, Jessie couldn’t let her sister down.

“I’ll help you with the makeup, Jess. Dana, you choose an outfit, something dressy, but not too flashy. And try to find one that’s tea length so she doesn’t have to worry about hose.”

Dana saluted and hurried into the walk-in closet. “Wow,” she called out. “I feel like I’m in designer-label heaven.”

Carla rubbed her hands together, her expression gleeful as she surveyed a drawer crammed full of every cosmetic imaginable. “Trust me, Jessie, you’re going to knock Mac off his feet.”

Jessie believed her friends had the skill to make her look the part, but she had tons of doubt regarding her ability to pull off the act if, as Carla claimed, being glamorous required attitude more than anything else.

On the positive side, the awkwardness of her new nails now seemed a minor problem compared to the concern over her sister’s absence, Jessie’s guilt for deceiving Mac and the worry of how she was going to keep him out of her bed at the end of the evening.

Mac fought a sense of foreboding as he rang the doorbell to Jenna’s apartment. Who would he find tonight? The confident, bold Jenna of old or the new, uncertain, vulnerable Jenna of late?

He disliked disruption in his routine and was still on edge from this morning when, for the first time ever, he’d found it difficult to concentrate on his work after he’d returned from the bridal shop.

His mind had continually drifted back to his reaction to Jenna’s confession to feeling overwhelmed by wedding plans. An immediate protectiveness had surfaced out of nowhere, unnerving him to the point he’d made the quickest possible exit from the store.

Unfortunately, all he’d managed to accomplish that afternoon was rearranging the piles on his desk and reading the same brief three times without one word penetrating his unfocused brain.

He heard a clinking noise, a muffled curse, then the door opened. Jenna’s one hand gripped the tips of the fingers of her other hand, but at least she was dressed and looking her usual glamorous self. Relief ate away at some of his uneasiness.

“You look amazing, as always, Jenna,” he said as he drew her close and kissed her on the cheek.

She pulled back and chuckled. “I have to, or everyone will be looking at you!”

“Not a chance with you in the room.”

Mac swore he detected a slight flush on Jenna’s cheeks, but discarded the idea since she didn’t embarrass easily. Must’ve been the lighting.

“It’s settled then, Mac. We’re both gorgeous!”

Her smile seemed forced. She reached for her evening bag on the end table and held it against her stomach as if the minuscule purse were a protective shield. But what or who was she guarding herself against?

Jenna wasn’t afraid of anyone and was certainly no blushing innocent, so he blamed his vivid imagination tonight on either the lighting or exhaustion.

“Ready?” she asked.

“I was born ready, Jenn,” he replied in typical fashion, already anticipating one of her glib comebacks.

Instead, an unmistakable rush of color spread across her face and he could no longer deny something was different about Jenna today. Their usual banter had never caused a reaction before, not even the times they attempted to outdo each other with sexy double entendres.

Was her odd behavior a result of her having second thoughts about getting married?

He gave himself a mental shake. Jenna was the type of woman who knew what she wanted and went after it, a trait he admired. She’d be the last person to question her decision.

“Let’s go then,” Jenna finally replied. “We don’t want to keep the cameras waiting.”

The right words poured from her mouth, but they somehow sounded awkward and her smile seemed too bright. What had happened to her sassy attitude and poise?

She was doing it again, showing a vulnerability he’d never imagined she possessed. What the heck was he supposed to do with vulnerable?

He suddenly knew what he’d like to do. Skip the fund-raiser he’d been in charge of just so he could spend the night kissing the forced smile from her mouth, muss her perfect hair and help her out of the body-hugging pale green dress that matched her eyes.

What was he thinking? No woman, not even his fiancée, had ever tempted him to put pleasure before business.

With a mental shake, he offered his arm. “Let’s go,” he said more gruffly than intended, but dammit anyway, he’d proposed a merger of talents when he’d asked her to marry him, not an emotional relationship that would distract him from his work.

He’d tolerate her odd behavior for now, but it was countdown time. One week. Just seven more days and his world, and Jenna, had better return to business as usual.

Mac struggled to control his frustration as he searched the crowded ballroom for a sign of Jenna. Not that he’d expected her to remain glued to his side, but she’d been acting so odd lately, he really wanted to keep an eye on her.

He was in his element, so why couldn’t he relax? Attendance had doubled in the past three years since he’d become the sponsor of the annual Childhood Disease Research fund-raiser and moved the gala to the Congress Hotel, one of the oldest and finest in downtown Dallas.

He’d obviously chosen the right people for the decorating committee. The ballroom decorations met his standards of simple yet elegant, and the food appeared to be a hit as well. The band, set up in a rear corner, played just loud enough to be heard and not discourage conversation.

Reps from several local TV stations and the newspaper had arrived as promised with camera crews, so the event would get great coverage in both medias.

Where was Jenna?

“You sure know how to throw a party, McKenna.”

He turned to discover John Nashco. The district attorney had a reputation as a notorious, but harmless, flirt. “Anything for a good cause. Filled out that check yet?”

John nodded. “But I’d rather let your fiancée sweet-talk me out of it. Won’t hurt so much. Where is the captivating Jenna?”

Mac wasn’t about to admit he’d been wondering that himself. “You know her, she’s working the room.” He caught a glimpse of light green fabric. “I see her, John. Stay here and get your checkbook out. I’ll be right back.”

Mac made his way through the crowd toward Jenna. The closer he got, the more his senses came alive. Her tentative smile charmed, her feminine curves captivated. He was surprised by the warmth in her voice as she spoke to an elderly man he recognized but couldn’t place. She usually “worked” a crowd and rarely stopped for a lengthy one-on-one chat.

He put his arm around her shoulders. She immediately stiffened, looked up and smiled, then relaxed against him, their bodies a perfect fit.

Her soft hair tickled his chin and the subtle floral scent kicked his hormones into high gear. Had she recently changed shampoos or had he just somehow failed to notice before? “I need to steal you away for a minute, Jenn.”

“Sure.” She turned to the man she’d been conversing with. “Tell your wife I hope she feels better soon, Mr. Boreman.”

“I will, young lady.” He nodded at Mac. “Mr. McKenna, you’re a lucky man. Take care of her, you hear?”

“I intend to, sir.” Mac took Jenna by the elbow and weaved through the throng of dark suits and sequins. “John Nashco wants to arm wrestle you for a donation.”

“Arm wrestle? You’re kidding, right?”

Mac raised his eyebrows. “Of course. Just charm the check out of him like you usually do.”

“Um, sure. No problem.” She glanced around the room, as if looking for an escape. Or had his imagination kicked in again and she was just thirsty and simply looking for a waiter?

“Can I get you anything to drink or eat?”

“I couldn’t eat, but a soda would be great.”

“A soda?”

She nodded and placed her hands over her stomach. “My stomach is a little unsettled, so I’m going to pass on the wine.”

“There you are, Jenna.” John kissed her first on one cheek then the other. Her green eyes grew wide for just a second. “You look ravishing, as always.”

Those same eyes now sparkled with delight as she curtsied. “Why, thank you, kind sir. And you look rather dashing yourself.” She reached for his tie and straightened it. “Great tie.”

Mac clenched his jaw to keep from saying anything, then left to find a soda for Jenna instead of her usual Chablis. He needed something stronger for himself before he acted like a fool and wedged his body between theirs.

What was wrong with him? Jenna was just doing what she’d done many times before, stroking a man’s ego. Mac trusted her and had never felt the least bit jealous before.

Him, jealous? No. Not possible. They didn’t have that kind of a relationship. More than likely, Jenna’s weird reaction to the stress of the upcoming nuptials had rubbed off on him.

“How about a couple of pictures, Mr. Nashco, of you and Ms. Taggert?”

Jessie turned to find a young man wearing a media badge and carrying a camera. Her sister lived for these moments in the spotlight, so Jessie put all thoughts of the uncomfortable push-up bra and high heels out of her mind and smiled.

“Any excuse to put my arm around a beautiful lady.”

Jessie had to admit that she really did feel beautiful tonight. Before Mac had arrived at the apartment, she’d practiced walking in the high heels as she silently chanted, “Look at me! I’m glamorous. I’m sexy,” hoping she could at least fake it until she made it back home.

Of course, the sexy dress and a few drops of her sister’s expensive perfume helped to boost her confidence as well.

When she’d opened the door for Mac and observed the approval reflected in his gaze, she’d been relieved. But somehow Jessie had expected more. After all, men who were complete strangers lusted after Jenna, but Jessie didn’t detect any such blatant desire in her sister’s fiancé.

She just wished she didn’t find him so darned attractive. She hadn’t been exaggerating when she’d claimed just as many eyes would be on him as her tonight. The navy suit, along with his black hair, dark eyes and tanned face proved a striking combination.

His sexy banter had flustered her even more and she was surprised she had to keep reminding herself that he was flirting with his fiancée, not her. Since he wasn’t her type, she never dreamed that detail would prove so hard to remember, any more than she would’ve imagined that his constant, innocent touching would make her feel protected and cherished instead of controlled or possessed.

Then again, tonight she seemed like a stranger even to herself.

“Thanks for the pics. I’ll send you both copies.”

“Thank you, young man.” John gave Jessie’s shoulder a squeeze. “Jenna, honey, tell me the truth. Why do you want to tie yourself down to a man like Mac when I’m available?”

The guy seemed harmless enough, but she wasn’t used to being “on” for so many people and for so long. “John, I know you and Mac are friends so I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that. It’s time to give it up. How much are you going to contribute this year to this extremely worthwhile cause?”

John pulled out a folded check from his pants pocket and handed it to her. “Will this suffice?”

She noted the generous amount and kissed him on both cheeks. “My hero. Thank you.”

“You’re more than welcome. Say, since Mac seems to have deserted us, why don’t we—”

“Oh, Mr. Nashco,” an elderly woman dripping in diamonds called out as she approached him. “You simply must come meet my darling niece Gracie.” She turned to Jessie. “You don’t mind, do you, dear?”

“Of course not.” Jessie nudged him toward the determined woman. “And thanks again for the donation, John.”

The woman practically dragged him off, giving Jessie a much-needed respite from the entertaining but exhausting banter with the infamous prosecutor.

Where had Mac disappeared to? She scanned the crowd for a sign of him, but only because he supposedly had fetched a drink for her, not because she wanted to spend time with him. The more they were together, the higher the risk she’d slip up and reveal her true identity.

In search of something cold to drink, and a diversion, she approached a group of kids hovering around the linen-covered tables laden with exotic finger foods and sparkling bowls of punch.

She poured a cup of the pink liquid for herself and took a long drink. “Hey kids, why the long faces?”

One tall, older boy shrugged, another mumbled under his breath.

The young guests seemed more pale and thin than normal, but what really stood out was their complete boredom.

“I thought this was going to be a real party,” a young girl with big brown eyes offered.

“Yeah,” the mumbler added. “This is lame. I’d rather be back at the hospital playing video games with my buddy.”

The tall boy elbowed the “mumbler.” “Did y’all forget it was our idea to come tonight?” The spokesman for the group turned to Jessie. “We get so tired of not being able to do anything to help. Lots of our friends can’t leave the hospital, but we’re in remission, so we talked our parents into bringing us with them tonight. They had to fill out all sorts of papers so we could and now it looks like it was all for nothing.”

She didn’t doubt their sincerity but was still confused. “It’s wonderful that you want to help. What was your plan?”

The tall boy shrugged. “We figured if we talked to some of the guests about how we got sick and what we need to get better, that people might understand and give even more. But it’s harder to go up and talk to strangers than we thought.”

Jessie’s heart went out to the brave young souls who had obviously been through more than most kids their age, and to their parents. How did a mother or a father deal with watching their loved one suffer daily as well as live with the fear of losing their child at any moment?

She wanted to do more to help than make a monetary donation, but what? “These people do care or they wouldn’t be here tonight,” she offered. “And I think they’d love the chance to talk with you, but they have no idea that’s why you’re here, so we need to get their attention somehow.”

She glanced about the room for ideas. At the end of each table sat a balloon bouquet made up of one Mylar balloon and half a dozen of the latex. “Come on, kids. Follow me.”

She untied one bouquet and, carrying it like the Olympic torch, headed for an empty corner of the ballroom.

All but the two older boys followed, no doubt too cool for any activity that involved balloons. The rest of the kids, three boys and seven girls ranging from ages six to twelve, she guessed, gazed at her expectantly. “Have you everdone balloon relays?”

All shook their heads.

“Pick a partner, face each other, and form two lines.”

As they positioned themselves, she freed two of the latex balloons from the bunch and tied up the ribbon streamers so no one would trip. “Now, the object of the game is to carry the balloon between you and your partner’s bellies to the wall and back to the beginning of your line. You can’t use your hands. Got it?”

Heads bobbed up and down. Wide eyes sparkled with excitement. Faces beamed.

Jessie helped the first four get into position and then gave the signal to begin.

The kids clapped and cheered for each other as teammates squished the balloons between their bodies and tried to move forward. The balloons fell and were retrieved and repositioned many times. Both groups made it back to the line about the same time and the next four kids took off.

Jessie observed the little brown-eyed girl glancing at one of the older boys. When she failed to get his attention, she hurried over and raised her arms. He shook his head and grinned, then scooped her up and headed over to the game, with the other boy following.

“Squirt here wants me to help her, says she can’t go fast enough by herself. Is that okay with you?”

“Of course,” Jessie replied. “And your friend here can help, too.”

The “mumbler” picked up a small boy and waited for their turn.

To keep the game moving, Jessie helped retrieve the dropped balloons and repositioned them between the bellies. Within minutes, her high heels morphed into torture chambers. Another balloon escaped, but her feet protested the idea of one more chase.

Forget glamour. The kids were having too much fun. The shoes had to go, she decided, and kicked them off. The carpet felt like a caress against her aching bare feet; her toes wiggled with delight at their newfound freedom. Why hadn’t she done that earlier?

As the relays continued, Jessie noted the grins that covered the kids’ faces. Whether or not her idea worked to draw attention to the children, at least for a little while they had forgotten their reality of doctors, hospitals and treatments.

A hand gripped her elbow, leaving every nerve ending exposed and screaming for more than an innocent touch. Only Mac had that effect on her, much to her surprise and dismay, and she had nowhere to hide.

She was busted.

“What’s going on, Jenna?”