A Ring for Cinderella (5 page)

Read A Ring for Cinderella Online

Authors: Judy Christenberry

Tags: #Romance, #Contemporary, #Historical, #Nonfiction, #Series

BOOK: A Ring for Cinderella
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“Oh,” she said. staring.
“Is that the only word you know?” he demanded, arriving behind her with her suitcase in his hand.
“I’ve never...it’s beautiful.”
“You’ve never stayed in a suite before?”
“I’ve never stayed in a hotel before,” she whispered.
He set the bag down beside the bed. “I’m sorry. Well, you’re starting at the top. This is a great hotel.”
“You’ve stayed in this suite before?”
He rolled his eyes. “Not exactly. This is the bridal suite, honey.”
“But you’ve been married before,” she reminded him. Somehow the thought of him occupying this suite with his ex-wife was painful, though she couldn’t explain why.
“We went to Paris for our honeymoon,” he said, his voice rough, as if the memory was unpleasant. He crossed over to the closet and pulled a blanket from the shelf. “Mind if I take a pillow?”
“Of course not. Do you need more covers?”
“No. And there’s a bathroom on the other side of the kitchen, so I won’t need to bother you again tonight.” He strode past her, but just as she released her pent-up breath, he stopped and dipped his head, brushing his lips across hers.
It wasn’t the knockout kiss from the wedding, or the kiss they’d shared when he’d carried her across the threshold. But it was sweet. Tender and sweet.
The growl in his voice told her he didn’t think so.
“Good night!”
 
Damn! He’d barely escaped the bedroom without breaking his word. He’d promised Susan their marriage would be on her terms. He hadn’t realized how difficult that promise would be to keep.
Susan was a beautiful woman. But when she’d confessed she’d never been in a hotel room before, he’d wanted to cuddle her against him and tell her he’d make her first experience one to remember.
He wanted to share a first with her.
What had started out as a simple scheme to please Gramp had become quite complicated.
“Zach?”
Her soft voice had him spinning around. She was hiding behind the bedroom door, but he could see enough of her attire to realize she was dressed in a plain white T-shirt.
“Yeah?”
“Um, I need to be at work at eight-thirty in the morning.”
“Call in sick.”
She reacted as if he’d suggested she rob a bank. “I can’t do that!”
“Susan, it’s your honeymoon!”
“We both know it’s not. Besides, you’re the one who decided to get married on a Tuesday night. I have to go to work. Will you wake me up?”
“Dial 0 on the phone and ask for a wake-up call. They’ll give you one whatever time you want it.”
“Thank you.”
The door closed and he was alone in the room again. With a mental picture of Susan in a white T-shirt. He immediately wondered how long the shirt was. It shouldn’t have been sexy. Most brides wore elegant peignoirs—lace, satin...nothing.
Susan in a white T-shirt.
He groaned and picked up his glass of champagne. After downing its contents, he filled the glass again, picked up his plate of food, turned on the television
and sat down on the couch.
It was going to be a long night.
 
Susan woke when the phone rang. She answered at once, hoping it hadn’t disturbed Zach. After hanging up, she sank back against the pillows, reluctant to leave the most comfortable bed she’d ever experienced.
With a sigh, she shoved back the covers. In the luxurious bath, she showered and dressed, then gathered up her belongings. After carefully making the big bed, she picked up her bag and paused at the door.
Her reason for being there wasn’t what she wished it was, but it had still been an enjoyable experience. Once Zach left the room.
She eased open the door and tiptoed past the sofa, staring at him as he lay sprawled on the long sofa. The blanket was pulled up to his chest but not over it. And his chest was bare.
She drew a deep breath, staring at his hard muscles, the dark hair that covered the broad expanse of skin. He could pose for those male calendars if he ever needed money.
Oh. yeah, that was going to happen.
Backing away from the sofa before she could be tempted to touch him, she bumped into the door. She stared at him, scarcely breathing. When he didn’t move, she hurriedly undid the lock and turned the knob, easing the door open.
Once she was in the hall, with her bag in her hand and the door closed, she breathed a sigh of relief. When the elevator pinged after she’d pushed the button,
she wanted to shush it, but then she realized how silly her reaction was.
She was feeling good about her escape until she was crossing the lobby.
“Mrs. Lowery?”
The waiter from last night had been talking to one of the bellboys when he’d spotted her.
“Is everything all right?”
“Oh, yes! Yes, but I have to go to work and—oh. no!”
“What is it?”
“I don’t have my car here. I forgot.” What was she going to do now? She wasn’t sure she had enough money to pay for a taxi.
“The hotel van will take you wherever you want to go,” the waiter said, as if her request was normal.
“Really? That would be wonderful.”
“Wait right here.”
In no time, the waiter escorted her to the door and introduced her to a young man in a similar uniform. He opened the passenger door to a shuttle van for her, then circled the van and slid behind the wheel.
“Where do you need to go? The airport?”
“No. The Lucky Charm Diner on Wornall.”
“Hey, I know that place. Good food.”
She smiled. It was a short drive, and the driver chatted about the weather and the sports teams, relieving Susan of any need to talk.
When she walked into the diner, her tension eased. Slipping through the kitchen, she greeted the chefs
and hurried into her office, hiding her suitcase under the desk.
The door opened and Kate stuck her head in. “Hi. How’s everything going?”
“Great. I’m a little late—”
“Don’t be silly. I’m going to be here all morning, so if you have any questions for the brochure, let me know.” She almost pulled the door closed, then opened it again. “By the way, Nathan can count to ten now.” Nathan was Kate’s little boy.
Susan smiled. “He’s a genius!”
“I know. You and Paul want to come to dinner tonight? We haven’t seen you much lately.”
“That would be nice,” she agreed at once. Paul always enjoyed their visits to Kate or Maggie’s homes.
She settled down to work after Kate returned to the kitchen. It felt good to ignore the bizarre events of the past two nights and concentrate on her work.
No one bothered her until almost eleven. Then Kate opened the door again.
“Hi, Kate. Are you leaving?” Usually her half sister only put in half a day at the diner.
“No, not yet. Uh, Susan, there’s a man on the telephone. He says he’s your husband. Is there something you haven’t told me?”
Chapter Five
Z
ach drummed his fingers on the bedside table as he waited for Susan to come to the phone. Not only had she left without awakening him, she’d made the damn bed!
Room service had delivered breakfast a few minutes ago, ordered by his grandfather. Zach had had the forethought to throw the pillow into the bedroom, wrap the blanket around his waist as a makedo robe and fluff up the pillows on the couch. The waiter had offered to serve their breakfast to them in bed, but he’d firmly refused.
It wasn’t any thanks to Susan that disaster had been averted. Then he’d called the diner and was given the third degree by some woman before she’d call Susan to the phone.
He wasn’t a happy camper.
“Zach?”
Her hesitancy bothered him even more. He barked into the receiver, “Do you have some other husband I don’t know about?”
Silence.
He tried again. “Why didn’t you wake me before you left? I felt like a fool waking up with you gone and room service knocking on the door.”
“I thought you’d want to sleep.”
Her response was thoughtful, especially since he’d been up half the night thinking about her and her virginal T-shirt, wondering if she’d worn her bra under... He forced his thoughts to a screeching halt. “We need to make plans.”
“About what?”
“Seeing Gramp, for one thing. He’ll expect us to come visit him together.”
“No, we can’t,” she replied with a muffled voice, sending his temper through the roof.
“Look, I paid good money—”
“No, not you!”
“What’s going on, Susan? You’re driving me crazy.”
“That was my sister you talked to,” she told him. “She wants us to come for dinner tonight” Her voice grew more distant, as if she’d turned her head away from the receiver. “I’d forgotten, Kate. We have to go to the hospital.”
“You just said...” Zach protested.
“Oh. Zach, my sister wants us to come to their house at six for—for dinner.”
Zach knit his brow. “I’m confused. What am I supposed to say?”
“His grandfather will be expecting us.” Pause. “Yes, he’s in intensive care.” Pause. “You’re right, of course. I guess there would be time to eat, but we don’t want to put you to any trouble.”
Zach held the phone, listening, but he didn’t bother to answer. She was having a conversation with her sister. Suddenly it occurred to him that the only sister she’d mentioned was Megan, an eighteen-year-old, away at school.
“How is Megan going to fix dinner for us? I thought she was in Nebraska.”
“Not Megan. Kate,” she told him. Then her voice was muffled again. “Yes, I guess we can. Is six o’clock okay with you?”
He listened.
“Zach? Are you there?”
“Hell, yes, I’m here, but it’s hard to tell when you’re talking to me and when you aren’t.”
“I’m talking to you. Can we have dinner at my sister’s at six o’clock? Then they’ll baby-sit Paul for us.”
“Am I supposed to say yes?”
“Of course. Zach says thank you, Kate. We’ll be there at six.”
“Are you ready to talk to me now?” he asked impatiently. “I think I should take you out to lunch so we can get things straightened out. I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.”
“I have lunch between eleven-thirty and twelve.”
Who did she work for, a slave driver? “That’s criminal. Everyone gets an hour for lunch.”
“Um, okay, today I’ll take an hour.”
“Right. Be ready.”
 
Susan reluctantly hung up the phone. She knew what awaited her. Kate would grill her until she knew every last detail of her “marriage.” She faced her sister, drawing a deep breath.
To her surprise, Kate ignored her, reaching for the phone. After dialing, she spoke into the phone. “Maggie? Can you come to the diner right now? Susan got married, and she’s about to tell me why we weren’t invited. I didn’t think you’d want to miss the explanation,”
After waiting for Maggie’s response, Kate hung up the phone and turned to stare at Susan. “Any complaints? This way you’ll only have to explain once.”
Susan reluctantly grinned. She should’ve known. Kate and Maggie were very close. Since she’d met them eighteen months ago, the three of them had been building a friendship that meant so much to her. But Kate would always include Maggie.
And she was right. This way Susan would only have to explain the humiliating situation she was in one time. “I hope she hurries. Zach said he’d be here in fifteen minutes, and he didn’t sound in an accommodating mood.”
Kate raised her chin, her red hair framing her determined fact. “He can wait.”
Somehow, Kate’s reaction raised Susan’s spirits.
Since she’d gotten involved in Zach’s problems, it seemed he’d run roughshod over her, through no fault of his own. But it felt good to have someone on her side.
“I’ll get us all a cup of coffee,” she said, knowing to take it to the back booth, where she’d first served Zach. That booth was the traditional family booth. Only used for customers when the diner was full.
Maggie arrived in five minutes. She was a quiet brunette, steady and calm to Kate’s flash and dash. Susan worried about explaining to Maggie, because she wasn’t impulsive like Kate. Except once.
Maybe she would understand, after all.
“You’re married?” Maggie asked as she slid into the booth across from Susan.
“Not really.”
Kate raised one eyebrow as she joined them. “That man clearly said you were his wife.”
“There was a ceremony, but it’s not real.”
“I think you’d better explain,” Maggie ordered.
Susan tried to remember all the intricacies of the past two days.
“You needed money and didn’t come to us?” Kate demanded, partway through.
“Kate, I know you’ve offered, but Megan and Paul are my responsibilities. And I still have to pay some of Mom’s debts off. I can’t ask you—”
“I know. You’re hardheaded. Go on.”
When Susan had finished, Kate and Maggie stared at each other, then looked back at her.
“What happens now?” Kate asked.
“I don’t know. I mean, we have to keep pretending until...until there isn’t any need.” That question had occurred to Susan several times that morning, when she’d let down her guard.
“You mean until his grandfather dies,” Maggie said.
“Yes. But he’s the dearest man. It’s so hard to think about... I mean, I can’t hope for him to die!”
“No, of course not,” Kate agreed, “but what about Zach? What’s he like?”
“What difference does that make?” Susan asked, uneasy about answering. She didn’t want her sisters to know about the attraction she felt.
“Will he keep his word?” Maggie asked.
“Of course I will, if you’re talking about me,” Zach said.
Susan gasped. She faced the door, but she’d been so involved in the telling of her problems, she’d forgotten to watch for him.
“Want to scoot over, honey?” he said, sliding into the booth even as she did so.
Well, one thing was clear. The attraction hadn’t gone away. He was back in tight jeans and a plaid shirt today, his Stetson in place. She sat up as he promptly removed his hat and ran a big hand through his dark hair.
“Now, I don’t want you to think I don’t have any manners, so I’ll just tell you that Susan only mentioned Megan, who’s in Nebraska. I didn’t know she had other sisters.” With a nod, he said, “I’m Zach Lower. ”
Kate and Maggie introduced themselves. Then Kate asked, “Of the Lowery ranch?”
“Yep. Susan didn’t tell you?”
“I didn’t mention your last name,” Susan said, staring at the table. “There wasn’t much time.”
“We’re Susan’s half sisters, actually,” Maggie explained. “We’ve only known about each other for a year and a half.”
“I’m pleased to meet both of you. And I will keep my word to Susan. She’s doing me a big favor.”
Kate frowned and opened her mouth, but Susan forestalled her. “Kate, I’m a big girl Everything’s going to be just fine.”
“I know, but—”
“No, Kate, I don’t want to discuss that now,” Susan hurriedly said, knowing somehow that Kate was going to talk about money and her finances. She certainly didn’t want Zach to know anything about her situation.
Maggie supported her, much to Susan’s relief. “She’s right, Kate. We can get together and discuss those other problems when we have time. Zach and Susan probably want to spend some time alone.”
Susan’s cheeks flooded with color. Zach was going to think she was pursuing him. “Yes, to plan our visits to the hospital. We have to coordinate a few things, that’s all.”
Zach nodded, lifted his hat to his head and slid from the booth. “So, you’re ready to go to lunch?”
“Yes.” She stood, too, eager to escape from Kate’s questions. And even more from the gentle understanding
in Maggie’s eyes. She seemed to know Susan was attracted to the man beside her.
“You could eat here. On the house,” Kate added.
Zach clenched his jaw, as if she’d insulted him. “Thanks, but I’ve already made reservations.”
“Then we’ll see you tonight. Susan knows the way,” Kate returned, staring back at him.
 
“Damn it, how much more family do you have?” he demanded as soon as they were in his rental car.
“That’s it, except for their husbands. Oh, and they have three darling children between them.”
“Didn’t you explain to them that the marriage isn’t real? That we signed an agreement?”
“Yes, of course I did,” she protested.
“Then why were they vetting me? I didn’t expect that.” And he didn’t much like it. The redhead, Kate, had looked at him as if she didn’t trust him.
“I didn’t expect anyone to tell them,” Susan retorted, anger in her voice. “If you hadn’t decided to announce to the world that we were married, it wouldn’t have happened.”
He didn’t have anything else to say. He was guilty. But the woman had been reluctant to call Susan to the phone. Okay, so he’d been impatient. He wasn’t used to people telling him no.
He particularly didn’t like being told no in regard to the woman beside him. He was having to tell himself no often enough. No, to touching her. No, to claiming her as his own. No, to taking her to bed.
Why should he have to put up with a no from someone else?
He parked the car outside an expensive restaurant on the Plaza, the famous outdoor shopping mall in Kansas City. No words were spoken as they entered the restaurant and an attentive waiter showed them to a table.
He waited until they’d ordered before he spoke again. “Look, Susan, let’s put all this family stuff aside. There’s no point in arguing over things that don’t matter.” He drew a breath of relief when she nodded in agreement.
“Okay. I’m going to the hospital after lunch. Then I’ll pick you up at your place at—I don’t know how far it is to your sister’s house.”
“Not far. About fifteen minutes.”
“Where do they live?”
“Near the Plaza.”
He frowned. “Pretty pricey digs. They have a lot of money?”
“Why?”
Damn it, the woman was staring at him with a suspicious expression on her face. “Just curious. Did you think I was planning a robbery or something?”
She shrugged her shoulders and looked away, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip. “So...so you’ll pick me up around five-thirty or a little after?” She started to get up.
“Yeah. Where are you going? We haven’t eaten yet.”
“Oh. I—I forgot,” she whispered, revealing her nervousness.
He reached out and covered her hand with his, feeling it tremble. “Hey, sunshine, quit worrying. You’re doing a good thing. I’ve already talked to Gramp this morning. He’s feeling better than he has the entire past six months.”
She nodded and tugged on her hand.
“Any problems at work this morning?”
She seemed surprised by his question. “No, of course not.”
“How long have you worked there?”
“Just a little over a week.”
The waitress brought their food, but Zach didn’t let the conversation drop. In no time, he’d wormed the information out of her about her previous job and the sexual harassment she’d suffered.
“Hey, they’ve got laws against that!”
“Yes, but I need a salary coming in. I couldn’t afford to fight that battle.”
There was no whining or self-pity. Just a matter-of-fact explanation. He hated the thought that some man had treated her so badly, but he understood why it had happened. She was beautiful. More than beautiful, she gave the appearance of something gentle and...and precious. Strange word for him to use, but it described her.

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