Accidentally Married on Purpose (14 page)

Look for the game changer, son.

There was no doubt that Sherry Robicheaux would change the entire game if he let her.

The truth hit him like a stun gun.

“Tyler, are you listening?”

“Uh, yeah.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, hoping the errant thought went with it. “It sounds fantastic. You’re going to make a killing for this place. Put me where you need me.”

“Hmm…” She chewed the corner of her lip in deliberation. “How about Master of Ceremonies?”

Anywhere but there…

Give him a guitar and he was good to go, but public speaking wasn’t his thing. Accepting awards and hyping a crowd was part of the gig, but when Blue wasn’t performing, Tyler avoided microphones like the plague. He was much better at singing than giving speeches. And improv? He straight-up sucked.

“Well…truth is, I hide behind a guitar for a reason. Trust me, sugar, you don’t want me up there making jokes. I’ll bore the poor people to tears.” Tyler cleared his throat. “How about muscle?” he suggested instead. “Surely you can use some manpower, right?”

A look of surprise crossed her face at his admission, but she nodded, quickly accepting his counterproposal with a, “Oh, definitely.”

Relieved, he smiled. “Good, then put me to work.”

It wasn’t until her gaze dipped to his fingers that he realized he’d been fiddling with his guitar. A habit of his whenever he was anxious. Or stressed. Or happy. Pretty much, it was what he did.

Sherry closed her laptop and leaned forward on the counter. “Tell me about
your girl
.”

Her voice was so sweet, her wide eyes so sincere that Tyler couldn’t
not
answer. Not without feeling like a dick, at least. Plus, strangely enough, he actually wanted to share part of his story. Let her see a small bit of the real him.

Fingers still strumming the strings, he said, “Mom had just gotten diagnosed, and things around the house were tight. We didn’t have a lot of money. Just paying the bills was a struggle, and frivolous things like entertainment and hobbies didn’t make the cut. But Dad, he knew my passion for music. He was a musician too, and he saw it in my eyes.” He felt his mouth lift in a grin. “Anyway, he worked even harder than he already was, pulled more hours at the mill just to save up, and the day I turned thirteen they shocked the hell out of me. Handed her over with a big blue bow and said, ‘Chase your dreams, son.’”

Sherry’s gaze softened, and he played a quick riff from one of Blue’s current hits to cover his discomfort. He wasn’t ready to answer any questions just yet. When her lips parted, he hurriedly said, “You know, I’ve gotten tons of guitars through the years. Some I’ve bought, others given by companies wanting photos of Tyler Blue endorsing their brand. But this is mine. It’s what I use when I write or just play for fun. This is me with strings.”

Corny as hell, but the damn truth. He shrugged, slightly embarrassed, and she smiled.

“She’s special,” she said.

He nodded, ready to shift the focus away from him again. He’d shared a piece of himself, more than he’d shared with anyone in a while. That was enough for now. “What about you? Your brother and Emma both play. Are you a secret performer?”

Sherry laughed. “That would be a hard no. My musical career piddled out after third grade recorder and ‘Hot Cross Buns.’ Cane’s the music guy.”

But her eyes kept going back to his fingers.

“Maybe you just haven’t had the right teacher.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and she rolled her eyes. “Come on,” he urged. “One lesson. It’ll be fun, I promise. Plus, isn’t that Marriage 101? Thou shall learn each other’s interests?”

“And here I never knew God wrote a marriage book.” She smirked, but it soon transformed into a reluctant grin. Tyler slid her the puppy dog look that always worked on his mama, and she groaned, pushing to her feet. “Okay, okay.
One
lesson.”

He pumped his fist in the air, and she laughed. “But not tonight. We, dear husband, already have plans for the evening.” Sidling over to his side of the counter, an evil glint entered her eye as she asked, “Ready for the in-law inquisition?”

Chapter Ten

“Everyone’s here.” Sherry parked behind a Chevy in the long driveway of her childhood home, and thunder rolled as Tyler’s eyes fell on the truck’s bumper. Two stickers promoted the Magnolia Springs Fire Department and the local gym, Northshore Combatives. On the drive over from the house, she’d let it slip that one of his new brothers-in-law wasn’t just the town’s fire captain. He also owned the gym…and was trained in hand-to-hand combat.

So much for not being intimidated.

“My damn hands are sweating,” he said with a laugh, wiping them on the rough denim of his jeans. He glanced across the console of her shoebox car. “And you’re sure they bought your story?”

Lightning flashed, revealing her rolling hazel eyes. “In this case, it pays to be the addicted-to-love little sister.” With a flick of her wrist, she killed the engine, and the blades swiping the rain from the windshield stilled. “Quick recap. We met in the green room of the casino, completely hit it off, and spent the weekend together. Classic love-at-first-sight stuff. You swept me off my feet, and we just couldn’t
stand
to have it end. Then, since I’m practically certifiable, I suggested we elope, which you thought was a fabulous idea, as most of my ideas are. So, we got hitched.”

Glancing down, she straightened the diamond ring on her finger. “Anyway, the next morning, we parted ways. You headed back for a meeting in Nashville, and I came here to get our love nest ready. I feigned shock when the reporter showed up at my door because we hadn’t wanted to tell anyone right away. You wanted to meet them first because you’re traditional like that.”

Tyler scoffed, but he had to hand it to her. The woman could spin a story. If she ever went into PR, she’d make a killing. “Wouldn’t a traditionalist ask permission
prior
to the elopement?”

“Don’t mess with the cover, rookie,” she teased. “You’re dealing with an expert.”

Chuckling, he raised his palms in surrender. Already he felt lighter than when they first pulled up. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” The rain beat a steady rhythm on the hood, and he grasped the door handle, ready to run for it. “Prepare to see my eighth grade drama skills in action, Mrs. Blue.”

She smirked. “Do try and keep up, rookie.”

Laughing, he threw open the door and tore up the drive, expecting Sherry to be right behind him. But when he reached the front door and turned around, she wasn’t on the porch. Confused, Tyler walked back a few steps and found her instead in the yard, face tilted to the sky, arms stretched to capture the liquid drops.

In his experience, women tended to get all Wicked Witch when it came to the wet stuff—they freaked if it touched them. While Sherry wasn’t overly dramatic about fashion, he’d seen her tackle box filled with makeup and witnessed the application ceremony. If anyone would avoid the risk of messing it up, it’d be Sherry.

But then, as he always seemed to be when it came to this woman, he’d been wrong.

“What the hell are you doing?”

She stuck out her tongue like a kid catching snowflakes and closed her eyes as the rain pelted her once flawless face. Lowering her head with a grin, she said, “It’s not like we’re gonna melt. Haven’t you ever danced in the rain for fun?”

“Danced?”
Tyler edged closer to the end of the covered porch, shocked anew. Raising his voice over the torrent, he shook his head. “Can’t say that I have.”

His confession earned him a playful grin, and as she held out a hand toward him, she said, “There’s a first time for everything.”

Right now, he was dry. He was under a roof, warm and adequately dressed to impress the in-laws. But her smile was hypnotic. Placing his hand in hers, unsure why he was even doing it, he let her tug him into the storm.

As expected, it was cold. And wet. If anyone saw them out here—and with their photographic luck, people were definitely watching—they’d think he was nuts. But that didn’t matter because his adorable, silly, crazy-as-hell wife dropped his hand and began dancing. Spinning in a circle, laughing at nothing, scrunching her nose and making a Mick Jagger face as she shimmied her shoulders and swirled those luscious hips.

It was mesmerizing.

“Dancing isn’t a spectator sport,” she called out, eyebrow lifted, twirling again. “Don’t tell me you don’t dance, music man. I ain’t buying it.”

Oh, he had some moves. Not
great
moves, mind you, but he could carry his own. So, with his sassy brunette watching and waiting, Tyler gave the quiet street a cursory glance, and then bopped his head.

“Niiice,”
Sherry teased, throwing her head back in a laugh. “Watch out, Timberlake.”

Shaking his head, a smile twitching his lips, he added his feet. Pleasure filled her eyes as she followed his every step, so he also did a Michael Jackson moonwalk, complete with a crotch grab. That sent her into hysterics. And made him feel like a damn king.

There was no music, no beat other than the rain hitting the roof of the house and cars, but he danced anyway. They boogied together, in a storm, in public where anyone could watch (and the bodyguard parked out front definitely was). It was so completely
un
like him, and it felt ridiculous. Dumb and stupid…and completely free.

After another sidestep of her own, Sherry spun into his chest and slid her hands around his neck. “I’ve never seen you let go and be utterly silly before.” She nodded slowly in approval. “It looks good on you.”

“Yeah, well, don’t get too used to it,” he replied, slipping his thumbs along her cheeks to catch the runny lines of mascara. Even looking like a drowned rat, she was gorgeous. “From now on, I think I’ll reserve wet and wild for only special occasions.”

An emotion sparked in her eyes. Eyebrow lifted, she dropped her voice to a seductive purr and said, “But you’ll never forget your first.”

Tyler swallowed as she drew her tongue along her lips to lick the moisture. Damn, what he wouldn’t give to be truly alone. At his sprawling house in Nashville, acres of land to hide in, with zero chance of spying. Plenty of room to explore
other
rainy-day fantasies…

Her wicked grin said she’d read his thoughts, and Sherry stepped out of his hold. “Come on. The family awaits.”

Family
. Like the slightly intimidating brother he’d already met, and the one who ran into burning buildings for a living. Yeah, that killed his raging libido. Well played.

Desire in check, he followed Sherry back up the porch.

Sherry had said they’d all grown up in this house and inherited equal shares when their parents died, but this was now officially Cane’s home. That didn’t stop his little sister from walking straight in as if
she
owned it, though. Once she’d rung out her hair on the welcome mat, she pushed the door wide and called out across the open foyer, “Let the party start. The guests of honor are in the house!”

From somewhere inside, laughter drifted, sliding over the notes of smooth jazz. Tyler walked inside and stared at a giant fleur-de-lis, mounted above an old grandfather clock. It was as if he’d walked through his own childhood door. Chest strangely tight, he kicked off his shoes, noted the crucifix mounted over the door, and then followed Sherry across the hardwood foyer.

Just off the entryway was a cozy, informal living room. Cane, Angelle, and a man with dark hair were standing along one side, near a large window that overlooked the front yard. A fantastic spot to catch an impromptu dance recital in the rain.

That was one way to make an impression.

Angelle shook her head with a smile. “I’ll go get y’all some towels.” She looked them both up and down. “And wrangle up a change of clothes.”

Following her gaze, he found a small puddle at his feet. Normally, jeans leaking water on hardwood would be strike two in the impression department—but then again, this was Sherry’s family. Looking back up, he said, “Guess I can scratch rain dancing from the old bucket list.”

Angelle laughed and scooted past with a wink. “Nice to see you again, Tyler.”

He turned his attention to the two relatives remaining.

“Jason Landry,” the unknown man said as way of introduction, grinning as he walked forward. He yanked a strand of Sherry’s wet hair, and she playfully slapped his fingers away. “Welcome to the family,” he said, taking Tyler’s extended hand in a shake. “If you hurt my girl, I’ll dismember you.” Then he smacked his shoulder and smiled wide. “Want a beer?”

“Good Lord, the raging testosterone is giving me the vapors.” Sherry fanned herself before elbowing Jason in the stomach and turning to Tyler. “Don’t believe a word he says. These two cavemen are total teddy bears underneath.”

“More like grisly,” Cane said, joining the trio.

Tyler nodded, watching as the three went on teasing one another, unsure what to say or how to jump in. It was like the world was suddenly in fast forward. Or flip-flopped to a land where streaming water onto the hardwood and threats of bodily harm were normal occurrences. Maybe in Sherry’s family, they were. It appeared the entire lot was as crazy as she was, and while he appreciated that, liked it even, that damn beer was sounding good about now.

“I’m sure he knows how it is,” Cane said, grabbing a longneck from the coffee table and handing it over with a knowing look. “Have any sisters, Tyler?”