Newlywed Games (6 page)

Lord, help me cope with this bizarre situation.

He raised their intertwined hands with a little squeeze. “I hope you don’t mind—” he looked from their hands back to her face—“Your mom may see us. If it were my mother, she would peek out more than once. I’m assuming we want to give the illusion of a happy couple? Unless we are having troubles. But then if you went to all the trouble to fabricate a marriage, it should be a happy one, and your husband would, of course, be perfect. I will do my best to fulfill that role—” he dipped his head in a token bow—“and keep up the image of a happily married couple. Any objections so far?”

His mischievous smile told her he was teasing, and she could feel her face flush. The only objection she had was that it wasn’t real.

“So, tell me how I came to be the son-in-law of that charming woman inside?” He raised his eyebrows. “Unless you know another Bruce Halloway who looks just like me? I assume I am the Bruce Halloway you told your mother about.”

He was definitely
the
one. Meghann could feel her cheeks heat more, if that was possible. If only she could sink into the ground and hide…just how red had her face become? She couldn’t be any more embarrassed and so took a deep breath and began. “When I was ten my father died.”

The smile faded from Bruce’s face, and she saw earnest regret in his eyes. “I’m sorry.” His sincerity loosened some of the knots in her nervous stomach. Compassion was something she could use right now. And understanding…a lot of understanding.

“Mom never remarried. There was insurance money for us to live on but not enough. We always managed to get by, though. We were a real team.” She smiled remembering all the ways she and her mother had scraped along, making ends meet. They’d been each other’s world for a lot of years. “I loved being at home, but the time came when I needed to leave, to be on my own. Understandably, it really bothered my mom to have me move away. We were close and still are. She kept pestering me about who I was dating and when I was going to settle down and get married. So I…” She cleared her throat, shifting, afraid to meet his gaze. “I finally had had it with her questions and the fifth degree every time I called, so I made something up to appease her.”

His dark brows arched slightly. “Something?”

“Yes, well, I told her I was dating someone.”

The brows rose another fraction. “Someone?”

This really was too much! Bad enough to have to tell him all this, but the way he was watching her, with that teasing gleam in his eyes.…She perched her free hand on her hip and shifted from one foot to another, feeling uncomfortably like a child caught in a prank.

“Fine. You. I told her I was dating you. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to use you or lie about it, but she sounded so worried and I’d just reached the end of my rope. I saw you every day at work and…well…your name just came out. But it was just to put her mind at rest! She’s really lonely without me around, and she’s so worried I’ll be alone.” Meghann was horrified to hear the quaver in her voice. She was not going to cry! “I just want to make her happy.”

The nonjudgmental look in his eyes put her at ease a little as she went on. “I was about to tell her that we—I mean, that my pretend boyfriend and I were breaking up when she suddenly became ill, and this nurse overheard something I said to the doctor and completely misunderstood.” She shook her head. “There she was, congratulating me in front of my mom on my recent marriage. Mom was so happy; her eyes were alight with hope…it was the first spark of energy I’d seen in her. So I let her believe it—just for a little while until she was stronger, then I’d tell her the truth. I figured it wasn’t hurting anyone, and it was actually helping her, so I let it go on.”

She couldn’t stand the tenderness she saw in his eyes, or the slight smile on his generous lips, so she looked down at her feet, hurrying to finish her explanation.

“I know I should have told her the truth, if not before then certainly when we met at the airport. But I’m just so afraid.…” This last admission came out on a hoarse whisper, and Meghann fell silent, struggling with the tears that wanted to overcome her.

“Afraid?”

At his gentle prodding, she looked up and met his gaze. “I don’t want to lose her. I’m afraid if I confess now the shock will be too much for her; she may even relapse. She may seem strong, but she’s not. Not really. I can see how tired and frail she is beneath that smiling image she puts out.” An errant tear finally escaped, and Bruce caressed it away as she drew in a shuddering breath. “I didn’t see the harm in continuing. It’s already
helped her so much. I never thought for one minute you would get caught up in this.”

He started to speak, but she held up her hand, hurrying on. “But don’t worry; I have a plan. Tomorrow you can get called away on another business trip and simply don’t return. Mom’s happy just having met you.”

Bruce was silent for a moment, and she wondered what he was thinking. Probably that she was a scatterbrained nitwit.

“I can play the doting husband and son-in-law for a while,” he finally said. “How long is your mother staying?”

What?
Did she hear him right? He actually wanted to continue to go along with this farce? Her fantasy image of him would, of course, play along…the imaginary Bruce would sweep her into his arms and make everything right…even propose to her for real. But this was the
real
person. He wouldn’t be able to or want to play along as long as her mother was to be here. “A month.” He would change his mind now. That was okay. She was touched by his offer anyway.

“Oh, a whole month.” His voice had a thoughtful tone to it. He was quiet for a few moments, probably trying to figure a way to get out of it. She would let him off the hook.

“I think I could arrange that.”

She blinked several times. Had he really said what she thought he’d said or was she just imagining it? “You…you can’t be serious.”

“Sure, why not?” He shrugged his shoulders.

Why
would be a better question. “Why would you
do this for me?” Bruce hesitated and glanced away. When he looked back at her, he seemed to be choosing his words with great care.

“I have a mother, too,” he said simply.

Duh.
“Don’t we all.”

He smiled. “What I’m saying is that I understand how much pressure a mother can put on a child to get married and settle down.”

Meghann frowned. This just didn’t make sense. He should be running for the door, frantic to get out of this mess. “I’m sorry if your mother is as pushy as mine, but that doesn’t—”

“Look, Meg.” He released her hand and took a step back. “I’m doing this for reasons I’d rather not say right now.” He ran a weary hand down his face. “Let’s leave it at that.”

A multitude of questions assaulted her as she stood there, staring at him. Why would a man like Bruce Halloway possibly want to go along with her idiotic farce? And why didn’t he want to tell her his reasons?

Maybe he’s in some kind of trouble. What do you really know about the man, anyway? Or maybe he’s setting you up…creating an IOU to cash in later?

She dismissed the cynical thoughts. Bruce wasn’t like that. She was sure of it. Then why…?

There’s always the remote possibility that he harbors some feelings for you.

Her eyes widened a fraction. That possibility, remote or not, sparked hope in her.

His hand reclaiming hers jarred her out of her thoughts. “Now suppose you fill me in on our meeting
and courtship. I want every last detail.”

She swallowed hard, remembering all she’d told her mother.…Had she actually thought her humiliation was complete? How silly of her.

It was just beginning.

“M
OM, YOU NEED TO GET QUALITY REST.
Y
OU CAN’T GET IT
on the couch. This thing is not comfortable.” Meghann’s mom still hadn’t gone to bed, and it was getting late. She knew her mother had to be tired from her flight and needed rest.

“But where will you two sleep? It makes more sense for me to be out here.”

No, nothing about this made sense.

“It will be a bit crowded with all three of us on it,” Bruce said, standing beside Meghann with his arm hooked around her waist.

“I meant you two should have your bed.” Mom glared at Bruce with a don’t-get-smart-with-me-young-man look.

“No. We’ve already made up our minds. We’ve got first dibs. It’s up to you whether or not you take the bed, but if you don’t, you’ll have to scout out your own floor space.”

Her mother threw up her hands. “You win, but I don’t have to be happy about it.”

Bruce smiled at the older Livingston woman then leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead. “We’ll figure out something better tomorrow. I promise.”

Yeah, like you taking a sudden extended business trip!
Meghann smiled at the thought.

“I’m going to hold you to that promise.” With that, her mother disappeared into the bedroom and shut the door.

Meghann quickly turned away to make up the couch before he turned around.

“Does this fold out?” His whisper was right behind her.

She unfolded one of the blankets that had been piled on the chair. What was he thinking about all of this? “No.” She hoped he didn’t notice the slight quiver in her voice.

“That will make things interesting.” He helped her smooth the blanket.

“You can have the couch, Mr. Halloway.” Meghann spoke in the same hushed tone he was using. She added the
Mr. Halloway
to remind herself who he really was. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

He clasped her hand. “I can’t let you do that.”

She froze, not knowing what to say. If he envisioned anything more than a curt good night, he was in for a surprise. She might be in a bind, but she wasn’t
that
desperate. Pulling her hand free, she grabbed up the other bedding and spread it out on the floor away from the couch.

Before she knew it, Bruce came up behind her, swept her up in his arms, and deposited her, sputtering
and speechless, on the couch. Then he retrieved the blanket and pillow from the other side of the room, laid them on the floor parallel with the couch, and stretched out. “Good night,
Miss Livingston.”

“Good night.” She laid her head back, noting his use of her surname.

She glanced down at him, taking in the stiffness in his back, feeling miserable. He was probably mad at her now. He’d been so kind, so willing to help her out, and how had she repaid him? By being curt and suspicious.

He had her so confused every time he looked at her with those molten brown eyes or smiled at her; and his touch sent shock waves through her scrambling brain. He easily made her forget that her mother’s health and a rapidly building lie had brought them together and nothing more. She had only spent a few hours with him, and she was already incapable of thinking straight. What would more time bring? Complete brain failure? If she didn’t watch her step—or in this case, her emotions—she would be throwing herself in his arms before the week was out.

He was most definitely going on a business trip—tomorrow!

Meghann dried the mirror with the towel that had moments ago been wrapped around her head. She ran her brush through her wet hair. She had to figure out how to walk out of the bathroom with no makeup, her hair wet, dressed only in her robe, and act like it was perfectly natural with a man in her house who slept
only a few feet from her last night.

He was so close she could hear him breathe, yet far enough away to be safe. She had lain there thinking about him and the fix she was in. The fix she’d gotten them both into. How had it all gotten so complicated, so out of control? One little lie: “Yes, Mom, I have a boyfriend.” Now she was playing house with a man she liked but really didn’t know that well.

She felt guilty enough for lying to her mother. But those feelings were quadrupled when she let herself think how she’d gotten her boss—her
boss,
for heaven’s sake!—caught up in this. If only he hadn’t shown up at the airport.…

Fifteen minutes one way or the other and their paths wouldn’t have crossed. All he’d had to do was take a slightly different route.…All she’d had to do was go to the restroom with her mother.…Why couldn’t she have accompanied her mother, then Bruce would have kept walking and no one would be the wiser. Simple decisions that had resulted in disaster.

Why, Lord? Why has something so small and harmless grown so unbelievably complex and overwhelming?

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all…who suppress the truth…”

Meg stared at herself in the mirror. God’s wrath. Had she brought that on herself? Was she only getting what she deserved for her deception?

But I did it for my mom.
…

You did it for yourself.

She looked away. No point in arguing about it. What was done was done. There wasn’t anything she
could do about it now except keep up this act.

She pulled her thick lavender robe tight around her and eased open the door, wanting to know where he was before she waltzed out. She couldn’t hear his voice or see him. All she saw was her mother curled up on the end of the couch reading while sipping a cup of tea.