Rent a Millionaire Groom (17 page)

Her family wouldn’t be surprised.

And they’d never know about her lies.

She winced even as she moved to stand beside her
sisters and face the audience. She’d blamed James for lying to her. But she’d done just as much lying to her family. She had no right to paint him black while she cast herself in the role of the innocent.

She shrugged off those thoughts. It didn’t matter. She’d get out of here as soon as the wedding was over. Without James. She had it all worked out.

She’d have her confrontation with him once she was back in Phoenix, away from her family.

While they’d been in the waiting room, a family friend of her mother’s had slipped in to tell Sharon that she and her husband would have to leave immediately after the wedding, not even staying for the reception, because one of their children was acting the lead role in a school play this evening back in Phoenix.

Elise had followed the woman to the door, catching her before she could slip out, and had asked for a ride back to Phoenix. She explained that a friend in Phoenix had broken her leg and was in the hospital.

It was all arranged. When she got back to the hotel, instead of joining everyone at the reception, she’d race to her room…their room, and hurriedly pack, changing into her jeans. Then she’d meet her ride in the parking lot.

After a sweet ceremony that brought tears to her eyes—not because of her sister’s marriage but because she knew she wasn’t ever going to experience that moment with James—she crawled into the limo with her sisters.

She was sitting next to Melanie. As they reached the hotel, she hurriedly told her sister her made-up story, asking her to explain to Sharon and Michael.

Then she escaped.

James drove faster than he should have. But the snow had melted and the roads were dry.

And he was worried.

When he’d finally realized Elise hadn’t joined her sisters in the receiving line, he’d asked her mother where she was.

“Elise? The receiving line just broke up, James. She’s probably looking for you, you sly boy.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Oh, she explained why you didn’t tell us who you really were, but we’re not that kind of people.”

He stared at her, heat climbing up his face.

Sam stepped forward. “She found out when they printed it all in the paper, James. Sorry about that, but I didn’t tell.”

Sam winked at him, and James hoped that meant he hadn’t told about Elise’s plan. But clearly her mother knew his true identity. “I apologize, Margaret. I shouldn’t have lied.”

“Oh, we forgive you, dear boy. After all, you’re going to be family now. And compared to some of the things Chance did, your little lie was nothing.”

“Hey!” Chance protested, stepping forward. “I’m innocent.”

Both his parents laughed.

“Chance, have you seen Elise? I didn’t see her in the receiving line.” James watched him anxiously. If her parents knew about his real identity, he felt sure Elise did. She wouldn’t be happy with him. Especially after last night.

“Nope, I didn’t. But then, I didn’t go down the receiving line. I headed for the food line. That was more important.”

James smiled, but he started searching for lavender gowns. He caught up with one of the sisters. “Where’s Elise?”

“You’re still here?” she asked, surprised.

James couldn’t remember her name but that didn’t stop him. “Where’s Elise?” he repeated.

“She had to go back to Phoenix. One of her friends had an accident and broke her leg.”

“Which friend?” James asked, hoping the friend was someone he hadn’t met. “And how did she go?”

“She didn’t say. Maybe she took your vehicle.”

James was pretty sure he’d left his keys on the dresser in their room. He excused himself and headed for the elevator. When he discovered the keys where he’d left them, he crossed to the phone.

Bill White answered on the second ring.

“Bill, this is James. Who had an accident?”

Silence was followed by a puzzled “I’ll bite. Who had an accident?”

“No, Bill, this isn’t a joke. Elise left the wedding early because one of her friends had an accident and broke her leg. Do you know who it was?”

“No, I haven’t heard anything. I’ll check, though. Want me to call you back?”

“Yeah, I’ll give you fifteen minutes.”

Bill promised to hurry, and James hung up and started packing. He noticed the absence of Elise’s belongings. She’d been thorough.

It was as if she’d never stayed in that room. Never made passionate love with him. Never slept in his arms.

Damn it, he hoped she’d panicked because a friend was hurt, but he was getting worried. Why hadn’t she found him, asked him to drive her? How had she managed to leave without him? Why would she want to— Okay, so he’d lied about who he was.

But he hadn’t lied last night. And he was going to tell her that as soon as he caught up with her.

The phone rang.

“Hello?”

“James, it’s Phoebe. Bill’s here and he said—”

“You’re not hurt? How about Daisy, or Frannie? Surely it wasn’t Helen?”

“James, none of us had an accident. No one is hurt. What’s going on? Are you sure you got the right story?”

Coldness sank into James’s stomach. He’d gotten the right story. But that was exactly what it was—a story. Elise had made it up to excuse her abrupt departure.

“Sorry, Phoebe, I must’ve gotten it wrong. Hope I didn’t disturb you.”

“No, of course not, but where’s Elise?”

“I guess she’s on her way back to Phoenix.”

As he was now. He’d be back before dark.

And he had no intention of going home. No, he was going straight to Elise’s. He intended to explain everything…and spend the night with her in his arms.

And the rest of his nights for the rest of his life.

I
T WASN’T QUITE
as easy as he’d planned.

When he knocked on Elise’s door, Phoebe opened it. “Where’s Elise?” he demanded.

“She’s not here,” Phoebe said softly.

He didn’t believe her. He slipped past her and headed for the bedroom. The first door opened to a bathroom. Empty. He reached for the other door, to Elise’s bedroom, but he could see with a sweep of his gaze that Phoebe hadn’t lied. He spun around.

“Where is she? Did she make it back okay?”

“She’s here, James. I mean, here at Mesa Blue. Look, I don’t know what happened. She wouldn’t tell us. But she’s very upset. She asked me to ask you to give her some time. She promised she’d talk to you in a few days.”

James stared at her as if she had two heads. Days? He had to wait
days
until he could straighten everything out? Until he could hold Elise again?

“Phoebe, you don’t understand!” he exclaimed.

She gave him an apologetic smile. “Probably not, but Elise is my friend. If she says she needs a couple of days, then I think you should honor her wishes.”

His last flagging hope died a slow death. Phoebe was right. He loved Elise. If she didn’t want to see him, he couldn’t force her. At least she’d promised
to see him soon. In a few days. But that would seem like an eternity.

“Okay, but tell her—tell her I can explain everything.” He wanted to add,
Tell her I love her,
but he couldn’t say that for the first time to someone else. It had to be Elise who first heard him.

“Tell her I’ll call,” he added.

“I’ll tell her,” Phoebe assured him, and held open the door.

Slowly, he trudged through it, the weight of the world on his shoulders.

P
HOEBE STOOD
at the window, watching James get in a dark green SUV and drive away, before she left Elise’s apartment and knocked on the door next to Elise’s.

Daisy opened the door. “Is he gone?”

“Yes, I watched to make sure. How’s Elise?”

“Come on in. You tell me,” Daisy said, a worried frown on her brow.

Elise gave the new arrival a bright smile. “Has he gone? Thanks so much, Phoebe, for doing that for me. I’ll scoot next door, now, and be out of your hair. By the way,” she continued in a chirpy voice, “how was your weekend? Any progress?”

Phoebe clamped down on her arm. “Elise, what’s wrong? You’re not acting like yourself.”

Elise struggled to hang on to her composure. She’d promised herself she could break down as soon as she was alone in her apartment with no possibility of having to face James. “It was a stressful weekend. All those—lies,” she said, and almost lost it. “I’m really tired. I’m going to rest now. Thanks again.”

She slipped from Phoebe’s hold and hurried to the safety of her place. Alone. She was finally alone. Riding back with her parents’ friends, she’d endured constant chatter from the wife while the husband silently drove.

She had thought she’d go crazy.

She hadn’t allowed herself to think about last night or this morning. Not yet. Because even a hint of either extreme of emotion and tears filled her eyes.

Now, no one would see her. She could weep for her lost love. She could mourn for what might have been. She could fall to pieces and no one would know.

She locked the door behind her.

“W
HAT DO YOU THINK
?” Daisy asked. Before Phoebe could answer, she added, “She was like that the entire time you were in her apartment. That brittle cheerfulness, that fake smile. I think she wanted to cry.”

“I know,” Phoebe said with a sigh. “I think she’s going to have a major sobfest. But she doesn’t want any witnesses. We have to grant her that, at least.”

“But she’s acting like her heart was broken. I thought they were just pretending.”

“Method acting,” Phoebe said softly. “We talked about it, remember? It looks like she fell in love while he was just pretending.”

“Oh, how awful,” Daisy said sadly. “What are we going to do?”

Phoebe shook her head. “I don’t know. Check on her. Be there for her if she wants to talk. What else can we do?”

E
LISE REMAINED
in hiding from her friends at Mesa Blue for most of the week. She didn’t answer her phone, either, ruthlessly erasing the phone messages James left every day that week.

Finally, she decided to stop crying her eyes out. She was being a royal pain to Phoebe and Daisy, shutting them out. They were her best friends.

When they called to ask if she’d join them for dinner at The Prickly Pear Friday evening, Elise surprised them by agreeing.

Once they were seated at their favorite table and had ordered their usual, she cleared her throat. “I want to apologize for my—my juvenile behavior this week. You’ve been very patient with me.”

“Can you tell us what happened?” Daisy asked softly. “We’ve been going crazy trying to figure it out.”

Elise was proud of her smile. It was small, but it was definitely a smile. And it didn’t wobble. “It’s not too complicated. I learned James had lied to me.”

Phoebe frowned. “I thought you were the one lying.”

Elise felt herself blush. “Yes, I was, but— Never mind. You’re right. I shouldn’t complain when he did what I was doing.”

“What did he lie about?” Daisy asked, shushing Phoebe who’d also started to speak.

“He isn’t James Dillon, actor and teaching assistant at ASU.”

“He isn’t?” Phoebe demanded in surprise. “But—but who is he?”

Elise drew a deep breath. “He’s James Dillon,
wealthy advertising executive and the most eligible bachelor in Arizona.”

“But even Dave said he’d heard of him,” Daisy pointed out.

“Dave said he’d heard of Bobby Dillon. He’s James’s brother.”

Phoebe and Daisy were speechless. Just then, George delivered their salads, so Elise turned her attention to dinner.

“But Elise, why— I mean, you were really upset.”

She tried a small laugh. It wasn’t as successful as her small smile. “Yes, silly of me, wasn’t it? To get upset because— Since we were both lying, I shouldn’t have— Oh, well, it’s all water under the bridge.”

“But Elise—” Daisy began.

Elise interrupted her. “The good news, though, is that since James is wealthy and gainfully employed, he’ll be perfect for your plan, Daisy. And I know you like him, so all you have to do is give him a call and all our problems are solved.”

She’d practiced that speech a number of times. She’d tried the vaunted method acting, trying to make herself believe that James and Daisy would make a great couple. She’d failed miserably at all of it.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Daisy said, sending relief through Elise’s veins even though she told herself she was being silly.

“I’m not—”

“Yes, you are,” Phoebe said firmly. “Have you told James how you feel?”

“How I feel?” Elise repeated, hearing the hysteria in her voice and trying to control it.

“Yes, have you told James that you’re in love with him?” Phoebe asked again.

“No! No, I couldn’t—I don’t—”

She halted abruptly when Phoebe reached down and pulled
2001 WAYS TO WED
from her purse.

“Listen to this,” Phoebe commanded. “‘
Faint heart never won fair lady
is a statement that can be applied to females, too. If you have feelings for a man, stop hiding them. Let him know how you feel. If he doesn’t return your feelings, you’ll have a rough time. But the greater tragedy will be if he feels the same way and you’re both too timid to let each other know.”’

“That doesn’t apply to me—to us. James was acting. That’s what I hired him to do.”

“But he’s not an actor,” Daisy said. “You just said he wasn’t.”

“He’s a natural,” Elise said grimly, trying to shove away the memories of his rare talent.

“I think he loves you,” Daisy said, staring at Elise.

“I agree,” Phoebe seconded. “And I think you’re being a coward not to tell him how you feel.”

Elise wanted to protest. But she couldn’t. She was a coward. But she also didn’t believe he had any feelings for her. True, he’d called every day. But some men hated to lose a game. And she felt sure that to James that’s just what she’d been—a game.

“It doesn’t matter. We weren’t at all suited for each other. I mean, Richard was a businessman, and that didn’t work out.”

“You can’t compare the two,” Daisy protested. “James is thoughtful, kind. And he makes you laugh.”

Elise rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

“And you can’t deny the sexual tension,” Phoebe added. “That spark Daisy’s been looking for certainly seemed to burn brightly for the two of you.”

Elise ducked her head, hoping her friends wouldn’t notice her red cheeks this time. The spark had gotten completely out of control between her and James. And she’d finally admitted, toward the end of her torturous week, that possibly she had some responsibility for the night they’d spent making love.

After all, he’d tried to talk. Had he intended to tell her then? Even if nothing changed, if she never saw James again, Elise still couldn’t regret that night. She’d learned about love in James’s arms.

“I’m not suited to be his wife,” she whispered. She’d given a lot of thought to this question, too. “I don’t want to be a wife. I mean, I do want to be a wife, but that’s not all.” Almost desperately, she added, “I have a career. I don’t intend to give it up.”

“Did James ask you to do that?” Phoebe asked calmly.

“No! Of course not. We never talked about— It was always a pretense. We had no reason to discuss the future.”

“Then, I think it’s time you did.” Phoebe sounded like a judge pronouncing her verdict.

H
ALF AN HOUR LATER
, Elise couldn’t believe what she was doing. At her friends’ urging, she’d tried to
call James. She’d discovered he had a housekeeper, MaryBelle.

When she’d started to hang up, the lady had said, “Is this Elise?”

“Yes,” she’d answered cautiously.

“Lord have mercy, don’t hang up. That boy is in terrible trouble.”