The Temporary Wife (7 page)

“Jason? Jason, are you still there?”

“Yeah, sorry.” Damn. From the look on Megan’s face, he was going to have some serious explaining to do.

“So, how go the wedding plans? I still can’t believe you’re getting married.” Harper’s scornful laugh didn’t make Jason feel any better about introducing her and Meg.

“Good. The vineyard’s booked, and Meg got her dress today. But get this: She said I can’t see it until the wedding because of tradition.”

“Tradition? Seriously?”

He smiled at Meg, hoping she wouldn’t tear him a new one when he got off the phone. “That’s what I said.”

“Who the fuck does she think she is?” Harper snapped. “You’re paying for everything.”

Whoa. That stopped him short. “Harper, I was joking.”

“It’s not funny. She needs to learn her place.”

Now he was pissed. “That’s
not
for you to determine.”
Her place.
He’d heard that over and over from his parents. It wasn’t going to happen again. “I’ll make sure I explain everything in detail tomorrow. Be at the house at one.”

“Jay.” He heard her voice change, become more deferential. “I’m sorry, I’ll—”

“Tomorrow. One. See you then.”

And to think he almost put that on speakerphone. Talk about dodging a bullet. He’d set Harper straight tomorrow. This may not be a love match, but Meg was going to be his wife, regardless of what anyone thought about this marriage, and he wouldn’t let Meg be a target.

Once he ended the call, he moved to where she was standing by the kitchen sink. “I’m sorry we were interrupted.”

“You’re giving your assistant a key to the house?”

“Yeah. When I’m in deep in a project, sometimes working at home is the best option. She goes where I go.”

“She travels with you?”

“Usually.”

“But a key to the house, Jason? Is that really necessary?”

“Meg, don’t worry. You’ll like Harper.”
No, she won’t.
“She’s smart and more efficient than ten people.”

“Wonderful.” Meg sprayed cleaner on the counter and wiped everything down with a paper towel. She was upset. The mood was killed. He didn’t know how they were going to do this. Their attraction ran hot and cold.

“I should go.” His voice was hoarse, strained because he still wanted her, but he had to go. “It’s late, and I don’t want to wake Molly.”

Confusion, resentment . . . There were a few other emotions he saw cross her face, but the one that tore at him most was the sadness. That was his doing.

Wasn’t he just a prince?

Chapter 7

Meg smiled as she surveyed the mess of gifts littering the faculty room tables. She had the best friends. Jill and Charlotte planned a beautiful bridal shower, and every teacher in the school had been there.

Even the men.

Even Grant.

Meg picked up some of the paper and put it in the trash, then admired the silly hat bouquet made with a paper plate and all the bows and ribbons. Everyone was so nice, but more than once she’d heard, “I didn’t know what to get you; you’re marrying a billionaire.”

And that pretty much summed up how people saw it. Jason was a billionaire—a famous heartthrob of a billionaire whose engagement warranted coverage everywhere from
Forbes
to
People
magazine—and Meg was the lucky schoolteacher he was marrying. The girl who hit the husband lottery. Unfortunately, she didn’t feel very lucky. She felt like a phony who was taking advantage of everyone’s generosity.

Jill came in the room with some big shopping bags to help Meg pack up her presents.

“You got such nice things!”

“Everyone was very generous. I appreciate it.”

“You don’t look so happy, pal. What’s up? Cold feet?”

“A little, I guess.” Meg nodded. “I mean, it did happen fast, and everyone is so taken with the idea of my marrying him, you know. Like he’s the prince and he’s saving me. It’s not what I’m used to.”

“Isn’t that what’s happening, though? Isn’t he saving you?”

Meg’s mouth went dry. Her stomach sank as she thought about the kind of response she could give without completely lying to her friend. How had Jill come to this conclusion? How did she know?

“What . . . what makes you think he’s saving me?” Meg sat because the sudden wobble in her knees made standing in heels almost impossible. “Why would I need saving?”

“It took me a bit to figure out. I mean, on the surface, it was perfect. You and him, former sweethearts, consoling each other after Grace’s death . . . It all made sense.”

“So why are you questioning it?”
Why is she questioning it?

“Because of the timing. It all came about right after the Campbells petitioned for custody.” Jill sat in the chair on Meg’s right and broke a piece off a black and white cookie. “You were a wreck about it, and within a week, you not only have the money to fight them, you’ve taken away their main arguments. You now have a husband and Molly is with family.
Amazing.
”

Shit. Why did she have such smart friends? She really needed to find some dumb ones. “I hadn’t thought about it, but that is coincidental.”

“I call bullshit, Meg. This is a setup to keep the Campbells from challenging the will and getting their paws on Molly. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s pretty drastic.”

She couldn’t say anything. She’d lied to her family, she’d lied to everyone, but Jill was dead on. Meg had sworn to keep this secret. She had to. If they were found out, they’d lose Molly with no chance of getting her back.

But when Meg looked up and saw Jill’s eyes, she knew she couldn’t lie. Without a word, she gave a single nod.

“Oh, Meg,” Jill said. “Was there no other way?”

“I don’t think so. I tried to think of alternatives, but he posed the only option that would keep them from taking her.”

“So you’re going to be stuck in a loveless marriage?”

“Not stuck. It’s only for a year or so.”

Jill froze with a piece of the black and white cookie touching her lips. “What’s to stop the Campbells from reinitiating the suit after you split up?”

“We’re adopting Molly. I won’t just be her guardian. Neither will Jason. We’ll be her parents.”

Jill leaned back in the chair and considered her. “That’s brilliant. Was that Jason’s big idea?”

“Yup. We signed a prenup and a prearranged custody agreement. Once we get through the adoption, and after a reasonable time, we can call it quits and we won’t have to worry about anyone trying to take her from us.”

“So it protects the spirit of the will and Molly and—”

“All I have to do is give up my life.”

“Aww, honey. You are too good for the rest of us, you know that?”

“I feel like such a fraud.” Meg’s heart broke thinking about what her colleagues had done for her. “Everyone was so nice giving this shower and the gifts; it’s wrong. I didn’t want to drag the world into this lie.”

“It’s just me; let everyone else be happy for you.” Jill reached over and wrapped her arms around Meg’s shoulders. “I have to ask: What’s part of this agreement between the two of you? Are you getting any?”

Meg rolled her eyes. “I don’t know. We’ve had a couple of close calls, but I think we’re going to keep it platonic.”

“Platonic?”

“Yes. As in we’ll be friends.”

Jill sat still, a look on her face that Meg couldn’t quite read, and then she burst out laughing. Not a giggle or a chuckle, but a full-blown
bwahahaha
belly laugh.
The bitch.

“This is not funny,” Meg said.

“Oh, yes it is. It’s hysterical. The two of you may have issues, but you’re attracted to each other. There’s no denying that. When I saw you together at the house, there was just something.”

“No, there wasn’t,” Meg argued.

Jill popped open a can of diet soda and took a sip. “Yeah, there was.”

“No, that’s not true. We’re going to keep things friendly. It’s the only way. No emotional messes, no complications.”

Meg stood and started putting boxes into the bags Jill had brought to the room. She didn’t want to have to answer questions about this or about Jason. The issues between them were too big for her to explain. In some ways, Meg was humiliated by the way she had been treated, and no matter how good a friend Jill was, she wasn’t telling her about it. Jason didn’t want to be married, but more than anything, he didn’t want her.

“Are you listening to yourself? You can’t help but be emotional, and you don’t need sex for things to get messy. You care about everything. And I think you still care about him, but you aren’t so sure what he feels.”

“I can’t get emotionally invested in this, Jill. He doesn’t want to be married in the first place. His commitment is to his company, but he’s willing to do this to protect me and Molly. You can’t fault him for that.”

“I don’t fault him, but this is a pretty big step to take for someone who is such a commitment-phobe.”

Meg knew that, and it worried her. His whole life—including his friends and social life—was based around his job. Now Meg was going to be part of both, and she didn’t know how this was going to work.

Jason said he hadn’t ever considered getting married because he didn’t have the right mental focus to be a good husband. Meg thought that was a load of crap. He was a big chicken. Relationships took work, and it meant standing up to his parents. Even this thing with Molly, Jason wasn’t full-on confronting them, he wasn’t going to the judge, no; he was taking a back road to outsmart them. The problem with that was it wasn’t neat and clean. It was going to get messy because Meg’s fragile heart went a little crazy when he was around. There was so much chemistry and so many unresolved issues; it was going to blow up in their faces, and they were going to end up in bed. It wasn’t
if
, it was
when
.

“He doesn’t want me, Jill. He’s trying to do the right thing, but he doesn’t want me. He has this assistant, and I think they had something going at one point. She’s his type, not me.”

“Wait a second. You think he’s going to marry you but keep things going with someone else? How is that right? You gave up a very nice guy and you’re not going to fool around. Are you?”

Meg smiled. “No. I’m not. He said we’re going to be faithful, but I don’t know. This woman is in his business night and day. Apparently she’s beautiful, smart, and doesn’t sing bad karaoke on Friday nights.”

“So she’s boring?” Jill rose and started stacking boxes. “If he can’t see how amazing you are, he’s an idiot.”

Meg stopped and thought about that. Maybe it was true, but Jason never took the time to understand her, not the way she understood him. “We’re very different. We have different backgrounds and upbringings. Different priorities.”

“You’re wrong there. You are both completely dedicated to Molly.”

“Yes, we are.” That was true. Jason was wonderful with his niece, and his only concern in their arrangement was how she would be provided for. He made no mistake with regard to that.

But with each other, they were all over the place. He wanted her, she knew he did. He kissed her like he did, touched, responded to her like he did, and Meg wanted him just as badly. She’d never stopped wanting him, and every man in her life had always had to measure up to Jason.

No one ever did.

***

Jason sat at the kitchen table in the new house with Owen, Nate, and Harper, hashing out the new sales proposal over takeout Thai and some great local beer. It was a free-for-all kind of exchange and a part of the way they did business that he loved. There was a hierarchy to the company, but they all took ownership of its success.

He’d spent the first part of the day in meetings at the office in the city, and when they decided they needed to sit down and figure out this problem, they came to the house because no one would look for them there. It was perfect, and with his office just down the hall, they had all the access they needed and none of the interruptions.

Having pretty much wrapped up the proposal, they were shooting the breeze about Owen’s latest high-octane vacation and Harper’s plan to visit friends in Italy over the winter. Jason usually went to the islands in the winter. He’d find some company and take his boat and cruise someplace warm and tropical, spend a few weeks in the sun. That wasn’t going to happen this year. He’d mentioned it to Meg and was informed they were locked into school holidays. Getting off from work for a short honeymoon had been enough of a challenge for her. She wasn’t going to take any additional days, and Meg felt strongly that Molly shouldn’t be pulled out of school for vacations.

Even though he thought there was no reason for her to keep working, she wasn’t quitting her job. She could stay home and be a full-time mom, but when he suggested it, she squashed the idea immediately. She said she couldn’t risk giving up the only security she had left.

Which pissed him off. The whole point of getting married was so she and Molly would be secure. Once the divorce happened, Meg would be set for life. She’d be a millionaire in her own right, and he was going to leave her with this house, which she could sell or keep, whatever she wanted.

But Meg was all about taking care of herself.

The group was loud for four people, with one person talking over the other, disagreeing or agreeing about one thing or another. The discussion between Harper and Owen about the Yankees’ playoff chances was so loud, no one realized they had company until Hurricane Molly burst into the room. She had a bag in her hand, and when she saw she couldn’t get to him quick and easy because he was on the far side of the table, Molly dropped to the floor and crawled under, popping up and climbing into his lap.

She could have gone around, but the kid was direct and never wasted a step. She gave him a big smacking kiss on the cheek, and he felt a smile creep across his face. “Hey there, cutie,” he said. “Have a good day?”

“Yup, and you should see all Aunt Meg’s presents. The teachers had a party for her.”

“A party?” Jason looked up and saw Meg and Jill enter the kitchen, hauling bags and boxes.

He grabbed Molly by the waist and stood, lifting her as he went. When he came around the table, he set his niece on the floor and saw Harper’s scowl.

“Hey, I didn’t know you’d be here.” He walked to Meg and kissed her on the cheek partly for appearance, but partly because he wanted to. He liked kissing her.

“I figured I’d drop this stuff off.” Meg surveyed the table full of people, and when her eyes landed on Harper, the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. They’d never met face-to-face. “I didn’t realize you’d be here. Sorry if we interrupted.”

“You didn’t; we were done and grabbed dinner. Want some? It’s Thai.” Jason looked around her and smiled. “How are you, Jill? Hungry?”

“No, thanks,” her friend said. “Meg, I’m going to take off. I’ll see you tomorrow, or call me if you need to, you know, talk.” Jill gave Harper a death stare, hugged Meg and Molly, and left.

Jason leaned into the counter and watched Meg and Harper check each other out. Finally, Harper rose from the table and stuck out her hand as she moved toward them.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Meg. I’m Harper Poole, Reliance’s director of operations and Jason’s assistant.”

Meg shook her hand. “Megan Rossi. Nice to meet you, too.”

“Gosh, Jason,” Harper said as she walked around Meg. The contrast between the two women was striking. Meg was petite, curvy, and had a mass of blond hair and big, tilted green eyes. Harper was tall, slender, and had straight dark hair with round hazel eyes. Both women were attractive, but Meg was more bombshell beautiful, while Harper exuded a cool elegance. Basically, oil and water.

“She’s so cute!” Harper’s enthusiasm was affected, and he could see this wasn’t going to end well. “So, you’re a teacher?”

Jason had no idea what Harper was up to, but Meg was looking from her to him and he could see she wasn’t happy about the way she was being checked out.

“Yes, I teach kindergarten.”

“I don’t know how you handle all those little kids all day. At least you’re not dealing with something hard, though, like math or science. I guess if you’re organized, it’s like a cool babysitting gig.”

Jason watched Meg’s face harden, and even though he didn’t know what went into her day, he never questioned that what she did was far more involved and important than babysitting. He couldn’t believe Harper thought something so stupid, or that she’d said it out loud.

“Babysitting?” Meg said. Her voice had gone from soft to lethal. She fixed her gaze on Jason, who pushed away from the counter and came to her. “I think I should go,” she said just to him.

“No, don’t go.” Jason hadn’t seen her in days. He’d been busy, and they’d been taking care of wedding arrangements over the phone. This would give them time to talk before the wedding and for him to spend time with Molly.