Wedding Date for Hire (9 page)

“Sorry, pal. The jury is still out on that, I’m afraid.”

“Damn, you are one hard woman, Maddie McCarthy. But I do like a challenge.”

“And cheerleaders apparently,” she quipped.

“That does it.” He dipped her again and when he pulled her back up, they were both laughing.

Louise elbowed her out of the blue. “Hey, I don’t think you guys are allowed to have more fun than the engaged couple,” she teased, still dancing with Michael.

Maddie felt her cheeks go hot. She
was
having fun. She couldn’t remember the last time she had really let go and enjoyed herself with a man like that. Even with his cynical commentary on love, she really was enjoying Trent’s company.

Just remember it’s his job to be charming.

“Trent, promise me you’ll dance like that with me on my wedding day,” Louise said with a wink.

“I’ll definitely save you a dip. Start practicing your yoga moves now.”

Louise grinned. “You bet I will.”

Trent took Maddie’s hand and twirled her around. She marveled at how such a brawny kind of guy could move so fluidly. “Louise may need to practice but you sure don’t. Did Match Made Easy require you to take dance lessons before they’d hire you?” she asked a little out of breath.

“No.” Just like that the humor left his face.

As soon as the song ended, he led her to the bar, and she became a little disconcerted when he immediately handed her a Chardonnay. “How did you know that’s what I wanted to drink?” she asked.

“It’s what you drank when I met your mom. And when we went out to dinner that night.” He frowned. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“No, you shouldn’t have.” She took the wine from his hand and took a healthy sip. It was crisp and tart with just a hint of sweetness. “But in this case, you’d be right. It’s exactly what I wanted. You’re very good at what you do. I suppose that’s why you’re paid the big bucks.”

“Big bucks? Oh, right. What can I say, I’m a professional,” he said flatly. He clinked her glass with his own glass of Scotch, but didn’t drink any of it. Instead, he scanned the yard, looking distracted.

Something had definitely changed with him, and she wondered what she’d said to affect his mood.

The bar started to get crowded, so they took their drinks and walked down the stone path to the bay. There was a bench facing the water surrounded by white and pink flowering landscaping. Maddie immediately sat down, already exhausted and perfectly happy to stay there until the sun set, but she knew she couldn’t hide from her family all night.

Trent sat down beside her, continuing to stare off into the distance. His mouth was tight and grim. She knew that look well. If they were dating for real, she would have assumed it meant he was trying to come up with a way to break up with her.

“So…how ‘bout those Red Sox,” she said.

The beginning of a smile tipped the corners of his mouth. “I’m a football guy, remember?”

“Football, baseball, it’s all the same.”

He clutched his heart, pretending to be wounded. “For your information, it is
not
all the same. Football is the ultimate American sport. A Sunday tradition. All players are involved in one play and playoff games actually mean something. Plus, football players play in all weather, not like those hypersensitive baseball pansies.”

“Okay, okay. Sheesh. I obviously struck a nerve. I’ll have to watch a game sometime.”

“Damn straight. In fact, I’ll personally take you to a Patriots game.”

She stilled. “You will?”

“Absolutely. I own season tickets.”

Maddie looked down at her wineglass and banked down the little bubble of joy that sprung up at his suggestion. What was she even remotely excited about? He didn’t really mean it. Besides, football season wasn’t for months, and in a few days they would probably never see each other again once his contract was fulfilled.

“This is some engagement party,” Trent said, motioning with his Scotch glass. “Your sister is going to be one rich bride.”

Maddie narrowed her eyes. “That’s not why she’s marrying Michael.”

He paused a beat. “No, I guess not. She doesn’t seem the type.”

“She isn’t the type. She’s the sweetest, kindest person ever. And if Michael lost all his money tomorrow, Louise would still have him.”

“Michael is very lucky then.”

The sadness in his tone got her attention. She looked at him closely, seeing a hardened shell around him for reasons that went beyond Louise and Michael’s upcoming marriage. “Trent, why don’t you like weddings?”

He seemed startled for a moment then carefully schooled his expression. “What’s to like about them?”

“Nuh-uh. Answer my question first.”

He let a few moments pass, seeming to mull it over. Then he finally answered, “I was engaged.”

Not the answer she expected. “You were? What happened?”

“Nothing happened as you can guess from my lack of wife. She got cold feet the day before the wedding. Exactly five days after I dropped out of the NFL draft. I guess I lost my appeal once I stopped playing football. The real kicker was that she called my parents to apologize before she called me. Wouldn’t want to fall too far under the good graces of the Montgomery family,” he said in a bitter tone.

He blew out a breath as if he had unloaded a ton of weight from his chest. “To answer your question from before, my fiancée made me take dance lessons for the wedding that never was. Glad they finally came to some use.”

Maddie just sat there. Every word that popped into her head seemed trivial and cliché, so she didn’t say anything for several moments. For a man to still be dead set against weddings after all this time, it would seem to matter very much. No wonder he wasn’t involved with anyone seriously and worked as an escort. The job protected him from getting too close.

“I’m sorry, Trent.”

“Looking back on it now, she probably did us both a favor. We were both naive and self-centered. Her leaving me made me take stock of my priorities and what’s really important. I decided to open up a gym but knew I wanted it to be more than just a superficial business. I wanted it to make a difference mentally
and
physically to people.”

“How so?”

“One of the things I want to start up in my gyms is a youth center for kids. Once I get some money saved, that is, and pay off my bank loan. I’d like some of the young men who don’t have role models at home to be able to find them at my gym. Sports, working out, can give them a purpose. Coaches can have a wonderful influence on kids like that. I should know. I had a great one in college. It’s important those kids know they’re worth more than how much they can lift or how far they can throw a ball.”

“That does sound wonderful.”

“It will be as long as I can pay off my line of credit next month.”

“Do you think you will?”

He thought about it for a second but wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Yeah. I have something on the back burner that looks as if it should work. At least, I hope it does. My business—my work—is what I’ve decided to give my heart to instead of a person.”

Tenderness washed over her, and she wove her arm through his to comfort him. “Your fiancée did a horrible thing. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on love and weddings and happily-ever-afters.”

“And
you
haven’t?”

“Well…”

She went speechless.

It wasn’t as if she’d given up on them
in general
. She believed in all that forever love stuff for her sister. She just didn’t see it in her own future.

“That’s what I thought,” he said, standing and offering her his hand. “We should get back to the party. You’re not paying me to talk.”

She put her hand in his and allowed him to pull her up. “You’re not a bad guy,” she blurted.

His brows lifted. “Gee, thanks?”

“I mean, I thought you were. Back in high school. Now I know I misjudged you.”

“You’re just being nice because you feel sorry for me for being jilted.”

“Not at all. She was stupid to leave you. “

“Really?”

“Of course. I don’t see why she would want you more if you played professionally. Football is way overrated.”

His face fell. “I hope that sacrilegious statement was not intended to cheer me up.”

“Sorry,” she said, holding in a laugh. “Not a football fan, remember?”

“I’ll make you one soon enough.” He gave her a long smoldering look before turning and leading her up the path. “Just wait and see.”

“I’d like to see you try,” she murmured.

Unfortunately, with the way her feelings toward Trent were changing, he wouldn’t need to work too hard to persuade her.

“I
t was a wonderful evening thanks to you,” Louise said, wrapping her arms around Maddie’s middle and squeezing her like a hungry python.

“I…didn’t…do anything,” she wheezed out.

Louise pulled back with a laugh. “Of course you did! The lovely impromptu speech you gave brought tears to my eyes. And well, just the fact that you were having such a good time made me happy, too. I’m the one getting married, but I so wanted us to celebrate it together.”

“Me, too.” Maddie turned her head and brushed away a tear with her finger. All she wanted was this day to be special for Louise. No talk of curses. Just joy and dreams for the future. And thanks to Trent’s convincing portrayal of devoted boyfriend, she was able to pull that feat off.

So far, anyway.

As if her just thinking about him summoned him, Trent appeared, holding a corsage out to her sister. “The caterers were going to toss this, but I thought you might want to save it in some mementos book or something.”

“Oh, I had forgotten I’d taken it off to dance,” Louise said, sliding it back on her wrist. “You are so sweet and thoughtful to think of that.” Smiling, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome,” he told her then shot a quick wink at Maddie.

“Maddie, this guy is a treasure,” she said, patting his arm affectionately. “He fits in with our family so well. I feel like you’ve been with him forever.”

Maddie resisted an eye roll. “It kind of feels like forever to me, too.”

Trent grinned, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her in close. “Forever and ever, amen,” he said low in her ear.

A small shiver raced down her spine as his breath tickled her earlobe. Because of that she felt a small urge to lean in and get closer, but forced herself to pull away. “Um, it’s getting late, darling, and I’m sure Louise would like to spend more time with her fiancé before going to bed.”

Trent’s eyes seemed to glimmer at the mention of the word bed. He suddenly yawned and gave an unnatural stretch. “You know, we should hit the hay, too, honey.”

Maddie frowned, suddenly remembering they were sharing a room and, more importantly, a bed together. “You know…on second thought, it’s not that late. Maybe Louise and Michael want to get together for a game of cards?”

Louise made a face. “Cards?”

“You like board games instead? How about Monopoly?”

“Monopoly? That could take all night,” Louise complained.

“Monopoly it is then!” Maddie pivoted, about to make her way to the main house, but Trent grabbed her hand.

“Louise looks wiped, darling. Save all this newfound energy for when we get back to our room,” he said with a grin, pulling her toward the guest house instead. “Good night, Louise.”

Louise giggled. “Good night, you two. See you for the festivities tomorrow.”

Maddie bit her tongue the entire four minute walk to their room, but once they were inside with the door tightly closed behind her, she thwacked Trent in the chest. “You’re not following my lead at all.”

“Honey, you ever want to lead a bunch of seniors in a canasta match, I’ll follow your so-called lead 100 percent. But as it turns out, it’s one in the morning and we’re at a twenty-something’s engagement party. I needed to take control of the reins.”

He jerked himself away from the door and began loosening his tie. As annoyed as she was, Maddie had to admit, he had a gorgeous throat. He shrugged out of his suit jacket then began unbuttoning his shirt. If she allowed his fingers to continue south much longer, she was sure she’d be admiring other parts of him as well, which was starting to make her feel…edgy.

She hesitated one brief second then held up her hand like a crossing guard. “Halt!” she blurted.

Trent paused and quirked an eyebrow. “Halt?”

“Um, yes.” She swallowed. “Don’t you think you should change in, um, private?”

“No.”

She huffed out a breath. Of course he wouldn’t. Women paid top dollar to drape a body like his over their arm at various functions. He probably even thought he was giving her an added unpaid treat of some sort, thinking the poor girl who had to hire a wedding date hadn’t gotten any in a while and could use a cheap thrill. Well. That may be true, but she still didn’t appreciate it.

“I
do
think you should change in private. You don’t see me ripping off my clothes in front of
you
, now do you?”

He gave a deep fake sigh. “Sadly, no.”

The man was impossible, giving her mixed signals again. He wasn’t supposed to be funny and charming in private, only in front of others. What he was getting paid to do. She couldn’t deal with his hot body, either. Her resistance was particularly low tonight, and she was afraid that if he did make one small move on her she’d pounce on him like a ninja.

“What do you want to do about the sleeping arrangements?” she asked, trying to control the shaking in her voice.

“I can see the wheels spinning in your head,” he remarked with a grin. “Are you seriously so afraid to be near me that you can’t share a bed for sleeping purposes only?”

Maybe.

She brushed a wild curl out of her face. “Of course not. I was only giving you the option in case you felt uncomfortable sharing a bed with
me
.”

Trent flopped down on the bed, placing his hands behind his head. “Totally comfortable here.”

Her shoulders wilted. “Oh…good. Me, too. Totally comfortable about the whole situation.”