The Surrogate Husband Read online

  Aunt Bev straightened that God-awful flower. “Well, not all year round. No sense being down here for the dog days of summer. I’ll still spend a few months back in Wisconsin. But the rest of the time, yes. Isn’t it wonderful?”

  “What?” Dex said. “You’re moving here, too?”

  “Too?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

  He wiped a hand over his brow. “I mean, that’s wonderful.”

  “Wonderful.” Lucy’s head was spinning. What the hell was she going to do now? “I…want a drink.”

  “I’ll get you a double Everclear,” Dex offered.

  “Thank you.” She took his hand. “Would you all excuse us?”

  She had no idea where she was going. Thank goodness Dex led her away from her aunt before the scream rising in her gut could escape.

  He steered her into the TV room, then deposited her on a recliner chair. “Stay. I’ll fix your drink. And mine, too.”

  She tried to quell her building nausea. “She’s moving here. What now? Even if she does buy that we’re married now, we can’t pretend forever.”

  He went behind the bar, poured them each a small glass of clear liquid, then returned to her side and handed her one.

  “What is it?” But without waiting for him to answer, she took a healthy swig. Her chest immediately burned, but she didn’t care.

  “Grain alcohol and water. So take it easy.” He crouched next to her. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but we’re going to have to come clean with your aunt.”

  “How are we supposed to do that now? No, absolutely not. She’ll be furious that we’ve been lying to her about everything all weekend.” She leaned her chin on her hand. “I wish we’d just told her the truth from the get-go.”

  “It’s not too late. She’s got things in the works. This is spiraling out of control.”

  What was he talking about? The only thing spiraling out of control was her balance. That liquor was way too strong for her. “Look, I don’t have time for this now.” Glancing out the window at the gathering crowd, she sighed. “Everyone’s out back. The ceremony is probably going to begin any minute. We’ll discuss it later.”

  After downing another sip of her drink, she handed it over to Dex.

  Who drank his as if it were nothing. He set both glasses on the bar, helped her up, then grasped her shoulders. “Okay, we’ll figure something out. Maybe we can divorce or something. Let’s just have a good time at the wedding.”

  He kissed her and strangely enough, some of her anxiety eased. It was as if she now had someone to share the burden with, something she’d never before experienced. Suddenly she wasn’t all alone. She didn’t want to get too comfortable with the feeling, but it was nice.

  Holding her against his big, strong body, he reassured her without uttering a single word. She’d always been so afraid to count on anyone, sure they’d disappear when she needed them. But Dex seemed so willing to take on her baggage. Despite knowing all about the emotional scar-tissue that surrounded her heart, he soldiered on.

  She held on to him several more moments, then she nodded. “Let’s get out there.”

  Nodding, he squeezed her hand then they headed outside, making it to their row just as the music began. Uncle Alan joined the minister under the flower-covered archway next to Jonathan, his best man.

  Logan walked the white carpet carrying a pillow to which the rings were tied. He waved at Lucy as he passed. She winked at him.

  Trisha and her father stepped into place at the back of the aisle. She resembled a princess in a lacy ivory dress. No, not a princess—a bride.

  Everyone stood as she began walking down the aisle toward Alan.

  Dex mated his fingers with Lucy’s. She stared down at their joined hands and her throat grew thick with emotion. Sure, she was terrified about Aunt Bev discovering the truth about them, but Dex was there for her.

  After the ceremony began, she listened to the minister speak about commitment and dedicating your life to another person, which didn’t sound as awful as usual right at the moment.

  Alan and Trisha spoke vows they’d written themselves, promises to love and respect each other, to always talk things out and to be each other’s advocate. They never mentioned anything about giving up control to each other, but she knew that was part of it, the part that always made her tremble.

  Lucy wiped away a tear. Geez, she never cried at weddings. What had come over her? But she knew. Somehow, despite her protests, Dex had broken through her walls and suddenly the notion of leaning on someone—of loving that one special person—didn’t seem so far-fetched.

  She rested her hand on his thigh. She was going to give him a shot. Not just a week at a time, but a chance at a real relationship. Dex had been here for her when she’d needed him this weekend. Maybe she could take a chance that he’d continue to be.

  And together they’d figure out what to do about Aunt Bev.

  He wouldn’t let her down.

  Chapter Twelve

  Dex fixed himself a plate for lunch, sampling several of the finger sandwiches, salads, and dips the caterers had laid out in the dining room for the reception.

  “You must be awfully hungry,” Lucy said against his ear. “So am I.”

  Twisting around, he found her wearing a salacious grin. “I’m guessing you’re not talking about food.”

  When she waggled her eyebrows, his desire for her roared to life. But would she change her mind about wanting him after he insisted that they tell her aunt the truth? As soon as they finished eating, he was going to have to speak to her and lay out his argument.

  But first, one more kiss. He set his plate on a side table then pulled her out into the foyer.

  Sweeping her gaze over him, she leaned against the side of the staircase. “You’ve whet my appetite. I hope you plan to attend to me. Somehow.”

  He set his hands on the wall on either side of her, locking her in. “I’d love to take care of all your appetites.” Skimming his lips over hers, he delighted in her purr of pleasure.

  The click of the front door opening drew his attention to the entrance.

  “I hate showing up late for things,” the woman said. “Your damn GPS has led us astray too many times.” When her face came into view, Dex gasped.

  Johnny Bass came inside holding a gift and glanced toward the dining room. Dex moved into the shadow of the staircase. “I should have Mapquested it before we left. I had no idea that my client’s daughter was getting married so far out in the sticks. But since we’ve made the drive, let’s just enjoy the day in the country, shall we?” Johnny and his wife stood in the foyer a moment then went into the parlor.

  Holy hell.

  If Johnny caught him with Lucy, he’d blow a gasket. There was no time to explain, not now. And there was a good chance Johnny would rescind his offer to buy Dex’s firm. And his father’s retirement fund would never be what it could have with the merger. He couldn’t make his dad suffer for his infraction.

  Grabbing Lucy’s arm, he dragged her into the coat closet and shut the door behind them.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  He scrubbed a hand over his face. The space was so dark he couldn’t see her, but he heard her breathing.

  “Oh, I get it, you naughty boy.” She patted his shoulders and face. “There you are.” Then her mouth was on his, kissing him, tasting like honey and mint. She worked his belt open, then his fly.

  The realization hit him that while he’d beseeched her to be honest with her aunt, he hadn’t been totally truthful with her. He wasn’t free to be with her out in the open. Not yet. But he would, very soon. “Lucy, I—”

  “Shh.” She stilled him with a finger to his lips. “Be quiet and relax.” She kneeled in front of him and made him forget everything and everyone but her.

  Taking him in hand, she ran her fingernails lightly over his sensitive flesh. All thoughts of mergers and fake marriages flew out of his head. He gripped the cold metal of the coat rack t
o steady himself.

  Footsteps approached, then stopped. Would they open the door?

  Lucy skimmed her tongue along his length, sending his brain into a pleasure-induced tailspin.

  The doorknob jiggled.

  He froze, but Lucy kept licking and stroking him. Fast as he could, he grasped the knob to keep the guest from opening the door.

  “Gosh darn it,” a woman said. Mrs. Swann, he suspected, from the sound of her voice.

  Much as he hated to, he had to get Lucy to quit. “Lucy,” he whispered. “We should stop. That was close. What if she brings Mr. Swann to pry open the door soon?”

  She laughed. “That would be awkward.”

  He helped her stand then put himself back together. “I’ll need a minute.”

  “I’m sure.” She held his face between her hands and kissed him. “It was fun while it lasted.”

  “Best damn wedding I’ve ever been to.”

  She laughed. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “Baby, you should.”

  She took a step toward him and curled her fingers into his. “I like the sound of that. Baby,” she repeated.

  “What a lucky guy I am. I’m getting more action than the groom today.” His vision had adjusted to the lack of light, enough so he could see that her eyes were shining. “Something’s changed.”

  She straightened her dress. “What do you mean?”

  “You’re different, more…serene.”

  “You make me forget all my problems.” She released a sigh.

  “Did you just remember them again?” He planted a gentle kiss on her mouth.

  “Yup. What are we going to do about my aunt moving here? I can’t ask you to continue this charade indefinitely. There might have to be business trips for a while, followed by an amicable divorce.”

  He waited until footsteps outside the closet passed by. “We need to discuss that. Bev has more in mind than just moving here. Major complications. We’re going to have to tell her the truth.”

  “I can’t do that to everyone. My entire family has been a party to the deception. If she learns that so many of us have deceived her, it could kill her.”

  “There’s more than just the situation with your aunt.”

  She huffed. “I can’t deal with this in a dark coat-closet. Are you ready to go back to the reception?”

  He frowned. “I can’t.”

  “Um, why not?”

  He leaned against the wall and considered telling her about the ridiculous company policy and spotting Johnny coming in, but he didn’t want to give her any reason to change her mind about giving a relationship with him a try. Besides, he wasn’t at liberty to reveal the impending merger since Bass Financial was a publicly traded firm. “Someone might see us coming out of the closet.”

  She waved away his concern. “Peek outside and see. I’ve probably been missed by now. God forbid I don’t get to enjoy the chicken dance.”

  He eased the door open a few inches and checked the hallway. “The coast is clear.”

  After one more kiss, she left the closet.

  He made sure he was all tucked in, then opened the door. Just a U-turn and he’d be able to escape up the stairs and hide out in their room until all the guests left. Home free.

  He took a few steps out, then held his breath as he passed the wide archway that separated the foyer from the dining room.

  “Dex. Would you help me, please?”

  Son of a bitch.

  For a moment he thought about pretending he hadn’t heard Bev calling, but she sounded so frail and helpless. His conscience got the best of him. He stopped and smiled at her. “Sure. What do you need?”

  Grasping the doorway, she teetered. “I’ve left my cane somewhere, and I’m afraid I’ll fall without it. I walked inside holding on to Mrs. Swann, never once thinking about the fact that I’d be stranded if she left me. But her husband called her into the kitchen for something.”

  He closed the distance between them and took her arm. “Let’s get you to a seat.” Unfortunately they’d removed all the chairs from the room to set the table up as a buffet.

  “I think my cane is outside somewhere.” She smiled up at him weakly. “Sorry. If you’ll help me, I can make it out there to search for it.”

  Oh boy. How much more conspicuous could he be than to be a six-foot-tall man with a four-foot-nothing old lady on his arm? He glanced around, praying someone else was around to help her, but no one else seemed to be inside. “I have to…make a call. Let me get someone to help you.”

  She shook her head. “It’ll just take a moment. Come on. Then you can make your phone call.”

  “How about I go find the cane and bring it to you?”

  “No, I’m sure I know where it is. If you’d just take me there, I’ll set you free so you can dance with your lovely wife. After your call, of course. I wanted to speak to you about something anyway.”

  He glanced through the window but couldn’t see the back lawn from where they were. Wiping sweat from his brow, he nodded. After he took her outside, he’d make a quick exit. Forcing a smile, he motioned toward the door.

  “I’ve been looking through some of those travel magazines in my room. And I made a decision this morning. Since we’ve all had such a wonderful time here this weekend, I’ve decided to book a cruise for the entire family. You’re the first to know. Isn’t it exciting?”

  He feigned surprise. “It’s very…generous.”

  Bev tightened her grip on his arm then they started across the house at a snail’s pace. He could carry her ten times faster. “Since all of you young people have such busy lives, I decided to give you all a well-deserved gift. I phoned my travel agent and inquired about a cruise to Cozumel from Christmas to New Years. She told me the ship is filling up fast but there are enough open spaces for the entire family. And I’m willing to pay for all of you to come along. They’ll give us a group rate. I know it’s a bit presumptuous, but I’ve put down a deposit so we don’t lose the cabins. Isn’t that wonderful?”

  No, it was a huge complication. His shoulders tensed but he kept his head down as if that would keep him from being recognized. When they passed a window close to the back door, he scanned the yard for Johnny, but didn’t spot him. “We have to discuss something, Bev.” He struggled to find the words to let her know that falsehoods could sometimes arise out of love, like the one Michelle had told her.

  Bev stopped. “Are you all right, Dex? It’s quite cool in here but you’re sweating as if it’s the fourth of July in Hades.” She fished into the top of her dress and pulled out a handkerchief that had evidently been hiding in her bra. Reaching up, she mopped his neck. “If you’ll bend down I’ll take care of your forehead, too.”

  “I can do it.” He took the pink scrap of fabric from her to wipe his brow, then handed it back to her. “Thanks.” He nudged her on.

  “I don’t know why people have largely stopped carrying handkerchiefs. Do you?” She shook her head and then answered her own question. “I suppose everything’s disposable these days. Hankies, dishes, telephones, and marriages.” She sighed. “You won’t throw away what you and Lucy have, will you? I can tell you’re a good man, Dex.”

  Guilt kicked him in the teeth as he opened the door for her.

  They’d no sooner left the building when Johnny Bass practically crashed into them.

  Shit, shit, shit.

  “Dex. What the hell are you doing here?” Johnny glanced down at Bev, then held his hand over his heart. “Excuse me, ma’am. I should watch my language. Please forgive me.”

  Bev shrugged. “I’ve said a lot worse. The groom is Lucy Hamilton’s uncle, and she’s my grandniece. You know Dex, her husband?” She reached for her cane, which was leaning against the side of the building.

  Johnny’s face grew red, and his eyes narrowed at Dex. “Lucy Hamilton? As in Lucy’s Lingerie? I remember discussing that she was your client, but you never disclosed that she was also your wife. Were you tryin
g to put one over on me, Dex? Anything else you’re not telling me about your business? What the hell is going on here? You know how much I value honesty.”

  Bev patted Johnny’s hand. “They’re newlyweds. That’s probably why he didn’t tell you. Because they were only dating until recently.”

  Dex’s gut clenched. He thought about his father, about the retirement he’d worked so hard for. Bev would eventually forgive Lucy, but his folks might never recover if his father lost his job now. “Can I speak to you in private?” he asked Johnny.

  Johnny’s nostrils flared. “You can tell me what the hell is going on right here and now.”

  “This isn’t what it seems.”

  “What?” Bev grasped the railing.

  Damn it. His only option was to take control of the situation immediately before the entire thing blew up in his face and Lucy’s. He hadn’t had a chance to do anything to help Caroline, but he could do this one thing to help Lucy, to save her relationship with her aunt before it was too late.

  “Lucy and I, our marriage. It isn’t real.”

  Yes, that was it. Tell the truth. Explain to both Bev and Johnny how Lucy and Michelle’s intentions had been pure, that what started as a kindness toward a dying loved one turned into a giant mess of a deception. Someone had to fix this. Might as well be him.

  Bev had turned pale, but thank God her heart seemed to be holding up at the news. He gestured toward the gazebo off the porch. “Can we speak in private?”

  Johnny folded his arms over his chest. “Apparently we’d better.”

  Ignoring Bev’s icy stare, he led her to the gazebo with them. Then spent the next ten minutes explaining how the entire deception had been born, how Michelle had only been trying to comfort Bev as she lay dying—or so Michelle had thought.

  “So you’re not actually married?” Johnny asked.

  Dex shook his head. “But once Michelle told Bev that Lucy had gotten married, she couldn’t very well take it back.”

  Bev sat back on the bench and fanned herself. “You only have to forgive Dex the lie, Mr. Bass, whereas my entire family misled me. I’ve never felt like a bigger fool.”

  “That was never anyone’s intention.” Bile burned Dex’s throat. Would Lucy ever speak to him again after she learned that he’d ’fessed up to her aunt? But she had to know that the house of cards she’d built was eventually going to fall. Someone had to take control of the situation and do the right thing. Better that the fall-guy not be a member of the family, someone at whom Bev could shoot her arrows.