Accidentally Married (9 page)

Jared looked down at the dark blue material. It wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t have orange fish with kissy lips all over it. “Yeah. I’m sure Dad gave me these to embarrass me.”

“Where does one even purchase fish pajamas?”

He chuckled. “Off the half-price rack, I’m sure.”

Her laughter bubbled up, and Jared realized he liked the sound. She didn’t politely twitter like many of the girls he’d dated. She wasn’t afraid to let it loose. The sound comforted him. Let him know she wasn’t trying to hold back. She was being real with him.

He climbed under the blanket and tried to find a comfortable position on the pillow. She propped her head up with her hand, her elbow on the bed. Her gaze flickered over him.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just wondering what you were like as a kid. You’re so serious most of the time. Surely you weren’t always like that.”

“I’m not serious. I’m practical. There’s a difference. And yes, I was practical as a kid.”

She crinkled her eyebrows. “You didn’t do regular kid stuff? Sledding down the monster hill up the street? Playing tag? Dancing in the rain?”

“Sure, I did regular kid stuff. I went sledding and played tag. But I can’t say I’ve ever danced in the rain. That’s stupid.”

“Oh, you’re missing out.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Really? Sounds like an idiotic thing to do.”

Madison got a faraway look on her face. “There’s something freeing about being outside in nature, gentle drops falling from the sky, and letting yourself go. You find the rhythm of heaven.”

“Hmm. And here I thought you’d just look like a nutcase to your neighbors.”

She laughed, then reached over and turned the switch on the lamp. Darkness filled the room. “Good night.”

Soft sounds of her getting situated in the bed came to him. Then silence.

He stared at the ceiling, or at least, what would have been the ceiling if it wasn’t pitch black. It was odd, staring into nothing. And odd to know a couple of feet away from him lay Madison.

He felt a weird giddiness thinking about her. What was wrong with him? She was not like any girl he’d ever known. She was kind, yet feisty and witty. She made him want to be around her. When he touched her, there were definite sparks. They had chemistry, no doubt. But something more than the physical attraction was there. He genuinely liked her. That hadn’t happened in a long time. It made him want to get to know her better.

“Madison?” he asked, softly.

“What?”

“Tell me about your family.”

More rustling came, and then silence. It stretched so long, he thought maybe she’d fallen asleep. Then she spoke. “My mother abandoned me when I was a baby.”

When she didn’t say anything else, he rolled onto his side. “So, you’re adopted?”

A bitter laugh. “No, my mother would never do anything as noble as letting a family adopt me.”

More silence. He got the feeling this was hard for her to talk about. But he wanted to know, so he probed again. “What did she do?”

“She pawned me off on Grandma. Just left me there. Said she was going to the store. Didn’t come back.”

He felt sick. Having dealt with his own abandonment issues, he knew what it could do to a person. “Why did she do that?”

“The party life was too appealing. Didn’t like to be tied down. Having a child cramped her style.”

“You never saw her again?”

“I wish. At least that would have been tolerable. I’d see her every few months or so. She’d come around when she was out of money. Wasted, and smelling like cigarettes and cheap booze. She’d pretend to be happy to see me. Fawn all over me, hugging me and telling me how proud she was of me. But I knew. She hated me. I could see it in her eyes. I had ruined her life.” Emotion tinged her words. “And Grandma could never say no to her. She’d always give her money, and as soon as she got what she wanted, she’d be gone again.”

Jared tried to imagine what it would be like to have a parent like that. Of all the stepmothers he’d had, none of them ever showed him anything but kindness. Even when he was terrible to them. “What about your father?”

“I never knew him. I doubt my mother even knows who he is.”

“Do you and your grandmother have a good relationship?”

“She died when I was sixteen, but yeah, she made things bearable. She taught me to look on the bright side of life. But she was old, and she had health problems. After she died, I spent a couple of years in the foster care system. My own mother came to court and signed away the rights to me. Like she was selling an old piano she didn’t want anymore.” Her voice broke, and he knew she was crying.

An incredible urge to put his arms around her and hold her overcame him. But he couldn’t. So he lay there instead. “I’m sorry.” His words sounded hollow.

He heard movement. Maybe she was wiping away tears. “Don’t be. I’m better off without family. My mother’s probably sprawled out on someone’s kitchen floor right now, too stoned to know what day it is. My father doesn’t even know I exist. Another party animal, I’m sure. No, I’m fine the way I am. I worked my way through college. Even got some acting experience. And after I get a job and save up some more money, I’ll go back to Hollywood and try again. You’ll see me in the movies someday. I’ll make something out of my life.”

“I know you will.” He had no doubt about it. “You’re ambitious and tenacious. You’ll succeed at whatever you put your mind to.”

“Thanks, Jared.” Her voice was so low, he almost couldn’t hear it. “That means a lot to me.”

He rolled over and pulled the blanket up to his chin, ignoring the feelings her words were stirring in him. He barely knew her. There was no reason for him to care for her.

And she was crazy, he reminded himself.

So, why did his lips tingle with the memory of her kiss? Why did his arms long to pull her close? It made no sense. He needed to get his mind off her. This whole fake wedding was playing tricks on him. She wasn’t his real fiancée. He simply needed to stay focused.

He closed his eyes, and images of her smiling face came into view. She
was
beautiful, he had to admit. And funny. Smart. He sighed, no longer feeling tired.

“Good night,” he whispered.

Her even breathing answered him.

Madison awoke the next morning feeling refreshed. The guest bed was comfortable. And large. King sized, probably. She stretched and peered down at Jared.

He lay cramped up in a little ball, the quilt covering only the top half of him, his legs and bare feet sticking out the bottom. Her heart went out to him. That was very kind of him, to offer to sleep on the floor.

She left him sleeping and crept into the bathroom. A steamy shower sounded perfect. She set the clothes Irene had loaned her on the marble counter and undressed. The hot water cascaded down on her.

She’d had crazy dreams last night of Jared’s kisses, his warm touch radiating through her. She had to get a hold of herself. The wild fantasies weren’t making it any easier to be near him.

The body soap smelled like almonds and vanilla and was luxurious on her skin. She washed her hair with some fruity shampoo and matching conditioner, which was a treat. Usually, she picked up whatever was on the discount table, and that meant they rarely smelled the same, most of the time not even being the same brand.

She dried off with a soft, fluffy towel, feeling like she was at some fancy resort. Irene’s designer clothes fit her nicely. She blow-dried her hair and ran her fingers through it to comb it out. It wasn’t ideal, but it was presentable. And no makeup. Again. She shrugged. Oh, well. Jared might as well see her real self. They were getting married in two weeks.

A giggle escaped, and then she silently reprimanded herself. That wasn’t something she should be thinking. Getting all googly-eyed over him wasn’t going to be of any help to her. In fact, it could get her into a lot of trouble.

She went to the door and knocked, in case Jared was changing in the bedroom. No sound came, so she peeked into the other room. The floor was empty, and the bed made. No sign of Jared.

The house was quiet as she made her way down to the kitchen, but as she neared, she heard voices.

“Your aunt Shelly is thrilled you’re moving up the wedding. I wasn’t sure you were going to go for it, for a minute there.” Irene’s airy voice.

“Yeah? Why not?” Jared’s deep baritone.

“You were uncomfortable with the idea, I could tell. But if you know she’s the right girl, then there’s no reason to wait.”

Silence.

Madison decided to rescue him from the conversation. She walked around the corner and smiled. “Good morning.”

Irene, dressed in a long colorful robe, was taking clean dishes out of the dishwasher and putting them away. “Hello, Madison. How did you sleep?”

“Fine.” Her gaze traveled to Jared, still in the ridiculous fish pajamas, sitting on a stool at the island. He was eating a bowl of cereal. His disheveled hair made him look incredibly sexy.

“Would you like me to make you some eggs?” A hopeful smile lit on Irene’s face.

Jared coughed, and shook his head slightly. Then pointed to his bowl.

“No, thank you. I’m more of a cereal eater in the morning.”

“Sure, dear.”

Madison grabbed a bowl and a box of cereal and sat on the stool next to Jared. A lopsided grin filled his face. “One catastrophe avoided,” he whispered.

She poked him in the side. “Be nice.”

After breakfast, Jared went upstairs to shower. Madison plopped down on the couch and picked up one of Patricia’s wedding magazines. When he came down, she almost swallowed her tongue. He was clad in a white t-shirt and a faded pair of blue jeans. The outfit showed off his muscles in a way his stuffy clothes never did.

“Since when do you wear jeans?” Her voice cracked, and heat rushed to her face.

He frowned. “They were in an old box of clothes I had left here.”

Irene entered the room. “I knew those would fit you.” She brushed a piece of lint from his shoulder then shooed him over to the couch. “Go sit by your bride. Patricia’s coming, and we need to go over the menu.”

Maxwell came around the corner in his robe and slippers, carrying a newspaper in his hand. He pulled Irene close and kissed her. “Good morning, hon. How’re the wedding plans coming along?”

There was something about the way he looked at Irene that caught Madison’s attention. His expression was soft. Loving. He really cared for her. She wondered if Jared had ever noticed.

“Things are coming along fine.” She fussed with his salt-and-pepper hair a bit. It was a simple gesture, but intimate somehow. Madison felt as though she were witnessing something special. They had a bond.

Maxwell settled in his easy chair, put his legs up, and opened the paper. “You kids go on with your business and ignore me.”

The atmosphere in the room was comfortable. Easy. Like sitting in front of a warm fire. Madison couldn’t help but envy what they had.

When Patricia arrived, Jared had to scoot a little closer to her on the couch, and he ended up putting his arm around her. She couldn’t complain. It felt nice. She snuggled into him, ignoring the nagging feeling she should be careful because her relationship with Jared wasn’t real.

Chapter 10

T
he sweat forming on Jared’s
brow had nothing to do with the August heat. He wiped his hands on his jeans and leaned closer to the glass case of engagement rings. Soft classical music played in the background. Plush carpeting and gold accents completed the upscale decor.

“Thinking of popping the question?” The robust saleswoman behind the counter smiled. “You look more nervous than Miley Cyrus in church.” She chuckled to herself.

Jared tried not to scowl at the woman. “I just need a simple ring.” The prices in the case started at nine hundred dollars and went up from there. He swallowed. This was insane. He couldn’t spend that kind of money on a fake ring. Then an idea hit him. “Do you have anything with cubic zirconia?”

A deep frown crossed the woman’s face. “We only carry quality diamonds. Besides, your girl deserves something nice, doesn’t she?”

He stared at the glass, his vision blurring.

“What’s her name?” the sales lady prompted.

“Mmm? Oh, Madison.”

She smiled. “A lovely name. How did you two meet?”

The story Madison made up popped into his head, and he swallowed a laugh. She was something else, that’s for sure. He’d better watch out if she ever got mad at him again. He’d be in for a ride. Jared cleared his throat. “At the opera.”