Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Drat.” Taylor pulled the linen dress off and tossed it onto her bed with the other discarded outfits in a well-practiced move. If only she’d thought to ask where they were eating this evening.
Her hand reached into the closet, finally settling on a sleek, midi-length wrap dress in soft chambray. The delicate V-neckline and cinched waist gave it a flattering silhouette, while the subtle side slit added just a touch of sophistication. It was effortlessly stylish—casual but polished.
She paired it with strappy nude block-heel sandals, adding a bit of height without sacrificing comfort. A simple silver pendant necklace and delicate hoop earrings completed the look, striking just the right balance between relaxed and refined.
Hair up or down?
She grabbed a swath and twisted it into a loose low bun, then let a few strands fall around her face before shaking her head and releasing it altogether. Tonight, she’d leave it down.
She frowned in the mirror, rubbing off the pink lipstick and reached for her favorite cinnamon shade.
The doorbell chimed, and Taylor’s head shot up. A trail of reddish-brown streaked across her chin. She grabbed a tissue and hurriedly scrubbed her face before heading down the stairs. She stopped in the foyer and cast a quick glance in the mirror. A flush stained her cheeks, and her eyes were brighter than normal.
The way her heart pounded in her chest, you’d think this was a date and not simply a business meeting. She took a deep, steadying breath, pasted a welcoming smile on her face and opened the door. “Nick. Hello.”
Like her, he’d dressed casually. With a blue shirt deepening his eyes to the color of the ocean and his hair gleaming like the surface of her ebony piano, he was even more attractive than in his business suit.
“Come on in.”
“I thought we’d start this out right.” He held out an assortment of spring flowers interspersed with baby’s breath.
“Thank you.” Taylor smiled as she took the bouquet. It’d been a long time since a man—other than her grandfather—had surprised her with flowers. She stepped aside to let him pass. “Have a seat while I put these in water.”
Taylor gestured to a chair in the living room and headed for the kitchen. Reaching into the upper cupboard for her mother’s crystal vase, she caught a glimpse of him through the colonnade’s arch surveying her living quarters.
Most of the ornate furniture and limited-edition prints had been her parents’. She’d briefly considered selling them to help pay her father’s gambling debts, but immediately discarded the notion. Her grandparents were well aware what these heirlooms meant to her, and no excuse for selling them would have been good enough.
Her hands shook as she quickly arranged the flowers. She adjusted one last sprig of baby’s breath and carried the vase into the living room, the fresh scent of spring filling the room.
“I grew up with antiques.” Nick reverently caressed the smooth finish of an early-nineteenth-century satinwood drum table. “This is beautiful workmanship.”
Taylor smiled and set the vase on the mantel. The table had been her mother’s favorite. “The inlaid purpleheart wood makes the piece.”
“Obviously you like the good stuff. Is that why you need the money?” His arm swept out, encompassing the furnishings. “So you can live like this?”
Taylor took a deep breath and tried to keep the irritation from showing in her face. “I like nice things. From the looks of your car in my driveway, so do you.”
He didn’t tense up. Instead, he carefully set down an ornate vase he’d picked up and studied her.
She shifted under his intense gaze. “The point is it’s really none of your business what I need the money for?—”
“You’re right.” He inclined his head. “You’re considering my offer?”
“Maybe. If you’re still willing to pay me fifty thousand dollars a month.”
He hesitated. “That’s what I said.”
She narrowed her gaze. “You don’t sound so sure anymore.”
“I’m sure. I need a fiancée, and you need money. We’re the perfect couple.”
“That’s stretching it a little,” Taylor said dryly. “By the way, I went to see my grandpa this afternoon. I told him about you.”
“You spoke with your grandfather,” he repeated softly, his eyes flat and expressionless. “The judge.”
“Do you know him?” She’d hadn’t considered the possibility.
“I’ve heard of him. We’ve never met.”
“Well, he wants to meet you. He had a lot of questions?—”
“What did you tell him?”
The harshness in his tone took her by surprise. “What could I tell him?”
“Answer my question, Taylor.”
His abruptness sent her temper soaring. No wonder the man didn’t have a girlfriend. In a few minutes, he wouldn’t have a fiancée, temporary or otherwise.
“Wait just one minute, buster. Don’t you dare use that tone with me.”
His eyes narrowed and his back stiffened, ramrod straight.
“There was nothing improper about my offer.”
Shock tempered her anger. “I’m not saying there was.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“We don’t know if we even like each other, but you think we can convince our friends and family we’re in love? I’m not so sure. I don’t know if we can pull this off and I don’t want my grandparents hurt.”
“Are they suspicious?”
“Not yet.” She shook her head, remembering their reaction. “Actually, when I told them we were involved, maybe seriously, they were thrilled.”
“You told your grandfather we were serious?” The tenseness in his jaw eased, and he expelled a deep breath. “Then his questions?—”
Totally bewildered at his reaction, Taylor could only stare. “Were about you. Where you grew up, if you had any brothers or sisters, stuff that I didn’t have a clue how to answer.”
“We can take care of that,” he said with a relieved grin. “Over dinner I’ll bore you with my life story.”
“That’s a start, but…” Taylor paused, refusing to shove aside her concerns. “What makes you so sure you can convince everyone you’re in love with me? You don’t even know me.”
“Well.” A dimple in his cheek flashed. “I was in a few plays back in high school.”
“Oh, I get it,” she said. “You’ll play Romeo. I’ll be Juliet. Is that the plan?”
“I want this to work.” His eyes blazed with determination. “And it will.”
Taylor could only shake her head. Nick’s confidence and self-assurance reminded her so much of her father. Robert Rollins believed there was no goal too high that it couldn’t be reached and no obstacle too large that it couldn’t be overcome.
Until he’d gotten in way over his head…
Taylor pushed the disturbing thought away and answered Nick’s confident smile hesitantly with one of her own. Lying had always been something she abhorred. Still, she needed the money. And who would it hurt?
If only she could be as certain as Nick they could pull it off.
They walked in silence to the sleek silver-blue sports car parked at the curb. Taylor waited while he opened the door. She’d barely settled into the plush leather seats of the Jaguar XK8 when an obvious thought struck her and she wondered why she hadn’t thought of it before.
“I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we treat tonight as a sort of dress rehearsal? We could act the part of a couple in love and at the end of the evening critique our performance. Then we’ll have a better idea whether or not we can pull this off.”
“Sounds good to me.” Nick reached over and brought her hand to his mouth, placing a kiss in the palm.
A surge of heat shot up her arm, and Taylor started to pull away, then noticed his impish grin. She chuckled and slipped her hand from his grasp.
Almost reluctantly he flipped the ignition, and the car sped away from the curb.
“Is the Lodge okay?” Nick turned the car off the highway onto a familiar dirt road.
“That’s fine.”
Built by a handful of wealthy businessmen, the exclusive private club was originally designed as a gathering place for sportsmen. Over the years, the tennis courts and golf course had been added, and the men-only rule had fallen by the wayside. The Lodge housed the Drake restaurant, famous in the region for its wild game cuisine.
He turned slowly onto the spacious grounds, and Taylor lowered the window. The soft fragrance of lilacs teased her nose, and she inhaled deeply. She reveled in the refreshing scent and ignored the breeze mussing her hair.
The headlights illuminated the award-winning golf course that lined both sides of the gently winding drive. She smiled as the eighth hole came and went. She’d had her first and only hole-in-one there. A sixteenth birthday present to herself.
“You look lovely tonight.” Nick’s voice broke into her thoughts.
Taylor had to give him points for trying. He’d clearly jumped into the role of adoring fiancée while she sat there blushing like some awestruck schoolgirl out for the first time.
She forced herself to envision what she would say—how she would react—if she loved this stranger sitting beside her. Taking a deep breath, she tentatively slid closer and leaned her head against his shoulder. It seemed unnatural to be so physically close to someone she’d just met, but she reminded herself it was no different than sitting in a crowded stadium at a Broncos game shoved up against some stranger.
But no stranger at a game had ever smelled so good or made her heart race so fast. Nick turned his head, and she could sense his gaze, but instead of looking up, she snuggled closer.
With a push of a button, Nick filled the Jag with strains of Beethoven’s Eroica symphony, her favorite piece.
She raised her head and smiled. “You like classical music?”
“I do. But I can switch?—”
“No,” she said before he could make a move. “I like it, too. A lot.”
His lips curved in a self-satisfied smile before he turned his attention to the road.
Taylor returned her head to his shoulder and let the music transport her away from her worries, soothing the tightness in her limbs, allowing her to relax fully for the first time since she’d opened that envelope with the pink slip stuffed inside.
The car rounded the horseshoe-shaped drive in front of the Lodge, and Taylor reluctantly straightened. Turning the car over to valet parking, Nick offered his arm to Taylor and they walked into the Great Room of the Lodge.
Nick stepped forward to give the ma?tre d’ their names. Taylor scanned the crowded room, hoping she wouldn’t see anyone she knew.
“The table will be ready in a minute,” Nick said, the palm of his hand lightly resting on the small of her back. “Can I get you anything from the bar?”
“No, thanks. I don’t?—”
“Taylor, over here.”
Her heart caught in her throat. Even across the noisy room, she recognized Grandpa Bill’s voice.
“Nick.” Another voice rang out from a far corner.
The arm around her shoulder tightened, and an expletive slipped past Nick’s lips. A smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes tipped the corners of his mouth as he waved.
“Who’s the guy headed this way?” he asked softly, talking through a smile, his breath warm against her ear.
“My grandfather.” She glanced at the balding man barreling his way through the crowd. “Who’s yours?”
“My soon-to-be business partner Henry Waters. His daughter, Claire, is the reason I need a fiancée.” His fingers dug into her arm. “Smile.”
“Just don’t let on to my grandfather that I lost my job,” she said under her breath.
What rotten luck! They hadn’t even finished their first rehearsal and now they stood center stage. Apparently, this was opening night, after all. She reached to push back a wayward strand of hair, and Nick grasped her hand, holding it tightly.
“Well, now, who do we have here?”
Nick turned in mock resignation to face the knowing smile lingering on the lips of the large, middle-aged man.
“Henry, I didn’t expect to see you here tonight.”
“This must be your fiancée.” The man chuckled. “At least I hope she is.”
“Sweetheart, this is Henry Waters, the guy I’ve been telling you about. Henry, this is Taylor Rollins.”
Nick cast her a sideways glance, and Taylor knew the moment had arrived. A split second to decide whether or not to take on the role.
“His fiancée,” she said. “For now, anyway.”
Nick’s blue eyes flashed a gentle but firm warning. “Taylor and I can’t wait for the wedding.” He brought her hand to his mouth and caressed it with his lips. “Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”
“Absolutely.” She swallowed hard and smiled brightly. “Darling.”
Henry stared, his dark eyes sharp and assessing. “Rollins, eh? Any relation to Bill?”
“I’m her grandfather.”
“Bill, old buddy. I didn’t see you.” Henry extended his hand and slapped Taylor’s grandfather on the back. “It’s been a long time. How have you been?”
“Doing good.” Bill cast a curious glance at Nick, who stood with his arm draped around Taylor’s shoulders.
“I was just offering Nick and Taylor my congratulations,” Henry said.
“Congratulations?”
“On their engagement. Don’t tell me you didn’t know.”
“Of course I knew. I just didn’t know they’d made the announcement public,” her grandfather said smoothly, shooting Taylor a glance that told her she had some explaining to do.
“Nick told me earlier he’d proposed but wasn’t sure of the answer. I don’t mind admitting it took me by surprise. I’d always hoped he’d be my son-in-law someday. But I can blame my daughter for that. She left him alone too long. It was only natural he’d find someone else.” Henry Waters rambled on, and Taylor shot a glance at Nick.
His expression didn’t change but his hand tightened on hers.
“Anyway, that’s water under the bridge. He certainly couldn’t have done any better. Taylor seems like a lovely girl, and there’s not a family in the state better thought of than yours, Bill.”
“Nice of you to say, Henry.”
Taylor swallowed hard against the lump in her throat. She’d made the right choice. No sacrifice would be too great if it preserved her father’s reputation and her grandfather’s health.
Her grandfather turned to Nick, and Taylor knew she should introduce the two, but Mr. Waters would wonder why Nick and Grandpa Bill had never met, and the whole deception would be over before it began.
“Son, it looks like congratulations are in order.” For a moment Grandpa Bill studied Nick intently, and Taylor realized why he’d been so formidable in the courtroom.
Nick returned the gaze steadily with a measuring one of his own until her grandfather smiled. “You’ll have to come over to the house so we can formally welcome you to the family.”
“Why don’t you both join us for dinner?” Taylor said weakly, hoping they’d refuse.
Her grandfather shook his head. Regret laced his eyes. “I wish I could. But I’m here on business. In fact, we were just being seated when I caught a glimpse of you and had to come over.”
“Of course.” She smiled with relief, realizing again how much she loved this man. “I’ll call you and Nana tomorrow.”
“You do that.” Her grandfather brushed a light kiss across her forehead, said his goodbyes and headed back to the dining room.
“I’ve got to get going, too.” Henry clapped Nick on the back. “Jack Corrigan is over at the bar waiting.”
Nick’s face tightened. “I thought your negotiations with him ended when you accepted my offer.”
“Jack and I are still old friends, Nick,” Henry said with a hint of reproof, “although I don’t think he’s quite forgiven me yet for picking Lanagan Associates over his company.”
Nick’s biceps tightened beneath her arm, but the smile he flashed epitomized confidence. “Friendship or not, he has to know you made the best choice. Be sure and tell him hello for me.”
“I’ll do better than that. I’ll tell him to expect a wedding invitation. Any idea when the happy day will be?”
“No,” Taylor said at the exact same moment Nick answered “Yes.”
Henry laughed.
Nick smiled and shrugged. “We’ve tossed around a few dates, nothing definite yet. I guarantee you’ll be one of the first to know.”
Taylor leaned back against Nick and kept a smile firmly in place until Henry Waters was out of sight.
How was she ever going to pull this off?