he approves of and the thing he wants me to do bores me to tears, and vice versa. I’d rather be poor and happy than—don’t even make me start thinking about it—indebted.”
“Why not be rich and happy?” Gary shoved the truck into gear and rolled out of the driveway.
“Life’s not always a fairy tale, you know.”
“Well,” he said, “for today we’ll both be rich and happy then. We’ll find a stunning gown for you, drink caramel lattes until we’re sick, and come home to a good night’s sleep in a warm house. Can’t do much better than that.”
“You make life sound like one big carnival.” Hayely rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. “Too bad I have to go into the office tomorrow.”
•
Gary stopped talking as he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He’d been out on too many sites lately. He wasn’t even presentable in his current state and he’d just had pictures taken. At least Hayely looked good. The new distress in her voice bothered him and his gaze shifted back to her.
“Still think you’ll get fired when they find out you’re married?” He sounded unconcerned, but he wasn’t. He felt he needed to watch Kathy Mark closely for some reason, and he never ignored his instincts.
Hayely nodded. “They’re just looking for something to call my trustworthiness into question. They’ll say I was deceptive or something along those lines. Let’s not talk about it anymore. It’s not your problem to deal with. I’m handling it.”
Gary grasped the steering wheel tighter. A couple weeks or so ago, he’d hired one of Kathy Mark’s former employees, and the grateful man had painted him a vivid picture of the woman a few days later. In fact, it had taken his new employee days to stop flinching like a beaten dog every time a supervisor so much as spoke to him. The thought of someone treating Hayely the way he suspected she was being treated made Gary clench his teeth. Darn if Kathy Mark was going to get a shred of business tossed her way after that.
“I’ve heard about that Mark woman,” he said at last. “Just let me know if she gives you too much trouble. And by the way, that watch was going to be a birthday gift for Charlie.”
“Knowing you now, that makes sense.” She noticed that the only piece of jewelry on him was his wedding band. He didn’t wear a watch very often either.
The truck’s big engine pulled them effortlessly down the freeway and off an exit to a line of expensive clothing stores not far from downtown.
Gary jumped out of the truck, his heavy boots hitting the pavement in a well-practiced motion as he strode around to open Hayely’s door. He paused for a moment with his hands resting lightly on her waist and looked up at her tense face.
“You’d be the prettiest woman at the party even if you showed up in your paint-splattered sweatpants,” he said loudly.
Hayely placed her hands on his shoulders and let him swing her down from the truck. “Charlie said you were charming when you wanted to be. Anyone watching would think we’re really an item. You’re good, boss.” She winked mysteriously at him.
That familiar and much-too-serious expression crossed Gary’s face . For a moment he looked extremely solemn. Was she genuinely flirting with him? Usually when women spoke to him with that tone, it was just before they asked for something. Years of conditioning threatened to kick in. Of course she wasn’t flirting. Hayely knew where the line was and she hadn’t seemed tempted to cross it.
Hayely studied the panic on his face. “I think I like your usual grouchy, antisocial self better.” She turned on her heel and walked off ahead of him toward the first boutique. “Come on,” she called with a laugh.
Gary breathed a sigh of relief and caught up to her with only a few long strides. Was she as nervous as he suddenly was? He wasn’t sure if he could make the charade believable in front of an audience. He caught her hand up firmly in his grasp
“Why not be rich and happy?” Gary shoved the truck into gear and rolled out of the driveway.
“Life’s not always a fairy tale, you know.”
“Well,” he said, “for today we’ll both be rich and happy then. We’ll find a stunning gown for you, drink caramel lattes until we’re sick, and come home to a good night’s sleep in a warm house. Can’t do much better than that.”
“You make life sound like one big carnival.” Hayely rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. “Too bad I have to go into the office tomorrow.”
•
Gary stopped talking as he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He’d been out on too many sites lately. He wasn’t even presentable in his current state and he’d just had pictures taken. At least Hayely looked good. The new distress in her voice bothered him and his gaze shifted back to her.
“Still think you’ll get fired when they find out you’re married?” He sounded unconcerned, but he wasn’t. He felt he needed to watch Kathy Mark closely for some reason, and he never ignored his instincts.
Hayely nodded. “They’re just looking for something to call my trustworthiness into question. They’ll say I was deceptive or something along those lines. Let’s not talk about it anymore. It’s not your problem to deal with. I’m handling it.”
Gary grasped the steering wheel tighter. A couple weeks or so ago, he’d hired one of Kathy Mark’s former employees, and the grateful man had painted him a vivid picture of the woman a few days later. In fact, it had taken his new employee days to stop flinching like a beaten dog every time a supervisor so much as spoke to him. The thought of someone treating Hayely the way he suspected she was being treated made Gary clench his teeth. Darn if Kathy Mark was going to get a shred of business tossed her way after that.
“I’ve heard about that Mark woman,” he said at last. “Just let me know if she gives you too much trouble. And by the way, that watch was going to be a birthday gift for Charlie.”
“Knowing you now, that makes sense.” She noticed that the only piece of jewelry on him was his wedding band. He didn’t wear a watch very often either.
The truck’s big engine pulled them effortlessly down the freeway and off an exit to a line of expensive clothing stores not far from downtown.
Gary jumped out of the truck, his heavy boots hitting the pavement in a well-practiced motion as he strode around to open Hayely’s door. He paused for a moment with his hands resting lightly on her waist and looked up at her tense face.
“You’d be the prettiest woman at the party even if you showed up in your paint-splattered sweatpants,” he said loudly.
Hayely placed her hands on his shoulders and let him swing her down from the truck. “Charlie said you were charming when you wanted to be. Anyone watching would think we’re really an item. You’re good, boss.” She winked mysteriously at him.
That familiar and much-too-serious expression crossed Gary’s face . For a moment he looked extremely solemn. Was she genuinely flirting with him? Usually when women spoke to him with that tone, it was just before they asked for something. Years of conditioning threatened to kick in. Of course she wasn’t flirting. Hayely knew where the line was and she hadn’t seemed tempted to cross it.
Hayely studied the panic on his face. “I think I like your usual grouchy, antisocial self better.” She turned on her heel and walked off ahead of him toward the first boutique. “Come on,” she called with a laugh.
Gary breathed a sigh of relief and caught up to her with only a few long strides. Was she as nervous as he suddenly was? He wasn’t sure if he could make the charade believable in front of an audience. He caught her hand up firmly in his grasp
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