Best Laid Plans

“Yes,” she said, fighting back a smile as she pushed her eyeglasses up. “Intrusive. I would think that instead of enabling her, at some point someone would have taken your great-grandmother aside and had a little talk with her about...” Again she tried coming up with a word that was noncritical.

“Minding her own business,” he said. “You can say it. Trust me, it won’t hurt my feelings.” He then took a gulp of water from the bottle.

“To mind her own business,” she said since he’d invited her to do so. She felt a stirring in her stomach as she watched him when he placed the bottle back down and wiped any lingering liquid from his mouth with the back of his hand. Why did seeing him do something like that affect her?

She pushed back those sensations, refusing to let them overwhelm the feminine side of her. There was no place for them here now, and definitely not with the man standing across the room from her. No matter how handsome he looked, and he did look handsome. “I honestly don’t get it. I’m sure you’re capable of choosing your own wife.”

“Just like I’m sure you can choose a husband.”

His words reminded her of Damien. She had honestly thought he was the one, but he had revealed his true self eventually. Considering her parents’ marriage, she figured it was best she had learned that before saying “I do.”

“I don’t plan to marry. Ever,” she said, knowing a cutting edge was in her voice.

From the lifting of his brow she knew he’d picked up on it. “Any reason why?”

Strands of curly hair danced in her face and she brushed them back before saying, “My reason doesn’t concern you.”

* * *

SHE WAS RIGHT, Nolan thought. Her reason didn’t concern him. “Sorry—it’s none of my business.” The sooner she left, then the sooner he could begin enjoying his week here. Alone. Without any interruptions. He definitely needed a break from women. All women. Even those in his family who were supporting his great-grandmother in her shenanigans.

But he was forced to admit for the most part, under any other circumstances, he could see himself becoming friends with Ivy. But they weren’t. Instead, they were victims of manipulation of the worst kind. He would place the blame where it rightly belonged, and that was at her grandmother’s and his great-grandmother’s feet.

Giving in to his curiosity, he asked, “Does your grandmother know you’re antimarriage?”

“Yes, she knows.”

Nolan frowned. “Then why would she waste her time trying to get us together, knowing you feel the way you do?”

She released a frustrated breath. “I guess she’s hoping I’ll change my mind. I honestly believe your great-grandmother has convinced her that we are supposed to get married and have lots of babies. She’s said so many times.”

That sounded just like Mama Laverne. “That won’t be happening,” Nolan said with strong conviction in his voice.

He wasn’t antimarriage like she evidently was by any means. He knew for a fact that true love did exist for some people. All he had to do was look around during any Madaris family gathering to see that for himself. Most marriages in the Madaris family were strong, solid and based on love, and lasted a lifetime.

His parents’ and grandparents’ marriages were good examples, as well as those of his other family members. The only exception had been Jake’s first marriage. But from what he’d heard, the marriage had been doomed from the beginning since the woman tried making Jake into something he wasn’t.

Nolan’s major problem was his great-grandmother trying to shove the woman she’d chosen for him down his throat. When and if he ever married, it would be to a woman he selected and not one who’d been selected for him.

“I can’t wait until Nana gets back to town.”

He discovered that looking at her chest instead of her legs was just as bad. He liked the way her blouse fitted. “Where is she?”

“She went to Lake Charles for the weekend to attend a gospel revival.”

“Umm, so did my great-grandmother. If they’re together, then you know what that means. They’ll work on the next plan when they get wind that this one didn’t work.”

“They’ve got to be stopped,” she said, all but stomping her foot. He thought she looked cute when she did that.

“Any ideas on how to do that since talking sensibly with them doesn’t seem to work?” he asked her.

“None that I can think of.” She checked her watch. “I need to pack up now and leave before it gets dark. I’ll be seeing you.”

He nodded. “Drive safe.”

When she left the kitchen, he drew in a deep breath, refusing to feel bad that she was leaving. He could do the decent thing and leave since she was here first, but he did own the place and there was no reason to give up his week for her. But he could invite her to stay the night and leave in the morning. It was an hour’s drive back to Houston and it would be dark before she got there. And he did have two bedrooms.

“I got it!”

He quickly turned around. She had returned to the kitchen and stood there with a huge smile that stretched across those lips he’d been mesmerized by earlier. “You got what?”

“An idea on how to best Nana and Ms. Laverne. And I think it just might work.”

She had him curious. “What is it?”

“It means there has to be a lot of pretending on our part.”

He lifted a brow. “Pretending about what?”

“In order for the plan to work we need to pretend to be lovers.”

CHAPTER SEVEN (#ulink_e5de26fd-b3a5-500f-be72-14f25866f880)

“I THINK YOU need to explain just what you mean, Ivy.”

Good Lord, Ivy was certain he thought she’d lost her mind. Maybe she had, but the one certain thing was that something had to be done to stop Nana and Ms. Laverne. While repacking, the idea had come to her as clear as glass. Her grandmother and his great-grandmother wouldn’t let up until they thought they’d accomplished their goal. In that case, let them believe that.

“Ivy?”

“Yes?” She couldn’t help noticing how his voice sounded even deeper and huskier and how nice her name sounded off his lips.

“I think you need to explain what you meant.”

Yes, she did need to explain. Otherwise, he would think she was stone crazy. First of all, she knew that she didn’t have the look or style of a woman he would take on as a lover. But she would worry about that later. It would be a work in progress. “Okay. But you need to promise you’ll keep an open mind.”

He didn’t reply and the look he gave her at that moment all but said he wouldn’t be promising anything but she couldn’t let that look deter her. “I suggest that we sit down and share a glass of wine while I tell you. I really could use something to relax me right now.”

She really could. Normally she didn’t get this excited unless it had to do with a project she’d been working on and had discovered a technological breakthrough.

“Okay. I’ll get the glasses,” he said, moving toward the kitchen cabinet.

Nerves suddenly tightened her stomach. As far as she was concerned, it wasn’t too bad of an idea. At least she’d come up with something. Desperate times called for desperate measures. She hoped that he believed that. “And I’ll grab the wine.”

She left the kitchen to grab a bottle from the welcome basket. By the time she returned, he had placed two wineglasses on the table. In his hand was the wine opener. “Let me,” he said, reaching for the bottle.

She gave it to him and then sat down at the table. She watched as he filled both their glasses. “Not too much,” she said when she thought he’d poured enough. “I still need to drive.”

He put the wine bottle down before easing into the chair across from her. “So...?”