The Groom's Stand-In

“And what am I supposed to do with your house-guest in the meantime? Leave her here by herself?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, do you?”

Donovan sighed. “Damn it, Bryan.”

“Look, I know you have things you’d rather be doing…”

“Things I need to be doing. Like work. Isn’t there any way you can hop on a plane tonight and I could take care of things there?”

“I’m afraid not. Trust me, Donovan, this isn’t my choice. I’d much rather be there making plans with Chloe than fighting it out here with Childers. I feel like a heel for bailing out on her like this after she’s made that long trip. I hope she won’t be too angry with me.”

“I’m sure she’ll get over it,” Donovan muttered. Bryan had a way of charming women into forgiving him. Who was he kidding? Bryan’s magic even worked on Donovan. He should be steamed over being stuck here like this, but instead, he was agreeing to extend his babysitting services for another twenty-four hours or so.

“So what do you think of Chloe? Is she everything I told you she was?”

“Yeah. She’s nice.”

The bland words seemed to echo through the phone lines for several long moments before Bryan spoke again. “You have a problem with Chloe?”

“Of course not.”

“Something’s bugging you, I can tell. What is it?”

“Nothing. I’m just wondering how I’m supposed to entertain her until you get here. She didn’t agree to come away on a cozy vacation with me, you know.”

“Just keep her company. Take her for a walk or a boat ride or something. Make dinner—maybe throw a couple of steaks on the grill. There’s a good selection of DVD movies in the media room, and some new books in the library. Or there’s always Scrabble or Monopoly if you get desperate, though I know you’re not much of a game player.”

With another heavy sigh, Donovan nodded. “We’ll get by somehow.”

“I’m sure you will. Despite your own glaring personality shortcomings, you’ll find Chloe’s great company. Maybe she was a bit nervous during the car ride—let’s face it, pal, you’ve been known to intimidate tougher souls than Chloe—but once she’s comfortable with you, you’ll see how interesting and amusing she can be. Just keep in mind that she’s already taken.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.” Donovan hadn’t forgotten for one moment that Chloe planned to marry his boss.

“I guess I’d better break it to Chloe that I won’t be there tonight.”

“She’s in her room, unpacking. I’ll get her for you.”

“Thanks, D.C. I owe you for this.”

“You sure do,” Donovan muttered, setting the receiver on the counter. “Big time.”

She really should have listened to her sister.

Wearing a green satin nightgown and a matching robe, Chloe stood outside on the balcony of the dauntingly elegant guest room. It was a beautiful night—clear, mild, gilded by a bright, nearly full moon—but chilly. Her breath hung in front of her as she leaned against the railing and gazed somberly at the landscape of mysteriously shadowed hills and the glittering lake in the distance. It was a night made for romance and intrigue.

Yet she was spending it alone, wishing she was back in her simple Little Rock apartment.

Grace had warned her that this was a bad idea. She had predicted from the beginning that it wouldn’t work out the way Chloe hoped. Little could she have known just how right she would be.

From the moment Bryan had gracefully and effusively apologized for standing her up this evening, Chloe had sensed the plans she’d made disintegrating around her. Or maybe it had all started crumbling even before that—maybe when she’d walked into her living room and found Donovan Chance and her sister glaring at each other.

She wanted to believe she would feel differently now if Bryan had been available to pick her up at her apartment and drive her here himself. If he had been the one to spend the day with her, to dine with her, to bid her goodnight. Instead, she found herself trying to summon a clear mental picture of him. For some strange reason, his image kept metamorphosing in her mind—his thick, glossy black hair and brilliant blue eyes changing to rebellious chestnut-brown strands and metallic-green eyes.

It was obvious that she kept thinking of Donovan because she’d spent so much time with him today. It certainly wasn’t anything more than that; she couldn’t even say that she liked the man very much. It had been all she could do to make conversation with him during dinner, since he still showed that irritating tendency to answer with a monosyllable any time he could.

The main problem was that at this point, she couldn’t say that she particularly wanted to be with Bryan, either, no matter how much more articulate and entertaining he could be than his friend.

She sighed.

“Dreaming of anyone in particular?” a gravelly voice drawled from somewhere beneath her, making her start.

Her heart pounding, she peered tentatively over the balcony. “Donovan?”

On the ground below her, a figure stepped out of the shadows of a bushy tree and into the range of a motion-triggered security light. The resulting yellowish illumination exaggerated the angles and planes of Donovan’s firmly carved face, making him appear even more a stranger than he had before. He’d changed from his conservative clothing into a black pullover and black jeans, and he looked very much at home in the darkness.

“What are you doing down there?” She hadn’t even realized he was outside, having assumed he was asleep in one of the other bedrooms.

“Just patrolling the grounds.”

“So security guard is also on your job description?”

She wasn’t surprised when he responded with one of his laconic shrugs, then changed the subject. “Couldn’t sleep?”

Leaning her arms against the railing, she looked down at him. “I guess I wasn’t as tired as I thought I was.”

After a slight pause, he asked, “Want to come outside for a walk?”

“Thanks, but entertaining me isn’t on your job description.”

“Actually, it is. I promised Bryan I’d make sure you aren’t bored until he gets here.”

Because he made her sound like a cranky toddler he was endeavoring to humor, she replied a bit coolly. “I’m not at all bored.”

Bryan had commented often on his second-in-command’s commitment; when Donovan Chance took on an assignment, he gave it his full attention. Apparently, he considered her his latest assignment. He was grimly determined to keep her entertained until he could hand her over to his employer. A depressing thought, she discovered, though she didn’t care to analyze why.

“I believe I’ll turn in now,” she said, taking a step back from the rail. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

He nodded. “Call out if you need anything.”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine.” She couldn’t imagine any reason she would be calling for Donovan Chance during the night.

A shiver went through her as she reentered her bedroom and locked the balcony door. It felt strangely like a premonition—which only reinforced her belief that she was stressed-out about being here at all.

She really should have listened to her sister.

Chapter Three

Donovan didn’t require much sleep, but he managed even less than usual during that night. He kept being awakened by the nagging feeling that something was wrong. Or that there was something he should be doing. Because his instincts were so often right, he’d tested all the locks—twice—and he’d patrolled the grounds. He could find nothing wrong, nothing pressing he needed to attend to before morning.