The Marriage Of Inconvenience

“Well, I started doing some research. It led me to a variety of plants. It’s mainly grown along the Black Sea, on a small island nation called Mondolavia.”

“I’ve heard of it.”

“I traveled there with Shanna to check it out, and true enough, the stuff is invigorating. They’ve been drinking it in that part of the world for years. Anyone who’s tried it insists it’s like a magical potion. And it tastes great. Like nothing we can compare to in this hemisphere. If TeaLC was the first chain to bring it here, it would put us in a whole other category. This could be the start of a whole new product assimilation. And we’d be the one to start it all.”

“So far, so good.”

She nodded with excitement, clearly taken with the idea. “We were all ready to arrange for the supplier to start shipping. Even drew up a contract for exclusive distribution rights for the next several years.”

“That’s fantastic. I still don’t see why you’d have to be married.”

She shut her eyes tightly and let out a deep breath. “That area is a completely different part of the world. The plants are all grown and processed by a very traditional Mondol family. Mila and Tavov Bay have been married for decades. They’re very particular about how their product is being sold and positioned. And they don’t believe it’s good to do business with a single woman. They’d much rather deal with a so-called stable, family operation.”

Now he understood. “And you figured you had a way to accommodate them.” He didn’t care that his voice was thick with sarcasm. All this time had gone by without a word from her. But suddenly she was reaching out. And for what? A business deal.

She cleared her throat. “We didn’t start that way. Shanna and I initially tried to protest. But it didn’t look like they were willing to hear any arguments. Then things just seemed to spiral.” She leaned back on the edge of the desk. “Next thing we knew, I was talking about my ‘silent partner’ husband.”

“I see.”

“Except for the silent partner part, it’s not technically a lie.”

“Is that how you see it?”

“We didn’t mean to be deceptive or anything. You have to believe that. I just mentioned that I had gotten married young and was about to explain that it hadn’t made me a better businesswoman. But they just latched on to the married part and asked why I hadn’t said so before. I just found myself not denying it.”

He was having trouble coming up with an adequate response. This was the last thing he’d been expecting when he finally heard from her again.

“It started as a language issue,” she continued, near to pleading. “Though they’re fluent, their English is a bit broken. Then we just had to go with it.” She stepped toward him and touched his arm, her eyes imploring him to understand. “It’s just that we’d gotten so far. And then it just seemed to steamroll. I found myself telling them all about your accomplishments, that you’ve built your own computer security services company.”

Her gaze dropped to where she’d touched him, and R.J. expected to see sparks from the contact. She removed her hand and stepped back.

“And it almost worked,” she added. “They said they would be glad to do business with us. But not before they came to the States to check out the operation. And to meet the husband they’d heard so much about.”

He’d heard enough. For such a smart, savvy businesswoman, Angeline had somehow put herself in an utterly ridiculous position. And had managed to take him along with her. “What in heaven’s name were you thinking?” Perhaps he was being a bit too forceful, but what she’d just told him was so profoundly absurd. “I’ve heard of adapting to the global marketplace, but what you did is borderline slapstick.”

“Listen, I’m not proud of it, but I did what I thought I had to do.” A hard glint appeared in her eyes.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “That sounds like condemnation.”

“More like characterization.”

Her eyes narrowed on him. “I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean. I do know that I’ve done a darn good job with this company. Don’t you think I should fight for it if that’s what I have to do?”

He rubbed a palm over his face. She was a fighter. They both were. That part he understood. He’d fought hard for everything he’d wanted. Except once. But then he’d had no choice.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. This was getting them nowhere. “Angel, you don’t need to convince me on that score. Ever since I started hearing about your success I’ve known this was the perfect outlet for your abilities. I just don’t understand how you plan to pull this off.”

“Well, it’s quite simple. You just have to pose as my husband for the day or so that they’re up here.” She flashed him a smile that nearly crumpled his knees.

“You’re the only one who’s ever had any kind of practice in the role.”

And practice they had. Long, steamy nights had often turned into languid, satisfying mornings. He cursed himself as his body started to respond to the memories.

She went on. “A few weeks after they leave, I’m scheduled to go back to their orchards to sign the deal. Right before the harvest. By then they’ll have realized how mutually beneficial the partnership is. And in return for your assistance, I help you expand Davet Computer Security Services to Europe. I read somewhere you were trying to find overseas clients. I present you as our security firm and help convince all our European partners to consider hiring you. And you have your expansion.”

He was about to tell her his latest trip had done just that. That he’d left London just last week with a deal to become the leading provider for a major British jewelry chain. Something stopped the words from forming on his tongue. It would be the simplest way to end this nonsense idea of hers. So why didn’t he just tell her she couldn’t help him?

Because he couldn’t deny the fact that a lot of this was indirectly his fault. Angeline’s current state of financial shortage and her lack of resources were in large part due to him and their marriage.

But he just couldn’t do what she was proposing. His soul would not be able to take such a pretense. He would help her, but he’d find another way.

Angel continued to smile. Man, it was hard to deny her anything when she looked at him like that. But this was too much, he just couldn’t go through with something like this.

“Angel. I’m sorry. I just can’t. What you’re suggesting, it’s just too far-fetched. Too much of a charade. Too much could go wrong.”

She lifted her palms in appeal. “But—”

“Angel, no. I’m sorry.”

She looked down at the floor. All the light seemed to have gone out of her. “Then I’m sorry to have wasted your time. I see now what a mistake it was to try to involve you.”

R.J. cursed silently. Nothing like a good dose of guilt to start out the day. He found himself selfishly replacing it with anger. “How could you even consider it, Angel? The two of us acting like a real couple?”

She looked up, a wealth of emotion in her eyes. Anger? “R.J. This isn’t about you and me.”

“It isn’t?”

“It’s a business deal. Nothing more.”

He tried not to flinch at that. “A deal where we have to pretend we’re still devoted to each other and together in every sense.”

“Just for one lousy night. I’m not asking for eternity.”

He rubbed a hand down his face in an effort to calm down.

“Listen, I’m sorry. But it’s just too ridiculous. The idea of us acting married again.”

Her gaze dropped to the floor once again. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

“How about we set aside some time? You, me and Shanna. We’ll put our heads together and come up with a plan.” Without thinking, he reached out and took her hand in his. Her skin was soft, silky. Experience reminded him she felt that way all over. He quickly let go.

Angeline sighed. “I’m afraid there’s no more time for that. It took you a bit longer to get back to me than I thought.”

She wasn’t looking at him. He had to strain to hear her. “The supplier will be here in less than a day. If you won’t do it, I’ll have to come up with something else. And fast.”

Like another man to play the part maybe? That thought had his gut tightening. Of course there had to be other men in her life. She was probably just too embarrassed to approach someone she cared about with something like this. Maybe she would even rush the divorce now so that she could go to someone else with her plea.