Just Say Yes!

2

ANGUISH SWELLED inside Annie, but it couldn’t get past the sense of hysteria she was feeling. She swallowed the pain and locked it away with the rest she’d endured over the past few years. “This really takes the cake.”

Still laughing, not sensing her precarious state of mind, Griffin’s brother slapped his knee. “That’s a good one. Takes the cake. The wedding cake, right? You’ve got the right attitude, and a good sense of humor.”

Boy, she wished she had the cake with her at the moment. She’d show Griffin. And his twin! She’d dump it first on her fiancé’s—ex-fiancé’s—head, then she’d…she’d…What?

She wouldn’t give in to the tirade that threatened to erupt inside her. She clenched her fists. Not again. She’d made a fool of herself twice before over two men she’d thought she loved. Not this time. Nor would she allow tears to fall. She’d cried enough buckets of tears in the past few years to end the drought here in west Texas. It was time to shut down her emotions and figure out what she would do now.

She grabbed her robe from Grant and with jerky motions shoved her numb arms into the silk sleeves. Somehow with her trembling fingers she managed to tie a knot at her waist.

“I’m glad you’re taking this so well,” Grant said. “I confess I was worried. Especially the way you kissed me…” This man, this stranger who looked too much like her fiancé for her own comfort and peace of mind, cleared his throat. “The way you kissed me…” He coughed. “I mean…Griffin, uh, earlier. I thought you were really in love.”

A heated blush suddenly engulfed her from her toes clear up to her hairline. A rush of blood blocked out his words. Oh, God! What have I done?

She wished she could collapse inside her voluminous bridal dress hanging in the corner and disappear. She’d kissed this man, thinking it was her fiancé! And worse, she’d felt her toes curl in a way she’d never experienced before. Not with Griffin, and certainly not with any of her previous fiancés.

She pushed away that nightmare and faced a new one—one that frightened and horrified her more than facing the crowd of expectant family and friends in the chapel. Shouldn’t she have realized with that kiss that Grant wasn’t her fiancé? Looking back, she realized Grant had made her feel things she’d only wished for with Griff. She bit her lip and refused to contemplate it.

Her head started to pound. She looked at this man claiming to be Griff’s brother and searched for some clue she must have missed. He had the same dark brown, almost black, hair that had tiny waves running through it and made her fingers itch to comb it back and tame it…tame him. His eyes did seem similar, yet different. Griffin’s had been wild with mischief. This man’s were somber, steady, penetrating. Come to think of it, remembering the feel of his body against hers, he had a hard, unrelenting frame, one that could have been an advertisement for any health club, whereas her fiancé’s—her ex-fiancé’s—had been slender and not as well honed.

The backs of her eyes burned as realization settled inside her. She felt her knees go weak. The fact that this man’s kiss had made her feel wobbly, more so than any she’d shared with her runaway fiancé, annoyed the heck out of her. “I need to sit down.”

Immediately Grant jumped to his feet. “Here.”

He helped her into the chair he’d vacated. With one hand on her arm and the other around her waist, she felt a fissure of awareness ripple through her, but it quickly turned to anger. She gazed into her fiancé’s face. No, not Griffin. This is Grant, Griffin’s twin.

Strange how she had the urge to slap his sudden concern right out the door. But she’d save that much effort for when she saw Griff again. If she ever saw her ex-fiancé again.

She didn’t want Grant’s pity or sympathy. She imagined she’d receive enough humiliating helpings of that from family and friends in the next few weeks and months. She cringed remembering how family, friends and busybody neighbors had made her cakes, roast beef and tuna casseroles to show their concern. They’d spoken in funereal tones around her, told her she’d find another man and tried to set her up with any male able to suck in air and stand on two feet. But the whispers behind her back, the knowing, pity-filled glances had told her what they really believed—she was jinxed.

“What do you want me to do?” Grant asked, his voice soft and soothing in that irritating sympathetic tone she knew all too well.

“Can I get somone? Your bridesmaids?”

Annie shook her head, relieved she hadn’t asked any friends to stand by her today. She hadn’t wasted any money on useless gowns, either.

“Would water help?” Grant asked.

She stared at him. “Only if I can drown your brother in it.”

“I don’t blame you for that. In fact, I’d be glad to help. I understand how you feel.”

She shook her head. “You can’t possibly understand. No one could.”

Three’s a charm, she thought. Or a curse. How could she have been duped again? She must truly be jinxed when it came to marriage. What was that darn saying? Always the bridesmaid, never the bride? Or maybe she was doomed to always be a bride-to-be, never a full-fledged wife.

That was the story of her life. Her neighbors and friends had probably laid bets to see if this would happen again. She wondered what the odds had been this time.

At least her other two weddings hadn’t been canceled at the altar. No, this wedding won that whopping prize. She could shoot Griffin for dumping her this way, for letting her think it was really going to happen, for giving her hope. Why couldn’t she have seen it coming? What was wrong with her? Or was it the men she picked?

Neither question soothed her. None of the possible answers quieted her jumbled nerves. Her hands clenched in her lap. Well, by God, she wasn’t going to let it happen again! Not in her lifetime.

With renewed spirit, she stood. She was going through with her plans. She was leaving behind the sad memories that had haunted her since her parents’ deaths so many years ago and the humiliating ones of her past fiancés. She was going to start over, to see the world. She didn’t need a husband or a marriage to do that. She wouldn’t stay here and let her life pass her by. No sirree!

But a swift thought took the wind out of her veil. As pathetic and old-fashioned as it sounded, she couldn’t leave with folks thinking she couldn’t hold on to her man. She stuffed a soggy French fry into her mouth. The salty flavor made it hard to swallow. She wasn’t leaving town with her tail—or wedding train—tucked between her legs. Not if she could help it.

“I’m getting married,” she spoke the words out loud, surprising herself as much as Grant. “Today.”

“You don’t seem to understand.” He kept his hand firmly on her arm as if she’d lost her grip on reality. “Griffin left. You can’t get married without a groom.”

She gritted her teeth and shrugged off his hand. “I am getting married.”

She’d lived here her whole life. Instead of going off to college, she’d stayed home and commuted to class so she could help her ill mother. She’d wanted to move to a big city to teach, but she’d taken a job at the elementary school she’d attended as a child—all to help her parents.

Then her mother had passed away, leaving her with a last request—that Annie find a good man to marry. She’d tried! Boy, had she tried.

Not long after her mother’s death, her father had died of a broken heart. She’d stayed, living in their house, trapped by the fond and sad memories.

Then Rodney came along, swooped her off her feet, made her laugh again. By the time she agreed to marry him, his feet had grown cold. And she’d been left with enormous bills for their wedding that wouldn’t be.

Next, Travis strolled into her life. But her second fiancé had a change of heart, this time leaving her with more debt and more reasons to stay in Lockett.

She clenched her hands. “I’m leaving this one-stoplight town if it’s the last thing I do.”

Grant crossed his arms over his wide chest. “How do you propose to do that?”

“You’re going to help me. You offered to help me drown your rotten brother.”

“I did. But I was—”

“Don’t worry. I’m not planning anything illegal.”

“Look, Annie, I regret I had to be the one to tell you, but believe me it’s best you found out now how irresponsible Griffin is. He’s been like that his whole life. You don’t want him.”

“You’re right. I don’t.” Her gaze narrowed on him. Then she smiled as her new plan emerged. “I want you.”

“What?”

“You’re going to marry me…Grant, isn’t it?”

He nodded slowly, then shook his head. “Oh, no. I can’t help you. I’m not the marrying kind.”

“What is this? A family trait? A dominant gene? A birth defect?” She propped her hands on her hips and glared at Grant Stevens. “You’re going to marry me. And that’s final.”

“YOU’RE CRAZY.” Stunned, Grant stared at her as if she’d grown an extra head. Had she completely lost touch with reality?

“Possibly.” She walked around him, studying him, analyzing him, sizing him up as if he were a prize steer—or maybe not so prized. Not if she saw him being the same as Griffin, the jerk who’d left her at the altar. For some crazy reason, he wanted her to see the differences between him and his irresponsible brother.

“You and Griff really are identical twins. I mean, he told me he had a brother and that y’all were twins, but I assumed you’d only have a familial resemblance. This is truly amazing.”

From the fire in her electric-blue eyes, he could tell whatever resemblance he shared with Griffin was not desirable to her at the moment. He’d always hated being compared to his brother. Now he hated it more than ever. “We do not look alike,” he ground out between clenched teeth. “Griffin’s got a mole on his back, just under his shoulder blade. And I’ve got—”

Suddenly she grinned, disarming him with that wink of a dimple in her cheek. “This is perfect! Nobody has to know a thing.”

“Know what?”

“That you’re Grant instead of Griffin.” Her forehead creased with concern. “You didn’t tell anyone that Griff wasn’t coming, did you?”

Relief poured through him. “The groomsmen. So it’s too late for whatever it is you’re cooking up.”

“Drat.” Frowning, she paced another minute then stopped, the skirt of her robe giving him a glimpse of a sexy calf. “You can tell them you were wrong. Or better yet, that you were playing a practical joke. Griff loved to play practical jokes.”

She spoke of his brother as if he were dead. Maybe in her heart he already was. Grant well remembered his brother’s infamous practical jokes. He didn’t wait for an excuse like April Fool’s. He’d always been the class clown. Grant had been the serious, responsible one.

And that worked well for him now. This woman needed his common sense at the moment. “Annie, there’s no way—”

“If there’s a will,” she said, “then we can make it work. You’ll simply pretend you’re Griff. We’ll get married and be off in our decorated car. Nobody has to know a thing.”

Panic seized him. She had lost her grip on reality. “I am not getting married, now or ever.”

“You are like Griff, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not.” His nerves tightened with anger.

He would never promise marriage then walk away from the bride without even a word of explanation. Not that he’d ever asked a woman to marry him. He liked being single. No responsibilities. No honey-do lists. No anniversary or birthday to keep track of. Why would he want to give that up?

The crazy determined light in her eyes looked more dangerous than the curves beneath her silk robe.

“Listen to me, Annie. It’s not you.”

“Don’t tell me it’s not personal. This is very personal to me. I’m the one who’s been dumped.”

“I meant…ah, hell. This is the most ridiculous conversation I’ve ever had.” He hated to be blunt but the circumstances called for it. “You aren’t getting married today. I’m sorry. I wish I could make it different. I wish my brother hadn’t treated you this way. But you’ve got to face facts.”

“Relax. This isn’t for real, forever, or until death do us part. It’s just for the afternoon. We’ll leave like we’re going on our honeymoon and that will be the end of it. You can drop me at the airport and then you never have to see me again.”

“But—”

She grabbed his arm, her fingers crumpling the sleeve of his tuxedo with desperation. “Please.”

The plea in her voice and gaze knocked him for a loop. How could he say no?

But he had to. It was the right thing to do. “You don’t know what you’re saying. Maybe I should call a doctor. You’ve had quite a shock.”

“I’m perfectly rational. This makes sense. It will work.”

“It’s not right. What about all those people out there? You’re going to lie to your family and friends?”

She worried her bottom lip. “It’s not exactly lying. Think of it as a practical joke. They’ll just never know the punch line.”

“I don’t do practical jokes.”

She pursed her lips. “You’ve got to help me.” Tears made her eyes sparkle like sapphires. “If it wasn’t for your brother I wouldn’t be in this predicament.”

Oh, God! Not tears. Anything but tears.

Then an alarming question popped into his mind. “Are you pregnant?” Maybe she’d slept with his brother after all.

Her eyes widened. “No. It’s nothing like that. I—I can’t…” her voice wavered “…face them.”

“You won’t have to. I’ll handle everything. I’ll make the announcement. It’s the least I can do.”

She blinked and those tears disappeared. Her jaw hardened. “I live here. I can’t listen to remarks about poor, pitiful Annie. I refuse to be a jilted bride again.”

Her words punched him like a jab in the solar plexus. His jaw went slack before he recovered. “Again?” His hands clenched into fists. “Griffin’s done this to you before?”

She frowned and pulled away from him. As she paced the length of the room, her silk robe rustling, he remembered distinctly what she was wearing—or wasn’t wearing—beneath. Don’t lose focus. Concentrate. You can’t give in to her crazy idea. Or your libido.

“This isn’t the first time this has happened,” she told him. “Okay, it’s the first wedding-day disaster. But Griff’s not the first man to dump me. The other two left days before the big date. I never got this close to walking down the aisle.” To herself, she spoke softly. “Maybe everybody was right. Maybe I am jinxed.”

Then she swung around and faced him. He caught another brain-fogging glimpse of long, silky legs. But it was the pure intensity and determination in her bright blue eyes that melted his reservations. He didn’t pity her. In fact, he knew she’d bounce back from this disaster. He admired her buoyancy.

“I can’t face them as a deserted bride again. Please.” She took a step forward and touched his chest, reminding him of the barely suppressed intimacy they’d shared in that sizzling kiss. “Please, Grant, help me. This once.”

Damn. What else could he do? Damn Griffin. Damn himself for wanting to help.

“Okay,” he finally said. “I’ll play along. Just for today. Then the charade will be over and we’ll go our separate ways.”

And he’d make Griffin pay for this. Next time his brother could clean up his own mess…and marry his own fiancée.

Annie’s face transformed into a dazzling smile. Before he could brace himself, she hugged him close, her body colliding with his, her curves reminding him of the dangers of her body, her kiss. His pulse jolted into high gear. Her musky scent whispered to him like a lover’s invitation. Her blue eyes beckoned to him. He felt the definite tug of desire. His gaze dropped to her mouth and he remembered how sweet and tempting she tasted.

“Thank you,” she whispered before he could dip his head for another forbidden sample. “You won’t regret this.”

But he already did.

THE WEDDING BELLS RANG through the chapel, chiming the hour, then the organist began the march. The chords roared in Annie’s head and jangled her nerves. She felt as if she’d buckled in her emotions for a wild roller-coaster ride and wasn’t exactly sure they’d stay in their seats. Her veil made everything seem blurry and surreal. It pressed in on her, imprisoning her in a shroud of lies.

She had imagined tears of joy as she walked down the aisle, not tears of frustration and defeat. She refused to give in to the threatening sobs choking her. This was supposed to be her wedding day, the happiest day of her life. Not the worst.

Feeling her mouth tremble, she squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and took the first step down a long white carpeted walkway. She felt as if she was walking through quicksand, each step taking every ounce of energy she possessed. She walked down the aisle toward her fake groom, who looked way too much like Griffin for her peace of mind.

She kept her eyes trained on Grant and tried to look on the bright side—if there was one. At least Griffin had a twin who could save her from total humiliation.

There was a wildness about Grant, not a silly funny bone like Griff, but an untamed side that intrigued her. He looked tall, dark and sexy in his tux, the quintessential groom, a definite prize. The stark white collar accentuated his sun-bronzed features. The ebony jacket showed off his broad-as-Texas shoulders and slim waist. She’d switched his pale pink rosebud boutonniere for the white one reserved for the groom. Somehow his metallic gaze pulled her toward him, steadied her, gave her confidence.

She should have been reminded of her ex-fiancé when she looked at him, but now she could see the subtle differences in the two men. Grant’s eyes were a silvery-gray, compassionate yet hard-edged. His features were tanned, making the tiny white scar on the bridge of his nose stand out. And his body…well, she remembered the hard feel of him against her, his hands at her waist, his mouth on hers. She felt a surge of heat from her satin-covered toes to her veil.

Annie! You shouldn’t be having thoughts like that—at a time like this.

Feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable playing the part of a bride, she refused to look at the smiling, curious and surprised faces of family and friends sitting along the wooden pews. She figured most had simply come to see if the twice-dumped bride would finally get to say “I do,” or to see what catastrophe would keep the wedding from taking place. If only they knew!

Her jaw clenched. They wouldn’t know. Not if she could help it. And Grant Stevens better not slip up and let the cat out of the proverbial bag. Damn Griff! The least he could have done was tell her himself.

Actually, she wouldn’t have taken that well, either. But at least then she could have pretended the decision was hers. That she’d dumped him! Oh, how she would like to drop-kick him all the way to Dallas.

Her hand tightened around the cascading bouquet of white roses, Casablanca lilies and stephanotis blooms. Once again, she felt the sharp bee sting of rejection. A burning ache resonated outward from her heart and throbbed in her veins. Why, oh why, had this happened again?

Grant gave her a cautious, if not worried, smile. He held out his arm for her and she put her hand in the crook. Suddenly she felt safe. It was an odd time to feel that way as she stood at the front of the chapel about to take false vows with a stranger, knowing it was a big lie to her family and friends. Still a calm settled over her.

She’d never been able to lie. Never fibbed. How could anyone get away with something like that in a small town anyway? Someone always tattled or gossiped.

But not this time. There’d be no one here to reveal her secret once she’d left with a handsome groom on her arm and her hopes and dreams packed in her suitcases. For the first time in the past seven years, she felt relieved that her parents weren’t alive to see this farce, this fiasco!

She’d always tried to do the right thing, always been the Goody Two-shoes, always toed the line. What had she done to deserve this? Well, she wasn’t going to sit back and take what life handed out anymore. This time she was taking her life in her own hands, making her own way, pushing the limits. And boy was she pushing the boundaries today.

This time she wasn’t a poor, defenseless victim, a romantic sap who’d fallen in love with the wrong man—again. This was her way out of a humdrum life stuck in a nothing-happening town. By this evening, she’d be on her own…free.