But this time shed found something she might actually be good at. There were plenty of after-school programs for kids who were interested in academics or athletics, but very few available for children with talent in the arts. So she had decided that once she got her hands on her five-million-dollar trust fund, shed open an after-school center that focused on theater and dance and music, and maybe even the visual arts. She already had a picture of it in her mind. And she would call it the Louise Carpenter Rand Center for the Arts, after her mother, who had passed down her love of the arts to Laurel.
If her uncle Sinclair hadnt been such a miser, she might not have had to go to such extremes. But he controlled the Rand family trust, doling out money as he saw fit. And since hed been named the administrator of her trust fund after both her parents had died, he held the purse strings. Sinclair had laid out the conditions. The trust fund provided her with a small monthly income. If she married before her twenty-sixth birthday, she would be entitled to her inheritance of five million. If she remained single, shed have to wait until her thirty-first birthday for the money.
In truth, Sinclair Rand was nothing more than an old chauvinist. In his mind, no woman could handle that amount of money without a man to supervise. He hadnt cared who she married, he hadnt even bothered to meet Edward. As long as her husband had a penis, then Uncle Sinclair figured he had the brains to handle her finances, and that was enough for him. Uncle Sinclair claimed his ideas were in keeping with how Laurels father, Stewart Rand, would have wanted things. But she also knew if her parents were alive, theyd support her idea for the arts center.
But two could play at her uncles little game. You mentioned you were a private investigator. I suppose youre accustomed to being paid for your time. Im willing to pay you ten thousand dollars to put on this tuxedo and walk down the aisle with me.
He gasped. Ten thousand dollars? Youre crazy.
Im not asking you to marry me. It wouldnt be legal. We dont have a marriage license. All Im asking is that you walk through the ceremony with me. She paused. And the reception. You just have to pretend to be Edward. Think of it as playacting. And once were in the limo and on our way to the honeymoon, thats it. Your part is over.
It would be a way of buying herself some time, Laurel mused. Sooner or later her uncle would have to see that his insistence on marriage was antiquated and untenable. After all, shed nearly married a criminal to get her hands on her inheritance. Pretending to marry a handsome private investigator wasnt nearly so serious. Once her uncle saw how far she was willing to go to build her dream, hed have to relent.
All this just to save you a little embarrassment? Sean asked, leveling her with a suspicious gaze.
Yes, she lied. He didnt really need to know the truth, did he? After all, she was paying him well for his services as a stand-in groom.
And youre going to pay me to do this?
Yes. Ten thousand. Thats a lot of money, she said. You could afford to get a decent haircut.
He stared at her for a long moment, his gaze intense. Im not sure I trust you.
She felt a shiver skitter along her spine. Shed planned a wonderful honeymoon in Hawaii and was tempted to make that a requirement, as well. Maybe another ten thousand would cover a week of frolicking on a secluded beach. An image of Sean Quinn, shirtless, his skin burnished by the sun, flitted through her mind. It was immediately replaced by an image of him diving into the surfnakedthe water gleaming over his
Laurel cursed inwardly. This was getting ridiculous! Shed nearly married another man today and she couldnt stop fantasizing about a guy she barely knew. Im not paying you to trust me. Im paying you to marry me. If it will make you feel better, Ill put it all in writing.
He thought about the offer for a moment longer, then sighed. All right. I suppose I could help out. I could use the money.
Laurel threw herself into his arms, unable to contain her joy and relief. But when he slipped his hands around her waist and held her just a bit longer than proper, she found herself wondering what it might feel like to kiss Sean Quinn. IIll write out our agreement while you get ready. She hurried to the door, then turned around before she opened it. Youre not going to back out on this, are you?
Sean picked up the tuxedo and looked at it critically. With that right jab youve got? Id be fool to make you angry again.
THE DOOR CLOSED softly behind her. Sean released a tightly held breath, then shook his head. What the hell am I doing? Ive got to be insane. He glanced over at the window and wondered if he could get it open and crawl out before she returned.
The day had started out with such promise. He was going to close a big case, take a sleazebag off the street and collect a nice fat fee. But hed made an error in judgment by offering to do a favor for that sleazebag and look where it got him. He hadnt needed Eddies hundred-dollar fee; hed already had a good day financially. Greed had gotten him in this mess.
He thought back to the tale of Ronan Quinn, how the wolf had nearly eaten him because hed gotten a little too greedy. Now he had a chance to collect a tidy ten thousand acorns from Laurel Rand, just for pretending to be Edward Garland Wilson.
It would be ten hours work maximum, at a rate of one thousand dollars an hour. Hed have to be a fool to turn that down. And what did he have to lose? His only real plans this evening had been to stop by Quinns Pub and have a few beers, then go back to his apartment and type up the bill. And Laurel Rand was righthe hadnt signed any marriage license, so the whole thing was off the books. Just a charade for her high-society wedding guests.
Sean slowly unzipped the garment bag and withdrew the tuxedo. He checked the label, noting the fancy designer name. The jacket looked like it might be a little small and the pants on the short side, but at least the shirt collar wouldnt choke him.
This was certainly not what he had in mind when he thought of marriage. Of course, hed never thought of marriage for himself at all. Sean had been told all the cautionary tales of his Mighty Quinn ancestorsas had his brothers. But Sean had been the only one in the family to recognize that the odds were against all six brothers being able to achieve eternal bachelorhood. When his oldest brothers had fallen victim, he had assumed that his odds for avoiding matrimony had improved considerably.
But there was a part of him that envied his five brothersand even his little sister, Keely. Theyd all found something that hed never once experienced in his life. Sure, there had been women, even a few who imagined themselves in love with him. But not one had come close to touching his hearta heart that hed kept well protected over the years.
His attitude about marriage might not have been so harsh had he a decent example to follow. His father had been horrible at it. And his mother had beenSean paused. He used to think of her as an angel, the perfect mother. But that had changed one day, shortly after his fourteenth birthday, when hed learned the truth about his parents marriage.
He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. His fathers imperfections and his mothers infidelities were in the pastso why couldnt he forget them? A shrink might say he had trust issues, but Sean didnt believe in that kind of psychobabble. He was who he was and there was no use trying to analyze it. He just had to live with it.
He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. His fathers imperfections and his mothers infidelities were in the pastso why couldnt he forget them? A shrink might say he had trust issues, but Sean didnt believe in that kind of psychobabble. He was who he was and there was no use trying to analyze it. He just had to live with it.
Sean took a deep breath, shrugging out of his jacket and dropping it over the back of a chair. Then he stripped down to his boxers and tugged on the finely pressed black trousers. Hed just pulled the zipper up when the door opened.
Laurel Rand slipped inside and hurriedly closed the door behind her, turning to face him. For a moment she froze, staring at him mutely, her gaze dropping to his naked chest, then flitting back up to his face. His eyes met hers and for a moment he was struck again by her beauty. But then he forced himself to look at her rationally. Shed just learned her groom wouldnt be attending the wedding, yet shed seemed to accept the news without hysterics and tantrums.
Sean rubbed his hand over his abdomen, his muscles still tense from when she had punched him. Every instinct told him that Laurel Rand shouldnt be trusted, but the money was just too good to resist. Ten thousand dollars didnt fall into his lap every day. Yeah, he murmured. Ill do it.
A tiny smile curled her lips and Sean took satisfaction in the knowledge that what he was doing had pleased her. She really was extraordinarily beautiful, especially when she smiled. Some might think her mouth a little too wide or her cheekbones too high. Taken alone, each feature of her face wasnt all that pretty. But when put together, she had a beauty that he found arresting.
She slowly approached and handed him a folded piece of paper. I wrote it all out, she said. Andand I wrote you a check. Its dated for the day after tomorrow.
He took the paper and the check, then grabbed the tuxedo jacket and put them both into the breast pocket. Thanks.
Arent you going to read it? Laurel asked.
He shrugged as he slipped into the pleated shirt. I trust you. Sean stared down at the front of the shirt. No buttons, he said.
Oh, there are studs, she said, grabbing up the garment bag and fishing around until she found a card. Here.
Sean fumbled to get one off the card, but his fingers were clumsy with nerves. It dropped to the floor and skidded beneath the chair. I never could figure these things out, he said, bending to retrieve the stud.
Let me, Laurel said, taking the errant stud from his fingers.
He stood in front of her, the shirt gaping open. When her fingers brushed his skin, a current of sensation rushed through him. He held his breath as she worked at the studs, trying to focus his thoughts on something other than a vivid fantasy of her smoothing her palms over his naked skin and brushing away the shirt altogether. Of her damp lips trailing across his
She glanced up at him and Sean sent her a weak smile.
Do they fit? she asked.
They?
She sank down, picked up one of the black patent leather shoes, and held it out. Sean slipped it on his left foot and found it had to be two sizes too big. Theyll be all right.
No, she said. To his surprise, she reached down the front of her dress and came back with a wad of tissues. Here. Stuff some into the toes. She pulled out more tissue and tossed it over her shoulder. I didnt need the cleavage anyway.
He bit back a chuckle. Her honesty was disarming. Arent you nervous? he asked.
Why would I be nervous?
Arent all brides supposed to be nervous?
She ran her hand over the front of his pleated shirt. Im not getting married today, she said. You saw to that.
A trace of anger colored her voice and he immediately felt regret for his part in her distress. Im sorry, Sean said. But I think its for the best. He paused. Did you love him a lot?
Her hand stilled on his chest and she fixed her gaze on the shiny pink paint on her fingernails. I obviously didnt know him, she said in a resigned tone. Laurel forced a smile. I suppose we should talk about whats going to happen. You have been to a wedding before, havent you?
Quite a few lately, Sean said, thinking of his married siblings.
Good, then you know how it works. Youll go up to the front of the church and wait for me at the altar.
Do I have a best man?
No, Laurel said. Edward phoned me last night to tell me his brother, Lawrence, couldnt make it. He had a family emergency, something about his pregnant wife. But then, that might have been a lie. He probably doesnt even have a brother. She reached for his tuxedo jacket, then held it out for him. Its a traditional service. Short and simple. Just listen to the minister and repeat everything he tells you to.
I can do that, Sean said, turning away from her.
She slipped his jacket over his arms, then smoothed her hands across his shoulders. Thats not such a bad fit, she said. I need to go get my bouquet and to talk to the photographer, so I guess Ill see you at the altar.
Sean slowly turned back to face her. Are you sure you want to do this?
Laurel nodded, then started for the door. But she stopped before she opened it. One more thing, she said. Can you act as if this is the happiest day of your life?
I can try, he said.
She slipped out of the room. Sean grabbed the shoes and stuffed a wad of tissue in each of the toes. He found socks in the garment bag and quickly pulled them on before slipping into the shoes. He wanted to make this work for her. He wasnt sure why. He only knew that she was in trouble and shed asked for his help.
And there was something about her that drew him. He didnt have to measure every word he said with Laurel. Shed been bluntly honest with him, told him what she needed and how she felt. He hated the games that went on between men and women, the coy looks and the subtle innuendo, the advance and retreat meant to lead to the bedroom. His brothers were good at the game, but Sean always felt as if someone hadnt shown him the rule book.
Laurel Rand didnt play games. When she didnt like what he had to say, she punched him in the stomach; when she needed his help, she simply offered to pay him for it. She hadnt tried to manipulate him into something he didnt want to do. He had to admire a woman like that.
When he finished tying his shoes, he made an attempt at the bow tie, but each time, it turned out lopsided. After the fifth try, he decided to settle for crooked. He raked his hands through his tousled hair, then stared at his reflection. He didnt look too bad. This has got to be the strangest day of your life, boyo, he muttered before turning and walking to the door.
He walked down the hall. In the distance, he saw Laurel standing in front of the entrance to the sanctuary. She turned and their eyes met for a moment. A hesitant smile touched her lips and Sean gave her a little wave. He stopped and held out his arms, then slowly turned so that she might approve of his appearance. She laughed, and then her three bridesmaids turned to look at him.
Sean pulled open the door and slowly walked up the side aisle of the sanctuary. He found the minister waiting for him in a small anteroom. Well, were almost ready to get started, the minister said. Are you ready?