Rebecca Russell - The Substitute Fiancée

Jessie thrust out her chin, the way she imagined her sister would. “Well, this is my first wedding. I’m entitled.”

“Okay, but that doesn’t explain why you missed an appointment yesterday, and didn’t return my calls.”

Jenna had arranged to have the following week off to focus on wedding plans; she would never start her vacation early without clearing it first. What was she up to? “Look, Mac, I’m sorry I let the firm down. It won’t happen again. I just needed some time to myself so I turned off all the phones. This whole wedding thing is making me a little crazy.”

“But why? You hired the best wedding planner in Dallas, all the choices have been made. And you’re already taking off next week to finalize the wedding plans.”

She sensed his patience was wearing thin. “I can’t explain it, Mac. Just accept that I’ll probably keep a low profile until this is all over, and that I might not be myself.”

“Since your desk is cleared, I don’t see a problem if you want to start lying low on Monday.”

Alarms sounded in her head once again. “I’m thinking I’d rather start now.”

He frowned. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes. Why?”

“It’s not like you to forget, let alone pass up, a photo op like the C.D.R. fund-raiser tonight or dinner with your family tomorrow.”

Jessie quickly dismissed the obligatory meal with her parents as a problem. Her sister would be back by then. But how could Jenna, who lived for the spotlight, have forgotten the Childhood Disease Research bash, the society event of the year? And it was tonight!

She’d get Jenna on the phone, remind her of the fund-raiser and insist she return home. Immediately.

Jessie forced a smile as her mind raced to find a believable explanation for “her” memory lapse. Of course he’d be surprised if her sister had forgotten an opportunity to rub elbows with the rich and famous, people she hoped would soon end up on her client list. “I guess I’m more frazzled than I realized, Mac. I completely forgot about the party tonight, and I just assumed you knew skipping the Sunday family dinner wasn’t an option.”

“I’ve never seen this side of you before.”

“Weddings will do that to a girl.”

“Are you sorry you let me off the hook and said you’d plan the wedding so that I could keep working up to the last minute, that all I had to do was show up?”

Jessie didn’t know which made her more sad, the fact he had zero interest in planning his own wedding, or that her sister preferred it that way. “No, not at all. You’d just be in the way.”

He smiled, but seemed distracted. “Now you’re sounding like the old Jenna. You were right. We do make a great team, and part of it is because you’re just as driven as I am.”

Jessie would never comprehend work being a person’s only priority, but guessed she didn’t have to. Jenna put her career first, as did Mac, and that was obviously the life they wanted. If her sister was happy, nothing else mattered.

He glanced at his watch and stood. “I need to get back to the office. I’ll pick you up at eight.”

Oh, Lord. The fund-raiser. If Jenna followed her recent pattern of not returning calls when it proved convenient, Jessie would have no choice but to continue the charade into the evening.

Her sister would know the appropriate attire for the gala, but Jessie had no clue. “What suit are you wearing? I don’t want to clash.”

“My Armani. Dark blue,” he said, then absently brushed his lips across her cheek, his mind obviously already focused on the work waiting for him. He opened the door, then disappeared into the hallway.

As Jessie closed the door, she fought back the urge to call after him and ask if he planned to work on his wedding day and during the honeymoon, then quickly reminded herself it wasn’t any of her business.

Besides, she had bigger, more immediate issues to worry about. The party was only seven hours away.

“Will you be taking the dress with you?” the consultant asked through the door. “Or do you want it sent to your apartment?”

“Send it, please.” Jessie had enough to deal with right now. With great care she hurried out of the dress, then grabbed the phone from her purse and called Jenna. Voice mail. Not a good sign.

Jessie left an urgent message for Jenna to call back immediately, along with a reminder about the fund-raiser that evening.

“Is there anything else I can do for you, Ms. Taggert?”

“Not unless this store sells fairy godmothers,” Jessie mumbled as she threw on her own clothes. She wasn’t a pessimist by nature, but she couldn’t summon much hope that her sister would call, let alone return home in time to attend the fund-raiser.

She never should have promised to keep her sister’s absence a secret.

“Did you say something, ma’am?”

“No. I’m all set. Thanks.”

All set for disaster, Jessie silently added, if her sister remained out of touch and out of town.

Jessie had to prepare for the worst, which meant that in the next seven hours she needed to come up with a plan for how to transform “Plain Jane” Jessie into “Glamour Gal” Jenna.

“I have a bad feeling about tonight.” Jessie took a seat on the small bench in front of her sister’s bathroom mirror. Her two closest friends, Carla and Dana, stood on either side of her.

“Think positive thoughts,” Carla replied. “And quit frowning. You’ll get wrinkles.”

Jessie reached for the can of soda in front of her, struggled to flick the tab, but soon gave up rather than risk ruining her newly painted nails.

She stared at her hands and the French manicure. Tips had been added to her own nails to make her even more identical to her mysteriously absent sister. Already she was beginning to feel like someone else and she didn’t like it one bit.

Dana reached for the soda, opened it and gave the can back to Jessie.

“Thanks, Dana.” Jessie took a drink and hoped the carbonated beverage would calm her stomach. “How does Jenna, or anyone for that matter, function with nails this long? I can’t even open a soda with these things.”

Carla shook her head and sighed. “Jessie, hon, you’re missing the whole point about the advantages of being a glamorous woman.” Petite, curvy and beautiful with big blond hair, Carla had “former Dallas debutante” written all over her.

She was also self-deprecating and generous to a fault, which made her a great neighbor and an even better friend. “Men will fall over backward to do whatever you need done, whether it’s opening a can or a door. But glamour is as much about attitude as it is looks.”

“And I’m sure you’ll get used to the nails,” offered Dana, a fellow teacher and terrible liar.

“In two hours? I doubt it. Since Jenna has refused to return my calls, it would serve her right if I just told Mac the truth.”

“It would, but you won’t,” Carla chided. “You made a promise and besides, she’s your sister and family sticks together.”

“Sister or not, once I know she’s okay I’m going to strangle her for putting me in this position.” Jessie pulled her friends close. “Thank heavens you’re both here. I wouldn’t have a chance of pulling this off without your help.”

Carla had called in favors to get a last-minute nail appointment and Dana, who had put herself through college working as a hair stylist, had tugged and poked Jessie’s hair into an elegant updo.

They had driven in separate cars to Jenna’s downtown loft apartment, since they needed access to her makeup and clothes and that’s where Mac would pick Jessie up for the party.

The entire time, Jessie had kept her cell phone on and within sight, praying that she’d get the call saying Jenna was back in town and ready to jump back into her life.