Judy Hubbard - These Arms of Mine

She closed the door and sighed. Her decision was already made—it had been the very second Derrick had made her the offer. She would do whatever it took to save her loved ones, even if it meant sacrificing herself in the process.

Cam’s mouth was wide open in shock. “What did you say?”

Derrick laughed heartily before reiterating, “I’m getting married.”

“To whom? When? How?” Cam shook his head vigorously as he fought to comprehend his friend’s unexpected announcement.

“To Alesha Robinson and very soon.” He chuckled at Cam’s understandable confusion.

“Who?” He frowned as he racked his brain to put a face to the name he instinctively knew he should recognize.

“Robert Robinson’s sister.” Derrick played with the slender stem of his wineglass.

“Robert Robinson?” Then leaning closer to Derrick and lowering his voice so as not to be overheard, he asked, “The dude who embezzled from your campaign?”

“The one and only.” Derrick nodded before bringing the glass of wine to his lips.

“Have you lost your mind?”

Cam’s question was relayed so earnestly that Derrick couldn’t refrain from laughing out loud again. He had laughed more today than he had in a very long time.

“You’re the one who said I needed a wife.” His gray eyes twinkled with merriment.

“I know, but…”

“Cam, this is perfect.” His countenance was that of a kid set loose and given free rein in a candy shop. “It’s a business arrangement, no emotional entanglements—just a plain, simple agreement that I will end once it’s served its purpose.”

It was also an opportunity he had waited two years for, a chance to exorcise the demons Alesha’s abrupt departure had left in her wake. He was certain once he had some answers, and maybe even a measure of retribution, he would be able to permanently purge the tenacious memories of their past association from his mind and heart once and for all.

“Which is what?”

“To help me get elected, of course.” Derrick sighed loudly. Boy, was Cam being dense tonight!

Cam’s eyes took on a seriousness that was relayed by his next words. “Sometimes when we think we have something figured out, it takes on a life of its own and goes in directions we never expected.”

“What am I going to do with you?” Derrick raised his eyes heavenward in exasperation at his friend’s prophetic statement. “If I don’t do what you suggest, I never hear the end of it, and if I take your advice, I get prophecies of doom and gloom.”

“When I suggested marriage, I wasn’t referring to the farce you’re contemplating.” Cam took a much-needed gulp of his wine.

“Never again.” Derrick adamantly shook his head.

“Derrick, you’re my best friend. I’d like to see you happy.” He lowered his glass to the table.

“I appreciate that, buddy, and I am happy. I’m also going to marry Alesha—on my terms.”

“She’s agreed to this?”

“Not yet, but she will tomorrow.” His voice was confident as he fingered the slender stem of his wineglass.

“How can you be so sure?” He couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that there was more to his friend’s inane proposal than met the eye.

“She doesn’t have a choice. It’s the only way to save her brother.”

“She might surprise you. Maybe she’ll decide the price is too high to pay.” Cam played devil’s advocate.

“She won’t.” His short response was delivered confidently.

“Why won’t she?”

“As I said before, she doesn’t have a choice.” Derrick hadn’t noticed his tone turn somewhat cold.

“I get the feeling you know this lady—very well. Have you met her before?”

“Two years ago.” Derrick silently cursed himself for slipping up in front of Cam, of all people.

“Wait a minute.” His eyes reflected understanding. “Is this the same Alesha you dated briefly?”

“She is.” He didn’t see any reason in denying it.

“The one you abruptly stopped seeing, which sent you into one of the longest and foulest depressed moods of your life?”

“You’re exaggerating.” Derrick took a suddenly much-needed swig of his drink. Cam wasn’t exaggerating. If anything, he was being kind.

“No, I’m not.” Intense eyes bore into his. “You wouldn’t talk about her—not even to me.”

“There was nothing to say.”

“Really? I didn’t believe you then and I don’t now.”

“Cam, we dated once or twice, it didn’t work out and we ended it.” He silently cursed the nerve in his jaw that was pulsing erratically.

“We both know there’s more to it than that.” He refused to be silenced. “I was there, remember? I know what happened to you shortly after the breakup.” At Derrick’s continued silence, Cam asked, “Are you out for revenge?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Cam’s astute observations and Derrick’s own contradictory feelings as far as Alesha was concerned made him uneasy, although his words appeared confident.

“I think you should reconsider this.”

“There’s nothing to reconsider. I’m going to marry Alesha and that’s that.” Derrick’s tone was firm and final.

“Derrick, are you sure…”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“How do you plan to pull this off?” He knew when it was useless to try to reason with his friend, and this, unfortunately, was one of those times. “Alesha will be in the limelight all the time. I assume you realize the public must perceive your marriage as real.”

“Of course.” Derrick shook his head in agreement. “In public, we’ll appear as a couple very much in love. You, Alesha, Robert and I are the only ones who will know about our arrangement.”

“And what about privately?” Cam leaned forward, studying his friend closely. “What do you expect, and—more importantly—want from Alesha privately?”

“Mr. Chandler, it’s time for you to take your place onstage.” Both men turned in the direction of the man who interrupted them.

“Certainly.”

Derrick smiled and stood, grateful to escape his friend’s last probing question.

Chapter 3

The following morning Derrick was engrossed in work when the intercom buzzed. Without being told, he knew who was here to see him and his heartbeat quickened.

“Yes?”

“Sir, Ms. Robinson is here to see you.”

“Please send her in.”

Standing, he walked over to the door seconds before it opened, admitting Alesha. She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again. He remained silent. This was her show.

She took a deep breath, released it and, before she lost her nerve, said, “I’ll marry you.”

“I see.”

“You don’t seem very surprised.” She raised an arched eyebrow.

He ushered her over to a chair in front of his desk and then perched on the edge. “I’m not. You didn’t have much of a choice.”

“No, I didn’t.”

She didn’t try to hide the resentment in her voice before angrily lowering her gaze from his. She was uncomfortable with him so close and wished he would move away. Yet, even as the thought entered her mind, she realized she would have to get used to being in much closer proximity than this to him—after all, they would soon be husband and wife. At that thought, she shuddered visibly.

“Are you cold?” His hand rose toward her.

“No.”

Sensing her discomfort, he dropped his hand to his side, stood up, walked behind his desk and sat down. He smiled slightly as she breathed a silent sigh of relief.

“Do you have any questions?” He leaned back in his chair and studied her somber expression.

“Such as?”

“In case you’ve forgotten in the time we’ve been apart, my age, religion, likes, dislikes, etc.”