Debbie Macomber - The Manning Brides - Marriage of Inconvenience / Stand-In Wife

“It sounds crazy, doesn’t it?” Jamie said when Rich had finished. “You probably think we both need appointments at a mental-health clinic. I don’t blame you, I really don’t.”

James took his time answering. He continued making notes, then raised his head to look pointedly at Rich. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“I’m sure.” Rich shared few of Jamie’s concerns regarding the marriage. It was merely a formality. She kept talking about it as though it were a deep spiritual experience. For some couples, marriage might well be that. But not for Jamie and him.

“What about you, Jamie?”

Her head came up sharply.

“Are you sure this is what you want?”

She hesitated, then nodded emphatically. “I’m sure.”

James paused, rolling the pen between his open palms as he collected his thoughts. “Does your family know about your plans?” The question was directed at Rich.

He gave a short, scoffing laugh. “You’ve got to be joking. I don’t intend to let them find out, either. At least not right away. They’ll learn about the marriage and the baby eventually—that much is inevitable. But the longer I can keep this from my parents, the better.”

“On that, I can agree.”

“So you’ll write up an agreement for us?” Rich asked. He hadn’t missed the subtle note of concern in James’s voice.

“I’ll have one drawn up within a week.”

“Good.” Rich took Jamie’s hand. They both stood, and she tucked the long strap of her purse over her shoulder. “Then we’ll go off to the courthouse now and apply for the wedding license.”

“Might I offer you two a bit of advice?” James asked, standing himself. He rubbed the side of his jaw as if he hadn’t decided exactly what he wanted to say.

“Please.” Jamie’s tone suggested that she hoped someone would talk her out of this scheme. If that was the case, Rich would be the first to remind her that she was the one who’d started the whole thing.

“I’ll write up whatever you want me to,” James said thoughtfully, “but I don’t believe there’s any reason to rush into anything. You’ve both waited this long to have a family—a few more months isn’t going to make any difference.”

Rich looked to Jamie for confirmation, but he couldn’t read her thoughts. “We’ll talk about it,” he promised.

James nodded. “I’ll give you a call later in the week and you can stop by and read over the agreement.”

“Great.” Rich steered Jamie toward the door, although she didn’t need any encouragement. She seemed downright eager to escape. “I’ll be talking to you soon then,” Rich said over his shoulder.

“Soon,” James promised.

Jamie was quiet on the way to the parking lot. For that matter, so was he. Although James Wilkens hadn’t explicitly stated his misgivings, they were all too apparent—from the questions he’d asked and the hesitation Rich had heard in his voice.

Rich unlocked the passenger door and held it open for Jamie. He waited until she was inside, his hand on the frame. “Do you want to take some time to think this over?”

“No,” she said instantly. “Do you?”

He shook his head. “No.”

Their eyes met and held until they were both smiling broadly.

Rich woke early Tuesday morning, before the alarm went off. He turned on the shower and stepped under the plummeting spray, enjoying the feel of it against his skin. He was whistling cheerfully when the tune slowly faded, one note at a time.

He quickly finished showering, reached for a towel and headed directly from the bathroom to the phone at his bedside. He punched out the number from memory and waited impatiently for Jamie to answer.

“Good morning,” he said enthusiastically.

“Good morning,” came her groggy reply.

“You know what today is, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. It isn’t every day a woman gets married.”

“Second thoughts?”

“Third and fourth if you want the truth, but now that I’ve had a chance to think it over, I’m more certain than ever.”

“Good.” He’d grown anxious in the shower, convinced Jamie would change her mind at the last minute. He had to be assured one final time, although they’d talked of little else in the past week.

James had contacted him Friday afternoon, and Rich had stopped at the attorney’s office on his way home from work. The agreement was several pages long, but when he asked for the bill, James had insisted it was a wedding present. The gesture took Rich by surprise. James was the only person who knew what they intended, and he was acting as though this was a conventional marriage. Of all people, James was well aware exactly how unconventional it was going to be.

“You think we’re nuts, don’t you?”

“No,” James had responded with a wry grin. “I think you’re both in love and just don’t know it yet.”

James’s comment had caught Rich off guard. He would never have taken the attorney for a romantic.

I think you’re both in love and just don’t know it yet . On this, the morning of his wedding, Rich tested James Wilken’s theory once again. Sure, he loved Jamie, but not in the sense James implied. They were friends. Pals. Not lovers. Not soulmates. Just friends.

“Have you arranged for a witness?” Jamie asked, pulling Rich out of his reverie.

“A witness?”

“Rich—” she groaned “—don’t you remember? When we applied for the license, we were told we’d each need to bring a witness. What do you plan to do, drag in someone from outside the judge’s chambers?”

Rich thought about it for a moment. “I suppose so.”

“Don’t forget the ring,” she said, beginning to sound nervous.

“I won’t.”

“As soon as the ceremony’s over, I’ll return it.” Rich intended to use a small diamond that had once belonged to his grandmother. Jamie had objected, until she’d hit upon the idea of returning it after the ceremony. Wearing a diamond would raise too many questions, she’d decided. The only reason they even needed one was for the exchange of vows.

“Who’s going to be your witness?”

Jamie paused. She couldn’t very well ask any of her friends. “I … I’m not sure yet. I was thinking of Margie from New Accounts. Margie can keep a secret. But then I thought it might not be a good idea if anyone from the bank knew I was getting married.”

“What do you plan to do?” he asked, mimicking her words. “Drag in someone from outside the judge’s chambers?”

“I suppose so,” she returned, and laughed. It had been at least a week since Rich had heard her laugh. It encouraged him, and he chuckled, too.

“You haven’t heard from anyone?”

“No. You?”

Their biggest concern was that one or more of their family members would somehow find out that they’d applied for a marriage license.

In his worst nightmare Rich could envision his mother sobbing hysterically, interrupting the ceremony. She’d be furious that he was marrying Jamie without the large church wedding she’d looked forward to having for Taylor and Christy. Both of Rich’s sisters had chosen small private weddings without any family present. For that matter, so had Paul. And he was doing the same thing.

The family honor now rested in Jason’s hands.

Jason.

“Rich.” Jamie’s voice cut into his thoughts. “Don’t worry, I’ll have a witness.”

Rich got dressed in a hurry, his movements filled with purpose.

He grabbed his raincoat on his way out the door and found himself whistling once more as he unlocked his car. He checked his watch and realized he had plenty of time. More time than he knew what to do with.

He drove to his brother’s veterinary hospital in the south end of Seattle. There he saw three people in the waiting room. Two in the section marked Dogs and one little old lady clinging tightly to her cat on the other side of the room.