Patt Marr - Angel In Disguise

Uncertain which end of the foyer to choose, she tried the left stairs, and was relieved when she spotted a bubbling fountain centered with angels—well, to be precise, cherubs, but people often said one when they meant the other. She was probably in the right place, and it would only take a minute to check.

If she was wrong, the worst that could happen was Bruce teasing her about her sense of direction. Knowing him, he’d steal a kiss and walk her back. How bad could that be?

The rooms around the courtyard were laid out in a circular design, and the first one, a small reception area, had obviously been claimed by the florist. The second was a bookstore, dark and closed at this hour. The third opened into a small library, also dark, but voices came from inside. She walked into the carpeted room and discovered an alcove tucked under the stairs with two chairs and a large sofa, its back toward her.

Two people lay on the sofa. She smiled to herself. They were so wrapped up in each other, they didn’t even know she was here. If she retreated, quiet as a mouse, she’d be gone before they realized their privacy had been invaded. Why they’d chosen this place and this time for a tryst, she couldn’t imagine, but it was none of her business. Today she wished all lovers well.

She had almost returned to the checkout desk when she heard the woman moan a name. Every muscle in her body tightened. Her heart nearly stopped.

“Bruce,” the woman moaned again. “This is crazy.”

Slowly Sunny turned, her eyes focused on that sofa, her hearing on the couple’s passionate breathing, their murmured words. It sounded like Bruce and the bridesmaid she barely knew, a distant cousin of his whom he’d wanted as a member of their wedding party.

Inch by inch, she retraced her steps, drawn by a desperate need to prove she was wrong, until she stood so near they should have sensed her presence. They would have if they hadn’t been oblivious to everything but each other. Watching them, disillusionment clawed at her soul.

“We shouldn’t be doing this, Bruce, especially not here, not now,” the woman murmured.

“You worry too much. It’s okay, babe.”

Babe? That’s what Bruce always called her.

“But what if someone walks in on us?” the woman argued.

“That’s half the fun, knowing there’s the off chance it could happen. But the guys aren’t due for another hour, and the women are on the other side of the church.”

“Where I’m supposed to be,” the woman said with a giggle.

“But not yet. There’s plenty of time before we have to be dressed for the pictures.” He kissed the woman’s neck, and she giggled again.

Horrified, Sunny stared, not believing something this awful could happen. Nausea curled in waves of revulsion. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.

“Wait until you see me in my bridesmaid dress.”

“I’d rather see you out of it.”

She’d never heard Bruce talk that way. A sleazy lounge lizard had more finesse.

The woman giggled again. “Bruce! You are so naughty!”

“But you like it,” he teased, kissing the hollow spot at the base of her neck until her laughter turned into a moan.

“Oh, babe,” he murmured, “I don’t think I could get through this fiasco with Li’l Sunshine if it weren’t for you.”

This had to be a terrible, hideous dream. Please, God, let her wake and escape it.

“I love it when you do that,” the woman said with a sigh.

“If you liked that, how about this?”

Tears burned behind Sunny’s eyes. She’d never had Bruce’s love. Not if he could do this. It had all been a sham. How humiliating to know he’d made such a fool of her.

Then again, humiliation was a choice. It didn’t have to be hers. Not today. Not ever. He didn’t have to know how devastated she felt, how belittled.

Her heart pounding, she shook his shoulder roughly. “Bruce,” she said, getting his attention.

He looked up, and the shock on his face should have been satisfying, but she was too shattered to care.

“Sunny!” He pushed away from the woman. “This is not what it seems.” Caught red-handed, he lied as he buttoned his shirt.

“I think it’s exactly what it seems.” Betrayal like this was hard to disguise.

He raked his hand though his hair. “I can explain.”

How stupid did he think she was? She met his eyes boldly, contempt coursing through her body. “Just pretend I was never here. I’ll lock the door on my way out so no one else will disturb you. Take your time. There’s no rush, not anymore, for the wedding is off.”

“No!” He reached toward her, his eyes wide with alarm.

It was a first, seeing fear on his face.

“You know I love you, Sunny!”

Oh, she could see that.

“C’mon, Sunny, don’t be this way.” Tucking in his shirt, he rose from the sofa and came toward her.

She stopped him with a open palm. “Forget it!”

“But you’ve got to at least give me a chance, babe.”

“Babe?” Fire-hot fury made her voice shrill. “Oh, no! I’m ‘Li’l Sunshine.’ Wasn’t that it? Really, Bruce, you’ve got to do a better job of keeping your women straight. Here, let me help you.”

She twisted the diamond from her finger and threw it at him, taking grim pleasure when it landed hard on his chin. “Now you have one less to worry about.”

“Sunny! This isn’t like you!”

It wasn’t? Had she been a gullible fool all along?

“Sunny, darling, please…” His dark eyes were as beguiling as a puppy dog’s, pleading for a better home than the pound. “Let’s talk about this.”

He actually believed he could turn this around? Did he think that much of himself or that little of her?

“Just give me a minute, darling. I can make this okay.”

“Sorry. Time’s up.” Pivoting, she ran from the room.

“Sunny! Wait!”

She heard him following her and panicked. She’d left with some measure of dignity, but she’d taken as much as she could. He must not see these hot, renegade tears spilling down her cheeks, but where could she go?

Lord, tell me what to do.

In front of her were glass double doors marked with red letters. The message read Exit, and that’s what she did.

Eight months later

Sweat trickled down Pete Maguire’s back as he stood behind a pulsing neon heart and listened to the studio audience applaud the last contestant’s entrance. It was the last time his little sister would catch him coming to her rescue. If Meggy couldn’t handle her new job as a Dream Date production assistant, she could broil burgers somewhere. Setting him up to appear on national television was the last straw.

He shifted his shoulders and tried to get comfortable in the clothes she’d provided when she dragged him out of the house as a last-minute replacement. He’d have to talk to her about her taste in ties. Real men did not wear grapes and leafy things.

With his heart pounding as loud as it was, he barely heard the show’s host say, “The last of our contestants is a guy named Pete.” That was his cue to go on, and he’d do it if his body would cooperate. Someone shoved the middle of his back and he stepped into blinding bright light.

“Pete, a carpenter by trade, says he’s looking for a girl just like Mom.”

A carpenter. If they only knew. Well, it was true enough once. And more accurate than anything else these days, unless you wanted to count rich, worthless beach bum. Though nearly blinded, he headed toward the one unoccupied chair on the set. A spontaneous scream from the women in the audience startled him. For his sister’s sake, he tried to look pleased and threw the audience a wave. They screamed again. Man, Meggy owed him big.