Judy Duarte - The Rancher's Hired Fiancée

“How long do you need my help?” she asked.

“Until my interim position as mayor is over—or for as long as you’re in town. Whichever comes first.”

He seemed to have it all planned out.

“I’ll pay you a thousand dollars a week,” he added.

Catherine was still trying to wrap her mind around his job offer, which was crazy. But the money he would pay spoke louder than the craziness, and against her better judgment, she found herself leaning toward an agreement.

“What would your fiancée have to do?” she asked.

Ray sketched an appreciative gaze over her that sent her senses reeling and had her wondering just how far he’d want her to go in playing the part.

“I have to attend a lot of events and fundraisers, so it would be nice to have you go with me whenever possible. I even have a ring for you to wear on your left hand, which you can return when the job is over.”

He was including the props?

This was wild. Pretending to be engaged to Ray Mendez was probably the craziest job offer she’d ever had, but she supposed it really didn’t matter. If he was willing to pay for her acting skills, then why not go along with it?

“All right,” she finally said. “You’ve got yourself a deal. When do I start?”

“Why don’t you meet me for lunch at Caroline’s tomorrow? A lot of the locals will be there, so it’ll be a good way to send out the message that I’m already taken.”

“And then…?”

“I don’t know.” He stroked his square-cut jaw. “Maybe I could greet you with a kiss, then we’ll play it by ear. Hopefully, the rumor mill will kick into gear right away.”

“What if it doesn’t?”

He gave a half shrug. “I guess we’ll have to take things day by day.”

“So you just want me to have lunch with you tomorrow?”

“Actually, later that evening, I also have a charity event to attend at the Brighton Valley Medical Center. It’s a benefit for the new neonatal intensive care unit, and it would probably be a good idea if we walked in together, holding hands. Maybe, if you looked at me a little starry-eyed, people would get the message.”

“You want me to look at you starry-eyed? ”

“Hell, I don’t know how to explain it. You’re a woman—and an actress. Just do whatever you’d do if we were actually engaged or at least committed to each other. I want people to think we’re a real couple.”

“Okay. I can do that. But what’s the dress code tomorrow night?”

“I’ll be wearing a sport jacket.”

She bit down on her bottom lip, then glanced down at the simple blouse and black jeans she was wearing now. If truth be told, it was the fanciest outfit she’d brought with her.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“If we were in New York, it wouldn’t be a problem for me to find the right thing to wear. But I’m afraid I didn’t plan to do anything other than kick back on the ranch and play with the kids while I’m here, so I only packed casual outfits.”

“That’s not a problem.” He scooted back his chair and reached into the pocket of his jeans. He pulled out a money clip with a wad of bills, peeled off three hundred dollars and handed it to her. “After lunch tomorrow you can walk down the street to The Boutique. It’s a shop located a few doors down from the diner.”

Catherine couldn’t imagine what type of clothing she’d find in Brighton Valley, but then again, she’d chosen to come to Texas because it was light-years from Manhattan and her memories there. She supposed she would have to adjust her tastes to the styles small-town women found appealing—or at least affordable.

She stole another glance at the handsome rancher seated across the table from her to find that he was studying her, too. Sexual awareness fluttered through her like a swarm of lovesick butterflies.

But that shouldn’t surprise her. Ray Mendez was a handsome man. No wonder every woman in town was after him.

Of course, he was paying her to keep the other women at bay.

It would be an easy job, she decided—and one she might actually enjoy. Her biggest Broadway role had been the mistress of a 1920s Chicago mobster. The actor who’d played her lover had been twenty years older than she and about forty pounds overweight. His ruddy appearance had suited the character he’d played, although it had taken some real skills on her part to pretend she was sexually attracted to him.

Ray Mendez was going to make a much better costar, though—especially if her role was going to require a few starry-eyed gazes, some hand-holding and maybe a kiss or two.

For the first time since leaving Manhattan, she was actually looking forward to getting on stage again.

At a few minutes before noon, Ray stood in front of Caroline’s Diner, waiting for his hired fiancée to arrive. The plan had been for Catherine to borrow Eva’s minivan, then to meet him in town.

To his surprise, he was actually looking forward to seeing her again—and not just because she was the solution to one of his many problems.

Even when she’d been wearing sweatpants and an oversize T-shirt, the tall, leggy blonde with bed-head curls had been a lovely sight. Her blue-green eyes—almost a turquoise shade, really—and an expressive smile only added to the overall effect.

Of course, those little heart and flower stickers that the younger Walker twins had stuck on her face while she’d slept had been an interesting touch.

When Ray had pointed them out, she’d made a joke of it without missing a beat. And that meant she would probably be able to handle anything the townspeople might throw at her. If anyone quizzed her about their past or their plans for the future, she’d be quick on her feet.

They hadn’t talked much after dinner last night, since Dan and Eva had returned to the table once they’d gotten the kids in bed. But they’d managed to concoct a believable past for their imaginary romance.

Fortunately, she wasn’t a well-known Broadway actress, so they’d agreed to tell people they’d met in Houston six months ago and that they’d been dating ever since.

The day Ray’s divorce had been final—after two long years in legal limbo—he’d proposed over a glass of champagne during a candlelit dinner in the city. She’d accepted, although they’d decided not to make an official announcement of their engagement until she could take some vacation time and come to Brighton Valley.

So now here he was, standing outside Caroline’s Diner, ready to reveal their phony engagement to the locals who’d already begun to file into the small restaurant and fill the tables.

Ray glanced at his wristwatch again, knowing that he’d arrived a few minutes early and realizing that Catherine really wasn’t late. Rather, he was a little nervous. Could they pull it off?

“Hello, Mayor,” a woman called out in a chipper voice.

Ray glanced up to see Melanie Robertson approaching the diner wearing a smile.

Aw, man. This was just the kind of thing he’d been trying to avoid. Where was his “fiancée” when he needed her?

“Are you waiting for someone?” Melanie asked. “Or would you like to join Carla Guerrero and me for lunch?”

“Thanks for the offer, but I am meeting someone.”

“Is it business or pleasure?” she asked, her lashes fluttering in a flirtatious manner.

“It’s definitely pleasure.” Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Catherine walking down the street. At least, that tall, blonde stranger striding toward him appeared to be the woman he’d met last night.

She’d told him that she hadn’t brought anything fancy to Texas, but… hot damn. She hadn’t needed a shopping trip for their lunch today. A pair of tight jeans, a little makeup and a dab of lipstick had made a stunning transformation from attractive girl next door to dazzling.