The Dating Arrangement Read online

  Charlie, who finally tore his eyes away from his phone, although it was positioned right next to his plate, decided to weigh in on the conversation. “Totally. And personally, it’s better that you and Thad didn’t go through with the wedding, Emerson. He used to tell me that he didn’t like the idea of you working so much and that after you were married, he would get you to slow down. Who would have managed the food truck festival then?”

  It felt as if all of the energy had been zapped from the room. Everyone seemed to be looking anywhere but at each other.

  Jack froze. He obviously didn’t know the particulars, but something had him holding his breath. Emerson had almost gotten married? Why didn’t he know that? Because the other night he’d been so busy lamenting his relationship with Jess that he’d never asked Emerson about her past relationships.

  To his credit, Charlie didn’t appear to realize he’d shoved his large designer-clad foot in his mouth. He shoveled chicken and dumplings into his mouth right before he added, “I never really liked Thad. Jack seems way cooler.”

  Jack snuck a glance at Emerson. Her face was beet-red and her eyes held a shine, as if she were about to...cry?

  Emerson’s mother coughed. “Everyone stumbles from time to time. What happened last year is over,” she said with a head nod.

  What in the hell happened last year? Jack wanted to scream the question out. But he didn’t have a chance, because Emerson had scooted her chair back, excused herself and quickly rushed from the room.

  Oblivious to the awkward moment he’d created, Charlie stood as well. “I need to make a call. Be right back, babe.”

  Amelia let out a sigh.

  Mrs. Dewitt put her wineglass down with a frown. “Maybe I should go talk to Emerson. I don’t know why she gets so worked up.”

  Maybe because you devalue her at every turn. Maybe because she’s constantly compared to her sister. Maybe because something painful happened last year and it was just thrown in her face.

  But Jack kept that all to himself. Instead he rose, mumbled his excuses and left the room to find his fake girlfriend.

  * * *

  Emerson made her way through the house, to the patio door, and kept walking until she’d wound through her mother’s extensive garden and found herself sitting in the gazebo, at the back of the property.

  The air was cold and crisp. Even as it felt good on her overheated skin, she shivered, and wished she’d brought her jacket with her. Next thing she knew, someone was draping it over her shoulders.

  She looked up to find Jack studying her.

  “Hi,” he said.

  “Hi.”

  Emerson couldn’t say more. She was too embarrassed to really go into anything. Her mother had massively humiliated her in front of Jack. Although, Emerson didn’t know what was worse—that her mother had brought up her biggest failure to date or the mere fact that she’d had such a failure to begin with.

  Added to that was the fact that her perfect sister hadn’t been left at the church on her wedding day.

  How could she compete with Amelia? She couldn’t.

  Jack sat down next to her on the built-in bench.

  “Thanks for the coat,” she said.

  “No problem, schmoopie.” He stretched his long legs out in front of them. “And see, you were worried that your family would know we were lying.”

  “Silly me.”

  “Are your family dinners always like that? Because, let me tell you, I’d have gotten myself adopted into a new family by now.”

  She tried to smile but suddenly felt too tired to put in the effort. “I should be used to it by now. It’s just that my sister is so amazing.”

  “She’s okay,” Jack said. “You’re more interesting.”

  “You don’t have to say that.”

  “I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true. Your sister basically spent her youth parading around stages and at football games. Now she works in your mom’s bridal shop. And she has a husband who probably wouldn’t notice if she sprouted three heads and flew away to Mars.”

  That got her attention. Emerson faced him. “What are you talking about?”

  “Your brother-in-law is kind of a...”

  “Perfect husband?” Emerson supplied. “Hard worker, good provider, top attorney?”

  “I was going to say douche but sure, we can go with your words.”

  Emerson’s mouth fell open.

  “Come on, Em. We’ve been here for a couple of hours and he’s been on his phone for most of that time. He’s ignored his wife and been rude to his in-laws. My dad sure as hell would never have let him get away with that.”

  Charlie had been in her life for years now. Ever since he started working at her dad’s firm, while he was still in law school. If she was being honest, she didn’t really know much about her sister’s husband, despite the fact that he’d been around for years. Jack was right. Charlie was a bit absent.

  “I guess you’re right,” she said. “I’m still sorry you had to witness all of that in there.” She pointed toward the house.

  He scooted closer. “Well, the food was good. The drinks were great. The music was fantastic. Your parents’ house is beautiful and fancy. I could have done without the post-dinner let’s-make-Emerson-feel-bad conversation.”

  She let out a long, drawn-out sigh. “I hate disappointing people.”

  Jack grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. “What in the hell are you talking about? You haven’t disappointed anyone. How could you? By not being in beauty pageants, cheerleading or a sorority? Come on.”

  “All of those things are important to my mother. And I was never any good. To top it off, last year...well, I probably achieved my biggest failure yet.”

  Jack dropped his hands. “I don’t know what happened last year, but I can only tell you that I think you’re amazing.” He pushed an errant curl back behind her ear, and his fingers lingered for a few seconds. Emerson’s breath caught in her throat.

  She wondered if she should just tell him the truth. All of it. Every dirty detail about what had gone down last year. Surely Jack was curious, after everything that had been said tonight. Only, she really didn’t want to talk about it. In fact, she wished she could blink her eyes and erase it from her personal history.

  “You know, failing at stuff would be a lot easier if I were an only child. But there’s Amelia. She’s beautiful.”

  “You’re beautiful.”

  Emerson shook her head. “She’s smart.”

  Jack gently cupped her cheek with his hand. “You’re smart. Really smart.” His thumb traced a slow circle along her skin, eliciting shivers.

  He’d moved even closer. Or maybe she’d done that. Emerson didn’t know. All she could tell at the moment was that she was practically in Jack’s arms and she hadn’t felt this good in ages.

  “Amelia doesn’t mess up,” she whispered.

  “That’s not very interesting.” He lowered his head.

  “She’s...”

  “Not you,” he finished. With that, Jack covered her mouth with his.

  Emerson let out a surprised gasp but couldn’t stop her arms from snaking around his neck. His lips were soft, but urgent, as they moved over hers. He ran his hands through her hair and emitted a satisfied sound.

  She could taste the wine on his lips and smell the cologne he’d put on. And those talented lips continued to delight her. He now ran his hands up and down her back, pulling her even closer. She felt safe and warm cocooned in his arms.

  While their kiss may have begun gently, even sweetly, it was beginning to pick up steam. Her mouth opened for him and she felt his tongue sweep in to tangle with hers. Her breathing was labored, and her heart rate was sky-high.

  “Oops, sorry, guys.”

  Emerson jumped back, and Jack’s eyes darted around at the
sound of Amelia’s voice.

  “I was just making sure you were okay, but I can obviously see that you are. Sorry again.”

  Emerson snuck a glance at Jack. He seemed as dazed as she was. She stood, with her chest rising and falling rapidly from the exertion of the kiss.

  “Um, that’s okay,” she told her sister, even though the interruption was pretty much as far from okay as it could get. “We should probably get back inside.”

  Jack looked like going inside was the worst idea ever and she almost laughed out loud. Reluctantly, he followed her as Amelia led them both through the garden.

  Maybe her sister’s interruption came at the perfect time. Maybe she shouldn’t be kissing Jack at all. After all, their whole relationship was fake.

  Only, that kiss hadn’t felt fake.

  Out of all of the things that had gone wrong tonight, Jack’s kiss was the only thing that had felt right.

  Chapter Six

  Emerson had woken up with a headache the size of the National Mall.

  It didn’t help matters that she had berated herself from the second she got out of bed. Even while showering and getting ready for the day, she couldn’t stop being annoyed with herself. The short walk from her townhouse to the local coffee shop had allowed her more time to criticize. Even during her morning meeting with a potential client, she had lost focus and begun mentally scolding herself.

  She’d done a lot of irresponsible things throughout her life, but kissing Jack was possibly the dumbest, most irresponsible one of them all.

  Well, maybe the second most irresponsible move, after climbing out the window of her mom’s shop in that wedding dress.

  Even now, as she sat at the desk in her office, all she could do was try to figure out what in the heck she’d been thinking. The two of them were already up to their eyeballs in lies and a complicated relationship. Not to mention the fact that Jack was a short-timer.

  She’d certainly been disappointed the other night, when he’d revealed that he might not keep the bar. Even though he said he hadn’t completely made up his mind about staying in Alexandria, she had a strong feeling that he would be out of there as soon as he could.

  The worst part was that, while she rationally knew that kissing him had been beyond stupid, she couldn’t stop remembering how it had felt. He was a damn good kisser. Not that she had oodles of experience, but from what she did know, he was head and shoulders above the rest.

  “Hello!”

  At the exasperated voice of her best friend, Grace, bellowing over the phone, Emerson finally pulled herself out of her funk.

  “Sorry, Grace.”

  “What’s with you today? Are you having second thoughts about not writing up a formal contract? Because this wedding is a really, really big deal, and I know the guest list is reaching seven hundred, and I could really use your help, and I really love you.”

  Emerson couldn’t help but laugh. “How many reallys did you just use?”

  “Too many?”

  Emerson could just see her friend now. She would be sitting behind her desk, with her long beautiful black hair perfectly styled. No doubt she was crossing her fingers, waiting on Emerson’s reply.

  She and Grace had met right out of college, when they had both just been starting out at a large event-planning company in DC. The work had been grueling. They’d worked long days, getting coffee for higher-ups, doing boring tasks no one else wanted to do and bonding beyond belief. They’d become roommates and the closest of friends.

  Emerson had lasted two years before she moved on to work for a smaller event firm; Grace had made it a few months longer. But their friendship had endured through all of these years. They’d lived together, until last year, when Emerson had moved into the townhouse she was supposed to share with her soon-to-be-husband.

  After the nonwedding debacle, Thad gave her his share of the property. He’d acted like he was doing it as a good-will gesture. Emerson just remembered how terrified she’d been. She couldn’t afford the mortgage on a three-story townhouse in the heart of Old Town. Not by herself. Especially after just starting a new business. But her pride hadn’t allowed her to admit that to Thad.

  After a couple of terrifying weeks of thinking she was going to have to return to working for other people, she’d been struck with inspiration. To her delight, Thad had never moved in, but Grace had. She was living with Emerson and paying rent.

  They’d converted the bottom floor, turning it into offices. Emerson had set up shop on one side of the first floor, and Grace, who had also started her own business as a wedding planner, was right across the hall. The two of them lived on the upper two levels and could boast the best commute in the city.

  Emerson glanced around her office space now. She absolutely adored it. She’d painted the walls a neutral and calming gray tone. The floors were a light wood, large windows faced the street and the walls were trimmed with gorgeous crown molding that had probably been added in the 1920s. She’d added touches of color with a turquoise area rug and matching throw pillows on the chairs and the small couch. She’d installed a glamorous miniature chandelier and had a dozen mirrors in various shapes and sizes on one wall, to pick up the sparkling crystals. The gray-and-turquoise curtains tied everything together. The space was clean but fun. The perfect area to talk about events and parties.

  “I’m sorry, Gracie. I have a lot on my mind today.”

  “Say no more.”

  With that, the line went dead. Emerson laughed, because she knew exactly what her friend was up to. In fact, she could have timed her.

  Ten minutes later, right on the dot, Grace waltzed through the front door of Emerson’s office, with two coffees in hand. She handed one to Emerson, then sat in the chair reserved for clients, crossing her graceful legs and smoothing down her hair.

  Grace Harris was stunning. She had thick black hair that fell well below her shoulders. Her skin was flawless, which made her gorgeous green eyes stand out. She was tall, with legs for days. She was wearing a lilac-colored wrap dress, with nude heels, and carried a plum-colored tote.

  After she handed over Emerson’s preferred coffee drink, she produced a white paper bag from their favorite local bakery, out of her Kate Spade tote. “Chocolate croissant?”

  “God, yes,” Emerson said around a happy sigh.

  “I really should hate you, you know.” Emerson took a large bite of the croissant. “This is so great.”

  Grace simply arched a dark eyebrow in response.

  “I mean, look at you. You resemble a damn Disney princess. Why are you so perfect at this hour of the morning?”

  Finally, Grace sat forward. “As much as I love you gushing about me, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that something is bothering you.”

  Emerson fell back against the chair and sighed. “You’re perceptive too.”

  Grace began tapping her fabulous shoes in a quick staccato against the hardwood floors.

  “I kinda did something stupid.”

  The toe tapping halted, and Grace waited patiently. Emerson told her about the wedding-dress freak-out.

  “Wait a minute.” Grace flung a finger into the air. “You climbed out of a window and into a dirty alley, wearing the new Pnina Tornai gown?”

  “Guilty.”

  She reached inside her tote, pulled out her iPad and made a quick note. “I have got to get over to your mom’s shop to see that dress. I have a bride who is going to do backflips for it.”

  “It wasn’t very comfy.”

  “Of course it wasn’t comfy. It costs ten thousand dollars.”

  Idly, Emerson wondered what a person would have to shell out for comfort. Fifteen thousand? Twenty?

  “What happened next?” Grace asked.

  Emerson told her everything as the two of them drank their coffee and ate their chocolate croissants. She f
illed her best friend in on meeting Jack—well, falling on top of Jack—the bar, the arrangement they made and the dinner at her parents’ house. She told her every detail, up until their kiss.

  “I can’t believe your brother-in-law brought up Thad in front of Jack. Actually, I can believe it. I love your family, but man, Charlie is out of touch.” Grace threw away their trash and returned to her seat. “That must have been awful though.”

  “It was. But then...”

  Grace tilted her head. “Then what?”

  “Then Jack found me outside, in the garden.”

  Grace leaned forward, and her eyes were sparkling. “Ohmigod.”

  “Grace, stop it.”

  Emerson loved her BFF but she knew that look. Grace was in love with love. She watched romantic comedies, read romance novels nightly and put up Valentine’s Day decorations on the same day that she took down her Christmas tree. She was the most romance-loving person on the planet, and any hint of love in the air set her over the edge.

  “I can just see it now.” Grace’s face softened, and she got that dreamy expression that Emerson knew all too well.

  “And we’ve lost her, ladies and gentlemen,” Emerson said.

  “You were upset. You ran off into the garden and the cool, crisp night. You ended up at the gazebo.” She quickly looked up. “The twinkly lights came on.”

  “There were no twinkly lights.”

  “There you were, under the glow of the moonlight, which cast a halo-like aura around your fabulous red hair.”

  “My hair is auburn.”

  “And then Jack came out and swept you into his arms and kissed you as the orchestra music swelled.”

  “I think there was a dog barking in the background.”

  “He did kiss you, didn’t he? Tell me you guys kissed.”

  Emerson crinkled her nose. She wanted to hold out. She desperately wanted to keep the make-out session to herself. If, for no other reason, that she was still trying to justify her actions. But how could she resist Grace’s hopeful face. She nodded.