Fake Fiance, Real Revenge: A Three River Ranch Novel (Entangled Bliss) Read online

  “I have to do it, or I risk losing the biggest contract of my life. I need this.”

  “Tell me again,” she said, finally. “What is it, exactly, that you need from me?”

  She heard him exhale over the airwaves. This was important to him, she could tell, but he didn’t want to beg. Whatever it was, she’d probably do it, and she’d enjoy holding the power over him, even if just for a little while.

  “It would make my career, Bree,” he explained.

  “Don’t call me that,” she said.

  “Sorry.” When he continued, his voice sounded subdued. “Della Fontaine wants to build a resort, and that kind of project, well, it’s what I’ve always wanted. She’s dangling the contract in front of me, making me dance like a painted pony, and I’m willing to jump through whatever hoops she puts in front of me for a chance like this. I wasn’t expecting her to be looking at property near Three River Ranch, though.”

  “And I come into this how?”

  “Della’s got a stepdaughter she’s shopping around like a brood mare. I had to make her think I was off the market, or she’d be using the girl as a stick.”

  “Not a carrot? This girl isn’t your type, I take it,” she said drily.

  “That’s not the point.”

  “Uh-uh-uh,” Sabrina said, beginning to enjoy herself. “I think I just lost interest.”

  “I’m sorry. What I meant was, I want the job, but I’m not dating her stepdaughter to get it.”

  Sabrina smiled, glad he couldn’t see her. “So I’m your beard, am I?”

  “Worse than that,” he admitted. After a pause, he dropped the rest. “I kind of told her I was engaged.”

  Sabrina stopped stock-still in her little kitchen. Bono bumped into the back of her knees with his big head and grunted.

  “Sleep deprivation has finally destroyed my brain. You can not have said what I thought I heard you say.”

  “It was a reflex! It was the first thing that popped into my head! And then, she asked who, and your name was the only one I thought of. If I’d have known she was going to ask to meet you, I’d have never done it. I hate putting you in this position.”

  “But you’re doing it anyway.” She sighed. “I dunno, Mitch. It feels a lot like someone’s getting pimped out here. I’m just not sure if it’s you or me.”

  “Come on, it’s not like that and you know it.”

  “I don’t know. What’s in it for me?”

  She heard him swallow. “For you?”

  Sabrina knew she was being mean, teasing him like this. But she liked it. A lot. Wasn’t this the chance she’d been waiting for all these years? The chance to make him feel what she’d felt, to hurt like she’d hurt? To feel abandoned, discarded, unwanted. This was the first time in years that he’d asked her for anything, and what did he do but hand her the opportunity for revenge on a silver platter.

  She couldn’t resist basking in the power.

  “It’s a pretty big favor. Seems to me there should be a reward of some kind.”

  “You mean, besides the pleasure of my company?” He’d caught on, was teasing her back now.

  “Hazard pay.” She laughed. He had no idea what he was in for. “I’ll need plenty of hazard pay.”

  “No problem.”

  It was a disturbing pleasure to feel that connection again. The rarely seen easygoing Mitch was a joy to be around. The tormented, highly defended, suspicious, angry Mitch from high school, she’d seen enough of him for a lifetime.

  But the good guy, oh, she’d forgotten how much she’d missed him. It never occurred to her that he’d be back. Ever.

  Of course she would go along with his crazy scheme. There’d never been any question in her mind. But there was no need to make it easy on him.

  “I do need an addition to my clinic.”

  “Absolutely. Anything else?”

  Sabrina felt her smile fade. He sounded serious. “I’m kidding, Mitch. I mean, I need to expand, but that’s not your problem.”

  “I’m not kidding. This will be a multimillion-dollar project. This is a huge thing I’m asking. Della has to believe us. And for her to believe it, everyone else has to, too. Everyone. Rory and Carson, even. It’s gonna take some serious acting. So of course I’ll compensate you.”

  She sank down into a chair. This was a business proposition, nothing more. She was a means to an end. He was using her and being up-front about it. Nothing underhanded—well, not unless you counted the lie they’d be telling every single person they met.

  And still, she couldn’t say no. She’d recovered from the trauma of their first love. He hadn’t been ready for her then. Everything for him was all mixed up with his own family tragedy. Until he sorted through all of that emotional debris, he wouldn’t be a whole person and Sabrina wanted that for him. She wanted Mitch to be happy.

  But first, she needed to break his heart. The way he’d broken hers.

  She swallowed hard, forced a smile back onto her face.

  “I’m happy to hear that. I’ve got big plans for this place and your scheme has come along at just the right time.”

  “Thank you, Bree.” His relief was audible. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”

  “I’m only doing it,” she said, forcing herself to speak lightly, “for the clinic.”

  “We dated once, so we should be able to pull it off.”

  Was it her imagination or did he sound just a little desperate? Oh, Mitch.

  Her heart ached for him. He wanted this so much, believed it was the answer to everything that didn’t make sense in his life, but it wouldn’t fill that void inside him. She knew. She’d been working to fill the same void for just as long. And now she was working on moving forward.

  “Of course we can pull it off,” she said softly. The Mitch-shaped scar guaranteed her performance. However, convincing all their friends that it was real, only to pull the rug out from under them afterward, well, that would be brutal. Friends didn’t do that kind of thing. For a moment she wavered. Surely there was another way. Maybe she could “break up” with him very publicly, slap his face—hard—and that would be enough to satisfy Della.

  But, Sabrina realized, it wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her. Mitch had broken her in some fundamental way, and she needed him to acknowledge that. And he would never truly understand until he went through it himself.

  “Just one condition, though, Mitch.”

  “Name it.”

  She paused, wondering if she was kidding herself. “No sex.” It would be difficult enough to play this role. If it got too real, she ran the risk of getting her heart broken all over again.

  Quiet roared over the phone.

  “Did you hear me?” she asked.

  “Of course,” he answered finally. “No sex. A platonic fake engagement. I was sort of hoping for a friends-with-benefits situation, but if you think you can resist me…”

  Instantly she wanted to kill him again.

  “Oh, I’ll be fine.” She injected every bit of sultry seductiveness she had into her voice. “But you, my friend, are in for a very rough time. A long, hard visit, you might say.”

  She heard him suck in his breath.

  “Damn, girl,” he said finally. “You’re not gonna make this easy, are you?”

  “You have no idea, Mitch,” she said.

  No idea at all.

  Chapter Three

  “Rory, I need you to run interference with Carson,” Mitch said, maneuvering his BMW around a rough patch.

  Good going, Mitch. Waste time on small talk.

  If he had a brain in his head, he’d have found a way to ease into the conversation with his sister-in-law. But if he had a brain in his head, he’d have taken the battered pickup he’d never been able to part with and left the turbo-charged status symbol in the garage. If he’d had a brain in his head, he wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place.

  “Oh, Mitch. I almost didn’t recognize the caller ID. Good to hear from you
. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? Your niece is growing like a weed.”

  Her voice came through the Bluetooth speaker loud and clear. She was pissed.

  Bang!

  He gripped the wheel and eased up on the gas. The Bimmer would need major surgery after this trip. Sport suspension was no match for elderly asphalt.

  “Sorry, Rory.” He breathed deeply. “I suck as a brother and an uncle.”

  “Don’t forget brother-in-law.”

  He laughed. Carson lucked out when this filly landed in his field. “All right, all right. Now that we’ve gotten that established, can I get to the point before German engineering gets its ass kicked by I-90 and I end up on the evening news?”

  He heard her gasp. “You’re in Montana?”

  There was such joy in her voice. She put on a good show of being mad, but she didn’t have much in the way of family herself, and Carson had told him it really bothered her that the brothers weren’t close.

  Close? Distance was the only thing that kept them from bloodshed.

  “I hope Montana’s big enough for the two of us. The prodigal brother returns.” He swallowed. “Is that okay?”

  “Of course it is, you idiot! Oh, wait until I tell Bliss! She’ll want to repaint the guesthouse and slaughter the fatted calf. Then, of course, she’ll string you up by your thumbs for a good old Lutherton tar-and-feathering.”

  Mitch’s throat tightened at the thought of the scolding, apron-clad twin sisters, Bliss and Blythe, who’d taken it upon themselves to look after any and every wounded soul they came upon. But since the birth of Carson and Rory’s baby, Bliss had established herself at Three River Ranch as honorary grandmother, whenever Rory’s mom wasn’t around.

  “I won’t be staying in the guesthouse, but she can fix it up anyway,” Mitch said. “Someone wants to make a donation to the sanctuary in exchange for a month on-site.”

  Silence.

  “Rory?”

  “A month? How big is this donation?”

  “Pick a number. You’ll understand when you meet the donor.”

  Rory sighed. “We’ve done it before; Carson can’t freak out. Not completely, anyway. You might as well give me the details. He’s out near Havre right now and won’t be back until late tonight. Someone called the sanctuary hotline about some wild horses they want gone. You know Carson and his mustangs. “

  “Can you wait a couple of minutes?”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m pulling into the driveway right now.”

  He ended the call mid-shriek, laughing. The wheels rolled softly over the neatly graveled driveway. Rory’d kill him first, then smother him with hugs, then set the dog on him.

  And he’d only seen his niece, Lesley, once, last winter, so the kid would probably scream or something. What did he know about babies? Oh well.

  He opened his window and sucked a deep breath in through his nose. Now that was air! So clean, so crisp. He’d grown to love the salt air on the coast, the hustle and bustle and excitement. Seattle was a great place for entrepreneurs. But up here, away from traffic, industry, high-density housing, where the environment was continuously cleansed and renewed by the vast stands of native forest, something inside opened up, something he hadn’t even been aware was locked down.

  It felt good to be home.

  He pulled into the yard, slowing down as the changes registered. He’d seen the enormous sign over the gate announcing the establishment of Carson’s dream project, the mustang sanctuary. The guesthouse where their father had lived when the main house had become too big and lonely was freshly painted, purple-flowering vines of some sort snaking up the arbor. Cozy. Perfect for Della and Paris.

  He hoped.

  There’d be changes in the old house, of course. But then he rounded the corner, passed a newly planted clump of decorative evergreens—that would be Rory’s touch—and realized he’d underestimated the magnitude of these changes.

  And how it would feel like a boot to the gut.

  The home they’d grown up in, the only place in the world he could still picture his mother’s face, was gone.

  A big, shaggy, chocolate-colored dog bounded up to him and shoved her nose into his crotch. Rory followed, a second behind her, her sandal-clad feet clicking lightly on the wooden steps.

  “Mistral! She knows better, I swear.” She pulled Mitch into a fierce embrace. Then she held him at arm’s length, frowning. “What is it? Did she really nail you? Her aim is impeccable.”

  “No, it’s not that. But it feels sort of the same.” He swallowed, fighting for breath. “Where’s the house?”

  “Ah.” Rory touched his arm. “It’s all there, I promise. Carson left the bones intact, just added on to it.”

  “I’ll say.” He attempted a laugh. “I guess it’s true what they say about never going home again.”

  “Hey, you weren’t around to consult, so you don’t get to complain now. It would have been a lot easier to mow the whole thing down, but he refused to do that.” Rory’s eyes flashed and her spiky blond ponytail quivered. “If I hadn’t come along and put him out of the guesthouse, I’m not sure he’d ever have finished it. Carson sees the same ghosts you do, Mitch. But he’s put his to rest; you haven’t. That’s not his fault.”

  Rory’s words were even but Mitch heard the steel beneath them. Her grip on his arm was firm as she led him up the steps to the porch. She’d welcome him into her home, but she wasn’t about to let anyone talk smack about her husband.

  “Guess I earned that,” he said. “So give me the nickel tour, then.”

  And as Rory showed him through the renovated and enlarged house, he found that he could see bits of the old house, after all. The so-old-fashioned-it-was-trendy-again decorative ceiling cove. The enormous fireplace, where he could see the original river rock worked into the mantel. The archway into the kitchen, where his mother had marked their heights as they grew.

  “It’s all still here,” he whispered, running his fingers lightly over the penciled lines. “Even this.”

  “We glazed it for protection. We’ll put our kids’ heights on the other side.”

  A cry sounded from another part of the house.

  “Oh good,” Rory said. “Your niece is up from her nap. Walk around, check it out. You’re always welcome here—you know that, right?”

  She said the last hesitantly, as if she weren’t sure who should be welcoming whom.

  “Of course.” His smile was rewarded with a quick hug that warmed him far more than he expected. “Not so sure about your husband, though.”

  “Carson?” She pulled out her cell phone and brought up the text message screen. “See for yourself.”

  Mitch scrolled through the conversation.

  You’ll never guess who’s here…it’s Mitch!!!

  WHAT?? Seriously? When did he get there? A little warning would be nice.

  He thinks you won’t want him here. :(

  Good. Maybe it’ll improve his manners.

  Be nice. >:(

  He’ll try to run. Do Not Let Him. Make sure he stays, k? I’ll be home asap.

  Don’t worry. I’ll tie him down if I have to. :*

  Save the dirty talk for later, baby. ;)

  Mitch grimaced and handed the phone back to Rory. “That’s probably enough.”

  “What did I tell you?” Rory said. “He can’t wait to see you.”

  “Or,” Mitch countered, “he wants to tear me a new one.”

  “Stop it!” Laughing, she pulled his face down and kissed his cheek. “Don’t be a martyr. Everyone wants you here. Including Carson. Especially Carson!”

  Then she left to get her child.

  This wonderful woman had come into Carson’s life at a pivotal time for both of them and unaccountably, they’d managed to not only save each other but create a family, a world where they both lived by their passions.

  Kind of like what Sabrina was doing with her birthing center.

  Not at all like what he
was doing.

  God, Carson was a lucky bastard.

  “Carson?” said a deep voice from the yard. “I thought you weren’t back until tomorrow.”

  “Hey, Zach,” Mitch said, his heart thumping. Another person he’d turned his back on.

  “Ho. Lee. Shit. Mitch? I must be seeing things.” Zach’s long legs ate up the ground between them. “I didn’t hear you were coming out. When did you get here? Man, it’s good to see you!”

  There was no malice in his old friend’s expression, no reserve or suspicion. The cell phone on Zach’s belt bleated.

  “Go ahead,” Mitch said.

  Zach read the text and quickly clicked a response before pocketing the device. His olive complexion creased into a wondering smile. “I can’t believe I bumped into you like this. I only came here to pick up some equipment for Des.”

  “Right. I heard you got together with some model from the city. Congrats, man.”

  “Thanks! I’ll introduce you as soon as I can. Don’t let the pretty exterior fool you, though, that woman is one of the toughest people I’ve ever met. We’re, uh…” Zach fumbled, color rising in his cheeks. “We’re getting married. It’s official.”

  Perfect, thought Mitch. This was when he should make his own announcement, or it would be awkward later.

  “That’s g-great news,” he stammered.

  Zach gestured toward the far end of the sprawling property. “Des does horseback riding therapy out here, in the covered arena. But she’s got a few physiotherapy clients who come to the house, too. You’re not gonna disappear on us again, are you?”

  “I’ll be around.”

  “You better be. I’ll hunt you down if I have to.” He looked Mitch up and down, shaking his head. Then his phone bleeped again. “I’ve got to go. If I don’t get this stuff back pronto, Des’ll have my hide. What can I say, I’m whipped.”

  And he’s lovin’ it, Mitch thought, as he watched Zach’s pickup truck roar off the yard.