Two
Eight months later…
Emily’s stomach churned as the car pulled up to the Casa Blanca Resort and Spa. The photos online didn’t do the place justice. Its beauty took her breath away. A tropical paradise in comparison to the mountainous landscape in her hometown of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Palm trees dotted the property. Lush, vibrant flowers lined walkways to accent the landscaping of every building. The taupe of the sand complemented the green lawns, the pastels of the flora, and the brown and dark green of the palms. A precisely constructed pallet of color.
The resort itself was gorgeous. The main building—white stucco with a red tile roof and three stories high—sat right on the bay like a sentinel watching over the smaller but no less luxurious villas that were interspersed on the property. From her Internet searches, Emily knew that the resort itself boasted a large, gorgeous pool and some of the surrounding villas even sported their own smaller, private pools. The place was as close to heaven on earth as she’d ever seen. And this perfect place was where Brad would speak his vows to Amberly.
Was it too late to change her mind and go home?
Emily’s heart threatened to jump up into her throat but she swallowed the anxiety down and forced it to the souls of her feet. She’d been quiet during the drive from Naples, too nervous for even casual conversation. Chance didn’t seem to mind, though. It was one of the things she loved about him. They could simply sit together in companionable silence. There was never any pressure to force a conversation. She could get through this week with Chance as her wingman. All she had to do was hold up her end of their agreement and play a convincing fiancée. She’d been his girlfriend once. Okay, so she’d been a kid at the time, but still, she knew him better than anyone. She’d never once felt uncomfortable with Chance. He was her best friend. And for the next seven days, she’d have to pretend as though he were so much more.
What was wrong with a little PDA between friends, right?
“You okay?” Chance finally broke the silence, giving her a nudge with his elbow.
The car came to a stop and a riot of butterflies took flight in Emily’s stomach. Showtime. “I’m good.” She wasn’t even close to good, but she figured she’d fake it till she made it. “Totally fine.”
Chance gave her a narrowed gaze. One corner of his mouth hitched in a sardonic half-smile. “Uh-huh.”
They might have only been friends, but that didn’t mean Emily wasn’t aware of how devastatingly handsome Chance was. The fact that he was a firefighter and saved people’s lives for a living was only part of his appeal. She took quick stock of his large frame, packed with muscle, square jaw and sharp cheekbones. His eyes, a deep forest green, studied her and his full lips formed into a pucker. He brushed his light brown hair away from his forehead with long fingers. Chance could easily hook up with any single woman here if he wanted. It showed how good of a friend he was that he’d forego that sort of fun in order to play the fake fiancé for her.
Emily had a feeling that the next few days would feel less like fun and be a lot like work for the both of them.
Keeping up appearances was exhausting. They hadn’t even started and already Emily was ready to hit the sack and call it a day. What did guests do at a destination wedding, anyway? Would she be forced to endure endless group activities? Dinners where she’d be required to sit across from the happy couple as she was reminded of her own unhappiness? Her stomach knotted further and Emily took a cleansing breath. Chance’s hand slid down between them and he wound his fingers with hers before giving a light squeeze.
“Relax, Em. Everything’s going to be okay.”
The warm reassurance in his deep voice was almost convincing.
Their driver popped the trunk and got out of the car. Emily wondered who else was already here. She’d so much rather sneak past former mutual friends and hide in their villa for the rest of the week. Chance gave her arm a little tug but she didn’t budge. Did she have to get out of the car? Couldn’t they just stay here? Like, forever?
“Want me to go check us in?” Chance’s gaze searched hers. “You can wait here for me.”
Ugh! Snap out of it, Em! She’d never been meek. Clumsy, sure. Habitually late, you betcha. But never had she been a coward. She wasn’t about to start now. “No way.” She couldn’t let anyone—or anything—intimidate her. “Let’s do this.”
The front desk clerk was on the phone when they stepped up to check in. They were greeted instead by a woman who looked to be around her mid-thirties. Curls of strawberry blond hair framed her freckled face. Her warm brown eyes crinkled at the corners with her bright smile. “Welcome to the Casablanca.” Her lilting, friendly tone put Emily at ease. “I’m Lacey.”
Chance took a step forward. He was ready to take charge and Emily appreciated it. That didn’t mean she was going to let him. He was doing enough just by being here. “Hi. I’m Emily Proctor. We’re here for the Weekes-Harris wedding.”
“Great! We’re so excited to have you all here.”
Emily handed her credit card over. “We’re pretty excited too.” Ugh. Way to sell the enthusiasm, Em. What she’d really wanted to say fell more along the lines of, “Thanks, but to be honest with you, I’d rather be having a root canal than be at this wedding.”
Lacey’s fingers flew over the keyboard as she pulled up the reservation. “Okay, we have you all set up in the Rockrose Villa.” She swiped Emily’s Visa through the card reader and handed it back to her. She then slid a paper map across the desk and drew the route to their bungalow with her pen. “If you follow the path right outside the main entrance, you’ll find it.”
Emily studied the map. Chance leaned over her to do the same and she stiffened as his wide, muscular chest pressed up against her back. The warmth of his body shouldn’t have felt good against hers. This week was about keeping up appearances and nothing more. Emily’s gaze faltered, toward the cheap cubic zirconia ring on the finger of her left hand. Make believe and nothing else. One friend doing a favor for another.
“Thank you.” Emily cleared her throat. “I’m sure we won’t have any trouble finding our way around.”
The printer spit out a sheet of paper and Lacey slid it across the counter toward her. “If I can get your signature and initials here, you’ll be all set.”
Emily grabbed a pen and scribbled her name and initialed the appropriate spots. Lacey gave her a cheerful smile. “Enjoy your stay!”
If only.… Emily smiled back and took the map along with her credit card and stuffed them into her purse. She turned, and nearly ran straight into Chance’s wide chest. The week was already off to a stellar start.
“Whoa there.” Chance chuckled and steadied Emily on her feet. “I haven’t had to carry a body over my shoulder since my last physical agility test. Don’t make me try it now.”
Emily’s cheeks heated. She’d always been a klutz. About as graceful on her feet as a goose making its way to the water. It had always driven Brad crazy but Chance always went easy on her. She didn’t mind his mild ribbing. It came with the territory.
“No thanks,” she said with a grin. “I saw the way you treated poor Rescue Randy that day. I don’t think my head could handle being knocked against the sidewalk like that poor dummy’s.”
Chance gave her a playful nudge. “Randy made it through all right. Besides, you know I’d treat you gently.”
Emily’s step nearly faltered again. Since they’d boarded the plane in Spokane, Chance had been borderline flirty with her. It could have been that he was taking his role as her fake fiancé seriously. If so, he was putting on one heck of a show. She hoped he saved something for Brad and Amberly, not to mention the rest of their guests. They were the ones Emily was worried about impressing. Chance didn’t have to prove anything to her.
“Ready, Freddy?”
Such a goofball. Emily chuckled as they loaded their luggage up on a rolling cart and headed out of the lobby. If anything, the next few days wouldn’t be boring.
#
Usually all Chance had to do to turn a woman’s eye was show up somewhere in his uniform. Hell, just last week he’d been at the grocery store with a few of his shift partners, picking up groceries for the station. The cashier had poured on the charm and written her phone number on the back of the receipt before sliding it into his hand. Chance hadn’t done anything but stood there. Since they’d boarded the plane in Spokane, he’d practically thrown himself at Emily. She hadn’t so much as batted a lash at him. His flirting game must be seriously off. His self-esteem was bound to take a serious hit before the week was over.
When it came to Emily it seemed he had no game whatsoever. Awesome.
They made their way down the path toward their villa. The sound of lilting laughter drew Chance’s attention and he looked up at the exact moment he walked straight into Emily’s back. She stood, rooted to the walkway, her gaze straight ahead and focused on the happy couple headed toward them. He swallowed a groan. Running into the douchebag groom was bound to happen. He’d only hoped it would have happened more than a few minutes after their arrival.
“Emily!” Brad’s voice was about as pleasant as fingernails on a chalkboard. He waved and increased his pace, pulling Amberly along at a clip. Good lord. Enthusiastic much? Chance fixed the most pleasant expression he could muster on his face and forced his lips not to curl into a contemptuous sneer.
“Hi guys!” Emily’s own enthusiasm would put a cheerleader to shame. Amberly opened her arms and Emily walked right into the hug. Apparently only Chance noticed the tension in Emily’s spine and tightness in her voice. The fact that her former boyfriend and best friend were oblivious to her distress only made Chance’s annoyance boil closer to the surface. He still couldn’t understand what Emily had to prove by being here.
“Thanks so much for coming, Emily. I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Oh my gosh, are you kidding?” Emily’s voice went up a shrill octave or two. “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world!”
Chance fought the urge to roll his eyes. A convincing actress, Emily wasn’t.
“Hey man.” Brad looked Chance’s way and jerked his chin in greeting. What a jerk. “You come with Emily?”
Really? They were only walking together, pulling along a cart with a pile of luggage. Brad wasn’t exactly the brightest bulb in the box. “Yup,” Chance replied.
Brad’s brows gathered. “Why?”
Chance clamped his jaw down tight to keep it from swinging open in disbelief. They really broke the mold with Brad Harris, didn’t they?
Emily reached back and grabbed his hand. She pulled him beside her, her smile so wide and cheery it looked plastered on her face. “Chance and I are engaged!” she announced loud enough for the entire resort to hear.
“I told you Chance was coming.” Amberly bent her head close to Brad’s. Blond, blue-eyed, tall, and willowy, with a body that would make a Barbie weep with envy, she was the epitome of the trophy bride. Exactly what someone as full of himself as Brad would want. She was also as dull and dry as a saltine cracker. “Men,” Amberly scoffed as she turned her attention back to Emily. “They don’t pay attention to details.”
“Really? Chance is all about the details.” He cocked a questioning brow and Emily shrugged. Improvisation wasn’t exactly her strong suit. “He’s been so great with all of the wedding plans. Of course,” Emily said with a laugh, “we’re still pretty early in the planning stage. Maybe we’ll do the wedding here. It’s really beautiful.”
“Isn’t it?” Amberly flashed a smug smile as she snuggled up against Brad. “If you’re not planning to have the wedding for a year or so, I’m sure you two would have plenty of time to save up.”
Low freaking blow. Apparently Amberly didn’t think they could afford a destination wedding. Neither one of them came from wealthy families, and yeah, Chance wasn’t an investment banker like Brad, but he pulled people out of goddamned burning buildings. He’d like to see Brad keep his cool in the sorts of situations Chance found himself in every time he went on shift. He drew a cleansing breath into his lungs and let it out slowly. It was way too early in the week to get worked up. There’d be plenty more opportunities to be insulted before the week was over.
“Oh. Well.” Emily’s tone was crestfallen and Chance’s anger surged to the surface. She didn’t deserve to be treated like this. “We’ve got quite a nest egg started.”
Amberly responded with a wan smile.
Emily added, “You never know what might happen.”
“You really don’t,” Amberly replied.
Yeah, like hooking up with your friend’s boyfriend less than five minutes after their breakup.
“I promised Emily the wedding of her dreams.” Chance met Amberly’s gaze and then Brad’s. He gave the other man a pointed look over the top of Emily’s head. “There isn’t anything I won’t do to make her happy.”
Brad’s gaze narrowed. There was a hell of a lot more truth to Chance’s words than he wanted to admit. He’d do anything for her. Whatever she asked of him. And it sucked that he felt like a chump for that sentimentality.
“Lucky girl,” Amberly crooned. “I knew you’d bounce back, Em. You always do.”
As though having been party to breaking Emily’s heart was no big deal and nothing to have worried about since she “always bounced back.” Please.
“The luckiest.” Emily grabbed Chance’s arm and pulled him to her as though afraid he might bolt. “You guys did me a favor, really by screwing around behind my back. I should probably get you two gifts.”
Amberly’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline. Emily stiffened beside Chase and her chest rose and fell with quick shallow breaths.
“Not that you…I mean, I didn’t think that…well, Brad made it seem like…and you never denied…” She turned to Chance, her hazel eyes as big as saucers. He didn’t like to see her giving herself enough rope to hang with it.
“We really appreciate the invite.” Showing any gratitude to these two life ruiners nearly made him gag on the words. He forced them through clenched teeth that he hoped resembled a smile. “I think we all got what we wanted in the end.” Not Chance. At least, not yet. “We had a long flight and we’re both a little travel loopy. Gonna call it a day I think.”
“Yeah,” Emily gripped his arm like it was the only thing keeping her upright. “I’m wiped out. Definitely travel loopy. We really do appreciate the invite. Thanks.”
Brad’s jaw squared, his gaze focused on Emily. Amberly smiled. Whether it was fake or not, Chance didn’t much care. “Of course. I know we’ve been through a lot, Em. But we really did want to share this with you.”
The woman had absolutely no tact. “That’s why we’re here,” Chance replied as smoothly as he could manage. “Come on, honey. Let’s get unpacked and settled in.”
“Maybe we’ll see you later tonight?” Amberly asked.
“Sure,” Emily replied as though she’d rather set herself on fire than see either one of them again. “Sounds great.”
“Have a good evening you two.” Brad finally deigned to speak. What an ass.
Chance pretended not to notice his condescending tone. “You too.”
Hell. It was going to be a long damned week.