Chapter Six
“Jessie! Slow down!” Stacey chased after her as she stormed away from the ballroom and made her way to the nearest exit.
Her long legs ate up the distance while Stacey tried to keep up with her. Not until she was outside and could draw in a deep breath did Jessie stop.
Stacey caught up to her and placed a calming hand on her back. “What happened in there? I’ve never, in all the time I’ve known you, seen you stand up for yourself like that.”
Jessie stared at her friend. “He just made me so angry. I probably should not have said what I did, but I couldn’t help it. How dare that… that… Casanova cowboy accuse me of scheming to become his real wife!” Sparks of anger flamed in her eyes as she started walking around to the front entry of the casino where the two of them could catch a cab. “I didn’t even want to do this stupid wedding. Just think how much happier I’d be if I’d stuck with my decision that this was a crazy, completely whackadoodle thing to do.”
Stacey unsuccessfully attempted to choke down her giggles. The sound of her amusement only added fuel to Jessie’s indignant fire. She stopped and shook a finger at Stacey. “This is your fault! You talked me into coming, you and Ashley. How could this happen? And how dare he act all self righteous, blaming me for the pastor making it a real wedding. For all I know, he’s the one who convinced Pastor Randall to change the plans from publicity stunt to until death do you part.”
Stacey continued laughing even though Jessie spun away and stomped around the corner of the building. Aggravated, Jessie didn’t look at her again until she stopped at the end of the taxi line.
“I’m sorry, Jess, but it is kinda funny.” Stacey gave her arm a gentle squeeze.
Jessie shook off her hand. “Funny? How can you say that? I’ve been accused of… of…” Her voice cracked and tears glistened in her eyes. “Would you think it was funny if you were the one who’d accidentally married that thickheaded, self-centered, bull rider?”
Stacey grinned again. “Nope. I wouldn’t think it was funny at all. I’d think it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Good grief, girl! Have you opened your eyes and taken a gander at Chase Jarrett? He’s, like, one of the most hunky men I’ve ever seen. When you came back from your afternoon with him all dreamy-eyed and twitterpated, you said he was kind, gentle, and caring. What happened to that? He did buy you that beautiful bracelet with no strings attached, didn’t he?”
Jessie glanced down at the silver bracelet on her wrist. It was one of the prettiest things she’d ever owned. Chase had been so nice when he’d surprised her with the gift.
Her index finger traced the design of the roses encircling her wrist and she sighed. “He was so different today. Actually, I was surprised he invited us to come along tonight. I didn’t expect to see him again, at least not up close, after he dropped me off at the hotel this afternoon. Chase was courteous and fun, and…” Jessie sighed. “He was everything a girl could want in a husband, up until his hissy fit in there.”
Stacey wrapped an arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze. “I know he said some things he shouldn’t have, hurtful things, but the news had to be distressing for him to hear. I mean, from what Ashley shared, Chase didn’t want to do this in the first place. He only agreed when she absolutely promised it was for publicity and the girl who won the contest wouldn’t go all fatal attraction on him.”
Jessie considered her friend’s words. She tried to imagine things from Chase’s perspective. She’d seen hordes of women watching him everywhere they went like he was the last piece of rich, decadent chocolate on the planet. Even when he’d been with her, women had approached him and tried to garner his interest, gain his favor.
From what she’d observed, he didn’t seem interested. Mostly, she got a sense that the attention made him uncomfortable and uneasy. She supposed it wouldn’t be hard for him to jump to conclusions that weren’t true based on what he probably experienced with a degree of frequency.
The women she’d seen attempt to interact with him that day would probably have done exactly what he’d accused her of. Besides, he hadn’t spent enough time with her to know she’d never do such a thing.
He had no way of knowing the thought of being married to a man like him, one who exuded rugged masculinity, made her mouth dry and her thoughts scramble. Why would she want to feel that way all the time?
No, she was perfectly happy to return to her quiet, unassuming life. She liked doing graphic design for people she enjoyed interacting with over the phone or online, but had no desire to meet in person. Socializing face-to-face was a form of torture for the introverted girl.
Brought up short by her thoughts, she realized Stacey was right. Jessie could easily turn into one of those recluse-types who never left their home. Maybe she’d be an eccentric old lady with an apartment full of cats. She already had Tinsel.
“Promise you won’t let me turn into one of those freaky people who refuses to talk to people face-to-face,” she said, clasping Stacey’s hand as they climbed into a cab.
Caught off guard by the statement, Stacey gave her an odd look. “What in the world made you say that?”
“Just promise. You know I much prefer to work with people I never have to see in person. Don’t let me become an antisocial weirdo who avoids any interaction with other humans.”
Stacey laughed and gave Jessie a hug. “I promise. You wouldn’t ever be like that anyway. You may be shy and a little reserved, but you like people. You have great relationships with your clients and your friends.”
“Thanks, Stace.” Jessie worked up something that resembled a smile. “I sure hope Ashley figures out how to fix this before we leave tomorrow. I want to be able to go home and forget this whole debacle.”
Stacey snorted. “That is not going to happen, my friend. You’ll remember marrying Chase Jarrett for the rest of your life. I mean, no red-blooded woman could forget his sizzling hazel eyes, the hair that practically begs you to run your fingers through it, or that full, pouty bottom lip just made for kissing.” Stacey grinned. “Not that I notice these things.”
Jessie raised an eyebrow, illustrating her disbelief in Stacey’s claim. “That’s what you generally notice, along with the breadth of his shoulders, if he looks like he works out, and how his jeans fit.”
“Speaking of jeans,” Stacey whistled softly. “Did you notice how well Chase fills out his?”
Jessie glared at her.
“Oh, come on. I couldn’t help but check him out. When I did, it was under the assumption he was still free game, not your lawfully wedded husband.”
A frown met Stacey’s teasing smile. “Thanks for the reminder.”
Stacey nudged Jessie with her elbow after they got out of the cab and she paid the driver. “Admit it. You checked out his jeans, didn’t you?”
“Maybe.” Desperate to change the subject, Jessie looped her arm around Stacey’s and tugged her toward the hotel door. “Speaking of jeans, did you know Chase’s friend Cooper is the one who was in all the Lasso Eight advertisements? He got married yesterday. I think this town is probably full of broken-hearted women.”
Stacey grinned. “Two eligible, hunky, hottie cowboys off the market in one weekend. What a devastating blow to women everywhere.”
Jessie laughed. “What am I going to do with you, you nut?”
“Remember who made it possible for you to meet the cowboy of your dreams.”
“More like a nightmare,” Jessie muttered as they hurried inside the hotel.
They’d barely stepped inside the lobby when the flashes from half a dozen cameras went off, temporarily blinding them both.
“Mrs. Jarrett! Where’s Chase?”
“Can you give us a statement about your wedding?”
“Is it true you two are really married?”
“Did you know it was more than a publicity stunt?”
“How did you two meet? How long have you been in love?”
Pelted with questions faster than she could process them, Jessie gave Stacey a desperate look. Her friend planted herself between Jessie and the reporters. “Mrs. Jarrett has had a long, tiring day. If you have questions, please address them to Ashley Jarrett, her publicity agent. Thank you for understanding.”
Before any of them could say anything further, Stacey grabbed Jessie’s arm and propelled her into an open elevator. Randomly, she began pushing buttons for various floors.
“Why’d you do that?” Jessie asked as the elevator stopped on the hotel’s third floor.
“So they won’t know what floor we’re on.” Stacey stepped off the elevator and glanced down the hall. “Come on.”
Together, they made their way up the four flights of stairs to their room.
Jessie collapsed on the bed with a deep, dramatic sigh. “What am I going to do?”
“I’m sure Ashley will get this all straightened out by morning. Let’s get some sleep and see how things look tomorrow.”
Jessie stared down at the ring on her finger. Although it wasn’t a style she’d chosen for herself, she loved the band that looked like tooled leather and the diamond that sparkled in the lamp light. She’d tried to return it to Ashley at the rodeo, but the woman assured her the ring was for her to keep.
Recalling how right, how amazingly wonderful it felt when Chase took her hand in his and slipped on the ring, she wished, for just a moment, the vows they’d exchanged had been sincere and she really was his wife.
Then again, he obviously looked for the worst in people, jumped to false conclusions, and acted like a jerk when things didn’t go his way.
Before she allowed him to monopolize any more of her thoughts, she needed to go back home to her cat, to her tiny apartment, to her neatly organized and ordered life.
And tomorrow she would.