His Convenient Fiancee
CHAPTER ONE
Molly knew she was stalling. As she paced the crowded sidewalk in front of the Magellan Hotel on trendy Union Square, her thoughts flew in a thousand different directions. She did not want to go up to the reception. Yet to avoid it would be cowardly. And give rise to even more talk. She'd been the victim of enough gossip for the last three months. She really, really didn't want to add to it today!
Another cab swerved to a stop before the hotel's main entrance and when the uniformed doorman stepped to the curb to open the door, Molly recognized Harold Satten and his wife. He was one of Justin's cohorts--a fellow account executive at the firm they all worked for, Zentech. Just her luck they spotted her at almost the same time she saw them. Another couple on their way to the Zentech event. The same event she should have arrived at some ten minutes ago.
"Hello, Molly. This is the place, isn't it?" Harold asked, joining her on the sidewalk.
"On the twenty-fifth floor," she confirmed, smiling a polite acknowledgment to Harold's wife.
"Shall we go?" he asked.
"I'm waiting for someone," Molly replied, the lie rolling off her lips with unaccustomed ease.
"Oh, I thought you were alone."
Sheesh, she thought, refraining from making a face with effort. Did the entire world know about the big breakup? Well, of course they did. Brittany made sure of that. Poor Molly. Brittany hadn't meant to come between Molly and Justin, but when they fell in love, what were they to do, she asked anyone within earshot--usually when Molly could also overhear.
"No, I'm waiting for someone," she repeated, glancing up the busy street as if seeking a familiar face.
"We'll see you up there, then," Harold said.
Holding her fake, polite smile until they were out of sight, Molly sighed. Yes, they would see her. It was a command appearance. And ordinarily she would have been thrilled. It was her design concept, after all, and her innovative ideas for the account that had been the pivotal point in signing one of Japan's huge conglomerates, Hamakomoto Industries, to the lucrative contract. Steve Powers was the account executive, but it was her art work that had clenched the deal.
And hadn't that made Brittany furious? The two women were both with the art department of Zentech, a high-tech, full service company that led the way in innovative concepts for businesses. And from the first day Molly had started, Brittany Taylor had had it in for her.
After almost seven years, Molly would have thought she'd have grown immune. But Brittany's deliberately luring Justin had been the final straw. Molly would not give into the pitying glances and murmured condolences on her break up with Justin. No more miss nice girl, she was fighting back!
The celebratory reception had started ten minutes ago. The press, media and important and influential movers and shakers of San Francisco were on the impressive guest list. Everyone who was anyone would be there.
Including Justin Morris -- and Brittany.
Molly walked a few feet along the sidewalk, ideas spinning. Maybe she could disappear for a couple of weeks, and then tell them at work she'd been kidnaped by aliens. Or maybe she could fake a fall and sprained ankle. She eyed the dirty cement with distaste. Not such a good idea.
Or maybe she could pull off the idea her neighbor Shelly had come up with--pretend she was engaged and her fiancé hadn't been able to make the event. Harold could attest to her pacing the sidewalk as if she were impatiently awaiting someone.
It was pathetic. She was probably the only woman in San Francisco who couldn't come up with a date for a business reception. But most of the people she knew well enough to ask, also worked at Zentech. The last thing she wanted to do was have anyone there know she was thinking of subterfuge to minimize damage from Brittany's latest attack.
Ordinarily going alone to a company event wouldn't matter a bit. But that was before last week's conference where Brittany had cast aspersions on Molly's ability to stick to a long-term project--as witnessed by her flighty behavior with relationships. As if Molly had been the one to dump Justin.
Molly ground her teeth just thinking about Brittany's smarmy sweetness and the others around the table, glancing between them. She knew, of course, it was professional jealousy. Brittany's last several design concepts had not been accepted, where Molly's had. But knowing didn't help.
Four months ago Molly had been thinking wedding bells. Justin had been dating Brittany on the sly. Molly's fantasies had fizzled instantly when she learned the truth. If he wanted Brittany Taylor, he was welcomed to her! They deserved each other.
The worst of it, however, was the fact she, Justin and Brittany all worked for the same company. Everyone had seen Molly and Justin as a couple at the Christmas party. And everyone knew, thanks to Brittany, that she and Justin were now the romance of the century.
Molly frowned. She hated feeling like the dumped also-ran while Justin paraded around with super sweet Brittany.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she muttered. She should have known better than to even think about dating a coworker. Every time she saw him in the halls of Zentech, she was reminded again of the way he played around and that she'd only been one of many. Brittany would most likely be on the receiving end one day, but not today.
Now Molly was expected to show up at the reception and act as if life was great. Of course no one else had to face Justin and the oh-so-stunning Brittany and pretend it didn't matter. Taking a deep breath, Molly faced the hotel. She'd give it her best shot.
Glancing around one last time as if expecting a miracle, she realized unless she dragged a perfect stranger up to the reception, she was going to show up alone. Time to put on the ring she'd brought and brazen it out.
Except she suspected Brittany would see right through the scheme. The woman was not one to sit around silently and let others get on with their lives. She liked to gloat.
Anger touched her. If Justin had been any kind of friend, he would have stayed away from today's event. It should have been her shining moment. Instead, she had an ex-boyfriend everyone knew about and his new smug girlfriend hogging the spotlight.
She'd heard the rumors flying around the office over the last few weeks. Seen the sly speculative looks from coworkers. Felt the sympathetic glances. She'd been caught up in the art layout and design for Hamakomoto, but not to the exclusion of coming up for air and noticing what was going on from time to time.
The Japanese at the reception would understand her desire to save face.
Hoping she could pull it off, she raised her chin and marched directly into the lavish lobby of the hotel. A discrete sign to the left caught her eye. Magellan's Pub. Ah, maybe a bit of Dutch courage would help.
She entered the dimly lit space and gazed around. Except for a couple looking like honeymooners sitting at a table against the wall, and a man leaning against the far end of the bar talking with the bartender, the place was empty. Obviously too early for most serious drinkers.
She walked to the gleaming mahogany bar and perched gingerly on a high stool. The bartender left his conversation and headed her way.
"What can I get you?" His smile was friendly.
Probably because he doesn't know about Brittany, Molly thought glumly. She could just imagine it turning sympathetic if he knew her situation.
"I'll have a gin and tonic. No, wait, I hate gin. Give me bourbon straight up. No, wait, I don't like that either. Maybe a nice glass of chardonnay. No, wait, would that be enough? How about a rum and coke? No, wait, I always had that with Justin, bad association. Damn!"
"So what do you really want?" the bartender asked.
"What I really, really want is something tall, dark and dangerous," Molly said morosely, wishing she could order up a temporary fiancé as easily as she could a drink. She glanced at her watch. It was almost four-thirty. If she didn't get up there soon, her tardiness would have an even greater impact. She could imagine the gossip running rampant.
"How about blond and friendly?" he countered.
"What?" She looked up into bright blue eyes beneath a blond mop. The man looked as cute as could be. But not the stuff of romance.
"Nope, tall dark and dangerous or none at all. I'll have a rum and coke." She couldn't avoid the only drink she really liked the rest of her life because of Justin.
The bartender began to prepare the beverage, eyeing her as he did so. "Trouble?"
"Does everyone who comes in here have troubles?"
"Only those who come in at four in the afternoon." He set her glass on a coaster in front of her. "And I'm part psychologist you know, comes with the trade."
"Umm." She took a sip. Never much of a drinker, she wondered how much this would help. It wouldn't do to show up at her company's celebratory event fiancé-less and inebriated!
She glanced at her watch again. It was getting later by the minute. Was there already talk--instigated by Brittany, of course. She could just hear her sly innuendoes and see her wide-eyed innocent, sympathetic act. Molly wondered if she was up to facing another bout.
"Waiting for a date?" the bartender asked.
"I wish. I'm supposed to be upstairs at the Zentech reception on the 25th floor."
"I imagine drinks up there are free."
She sipped again, then opened her clutch purse. Taking out her grandmother's engagement ring she looked at it. Glancing at the bartender, she held it up. "If I wore this, would you think I was engaged?"
"Are you?"
"That's not the point. What would you think?"
"I'd think a pretty woman like you would be taken, engagement ring or not."
She blinked, smiled. "Wow, maybe blond and cute would work after all."
He winked at her and glanced at the other end of the bar. Molly looked down there and met a dark scowl. The man couldn't possibly hear them, he was too far away and the soft strains of background music muted other sounds. She studied him for a moment.
Now he would fit the bill. Tall, dark and decidedly dangerous. He looked like a pirate who had been poured into a business suit. He wasn't handsome exactly, his face was too rough-hewn for that. But there was a decidedly arrogant air about the man that would set Brittany back on her heels. Who was he? And why was he in a bar at four o'clock?
She looked back at her friendly bartender.
"He would work," she said whimsically.
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