The Substitute Fiancée. Rebecca Russell

cologne made her think of fast cars, sure hands and slow, torturous kisses.

      “I’ll pay for the repairs.”

      He put his hands on her shoulders. An incredible warmth flooded her body. His intensity, completely focused on her, sucked all the air out of the room.

      Her legs grew weak and she teetered on the borrowed high heels.

      “Jenna, what’s wrong?” Strong hands guided her to the couch several feet in front of the trifold mirror and helped her take a seat. “Are you sick?” he asked as he sat next to her.

      “N…no. I’m just frazzled, I guess.” And hating that I’ve been put into the position of deceiving you.

      He held both her hands and studied her face for what seemed like hours. The innocent contact turned Jessie’s limbs more rubbery and useless than spending too long in the hot tub. Thank goodness she was already sitting down.

      Why did the man have to be so gorgeous and sexy? Any woman with a breath left in her would have trouble remaining immune to his presence, she reasoned, and her own frantic pulse made it clear she was very much alive.

      Jessie cursed her body for reacting to Mac, who wasn’t even her type. Bossy workaholics who had no interest in ever becoming a father held no appeal for her.

      And besides, a hotshot lawyer such as Mac wouldn’t be impressed by a woman who was passionate about teaching, and preferred digging in a garden to attending a fancy party.

      None of this even mattered, though. He was her sister’s fiancé, enough said.

      “You never get frazzled, Jenna.”

      Jessie thrust out her chin, the way she imagined her sister would. “Well, this is my first wedding. I’m entitled.”

      “Okay, but that doesn’t explain why you missed an appointment yesterday, and didn’t return my calls.”

      Jenna had arranged to have the following week off to focus on wedding plans; she would never start her vacation early without clearing it first. What was she up to? “Look, Mac, I’m sorry I let the firm down. It won’t happen again. I just needed some time to myself so I turned off all the phones. This whole wedding thing is making me a little crazy.”

      “But why? You hired the best wedding planner in Dallas, all the choices have been made. And you’re already taking off next week to finalize the wedding plans.”

      She sensed his patience was wearing thin. “I can’t explain it, Mac. Just accept that I’ll probably keep a low profile until this is all over, and that I might not be myself.”

      “Since your desk is cleared, I don’t see a problem if you want to start lying low on Monday.”

      Alarms sounded in her head once again. “I’m thinking I’d rather start now.”

      He frowned. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

      “Yes. Why?”

      “It’s not like you to forget, let alone pass up, a photo op like the C.D.R. fund-raiser tonight or dinner with your family tomorrow.”

      Jessie quickly dismissed the obligatory meal with her parents as a problem. Her sister would be back by then. But how could Jenna, who lived for the spotlight, have forgotten the Childhood Disease Research bash, the society event of the year? And it was tonight!

      She’d get Jenna on the phone, remind her of the fund-raiser and insist she return home. Immediately.

      Jessie forced a smile as her mind raced to find a believable explanation for “her” memory lapse. Of course he’d be surprised if her sister had forgotten an opportunity to rub elbows with the rich and famous, people she hoped would soon end up on her client list. “I guess I’m more frazzled than I realized, Mac. I completely forgot about the party tonight, and I just assumed you knew skipping the Sunday family dinner wasn’t an option.”

      “I’ve never seen this side of you before.”

      “Weddings will do that to a girl.”

      “Are you sorry you let me off the hook and said you’d plan the wedding so that I could keep working up to the last minute, that all I had to do was show up?”

      Jessie didn’t know which made her more sad, the fact he had zero interest in planning his own wedding, or that her sister preferred it that way. “No, not at all. You’d just be in the way.”

      He smiled, but seemed distracted. “Now you’re sounding like the old Jenna. You were right. We do make a great team, and part of it is because you’re just as driven as I am.”

      Jessie would never comprehend work being a person’s only priority, but guessed she didn’t have to. Jenna put her career first, as did Mac, and that was obviously the life they wanted. If her sister was happy, nothing else mattered.

      He glanced at his watch and stood. “I need to get back to the office. I’ll pick you up at eight.”

      Oh, Lord. The fund-raiser. If Jenna followed her recent pattern of not returning calls when it proved convenient, Jessie would have no choice but to continue the charade into the evening.

      Her sister would know the appropriate attire for the gala, but Jessie had no clue. “What suit are you wearing? I don’t want to clash.”

      “My Armani. Dark blue,” he said, then absently brushed his lips across her cheek, his mind obviously already focused on the work waiting for him. He opened the door, then disappeared into the hallway.

      As Jessie closed the door, she fought back the urge to call after him and ask if he planned to work on his wedding day and during the honeymoon, then quickly reminded herself it wasn’t any of her business.

      Besides, she had bigger, more immediate issues to worry about. The party was only seven hours away.

      “Will you be taking the dress with you?” the consultant asked through the door. “Or do you want it sent to your apartment?”

      “Send it, please.” Jessie had enough to deal with right now. With great care she hurried out of the dress, then grabbed the phone from her purse and called Jenna. Voice mail. Not a good sign.

      Jessie left an urgent message for Jenna to call back immediately, along with a reminder about the fund-raiser that evening.

      “Is there anything else I can do for you, Ms. Taggert?”

      “Not unless this store sells fairy godmothers,” Jessie mumbled as she threw on her own clothes. She wasn’t a pessimist by nature, but she couldn’t summon much hope that her sister would call, let alone return home in time to attend the fund-raiser.

      She never should have promised to keep her sister’s absence a secret.

      “Did you say something, ma’am?”

      “No. I’m all set. Thanks.”

      All set for disaster, Jessie silently added, if her sister remained out of touch and out of town.

      Jessie had to prepare for the worst, which meant that in the next seven hours she needed to come up with a plan for how to transform “Plain Jane” Jessie into “Glamour Gal” Jenna.

      Chapter Two

      “I have a bad feeling about tonight.” Jessie took a seat on the small bench in front of her sister’s bathroom mirror. Her two closest friends, Carla and Dana, stood on either side of her.

      “Think positive thoughts,” Carla replied. “And quit frowning. You’ll get wrinkles.”

      Jessie reached for the can of soda in front of her, struggled to flick the tab, but soon gave up rather than risk ruining her newly painted nails.

      She stared at her hands and the French manicure. Tips had been added to her own nails to make her even more identical to her mysteriously