His Pretend Wife

Okay, that explained it, he supposed. His spine had been crushed—he remembered someone mentioning that. “So, how long before I get some feeling back?”

While he waited for a straight answer, she busily fluffed up his pillow, tucked in a sheet. “These things take time.”

Things?

What things? They were talking about his leg. He couldn’t go through life without it.

She asked, “Is there anything else?”

Apparently, he wasn’t going to get any more information out of her. So, he settled for something more immediate. “I could use some water. My mouth feels as if I swallowed a bucket of sand.”

“I’ll get some ice chips. Your wife should be right back. She’ll be so pleased to see you’re awake.”

His wife?

That caught his undivided attention.

“My what?” Jack’s voice betrayed his amazement.

When, how and where—not to mention why—had he acquired a wife? He didn’t get another word out before the nurse stuck a plastic thermometer in his mouth.

“Abby’s a lovely girl.”

“Mmm,” Jack mouthed around the thermometer in agreement. He couldn’t argue as a mental image of Abigail Pierce invaded his thoughts. Tall and slender, she was calm and reserved, naturally elegant with her long dark hair and pale skin.

There was a polished refinement about her that screamed don’t touch me. It wasn’t packaged or faked. And every time Jack saw her, he wanted to mess up that perfection, shatter the image, take her hair down. And touch her.

As if on cue, Abigail arrived.

She stopped in the doorway, her eyes widening at the sight of him. Her hazel eyes were rimmed in gold and reflected every mood. “Jack!” She looked shocked.

For crying out loud, who had she expected to find?

Jack mumbled something around the thermometer.

“Good morning,” Abby said. It wasn’t exactly original, but he was tempted to smile because when he was trapped on that mountain, he’d wondered if he’d ever see the dawn of another day. But this was no time to get all sentimental.

He needed some answers from his wife.

His brow creased at the reminder.

Normally confident, Abby looked tense as she glanced from Jack to the nurse, then back again. “It’s good to see you awake. You look better.”

Finally, the nurse removed the thermometer from Jack’s mouth. He grinned—or tried to. “Liar.”

Abigail blushed, which intrigued him. For a brunette, she had very fair skin. Her hair was a rich deep shade of brown with highlights that gleamed red in the sun. She wore it held back with a silver clasp. Her clothes were tailored. Nothing fussy or overly feminine, but on her it looked good.

Before he got carried away with admiration, he could see pity in her eyes and refused to betray any sign of weakness. In any case, he had a lot of things to say to her.

Under the nurse’s watchful eye, Abby brushed a fleeting kiss against his mouth.

That shocked Jack into an automatic response. He kissed her back. There was no pressure, the light contact lasted a fraction of a second, but it left an indelible impression of sweetness he hadn’t expected. She looked startled when she pulled back.

Abigail Pierce always seemed so cool, almost frigid, with that reserved air. So, what the hell was going on? She’d kissed him. So what? Jack knew she wouldn’t be half as brave if he wasn’t all tied up—literally—with one arm in a cast, and another hooked up to an intravenous.

Obviously a romantic, Tammy said, “Your wife arranged to fly a specialist up from Boston in the middle of the night. And on New Year’s Eve to boot. She sure was determined.” The nurse spoke in obvious awe.

“I’ll bet.” Jack’s sarcasm earned him a withering look from Abigail. With the Pierce family connections, she could get anyone to do her bidding, which only served to point out their insurmountable differences.

Tammy smiled. “Well, I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone. Only short visits are allowed. You both could use some rest. Your wife hasn’t left your side in days.”

There it was again.

His wife.

And Abigail hadn’t denied it.

After Tammy left, the two lovebirds glared at each other. Jack supposed he should be grateful. But he wasn’t. He felt trapped. Once, wrongly accused, he’d gone to prison and served time for a crime he didn’t commit. He felt that way now.

The memory of that harsh time was in his voice when he said, “All right, Abigail, let’s get this over with. What’s going on here?”

She looked extremely uncomfortable. “I know this must seem confusing. Please don’t be angry.”

“Can you blame me!” he snapped, feeling as if he stood on a precipice. He put every ounce of skepticism into the words, “Clue me in. What’s the wifely act all about?”

“There is a logical explanation.”

“Then, let’s have it.”

She slipped her hands into her pockets. Despite the casual pose, Jack wasn’t fooled for a minute. She cleared her throat. “I don’t know how much you recall about the airlift. You were so terribly hurt, and someone had to go with you.”

“Why?”

Her eyes widened. “Well, because you couldn’t go alone. And since only immediate family are permitted on board the rescue helicopter, I told them I was your wife.” She ignored his muttered expletive. “It was the only way. When we got to the hospital, the situation simply got out of control.”

Jack didn’t get it. Either his thinking was fuzzy, or Abby wasn’t making much sense. He needed to be absolutely clear on this. “So, you told them we were married?”

She took a breath. “Once we got here, I never actually said anything, everyone just assumed we were married.”

“And you let them believe a lie?”

She sighed. “Well, yes.”

He lifted his brow in amazement. “That’s it?”

“Mmm,” she murmured to his added frustration. “I did sign the admission form.”

“You put it in writing.” Jack took a much-needed breath. The movement hurt his ribs, but he didn’t reveal his discomfort. Getting to the bottom of this was more important than a few broken bones. Those would heal in time. But the emotions he was feeling wouldn’t go away in a hurry. What was he feeling? Confusion? What game was she playing at? “How did you manage to fool the entire hospital staff?”

She stiffened. “No one asked questions. I really didn’t have any choice. The doctor was going to operate. He refused to rule out an amputation. I let him assume I was your wife. He finally agreed to wait until an orthopedic specialist could fly up from Boston. You asked me to save your leg. And I did. The only way I knew.”

“By claiming we’re married?” he snapped in disbelief.

“Exactly. There was no other way,” she said heatedly. “You don’t think I’d go through all this for any other reason?”

His eyes narrowed. “Why would I think that? You’ve got Seth Powers back home on a short leash. The guy’s obviously nuts about you.”

“He doesn’t own me.”

“He acts as if he does. He’s going to be furious when he hears about this.”

“I don’t see why he has to know. After all, I did what I thought necessary, now it’s over. And even if Seth should find out, I’m sure he’ll understand when I explain the circumstances.”

Jack wondered about that—if she belonged to him, he wouldn’t be that understanding. “Then he’s a fool.”

“Because he trusts me?”

“You said it, I didn’t.”

Abby sighed. “This isn’t getting us anywhere.”

Abby didn’t know what else to say.

Of course, there was no logical explanation for what she’d done. She must have lost her mind. How could she have claimed this man, even temporarily? Being in the same room with him was like entering a cage with a live tiger. Even in Jack’s weakened condition, he was still a major threat. His blue eyes, so often remote and indifferent, burned into hers, scouring her with a look that made her heart beat faster with alarm—and something more threatening.

His face was gray, and his mouth tight with pain—it was there in his eyes. How could it hurt so much to see him hurting?

His weariness apparent, he leaned back against the pillows and said dryly, “Did you ever think that maybe I’m not worth it? Maybe you should have left me on that mountainside.”

She gasped at the words. “Don’t say that! Don’t even think such a thing. I’ve gone to all this trouble, don’t you dare let me down now!”

“All right.” He laughed, obviously surprised at her vehement response, then gently mocked her with the words, “You may still live to regret it.”

Was that a promise or a threat?

They stared at each other, confused and conflicted.

Abby broke the awkward silence. “In any case, the situation is only temporary until I go home.”

“Right.”

His easy agreement hurt, which made absolutely no sense at all! “Until then, telling the hospital would only prove awkward for everyone concerned.” Of course, she had no logical explanation for what she’d done. “We could keep up the pretense for now.”

He taunted her. “And how do you suggest we accomplish that?”

“You could start by calling me Abby.”

“That should do it for the staff. If the news doesn’t leak any further, we should be able to keep a lid on it.”

“I hope so.”

He let out an exasperated breath. “If this gets back to Henderson, I’ll never live it down.”

Abby stifled a laugh. He was worried about what his friends would say. What about her friends? Her family? Her mother didn’t even approve of Seth. What on earth would she say about Jack? With luck, her mother would never have to know.

“Well, I’m not planning on telling anyone,” she assured him. “In the meantime, is there anything you need?”

He nodded. “Some ice chips.”

“What?” The simple request startled her.

“The nurse said she’d bring some ice chips, she must have forgotten.” He looked pale, his patience with their situation obviously worn thin.

With her own nerves on edge, Abby grasped the excuse and left. She found an ice machine in the staff kitchen, and filled a paper cup with ice chips.

That didn’t take very long.

His eyes were closed when she returned to his room. Assuming he must be asleep, she set the cup down on the rolling bedside table, edging it closer. She was startled when he opened his eyes and murmured, “Thanks.”

“I promised the nurse I wouldn’t tire you. I should go,” she said, her emotions brittle, aware that she was looking for an escape from all the tension. Their relationship had always been strained. Now, it was almost to the breaking point. “I’ll just leave the ice.”

His eyes flickered over her. “Sure.”

Stung by his indifference, she rushed into explanations, more excuses. “I should check into a hotel. I’ll come by later, just to see if you’re okay.”

His mouth twisted with a mocking, “Don’t go to any trouble on my account.”

“No trouble.”

That was an understatement.

After the door closed behind her, Jack’s grin faded.

Blocking everything out, he stared at the white ceiling. A light hung in the middle, casting a pale round yellowish glow. If he focused on that, he wouldn’t feel the waves of pain. He could ask for more painkillers, but he knew what those could do. He had enough problems without adding an addiction to the list.

He’d been in a lot of fixes, there had to be some way out of this one. His gaze fell to his injured leg. He stared at his foot, willing it to move. Nothing happened.

What weren’t the doctors telling him?

There was swelling around the spinal cord. What if it wasn’t that simple? Wearily, he closed his eyes.

Pain clawed at him, but his leg remained curiously numb. He tried to put it all out of his mind, focusing on something else. That something was Abigail…Abby.

She was playing some sort of game, pretending to be his wife. What were the advantages, the risks? They were totally mismatched, and he didn’t know the rules.

An image of her appeared…Abby clearly flustered when she’d kissed him. Forced to pretend she actually enjoyed it, she’d looked so annoyed, like a treed cat, spitting and clawing, unable to scratch his eyes out when he’d kissed her back in the nurse’s presence.

He smiled.

Much better.

Abby desperately needed a break. She hadn’t left the hospital in days. Although everyone was kind and helpful, they expected her to behave like a wife. Jack’s wife. Letting him in on their secret had been difficult. At the moment, continuing the pretence was beyond her acting ability.

On her way out of the hospital, Abby caught a fleeting glimpse of Jack’s surgeon. Determined to question the doctor about Jack’s prognosis, she followed him down one hall, then another. She caught up with him near an exit.

“Excuse me, I wonder if I could have a moment, I’d like to discuss a patient—Jack Slade.”

The doctor was surprisingly youthful considering his reputation as a first-rate orthopedic surgeon. Obviously in a hurry, he glanced at his watch. “I have a plane to catch.”

“This won’t take long.” Abby needed to tie up a few loose ends before going home to Henderson. She might not be Jack’s wife, but she was the only available person who could run interference with the hospital staff and speak on his behalf. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done.”

“Don’t thank me just yet,” he said bluntly.

Swallowing hard, Abby braced herself for more bad news. “But I was told the surgery went well.”

“Your husband will recover. Technically, we saved his leg. As you know, the surgery is experimental and there’s no guarantee how much use the leg will be to him.”

Abby absorbed the shock. “So what can be done for him? I don’t care what it costs.”

“It’s not a matter of cost,” he said more gently.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“There are things that can be done. Maintaining his general physical and mental health are vital. When it’s time, he’ll be transferred to a rehabilitation unit. And that’s where the tough part comes in. That’s where you come in.”

She bit her lip. “I don’t understand.”

“Over the next months, he’s going to be fighting an uphill battle. Much of his success will depend on his desire to get well. He’s going to need you.”

Months!

Reminded that she was playing a temporary role, Abby saw all the pitfalls she’d ignored before. How could she have thought to escape the repercussions of pretending to be Jack’s wife?

“Yes, of course,” she agreed, but wasn’t this taking pretence too far?

“This must seem overwhelming. It’s all going to take time. I hope he’s the patient sort.”

Abby smiled. “No, he’s not.” Jack burned energy just standing still, which made his injuries all the more tragic.

The doctor glanced at his wristwatch again. “I still have a plane to catch.”

“But what do I tell Jack?”

“The truth—when you think he’s ready to hear it.”

“When will that be?”

He left her with an ambiguous, “You’ll know.”

How would she know?

Jack was a virtual stranger. They’d rarely spoken before his accident. Once, Jack had driven her home and they’d hardly exchanged a word. She’d given him directions to her house. He’d acted as if he couldn’t wait to get rid of her. The feeling had been entirely mutual. Abby had never spent a more uncomfortable fifteen minutes. Until now.

She had no idea what constituted Jack’s inner thoughts or feelings—if he had any.

Abby walked down a corridor, then another. Like a maze, every hallway looked alike, every door remained closed. She saw an open door. She walked hastily toward it, anxious to find a way out. But instead of an exit, she found herself in a large room with a wall of sunlit windows overlooking park-like grounds and a pond. There was no way out.

Startled, she stared at her own reflection in the glass. Her face was drawn, her eyes looked bruised from lack of sleep. Yes, she’d lost sleep over Jack Slade. She was in grave danger of losing much, much more. Like a diamond in the rough, Jack had a devastating charm she couldn’t deny.

Despite that undeniable threat, she didn’t regret her decision to pose as his wife, thereby insisting his surgery be delayed until a specialist could be consulted. The hospital staff had never questioned her claim. If the facts were to come out now, there might be legal repercussions. At the very least, the situation would be embarrassing for everyone concerned.

She smiled faintly, recalling her mother’s frequent warning that pride would be Abby’s downfall. She really had no choice but to continue the deception. Earlier, she’d been relieved when Jack had agreed. It was too late for second thoughts now.

So, why was she having them?

She was so mixed up. She’d once heard that if you saved a life, that person belonged to you. Abby shuddered at the thought.

Moments later, she found an exit and pushed her way through a set of heavy revolving doors. She stood on the pavement, breathing in the frigid air. The wind carried a bite. Wrapping her coat around her, she began to walk. She passed some skaters on the frozen pond. It all seemed so normal, yet nothing in her life felt real.

She checked into a nearby hotel.

The desk clerk raised an eyebrow at her lack of luggage. “How long do you plan to stay?”

“A day or two.” Abby had no idea. In all conscience, could she go back to Henderson and leave Jack to cope on his own? She couldn’t think of that now.

Her hotel room wasn’t luxurious, but it was more than adequate. After a long soak in the bathtub, she wrapped herself in a terry bathrobe provided by the hotel.

With distaste, she gazed at the clothes she’d worn for the past three days. Her lack of wardrobe wasn’t insurmountable. A phone call to a department store soon resolved the problem. A salesclerk promised to have a selection of lingerie and casual outfits in Abby’s size sent to the hotel for approval. That dealt with, Abby hung up.

After living in a small town for the last three months, she’d almost forgotten the conveniences of city living—not that she had missed it. She’d moved back to help Drew reopen the sawmill. Her family had closed it down and moved away several years ago, and Abby had gone with them. Returning to Henderson had created some unnecessary complications to her life. For one thing, Seth Powers had read more into her decision than she’d intended. She’d once had a crush on him but that was a long time ago.

Her parents disapproved of Seth, a small-town sheriff. They wanted Abby to marry well—meaning upward. What would they think of Jack?

Abby felt weak at the mere thought.

Or maybe she was weak with hunger?

Reminded that she hadn’t eaten a decent meal in days, Abby ordered room service. “A mushroom omelet, toast and raspberry tea, if you have it.”

While waiting for the meal, she picked up the phone and dialed her brother’s phone number. “Hi, Drew. It’s me.”

His voice sounded warm and familiar. “I wondered when you’d get around to calling. How’s Jack?”

“I’m worried about him,” she said after a moment’s hesitation. “The doctor’s aren’t promising anything much.”

“Does Jack know?”

“Not yet.” On impulse, she added, “If I decide to stay for a while, do you think someone could fill in for me at the sawmill? The situation here is complicated.”

“Tell me about it,” he said dryly. “It’s all over the newspapers. A reporter dug up Jack’s prison record. He’s not going to be happy about that.”

Abby gasped. “So everyone knows?”

“You’re off the hook. Everyone here knows better than to believe everything they read. They assumed the reporter messed up the part about you and Jack being married.”

“Well, that’s one less thing to worry about.”

“That doesn’t clear everything up. Do you know what you’re doing?”

She laughed, admitting shakily, “No.”

Drew didn’t sound amused. “Abby, I’m not going to tell you what to do with your life. I care about you. Jack is my friend, so is Seth. Someone’s bound to get hurt.”

“Seth will understand.” He always did.

“Well, you’d better get your story straight because he’s on his way. He intends to bring you back with him.” Drew changed the subject. “By the way, Olivia sends her love. You missed our New Year’s announcement—we’re having a baby.”

Abby could hear the emotion in his voice. Drew’s good news emphasized the emptiness in her own life. “That’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you both.”

“Yes, it’s pretty great.”

The conversation ended on that lighter note.

After hanging up, Abby dialed room service and ordered a newspaper. Fifteen minutes later, a hotel steward delivered her meal with a newspaper folded on the tray. After tipping him generously, Abby ignored the food and reached for the paper.

Splashed across the front page, the eye-catching headline said it all—Dramatic Air Rescue.

The reporter had romanticized the event—a devoted young wife going to her husband’s rescue. They were identified simply as Jack and Abby Slade.

Abby sighed.

So much for keeping a lid on it!

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