A Ring For Cinderella

“Gramp wants us to get married in his hospital room so he can be present. He said it’s the only thing he’ll ever ask of me. He begged me.”

She didn’t need to see the anguish in his eyes. It was in his voice. And she could feel it in her heart. “Oh, Zach, I’m sorry. That’s terrible.”

He crossed the room to sit down beside her. “I knew you’d understand. You were terrific tonight. You’ll handle it well.”

Suddenly things had gotten very personal. Exactly what she hadn’t intended. “No! I mean, I didn’t say I’d do it. You can’t—It would be wrong to marry. No, I can’t do it!” Just the thought of marrying Zach Lowery put her in a tizzy.

“How much?”

His cynical question, accompanied by a look that only underlined his opinion, brought sanity to Susan. “I don’t want your money. And I don’t want to lie to Mr. Lowery anymore. Go find someone else to play games with you.”

He stood and paced across the room. “Good negotiating tactics, Susan. Refuse to do the job when you know you’re the only one who can. He’s already met you, believes you’re my fiancée. I’m supposed to appear with another woman and convince him I’ve found a new fiancée in less than twenty-four hours?”

She bowed her head. trying to think through the situation she’d gotten herself into. “Okay. I realize you can’t get anyone else. Can you talk your grandfather out of the marriage? Maybe we can—”

Anger filled his voice. “Sure I could. I’ll just go tell him to forget it. I don’t care if he dies happy. That’ll do the trick.”

She squared her jaw. He didn’t have to be so...so difficult. “All right. Can we hire an actor to play the minister? Fake the marriage?”

“Gramp wants our minister from home to perform the ceremony.”

“And you’re willing to go ahead with this?”

“I have no choice. So, we’re back to that question I asked earlier. How much? Because I can assure you, you won’t be getting half my net worth, or my ranch from this...marriage. I’ll be generous, but not that generous. Then when...when the pretense isn’t necessary any longer, we’ll part company.”

Susan closed her eyes. The man was serious. “Did the doctor say how long?” She felt like a monster, asking that question, but she had to know.

“No,” he responded, his voice a growl. “He said he couldn’t make any predictions.”

“So we get married, but nothing changes, right? It’s a marriage in name only?”

He stepped closer. “It’ll be whatever kind of marriage you want, honey. I wouldn’t turn down a little... sharing, but whatever kind of marriage it is, it ends when Gramp—when it’s not necessary anymore.”

She felt her cheeks flame as she considered his sardonic words. “Sharing” with this man would be devastating, or it would be when it ended. Somehow she knew that, probably because she shivered every time he touched her.

“No ‘sharing.’ We’ll do what it takes for your grandfather to believe we’re happily married, but that’s all.” She lifted her chin and stared him in the eyes. She wanted no misunderstandings.

“You still haven’t answered my question. How much?”

She held up the check she still had in her hands. “This will do.”

“Come on, honey,” he said, but his tone of voice didn’t match the sweetness of his words, “you could get enough to move out of this dump.”

“Please don’t refer to my home in such a derogatory manner,” she protested stiffly, straightening her spine.

He stared at her, disbelief in his eyes, but she didn’t care. She refused to say anything else.

“Okay, fine,” he snapped. “Tomorrow night. Gramp has the connections to speed things up. I’ll pick you up at six-thirty again. Wear something bridal.” Then he stomped out of her apartment, slamming the door behind him.

The next day, Susan stared at herself in the mirror. Something bridal. She only hoped the dress she’d chosen was what Zach Lowery had had in mind.

At first, she’d tried to find something in her limited wardrobe that she could wear. The closest she came was a blue wool suit. But since it was late August, she didn’t think that would do.

Finally, she’d taken her lunch hour today and found an ivory dress, roaring twenties style, that Megan could use for parties at college. They were about the same size.

She’d added a wisp of a veil anchored to an ivory rose and ivory silk shoes.

And, most important of all, she’d kept quiet about her impending nuptials. She knew if she told Kate and Maggie, they’d insist she take their money, instead of earning it from Zach. And making his grandfather happy.

A rap on the door had her knees shaking. She drew a deep breath and, after checking the peephole, opened the door for Zach Lowery in a tux.

She didn’t know how much more she could take.

He looked her up and down and smiled. “Nice.”

“Thanks.” She picked up her ivory bag and moved past him, waiting for him to move so she could lock the door.

“Where’s Paul?”

“He’s with a sitter.”

“Gramp will expect him with us.”

She’d thought about what she should do, but she felt it would be difficult for Paul to understand about the fake marriage. “I don’t want to upset him.”

“I don’t, either. Either one of them. But Paul has to come. Gramp not only wouldn’t understand why he wasn’t there, but he also wants him there. He likes him.”

“And Paul likes him. But how are you going to explain this situation to an eight-year-old?”

“We’ll tell him the truth. We’re getting married for a little while. For Gramp’s sake.” He stood there stern and unyielding, waiting for her to give in.

And she did. The situation was so bizarre, she couldn’t decide what was right or wrong. With a sigh, she crossed the landing and knocked on Rosa’s door.

When her friend answered, she told her Paul was going with her, instead of staying with them.

“Paul!” Rosa called over her shoulder. Then she turned back to Susan. “You look like a bride. Is there something you haven’t told me?”

Susan barely smiled. “I’ll have to explain later,” she said as her brother appeared. “Paul, there’s been a change in plans. You’re coming with Zach and me. I need you to hurry up and change.”

“Wow! You look neat, Susan,” her brother said, staring at her.

“Thanks, sweetie. Go put on the slacks and shirt you wore last night. I hung them in your closet.”

“But Manuel and me was gonna watch the baseball game,” he said, frowning.

“Now, Paul,” she said quietly but sternly.

His shoulders slumping, he crossed the hallway to their apartment,