think we can work together to achieve that eventually. We’ve both come to Match Made in Marriage with the same goal. Finding a life partner. I’m being clear and up-front about my reasons for needing to find a wife. Right now Ellie is the most important person in my world, and I will do whatever I can to make her happy. I need to know you’ll commit to that, too.”
Peyton didn’t know where to look or what to think. She was consumed by guilt. Suddenly, this assignment was skewing out of her control. Not only did she feel like she was constantly fighting with her instincts to just let go and enjoy being with the man who held her so capably in his arms as they did another turn around the dance floor. This also wasn’t what she’d signed up for. She’d expected an uncomplicated union, a chance to dig for more dirt on Alice Horvath and eventually the opportunity to extract from her the apology her father and her late mother had been due for far too long.
And now what? Now she was married; that was what. It wasn’t the wedding she’d dreamed of as a child, where her father would proudly walk her down the aisle, but one engineered by a stranger so she could marry a stranger. She had been confident she could handle it. How hard could it be?
But now she was a stepmom, too. And not just a stepmom, but to a child who already knew far too much about loss and how the whole world could be upended in the blink of an eye. Already Peyton felt a pull toward the girl—how could she not? Ellie was bright and engaging and demonstrative. Everything she herself had been at that age. Except when Peyton’s world had turned upside down she’d retreated into herself. She’d been nothing like Ellie. Did she dare risk crushing Ellie’s spirit? Could Peyton enter into this debacle of a marriage and then exit it without causing harm? It was doubtful. And she was in, whether she liked it or not, for at least the next three months under the terms of the agreement she’d signed only a few weeks ago. Signed, secure in the belief that this would be a simple matter of going through the experience, writing her story and leaving without looking back.
Galen watched her, obviously expecting some kind of answer. He’d been open with her about his expectations and it was only fair that he expected openness in return. But honesty was something she couldn’t give him, even if she wanted to. Her entire adult life she’d been gearing up for this moment. To exact the revenge for Alice’s unfounded accusations against her dad of improper record keeping and misappropriation of funds. Accusations that had cast a permanent pall on his professional career and made him untrustworthy in the eyes of every potential new employer. Accusations that had put additional strain on her mother’s diminishing health—she’d developed complications from her multiple sclerosis—which had subsequently drained what little they had in the bank and left them living on handouts and whatever sporadic income her father could earn. They’d been unable to pay medical bills for treatment that might have eased her mother’s condition and had ended up having to move from California to Oregon, where the cost of living was lower, but which put her mom even farther from the medical team who’d overseen her care.
A little of the anger that had driven Peyton all these years sparked back to life, blanketing the guilt so there was little more than a pang left.
“I committed to marrying you, Galen. I will do my part.”
He tensed as if waiting to hear more, but she wasn’t prepared to outright lie and make false declarations. She was here to do a job and to close a chapter in her and her family’s life. And then there was the other reason. The reason she barely allowed herself to think of. The child she’d been forced to give away. Had her family’s circumstances been different, she would have been able to keep her. Circumstances she could lay fully and completely at the feet of the woman walking toward them right now. With no money left in her college fund, Peyton had had to take out student loans to go to college. No matter how carefully she’d crunched the numbers there was no way she could afford food, rent, utilities and childcare on top of her loan repayments and her parents had had no way to help physically, emotionally or financially. After all these years, and all her painstaking planning, it was coming to fruition now. She couldn’t afford to take her eye off her goal, for anyone.
“I guess that’s all I can ask,” he said. “And look, here’s Nagy to check on her new chick.”
“Nagy?” Peyton asked, quietly bristling at the idea of being one of Alice Horvath’s anything.
“It’s Hungarian. A diminutive of nagymama, for ‘grandmother.’”
And then Alice was upon them. Though she was slightly built and petite, there was a steeliness to her gaze, and her back was ramrod straight. It was clear this woman didn’t suffer fools gladly; Peyton could tell the woman who’d controlled the Horvath Corporation at its head office in California for many years after her husband’s death was formidable. But as Alice drew nearer, a smile appeared on the old woman’s face. It softened her and made her look entirely approachable. This wasn’t the face of the monster Peyton had always believed her to be.
Galen’s arm tightened around her waist and she involuntarily nestled closer. She had to look and act the part of newlywed, no matter what. And it wasn’t so difficult, was it? He was hardly unattractive and the lean, hard lines of his body beneath his suit felt uncommonly right against her, confusing her even more.
“Congratulations, you two,” Alice said warmly as she reached up and kissed Galen on the cheek then took Peyton’s hands in hers. “You look wonderful together. I’m sure you’ll be very happy.”
Peyton smiled, or was it a snarl with her nemesis standing right in front of her? She couldn’t be entirely sure. “Thank you,” she managed, her voice sounding stiff and unnatural.
“We’re a bit overwhelming en masse, aren’t we?” Alice said with a conspiratorial smile. “But you’ll get used to us. Everyone does.”
By decree of Alice Horvath, Peyton thought bitterly. Get used to them and play by their rules, or get out. She forced herself to hold that smile on her face and took in a deep breath of relief when Alice let go of her hands and turned once again to her grandson. Peyton watched, intrigued by the genuine affection between them. There was nothing stilted or fake about the fondness they showed one another. She let their conversation wash over her and surveyed the rest of the room. It almost looked like the celebration of a real wedding as people laughed and danced and ate and drank. And yet she felt completely separate from all of it. Had she bitten off more than she could chew by taking this assignment?
* * *
Galen sensed his new bride’s disengagement and hastened to end the conversation with his grandmother. It was important to him that Peyton feel she’d made the right decision. He was very good at making other people feel good—about their choices, about themselves, about him. He aimed to please, always, and it had stood him in good stead with his career choice and drew a lot of people to him. But he had the distinct impression that Peyton was not going to be an easy sell. He wouldn’t be able to simply waltz her off into this new happily-ever-after life. There was a reserve about her, even though she was going through all the motions and smiling in all the right places. And he was determined to break that wall down, brick by brick if he had to.
He stroked the curve of her waist but her body remained rigid. Maybe his touch was too much, too soon. He told himself to let her go but the thought of doing so held no appeal at all. He was genuinely attracted to her and mentally gave his grandmother a thumbs-up for their pairing. And he’d have bet that Peyton was attracted to him, too, though she was doing her best not to show it. As soon as this party was over, things would be different. They could all relax. He thought about the Horvath resort in Hawaii where they’d be heading by private jet
