pulled out a money clip with a wad of bills, peeled off three hundred dollars and handed it to her. “After lunch tomorrow you can walk down the street to The Boutique. It’s a shop located a few doors down from the diner.”
Catherine couldn’t imagine what type of clothing she’d find in Brighton Valley, but then again, she’d chosen to come to Texas because it was light-years from Manhattan and her memories there. She supposed she would have to adjust her tastes to the styles small-town women found appealing—or at least affordable.
She stole another glance at the handsome rancher seated across the table from her to find that he was studying her, too. Sexual awareness fluttered through her like a swarm of lovesick butterflies.
But that shouldn’t surprise her. Ray Mendez was a handsome man. No wonder every woman in town was after him.
Of course, he was paying her to keep the other women at bay.
It would be an easy job, she decided—and one she might actually enjoy. Her biggest Broadway role had been the mistress of a 1920s Chicago mobster. The actor who’d played her lover had been twenty years older than she and about forty pounds overweight. His ruddy appearance had suited the character he’d played, although it had taken some real skills on her part to pretend she was sexually attracted to him.
Ray Mendez was going to make a much better costar, though—especially if her role was going to require a few starry-eyed gazes, some hand-holding and maybe a kiss or two.
For the first time since leaving Manhattan, she was actually looking forward to getting on stage again.
Chapter Two
At a few minutes before noon, Ray stood in front of Caroline’s Diner, waiting for his hired fiancée to arrive. The plan had been for Catherine to borrow Eva’s minivan, then to meet him in town.
To his surprise, he was actually looking forward to seeing her again—and not just because she was the solution to one of his many problems.
Even when she’d been wearing sweatpants and an oversize T-shirt, the tall, leggy blonde with bed-head curls had been a lovely sight. Her blue-green eyes—almost a turquoise shade, really—and an expressive smile only added to the overall effect.
Of course, those little heart and flower stickers that the younger Walker twins had stuck on her face while she’d slept had been an interesting touch.
When Ray had pointed them out, she’d made a joke of it without missing a beat. And that meant she would probably be able to handle anything the townspeople might throw at her. If anyone quizzed her about their past or their plans for the future, she’d be quick on her feet.
They hadn’t talked much after dinner last night, since Dan and Eva had returned to the table once they’d gotten the kids in bed. But they’d managed to concoct a believable past for their imaginary romance.
Fortunately, she wasn’t a well-known Broadway actress, so they’d agreed to tell people they’d met in Houston six months ago and that they’d been dating ever since.
The day Ray’s divorce had been final—after two long years in legal limbo—he’d proposed over a glass of champagne during a candlelit dinner in the city. She’d accepted, although they’d decided not to make an official announcement of their engagement until she could take some vacation time and come to Brighton Valley.
So now here he was, standing outside Caroline’s Diner, ready to reveal their phony engagement to the locals who’d already begun to file into the small restaurant and fill the tables.
Ray glanced at his wristwatch again, knowing that he’d arrived a few minutes early and realizing that Catherine really wasn’t late. Rather, he was a little nervous. Could they pull it off?
“Hello, Mayor,” a woman called out in a chipper voice.
Ray glanced up to see Melanie Robertson approaching the diner wearing a smile.
Aw, man. This was just the kind of thing he’d been trying to avoid. Where was his “fiancée” when he needed her?
“Are you waiting for someone?” Melanie asked. “Or would you like to join Carla Guerrero and me for lunch?”
“Thanks for the offer, but I am meeting someone.”
“Is it business or pleasure?” she asked, her lashes fluttering in a flirtatious manner.
“It’s definitely pleasure.” Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Catherine walking down the street. At least, that tall, blonde stranger striding toward him appeared to be the woman he’d met last night.
She’d told him that she hadn’t brought anything fancy to Texas, but… hot damn. She hadn’t needed a shopping trip for their lunch today. A pair of tight jeans, a little makeup and a dab of lipstick had made a stunning transformation from attractive girl next door to dazzling.
“Hi, honey.” Catherine burst into a smile as she reached him. “I’m sorry I’m late.”
Then she leaned forward and brushed her lips across his, giving him a brief hint of peppermint breath mints.
Her fragrance—something light and exotic—snaked around him, squeezing the air out of his lungs and making it nearly impossible to speak.
Then she turned to Melanie, offered a confident, bright-eyed smile and reached out her hand in greeting. “Hi, I’m Catherine Loza.”
The same pesky cat that seemed to have gotten Ray’s tongue appeared to have captured Melanie’s, as well. He could understand her surprised reaction to Catherine’s arrival and greeting, but not his own. Not when he’d been the one to set up the whole fake fiancée thing in the first place.
So why had Catherine’s performance set him off balance?
Because she was so damn good at what she was doing, he supposed.
Shaking off the real effects of the pretend kiss, he introduced the women, adding, “Melanie’s family owns the ice cream shop down the street.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Catherine said.
Melanie, whose eyes kept bouncing from Ray to his “date” and back again, said, “Same here. I… uh…” She nodded toward the entrance of Caroline’s Diner. “I came to have lunch with a coworker, so I guess I’ll see you two inside.” Then she reached for the door and let herself in.
Well, what do you know? Catherine had been on the job only a minute or two, and the ploy was already working like a charm.
When they were alone, she asked, “So how did I do?”
“You were great.” In fact, she was better than great. She both looked and acted the part of a loving fiancée, and even Ray found himself believing the romantic story they’d concocted was true.
“Now what?” she asked. “Did you want to go inside?”
“Yes, but I’ve got something to give you first. Come with me.” Ray led her to the street corner, then turned to the left. When they reached the alley, he made a
