his foyer, facing the door.
“What are you doing?”
“Waiting to see my neighbor.”
Elaina laughed. “Why not ring her doorbell?”
“It’s awkward. We got engaged last night and—”
“You what?”
Brant held up his hand when he heard Marley’s door open and placed his finger against his lips. He stood, tossed the tablet onto the chair, pulled open his door, and kicked the chair with the tablet aside before entering the hall.
“Well, what have we got here?” In a Texas twang, another accent he’d perfected for the detective book he had to read for his next gig, Brant added, “My lovely fiancée. Aren’t you just the morning sunshine.”
That elicited a dirty look from Marley. Maybe he was being too obnoxious. “Sleep well?” She didn’t answer as he walked her to the elevator.
Reverting to his normal voice, he asked, “Care to join me for that cup of coffee?”
“No, thank you.” Finally a response. “I’m meeting someone.”
“It better not be a male acquaintance. I can be ferocious if another man shows my fiancée any attention.”
“I’m meeting my friend Dede to pick out a ring for my false engagement.”
“Well, then I have to come, too. How else would you know what I’d choose for you?”
As they got off the elevator, he put on his straw cowboy hat, hoping it would offer some concealment. He still hadn’t shaved, and his beard was starting to itch, but it did help hide his face.
For what felt like the hundredth time, he wished his face wasn’t plastered all over Phoenix.
* * *
SHE’D SPOTTED HER before the door closed. A woman in Brant’s condo. Brant the player, with beautiful women at his beck and call. No matter how much Marley tried to focus on something else, she couldn’t. An attractive woman had closed Brant’s door, and it wasn’t the maid. Marley had glimpsed chiffon and glitter, dressy for a Saturday morning.
What did she care? As a bachelor, Brant could have a dozen girlfriends. Since his return from Australia, Marley had noticed him with at least two.
Brant stayed right next to her every step of the way to meet Dede. Still unshaven, he wore another chambray shirt, this one with long sleeves rolled up to the elbow. The shirt had its breast pocket ripped off, the stitching visible around the square of unfaded blue. The jeans must have been new, though, since they didn’t have any observable holes. Marley herself was dressed in black pants and a white shirt for comfort on the plane.
Any thought of losing Brant disappeared when they reached the restaurant where she and Dede planned to meet.
“Hi, there,” Dede said to Brant. “I’m Dede Sanchez and you must be Marley’s fiancé.”
Brant stuck out his hand. “That I am. Glad to meet you, Dede. Shall we get some coffee before buying the ring?” He put his hand on Marley’s shoulder, aiming her toward the entrance of the restaurant.
She stopped. “We don’t have the time. Need to get that ring before I catch my plane.”
Brant pointed down the street. “There’s a great pawnshop a block from here with a large selection. I know the owner, and I’m sure he’ll give us a deal.”
Why did he include himself in everything as though they really had a relationship? Annoyed, Marley said, “I’m buying the ring, Brant. This engagement is fake, remember?”
“Precisely, love.” Again with that British accent. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Once inside the store, Brant shook hands with a man who was clearly the owner. “Gee,” the guy said, “I haven’t seen you since two seconds ago when you sailed down the street on that bus.” Amused at his own joke, he turned to Marley and Dede. “Going to introduce us?”
Brant placed an arm around each of them. “Gus, this is Dede and my fiancée, Marley.”
Marley shuddered. How can he do that, tell someone he obviously knows well that we’re engaged?
“We’re looking for rings. Have you got anything suitable?”
“Inexpensive,” Marley interjected.
“Isn’t she wonderful?” Brant removed his arm from Dede but continued to hold Marley. “Won’t let me spend a dime on her.”
“Over here.”
Marley managed to slip from Brant’s grasp as they followed Gus to a display case with jewelry. Brant leaned over and pointed to an elaborate ring. “What about that one?”
“Excellent taste.” Gus reached under the glass, took out the ring and placed it in Brant’s hand.
Brant eyed the tiny tag that dangled from the ring and his eyebrows went up before he reached for Marley’s hand. “Try it on for size, love.”
Marley grabbed the ring and put it on herself. It fit. And it was gorgeous. Something any potential bride would want. White gold, with a large diamond surrounded by several smaller ones. And a price of over five thousand dollars! Marley managed to pull it off and place it on the counter before it scalded her finger. “I want a ring as fake as our engagement.”
With a sigh, Brant turned to Dede. “You talk to her. I can’t deal with this constant change of heart. The engagement’s on—the engagement’s off.” He motioned to Gus. “I’ll let her decide what she wants. You have any new instruments to show me?”
Gus directed another salesclerk over to help Marley while he and Brant headed to where various musical instruments hung on the wall.
In a rush, Marley settled for a similar ring costing less than fifty dollars and was out of the store before Brant had a chance to involve himself again. Left with barely enough time to catch her plane, she shouted a thank-you to Dede and raced home.
Quickly, Marley slipped into sandals that would be easy to take off at airport security. Thank goodness she’d had the foresight to pack the night before.
How was she going to manage transporting everything? She left the guitar and pushed the two pieces of luggage into the hall, planning to return for it once she parked her gear at the front entrance. She was locking her door when Brant stepped off the elevator.
“Let me help you.”
“I can handle it,” she said as he reached for one of her suitcases.
“Darlin’.” He took off his battered cowboy hat and placed it against his chest. “I know you can, but my ancestors would rise from their graves if I permitted my fiancée to do any manual labor.”
While putting his hat back on, he placed his hand over hers, trapping her fingers around the handle. “I’m catching a plane, Brant. Let go of my hand.”
“Just
