A Family Circle 1 - A Very Convenient Marriage by Dallas Schulze Page A
Authors: Dallas Schulze
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see the additional color in her cheeks and question the reason for it. Knowing Liz, she'd put some ridiculous interpretation on it and suggest something like Nikki being attracted to her new husband. Which was obviously absurd. Even if she did happen to notice that he was attractive, it was only on a purely intellectual level and certainly wasn't the cause of the sudden fluttery feeling in her stomach.
And no matter what Liz said, this was all Max's fault. It would be a miracle if she made it through the next couple of hours without wringing his neck. Of course, if she was going to commit murder, Sam Walker might be a better target. Then she wouldn't have to worry about how she was going to get through the next year with him as her husband.
❧
Two hours later, Nikki was no longer worrying about the next twelve months. Her focus had narrowed to the next twelve hours.
Her wedding night.
Throughout dinner, all she'd been able to think about was how much she wished it were over. Sitting in the restaurant, playing at being a happy newlywed, had been sheer torture. She could hardly wait for the meal to be over with so she could go home. It was only when the meal finally ended and everyone was preparing to leave that it hit her that when she went home, she wouldn't be going alone. Liz and Bill had agreed to drive Max home, which meant she was going to be left alone with her new husband.
It had taken considerable effort to refrain from clinging to Liz and begging her friend not to leave her alone with Sam. In the ten minutes since Nikki and her husband had left the restaurant, the silence had reached an almost deafening level. Sam drove with the easy competence she'd expected. She might not like him, but he struck her as the kind of man who did most things well.
She twisted the wedding ring on her finger. The plain gold band felt as if it weighed ten pounds, dragging her hand down. Or was that her conscience feeling the weight of the lies she'd told? Her gaze was compulsively drawn to Sam's hands on the steering wheel of the truck. Light glinted off the wedding ring on his left hand.
"Is the ring too big?"
Nikki jumped. It had been so long since either of them had said anything that the sound of his voice was startling.
"The ring?"
"The one you've been fiddling with ever since we left the restaurant," he clarified.
"No. No, if s fine." She forced her hands to relax. "It just feels odd. I'd forgotten all about rings.. I'm glad you thought of them. It would have looked odd if we hadn't had them."
"Very odd."
Well, that had been an almost pleasant exchange, she thought. A first for the two of them. It had been very thoughtful of him to provide the rings. She touched her ring and frowned. She didn't have the slightest idea how much a police officer was paid, but she seemed to recall hearing that it wasn't all that much. Could he afford these rings? She cleared her throat. "It's a nice ring."
"Glad you like it." He didn't take his eyes off the road.
"I think I should pay you for it."
There was a moment's silence before Sam spoke. "That's not necessary."
Something in his tone suggested that it might be wise to drop the subject, but she chose to ignore it. She didn't like the idea of him buying her a ring. It was too reminiscent of a real marriage. And this marriage wasn't real. Not in any way.
"No, really. If you want to pay for your own ring, that's one thing, but there's no reason for you to spend your own money on a wedding ring for me. If you'll tell me how much they were, then I'll pay half. It's only fair."
"It's not necessary," he said again.
"I insist." She wasn't sure why this had become so important, but it had. "There's no reason for you to buy me a ring."
"You can insist until you turn blue in the face." Sam's tone was soft as silk and sharp as a razor. "I don't want you to pay for the damned ring."
"But this is a business arrangement, and any expenses incurred should be shared."
Sam's hands tightened on
And no matter what Liz said, this was all Max's fault. It would be a miracle if she made it through the next couple of hours without wringing his neck. Of course, if she was going to commit murder, Sam Walker might be a better target. Then she wouldn't have to worry about how she was going to get through the next year with him as her husband.
❧
Two hours later, Nikki was no longer worrying about the next twelve months. Her focus had narrowed to the next twelve hours.
Her wedding night.
Throughout dinner, all she'd been able to think about was how much she wished it were over. Sitting in the restaurant, playing at being a happy newlywed, had been sheer torture. She could hardly wait for the meal to be over with so she could go home. It was only when the meal finally ended and everyone was preparing to leave that it hit her that when she went home, she wouldn't be going alone. Liz and Bill had agreed to drive Max home, which meant she was going to be left alone with her new husband.
It had taken considerable effort to refrain from clinging to Liz and begging her friend not to leave her alone with Sam. In the ten minutes since Nikki and her husband had left the restaurant, the silence had reached an almost deafening level. Sam drove with the easy competence she'd expected. She might not like him, but he struck her as the kind of man who did most things well.
She twisted the wedding ring on her finger. The plain gold band felt as if it weighed ten pounds, dragging her hand down. Or was that her conscience feeling the weight of the lies she'd told? Her gaze was compulsively drawn to Sam's hands on the steering wheel of the truck. Light glinted off the wedding ring on his left hand.
"Is the ring too big?"
Nikki jumped. It had been so long since either of them had said anything that the sound of his voice was startling.
"The ring?"
"The one you've been fiddling with ever since we left the restaurant," he clarified.
"No. No, if s fine." She forced her hands to relax. "It just feels odd. I'd forgotten all about rings.. I'm glad you thought of them. It would have looked odd if we hadn't had them."
"Very odd."
Well, that had been an almost pleasant exchange, she thought. A first for the two of them. It had been very thoughtful of him to provide the rings. She touched her ring and frowned. She didn't have the slightest idea how much a police officer was paid, but she seemed to recall hearing that it wasn't all that much. Could he afford these rings? She cleared her throat. "It's a nice ring."
"Glad you like it." He didn't take his eyes off the road.
"I think I should pay you for it."
There was a moment's silence before Sam spoke. "That's not necessary."
Something in his tone suggested that it might be wise to drop the subject, but she chose to ignore it. She didn't like the idea of him buying her a ring. It was too reminiscent of a real marriage. And this marriage wasn't real. Not in any way.
"No, really. If you want to pay for your own ring, that's one thing, but there's no reason for you to spend your own money on a wedding ring for me. If you'll tell me how much they were, then I'll pay half. It's only fair."
"It's not necessary," he said again.
"I insist." She wasn't sure why this had become so important, but it had. "There's no reason for you to buy me a ring."
"You can insist until you turn blue in the face." Sam's tone was soft as silk and sharp as a razor. "I don't want you to pay for the damned ring."
"But this is a business arrangement, and any expenses incurred should be shared."
Sam's hands tightened on
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