“Fiancée, Rider. I heard her plain as day.”
His hands slid from her shoulders to her upper arms. A shiver of need ran through her at the delicate touch. He pulled her closer and whispered, “There’s an explanation, I swear.”
She whispered right back, “What if I don’t want to hear your explanation?”
“I can guarantee it’ll be worth your time to hear what I have to say.”
It was that chocolate-laced tongue of his that did her in, sending shivers down her spine, heat pooling between her thighs. “Fine, whatever floats your boat.”
“First, I’m not a lowlife cheat,” he replied in a firm voice.
Her chin jutted. “I heard her with my own ears, Rider. Fiancée, that’s the word she used to describe your relationship.”
“Cassie is—”
“I’m a lesbian,” Cassie interrupted.
Lesbian? Victoria couldn’t have heard the woman right. Victoria’s gaze narrowed on her. “Say what?”
“I’m a lesbian,” Cassie said again. “But I’m not out of the closet. Rider’s been helping me keep up the appearance that I’m hetero.” Her gaze landed on him, and she smiled. “He’s been really great about it, and I don’t deserve him as a friend.”
Rider chimed in. “Cass
ie and I met a couple of years ago at a party. We started talking and ended up pretty good friends. When she told me about her secret alternative lifestyle and that her parents were constantly setting her up with prospective husbands, we sort of hatched a plan that would get them off her back. I would pretend to be her fiancé, and Cassie would finally get to live in peace.” He sighed. “Cassie’s parents are very rigid, and extremely wealthy. If they knew the truth, they’d disown her. Recently, they started pushing her to set a date for our fake wedding. She panicked and flew out here to me. She was hoping we could figure something out together.”
“But what about Reena? Does she know about all this?” Please tell me she didn’t. That would hurt too much.
“No. I didn’t tell my family. It wasn’t a real engagement, so I figured the less they knew, the better.” He glared at Cassie. “Her springing this visit on me threw a wrench in that scenario for damn sure.”
“I think we can all agree that I’m an idiot,” Cassie muttered, sounding miserable. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am. For everything.”
Victoria’s anger began to disappear as she watched Cassie attempt to hold back tears. “You aren’t an idiot,” Victoria said, her voice softening, “but you do have horrible timing.”
Cassie’s lower lip quivered. “Rider was right, you really are amazing.” She sank against the back of the chair. “T-thank you.”
“Sweetheart,” Rider murmured to Victoria, “you are the only woman taking up residence in my heart. I swear it. He took her hand and brought it to his mouth. He kissed her palm, wishing he could erase the sadness from her eyes. “Please forgive me for not explaining all this sooner.”
He felt a shudder run through Victoria as his lips smoothed over her delicate knuckles. She gazed up at him with an intimate tenderness meant for him alone. “I do forgive you. What I feel for you is so much more than anything I’ve known, and it scared me to think it meant nothing to you.”
“Thank God, because I’ve set things in motion with the business. I’m going to get an apartment and set up permanent digs here.”
Her eyes shot wide. “Are you serious?”
He nodded. “Yes. It’ll mean a lot of trips back and forth, especially at first, but eventually things will settle down. It’s something I’ve thought about for a while now. I’ve missed home.”
She narrowed her eyes. “So, you aren’t just doing this for me? You really want to move back to Summit Green?”
“Damn straight.” He felt the weight of the world lifting now that Victoria was back in his arms. “You might’ve given me the final push I needed, but this decision was a long time coming.” He winked. “New York is great and all, but I’m partial to small-town life…and small-town girls.”
Victoria wrapped her arms around his neck. “I can’t believe this is real. I swear if I’m dreaming, I don’t want to wake up.”
“It’s real, Vic. Just like this is real…” He grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her. She opened up to him in every way. Soon they’d forgotten they had an audience.
“Uh, does this mean I’m no longer needed?”
Rider let his lips drift away from Victoria’s and glanced over at Cassie. “No offense, but go away, will ya?” He realized she had no car and offered, “You can take my car.” He handed over the keys and turned his attention back to Victoria. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Cassie stood and headed toward the door with a weepy smile. “I just love happy endings.”