Stand-In Bride's Seduction
Her attitude had been what had made her perfect for the role as his fiancée. He’d needed an engagement that would require little true commitment from him while still keeping his grandfather off his back about getting married. He doubted that Sara had any more intention of them actually getting married right now than he did, himself. If Abuelo would just stop harping on about that wretched curse, they could all get back to normal again. And then, in a few months, he and Sara could part ways gracefully and without any hard feelings. Of course, Abuelo was arguing even harder in favor of the curse now in light of the success of Alex and Loren’s marriage. There was no denying that things had improved financially for the family business and economically on Isla Sagrado as a whole, even in the short time since the two had married, supporting Abuelo’s claims that marriage for all three of the brothers would break the curse, and bring prosperity back to the family.
Reynard still had his doubts though, about the curse of the governess. Abuelo had become unhealthily obsessed with the subject in recent months, even claiming to see her ghost. If the old man were to be believed, the scorned woman’s final words to her del Castillo lover were solely responsible for every sudden death in the family, not to mention the downturn in the economy of Isla Sagrado. In itself, the thought was ridiculous, but Reynard and his brothers loved their grandfather deeply and had been prepared to do whatever it took to ensure his final years remained happy. Even if, on Reynard’s part, it meant faking an engagement.
Suddenly Rey became aware of the extended silence in the room. He stepped forward to Sara’s other side and kissed the tip of her lightly freckled nose, and was amused to see a faint flush of color flood her cheeks.
“Of course she’s serious about marrying me, Abuelo. Who wouldn’t want to be a del Castillo bride?”
“Bueno,” the old man said then nodded and allowed himself to be drawn over to a bank of chairs in the room where he pulled Sara down alongside him.
Before long, their heads were together and Rey felt a sense of reprieve that his grandfather was distracted, at least for now. He moved over to Alex and Loren.
“She did that well,” Alex commented, nodding to where Sara and their grandfather were conversing in a combination of Spanish and English.
Rey nodded, “Thank goodness. What were you going to tell him?”
Alex’s face grew bleak. “The truth?”
“No,” Loren murmured. “You can’t. Not while he’s still recovering from his stroke. He’s not even well enough to be back home at the castillo yet. I’d be terrified he’d suffer a setback and never be allowed home—and you know what that would do to him.”
“You’re right,” Rey agreed. “We don’t want a repeat of that night.”
“So what then? Keep him waiting with us until the surgeons are finished?”
“Surgeons?”
Rey felt ill. So there was more than one surgeon working on his brother. Working to save his life. The deep hollow ache that had manifested in his chest during Alex’s first call sharpened and ached that little bit harder. He sent a silent prayer that his brother’s strength and health would be enough to see him through this and that the skill of Isla Sagrado’s best doctors would ensure his return to his family fold, where he belonged.
He gathered his fears in a tight knot and thrust them to the back of his mind.
“Did they say how long?”
Alex shook his head. “Could be hours yet.”
Rey looked back toward Sara. “Maybe if Sara takes him, Abuelo will agree to go back to the home. Javier can drive them both and then take her back to the cottage.”
“It’s a good idea, but,” Alex suggested as he curled his arm just that little bit tighter around his wife’s slender waist, “are you sure you don’t need her here?”
Need her here? Rey’s mind was fogged for a moment but then he realized what his brother was getting at. Of course, under normal circumstances, if his had been a normal engagement, he’d want his fiancée here with him. But would Sara agree to play along? The one time she’d needed medical attention during the event trials where he’d met her, she’d all but run screaming from the first aid tent. All because they’d wanted to examine her when she’d bumped her head after fainting in the heat. He’d have guessed that, under any circumstances, a hospital was the last place on earth she’d choose to be. Besides, their relationship was hardly one where he would expect her emotional support at a time like this.