Tangled Vows(4)

"Pick me up here. I'll be ready."

*

Bailey stalked from her closet to her bed and threw the clothes she had  over her arm on top of the suitcase. One by one, she examined them  before tossing them aside. What the heck was she supposed to wear for an  undercover job like this? She was used to uniforms-it didn't matter  whether it was camo or black suit. She wasn't even sure she would know  what to wear on a date, much less a date with a movie star. And to a  wedding at that. He said it would only be a few friends and family, but  he failed to mention how formal it would be.

Sighing, bailey decided she better pack extra clothing to cover every contingency.

After stuffing two suitcases full, she looked around her apartment,  wondering if she was forgetting anything. Just as she was about to walk  out the door, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in a mirror near  the entrance. As usual, her hair was pulled back into a plain ponytail.  Faint shadows under her eyes told of her sleepless night. Her complexion  looked pale and shallow with no makeup. Makeup. The realization hit  her. Although she rarely wore any, she should probably take what little  she had with her. She grabbed her small bag of makeup from her bathroom  counter and tucked it into her purse before finally heading out.

She had just reached the parking level of her building and was  struggling to get her largest suitcase out of the elevator when Mark  came out of the stairwell. "I knew it! You are trying to avoid me."

Bailey cursed at her luggage then couldn't help but laugh at Mark. "Yes,  you've ruined me for other men, so I'm running away to join the  convent."

Mark grabbed the handle of her bag, gave a lift and a tug, and set the  suitcase beside her. "That seems the entirely wrong thing to do. How  about I take you to dinner instead, and we can really get to know each  other."

Shock slithered through Bailey. Their liaisons had always been strictly  kept to the bedroom. She would never have expected him to ask her out.  Not in a million years. Well, maybe she would have if she wasn't so  damaged and she could have normal relationships. But here they were, and  Mark was waiting for her answer.

"Um, sorry Mark, I can't. I have to go out of town. On business."

"How long will you be gone? Maybe I could plan you a welcome home dinner?"

"I'm sorry. I really don't know. A week or so?" Should she accept his  invitation when she returned? It would completely change how they dealt  with one another. Mark was one of the few people she felt comfortable  enough to let her guard down, just a little. If they actually started  dating, would their comradery remain? She needed time to think, to  figure things out. Maybe this trip with Everett Parker came at just the  right time. "How 'bout I call you?"                       
       
           



       

Mark nodded. "Sure, sure. Have fun; be safe." He waved as she walked to  her car, but she had seen the disappointment in his eyes. He was smart  enough to know a brush off when he saw one.

Maybe some time away from the city would clear her head and give her some perspective.





Chapter 5




‡


Everett flashed his signature grin as she settled herself in the passenger seat of his sports car. "All set?" he asked her.

"I think so," she replied. "I hope I packed appropriately. I have no idea what your family is like."

Everett shifted into gear and sped along the road. "I'm sure anything  you picked will be fine. This looks great." He plucked at the fabric of  her skirt right above her knee.

The heat from his hand above her leg seeped into her core, and she  heaved an uneasy breath. The wind blowing through her hair did nothing  to cool her overheated senses. She shifted her knee slightly to create  the illusion of more space between them. Everett must have noticed her  unease because he cleared his throat and moved his hand back to the  gearshift.

Bay smoothed her skirt back down and gave a deprecating laugh. "It's one  of the only skirts I own since the disaster with my sister. I figured  I'd make the first impression the best impression."

Now it was Everett's turn to laugh. "I doubt that very much. I get more impressed the more I get to know you."

Bailey blushed and looked down at her lap. "You've only seen me at my  job. I'm good at what I do. It's the other parts of my life that are a  mess. Are you sure you want to do this with me?"

"I'm sure you'll be great. Nothing to worry about. My family's really  laid-back. Just like me." That signature grin made another appearance  and Bay stiffened, refusing to let his sex appeal work on her. This is  still a job, she reminded herself.

"What can you tell me about them? Shouldn't I know a little bit about them if I'm supposed to be your girlfriend?"

"I'll tell you anything you want to know. We've got plenty of time. It's a long trip."

"Where are we going?"

He laughed. "Someplace you've probably never heard of … Greenfield, Tennessee."

"You're right, I haven't heard of it. Why is that funny?"

"Because no one has ever heard of it. It's a tiny place in the middle of nowhere."

She shrugged. "Okay. So what?"

Everett sighed and turned his attention back to the road. "Nothing. Just trying to get you to lighten up a little."

"I can't do that. I do that and someone is killed. It's already saved your life once."

"You're right, it has." There was silence for several minutes. Finally,  Everett spoke again. "Why don't you tell me more about you?"

"Since this is a job for me, I think it's only fair I know more about  your family first. The sooner I get up to speed the safer you'll be."  Bay spoke in a flat tone, but her motives were anything but selfless.  She didn't want to talk about herself. Maybe if she could figure out his  motives then she could figure out how much to tell him.

"That sounds reasonable." Everett nodded. "I have one brother and one  sister. I'm the oldest. My parents are still married. I had a decent  childhood, with a loving family and lots of friends. There's not much to  tell, really. What do you want to know?"

"Why did you leave if you had such a good childhood? Did your parents approve of your career choice?"

"They've always approved of my choices. I don't think they wanted me to leave them, but they supported me from the get-go."

Bay looked at him and raised her eyebrows. "The get-go?"

"Yeah, the get-go. From the beginning."

"Okaaaay." Bailey dragged the word out.

Everett laughed. "There are some things in your past you just can't ever get rid of."

"Isn't that the truth," Bay muttered.

"Oh really?" Everett asked. "What is it you want to get rid of?"

"Ah … " Bailey thought quickly. She hadn't expected him to hear her. Now  she was stuck and either had to lie or tell him the partial truth.

As if sensing her discomfort, Everett interrupted her thoughts. "What  about your own family? I know you said you had a sister. Have anyone  else in the family?"

"That's my twin sister. Alexandria. She's an Illinois state senator. It's just us and our parents, no siblings."

"Do you get along with your parents?" he prompted.                       
       
           



       

Bay shrugged. "Not especially anymore. Lex's political campaign sort of ruined my relationship with everyone."

"What do you mean by that?"

She sighed, closed her eyes, and leaned her head against the seatback.  "My family thinks family loyalty is important. You know, to keep up  appearances and everything. My dad's political career always depended on  it too, and we were raised to let nothing come between us. So when I  disagreed with Lexie's methods, the rest of the family turned against  me. I haven't spoken to any of them for a year."

Everett drove in silence for a few minutes. "That's a shame. I'm not sure I could go a year without speaking to my family."

"So you're still close to them?" Bailey welcomed the opportunity to switch the focus back off her.

"You could say that. Not as close as I'd like to be with me traveling  all the time. Still, I try to call them every week, and get down to see  them every couple of months."

"What's your sister's name? It's her wedding you're going to, right? I should probably know more about her."

"Sarah." As he said her name, Bailey saw a smile spread across his face.  A real smile, full of warmth and affection, not the fake grin he used  in front of the cameras. "She's nine years younger than me, if you can  believe that. I've always been close to her. She's the baby of the  family and has everyone wrapped around her little finger."