Page 4 of Fortune’s Control (Fortune’s Creek #1)

Foot. Mouth. Horror.

I shuddered as the words played in my head. How to explain a confused acceptance to an insincere proposal? I spent hours sitting at the bar, trying to forget that my would-be rescuer sat mere feet away.

His features darkened from discomfort into a flat-out glare as his companions took me in like some strange object displayed at the local museum.

What would Mom say? Spectacular job, Delilah. You did it again. First, you lost your job, and now you’re embarrassing this poor man.

I deserved her criticism because his friend’s question tempted me, as it meant I wouldn’t return to my car or be alone in the dark.

Shane asked if I needed help earlier, and, for one brief second, I let myself indulge his offer.

An embarrassing joke wasn’t a solution, nor was this current situation, which I knew the moment the thought flickered in my head.

It all led to a bumbled acceptance that should have been a refusal.

Foot. Mouth. Bigger horror.

He deserved an apology. “That’s not…I didn’t mean…Sorry.” Beautifully delivered in every way.

Shane raised a finger to stop me from speaking any further.

One of them filled the silence. I couldn’t recall his name, not after that. “We were joking. You two don’t need to get hitched.”

Shane glared at the three of them. “All of you did enough, so maybe shut the hell up. Also, go away so Lilah and I can talk.” He stood and, without trying, made me feel small. “Alone.”

They left after declaring a sudden urge to check out the bar.

“I’m sorry, this is my fault, so please don’t pretend this is real,” I said.

He squinted at me. “We’ll figure it out later, but right now, sit closer to me so we can talk, as I don’t need half this town eavesdropping on our private conversation.

No matter what happens, every person in Fortune’s Creek will hear about this, so let’s leave some to their imagination.

” Shane pulled back a chair for me. “What’s your full name? ”

“Lilah Mayberry.” People wandered in while I ate, filling the restaurant with patrons all eager to overhear. There was no reason to recognize the name, and I had already made enough poor decisions today. Offering an assumed name was too much, even for me.

“Shane Wilcott.”

“Nice to meet you. Again.”

“Where are you from?”

“Atlanta.”

“I asked if you needed help earlier. Care to give me an honest answer this time?”

It was a complicated question with a horrible answer. I was safe in Fortune’s Creek, as only Emma knew I was here. I didn’t inform the police before leaving, and my mom was busy with her latest beau. He couldn’t know either, so his threats couldn’t reach me here.

“My car ran out of gas four miles out of town. I was trying to figure out what to do when we met.”

“Do you have anywhere to go tonight?”

I wanted to explain myself and my ridiculous flight of fancy. “No.” The admission hurt.

“So, what was your plan?”

“Walk to my car and figure out the rest in the morning.”

“Alone? In the dark and by yourself?” Shane’s tone and expression made his opinion clear.

“I’ve faced bigger dangers, and I’m still here, so don’t worry about me. I’m sorry again for embarrassing you, Shane. You were enjoying an evening with your friends, and I got in the way.”

Shane sucked on his lower lip. “In the way? An interesting choice of words.” He chuckled.

“You don’t know me at all, do you?” He leaned forward and whistled to his friends, who didn’t bother to hide their eavesdropping.

“Dean and Aiden, get your father here and tell him to bring a marriage license.”

One of them spoke up. “He’s probably in bed.”

“Then wake him up. I want him here in ten minutes. No, that’s too long. Make it five.” He directed the next part to the other restaurant patrons. “Who volunteers as a witness?”

“Shane, wait.” This ridiculous affair could not be real. I’d end up married to a stranger, all because of his friends’ prank and my poor decision. “You don’t need to do this.”

“I don’t, huh?” he asked.

“Dad’s on his way. He called you an idiot.” Was that Aiden? Was he always this chipper?

Shane leaned forward to whisper in my ear. “Too late.”

*****

The buzz of conversation faded into a curious silence as a man with thinning white hair approached.

“Boys.” He rubbed his forehead with the back of one thumb. “Which of you is getting married?”

“That’s me.” Shane glowered at his friends before offering a softer expression to the stranger. “This is Lilah Mayberry. Lilah, meet Sam Taggert, our mayor. We’re getting married. Tonight.”

“Part-time mayor. How long have you known each other?”

Shane had the gall to check his phone. “Almost three hours.”

“Three hours? Shane, think about this. Your parents aren’t here to guide you, but I’ve known you your whole life, and, well, I never expected it from you. My boys? Absolutely. They’re dumber than a pair of goats in July.”

“Mr. Taggert, we appreciate the concern, but I’ve been on my feet all day, so this needs to get done,” Shane said.

Sam stiffened and offered a tight nod. “I understand.” What did that mean? A secret code Shane didn’t want me to understand passed between them. “I’ll make it quick.”

Getting fired was awful. Witnessing a murder…I didn’t want to think about that. “What do you need from me?” Exhaustion spread, and not from lack of sleep.

“Well, at least you had the sense to pick the smartest of the bunch. Aiden said you two of you were in love and needed to get married as quickly as possible. Back in my day, we went to Alabama and spared our parents the gossip.” He wore an old robe, pajama pants, and a blue college football shirt.

Right out of bed and instantly commanding a group of grown men.

I already liked him, but that lengthy statement negated his earlier promise of brevity.

“Well, Ms. Mayberry, if this is the man you want, I suppose he’s decent enough. ”

I wanted to rewind to before I was fired and this started, with my arrival in Fortune’s Creek on my terms, as a planned visit to find my mythical grandmother, rather than fleeing from threats.

Sam Taggert continued without pause. “No, this is me being nosy. Let’s get on with it. I have a date with my fishing pole tomorrow morning and want to look my best.” He snickered at his joke and pulled a crumpled paper from the robe’s pocket. “Does anyone have a pen?”

Our waitress, Diane, pulled one from her apron pocket. “Right here.” She handed it to the mayor and patted my arm.

“You sign here.” Mr. Taggert gave the pen to Shane, who signed it, and then it was my turn. “Right on the line.”

My hand shook. This day started with an opportunity and ended in farce. I checked Shane, who still wore the same determined expression. Why did he insist? We were strangers, and I’d be nothing but a burden.

I managed to get a decent signature on the license, while a voice in my head screamed. Why didn’t anyone stop this?

“Is that it?” I wanted to ask if we were married, but I couldn’t manage the words.

Mr. Taggert took back the signed form. “That’s it.

I’ll send the license to our clerk in the morning.

Consider it a wedding gift.” He snorted at the joke.

No one joined. “Congratulations to both of you. Also, Mr. Wilcott, I will keep my eye on you. Both of you.” He shook his head, still confused about what had just happened.

“I suppose I should be grateful it wasn’t my boys getting married.

Okay, folks, the show is over.” He waved his hand at the onlookers, and they dispersed, surprising me.

“I think it’s best if you two leave, as this is enough gossip tonight, don’t you think? ”

“We’re leaving now, Mr. Taggert,” Shane confirmed.

We were? “Wait. I know nothing about you.” I knew not to go home with a stranger, especially when my best friend didn’t know where I was.

Shane’s lips flattened. “I was born in Fortune’s Creek and joined the Marines for almost eleven years before returning home. This town is where I belong. My parents are dead, and my sister, Sophie, lives in Tampa. What about you?”

“I’m an only child.” He noticed my subdued voice, so I kept going. “I rarely go home with strangers.”

He cocked his head as if to point out we weren’t strangers, not anymore. “There’s a small apartment above my garage. Sophie stays in it when she visits, which is rare, so it’s furnished. You can stay there.”

What happened to the sweet concern he displayed earlier? I tossed it out the window after opening my big mouth; that’s what happened.

“If it’s available, I’ll take you up on it.” I had no other option but to walk back to my car, and we both knew it.

“Then let’s go.”

*****

I expected a closet, but Shane’s definition of small differed from mine.

A narrow hall led to a bathroom and a bedroom, while the living space connected to a galley kitchen.

It was furnished, too, in a teal and green beach theme.

I forgot my tape measure, but odds were this place was bigger than my studio apartment in Atlanta.

“There’s hot water, the Internet, and at least one or two streaming services on the TV. I’ll show you the rest of the property in the morning. There’s a pool if you enjoy swimming.”

He spoke like it was nothing. A pool?

“This is very generous of you,” I said. The frayed silence between us shredded my already raw nerves. “I plan to repay you, by the way. Rent, I mean. For as long as I’m here.”

“Do you have a job?”

“A job?”

“To repay me.”

How did he know? Did I look unemployed? “I’m working on the next steps in my career.”

One side of his lips pulled up into a half smile, seemingly against his will.

“That’s a fancy series of words for unemployed.

” Something unrecognizable crossed his face.

Shane leaned down to rub his left knee. “I’ll tell you what.

You’re here on vacation, right? Take it, and figure out your job later. ”

“That’s unnecessary.”

“I think it is. Take that vacation, Lilah. We can figure out rent later, assuming you’re here long enough for it to matter.”

If this town offered safety, I might never leave. “I have a grandmother here. Maybe.”

“What’s her name?”

“I don’t know.”

His brows lifted, but Shane didn’t otherwise comment. “We’ll be the source of gossip and rumors for a few weeks. Be prepared for questions about us, more than you expect.”

“What should I say?” The truth sounded awful, and I couldn’t figure out how to spin it into anything approaching romantic.

“Whatever you want. It doesn’t matter.” He shrugged, making clear how little it bothered him. “We’ll end this once it dies down. You can look for a job later if you decide to get one.”

This night grew from one form of unreal to another. No one knew I was here, and the pictures in my purse weren’ t a threat, not anymore.

“Shane, can I ask you a question?”

“If you want.” He sounded as if he didn’t care.

“Why did you do all this tonight? I don’t mean this apartment, which I appreciate; please don’t mistake that.”

“You mean the marriage thing?”

The marriage thing. I couldn’t process that statement. “Yes, that.”

“You refused my offer to help. I decided you needed it, so here we are.” He tilted his head, hiding his eyes from me. “We’ll get your car in the morning. Sleep well, Lilah.”

Shane left before I could respond.