Fiancée for Rent by Elizabeth Grey

Chapter 17

Kylie

My body had forgotten how tough a day working on the farm could be, especially in the cold. While my arms and back had started to ache with an overzealous passion, I continued to ride the mental high from last night all day. The chance to show Liam my true talent as an actress, to see the appreciative look in his eyes, might have carried me through the rest of our week there without the help of over-the-counter pain meds. Yet, the surprise he'd teased caused another spike in my adrenaline each time I imagined what it could be. My imaginings set me on a path of having to hide trembling hands, a shaky voice, though if I'd had my wits about me, I'd have realized the cold temps could have easily explained away both without question.

Two hours after we'd put the cows to bed, so to speak, we'd started an evening of winery hopping. We had an appetizer at the first winery, our meal at the second, and planned to have a dessert at this one. Yet, with two down and one to go, there'd been no big reveal yet. My elevated heart rate warred with my overactive imagination, only to be outdone by my impatience. Thankfully, alcohol had eased the beast within, if only to a degree.

As we walked into the building, I marveled at how each of the businesses had gone all out with the holiday decorations and festive menus. This one had old stone walls painted a clean white, offsetting all the browns and reds of furniture and decorations. The whole atmosphere of the place had been warmed with white lights, the old-fashioned kind, free of the bluish nature of the newer versions. As we stood at the door to wait to be seated, a twelve-foot tree that reached the ceiling next to a roaring fireplace commanded attention. All around that, the tables with red table cloths and pine cone centerpieces served as accents to create a whole scene. They'd even decorated the outside to look festive and inviting as we walked a path to the front porch with a smaller tree of its own and a few rocking chairs.

"I didn't think it possible, but I think this one has outdone the last two," I stated, looking up at Liam with a quizzical look as to why his fingers clasped and unclasped mine in repetition as we waited. "Nervous much?"

"Actually, yes," he said before he released a big breath.

"Why exactly?"

"You'll see," he stated with a wink as his hand clenched mine a tad harder than the last time.

I'd understood the anxiety. As I'd prepared for my skit the night before, I'd imagined every scenario from fantastic to horrible and everything in-between as to how he'd react to know his father had been such an idol of mine, such an inspiration to my writing career. Luckily, it had gone so much better than I'd imagined, but I couldn't reassure him that his surprise would be a welcomed one without giving away how I felt about him. The man grew on a woman once you started to get to know him. Damn him for not living up to the reputation he had in the media of alcoholic womanizer. It would've made this deal of ours so much easier to see through. I needed to keep my eye on the prize, my movie being produced. With a shrug of my shoulder, I let slip away the few feelings which may have been revived as no big deal at all in the scheme of things. Anything I felt in the moment had to be due to my impatience for my surprise prize tonight. Whatever it was.

Once seated, we began to scan the menu. The talk turned to decorations and drink choices, along with comparisons of the wineries we'd already been to.

"Is Montana obsessed with all things red and fruit?" Liam asked.

Liam explained how the last place we had a flathead cherry ale and barbeque sauce. The one before that had some local chokecherry liqueur, and he didn't even know chokecherries were a thing. Now, this one’s menu sported huckleberry turnovers made from locally grown huckleberries.

"Well, a wide range of berries do thrive in our Montana climate," I piped up with a laugh. "There are also honeyberries, juneberries, gooseberries, Bush cherries..."

"Okay, I get it," Liam seemed to semi-tease, though a low undertone to his voice had me sit up and take notice.

It had struck me then like a white hot poker to the ribs. The great Liam Hendrix had been trying to hide his nervousness all night. At that moment, I figured it out, had known the time of his surprise had been upon us.

"So, Liam, when does the big surprise happen?" I dared to ask, changing the subject, then waited with bated breath.

"Now," Liam said through a heavy sigh as he gave me a bump with his shoulder, "If you will excuse me then, I will get on with the surprise portion of the evening and end your suspense.”

As my fiance walked away, I thought of all of the rock star moves he’d made these past days in Montana. It had struck a chord in my heart to see the way that Liam had lavished attention on my little brother at every turn. He'd helped him with his chores today. They'd played video games, built Legos, and even watched some bizarre cartoon over the week. The night before, Liam had insisted on helping my mother not only cook the meal but clean it up, too. I knew the huge sacrifice that had to be for the man with an unused kitchen. He'd won the hearts of every member of my family, including both brothers, who I hoped didn't dismember him once they heard of the divorce. We'd do our best for an amicable split, but still, my family loved this guy, but they loved me more and would cut anyone off in a second who had hurt me.

At that moment, I couldn’t imagine him hurting me. I’d seen a different side to the rock star billionaire on my family’s farm. He’d tried so hard, with them, with me. So I couldn’t imagine what surprise he had up his sleeve as he walked away from me to retrieve it.

Liam sauntered, a bit stiff like a man unaccustomed to working a farm, to a corner in the room where a mic stand and guitar sat. I hadn’t given them a thought when we'd walked in. His presence by them slowly brought to a halt all conversation in the packed room. Little by little, only the murmur of the realization of who stood before them dawned in whispers that caught on like wildfire.

"Yes, tonight we have a special surprise here at Trail's End Winery," a man in a suit, I guessed the owner of the winery, said into the microphone. "The great Liam Hendrix has requested the stage for one song before tonight's booked entertainment takes the stage."

"I thank all of you for indulging me tonight. I know rock stars have a bad reputation for getting whatever they ask for, and well, I asked, and here I am. I'm here tonight with my fiancée."

When all eyes had turned in the direction his hand pointed, I froze like deer in headlights.

"But, enough talking. I asked for this space to play a song I wrote from my beautiful bride-to-be, Kylie Davis. Lady, your true beauty goes far deeper than your blue eyes and blond hair. You have changed my world and given me things I didn't even know to ask for. So, this song is for you, babe."

I sat there, hand on my chest to try to rein in the heart, which beat so hard I could've been having a heart attack as he started to pick at the guitar. As the sound of the guitar he strummed rose around the quiet room, every eye remained enthralled by the appearance of my husband to be. They would have had to pay good money to see him perform anywhere else in the world.

The song spoke of meeting me, being brought into my family, his amazement at each moment greater than the last, until the chorus ended with, "Reality exceeded the dream."

Then the tears came. The sentiment, real or fake, floored me. Enamored by the almost haunting melody, I remained transfixed on his slender fingers as they so eloquently caressed the cherry-wood guitar, strumming the guitar's steel strings with familiarity only bred by passion.

When he'd finished, the applause drowned out the decay of the final note, startled me, pulled me from the emotional haze I'd found myself in. I swiped at my tears as he signed the guitar and hugged the wide-eyed man who took to the space to play for the rest of the night.

"We ask that you let Liam finish his meal with his woman, then when I take a break, he will come back up and sign autographs to anyone who wants them," the man said into the microphone before he started to play.

I stood as Liam made a beeline for me, as if no one else in the room existed. When he reached our table, he swept me up off my feet and planted a kiss on me that curled my toes and made my racing heart flutter.

"Liam, I don't know what to say," I gushed as he pulled out my chair.

I needed to sit in the worst way. I couldn’t feel my feet since he'd placed me on them. I couldn't make my heart and my head separate out the fact the song had been some stunt for the media, but then again, he'd given away his location tonight. Bodyguards had been in the background since we got there. Despite my stupid stunt at the charity event before we got our flight, the media had not figured out our location. Thankfully, the reporter from that evening had gone on about our cute bickering but either forgot or respected our holiday plans enough not to place my stupid comment about going to the farm in the paper. Now, we'd need bodyguards to get out of here.

"Kylie, you inspired me to write again, and I couldn't be more grateful. And, playing rock beats on an acoustic guitar, I'm loving the sound. I have thanked your father for sharing his."

“I am sure that made him very happy. But enough about my father. I am happy. Happier than I have been in a long time. I don’t yet know what to say about the song.”

“So you have said,” he stated with a forced laugh.

“No, I am serious. I am blown away. There are no words to describe how having a song written for me feels. I need to process and get back to you maybe. Just know without a doubt how touched I am. Sincerely.”

“Thank you. I am glad you liked it,” he said with a tip of his gorgeous head my way.

Even interrupted by the delivery of food, all those in the place who continued to glance towards us fell away. I couldn't stop staring at the man. His happiness had been palatable, to have written again, performed. Whatever had happened between us on this trip, real and fake, everything in between, lifted his dark mood. As each day passed, I got more and more of a glimpse into the real man within the famous persona. It froze me to think how much more attractive the man became the more I got to know him.

"Where are the bodyguards right now?" I asked him as he glanced around our table. "I’m sure we’re going to get swarmed any minute.”

"They’re around back getting the car ready. I’ll sign a few autographs and we’ll head out the back,” Liam said. “I’ve got a team back at the farm, too. Just in case anyone tries to show up there.”

“I’ve got to say, I wasn’t expecting all this attention,”I  muttered.

I laughed at the quizzical look on his face that changed from thoughtful to surprised and back again as the words fell from him.

My phone pinged second's before Liam's did. Glancing at the screen, I couldn't believe Cynthia had broken our agreement to not text while we were away. No work on vacation. Yet, Liam held his phone up to show me Jake's name on his phone.

Wow, man, what a song! WTF is going on up there in Montana? I read on Liam's phone.

"Cynthia basically said the same, though she brought up a video of your performance." I laughed, careful to monitor my words for all the ears listening in. "How did they see a video of your song already? We've only had one round of drinks?"

"I do nothing in a vacuum. Someone here must have posted it online."

I texted back to Cynthia, asked her how she saw it.

"Yep, she has it set up to get alerts when I'm mentioned online. Her way of managing my image, I guess. She said someone posted the video to their FaceBook profile with our hashtags."

"Well, my days to hide in Montana are truly over. I know I promised you a break from bodyguards... Hope the song was worth it."

"It's fine. I understand. The song was definitely worth it," I stated emphatically as I picked at my turnover, the familiar taste better than it had ever been. "I'm just so thrilled you’re writing again."

"They say you never know how much you miss something until it's gone, but with my music, not writing, it wasn't until the first words began to roll out of me that I realized how much I missed it."

“I get that. When acting gets in the way of my writing, I miss it so much. I go through days on set feeling like an imposter in my own life, only half alive.”

"Yes. Exactly. I have felt that way the whole last year. Writing has allowed me an outlet to process life through, both the tough and the sentimental. And with rock, well the anger at life works for the sound most of the time. Yet, a ballad, love song, here and there, they keep a man in touch. And meeting you, well you’ve saved me from myself in more ways than I have words for. That song, it poured out of me, made me wish I had more words to describe what I've been feeling, especially since being here."

"I’m so glad…” I said with a shake of my head, unable still to put into words how my heart soared, my stomach did flip flops, the whole of my being tingled without sounding like a cliqued moron.

My phone went off again. With a shake of my head, I expected to see Cynthia's name, but instead saw one from an old high school friend, Mary Ann.

I just saw the video of Liam's song. My aunt is at the winery tonight and a friend of hers posted it. Anyway, I don't want to interrupt your evening, but I had to say that after all you have gone through in life, I'm so happy that you've found love again. You deserve it, Kylie.

"Are you okay, Kylie?" Liam asked as he swiped at a tear on my cheek, which only made more fall.

"Yes. Just a text from an old friend," I said as I grabbed my napkin, thankful at the timing of our waitress who took the attention from me to dab at my face. “It was a friend of her aunt who posted the video. She just wanted to say how happy she was for me that I'd found you."

"That's sweet," my rock star said, his brows knitted as he studied my eyes, seeing through me. "I'm grateful you found me, too."

I steeled myself against the urge to hide away from him. I shivered despite the warmth in the room and the alcohol coursing through my system. Though we'd said only one drink each winery, I put in for a second and scowled lest Liam tried to question me.

"Been an emotional night, I'm entitled," I put out there.

“We can go home anytime you want. I can sign a few autographs. I mean, luckily the place is pretty small, and then we can go home, get some rest. Flip for the bed.”

“Or, maybe we can just share the bed,” I said before I had realized what I said. “I mean, we can share a mattress, right? No one should have to sleep on the floor.”

“Right. We are adults. We can share. Both sleep in comfort. But first, let me get to those autographs while the entertainer is on a break.”

As I watched him stride away from me, it hit me like a ton of bricks that tonight, after that song, the prospect felt too dangerous. While in my alcohol-infused brain, the gesture had started platonically, sincerely, the prospect of being so close to him and not touching seemed improbable. I couldn't tell where my feelings landed between fake and falling in love. After that song, I'd be lying to myself if I went with mere lust anymore.

We needed time alone to talk. We needed to be frank with each other, but I couldn't imagine doing that. What if lust had been all he'd felt so far? What if the song had been just talent? Fake? A stunt for the media?  Maybe just being away, being here, had unlocked something in him, and I had nothing to do with the new song. Or, worse, writing with my father had gotten him back into it, and he'd made up every word to create more media hype. I circled around and around all the options, all the possible scenarios, until I grew dizzier. Not even sure why I cared at all, I feigned to not care just to end the torment.

The speculation turned my stomach in knots. I took in the scene, the whole of it floored me. My breathing became labored as something fluttered to life again in my stomach. The winter sangria that sat in front of me, I gulped at it like water in hopes of killing it.