Some Like It Charming

Ten


Mackenzie had stayed only one night in Spain before flying to New York. She’d promised to come back after the baby was born but she wasn’t prepared to actually be there for the event.

And she had a man to find and let know that he was officially taken. She needed to flip that one-woman sign on before he did something she’d be pissed about.

She knocked and knocked on his door, wondering if he could possibly be ignoring her.

She finally gave up and made her way across town to Christine and Ellen’s. The doorman allowed her through and she found Ellen waiting for her in the hall.

“I need to find Ethan.”

Ellen crossed her arms. “I thought you were brave enough for him.”

“I’m not.”

“Then what are you doing looking for him?”

She shrugged. “I’m maybe not brave enough for him, but I might just be stupid enough.”

His grandmother puckered her lips. Then she laughed. “Stupid. Brave. There’s not much difference between the two, is there?”

“It’s a very thin line.”

Ellen pulled her inside the door. “I for one am glad you’ve finally crossed to the other side.”

“I think you’re going to be the only one.”

Ellen chuckled. “Christine will come around. Eventually.”

“I won’t hold my breath.”

“I wouldn’t either. Christine thinks her son needs someone who will follow his lead. Who will stay home to care for the kids and hostess his parties. That’s what she had with Michael and it worked well for both of them.”

Ellen laughed at the expression on Mackenzie’s face. “But despite how much Ethan looks like his father, he’s not him. And what Christine really wants is her son to be happy. He’s happy with you. She’ll take the blinders off one of these days.”

Ellen flipped through her address book, writing down a name and a phone number, and handed it to her. “You’ll need this.”

Mackenzie looked at it, noting the name and number of a reporter, then made a face. “So I can make a fool of myself?”

“No. So you can show Ethan you know the game. And are going to play it.”

Mackenzie took a deep breath. “I’ll play it. By my own rules.”

Ellen cackled. “Good. I’m betting on you.”



The reporter met Mackenzie at a restaurant early the next morning. She squinted at Mackenzie, then said, “Mackenzie Wyatt?”

When Mackenzie nodded, the woman sat down. “I almost didn’t recognize you. The hair.”

Mackenzie pushed her back-to-brown hair behind her ear self-consciously. “The blond was just temporary. I’m back to my natural color.” Or near enough. She’d thought if she was going to do this, she needed to do it as herself. Recognizable and all.

The reporter pulled out a recorder, turned it on, then took out a pad of paper. She said, “Is it true Ethan Howell O’Connor paid you a million dollars to marry him?”

Mackenzie smiled slightly. “Yes. Because any woman would need to be bribed to marry Ethan O’Connor.”

The reporter laughed. “Is there a pre-nup?”

“There will be. It should be illegal for a man of his wealth to marry without one.”

The reporter raised her eyebrows and Mackenzie said, “And of course, there will have to be a no-cheating clause. Maybe something about cutting off his balls if he does.”

Mackenzie pointed to the reporter’s pad of paper. “Make sure you put that in.”

“Er, okay.”

The reporter scribbled quickly, then looked back up. “When is the wedding?”

Mackenzie shrugged. “We haven’t set a date yet.”

“And you’re not worried about that? Ethan doesn’t have a good track record with commitment.”

“Ethan has a great track record with commitment. He’s a one-woman man, remember?”

“But not a forever man.”

Mackenzie smiled. “I guess he was just waiting for the woman who scares the bejesus out of him.”

The reporter blinked and said, “Well, I’ll be rooting for you.”

Mackenzie nodded her head, thinking she’d be the only one. The whole world would be waiting for Ethan to drop her. If only so they could have their chance with him.

The reporter looked down at her notes. “One of his exes said he isn’t so pretty in the morning. Is that true?”

Mackenzie shook her head. “He’s horrifyingly gorgeous. It’s enough to give any woman a complex.”

The reporter looked as if she’d never thought about what it actually meant to wake up next to all that gorgeousness before.

“Just one more question. There have been so many rumors about him paying you to be his wife that I have to ask. Are you marrying him for his money?”

Mackenzie took a deep breath and said, “I’m marrying him because I love him.” She smiled and shrugged. “Every woman does.”



Ellen called her two days later, congratulating her on the interview, and telling her where Ethan could be found. He’d run to a lake house in Vermont after following her to Los Angeles.

Mackenzie had rented a car and drove north. It was a long drive and it gave her lots of time to think. To worry. To get mad about having to chase him. To remember that he’d chased her, and then left her alone to figure it out without him hovering over her.

She pulled down the long, dirt driveway slowly, her stomach in knots. She’d seen love in his eyes. Love that didn’t disappear just because a woman had to think things over before she could make her way back to him.

There would still be love in his eyes when he saw her. But it might be hidden behind a layer of temper.

The house finally came into view and Ethan sat in a rocker on the porch, watching her car. Their eyes met through the windshield and he didn’t smile, just looked at her.

She parked her rental behind his white Range Rover and took a deep breath before getting out. She walked toward him, her eyes running him up and down. This was it, her last chance to turn around, to stop this from happening.

She stopped a step away from the porch and held the tabloid out to him. He took it reluctantly, glancing at it, then holding it up and reading it through.

When he was done, he dropped the tabloid to his lap and looked at her with his mouth hanging open.

She said, “I gave an interview. It felt one-sided with all your ex-girlfriends having their say.”

“Cut off my balls?”

She laughed. “That’s the first phrase that pops out at you?”

“Pretty much. And I would like to point out that that particular no-cheating clause would probably not hold up in court. Should you feel the need to execute.”

“I won’t. Right?”

He shook his head and she smiled. “I’m not really worried.”

He didn’t smile back.

She said, “That was what you wanted, right?”

Ellen had sure made it seem like Mackenzie wasn’t getting near him until she gave an interview.

He read the article again. Then nodded. “That was what I wanted.”

“Well, there you go.”

He stared at her. “I think you owe me money for this one.”

“It’s not that bad.”

He looked down again at the paper. “Oh, yes. Yes, it is.”

She tried not to laugh, she really did. But it came out anyway. At his petulant look, she said, “Okay, I’ll give you back that $57,000 you still haven’t given me.”

“No. This is worth more than that. Maybe like a half million.”

“No way.” She shook her head.

“I think my reputation is worth that much.”

“Oh, please. This won’t affect you at all. Except maybe back some women off. Which we’ll both be happy about.”

He read the article again quickly and said, “Anything else you need to say to me?”

She took a deep breath. “I don’t like your money– you have too much of it. I don’t like your fame– your life will always be a circus. I don’t like your pretty face– women will always be throwing themselves at you. I don’t like your name– it’s a legacy to live up to. I don’t like your charm– you use it as a weapon. I don’t like your mother– she doesn’t like me.”

Ethan’s eyebrows had risen nearly to his hairline during her list and he said, “Sounds hopeless.”

Mackenzie nodded. But she stayed where she was, she didn’t turn around and leave. She didn’t run away.

He cocked his head. “Was that your declaration of love? It needs some work.”

“But I love you anyway. I want you despite all that.”

“Are you saying none of that little stuff matters?”

She whispered, “Yes.” And it didn’t. It was just little stuff.

He reached one hand out, pulling her towards him and onto his lap. He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, and stared into her eyes. He kissed her and she kept her eyes wide open, seeing inside him. Seeing how much he loved her.

He said, “Let’s go inside.”

She shook her head. “We need to hammer out another pre-nup.”

“We can do that naked.”

She shook her head again. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to need my wits about me.”

He looked down at her bare finger. “Here’s a firm requirement. You’ll wear my ring.”

“I get to pick this one out.”

He smiled, the first since she arrived. “We’ve just barely gotten engaged for real and we’re already on your third ring.”

She didn’t smile back at him. “Your mother will not be involved with this one, got it?”

“Are you sure? Her consultant did a good job.”

“No. I get to pick it out. And yours.”

“Why am I suddenly nervous?”

“Or I could just tattoo “Taken. Don’t bother.” on your forehead.”

He grinned, rising with her in his arms. “Forget the pre-nup. Just marry me. Together we could rule the world, but we’ll be so busy with our little demons we just won’t have the time.”

“I don’t even want to think about the children you’d have.” But she did– she could see them– two little devils with golden curls and green eyes.

She held the screen door open as he carried her inside and he said, “I’m thinking six should do it.”

“Six!”

“It’ll take that many to slow you down. And my mother is going to be around a lot. She’ll need a baby to hold for quite some time.” He carried her into the living area, stopping in front of the couch and putting her on her feet. He said, “She’ll start liking you around the fourth one, the fifth should clinch it, but I think we should aim for six just to be on the safe side.”

“I think you underestimate any child we’d make. One little twinkly smile and your mother is a goner.”

He popped the button on her jeans. “You forget how much she doesn’t like you.”

“Not the couch, we don’t fit. And maybe we should elope.”

He shook his head. “We’ll invite your grandparents.”

A sad light came into her eyes. “They won’t come.”

He kissed her lightly. “They will. I can be very persuasive.”

She stared into his eyes. “Maybe.”

“No maybe. They’ll come around by the wedding. Or at least the first grandchild. Just like my mother.” He looked up the stairs and grimaced. “I’m not carrying you up there.”

“You said your mother wouldn’t come around until the fifth grandchild.”

“The sixth, definitely.”

Mackenzie’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh, my God. Is your mother going to want to live with us?”

Ethan’s eyes twinkled and he took her hand, leading her up the stairs and to the bedroom. “It is tradition.”

“How do you feel about her getting re-married?”

“You can try. But, to be fair, I just don’t see it happening.”

She started unbuttoning his shirt and he said, “So if I’m giving you half of O’Connor Capital, what are you giving me in return?”

She looked up. “Seriously?”

He nodded. “It’s only fair.”

She thought about it and pushed his shirt off. “Undying love? A house full of children? A shrewd and intelligent business partner?”

“Eh. I need something concrete, something painful.”

“I think childbirth counts. Especially if you want six. And I really don’t want half of your company. Really don’t.”

He smiled, the happiest light shining out of his eyes, and pushed her pants down her legs. “I know.” He kissed her. “But you’re getting it anyway.”

“What if you keep the shares and add my name instead? We can call it Wyatt O’Connor Capital.” She smiled. “I like the ring of that.”

He shook his head. “Then you’d just call it the Wok.”

She snickered and he grabbed her by the waist, kissing her quickly. “Cold and heartless. How was I ever supposed to believe that.”

He tumbled them to the bed and she said, “Your mother believes it.”

“Mothers are irrational when it comes to their children. When we have our first rugrat, you’ll forgive her.”

She raised her eyebrows and he said, “Okay, by the fifth one you’ll forgive her. Or just be too tired to care anymore.”

“Maybe she’ll be dead by then.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’ve thought of something worth half my fortune.”

She looked at his expression and said, “Oh, no.”

He nodded. She tried a puppy dog look and he said, “Come on, you can do it.”

She closed her eyes. “I will try to like your mother.”

“I need a little more than that.”

She scrunched her face up in pain. “I will love your mother as if she was my own.”

“And?”

She throat nearly squeezed itself shut but she croaked, “And she can live with us if she wants to.” She mumbled, “If I can’t get her married off.”

“We’ll put it in the pre-nup.”

She nodded slowly and opened her eyes. “Is that painful enough for you?”

His eyes twinkled, his teeth sparkled. “That’ll seal the deal.”

She whispered, “God, I hate when you do that.”

He turned off the twinkle and smiled his real self at her. “Oh, honey. You’d better get used to it.”

And he kissed her.