Lined With Silver Read online

  “As crazy as your proposal sounds, I’m ready to consider it. Are you familiar with the marriage laws in DC?”

  She bit the inside of her lip, wondering if she was doing the right thing. She’d never intended to have her marriage be anything less than eternal, but this was a temporary arrangement—a contract of convenience for both of them. “No, but I had a client who recently moved to Virginia. She wanted to re-marry right after her divorce, so I checked into the laws for her. Virginia doesn’t have a waiting period. We can go to a county clerk’s office, show some ID, have our information notarized, and can marry right after we get the license. The office should have a Justice of the Peace who could perform the ceremony.”

  “I don’t have much time.”

  “I’ll write up the agreement tonight.”

  Zack’s brows were crunched with uncertainty. “I’m no lawyer. How will I know you won’t write something in it that will give all my property to you?”

  “I promise I’ll keep out the legalese. It will be a simple document any lay person can understand.”

  Zack sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t feel like I have a choice. I don’t care about the inheritance, but I care about my grandmother. I care about her desire to die in the same house my grandfather died in. It would be a lot easier if Jade felt the same way I do. Unfortunately, she feels Granny would be better off in a nursing home.”

  Sondra reached out to touch his hand. “I’m so sorry. This must be very difficult.”

  His smile was wry. “Not much harder than what you’re facing.” He stood to help her with her chair.

  “No tip?” Sondra asked.

  “I have an account. They know what to charge.”

  “Sorry. I was going to leave my own.”

  “We had an agreement. This is on me.”

  They headed out into a flurry of snow. Humidity gave the arctic air an added bite. Sondra huddled into her coat, wishing for a pair of thermals.

  The valet must’ve responded from some signal from the maitre’d because he was pulling up in the car as they walked out the door. The smooth trade of keys for a tip revealed their familiarity with the routine.

  Sondra shivered and rubbed her arms while Zack worked on the frozen passenger door. “This would be easier with a hands-free lock.”

  “I took what was offered. It was the last car left.”

  “And I’m glad you got it.” Zack smiled down at her as he opened the door.

  After they were both settled in, Zack turned to her and asked, “Where to now?”

  “I’d like a hotel close to the National Mall.”

  “I know a perfect spot.” He paused a moment. “Did you want to catch a store first?”

  “Yeah. I ought to pick up some things.”

  A few minutes later, they’d pulled in front of a department store. “I’ll wait out here and keep the car warm. You can call me when you’re ready.”

  They exchanged cell numbers before Sondra stepped out of the car into the icy air. A few feet from the car, she glanced back at Zack, who was illuminated by his phone. “This isn’t the best time for a Capitol Tour—or a wedding.” She mumbled to herself. “I should’ve checked the weather.” She hadn’t done much thinking since Nikki had thrown a wrench into her life.

  Chapter Three, DC

  Light from the hotel awning created jewels out of the falling snow. Its warm glow welcomed their arrival.

  As they pulled under, Sondra could see the dome of the Capitol Building a few blocks away. The sight satisfied her desire to be close enough to tour the area.

  To her surprise, Zack stepped out of the car and retrieved his luggage and a couple of her shopping bags. He handed the key to the valet, then headed to the front desk with her.

  “Carlson, adjoining rooms.” Before Sondra could protest, he had pulled out a card and paid for the rooms. He must’ve called ahead. No wonder his phone had been lit up.

  Sondra, carrying two more shopping bags and a new suitcase, followed Zack to the elevator bank. As the doors were shutting, she turned to Zack. “That isn’t necessary. I can pay for my own room.”

  “I have every intention of paying for the room of my future wife.” Zack’s tone spoke volumes.

  Sondra’s eyes opened wide and she pressed her lips together, resisting the urge to spout something she would later regret. What could she say? She was the one who had presented her harebrained scheme. If he was going to play nice, she’d need to play it his way… unless things got out of hand. She didn’t know a thing about this guy, not really. Trek was over a decade before. Would he take advantage of her situation? Connecting rooms? What was he thinking?

  He unlocked her door first, walked through the room to inspect it, watched with some amusement as Sondra made sure the lock between their rooms was secure, handed over her key card, and then shut the door firmly behind him.

  “Hmmmph.” Sondra grumbled. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” she addressed the connecting door.

  She emptied her bags, carried her new pajamas into the bathroom, and settled in for a long, hot bath.

  When she got out of the tub, she dried off with a thirsty towel and then stared at the pajamas. It was two hours earlier in Salt Lake. It was only 8:30 pm here. She wasn’t tired, and bed wasn’t appealing.

  She packed her clothes back out to the room and changed into the jeans she’d purchased along with low-heeled winter boots and a long-sleeved t-shirt. She opened the curtains and stared out at the cityscape. The monuments and the National Mall were lit up. Lights reflecting on fresh snow gave it a festive feel.

  She grabbed her coat, new gloves, and camera and headed out the door. As she was stepping into the elevator, stuffing her camera in her purse, Zack stepped off. The door shut as he was standing there, his mouth open in surprise. He looked like he was trying to say something, but she wasn’t going to stop and listen. This was her trip, and she was going to enjoy it—pseudo fiancée or not.

  As she stepped out the front doors, she realized she didn’t have the ticket for her car. Zack had kept the valet slip. She slumped in defeat.

  Re-energized by the bright yellow of an oncoming taxi, she stepped out from under the awning and waved vigorously. As she slid across the seat, shaking snow out of her hair, she said, “The National Mall, please.”

  The driver looked back at her. “Are ya sure? That place ain’t safe afta dock.”

  “Come on, this is the United States of America. It can’t be that bad. I want to take some night photos of the monuments.”

  He stared at her a moment. “This ain’t da USA. Dis iz DC.”

  For a brief moment, she considered jumping out of the taxi and heading back to her room. But she’d had this on her bucket list for too many years, and to get a bonus of fresh snow? She wasn’t going to miss it. “I thought there were rangers at the monuments until eleven.”

  “Day ain’t packin’ heat an’ day verra gud at disappearin’ when ya need ‘em.”

  Frustrated, Sondra turned to bribery. “There’s an extra Jackson if you’ll hang around a few minutes. I won’t be long.”

  “I tried.” He took the twenty. “Not on muh conscience, Ma’am.” He pulled the taxi into the nearly-empty street and headed the few blocks to the National Mall.

  The place looked deserted. Despite the website touting the presence of rangers on the National Mall, there didn’t seem to be anyone there.

  As she stepped out of the cab, she hesitated. It was eerie standing there on the vacant mall. In a nation of millions, how could the monuments here be empty? She glanced back at the cabby, who was watching her with narrowed eyes. Maybe flashing the twenties had been a bad idea.

  She squared her shoulders, adjusted her purse strap, and headed to the Lincoln Memorial. She’d just take a few pictures. She’d come back to do the tour during the day.

  She snapped several pictures of the glowing Lincoln building, moved inside the shelter and read the plaques around t
he room. She stood a moment at the feet of the giant statue. This replica of the man who had led the country during a time when the states could have dissolved into separate countries had power. It symbolized everything this great nation had achieved.

  The civil war had turned the country from a mesh of quarrelling states into a “nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” She hesitated a moment, then reached out to touch the stone base. A thrill shot up her back. What a wonderful time she lived in. Black, white, male, and female were all equal under the law.

  She stepped back and took a couple more photos and then turned to look over the quiet Mall. The falling snow muffled the sounds of traffic. Unbroken snow led to the other monuments. She hesitated a moment, not certain she wanted to plow her way through, but her desire for night pictures enhanced by the glistening snow was a motivation. She forced her cold feet to move.

  As she approached the long black Vietnam Memorial, images of soldiers fighting in the mud flashed in her mind. She was kneeling in the snow, concentrating on focusing when her skin crawled. “Run.” Rang through her mind.

  She shot up and glanced toward the trees. A group of three men approached. The taxi was still waiting, its lights shining in the darkness. She took off, adrenaline speeding her flight. Wet snow pulled at her feet.

  Movement muffled by the piled snow sounded behind her. There was terror in their unrelenting pursuit.

  An indistinct blur passed her. It was human and male but she wasn’t stopping for an inspection, and he was moving faster in the other direction than she was moving forward.

  The sounds and cries of some kind of fight assaulted her ears.

  Her muscles screamed in protest. She hadn’t moved like this since high school. Pain seared her lungs. It forced her to slow as she approached the taxi. She jumped in the car and could hardly pant out. “The hotel, please.”

  The driver smirked. “DC.”

  “Hurry. We need to get out of here.”

  “We in no danja. I ain’t had dis much fun in yeuhs. Look at dat dude fight. He lak a pitbull. Those gangstas ain’t gunna fight nobody no tam soon.”

  Like a train wreck, Sondra couldn’t resist looking. There was enough light around the monuments to see. “Zack!” she screamed.

  He’d laid out all three of them. They were moaning and crawling away as she screamed his name. He turned to her and stalked over, the rage on his face clear. She’d never seen anyone look at her that way.

  The taxi driver shifted the car into gear and stepped on the gas. “STOP.” Sondra commanded. Her experience with Zack at trek gave her some reassurance she was safe even through his anger.

  The driver slammed on the brakes, and the taxi squealed to a stop. Zack threw open the door. “What were you thinking? Utah might be safe for you to go out alone, but DC definitely isn’t. Don’t ever scare me like that.” He thrust a bill at the taxi driver, which seemed to make the man happy, then he reached for Sondra’s hand and pulled her out. “You’re coming with me.”

  Since she had been the unintentional cause of his bloody lip and swelling eye, she meekly followed.

  After they were settled into the rental car and were driving away, Sondra asked softly, “Where did you learn to fight like that?”

  “I served some time in Afghanistan,” he managed through clenched teeth.

  Hoping he would relax if she kept him talking, she asked, “How long?”

  He took a deep breath, and then let it out slowly. “Two years.”

  “That must’ve been tough.” Her voice trembled. She had only heard nightmare stories about the conflict. She couldn’t imagine having to live through it for two years.

  “You have no idea.” The look that met hers showed he was calming. His eyes steered back to traffic. “I saw things there no human should ever see.”

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  “So am I.” He sighed. “And I’m sorry for the overreaction. Instinct kind of took over.”

  “Nice instincts.” She paused, her glance raking over his injuries. “How did you know where to find me?”

  “You’ve made no secret you wanted to see the monuments.” He sent a dimpled smile her direction. “I didn’t think you’d be crazy enough to explore by yourself.”

  Her answering smile was sheepish. “I didn’t realize I was in danger… although to be fair, the driver did try to warn me.”

  “Why did he drop you off?” His brows drew together in a puzzled frown.

  Sondra couldn’t stop the guilty flush which spread up her face. “I bribed him.”

  Zack sighed and turned his attention back to traffic. “I’m going to have my work cut out for me, that’s for sure.”

  “What work?”

  “Keeping you safe.”

  Sondra bounced in irritation. “It’s not your job to keep me safe. The arrangement I suggested is a temporary one. You don’t need to take on any responsibilities.”

  He glanced at her as he was pulling under the awning of the now-familiar hotel. “You don’t know me… at all. I take my responsibilities seriously—even if they’re temporary.”

  Sondra gulped. This wasn’t what she’d envisioned when she’d blurted out her proposal. As they were heading back inside the building, Zack asked, “Since it’s not safe to sightsee here after dark, was there something else you’d like to do?”

  She stomped the remaining snow off her boots as she answered. “Is there anything safe nearby?”

  “I’d have to recommend something outside of DC, I’m afraid.”

  Sondra shuddered. “I think I’m done travelling for the night.” She reached out to touch his arm. “Thanks for the rescue. It’s more than I deserved. It was stupid of me to venture out.”

  His expression softened. “You didn’t know…” He paused and grinned. “Don’t make a habit of it, okay? I might get arrested for assault and battery.”

  Sondra returned his smile. “I think I know someone who could defend you.”

  “I thought you worked in civil law.”

  “That doesn’t mean I can’t handle a criminal case.”

  “I’ll remember that.”

  “I hope you won’t need to.” She stepped back and glanced up and down, taking in his swelling eye and injured lip. His clothes seemed to have survived mostly intact, although she wasn’t sure if the blood would wash out. “I’m pretty good in the nursing department. You look like you could use one right now.”

  His half smile flashed, and his irresistible dimple appeared again. “I’m not likely to find another one without a trip to the emergency room. Let’s say we stop in my room and order a movie.”

  “I’ll grab some ice.” Sondra headed into her room for a bucket. A couple of minutes later, she knocked on his door. He’d already managed to change out of his bloodied shirt, and his dark hair glistened with moisture. His lip looked better not colored with blood, but his eye was swelling shut.

  “That looks painful.”

  “I’ve had worse.”

  Sondra was silent, not wanting to think of his time in the service. All kinds of horrible images flashed in her mind. She pulled out a ziplock bag from her purse and added ice. “Here. Use this. It’ll help the swelling.”

  “Okay.” The twinkle in his good eye belied his humble tone.

  When she reached up to dab the oozing blood from his lip, she was nearly overcome with a desire to kiss that same lip. She stepped back, breathless. What was happening? She’d never felt like this before. But then, she’d never been engaged before, either. Maybe spending time in his room wasn’t such a good idea.

  Sondra looked up at Zack. His eyes were smoldering, and she dropped her glance.

  Zack cleared his throat. “So… about that movie…”

  “I’ve planned a big day for tomorrow. I’d better go…” She ached to stay, an alien sensation.

  She turned on her heel, feeling an invisible magnet pulling at her, but resisted the powerful urge. This wasn’t what she wa
nted.

  Temporary. This arrangement was temporary. And that’s how she wanted it, wasn’t it?

  As she left his room, she remembered she had a legal paper to write—and no computer to write with.

  She stepped into her room and looked over the guest information. There was a computer room available on the main floor with a printer for guests. Perfect.

  She spent the next hour writing up a document that, as far as she could tell, left both their assets intact. She emailed herself a copy and printed off two. They could be notarized in the morning.

  She pulled the copies off the printer and stared at the printed sheets a moment. Zachory Lee Carlson’s financial assets would be totally off limits. It was a good thing she’d had such an infatuation with him when she was younger. His full name had been branded on her heart for years.

  It hadn’t left room for anyone else, and when she’d finally let go her infatuation, her studies at college and then work in law had taken over. What a surprise he’d come back into her life.

  And what a captivating package he’d become. She flushed. She was sure he wasn’t interested in anything but a very short relationship. Had he ever been as interested as she had been, he would have been at her door years before.

  * * *

  As she was dressing for bed, her phone rang a familiar tone.

  “Nikki.” She groaned. She’d have to answer her sometime. This was as good a time as any, and hadn’t she already made the move to give her the answer she wanted? “Hi.”

  “Is this Sondra?” Nikki asked.

  “Who else?” Sondra walked over to the window, moved the drapes aside, and stared out over the city.

  “You don’t sound like yourself.”

  Sondra’s answer was wry. “I don’t feel like myself.”

  “I’m sorry you’re upset.” Nikki’s voice shook with what sounded like unshed tears. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

  “I don’t see you have many options.”

  The air between them was silent a few moments. Nikki broke the silence, her voice barely a whisper. “You already turned me down. Have you changed your mind?”