“My heavens, you make it all sound so romantic.”

“This from the mother who used to tell me that fairy tales were for books and movies, but not real life.” It was one of the things Will most admired about his mother; she was pragmatic and determined to roll with whatever life threw at her.

She wiped away a tear. “I only said that because you were constantly dreaming our life would suddenly turn into an episode of Dawson’s Creek or a Disney movie where a football coach would arrive in town and announce he’s your long-lost father.”

“It wasn’t always a football coach. I would have been happy with the Matrix.” Or any man who would give his mother back her youth and rescue them from the poverty that had constantly nipped at their heels.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I just want you to have a chance at a relationship. A real marriage. It’s too late for me, but I’d hoped for something better for you.”

Will placed a finger beneath his mother’s chin, lifting it so they were eye to eye. “Hey, who says it’s too late for you? You could have a relationship. A marriage, too. You just need to get out of that stupid town and live a little.”

It was a familiar argument. Thanks to the outrageous salary Will earned to play a game, his mother could finally afford not to work and to enjoy life. Instead, she continued to dig into her hometown, choosing to live there and manage her grandmother’s antiques store. Maintaining the weathered hundred-year-old building that housed the store cost more than his mother brought in each year, but she refused to give it up. Her unwillingness to venture out of Chances Inlet frustrated Will.

His mother shook her head. “I know you don’t believe it, but I’m happy. My life is comfortable and familiar. I’m too set in my ways to want to start over somewhere else, much less with someone else. Besides, I’m not going anywhere while my grandson is in town.”

Will kissed her on the forehead. “We’ll both be able to forge a relationship with Owen. It’s not just the two of us anymore.”

“And his mother? How does she fit into our new family dynamic?”

His gut clenched at the thought of Julianne. He’d been avoiding her these past few days, catching glimpses of her at the hospital when he visited Owen. The conflicting emotions that rolled through his body every time he saw her made him nuts. On the one hand, he wanted to hate her for attempting to shut him out of Owen’s life, but whatever attraction that hummed between them still pulled at him every time he laid eyes on her. He only hoped he hadn’t made a mistake by insisting they spend the next three months in close quarters. For once, he was grateful his mother had remained in Chances Inlet; she’d be effective at running interference.

“Julianne will always be a part of Owen’s life,” he said. “We all need to try to get along, for his sake. Beyond that, she isn’t a part of this family.”

“In a few minutes, she will be.”

“That’s just a legal technicality, Mom.” He stood, gently tugging his mother to her feet beside him. “It’s only temporary.”

Her eyes were still sad as she adjusted his tie. “Not exactly what one wants to hear from the groom on his wedding day, but under the circumstances it’ll have to do. I guess I raised us both right, didn’t I?”

Will smiled down at his mother as she uttered one of her favorite sayings. She’d been a child herself when he was born, living with her grandmother. Both he and his mother had grown up together. “Yeah, Mom. You did.”

* * *

Just like that, Julianne was married. No wedding Mass. No wedding gown. She hadn’t even worn a dress. Not because Will had made the comment about her not wearing one—he was about to find out she was not giving in to him on everything—but because if she dressed like a bride, then this whole mess would seem genuine. The less she thought of their marriage as being real, the more apt she was to get through the next few months. So she’d donned a Calvin Klein silk blouse and pants, both cream colored; her mother’s pearls; and a pair of pearl earrings borrowed from Carly. Her sister-in-law, Faith, wanted to put flowers in Julianne’s hair, but she’d worn it long instead. The simpler the better.

What she hadn’t counted on was a wedding ring. That little detail was causing her to hyperventilate. When Will slid it onto her finger during the ceremony, she nearly fainted. But no ring was presented for her to place on his finger. And that made her angry.

“So let me get this straight, Will asked you to pick out a wedding band for me and you said nothing to me about it?” She paced the long kitchen in Hank’s house while Carly sat quietly at the kitchen table.

“I was doing you a favor, Jules. Will’s a guy. A linebacker. God knows what he would have picked out.”

“It doesn’t matter what he would have picked out! I don’t want to wear a ring. Don’t you get it? This isn’t a real marriage. This”—she waved her hand in front of Carly’s face—“makes it real!”

Carly grabbed her hand and guided her down into a chair beside her. “Here’s a little news flash: This marriage is real. Legally, anyway.”

Julianne slumped in the chair, deflated. “I’m such a hypocrite. I just promised to love a man I barely know for as long as we both shall live. What was I thinking?”

“You were thinking of Owen. And I told you that you didn’t have to go through with this marriage. Something could have been worked out, but you are bent on punishing yourself.”

Except punishing herself was the only way she could alleviate the guilt she felt. Shaking herself, she quickly pulled on what her brother referred to as her Scarlett O’Hara persona.

“No, I just need to stop feeling sorry for myself. This marriage is the best scenario for Owen right now. A mother has to sacrifice for her children. You’ll see when your baby comes.”

Carly placed a hand on her belly as her jaw dropped open.

“That move right there,” Julianne pointed to Carly’s hand caressing her stomach. “It’s a dead giveaway. Not to mention the dopey look your husband has on his face every time he’s passed the nursery this past week.”

“Jules, I . . . we . . . well, we haven’t said anything to anyone yet. It didn’t seem right given what you were going through,” Carly whispered.

Julianne forced a smile on her face. “Don’t be silly. If you’d waited six months to tell me, I would have deserved it. But don’t hide your joy because my life is messed up. You and Shane did things the right way. Be happy. I’m happy for you.” And she was. But if she were telling the truth, she’d admit to also being a tiny bit jealous.

Carly pulled her in for a hug. “You’re doing the right thing, too. I know you’ll find your happiness. Maybe even where you least expect it.”

Julianne broke their embrace and stood to pace the kitchen again. “Carly, don’t start dreaming. There’s not going to be a happily ever after with this marriage. The only thing Will and I have in common is Owen. It would take a lot more than migraine pills for me to fall back into bed with him.”

“Well, that’s reassuring.” Will’s voice was laced with acrimony as he spoke behind her. “Nice to know I won’t need to padlock my door at night.”

Julianne spun on her heels to face him. She’d avoided looking at him all morning, which only made their marriage ceremony more awkward. If the judge noticed she’d recited her vows to the lapel of Will’s beautifully tailored charcoal suit, he didn’t acknowledge it. Likely he’d been paid well not to mention details of their wedding to anyone.

But she couldn’t avoid meeting his gaze any longer. She had to steady herself on her high heels when she did. Will was breathtakingly stunning in his anger. That stubborn jaw called out to her to run her fingers, or her tongue, along his skin to relax his mouth. Julianne clenched her fingers on the edge of the table in order to keep her balance. Or keep them by her side, she wasn’t exactly sure. Animosity was reflected in his green eyes along with that something that seemed to call out to her body. Something she couldn’t define, but that almost had her stepping toward him before Carly jumped between them.

“Hey!” Carly held out a hand in front of Will and Julianne. “You both just promised to love one another. It doesn’t have to be love in the physical sense, but you could try being nice to one another.”

“I am nice, Carly. So nice, in fact, that I came in here to check and see if my . . . wife is okay. She looked a little peaked out there earlier.”

Julianne actually quivered at his menacing tone. “I’m fine,” she lied.

His eyes never wavered from Julianne’s face. “Could you give us a minute, Carly?”

Carly was clearly debating the wisdom of leaving the two of them alone, so Julianne gave her a reassuring nod.

“I’ll just be in the other room. With Shane,” her friend said, as if the threat of her husband would deter Will from harming her.

“It’s okay, Carly. I’ve got something I need to discuss with my husband.”

“God, you two deserve each other,” Carly mumbled as she stalked out of the kitchen.

Will insolently leaned a hip against the counter as he crossed massive arms against his chest. “Eight minutes into married life and you’ve already got a problem, Princess? Why am I not surprised.”

He’d been counting the minutes they’d been married? It would have been romantic had her husband been anyone else. Julianne took two steps forward, standing inches from Will as she waved her left hand in his face. “This is my problem!”

Will didn’t flinch. “You don’t like it? Your best friend picked it out. Complain to her.”