Let's Pretend (Romantic Comedy, Contemporary, Second Chance, Sensual)

Let’s Pretend

by

Monique DeVere

© Monique DeVere 2013

Amazon Kindle Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events described herein are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, therefore not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this story may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author. Except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews.

Let’s Pretend

COPYRIGHT © 2010, 2013 by Monique DeVere

Published by Crystal Swan Publications

Contact Information:
[email protected]

Cover Designed by Crystal Swan

With thanks to
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Blurb

True love needs no pretence

When A&E trauma surgeon, Dr. Isobel Murphy, married sexy Irish firefighter, Lucas Delaney, she knew it was going to be forever. Unfortunately, she didn’t realise forever would only last five short years.

Keeping her failed marriage from her family seems like a piece of cake, until her grandmother calls a family gathering and Belle suspects she’s about to announce a critical illness. Making excuses for Luc’s absence, she flies home to Connecticut. Then delicious Lucas arrives for the three-day get-together and Belle knows things are going to get dicey. Especially since he still has the power to make her heart miss a beat, and her stomach bottom out.

When Belle asks him to pretend they’re still deeply in love, Luc doesn’t have a problem. He sees an opportunity to reclaim the love of his life. And he goes all out to remind Belle how it used to be between them, before long work hours and clashing schedules invaded their marriage. What he needs to know though, is, once the pretence is over, will Belle be applying for her decree absolute? Or will they be renewing wedding vows?

1

“B
et you can’t wait to get away from this place.”

Suzanne, an anaesthetist and Dr. Isobel Murphy’s close friend sidled up to her as Belle stripped off her latex gloves and surgical mask on her way out of the OR, and dropped them into the yellow contaminates bin.

With the high-stressed job of a trauma surgeon at King’s Reach Hospital in East London, anyone would think she’d be anxious to take a break for a few days, but Belle was dreading her trip to Connecticut. Not because she was afraid of flying. This was going to be the first time she’d face her family since her marriage crashed and burned.

“It’s not so bad.” She was weary on her feet from already putting in sixteen hours. In comparison, Suzanne looked fresh and ready to go—even her red ponytail swished with energy—but then her shift had only started four hours ago.

“Speak for yourself.” Suzanne entered the changing rooms ahead of her.

“There are worse jobs.” Belle tugged off her scrubs and binned them before pulling on her street clothes, glad to be heading home.

“Better ones, too. What I wouldn’t give for the nine-to-five.”

Belle often wondered whether having a nine-to-five job would have saved her marriage. Her hours were crazy and even her days off weren’t guaranteed. She lost count of the nights the job had yanked her away from the few snatched hours she and Luc had together. Her job wasn’t the only problem—Luc’s was too.

“You wouldn’t last five days in a nine-to-five,
Suz
. Any other job would be too unexciting for you.”

Suzanne chuckled. “You know that’s true. When are you due to fly out?”

“Two weeks and three days.”

“You lucky duck. Not that you’re counting or anything.” Suzanne winked. “Give your family my love and tell that gorgeous husband of yours, I said ‘hi’ when you see him tonight.”

“Thanks.” Guilt tightened her insides. “I will.” No one knew she and Luc had separated and she wasn’t ready to share the news. Not even with family.

They exited the changing rooms, strolling past the reception area when one of the nurses leaned sideways to catch Belle’s attention. “Dr. Murphy, your sister phoned while you were in surgery. She said she tried your mobile but you have some sort of fault on the line and she couldn’t leave a message.”

“See you later,
Suz
.” Belle veered toward the desk where the dark haired nurse was catching up on paperwork.

“Yeah, see you tomorrow, Belle.” Suzanne continued on her way.

Belle smiled. “Did my sister leave a message?”

The nurse grabbed a yellow message slip and handed it over. “Only for you to call her back when you’re free.”

“Thanks.” She took the note then dug in her leather tote for her phone.

A busy psychologist, her sister didn’t make many chitchat calls. Mia wouldn’t be calling if it weren’t important. Checking her phone’s signal and battery bars, she hit the number three button on the keypad to speed dial Mia’s mobile number. Knowing her sister, she’d still be at her office in south Kensington on the other side of London even though it was close to nine P.M.

“Hi, I have a patient waiting so need to be quick,” Mia said on answering. “I just wanted to make sure you were still going to Gran’s weekend after next.”

Belle let out a quiet breath of relief. Her sister hadn’t phoned to tell her something tragic had occurred. Belle’s heart still skipped as if she had.

“I’ll be there.”

“Promise?”

“I’ve arranged cover. I’ll be there.” Not because she wanted to be but she’d been avoiding her family for months. It wouldn’t be much longer before they started asking uncomfortable questions.

“What about Luc, is he coming?”

The mention of her ex-husband gouged a pit in Belle’s stomach. How was she going to tell them that her marriage to the world’s most perfect man was over?

“Um—uh...he won't be able to make it, sorry.”

“What do you mean he ‘won't be able to make it’?”

“Just what I said, Mia. Luc is busy and won’t be accompanying me to Connecticut.”

“Why ever not? Gran has called a family get-together. That means
all
of the family.”

Only Luc was no longer part of their family. Unfortunately, she wasn't ready to tell her sister that yet.

“As I said, he's unavoidably busy.”

Mia paused for a couple of beats. “I see.”

Belle hoped she didn’t. She hated when Mia used that psychologist tone. She just knew her sister was about to nag. If she wanted to keep her family out of her business, she needed to get her sister off her back.

She spewed out the first excuse that came to her. “He’s on an important training course. I know he’ll hate not being there, but we’ll make it up to Gran.”

Belle knew Mia appreciated how essential training was to Luc’s job. As a result, she wouldn’t push the subject. A firefighter had to be continuously at the top of his game. Ready for any disaster and that meant regular training.

“We’ll all miss Luc, but you
will
be there, right? No excuses?”

“Yes, Mia, I’ll be there.” Belle dragged in a guilty breath as she headed toward the exit. She couldn’t wait to get into the fresh air, jump in her car, and head home. How was she going to get through the weekend with her family and avoid dropping a bombshell on them—especially Gran? “I’m looking forward to it.”

“I can’t wait to catch up. What with your schedule and mine we never see each other anymore.”

A fact Belle was beyond grateful for because there was no way she’d be able to keep her enormous failure from her sister if she saw her regularly.

“Me, too. Look I have to go, a casualty just came in.” She hated to lie but Mia had a way of wangling information out of her and she wasn’t ready yet.

“Okay, sis. I shouldn’t keep my patient waiting either. See you next weekend.”

“See you.”

“Chao.”

Belle’s thumb hadn’t left the end call button when the automatic doors slid open and a thin man rushed in carrying a small, pale, and groaning woman.

“Help me! Somebody! My girlfriend’s hurt—she’s hurt real bad.”

Belle dropped her phone and tote on the Information desk she was passing. “Will you look after this for me?”

The young man staffing the desk nodded.

Belle hurried to the couple. Two nurses followed her, one pushing a wheelchair.

 
“I’m Dr. Murphy, what happened?” She couldn’t see any obvious injuries on the woman. “Would you like to place your girlfriend in the wheelchair, sir?”